Jordan Love is ranked HOW low? 😳

Tune in today’s episode of the Upper Hand Fantasy Podcast as soon as it’s available: QB & WR Matchups! And if you haven’t already, catch up with yesterday’s waiver wire episode as we gear up for the first game of the fantasy playoffs tomorrow night between the 49ers and the Rams!

• Steelers HC Mike Tomlin suggests that George Pickens could have an ‘outside chance’ at suiting up in Week 15

  • An ‘outside chance’, you say? It’s not exactly the development fantasy managers were hoping for after Pickens was a surprise inactive last week against the Browns. The language could imply that Pickens is currently sitting on the wrong side of questionable, with a greater likelihood of being held out for a second straight game than giving it a go this week against the Eagles. Pickens was officially diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, which historically has been an injury that necessitates a multi-week absence. Despite sitting nicely at 10-3, Pittsburgh would certainly like to maintain its two-game lead over the Ravens for the division crown and potentially extend the division lead to three games if the Ravens would get tied up with the Giants this weekend. That could be additional incentive for Pickens to take the field sooner rather than later, but we’ll have to monitor the practice reports during the week to have the best idea of what to expect. Should Pickens miss, it would be hard to recommend starting any Steelers wide receivers in a very difficult matchup against the Eagles. Pat Freiermuth could once again be a fringe-TE1, while Russell Wilson would be relegated to a streaming QB2 option.

• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shuts down idea of benching QB Cooper Rush in favor of Trey Lance in the final four games of the season

  • For what it’s worth, Rush has done a serviceable job supporting WR Ceedee Lamb as a fringe fantasy WR1 over the past few weeks since his first hellish start against the Eagles. That being said, he’s also left plenty to be desired for the Cowboys offense – particularly with his inability to extend plays and play off schedule. With Dallas’ offensive line fielding just two day one starters at this point in the season, it’s been tough sledding for Rush – after hitting Lamb three times for 28 yards and a touchdown on the Cowboys’ first drive of the game on Monday, he wound up completing three more passes to Lamb the rest of the night. With Rush in, Lamb has been the only dependable piece in the passing game, with TE Jake Ferguson being relegated to the waiver wire. Rico Dowdle has come alive over the past two games with 100+ yards rushing in both contests, but it’s proven not to be enough to keep the heat off Rush to the point where he’s able to be fantasy-relevant himself. As we near the end of the season, the whispers will only get louder for Trey Lance to start a game, but Jerry insists that despite this being a lost season, he feels Cooper Rush gives them the best chance to win. Dallas gets the Panthers next week, who are a solid matchup overall.

Justin Herbert vs TB

• After a four-game streak of top-12 finishes from Weeks 8-11, Herbert has finished as the overall QB12, QB30, and QB19 in three good to great matchups in a row - the Ravens, Falcons, and Chiefs. He’s thrown just one touchdown in that span, and draws another very strong matchup against the Bucs - they’re allowing the most fantasy points per game this season, as well as the 4th-most passing yards and just under two passing touchdowns per game.

• Herbert’s averaging just a shade under 30 pass attempts per game over his past three games, which isn’t a whole lot, and his 12 points per game is hardly startable. The matchup is doing most of the lifting to get Herbert into the QB1 conversation, but he profiles more as a low-QB1 than anything. Getting Ladd McConkey back should help him have a higher floor, too.

Brock Purdy vs LAR

• Brock Purdy has been a fantasy QB1 in all but one of his last seven starts, and that one was snowmageddon in Buffalo. The Rams have been letting up a lot of points this season to quarterbacks - 9th most to be exact, along with the 3rd-most touchdowns. But things have really been unraveling for the Rams on defense recently, as they’ve allowed the most fantasy points per game over the last four games by far. That number is inflated obviously by Josh Allen’s 50 burger, but the matchup should be a good one and has the 2nd-highest total on the week currently at 48.5 points. Purdy’s a mid-QB1 in my rankings this week.

Tua Tagovailoa vs HOU

• Houston has been a pretty average matchup against quarterbacks this season, allowing the 15th-most fantasy points per game this season – but they’re also allowing the most passing touchdowns per game, too. They’ve tightened up over the past four games, allowing the 5th-fewest fantasy points in that span, but they’ve faced names like Mac Jones, Will Levis, Cooper Rush, and Jared Goff in his 5-INT game. Tua’s also thrown 11 touchdowns and no picks over the past four games, finishing as a top-10 QB in all of them. Tua is a strong QB1 option this week for me.

Jordan Love vs SEA

• How are we treating Jordan Love? With the Packers’ dependence on Josh Jacobs – who has a good matchup this week by the way – Love hasn’t had to throw the ball hardly at all since the Packers’ bye in Week 10 – he’s averaging just 22 attempts per game over his last four games. That’s not going to cut it as a QB1, and with just four designed rushes total over the past four games, he’s a low-volume passer in a matchup against a Seattle defense allowing the 6th-fewest fantasy points per game over the last four. He’s a mid-low QB2 for me and is on the brink of being out of the question as a starter, even in superflex leagues. For reference: I’m starting Jameis Winston this week over him.