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[rotoworld-yahoopartner]

Dose: KC On Top In AFC West

The Kansas City Chiefs managed to put points on the scoreboard in just one quarter on Thursday night, but 21 second quarter points proved to be enough as the Oakland offense failed to get rolling in a crucial 21-13 Chiefs win.

Kansas City was led by speedster Tyreek Hill, who hauled in a 36-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith and flashed impressive wheels on a 78-yard punt return for a score. Along with dynamic special teams contributions, Hill has become a mainstay in the Chiefs’ passing game, as he has seen at least five targets in seven consecutive games and has not finished with less than 52 receiving yards since Week 9. Travis Kelce was also a big contributor for Kansas City, as the top-tier tight end stacked up 101 yards on five catches for his fourth 100-yard receiving effort in a row. Kelce has been a big-play machine, racking up 16.1 yards per reception during his four game surge.

The Oakland offense was in miserable shape on Thursday, led by a horrendous effort from quarterback Derek Carr. The Raiders quarterback completed just 17 of 41 pass attempts for 117 yards, registering an average of 2.9 yards per pass attempt that would make Brock Osweiler blush. Carr was also hurt by drops in this contest, most notably from receiver Seth Roberts, who was a picture of inefficiency as he snagged just two of nine targets for 12 yards. Amari Cooper saw a team-high 10 targets, but caught only five passes for 29 yards. Since a Week 8 outburst, Cooper has averaged 44.6 receiving yards per game in five contests as his ascension to the top tier of NFL wide receivers has stalled. The lone bright spot for Oakland was running back Latavius Murray, who turned 22 carries into 103 yards and a score. Murray has seen large workloads recently, averaging 18.6 rushing attempts per game since Week 8, and will be a reliable option for the remainder of the fantasy playoffs.

Raiders at Chiefs Quick Slants

Jeremy Maclin finally returned from a groin injury, but was a non-factor, catching one of three targets for 16 yards. Maclin should not be trusted in playoff matchups going forward. … Michael Crabtree’s sporadic season continued on Thursday, as he caught four passes for 21 yards after totaling 184 receiving yards in the previous two weeks. … Chiefs RB Spencer Ware continues to struggle, totaling just 56 rushing yards on 20 carries. The 20-carry workload was Ware’s largest since Week 6 but he still proved to be ineffective. … Alex Smith went 17/26 for 264 yards with one interception and one touchdown in an average performance that was sluggish after halftime.

In Other News…

The Atlanta Falcons are struggling with wide receiver injury issues, as both Julio Jones (turf toe) and Mohamed Sanu (groin) have failed to see the practice field this week. Jones was at least able to do side work on Thursday, making him a far better bet to play in Week 14 than Sanu. Even if Jones plays, he will be a dicey fantasy bet as his effectiveness with a bad toe will be tough to predict before the Falcons and Los Angeles Rams kick off. Taylor Gabriel, who has averaged 63 receiving yards per game in his last five outings while scoring five touchdowns, could be in line for a massive upgrade in usage with Matt Ryan’s arsenal of receiving weapons dinged up this week.

Shoulder issues have plagued Washington tight end Jordan Reed (shoulder) since Thanksgiving, and the Redskins may be in danger of missing their productive tight end for a second consecutive week. Reed participated in individual drills on both Wednesday and Thursday and despite mixed reports on his recovery, Reed told reporters that he “feels he’s gotten all of his range of motion back” and expects to play on Sunday. Fantasy owners will be eagerly waiting until Sunday morning for an official update on Reed’s playing status, so tentative backup plans should be made prior to game day. Vernon Davis saw six targets in Reed’s absence last week and is a reasonable fill-in if available.

Michael Thomas (foot) has now missed practice on consecutive days and is becoming a player to watch as Sunday approaches. Thomas has turned in a dynamite rookie season on his way to becoming Drew Brees’ top target, and his potential absence would be a blow to the New Orleans offense as the team prepares to face NFC South foe Tampa Bay. Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead would receive a nice bump if Thomas sits, but his status should be monitored in coming days.

Quick Slants

After missing practice on Wednesday, Sammy Watkins (foot) returned on Thursday and saw an “increase in reps.” … Mark Ingram (toe) was limited on Wednesday, but was not able to practice Thursday. Ingram should now be placed on the weekend watch list and Tim Hightower owners should eagerly monitor Ingram’s status as well. … Jordan Matthews (ankle) was a full participant at practice on Thursday and is expected to play on Sunday. … A.J. Green (hamstring) didn’t practice on Thursday and his return will likely take place next week or potentially further down the line. … Ryan Mathews (knee) is “ready to go” according to coach Doug Peterson as the Eagles prepare to host the Redskins. Mathews will take over for Wendell Smallwood alongside Darren Sproles in the Philadelphia backfield. … Chris Ivory (hamstring) was limited on Thursday and will be a game-time decision on Sunday. T.J. Yeldon (ankle) has been practicing and will see a workload bump in a rough matchup if Ivory sits. … Trevor Siemian (foot) practiced again on Thursday and could return to the field in Week 14 in a nice matchup at Tennessee. … Robert Griffin III’s Week 14 start is an “audition” for next season, according to coach Hue Jackson. Griffin will likely be pummeled by the Cincinnati defense on Sunday.