Hope you're ready for seconds, because the Cowboys and the Raiders will be delivering them on Thanksgiving day.Dallas is looking every bit a Super Bowl contender entering the Thanksgiving day matchup, even with a recent hiccup vs. the Broncos. The league's
Bobby Miller Jersey top-ranked offense is sure to be especially thankful for quarterback Dak Prescott, who is in the proce s of having his best season of his career.
Albert Pujols Jersey Meanwhile, the Raiders and Derek Carr remain in the playoff mix despite stumbling into some heavy, heavy and very serious i sues both on- and off-the-field. The Raiders' hot 5-2 start was rendered null-and-void with the team coming to a halt with a lo s to the Bengals on Sunday.Here's how you can catch the Dallas-Las Vegas matchup on Turkey Day:MORE: What channel is Cowboys vs. Raiders on today?TV channel (national): CBSLive stream: CBS Sports app, Fans looking to catch the
Fernando Valenzuela Jersey late afternoon matchup can do so on CBS. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo will be on the call.Those who want to stream the game, you'll be able to catch it on fuboTV, .In Canada, viewers can watch
Tommy Lasorda Jersey Cowboys vs. Raiders on DAZN, .NFL WEEK 12 PICKS: | Cowboysvs. Raiders start timeDate: Thursday, Nov. 25Kickoff: 4:30p.m. ETThe late-afternoon matchup gets underway just as you're probably sitting down to stuff your face,at 4:30 p.m. ET. The game leads into
David Freese Jersey the night matchup, the Bills at the Saints, scheduled to kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET.Thanksgiving NFL schedule 2021The standard triple-header of Turkey Day matchups are as follows:Game Kickoff time TV channel Bears at Lions12:30 p.m. ETFox, Raiders at Cowboys4:30 p.m. ETCBS, Bills at Saints8:20 p.m. ETNBC,
It's going to come down to the wire whether Alvin Kamara returns for the Saints' wild-card playoff game.Kamara mi sed Week 17 after he tested positive for the coronavirus and wasplaced on the COVID-19/reserve list. Such a situation requires a minimum of 10 days before an asymptomaticplayer can return after
Kyle Gibson Jersey a positive test. Saints head coach Sean Payton didn't give much away during his Monday news conference.Well see, Payton said, . I think it would depend on the player and the situation. A lot of that will be our decision based on where
Josh Donaldson Jersey we think we are with the week, the player. Weve got to be smart.New Orleans is scheduled to play the Bears on Sunday, Jan. 10. If the Saints had been scheduled for a Saturday game, Kamara would've been ineligible, but the Sunday game gives him a chance to get back on the field. He won't be allowed to practice
Nelson Cruz Jersey this week (he can attend virtual meetings), though, leaving it an open question as to how prepared he'd be to play Chicago.The last time Kamara was on the field, he put together one of the best rushing performances in NFL history. He scored six touchdowns on the ground while running for a career-best 155 yards to beat the Vikings on Christmas Day.MORE: Kamara wasn't the only Saints running back absent in Week 17, as the rest of the New Orleans running back room was deemed high-risk close contacts to Kamara and forced to
Blake Parker Jersey mi s the Saints' win over the Panthers. Combo WR/RB Ty Montgomery moved to the backfield, and New Orleans also promoted Tony Jones from the practice squad.Regardle s of Kamara's wild-card availability, the Saints should have the rest of their running backs active again. That would mean a heavy workload for Latavius Murray if Kamara indeed mi ses out. Even if Kamara plays, Murray could see a larger carry-share than usual if Kamara's conditioning is even slightly dropped off.Kamara's 2020 regular season was statistically the best of his career. He put up careerhighs in rushing yards (932), rushing TDs (16), receptions (83), and tied for his high in receiving TDs (5). The Saints will hope that production is back on the field to open
Jorge Polanco Jersey the postseason.
The Packers don't want to trade Aaron Rodgers this offseason. GM Brian Gutekunst has made that clear.However, there is one scenario that could play out and basically force the team to trade their long-time quarterback. And it all depends on how long Rodgers is willing to stand off against his team.reports thatone of the only ways the Packers would trade Rodgers is if he was "truly committed to never playing for them again."The
Alex Wilson Jersey Packers would trade Rodgers if they believed he was truly committed to never playing for them again and wanted to get draft picks and players in return instead of forcing him to retire and receiving only the money theyd keep from him refusing to play in any of the final three years on his contract.BENDER:Basically, if Rodgers gives Green Bay an ultimatum to either trade him or he will retire, that could force Gutekunst to make a deal. Otherwise, the Packers would
Kirk Gibson Jersey run the risk of losing Rodgers and only getting cap space for him.As such, it seems like the Packers are looking to avoid a long-term holdout with Rodgers. They need to make a quick decision about hisfuture once his stance becomes clear.If Green Bay knows that he won't return to them, the Packerswould certainly desire a
Brandon Dixon Jersey trade thatboth adds a treasure trove of a sets to accelerate their rebuild and saves them some money.Of course, balancing when to make such a deal is always tricky. For salary cap reasons, waiting until June 2 to make any sort of deal was a nece sity for the Packers. But with that date arriving, they will have to make a decision on Rodgers at some point soon.If they wait too long, or believe Rodgers is bluffing when he isn't, they could lose leverage and eventually have to trade Rodgers at a discount.MORE: What the Packers will want to avoid is something like the Carson Palmer/Bengals feud of 2011. Palmer asked for a trade away from Cincinnatiearly
Lance Parrish Jersey during the 2011 offseason and the team didn't want to grant that request. As a result, Palmer elected to retire and left the Bengalswith then-rookie Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback.Eventually, Palmer would be traded in-season to the Raiders for a future first- and second-round pick and was reinstated from the retired list. The Bengals made out well despite having no leverage because then-Raiders coach Hue Jackson was familiar with Palmer and the team was desperate for a quarterback after Jason Campbell's injury.Green Bay can't rely on getting that lucky. As talented as Rodgers is, the price for him will come down if teams know that he has the Packers cornered.That's what makes the timeline s of Gutekunst's decision so important.Can the Packers' GM smooth things over with his franchise quarterback and get him to come back? It
Al Kaline Jersey 's po sible. But if not, Gutekunst has to be ready and willing to make a move.That's what will make the coming days and weeks so important for Green Bay.
Rob Gronkowski is "basically four more protein shakes away" from returning to his playing weight. Because of course he is.The 31-year-old tight end who spent last season in retirement needed just one month to reach almost 260 pounds after dropping to 240 pounds, proving the weight he lost
Anderson Espinoza Jersey during his one year of retirement had no impact on whether he could return to the
Luis Perdomo Jersey field."Im about 257 pounds right now," Gronkowski, who will joinformer Patriots teammate Tom Brady with the Buccaneers in 2020, on Wednesday.Ill definitely be at my weight when its time to go. Ill be at 260 to 265 when its time to roll.IYER: Gronkowski, whom in April along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a fourth-round pick, did not explain in the clip shared by CBShow he lost 20 pounds or how he has gained it back. He did say "it felt good" to get down to 240 pounds.Ive been above 260 pounds basically my whole entire life since high school. Since senior
Blank Jersey year in high school, I was 260," Gronk said. I had never been under 260 since then. So
Ha-Seong Kim Jersey it felt good just to drop that weight, ease up my joints, let my body free.Buccaneers players are still not allowed to work out at the team facility, but Brady on Tuesday spearheaded with Bucsquarterbacks, receivers and tight ends at a Tampa-area prep school. Gronkowski was not one of the players mentioned by the Tampa Bay Times as an attendee of the se sion.As for "when it's time to roll" for Gronkowski and his new team, the NFL still in early September despite coronavirus-related obstacles. Likewise, the league hopes training camps can start on time in mid-July.Regardle s, Gronk should have plenty
Aaron Loup Jersey of time to drink those four protein shakes and reach his desired playing weight.
Before the 2020 NFL Draft, Donovan Peoples-Jones should be a top-10 pick. The Browns selected Peoples-Jones out of Michigan with the 187th overall selection, a sixth-rounder.So what gives? For starters, Meyer's a se sment was based in part on what he'd seen out of Peoples-Jones in high school, when he was the No. 1 receiver recruit in the country, according to 247Sports. Peoples-Jones never quite delivered on the full hype with the Wolverines, though. But that doesn't mean there's not a happy medium, one where Meyer exaggerated a bit but the Browns still got a steal.Week 13 of Peoples-Jones' rookie season might've been a sign of things to
Bo Jackson Jersey come, as he caught two pa ses for 92 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown (and dropped a would-be second score). DPJ has presented a tantalizing mix of speed, size and athleticism for years, despite it not being consistently unlocked at Michigan. If Cleveland can get Peoples-Jones to put it together more often, maybe Meyer won't sound quite as crazy.MORE: How fast is Donovan Peoples-Jones?Peoples-Jones ran the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds at the 2020 NFL Combine, a good but not great time. Among players listed as wide receivers at the event, Peoples-Jones was the 18th-fastest.Here's video of Peoples-Jones' top run at the Combine:Better start for Michigan WR Donovan Peoples-Jones = a faster 40-yard dash.4.48Dude is a crazy athlete. Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) It gets more impre sive when you combine Peoples-Jones' speed with his vertical leap.How high can Donovan Peoples-Jones jump?Peoples-Jones is
Ryan O'Hearn Jersey 6-2, already a solid height for a wide receiver. That's before you take into account how high he can jump.At the 2020 NFL Combine, Peoples-Jones recorded a vertical leap of 44.5 inches. That's 2.5 inches ahead of the next
Justin Grimm Jersey -closest leapers, the 5-11 Henry Ruggs III and Jalen Reagor.In the , only six players have vertical leaped higher than 44.5 inches. It's not nece sarily a precursor of NFL succe s, as the two receivers to jump higher are Chris Chambers and Chris Conley, but it's a skill that it never hurts to have.How Donovan Peoples-Jones fits into the Browns' futureThe Browns' first usage of Peoples-Jones in his rookie season was as a kick and punt returner, a role he often filled for Michigan, too. But as mentioned above, Peoples-Jones never put his athletic skillset to full use as a college receiverwithout great quarterbacks, topping out as a sophomore with 47 catches for 612 yards. He hasn't been a high-volume pa s-catcher sincehigh school.Cleveland might not need Peoples-Jones to be a No. 1 wide receiver, although if you squint and dream it's po sible to see his abilities leading to
Blaine Boyer Jersey that eventually. But every good team needs a deep threat, especially one as dependent on running as the Browns. In the near-term, Peoples-Jones forces defenses to respect his over-the-top danger and not crash the box quite as hard on runs by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Longer-term, Baker Mayfield might have someone to chuck it deep to both on go routes and Hail Mary jump balls.Almost no matter what, Peoples-Jones will exceed his draft status if he sticks around as a return man and occasional big-play threat. A sixth-round pick doesn't require more to have returned value, and Peoples-Jones has already shown what he can do in a bit role.There's some uncertainty surrounding Cleveland about what will happen with Odell Beckham Jr., but that's a matter for the offseason. Whether Peoples-Jones is what he is or unlocks his untapped upside might be a matter for a season down the road, too.There
Ian Kennedy Jersey are two things for certain about Peoples-Jones, though. One, he won't be the best sixth-round pick ever taken out of Michigan (Tom Brady's got that locked up). And two, he'll be one of the best athletes in a league full of them for as long as he puts on the orange and brown of Cleveland.
The 49ers are approaching a crucial offseason. They're coming off their second NFC Championship Game berth in three years, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams. Jimmy Garoppolo's future is uncertain, ,
Bill Lee Jersey and Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa are entering extension territory. Bosa is on the fourth year of his rookie contract (the 49ers already picked up his fifth-year option), and Samuel would be a free agent after this season.San Francisco general manager John Lynch is going to have to balance all of these situations, with salary space as of Thursday sitting at slightly over $2 million. While some of that money will immediately get cleared once the Garoppolo dust settles, it isn't going to be easy to lock up two of the 49ers' most important players before Lynch has to make some tough choices. However, Lynch did not mince words talking about Bosa and Samuel on Wednesday at the NFL Combine. Lynch said of the two foundational players:Two special players - a good i sue to have. We do have good communication and good relationships with their representatives as well as both the players. What I've learned in my going on six years in this busine s is when all sides have the motivation, deals can get done. So, the timing, I have no idea. But we'll go
Johnny Pesky Jersey to work here and have been working to try to do something.MOCK DRAFTS:What will a Nick Bosa extension look like?Bosa's agent is Brian Ayrault, who also represents Bosa's brother Joey and Aaron Donald. With that in mind, Bosa will likely be pursuing a T.J. Watt-sized contract. Watt is currently on a four-year deal worth just over $112 million, with $80 million guaranteed. In the NFL, it's about who gets paid last, and with 15.5 sacks last year, Bosa will likely be right around Watt's number. that Bosa could be the first $30 million non-quarterback in the NFL, leap-frogging Watt's $28 million per year. While this is a daunting prospect for the 49ers, they ostensibly have four years of Trey Lance on a cheap contract if they go that direction at quarterback, so it doesn't preclude them from making other moves moving forward.What will a Deebo
Enrique Hernandez Jersey Samuel extension look like?Samuel's extension is a bit harder to figure out. While he's one of the most important players to his current offense in the NFL, he's actually more analogous to Taysom Hill than he is to DeAndre Hopkins. While Hill is currently on a $40 million deal -- $10 million per year -- Hopkins took a shorter contract worth $27.25 million per year. With that in mind, Samuel may split the difference between the two, as he should be paid like a No. 1 receiver but his usage is so versatile it may actually work against him. An $80 million contract over four years or so seems like a feasible number for the star, with saying in January that around $20 million per year could be his ceiling.Samuel led the league in total yards last season at 1,770. He's an e sential cog in the 49ers offense, and he's a perfect fit for a coach like Kyle Shanahan. His extension may well be even higher priority than Bosa's even if the fifth-year option wasn't
Nick Yorke Jersey in play.MORE:The final thing to note is the franchise tag, which could loom large for the 49ers and change their timetable for either Bosa or Samuel. Now that they've picked up Bosa's option, which is around $17 million in his fifth season, if they tag Samuel, the tag projects to run the 49ers a hair over $19 million, That would lead to Bosa and Samuel getting paid $36 million in 2022, just under 18 percent of the 49ers' total cap space.An extension with Samuel would allow the 49ers to be more creative with said cap space, something that Lynch hasn't done a ton of yet. This offseason will tell us a lot about his priorities and goals as a general manager. Moving Garoppolo helps the situation, but that's only a suming a team fully absorbs his contract. It's more likely Garoppolo goes somewhere with a team hedging its bets, as
Rick Porcello Jersey he continues to recover from a shoulder sprain that will require surgery.It's a luxury to have a rookie quarterback contract if the 49ers continue to roll with Lance, but it's hard to navigate two major contract extensions in the same offseason.If there's one thing we've learned over the years, it's that the cap can be manipulated. At this point, we have to see what San Francisco does to retain two of its most e sential players heading into the 2023 offseason, but if Lynch is to be believed, Bosa and Samuel will both be 49ers for the foreseeable future.
If last week was mostly quiet on the waivers front, you could hear a pin drop this week. Oh, sure,Chuba Hubbard will command a high waiver claim, but after him? You have a bunch of third WRs (Hunter Renfrow, Emmanuel Sanders, Tim Patrick), several bubble QBs (Sam Darnold, Derek Carr, Teddy Bridgewater), a few sleeper TEs (Dalton Schultz, Zach Ertz, Tyler Conklin), and an RBor two who might have a little flex value(Peyton Barber, Zack Mo s). All of these players will be among the topWeek 4 fantasy waiver wire pickups and free agent adds-- with an emphasis on "free agent adds." These are mostly guys to target after waivers clear around 4-5 a.m. ET on Wednesday mornings in Yahoo and ESPN leagues.Ourfull free agent listhas even more of these types of players, including the recently reinstatedJosh Gordon. Again, these are mostly free agent pickups,so don't get too excited. We do have some Week 4-specific streamers, including a few QBs, several TEs
Scott Schebler Jersey , and a bunch of D/STs(which will be important this week). You can find the streamer suggestions at the end of the list. If you need a new kicker or simply want to see a picture of Matt Gay and that guy who kicks for the Buccaneers, whatever the hell his name is, you can check out
Alex Wood Jersey ourWeek 4 kicker rankings.MORE WEEK 4: | | Hubbard is probably the only player this week worth a high waiver claim, as Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) figures to mi s a couple games and is always a candidate to mi s more throughout the rest of the season. Beyond that, you're better served holding onto your high claim in response to injuries that are yet to come.WEEK 4 PPR RANKINGS: | | | | | Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 4Unle s otherwise noted, only players owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues considered. Dalton Schultz, TE, Cowboys.Schultz was solid last year while filling in for Blake Jarwin (knee), and many a sumed whoever won the starting job this season would have some sleeper value. After three weeks, we can safely say Schultz is the Cowboys top TE. He caught all six targets in Week 1, and after a quiet Week 2, he bounced back with a monster Week 3, catching six-of-seven targets for 80 yards and two TDs. The Cowboys have a lot of mouths to feed -- and Michael Gallup (calf) will be back at some point in the near future -- but they use their TEs effectively. Given the sorry state of the TE position this year, Schultz will continue to have value, at least in PPR leagues.Zach Ertz, TE, Eagles.Most view Dallas Goedert as the unquestioned top TE for Philadelphia, but so far this year, he has 11 targets while Ertz has 10. After Ertz's big Monday night -- four
Billy Hamilton Jersey catches, seven targets, 53 yards, TD -- Ertz now has as many scores, too. Goedert is still playing more snaps and a bigger threat for yards, but, again, with tight being a barren wasteland this year, Ertz might very well be worth picking up as a free agent and playing in favorable matchups.WEEK 4 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | | Josh Gordon, WR, Chiefs.Gordon was an All-Pro in 2013 -- yes, 2013 -- when he led the league in receiving yards (1,646 and scored nine touchdowns in 14 games with the Browns). He's been on and off the field ever since, serving numerous drug-related suspensions and struggling with injuries and sobriety. The 30-year-old receiver has had his moments in between, including catching 40 pa ses for 720 yards and three scores for the
Eugenio Suarez Jersey Patriots in '18, but he hasn't seen the field since '19. Can he finally turn his career around? Well, he picked the right team to try with, as few offenses can match the Chiefs' firepower and lack of a consistent secondary wide receiver. Of course, we know TE Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill will remain the top dogs in terms of targets, so Gordon will have to fight for the scraps with Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson, and Byron Pringle. However, if he has anything left in the tank, he could put together some nice performances. He's worth a free agent flier simply because of the situation, but don't get your hopes up too high. Unfortunately, Gordon is far more likely to disappoint than surprise, so consider any production from him a bonus.MORE WEEK 4: | | Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington.Samuel was a popular preseason sleeper, but a hamstring injury knocked him out for the first three games of the year. He's eligible to return in Week 4, and if he does, he'll come back just in time for an optimal matchup against Atlanta. At the very least, he's worth stashing on your bench, as Washington has failed to develop any secondary wide receivers after Terry McLaurin.WEEK 4 DFS LINEUPS: | | Derek Carr, QB, Raiders.Carr leads the NFL in pa sing yards and is the QB7 in fantasy this year. He's put up those numbers against the Ravens, Steelers, and Dolphins, too, so it's not as if he's been picking on weak defenses. It's likely Carr will slow down, but he still has the look of a potential starter going forward. With
Cincinnati Reds Jersey more favorable matchups on the horizon (@ Chargers, vs. Bears), Carr should at least be playable the next couple weeks.For additional waiver/free agent suggestions, including RB fill-ins Chuba Hubbard and Peyton Barber, WR3's Hunter Renfrow andEmmanuel Sanders, and potential QB1's Sam Darnold and Teddy Bridgewater, check out our full Week 4list.
The Rams used a curious play to put themselves just a touchdown behind the Packers in their NFL playoffs divisional round meeting Saturday.After running back Cam Akers scored a TD out of the Wildcat formation, coach Sean McVay called a nifty hook-and-
Nathan Eovaldi Jersey lateral for the 2-point conversion to make the score 25-18, Green Bay, with 1:41 remaining in the third quarter:The Rams' play design on this 2-point conversion Sporting News (@sportingnews) MORE: It's not too often you see a hook-and-lateral in the NFL, especially
Austin Meadows Jersey on a non-game-ending play.Unle s you're the Dolphins, that is.Twitter was quick to point out Los Angeles' play was suspiciously similar to a play Brian Flores and Miami used in the team's 22-12 win over the Patriots in Week 15. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the two plays, courtesy of Sporting News' Jordan Heck:The Rams took their 2-point conversion play from the Dolphins Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF
Adeiny Hechavarria Jersey ) There's nothing in the rules that says teams can't copy plays, of course. And it's not as if the Dolphins, who mi sed the playoffs, are in a position to use it. That didn't stop Twitter from noticing the similarity and saying the the Rams "stole" the play:Damn, that play looked familiar Safid Deen (@Safid_Deen) The stole that 2-point play from the lol Dov Kleiman
Wilson Ramos Jersey (@NFL_DovKleiman) wow rams really stole that 2 point conversation from the dolphins smh trace (@SkyTrace29) Rams really used a play Dolphins used on them Gu sher Mendoza (@Gu sher10) From the Dolphins playbook in Week 15 to the Rams playbook in the playoffs The Ringer (@ringer) Alright the Rams stole that 2-point conversion from the Dolphins and now Im salty again that we didnt make the playoffs.Help me stay positive, Mr. Fan of the Year Evan Morris (@EvanMorris72) Rams just burned the Packers with the flag football play, too. (Dolphins ran a similar one against the Patriots
Andrew Kittredge Jersey in Week 15) Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN)
The Buccaneers are 5-2, in first place in the NFC South, with Tom Brady as their starting quarterback. The Patriots are 2-4, in third place in the AFC East, with Bill Belichick still as their head coach.That's pretty good evidence that Brady has gotten the much better end of their breakup from a 20-year relationship. But Brady's edge in Tampa Bay vs. Belichick operating without him in New England goes beyond the current team records and overall succe s.Brady isn't just playing and winning like he usually does while Belichick has seen his team go through the motions during its first three-game losing streak since 2002. He's also been the stronger personnel influencer and leader, lifting the Bucs up while the Patriots seem to be well, deflated, without Brady.MORE: Since Brady decided to leave the Patriots and sign with the Buccaneers in March, he has been in complete control of his situation. Most every move since then by coach Bruce Arians and Jason Licht has been made to cater to Brady.The Bucs acquired his former go-to tight end Rob Gronkowski during the draft and the team
Adrian Beltre Jersey also drafted aright tackle (Tristan Wirfs), extra wide receiver (Tyler Johnson) and promising running back (Ke'Shawn Vaughn). Then after seeing some questions about running back depth and effectivene s with Vaughn and Ronald Jones during the summer, you can bet Brady had something to do with the Bucs bringingLeSean McCoy and Leonard Fournette in the fold.Brady's biggest, latestcoup was forcing Arians to do a 180 on wide receiver Antonio Brown. BA repeatedly said during the offseason thathe wanted to no part of AB's diva nature, but they still signed
Shawn Kelley Jersey him, thanks to TB12 pushing for it. The Bucs are dealing with wideout injuries, but with Mike Evans still playing while hurt and both Chris Godwin and Scotty Miller coming back strong from their ailments and Johnson also contributing, Brady pretty much got the Bucs to add Brown on a whim,using hispower to convince them that Brown would fall in line because of him.MORE: In e sence, Brady is responsible for seven more additions to the offense. He's also operating more of histype of his offense vs. Arians' "no risk it, no biscuit" approach that led to Jameis Winston leading the league in interceptions last season, bringing "what could have been"to a 7-9 team in 2019.Brady has gone back to the short-to-intermediate focus with calculated 20-30 yard shotsthat have made him the GOAT for all these years. Compared with what he had around him during his final days with the Patriots, he's hit the mother lode of backs and receivers who can run allhis desired routes inside and outside, a versatile mix of size, hands, speed and quickne s for every situation. He knew what kind of car he wanted to drive and totally tricked it out. The Patriots had been doing that for him for a long time, but didn't deliver afterGronkowski's "retirement" after Super Bowl 53.Brady picked the Bucs because it's clear that they were willing to give in and bend over backward 10 times over to make him happy and trust him to know what he needed tobring back his elite play.The only player who has that level of power to a semble his ideal team doesn't play in the NFL and his name is LeBron James.After a few early hiccups with the virtual offseason not doing himany favors, Brady is in a groove with all the Buccaneers, on and off the field. He wasn't afraid to get into their faces during that ugly Thursday night lo s at the
Brett Martin Jersey Bears in Week 5.The Bucs were an undisciplined me s then. In just two weeks, they've eliminated the penalties and mistakes in total domination of two good teams, the Packers and theRaiders.With the Seahawks, Packers and Saints all having defensive i sues, the Bucs look like the new team to beat in the NFC because they are doing Patriots-like things that involvea lot of players "doing their jobs" to play ideal complementary football.As for the actual Patriots with Belichick, first there was the i sue of the COVID-19 outbreak that forced them to limp into a key early
Kyle Bird Jersey matchup with the Chiefs and then have a forced early bye week. They were given some excuses for poor play in their shocking home lo s to the Broncos because of practice layoff and Cam Newton just returning. But you would have thought they would have shown more fight with Jimmy Garoppolo returning to New England in a must-win game after two straight lo ses with a trip to strong division-leading Buffalo looming. Instead, the Patriots seemed lost from the opening kickoff against the 49ers, something one just doesn't seein games during the Belichick era.The Patriots' two wins are against the Dolphins and the Raiders. Those seem like forever ago, as was the competitive shootout with the Seahawks when Newton was able to duel surefire NFL MVP Ru sell Wilson until the end. New England is getting burned by its lack of viable supporting cast for Newton, moreso at wide receiver and the other skill positions than an injury-altered line.Defensively, Belichick let much of his pa s-rush production walk and took a hit from two of the players inthe team's league-high eightopt-outs, linebacker Dont'a HIghtower and safety Patrick Chung, irreplaceable seasoned leaders and playmakers. Belichick has loaded up nicely with young defensive players, led by second-year outside linebackerChase Winovich. But because of injuries and ineffectivene s, rookies Anfernee Jennings, Josh Uche and Kyle Dugger are non-factors withthe Patriots needing more immediate-impact players.The Patriotshave failed to overcome thelo ses of Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Elandon Robertswithout adequate replacements at linebacker.Adrian Phillips has struggled replacing Chung. There's also been a rapid age-related deterioration of 33-year old cornerback Jason McCourty, and with a lot more on Stephon Gilmore, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year isn't the same shutdown type. New England has dropped to No. 25 in the NFL in sacks, further exposing the secondary.The word genius is often a sociated with Belichick, but in a
Adolis García Jersey stunning development, he's been off with his personnel workand motivational tactics in 2020. The smart scheming for thedefense has been there, responsible for the Patriots looking good in that regard against le ser teams, but the Seahawks, Chiefs and 49ers all could get creative enough in the end to exploit its weakne ses with their strengths.The contrarian would say thatBelichick is turning to some other master plan of not worrying too much about this season with Newton and beingfine with positioning the Patriots to tap into one of the three franchise pa sers in the first round of the 2021 draft, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Trey Lance. Or at this point, Kyle Trask and Mac Jones are starting to have appeal in the 10-20 range, too. It's hard to believe, however, given Belichick's competitive nature, that he iswilling to tolerate this kind
Even just a quick glance at our list of thelets you know this is going to be weird week on the wire. Most of the top pickups are RBs who have been hanging around a while (Wayne Gallman,Kalen Ballage,Nyheim Hines,La'Mical Perine,Carlos Hyde) with a few new guys (Salvon Ahmed, Cordarrelle Patterson) mixed in. You also have some WRs
Christian Yelich Jersey who are just begging to be picked up (Jakobi Meyers, Josh Reynolds, Cole Beasley, Sterling Shepard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling) despite no one being all that interested. Throw in a few QBs (Kirk Cousins, Tua Tagovailoa, Jameis Winston), a couple TEs (Logan Thomas,Jordan Reed), and a QB/TE combo (Taysom Hill), and you have plenty of guys who aren't worth waiver claims but should be picked up after waivers clear around 4-5 a.m. ET on Wednesday morning in ESPN and Yahoo leagues.Ourhas even more of these "been-there, done-that" types, with backs likeMalcolm Brown,Cam Akers,Gus Edwards,Jordan Wilkins, and Rex Burkheadand receivers likeKeelan Cole,Tim Patrick,Jalen Reagor, and Allen Lazard. None of these guys are "must-haves," but they could all have value down the stretch. Some guys might only have value next week, but if you're in a must-win situation, then they're vitally important, too. You can find those Week 11 QB, TE, and D/ST streamersat theend of this list. If you're in the market for a new kicker, then ourare here for you and you alone. Seriously, not many people read our kicker rankings.WEEK 11 FANTASY:| || There isn't an obvious top waiver claim this week, so if you don't need immediate help at RB, you should probably just hold onto your claim. However, if you're fighting for a playoff berth and need an RB (or WR) for Week 11, then by all means
Starlin Castro Jersey , use a top-three claim on someone like Ahmed, Ballage, Perine, Hyde, or Meyers. If you need a QB, go all-in for Winston. The values of these players could fall off a cliff even before this weekend, depending on the status of some of their injured teammates, but it's likely you'll get at least a week of use out of them. That might be all you need.If you're planning ahead a little more, Gallman figures to have value for at least two weeks after New York's Week 11 bye, and Shepard and Beasley should beWR3s the rest of the way, at least in PPR leagues. It's a little too early to say they'll be difference-makers in the fantasy playoffs, but they can certainly help you get
Corey Dickerson Jersey there.WEEK 11 PPR RANKINGS: | | | | | Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 11Unle s otherwise noted, only players owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues considered. Kirk Cousins, QB, Vikings.Quarterback is too deep of a position for Cousins to be a "must-have pickup," but after throwing for 292 yards and two TDs against the vaunted Bears defense in Week 10, he gets a highly favorable matchup against the Cowboys in Week 11. After that, he faces a reeling Panthers defense and Jacksonville. Things get tougher in the fantasy playoffs (@ Bucs, vs. Bears, vs. Saints), but Cousins is the type of free agent pickup who can help get you to the playoffs with the way he's playing right now.Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/RB, Bears.Starting RB David Montgomery (concu sion) is expected back after the Bears' Week 11 bye, so there's no need to use a waiver claim on Patterson, but we got a definitive answer on Monday as to who Montgomery's primary handcuff is. Patterson led the Bears in carries (12) and rushing yards (30) while adding two receptions for 19 yards and returning a kickoff for a touchdown. Patterson doesn't have much value if Montgomery is healthy, but the Bears have arguably the best remaining schedulefor RBs (@ Packers, vs. Lions, vs. Texans, @ Vikings, @ Jaguars, vs. Packers), so if anything were to happen to Montgomery, Patterson could be huge in the fantasy playoffs. Stash him now.WEEK 11 FANTASY: | |Carlos Hyde, RB, Seahawks.Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said on Monday that Hyde (hamstring) will likely play on Thursday night against Arizona. More important, he said Hyde is a "little bit ahead" of Chris Carson (foot) in terms of recovery. If Hyde is active and Carson isn't, Hyde would likely operate
Brad Ziegler Jersey as Seattle's lead back and see a dozen-plus touches. That would give him flex value against a middle Arizona run defense that Hyde gashed for 68 yards and a score back in Week 7.WEEK 11 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | | David Moore, WR, Seahawks.It was announced Monday that Tyler Lockett is dealing with a knee sprain ahead of Seattle's Thursday tilt against Arizona. While the injury isn't considered serious, it could keep him out on a short week. That would open the door for Moore, who has scored in two of the past three games and would likely see at least six targets in Lockett's absence. Because Lockett is a game-time decision, Moore isn't anything more than a speculative free-agent add, but he could pay off in a big way to start the week.Taysom Hill, QB/TE, Saints.It seems likely that Jameis Winston will start and take most of the QB snaps for the Saints while Drew Brees (ribs) is out, but Hill figures to see more designed runsand could po sibly throw a bit. That doesn't nece sarily make him playable in leagues where he's only QB-eligible, but in leagues where he's listed at tight end, he would become a low-end TE1 thanks to his rushing floor. Hill has run at least five times for 35 yards in each of the past three games, and last week he had a season-high eight carries for 45 yards. Against the Falcons, he could do major damage as a runner, receiver, and pa ser.For additional waiver/
Brian Anderson Jersey free agent suggestions, including RBs Wayne Gallman, Nyheim Hines, Salvon Ahmed, andKalen Ballageand breakout WRsMarquez Valdes-Scantling,Jakobi Meyers, andWillie Snead,check out our full Week 11 list.
