
The best catch of the week, the year, and maybe the decade (depending who you ask) came in week 12 . Odell Beckham went up and somehow came down with the football, even after being grabbed by the Dallas defender. I have watched the catch on Vine over and over and I still cannot figure out how he caught that ball. After watching him play at LSU and seeing some of his warmup catches before last Sunday’s game, I am not surprised that he would be the one to do such a thing. I was watching the game with my brother and the catch actually made him yell out loud. He stood there in disbelief as we watched the replay over and over and over. Speaking of over and over and over, I have been the advocate for streaming any defense against Jacksonville this year. I have told you over and over and (for the most part) it has worked out in your favor. As we move to week 13, Odell’s New York Giants get to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. While I do think that the fighting Giants will win this game, I do not believe that the Giants are a good streaming option this year. They are the 30th ranked defense in fantasy and haven’t proven that they can succeed, even when given great opportunity. Before I tell you who I do think will succeed, let’s take a look at how we did last week.
Last Week’s Results:
The Eagles have been the fantasy game’s best defense this year. It’s that simple, and while I am all for streaming a defense, the Eagles have been pretty matchup proof. You can use them on a weekly basis and expect great results. I recommended them last week, and the game started with Philly returning the opening kickoff 109 yards for a touchdown. They also tacked on an interception, two fumble recoveries and five sacks. This performance was good for 16 standard fantasy points. Money. My other recommendation was the Colts. Obviously we’re going to want to use them, they faced Jacksonville! 4 sacks, a fumble recovery and a pick later, the Colts defense did their job. They only gave up a field goal to the lowly Jacksonville offense. Oh, and the Colts get the Redskins at home this week.
Week 13 Targets:
- Saint Louis Rams: The Rams are not having a very good season. The loss of quarterback Sam Bradford and other injuries on their line have left them struggling to win games. Currently 4-7, the Rams play their best when they play really good teams. 3 of their wins have come against the Broncos, Seahawks and 49ers. This week they get the Oakland Raiders, and while the Chiefs could not get it done against them, the Rams will be ready to play. Oakland is coming off their first win of the year and might not win another game for the rest of the year. The Rams have 4 interceptions in their last 3 games and have averaged 10 fantasy points in the past 4 weeks (41 to be exact). Only 24% owned, the Rams are a great streaming option in week 13.
- Houston Texans: The Texans have been interesting all year. Their offense has struggled to keep it together, which has caused their defense to have to spend extra time on the field. They have one of, if not the best defensive line in football, and they have risen to the challenge. This week, the Texans have a date with the Tennessee Titans who just allowed 5 sacks in their last game. I expect at least that many for JJ Watt and the Houston defense. I’m not worried about the Titans putting up some points, as the Texans defense has proven valuable even while allowing some touchdowns. Houston is my play of the week, and the defense that I will look to stream going into the most important week of the year before the fantasy playoffs.
- Indianapolis Colts: I love the Colts this year. Their defense is good, their quarterback is a rising star (maybe you’ve heard of him) and they just play great football. Earlier in this article I showed you how I used the Colts defense last week against the Jaguars and was rewarded for doing so. This week as I mentioned, Washington comes into Indianapolis and I expect much of the same. The Colts have had 5 double-digit fantasy weeks, 4 of them coming at home. Their ownership totals jumped up last week as many streamed them against the Jags but at just over 50% owned, it is worth a shot to see if you can snag them up in your league for the upcoming tilt.
In most leagues this is the final week before the playoffs and many teams need a win. If your defense has a bad matchup or a bad schedule for the playoffs now is the time to kick them to the curb. Allow the other teams in the league to pick up those defenses. Now is the time to play matchups and give yourself the best chance to win before it is too late and you are not even playing next week.
Good luck and happy streaming!
Photo cred: http://goo.gl/SloHxJ
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Jared “Minnesota Nice” Hines is a fantasy football contributor at The Sports Script. Follow him on Twitter @Jared_Hines27!