Fantasy Football Week 12: Soft Defenses for Your Stars To Exploit
Fantasy football Week 12 brings us plenty of tasty matchups, a rather fitting setup for Thanksgiving weekend.
Players across the board are taking on the league's biggest cupcakes in what will certainly be a crucial week of football for fantasy owners in the midst of the playoff hunt.
For those unaware of just what constitutes a cupcake, it is an NFL defense that is soft against either the run or the pass, and they're especially sweet for owners of the players facing them.
These 10 players are most capable of helping you enjoy the cupcake matchups of Week 12.
Passing Cupcake Eater 5: Jacob Tamme, TE, Indianapolis Colts
1 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Tamme is essentially Dallas Clark 2.0, filling the injured tight end's role beautifully. Tamme is a solid play against even sturdy defenses; when the Colts play a cupcake, he's sure to have a big day.
Who's the Cupcake: San Diego ranks 27th against opposing tight ends in 2010, and Indy's defense loves to exploit any soft spots in opponents' pass defenses.
Cupcake Meter: 7/10. Tamme's got the skills to punish the Chargers over the middle, and the tight end should continue his strong play of the last few weeks.
Rushing Cupcake Eater 5: Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
2 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Charles is one of the league's most explosive backs, and he's had quite a favorable stretch over the last few weeks.
Charles is capable of racking up yards in bunches, and he loves gashing cupcake defenses. For proof of his cupcake-eating credentials, look no further than his 177-yard performance against Buffalo in Week 8.
Who's the Cupcake: Seattle ranks 27th in the NFL against opposing running backs, and Charles is capable of breaking off big gains through the gaping holes in the Seahawks' front seven.
Cupcake Meter: 7/10. Jamaal Charles would be the unquestioned starter in any other system, but with Thomas Jones forcing a split of the carries in Kansas City, Charles' value takes a hit.
Passing Cupcake Eater 4: Vernon Davis, TE San Francisco 49ers
3 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Davis might be one of the best tight ends in the NFL with his combination of size, speed and hands. When he goes against a soft defense, Davis is capable of putting up some very tasty numbers.
Who's the Cupcake: The Arizona Cardinals rank 22nd in the NFL against opposing tight ends and have been particularly vulnerable against the pass as a whole.
Cupcake Meter: 8/10. Davis has the size and wheels to punish Arizona, and with Troy Smith at quarterback, the big tight end should expect a few balls to get thrown his way come Sunday.
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Rushing Cupcake Eater 4: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
4 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Mendenhall's been one of the NFL's better rushers for much of 2010, but he's struggled to get his feet under him in recent weeks. Perhaps a cupcake matchup is just what he needs to whet his rushing appetite.
Who's the Cupcake: Buffalo has been particularly inept against the run in 2010, ranking 27th against opposing running backs. They're even softer against the run than they are against the pass, so expect the Steelers to give Mendenhall plenty of work this week.
Cupcake Meter: 8/10. Mendenhall's got the skills to feast on Buffalo's soft, sweet defense; the only question is, will Pittsburgh give him enough carries to take advantage?
Passing Cupcake Eater 3: Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants
5 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Manningham has turned into an afterthought in the Giants' offense on a regular basis in 2010, but with both Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks hurt, Eli Manning won't have a choice but to throw to the talented receiver. He's got the skills to be a big point producer.
Who's the Cupcake: Jacksonville has been one of the NFL's worst defenses in 2010 and currently ranks 28th against opposing wideouts. Their secondary has been a complete mess for most of the season.
Cupcake Meter: 8.5/10. Manningham's got the talent to have a big day, and Jacksonville's defense is perfectly suited to being lit up.
Rushing Cupcake Eater 3: Peyton Hillis, RB, Cleveland Browns
6 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Hillis has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL in 2010, and his bruising running style punishes defenses of all shapes, sizes and skill levels.
He gashed the Patriots defense for 184 yards and two touchdowns in Week 9, cementing his cupcake-munching credentials.
Who's the Cupcake: Carolina ranks 26th against opposing running backs in 2010, and the Panthers haven't exactly held up well against power backs like Hillis this season.
Cupcake Meter: 8.5/10. Hillis will gash the Panthers in much the same way that he's blown up most of the Browns' opponents in 2010. Get ready for another big game in this one.
Passing Cupcake Eater 2: Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
7 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Anyone who has watched Bowe over the last several weeks knows that the wideout is capable of feasting on cupcakes. He's been on a tear, and the favorable schedule has been a big reason why.
Who's the Cupcake: Seattle ranks 29th in the NFL against opposing wideouts in 2010, and they don't have the corners to keep up with a receiver like Bowe.
Cupcake Meter: 9/10. Bowe's got the skills to light up a porous Seahawks defense; expect his torrid run to continue.
Rushing Cupcake Eater 2: Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco 49ers
8 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Gore's been one of the NFL's best running backs with his combination of speed and power in 2010, and when you throw his skill catching passes into the mix, it's no wonder he's capable of munching on cupcakes as well as any back in football.
Who's the Cupcake: The Arizona Cardinals rank second to last in the NFL against opposing running backs in 2010, and they're incapable of stopping even the most mediocre rushers.
Cupcake Meter: 9.5/10. Gore's as reliable of a rusher as you'll find in the NFL, and with a soft matchup, you can bet on a strong game.
Passing Cupcake Eater 1: Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay Packers
9 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Anyone who saw Jennings' explosion against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11 knows why the Packers wideout is on this list.
Who's the Cupcake: Atlanta ranks 26th in the NFL against opposing wideouts, and the Falcons have been gashed by multiple teams' go-to wideouts this season.
Cupcake Meter: 10/10. Jennings has the skills to slice and dice Atlanta's defense and should have another fantastic game this week.
Rushing Cupcake Eater 1: Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis Rams
10 of 10
Why He's a Cupcake Eater: Jackson is one of the NFL's most talented backs, and with his power and speed, he loves to rack up big games against soft opponents. For proof, one need look no further than his 114-yard explosion against the Detroit Lions.
Who's the Cupcake: The Denver Broncos have been the NFL's worst run defense for most of 2010, and it seems like they can't help but give up a huge game to most of their opponents.
Cupcake Meter: 10/10. When you combine one of the NFL's best running backs with its worst run defense, you're sure to have a huge day. Play Jackson with full confidence.
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