It was a bad week to be a Raider, but that's always true. It was a REALLY bad week to be a 49er, and that's not true as often.
There were some bad performances Sunday. Some teams disappointed, some players got hurt, some games were laughers. It happens.
Unfortunately, nothing can top (bottom?) the worthlessness that was the San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving night. I could write an entire "Worst of the Week" column about the performance San Francisco put up Thursday without ever even worrying about Sunday.
I'm not doing that, of course, because I care more about all of you that to do that.
But oh, Niners ...
Worst quarterbacks in Week 13
Colin Kaepernick, SF (121 passing yards, 2 interceptions, 17 rushing yards, 1 fantasy point)
I discussed Kaepernick with some of the other SB Nation writers Friday, including a 49ers-centric guy, and the best we could come up with about Kaepernick is that "he lacks confidence" and "no one knows why." And that is just about as unhelpful a pair of phrases as I can imagine, so ... sorry about that. Kaepernick has averaged 10.3 fantasy points a game since his big Week 5, and hasn't gone for more than 13 in that time. It's been a horrific stretch by a quarterback most of us expected to be firmly in the top 10.
Next game: The 49ers play at Oakland next week, and while you love that matchup in theory, I just don't know how you use Kaepernick right now. He's my only quarterback in one league, and I honestly don't know what I'm going to do about it.
Derek Carr, OAK (173 passing yards, 2 interceptions, 1 rushing yard, 2 fantasy points)
If there's a bright side for Oakland coming out of Week 13, it's that ... Latavius Murray couldn't play, so he couldn't get hurt worse? Man, I don't even know. Carr now has five different games of seven or fewer fantasy points, and only one of more than 15. A rookie season that looked at least promising early on has crashed and burned of late, with 7.6 fantasy points per game in his last five. The Raiders went to Matt Schaub late Sunday, and he responded with 57 yards, an interception and a fumble, for negative-2 fantasy points, so ... he's not the answer either.
Next game: The worst two quarterbacks of this week, Kaepernick and Carr, face each other next week. Um ... start your defenses.
Tony Romo, DAL (199 passing yards, 2 inteceptions, -1 rushing yard, 3 fantasy points)
Brian Hoyer, CLE (192 passing yards, 2 interceptions, 3 fantasy points)
These two quarterbacks came out of Week 13 with the same fantasy total but exactly opposite prognoses. For Romo, this was a shake-it-off game, since he was playing a Thursday afternoon game after a Sunday night one and could legitimately be excused for fatigue. Hoyer, meanwhile, might have just lost his job -- he was replaced by Johnny Manziel late Sunday, and the rookie looked perfectly adequate.
Next game: For Romo, it's Thursday night at Chicago, and that could be good times. For Hoyer ... best of luck, man, because you might not play again for a bit.
Worst running backs in Week 13
Andre Ellington, ARI (12 rushing yards, 1 fantasy point)
The Arizona running back left in the second quarter Sunday with a hip pointer and didn't return. His production has been steadily tailing off in this latter part of the season, and now his status for Week 14 is in question. Between that and the fact that the Cardinals finish with games against the defenses of Kansas City, St. Louis, Seattle and San Francisco, and ... well, I hope you have another alternative for your starting running back.
Next game: If Ellington can play against the Chiefs, he'll be a low-end RB2. If he can't, one of Marion Grice, Stepfan Taylor and/or Michael Bush might have something to offer, but not much.
Frank Gore, SF (28 rushing yards, 8 passing yards, 2 fantasy points)
Things were looking up for Gore a few weeks ago. He had gotten 23 carries against the Saints and then 19 against the Giants, as many carries in a two-game stretch as he'd had all year, and he'd responded with reasonably good production. The last two weeks, though, he's had 23 total carries and 72 total yards, and he's lost a fumble to boot. The 49ers' offense has been a mess lately, averaging 15 points a game since beating St. Louis in Week 7, with the only game of more than 17 coming in that overtime win over the Saints. Sell San Francisco stock.
Next game: Once again, the 49ers play at the Raiders next week, and once again, theoretically you love that matchup, but I don't know how you confidently run Gore -- or any 49er offensive player except maybe Anquan Boldin -- out there with any confidence.
Shane Vereen, NE (6 rushing yards, 26 receiving yards, 2 fantasy points)
LeGarrette Blount had 10 carries. Brandon Bolden had only three, but scored a touchdown. Jonas Gray only got one. And Vereen had three, plus two targets in the passing game. Yes, the best bet is that Bill Belichick game-plans specific ways, and certain running backs fit certain plans. Would you be even the tiniest bit surprised if, three years after he retires, he writes a book with an entire chapter on how he likes to screw with fantasy teams?
Next game: At San Diego next week, this is another situation where I don't know how you trust any of them. I guess Blount is getting the lion's share, but man, I'd be terrified.
Worst wide receivers in Week 13
Steve Smith, BAL (2 receiving yards, 0 fantasy points)
Take out his touchdown in Week 12 (which, no, isn't fair, but work with me), and Smith's last month-plus looks abysmal. Since Week 6, he has 246 total yards, including 89 yards a week ago. He just hasn't been the same receiver since early in the season, and he's clearly been supplanted in the team's offense by Torrey Smith. Sunday, with only one catch (albeit four targets), was the worst of the group.
Next game: Baltimore travels to Miami next week. Not only can you not start Steve Smith, you probably can't even roster him. Drop, drop, drop.
Sammy Watkins, BUF (11 receiving yards, 1 fantasy points)
In Week 7, Watkins had 122 yards and two scores. In Week 8, 157 and one. Since then, in four games, he has 105 total yards, and hasn't seen the end zone. Watkins had to deal with an injury for a bit, and Sunday he was covered by Joe Haden, but the shine has really come off the rookie. If you were redrafting the rookie receivers today, Watkins would be right up there with Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr., because we know what he can do, but we need to see something before too long.
Next game: The Bills travel to Denver next week. Watkins will be a low-end flex play at best.
Anquan Boldin, SF (18 receiving yards, 1 fantasy point)
Michael Crabtree, SF (10 receiving yards, 1 fantasy point)
Oh, hey, more 49ers. The team was just a train wreck Thursday. Usually, when a team gets shut down, someone puts up a decent game -- Marcel Reece got five fantasy points for Oakland Sunday, for example. But the best game the 49ers got Thursday was Carlos Hyde, with four fantasy points, and this is a team with a lot of fantasy-relevant players. Sure, Seattle's defense is elite, but something's up in San Francisco.
Next game: Sigh. Saying it again. At Oakland, and you like the matchup, and I can't imagine using anyone.
Worst tight ends in Week 13
Jimmy Graham, NO (0 receiving yards, 0 fantasy points)
Somehow, that stat line doesn't even paint a complete picture. Graham not only caught no passes, he was never even targeted in Sunday's game. The Saints had reasons after the game -- basically boiling down to "the Steelers are good on defense" -- but it's hard to imagine that was it. It's not like Pittsburgh has been shutting down other elite players all year. Regardless, it didn't hurt the Saints, since Drew Brees found five different non-Graham players for touchdowns, but fantasy owners sure would like their elite tight end to be more ... you know, elite.
Next game: The Saints host the Panthers next week. You'd have to think they'd make getting Graham the ball a priority after that shutout.
Jason Witten, DAL (8 receiving yards, 0 fantasy points)
There didn't appear to be any grand reason behind Witten's virtual no-show on Thanksgiving. Maybe it was the quick turnaround of the game. Maybe it was just the fact that the Eagles have a really good defense. Maybe it was just bad luck. But the tight end who had scored in back-to-back games, three of four and four of six, did nothing Thursday.
Next game: The Cowboys play the Bears Thursday. Chicago's allowed more points to opposing tight ends than anyone, so Witten will be ranked where he always is: Near the top of that second, non-elite tier of tight ends.
Tim Wright, NE (12 receiving yards, 1 fantasy points)
This is part of the deal with Wright -- if you're using him, you're hoping it's one of his score-a-touchdown weeks, and Week 13 just wasn't one of them. It shouldn't change anything about anyone's evaluation of Wright going forward, because anyone investing in him knew the risks.
Next game: The Patriots travel to San Diego for Sunday night. Wright is a defensible risk/reward play if you don't have the top group of tight ends. Just like he always is.
Worst defense/special teams in Week 13
Oakland Raiders (52 points allowed, 1 sack, -4 fantasy points)
By giving up a pick-six and not many yards, the Raiders managed to keep their defense's fantasy performance from being among the season's worst. Still, this is an awful defense that was already worst in the league even before this game.
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