FanHouse DustinKeller

With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all.

Meet The ...
Offense in transition. With a new head coach along with rookies at quarterback and time-sharing running back, the best work of the Jets' offense will be in 2010 and beyond. They'll look to win with defense and taking care of the football in 2009, and you know that doesn't bode well when it comes to garnering massive amounts of fantasy points.

There are finds to be had on any team, but no Jets should be taken in the first three rounds of your draft -- and that's being conservative.

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The Jets have been in the market for a veteran blocking tight end for some time. They visited with such luminaries as Michael Gaines (who signed with the Bears on Monday) and Robert Royal, but missed out on both, which left them getting back together with a familiar friend. Bubba Franks has re-signed with the team, according to Dave Hutchinson of the Newark Star-Ledger.

The move is a bit of a surprise since Franks isn't really known for his blocking skills. At 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, he's got the size, but he excelled as a red-zone option with the Packers, scoring 27 touchdowns from 2001-04. Injuries have limited him to just 16 games over the past two seasons, however, and he's only caught 24 passes in that time.

I'm just gonna be real right now: Your fantasy league should be over. It's one of those things about which we've all pretty much made an unwritten pact. When people like Peyton Manning will likely not be playing because their teams want them to rest, you shouldn't have a fantasy relevant game. That's why we don't play in the preseason.

All that being said, there are leagues out there with a championship game this week. Since we are committed to helping you win your league title no matter what, we'll still be helping you out. In lieu of positional rankings -- due to a limited audience -- we'll sift through each position and give some pointers. We'll also examine guys who need to play well, as well as those who won't factor at all.

Feel free to leave specific lineup questions in the comments section, and we'll answer. We'll also be having a shortened -- yet quite effective -- Tailgate Sunday morning.

Again, we want you to win ... even if that means supporting you when your league is mishandled.

Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds.

Here's Week 16 at a glance, where we point out the horses destined for the Kentucky Derby and jeer those headed to the glue factory. (Disclaimer: This will only be for the Sunday games, since you probably can't even remember the Thursday gaes at this point.)

Studs

Matt Cassel, QB New England (20-for-36, 345 yards, 3 TDs) -- If you had to grade Cassel's performance this season after being tossed to the wolves, I'd say it is an "AAAAAA+++++++." Sure, he has looked mediocre at times, but when Tom Brady went down in the first week of the season, every Patriots fan I know mailed in their playoff or Super Bowl hopes. His game against the Cardinals in the snow was his second straight with three touchdowns or more and his fourth in the last six games with a passer rating of 103 or more. Whatever happens next week with the Jets-Dolphins, one thing is quickly being a certainty -- Cassel could make Washington/Chicago/Minnesota a pretty scary team next season.

It's playoff time! In what should be championship week, FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled in order to provide answers to your possible lineup dilemmas. If you need further assistance, please feel free to shoot us an email question.

I gave up on John Carlson after Week 12. He was fresh off back-to-back clunkers and besides I had the emerging Dustin Keller waiting in the wings. Fast forward to today and now Keller has hit the skids, while Carlson has gone off for 19 catches, 250 yards and a TD over the past three weeks.

Yes, playing the tight end field in fantasy football is all about catching the hot hand. And Carlson along with Dallas Clark and Tony Gonzalez qualify as hot hands and surefire bets this weekend. If you're looking to gamble a lit bit this weekend (not always highly advised for the playoffs), give Jeremy Shockey another chance...it's the Lions. Also, look to Jerramy Stevens against the Chargers who frequently get torched by tight ends.

The usual suspects Antonio Gates and Jason Witten draw a couple of tough matchups, but you have to trust your studs. Gates got a little more involved last weekend and Witten put up decent numbers, considering the swirling controversy. You drafted these guys high for a reason and it happens to be this weekend.

And now for the rest of the ranks...

1. Tony Gonzalez, MIA
2. John Carlson, NYJ
3. Dallas Clark, @ JAC
4. Jason Witten, BAL
5. Antonio Gates, @ TB

It's playoff time! FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled in order to provide answers to lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

Not much shakeup at the top, except for one surprise. Yes, it's time to bump Antonio Gates down just a peg. Let's face it, anytime your star tight end puts up a goose egg as he did against Oakland in a critical game, something must give.

The great Tony Gonzalez continues to ride out the hot streak, and he just loves playing the Chargers. Look for Jason Witten and Tony Romo to get back on the same page this weekend after they both took blame for the collapse in Pittsburgh last week.

Climbing up the tight end ladder this week is an old familiar face in Jeremy Shockey. Let me explain. Since he took the scolding from Drew Brees on the sideline against Atlanta, here are his averages in the past four games; five receptions per game and 53 yards per game. Yup, he hasn't scored a TD yet this season, but it could be coming Thursday night against Chicago.

Welcome back to earth Dustin Keller. You can thank your QB for the slippage this week. And now let's tap into the rest of the rankings.

1. Tony Gonzalez, SD
2. Jason Witten, NYG
3. Chris Cooley, @ CIN
4. Dallas Clark, DET
5. Tony Scheffler, @ CAR

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

The separation between Tony Gonzalez and his counterparts this year can't be measured simply be the disparate statistical gap. In the preseason buzz, when everyone was content that Jason Witten had finally overtaken Antonio Gates as the "must have" tight end, many forgot about Gonzo. Yup, we all heard were the whispers about the "Big 2," and oh my how we all forgot this was still the "Big 3."

Gonzo has delivered reliable lines every single week to serve as a reminder. At this point in the season, it's nearly impossible to pry him from the head and shoulders above all No. 1 ranking. And we should expect him to punish Denver this weekend and reward all those who just knew there was gas left in the tank. The tight end position continues its whirlwind of flux, but now more than ever you have gotta award two key rookies as they close in on the upper echelon. Yes, Dustin Keller and John Carlson continue to pay dividends and are knocking on the fantasy stardom door. Can't you hear them knocking?

It's been said in this space for the past few weeks, but outside of Gonzo there is no hotter commodity at tight end right now than Keller and that's why he makes the leap into the top five this week. He continues to be prime target for Brett Favre as he and his receivers struggle to get on the same page.

As for Antonio Gates, you've gotta think history is on his side with the Raiders, but for Jason Witten it's hard to feel so comfortable when one has to face the Steelers. The list for solid TE matchups actually goes fairly deep this week. Even if you were to roll out Jeremy Shockey against Atlanta, that wouldn't be all that bad. That means... you shouldn't have to dig all that deep to find your security blanket for this all important fantasy weekend.

And now on with the ranks...

1. Tony Gonzalez, @ DEN
2. Dallas Clark, CIN
3. Antonio Gates, OAK
4. Dustin Keller, @ SF
5. Jason Witten, @ PIT

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

The "Big Three" are back in business this week. Um, for those who aren't sure who I'm referring to -- that'd be Witten, Gonzo and Gates. Sorry, I feel I have to explain sometimes. These are the tight ends you target, but you know it's essentially a hit-or-miss each week. This season more so than any has been the year of the breakout tight end on a weekly basis. Too bad for all of us, these breakouts usually only last one game.

So, that's why it's good to turn things over to old reliables this week. Yup, you always know exactly what you're getting from Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. However, this season has been all about injuries, ups and downs for Jason Witten. It's just impossible though to keep a good "football" player down for so long. It's time for Witten to thank all of those who've put faith in him to be the man.

You also may have noticed the new flavor of the month for tight ends in Dustin Keller. Yes, D.K as I'll refer to him snagged six passes for a mere 42 yards last week. However, what's obvious is that Brett Favre continues to target him and yes, even look for him in the red zone. Did we mention that the Jets get the Broncos this weekend? Yes, think about that one.

Also, worthy to note - welcome back to relevance Jeremy Shockey. Do you have it in you for back-to-back weeks?

On with the ranks...

1. Jason Witten, SEA
2. Tony Gonzalez, @ OAK
3. Antonio Gates, ATL
4. Dustin Keller, @ DEN
5. Kellen Winslow, IND

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

The roller-coaster ride continues if you don't own a top-tier TE. However, even if you do - those once reliable options have been hit or miss at best. Tony Gonzalez continues to flourish in the role as the top dog, but Antonio Gates should be primed for a decent game this week. Meanwhile, fantasy owners can finally breathe a sigh of relief as Jason Witten has a pretty good matchup and -- although he might not be 100 percent -- at least Tony Romo is back.

Yet, once you get past those favorite TE options... it's really a crapshoot. Fantasy pundits fell in love, for some reason, with big John Carlson. He's returned a big helping of nothing in return during recent weeks. Plenty of fantasy owners were banking on Kevin Boss last weekend and he also dished out a helping of bust. Who's the boss now? Ah, yes ... bad, bad joke.

Well, the flavor of the week now seems to be Dustin Keller coming off a breakout stretch of games. Will he also break our hearts? I sure hope not, because I've bumped him up the TE rankings and I'm banking on big things for my own team. So don't blame me if he craps out. Stay tuned.

Quick note: I just couldn't bump Dallas Clark over the "Big Three." Worth mentioning, though, is that San Diego is a funnel for tight ends to have successful days. Just mentioning. On with the ranks...

1. Antonio Gates, IND
2. Tony Gonzalez, BUF
3. Jason Witten, SF
4. Dallas Clark, @ SD
5. Chris Cooley, @SEA

Like millions of football fans across the country, I do not have the NFL Network because, well, I don't know why. This, of course, means that when the league schedules these Thursday night specials shown exclusively on the NFL Network (exceptions of course are the two local markets featured in the game) I am stuck without football. I don't like it when there's football being played, and I can't see it. Especially when it's a rather big game.

Having said that, NFL.com offers a feature that provides live look-in's of the action, as well as studio analysis and commentary on ... football related stuff, I imagine. Tonight, I'll be taking one for the team and following the Patriots-Jets game with this feature, and passing along all the wonderful fun that comes with it.

Enjoy.