Fantasy Football Week 14 Matchup: New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings

Week 14 Match-up:  New York Giants (8-4) at Minnesota Vikings (5-7)

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

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New York Giants (Giants Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

Minnesota Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 12th - TDs Allowed T-18th

Minnesota Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game fourth – TDs Allowed T-seventh

New York Giants Offensive Cast

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

2010 Season: 260/401 – for 2,982 yards & 23 TDs

Eli misses his boys, that’s for sure, but half the reason why he screwed over fantasy owners last week was because the Giants realized they could just run all over the Redskins and didn’t need Eli to pass the ball to his sub-par receiving corps. However, this Sunday, they will, and they’ll probably even have Nicks and Smith back in some capacity as well. Expect a decent bounce-back game out of young Manning against a mediocre Vikings D that the Giants won’t be able to run at will upon.

Ahmad Bradshaw (RB Week 14 Ranking: No. 14)

2010 Season: 219 carries for 1,013 yards & seven TDs || 33 receptions for 239 yards & zero TDs

Bradshaw might have demoted to second-string, but he’s still the main ball-handler on the team seeing that he got 26 touches last week compared to Jacobs’ eight. Who cares if he’s in there for the first series of the game or not, because with those kind of touches, he’ll put up numbers against any defense in the league.

Brandon Jacobs (RB Week 14 Ranking: No. 24)

2010 Season: 100 carries for 577 yards & seven TDs || seven receptions for 59 yards & zero TDs

Doesn’t really matter that Jacobs is starting because the Giants are still only giving him RB2 touches. He did, however, do the most with his eight carries last week rumbling off 103 yards and two touchdowns against a terrible Redskins D, and it looks like his power will be needed in this one versus a tough Minnesota front line.

Hakeem Nicks (WR Week 14 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 62 receptions for 800 yards & nine TDs

Nicks will likely be back for this one, but the Giants staff has already said they’ll use him like this is a pre-season game. Basically, he’ll play maybe a couple of quarters.

Steve Smith II (WR Week 14 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 47 receptions for 517 yards & three TDs

Smitty should be back, but like Nicks, he might not be used all that much.

Mario Manningham (WR Week 14 Ranking: No. 23)

2010 Season: 43 receptions for 597 yards & five TDs

It was recently opined how frustrating of a receiver Manningham is for Eli to throw to due to his decision-making during option routes. That doesn’t surprise me in the least, seeing how he comes from the same school as Braylon Edwards, but he’s still the most talented guy he has for the time being. Eli will need him come Sunday.

Derek Hagan (WR Week 14 Ranking: No. 46)

2010 Season: 12 receptions for 96 yards & one TD

Hagan had a pretty nice outing last weekend against the Redskins, mostly due to Eli being frustrated as hell with Manningham’s mental lapses. I don’t expect more than 4-5 catches for 40 or so yards for Hagan in this one, but stranger things have happened.

Kevin Boss (TE Week 14 Ranking: No. 8)

2010 Season: 26 receptions for 420 yards & three TDs

Manning will depend on Boss once again this week as Nicks and Smitty will only be used sparingly on Sunday. This isn’t the greatest match-up for the big tight end to roll, but in a league left with slim pickings at the position, you could definitely do worse.

Minnesota Vikings (Vikings Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

New York Giants Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 2nd - TDs Allowed T-7th

New York Giants Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 7th – TDs Allowed T-12th

Minnesota Offensive Cast

Brett Favre (QB Week 14 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 212/351 – for 2,446 yards & 10 TDs

This could be the week one of the most impressive streaks in NFL history goes down.  Favre may or may not start in this one, but either way, you can’t use him against a tough Giants defense.

Tarvaris Jackson (QB Week 14 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 19/28 – for 223 yards & three TDs

Tarvaris had a great game against the Bills filling in for Favre, but even if he has to do it again, the outcome will not be the same this time around.

Adrian Peterson (RB Week 14 Ranking: No. 8)

2010 Season: 233 carries for 1,123 yards & 11 TDs || 33 receptions for 332 yards & one TD

Purple Jesus was healthy enough to play last week, and he didn’t disappoint going up over 100 yards on the day and running in three TDs for his faithful fantasy owners. The Giants obviously have a much better rush D than the Bills, but the Vikings seem committed to getting AP the ball right now, so some damage is sure to be done.

Toby Gerhart (RB Week 14 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 58 carries for 216 yards & one TD || 16 receptions for 142 yards & zero TDs

AP is back healthy, so Gerhart returns to back-up status.

Sidney Rice (WR Week 14 Ranking: No. 21)

2010 Season: nine receptions for 181 yards & two TDs

Rice can clearly still make the big-time plays, and I’ll betcha Favre took notice of it from the sidelines last week. Last year Brett made a living out of tossing it up to Sidney when there was nothing left to do, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see him return to those habits and make Rice a fantasy force yet again for the fantasy stretch run… and against the Giants, he might just have to unless he actually wants to die on the field.

Percy Harvin (WR Week 14 Ranking: No. 32)

2010 Season: 51 receptions for 627 yards & four TDs

Despite his migraine issues, Harvin doesn’t miss many games because of it. He did last week though, and I’ll bet the farm he’s pissed as hell and ready to show his teammates he can be counted on because of it. With the Giants having a strong front seven, you can bet the Vikings will need to pass the ball a little bit in this one and at least get Harvin working on a couple of reverses as well. Of course, this is all predicated on Harvin playing, so check and make sure he is before getting him in there.

Bernard Berrian (WR Week 14 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 19 receptions for 190 yards & zero TDs

Berrian won’t even get the start if Harvin doesn’t play. He’s that bad.

Greg Camarillo (WR Week 14 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 17 receptions for 206 yards & one TD

Camarillo has basically taken Berrian’s place as the third receiver in this offense… not that it will make a bit of a difference this weekend.

Visanthe Shiancoe (TE Week 14 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 35 receptions for 437 yards & two TDs

The Giants are one of the best in the game at defending tight ends, so look elsewhere this weekend.

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