FANTASY FOOTBALL IN-SEASON FEATURES

Good Rexy was back last week, but now he travels west to face a Seattle defense that’s held seven of 10 foes—including three of four at home—to one or fewer touchdown tosses and allowed only one 300-yard game on the year.

Davis likely loses looks to Moss as well, but against a Seattle defense that’s surrendered three TE TDs and 219 yards to the position over the past three weeks he’s the best fantasy play on the Redskins’ side of the ball.

Lynch has scored in four straight and six of seven, though the yardage hasn’t been overly impressive. It’s not a particularly favorable matchup, but the Seahawks are finding ways to get Lynch into the end zone so you should take advantage of the run while it lasts.

Willis hasn’t been the same since his return from injury (16 carries, 35 yards), but the 16-125 he put on the Chargers in the earlier meeting suggests he can take advantage if given the proper opportunity. And a San Diego defense that just served up 157 and 1 to Michael Bush can definitely provide such an opportunity.

The pie will be small, and you don’t know who gets to take bites. None of them had a catch in the earlier meeting with San Diego; in fact, Brandon Lloyd had the only catch by a wideout in that contest. Any of them could take a Tebow bomb the distance, but the more likely outcome is something you don’t want anywhere near your fantasy lineup.

So long as the picks aren’t costing you fantasy points Rivers has been hot of late with multiple touchdowns in three straight and at least 274 yards in four consecutive games. The Broncos held him to 250 and 1 in Week 5; since then they’ve allowed two hat tricks and more than 250 yards in three of five. Rivers’ numbers tend to be better at home, so use the 250 & 1 as a baseline, with plenty of upside.

Gates has scored every other week since his return from injury; sadly, this is slated to be an off week. It’s also not a favorable matchup against a Broncos defense that’s allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends, but a healthy Gates should never be benched. Take your 50-plus yard floor and hope he bucks that every other week trend.

The Bolts have given up at least 23 points in six straight, aren’t generating a ton of turnovers, and have just one defensive score to show for their efforts. You can find better fantasy options elsewhere.

Brady has stared down better corners (like, say, Darrelle Revis) and put up his typical big numbers. So the Eagles’ dream team secondary isn’t about to frighten him—or knock him off his five-game multiple touchdown streak.

Are the Patriots ready to load BJGE with carries and ride him down the home stretch? The 20-81 from Monday night suggests it’s possible, but with Bill Belichick you never know which back will get thrown into the mix; hence the S3 hedge.

Vick didn't practice all week due to his broken ribs. Under the same scenario last week Vince Young got the start; look for a similar situation this week, which puts Vick on your fantasy bench.

If Vick can’t go we saw enough from Young in last week’s win over the Giants to think he could capitalize on the Patriots’ patchwork secondary.

Don’t fear this matchup with a Patriots defense that’s allowed only one RB rushing score in the last five games. If Vick can’t go McCoy picks up the slack once again; if Vick plays, it just takes that much more attention away from McCoy and gives him more wiggle room.

The TDs have tapered off again, though against a KC defense that’s allowed six in the past three games they could tick back up. And Big Ben has thrown for 1,300 yards the past four games so he can always make up for the lack of TDs with yardage. He was limited Wednesday by his thumb injury, but this is Ben Roethlisberger we’re talking about; he’ll play—and play well—through just about anything.

Mendy’s let us down before—like just about every week other than his one 100-yard effort this year—but two TDs last week against the Bengals have purchased a little good will. And a date with a KC defense that’s allowed every back with at least 17 carries—right around a typical Mendenhall workload—to top 80 yards should get Mendy back in the good graces of his fantasy owners.

The Chiefs have good corners, but if Pierre Garçon can get behind them—twice—for touchdowns you have to like the über-speedy Wallace’s chances.

Brown has quickly attained wingman status in Pittsburgh, and that means production: the Steelers have had at least two wideouts score or top 50 yards in four straight games and nine of 10 so far this season.

Cause for optimism: in addition to Miller’s expanding role in the Pittsburgh passing game—20 targets, 15 catches, 189 yards over the past month—the Chiefs have given up 19-312-4 to the tight end position over that same span.

Palko was shut out by the league’s second-most fantasy friendly secondary; tough to see him turning it around against the fourth-toughest this week.

The Steelers certainly aren’t a soft matchup, but last week’s nine targets suggest Palko knows where to find Bowe and will keep trying to get the ball to his playmaker.

We’re barely trusting Palko to get the ball to Bowe; don’t get greedy. Maybe Kyle Orton can get Breaston and Baldwin involved again in a couple weeks.

Eli had a three-game streak of multiple touchdown games snapped last week, but he has yet to go two straight games without multiple touchdowsn this season and has been north of 250 yards every game since Week 2. The Saints headed into their bye surrendering 351 and 2 to Matt Ryan, but in New Orleans they’ve held three of four opposing QBs to one or fewer scoring strikes. Eli’s startable—a high S3 or low-end S2—but it’s not the most favorable matchup for him.

Last week Bradshaw was targeting a return here; now that’s not looking so likely. The official report for Monday players isn't out yet, but he didn't practice Thursday or Friday so you should plan for another week without him.

Another opportunity for Jacobs sans Bradshaw; so far he’s done very little with the chances he’s been given. Each of the last eight feature backs to face the Saints have rushed for 72 yards or better, seven of the eight for 82 or more. At this rate we’d take 80 and a touch from Jacobs, and that doesn’t seem like an unrealistic expectation here.

Both of Nicks’ big yardage games came in the first month of the season; whether it’s the hamstring or defenses adjusting or something else, he’s settling into a solid but not spectacular routine. He’s still an every-week starter, but this matchup doesn’t look like one that will allow him to post monster numbers.

Cruz has been Manning’s big-play guy, and he has three 100-yard games to prove it. Harry Douglas hit triple digits against the Saints prior to the bye; of the Giants receivers, Cruz is the most likely to replicate that feat this week.

Manningham didn't practice Thursday or Friday due to a knee injury, and with this being a Monday night game you may not have all the information necessary to make your lineup decision. Best err on the side of caution and keep Manningham on your bench unless there are reports of a major turnaround in his status over the weekend.

Assuming the elbow is okay—and he returned to the game after injuring it last week so that’s a safe assumption—Ballard should be on Eli’s radar against a New Orleans defense that’s allowed TE TDs in each of the last two games and six on the season.

Not only is Brees on pace to break Dan Marino’s yardage record, he also has 10 touchdowns in the last four games. You have to go back to Week 4 of last year to find the last full home game in which Brees hasn’t thrown multiple touchdowns; his average SuperDome game this year is 306 and 3. In this case, average is A-okay with us.

Sproles saw a season-low six touches prior to the Saints’ bye; you have to believe they’ll come out of the extra week with a paln to get the ball back into his hands, as he’s been far and away their most effective back. Similar combo backs—LeSean McCoy, Reggie Bush—have had success against the Giants, so plug Sproles back into your fantasy lineup with confidence.

The same confidence can’t be applied to the Saints’ hodge-podge of ball-carriers, as they haven’t had the same back lead the team in carries in consecutive weeks for more than a month. The Giants can be had on the ground, but unfortunately for fantasy purposes unless you start “Team Running Back” the productivity will be too splintered to be of use.

Colston continues to be the most targeted Saints wideout and the one you’re most comfortable plugging into a fantasy lineup, but Lance Moore and Robert Meachem have taken turns outproducing him over the past month. You’re safe starting Colston, but it could be so much better if this situation weren’t so fractured.

You’re always chasing points here: one week Moore scores, the next he catches one ball; Meacham gets shut out, then comes back to find the end zone the next game. Colston is more reliable, but there’s usually room for another producer under Brees’ umbrella of stats. The trick is guessing which one it will be.