Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers: Week 15
With fantasy football seasons everywhere about to come to a close, we’re winding down our 2010 fantasy football coverage here at NFL Soup.
However, once the season is over, we’re your No. 1 stop for all things NFL Draft, as well.
Player profiles, positional rankings, mock drafts, you name it, we’ll have it.
Now, on to the material of immediate importance to you: the risers and fallers for week 15.
Risers
Jason Campbell, QB, Oakland Raiders
Campbell has missed a few games this season with injury, but he’s shown in the last two that he’s capable of putting up some numbers back there.
He’s extremely aware of the stud that is Darren McFadden, as are opposing defenses.
As they have to key in on stopping No. 20, Campbell is allowed more time to sit back and find guys like Louis Murphy and Jacoby Ford running deep.
You never start a guy like this over your true studs, but he’s not a bad option for the OP slot, especially with Denver up next on the schedule.
Ryan Torain, RB, Washington Redskins
He’s back!
Torain finally returned last week from what seemed like an interminable injury, and he did not disappoint.
He carried it 24 times for 172 yards in his return against Tampa, and with Rex Grossman now starting for the Redskins, expect another heavy workload for Torain against Dallas this week.
With the lack of waiver wire running backs out there, Torain is a guy you have to get and put into that lineup.
Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers
I’m not convinced that there’s a guy who has made more appearances on this list throughout the season than Stewart.
Since returning from injury a few weeks back, he’s looked like the guy that we thought we’d be seeing before the season began.
He’s rushed for at least 92 yards in each of the last three games, and those just happen to be the only games in which he’s run for more than 44 yards all season long.
Stewart is the clear-cut starter for the lowly Panthers, and he was able to rush 133 yards on just 18 carries against the stout Falcons’ run D a week ago.
Against Arizona this week, expect more goodness.
Hakeem Nicks, WR, New York Giants
Nicks was a fantasy stud before going down with injury a few weeks back, and made some serious noise in his return against the Vikings on Monday night, catching seven passes for 96 yards.
With Steve Smith now out for the season and with Mario Manningham’s stock on the decline, Nicks is undoubtedly the primary target for Eli Manning.
He appears to be completely healthy at this point, so it should be all systems go for you and Hakeem Nicks.
Kenny Britt, WR, Tennessee Titans
Britt caught four passes for 39 yards in his first game since week seven in the loss to Indy last Thursday night. He also lost a fumble.
Still, though, he was able to do more damage in that game than Randy Moss has been able to do in any of his games with the Titans as of yet, and should retain his spot as Tennessee’s primary pass-catcher.
However, with the way the Titans seem to have all-but quit down the stretch this season, I would be hesitant to fully trust anybody not named Chris Johnson on that offense.
The matchup with Houston this week is favorable, but he’s still got Kerry Collins throwing the passes.
Owen Daniels, TE, Houston Texans
Daniels returned in the Monday night loss to the Ravens, and impressively caught five passes for 91 yards.
Joel Dreessen still may get some looks from time to time, but Daniels is the guy down there for Houston.
The upcoming matchups with the Titans, Broncos and Jaguars are all fairly favorable, as well.
Matt Schaub trusts him, so you should trust him as well…as long as he’s healthy, at least.
Fallers
Kyle Orton, QB, Denver Broncos
Orton has played miserably in each of the last two games, and may not even be completely healthy heading into this week’s showdown with the Raiders.
When you struggle mightily against the Cardinals, that’s something to be worried about.
Orton also isn’t completely healthy headed into this week, and is officially listed as “questionable”.
Could it be Tebow time?
Mike Goodson, RB, Carolina Panthers
As is often the case, the rise of one player means the fall of another.
With Stewart lighting it up, Goodson’s role is dwindling in the Panthers’ offense.
Goodson has actually scored in three straight games, but with Stewart getting the lion’s share of the workload, how much longer can we expect that streak to continue?
He’s got some potential, but use him at your own risk.
Chris Ivory, RB, New Orleans Saints
Ivory is nursing a hamstring injury, and it doesn’t help that Pierre Thomas (finally) returned last week and received more carries than did Ivory.
The matchup with the Ravens doesn’t bode particularly well, either, so Ivory’s value (for the remainder of this season, at least) appears to be on a significant downswing.
It wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see Ivory carry a significant role for the Saints in the future, though.
Braylon Edwards, WR, New York Jets
Everybody on the Jets’ offense belongs on the “fallers” list, but Edwards has nearly fallen off the map entirely.
He enjoyed a productive game against the Texans in week 11, and has caught a total of five passes in the three games since.
Until Mark Sanchez and the rest of that offense can get things in order, stay away.
Santana Moss, WR, Washington Redskins
Moss has made a habit of killing the Cowboys throughout his career in Washington, but I’m wary here because of Rex Grossman’s status as the new starting quarterback.
Grossman is serviceable at best, and I have no idea how to project how guys like Moss will be affected.
Moss was a steady performer with the inconsistent Donovan McNabb throwing to him, so maybe Moss’ numbers won’t be affected much.
Still though, temper your expectations at first.
Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Detroit Lions
Pettigrew hasn’t been as productive with Drew Stanton at the helm as he was under Stafford or Hill, so don’t expect the most out of him going forward.
He’s not getting the targets that he had been all season long, and the Lions appear more committed to trying to win using the ground game.
Calvin Johnson may still be Calvin Johnson, but the same can’t be said for poor Brandon Pettigrew.
