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<div>Marcus Mariota, Antonio Andrews, Dexter McCluster's Post-Week 11 Fantasy Advice</div>

Fantasy Football
November 19, 2015

The Tennessee Titans offense was silent Thursday until halfway through the third quarter, when Marcus Mariota scored on a quarterback keeper for a 13-9 lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Heading into the game, Tennessee was the lowest-scoring AFC team, and there wasn’t much Thursday to get excited about when it came to fantasy points.

Mariota salvaged his day with his first rushing touchdown of the season, but don’t count on the ground game for him in the future.        

What you can count on are matchups against weak defenses the next three games. Tennessee plays the Oakland Raiders, Jaguars and New York Jets, and none is ranked in the top 11 in terms of ESPN fantasy points scored this season.

In fact, the Jaguars are ranked 23rd and the Raiders 29th. Mariota has been up and down, with two great games (four touchdowns in each), some zero touchdowns games and injuries that sent him to the bench.

Consider him a top-15 quarterback, with a slight upgrade the next three weeks. 

Running back Antonio Andrews is clearly the Titans’ No. 1 running back right now, but he still finds himself as an RB3 in terms of fantasy.

He had the lion’s share of the carries Thursday. And the good news for fantasy owners is Bishop Sankey was inactive, and newcomer David Cobb, who some thought would make an immediate impact, did not at all.

Andrews hasn’t scored since Week 5 and has not broken the 100-yard mark, so don’t expect much from him. He’s worth a start against a porous Oakland run defense in Week 12, but bench him against the sixth-ranked Jaguars and the Jets, who are ranked first against the rush.

Dexter McCluster proved once against Thursday he’s not fantasy-worthy. His 25 receptions are somewhat noteworthy, but coupled with just 439 yards and one touchdown, it’s not enough to warrant a starting fantasy spot.

He has big-play ability, as shown by three return touchdowns while with the Kansas City Chiefs, but has not had one in two seasons with the Titans.

The six-year veteran left the game in the second half with a knee injury, where the team ruled him questionable to return, but he never did.

Consider McCluster only worthy of the waiver wire.

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<div>Julius Thomas, Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns' Post-Week 11 Fantasy Advice</div>

Fantasy Football
November 19, 2015

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered Thursday’s game against the Tennessee Titans on the heels of three strong performances that gave them reason for optimism, but a lackluster performance in Week 11’s opener dashed those hopes.     

Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas and wide receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns were all held in check by the league’s fifth-ranked defense. But it’s not necessarily a time for owners to panic.

That’s not the case for Thomas, however, as he continues to be a fantasy disappointment in his first year with his new team

Thomas is averaging just 1.8 points per game—well worth a drop for another viable option, such as Richard Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers (six points per game and owned in just 53.6 percent of leagues) or Coby Fleener of the Indianapolis Colts (4.3 points, 30.1 percent ownership).

Robinson turned in his lowest outing since Week 4—the first in that span he hasn’t posted more than 10 points—but still remains a WR1 commodity. He ranks sixth at the position and simply ran into a top pass defense.

A favorable matchup looms next week against the San Diego Chargers’ spotty secondary, so Robinson should return to top form.

Hurns has arguably been the biggest surprise among fantasy receivers, ranking seventh, but was held to his lowest output of the season.

But that’s not to indicate he can’t bounce back.

Hurns is still available in 15.4 percent of leagues, and even though the Jaguars have a rematch with the Titans in two weeks, he’s still a worthy add for fantasy playoff contenders.

The Jaguars play some of the worst pass defenses in the final four weeks of the season—the Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans.   

Given the favorable and timely matchups, Hurns and Robinson could be difference-makers for fantasy championships.

All stats courtesy of ESPN.com standard leagues.

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Blake Bortles, T.J. Yeldon, Denard Robinson Post-Week 11 Fantasy Advice

Fantasy Football
November 19, 2015

It was hardly a Thursday night matchup many football fans wanted to see, but for fantasy owners who had some of the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ offensive playmakers against the Tennessee Titans, it’s a game they had to pay attention to.

Quarterback Blake Bortles along with running backs T.J. Yeldon and Denard Robinson were taking on a Titans defense that has allowed its fair share of fantasy points this season. 

Let’s take a look at how Jacksonville’s trio fared on Thursday.   

 

Blake Bortles

Against a Titans team that has allowed the ninth most fantasy points to quarterbacks, Bortles was having a subpar night on Thursday, throwing for just 193 yards without a touchdown through three quarters.

A lost fumble didn’t helping his fantasy numbers either, as he had just five points on the night. 

The slow performance is unlike Bortles, who has recorded 15 or more points in seven of his previous nine games this season. 

Some of it has to do with an offensive line that saw him under plenty of pressure on Thursday as he did not look too comfortable in the pocket. 

But Bortles has been a pretty consistent quarterback all season. If you are starting him, continue doing so, as he should throw the ball plenty of times in this Jaguars offense.

 

T.J. Yeldon

A foot injury should have been enough to keep Yeldon out of your starting lineup this week. If it wasn’t, you’re looking at about a six-point output through the game’s first three quarters. 

What had to be infuriating for owners who were looking for points from him on Thursday was his absence in the red zone, as ESPN’s Michael DiRocco pointed out:

Yeldon has only had three weeks where he’s had double-digit outputs, but his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield along with his raw ability as a runner makes it difficult to keep him out of your lineup. 

Keep Yeldon around as a third running back, but monitor the foot. If he has a good week of practice leading into Week 12 with no setbacks, give him another shot next week.

 

Denard Robinson

With Yeldon listed as questionable until a few hours before game time on Thursday night, fantasy owners who were looking to find points deep within the free-agency market could have seen Robinson as a reasonable pickup. 

But having Yeldon playing all but doomed anyone’s chances of getting a big output from him. However, Jacksonville was giving Robinson carries and inside the 10-yard line too.

But he wasn’t able to produce anything, as Sports Illustrated’s Chris Burke observed:

If he is unable to produce in the few opportunities he gets, then there’s no reason to keep him on your roster, especially if Yeldon is healthy. But as I mentioned before, monitor Yeldon over the next few weeks, and if he is unable to play, pick Robinson up, as he should get most of the carries in Jacksonville’s backfield. 

 

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.

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Extra Points: Ravens, Cutler, Gase

NFL News
November 19, 2015

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome was among NFL execs who were targeting Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin in the 2013 draft, as Mike Preston of The Baltimore Sun writes.

“They definitely brought me in on a visit,” Austin said. “I met with the GM, a great guy. He had a plan for me, that they were going to draft me. They had a plan for me, for my whereabouts when I was in Baltimore and things like that. He’s a great guy, but coach ‘Fish’ pulled the trigger on me. That’s the guy I’m rolling with now.”

The Ravens never got the opportunity to take the explosive wide receiver, who was drafted No. 8 overall by St. Louis. Drafting at No. 32, the Ravens would go on to select Florida safety Matt Elam instead.

More from around the NFL:

  • Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is playing quite well as of late. In fact, he’s playing so well that it might just cost him his offensive coordinator, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes. Bears OC Adam Gase was a hot name last offseason and his work with Cutler figures to keep his stock high again this time around. After starting the season 0-3, Cutler has led Chicago to a 4-2 record over the past six games.
  • Now that the league is going to allow teams to deal compensatory picks, Nick Korte of Over The Cap wonders what kind of impact that could have going forward. Korte runs down a handful of ways that teams have been gaming the system in order to acquire more compensatory picks and wonders if the league will crack down on that now that those assets hold even more value.
  • Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa told reporters, including Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, that he is turning over a new leaf following his four-game suspension. Enunwa was suspended earlier this year for his role in a domestic violence situation.

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Miller, Chargers

NFL News
November 19, 2015

Here’s a look at the AFC West:

  • Gil Brandt of NFL.com ran down six pending free agents who should be retained by their current teams and six who should be allowed to walk away. Both Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller and Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler landed in the keeper pile. Miller, 26, is a cornerstone of the Broncos’ elite defense and he has compiled 54 sacks since going No. 2 overall in the 2011 draft. Osweiler, meanwhile, hasn’t really gotten to show his stuff, but Brandt writes that he is a solid athlete with a ton of potential.
  • Wide receiver Tyrell Williams is likely to be promoted from the Chargers‘ practice squad to the active roster by Saturday afternoon, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego writes. Williams is likely to get the opportunity with veteran Malcom Floyd still nursing a torn labrum. For his part, Williams is thankful for everything he has learned from Floyd. “It’s been awesome, especially on the field,” Williams said of learning behind Floyd. “I can see how to get in and out of my breaks from another guy who has long strides. I just try to copy everything that he’s been doing, whether it’s on the field or off the field. It’s been awesome.”
  • Both the Alleghany County sheriff and prosecutor believe that Raiders linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong was not acting with malice when he taunted a police dog earlier this month, as The Associated Press writes. That bodes well for Armstrong, who theoretically could have been facing third-degree felony chargers. Police alleged that Armstrong lifted his shirt, pounded his chest, and barked at a police dog before telling its handler to let it off the leash. The local D.A. will consult with authorities in California, but it doesn’t sound like much will come of those talks at this point.