Week 16: Heroes, Bums, and Sleepers

Heroes:

1) Tony Romo (QB - DAL)
Here, have some stats: In seven road games this season, the Saints have surrendered 20+ FPTs to opposing QBs five times. This week the Saints travel to Dallas to face Tony Romo, who has posted double-digit FPTs every games since his Week 4 meltdown against Chicago.

2) Victor Cruz (WR - NYG)
Ravens have been horrific against the pass and Nicks is banged up, so logic points to Cruz bouncing back from his abysmal performance from last week. Plus, don't you think the Giants will be a tad vengeful after their shutout loss to Atlanta?

3)  Stevan Ridley (RB - NE)
Nothing leaves me cold and lonely this holiday season like thoughts of the Jags' defense. Ridley may have been in Belichick's doghouse last week, but consider that Ridley had posted a TD in six straight games prior to the San Fran Slopfest. And it's the Jags. If you run, you score.

Bums:

1) Trent Richardson (RB - CLE)
Even if he weren't facing a brutal Broncos defense, I'd still be wary of the fact that T-Rich crashed into the rookie wall in recent weeks. Although he's had six TDs in the past four weeks, his yardage totals have been on a steady decline since Week 8 (from 122 to 28 over an eight week span that included a bye week).

2) Roddy White (WR - ATL)
Injured, on a short week, playing in a game that the Falcons don't exactly need to win. Start Julio, start Tony G, just back away from Roddy.

3) Dennis Pitta (TE - BAL)
He put up gorgeous numbers in garbage time last week (7/125/2TD), but that was against the Broncos' last ranked TE defense. This week Pitta faces a Giants team that has only surrendered three TDs to TEs all season long.

Sleepers:

1) Chad Henne (QB - JAC)
I had Henne in my sleeper section last week and he gave an average performance (221 yds, 0 TDs), and this week I expect him to crack 300 yards passing and 2 TDs. Being a lifelong Jags fan, I know that my boys have never defeated the Patriots in the regular season. They will be down big and throwing lots to make things look respectable.

2) Stevie Johnson (WR - BUF)
Not the deepest of sleepers, but Buffalo's getting ugly to the point where you might forget Stevie exists. He does exist, and he does have a favorable matchup in sunny Miami against a defense that has surrendered 90+ yards to #1 WRs in the past two weeks.

3) Tony Scheffler (TE - DET)
Pettigrew's out and Stafford can't throw to Calvin Johnson on every play. The Lions will be throwing all night and I expect The Shuffler to finish second in targets, catches, and yards. If he grabs a TD, hello bonus points.