FANTASY FOOTBALL IN-SEASON FEATURES

Predictions Summary »  Player Rankings (Projections) »  myHuddle Projections by Team »  Projections Summary by Team »

Prediction: KC 3, PIT 24 (Line: PIT by 13)

Players Updated: Jonathan Dwyer, Rashard Mendenhall

Players to Watch: KC Quarterback, Dwayne Bowe, Isaac Redman

The 1-7 Chiefs are on a five game losing streak with no end in sight. The 5-3 Steelers are on a three game winning streak and are 3-0 at home. None of these trends are going to change this week.This is the Monday night game. And yeah - "wow".

Pregame Notes: TImes are tough in Kansas City and not only are they apparently in a death spiral, but apparently they are going to take all the fantasy value down with them, This team has not scored more than one touchdown per game for the last month. There are still a few opportunities for a decent score later in the season but this week is the worst match-up left to face and they'll do that not sure what they are going to do for quarterback.

Matt Cassel is just done as far as the Chiefs are concerned and in fairness throwing 11 interceptions and losing seven fumbles will send anyone to the bench. But Cassel is the only way that Dwayne Bowe produced decent yardage or scores. Brady Quinn only threw for 180 yards and no scores in Tampa Bay in his only game. Quinn was knocked out of the Chargers game with a concussion and Cassel filled in with 181 yards but no scores. Almost all of his passes went to Bowe who ended with eight receptions for 79 yards.

The Chiefs may opt for Ricky Stanzi to play this week if Quinn is still out because of his concussion. That'll be even more risk and unknowns with an offense that is already bad.

Bowe caught a a season low three passes in Oakland when Quinn played. It is important to get Bowe involved because no one else is of any consequence in the passing scheme. The offense under OC Brian Daboll has been horrific so far with no signs of improvement. No wideout has a touchdown this year and no wideout ever gets more than about three catches for 50 yards. The tight ends are no better. Tony Moeaki caught four passes for 57 yards in week eight but then no catches against the Chargers.

Jamaal Charles was knocked out of the game in San Diego but passed all his concussion tests while still there and says he could have returned. Although Charles is clearly the best weapon on the entire offense, Daboll wants to platoon him. Peyton Hillis rushed seven times for 14 yards and had one catch. Shaun Draughn only had one carry which was the short touchdown run and he caught two passes. Dexter McCluster ran four times for 17 yards and caught two passes. Charles ran for 39 yards on 12 runs and caught three passes. Gone are the days that Charles gets 25 touches and racks up a monster game apparently. His two big games this year came when Hillis was injured.

Possible change at quarterback means that Bowe is still a risk to use and the matchup is not a good one anyway. The Chiefs are already driving the fantasy value of Charles and Bowe down and this game is not going to do anything to turn that around. Tough place to start any Chiefs players.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
QB Alex Smith, KC	@OAK	20	0	0	0	0	190	2	0
The Raiders held Smith to 128 yards and zero scores in the earlier meeting, but KC's QB has multiple TDs in four straight and offers at least a sliver of fantasy value here.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
RB Jamaal Charles, KC	@OAK	70	1	5	40	1	0	0	0
Charles amassed 128 combo yards and scored twice in the earlier meeting with Oakland, and if possible he's even hotter right now with five TDs in the past three games and 436 yards from scrimmage in that span. As if you needed proof: the Raiders have allowed four RB TDs in the past two games.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Dwayne Bowe, KC	@OAK	0	0	5	60	1	0	0	0
Bowe is the closest thing to a go-to receiver for the Chiefs, which means he'd be the best candidate on the Kansas City roster to take advantage of an Oakland secondary that's allowed five 100-yard receivers in the past six games. However, his 3-46 in the earlier meeting prove he's far from a guarantee.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Donnie Avery, KC	@OAK	0	0	4	50	0	0	0	0
Avery hasn't been fantasy-relevant for a couple of weeks, plus he's battling Junior Hemingway and Dexter McCluster for secondary looks. Those aren't the kind of phrases that instill fantasy confidence.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
TE Sean McGrath, KC	@OAK	0	0	2	20	0	0	0	0
It's been a while since McGrath posted a fantasy-relevant game, and while the Raiders offer a somewhat favorable matchup to the position he's too much of a fringe contributor to warrant serious fantasy consideration.

	Opp	fga	FGM	xpa	XPM	ConFac
K Ryan Succop, KC	@OAK	2	1	3	3
Succop hasn't had a multiple field goal game in a month, and the fact that he mustered just six points in the home half of this matchup doesn't bode well for big fantasy numbers the second time around.

Pregame Notes: A nice three game winning streak has the Steelers within one game of Baltimore in the AFC North and after facing the Chiefs, they will host the Ravens in their first meeting this year. Even with the missing players by the Ravens, there will be no taking them lightly because there is a chance that the Steelers could actually run the board now that the tougher half of the season is over. For this week, the temptation to look past the Chiefs is almost certain because they know they can get away with it.

Ben Roethlisberger threw at least one touchdown in every game this year and currently stands at 16 scores against only four interceptions. He's more likely to throw two or more scores than just the one and this week goes against a defense that has given up 18 touchdowns to quarterbacks already and all but the Ravens scored at least twice via a pass. This could be a good game if Big Ben takes advantage of it.

Last week Isaac Redman blew up with 147 yards on 26 runs with one score but that's more a function of a rare instance of him being the primary back with only Baron Batch to share with. Jonathan Dwyer has been out with a quad injury and Rashard Mendenhall has a bad Achilles. This is a committee backfield and the sharing will be back as soon as either or both other runners return. I will assume that Redman gets the call alone again this week and update as the health status of Mendenhall and/or Dwyer is better known. With an easy game this week and then a critical game next week, the Steelers may elect to let the other two heal up again this week.

Antonio Brown injured his ankle in the Giants game. First it was a high ankle sprain, then it wasn't and at last report appears to be a "sorta high ankle sprain". Again - this is an easy game and then the schedule goes against divisional rivals so the Steelers may elect to let Brown heal up this week. Emmanuel Sanders will take his place if needed. I will project for Brown out and adjust later if he is able to play.

Heath Miller should be in for a good showing here since three of the last four road opponents for the Chiefs scored with their tight end. Miller is highly consistent around 50 yards per week and scores in most. Particularly if there are other players out injured this week, Miller will be relied on.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
QB Ben Roethlisberger, PIT	CIN	0	0	0	0	0	320	3	0
Big Ben has multiple touchdowns in four straight outings, suggesting he'll be able to improve on the 251 & 1 he mustered in the earlier meeting with Cincinnati--especially when you consider Andrew Luck just posted 326 and 4 on the Bengals.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
RB Le'Veon Bell, PIT	CIN	50	0	5	30	0	0	0	0
It's been more than two months since the Bengals allowed a running back touchdown, and they held Pittsburgh backs to 50 combo yards in the earlier meeting. However, Bell didn't play in that game; he's had 88 or more yards from scrimmage in eight straight outings, so he offers the Steelers an upgrade though it's still an unfriendly fantasy matchup.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Antonio Brown, PIT	CIN	0	0	7	120	2	0	0	0
The Bengals secondary has proven more fantasy-friendly since losing Leon Hall to injury, giving up six WR TDs and three 100-yard efforts over the past four games. WR1s have certainly gotten their fair share, with 100 yards or a TD in three straight, and with Brown having scored in three of four and reaching triple digits in three of the last five he's a definite fantasy factor once again.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Emmanuel Sanders, PIT	CIN	0	0	4	50	1	0	0	0
Sanders has scored in three straight, and with Cincy's secondary a bit more fantasy-friendly than when they shut out Steeler receivers in the earlier meeting he's at least worthy of fantasy consideration here.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Jerricho Cotchery, PIT	CIN	0	0	3	50	1	0	0	0
Here's the problem with Cotchery: he's not the go-to guy in Pittsburgh, he's not even the backup plan, and his targets have fluctuated wildly from nine last week to one in Week 12. He's scored in two straight and five of six, though just about the time you trust him with a fantasy start he'll disappear like he did three weeks back against the Browns. There's the upside of a touchdown, but also risk since he has just 68 total yards the past three games combined.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
TE Heath Miller, PIT	CIN	0	0	5	60	0	0	0	0
The Bengals have allowed only one TE to top 50 yards against them this year, though Miller wasn't available for the earlier meeting. He's topped 50 yards in three of the last four, but he hasn't scored in almost two months and his fantasy upside here is limited.

	Opp	fga	FGM	xpa	XPM	ConFac
K Shaun Suisham, PIT	CIN	1	1	3	3
Suisham has been field-goal free since Week 12, and a date with a Bengals team that hasn't allowed double-digit kicker points since Week 3 doesn't look like an opportunity for Suisham to suddenly light the fantasy lamp.

 Print