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Week 19: Who To Start Rankings Posted
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger may need offseason surgery
49ers QB Colin Kaepernick to train with Kurt Warner in offseason
Seahawks WR Jermaine Kearse ready to return from hamstring injury

Week 19: Who To Start Rankings Posted

Posted: 07 Jan 2015 06:26 AM PST

We project the point totals for both offensive and defensive players for this week.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger may need offseason surgery

Posted: 06 Jan 2015 07:29 PM PST

Ben Roethlisberger always takes a ton of hits every season. Now with the Steelers' season over, Big Ben needs to repair the damage he sustained in 2014 before preparing for 2015. Some of that damage is in his knee, which may require an offseason cleanup surgery, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. Roethlisberger just finished the most productive season of his 11 as a pro. He set or tied career-highs in completions, completion percentage, 300-yard games and touchdowns. He also played in every game for just the third time. Roethlisberger will turn 33 in March. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Roethlisberger finished the year as a top-five fantasy QB, one who generated a tremendous amount of value considering his preseason ADP as the No. 16 quarterback. It helps that he put up 608 passes, the fourth-most in the league. He has really come into form with Todd Haley's pass-happy offense, and while he's getting up there in age -- at least by NFL standards -- Roethlisberger is surrounded by a nice group of young targets, including Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and running back Le'Veon Bell. Roethlisberger, whose contract expires after next season, deserves an extension and may get it this spring. Still, Big Ben may not crack the top 10 at his own position in many drafts this summer. There will be value to be had with Ben once again.

49ers QB Colin Kaepernick to train with Kurt Warner in offseason

Posted: 06 Jan 2015 07:20 PM PST

Coming off a less-than-stellar 2014 season in which he threw fewer touchdowns and more interceptions than the previous season, San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick has committed himself to improving this offseason. Word is out that he intends to do so with the help of former Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner. Kaepernick has enlisted the help of Warner and quarterback coach Dennis Gile. The three will work together on studying game film and doing 7-on-7 drills. Kaepernick's agent said the group will work together in the Phoenix area, at EXOS Performance. Warner is one of the all-time great stories in the NFL, having gone from bagging groceries to winning three league MVPs and a Super Bowl. He retired after the 2009 season. FANTASY ANALYSIS: This can only be a good thing for Kaepernick. If he takes his career seriously, the sky is the limit for the 49ers' signal-caller. Kaepernick was a fantasy bust in 2014. My personal contention has always been that he is probably one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks in the league, but he doesn't take his craft as seriously as he should. With this report coming out, it looks as if that could be changing. Due to the fact that there aren't that many elite quarterbacks in the league, this could help Kaepernick make the jump to that next tier. This is purely speculation at this point, but the fact that he's identified a gap in his game and is taking a step to improve upon it is a good sign. Pittsburgh RB Le'Veon Bell did the same thing heading into this season by losing almost 15 pounds. That led to him having the best season of all running backs in PPR leagues.

Seahawks WR Jermaine Kearse ready to return from hamstring injury

Posted: 06 Jan 2015 06:59 PM PST

The Seahawks will have their second-leading receiver on the field this weekend. After missing Week 17 due to a hamstring injury, wideout Jermaine Kearse will practice this week and is ready to play, according to head coach Pete Carroll. With 38 catches and 537 receiving yards, Kearse trails only Doug Baldwin among all Seahawks in those categories. FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's a pretty slow week for notable injuries -- unless Aaron Rodgers' calf acts up again. Kearse is still an all-or-nothing fantasy option. The Panthers have allowed just 10 passing touchdowns in their previous 11 games. When these two teams met in Week 8, Kearse came away with only 15 scoreless yards on two receptions.