Fantasy NFL Week 14: Sunday’s Top 25 Performers of the Fantasy Playoffs
Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts kicked off the fantasy playoffs with a bang against Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans Thursday night.
After three miserable weeks for Manning, throwing 11 interceptions in total, he didn’t turn the ball over once. He completed 25-of-35 attempted passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns to Pierre Garcon. Garcon, one of the biggest underachievers this season, hauled in six passes for 93 yards and the two scores.
Manning and Reggie Wayne continued Week 13’s excellent chemistry as Wayne caught four passes for 106 yards.
Chris Johnson reestablished himself, rushing 22 times for 111 yards and a touchdown while catching eight passes for 68 yards.
Kerry Collins and Bo Scaife were the biggest surprises of the night. Collins completed 28-of-39 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns with zero turnovers. Scaife was the main beneficiary, catching four passes for 20 yards and two touchdowns including one with no time left in the game.
Which players erupted for the first week of the fantasy playoffs on Sunday?
25. Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Ward has had an up and down season, starting the year with Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch as his quarterback.
Those who played Ward for their opening matchup in the fantasy playoffs were greatly rewarded.
Ward abused the suspect Bengals secondary for eight receptions for 115 yards.
Tough to ask for more after his season.
24. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Freeman has been a great fantasy surprise in his sophomore season. He is big and strong with a Ben Roethlisberger type frame. He has a strong arm and generally makes great decisions passing.
Freeman had a solid fantasy day against the Redskins declining defense.
He completed 15-of-25 passes (60.0 completion percentage) for 266 yards and a touchdown.
He would have had an even better day if rookie wide receiver Mike Williams was fully healthy.
23. Arrelious Benn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The rookie has had a tough time adjusting to the NFL, but in recent weeks has done a much better job.
Benn benefited from the defense shifting its coverage to fellow rookie wide receiver Mike Williams.
Benn caught four passes for 122 yards in his best game as a rookie. This was the most receptions and yards Benn caught in a single game all season.
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22. Santana Moss, Washington Redskins
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Santana Moss has not been as consistent as many believed he would be as he is one of the best receivers Donovan McNabb has every played with.
Moss was the top option for McNabb this week and turned in a very solid performance.
He caught seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, which led all Washington receivers in the game.
Moss should continue this pace against Dallas Week 15.
21. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles
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McCoy was bottled up in the first half but ran with more power, determination and quickness in the second half. McCoy repeatedly found running room for first downs and was juking Dallas defenders left and right.
He rushed 16 times for 149 yards including a big, 56-yarder. McCoy wasn’t used as a receiver in this game, catching just four passes for three yards. He was used as their closer, which should give the entire team even more confidence in their rushing game.
20. Jon Kitna, Dallas Cowboys
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Kitna turned in one of his better performances of the season. For those with Aaron Rodgers on their team, they may want to look at adding Kitna for insurance if Rodgers is forced to miss Week 15 against the New England Patriots.
Kitna completed 24-of-35 attempted passes (68.6 completion percentage) for 242 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
19. Malcom Floyd, San Diego Chargers
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Floyd has been a disappointment this season in fantasy due to injuries and inconsistency. Those who gambled on him this week were greatly rewarded.
Floyd caught four passes for 51 yards and two touchdowns.
With Philip Rivers at quarterback, Floyd makes a solid flex option against the San Francisco 49ers Thursday night with Antonio Gates likely sitting out again.
18. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints
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Colston saved arguably his best game for the fantasy playoffs.
He was the entire offense in the first quarter of the game against the Rams, which Colston should have dominated with his size and leaping ability.
Colston caught five passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns.
As long as Brees is throwing the ball, Colston is a solid play.
17. Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins
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McNabb has been inconsistent all season, but saved his day by hitting Santana Moss for a touchdown over the middle with nine seconds to go.
McNabb completed 22-of-35 attempted passes (62.9 completion percentage) for 228 yards and two touchdowns.
Most important for McNabb, he refused to turn the ball over.
McNabb was heavily aided by the return of a running game for his offense. McNabb is a great option against Dallas, as Dallas has been in shootout after shootout since Jason Garrett became the Cowboys’ interim head coach.
16. Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos
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Moreno has been a monster in recent weeks.
Against a poor Cardinals defense, Moreno was the focal point for his Broncos.
Moreno was the only Bronco who even showed up to play in the lopsided loss.
He carried the ball 19 times for 81 yards and a touchdown with five receptions for 32 yards.
15. Brian Westbrook, San Francisco 49ers
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Westbrook performed extremely well against the Arizona Cardinals two weeks ago on Monday Night Football. Westbrook proved in Week 14 that he can be a very solid contributor for Alex Smith’s offense. Westbrook is now the best pass blocking and receiving back on the 49ers roster.
He was not as effective on the ground, rushing nine times for just 23 yards. Westbrook’s bread and butter against the Seahawks was his pass catching ability.
Westbrook led the team with six receptions for 87 yards and a 62-yard touchdown.
Westbrook could once again catch a lot of passes against the Chargers Thursday night and makes for a decent flex option.
14. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Jones-Drew was bottled up for the most part, but when it was all said and done, his halftime speech excited him along with his teammates.
With the game on the line, Jones-Drew ran for a 30-yard touchdown to give the Jaguars the lead with 1:34 left in the fourth quarter.
Jones-Drew finished the day carrying the rock 23 times for 101 yards and the touchdown and three receptions for 19 yards.
Jones-Drew owners should be smiling from ear to ear with a fantastic matchup against the Indianapolis Colts Week 15.
13. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
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Brees did what he always does—produce for fantasy owners.
One of the top fantasy quarterbacks in the game, Brees is constantly slinging the rock.
He started out on fire with two quick first quarter touchdowns to Marques Colston.
Brees was not as effective as he usually is, but still finished with 221 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 25-of-40 passes (62.5 completion percentage).
12. Ryan Torain, Washington Redskins
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Torain finally returned from a hamstring injury and picked up right where he left off with a fantastic performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He had over 150 yards rushing in the first half as he brought the rushing attack back to the Washington offense.
The powerful back finished the day rushing for 172 yards on 24 carries and caught two passes for 10 yards.
With the focal point back on Torain, he’s a great flex option against the Dallas Cowboys.
11. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
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Witten was finally the top target of Jon Kitna’s eye. Witten is a big, reliable target and has good speed and breaks tackles due to his size. Witten bounced off a tackler for his second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter.
Witten caught seven passes for 69 and two touchdowns.
Kitna needs to continue looking Witten’s way, who has often been a forgotten an option this season.
10. David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
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For those struggling to find a quarterback for the playoffs with Aaron Rodgers possibly out Week 15 due to a concussion, look no further than David Garrard who has been hot for most of the season.
Garrard wasn’t his usual, accurate self, throwing for just 159 yards and an interception on 11-of-22 attempted passes (50.0 completion percentage).
Forgive him.
He also threw three touchdowns in the big win to stay atop the AFC South division.
9. Jason Campbell, Oakland Raiders
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Despite getting knocked out of the game at one point, Campbell returned and finished what had to be his best start thus far for the Oakland Raiders. Campbell played well enough to win the game for the Raiders, who were trying to keep pace with the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West division.
Campbell completed 21-of-30 attempted passes (70.0 completion percentage) for 324 yards and two touchdowns.
8. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles
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The Cowboys tried to “contain” Vick and were somewhat successful. Their pressure caused a few quick, poor decisions from Vick as he threw two touchdowns in the contest.
Vick rebounded though, as one would expect with his vast improvement this season.
He completed 16-of-26 attempted passes (61.5 completion percentage) for 270 yards and two touchdowns. He also added a touchdown on the ground.
Vick doesn’t have the ideal matchup against the Giants next week, but nobody has been able to stop Vick from a fantasy standpoint thus far.
7. Tim Hightower, Arizona Cardinals
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Those who were forced to play Hightower this week were shaking their heads prior to the start of the game. After the game, they were jumping with joy.
Hightower abused a lifeless Broncos defense in the fourth quarter after the game was out of hand.
Hightower rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.
After their recent performances, Hightower may just have another solid matchup Week 15 against the Carolina Panthers.
6. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers
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Alex Smith is apparently back.
Smith always does this. He’ll perform terrible, and then out of nowhere, he’ll turn in a great performance. In his first game back from injury, Smith lit up the Seahawks secondary.
He completed 17-of-27 attempted passes (63.0 completion percentage) for 255 yards and three touchdowns.
He has a nice matchup Thursday night against the San Diego Chargers, but with Smith’s inconsistent history, it’s best to avoid him if you need a quarterback Week 15.
5. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
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Frigid cold in the snow? No problem for Tom Brady.
Brady was as hot Week 14 as he has been over the past month.
Brady was once again on point, completing 27-of-40 attempted passes (67.5 completion percentage) for a season high 369 yards and two touchdowns.
Brady has been in rare MVP form and hosts the Green Bay Packers next week.
4. Deion Branch, New England Patriots
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Branch was the main beneficiary of Tom Brady’s big day in the snow.
Branch somehow was perfectly fine running routes and catching perfectly thrown passes from “The Golden Boy.”
Branch caught eight passes for 151 yards and a touchdown.
He has a good matchup against the Packers next week with the way Brady has been lighting it up.
3. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons
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For those lucky enough to have Turner on their fantasy team Week 14, congrats. Turner has been up and down all year but with the fantasy playoffs on tap, Turner saved arguably his best game of the year for his desperate owners.
Turner ran through the Carolina Panthers defense 28 times for 112 yards and three touchdowns.
Turner has a fantastic matchup against the porous Seattle Seahawks defense Week 15.
2. DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles
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DeSean Jackson had one of his most explosive games of his career
On the first play for the Eagles, Jackson caught a play-action bomb from Michael Vick for 60 yards.
Jackson took an out route and slipped past the Cowboys secondary while staying in bounds and with his blazing speed turned it into a 91-yard touchdown. Despite his showboating at the end of the play where he taunted the Dallas Cowboys, all fantasy owners care about his the points.
He caught four passes for 210 yards and the touchdown.
1. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders
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With the fantasy playoffs on the line, McFadden contributed as well as he has all season.
He dominated the Jacksonville Jaguars. His cuts were precise, his speed unmatchable and his stiff arms unbearable. You almost feel embarrassed for the defender when McFadden stiff arms this year.
McFadden rushed 16 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns while adding three receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown.
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