Exploiting the Matchups: Working Blue vs. Saints

In the spirit of giving thanks and on the eve of a holiday that celebrates the wonders of family, food and football, I'm going to keep things short and sweet. You can give thanks for a reprieve from my usual rambling intros. And come next Monday, yours truly will be giving thanks for a victory over my older brother that will lock me into the playoffs of my favorite league. On this glorious Turkey Day, as both a Packers fan and Eddie Lacy owner, I'll be giving thanks that the rumbling bowling ball back is finally useful again. There's so much to be grateful for, so let's get on with it.

As always, this is not intended as a traditional start/sit column. Upgrades are players you wouldn't consistently start (or who have consistently underachieved), while those downgraded generally are lineup mainstays with a bad opponent/situation. With that out of the way, let's get to it.

UPGRADE

Quarterback

Josh McCown, CLE vs. BAL

Prior to sitting out the last two games due to a rib injury, McCown had thrown for more than 200 yards and multiple touchdowns in five of six games, including a career-high 457 yards in Week 5 at Baltimore. He added three total TDs in that contest and should be poised to take advantage again of a Ravens team in disarray.

Brian Hoyer, HOU vs. NO

Hoyer passed his concussion protocol and will resume the starting job for Houston. Versus the Saints. At home. With All-Pro candidate DeAndre Hopkins. Anybody else see that movie where Kirk Cousins trashed the Saints two weeks ago? Yeah, thought so.

Matthew Stafford, DET vs. PHI

Jameis Winston and Matt Cassel combined to throw for 545 yards and EIGHT touchdowns against the Eagles in two of the last three weeks. Meanwhile, Stafford has thrown for at least 240 yards in consecutive games and tallied three total TDs in that span as well.

Running Back

Alfred Blue, HOU vs. NO

After posting 92 total yards and a touchdown last week against what was formerly the No. 1 rushing defense in the Jets, Blue is poised for an encore performance facing the hot mess that is the Saints defense. In its last five games New Orleans has allowed 1,022 total yards and three touchdowns to running backs, including 535 in just the last two.

Antonio Andrews, TEN vs. OAK

In three of his last four games Andrews has racked up at least 82 total yards while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Drawing a Raiders defense that's given up 648 total yards and three touchdowns to tailbacks over the last three games should keep him putting up quality numbers.

Shaun Draughn, SF vs. AZ

The leading receiver in two of the last three games against the Cardinals has been a running back. Draughn, who should continue to start given Carlos Hyde's stress fractured foot, has managed at least 77 total yards in his two games as San Fran's featured back, including at least 38 receiving in each. He's seen at least 20 touches in those contests and by volume and versatility he should continue doing damage.

Wide Receiver

Golden Tate, DET vs. PHI

Tate matched his season-high last week with eight catches, and with Calvin Johnson dealing with an ankle ailment he should be leaned on heavily again this week versus an Eagles defense that's allowed seven touchdowns to wide receivers in their last three games.

Travis Benjamin, CLE vs. BAL

After a hot start that saw Benjamin produce at least 79 yards or a touchdown in six straight games he really cooled off for a few weeks against tough defenses. A 100-yard outing versus Pittsburgh, the Browns' bye week and the return of Josh McCown under center should have him back on track. Of course a Ravens secondary that's allowed the most TDs to wide receivers this year won't hurt either.

Kamar Aiken, BAL at CLE

The Browns have allowed a whopping 794 yards and five touchdowns to wide receivers over their last three games. Sure, Aiken is at best a mediocre talent. And, yes, Matt Schaub is washed up. Nevertheless, Baltimore will need to throw it and they'll need to throw it to someone. Aiken, with 28 targets over the last three weeks, looks like the Ravens' No. 1 someone.

Tight End

Crockett Gillmore, BAL at CLE

Gillmore is officially the most talented offensive weapon in a Baltimore attack that is now down Joe Flacco (ACL), Steve Smith (Achilles), Justin Forsett (arm) and first-round pick Breshad Perriman (knee). Coming off his first career 100-yard performance and a touchdown in each of the two previous games, Gillmore is poised for an encore against a Browns D that's allowed five scores to tight ends in its last three games.

Heath Miller, PIT at SEA

The Seahawks' inability to cover tight ends has reached a new low. Facing a Blaine Gabbert-led 49ers team they allowed Vance McDonald to go for 65 yards and a touchdown. McDonald had never scored in 32 career games, and his previous career high for yards was 25. Miller is an 11-year vet with 6,379 career yards, most of which came from his two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback.

DOWNGRADE

Quarterback

Tom Brady, NE at DEN

Denver is one of two teams left standing that has allowed single-digit touchdown passes, as the eight it's given up is fewest in the league. Facing an absolutely depleted New England receiving corps that may be without Danny Amendola (knee), the Broncos should have little trouble limiting and frustrating Brady, just like Buffalo.

Matt Ryan, ATL vs. MIN

The Vikings have played the likes of Matthew Stafford (twice), Philip Rivers, the ghost of Peyton Manning, Derek Carr and Aaron Rodgers, and of that group only Carr reached 300 yards -- and barely with 302. True to a Mike Zimmer defense, they're constantly in the quarterback's face and very physical in the secondary. Ryan tossed three TDs last week for the first time all year, but no chance he comes close to that success in this one.

Running Back

Adrian Peterson, MIN at ATL

Duh. Of course you're not going to bench Peterson. He is the premier talent of his generation at running back. Still, this week expectations should be tempered. The Falcons have allowed plenty of TDs to RBs, but have yet to give up a 100-yard rusher, are tops in the league in rushing defense (87.4 yards per game) and haven't allowed a ground score to a tailback in five weeks. AP will want to bounce back from last week's lackluster performance but may have a tough time doing so.

Lamar Miller, MIA at NYJ

Miller has scored seven touchdowns in his last six games. Prior to going on his hot streak, though, he tallied just 36 total yards versus the Jets, his worst overall performance of the season. The Jets have allowed double figures in fantasy points to a running back in three straight, but the Dolphins' offense has been a disaster in that timeframe, with just 41 points as a team and less than 45 rushing yards in each for its explosive tailback.

DeAngelo Williams, PIT at SEA

Williams has 518 total yards and five touchdowns in four starts this season. His stellar play, however, will hit a wall facing a Seattle defense that's yet to allow a 100-yard rusher and has given up a meager three touchdowns all year to running backs.

Wide Receiver

Demaryius Thomas, DEN vs. NE

There's a lockdown corner emerging in New England. It seems Malcolm Butler is more than just one huge play in the Super Bowl. In the last two weeks, outside of a poor angle taken by his safety help that allowed an 87-yard score to Odell Beckham, the Patriots' top corner has held Beckham and Sammy Watkins to just 56 yards on 17 other targets.

A.J. Green, CIN vs. STL

The Rams have allowed only one 100-yard receiver this season (and it took the All-World Antonio Brown 11 catches to get to his 108), and they also held the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Randall Cobb and Alshon Jeffery out of the end zone. That's bad news for Green, who's been consistently average outside of two games that have accounted for 40.7 percent of his yardage this year.

T.Y. Hilton, IND vs. TB

Hilton has one 100-yard effort this season, and that performance against the woefully bad Saints defense has accounted for 66.7 percent of his touchdowns and 20.7 percent of his yards. In three games with Matt Hasselbeck starting, he's produced just 176 yards and no touchdowns, and now he must face a resurgent Buccaneers defense that's only allowed Odell Beckham and Julio Jones to top 100 yards since Week 5.

Tight End

Travis Kelce, KC vs. BUF

The Bills held Rob Gronkowski to just two catches and 37 yards on seven targets in their loss to the Patriots and have allowed only one touchdown to a tight end since Week 2. Kelce, the man many view as Gronk-esque, has at least five catches in all but two games this year, but has still underwhelmed. Expect that to continue in this tough matchup.