Week 17 Preview

Well, this is it. Last entry. The final week of a fantastic (depending on your perspective) NFL regular season. Last year's champs are done, the Jets are on the rise and it looks like it will be another year of AFC dominance. If you're still playing for your fantasy championship, I wish you the best of luck. It's a tricky week and even I'm not sure who's playing a full game this week or not. In any event, here's what it looks like to me...

Saturday Night Spoiler Special:

Washington Redskins over the New York Giants

Standouts: Ladell Betts, Jason Campbell, Chris Cooley, Santana Moss, Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, David Tyree, Jay Feeley

It's a shame that Joe Gibbs is too "old school" to know how to properly utilize Antwaan Randle-El in the modern NFL. Otherwise, he'd be listed here too.

Sorry Giants fans...it ends here. Atleast you won't have to endure another year of Tom Coughlin. He's dunzo!!

Here's a quick glance at the rest of the games...

New Orleans Saints over the Carolina Panthers

Standouts: Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush, Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith, Keyshawn Johnson

Houston Texans over the Cleveland Browns

Standouts: Ron Dayne, David Carr, Andre Johnson, Kris Brown, Ken Dorsey, Kellen Winslow, Dennis Northcutt

Dallas Cowboys over the Detroit Lions

Standouts: Marion Barber, Julius Jones, Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Tony Romo, Jon Kitna, Roy Williams, Jason Hanson

Jacksonville Jaguars over the Kansas City Chiefs

Standouts: Maurice Jones-Drew, Dave Garrard, Matt Jones, josh Scobee, Larry Johnson, Trent Green, Tony Gonzalez, Laurence Tynes

New England Patriots over the Tennessee Titans

Standouts: Tom Brady, Corey Dillon, Reche Caldwell, Troy Brown, Vince Young, Travis Henry, Rob Bironas

New York Jets over the Oakland Raiders

Standouts: Chad Pennington, Leon Washington, Jerricho Cotchery, Chris Baker, Justin Vargas, Sebastian Janikowski

Cincinnati Bengals over the Pittsburgh Steelers

Standouts: Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Rudi Johnson, Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Willie Parker, Jeff Reed

Seattle Seahawks over the Tampa Bay Bucaneers

Standouts: Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck, Deion Branch, Jerramy Stevens, Tim Rattay, Joey Galloway, Mike Alstott

St. Louis Rams over the Minnesota Vikings

Standouts: Mark Bulger, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Steven Jackson, Jeff Wilkins, Tarvaris Jackson, Chester Taylor, Ryan Longwell

San Diego Chargers over the Arizona Cardinals

Standouts: Phillip Rivers, Antonio Gates, LaDanian Tomlinson, Michael Turner, Nate Kaeding, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Neil Rackers

Philadelphia Eagles over the Atlanta Falcons

Standouts: Jeff Garcia, Brian Westbrook, Donte Stallworth, Reggie Brown, David Akers, Michael Vick, Warrick Dunn, Alge Crumpler, Michael Jenkins

UPSET SPECIAL:

Buffalo Bills over the Baltimore Ravens

Standouts: J.P. Losman, Lee Evans, Willis McGahee, Roscoe Parrish, Rian Lindell, Steve McNair, Todd Heap, Matt Stover

Indianapolis Colts over the Miami Dolphins

Standouts: Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Joseph Addai, Ronnie Brown, Olino Mare

Denver Broncos over the San Francisco 49ers

Standouts: Jay Cutler, Javon Walker, Tatum Bell, Tony Scheffler, Jason Elam, Frank Gore, Alex Smith, Vernon Davis

Chicago Bears over the Green Bay Packers

Standouts: Thomas Jones, Cedric Benson, Rex Grossman, Desmond Clark, Bernard Berrian, Brett Favre, Ahman Green, Donald Driver, Dave Rayner

Last Week: 8-8
Overall: 145-97

Good luck to you all and have a Happy New Year!!!!!!

QB Rankings -- Week 17

OK....here we go. Last week of the regular season. Some people are playign for the championship here, so good luck. Here's the QB rankings for NFL week 17. Be careful. While some of these playoff bound guys will start, they may not finish the game if their teams are way ahead or way behind. As always, color codings remain the same.


1. Peyton Manning, IND -- vs. MIA
2. Carson Palmer, CIN -- vs. PIT
3. Marc Bulger, STL -- @ MIN
4. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT -- @ CIN
5. Jeff Garcia, PHI -- vs. ATL
6. Michael Vick, ATL -- @ PHI
7. Jon Kitna, DET -- @ DAL
8. Jay Cutler, DEN -- vs. SF
9. Vince Young, TEN -- vs. NE
10. Matt Hasselbeck, SEA -- @ TB
11. Tony Romo, DAL -- vs. DET
12. Kurt Warner, ARI -- @ SD
13. Phillip Rivers, SD -- vs. ARI
14. Brett Favre, GB -- @ CHI
15. Drew Brees, NO -- vs. CAR
16. Eli Manning, NYG -- @ WAS
17. Dave Garrard, JAC -- @ KC
18. Tim Rattay, TB -- vs. SEA
19. Steve McNair, BAL -- vs. BUF
20. Jason Campbell, WAS -- vs. NYG
21. Tarvaris Jackson, MIN -- vs. STL
22. J.P. Losman, BUF -- @ BAL
23. Rex Grossman, CHI -- vs. GB
24. David Carr, HOU -- vs. CLE
25. Tom Brady, NE -- @ TEN
26. Trent Green, KC -- vs. JAC
27. Chad Pennington, NYJ -- vs. OAK
28. Jake Delhomme, CAR -- @ NO
29. Alex Smith, SF -- @ DEN
30. Cleo Lemon, MIA -- @ IND
31. Ken Dorsey, CLE -- @ HOU
32. Aaron Brooks, OAK -- @ NYJ
33. Brian Griese, CHI -- vs. GB
34. Jamie Martin, NO -- vs. CAR
35. Matt Cassell, NE -- @ TEN
36. Andrew Walter, OAK -- @ NYJ

Tuesday Morning Quarterback

Player of the Week: He was the cause of my demise in the fantasy playoffs and the reason my wife is atleast about to win the 3rd place consolation prize in our primary league. With a 65.8% completion percentage, Marc Bulger led the Rams to victory with 388 passing yards and 4 TDs over the upstart Redskins. He also threw in a little bonus action with an additional 27 rushing yards. Big points in a very important week. He's had some peaks and valleys this season, but as always he is a dangerous quarterback to go up against.



You're probably celebrating like a champion if you started:

QB Marc Bulger, STL: 388 passing yards-4 TD, 27 rushing yards
QB Jon Kitna, DET: 283 passing yards-3 TD, FL
QB Vince Young, TEN: 183 passing yards-2 TD, 61 rushing yards-1 TD
QB Steve McNair, BAL: 256 passing yards-3 TD, 2 INT
QB Peyton Manning, IND: 205 passing yards-3 TD
RB Steven Jackson, STL: 150 rushing yards-1 TD, 102 receiving yards-1 TD, FL
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC: 131 rushing yards-2 TD, 41 receiving yards
RB Ladell Betts, WAS: 129 rushing yards-2 TD, 35 receiving yards, FL
RB Shaun Alexander, SEA: 140 rushing yards-2 TD
WR Marvin Harrison, IND: 112 receiving yards-2 TD
WR Isaac Bruce, STL: 148 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Mark Clayton, BAL: 108 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Mike Furrey, DET: 107 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Chris Cooley, WAS: 77 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Vernon Davis, SF: 91 receiving yards
K Rian Lindell, BUF: 5 FG, 2 XP
K Robbie Gould, CHI: 4 FG, 2 XP
K Neil Rackers, ARI: 4 FG, 2 XP
DEF Tampa Bay Bucaneers: 4 INT, 3 sacks, 1 DTD
DEF Kansas City Chiefs: 2 INT, 4 sacks, 3 DFR

You understand the phrase 'the agony of defeat' if you started:

QB Derek Anderson, CLE: 123 passing yards, 4 INT
QB Michael Vick, ATL: 109 passing yards, 2 INT, 32 rushing yards
QB Matt Hasselbeck, SEA: 189 passing yards, 2 INT, 10 rushing yards
RB Dominic Rhodes, IND: 15 rushing yards, 6 receiving yards, FL
RB Willie Parker, PIT: 29 rushing yards, FL
RB Warrick Dunn, ATL: 29 rushing yards, 9 receiving yards
WR Steve Smith, CAR: -5 rushing yards
WR Braylon Edwards, CLE: 7 receiving yards
WR Michael Jenkins, ATL: 9 receiving yards
WR Devery Henderson, NO: 0 yards, 0 points
WR Drew Bennett, TEN: 0 yards, 0 points
TE Jeremy Shockey, NYG: -3 receiving yards
TE Jermaine Wiggins, MIN: 4 receiving yards
K Ryan Longwell, MIN: 1 XP
K Jeff Reed, PIT: 1 XP
K Jay Feely, NYG: 1 XP
DEF Indianapolis Colts: 27 PA, 354 TYdA

You gotta be nuts, but lucked out if you actually started:

RB Ron Dayne, HOU: 153 rushing yards-2 TD (c'mon...even with that matchup, no one started him, did they?)
WR Vincent Jackson, SD: 97 receiving yards-2 TD (even though I've been pushing him for weeks now)
WR Brandon Jones, TEN: 101 receiving yards-1 TD
TE David Thomas, NE: 83 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Dominique Byrd, STL: 39 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Dan Campbell, DET: 31 receiving yards-1 TD
DEF Cleveland Browns: 1 INT, 3 sacks, 1 DTD

News & Notes

You know, I'll be honest with you. What with the holiday and my work schedule I really didn't get a chance to watch much football this weekend. Blasphemous, I know. I didn't even get a chance to watch highlights. So this section here is going to be pretty light. I'll go over a couple of things though that I did happen to catch...

Who would have thought that in week 16, championship week in most leagues, LTD would end up going TD-less and Steve Smith going catchless? I hope they didn't cost anyone a championship. Nightmarish timing.

Vince Young shines bright again for the Titans as he throws for 2 TDs and runs another one in. He is proving to be the real deal and once again continues to see his value skyrocket in keeper leagues.

Seriously. Can we finally stop hearing it from the Tony Romo fluffers?!? If you take away that Thanksgiving game, you've got one pretty average former practice squad kid. He's got a better chance of living happily ever after with Carrie Underwood than he does of having a successful career in the NFL.

In three years from now, that Cardinals/49ers game could end up being for the NFC championship. Frank Gore is going to be solid for years to come and Matt Leinart (injured and all) is going to bring that team to a new level soon.

Are the Colts pulling a rope-a-dope here? Do they really think people will start taking them lightly if they limp into the playoffs like this?

The Saints are high flying, the Ravens look fierce and the Lions and Raiders are just the worst I've seen in years. And I'm a Jets fan!!!

And speaking of...

How about a big, hard nosed, rain soaked victory that pushes Gang Green's record to 9-6 now?!?! I can't believe I'm typing this, but if we can just avoid the "Same Ol' Jets" stigma here and not screw up the game against the Raiders in the final week, we can take momentum into the playoffs! We control our own destiny!

C'mon Man-genius!! Take us there!

A Closer Look at Week 16

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh

The Ravens may have clinched their division, but home field advantage is still very much up for grabs in the AFC, so don't expect them to lie down for this one. Expect an old school smashmouth style game here between these two rivals. Both teams will try to establish a runnning game but don't set your expectations for Willie Parker and Jamal Lewis too high. Both defenses are solid against the run, both ranking in the top 5 in the league. The passing game should be interesting to watch. Steve McNair is back in action this week and should be looking for Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason downfield more than across the middle to the banged up Todd Heap. Ben Roethlisberger has Hines Ward back but we're still waiting to see someone really step up as the #2 guy. Toss it up between Nate Washington and Santonio Holmes as Cedrick Wilson and former TE standout Heath Miller have been disappointing this year. I think whoever wins the ground battle, wins the war.

Carolina @ Atlanta

If it wasn't for the sad mediocrity of the NFC, this game would have no playoff implications whatsoever. Instead, the winner here keeps themselves alive and the loser...well, they can still get some help. The Panthers are struggling right now and need a jump start on offense. Chris Weinke has not been able to take advantage of having Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson and the team has only put up 16 points in the last 2 games. Perhaps a shootout with the Falcons is just what they need. With neither team having that great of a running game (DeShaun Foster and Warrick Dunn don't exactly instill a lot of fear in defenses) look for a lot of quarterback action. Michael Vick will pick up the slack on the ground, but will look for Alge Crumpler and Michael Jenkins against a team that's given up 21 TDs through the air this season. In response, you can look for Weinke to repeat that week 14 400+ yard performance with a few red zone strikes to his eager receivers.

Chicago @ Detroit

Normally I would say that this is a tough one to call, but with Detroit really being that bad, I still don't see them beating a Bears squad that has already clinched a divisional title and home field throughout the playoffs. With Kevin Jones still out, the Lions are going with Arlen Harris and Aevion Cason and they've been as close to useless as you can get in a fantasy running back. The forever average Jon Kitna doesn't have much going on but he'll still be forced to air it out to Roy Williams and Mike Furrey, as best as he can. For the Bears, Rex Grossman remains under center as he should be. If the team is looking to maintain their momentum in the playoffs, then Grossman needs to continue to play and stay sharp. He'll have the help of Bernard Berrian and Desmond Clark to keep those fantasy numbers up there. The one change you will see is in the Bears ground game. To keep him fresh for the playoffs, the team will likely cut down the workload of Thomas Jones and give the bulk of the carries to Cedric Benson. That doesn't bode well for Jones' owners, but if you have Benson, he could be a huge start for you this week.

Indianapolis @ Houston

The Colts are looking up at San Diego for home field and they're neck and neck with Baltimore for that #2 seed. Funny how a game against lowly Houston could be so important for the team. Peyton Manning should have a strong on ehere, probably locking up mostly with Reggie Wayne. Marvelous Marvin Harrison will play, but if you saw him last Monday, you'll see that that hand is still bothering him a little. Look for TE Ben Utecht to come up big as well. The ground assault will be led by Dominic Rhodes as Joe Addai is still questionable with the ankle sprain he suffered last week. For the Texans, I guess the guy to watch would be Ron Dayne. The Colts D still struggles big time against the run, and Dayne will do everything he can to expose its weaknesses. In the air, David Carr has been much less than spectacular lately, and will probably struggle again against the #2 pass defense in the NFL. Maybe Andre Johnson can come down with something at some point, but I wouldn't bet my fantasy championship on it.

New England @ Jacksonville

The Patriots can lock up the AFC East with a win, while the Jags need a win to keep themselves alive in the wild card hunt. Expect both teams to come out hard right from the start. Tom Brady will be able to show off his prowess as he goes again without his favorite target, Ben Watson. Reche Caldwell and Troy Brown could see some extensive looks. Also expect to see Brady get perennial backup Kevin Faulk in on the action again as he gets more time with Corey Dillon in the backfield while Laurence Maroney remains sidelined. It's still a tough Jags D, so don't expect anything crazy. For Jacksonville on offense, it's going to be a lot of Maurice Jones-Drew. With Fred Taylor sidelined and Dave Garrard being so inconsistent, look for a game plan that keeps the focus on Jones-Drew both on the ground and in the air. Matt Jones may get a few looks here and there, but he's not someone I'm relying on. I don't see it being a barnburner, but I don't see it being too low scoring either. Brady and Jones-Drew should be the top point-getters.

New Orleans @ NY Giants

Now this one, on the other hand, has all the potential of being a huge barnburner. The high-flying Saints are looking to put last week's debacle behind them and will look to expose a very problematic New York secondary. The Giants hope to work some of their offensive magic into the game also and while the Saints have the #5 pass defense in the league, they've still given up 23 TDs via the pass this year. What does this mean for fantasy? It means get your damn starters in. Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey, Plaxico Burress, Tiki Barber, Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister...get them all in unless you have ridiculously better options. The Giants may be getting back DL Michael Strahan, but the team has been bad enough the past few weeks to counter any and all of his efforts.

Tampa Bay @ Cleveland

Now here you go. A game without a single playoff ramification. Two franchises looking at a top draft choice next year. But for this season, there's still a little fantasy hope. Inserting QB Tim Rattay into the Tampa lineup did wonders for them after being battered by Chicago last week. They even made a game out of it by forcing overtime. Now Rattay takes over from the start and the Bucs are hoping to put up some points agaisnt a weak Browns squad. Joey Galloway should have a great afternoon and I'll bet TE Alex Smith gets a few red zone looks as well. The ground game may be a little rough as Michael Pittman takes over for the injured Carnell Williams, but Pittman has surprised folks for a few years now. For Cleveland, it could be tough as they just don't have any sort of a ground game. Reuben Droughns and Jason Wright have been abyssmal, so expect Derek Anderson to look downfield a lot for Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, although Steve Heiden has been a favorite target as well. With Ronde Barber on Edwards for most of the day, Dennis Northcutt becomes an interesting sleeper.

Tennessee @ Buffalo

Whoa!! Where'd these Bills come from? People are still using the word 'playoffs' when speaking about this team. J.P. Losman seems to be getting better and better and the trio of Lee Evans, Roscoe Parrish and Peerless Price gives them depth at WR and numerous options. Willis McGahee is trying to make something out of this year and a mediocre Titans run D could help the cause. For the Titans, it's going to be interesting to see how the offense rebounds from last week's disappointment. Vince Young couldn't get things going and the pass defense had to bail them out. It's a tough task for Young as his wideouts are achey and Travis Henry is banged up. Look for him to try and make it happen himself on the ground, but still find a few strikes to Brandon Marshall and, if he plays, Bo Scaife.

Washington @ St. Louis

Another game with little or no playoff implications, but possibly loaded with fantasy points. Redskins RB Ladell Betts has been fantastic since takin gover for Clinton Portis and he should attack the Rams D and their 31st ranked run D pretty strongly. I see another 100+ yard game for him. QB Jason Campbell seemed to be doing a little better last week and hopefully will be able to continue hitting Santana Moss and Chris Cooley in this potential shootout. For the Rams, they've followed through with their plan and have turned Steven Jackson into quite the premium running back. He's been great for fantasy owners down the stretch and should continue that against the Skins, although they've only given up a league low 5 rushing TDs. He'll get his points on yardage though. The points from the Rams, this week, are coming from the air. Look for Marc Bulger, Torry Holt and even Isaac Bruce to take advantage of the Skins' poor pass defense that has allowed a league high 25 passing TDs.

Arizona @ San Francisco

This is a game I'd love to see in 3 years. They've both got some holes to contend with, but these are two of the most promising young offenses in the NFL. The Niners will concentrate on the ground this week, so look for another strong performance from Frank Gore. The passing attack took a hit when Antonio Bryant was suspended by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy, so look for Alex Smith to reach out for Vernon Davis and Arnaz Battle this week. For the Cards, look for Matt Leinart to shine. The Niners pass D is very suspect and with weapons like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, it's time for Leinart to step it up. Edgerrin James is coming off another solid performance so he will definitely take off some of the pressure. Joe Nedney and Neil Rackers should also be pretty busy. I see a high scoring ending here.

Cincinnati @ Denver

This is a must win for both teams if they want to make the playoffs. The Bengals need to rebound from last week's dismal showing against the Colts, if they want to win and are getting a nice spark at just the right time. Carson Palmer couldn't be happier with the return of OL Levi Jones and should get a little more worry-free time to stay in the pocket this week. Look for T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson to come up big this week, and maybe even a little "something something" from Chris Henry. Rudi Johnson should find it a little tough on the ground against the staunch Broncos D. On offense for Denver, it's going to be a nice test for Jay Cutler. The Bengals D, outside of last week, has made strong improvements and should make it tough for Cutler all day. Javon Walker should fare pretty well, but my sleeper this week is rookie TE Tony Scheffler. Cutler has the confidence in him and they've hooked up well before. Toss a friggin coin to see which RB shows up though. Mike Bell, Tatum Bell, jeez!! Who knows at this point?

San Diego @ Seattle

What better way to lock up home field advantage than to pile on more TDs for your record in front of the guy whose record was broken after just one year? LaDanian Tomlinson is a beast and he's going to continue to add to his totals this week. The Chargers want the win, so don't expect LTD to sit while the game is close. Expect yet another 100+ yard performance with a couple of touchdowns again. Hell, he'll probably throw one too. Phillip Rivers should also have another solid game as he tunes up for the palyoffs and Antonio Gates will reap the benefits there. The WR area is still a little sketchy, but expect Vincent Jackson and Keenan McCardell to get a few looks as well. For the Seahawks, it could be a rough day agains ta fired up Chargers defense. Shaun Alexander will find running room scarce and Matt Hasselbeck will have to deal with an outstanding pass rush. Still, I see Alexander maybe grabbing a score and perhaps a strike to Jerramy Stevens. Maybe even Deion Branch, but again, i'm not betting a championship on it.

Philadelphia @ Dallas

The Cowboys have already locked up a playoff berth, but a win this week gives them the divisional title and strong hopes for that #2 seed in the playoffs. Expect a usual Parcells type of attack as both Marion Barber and Julius Jones should get a large amount of work. Once again, I see Barber as the stroger option. Tony Romo will have ample opportunity to air it out, and if Terrell Owens has anything to say (and he usually does) he'll get the majority of looks as he tries to show up the Eagles this time around. I don't see Philly allowing too much of T.O., so expect to see Jason Witten and Terry Glenn get in on the action. The Jeff Garcia-led Eagles are also in the thick of the playoff race, so expect them to come out hard from the onset. Brian Westbrook has been solid as of late, and L.J. Smith has seen a nice resurgance as well. If only Garcia can get Reggie Brown and Donte Stallworth involved a little more, they could have a shot here after all.

NY Jets @ Miami

Saving the best for last here, huh? My Jets are 8-6 and have a shot (although they need some help) at making the playoffs here in Man-genius' first year as head coach. The Miami D is tough, but both teams always seem to step it up for this rivalry. Basically, don't expect Jason Taylor to run the show here. Chad Pennington should have a decent day and Laveraneus Coles (and all his bulletin board fodder) and Jerricho Cotchery should reap the benefits. The ground game will switch back to the Kevan Barlow-Leon Washington tandem while Cedric Houston sits due to injury. I expect Barlow to steal the 3rd down and goal line carries for Gang Green. For the Fins, it's about pride now. They were mathematically eliminated last week, but still want to go out with a bang. Word out of Miami has Ronnie Brown playing, but only to spell Sammy Morris, who should have the stronger game against the subpar Jets run D. Now since I'm not too sold on Morris, I'm going to have to assume that Joey Harrington is going to be looking for Randy McMichael and Chris Chambers a lot downfield. Former favorite Marty Booker is out again this week. I'm looking for a big Jets win here!!!

Good luck to you all this weekend and have a wonderful holiday!!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, whatever it is you're celebrating -- make it fun...and safe!

Saturday Night Special -- NFL Week 16

Kansas City @ Oakland

Despite some of the surprises we've seen this season, I can still say that this looks like a no brainer. You tell me...Oaktown has no offense, a great pass defense, and a poor run defense. The Chiefs have Larry Johnson and a decent (nothing to write home about) defense. Predictions? The Chiefs still have a faint glimmer of hope to make a playoff run (although they need a lot of help), and are looking to put away the Raiders early. LJ should run all over them. The Chiefs will attack on the ground from the onset and probably won't let up until it's obvious that Trent Green can easily connect with Tony Gonzalez downfield. It's the perfect Herm Edwards ultra-conservative, I don't know how to coach any other way type of game. For Oaktown, well, I wouldn't be starting any of these guys on my fantasy team. Aaron Brooks is banged up but will start, but Andrew Walter will still probably see some snaps of his own in the second half. Justin Fargas? Ronald Curry? Doug Gabriel? Are any of these guys even on someone's fantasy team right now? I didn't think so.

How about Chiefs 31 Raiders 13?

Week 16 Preview

It's the second to last week here. Some teams have clinched while others are still looking for wild card spots, divisional titles and home field advantages. Some important guys could sit if the scores get out of hand and some guys could sit just for protection from injury. Nothing too earth-shattering yet, so you should treat it as business as usual. Here's a quick look at what I think the rest of NFL week 16 could look like for fantasy football.

Kansas City Chiefs over the Oakland Raiders

Standouts: Larry Johnson, Trent Green, Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs Defense, Laurence Tynes, Sebastian Janikowski

Baltimore Ravens over the Pittsburgh Steelers

Standouts: Steve McNair, Jamal Lewis, Mark Clayton, Ravens Defense, Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Jeff Reed

Atlanta Falcons over the Carolina Panthers

Standouts: Michael Vick, Alge Crumpler, Michael Jenkins, Warrick Dunn, Steve Smith, Keyshawn Johnson, Chris Weinke

Chicago Bears over the Detroit Lions

Standouts: Cedric Benson, Rex Grossman, Bernard Berrian, Bears Defense, Jon Kitna, Roy Williams, Jason Hanson

Indianapolis Colts over the Houston Texans

Standouts: Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dominic Rhodes, Marvin Harrison, Ron Dayne, Andre Johnson, Kris Brown

New England Patriots over the Jacksonville Jaguars

Standouts: Tom Brady, Corey Dillon, Reche Caldwell, Kevin Faulk, Troy Brown, Maurice Jones-Drew, Dave Garrard, Matt Jones, Josh Scobee

New Orleans Saints over the New York Giants

Standouts: Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey, Tiki Barber

Cleveland Browns over the Tampa Bay Bucaneers

Standouts: Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, Phil Dawson, Tim Rattay, Joey Galloway, Michael Pittman

Buffalo Bills over the Tennessee Titans

Standouts: J.P. Losman, Lee Evans, Willis McGahee, Peerless Price, Vince Young, Travis Henry, Brandon Jones

St. Louis Rams over the Washington Redskins

Standouts: Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, Steven Jackson, Isaac Bruce, Ladell Betts, Jason Campbell, Santana Moss

San Francisco 49ers over the Arizona Cardinals

Standouts: Frank Gore, Alex Smith, Vernon Davis, Bryan Gillmore, Matt Leinart, Edgerrin James, Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald

Cincinnati Bengals over the Denver Broncos

Standouts: Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Rudi Johnson, Jay Cutler, Tatum Bell, Javon Walker, Tony Scheffler

San Diego Chargers over the Seattle Seahawks

Standouts: LaDanian Tomlinson, Phillip Rivers, Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson, Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, Deion Branch

Dallas Cowboys over the Philadelphia Eagles

Standouts: Tony Romo, Terrell Ownes, Terry Glenn, Marion Barber, Jason Witten, Jeff Garcia, Brian Westbrook, L.J. Smith, David Akers

New York Jets over the Miami Dolphins

Standouts: Chad Pennington, Laveraneus Coles, Leon Washington, Kevan Barlow, Sammy Morris, Joey Harrington, Chris Chambers

Last Week: 10-6
Overall: 137-89

QB Rankings -- Week 16

For most leagues, this is championship week here. For others, it's an opportunity to make it to the big dance. Either way, the right decision is vital. Here are the Week 16 QB rankings. All color coding applies.


1. Peyton Manning, IND -- @ HOU
2. Drew Brees, NO -- @ NYG
3. Marc Bulger, STL -- vs. WAS
4. Brett Favre, GB -- vs. MIN
5. Michael Vick, ATL -- vs. CAR
6. Tom Brady, NE -- @ JAC
7. Carson Palmer, CIN -- @ DEN
8. Eli Manning, NYG -- vs. NO
9. Matt Hasselbeck, SEA -- vs. SD
10. Phillip Rivers, SD -- @ SEA
11. Tony Romo, DAL -- vs. PHI
12. Ben Roethlisberger -- vs. BAL
13. Jeff Garcia, PHI -- @ DAL
14. Chris Weinke, CAR -- @ ATL
15. Jay Cutler, DEN -- vs. CIN
16. Chad Pennington, NYJ -- @ MIA
17. Steve McNair, BAL -- @ PIT
18. Jon Kitna, DET -- vs. CHI
19. Matt Leinart, ARI -- @ SF
20. Vince Young, TEN -- @ BUF
21. Rex Grossman, CHI -- @ DET
22. Trent Green, KC -- @ OAK
23. Jason Campbell, WAS -- @ STL
24. Alex Smith, SF -- vs. ARI
25. J.P. Losman, BUF -- vs. TEN
26. Dave Garrard, JAC -- vs. NE
27. Joey Harrington, MIA -- vs. NYJ
28. Tim Rattay, TB -- @ CLE
29. Tarvaris Jackson, MIN -- @ GB
30. Derek Anderson, CLE -- vs. TB
31. David Carr, HOU -- vs. IND
32. Aaron Brooks, OAK -- vs. KC
33. Andrew Walter, OAK -- vs. KC

The rest of the rankings will be posted later today in plenty of time to make decisions for tonight's game.

Week 16 Thursday Game Preview

Minnesota @ Green Bay

Neither team has any real shot of making the playoffs here, so it's about divisional pride...and that it may be the last time Brett Favre visits the Metrodome to play. So with that, you have to believe that he is going to want to go all out. It doesn't hurt that the Vikings have the best run defense in the league which means he's not getting a lot of support from Ahman Green this week. Expect Brett to air it out -- using the Jets' gameplan from last week, which was the Pats' gameplan earlier in the year. I'm looking for a big game from Donald Driver, that breakout game from Greg Jennings that I wanted last week, and the re-emegence of David Martin at tight end. All three should put up solid numbers.
For the Vikings, it's going to be a lot of Chester Taylor. After being held down agains tthe Jets last week, Taylor is looking to pound the Packers up and down the field. It's exactly what the team needs as they go with Tarvaris Jackson instead of former starter Brad Johnson; the fact that they have no legit wideouts helps too. Despite Green Bay's mediocre to poor pass defense, if you don't have anyone to throw to, then you're not going to put up a lot of points. Sure he'll get the occasional toss to Travis Taylor or Marcus Robinson if they're healthy, but I see him staying more with Jermaine Wiggins if he wants some assemblance of consistency.
So that's what it's looking like to me. Lots from Favre and the Packers wideouts, lots from Chester Taylor.
How about this? Green Bay 28 Minnesota 17

Tuesday Morning Quarterback

Player of the Week: You know, no matter how many times I watch him play, no matter how many times I write about how great he is, both on the field and off, I never get bored. You would think that this boyish giddiness was coming from a first time owner, but I've owned LaDanian Tomlinson in fantasy football every year since 2001. He is just unbelievable. In the much hyped "Battle of the Running Backs", LTD showed Larry Johnson who the big swinging dick in the NFL truly is as he torched the Chiefs defense for 199 rushing yards with 2 TDs, one of which was an 85 yarder -- the longest of his famed career. He also threw in a catch for 5 yards just to get his all-purpose yardage over the 200 mark. LJ? Pfffft! 84 piddly-ass yards. Anyone with a first or second overall pick that passed up on Tomlinson for those other two clowns should have to pay a penalty fee in your league.



You're en route towards some extra holiday cash if you started:

QB Peyton Manning, IND -- 282 passing yards-4 TD, 10 rushing yards
QB Michael Vick, ATL -- 237 passing yards-4 TD, 1 INT, 56 rushing yards
QB Rex Grossman, CHI -- 339 passing yards-2 TD
QB Alex Smith, SF -- 162 passing yards-2 TD, 33 rushing yards
QB Tony Romo, DAL -- 278 passing yards-2 TD, 1 INT
QB Jay Cutler, DEN -- 261 passing yards-2 TD, 1 INT, 10 rushing yards
RB LaDanian Tomlinson, SD -- 199 rushing yards-2 TD, 5 receiving yards
RB Steven Jackson, STL -- 127 rushing yards-2 TD
RB Frank Gore, SF -- 144 rushing yards, 34 receiving yards-1 TD
RB Brian Westbrook, PHI -- 97 rushing yards-2 TD, 40 receiving yards
RB Willie Parker, PIT -- 132 rushing yards-1 TD
WR Marvin Harrison, IND -- 86 receiving yards-3 TD
WR Laveraneus Coles, NYJ -- 144 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Joey Galloway, TB -- 107 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Terrell Owens, DAL -- 69 receiving yards-2 TD
WR Javon Walker, DEN -- 84 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Desmond Clark, CHI -- 125 receiving yards-2 TD
TE Jerramy Stevens, SEA -- 64 receiving yards-1 TD
K Stephen Gostkowski, NE -- 4 FG, 4 XP
K Mike Nugent, NYJ -- 4 FG, 2 XP
DEF New England Patriots -- 4 INT, 4 sacks, 1 DTD
DEF Dallas Cowboys -- 2 INT, 4 sacks, 1 DFR, 1 DTD

You're en route towards returning some of those holiday gifts you overspent on if you started:

QB Joey Harrington, MIA -- 20 passing yards, 2 INT
QB David Carr, HOU -- 127 passing yards, 4 INT
QB Phillip Rivers, SD -- 97 passing yards, 2 INT
QB Carson Palmer, CIN -- 176 passing yards
QB Steve McNair, BAL -- 0 passing yards, 0 points (left game with injury)
RB Tatum Bell, DEN -- 29 rushing yards, 12 receiving yards, FL
RB Reggie Bush, NO -- 14 rushing yards, 19 receiving yards
RB Julius Jones, DAL -- 26 rushing yards
WR Marty Booker, MIA -- 2 rushing yards, 0 receiving yards
WR Chris Chambers, MIA -- 11 rushing yards, 0 receiving yards
WR Greg Jennings, GB -- 5 receiving yards
WR Donte Stallworth, PHI -- 5 receiving yards
WR Drew Bennett, TEN -- 0 receiving yards, 0 points
WR Roy Williams, DET -- 11 receiving yards
TE Antonio Gates, SD -- 7 receiving yards
TE Owen Daniels, HOU -- 9 receiving yards
K Kris Brown, HOU -- 1 XP
K Ryan Longwell, MIN -- 1 XP
DEF Seattle Seahawks -- 24 PA, 390 TYdA

You just got your Christmas goose early this year if you knew to start:

QB Tim Rattay, TB -- 268 passing yards-3 TD, 1 INT
QB Kyle Boller, BAL -- 238 passing yards-2 TD, 1 INT, 12 rushing yards, FL
RB Kevin Faulk, NE -- 22 rushin gyards-1 TD, 46 receiving yards-1 TD
RB Vernand Morrency, GB -- 54 rushing yards-2 TD
RB Mike Bell, DEN -- 61 rushing yards-2 TD
WR Demetrius Williams, BAL -- 100 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Robert Royal, BUF -- 62 receiving yards-1 TD
DEF Tennessee Titans -- 3 INT, 5 sacks, 1 DFR, 3 DTD

News & Notes

A shootout in the RCA Dome last night? Not when the only one packing heat was Peyton Manning and the Colts. Amidst the inane ramblings of Tony Kornheiser and his cries of not winning "the big game", Peyton hooked up with old stalwart Marvin Harrison three times in the endzone, while the Colts D made Carson and Co. look like they belonged in the Kiddie Korrall. Fantasy owners don't care about his Super Bowl. He just won them "the big game" here in Week 15.

Aside from the fact that you can have an elite back on a mediocre team tearing up the fantasy world, all Frank Gore and the Niners taught me is that the Seahawks are just a shell of the team they were last year. Swept by San Francisco? No Bowl for you!!

In the immortal words of Ground Control to Major Tom -- "Commencing countdown, engines on." LaDanian...31 and counting.

Fantasy owners everywhere getting a little taste of mid-season Michael Vick just in time to put him into your lineup for next week's championship? Suckers!!!

I hope this past week helped you finally answer the question of whether to play Julius Jones or Marion Barber each week.

Yup! Nothing like a game against the Lions to build you up a little. Brett Favre sets the NFL record for most completions, tosses 3 INTs and still comes out a winner. I hear Roy Williams is guaranteeing a number one draft pick now.

But it looks like Detroit has a little competition as Oaktown seems to just be handing over games to build up the loss column. 5 turnovers? "Why don't you just give them the king!?! Give it to 'em!!" (mid 80's SNL reference to Jim Belushi as a chess team coach -- wish I could find the video to link it -- this blurb is great if you know it -- oof!)

It's Murphy's Law. Raise your hand if you sat someone better in favor of Drew Brees. Just what we all needed for the playoffs this week.

You know, Ladell Betts is making an awfully strong case for trading Clinton Portis. And I'm talking both fantasy and reality.

O.K. Just 2 weeks left in the season. Some fantasy leagues still going. Will the real Rex Grossman please stand up.

And how about that Bears/Bucs game? If this happened a few weeks earlier, Tim Rattay would have been jumping off waiver wires just in time to ruin your fantasy team. Let Joey Galloway owners reap these garbage time benefits. The rest of us should consider ourselves lucky.

Fast Willie Parker -- coming to a top 5 draft choice near you

All right. Sure. It was Joey Harrington and ::pause, slight chuckle:: Cleo Lemon, but that Buffalo D is gonna win someone a fantasy championship here.

Can someone please tell me which friggin Bell to play!?!?! The dude over at ESPN.com is right. If you have them both, then you should be allowed to start the UberBell each week.

By the way, speaking of Denver...this Arizona game is just the beginning for Jay Cutler. He's going to have a tremendous next 2 weeks. Keeper league owners get ready.

Now that's teamwork. If Vince Young can't win the game for you, the defense comes to the rescue. This team is playing the spoiler and are going to be something to watch next year.

And seriously...what's with the friggin' Jags?

I only ask this because I know the Giants aren't really as bad as they're playing, but is Jeff Garcia going to lead the Eagles into the playoffs and maybe beyond?

I'm still trying to figure out how the Browns put up 17 points. Kyle Boller to the rescue??? I'm not so sure these guys are going to be able to hang with San Diego in the playoffs anymore.

Ah yes, just what the Patriots need. An easy tune up game to get hot right before it really matters. The Jets fan in me is cringing.

And speaking of...

8-6? Chad and Laveraneus win us a meaningful December game? My Jets in a playoff hunt? It's a Christmas miracle!!!!!

A Deeper Look Into the Rest of Week 15

Cleveland @ Baltimore

There's no nice way to say this for Browns fans so I'll just keep it simple. This one could be ugly. Derek Anderson will be behind center, the Cleveland ground game is atrocious, the offensive line is banged up and they play the infamous Ravens defense. Maybe Braylon Edwards can come down with a garbage time TD, but that's probably it. Kellen Winslow will play, but he's hurt too. This should be all Ravens. Steve McNair, Todd Heap and Jamal Lewis should all have great days, maybe Derrick Mason, and most definitely the Ravens D. Unless Baltimore is looking way past this week, then this one shoul dbe over by the end of the first half.

Detroit @ Green Bay

Just when you think you can't possibly pick the Lions, they get a cushy matchup like this one. The Packers D is awful which could mean a solid day for Jon Kitna, Roy Williams and Mike Furrey. The ground game for Detroit is pretty suspect though as it looks like Arlen Harris will start while being spelled by Aevion Cason at times. Neither should be expected to have a breakout day. For the Pack, well, expect good things from the main guys. Brett Favre should light up the shaky Lions seconday -- Greg Jennings should look good; Donald Driver was questionable but should still start. Make sure you've got Ahman Green active as I expect him to run all over the Lions.

Houston @ New England

This could be just what the doctor ordered for the Patriots this week. After being shut down by the Dolphins last week, the Pats are looking to flex their muscles against a nice AFC punching bag. Corey Dillon will get the nod as it looks like Laurence Maroney (torn rib cartilage) will be inactive once again. Expect Dillon to have mediocre yardage, but he'll still grab a score or two. Tom Brady may be without his new best friend Ben Watson, but Reche Caldwell and Chad Jackson should put up some pretty solid numbers. For the Texans, it's more of the same. The only guys you can really think about starting are David Carr and Andre Johnson. The running game is still a mess and they'll be playing catchup all day long anyway. Maybe kicker Kris Brown is worth a look.

Jacksonville @ Tennessee

Once again it comes down to which Jags team is gonna show up. The Titans D isn't the strongest, so you can probably expect another solid day on the ground with Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor. The passing game is more of a crapshoot as Dave Garrard like to dump it off to Jones-Drew because no one amongst Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, and/or Ernest Wilford has stepped up as a go-to receiver. The Titans, on the other hand are a whole new team compared to earlier this year. Vince Young has taken over and, while the matchup isn't that hot, could still put up some solid numbers. He should probably get a big chunk of rushing yards as Travis Henry is questionable and the Titans can't rely on LenDale White or Chris Brown. As for the passing game, with the exception of Drew Bennett, I can't really recommend any receivers. Brandon Jones? Roydell Williams? Bobby Wade? Probably not. What's worse is that it also looks like Bo Scaife is out which means a new tight end.

Miami @ Buffalo

A low scoring contest here as both teams are playing strong defensively lately. Miami's D is ranked second overall coming off a shutout against the Patriots and the Bills have been getting stronger and stronger as they get some of their injured players back for the stretch run. So where does that leave the offenses? Maybe not so hot in super cold Buffalo. Willis McGahee will have a tough day against the Fins run defense so J.P. Losman could be forced to take it to the air early and often. You know how they love those Losman to Lee Evans 80 yard bombs. Look for Roscoe Parrish and Peerless Price to get in on the action too. For the Fins, they're going to have to rely on good ol' Joey Harrington. Sammy Morris still has control of the running duties and should also be in for a long day. Expect Randy McMichael and new favorite red zone target Marty Booker to put up some decent numbers. Nothing crazy, but decent for this game atleast.

NY Jets @ Minnesota

Perfect rebound game for the Jets and a perfect letdown game for the Vikings. After dropping a heartbreaker to the Bills, the Jets will look to prove their worth against Minnesota. But they'll have to do it in the air as the Vikes have the top rushing defense in the NFL. Don't expect much out of Cedric Houston or Leon Washington this week. You can expect Chad Pennington, however, to put up solid numbers. The Vikings are very vulnerable against the pass and it looks like Laveraneus Coles, Jerricho Cotchery and Chris Baker could all get involved. For the Vikings, it's going to be all about the ground game. Chester Taylor should be back and everyone knows how vulnerable the Jets run D can be. Expect a strong outing. However, the passing game is still suspect, so unless Taylor has an Artose Pinner type day, expect Brad Johnson to struggle and the Vikings to drop a close one at home.

Pittsburgh @ Carolina

This should be an interesting one as neither team has been mathematically eliminated and both clubs still feel they have a shot to get to the playoffs. Even with a back like Willie Parker, you can probably expect the Steelers to tak it to the air a little as the Panther d-backs are all banged up. With Chris Gamble and Ken Lucas at less than 100%, you can probably expect solid day from Hines Ward and even Santonio Holmes. I won't even mention Heath Miller as I'm still stinging from that 0 catch, 0 point performance last week. For the Panthers, this could be a tough week again. Chris Weinke is behind center, DeShaun Foster has been a disappointment again, and the team could be hard pressed for points. Weinke needs to connect with Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson as much as possible if the Panthers want to stay in it. But aside from Smith, John Kasay is probably the next best Panther to have active.

Tampa Bay @ Chicago

This one could get as ugly as the Cleveland/Baltimore contest. The Bucs offense is completely inept and they haven't posted a quality game since that upset of the eagles when McNabb went down. The only Buc I see that could be a possibility is Carnell Williams as the Bears defense, in all its glory, has had trouble stopping the run in 7 of its last 8 games. I'm not saying he's going for mad yardage, but 70 yards and a score aren't totally out of the question. As for the others, I wouldn't bother -- not even for a Joey Galloway garbage time TD. For the Bears, it's nice to see their offense start going again. Rex Grossman has found Bernard Berrian again and hopefully will be able to find Mark Bradley or Rashied Davis as well. The running game for the Bears should do well in reality, but not so hot in fantasy. As the season winds down, Cedric Benson is getting more and more carries while the team keeps Thomas Jones fresh. Both should fare well against Tampa, but it's anyone's guess as to who will get the carries down at the goal line. I'm guessing Benson, but we'll have to wait and see.

Washington @ New Orleans

Well if the Saints did what they did to Dallas last week, imagine what they can do to the Skins this week. Drew Brees is the number one QB in fantasy and should continue to roll along this week. Marques Colston will be starting opposite Devery Henderson this week and they should do very well agaisnt the 22nd ranked pass defense in the league. Oh yeah...potential for yet another Reggie Bush 60+ yard TD grab? Pretty damn high. Throw in Deuce McAllister and you've got one dangerous offense. Now they just need the defense to hold up. The Saints give up enough points to keep Skins fantasy owners interested. Ladell Betts has been on a yardage tear and should do pretty well, atleast until Washington is forced to abandon the running game in order to catch up. Look for Jason Campbell to lean heavily on Chris Cooley and Santana Moss this week. Unfortunately for him and his owners though, it just won't be enough.

Denver @ Arizona

A coming out party for Jay Cutler? Quite possibly. While the Cards are jelling and on a 2 game win streak, they're going to have to keep up their A game if they want the streak to continue. The Denver D is tough and Matt Leinart could have a tough day; especially if the Broncos keep the newly energized Edgerrin James in check. The Broncos corners are tough, but I still think Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin can put up the numbers to keep themselves among the league's top wideouts. For Denver, they're going to have to be methodical. Run the ball hard with Tatum Bell in the beginning and allow Cutler to take his time to connect with Javon Walker. He's been going to is second and third options mostly, so it's time he and Walker (and even Rod Smith) had a breakout game. I like their chances here.

Philadelphia @ NY Giants

Both are 7-6 and both have been trying to overcome adversity. So where does it go from here? Jeff Garcia has been solid since taking over the helm and Brian Westbrook and L.J. Smith have been reaping the benefits. Even Donte Stallworth is getting in on the action again. The Giants have fought through all the internal strife and would love to keep it together for a playoff run. If they come out firing like they did against Carolina last week then there's hope. I expect Eli Manning to take last week's momentum and run with it, along with Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico "the mouth" Burress. It should be a pretty high scoring affair here, so all make for solid fantasy plays.

St. Louis @ Oakland

All right. Let's face it. Oaktown is awful. Justin Fargas can't get it going, Aaron Brooks is atrocious, and Randy Moss has plummetted out of the "elite" wide receiver tier. Do not start any of them. Just don't and you'll be fine. You should, however, be excited about starting your Rams. Steven Jackson should have another outstanding week and that should be enough to open it up for Marc Bulger to find Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Kevin Curtis downfield. The Bengals showed that you can be successful with the pass against the big bad Oaktown defense, and the Rams should continue that display.

Kansas City @ San Diego

Ooooooh. The big marquee matchup. LT vs. LJ. Well, if you ask me, it's just no contest. Yes Larry Johnson is a great running back. Yes he puts up great numbers. But he's no LaDanian Tomlinson. And to see that, all you'll need to do is watch the game. The Chargers defense is strong and Johnson should find running room tough to come by, whereas the Chiefs D is, well, the Chiefs D, and Tomlinson should look to pad that single season record even more this week. As for the other guys (yes, it's not just LTD and LJ), it's pretty basic. Phillip Rivers should have a solid day, Antonio Gates is coming off a huge game last week and should find more success this week, and the passing game will get a boost with the return of Keenan McCardell (although I'm still a fan of Vincent Jackson). For the Chiefs, it could be tough for Trent Green, but so long as Tony Gonzalez can get open, Green should fare well enough to get you by in your playoffs. Eddie Kennison is a little too streaky to start, but he could post a score if K.C. falls behind and needs to play catch up.

Cincinnati @ Indianapolis

A big show for everyone on Monday night!! Two of the most explosive offenses face off in what could be a palyoff matchup further on down the road. The Colts have struggled as of late and are in need of a big Peyton Manning day. Look for him to air it out to Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne for a few scores there. The Cincy D has been surging, so it may be a tough going for Joe Addai. As for the Bengals, their offense could be in for a HUGE day. The Colts own the worst run defense in the league, so expect a big day from Rudi Johnson. If he does half the damage the Jags runnin ggame did last week, it could be trouble for Indy. To make matter worse, the Colts will be without Bob Sanders in the secondary which means we could also see a big day from Carson Palmer and his cohorts Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry. Expect a high scoring affair here. Get your starters active. Points galore!!

Saturday Night Special

The fantasy playoffs continue here in the NFL's Week 15. Special Saturday night game brought to you by the NFL Network...unless you're one of the millions of subscribers to Time Warner Cable or Cablevision, that is. But that's another story for another time. Let's go to tonight's game...

Dallas @ Atlanta

The fight for the playoffs in the mediocre NFC continues as the Cowboys look to pull away in the East and the Falcons make a push for the wild card. I'm guessing the former happens rather than the latter. After last week's embarrassment at the hand of the Saints, Bill Parcells and his Boys are looking for a big statement game. The Atlanta defense has been pretty vulnerable all year with their pass defense ranking 31st in the league. But does that mean Tony Romo is going to be pass crazy? Not from the start atleast. After the whipping, Parcells is going to go back to the basics. He's going to try and run the ball down the Falcons' throats and allow the passing game to open up naturally. This could mean strong days for both Julius Jones and Marion Barber. Of course with such a poor pass defense, it's only fitting that Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn and even Jason Witten get to produce. I'm just not sold on Romo (look at his points in 3 of the last 4 weeks) and I can't put my full confidence in him.
For the Falcons, it could be a tougher road regardless of the home field advantage. Not only are Warrick Dunn and Jerrious Norwood still banged up, but the Dallas D wants to prove that 42 points allowed was nothing but a fluke. I don't see strong rushing numbers from the aforementioned backs, and Justin Griffith will probably steal some carries too making any of the Atlanta RBs a sketchy play. Without a solid rushing attack, I see Michael Vick trying to do a little too much. He'll end up rushing for decent yardage, but he's also prone to the INT when he tries to force things. His main targets, Alge Crumpler and Michael Jenkins should put up some average numbers, but don't expect the Falcons to return to those Week 7 or 8 numbers that had Vick's owners salivating.
If I had to pick, I'd say it looks like Dallas 34 Atlanta 17

Week 15 Preview

Wow. I can't believe I blew it with the Seahawks last night. I had been riding on the 49ers bandwagon all year and even picked them when they upset Seattle in Week 11. Oh well. What can you do? Nobody's perfekt!! In any event, here's a quick look as to what I think may happen this week in the NFL with some potential fantasy standouts. Good luck!

Dallas Cowboys over the Atlanta Falcons

Standouts: Julius Jones, Marion Barber, Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Michael Vick, Alge Crumpler

Baltimore Ravens over the Cleveland Browns

Standouts: Steve McNair, Todd Heap, Jamal Lewis, Ravens Defense, Braylon Edwards, Phil Dawson

Green Bay Packers over the Detroit Lions

Standouts: Brett Favre, Ahman Green, Donald Driver, Dave Rayner, Jon Kitna, Roy Williams, Mike Furrey

New England Patriots over the Houston Texans

Standouts: Tom Brady, Corey Dillon, Reche Caldwell, Chad Jackson, David Carr, Andre Johnson

Jacksonville Jaguars over the Tennessee Titans

Standouts: Dave Garrard, Maurice Jones-Drew, Matt Jones, Jaguars Defense, Vince Young, Drew Bennett, Bo Scaife

Buffalo Bills over the Miami Dolphins

Standouts: J.P. Losman, Lee Evans, Willis McGahee, Bills Defense, Joey Harrington, Randy McMichael, Sammy Morris, Dolphins Defense

New York Jets over the Minnesota Vikings

Standouts: Chad Pennington, Laveraneus Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, Chris Baker, Chester Taylor, Jermaine Wiggins, Brad Johnson

Carolina Panthers over the Pittsburgh Steelers

Standouts: Chris Weinke, Steve Smith, Keyshawn Johnson, DeShaun Foster, Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward

Chicago Bears over the Tampa Bay Bucaneers

Standouts: Bears Defense, Rex Grossman, Cedric Benson, Bernard Berrian, Carnell Williams, Joey Galloway

New Orleans Saints over the Washington Redskins

Standouts: Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Jason Campbell, Ladell Betts, Santana Moss, Chris Cooley

Denver Broncos over the Arizona Cardinals

Standouts: Jay Cutler, Javon Walker, Rod Smith, Tatum Bell, Matt Leinart,Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Neil Rackers

New York Giants over the Philadelphia Eagles

Standouts: Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey, Tiki Barber, Plaxico Burress, Jeff Garcia, Brian Westbrook, L.J. Smith, Donte Stallworth

St. Louis Rams over the Oakland Raiders

Standouts: Steven Jackson, Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Justin Vargas, Sebastian Janikowski

San Diego Chargers over the Kansas City Chiefs

Standouts: LaDanian Tomlinson, Phillip Rivers, Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson, Larry Johnson, Trent Green, Tony Gonzalez

Cincinnati Bengals over the Indianapolis Colts

Standouts: Rudi Johnson, Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Joeseph Addai

Last Week: 7-9
Overall: 127-83

Week 15 Thursday Game Preview

The wonderful NFL schedule makers once again bring us a Thursday night game. A Thursday night game that cannot be viewed if you use Time Warner Cable or Cablevision. Ugh!!! Here's hoping that the fat cats getting rich off of us viewers strike a deal soon and bring the NFL Network to all of us in need. In the meantime, here's what tonight's contest looks like to me.


Seattle Seahawks over the San Francisco 49ers

Standouts: Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, Deion Branch, D.J. Hackett, Frank Gore, Alex Smith, Antonio Bryant, Joe Nedney

It looks like it's payback time for the Hawks. These are not the same guys the Niners upset back in Week 11, and now the grudge match takes place in Seattle; the loudest stadium in the NFL, save for Arrowhead in K.C. The Seahawks should mix it up nicely on offense and we could see the Shaun Alexander breakout game we were expecting last week. He should post over 100 yards with a score or two, while Matt Hasselbeck should have some fun with the S.F. secondary. With Darrell Jackson out (toe), you can probably expect Deion Branch to get the bulk of the looks and should post a real nice game for you. Upstart D.J. Hackett will look to improve on last week's breakout and TE Jerramy Stevens could get in on the action down in the red zone. As for the Niners, expect them to attack with breakout stud Frank Gore from the onset. He'll get plenty of carries and should post a solid game if it remains close. Expect a major change to the aerial attack in the second half as I expect San Fran to be playing a little catch up. A little Alex Smith to Antonio Bryant action as usual; just don't expect another big week out of Vernon Davis. He probably won't find as much success against the Seahawks as he did against Arizona. Had I started Joe Nedney last week I'd still be playing this week. Expect him to post solid kicker numbers here.

Don't forget...

There's a game on Saturday this week as well, but the rest of the preview should go up before that.

Keith will have the rest of the skill position rankings later in the day, but with plenty of time before tonight's kickoff.

Good luck!

QB Rankings -- Week 15

You're almost there

If you're still checking here, then you're still alive in your playoffs and are just inches away from a championship. I wish you all nothing but the best. Sadly, I cannot be there with you. What I can do is continue the rankings and maybe some commentary and help you achieve your ultimate goal. Here are the Week 15 QB rankings. All color schemes apply.

1. Drew Brees, NO -- vs. WAS
2. Peyton Manning, IND -- vs. CIN
3. Carson Palmer, CIN -- @ IND
4. Matt Hasselbeck, SEA -- vs. SF
5. Tom Brady, NE -- vs. HOU
6. Brett Favre, GB -- vs. DET
7. Marc Bulger, STL -- @ OAK
8. Eli Manning, NYG -- vs. PHI
9. Michael Vick, ATL -- vs. DAL
10. Phillip Rivers, SD -- vs. KC
11. Ben Roethlisberger -- @ CAR
12. Vince Young, TEN -- vs. JAC
13. Chad Pennington, NYJ -- @ MIN
14. Jon Kitna, DET -- @ GB
15. Tony Romo, DAL -- @ ATL
16. Trent Green, KC -- @ SD
17. Jake Delhomme, CAR -- vs. PIT
18. Jeff Garcia, PHI -- @ NYG
19. Steve McNair, BAL -- vs. CLE
20. Matt Leinart, ARI -- vs. DEN
21. Dave Garrard, JAC -- @ TEN
22. Jay Cutler, DEN -- @ ARI
23. Rex Grossman, CHI -- vs. TB
24. David Carr, HOU -- @ NE
25. Jason Campbell, WAS -- @ NO
26. Joey Harrington, MIA -- vs. BUF
27. J.P. Losman, BUF -- @ MIA
28. Alex Smith, SF -- @ SEA
29. Brad Johnson, MIN -- vs. NYJ
30. Aaron Brooks, OAK -- vs. STL
31. Derek Anderson, CLE -- @ BAL
32. Bruce Gradkowski, TB -- @ CHI

Tuesday Morning Quarterback

Player of the Week: Or should I say 'players', as I have to hand out the honors twice this week. Saints QB Drew Brees and Chargers RB LaDanian Tomlinson share the award this week as both had monumental days on Sunday. First there was LTD breaking the single-season TD record as he rolled for 103 yards on the ground with 3 TDs, his third being his 29th of the season. He's got 3 more games to make the record virtually unreachable for years to come. Then, in the night game, his former teammate and current leader of the upstart Saints, Drew Brees, carved up the heralded Dallas D to the tune of 384 passign yards and 5, count 'em, 5 TD passes. Apparently it doesn't matter who his receivers are; he's definitely earned the top spot for fantasy QBs this year. Both have had outstanding years, and no doubt, they are leading teams to fantasy championships everywhere.


You're probably advancing in your playoffs if you started:

QB Drew Brees, NO -- 384 passing yards-5 TD
QB Marc Bulger, STL -- 356 passing yards-3 TD, 1 INT
QB Brett Favre, GB -- 293 passing yards-2 TD
QB Matt Hasselbeck, SEA -- 243 passing yards-3 TD, 32 rushing yards
QB Phillip Rivers, SD -- 279 passing yards-2 TD
RB LaDanian Tomlinson, SD -- 103 rushing yards-3 TD
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC -- 166 rushing yards-2 TD, 15 receiving yards
RB Willie Parker, PIT -- 223 rushing yards-1 TD, FL
RB Reggie Bush, NO -- 37 rushing yards, 125 receiving yards-1 TD
RB Rudi Johnson, CIN -- 117 rushing yards-2 TD, FL
RB Steven Jackson, STL -- 81 receiving yards-1 TD, 58 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Donald Driver, GB -- 160 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Mark Clayton, BAL -- 112 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Marty Booker, MIA -- 103 receiving yards-1 TD
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, CIN -- 118 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Torry Holt, STL -- 74 receiving yards-2 TD
TE Antonio Gates, SD -- 104 receiving yards-2 TD
TE Vernon Davis, SF -- 74 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Jeremy Shockey, NYG -- 49 receiving yards-1 TD
K Josh Scobee, JAC -- 3 FG, 6 XP
DEF Buffalo Bills -- 2 INT, 4 sacks, 1 DFR, 1 DTD
DEF Chicago Bears -- 1 INT, 3 sacks, 2 STTD

You're probably looking to buy fantasy baseball magazines if you started:

QB Dave Garrard, JAC -- 79 passing yards, 1 INT
QB Tom Brady, NE -- 78 passing yards, FL
QB Michael Vick, ATL -- 155 passing yards, 1 INT
QB Bruce Gradkowski, TB -- 121 passing yards, FL
RB Ciatrick Fason, MIN -- 28 rushing yards
RB Reuben Droughns, CLE -- 6 rushing yards, 23 receiving yards
RB DeShaun Foster, CAR -- 23 rushing yards
RB Joseph Addai, IND -- 22 rushing yards, 14 receiving yards
WR Michael Jenkins, ATL -- 6 receiving yards
WR Eddie Kennison, KC -- 13 receiving yards
WR Chris Chambers, MIA -- 11 receiving yards
WR Reche Caldwell, NE -- 12 receiving yards
WR Randy Moss, OAK -- 28 receiving yards
TE Ben Watson, NE -- 5 receiving yards (left game with injury)
TE Jerramy Stevens, SEA -- 7 receiving yards
TE Heath Miller, PIT -- 0 catches, 0 yards, 0 points
K Phil Dawson, CLE -- 1 XP
DEF Carolina Panthers -- 1 sack, 27 PA, 307 TYdA

You're a freak and are screwing up people in your playoffs if you had the balls to start:

QB Chris Weinke, CAR -- 423 passing yards-1 TD, 3 INT, 16 rushing yards
RB Artose Pinner, MIN -- 125 rushing yards-3 TD, 15 receiving yards, FL
RB Mike Karney, NO -- 14 rushing yards-1 TD, 39 receiving yards-2 TD
WR Drew Carter, CAR -- 144 receiving yards-1 TD
WR D.J. Hackett, SEA -- 104 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Tony Scheffler, DEN -- 66 receiving yards-2 TD
K Shaun Suisham, WAS -- 4 FG, 1 XP

News & Notes

Some major bitterness today as Marc Bulger, in a losing effort, throws all over the esteemed Bears defense to give my wife the 115-113 victory over me in the first round of the playoffs. I was up by 28 with Jeff Wilkins to go, her with Bulger. As soon as the Rams botched the extra point in the 1st quarter, I knew I was done. The football gods had it in for me. I shut the TV off only to check the outcome of our game at the end of the night. Our bed was colder than Lambeau at Christmas.

As for the rest of it...

LaDanian Tomlinson breaks the single season TD record as he grabs his 29th of the season ina little garbage time against Denver. He's congratulated by all, carried off the field by his teammates, called the best back in the history of football by Schottenheimer and yet still goes out of his way to congratulate his offensive line, his teammates and his coaches. "This achievement is as much theirs as it is mine." How many more great things can you write about this guy? He's just amazing; his play and his character. Didn't help me beat my wife in the playoffs, but still, completely amazing.

As for the previous record holder...so much for the "Shaun Alexander runs all over Arizona" theory. He turns in a fantasy stinker while Edge rushes for another 100 yard game??? What the hell's goin' on here?? I lost to my wife??? Where are we?? Bizzarro World???

Willie Parker breaks out of his slump to run for a Steelers' record 223 yards against the woeful Browns and probably pushed you further along in the playoffs (not me, of course -- thanks Willie). His upcoming matchup against the Panthers became a little more encouraging when Tiki Barber burned them for 112 yards this week. But don't bet the farm on it.

Congrats to Marvelous Marvin Harrison -- 1000th career catch

Rudi Johnson, Ron Dayne, Wali Lundy and Sammy Morris/Ronnie Brown all get a little bump in value as each one of them has an upcoming matchup against the Colts. Jeez that run D is bad. I knew Maurice Jones-Drew was gonna do some damage, but Fragile Fred grabbing 130+ yards too? Someone needs to open a tackling school in Indy.

Some of us ex-Kevin Jones (ouch! broken foot?!?) knew exactly who Artose Pinner was before Sunday. We also know what picking him up now is going to do for you. Have you met my friend Jack Squat?

Vince Young -- delighting keeper league owners everywhere!!! I've got him for $2 in my auction league!!

You didn't really think Oaktown's big scary pass defense was gonna hold down them big bad Bengals did you? Carson, Chad, Rudi and the Housh are all looking like great plays down the stretch. Who dey?!?

Anyone fall for that Alex Smith breakout game against Green Bay nonsense? My wife was about to until I gave my stupid "You gotta stick with the guys you drafted to be your top guys" speech. If you fell for it, feel free to kick your computer screen in now. Idiot.

Remember when I said "peaks and valleys" for Michael Vick? Um, yeah. What I meant to say was "peaks....and then a valley. a very deep, a very low, valley."

A very polite Ladell Betts had 171 thank you's for his new contract extension. Clinton Portis owners, beware. His keeper value is circling the bowl as we speak.

Fact: Drew Brees is the number one fantasy quarterback this year
Fiction: He will lead the Saints to the Super Bowl
He's still pretty sick!!!

The magic dust Tom Brady uses in December has finally stopped working. Fantasy owners everywhere are sending hate mail to Jason Taylor who seemed to have found the antidote.

And forgive me if I can't speak about the Jets. Not only did they turn in a stinker all around (except Coles who was on my wife's team), but I sat and watched the Bills defense on my bench put up an apparently needed 16 pts. Ugh. Sometimes I just hate this game so much.

Congratulations to my wife, Deborah. It was a hard fought battle. Good job. You are a true fantasy guru (she won baseball this year too). May you go on to crush everyone else en route to a championship.

And lastly, another moment of acknowledgement to one of the greatest....




LaDanian Tomlinson.

LTD

So good.

A Closer Look at Week 14

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay

The gossip still swirls around the Falcons' "sinking ship", but I'm not buying it. Atleast not against a team like the Bucs. Despite the fact that the Falcons have given up 12 rushing TDs, their run D isn't so bad and should keep Carnell Williams in check. That leaves the inevitable garbage time Gradkowski to Galloway bomb that should find its way to burning cornerback DeAngelo Hall. But that's about all the offense I see Tampa putting together. The Falcons, on the other hand, should find success all over, so long as Michael Vick keeps a clear head and doesn't try to do too much. Warrick Dunn should have a decent day, maybe even Jerrious Norwood, but you can't count on him just yet. With the run established, it should then open up the passing game allowing Vick to find his two favorite targets, Alge Crumpler and Michael Jenkins. Of course, there's always that little voice that says upset to me, but that could just be my friend Keith and his wishful thinking.

Baltimore @ Kansas City

Big game here for both teams. The Chiefs are fighting to grab a playoff spot and the Ravens are trying to catch the Chargers and Colts for tops in the AFC. Despite the game being played in Arrowhead Stadium, I see the Ravens defense being the story here. If the Ravens D can keep the famed LTD to under 100 yards, then they can do the same to Larry Johnson. The Chiefs will try to run the ball early and often but will probably have to turn to the air and hope Trent Green can withstand the pass rush to find Tony Gonzalez, maybe Eddie Kennison, downfield. The Ravens, on the other hand, will try to follow the Browns' path from last week and hopefully put some early points on the board. Jamal Lewis should have a decent day and Steve McNair should find Todd Heap and Derrick Mason for some good yardage. While I don't see it being a 10-6 game, I don't expect a very high scoring affair here.

Indianapolis @ Jacksonville

The Colts own a 4-1 record against the Jags in Alltel Stadium and are one win away from clinching another playoff spot and divisional title. The Jags may play 'em tough, but they don't find much success in the win column. That being said, expect this game to play out just like you think it will. Start your Colt regulars -- Peyton, Marvin, Reggie, Addai and maybe even throw in TE Ben Utecht. They should all have solid days. The Jags may be a different story. I really like Maurice Jones-Drew for the game but I'm not so sold on Fred Taylor. I think the versatility Jones-Drew has, with his ability to catch passes and make cuts, he should be the point scorere between the two backs. He'll be the reason Dave Garrard doesn't put up a goose egg this week. Sure, Matt Jones, Ernest Wilford and maybe even George Wrighster will have some catches but I don't see them having big days. It's the Colts rushing D that blows; it's passing D is pretty damn good.

Minnesota @ Detroit

Now this is a game Roy Williams should be spouting off about. If you're going to guarantee victories, you should atleast do it when you have a matchup like this. Seriously, I almost wish I had the Lions defense for my playoff game this week. The Vikings are sticking with Brad Johnson, for now. Brooks Bollinger is waiting in the wings and he's really not that much of an improvement. Usual starter Chester Taylor is still being called a game time decision, but I don't see him playing. Ciatrick Faison should be getting the nod and if anyone can make the Lions run D look good, it's him. And do I even need to discuss the Minny wideout situation? Yuck! The Lions should enjoy this matchup and should win it in the air. Yes the Vikings have a great rushing D, but with Kevin Jones not 100%, we weren't relying on him for too much anyway. Go Jon Kitna! You and Roy and Mike Furrey should have some fun today. Enjoy your third win of the season...finally.

New England @ Miami

The Pats, like the Ravens, are looking to make a late season surge and fight for home field advantage in the playoffs, but they may just have a tougher matchup this week than they think. I see this one being won on defense and who better than defensive guru Bill Belli-chick (still feeling the sting from that cold handshake with Man-genius)? The Fins D is solid and shouldn't roll over against Tom Brady and Co. Corey Dillon may get the bulk of the workload with Laurence Maroney still not 100%, and he's not so durable himself. Brady will look for TE Ben Watson the most which could free up Reche Caldwell for the occassional downfield strike, but I only see them putting up enough points to get by. For the Fins on offense, it should be a tough one for Joey Harrington. Not that the d-backs are so amazing, it's just that the Pats always find a way into a QB's head and throw him off his game. Harrington should find Randy McMichael and Chris Chambers, but I don't see them doing enough to make a huge difference for you. Sammy Morris? Pffft! I just don't see it.

NY Giants @ Carolina

This one's got question marks all over it. The Giants are in a huge tailspin yet remain in the playoff hunt with the rest of the mediocre NFC. The Panthers also remain alive but will probably be missing their #1 QB for Sunday. So who's it gonna be? Who remains in the hunt and who becomes a huge longshot? I see it being the Carolina D that steps up and takes control. Even with Chris Weinke behind center (doesn't look like Jake Delhomme is going to play), the Panthers have the offensive weapons to burn the Giants. Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson should have fun with the porous Giants secondary, and the tandem of DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams should establish a good enough run; I like Williams over Foster in case you're deciding betweenthe two. For the Giants, I think Eli Manning may have a tough day while being chased around by Julius Peppers all afternoon. He should find Jeremy Shockey over the middle a few times and maybe a strike or two to Plaxico Burress. Unfortunately though I see a few picks during the day which are always costly in the red zone. As for Big Blue's running game, have you noticed that ever since Tiki Barber announced his retirement, Brandon Jacobs has been given the ball more and more? Not good if you're hoping to ride Tiki through your playoffs.

Oakland @ Cincinnati

Hmmmm. The top passing defense against one of the league's strongest passing offenses. Tough matchup? Maybe. Do I think so? No. While the Raiders have done well against the pass this year, they haven't really gone up against a team with as many weapons as the Bengals have (maybe the Cards in week 7, but the Cards have no running game). This should be quite the test for defensive rankings as I see Rudi Johnson having a lot of success this week which should open it up a little more for Carson Palmer. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chad Johnson and even Chris Henry should put up decent days, although maybe not the usual eye-popping Ocho-Cinco numbers. On the other side, I could really see Oaktown getting shutout again. The Bengals D is getting back to form and should prove a difficult task for Aaron Brooks to get anything going. Justin Fargas and Randy Moss should also put up equally feeble numbers. I'm feeling the chant again...who dey? who dey? who dey think they can beat them Bengals!!!

Philadelphia @ Washington

Another one of those tough divisional matchups with serious playoff implications in the NFC. Even with Donovan McNabb out, the Eagles are still in the thick of the playoff hunt and a win this week could even vault them ahead of the Giants in the East. And with the way I see this matchup going, there could be some joy in Philly after all. Both teams have pretty mediocre run defenses, so both Brian Westbrook and Ladell Betts (just signed a fat new contract extension) could have big games. So it's coming down to who can air it out a little better and that, to me, means good things from Jeff Garcia and not so good from Jason Campbell. The Garcia-Donte Stallworth connection could be re-visited again this week, there's Reggie Brown, and don't forget L.J. Smith and his TD potential. For the Skins, it's Chris Cooley and Santana Moss but that's about it. There could be some decent scoring in this one, so get your primary guys here active.

Tennessee @ Houston

So I'll start this one out letting you know that there's a 60% chance that I could be 100% biased on this game. That's right, I'm starting Vince Young in my playoff matchup this week. He threw for a TD and rushed for one in their first matchup and now he's palying in his own backyard. With the way he's played the past 2 weeks, I see him having a superb game. That beiong said, it should be a trickle down effect. Travis Henry should have a solid day and look for Young to get both Bo Scaife and Drew Bennett involved heavily. For the Texans, it should be more of the same. The running game is in disarray and the thoughts of having to use Samkon Gado or Wali Lundy or Ron Dayne should send chills down your spine. David Carr and Andre Johnson should be the extent of the offense, but maybe, just maybe Owen Daniels can get involved. This game has no playoff impact, but there is some pride on the line here.

Green Bay @ SanFrancisco

Shootout central here!!! I've said all year that the Niners are underestimated and this week they're goin gto show you why. Just as the Jets were able to expose the major Packer weaknesses, so too shall the Niners. Frank Gore is going to have a great day and we're going to see a lot of Alex Smith to Antonio Bryant...possibly even a chance to see TE Vernon Davis in a little more action. For the Packers, it should be a similar story. Ahman Green should fare well agaisnt the San Fran rushing D and Brett Favre will probably be forced to start airing it out in the second half. Say hello Donald Driver! I'm willing to bet we'll even see the Greg Jennings we saw back in the early weeks of the year. It's going to be a high scoring game here. Lots of fantasy points to be had. Don't be foolish and waste them on your bench.

Seattle @ Arizona

If we learn from history, then this one should be a no-brainer. Traditionally, Shaun Alexander destroys the Cardinals. Destroys. In his last 4 games against Arizona, Alexander has rushed for over 500 yards and 10 TDs. That's great news if you're in the playoffs and still have him on your roster; not so good if you were banking on a huge game out of Matt Hasselbeck. If Alexander's running all over the Cards, then there's no reason to throw downfield. Sure they'll get a few passes over to Darrell Jackson, maybe Deion Branch, but I don't see Hasselbeck throwing for more than 1 score. For the Cardinals, don't expect a rushing attack like you saw last week. If you were thinking about starting Marcel Shipp, or even Edgerrin James, you're looking at a hole in your lineup. Stick with the passing attack. They'll be playing from behind all day, so expect to see some serious action from Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Buffalo @ NY Jets

Am I believing too much? Is this my letdown game? I don't think so. As reluctant as I am to say this, these are not the same old Jets. Man-genius has them playing smart football and I see them taking full advantage of a banged up Bills defense. Cedric Houston is taking the lead in the ground game and he should have a pretty good day. Leon Washington should still get some carries, but Houston is the man for now. Look for another solid day from Chad Pennington which will translate into some more fun for Laveraneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery. TE Chris Baker has been a nice red zone target lately. For the Bills, they'll key on the ground game again with the Jets. Willis McGahee says he's playing, but don't be surprised to see Anthony Thomas getting involved. When the Jets get ahead early they always seem to fall victim to a stupid long play, so a J.P. Losman to Lee Evans 82 yard strike is always a possibility.

Denver @ San Diego

The last time these two teams met, the focus was all over how the LaDanian Tomlinson gets held back in Denver. We saw how that one went. Well now they're in beautiful San Diego and LTD is just 2 TDs shy of tying the single season record. The team is going to make sure he crushes the record this year. Crushes it. Whether he does it this week or not is irrelevant. With 4 games left, I see him settling in somewhere around 32 or 33 for the year. Fantasy stud!!! As for the rest involved in Sunday's game, you can probably bank on the usual numbers from Phillip Rivers and Antonio Gates. I also see Vincent Jackson getting into the endzone as he really ends up being the primary wideout this week. For the Broncos, it sould be a rough one for rookie Jay Cutler. They'll try to establish a ground game but I don't see them getting much out of Tatum Bell this week. Which means that the pressure will be on Cutler to bring the team back. After all, they are in a playoff hunt. Denver's going to need Javon Walker to really step it up if they want to match offenses.

New Orleans @ Dallas

Potential playoff matchup here. Could be a tough one. Maybe. The Saints are still hurting on offense lately as it looks like they will be without the services of Joe Horn and Marques Colston again. Not so hot as they are facing a formidable defense in the Cowboys on Sunday. Deuce McAllister should find the running room narrow, so look for Drew Brees to try and hit Devery Henderson and Terrance Copper long, Reggie Bush for the dump offs. It should be a nice game to watch, but I don't know if Bush can repeat last week's action. For the 'Boys, they should find success both in the air and on the ground. Tony Romo should do well against the Saints pass D which will enable Terrell Owens and hopefully Terry Glenn to have solid days. Jason Witten should also get in on the action. On the ground, look for Marion Barber to find more success than Julius Jones.

Chicago @ St. Louis

All eyes are on the Bears offense right now. We already know what kind of a powerhouse the defense is on, but we can't expect them toi score 14 points a game every game. The offense needs to do something and Rex Grossman needs to prove he shouldn't be replaced by Brian Griese. Problem is, it's Rex Grossman and I see the Rams D stepping up for this one. They already have a decent pass D, so it's up to them to keep Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson in check; which they will. With that, I still think you may be able to start someone like Mushin Muhammed who could connect with griese sometime inthe second half. The Bears are losing it at just the wrong time. No one needs to go into the playoffs with a QB controversy. For the Rams, it's all about handling the pass rush. The Bears have allowed a 100 yard rusher in 5 out of the last 6 games which is a good sign for Steven Jackson. If Jackson can open it up, then Marc Bulger will be allowed the time to find Torry Holt downfield. Big Monday night upset. I love it.