LestersLegends.com

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It was a thrilling 11th week of NFL action. Here are my Week 12 picks.
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Week 11 Results:  10-4
Week 11 Lock Picks:  2-0
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Previous Lock to Win Picks: NE (W), PIT (W), SD (W), GB (W), NYG (L), NYJ (W), DAL (W), SF (W), ATL (W), BAL (L), CHI (W)
Previous Lock to Lose Picks: MIN (W), CAR (W), INDY (W), SEA (W), NYJ (W), STL (W), JAX (L), MIA (W) CLE (W), OAK (L), KC (W)
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Regular Season Total: 109-51 (.681)
Regular Season Lock Picks: 18-4 (.818)
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Week 12 Locks:
Lock to Win:  Cincinnati Bengals
Lock to Lose (can’t be same game as above):  Philadelphia Eagles
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Week 12 Picks:
Green Bay over Detroit
Dallas over Miami
Baltimore over San Francisco
Atlanta over Minnesota
Cincinnati over Cleveland  (Winner Lock)
Tennessee over Tampa Bay
Carolina over Indianapolis
St. Louis over Arizona
New York Jets over Buffalo
Houston over Jacksonville
Oakland over Chicago
Seattle over Washington
New England over Philadelphia  (Loser Lock)
Denver over San Diego
Pittsburgh over Kansas City
New York Giants over New Orleans
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These are heads-up picks. We’re doing picks with the spread on Yahoo. If you want to get in on the action, leave me a message in the comment section with your e-mail or send one to me at ryan@lesterslegends.com.
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Want to win a Lester’s Legends t-shirt? Click here to enter the free contest page!
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Also check out:

• Week 12 Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football TE Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football K Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football DEF Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football Sit/Start Advice
• Week 12 Fantasy Football Sleepers
• Week 12 Fantasy Football Waiver Advice

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There were some unusual heroes on Sunday. There always are. Let’s take a look at them and see if they are worthy of your fantasy rosters.
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Rex Grossman, QB, Washington Redskins:  Grossman threw for 289 yards and two TDs (one INT) and ran for ten yards and another score. I still don’t have faith in the Redskins’ offense.
Ruling:  Don’t Sweat ‘em.
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Matt Moore, QB, Miami Dolphins:  Moore only threw for 160 yards, but he tossed three TD passes. That’s the second time in three weeks with a trio of scores. He’s only useful in two quarterback leagues though with the byes over.
Ruling:  Don’t Sweat ‘em.
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Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco 49ers:  Smith threw for 267 yards and two TDs (one INT) and ran for 17 yards. The Cardinals are a bad defensive team. He won’t likely repeat.
Ruling:  Don’t Sweat ‘em.
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Toby Gerhart, RB, Minnesota Vikings:  Depending on how long Adrian Peterson is out, Gerhart becomes a necessary addition. He had just 25 yards (18 rushing, seven receiving), but that’s partly because the Raiders got up early.
Ruling:  Get ‘em.
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Joe McKnight, RB, New York Jets:  Replaced the injured Shonn Greene in the Thursday Night Football game and had 59 yards rushing and 62 yards receiving (six catches, seven targets). Greene has extra time to recover, but McKnight should be owned considering Greene has been underwhelming this year.
Ruling:  Get ‘em.
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Chris Ogbonnaya, RB, Cleveland Browns:  Ogbonnaya did damage with 115 yards rushing, 19 yards receiving (two catches, three targets), and a score. Two solid weeks in a row.
Ruling:  Get ‘em.
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Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit Lions:  Smith ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns. He added four catches (four targets) for 61 yards and another TD. How can’t you endorse a player after a game like that?
Ruling:  Get ‘em.
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Jabar Gaffney, WR, Washington Redskins:  Gaffney caught seven passes (ten targets) for 115 yards and a touchdown. He has played better with Grossman this year and is decent for WR depth.
Ruling:  Get ‘em.
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Johnny Knox, WR, Chicago Bears:  Knox caught three passes (five targets) for 97 yards and a score. He had one catch in each of his previous two games. He’s not worth a roster spot.
Ruling:  Don’t Sweat ‘em.
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Jerome Simpson, WR, Cincinnati Bengals:  Simpson abused Baltimore with eight catches (13 targets) for 152 yards. He went catchless in Week 10, but has been solid four of the past five games.
Ruling:  Get ‘em.
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Anthony Fasano, TE, Miami Dolphins:  Fasano caught both of his targets for eight yards and a score. That’s three solid weeks in a row for Fasano, but he still isn’t a steady fantasy option.
Ruling:  Don’t Sweat ‘em.
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Want to win a Lester’s Legends t-shirt? Click here to enter the free contest page!
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Also check out:

• Week 12 Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football TE Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football K Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football DEF Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy Football Sit/Start Advice
• Week 12 Fantasy Football Sleepers
• Week 12 NFL Picks

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Justin (left), my nine-year old nephew is over and wants to take a crack at Week 12 picks. Click here to see my picks. Click here to see Heath’s (right) picks.
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New England over Detroit
New Orleans over Dallas
New York Jets over Cincinnati
Atlanta over Green Bay
Pittsburgh over Buffalo
Cleveland over Carolina
New York Giants over Jacksonville
Minnesota over Washington
Tennessee over Houston
Oakland over Miami
Kansas City over Seattle
Chicago over Philadelphia
Denver over St. Louis
Baltimore over Tampa Bay
Indianapolis over San Diego
San Francisco over Arizona

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Last Week’s Results:  11-5   (MIA, CIN, TENN, ARI, SF let me down) let him down)
Season Results:  98-62 (.613)
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My six-year old son wants to see how he does over the course of the season picking the NFL winners. Here are his Week 12 picks. Click here to see my picks.
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New England over Detroit
New Orleans over Dallas
New York Jets over Cincinnati
Green Bay over Atlanta
Pittsburgh over Buffalo
Cleveland over Carolina
Jacksonville over New York Giants
Minnesota over Washington
Tennessee over Houston
Miami over Oakland
Kansas City over Seattle
Philadelphia over Chicago
Denver over St. Louis
Baltimore over Tampa Bay
Indianapolis over San Diego
San Francisco over Arizona

Click here to enter the contest to win a cool fantasy football t-shirt.

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Week 11 Results:  11-5   (MIA, CIN, TENN, CLE, SF let me down)
Week 11 Lock Picks:  1-1  (TENN let me down)

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Previous Lock to Win Picks:  SF (L), GB (W),  NE (W), NO (W), ATL (W), PIT (W), BAL (W), KC (W), MIN (W), NYG (L), TEN (L)
Previous Lock to Lose Picks:  DET (W), ARI (W), CLE (W), JAX (L), CAR (W), STL (L), CIN (W), HOU (W), DAL (W), CIN (W), SEA (W)

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Regular Season Lock Picks:  17-5 (.773)
Regular Season Total:  95-65 (.594)

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Week 12 Locks:
Lock to Win:  New York Jets
Lock to Lose (can’t be same game as above):  Buffalo Bills
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Week 12 Picks:
New England over Detroit
New Orleans over Dallas
New York Jets over Cincinnati (Winner Lock)
Green Bay over Atlanta
Pittsburgh over Buffalo (Loser Lock)
Cleveland over Carolina
New York Giants over Jacksonville
Minnesota over Washington
Houston over Tennessee
Oakland over Miami
Kansas City over Seattle
Philadelphia over Chicago
Denver over St. Louis
Baltimore over Tampa Bay
Indianapolis over San Diego
Arizona over San Francisco

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These are heads-up picks. We’re doing picks with the spread on Yahoo. If you want to get in on the action, leave me a message in the comment section with your e-mail or send one to me at contact@lesterslegends.com.

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Also check out:

• Sneaky Week 12 Fantasy Football Pick-ups
• Week 12 Get ‘em or Don’t Sweat ‘em Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 12 Fantasy QB Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy RB Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy WR Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy TE Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy K Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy DEF Rankings
• Week 12 Fantasy IDP Rankings
• Week 12 Start/Sit Advice
• Week 12 Fantasy Sleepers

Before we get started, click here for my Week 12 NFL Picks.

Time for another edition of Fantasy Football Out on a Limb. I scour the rosters to select a player who I feel will outperform a higher profile player in that given week. I base my decisions on matchups, how the players are trending, and the ever-important hunch. To mix things up I’ll occasionally do some two on one matchups or even pit RB or WR duos against each other. Sometimes I’ll spot a player some points.

Scoring
6 points for rushing or receiving TD
4 points for a passing TD
0.1 points per yard for rushing or receiving
0.05 points per passing yard.

Last Week

Matthew Stafford over Joe Flacco:  Winner Stafford 41.8, Flacco 12.6
Jason Snelling over Ryan Grant:  Winner Snelling 20.9, Grant 20.5
Beanie Wells over Marion Barber:  WinnerBeanie14.5, MB3 10.7
Sidney Rice over Vincent Jackson:  Winner Rice 20.9, V-Jax 5.6
Pierre Garcon over Derrick Mason:  Loser Garcon 10.1, Mason 14.2
SS:  Jamal Lewis over Thomas Jones:  Loser Jamal 8.8, TJ 10.3

Regular Picks:  4-1
Super Stretch Picks:  0-1
Overall:  4-2

Season Record
Regular Picks: 25-27
Super Stretch Picks:  4-9
Overall: 29-36

Week 12 Picks

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers over Drew Brees +1 and Tom Brady +1
Yep, I’m doing it. I’m spotting Brees and Brady a point a piece. The two collide on Monday Night in a game you’ve probably saw hyped a shade under a million times by now. Meanwhile, it’s Rodgers who I feel has the monster game of the week as he’s taking on Detroit on Thanksgiving. Detroit is dead last in passing yards allowed (275.3) and 31st in passing TDs allowed (24). What’s worse is they actually made Brady Quinn look like a good NFL QB last week.

Running Backs

Ricky Williams over Chris Johnson
I should have picked this match-up last week, but I’ll take my chances that Ricky can do it again. He faces Buffalo’s run defense that ranks 31st ranked in rushing yards allowed (165.9 yards per game) and rushing TDs allowed (15). Chris Johnson faces Arizona’s 15th ranked run defense, that has allowed just 7 rushing TDs.

Jason Snelling over Joseph Addai
I’ll ride Snelling’s hot hand. He takes on Tampa’s 32nd ranked run defense (168.9 yards per game). Addai faces Houston’s 22nd ranked run defense (120.6), but I think this one will be more about Peyton Manning than the running game.

Putting the final piece of your fantasy football puzzle together

I’ve uncovered some guys you can plug in if you are dealing with an injury or tough matchups.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seattle Seahawks
Matt struggled last week against the Vikings, but almost everyone they faced this year has struggled against them. Life should be much easier for them this week when they take on St. Louis, who is giving up 236.7 passing yards and 1.5 passing TDs per game.

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
Matt bounced back last week after five consecutive mediocre starts. This week he takes on Tampa Bay, who is 30th in the league with 22 passing TDs allowed. Matt is also playing at home where he’s been far more effective.

Home: 4 games, 192.3 yards per game, 8 TDs, 4 INTS
Away: 6 games, 251.2 yards per game, 8 TDs, 8 INTs

Justin Forsett, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Shame on me for piling on the poor Rams, but I’m going to do just that. They are 28th against the run allowing 146.4 yards per game. They are also tied for 29th with 14 rushing TDs allowed. Forsett should contribute both on the ground and through the air.