Fantasy Football Week 12 Matchup: Jacksonville Jaguars at New York Giants

Week 12 Match-up:  Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) @ New York Giants (6-4)

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

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Jacksonville Jaguars (Jaguars Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

New York Giants Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 3rd - TDs Allowed T-11th

New York Giants Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 4th – TDs Allowed T-8th

Jacksonville Offensive Cast

David Garrard (QB Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 145/214 – for 1,694 yards & 17 TDs

Garrard is now one TD shy of tying his career high for a season.  In fact, he’s thrown for two or more TDs in five of his last six games (the one game he didn’t, he was injured and out of the game midway through the second quarter).  However, the streak stops here as the Giants have one of the best pass defenses in the business.  Don’t play him this weekend unless you absolutely have to.

Maurice Jones-Drew (RB Week 12 Ranking: No. 16)

2010 Season: 209 carries for 878 yards & 4 TDs || 24 receptions for 263 yards & 2 TDs

Not only do the Giants have one of the best pass D’s in the league, but they also have a top-5 rush D as well.  If the Jags had a scary-good passing offense to take the heat off of MJD this game, I’d say roll with him as a RB1 this week.  But they don’t, so the Giants will likely crowd the line and pay extra-special attention to Jones-Drew in an effort to not let Jacksonville’s best player beat them.

Mike Sims-Walker (WR Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 32 receptions for 418 yards & 4 TDs

Sims-Walker got back onto the practice field this week, but barely.  He’ll be sitting out another one in Week 12.

Mike Thomas (WR Week 12 Ranking: No. 40)

2010 Season: 46 receptions for 572 yards & 3 TDs

Thomas will certainly be getting the targets in this game with MSW still on the sidelines, but he won’t be able to do much with them.  He’s a good PPR play but not much beyond that.

Marcedes Lewis (TE Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 35 receptions for 445 yards & 8 TDs

Lewis will likely be used more as a blocker this game than anything else seeing that the Giants don’t allow much to opposing tight ends.  However, if the Jags happen to get into the red zone, you might see a TD out of him.  Don’t bet on it though.

New York Giants (Giants Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

Jacksonville Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 28th - TDs Allowed T-27th

Jacksonville Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 19th – TDs Allowed T-30th

New York Giants Offensive Cast

Eli Manning (QB Week 12 Ranking: No. 14)

2010 Season: 231/352 – for 2,595 yards & 21 TDs

Eli has lost his WR1, WR2, WR4 and WR5 so far this year.  That leaves Mario Manningham, Derek Hagan and Duke Calhoun to pass to.  I’m more than expecting the Giants to run the ball a ton this game, but that doesn’t mean Manning won’t be able to throw up a couple of scores against one of the worst three defenses in the league.

Ahmad Bradshaw (RB Week 12 Ranking: No. 20)

2010 Season: 185 carries for 867 yards & 5 TDs || 28 receptions for 197 yards & 0 TDs

Bradshaw was demoted to second-string after coughing up the ball a league-high sixth time against the inner-division rival Eagles last week.  That doesn’t mean he won’t get his touches, because otherwise, he’s been amazing this year, but you can’t expect more than a split with Jacobs this week as Coach Coughlin teaches the kid a lesson.

Brandon Jacobs (RB Week 12 Ranking: No. 14)

2010 Season: 78 carries for 387 yards & 5 TDs || 7 receptions for 59 yards & 0 TDs

Jacobs becomes the beneficiary of Bradshaw’s recent demise, and what a game to get a chance like this in.  The Jags allow opposing running backs to do pretty much whatever they want, so if Brandon wants to show his worth, now’s the time to do it.  I expect at least a TD in this one, and if he can get a good 20 carries or so, 100 yards should be had as well.

Hakeem Nicks (WR Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 62 receptions for 800 yards & 9 TDs

Nicks will be out for at least the next three games and possibly longer than that.  Stash him on your bench and hope for a return during your fantasy playoffs.

Steve Smith II (WR Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 47 receptions for 517 yards & 3 TDs

Smitty will be out for another one while his return after that is still up in the air.

Mario Manningham (WR Week 12 Ranking: No. 9)

2010 Season: 38 receptions for 500 yards & 4 TDs

Manningham will be in the driver’s seat for some nice fantasy points this weekend with both Nicks and Smith out.  If he doesn’t reach 100 yards on a good 10 targets or so plus a touchdown, I’ll be shocked.

Derek Hagan (WR Week 12 Ranking: No. 46)

2010 Season: 3 receptions for 10 yards & 1 TD

Hagan will have the first go of it as the replacement WR2 this weekend.  He caught a TD against the Eagles last Sunday night, so there could be some hope for the former third-rounder out of Arizona State.

Duke Calhoun (WR Week 12 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 1 reception for 4 yards & 0 TDs

Calhoun has the size to be effective in the red zone (6’4”, 205 pounds), but he probably won’t do much else as the WR3 this week.

Kevin Boss (TE Week 12 Ranking: No. 7)

2010 Season: 21 receptions for 318 yards & 2 TDs

Boss should be the one Manning will depend on to pick up the slack this weekend, and with the Jaguars allowing a touchdown to a tight end every other game this year, Kevin won’t be such a bad play.