With just two weeks left in the regular NFL season, it’s time to evaluate the busts and diamonds from week #15. This will be a good way to get a feel for what we can expect over the last two weeks of the season, and from there, on into the playoffs.
The Let Downs of the Week
Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
Ryan had 22 completions on Sunday, but only threw 1 touchdown and just 246 yards. There was also an interception and a sack there against him. Ryan is capable of far better than this, and this was a very lackluster game for him, even given the fact that he has some great offensive weapons at his disposal. It’s been a rough season on Ryan, and although the Falcons are a decent team, he’s been far too unpredictable to hold any sort of fantasy value, unfortunately.
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Fitzgerald had just 43 yards on Sunday, and not a single touchdown. He’s a great receiver, and has had a strong season, but this was a very weak game for him, especially considering the fact that this was a team that he should have run circles around. Part of the problem was that he only had 5 targets and 3 receptions. That’s not a bad average, but he wasn’t given the opportunities to succeed that his fantasy owners expected. This should change for the latter part of the season, especially into the postseason as he is relied more heavily upon. Now that his injury is hopefully behind him, his team should be able to use him more and more.
These Came to Play
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Minnesota Vikings
Bridgewater had a great game against the Chicago Bears. He had 4 passing touchdowns and 1 rushing TD. It was a strong game from him, especially considering the fact that he will play pretty good one week, and horrible the next. It’s been really tough to know which Bridgewater will show up from week to week, and this weekend, the great Bridgewater decided to play. There’s starting to be a pattern here, and the problem really isn’t with Bridgewater, but with his offensive line. If a defense has a lot of sacks, Bridgewater tends to be rushed and doesn’t play as well against them. However, the Bears are a weak defense, and couldn’t get through to him, giving him the chance to excel. Neither the New York Giants nor the Green Bay Packers really look like they are weak enough for Bridgewater to not feel the pressure, and despite having a great game last weekend, he shouldn’t be used for fantasy purposes.
Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders
Cooper had 120 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns as the Raiders lost to the Green Bay Packers, 20-30. Cooper’s play was great, though, and it capped off a lukewarm season for him. He now has 6 TDs on the season, and 1040 yards, averaging just over 74 yards per game. This was a standout game for him, and it’s hard to say exactly why he did quite so well. The other two games where’s gone over 100 yards this season were against far weaker teams, and for him to play so well against Green Bay is promising. He could very well be a fantasy threat next year, but there’s not quite enough time this season to find out just how well he can do.
David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Johnson had an amazing 3 touchdowns on Sunday, complete with 187 yards as the Cardinals took out the Philadelphia Eagles. He now has 7 touchdowns on the year, and is averaging 36.9 yards per game. A game like this for him is an anomaly, but do remember that the Eagles are a pretty weak defensive team. Add all of this onto the fact that he ended up leaving the game early because of an injury. Despite the awesome game, don’t count on him for another monster game like this during the 2015 season.
Amari photo comes from.
