Fantasy Football Week 12 Matchup: Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons

Week 12 Matchup:  Green Bay Packers (7-3) at Atlanta Falcons (8-2)

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Rankings based on top 16 QBs, 32 RBs, 48 WRs and 16 TEs.

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Green Bay Packers (Packers Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

Atlanta Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 24th - TDs Allowed T-22nd

Atlanta Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game sixth – TDs Allowed T-first

Green Bay Offensive Cast

Aaron Rodgers (QB Week 12 Ranking: No. 1)

2010 Season: 214/334 – for 2,601 yards and 19 TDs

In the past five games, while the Atlanta defense hasn’t given up a ton of yards, they’ve still allowed no fewer than two passing TDs to opposing QBs.  Two apiece to Sam Bradford and Josh Freeman, and three apiece to Joe Flacco, Carson Palmer and Kevin Kolb. 

The way I see it, Bradford and Freeman are a step below Flacco, Palmer and Kolb at this point in their careers, while Rodgers is at least a step above them.  If the pattern stays true, Rodgers should end up with four TDs and right around 300 yards in this one.

Brandon Jackson (RB Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 122 carries for 488 yards and three TDs || 29 receptions for 231 yards and one TD

Jackson has gotten between 15 and 18 touches in each of his last six games, but that’s not enough to do any damage against a stout Falcons rush D.

Greg Jennings (WR Week 12 Ranking: No. 4)

2010 Season: 46 receptions for 703 yards and nine TDs

Jennings has been on absolute fire lately.  In the five games since Jermichael Finley went down for the year, Jennings has now grabbed six TDs while averaging nine targets, 6.4 catches and 104 yards in those games.  In what could turn out to be the game of the week, I expect both he and Rodgers to step up against very beatable Falcons secondary.

Donald Driver (WR Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 32 receptions for 338 yards and three TDs

Driver’s quad injury will continue to hold him back a bit, but the wily veteran should still be able to keep the Atlanta D preoccupied while Jennings and Jones light ‘em up.

James Jones (WR Week 12 Ranking: No. 29)

2010 Season: 30 receptions for 458 yards and three TDs

With Driver still a bit gimpy, I expect Jones to continue to produce in his WR2 role this week against the NFL’s 24th-ranked pass D.

Jordy Nelson (WR Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 29 receptions for 301 yards and no TDs

With Driver back as the WR3, Nelson won’t get more than just a few targets this game.

Donald Lee (TE Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: Eight receptions for 68 yards and one TD

Lee has barely factored into the passing game all year.

Andrew Quarless (TE Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: Eight receptions for 104 yards and one TD

Quarless has more pass-catching skills than Lee, but he’s still not used enough to depend on.

Atlanta Falcons (Falcons Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

Green Bay Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 11th - TDs Allowed T-third

Green Bay Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 18th – TDs Allowed T-third

Atlanta Offensive Cast

Matt Ryan (QB Week 12 Ranking: No. 12)

2010 Season: 238/377 – for 2,518 yards and 18 TDs

This is one of Ryan’s toughest matchups to date, but I expect him to rise to the challenge.  In his five home games so far this year, Matty Ice produced three-TD games in three of them while also tossing up his three highest yardage totals this year. 

Plain and simple, Matty loves playing at home, as evidenced by his 18-1 career record at the Georgia Dome (lost 24-20 in his rookie season to Denver on a fourth quarter TD pass by Jay Cutler with 5:35 left in the game).

Michael Turner (RB Week 12 Ranking: No. 18)

2010 Season: 200 carries for 864 yards and five TDs || 10 receptions for 69 yards and no TDs

“The Centaur” hasn’t had a lot of success against the better rush defenses in the league this year, and though the numbers may not show it, the Packers do have a good rush D.  I can maybe see a short-yardage TD coming in this game, but don’t expect more than 60 to 70 yards or so.

Roddy White (WR Week 12 Ranking: No. 3)

2010 Season: 79 receptions for 1,017 yards and seven TDs

Roddy will likely be facing off against Charles Woodson for most of this game, but the massive amount of targets he receives and overall skill should be able to overcome the matchup.  It won’t be his best game of the year, but the great ones tend to step up in situations like these.

Michael Jenkins (WR Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 20 receptions for 285 yards and no TDs

Jenkins may come out of this one with five to seven catches if Roddy can’t break the clamp-down by Woodson with any regularity.

Harry Douglas (WR Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 16 receptions for 191 yards and one TD

Douglas has a ton of talent, but too many mistakes keeps him behind Jenkins on the depth chart.

Tony Gonzalez (TE Week 12 Ranking: No. 10)

2010 Season: 45 receptions for 448 yards and three TDs

If the Packers can break through a solid Falcons offensive line, Gonzo will see more than a fair share of targets and possibly a TD this game.  Otherwise, don’t expect much more than four catches for around 50 yards.