Last Second Decisions Week 16, 2013 Fantasy Football

I know what you’re thinking… The last week? The last LSD of the season? But unfortunately, it is the last of the Last Second Decisions, as I am officially retiring from fantasy football after this season. It’s been an absolutely incredible ride the past three years fielding the last minute questions, three years of Last Second Decisions, helping out with Team Previews, RCLs, a couple Daily Recaps, everything that makes Razzball be Razzball. Good news is Sky is gonna keep Razzball Football the best in the biz heading into next year, while I focus everything on Razzball Basketball to bring you the hoops hardware. Or the hoops scissors. As in cutting down the net. Don’t run with them! Again, it couldn’t have been a happier ride, and if you have any Fantasy NBA teams, be sure to keep up with us on basketball through the rest of the NBA season!

Looking back to last week’s picks, and man, Rashard Mendenhall with his best game on the year! And by far at that… I hope I got at least one person to buy in! Jordan Todman and Delaine Walker were huge wins as well. Unfortunately it was catastrophic busts for Bryce Brown given the Eagles crapping the bed and Da’Rick Rogers getting nice targets but a bad game. For my benchers, Garret Graham ended up being ruled out (lame!) and Victor Cruz got hurt giving me two right, but in the worst way. Then horrendous calls with Zac Stacy having a good one, Pierre Garcon loving his Cousins, and Reggie Bush being able to play and be very effective. Extremely clear cut 5-5. So here’s to my last one, hoping for a big winner with who I like in week 16 and their % started in ESPN and Yahoo, respectively (NOTE – these are not always recommendations for 1-for-1 swaps, just guys I like who are understarted and guys I hate overstarted):

POSSIBLE STARTERS

Dennis Johnson (5.4%, 8%) With Ben Tate getting thrown on IR for having baby back ribs, it sets up a non-Full House DJ for a big matchup against the Broncos coming into town. Of course Denver will crush the Texans here, but you can run on Denver and with no one healthy in that backfield, check down passes will be coming as well. Huge PPR RB2 or Flex this week if you have injury issues in your championship.

Kirk Cousins (4.2%, 13%) I know what you’re thinking… Wait didn’t he open with this in the lead paragraph?! No no, as in, I know what you’re thinking on Cousins… You’re gettin’ too cute JB. Listen, I couldn’t hear that enough in high school, but right now, I’m grittin’ down to business and when you have a QB going against a historically bad defense, I don’t think you can just ignore it. The Cowboys D is just preposterously bad, and I think Cousins has a big game, even to be considered in QB1 leagues. Trust in the Cuz.

Fred Jackson (44.5%, 48%) People are giving up on FJax and I’m not sure why… The Dolphins aren’t a great D and I know FredJack hasn’t been the RB he was early in the year, but C.J. Spiller hasn’t been anything all year either, and in a cold rainy day in Buffalo, I think FJax had a big finale here. Longest sentence ever? Maybe!

Riley Cooper (24.0%, 43%) It’s been a little choppy since his big breakout games, and I know there’s the “Eagles might bench people” fear, but I think Cooper gets a TD in this game and the Eagles win it. Of course, they’ll definitely be going balls to the wall should the Cowboys fall to Washington, but I think they play hard either way. Would be a big win and big confidence booster. Even though it looks like it’ll be rainy, the temperature should be fine for a Coop Scoop.

Rod Streater (3.0%, 12%) You know, for as far down the totem pole you may feel Streater is, he’s actually been at 3+ catches and 45 or more yards in 9 of his last 10 games. That kind of consistency when you’re finding a deep replacement is tough to come by, and going at San Diego is the right kind of matchup you like to see while it gets all Winter Lager on us. I think he’s a solid deep league play of WR3/Flex in a pinch.

SON OF A BENCH

Larry Fitzgerald (82.7%, 76%) As of late Saturday night, Fitz is a game-time decision, but I don’t think your decision has to wait that long. You’re benching. Seattle D, at home, is preposterously good. As in, avoid at all costs.

Matt Ryan (51.6%, 46%) While this one is a bit of a cop out, I don’t care! I wanna get as many right as I can, and Ryan heading to the last game in Candlestick just spells terror to me. I want nothing to do with him, and would be shocked if any title contenders are actually looking his way.

Adrian Peterson (78.0%, 67%) I know, I know, you’re like, “JB, how could I not start an active AP?!” Well, going at Cincy in a very meaningless game can deter anyone, and it deters me. Hate the matchup, hate where we are in the season, hate the foot injury. I’d try to avoid.

Roddy White (66.0%, 56%) Same reason as Ryan above. SF is gonna kill in this one. And while White is started in way too many leagues, I’m guessing a lot of that is dead teams that got steamrolled due to his injury… Even if you did survive this long with White, no way I’d play him here.

Jordy Nelson (56.8%, 82%) Listen, I love Nelson and he was a big call for me heaing into the year. But when Aaron Rodgers went crack – and by that in his collarbone not in the pipe – along with his designation of out this week, I’d look for other WR plays. I love Nelson as a player, but only 1 TD in the past 7 weeks and only 3 productive games (10+ points in PPR) in the past 7, I don’t see the Nelson optimism. Matt Flynn is not the way to win. Assess other ideas.

If you have any last second decisions, shoot some comments below or tweet me @jbgilpin – and remember I’m going to be a little slower getting to them but I’ll get to everything well before kickoff! Good luck in your finals, and again, it’s been an awesome three years and hope to see you over on Hoops if you’re a fantasy basketball player!