Thursday December 3, 2015
Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions

This game is much more interesting than it was three weeks ago. All of a sudden, the Lions are playing well and the Packers are awful. While Eddie Lacy looks less like a marshmallow and more like a running back now, the Packers wide receivers appear to have feet where their hands are supposed to be and Aaron Rodgers looks very human. The defense is mediocre as always as well. The Lions are coming off a dismantling of the Philadelphia Eagles and seem to really be hitting their stride. Last times these teams faced off, the Lions won in Green Bay for the first time since Lincoln was president. The Packers desperately need to get this one.

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Green Bay Packers: Key Players

QB Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers has not been the same guy that won the MVP last season. He’s still a solid option, just not that consistent elite option he was expected to be. He’s only hit the 300-yard mark three times this season and has only hit 250 yards four times. This includes a 77-yard, no touchdown game in Week 8. Rodgers hasn’t come close to completing 60 percent of his passes since that Week 8 disaster and only completed 47.1 percent of his passes Week 11, which happens to be their only win since the bye week.
Verdict: Start Rodgers. You’re going to start him and he should be fine. However, you can’t be quite as confident as you may have hoped this season.

RB Eddie Lacy
Lacy has looked like a hefty sloth for the majority of the season, like a jelly donut in a helmet. All of a sudden he’s beginning to play very well. He looks faster and has been much more productive. It seems as if Lacy owners next season should bench him for about half the season because these slow starts are becoming a trend.
Verdict: Start Lacy. He’s been very good lately. He was useless for the majority of the season so get as much out of him now as you can.

WR Randall Cobb
Cobb has been another major disappointment this season. After Jordy Nelson tore his ACL, Cobb rocketed up draft boards. He was already high, but many were drafting him as a top five receiver. As Rodgers’ top target, what could possibly go wrong? Plenty apparently. He was hindered by a shoulder injury and has not done well as a top option.
Verdict: Start Cobb. He hasn’t been good, but you still probably drafted him as your WR1. It just feels like once you finally bench him, he’s going to go off.

WR Davante Adams
Adams has been terrible from a real life perspective. His numbers have been decent thanks to a high volume of targets, nevertheless, he looks awful. His routes are sloppy and he is struggling to catch the ball. There is little to believe he’ll be any more consistent any time soon.
Verdict: Sit Adams. The bottom line is he’s not very good. If he goes off, then so be it. There has to be a better option though.

Detroit Lions: Key Players

QB Matthew Stafford
Stafford hasn’t been very good this season, but he did lead all QBs in points last week after torching a hopeless Eagles defense. Until he proves otherwise, we are viewing Thanksgiving as more of an aberration than a sign of things to come.
Verdict: Sit Stafford. Don’t jump on board and start him after a great game. He’s a good start in 2QB leagues and perhaps in deeper leagues, but he’s not a top-10 option.

RB Ameer Abdullah
The Lions running backs are not very good. Abdullah is the flashiest so I went with him. Theo Riddick has been the better PPR option but nobody seems to care about him, however, they slightly care about Abdullah. Still, the Lions backfield is full of bad options.
Verdict: Sit Abdullah. This RB corps is best avoided. If you’re going with one of them, start Riddick.

WR Calvin Johnson
While Megatron has not been that elite option fantasy owners hoped for, he’s still Megatron. After catching three TDs last week, hopefully he’s back on track. Unlike Stafford, this is much more likely to be a sign of big things for the fantasy playoffs.
Verdict: Start Johnson. You’re pretty much starting him every week he’s healthy. He may be the most physically gifted WR in the history of the league.

WR Golden Tate
Tate is so much better when Johnson is sidelined. Nonetheless, he’s an ultra-talented WR2. He should be considered a high-upside flex option moving forward. Low floor, high ceiling. His inconsistency kills his value.
Verdict: Sit Tate. He’s just not good enough to start with confidence on a consistent basis. Tate is not a bad option, but he’s not great either.

Final Score
Green Bay: 21
Detroit: 20

Best Play
Packers: Eddie Lacy
Lions: Calvin Johnson

Sleeper
Theo Riddick