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Fantasy football consists of many variables, but proper talent evaluation is one of the strongest keys. Some fantasy owners get overly consumed with the top portion of a fantasy football draft. They’re locked in on getting the hot names from a year ago in the first five rounds of their draft.

Similar to NFL Drafts teams hit or miss in the first three to four rounds. Due diligence though and often times they draft better personnel from the same position in later rounds. You have to be prepared to fill out your entire roster with quality depth.

What area is often overlooked by fantasy owners is drafting a veteran or two. So many fantasy owners get soaked into the fact of getting the big names, the preseason fads, and rookies. Drafting too many rookies and high upside players leaves you vulnerable. You’re more than likely keying in on the waiver wire or pulling a trade within the first month of the season.

There’s nothing wrong with drafting a player or two that is obviously regressing statistically. Though the upside isn’t strong you have a realistic idea of what that athlete will likely do. Having a strong RB3 or WR3/4 can come from this strategy. Think of players such as Terrell Owens, Curtis Martin, Hines Ward, and LT. They all provided solid value at declining ages and non-fantasy starting roles.

The same can be had nowadays. Take a strong look at veterans like MJD, Marques Colston, Reggie Wayne, Anquan Boldin, Hakeem Nicks, Steve Smith, Ray Rice, DeAngelo Williams, Darren Sproles, and Fred Jackson.

They all likely have a negative perspective in the minds of your fantasy football cohorts. I’m not saying draft a team full of veterans. But plugging a couple of guys with experience is similar to what key organizations do in all sports. Bringing in veterans gives your team a bit of stability. Do that for yourself this year instead of attempting to rotate the never ending one week wonder off of waivers.

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The answer to the title is no. A year ago the Heat nearly lost in the NBA Finals thanks to hot shooting from unheralded performer, Danny Green. He tailed off considerably in the final games of the Finals. Now the Heat must figure out a way to cool off George Hill. A task that should not be difficult.

This is not to discredit George Hill, it’s to discredit the Indiana Pacers. Indiana has been bashed by the media countless times, only to respond. There wins and responses often get erased the following game with an unsettling performance.

Indiana’s success when they’re winning is from standout defense and opportunistic steaks on offense. The problem with this Pacers team is their defense has not been nearly as consistent as it was earlier this season. Offensively they’re still the same but can go through poorer stretches of scoring.

That’s where I believe the Heat can turn things around and close out the Pacers. Even yesterday’s monster lead by the Pacers was almost erased. Getting to the free throw line was the obvious difference yesterday in addition to the Pacers hot three point shooting.

Look for that to be a detriment to the Pacers offense in game two. They’re not a jump shooting team and they’ll likely come out shooting from three point range once again. That’s what the Heat want.

Indiana will not go 8 for 19 from three point range in any other game this series. When the Pacers aren’t proficient from three point range they turn into a poor college basketball team in half court offense.

The lack of a true point guard hurts the Pacers this deep in the playoffs. Turnovers will start to become a problem and late shot clock attempts. Eventually their defense will cave as has been the case time and time again.

Don’t worry Heat fans. The time for a change is near but not yet.

Potential Fourth Quarter Killers For Week 13

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Matthew Stafford
The slide Stafford has been on as of late should come to an end on Thanksgiving Day. Green Bay’s roller coaster at quarterback may be the worst in the NFL at the backup position. Praise was given to how Matt Flynn performed last week but needs to be recognized in put into context. He came in to spell Tolzien in relief duty. Starting should be an entirely different ball game. If Christian Ponder can throw the ball around on the Packers so can Staff.

Ryan Fitzpatrick
Not only has the Colts offense hit a wall over the last stretch of games, but the defense has as well. Tennessee knows they let a golden opportunity slip away on Thursday night football just a few weeks ago against the Colts. With a sizeable lead their run game and offense as a whole became stagnant. As I’ve noted before, Fitzpatrick is one of the streakier quarterbacks in football. He should be able to build off his great performance against the Raiders.

Shane Vereen
With Ridley and Blount in the doghouse Vereen and Bolden are going to be the new tandem that the Patriots utilize here on out. Vereen is no stranger to fantasy success, and should be the main focal point out of the backfield for the Pats offense on a week to week basis. He is their best threat out of the backfield and running the football. As we get into December expect the Patriots to gear up their run game for a playoff caliber offense.

Michael Floyd
Nick Foles has the gaudy statistics to showcase that he might possibly be the ring leader to the best current offense in football. Numbers don’t always equate to how things finish on Sundays. Arizona has been a transformed team since their bye week, thanks in large part to a different Carson Palmer. Palmer has avoided costly turnovers and is starting to gel with the offense. Bruce Arians should have some tricks up his sleeve to showcase this Cardinals offense.

Dolphins Defense
Deciding to start Geno Smith one more time is going to prove to be the coup de grace on the Jets season this Sunday. His downward slides in college were notable, but his current state in the NFL is much worse. Miami has stepped up their defensive intensity and been relentless at attacking the quarterback lately. Just like Smith never could back on track in college after horrific games, I don’t think he can recover for a solid outing as a professional athlete.

Others: Josh Gordon, Big Ben, Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Danny Woodhead, and Golden Tate

Best Catches to Targets From Week Twelve

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Knowing who were the main targets on a week to week basis is imperative to position your team and know your opponents strengths. Even at this time of the year you should be paying attention to this crucial category. Here is a look at some best catches to targets from week twelve.

Anquan Boldin
With a healthy Vernon Davis and a better presence on the field at wide receiver in Mario Manningham, Boldin has started to resurge the past two weeks. Maybe Boldin should just get tabbed the Robert Horry of football. He shows up in big moments and is trying to get his team ready for a postseason run.

Pierre Garcon
Even with the Redskins season in peril, Garcon continues to be a weekly fantasy football top wideout. He caught eight of eleven throws from RG3 Monday, which has been a dependable stick stat every week. Though his yardage numbers were a bit low at only 48.

Josh Gordon
Other teams around the NFL have to consider themselves foolish to not have pursued the trade for Josh Gordon before the deadline. Adam Schefter and other NFL insiders had listed Gordon as a possible receiver on the trading blocks. It didn’t happen and throughout having three different quarterbacks Gordon has remained a constant defensive nemesis to stop. He caught fourteen of seventeen targets for over 200 yards receiving.

Brandon Marshall
I’m impressed with Marshall the most out of any receiver in football this year. For one he has kept quiet even during the Bears turn of events from a quarterback and winning standpoint. He plays on every possession and continues to be a monster every week. Sunday he caught ten balls out of twelve targets.

Jared Cook
Cook’s improvement just by signing with the Rams could be seen in the preseason. The Rams made it imperative to take advantage of Cook’s athleticism in their offense. That was something that the Titans hardly did with Cook. He caught four of five targets for eighty yards and a box out touchdown.

Dez Bryant
Antics were left and checked by Bryant against the Giants. He was there for his team and quarterback time and time again. He thrived in the pressure moments the Cowboys usually fail and had nine catches on sixteen targets.

Julian Edelman
The Danny Amendola sightings are becoming as ghost as old Randy Moss tales. Edelman did his best Wes Welker imitation with Welker on the opposing sideline. He hauled in a game high nine catches on eleven targets with two critical touchdowns. The weapons at Brady’s disposal will be key to their playoff run.

Others: Harry Douglas 9 catches/11 targets, Jimmy Graham 5 catches/7 targets, Darius Johnson 6 catches/8 targets, Antonio Brown 6 catches/10 targets, Emmanuel Sanders 6 catches/7 targets, Timothy Wright 8 catches/9 targets, Nate Burelson 7 catches/10 targets, James Jones 7 catches/10 targets, Keenan Allen 9 catches/12 targets, Steve Smith 5 catches/8 targets, Brian Hartline 5 catches/5 targets, Cecil Shorts III 8 catches/11 targets, Michael Floyd 7 catches/7 targets, Jacob Tamme 5 catches/5 targets,

Stretching the Field Post Week Twelve

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Here is a look at players that had great performances to stretch the field for their quarterbacks in week twelve. Based upon their performances you probably had a bitter beer face when checking your live stat tracker on your smart phone application.

Jimmy Graham
I don’t ever think a tight end has been in the running for MVP. It’s sort of a surprise to me that Graham’s name has not been mentioned as a possible candidate. Each and every week he has been an almost lock to have on field success for the Saints, almost near the level of Calvin Johnson. Thursday he caught five passes for one hundred yards and a touchdown.

Josh Gordon
Talk about a steal that fantasy owners probably have patted themselves on the back for. Gordon missed games due to suspension just like Justin Blackmon. Except Gordon kept himself out of trouble since his suspension and has terrorized weekly opponents. Gordon had an exceptional game with over 230 yards receiving against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Donnie Avery
His touchdowns may have receded but Avery has still been a decent WR3 or flex option for fantasy owners. Alex Smith doesn’t stretch the field too often but when he does he is looking Avery’s way. Sunday against the San Diego Chargers the duo connected on four catches for over ninety yards.

Mike Wallace
One week for Wallace’s name to appear on this weekly column just isn’t enough. It’s not entirely his fault that the Dolphins haven’t found a way to involve him more. Miami has been one of the poorer teams at protecting the quarterback which has translated into a shorter passing attack for the Dolphins. But if Miami can have success against Carolina’s front seven with the long ball, they need to figure out a way to continue to do so. Wallace caught five balls for over 120 yards Sunday.

Jacoby Jones
What’s been missing from the Baltimore Ravens offense this season? Once you begin to start the list it will continue past the number ten. One area defenses have hindered the Ravens from having success with is with Jones. Sunday the Jets allowed one big play from Jones and it became the dagger in Sunday’s game.

Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter
The Titans tandem at wide receiver became the latest receivers to torch the Raiders secondary. What was more surprising was to see Ryan Fitzpatrick play a complete game. He seems to be settling in with the talent he has in Tennessee which is a huge upgrade from what he had in Buffalo at receiver. Both had well over one hundred yards receiving.

Stretching the Field Post Week Eleven

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Antonio Brown
By season’s end Brown may land himself as a top three fantasy wide receiver. The first month to six games of the season the offense had no clear direction. Now the offense is in must-win mode. With that Todd Haley has finally given the green light to Ben Roethlisberger to throw the football like he used to.

Calvin Johnson
In the second quarter the Lions offense could not be stopped. It looked as if the Steelers defense was going to surrender touchdown after touchdown like they did against the New England Patriots. Somehow the Steelers coverage held Johnson without a catch in the second half. That wasn’t before over 170 yards receiving in the first half though.

Michael Floyd
Floyd is more of a possession receiver, but he has been good for three to four big plays a season. Sunday against the Jaguars he turned a standard catch over the middle into a despicable highlight reel of how to perform poor tackling. It turned an average day of one hundred yards receiving into nearly two hundred yards.

Josh Gordon
Gordon has had a handful of games with over a hundred yards, and this is with missing the first two games of the season with a suspension. He is probably the best receiver in football currently besides Calvin Johnson with big play ability. To be a more viable fantasy football receiver he is going to need to shed that label and become more of an all-around receiver. He hauled in five catches for over 120 yards Sunday.

Vinny Jackson
He did it again. The adage that a player can’t replicate a performance because they already had a dominate game against them just got thrown out by Vincent Jackson. He had yet another dominating performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers catching ten of twelve from quarterback Glennon. If you got Vincent Jackson via a trade, or as your second/third receiver good for you.

Garrett Graham
Graham exposed a poor Raiders secondary and got the best out of both Case Keenum and Matt Schaub. For the day he had seven catches for over 130 yards receiving. The dysfunctional issues in Houston would be too much for me to consider picking up a waiver wire acquisition on this team.