Fantasy Fab Fives: Week 17

Welcome back to our weekly article, where we highlight fifteen players/units that you should definitely make a move on, or in some cases, avoid like the plague. If you’re a weekly subscriber to this column, then after last week you should perhaps avoid my advice like the plague, for it was a very rough Sunday for this guy and his faithful crystal ball.  Who could’ve foreseen Ben Roethlisberger (215 Yards, 2 INTs) and Antonio Brown (61 Yards) do next to nothing against a Ravens’ team simply playing out the string?  Not me.  Or that Matt Ryan (306 Yards, 1 TD) would torch the Panthers’ vaunted defense two weeks after being humbled in a shutout?  Clearly, not I.  Or Doug Martin (49 Yards, 1 TD) would have such an underwhelming day at the office against the Bears porous Run D?  It wasn’t this guy.  About the only plays I got correct were Latavius Murray (117 Total Yards, 1 TD) showing out in the Raiders’ home finale, and Jordan Reed (129 Yards, 2 TDs) delivering the knockout blow to the Eagles on Saturday Night.  Outside of that, it was a very FORGETTABLE weekend for yours truly.  But hey, with one week left, and those brave enough to stick with me now in your Fantasy Championship Round, it’s TIME TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT!!!  Stay tuned and read on, my friends, for I, The Oracle have got you covered with the MOST COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS IN THE BUSINESS!!!

QUARTERBACKS

• START ‘EM: Matt Ryan, Falcons v Saints (Last Week, 23/30, 306 yards, 1 TD v Panthers) – As you’ll see shortly, I love a number of Falcons to fly high this weekend, particularly due to the fact that they’re facing a deplorable Saints’ defense that has just sixty minutes of football left before a long vacation to improve upon a ghastly 2015.  New Orleans currently ranks dead last in the NFL in the following categories; Points Allowed (30.6), First Downs Allowed (355), Passing Touchdowns Allowed (43), Net Yards per Pass Attempt Allowed (7.8), Yards per Carry Allowed (5.0), and Points per Drive Allowed (2.6).  Going against these shmucks has paid many a dividend for yours truly this year, so why wouldn’t I suggest going ALL IN ON THE FINAL WEEK OF THE SEASON?!?!?!  First up is Matt Ryan, who just did what no other Quarterback in the league has managed to do in quite some time… get the best of the Carolina Panthers.  After getting humbled in a 38-0 shutout just two weeks prior, the three-time Pro Bowler completed a solid 23-of-30 attempts (76.7%) for 306 yards and a touchdown, and most importantly refrained from throwing an interception.  Picks had become an issue for No. 2 of late, throwing eight interceptions over the five previous games, but his performance last Sunday snapped a string of five games with at least one errant throw into the arms of the opponent.  Look for the upward trend to continue into the Season Finale, for when Ryan last met these Saints, he was a solid 30-of-44 (68.2%) for 295 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  Mathematically, the Falcons somehow remain alive for a Wild Card in the NFC, but they’ll need an awful lot of help to make that happen, and what better punching bag to go out with a bang against than the Saints?
  

  Though turnovers have been an issue of late, Ryan did his part to slay the undefeated Panthers last week with 306 yards and a TD.

• SIT ‘EM: Kirk Cousins, Redskins @ Cowboys (Last Week, 31/46, 365 yards, 4 TDs @ Eagles) – While this may indeed sound like a questionable decision here, please hear me out.  With apologies to Blake Bortles and Derek Carr, arguably no Quarterback in the NFL did more to elevate his profile this season than Kirk Cousins, who has made himself quite a bit of money in his contract year.  Leading a downtrodden franchise to a division title and leading the league in completion percentage (69.5%) will get you noticed, as will throwing eight touchdowns with no interceptions over the last two weeks.  So why exactly am I down on Cousins this week, you ask?  He simply has nothing to play for.  The Redskins already clinched their second NFC East Title in four years with last week’s resounding victory in Philadelphia, and Head Coach Jay Gruden has stated that he would not be committed to playing his starters throughout the season finale in Dallas, which includes his Quarterback.  In essence, Cousins is on a pitch count, which means he may not finish the game.  And it’s not like he lit the Cowboys up when they last met on Monday Night Football in early December; the fourth-year signal-caller completed 22-of-31 attempts (70.9%) for just 219 yards and a touchdown in a sloppy 19-16 defeat.  If Washington falls behind, Gruden could be compelled to sit his Quarterback early, taking away the possibility of compiling a wealth of passing yards in a comeback attempt.  If you’ve been fortunate enough to start Cousins this season, than I’m sure you’re satisfied with his performance, just don’t expect him to carry you to a championship this week.
• SLEEPER: Blaine Gabbert, 49ers v Rams (Last Week, 22/33, 225 yards, 2 TDs @ Lions) – Wow, if this isn’t a sign of the apocalypse… I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but if you’re looking for a deep sleeper (like Rip Van !@#$ing Winkle), then take a look at Blaine Gabbert.  Since taking over for an injured and ineffective Colin Kaepernick, the former First Round Bust in Jacksonville has actually been a fairly decent starter in San Francisco.  To put things in perspective, Gabbert was absolutely TERRIBLE as a Jaguar, completing 53.3% of his passes, with twenty-two touchdowns, twenty-four interceptions, and never posted a QBR higher than 35.7, all the while earning a 5-22 record as a starter (.185).  Fast forward a few years, and in seven starts with the Niners (2-5) he has shown marked improvement with a 63.0% completion percentage, a 9/6 touchdown to interception ratio, and a 43.11 QBR.  Granted, those numbers won’t get you to a Pro Bowl anytime soon, but it definitely means this kid is finally figuring things out, which could mean some positive things for both the 49ers and you this weekend.  Apart from a three-interception embarrassment two weeks ago against the Bengals, the fifth-year Quarterback has averaged a solid 248.7 passing yards, with seven touchdowns to four interceptions over his last six starts, while also reminding us that he can indeed make plays with his legs (146 yards, 1 TD).  Now, I know that San Francisco has suffered through a pitiful season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended 2015 like they started it (with a victory).  Their opponent this weekend, the Rams, have lost a lot of talented members of their solid defense to injury of late, and their pass defense has reflected it; St. Louis has allowed 285.5 yards through the air over the last six weeks.  Like many in the Bay Area, Gabbert is playing for a job next year.  This would be a prime opportunity to earn it.

RUNNING BACKS

• START ‘EM: Devonta Freeman, Falcons v Saints (Last Week, 22 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD v Panthers) – As I continue to go all in on the Saints, Devonta Freeman is up next, as the versatile Tailback should be in line for a big day this weekend.  Through the first eight weeks of the season, this kid was the unquestioned breakout star at his position, racking up a surprising 1,062 all-purpose yards and ten touchdowns, all the while averaging a solid 4.7 yards per carry as a rusher.  The diminutive sophomore took to Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s Zone Blocking Scheme exceptionally well, as have so many unheralded ‘backs before him, but after suffering a concussion in a loss to the 49ers (which caused him to miss a week), his production swooned; between Weeks Nine and Fourteen, Freeman only logged one touchdown.  However, he looks to have regained his early-season form to a degree, totaling 101 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in a 23-17 victory over the Jaguars two weeks ago, followed by last weekend’s 73 yards and a score against the Panthers’ staunch defense.  New Orleans hardly poses a comparable threat, permitting 132.3 rushing yards per game (31st Overall) on a league-worst 5.0 yards per carry.  In fact, before they held Jacksonville to 65 yards on the ground last weekend, they had relinquished a staggering 154.7 rushing yards in the previous six outings. When he last faced the Saints’ beleaguered defense, he shredded them for 156 total yards, with a touchdown on the ground and another through the air, making this kid an excellent play in the final week of the season.
  

  Jennings has come on of late, averaging 115.0 total yards over the last three weeks, including 136 in last Sunday’s debacle at Minnesota.

• SIT ‘EM: Lamar Miller, Dolphins v Patriots (last Week, 67 total yards, 1 TD v Colts) – Like many of his teammates in Miami, Lamar Miller has been a bust in the word of Fantasy this season, failing to live up to raised expectations after a supposedly strong offseason.  However, that pretty much describes all the Miami Dolphins this year, doesn’t it?  Ryan Tannehill underachieved, Jarvis Landry had a few games, but mostly disappointed, while the defense has been an unmitigated dumpster fire.  And then there is Miller, who despite a triplicate of 100-yard performances, was rather underwhelming in 2015; if you took away those aforementioned outbursts, the fourth-year rusher would have averaged a meager 37.4 yards on the ground.  Granted, he’s been decent as a receiver out of the backfield (26.3 yards per game), but if he’s been you’re top option at Running Back this year, than you’ve no doubt cursed his name a few times.  Don’t expect him to right any wrongs this week against the Patriots, who can clinch home field in the AFC for like the gazillionth time; Miller had just fifteen yards on nine carries when he last ran into New England, who have yielded the eighth-fewest rushing yards this year (98.8 yards per game) on just 4.1 yards per carry (14th Overall).  With an injury-riddled Offensive Line, as both Tackle Ja’Waun James (Toe) and Center Mike Pouncey (Foot) are expected to miss, do yourself a favor and place this guy on your bench.
• SLEEPER: Rashad Jennings, Giants v Eagles (Last Week, 136 total yards @ Vikings) – Talk about a late bloomer.  With the Tom Coughlin Era looking to have finally reached it’s long-awaited conclusion in the Big Apple, I’m expecting the Giants to put together one last virtuoso performance in the honor of their long-tenured Head Coach.  It’s the good old Let’s Win One for the Gipper cliché, which believe it or not, actually works from time to time.  And that is ALL they have to play for, after they were eliminated from postseason contention last weekend in an ugly 49-17 debacle in Minnesota.  So if Big Blue does in fact put forth an inspired performance, take a chance on one Rashad Jennings, who has gained quite a bit of steam over the last few weeks; in his second season in Gotham, Jennings has averaged 115.0 yards from scrimmage over the past three games, scoring one touchdown in the process.  Cementing my confidence in his prospects is Philadelphia’s eroding defense, which could very well bottom out tonight for exactly the opposite reason why I believe that New York will persevere.  With the Eagles getting blown out at Lincoln Financial Field last Saturday in a 38-24 drubbing that wasn’t even that close, Head Coach Chip Kelly was handed his walking papers a week early, meaning that this underachieving team now has nothing and nobody to play for.  And it’s not as if they’ve blown our minds when they actually had something to play for; Philly has allowed 129.7 rushing yards (29th Overall) on 4.4 yards per carry (26th Overall), including a dreadful 164.1 yards on the ground in an abysmal eight-game stretch before finally shoring up the Run D against the Redskins last weekend (67 yards).  Trust me, if you have a bad matchup and you’re on the lookout for someone to bolster your lineup, look no further than this guy.

CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE BOWL AND PLAYOFF PACKAGES INCLUDING AN ANALYSIS ON ALL 41 BOWL GAMES!!!

WIDE RECEIVERS

• START ‘EM: Julio Jones, Falcons v Saints (Last Week, 9 catches, 178 yards, 1 TD v Panthers) – It took fifteen weeks of football, but at last the Panthers have been slain… Playing a huge role in last week’s 20-13 upset of previously undefeated Carolina was none other than Julio Jones, who clearly learned from his mistakes in their previous meeting, and went on to shred one the staunchest Pass Defenses in the league.  Nine catches for 178 yards highlighted by an unbelievable 70-yard touchdown over a leaping Luke Kuechley put a bow on quite a day for one of the most prolific Receivers in Fantasy Football.  Sunday’s performance marked his eighth 100-yard outing along with his eighth foray into the End Zone.  Atlanta’s postseason chances are mathematically alive, though it’s considered a real long shot that the very specific set of circumstances will come together for them to be playing past Sunday’s meeting with the Saints.  However, No. 11 has plenty to play for, as he still has an outside chance of breaking both the single season records for Receptions (143, Marvin Harrison, 2002) and Receiving Yards (1,964, Calvin Johnson, 2012); at 127 catches for 1,722 yards, the two-time Pro Bowler would need a herculean effort consisting of seventeen receptions and 243 receiving yards to surpass both marks.  But hey, against New Orleans’ miserable defense, anything is possible, right?  The Saints have relinquished the second-most passing yards in the league (281.1), along with most net yards per attempt (7.8), and a staggering forty-three passing touchdowns (32nd Overall), which is the second-highest such figure permitted in a single season.  When these sides last met on October 15th, Jones reeled in six passes for ninety-three yards in a 31-21 Saints’ victory.  Now, I doubt he breaks either one of those records, but I fully expect Matt Ryan to force the ball his way as much as possible (which is what he’s done all season), which should turn into a big day for one of the game’s best.
  

  Jones has a chance to put a bow on an All Pro campaign, with both single season records for receptions and receiving yards in his sight.

• SIT ‘EM: Allen Hurns, Jaguars @ Texans (Last Week, 8 catches, 107 yards @ Saints) – One of the more remarkable statistics of the 2015 campaign was the fact that the Jacksonville Jaguars fielded not just one, but two 1,000-yard Receivers.  Considering they haven’t had one player of that distinction since Jimmy Smith did so in 2005, that is quite the accomplishment.  Of course, it reflects the growth of sophomore passer Blake Bortles, who has made quite a living throwing the ball downfield to Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns.  The latter of the two has been a definite surprise, reeling in sixty-one balls for 1,014 yards (16.6 y/r) and ten touchdowns thus far.  Not bad for an Undrafted Free Agent.  So why don’t I like him this weekend, you ask?  Well, it’s got much more to do with his opponent, the Texans, who with a win Sunday can clinch their third AFC South Title in the last five years.  Houston has fielded one of the stingiest pass defenses in the league this year, relegating the opposition to just 212.2 yards through the air (3rd Overall) on 5.7 net yards per attempt (3rd Overall).  Furthermore, since starting the season a disappointing 2-5, J.J. Watt and Co. have permitted a scant 186.1 passing yards.  When they last met the Jaguars, Bortles was 30-of-53 (56.6%) for 331 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions, while being sacked three times for a loss of twenty yards.  Hurns, to his credit, hauled in the last of those three touchdown passes, but put together a relatively quiet game otherwise, logging just two receptions for thirty yards.  Compounding matters is a thigh injury that he suffered last week in New Orleans, which has limited him in practice all week.  There are plenty of weapons in the passing game for Jacksonville, so if he’s hobbled then Bortles will be looking other places.
• SLEEPER: John Brown, Cardinals v Seahawks (Last Week, 3 catches, 25 yards, 1 TD v Packers) – I must have lost mind picking any Receiver against Seattle’s vaunted Legion of Boom, but as the Arizona Cardinals proved in their earlier matchup this year, the Seahawks can be had on the backend.  In that resounding 39-32 triumph on a Mid-November Sunday Night, Carson Palmer torched Richard Sherman and Co. to the tune of 363 yards and three touchdowns, with Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd combining for seventeen catches, 243 yards, and a pair of scores.  Brown, who was hampered with an ailing ankle all night, was shutout of the box score with zero catches on three targets, but since returning to health has become a devastating weapon in the deep passing game.  Since that night, the unheralded speedster out of Pittsburgh State has accounted for twenty-four receptions for 396 yards (16.5 y/r) and four touchdowns, including one in each of the past three games.  Furthermore, at 958 yards on the season, the sophomore is only forty-two yards away from a 1,000-yard campaign, which I’m sure will unlock a lucrative incentive in his contract, which should be enough incentive for you to play him if given the opportunity.  Oh, and speaking of incentives, Arizona still has a shot of stealing the No. One Overall Seed in the NFC if the Panthers (who are also playing in that 4:05 ET Slot) were to slip up.  Look for Bruce Arians and Palmer to approach Sunday’s matchup as they have all year, with their foot on the gas…

TIGHT ENDS

• START ‘EM: Rob Gronkowski, Patriots @ Dolphins (Last Week, 4 catches, 86 yards @ Jets) – Heading into a Championship Weekend, who better to start at Tight End than the most prolific player in the league at that position?  If you’re fortunate enough to have Rob Gronkowski in your lineup, then he’s a must-start every week, but this week is a case of the planets and moons aligning, as this guy is primed for a HUGE day against a wilting Dolphins team that has nothing to look forward to but yet a long offseason ripe with change.  Through fourteen games, the three-time Pro Bowler has accounted for seventy catches, 1,158 yards (16.5 y/r), and eleven touchdowns, shouldering an even heavier burden of the passing game given all the injuries that New England has sustained in their backfield.  Just who the hell is carrying the ball these days in Foxboro anyway?  And with that said, it’s likely that with Home Field on the line with a sorry division rival in their way, that Tom Brady and Co. will yet again throw their way to victory.  And why wouldn’t they against an underachieving defense that has been shredded for 258.3 yards through the air (24th Overall) on 7.1 net yards per attempt (28th Overall), along with thirty-one passing touchdowns allowed (28th Overall) this year?  Losers of three straight contests, the Dolphins are cooked, evidenced by the fact that they couldn’t even get the better of Charlie Whitehurst (aka Clipboard Jesus) last weekend.  That’s encouraging news for Gronk, who should see his Quarterback throw a bevy of passes his way; the two-time First Team All Pro caught six balls for 113 yards and a touchdown in his previous meeting with Miami, a 36-7 demolition on Thursday Night Football.
  

  Gronkowski has become more of a deep threat in 2015, averaging a stellar 16.5 yards per reception, most among Patriots’ Receivers and Tight Ends.

• SIT ‘EM: Antonio Gates, Chargers @ Broncos (Last Week, 2 catches, 11 yards @ Raiders) – Sunday will likely mark the end of an era in San Diego for a number of people.  Head Coach Mike McCoy in all likelihood will be handed a pink slip on Monday, while future Hall of Fame Tight End Antonio Gates could be considered surplus to requirements as the franchise sheds weight in lieu of it’s move to Los Angeles.  Despite sustaining an early-season four-game suspension along with a number of minor ailments, Gates never looked quite right in his thirteenth, and perhaps final season with the Chargers.  He’s only started four games this year as a result, as his role has diminished due to the rise of his fellow teammates, such as Ladarius Green.  However, despite posting numbers reasonably equivalent to year’s past (59.6 yards per game on 11.2 yards per catch), the eight-time Pro Bowler has only hauled in four touchdown passes, a steep decline from last year’s total of twelve.  Last week in Oakland, he was limited to only two catches and eleven yards, making it very difficult to see him doing much better in Denver against their hellacious pass defense.  Thus far, the Broncos have only allowed 199.1 yards through the air on 5.1 net yards per attempt, both tops in the league.  Furthermore, When Gates saw these guys back on December 6th, he registered fifty yards on six catches in a 17-6 defeat.  Then there is the matter of Denver’s pass rush, which has accounted for forty-nine sacks thus far (1st Overall), including four of Philip Rivers for a loss of twenty-three yards in that aforementioned meeting.  Given the continuous sad state of the Chargers’ Offensive Line (37 sacks allowed), Rivers may need Gates to help protect him from the likes of Von Miller (10.0 sacks) and DeMarcus Ware (6.5 sacks) more so than running routes.
• SLEEPER: Delanie Walker, Titans @ Colts (Last Week, 9 catches, 59 yards v Texans) – From being a glorified H-Back in San Francisco for seven years before becoming a sneaky productive Tight End in Tennessee, the former 2006 Sixth Round Pick out of Central Missouri State has carved himself quite a niche since moving to the Music City.  Many around the league thought that Walker overachieved last year with 890 yards and four touchdowns on sixty-three catches, but the tenth-year veteran has proven that he could in fact do more in 2015, hauling in eighty-five balls for 994 yards and six touchdowns.  That’s right folks, this guy is six yards away from his first 1,000-yard campaign, which as I’ve hinted at before in this column, ought to earn him a nice bonus at the end of this season.  So what’s the difference for Walker, you ask?  It may sound rudimentary, but he’s become much better at catching the ball; last year he saw 106 passes targeted in his direction, catching 59.4% of them, but in 2015 has thus raised his hand efficiency catching 71.4% of the passes targeted his way.  Basically, this guy has been the beneficiary of an offense void of many weapons, and with young Quarterbacks such as Marcus Mariota and Zach Mettenberger taking snaps, he’s seeing far more action than he ever has before.  That should continue this weekend, as the Titans look to end another dreadful season (and secure the No. One Overall Pick) against the Colts, who despite being mathematically alive in the hunt for the AFC South Title, are closer to limping towards the conclusion of a most disappointing term.  Indianapolis has relinquished 268.0 yards through the air (28th Overall) on 6.8 net yards per attempt (25th Overall), along with twenty-eight passing touchdowns (20th Overall), which should allow Walker plenty of opportunities to improve upon his career-high numbers.

CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE BOWL AND PLAYOFF PACKAGES INCLUDING AN ANALYSIS ON ALL 41 BOWL GAMES!!!

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

• START ‘EM: Broncos v Chargers (Last Week, 17 points, 294 total yards allowed, 1 turnover, 2 sacks v Bengals) – I’ll keep the theme of going out guns blazing for the final week of the season running, as the Broncos are primed to embarrass the Chargers once more in 2015.  When these teams met back on December 6th, Denver stormed into Qualcomm Stadium and held it’s hosts to a scant three points on 272 total yards of offense.  Needing a victory to stave off the Bengals for a First Round Bye, Gary Kubiak’s charges should be up for an inspired performance this Sunday.  And honestly, there is absolutely NO reason to doubt what has been the nastiest defense in the NFL this year.  So let’s take a moment to run down the numbers, shall we? Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips has seen his unit lead the league in total yards allowed (280.9), passing yards allowed (199.1), net yards per attempt allowed (5.1), yards per carry allowed (3.2), sacks (49), yards per drive allowed (22.5), and points per drive allowed (1.38).  After relinquishing a season-high thirty-four points two weeks ago in Pittsburgh, Denver rallied the troops to smother the A.J. McCarron-led Bengals on Monday Night Football, yielding seventeen points on 294 total yards of offense to the team they were in direct competition with for postseason jockeying.  With DeMarcus Ware and T.J. Ward back in the lineup, the Broncos are getting healthy on this side of the ball at the right time, and with the Chargers’ minds collectively focused on the impending move to Los Angeles, this play is a no-brainer, folks.
  

  The Broncos have been the standard on defense in 2015, leading the NFL, in total defense, pass defense, and sacks among a litany of other categories.

• SIT ‘EM: Seattle Seahawks @ Cardinals (Last Week, 23 points, 205 total yards allowed v Rams) – I simply cannot believe that I’m suggesting this, as it rings of pure heresy, but it’s Championship Week, and I HAVE TO PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS!!!!  Ladies and gentlemen, in this final week of the season, you need to sit the Seattle Seahawks’ defense.  There, I said it.  Though I may regret it, this is NOT a good matchup for the Legion of Boom, who were embarrassed at home courtesy of the Cardinals’ high-powered passing attack.  Carson Palmer shredded their vaunted Secondary to ribbons, completing 29-of-47 passes (61.7%) for 363 yards and three touchdowns in a 39-32 Arizona victory.  Both Larry Fitzgerald (10 catches, 130 yards) and Michael Floyd (7 catches, 113 yards, 2 TDs) had their way with Richard Sherman and Co., while the Cards also rushed for 117 yards and another score on thirty-three carries.  Granted, the hosts got back into the game by forcing a trifecta of turnovers, including a 22-yard fumble return for a score by Linebacker Bobby Wagner, but the major takeaway from that wild night in the Pacific Northwest was that for the majority of sixty minutes, Pete Carroll’s defense was on it’s heels.  Like Seattle, Arizona still has plenty to play for, and given how inept their offense looked in a stunning 23-17 loss to the Rams last week (at CenturyLink Field no less), I do not have the requisite confidence to think that Russell Wilson and Co. will be able to sustain enough drives to give their fellow teammates on defense the luxury to rest after chasing the league’s most explosive offense.  Bruce Arians’ offensive attack leads the NFL in points scored (32.2), total offense (430.1), first downs (357), net yards per pass attempt (8.1), yards per drive (36.0), and points per drive (2.48).  And if that’s not enough, in arguably the most ridiculously surprising statistic of the year, the Cardinals have actually logged more touchdowns this season (57, seven are credited to the defense and special teams) than punts (54).  Chew on that one for a bit…
• SLEEPER: Titans @ Colts (Last Week, 34 points, 330 yards allowed, 1 turnover, 1 sack v Texans) – Alright folks, we’ve come to the end of our column, and I’m going give the Tennessee Titans one last chance to MAKE ME LOOK LIKE A GENIUS!!!  All jokes aside, I picked these guys in this very same category last week, and they threw mud on my face, yielding thirty-four points on 330 yards of total offense last week to the Brandon Weeden-led Houston Texans.  However, you can’t put it all on this defense, for their compatriots on offense hardly held their own weight, committing four turnovers, with the first of those resulting in a 33-yard fumble return for a score courtesy of Texans’ Safety Quintin Demps.  So apart from making Weeden look like a reincarnated Joe Montana, why would I dare to give these guys another opportunity?  Well, they are a Sleeper, folks, so there’s that.  Anyways, with a maelstrom of change on the horizon, it’s a safe bet that this will be the coaching staff’s last game, so that means Defensive Coordinator Ray Horton and Assistant Head Coach Dick LeBeau will be calling their last games in the Music City.  By and large, these two esteemed coaches have done a hell of a job with the talent at their disposal; forced to defend a short field due to the offense’s league-high thirty-two turnovers, the Titans’ defense was indeed respectable, allowing 343.2 total yards (13th Overall), including just 231.9 through the air (7th Overall) on 6.9 net yards per attempt (27th Overall), along with 111.3 on the ground (17th Overall) on 3.9 yards per carry (8th Overall), along with 29.4 yards per drive (10th Overall).  Furthermore, their pass rush really gained steam this year, compiling thirty-eight sacks (9th Overall).  Seriously, if the offense could improve even marginally, the defense would be all the better for it.  So before the next Head Coach (ahem, Chip Kelly) arrives and blows everything up, I expect these guys to rally around Horton and LeBeau one last time.  Oh, and then there’s the elephant in the room… just who the hell is going to play Quarterback for the Colts?!?!?!  Andrew Luck is done for the year, Matt Hasselbeck is out with an ailing shoulder, while Charlie Whitehurst (aka Clipboard Jesus) has been placed on Injured Reserve (Hamstring).  Indianapolis signed Josh Freeman off the streets earlier in the week (seriously?!?!?!?!), so he may see his first action since 2013 (again, seriously?!?!?!).  This one’s for you, Dick!!!!