Dynasty Recap – Week 17 – Broncos beat up Raiders, 34-14

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was ridiculously good, going 25 of 28 for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Despite Manning’s age, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to trade or draft Manning for a chance to win it all in your league in the next year or two.
Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor had a decent day, going 21 of 38 yards for 207 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 49 yards rushing. It remains to be seen who sticks around next year but Pryor is still an intriguing prospect.
Broncos rookie running back Montee Ball continues to impress with 72 yards on 10 carries and, most important, no turnovers. Ball is someone to look at next year as possibly getting the starting job.
Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas capped his stellar 2013 season with six catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. As long as Peyton is around, he’s a top five dynasty option at receiver.

Dynasty Recap – Week 16 – Chargers beat up Raiders, 26-13

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews continues his solid year with 99 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown. He also added three catches for 20 yards. Mathews will be an interesting dynasty asset next year as he’ll be back in San Diego but can he stay healthy?
Raiders running back Rashad Jennings had a solid day with 45 yards on 10 carries. He also added three catches for 27 yards. Jennings has earned a starting job this year but you never know what the brain trust is thinking in Oakland for next year.
Raiders receiver Andre Holmes continues to grind away, leading the team in targets with eight, catches with five, and yards with 71. Holmes was a great combine prospect and would be best served with decent quarterback play.

Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles exploded for, possibly, the best fantasy day by any player this year. He only rushed for 20 yards and a touchdown but caught eight passes for 195 yards and four more touchdowns. It’s a battle between Charles and McCoy for top running back in dynasty.
Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith had a good day too, thanks to Charles. He went 17 of 20 for 287 yards and five touchdowns. Smith is an excellent game manager and is productive when there’s talent like Charles around him.
Raiders running back Rashad Jennings returned to action with 91 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. It remains to be seen if Jennings will return to Oakland but, if he does, will be a viable RB2 option in dynasty leagues.

Raiders running back Marcel Reece had a good day with 123 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown plus two catches for 38 yards. Reece is a fine handcuff but it’s hard to imagine Reece entering 2014 as more than that.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Jets running back Chris Ivory had 76 yards on just 18 carries with a touchdown. Ivory’s been reliable when he’s in the game, averaging 4.4 YPC this year. The Jets offense around Ivory is about as bad as it gets so there’s only one way to go in 2014. Ivory could be a decent RB2 next year with strict running duties a la Alfred Morris.
Raiders linebacker Nick Roach continues to rack up the tackles, this time with nine. He’s now at 98 for the year with 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three passes defended, five tackles for a loss and an interception. Brought in to man the middle, Roach should fill that role in Oakland for the foreseeable future.

Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray had a big day with 63 yards rushing on 17 carries and three touchdowns. He also added five catches for 39 yards. Health has been an issue in each of Murray’s three seasons but you could do a lot worse with your RB2 position.
Raiders receiver Andre Holmes had a career day with 136 yards on seven catches. At 6′ 4″ and 210 pounds, Holmes has the physical traits to be a successful dynasty receiver. He just needed the opportunity.
Raiders linebacker Nick Roach continues to dominate the Mike position with 11 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Signed to a four-year deal before the season, Roach is already at 89 tackles through 12 games to go with 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception and two passes defended. And he still has a quarter of the season to go.

The Titans passing game went off with, not one but, two receivers with over 100 yards. Rookie Justin Hunter and second-year receiver Kendall Wright each had six catches for 100+ yards and a touchdown. Those stat lines bode well for both and are a hopeful sign that whoever the Titans quarterback is next season, they’ll have the weapons to be successful.
Raiders running back Rashad Jennings continued to impress with 73 yards on the ground on only 16 carries for a 4.6 YPC. He added four catches for 49 yards. While Jennings is already 28 and a free agent after the season, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to pop up somewhere and contribute in 2014.
Raiders linebacker Nick Roach filled the stat sheet with 11 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a tackle for a loss and a forced fumble. While the first year in Oakland for Roach was supposed to be a tad more productive, he’ll still get opportunities playing in the middle. The Raiders signed him, on the cheap, to a four-year deal in the off-season so he won’t be going anywhere.