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!!
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!!
posted by Howard Bender at
3:56 AM
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