Week 12 Monday Morning Memo: Justin ‘Time’ Forsett

Justin Forsett’s fantasy arc should be just about complete. He’s gone from unknown, to niche back who looked better than the starters, to third-down guy who became a waiver wire want, to starter for the injured Julius Jones.

As long as his head coach, Jim Mora, realizes that Forsett is the starter, something he’s been reluctant to do as recently as last week, then Justin Forsett has arrived just in time for the fantasy playoffs. Lucky owners who grabbed Forsett along the way should have a decent RB2 for the playoffs. With his 130 yard, 2 TD performance on Sunday, surely Mora will realize who the RB1 in Seattle is, and it’s not Julius Jones.

Forsett has been putting up numbers for a couple of weeks now with Jones injured. Along the way, he’s allowed the Seattle offense to shift away from being pass-happy, and back to Mora’s true instincts, running the ball.

Since Forsett’s installation as starter (Weeks 11-12), the Seahawks’ snap breakdown has been 43.6 percent running plays, 56.4 percent passing. By comparison, through Week 10, their numbers were 35.7 and 64.3. This is an offense shifting back toward being run-based, and that suits Forsett just fine.

It should suit Forsett owners just fine, too.

- Terrell Owens is finally relevant again - over the last two weeks he’s had 293 yards and two touchdowns. If you suffered through the season with T.O. taunting you from the bench each week, your suffering might be rewarded. The Bills have some favorable pass matchups during the playoffs, and the new QB and new coach have reinvigorated Owens’ game.

- Vince Young’s performance on Sunday was an eye-opener for fantasy owners everywhere. 387 yards and 1 TD, plus a 99-yard scoring drive to win the game with a touchdown pass and no time on the clock. VY is looking to shed the running QB label, and just grab the QB1 label. Kenny Britt also jumps in fantasy value as VY’s favorite target for big plays.

- Don’t look now, but that was Larry Johnson creeping into the fantasy world again with a 107-yard game for the Bengals. Now we have a convoluted backfield situation in Cincy. Cedric Benson guarantees he’ll be back next week, but how much will the Bengals coaching staff want to limit his carries with an eye to the playoffs? If the Bengals can win games limiting his touches and relying on Bernard Scott and Larry Johnson to help carry the load, who knows how that mix will play out.

- Owners of members of the Cardinals vaunted receiving corps will be praying for the speedy recovery of Kurt Warner. With Matt Leinart at the helm the Cardinals offense was a dud. Leinart completed a lot of his passes, but most were of the short-yardage variety and he never had the big scoring play in the passing game.

- Jamaal Charles could be a fantasy playoff savior for lucky owners. Over the past couple of weeks, his production has taken off, and now he faces some very favorable defensive matchups. If you own him, you have to seriously consider playing him in the playoffs; if he’s available, get him.

[Charles] followed his two-touchdown effort against Pittsburgh with 147 total yards and one score in Sunday’s blowout loss at San Diego. The schedule is much friendlier in the weeks ahead: DEN, BUF, CLE. The Bills and Browns both entered Week 12 allowing over 150 rushing yards per game and 4.5 per carry.

- There’s the feeling in Buffalo that Fred Jackson should be RB1 and that Marshawn Lynch is strictly the backup. New coach Perry Fewell has made comments that lend credence to the idea of the time-share being dead in Buffalo and that Jackson will get the carries. After yesterday’s 73 yards rushing, 43 yards receiving, 2 TD performance by Jackson, the issue should be settled now.