FANTASY FOOTBALL IN-SEASON FEATURES

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

Prediction: SF 27, STL 13 (LINE: SF by 7)

Players Updated: David Akers, Danny Amendola

Players to Watch: Brandon Jacobs

This is a replay of week 10 when these teams combined for the only tie in the last five years. The Rams have won this matchup only once in the last five years and was the favored team in 2010.

Pregame Notes: The 49ers were held to a tie in week ten but have been on a mission in the last two weeks scoring over 30 points in each while the defense has been back to its dominating ways. The 49ers are still the current #2 seed in the NFC but there is nothing easy about the final schedule. The way they are playing now mean it may not matter - the change in quarterback appears to have added a new element that the offense needed.

HC Jim Harbaugh says he is going to name a starting quarterback mid-week instead of waiting to tab Colin Kaepernick last Saturday as everyone expected. The problem here is that you can replace Alex Smith with Kaepernick and get something more, something additional since he has a bigger arm and can run as well. But you cannot replace Kaepernick with Smith because there is nothing that he does that is any better other than maybe manage the end of a game. So - my take is that Kaepernick has to start as he is the best weapon for the 49ers. But if he doesn't, that could set the stage for a change in quarterbacks during the game if the 49ers are struggling at all on offense.

The 49ers also placed Kendall Hunter on injured reserve with a torn Achilles. That should open the door for Brandon Jacobs to try on his 49ers jersey finally. Hunter was only being used for four to six runs per game and had minor impact on the offense, so this is not like a chance to see Jacobs suddenly getting 20 carries in a game. LaMichael James might get called up as well. More will be known later in the week but Frank Gore will remain the primary runner anyway. Now if Gore gets hurt...

Kyle Williams has also been lost for the season with a torn ACL and that means the 49ers first round pick of A.J. Jenkins at least gets to be active in games. Williams was only the little-used #4 in the offense and Jenkins will do well enough to catch a few passes before the season ends.

The previous game against the Rams was when Smith was knocked out of the game and Kaepernick finally got some real playing time. They combined for 189 yards and one passing score with a second touchdown rushed in by Kaepernick. The Rams at home should be better against the pass but these are divisional rivals and the 49ers have a point to make. Gore rushed for 97 yards and one score in that game while Michael Crabtree led all receivers with his 70 yards and a score on five catches. Vernon Davis was held to only 30 yards on four catches in that game.

Davis is publicly expressing a desire to go back to Smith over Kaepernick. Davis showed up the Bears with six catches for 83 yards and one score in week 11 but then was specifically targeted by the Saints last week who held him to only one pass and no catches .

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
QB Colin Kaepernick, SF	ARI	40	1	0	0	0	220	2	0
Kaepernick could use a good game here after only 244 yards and one score in Seattle last week. Alex Smith tossed three scores and 232 yards in the win in Arizona. Figure on Kaepernick having a decent showing here and a good shot at a rushing score. He won't get pulled from this one that they must win and he needs the reps anyway.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
RB Frank Gore, SF	ARI	60	0	1	10	0	0	0	0
Gore's been less effective in the second half of the year and only managed 16-55 in the Arizona meeting with the Cards. The problem here could be a big 49ers lead which leads to less use of Gore and possibly yanking him later in the game knowing they need him more for the playoffs.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
RB LaMichael James, SF	ARI	40	0	2	10	0	0	0	0
James has only seen about 8 carries per week as a high but that could go up this week against the Cardinals. That still won't make him anything more than a really risky flex play at best.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Michael Crabtree, SF	ARI	0	0	5	70	1	0	0	0
Crabtree enjoyed one of his best showings on the year when he caught 5-72 with two TDs in Arizona during week eight. He's always been a safe bet at home where four of his last five TDs happened.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Anquan Boldin, SF	ARI	0	0	7	80	0	0	0	0
The veteran needs 79 yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the season. Maybe the Ravens will force-feed him to get there, but that's hardly enough to make him a fantasy must-start against a pretty good Cincy secondary.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Randy Moss, SF	ARI	0	0	3	40	0	0	0	0
Moss steps into the #2 role now that Manningham is out but that is not likely to mean too much. Manningham never gained more than 72 yards as the flanker and scored only once all year. Worth watching to see what changes if any are made but not worth relying on for a fantasy start.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
TE Vernon Davis, SF	ARI	0	0	2	20	0	0	0	0
Davis needs to be more involved now that Manningham is gone but he only accounted for 2-34 in the last meeting with the Cards. He's only averaged one catch over the last five weeks and never scored. Fortunately the Cards are weak against the position on the road where three of their last four opponents scored used a TE.

Pregame Notes: The Rams have been better this year if only on defense and yet the tied game in San Francisco has to be considered a trap of sorts since they were crushed in the three previous games and the one right afterwards. With three road games left and this home game against the 49ers, the 4-6-1 Rams are a lock for a losing record this year but at least have something to grow on for HC Jeff Fisher's second season.

There were two main reasons why the Rams did so well in San Francisco. First was that Danny Amendola had been out for five games and returned that week to post 11 catches for 102 yards against a defense that clearly did not think he was going to be such a big factor. Secondly, Steven Jackson rushed for 101 yards and one score in that game. He had never gained more than 76 yards in any game previous this year and had scored just once.

Jackson has continued to shine later in the year with a season best 139 yards in Arizona and 81 yards against the Jets in week 11.

Amendola has been hampered by a foot injury that prevented him from practicing last week but he still played enough to get one catch for 38 yards and then stick around for a handful of plays as a decoy in Arizona. HC Jeff Fisher said there is a chance that Amendola may practice this week which sounds like he will play some role, but how limited he may be will be the question and he may end up as a decoy yet again. At least the 49ers should see him coming this time.

Brian Quick also scored in that first meeting though it was on his only catch in the game and he only has seven receptions all year. Brandon Gibson was held to 47 yards in that game. Austin Pettis also scored but only gained 15 yards on three catches.

Normally a home version of a divisional matchup is better but in this case the Rams had a great game in week 10 while the 49ers had a rare bad one. That will get rectified here and the Rams really will face a top 5 defense against all positions. Jackson is the only apparently good play here and that relies on him continuing his unexplained late season surge. Amendola may be a decent start but needs to get practices in this week to feel comfortable about starting him.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
QB Sam Bradford, STL	@SEA	0	0	0	0	0	200	0	2
Bradford only threw for 221 yards, no scores and one interception at home against the Seahawks. It won't be any better on the road.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
TE Lance Kendricks, STL	@SEA	0	0	3	40	0	0	0	0
Kendricks scored the last two weeks but in Seattle is the worst place to expect the hat trick to happen. Aside from the Bucs game last week, he's been stuck at sub-40 yard games all year.

	Opp	fga	FGM	xpa	XPM	ConFac
K Greg Zuerlein, STL	@SEA	2	2	0	0
There is far too big of a chance for a shutout to consider Zuerlein this week.

 Print