Saturday games only add to the intensity and lure of Fantasy Championship Week. Both games have serious playoff implications. The Eagles and Chargers are battling for a much coveted playoff spot. The Eagles are taking on their dysfunctional division rival, the Redskins while the Chargers are taking on the equally dysfunctional and twice as disappointing 49ers. It would not be much of a shock to see either playoff contender have their playoff hopes spoiled by their Week 16 opponent. There are also a ton of fantasy relevant players in this game. This Saturday will go a long way in determining your leagues fantasy championship.

Note: Being that this is championship week, we will only being covering people you may be considering playing in a championship game.

Philadelphia Eagles: Key Players
QB Mark Sanchez
For some reason Sanchez has a huge bandwagon and a cult of followers. Turns out he’s still not all that good. He is much more effective in Chip Kelly’s offense than he was in that thing the Jets do when they are given a football, but is that really saying much? He’s not a terrible start, but he is very hard to trust in a championship game. If you don’t believe me, ask Rex Ryan.
Verdict: Sit Sanchez. He’s a last resort kind of guy.

RB LeSean McCoy
McCoy has been a disappointment this season when you consider he was the consensus No. 1 overall pick heading in to the season. Still, he has failed to reach expectations but is better than most RBs. He is still an RB1 and should be utilized as such.
Verdict: Start McCoy. A big championship game against a bad Redskins’ team can make amends for all his short-comings.

WR Jeremy Maclin
Maclin was a top WR all season with Nick Foles and appears to have gotten on the same page with Sanchez recently. He played a major role in getting you to the playoffs, now is certainly not the time to turn your back on him.
Verdict: Start Maclin. He’s clearly the comeback player of the year and has been great. He needs to be in your starting lineup.

WR Jordan Matthews
Matthews has really thrived since Sanchez has taken over for Foles. Until last week when he put up a donut. It is tough to trust him after that but that was more likely an aberration than a trend.
Verdict: Start Matthews. It’s tough but he has been very good and has a great matchup.

Washington Redskins
QB Robert Griffin III
RG3 came back last week and he actually wasn’t so bad. He looked closer to the RG3 of old than we had seen all season. He threw for 236 yards and a TD and added 46 yards on the ground. He has and has always had all the upside in the world but do you really want to roll the dice on him in your championship? Even if Philly is allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing QBs.
Verdict: Sit Griffin III. His own coach doesn’t want to start him so how can you?

RB Alfred Morris
Morris has had three straight subpar weeks and suffered a minor groin injury in the second half of last week’s game. You have probably ridden Morris most of the season, but it may be time to jump off that sinking ship. The Eagles were able to slow down DeMarco Murray so I’m not so confident in Alf.
Verdict: Sit Morris. I would somewhat reluctantly leave him on the bench championship week.

WR DeSean Jackson
After a scorching hot start to the season, D-Jax has been a disappointment over the past month. Aside from one big catch against the Colts, he’s done next to nothing since November 2. Still he does have a tremendous matchup and is more than capable of a huge game.
Verdict: Start Jackson. He is more of a WR3/Flex option now, but you can still put him in your lineup. Just temper expectations if you were relying on him to be a WR2 or better.

TE Jordan Reed
His lack of production cannot be blamed on a lack of talent. When healthy Reed has the talent to be an elite TE1. However, he has been limited by injuries and the overall dysfunction of the Redskins’ organization this season. He is a very intriguing player.
Verdict: Sit Reed. The upside is more than there but the numbers don’t lie. He is so tempting but odds are he’s better off left on the bench in such a huge game.

Predictions

Final Score
Philadelphia: 34
Washington: 20

Best Play
Eagles: Jeremy Maclin
Redskins: DeSean Jackson

Sleeper
Jordan Reed

San Diego Chargers: Key Players
QB Philip Rivers
The days of Rivers being the frontrunner for 2014 MVP seems like a long time ago now. He couldn’t have started the season off any better, but since his debacle in Miami he has been average at best. Luckily for him the 49ers defense is far from we have become accustomed to but it’s still hard to trust Rivers.
Verdict: Sit Rivers. He just has too much down side right now. He has a decent ceiling but also a scary floor.

WR Eddie Royal
With Keenan Allen out with a broken collarbone, the other WRs will have a major opportunity and will need to step up. Royal has had some great moments this season but like all the Chargers WRs has lacked consistency.
Verdict: Sit Royal. You just don’t know which guy to trust and this is not the week to risk it.

WR Malcom Floyd
Floyd and Royal are literally interchangeable. Read above, no need to repeat myself.
Verdict: Sit Floyd

TE Antonio Gates
While Gates is not what he was half a decade ago, he is still an excellent TE and continues to ward off father time. He is a great option this week with Allen, Ryan Mathews and Ladarius Green all injured. His matchup is favorable and he has always been River’s security blanket. He may need him now more than ever.
Verdict: Start Gates. There is now way you’re finding 12, 10 or even eight better options.

San Francisco 49ers
QB Colin Kaepernick
Kaepernick has looked more like Kraepernick this season. Do you think when Kaep and Kevin Garnett made those headphone commercials with all the fans screaming at them that the fans that hate them would end up being the home fans? They probably really need those headphones now because those fans were right. The only question about Kaep’s performance is if he has embarrassed himself more on the field or when doing press conferences.
Verdict: Sit Kaepernick. It’s never good when your team regrets not keeping Alex Smith.

RB Frank Gore
Carlos Hyde is all but out and Gore is yet to pass concussion protocol. If he plays, Gore may be a very solid option, but right now that’s a very big if. Monitor his status closely heading in to Saturday’s game.
Verdict: Start Gore. If active.

WR Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree has looked more like Michael Craptree this season. See what I did there, doubled up the joke on you. Many owners had very high hopes for Crabtree this season but he has fallen far short of expectations. Ever since Richard Sherman proclaimed him “mediocre” he has been just that.
Verdict: Sit Crabtree. He’s just not very good.

WR Anquan Boldin
Boldin is one of the most underrated and reliable WRs I have ever watched play football. He’s like a bigger Hines Ward. He has a big body and reliable hands and always has PPR value. He’s also a great red zone target.
Verdict: Start Boldin. Despite a sputtering 49ers passing game, you can trust Boldin to give you something. If you’re scrambling for a flex he’s never a terrible option.

Predictions

Final Score
San Diego: 24
San Francisco: 20

Best Play
Chargers: Antonio Gates
49ers: Anquan Boldin

Sleeper
Alfonso Smith