Here are 20 whimsical factoids — some positive, some negative — to digest before the Sunday/Monday slate of Week 9 games:
1. Chargers tailback Ryan Mathews (212 rushing yards, one TD for Weeks 6/7) has never logged 20 or more carries in three straight games.
But that distinction could fall against the Redskins ... and their 30th-ranked rush defense (123 yards per outing).
2. Of his last five games, Panthers QB Cam Newton has amassed either 300 total yards and/or three touchdowns four times.
Plus, in his brief career against the Falcons, Newton boasts averages of 325 total yards and 2.3 TDs.
3. Bears tailbacks Matt Forte has impressively notched 100 total yards and/or one touchdown in 12 straight games, dating back to last year.
4. Robert Griffin III (1,878 yards passing, nine TDs) has been roundly praised in recent weeks for showing more explosion when roaming from the pocket.
As such, he has completed less than 20 passes in four straight games. Incidentally, Griffin hasn't rushed for a score all year.
One more note, courtesy of the "Steve Czaban Show" on Yahoo Sports Radio: For the season, Griffin is 5 of 24 with passes that get 20 or more yards of actual air travel, with two touchdowns and three picks.
5. At home this season (four games), the Jets are averaging 133 team rushing yards. Within that success, though, Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory have only one 100-yard outing apiece — with neither finding the end zone at Met Life Stadium in 2013.
6. Of his last eight home games, dating back to last season, Seahawks tailback Marshawn Lynch has averaged 129 total yards and 1.7 touchdowns per outing.
7. Tom Brady is a 14-year veteran, three-time world champion and possessor of five AFC titles with the Patriots. But in that span, Brady has only been the home starter against the Steelers twice (2002, '07) — averaging 347 yards passing and 3.5 touchdowns.
8. Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson, who's averaged only 15 touches in his last three games, had three straight outings of less than 100 yards rushing last year, as well.
However, that didn't stop Peterson from amassing 1,900-plus rushing yards in his final 13 outings.
9. Rams wideout Brian Quick notched more combined targets for Weeks 7/8 (nine) than any other two-game stretch of his career.
That's the only stat I have to justify Quick's status as a deep sleeper in 16-team leagues — with the presumption of one touchdown against the Titans.
10. By a long shot, Marques Colston recently endured the worst three-game stretch (only six catches, 11 targets, 44 yards) of his stellar eight-year career. But there is some historical context here:
In 2009, after he incurred pedestrian tallies of eight catches for 136 over three games, Colston followed it up with three consecutive outings of one touchdown.
11. Arian Foster would have been a top-five pick, among running backs, if he wasn't dealing with a substantial hamstring injury.
Of his last five games against Indy, the Houston dynamo boasts superb averages of 173 total yards and 1.2 touchdowns.
12. Of his last seven games, Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant has tallied 100 yards receiving and/or one touchdown six times. In that span, he also has three separate games of multiple TDs.
13. From 2010-12, spanning six games, Ravens tailback Ray Rice crushed Cleveland for per-outing averages of 121 total yards and 0.5 touchdowns.
14. Of his last 20 games, Bears wideout Brandon Marshall has racked up either double-digit targets or one touchdown a staggering 19 times.
15. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (1,628 yards passing, 13 TDs) has been all over the map against non-divisional clubs at home, averaging 253 total yards and 2.2 touchdowns over five outings.
16. Fred Jackson (648 total yards, six TDs) has been low-key fantasy gold, despite averaging only 16 touches. Through eight games, Jackson has tallied either 100 total yards and/or on touchdown seven times.
17. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who registered four touchdowns against the previously undefeated Broncos two weeks ago, has never tallied more than two scores against AFC South foes.
Of his seven divisional clashes to date, Luck holds modest averages of 238 yards passing and 1.7 touchdowns.
18. There's a good news/bad news proposition with rookie tailback Zac Stacy, who has per-game averages of 96 total yards in his last four games — highlighted by his 134 against the Seahawks last week.
On the plus side, of Stacy's next three opponents, the Colts (ranked 29th against the rush), Bears (25th) and Titans (24th) are among the NFL's 10 worst rushing defenses.
On the negative side, the Rams have yet to record a single rushing touchdown this year.
19. Steelers wideout Antonio Brown has averaged 11 targets in his last six games ... and Ben Roethlisberger has attempted 41 or more passes three times since Week 3.
And last but not least ...
20. Tony Romo has averaged only 20 completions in his last three games. But that's not a major concern against the Vikings, the 29th-ranked pass defense at 287 yards per game.
Plus, Minnesota has already given up 27 or more points four times this year.
