How’s your playoff picture looking?
Assuming you’re in a head-to-head league, the best time of the year has come. And seemingly on command, the real world decided to throw some teasers your way as you jockey for that perfect lineup next week.
Jason Campbell (Redskins), Bruce Gradkowski (Raiders), Alex Smith (49ers), Chad Henne (Dolphins), Robert Meachem (Saints), Brady Quinn (Browns) and Louis Murphy (Raiders) all finished inside the top 20 on Sunday.
Besides Meachem (50 percent owned), all of them are available in at least 70 percent of leagues — meaning only their respective mothers and other blood relatives probably own them.
Do you like to gamble? Meachem (playing for home-field advantage) and Smith (next week against the Cardinals) have the most upside, while Campbell and Quinn inspire as much confidence as prehistoric building codes. Gradkowski and Murphy could be easily dismissed, but the Raiders quietly played excellent football late in the season last year under similarly meaningless circumstances — and they still have Washington and Cleveland on the schedule.
The bigger question for Week 14 is who to start and who to sit?
Teams with favorable matchups: Saints, Ravens, Steelers, Jets, Chargers, Bills and Titans.
Matchups that make you nervous: Vikings vs. Bengals, Colts vs. Broncos, Jaguars vs. Dolphins and Giants vs. Eagles.
FIVE WHO ARE HOT
Bruce Gradkowski, Raiders, QB 20 completions, 308 yards, three TDs
Robert Meachem, Saints, WR Eight catches, 142 yards, touchdown
Tony Romo, Cowboys, QB 41 completions, 392 yards, three touchdowns
Alex Smith, 49ers, QB 27 completions, 310 yards, two touchdowns
Jonathan Stewart, Panthers, RB; 26 carries, 120 yards, touchdown; one catch, 6 yards
FIVE WHO ARE NOT
Frank Gore, 49ers, RB Nine carries, 25 yards; five catches, 37 yards, fumble lost
Vincent Jackson, Chargers, WR; two catches, 54 yards
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars, RB; 24 carries, 76 yards
Mike Sims-Walker, Jaguars, WR; one catch, 12 yards
Reggie Wayne, Colts, WR Four catches, 48 yards
