Thursday Night Fantasy Football: San Francisco 49ers at San Diego Chargers

Week 15 Match-up:  San Francisco 49ers (5-8) at San Diego Chargers (7-6)

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

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San Francisco 49ers (49ers Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

San Diego Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 1st - TDs Allowed T-3rd

San Diego Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 4th – TDs Allowed T-17th

San Francisco Offensive Cast

Alex Smith (QB Week 15 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 160/269 – for 1,809 yards & 12 TDs

Smith had one of the best games of his life last weekend, but the difference between Seattle and San Diego is basically indescribable.  Do NOT play him tonight. 

Brian Westbrook (RB Week 15 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 46 carries for 199 yards & 1 TD || 11 receptions for 125 yards & 1 TD

With Anthony Dixon being the bigger back and looking pretty good, you can’t depend on the old-timer taking your fantasy team anywhere this week, especially against a strong San Diego front seven.

Anthony Dixon (RB Week 15 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 47 carries for 165 yards & 2 TDs || 3 receptions for 7 yards & 0 TDs

Dixon will be getting some carries in this one as the 49ers will need his power to bust through the Chargers line, but I still don’t expect more than 40-50 yards out of him.

Michael Crabtree (WR Week 15 Ranking: No. 46)

2010 Season: 42 receptions for 555 yards & 5 TDs

San Diego has the best pass D in the league and regularly hold the opposing team’s top receiver to less than desirable numbers.  If you have someone you can plug in for Crabtree this week, do it.

Josh Morgan (WR Week 15 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 32 receptions for 494 yards & 2 TDs

Josh has a ton of talent, and it showed up last week against Seattle, but it’s been too rare of a sighting for you to depend on.

Vernon Davis (TE Week 15 Ranking: No. 1)

2010 Season: 49 receptions for 744 yards & 6 TDs

Vernon is back on the warpath again and you better hope your name isn’t on his list.  The fact of the matter is, Alex Smith loves him, and the proof is that Davis has caught a TD pass from him in each of the last five games Smith has started.  A trend like this can’t be denied, and though the Chargers are the number one pass D in the league, most of their yardage and touchdowns have been given up to tight ends this year.

San Diego Chargers (Chargers Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

San Francisco Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 20th - TDs Allowed T-16th

San Francisco Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 9th – TDs Allowed T-8th

San Diego Offensive Cast

Philip Rivers (QB Week 15 Ranking: No. 4)

2010 Season: 290/439 – for 3,868 yards & 26 TDs

Rivers has taken a pretty severe dive these past few weeks, but because of the match-up against the 49ers this Sunday, that’s about to change.  When the Chargers need him to pass, like they will against a tough San Fran rush D, he always performs.  Confidence should be high against this team, so sit back and watch your team get off to a great start this Thursday.

Mike Tolbert (RB Week 15 Ranking: No. 24)

2010 Season: 161 carries for 691 yards & 10 TDs || 25 receptions for 216 yards & 0 TDs

With Ryan Mathews back, you can’t expect 100 yards out of Tolberticus anymore, but you can still assume a trounce into the endzone.

Ryan Mathews (RB Week 15 Ranking: No. 32)

2010 Season: 103 carries for 447 yards & 3 TDs || 16 receptions for 98 yards & 0 TDs

Mathews is back and looks to be running with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.  He hates being thought of as “injury-prone”, so when he gets the ball this Thursday night (which might not be more than 10 times), expect to see an angry runner on your television set.

Malcom Floyd (WR Week 15 Ranking: No. 27)

2010 Season: 35 receptions for 660 yards & 6 TDs

Floyd had a sweet two-TD game last weekend, but he also came out of the game with a slight tweak to his old hamstring injury as well.  He’ll most likely play Thursday night, but he’ll be a risky option with being hobbled and fellow receiver Vincent Jackson looking to re-take his WR1 job.

Vincent Jackson (WR Week 15 Ranking: No. 8)

2010 Season: 2 receptions for 29 yards & 0 TDs

He’s back, and he looks like he might even be in mid-season form!  Rivers didn’t seem to have a problem making fourth-string WRs look good this year, but believe me, the guy is ecstatic to have his main man back in the mix.  Plant VJax in your starting lineup tonight against a beatable 49ers secondary and expect some WR1 numbers to come your way.

Legedu Naanee (WR Week 15 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 15 receptions for 233 yards & 1 TD

Naanee should be able to get one the field for a bit in this game, but he’s highly unreliable and shouldn’t be thought of as a fantasy possibility tonight.

Seyi Ajirotutu (WR Week 15 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 12 receptions for 245 yards & 2 TDs

The same thing goes for Ajirotutu.  He’s just not involved enough to take a risk on.

Patrick Crayton (WR Week 15 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 28 receptions for 514 yards & 1 TD

Crayton (wrist surgery) won’t play until Week 16 at the earliest.

Antonio Gates (TE Week 15 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 50 receptions for 782 yards & 10 TDs

Gates is listed as doubtful for tonight and isn’t expected to play.  However, you’ll still want to check his status before game-time just to make sure he’s out.

Randy McMichael (TE Week 15 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 11 receptions for 131 yards & 2 TDs

McMichael will be relatively insignificant if Gates plays, but check the news as www.pyromaniac.com or www.ffpharmacy.com just in case Randy ends up getting the start.  If he does, you still can’t play him with the 49ers tied for first in the league in allowing the least amount of fantasy points to tight ends this year.