The No Huddle Episode 11-12

Week 12, Thanksgiving week, is upon us in Fantasy Football and the NFL.

Tony Meale from FantasyFootballJungle.com was on the podcast. He had a lot of great insight about what to do if you’re in the play-off hunt.

The Bronocs waived QB Kyle Orton and two days later the Chiefs picked him up. He posted some solid numbers last year and a change of scenery could be just the tonic he needs. He may be activated for Sunday night’s game against the Steelers, but likely won’t start. With the Chiefs still in the hunt for the AFC West crown, we could see a Carson Palmer situation, with Orton coming on in relief. He’s played this year, so that seems even more likely.

WR Jeremy Maclin is out. That means Jason Avant will likely start, although Steve Smith may also see some targets from QB Vince Young.

WR Julio Jones is probable for Sunday, meaning Harry Douglas will return to the number 2 spot.

WR Mario Manningham is questionable for the Giants.

WR Sydney Rice will likely play against the Redskins, as will QB Tavaris Jackson.

WR Andre Johnson is probable for the Texans, but will have Matt Leinhart throwing to him. Keep an eye on this situation though. Last week’s guest on the podcast, Joe Long, told us that Leinhart could be a sleeper pick up given the Texans soft schedule down the stretch.

RB Adrian Peterson is out meaning Toby Gerhart will get the start. The Falcons are very tough against the run though.

RB Darren McFadden is out. Michael Bush again gets the start.

RB Fred Jackson is out for the season meaning the running duties now fall to CJ Spiller who draws a tough Jets defense in his first start.

Speaking of the Jets, LaDainian Tomlinson is unlikely to start.

QB John Skelton will start for Arizona against St. Louis. Neither team is moving the ball particularly well. Save for WR Larry Fitzgerald, a solid starter, even RBs Steven Jackson and Beanie Wells, is hard to find in this lot. That being said, it’s not like those guys are in a committee situation, so both should get the majority of their teams’ carries.

Whether you’re still in it, or if you’ve been eliminated, stay on top of things especially down the stretch. You should be noting who is doing well in the final weeks of the season, as that will be a good indicator of how things shape for the 2012 season. One thing to look for is running back committees. Also, check how players are doing in your league’s scoring system. If you are in a points-per-reception (PPR) league, running backs that catch a lot of passes out of the backfield are of course much more valuable. RB Roy Helu is a good example. He leads all rookie backs in receptions, and if he can establish himself as the starter he’ll be a solid pick in PPR leagues next year.

Good luck in your games. Remember, you can stream, or download, The No Huddle at Podbean, or subscribe in iTunes.

Don’t forget to check out our comedy podcast, PF’s Tape Recorder.