Erin Skelley, aka "Erin the Fantasy Girl" on Texans Radio/SportsRadio 610 in Houston, has your game plan for Week 15.
And this is why we have fantasy. For those times when a real loss dealt to your home team dismays and disappoints you. The hype of Monday Night Football, the Patriots matchup and the possibility of securing better playoff positioning just magnified the game, and the defeat. Fortunately for Houston Texans fans, there's comfort in knowing your team is 11-2. And knowing your team is not the Jets, Jaguars or Chiefs.
We also have fantasy so we can play pretend GM. And, of course, prove we're smarter than all our friends. Anyone who had David Wilson is smart in my book. And anyone who had Nick Foles, nice job by you. The Philly quarterback fared better than elite arms Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning and Drew Breesthis past week. Even Phillip Rivers came alive with nearly 25 fantasy points. Atta boy, Phil.
Week 2 of the fantasy playoffs is upon us. In most leagues, a win here puts you in the semi-finals, one step closer to that coveted fake trophy. A loss has you wondering why you ever played this silly little game. Ah, fantasy football.
Good luck to all who are still in the hunt for the championship. Here are a few guys for consideration as your round out your roster. As always, feel free to hit me up on twitter @erinskelley with your questions.
David Wilson, RB, New York Giants – All his fumbles are forgiven after rushing for 100 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Perhaps even more impressive is his special teams performance with extra-special stats, giving him 327 all-purpose yards for the day. My first thought – why did the Saints continue kicking to him? My second thought – make him yours. Ahmad Bradshaw is likely out for Sunday's contest vs. Atlanta, and perhaps even longer. Consider Wilson the starter. He's speedy. Act quickly. Available in 70 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland Browns – Don't overlook the Browns for your fantasy fishing, and certainly not Josh Gordon, who reeled in eight receptions for 86 yards against the Chiefs on Sunday. In two weeks, Gordon has over 200 yards and a touchdown. He's a must-start in the WR2 or WR3 slot. This week, he faces a delectable Redskins defense that yields the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Available in 51 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Bilal Powel, RB, New York Jets – Powel is on a hot streak with four touchdowns in his last four games. Powel, who has worked himself into a timeshare with Shonn Greene, rushed for 77 yards on 20 carries against the Jags on Sunday. Powel will reap the rewards this week when the Jets take on the Titans, who surrender the second-most fantasy points to running backs. Available in 91 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Knowshon Moreno, RB, Denver Broncos – Moreno continues to impress, as he contributed with 32 carries (yes, 32!) for 119 yards on Thursday. Hard to believe Moreno was just collecting dust on the inactive shelf prior to Week 12. He's destined for continued success on Sunday when the Broncos face a run-friendly Baltimore defense. Available in 32 percent of Yahoo! leagues. (If Ray Lewis is reading this, I was just kidding with that defense remark. Baltimore is the best.)
Ben Tate, RB, Houston Texans – Yeah, it was garbage time, but important garbage time for Tate – and the fantasy community – to see how his recovering hamstring would hold up. In mostly fourth-quarter action, Tate rushed eight times for 46 yards as the Pats routed the Texans. Once the playoff/home-field race shakes out, Tate becomes a starting option. Arian Foster, who leads the league with 298 attempts, will likely get some rest for postseason preparation. Consider Tate the next man up. Available in 68 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Golden Tate, WR, Seattle Seahawks – In Seattle's 58-0 embarrassment over the Arizona Cardinals, I'm not sure why Tate mustered only six lousy yards. But don't let this stop you from grabbing him. Prior to last week, Tate recorded four touchdowns in four games. This week, he faces the pass-friendly Bills, who yield the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Available in 58 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Check out his QB Russell Wilson, too. Also widely available (69 percent), also a good play.
On a side note, Ben and Golden are not related, according to my trusty Internet search.
Erin Skelley joins Texans Radio every week on SportsRadio 610. Follow her on Twitter @erinskelley. She'll babble fantasy to anyone who will listen.
