Fantasy Impact: Rock 'n Rawls and Week 13's winners & losers
The Impact this week is a little later than usual, but hopefully as reliable as Dwayne Allen on MNF.
Just when you think you know what to expect from the Seahawks, here comes another curve ball - this time that meant Thomas Rawls.
The only difference with Rawls was that unlike so many *surprises we've seen, this was something many fantasy owners thought would have happened already.Rawls peeled off 102 yards and two touchdowns - much of it coming in the first half of yesterday's beat down of Carolina. Rawls, at least for now, seems to have taken a hold of the position and better yet, passed concussion protocol so he'll be healthy.
Rawls has a mixed schedule coming up, with the Packers (ranked No. 9 against the run), Rams (21) and Cardinals (11). But don't be discouraged or matchup averse because after all, the Panthers rolled into Sunday with the No. 2 ranked run defense and Rawls shredded it in one half. Had it not been for him missing a portion of the second half, he would have kept rolling. Start Rawls going forward and relax, he's fresher at this point of the season where many defense trying to tackle him will be worn down.
Other fantasy winners:
RB Jordan Howard: Just when you think Bears skill positions are completely useless (The Cam Meredith three-week era was fun), here comes Howard back from the dead with a vengeance. He peeled of 117 yards with three scores in a snowy mismatch with the 49ers. Coming up: Lions (13th vs. the run), Packers (9th) and Redskins (22nd).
WR Golden Tate: Sometimes instead of trying to figure out why, just lean into it. Tate was MIA early on this season, but ever since Week 6 against the Rams, he has averaged 90 yards a game and has scored his only three touchdowns of the year in that time. Marvin Jones isn't healthy and has been fading at the same time Tate's ascending.
The Colts: It was good to see vintage Andrew Luck and a get-well performance from TY Hilton who was battling injury before posting a big night. Meanwhile Donte Moncrief continued his five game touchdown streak. Tight end Dwayne Allen had two touchdowns before the game and well, eclipsed that number by halftime. Don't count on that happening again.
RB David Johnson. It is only his second season of starting, but say hello to the next Marshall Faulk. Johnson has hit the 700-yard mark and has single handedly helped QB Carson Palmer emerge from his funk totaling 200 receiving yards the past two games.
Pick this guy up: Ladarius Green, Steelers. Finally healthy and in game shape, Green is rounding into form. Against the Giants he had six catches for 110 yards and a score - one week after grabbing two balls for 67 yards. The Steelers offense is a great situation and Green should be a top-5 tight end during the home stretch.
Losers:
Saint suffering - Drew Brees and the 300-yard mark are well established, but three interceptions? Against the Lions? And he wasn't the only one to go down with the ship, taking his receivers and the running game down with him. Don't spend too much time worrying, better days are ahead.
Packers-Texans - Jordy Nelson seemed to be the only fantasy-owned player to escape this one unscathed with a decent performance. Davante Adams' run came to a crashing halt while Lamar Miller got injured and Aaron Rodgers was just ordinary. Making matters worse, DeAndre Hopkins mocked frustrated owners who mostly benched him, by scoring.
Broncos offense- I never thought we would be pining for Trevor Simien to return to the Denver lineup. Broncos skill players did little thanks to Paxton Lynch and a better than advertised Jacksonville defense.
Collin Kaepernick. Ugh. After singing his virtues, I ate dirt and had to call it chocolate Sunday with his inexplicable performance against the Bears. He has been named the starter for this week's game against the Jets and should make do just fine. Beware the quick hook if he struggles with a slow start, however.
About the author:
David Komer is a web producer/multimedia journalist for FOX 2. He is a former fantasy sports columnist for SportsIllustrated.com where he wrote for three years and he has won more than 20 Michigan Press Association awards in news and sports coverage in his career.