#CLEVELAND_BROWNS

[tsportsday]

Game environment is the foundational starting point in making fantasy decisions. As such, I’m going to break down each game on the slate into three categories: Binge, Stream and Skip.Games you want to “binge” are like the show you can’t miss; you’re watching as soon as it goes live and might just crush all the episodes in one weekend. These are the start-all-your-guys fantasy games and ones with season-defining storylines.Games you want to “stream” are like the shows you certainly watch start to finish, but perhaps you’re finishing it over time instead of one shot. While these games might not feature a ton of “must-starts,” we can pick and choose our spots, and the teams are likely to matter in the NFL playoff picture.Lastly, the games you want to “skip” are like the shows you’re leaning toward passing on, but you might catch an episode here and there (or might stick to reading recaps online to stay up with the culture). There will be a non-obvious player or two who stands out in these games, but overall, they aren’t the best environment for fantasy football.Let’s dive into my Week 15 Fantasy Football Viewer’s Guide.BINGEDALLAS COWBOYS at BUFFALO BILLSThe stakes couldn’t be higher on both sides. The Buffalo Bills need every win they can get down the stretch to make the playoffs after stumbling at the mid-point of the season. Their margin for error is at a stone zero.The Cowboys are in a race with the Eagles to win the NFC East and gained some ground after wiping the floor with their division rival last week. Not to mention, a quality win over Josh Allen and co. would go a long way toward cementing Dak Prescott’s MVP legacy.The name of the game for the Cowboys quarterback in this one will be to continue to elevate the non-CeeDee Lamb pass catchers. Prescott has hit Jake Ferguson in stride perfectly over the last month to set the aggressive tight end up for YAC chances. He pinned the ball perfectly on Michael Gallup for a vertical shot last week against the Eagles' weaker cover corners. Those are MVP types of moments and the Cowboys will need them this week.Biggest Storyline: Can the Bills keep pushing for a playoff spot? Every game is a must-win for the Bills. They’re already in playoff mode, as Josh Allen told the CBS broadcast last week. Buffalo should smell blood in the water in the AFC. Outside of the Ravens in the top seed and, ironically, the Browns, no one is playing their best football in that conference. If the Bills can get in the dance, they’ll be dangerous. They face a significant possible stumbling block in a red-hot Cowboys team this week but there are a few matchup advantages on their side.Stat you need to know: James Cook is second on the Bills with 169 receiving yards since Joe Brady took over and has been targeted on 36% of his routes.James Cook hasn't seen a boost in playing time since Joe Brady took over but his usage in the passing game has felt more intentional, which matters more to me. pic.twitter.com/VC7TDswmu7— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) December 14, 2023Player in a smash spot: Stefon Diggs. Despite a painfully slow stretch of late, this is the moment Diggs gets back on track. Cowboys CB1 Stephon Gilmore played quite well against A.J. Brown last week. I’d say they dueled to a draw and Brown still cleared 90 yards. He should cover Diggs more often in this game and we’ve seen Gilmore at this stage of his career struggle with quick-twitch route runners more than the physical perimeter receivers. On the other side, Daron Bland can struggle and bite on deceptive routes, which are Diggs’ specialty.BALTIMORE RAVENS at JACKSONVILLE JAGUARSAs we enter this game, the trajectory of these two teams couldn’t be any more different.The Ravens had one of their best offensive performances against the Rams last week coming off their bye. That unit is clicking at the right time. The defense struggled against Sean McVay and co. but that’s more a credit to the head coach’s efforts and the play of his quarterback right now. Nothing I’ve seen from Jacksonville gives me confidence they can take advantage of this Baltimore stop unit.Biggest Storyline: Trevor Lawrence’s health. Lawrence had the sixth-highest turnover-worthy play percentage in Week 14, per Fantasy Points Data. The only guys higher: Drew Lock, C.J. Stroud, Easton Stick, Desmond Ridder and Bailey Zappe. That is not where you want to be.Lawrence was not put in a position to succeed last week coming off a brutal Monday injury. Much was made of the receivers’ miscommunication this week but Lawrence put the ball in harm’s way quite a bit. This entire passing game needs to be better if this team is going to make a run.Stat you need to know: Odell Beckham Jr. is fifth on the team in routes run since Week 10 but leads Baltimore in receiving yards. This “less is more” approach has worked with the veteran receiver recently. The Ravens are getting the best out of Beckham as they push for the playoffs by not overworking him and gassing his legs out. He’s an excellent fantasy start, albeit a volatile one, against a weaker Jaguars secondary.Player in a smash spot: Zay Flowers. The rookie leads the team in routes run with 144 since Week 10. It’s a wide gap between him and Isaiah Likely with 96. Flowers has been underutilized in the intermediate area of the field this season but we saw a correction in Week 14 cooking out of the Ravens’ bye.Something to Monitor: Zay Flowers UsageHe saw his average target distance increase by 50% in Week 14.And Zay earns 9 targets per game without Mark Andrews...If the downfield usage continues, we are looking at a league winner down the stretch...Data: @MBFantasyLife— SAL VETRI (@SalVetriDFS) December 13, 2023Communication issues were rife in the Jaguars secondary against Cleveland last week. This pass defense has been a problem all season. Flowers is going to continue on a tear as he finishes his rookie season.PHILADELPHIA EAGLES at SEATTLE SEAHAWKSQuarterback issues surround two NFC playoff teams from last season as they prepare to meet in a Monday Night Football flex affair.The Eagles simply aren’t getting the same play out of Jalen Hurts this season, particularly in the running game. Tush-push plays aside, there has been no attempt to integrate him in the designed run game of late and he isn’t scrambling at the same clip. Hurts is likely dealing with injuries but that dropoff in the dropback pass game and his impact on the ground has been a massive problem for the offense. It’s trickled down into the run game, making D’Andre Swift a difficult fantasy bet even in an ideal matchup this week.Meanwhile, as of now, we aren’t sure if Geno Smith can return for the Seahawks on Monday night or if we’ll get another Drew Lock game. Lock showed he’s a significant downgrade from Smith, even if he hasn’t been as good as last season, but can still get the ball to the playmakers. That’s good for fantasy, but not good enough for the Seahawks to make a come-from-behind playoff run.Biggest Storyline: Where are the Eagles at this point? At this stage, it seems pretty easy to say the Eagles were winning games at a rate above their skill level.Since 2000, there have been 106 teams with 10+ wins through Week 14 of the NFL season.Among that group, the 2023 Eagles rank 103rd with a point differential of +21.— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) December 11, 2023That doesn’t mean they're a bad team; far from it. This operation is still capable of making a run in the playoffs simply because they have great players at premium positions. However, for the time being, there does appear to be a tier break between Dallas and San Francisco down to Philadelphia.Stat you need to know: Zach Charbonnet led the Seattle backfield in carries with nine, while Kenneth Walker led the backfield with a 16% target share. That’s exactly the opposite of what you’d expect! It’s hard to feel great about either back heading into a matchup with a strong run-stop front as a home underdog (+3).Player in a smash spot: The Seahawks receivers. On the flip side, this is a week to chase the ceiling for the Seahawks' passing game. The Eagles' secondary has been abused by outside and slot receivers this season. Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf (prior to ejection) are coming off good games and rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the team in targets. Any or all of these guys could hit in Week 15.STREAMMINNESOTA VIKINGS at CINCINNATI BENGALSBiggest Storyline: The state of the Vikings offense. Minnesota is in a good bit of chaos for a team that currently occupies the sixth seed in the NFC Playoff picture. The Josh Dobbs fairytale is deep in the dirt at this point. Not only was Dobbs benched for Nick Mullens last week, but he’ll be the third quarterback behind Jaren Hall this week. Yikes!Mullens doesn’t exactly have a high ceiling but they’ll throw the ball more with him under center simply because he’s not the same scramble threat as Dobbs. That will boost the target projections for Justin Jefferson, who will return after missing most of last week with a chest injury. The Vikings' best hope down the stretch is for Mullens to be a high-end distributor and allow Jefferson to take over games while the defense creates havoc.Stat you need to know: Chase Brown and Joe Mixon have amassed 80 and 79 yards, respectively, on screen passes since Week 13. These two will be critical in beating Brian Flores’ heavy blitz concepts on defense. On the other side, Ty Chandler played a season-high 56% of the snaps in Week 14 and tied his season-high with 15 touches. He will draw the start with Alexander Mattison out and could be one of many backup running backs to bring fantasy managers a playoff win going against the Bengals' 26th-ranked rushing success rate defense.Player in a smash spot: T.J. Hockenson. Mullens targeted Hockenson on a whopping 31% of his passes after getting in the game last week, with a 100% completion rate. Now, of course, that was without Jefferson but Hockenson has a great matchup here anyway. We’ve talked often this year about the struggles the Bengals defense has experienced down the spine. The fact that they have allowed the most catches and yards to the tight end position is an excellent reflection of this issue.PITTSBURGH STEELERS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTSBiggest Storyline: Can the Steelers right the ship? Since firing Matt Canada, the Steelers rank 10th in offensive success rate and 23rd in EPA per play. Some of the tweaks have worked but they’re still not making big plays in the pass game, the run game has now stumbled and the quarterback play has been abysmal. We have fans in the stands chanting for Mason Rudolph. Like, what are we doing?Straight up, we’re at a point where the players have to step up and make plays. The coaching is what it is. Mitchell Trubisky isn’t going to become someone else. These wide receivers and running backs need to play up to their potential. The receivers can’t teleport themselves the ball but still, there can be no half efforts or missed opportunities. That’s been an issue throughout this season.Stat you need to know:Why has Michael Pittman Jr. been a WR1 this season? He’s good at the game — not enough people recognized that coming into this season — and coaching matters. Remember this story next year when looking at receivers in similar situations ahead of fantasy drafts.Player in a smash spot: God help me, but it’s Zack Moss. Look, you just don’t find many running backs who play almost every snap and get workhorse-level touches. Moss has played on 89% of the Colts’ snaps the last two weeks and averaged 21.5 opportunities per contest. He actually had a rushing score called back due to a hold. If that was on the board, we’d be having a very different conversation. I’m trusting the volume and the process and calling for an RB1 output from Moss in Week 15 against a Steelers defense that just gave up a similar grind-it-out game to Ezekiel Elliott last week.DENVER BRONCOS at DETROIT LIONSBiggest Storyline: Jared Goff’s slump. We know who Goff is at this stage of his career so it should be no surprise he struggles this mightily under pressure. Per Pro Football Focus, Goff has a four-to-eight touchdown-to-interception ratio on the season. He doesn’t create and his mind gets muddled when heat hits him. Since Week 11, Goff has been under pressure on 42.6% of his dropbacks, the ninth-highest rate among passers. The offensive line is supposed to be a strength of this team but injuries to Frank Ragnow and some inconsistencies have taken their toll. This has to get corrected down the stretch or the Lions offense we knew from early in the season will be a mere distant memory.Stat you need to know: The Broncos are the fourth-best defense in EPA per play allowed since Week 4. Ever since the Dolphins debacle, this unit has tightened up. Vance Joseph has these guys playing much more disciplined ball and attacking. Denver gets turnovers and plays solid coverage on the back end. It’s not a smooth landing spot for a struggling Goff.Player in a smash spot: The Lions’ running backs. Despite being 1-2 the last three weeks the Lions are still averaging 141 rushing yards per game. The Denver defensive turnaround has primarily been in the secondary where they’re hawking turnovers and clamping down in coverage. They can still be had on the ground. With Goff struggling, this looks like a prime spot for Detroit to put the ball in the hands of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery as much as possible.CHICAGO BEARS at CLEVELAND BROWNSBiggest Storyline: The Flacco-naissance. We’ve seen Cleveland check in with their two season-high dropbacks over the expectation rate the last two weeks per Fantasy Life Data: five and seven percent. That’s not a coincidence. Kevin Stefanski is a good offensive coach and having a steady veteran in place who still has a whip for an arm in Joe Flacco has allowed him to open up and express his playbook fully. Flacco isn’t doing anything crazy out there either — he’s just running the offense. That offense, despite all the other quarterbacks being unable to show it, is quite good and has many players we should want to start in fantasy. It’s a tough matchup this week but these guys have a better path to a ceiling with Flacco under center, just like Cleveland has a better path to a postseason run now than ever before this year.Stat you need to know: Chicago’s defense is sixth in EPA per play allowed and ninth in success rate since Week 7. There are a few things at play here. We know the Bears coaching staff suffered through some mysterious changes on defense earlier in the season. After a Week 6 loss to the Vikings, Matt Eberflus hired former Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow to the staff. Snow did some good things in Carolina but was swept out with Matt Rhule last season. He’s brought some life to Eberflus’ usually static defense and the whole unit got a jolt with Montez Sweat added at the deadline. This is just a good defense now, full-stop.Player in a smash spot: DJ Moore. According to Fantasy Points Data, the Browns run man coverage on 38% of their plays, fourth-most in the NFL. Moore and Fields have been lights-out working against man coverage this season.TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at GREEN BAY PACKERSBiggest Storyline: Can the Buccaneers truly gain some ground in the NFC South? The Saints and Falcons are in winnable spots this weekend so Tampa Bay cannot afford a slip as they currently hold the fourth seed in the NFC. Going on the road and beating a quality opponent shouldn’t be too much to ask, not that anything is easy in the NFC South. The Baker Mayfield-Mike Evans connection was quiet last week but that could come roaring back against a Packers defense dealing with Jaire Alexander’s absence. Rachaad White matches up extremely well against this toothless Green Bay run-stop crew.Stat you need to know: Jordan Love’s 15.7% off-target rate ranked 22nd among QBs last week, per Fantasy Points Data. While Week 14 wasn’t Love’s best showing and did officially end his recent hot streak, he wasn’t the only person to let the team down. Some youthful receiver mistakes cropped up again. The play-calling was a bit curious for, what I felt like, the first time all season. And remember, this offense is dealing with injuries. Love had some pretty brutal inaccurate misfires but progression isn’t linear and this is a week to get back on track.Players in a smash spot: Both passing games, perhaps? The Bucs allow the second-highest fantasy points per dropback in zone coverage, per Fantasy Points Data. Love and whichever receivers end up suiting up for this team amid a rash of injuries can take advantage of that secondary. Conversely, Green Bay’s defense was embarrassed in a big spot last week. Not an unfamiliar refrain with Joe Barry’s unit. This game could shoot over its 42-point projected total.NEW YORK JETS at MIAMI DOLPHINSBiggest Storyline: Tyreek Hill’s injury. The dynamic receiver was and is a legitimate MVP candidate, and his absence during patches of the Monday night game only made that clearer. He’s truly a transformative player who flips the math and opens up the entire unit. Without him, this suddenly becomes an ordinary offense. At some point, it would be nice if the Jaylen Waddle of 2022 could return and make some big plays in this passing game but so far, he’s had just a solid season. In addition to Hill, De'Von Achane is in danger of missing this game. The fragility of the Dolphins' ecosystem is beginning to unfortunately rear its head as we head down the stretch. Hopefully, they can get Hill healthy and right the ship.Stat you need to know: Tua Tagovailoa’s 13.2% sack rate on Monday Night Football was the highest of the season. We have harped on how the quarterback’s absence sank this team last season and will spend a ton of time talking about what losing Hill would mean to the offense but not enough attention has been paid to the line. Terron Armstead missing time last year was just as consequential as Tua’s absence and you just cannot count on the left tackle to be available at this stage. More injuries have struck that unit beyond Armstead this year and the Tennessee Titans worked them over last week. Walking into a matchup with the Jets defense this week is troubling. The -9.5 spread in favor of Miami looks fishy, at best.Players in a smash spot: Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall combined for 64% of the targets in Week 14. If Zach Wilson can play at the level he did for chunks of last week, these two guys can return to must-start fantasy status. The outlook is certainly better with Wilson than it was with Tim Boyle.KANSAS CITY CHIEFS at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTSBiggest Storyline: Continued focus on the Chiefs offense. After a postgame meltdown in the wake of yet another brutal Kadarius Toney mistake, we’re hyper-focused on this scoring unit. The receiver room is what is and it’s not changing. So many of Kansas City’s bets — Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency, Skyy Moore as a Round 2 pick or taking the plunge on the Toney reclamation project — have not worked out. The run game had its moments against Buffalo but is a bit less predictable and powerful without Isiah Pacheco. That’s an issue against a Patriots team that still stops the run quite well.Stat you need to know: Patrick Mahomes has had his second- and third-lowest fantasy point totals of the season in the last two weeks. His 4.7% touchdown rate is the lowest of his career; he averaged 6.5% from 2018 to 2022. The offense is still a good down-to-down unit (fifth in dropback success rate) but the problem lies in the lack of big plays and scoring chances slicing at Mahomes’ production. Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice are not enough ... and no one is coming to save this unit.Player in a smash spot: Ezekiel Elliott. Per Fantasy Points Data, the Patriots' back was second among all players at the position in expected fantasy points. He took 91% of the snaps, handled 88% of the team carries and had a 28.6% target share.What a world we live in.Zeke has one of the best roles among any fantasy back locked in as long as Rhamondre Stevenson is out. He’s a plug-and-play option with this utilization. Party like it’s 2016.NEW YORK GIANTS at NEW ORLEANS SAINTSBiggest Storyline: The Vibes Bowl. No one had a better take on this matchup than NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal:Saints-Giants is the ultimate test of how much vibes matter— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) December 12, 2023If you watched the Giants' Monday night win over the Packers you know immaculate doesn’t even begin to describe the vibes around the team right now. The defense was causing havoc, Saquon Barkley was getting back to fantasy RB1 status and Wan’Dale Robinson was making plays; he's a nice possible 2024 sleeper right there. Beyond DeVito, Brian Daboll and co. have this team playing well even though the season slipped away.If you’ve watched any Saints game or paid attention to any of the rhetoric around the quarterback right now, you know those vibes are bad. Does any of this matter to the on-field product? We’ll find out. The Saints can keep themselves in the mix for the woeful NFC South divisional title. They should be able to beat a Giants team with less talent than them. I’m not writing that in pen.Stat you need to know: Tommy DeVito led all quarterbacks in QBR last week. If you’re just looking at his passing stats, remember that QBR rewards quarterbacks for their work on the ground and avoiding sacks. DeVito ripped off 10-71 as a rusher and took no sacks against the Packers. Beyond the fun story and all that, the Giants really did allow DeVito to let it rip last week. It was just about three games ago they weren’t even letting this guy throw the ball downfield.He’s not just a gimmick. He’s a guy cementing his career as a long-time backup quarterback, at a bare minimum, right before our eyes.Player in a smash spot: Rashid Shaheed. It sounds like the speedy receiver will make his return to the field this week. Just in time, as Chris Olave popped up with an ankle injury on Thursday’s injury report. Regardless, there’s already a massive opening for targets in the New Orleans' pass-catching corps. The Giants are 30th in sacks so far this season so perhaps Carr will have time to find Shaheed downfield.WASHINGTON COMMANDERS at LOS ANGELES RAMSBiggest Storyline: The Rams' playoff push. Sean McVay truly has done an excellent job in constructing this offense and remaking the overall Rams team in the wake of 2022’s disaster season. What was once an outside zone-heavy run game has been scrapped and rebuilt into a man-blocking duo run game that brings out the best in Kyren Williams. That’s just one big feather in McVay's 2023 cap. McVay said he returned to coaching not to chase more glory but to find joy in simply the act of teaching football. The fruits of that labor are seen on the field for this team and it would be a great story if it was rewarded with a playoff berth in the NFC.Stat you need to know: Sam Howell has one passing to four rushing touchdowns in the last three games. The Howell passing warhorse has hit a snag in the last month or so. His fantasy production has stayed afloat thanks to the rushing touchdowns. That makes me nervous if he’s a streaming option for managers in a Week 15 date against Aaron Donald and co.Players in a smash spot: Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Stafford leads the league with 10 TD passes over the last three weeks. All that positive regression we were waiting for when he played good ball earlier in the season has fully hit. This trio will face a Commanders’ defense that ranks dead last in EPA per dropback allowed. This could be the matchup that tilts Week 15 fantasy contests.SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS at ARIZONA CARDINALSBiggest Storyline: Brock Purdy’s MVP pursuit. Dak Prescott is the current betting favorite to win MVP but the pure statistical case for Purdy is somewhat overwhelming, as Dalton Del Don lays out:This matchup against the Cardinals doesn’t set up as much of a resume-building spot considering the 49ers are a 12.5-point road favorite. However, Purdy can continue to further the stats-based argument by dropping a hammer on these NFC West rivals and helping to cement the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Also, he can pad the resume so that if he does enjoy a signature win down the line — against the Ravens on Christmas, for example — he’ll be in prime position to further his case. Like it or not, that’s how this award works.Stat you need to know: Trey McBride ranks seventh in target share since Week 8 behind only: Michael Pittman Jr., CeeDee Lamb, Keenan Allen, Davante Adams, AJ Brown, Garrett Wilson and just one ahead of Tyreek Hill. We’re seeing something even better than a breakout for McBride. This is an ascension to rarified air for tight ends. Even if a tougher spot, he seems like a top-five tight end on the board.Player in a smash spot: Deebo Samuel. Everyone on this 49ers offense is in a smash spot every week, but this is setting up nicely for another Deebo Samuel game. According to Fantasy Points Data, the Cardinals play two-high coverage on 64% of their snaps, the second-highest rate in the NFL. With the middle of the field open, Samuel should have plenty of space to rip up the defense on crossing routes and get rolling for YAC. On the flip side, if you’re desperate, the 49ers' single-high coverage could open up some big plays for outside receivers like Marquise Brown and Michael Wilson, if they play.SKIPHOUSTON TEXANS at TENNESSEE TITANSOne reason to maybe watch: Tracking Will Levis’ development has been enjoyable. The rookie is fourth among quarterbacks with 100-plus passes in deep-throw rate since Week 11. The operation isn’t always perfectly smooth but Levis is not shy about pushing the ball. I think it’s encouraging that DeAndre Hopkins has gone to bat for Levis publicly.Hopkins is right, he’s played with a lot [of bad quarterbacks] over the years. We’re still in the discovery phase as it relates to the rookie passer’s long-term outlook but he’s fun and could earn a path to be the guy for Mike Vrabel and co. next season.Stat you need to know: Texans' routes run in Week 14: Robert Woods (25), Noah Brown (24), Brevin Jordan (24), Xavier Hutchinson (22), John Metchie (15), Devin Singletary (12), Dare Ogunbowale (11) and Nico Collins left with a calf re-injury after one route. How the Texans offense looked in Week 14 served as a great reminder of how good Collins and Tank Dell have been this season. C.J. Stroud’s supporting cast goes from really good with those two down to near Bryce Young levels with the injuries. Stroud may well end up missing this game with a concussion. If he does end up going out there, it’s a tough spot against a Titans defense that was hawking Tua Tagovailoa in the pocket last week. Should we get Davis Mills … well, forget it.ATLANTA FALCONS at CAROLINA PANTHERSOne reason to maybe watch: Bijan Robinson eruption spot. The rookie back should have enjoyed a much better day last week but Desmond Ridder missed him in simply inexcusable fashion on a wide-open goal-line flat route. Robinson has earned 22, 23 and 17 opportunities over the Falcons last three games and now he draws a matchup with a Panthers defense that ranks dead last in EPA per rushing and rushing success rate allowed. Arthur Smith is likely ready to saddle up his run game for a big day after the Falcons had a 2% dropback over expectation rate in Week 14, the second-highest of the season per Fantasy Life Utilization Data.Stat you need to know: Jonathan Mingo ranks 10th in the NFL with 255 air yards the last two weeks. The problem is, Bryce Young is completing 41.8% of his passes in this span. The Panthers have been more intentional about getting their rookie wideout in favorable alignments and deployed on better routes for his skill set. But there are still a lot of prayer yards in those air yards.

[thenfl]

Cleveland Browns: Freddie Kitchens has been relieved of his duties as head coach...

rawchili.com

[tixtmevents-blog]

Cleveland Browns Tickets & Schedule

Buy Cleveland Browns tickets are now at TixTM. Find the best deals on Cleveland Browns tickets with TixTM, and look for our Low Price Guarantee.  

Book at https://www.tixtm.com/events/performer/cleveland-browns-tickets/

[jimmyirondaddy]

Finally,

Christ, I feel like my heart is gonna leave my chest!

The Cleveland Browns have finally ended their losing streak. THANK ANY DIVINE BEING WHO WAS ON THEIR SIDE!

[recentlywiki]

New article with #

The Cleveland_Browns article on Wikipedia included FF3C00 311D00 tag(s). Charlesaaronthompson edited the article on May 27, 2015 at 12:15AM : http://ift.tt/1BnXoMK

[kingcheezie719]

View this post on Instagram

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Browns celebrating after making history! #Cleveland_Browns

[tsportsday]

NFL award races: Dak Prescott, Tyreek Hill, Micah Parsons in line for hardware Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement

[tsportsday]

After a rough three-game start to the NFL season, Justin Fields has pieced together an argument.One that says despite some inconsistency, he is getting better as an NFL quarterback. He’s missing fewer wide open throws. He’s playing more patient in the pocket and drifting less. He’s running to compliment and balance his game, rather than falling out of structure to hunt plays. With 34 starts now under his belt for the Chicago Bears, you can draw a line between two 17-game sample sizes — which would represent two full NFL seasons — and see that his second his is markedly better than his first. And after his next four games to conclude the 2024 season, we will find out if the Bears are buying the argument that he’s worth passing on Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick.At least seven NFL general managers aren’t. And the consensus is that it’s not really a close decision.“It would be a clear-cut decision to draft Caleb for me,” an AFC general manager said. “The fact that we’re in Year 3 and [they] don’t want to exercise the fifth-year option tells me what I need to know. I just don’t think Fields can win consistently as a passer even though he is gifted physically.”“[Caleb Williams] worries me, but he is definitely talented,” an NFC general manager said. “It just buys you more time and a much cheaper contract to keep adding pieces to build the team.”“When you pass on talented quarterbacks to lean into a guy’s development, which the Bears did when they traded No. 1 last year, you have to be completely sure of that decision to do it a second time,” said another AFC general manager. “They might not have taken C.J. Stroud with the first pick last year, but he was there for them to do it. Caleb Williams is a no-brainer, and if they get the top pick, he’s there for them. Sometimes the gamble is continuing to pass on players. Fields doesn’t get over the hump, you don’t want to be the guys that passed on both Stroud and Caleb Williams.”Should the Chicago Bears keep Justin Fields or build around Caleb Williams? (Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)The GMs offered a multitude of reasons to trade Fields and pick Williams: The considerable talent Caleb Williams brings to the table; this more refined acumen as a passer; the opportunity to reset with a rookie quarterback contract; needing to make a fifth-year option decision on Fields this spring, when it appears more data is still necessary … on and on.Another NFC general manager also pointed out a psychological aspect of this crossroads: Bears GM Ryan Poles still hasn’t drafted his own quarterback — Fields was the selection of the previous regime — and yet his job status is directly impact by Fields’ development.“Nobody wants to be judged or fired because they didn’t make the previous guy’s draft picks work,” he said. “Especially quarterback and head coach — if it’s not working out or it’s lagging, you should get an opportunity at changing it your way. Quarterbacks and head coaches are so much of your culture, so it’s kind of hard when you didn’t put those pieces in place and you’re taking the hits anyway.”Of course, none of these GMs know Fields better than Poles. They’re looking at the struggle for improvement from the outside. Poles could be thrilled with the strides Fields has made with D.J. Moore and other weapons, seeing his fifth-year option as already being viable just from this season’s progress. He could also feel the temptation to once again deal a No. 1 overall pick for more assets that will continue to stack talent all over the depth chart, rather than concentrate it in one player at the quarterback spot.Wherever his head is at, there’s little doubt that he’s going to have a decision on his hands. The Carolina Panthers — whose 2024 first-round pick is owned by the Bears — are now two full games ahead of the New England Patriots for the No. 1 spot in the draft. And their four remaining games on the schedule are all teams that are currently in the thick of a playoff hunt. It’s more than reasonable to conclude that the Panthers aren’t going to start beating superior teams and snap off enough wins to jeopardize that draft slot.Which means if Poles believes Caleb Williams is a better quarterback than Fields, he has two questions to ask himself.What other teams could be in the Justin Fields business?A few general managers have brought up the Philadelphia Eagles as running an offense that would best suit the full development of Fields. And by extension, the Indianapolis Colts do as well, since their head coach, Shane Steichen, was running the Eagles' offense when it was molded around Jalen Hurts in 2021 and 2022. Unfortunately for Fields, both the Eagles and Colts have their young franchise quarterbacks in locked in place, so that effectively shuts Fields out of that offense.Until it doesn’t.Current Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson is going to be a hot name in the next head coaching interview cycle, thanks to spending two years as Hurts’ quarterbacks coach before ascending to the offensive coordinator job this season, following Steichen’s departure. Not only is Johnson extremely versed in the Eagles’ offensive scheme, he arguably had the most direct, day-to-day impact on Hurts’ development since 2020. And if he gets hired elsewhere, he’ll be bringing that knowledge to whatever franchise hires him.That makes Johnson a person to watch as either a Chicago Bears head coaching hire — if they move on from Matt Eberflus — or a potential Fields trade suitor should he land with another quarterback-needy team that isn’t the Bears this offseason. All of this is making the assumption that Johnson likes Fields as a player. But even if he does, there will be other circumstances likely to weigh on connecting the two.As an NFC general manager framed it, if Johnson lands with a quarterback-thin franchise selecting outside of the top 10 picks — where it would have to give up significant capital to move to the top of the draft for a quarterback — Fields becomes an attractive second option. The franchises that currently fit that mold? The New Orleans Saints (who are currently slotted 12th) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (slotted 20th). Two others that could be looking for head coaches but are sitting with a pick inside the top 10? The Washington Commanders (slotted fourth) and the Las Vegas Raiders (slotted sixth). You also can’t rule out the Atlanta Falcons, who currently slotted at 11th overall in the draft and aren’t likely to fire Arthur Smith, but who also run a heavy RPO scheme that would seem to overlap well with Fields’ talent.How much would Fields command on the trade market at this point?This was a difficult question to pose, because the season hasn’t finished yet and Fields can certainly impact what both the Bears and other teams believe he’s worth. Effectively, he’s in a tryout period right now for both his current franchise and others that might pursue him. How he fares in the final month of the season will set the table when it comes to his future. And at least three of his four remaining games — against the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers — should be meaningful in that regard.In that quartet, the Browns have a defense that should still be challenging despite recent injuries. The Falcons are a potential trade partner, so Fields playing well in that game could grease the skids in negotiations. And the Packers could be angling for a playoff spot in the final game of the season, raising the stage a bit for Fields to showcase himself in a big-game situation on the road at Lambeau Field.But even with the four games of uncertainty, the seven general managers all had a ballpark for what they believe Fields would could command in a trade at this point. None of their proposals included any kind of first-round value. We will get into why in a moment. But first, here were the seven suggestions of Fields’ value in draft compensation.GM one: A second-round and fourth-round pick, pending a “good finish” to the season.GM two: A second-round pick, pending a “strong finish” to the season.GM three: A third-round pick, plus another late-round pick that could escalate one round based on performance.GM four: One third-round pick in the 2024 draft, one fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft.GM five: A third-round pick or a second-round pick for Fields plus a late-round pick back from the Bears.GMs six and seven had the same proposal: A third-round pick, pending the finish of this season.Some of these proposals came with caveats. As one GM noted, “it only takes one team” to like Fields enough to give up more than others would expect. Another mentioned that the value could rise or fall based on how based on how long the Bears hold onto Fields, reasoning that a trade lingering all the way to the doorstep of the draft could lessen his value to franchises that would want him to begin working with their staff immediately. All of the GMs said they would factor in a slight tweak to his compensation based on the next four games. None of them put his value in the realm of a first-round pick.While that lack of first-round pick value might surprise some who view Fields as a surging commodity right now, the general reasoning for trade asset limitations centered on his remaining contract. As it stands, Fields has one “cheap” year of football left next season, with a $1.61 million base salary and a $1.61 million roster bonus. Beyond that, an acquiring team would have to make a decision on triggering Fields’ fifth-year option in the spring of 2024. All of which means a team is either trading for one cheap tryout year, or a pricier two-year window that would include his fifth-year option being exercised.Now compare that to when the Arizona Cardinals traded Josh Rosen to the Miami Dolphins after only one season. The Cardinals had drafted Rosen No. 10 overall just one year earlier, but made him expendable when they took Kyer Murray No. 1 overall the next season. Despite Rosen having three cheap years of control on his deal and a another option year — giving a trade pattern an immense window — they were still only able to get a late second-round pick for him (No. 62 overall) from the Dolphins. The Bears would be going to the negotiating table with a much smaller contract window for Fields.As an AFC general manager put it, “You’re trading for one year of Fields, most likely, because I don’t know that an acquiring team would exercise his option.”An NFC general manager pointed to it being a “Sam Darnold situation,” referring to the Carolina Panthers trading for Darnold after his first three roller-coaster years with the New York Jets. The Panthers gave up a solid package for Darnold — including a second-, fourth- and sixth-round pick — then triggered an $18.85 million fifth-year option just 25 days later. Their reason for picking it up? They amount of assets they traded to get Darold necessitated a two-year audition for a contract extension. Basically, they were pot-committed after surrendering the draft picks, so it only made sense to commit to Darnold for the longer window.A team could look at Fields the same way, deciding on the basis of his 2023 film that he warranted a triggering of his fifth-year option and a two-year “show me” window before either being franchise tagged or signing a long-term extension. That would likely be the most ideal situation for the Bears if it came down to trading Fields. But that also requires an element of desperation, too. The Panthers were desperate to solve their quarterback position when they dealt for Darnold. That impacted the compensation.That makes the next four weeks key — not only for the Bears, but also for potential trade partners. Any number of teams could go off a cliff in that time span. Any number of coaching and personnel jobs could go from safe to shattered. And a wide range of quarterback questions, answers and opportunities could be the undercurrent that reshapes multiple franchises.Clearly a segment of NFL decision-makers thinks Fields should be a part of it. In the months ahead, we’ll find out if the Chicago Bears agree.

[tsportsday]

NFL awards races: Dak Prescott, Tyreek Hill, Micah Parsons in line for hardware Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement

[tsportsday]

Subscribe to the Yahoo Fantasy Football ShowIt's another edition of 'Stat Nerd Thursday' with Dalton Del Don and Matt Harmon. The two provide one stat you need to know for every team in the NFL heading into Week 15. Del Don and Harmon also preview the TNF matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. I'm sure Al Michaels is pumped for this one:0:39 - Stat Nerd Thursday0:59 - Carolina Panthers5:03 - New England Patriots11:38 - Arizona Cardinals13:35 - Washington Commanders15:00 - Chicago Bears18:00 - New York Jets19:04 - New York Giants21:14 - Tennessee Titans25:07 - Atlanta Falcons27:27 - New Orleans Saints29:13 - Seattle Seahawks31:03 - Los Angeles Rams33:07 - Denver Broncos34:10 - Houston Texans35:29 - Buffalo Bills39:25 - Cincinnati Bengals41:39 - Green Bay Packers42:55 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers43:53 - Indianapolis Colts48:40 - Minnesota Vikings49:23 - Pittsburgh Steelers50:37 - Cleveland Browns53:24 - Kansas City Chiefs54:45 - Jacksonville Jaguars58:38 - Detroit Lions1:00:00 - Philadelphia Eagles1:01:50 - Miami Dolphins1:03:17 - Dallas Cowboys1:04:14 - San Francisco 49ers1:04:35 - Dalton's epic range about Brock Purdy MVP discourse1:14:49 - TNF Preview: Chargers vs. Raiders (Yikes)It's another edition of 'Stat Nerd Thursday' with Dalton Del Don and Matt Harmon. The two provide one stat you need to know for every team in the NFL heading into Week 15. Del Don and Harmon also preview the TNF matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. I'm sure Al Michaels is pumped for this one. (Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTubeCheck out all the episodes of the Yahoo Fantasy Football Show and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsThis article contains affilate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission.

[tsportsday]

Ben Roethlisberger is no stranger to criticizing his longtime team in retirement. Following the Pittsburgh Steelers' 21-18 loss to the New England Patriots, the two-time Super Bowl champion didn't hold back."Maybe the tradition of the Pittsburgh Steelers is done," he said on an episode of his podcast, "Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger" published Monday.The 41-year-old took issue with multiple aspects of the team's Week 14 loss. He started by picking apart the second half, which saw the team attempt to rally without a full host of timeouts.Before Roethlisberger retired in 2022, he played for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin from 2004 to 2021. But Tomlin's past with Roethlisberger didn't prevent the former quarterback from targeting him."You can't afford in the second half of games to burn silly timeouts and to not have them late in the game," Roethlisberger said. "To me, that's bad coaching."He went on to offer his own perspective on how the game should've been managed:"There's some feel you have to have in those situations because timeouts can be so valuable, as we saw in this game," he said. "If we have one more timeout there, we get a completion, we can work the middle of the field and all you got to do is give Boz [Chris Boswell] a 60-yard chance. Give him a chance and he'll tie the game. I like my chances in overtime because they scored all their points early and the momentum had shifted."For Roethlisberger, the Steelers' current position isn't a familiar one. He never experienced a losing campaign during his 18 seasons with Pittsburgh, appearing in three Super Bowls. The current Steelers are 7-6 after last week's matchup, which followed another defeat to the Arizona Cardinals.Amid difficulties on offense, Pittsburgh's roster has offered plenty of verbal and physical displays of frustration — on and off the field. Roethlisberger seems to think the issue comes down to a lack of leadership in the Steelers' locker room."Who is grabbing someone by the face mask and saying, 'That's not what we do,'" Roethlisberger asked. "Is that happening? Yes, you have guys on defense doing it, but you need guys on other sides of the ball doing it. You need someone to stand up in that room, on offense, and be like, hey, this isn't what it means to wear the black and gold."All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been vocal about the Steelers' shortcomings this season. Before calling teammates to "look in the mirror" after the loss to the Patriots, he reportedly got into a heated argument with teammate Diontae Johnson after a loss to the Cleveland Browns. Johnson was later forced to address his visible lack of effort during a win over the Cincinnati Bengals.Mike Tomlin admitted wide receiver George Pickens' visible frustration on the field has become "a problem" Monday. Last month, running back Najee Harris vented about the offense, saying, “There’s a lot of stuff that goes around that you guys don’t see. I’m at a point where I’m just tired of this s***.""It just feels like that's something that's been lost on this team," Roethlisberger said. "I've felt that certain guys on the team aren't in it for the team, they're in it for themselves. Well, now some of the guys on the team are saying the same thing."Roethlisberger called younger Steelers players 'coddled' last season, an assertion he later walked back after defensive tackle Cam Heyward took offense. It's possible Roethlisberger's most recent comments will garner a similar reaction.

[tsportsday]

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen revealed that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes called him to personally apologize for his postgame comments. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)Josh Allen received a personal call from Patrick Mahomes. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback wanted to personally apologize to Allen for his postgame comments on Sunday.“He reached out to me,” Allen told reporters on Wednesday. “I’m just like, ‘It’s football; it’s a game of emotion.’ I know he didn’t mean anything by it. I know the cameras kind of caught the last few seconds of what we were talking about. He’s an ultimate competitor. He wants to win. That’s why he is who he is.”In addition to the apologies Mahomes has publicly offered, he wanted to directly speak to the Buffalo Bills quarterback for his remarks when they shook hands after the Bills' 20-17 win over the Chiefs.“Wildest f****** call I’ve ever seen," Mahomes was caught on camera telling Allen. "Offensive offsides on that play, man? F****** terrible.”Mahomes was referring, of course, to the offsides penalty called on receiver Kadarius Toney that wiped out a lateral, go-ahead, 49-yard touchdown in the final minutes.In the days since, Mahomes said he was sorry during his weekly radio show on Monday."Obviously you don't want to react that way; I mean, I care, man," Mahomes said in an interview with 610 Sports Radio on Monday. "I love it — I love this game, and I love my teammates. I want to go out there and put everything on the line to win, but obviously you can't do that, can't be that way toward officials or really anybody in life" ... More than anything, I regretted the way I acted toward Josh [Allen] after the game, because he had nothing to do with it."Head coach Andy Reid explained that Toney didn't check with the officials to make sure he wasn't offsides, teammates have defended Toney, and Mahomes apologized again on Wednesday for his comments."I try to act in a way that I'm a good role model, because I looked up to guys on this stage," Mahomes told the media on Wednesdsay. "Obviously, I care. My emotions were shown on the football field, which they've been shown in good ways, and obviously, that wasn't a good way."I definitely had emotion talking with I was talking to Josh [Allen] at midfield. He had nothing to do with it. [I have] to show better sportsmanship."Although the Chiefs moved to 8-5 with the loss, which ties them with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns, they own the head to head with the Jaguars and have a better conference record than the Browns.The Bills, however, are stuck in very crowded picture to make the AFC playoffs as they are one of six teams with a 7-6 record.

[tsportsday]

It’s Week 15 in the NFL, which means millions of Americans are sweating their fantasy football team’s playoff positioning because this is the week the playoffs begin in most leagues. Pride, cash and the dreaded last-place punishments all are on the line.The Power Rankings is getting into the spirit with a fantasy focus for this week’s theme. We’re going to look at one notable fantasy football player (or unit) from each team and how he is helping — or hurting — the real-life team’s season. (We’re using the standard league scoring points accumulated by TruMedia.)(Last week: 1)Sunday: Beat Seattle Seahawks 28-16Fantasy spotlight: Christian McCaffreyJust like on the field, it’s tough to pick which 49er to highlight, but McCaffrey is the San Francisco MVP at least in fantasy (259.4 points) with the fourth-most points of any player in the NFL. The 49ers are the only team with two players in the top 10 (Brock Purdy is sixth at 249.9) and four players in the top 50 (add Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk). In real life, Purdy has passed for 368 yards, and McCaffrey, Samuel and Aiyuk all have had more than 100 as San Francisco inches closer to a first-round bye.Up next: at Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET(Last week: 3)Sunday: Beat Philadelphia Eagles 33-13Fantasy spotlight: Dak PrescottThe Cowboys quarterback strengthened his MVP candidacy Sunday night by leading Dallas to a resounding win over the Eagles. Thus far, this is the third-best fantasy season of Prescott’s career (20.98 points per game). On the field, it may be his best. He is second in the league in EPA per attempt (.29) and passer rating (107.5) and his touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.7) is the best of any quarterback with more than 250 attempts this season.Up next: at Buffalo Bills, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ETGO DEEPERWhat we learned in NFL Week 14: The Cowboys make a statement, the Chiefs are frustrated and more(Last week: 2)Sunday: Beat Los Angeles Rams 37-31 (OT)Fantasy spotlight: Odell Beckham Jr.After a slow start, Beckham has had at least 9.6 fantasy points per game in four of his last five games. He had a season-high 15.7 on Sunday after posting 97 yards and catching four passes that resulted in either a first down or a touchdown. His ascendance has helped the Ravens overcome the loss of tight end Mark Andrews and stay in position for the top seed in the AFC.Up next: at Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET ODELL BECKHAM JR. 📺: #LARvsBAL on FOX📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/pWMED8SAQa pic.twitter.com/jXBOn3VhvK — NFL (@NFL) December 10, 20234. Philadelphia Eagles (10-3)(Last week: 5)Sunday: Lost to Dallas Cowboys 33-13Fantasy spotlight: A.J. BrownIn the last four weeks, a span in which Philadelphia is 2-2, the Eagles wide receiver is averaging 7.33 fantasy points per game. That’s after averaging 15.17 in Weeks 1-9. During that span, Brown was the second-leading receiver in the league (1,005 yards), and the Eagles had the third-most productive offense in the league (376.8) and an 8-1 record. As he has slumped, so have the Eagles, who are 21st in yards per game in Weeks 10-14 (318.3).Up next: at Seattle Seahawks, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET(Last week: 8)Sunday: Beat Kansas City Chiefs 20-17Fantasy spotlight: Josh AllenAllen leads all players this season with 307.28 fantasy points. It’s his lowest points-per-game output of the last four years, and it’s still the 13th-best fantasy season of the last five seasons in the NFL. That’s how much of the offense Allen is carrying in Buffalo. He wasn’t spectacular against the Chiefs on Sunday (23-for-42 for 233 yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown), but the Bills don’t win that game (or many games at all) without him.Up next: vs. Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET Josh Allen helped the Bills keep their playoff hopes alive on Sunday with a win over the Chiefs in Kansas City. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)6. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5)(Last week: 7)Sunday: Lost to Buffalo Bills 20-17Fantasy spotlight: Kadarius ToneyAll the NFL’s focus is on Toney this week after his offside penalty wiped out what would have been his game-winning touchdown against the Bills on Sunday night, and all the Chiefs freaked out about it. This is not what Kansas City expected when it traded a third- and a sixth-round pick for Toney last season. He is 106th among wide receivers in fantasy points (25.5) this season. In 22 games with the Chiefs, he has only two games with more than 50 receiving yards. This season, he has none with more than 35.Up next: at New England Patriots, Sunday, 1 p.m. ETGO DEEPERPatrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have a problem (and no, it’s not the refs): Sando’s Pick Six(Last week: 4)Monday: Lost to Tennessee Titans 28-27Fantasy spotlight: Tyreek HillThis was going to be De’Von Achane, who is 68th among all players in fantasy points (122.6) despite playing in only seven games this year. That was before Hill’s health came into question after he suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter Monday night against the Titans. Hill was in and out of the lineup the rest of the night but finished with only four catches for 61 yards, his third-lowest total of the season and the first time in a month he’s been held under 100 yards. If Hill is not at full strength, Miami might not be in the top 10 long. He’s still the only wide receiver in the league in the top 20 in fantasy points (225.7)Up next: vs. New York Jets, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET(Last week: 6)Sunday: Lost to Chicago Bears 28-13Fantasy spotlight: The rookiesRunning back Jahmyr Gibbs and tight end Sam LaPorta are each top 11 in fantasy points among rookies this season. Only the Houston Texans also have multiple rookies in that group. Gibbs is fifth with 134, and LaPorta is 11th with 110.6. However, each was pedestrian Sunday as Detroit lost for the second time in three games, leaving the Vikings within striking distance of the division lead.Up next: vs. Denver Broncos, Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET(Last week: 15)Sunday: Beat Los Angeles Chargers 24-7Fantasy spotlight: Courtland SuttonIn the last seven games, a stretch in which Denver has won six games, Sutton is 15th among wide receivers in fantasy points (10.91 per game), and he is carrying the Broncos’ passing game. Since Week 7, Sutton has accounted for 49.7 percent of Denver’s air yards. That ranks second in the NFL behind only Garrett Wilson. He had a 46-yard touchdown catch Sunday, his 10th of the season.Up next: at Detroit Lions, Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET(Last week: 12)Monday: Lost to New York Giants 24-22Fantasy spotlight: Jordan LoveSince Week 9, Love is the sixth-best quarterback in fantasy football (110.58 points). That stretch coincides with Green Bay winning four of six games. Monday night was a step back as the Giants’ blitz-happy scheme harried him into a 76.7 passer rating (25-for-39 for 218 yards, one touchdown and one interception). Still, Love’s maturation in the last six weeks gives the Packers hope they have hit on a third straight quarterback.Up next: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET(Last week: 10)Sunday: Lost to Baltimore Ravens 37-31 (OT)Fantasy spotlight: Kyren WilliamsThe No. 3 fantasy running back this season based on points per game (17.67), Williams is as responsible for the Rams’ success or failure as anyone on the roster. Sunday was the first time this season the Rams have lost when he topped 100 rushing yards. A fifth-round pick in 2022, Williams totaled 139 yards last season. This year, he is averaging 89 yards per game, which is second behind only Christian McCaffrey.Up next: vs. Washington Commanders, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET Kyren Williams balling out in his first game back in over a month 📺: #LARvsAZ on FOX📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/1dOevJjoZZ pic.twitter.com/zn5zWAYKgr — NFL (@NFL) November 26, 2023(Last week: 16)Sunday: Beat Jacksonville Jaguars 31-27Fantasy spotlight: The defenseOpponents are averaging 57.37 fantasy points per game against the Browns defense this season, which is the lowest total for the season and fourth-lowest total in the last five seasons. It’s also worth noting that Joe Flacco has more fantasy points than all but five quarterbacks in the last two weeks of this wacky NFL season.Up next: vs. Chicago Bears, Sunday, 1 p.m. ETGO DEEPERNFL Week 14 takeaways: Bills playoff bound? How far can Joe Flacco take the Browns?13. Houston Texans (7-6)(Last week: 9)Sunday: Lost to New York Jets 30-6Fantasy spotlight: C.J. StroudThe rookie quarterback had his worst game of the season Sunday — 91 yards, a 54.8 passer rating, 4 yards per attempt, zero touchdowns. Still, he’s seventh in the league in fantasy points with 241.5, which leads all other rookies by almost 100 points. Third-year receiver Nico Collins deserves a mention for being the 13th-most productive wide receiver (11.37 ppg) after two pedestrian years in the league.Up next: at Tennessee Titans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET Jake Browning has given the Bengals new life after Joe Burrow was lost for the season. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)(Last week: 19)Sunday: Beat Indianapolis Colts 34-14Fantasy spotlight: Jake BrowningThe undrafted rookie is sixth among quarterbacks in fantasy points in the last three weeks (61.34). When Joe Burrow was lost for the season, the Bengals were written off right along with him, but Browning has led Cincinnati to two straight wins. In the last two weeks, he is first in the league in completion percentage (82 percent), second in passing yards (629) and third in yards per attempt (10.3) and passer rating (119.2).Up next: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Saturday, 1 p.m. ET(Last week: 11)Sunday: Lost 34-14 to Cincinnati BengalsFantasy spotlight: Zack MossMoss is why no team in the NFL wants to pay running backs. After a preseason full of angst over Jonathan Taylor, Moss, a third-round pick by Buffalo acquired in a trade and counting $1.2 million against the salary cap this season, is second on the team in fantasy points (130.3) behind only quarterback Gardner Minshew. Sunday wasn’t a good day, though. With Taylor out, Moss was held to 28 yards as Indianapolis had a four-game winning streak snapped.Up next: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET(Last week: 14)Sunday: Lost 31-27 to Cleveland BrownsFantasy spotlight: Trevor LawrenceThe No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft is 14th among quarterbacks in fantasy points per game (17.10). That’s not terrible, but it’s not the ceiling he was expected to have. Lawrence threw three interceptions Sunday, which gives him 10 this season, tied for fifth most in the league. In the last three seasons, Lawrence has 35 interceptions. Only Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Mac Jones have thrown more, and Lawrence’s touchdown-to-interception ratio (1.5) is a lot closer to Jones’ than to Allen’s or Mahomes’.Up next: vs. Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET(Last week: 13)Sunday: Lost to San Francisco 49ers 28-16Fantasy spotlight: Geno SmithWithout Smith (out with a groin injury), the Seahawks lost their fourth straight game Sunday and fell to the No. 9 spot in the NFC playoff race. He’s still worth mentioning here because of his career revival. Smith has had more fantasy points in his last 30 games in Seattle (492.52) than he had in his first seven years in the NFL combined (381.8). He’s questionable for this week’s game, but the Seahawks need him back as soon as possible.Up next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET18. Minnesota Vikings (7-6)(Last week: 20)Sunday: Beat Las Vegas Raiders 3-0Fantasy spotlight: T.J. HockensonThe fifth-year tight end is on pace for a career season and is third among tight ends in fantasy points (111.9). He had five catches for 53 yards Sunday, which accounted for 22.9 percent of Minnesota’s total yards. The Vikings, who became the second team this season to win a game in which they averaged 3.3 yards per play or fewer (joining the Falcons who beat the Jets averaging 3 yards per play in Week 13), are currently the NFC’s No. 6 seed.Up next: at Cincinnati Bengals, Saturday, 1 p.m. ET(Last week: 18)Thursday: Lost to New England Patriots 21-18Fantasy spotlight: Jaylen WarrenPittsburgh, which has now lost to Arizona and New England in back-to-back weeks, doesn’t have a lot to feel good about offensively, but Warren is an exception. The 2022 undrafted free agent is third on the team in fantasy points (104.4), which ranks 29th among running backs in the league. Warren has more yards from scrimmage (884) than 2021 first-round pick Najee Harris.Up next: at Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET(Last week: 21)Sunday: Beat Atlanta Falcons 29-25Fantasy spotlight: Mike EvansDespite being held to one catch for 8 yards by the Falcons on Sunday, the 10th-year veteran is the No. 5 wide receiver in fantasy points this season (162). He is second in the league in receiving touchdowns (10) and about the only offensive highlight for Tampa Bay, which currently is the NFC No. 4 seed thanks to a tiebreaker lead in the NFC South.Up next: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET21. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)(Last week: 17)Sunday: Lost to Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29-25Fantasy spotlight: Bijan RobinsonThe rookie running back is second among first-year players in fantasy points (149) behind only Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. His 1,110 yards from scrimmage rank second among rookies behind only Puka Nacua, and he has three more touchdowns than Nacua for the season. He leads Atlanta, which fell out of first place in the NFC South with Sunday’s loss, in yards and touchdowns.Up next: at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET(Last week 24)Sunday: Beat Carolina Panthers 28-6Fantasy spotlight: Taysom HillHill is averaging 7.7 fantasy points per game, which basically makes him as valuable as Garrett Wilson (7.71) even though Hill has no true position. He is the only player in the league with at least 70 yards passing, rushing and receiving — 72 passing, 346 rushing and 229 receiving. In his seventh season, Hill is third in the NFL among players with more than 30 carries in rushing success rate (56.7 percent).Up next: vs. New York Giants, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET DJ Moore, who scored two touchdowns on Sunday, has helped the Bears rebound from a 1-5 start. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)(Last week: 27)Sunday: Beat Detroit Lions 28-13Fantasy spotlight: DJ MooreMoore is seventh among all wide receivers in fantasy points per game (11.94) despite playing with a quarterback (Justin Fields) who is 28th in the league in passing yards (1,810). Moore has 1,071 receiving yards and is 16th in the league in yards per reception (14.1). If the Bears move on from Fields, Moore will be a huge help to a young quarterback.Up next: at Cleveland Browns, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET24. New York Jets (5-8)(Last week: 30)Sunday: Beat Houston Texans 30-6Fantasy spotlight: The defenseThe Jets are sixth in the NFL in fantasy points allowed (62.11) this season, and that should be graded on a curve given how hard the offense has made it on their defense. The Jets held a Houston offense that came into the game sixth in the NFL in yards per game (373.1) to 135 yards Sunday. That’s the third-lowest total of the season. (The lowest, second-lowest and fourth-lowest totals this season came against the Browns.)Up next: at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET(Last week: 25)Monday: Beat Green Bay Packers 24-22Fantasy spotlight: Tommy DeVitoIn six games, the last four of which he has started, the UDFA rookie from New Jersey who moved back into his parents’ home after signing with the Giants, has 79.6 fantasy points. That’s 22 points more than Daniel Jones managed in the six games before his injury opened the door for DeVito. This story is equal parts sweet and sad for the Giants, who gave Jones a four-year deal that could be worth up to $160 million in the offseason and now sincerely have to wonder which quarterback is better after DeVito led the Giants to their third straight win Monday night.Up next: at New Orleans Saints, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET26. Tennessee Titans (5-8)(Last week: 28)Monday: Beat Miami Dolphins 28-27Fantasy spotlight: Derrick HenryIn his eighth year, Henry leads the Titans and is fourth among running backs in the NFL in fantasy points (171.78). Henry had only 34 yards on 17 carries Monday night so this is more of a career appreciation section, but Henry deserves that. He is averaging more than 1,300 yards per season in the last six seasons, and he’s on pace to top 1,000 yards for the fifth time in the last six seasons.Up next: vs. Houston Texans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET I'm still not sure we appreciate how insane of an athlete this guy is. That's 6-3, 250 getting up like that. pic.twitter.com/TeLTdrLSYU — Robert Mays (@robertmays) December 12, 2023(Last week: 22)Sunday: Lost to Denver Broncos 24-7Fantasy spotlight: Keenan AllenAlong with Mike Evans in Tampa Bay, Allen is leading the way for the old-guy receivers this season. In his 11th year, Allen is third at his position in fantasy points (170.86). His 95.6 yards per game are the highest of his career, and he’s third in the league in target percentage, getting 32 percent of the Chargers’ throws. His only problem is quarterback Justin Herbert might be done for the season with a finger injury suffered Sunday.Up next: at Las Vegas Raiders, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET(Last week: 23)Sunday: Lost to Minnesota Vikings 3-0Fantasy spotlight: Aidan O’ConnellThe rookie quarterback showed enough flashes for interim head coach Antonio Pierce to give him the starting job down the stretch, but it hasn’t gone well. O’Connell has fewer fantasy points (59.7) than Jimmy Garoppolo had in six (64.1). His 8.53 fantasy points per game rank 31st among quarterbacks, and he has almost twice as many interceptions as touchdown passes (seven to four). He had a 66 passer rating against the Vikings on Sunday.Up next: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET29. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)(Last week: 26)Sunday: ByeFantasy spotlight: James ConnerThe seventh-year veteran running back quietly is having the best season of his career (6.75 total rushing EPA, the highest of his career) by some measures. He’s the third-most productive Cardinal in terms of fantasy points (90.7). At his current pace, he’ll have 910 rushing yards this season, which would be the second-highest total of his career.Up next: vs. San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET30. New England Patriots (3-10)(Last week: 31)Thursday: Beat Pittsburgh Steelers 21-18Fantasy spotlight: Mac JonesAmong the quarterbacks with more fantasy points than the 15th pick in the 2021 draft (Jones has 106.4) are Zach Wilson, Kenny Pickett, Bryce Young, Desmond Ridder and Gardner Minshew. The Patriots benched Jones against the Steelers, and Bailey Zappe threw three touchdown passes. It’s hard to imagine Jones ever getting this job back, and now New England owner Robert Kraft has to decide if Bill Belichick gets to pick another quarterback in the first round.Up next: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET(Last week: 29)Sunday: ByeFantasy spotlight: Sam HowellNot many people would have had the first-year starting quarterback as the No. 7 fantasy quarterback in the league (236.94 points) before the season, but that’s where Howell sits. His surprising production (3,466 passing yards) actually puts Washington in a complicated spot. Count on Howell to iron out the rough spots in his game (14 interceptions, 58 sacks) or take advantage of what should be a high draft position to grab a new starter?Up next: at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET(Last week: 32)Sunday: Lost to New Orleans Saints 28-6Fantasy spotlight: Adam ThielenBryce Young could have been listed in this spot, but we’ve piled on Bryce Young a lot here, and Thielen has almost as many fantasy points as his quarterback (109.3 for Thielen to 119.78 for Young). In his 11th year, the 33-year-old is on pace for his best season since 2018 and just the third 1,000-yard season of his career. At the moment, he’s 20th in the league with 827 yards.Up next: vs. Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, 1 p.m. ETGO DEEPERFantasy Football Rankings Week 15: Sleepers, projections, starts, sits | Chris Godwin, Zay Flowers and more(Top photo of Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert: Rich Storry / Getty Images)“The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, is on sale now. Order it here. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '207679059578897'); fbq('track', 'PageView');

[tsportsday]

Steelers' Mike Tomlin adjusts stance on WR George Pickens' emotions: 'It's a problem' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement

[tsportsday]

The Minnesota Vikings are sticking with Nick Mullens.The Vikings announced on Tuesday that Mullens will start on Saturday in their game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Mullens will start in place of Joshua Dobbs, who last week.Mullens entered Sunday’s game at Allegiant Stadium with just more than nine minutes left in the fourth quarter. After going three-and-out initially, Mullens led the Vikings on a 56-yard, 12-play drive that set up a 36-yard field goal from kicker Greg Joseph — which finally broke the 0-0 tie and eventually gave the Vikings the narrow win.Mullens finished his day going 9-of-13 for 83 yards. Perhaps most notably, he helped the Vikings avoid being the first game to go into overtime in a scoreless tie since 1974.The Vikings traded for Dobbs right before the deadline earlier this season shortly after starter Kirk Cousins went down with an Achilles injury. Though Dobbs won his first two starts, which made for a remarkable story, he’s struggled since. He lost back-to-back games before Sunday’s contest against the Raiders, where he went 10-of-23 for just 63 yards through three quarters. He was sacked five times and lost more than 60 yards, too.Nick Mullens will make the start for the Vikings on Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals. (Ian Maule/Getty Images)So now head coach Kevin O’Connell will turn to Mullens on Saturday. Mullens, 28, is in his second season with the Vikings. He appeared in four games last season, but threw for just 224 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The former Southern Miss star signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2018 after going undrafted, and spent three seasons there and one with the Cleveland Browns before landing in Minneapolis.The Vikings are sitting at 7-6, too, and are still in the mix in the NFC Playoff race. A win over the Bengals, even with their issues at quarterback, would go a long way in helping the team make the postseason for a second straight year.