The affair undermining my marriage with America’s Team began way back in 1998.  You see, there is one football team that has my loyalty above the Cowboys, the University of Tennessee.  The Vols once had a pretty good quarterback by the name of Peyton Manning.  Now I know in my heart of hearts that pulling for anyone but the Cowboys is cheating, but I’d like to take this opportunity to point a finger at others and blame them for my indiscretions.  When Peyton was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the first pick of the 1998 NFL draft, Colts merchandise flooded the sports apparel market in the state of Tennessee.  Peer pressure enticed me to support our beloved hero and become a Colts fan. 

Since I’m baring my soul here, I’ll go ahead and be honest.  Peer pressure had nothing to do with my choice to engage in this affair with the Colts.  For four years in his college career, I watched young Peyton Manning walk on water (in this case the Tennessee River which hosts the Vol Navy on fall Saturdays in Knoxville).  He sent me an autographed photo to Kunsan Air Base, Korea where I was stationed that read “Thanks for all you do. Keep up the good work. God Bless. Peyton Manning.”  He had provided me with my most treasured football memory to that point, an emotional victory in Tuscaloosa that broke an excruciatingly long painful losing streak to Alabama.  He led the Big Orange to victory in the first bowl game I ever saw in person.  He played in the same backfield with my all-time favorite athlete, James “Little Man” Stewart, once the All-Time leading rusher in Tennessee history and once scored 5 rushing Touchdowns in a game for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who was a childhood teammate of mine in several sports.  He postponed becoming the best quarterback ever by returning for his senior season at Tennessee, earning the eternal devotion of Vol Nation.  I saw Peyton’s last game in Neyland Stadium, where he beat Vanderbilt before ascending a ladder to lead the Pride of the Southland in a famous rendition of Rocky Top.  I, as a grown man of 26 years, bawled the night they gave Peyton’s Heisman Trophy to Charles Woodson in the single biggest rip-off in the history of American sports. (Note- That night I vowed to never again watch the Heisman presentation, and I haven’t)  So I can’t sincerely blame the masses for my decision to become a Colts fan, but I can assure you that I’m only one of a huge number of Tennessee fans that did.  In my defense, I never pulled for the Colts when they played the Cowboys.   Hey, I may be a Bill Clinton, but I’m not a Judas!

So Colts, here we are, 14 years, 60,000 yards, 428 touchdowns, 4 MVP awards, 2 Super Bowls and a world championship later.  You have been my second team and provided me with more treasured memories than the Cowboys over that period of time.  I will even admit in private that I enjoyed the victory over Tom Brady and the Patriots in the 2006 AFC Championship game more than the 3 Cowboys’ Super Bowl victories in the early ‘90s.  Indy has been a great bedfellow, but I’m afraid you’ve lost your charm.  I’ve got to be honest with you and let you know I never loved you for your great blue color, or your cool logo, or your Midwestern charm, or even your Lucas Oil money. I only loved you for your quarterback, and as hard as this is for me to say…we’re through, over, done, splitsville baby!  Thanks for the memories, but like the man said “Nothing lasts forever”.  Well maybe that’s not exactly true, my loyalty to Peyton will last forever.

So, Peyton… where are “we” going?  Will it be sunny South Beach?  You know Reggie is a Miami guy!  Arrowhead Stadium? They have the best fans in the NFL.  J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets?  Roll into the Big Apple and show little Bro who the real Quarterback is? I’m kind of liking the desert myself. Can you imagine Larry Fitzgerald on the other end of a Manning missile? Oh yeah P, I’m okay with this move and all, but there is one thing I ask.  Please, Please, Please not the Redskins.  We don’t want to put that whole “loyal forever” thing I said to the test!

QB –

Kyle Orton, KC: Kyle Orton looked good against the Packers and has a nice match-up next week against Oakland. If you need a quick replacement, even for just a week, Orton is your guy.

Jake Locker, TEN: It is likely that Tennessee will start Locker now that they are no longer in the playoff hunt. He has looked good every time he’s been in the lineup.

RB -

Donald Brown, IND: Brown put on quite the performance against the Titans rushing for 161 yards and a touchdown. He has shown the most promise out of all Indy RBs.

WR -

Darrius Heyward-Bey, OAK: DHB is healthy again and putting up good numbers. He had eight receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown. It was also a good sign that Denarius Moore was back in the lineup and Heyward-Bey was still getting the production.

Nate Burleson, DET: As Calvin Johnson continues to get double and triple coverage, Burleson keeps producing. He should fair well against San Diego.

TE -

Brent Celek, PHI: Celek is back on the waiver wire list putting up 156 yards on on five receptions and a touchdown. The Eagles still have a shot at the playoffs and will need to get the ball to Celek to stay in the hunt.

QB –

Jake Locker, TEN: Matt Hasselbeck went out yet again with an injury and again Locker stepped up to the plate. With his throwing accuracy and Tim Tebow-esque running abilities, he threw for 282 yards with a touchdown and ran for another. He’s my top QB target this week.

T.J. Yates, HOU: I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting to post him here after going up against the Bengals but the guy threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns. In a high powered offense such as Houston, you can’t overlook the QB newb.

Joe Webb, MIN: Once again, another guy I didn’t expect to be writing about. Joe Webb looked like Michael Vick nearly erasing a 17 point deficit against Detroit.

RB -

Ryan Grant, GB: After having no touchdowns all season, Grant steps up big without James Starks in the lineup and scores two touchdowns. On ten carries Grant went for 85 yards. If Starks is out more time, consider starting Grant in your flex spot.

WR –

Demaryius Thomas, DEN: Thomas was on the waiver pickup column last week, but if he’s still out there in your league, he is stepping up big time. He now has over 220 yards and three touchdowns in two games.

Titus Young, DET: With everyone and their grandma double teaming Calvin Johnson, Titus Young is taking advantage of single coverage. He went for over 80 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings. Young could become a top target for Matthew Stafford over these last three games of the season.

TE -

Jake Ballard, NYG: Ballard went for 52 yards on four receptions with a touchdown…but that’s not why I’m recommending him. Eli Manning is going nuts lately and I don’t see that changing. Ballard will get his share.

Aaron Rodgers; QB Green Bay Packers, Hot: This one was a toss up for me. I also considered Drew Brees but he can be very spotty on the road and that’s exactly where they are playing this week. What can you really say about Rodgers except good things. He’s had a crazy wicked season throwing for 3,844 yards so far and 37 touchdowns. His only blemish, if you want to call it that, is his 5 interceptions and really doesn’t everyone deserve to make a couple of mistakes every now and then. Rodgers led his team to victory late in the 4th quarter last week finishing with 369 yards, 4 touchdowns, and that 1 interception no one even remembers. In 58 seconds Rodgers took his team from the brink of saying goodbye to an unbeaten season to the glory of pulling out a tough matchup with the Giants. If there is anyone I want on my team this week under center it’s Rodgers especially against an Oakland team that looked pretty horrible last week

Willis McGahee; RB Denver Broncos, Hot: The Denver Broncos are beyond lucky to have McGahee as their running back. I will try not to be a Tebow pessimist but without McGahee the Broncos are not occupying the position they currently sit in, atop the AFC West. McGahee’s performance last week was just another strong outing in his list of noteworthy games this season. McGahee has rushed for over 100 yards in 6 games and scored 4 touchdowns. Tebow relies on McGahee and together they have lead the Broncos to an almost impossible run at the playoffs. I still firmly believe every team that has even the slightest chance of winning the Superbowl must have a strong QB, but McGahee just might be able to get the Broncos deeper into the playoffs then most people think.

Percy Harvin; WR Minnesota Vikings, Hot: Percy Harvin has come alive as of late and if you have him and need him to do some something to help your team this just might be his week to do it. The Vikings are not winning any games but they do manage to somehow stay in contention due in large part to Harvin. Last week against the Broncos he had 156 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a close game. This week the Vikings play the Lions and although the Lions have enormous potential they have lost two of late and are struggling to keep pace in their division. The Lions give up a lot of points per game and Harvin is hoping they will continue that trend come Sunday.

Baltimore Ravens DST; Hot: The Ravens surprisingly didn’t do much against the underachieving  Browns last week. However, the winless Colts come to town and this might be the best scenario for fantasy owners. Yes, the Colts do from time to time keep themselves in the game. Yes, there are times when you think if the game could end a little sooner the Colts could put the winless talk behind them. But, all dreams come to an end and there has been nothing dreamy about this season. The Ravens are looking to keep pace with the Steelers and they will not let the Colts stand in their way. With 41 sacks and 13 interceptions in the books this season the Ravens are set to feast on a Colts team led by a QB who had an interesting 4th quarter last week, but will undoubtedly realize very early on the Ravens Defense are not the Patriots.

QB -

Christian Ponder, MIN: Ponder had a huge game throwing for 381 yards and 3 touchdowns against a stingy Denver defense as of late. If you’re looking for a QB, he’s the only stand out for this week worth grabbing.

Matt Moore, MIA: Moore continues to produce as the Dolphins are playing lights out. He’s another solid pickup off waivers.

RB -

Marion Barber, CHI: Matt Forte came out of the game with what is expected to be a torn MCL. Barber will be the guy in Chicago and is a must add fantasy pickup this week.

Ryan Grant, GB: The Packers have an easy match-up this week against Oakland. With Starks injured, Green Bay will likely lean on Grant.

WR -

Malcom Floyd, SD: Floyd returned to the Chargers lineup with a bang catching four balls for 108 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers might have their mojo back.

Demaryius Thomas, DEN: Thomas had four receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Tebow threw some accurate passes his way and the pair seemed to have some chemistry. Thomas might just be playing up to his abilities and could be a nice add off waivers.

Chaz Schilens, OAK: If Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore are out longer, Schilens seems to be Carson Palmer’s go to guy.

Andre Roberts, ARI: I’d recommend Roberts in some deeper PPR formats. He had six receptions for 111 yards. There was definitely some chemistry with him and Kevin Kolb back under center.

TE -

Anthony Fasano, MIA: Fasano had four catches for 66 yards and has been a red zone target this season. I like seeing him getting more targets now instead of just a boom or bust guy.

Rex Grossman; QB Washington Redskins, Hot: There were a number of QBs that threw for more yards and more touchdowns than Grossman in Week 12. I can’t help but give him props this week though considering all it took to get here. Grossman was the starter for the Redskins for the first snap of the season but couldn’t manage to keep the job for the long haul. After the failed experiment that was John Beck, the skins went back to Grossman and it finally payed off. Rex threw for 314 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the Skins to a late 4th quarter comeback. Let’s not get too excited just yet about what Rex can do, but it’s a good start to a team that until Sunday was spiraling out of control.

Tyler Palko; QB Kansas City Chiefs, Not: Palko has had a rough go of it since he took over for the injured Matt Cassel. The only thing he’s managed to do is throw interception after interception including 3 on Sunday against the Steelers. The Chiefs are so concerned about Palko’s production, or lack thereof, that Kyle Orton was claimed off of waivers last week. If Palko continues to be the starter he will go up against a Bears defense that shows very little mercy on inexperienced and underperforming quarterbacks.  

Beanie Wells; RB Arizona Cardinals, Hot: Wells was absolutely unstoppable on Sunday against the Rams with 228 yards and a touchdown. It helped that the Rams run defense is pretty non-existent. Wells had 27 carries on the day and helped to push the cardinals over the hump for a 23-20 victory. The Cardinals will play Dallas in week 13 and even though the Cowboys run defense is on a different level than the Rams, Wells has an opportunity to keep his team in the game and potentially cue up another win.

Frank Gore; RB San Francisco 49ers, Not: The Baltimore Ravens defense can stop a running back dead in his tracks and they proved it once again on Sunday. Gore carried the ball 14 times and only managed to gain 39 yards against a hard core Ravens D. His performance this season has been pretty good until last Sunday so even though he’s ended up on the “not” list, he should rebound this week against a Rams team that is pretty horrible against the pass and the run.

Victor Cruz; WR New York Giants, Hot: Just when I thought that I had no chance of beating my fantasy opponent who was armed with Drew Brees, I managed to squeak out a 6 point win due all in part to Victor Cruz. He was a monster on Monday night with 9 receptions, 157 yards, and 2 touchdowns. I always like the receivers who earn their yards over the course of a game instead of in just one catch. One catch can be a fluke, 9 catches is a good day at the office. The running game hasn’t done much for the Giants so they have to pass which makes Cruz a good option any Sunday he’s in the lineup. The Giants play the Packers this week and Eli is going to have to pass the ball a lot to keep up with Rodgers, so let’s hope Cruz has a day that tops his performance last Sunday.

Vincent Brown; WR San Diego Chargers, Not: You can only lead a horse to water you can’t make him drink it. Philip Rivers targeted Brown 10 times in last week’s game against the Broncos but Brown only managed to catch 3 of those for 50 yards. He’s been mediocre at best as a fill-in for Floyd and now that Floyd may be back in the lineup as early as next Sunday Brown has only one more game to prove himself as a play maker. I wouldn’t get to excited about that though, in his last two games he’s racked up 58 yards and no touchdowns so mediocre is all he might ever be.

Pittsburgh Steelers DST; Hot: The Steelers came to play against a Kansas City team that really is just bad. They intercepted Palko 3 times on the night and only allowed the Chiefs to pick up 252 total yards of offense. They managed a sack, a fumble, and only allowed Kansas City to put up 9 points on the board. Next up the Steelers have Cedric Benson and the Bengals. The Steelers play hard and aggressive but so do the Bengals so plan on a great matchup of two teams looking to get on top of the AFC North.  

New York Giants DST; Not: The Saints are a good team, a really good team, so it’s not really fair to judge a Defense against a team that scores at will. But we will anyway.  The Giants D allowed 577 yards of total offense, in a single game. Most teams do that over the course of 3 or 4 games. Drew Brees seemed to score every time his team had the ball and the Giants had no answer. There were no sacks and no turnovers, but a lot of Saints touchdowns. The offense for the Giants tried to pick the defense up with 24 points of their own, but if you’re defense can’t stop the opponent from scoring eventually nothing your offense can do can save you.

QB -

Ryan Fitzpatrick, BUF: He’s been on the decline as of late so to see a performance such as this against the Jets is very promising. He threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Now that Fred Jackson is out of the mix, the Bills will have to rely more on their passing game.

Vince Young, PHI: Young threw for an impressive 400 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots. Albeit he had an easy match-up, that’s still impressive. As long as Vick is still out, Young could fill in nicely if you’re in need of a QB.

RB -

Maurice Morris, DET: Kevin Smith took over the starting role for the Lions but now that he went down with an ankle injury, Morris gets back in there. He might even have more value now that Smith is out of the picture.

Donald Brown, IND: I read somewhere that he is someone to avoid but I disagree. Addai re-aggravated his hamstring injury and Brown is obviously the most productive back. I like Brown going forward for the Colts against favorable match-ups.

Kendall Hunter, SF: As soon as the 49ers lock in their playoff spot, they will rest Frank Gore. Look for Hunter to get an increased role in games that don’t really matter.

WR -

Greg Little, CLE: Little is still out there in a bunch of leagues. He finally got in the end zone this week and continues to be the most productive receiver out of Cleveland.

Johnnie Knox, CHI: If Caleb Hanie remains the starter, Knox might be the top wide out in Chicago. He was targeted a team high 10 times and one went for a touchdown.

Jason Avant, PHI: Avant went for 110 yards and a touchdown with Maclin out and a favorable match-up against the Patriots. As long as Maclin is out, he should produce.

TE -

Jermaine Gresham, CIN: Gresham remains a top target for Andy Dalton. He went for 68 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Look for that to continue as the season goes on. Just keep in mind that the Bengals face some tough match-ups down the stretch.

Then… there’s the rest of us! Fantasy owners whose teams sit in the middle of the pack. Our playoff hopes on the cusp the next few weeks. The difference being maybe an extra digit in the big grand prize verses getting your money back or that fantasy football trophy that gets past around among friends every season.

So now till the beginning of Week 14 on Dec. 7, the reality is it’s time for the players to separate themselves from the wannabees, shift gears from the week-to-week waiver wire grind into full playoff-prep mode. Some of us are trying to hold onto a playoff seed, while others sit on the fringe looking for that final postseason push. Whatever your situation, there are several steps you need to take now.

PLAN EVERY WEEK’S LINEUP NOW

Sounds hardcore, right? Well it is! We’re trying to give yourself the best opportunity to extend your season – have a shot at the big prize come the end of December! And not sitting with the family at the table talking about crazy uncle Bobs latest adventures sipping eggnog. Starting with this Week 12 and working through Week 16 – when most leagues’ championship games occur – create a rough draft of your fantasy lineup for each week. Include matchups, injuries and weather in your initial plan. I want to know, for example, if Janikowski will be braving the elements and swirling winds in Buffalo or playing “Words With Friends” till its time to kick a field goal inside the dome in New Orleans. Or if that Josh Freeman will be throwing in sunny Florida at home or Philip Rivers will be freezing Sunday night in Green Bay. Every hundredth of a point can mean the difference at this point.

RID YOUR ROSTER OF DEAD WEIGHT

Everyone has done this. Held on to your stud because they haven’t been placed on injured reserve (IR) and hope that there would still a chance they could return late in the season? Now is the time to do your research and know which players are acceptable to waive and which could still help you in the next few weeks to the promise land!

Taking the previous step of planning every week’s roster will help if you’re forced to decide between waiving one of two players who both are injured and could return in later weeks. At this point you will know which players have the most favorable schedules. Sometimes you need to keep the player who will help you get into the playoffs first, even if the other player can give you better numbers in the playoffs – in other words, prioritize the short-term over the long term.

On the other hand, a player like Matt Hasselbeck (if he’s not ruled out) may need to stay on your roster for what he might be able to do for you in the long-term. With favorable match ups, Home game versus New Orleans wk 14 and @ Indianapolis Wk 15 and then back home Wk 16 against Jacksonville.

SELL HIGH

Trade deadlines are approaching in most leagues. Now is the time to pinpoint whether any of the players on your team who have average-to-high value but difficult remaining schedules would be better served as bargaining chips. Example, Bolts wide receiver Vincent Jackson, Hit and Miss kinda player just had a great game! Brings up his value in trade for me to fill in my other positions. Since I have depth in the WR position and his match ups in my Playoff weeks 15(Baltimore)/16(Detroit) are less than favorable for my championship run. I now have him on my trading block and the guy that is looking for short term in the WR slot could make out and hopefully I meet him in either weeks 15 or 16 when he did not plan a head. *insert evil laugh*

SNAG FREE AGENTS ON THE RISE WITH GREAT FANTASY PLAYOFF MATCH UPS

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati (42%)

It’s tough to draw a conclusion from Dalton’s performance against Baltimore on Sunday. Going for 350+ yards without his best receiver but three INTs. Still, Dalton now has multiple TDs in six of his last seven games.

His short-term schedule isn’t great with Cleveland coming to town with this state battle and Cleveland isn’t as bad as you may think against the pass. Pittsburgh, and Houston in the next three weeks, but fantasy playoff match ups against St. Louis and Arizona make him worth stashing.

Matt Moore , Miami (8%)

The Dolphins no longer going for Luck Lottery, and Moore is a big reason why. After tossing a few touchdowns passes on Sunday, he now has a handful of TDs during Miami’s three-game winning streak. While going over 70 percent of his passes over that span, full of confidence heading into a Turkey Day match up with Dallas. The Cowboys have been tough against opposing QBs at home, but Moore plays a friendly Oakland defense in Week 13 and has favorable match ups with Buffalo and New England during the fantasy playoffs.

MAKE SURE YOUR OPPONENTS HEAR YOUR FOOTSTEPS

Trash Talk and do lots of it! Fantasy smack talk, trash-talk…whatever you call it, when you play fantasy football for as long as I have you’ll realize that trash talk skills are directly related to fantasy football skills. Smack also adds to the fun!

Send him/her a YouTube clip of their kicker or stud choking in the clutch. Forward screenshots from your fantasy championship last season to remind foes of your previous triumphs. My favorite, Propose ridiculous trades all week to the owners you’re chasing, yes they will turn down every trade they’ll have your team and playoff motivations in the back of their mind, along with every email notification sent to their smartphone every hour!

And.. Never say you’re sorry! It doesn’t happen that often, but when I get a negative reaction I just remind myself that the forum is for talking trash. Sometimes you cross the line. But hey!..Stuff happens, they will get over it.

Have a great playoff run!

QB –

Matt Moore, MIA: I recommended Moore two weeks ago and he’s still doing work. He had another three TD day. He only threw for 160 yards, but it was a blowout and he didn’t have to throw much.

Jake Locker, TEN: Matt Hasselbeck left the game with an injured elbow and Locker stepped up in a big way. He threw for two TDs, one being a 40 yarder to Nate Washington. Keep an eye on Hasselbeck’s injury status moving forward.

RB -

Kevin Smith, DET: Smith made a case to be the featured back in Detroit rushing for 140 yards on 16 carries and adding another 61 in the air with three TDs.

Toby Gerhart, MIN: Adrian Peterson went down with an ankle injury. In comes his handcuff Gerhart, who only went for 18 yards but has potential if Peterson misses some time.

Kendall Hunter, SF: I recommended Hunter last week, but go grab him if he’s still out there. As the 49ers move closer to clinching, Hunter will get more playing time.

Chris Ogbonnaya, CLE: A Browns running back finally had a strong fantasy performance. Ogbonnaya ran for 115 yards on 21 carries and tacked on another 19 through the air with a TD. Keep an eye on Montario Hardesty and Peyton Hillis moving forward.

WR -

Torrey Smith, BAL: Smith had a huge day catching six passes for 165 yards and a TD. I noticed Smith being dropped in a few leagues to make some roster room, so he could be out there.

Jerome Simpson, CIN: Unfortunately I recommended Simpson two weeks ago, a week before his goose egg of a performance, but if you played him this week, you were rewarded. With A.J. Green sidelined, the Bengals needed a deep threat, and Simpson was that guy. He caught eight passes for 152 yards. Keep an eye out on Green’s status moving forward.

Greg Little, CLE: Not a huge day from Little, but he was once again the top receiver in Cleveland. Look for that to continue moving forward.

TE -

Sorry guys, real slim pickens at the TE position.