Sit/Start Week 12: Reviewing All the Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

Packers@49ers

 

Game Info 

Kickoff: Sunday, November 24th at 8:20 pm EST

Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

Betting Odds: SF -3, 46.5 Total via Oddsshark

Network: NBC

Sleeper Spotlight: Dante Pettis

 

Green Bay Packers

 

Quarterback:

• Aaron Rodgers (Start/ Fringe QB1)

 

In the Packers’ last game, Aaron Rodgers put up his second-worst fantasy performance of the season. It’s a bit concerning that the Packers are traveling to the west coast for this game and the entire team was mediocre at best when Green Bay played in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. That week saw Rodgers’ third-worst fantasy total of the season with just shy of 13 points. That Chargers pass defense was impressive and the 49ers are looking even better in that department. San Francisco is currently ranked first in the league in passing yards allowed per game. To make matters worse, the 49ers are holding opposing quarterbacks to just 10.9 fantasy points per game. Although San Francisco has solid defensive stats, they aren’t perfect. Wilson and Murray were able to put up respectable performances against this team over the past few weeks. Rodgers isn’t a very sexy pick this week but fantasy owners likely don’t have better options. 

 

Running Backs:

• Aaron Jones (Start/ RB1)
• Jamaal Williams (Start/ RB2)

 

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Packers try to establish the run game early in this game. While the 49ers’ secondary has been fantastic lately, their rush defense has been exploitable at times. San Francisco is 20th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game. I expect the Packers will want Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams to chip away at the defense until they can get involved in the passing game. Jones is a weekly must-start even if there’s always that slim chance he disappoints with a single-digit fantasy performance. The Packers have proved they are not afraid to stick with the run if it’s working, especially in the red zone. After scoring between 13 and 23 fantasy points four weeks straight, Williams had a disappointing six points in his last game. Assuming he gets enough work, I believe Williams can return to RB2 territory this week. 

 

Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends:

• Davante Adams (Start/ WR2)
• Allen Lazard (Sit)
• Geronimo Allison (Sit)
• Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Sit)
• Jimmy Graham (Sit/ TE2)

 

Davante Adams has looked good in his first two games back from injury but he still hasn’t quite returned to elite WR1 production yet. That could prove challenging against a 49ers defense that’s first in the league in passing yards allowed per game. Still, Adams is easily the Packers’ best and first receiving option and should get plenty of looks. He’s averaging 10.5 targets the past two games. You pretty much need to start Adams if he’s healthy but I’m not expecting a WR1 performance unless Davante finds the end zone. 

Four weeks of 9.2 fantasy points or less has soured most on Allen Lazard. He’s now only owned in about 3% of ESPN leagues for good reason; he just isn’t very reliable. Lazard keeps getting about four or five targets a game but his value just isn’t there with Adams back in the mix. Geronimo Allison has a similar value. He hasn’t had a double-digit fantasy performance since week four and this matchup certainly isn’t comforting. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been banged up and only saw 11 snaps in the Packers’ last game. MVS had the bye week to heal up a bit but it’s anyone’s guess how much he gets used. Be that as it may, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Valdes-Scantling back in his normal boom-or-bust category this week. All it takes is one play for the speedster to take off for a huge touchdown. 

The 49ers are second in the league in fantasy points allowed to tight ends. That should make things even more difficult for Jimmy Graham, who already relies on touchdowns for fantasy relevance. My advice for Graham will be the same it’s been all year; only start him if you need to and start praying your ass off for a touchdown. 

 

San Francisco 49ers

 

Quarterback:

• Jimmy Garoppolo (Sit)

 

Unless he’s playing the Cardinals, Jimmy Garoppolo has been pretty difficult to pin down this year. That’s likely because Garoppolo has been pretty careless with the football. He’s thrown at least one interception in eight of ten games this season. In games where Garoppolo is not playing the Cardinals, he’s averaging about 13.3 points per game. The Packers may be in the bottom-10 in passing yards allowed per game but they are also top-seven in QB fantasy points allowed with about 14.2 per game. I can’t bring myself to trust Garoppolo when he hasn’t had a top-15 finish against anyone besides Arizona or Cincinnati.

 

Running Backs:

• Tevin Coleman (Start if Breida inactive/ RB2)
• Matt Breida (Start if active)
• Raheem Mostert (Sit)
• Kyle Juszczyk (Sit)

 

Fantasy owners would do well to keep an eye on Matt Breida this week. The 49ers said his recovery should take about a week and this primetime matchup against the Packers is just about right for the timeframe. Unfortunately, if Breida doesn’t practice this week, it will be tough to trust him since San Francisco won’t play until Sunday night. If he practices and the 49ers admit he will be starting, Breida should have a good opportunity in a likely run-heavy game. If Tevin Coleman is the starter he will be tougher to trust. With Breida inactive last week, Coleman had a tough time heating up and was barely received the lion’s share in the backfield. Coleman had 12 carries while his two backups combined for nine. Still, the opportunity could be there against a Packers team that’s bottom-10 in yards per carry and rushing yards allowed per game. If he gets enough work he could put up a respectable RB2 performance. 

For me, Raheem Mostert and Kyle Juszczyk are just not consistent enough to be trusted on a week-to-week basis. Mostert will need double-digit carries at least to reach fantasy relevance and Juszczyk likely received so many targets last week because the 49ers receivers have been banged up. 

 

Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends:

• Emmanuel Sanders (Start if active)
• Deebo Samuel (Start/ WR1)
• George Kittle (Start/ TE1)
• Ross Dwelley (Start if Kittle inactive/ TE1)
• Kendrick Bourne (Sit)

 

Fantasy owners need to keep an eye on Emmanuel Sanders this week. The rib injury that had him questionable all last week eventually took him out of the 9ers’ last game after only three catches. If Sanders is not practicing this week, it will be difficult to trust him in a late game on Sunday. If Sanders is inactive, Deebo Samuel should be the next man up. Samuel has stepped up the past two weeks with 10.5 targets, 8 receptions, and 19+ fantasy points in both games. If Sanders or George Kittle is inactive, I’m expecting another WR1 performance from Deebo. 

Speaking of Kittle, the elite tight end was inactive last week with a knee and ankle injury. He’s another player that fantasy owners need to monitor over the week. If he’s active Kittle is an easy start. Fantasy owners would do well to stash Ross Dwelley if they have the bench space. If Kittle is inactive just before the Sunday night game, you can easily slot Dwelley in his place. The Packers’ defense is one of the worst in the league at defending tight ends. Kendrick Bourne has also stepped up in the past two weeks but his respectable performances are coming from only four catches per game. Given the uncertain status for so many San Francisco receivers, I can’t bring myself to trust Bourne when I have no idea what his target share will look like. 

– Ryan Kruse (@ryanpkruse)