Fantasy football waiver wire, Week 14: LeGarrette Blount, Patriots backfield continues to perplex fantasy owners

It was a relatively quiet day for New England's backfield on Sunday. We take a look at what sense can be made out of it for fantasy purposes.

If the rumors of a run-heavy approach for the New England Patriots were true, those plans were quickly changed when the Patriots found themselves constantly trying to catch up with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The Patriots managed just 18 total carries as a team while Tom Brady ended up with 35 pass attempts.

LeGarrette Blount led with 10 attempts for 58 yards. It was a bit of a departure from his two-touchdown performance in Week 12. Jonas Gray saw just one carry for 4 yards. Brandon Bolden was the wildcard of the week -- scoring the backfield's only touchdown -- but he added just 17 rushing yards to his day. As usual, Shane Vereen was more involved in the passing game but did see three carries for 6 yards.

Fantasy impact: Week 13 was just another reminder that the Patriots have an unpredictable backfield. A Patriots running back can be trending toward Pro Bowl numbers, only to be benched for a single fumble. Another running back could find the end zone three times in one game before disappearing on the depth chart for weeks. Just when you think you've figured it out, you realize that it's an impossible task.

At this point, any running back is a gamble. It would be best to consider Blount and Gray flex options at best knowing that Bolden could vulture a touchdown on any given week. If possible, the entire situation is one to avoid.

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Fantasy football waiver wire, Week 14: Harry Douglas steps up with Roddy White sidelined

Harry Douglas played well with Roddy White off the field. We take a look at the fantasy implications.

Harry Douglas had his best game of the season in Week 13. With Roddy White dealing with an ankle injury, Douglas stepped up with nine catches for 116 yards when the Atlanta Falcons beat the Arizona Cardinals. Whenever either White or Julio Jones are playing at less than 100 percent or not playing at all, Douglas seems to produce.

Douglas' previous season high was a 6-69-0 stat line in Week 1. It's unlikely that Douglas will repeat his success in Week 14, since White's injury doesn't appear to be very serious.

Fantasy impact: It's too late in the season to bet on Douglas. Unless White misses significant time, Douglas will likely be buried behind White and Jones for the remainder of the season. If White can't suit up in Week 14, Douglas is a risky WR3 option. In the meantime, plug in your more reliable options as we head into the fantasy playoffs.

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Fantasy football waiver wire, Week 14: Eddie Royal remains dicey option despite solid game

Eddie Royal resurfaced with a touchdown in Week 13. We take a look at his fantasy value moving forward.

Eddie Royal was a big part of the San Diego Chargers' victory in Week 13. Royal caught nine of his ten targets for 81 yards and a touchdown, helping the Chargers get a win over the Baltimore Ravens. Royal's score was his first since Week 6.

There was a lot of production for San Diego receivers on Sunday. Keenan Allen, Malcom Floyd, Antonio Gates and Royal all eclipsed 80 yards receiving for the day. Allen led the way with an 11-121-2 stat line on 15 targets. Royal is the team's WR3 but is more of a WR4 on the roster when you factor in Gates' production in the receiving game.

Fantasy impact: Fantasy owners should be used to this by now. Royal is barely owned in 20 percent of leagues, and for good reason. There's no telling when he'll need to step up.

Between Gates, Allen and Floyd, there's little room for Royal to sustain anything worthwhile for fantasy purposes. He's a WR4 that can be streamed in desperation as owners hope to catch him on a good week.

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Fantasy football waiver wire, Week 14: Kenny Stills emerges as top Saints receiver

Kenny Stills has stepped up in New Orleans. We take a look at his fantasy value moving forward.

With Brandin Cooks on injured reserve and Marques Colston under-performing, it appears that Kenny Stills is embracing his role on the New Orleans Saints' offense. In Week 13, Stills caught five passes for 162 yards and a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stills led Saints receivers in every possible category.

Stills was coming off a game against the Baltimore Ravens where he caught eight passes for 98 yards. With Jimmy Graham constantly drawing the attention of opposing defenses, Stills appears to be a promising talent down the stretch as the Saints look to stay afloat in the NFC South.

Fantasy impact: Stills is owned in less than half of fantasy leagues and should see that number rise heading into Week 14. Many assumed Colston would benefit from the absence of Cooks, but Stills seems to be the clear-cut beneficiary up to this point.

What makes Stills even more appealing is the stretch of soft defenses he'll face during the fantasy playoffs. After the Carolina Panthers in Week 14, Stills will go up against the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons.

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Fantasy football waiver wire, Week 14: Colt McCoy has impressive return

Colt McCoy is coming off some strong numbers against the Colts in Week 13. We take a look at his fantasy value moving forward.

It appears as though Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III will be lucky to see the field again in 2014. Despite a team loss, Colt McCoy completed 31 of 47 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns. Ball security was an issue for McCoy, who fumbled the ball four times but only lost one in the process.

McCoy and the rest of Washington's offense struggled early in the game but rallied in the third quarter. Most of his production came in the second half. The slow start shouldn't be too surprising considering it was McCoy's first start since Week 8.

Fantasy impact: It's difficult to praise a quarterback after one week. Defenses can't game plan against them as easily, and there isn't much of a track record to go off of for fantasy purposes. It's likely that McCoy won't post similar numbers against the St. Louis Rams in Week 14. In fact, it's difficult to recommend him at all in Week 14. However, he's a decent streaming option in Week 15 when Washington faces the New York Giants.

Still, as we head into the fantasy playoffs, throwing McCoy into your starting lineup is a risk no matter how you choose to look at it. It's best to consider him a QB2 as we move forward, but he's certainly worth a stash if you're struggling at the position over the next few weeks.

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Fantasy football waiver wire, Week 14: Dan Herron outshines Trent Richardson

Dan Herron is proving to be the more promising running back in Indianapolis. We take a look at his fantasy value moving forward.

Indianapolis Colts running back Dan Herron appears to be the answer during Ahmad Bradshaw's absence. Utilized much like Bradshaw was before his leg injury, Herron rushed eight times for 88 yards and a score against Washington. He added two receptions for 8 yards to his day. The bulk of Herron's production came from a 49-yard touchdown in the first half of the game. Herron later lost a fumble, which led to him sitting on the bench until the fourth quarter.

Despite the benching, Trent Richardson did little to threaten Herron's workload. Richardson finished with a pathetic 12 yards after rushing eight times for the day. Herron simply outplayed Richardson with an almost identical workload.

Fantasy impact: Richardson owners who were hoping he'd step up with Bradshaw on injured reserve should start considering him a liability at this point. He was lackluster against the Jacksonville Jaguars and couldn't find more than a 3-yard gain against a tough Washington run defense. He's an RB3 at best moving forward.

Herron may not be a tremendously talented running back, but he's operating in a strong offense and is taking advantage of his opportunities. If anything, it just goes to show how poor Richardson's level of play has been over the past year. Fantasy owners can treat Herron much like they would Bradshaw moving forward. He lacks the experience of Bradshaw but should succeed as long as he avoids making more mistakes for the remainder of the season.

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Borussia Dortmund's struggles highlight their fans' passion

One of Germany's powers end the weekend staring at last place in the Bundesliga, but that's not getting their fans down one iota, and it serves to highl

In the last five years, Borussia Dortmund have won the Bundesliga twice, the German Cup once, and have been to a Champions League final, which they lost to arch-rivals Bayern Munich. Expectations were high again this season, as fans hoped to see their beloved BVB challenge Bayern for the league again after finishing second again last season, but 19 points behind Bayern.

Now, with the calendar turning to December and 13 league matches in the books, things have not gone according to plan. Domestically, their season has been a disaster.

Dortmund are dead last in the Bundesliga, 18th out of 18 teams after losing 2-0 to Frankfurt. They've won just 11 points from 13 games, scoring only 14 goals and surrendering 21. A vicious run of injuries has left their squad threadbare, and despite their strong form in the Champions League, they've dropped points left, right, and center in the league.

While normally you'd expect the fans to be incensed at results like this, that hasn't been the case:

@DortmundAmerica Hard to believe but we just gotta keep on supporting the team, nothing else we can do

— Dortmund USA (@DortmundUSA) November 30, 2014

That's the attitude that's been sweeping the Dortmund fanbase over the last few weeks. Sure, there's been plenty of head-scratching and hand-wringing as fans try to assimilate what they're seeing and find a solution. But instead of gnashing their teeth and getting angry, as you might expect, by and large they're uniting behind the club and supporting Dortmund as voraciously as ever.

true love http://ift.tt/1rLlHFg

— Dortmund America (@DortmundAmerica) November 30, 2014

Where many would expect fans to be angry at the state of their club, Dortmund fans are instead rallying around their team, showing love rather than rage. That kind of support is something that can buoy a club in the darker times, especially when you've got fans like Dortmund does who can channel their emotions and put on incredible displays in the stands, using banners and chants and passion that's difficult to rival anywhere else. Fans like that are one of the things that make football great.

Sometimes those fan emotions end ugly, like when Atlético Madrid fans fought with Deportivo la Coruña fans this weekend, leaving one fan dead, or when the same happened between Napoli and Roma fans last season, before a match that Roma wasn't even involved in. When passion meets passion, sometimes ugly things come out of it.

But when that dark side is kept in check, fans can do some wonderful things. Even with Dortmund's struggles, their fans have been loud in the stadium, and supportive off it. Their drive to help the team succeed is incredibly admirable, and if Dortmund manage to turn this season around, it will be in large part because of their fans' love and support.

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