Play Action - Conference Championships

It's down to the Final Four.
After this Sunday, it's just 2 weeks of relentless hype until the Super Bowl.
Everybody's already penciled in the Packers vs. Patriots for the Super Bowl, but we shall see.
It's time to take a look at the Postseason Fantasy Football Rankings for the remaining players.

Quarterback

1. Tom Brady vs. Chargers - The Chargers pick the ball off at a tremendous level, but still, Tommy Ballgame is the best available option.

2. Brett Favre vs. Giants - The Giant pass defense is still an enigma. They're playing some inspired ball, but Favre will be slinging it as usual.

3. Eli Manning @ Packers - All of a sudden, Peyton's retarded brother is a world beater, and the last Manning standing. Can he keep it up? He's facing an awfully tough test.

4. Philip Rivers/Billy Volek @ Patriots - Rumor is that Rivers has ACL damage, which gives him 2 bad knees. Not exactly what you're looking for. Volek has shown he's capable, but he's facing a tough test after doing nothing all season long, until last week.

Running Backs
1. Ryan Grant vs. Giants - The undisputed king of the big play.

2. LaDainian Tomlinson @ Patriots - It's incredibly rare that LT takes a back seat to anyone, but he's banged up, so he drops slightly. Still, you can never go wrong with LT...if he makes it through the game.

3. Laurence Maroney vs. Chargers - All of a sudden, he's shown up in games...who knew?

4. Brandon Jacobs @ Packers - Facing a tough matchup, and the Giants will have to throw.

Wide Receivers
1. Randy Moss vs. Chargers - Mr. "Consensual Horseplay" will be looking to prove something.

2. Greg Jennings vs. Giants - Favre's go-to big play guy.

3. Wes Welker vs. Chargers - The possession man continues to shine.

4. Plaxico Burress @ Packers - Tough test.

5. Chris Chambers @ Patriots - The Chargers can't ride a knicked LT all the time...Gates is also still damaged goods.

6. Donald Driver vs. Giants

7. Vincent Jackson @ Patriots

8. Amani Toomer @ Packers

Tight Ends
1. Antonio Gates @ Patriots

2. Ben Watson vs. Chargers

3. Donald Lee vs. Giants

4. Kevin Boss @ Packers

Defense/Special Teams
1. Packers

2. Patriots

3. Giants

4. Chargers

Kickers
1. Mason Crosby vs. Giants

2. Steven Gostkowski vs. Chargers

3. Nate Kaeding @ Patriots

4. Lawrence Tynes @ Packers

Play Action - Divisional

Postseason Fantasy Football isn't nearly as popular as its big brother, and the rule sets vary everywhere, but for the benefit of those of you who may be participating...

This is being written as though you are participating in the CBS SportsLine version of the game, where you can change a progressively decreasing amount of players per week.

Without further adieu, the Divisional Round Rankings.

Quarterback
1. Tom Brady vs. Jaguars - Why go against the guy now?

2. Tony Romo vs. Giants - The Giants are still soft against the pass, and while the questionable status of Terrell Owens hurts, the Cowboys will still sling it.

3. Peyton Manning vs. Chargers - Last time these 2 teams met, Manning threw 6 INTs. Look for him to avenge that mark. Some guy named Marvin Harrison will suit up for this game.

4. Brett Favre vs. Seahawks - Hope that the Packers don't have to play from behind, because if they do, Favre will make mistakes.

5. Matt Hasselbeck @ Packers - The ground game in Seattle is never a certainty. Deion Branch may return, and that will only help matters.

6. Eli Manning @ Cowboys - The Cowboys are pretty soft against the pass, and while having to rely on Elitarded is never a fun ride, the Giants will have to air it out.

7. David Garrard @ Patriots - Garrard limits mistakes, and the Patriots have been vulnerable against the pass recently. His WRs still suck, but the guy is quietly and consistently solid.

8. Philip Rivers @ Colts - Rivers looks erratic often, and the likely absence of Antonio Gates against a rock solid Colt pass defense isn't anything you want any part of.

Running Backs
1. LaDainian Tomlinson @ Colts- He faced a tougher test against the Titans and still scored. Plus, minus Gates, he should be at least 90% of the Chargers' offensive game plan. He will, however, likely be a player that you need to replace next week.

2. Marion Barber III vs. Giants - With TO hobbled, the Cowboys will likely unleash a few more runs. Given that Julius Jones sucks, The Barbarian should be the primary beneficiary.

3. Joesph Addai vs. Chargers - Well rested and facing the defense that gave up a record amount of yardage to Adrian Peterson. Seems like a desirable combo.

4. Ryan Grant vs. Seahawks - Seems to always break a long TD in every single game.

5. Brandon Jacobs @ Cowboys - The Cowboys are good against the run, but Jacobs is an absolute force near the goal line.

6. Laurence Maroney vs. Jaguars - You never really know if he'll get enough touches, but he certainly looked solid near the end of the season. Doesn't have to worry about that pesky wear & tear that many other RBs endured during the regular season.

7. Fred Taylor @ Patriots - The Renaissance of Fragile Freddie continues. Suddenly he's a big play threat again, and he even scores.

8. Maurice Jones-Drew @ Patriots - The goal line threat for the Jags. Plus he could always add a kick return TD.

9. Shaun Alexander @ Packers - Not anybody you really want to be relying on, but he's looked better recently than he did all season long. Still, the Pack is tough against the run.

10. Julius Jones vs. Giants - No thank you.

Wide Receivers
1. Randy Moss vs. Jaguars - Again, why would you go against him now?

2. Reggie Wayne vs. Chargers - The most consistent option on a potent offense, facing an up-and-down defense. What's not to like?

3. Greg Jennings vs. Seahawks - Faces a decent pass defense, but will definitely have a few long balls thrown his way.

4. Wes Welker vs. Jaguars - Plenty of touches to go around in New England.

5. Plaxico Burress @ Cowboys - Without Shockey, Plax is the obvious focus of the Giant passing game. Just hope that Eli can limit his mistakes.

6. Bobby Engram @ Packers - The most under-appreciated WR of the season will continue to post solid numbers.

7. D.J. Hackett @ Packers - Possibly the most talented of the Seahawk WRs. There are plenty of touches to go around for the Hawks, but this week there are 4 options rather than 3, assuming that Branch is good to go.

8. Terrell Owens vs. Giants - This is obviously a risky play. You're not even sure if he'll suit up yet, or, if he does, how much he'll actually play. Still, if he's active, he's dangerous.

9. Patrick Crayton vs. Giants - The Giants will likely focus on Jason Witten if TO is limited, which will open up the field for Crayton.

10. Donald Driver vs. Seahawks - Can he find the end zone in the postseason? He'll certainly see enough targets.

11. Chris Chambers @ Colts - Facing a tough test, and he won't have Gates to remove pressure from him. Still, if the Chargers need to pass, they'll look his way.

12. Marvin Harrison vs. Chargers - Supposedly he looks great now. It's been a long, long time since we've seen him though, and the Colts could just be blowing smoke. Still, if he's active, Peyton will find him.

Tight Ends
1. Jason Witten vs. Giants - Would benefit from an active TO, but he'll get his touches regardless.

2. Dallas Clark vs. Chargers - Solid red zone option.

3. Donald Lee vs. Seahawks - Also a solid red zone option.

4. Ben Watson vs. Jaguars - Can he rediscover his early season mojo? Probably not, but if you're in a pinch, this is as low as you want to drop.

Defense
1. Patriots vs. Jaguars - The Jags shouldn't have the weapons to score in bunches, but don't expect many turnovers either. Yes, there is a legitimate threat of the Patriots losing this game as well.

2. Colts vs. Chargers - Without Gates around, the Colts will stack the line against LT and force Philip Rivers to beat them. (Aw)Phil Rivers couldn't beat a dead horse, and will be responsible for at least 2 turnovers.

3. Cowboys vs. Giants - There could be more points than desired scored here, but still, you can't go wrong facing the enigmatic Eli Manning and his Turnover Machine.

4. Giants @ Cowboys - Getting risky here. With TO likely limited (I fully expect him to be active), the Cowboys will be less likely to convert on bombs. The offense was sluggish late in the season as well.

5. Packers vs. Seahawks - This game has shootout written all over it. Still, the Packers are a better all-around defense than the Seahawks.

6. Jaguars @ Patriots - Now we're really getting risky. The Jags' defense really isn't very good, but this team plays with a ton of heart.

7. Seahawks @. Packers - Hope that the Seahawks can build an early lead and force Favre into making mistakes.

8. Chargers @ Colts - You don't want any of this. Manning won't repeat his 6 INT performance. It shouldn't be a blowout, but there will be enough points scored.

Kickers
1. Nick Folk vs. Giants
2. Mason Crosby vs. Seahawks
3. Adam Vinatieri vs. Chargers
4. Stephen Gostkowski vs. Jaguars
5. Josh Brown @ Packers
6. Josh Scobee @ Patriots
7. Nate Kaeding @ Colts
8. Lawrence Tynes @ Cowboys

Play Action - Week 16

As mentioned in Thursday's Play Action, only "Start" recommendations are being made this week, since it is likely your league's Championship week.


Hopefully you bring home the title and then continue the celebration with a great Christmas, or at least a Festivus for the rest of us.

Let's get to it.

Cowboys @ Panthers

START: Tony Romo (check), Marion Barber, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten, Cowboy Defense

Yes, The Romosexual carries some risk here, but word is that he's looked fine in practice. MB3 has only totaled 14 carries the past 2 weeks, but my gut tells me he gets a bigger workload this week as the Cowboys look to protect Romo a bit. Jason Witten has been on fire lately and TO is always a big play threat, especially against the constantly changing Panther D.

Avoid any and all Panther players.

Texans @ Colts - Dome

START: Andre Johnson, Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne

Andre Johnson has scored a TD in all but one game that he's started this season, the guy is a beast. The rest of the Texans carry too many questions with them, especially game-time decision Ron Dayne.

The Colts allegedly are not ready to rest players, and this game won't be a cakewalk anyway. Therefore, keep your usual threesome out there.

Packers @ Bears

START: Brett Favre, Ryan Grant, Greg Jennings, Packer Defense

The Pack is suddenly alive and kicking for the #1 overall seed, so expect them to be gunning it as usual while keeping a close eye on the Cowboys. Ryan Grant continues to be the single greatest NFL player to ever throw on a pair of cleats and Greg Jennings continues to be an end zone bloodhound. Donald Lee is worthy of a start if Bubba Franks end up inactive.

The Bears...well, the Bears aren't good. Avoid 'em.


Browns @ Bengals

START: Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh

Remember Week 2 between these 2 teams? Total Fantasy gold. Don't expect a repeat, but with the complete lack of defense on either side, there should still be plenty of points to go around. Word is that it may be rainy and windy.

Derek Anderson has slowed down the past few weeks. In Week 15, that was due to the blizzard that they were playing in. Going in the rain and wind this week, he should still have a nice game against the awful pass defense. Jamal Lewis is partying like it's 2003.

The Bengals can't run the ball, so look for Palmer to be slinging it as usual. He's been a disappointment this season, but it's tough to disappoint passing against the Brownies. Look for busy days out of CJ and Housh.

Raiders @ Jaguars

START: Fred Taylor, Jaguar Defense

Justin Fargas is on IR, therefore, the only decent thing about the Raiders is the picture that lead into this article. Avoid them all like the plague.

Fred Taylor, much like the previously discusses Jamal Lewis, is partying like it's 2003. He should continue to party hard against the feeble Raider rush D and rack up his fifth straight 100 yard game. You've got to start the Jag D, the Raiders no longer have any offensive threats at all.

Giants @ Bills

START: Brandon Jacobs, Plaxico Burress (check), Marshawn Lynch

With the Patriots looming on the schedule, this is a must-win for the Giants, who are striving to become history's worst 10 win team. The Bills still stink on defense, so expect nice output from Jacobs and the always "questionable" Plax.

Look for the Bills to continue feeding Lynch the ball. Just hope that he finds the end zone this week.

Chiefs @ Lions - Dome

START: Tony Gonzalez, Kevin Jones

Something's gotta give. 13 consecutive losses combined.
Start Gonzo, the Lions suck against the pass, and most other forms of offense, but nobody else on the Chiefs is reliable enough at this critical time.

My gut tells me that Kevin Jones cashes in one of his famous quality starts that come along every few weeks and get surrounded by stinkers. Of course, Mike Martz is known to panic if he gets down by a field goal and completely abandon the running game, so proceed cautiously.

Eagles @ Saints - Dome

START: Brian Westbrook (check), Drew Brees, Aaron Stecker (check Reggie Bush), Marques Colston


No player in the league piles up high yardage totals consistently quite like Brian Westbrook. Obviously he needs to start here, just check on Sunday to make sure he's active. It'd be a big surprise if he wasn't.

Allegedly Reggie Bush is a game-time decision. He'll likely be inactive, which should set up Stecker for another big day. If Bush is active somehow, bench him. Brees and Colston are back to their 2006 form, so keep them active as well.

4:00pm EST Games

Buccaneers @ 49ers

START: Earnest Graham, Buc Defense

The Bucs are still playing for a #3 seed, so they'll only rest players if they get out to a huge lead, which is a real possibility here. Still, if they do get out to that huge lead, it will largely be because of Graham. Also start the Buc D since the 49ers offense is craptacular.

Keep your craptacular 49ers benched.

Falcons @ Cardinals

START: Roddy White, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald (check), Anquan Boldin (check)

Roddy White piled up 4 entire yards in Week 15, but that was against the fierce Bucs pass D. The Falcons, well, they're not good. He carries some obvious risks, but he should be in store for a nice game.

The Cardinal WRs are beat up. Anquan Boldin is the more likely one to be hindered, but that didn't slow him down too much in Week 15. If they're active, start em, but be sure to have alternatives since they play late.

Jets @ Titans

START: Titan Defense

Start the Titan Defense.
Move along, nothing to see here.

Ravens @ Seahawks

START: Willis McGahee, Matt Hasselbeck, Deion Branch, Bobby Engram, Seahawk Defense

Other than McGahee, the Ravens have absolutely nothing. This is a team that lost to the Dolphins last week. Ahhhhh hahahahahaha.

Looks for the Seahawks to exploit the banged and bruised Raven secondary.

Dolphins @ Patriots

START: Tom Brady, Laurence Maroney, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Patriot Defense

The Dolphins beat the Ravens for their first win in Week 15. Congrats, here's your reward, good luck.

On paper, this is the season's biggest mismatch. Expect the Patriots to build a big early lead and then, once Brady has sufficiently padded his stats, look for them to run the ball. Trot out your usual Patsies for the carnival of points.

Sunday Night Football

Redskins @ Vikings - Dome

START: Chris Cooley, Adrian Peterson

This is essentially a playoff game. If the Skins lose, they're out. If the Vikings lose, they drop behind the Redskins in playoff standings and will no longer control their own destiny. So, expect a spirited game.

The Vikings are rock solid against the run, so hopefully you have better options than Clinton Portis. Cooley is an every week TE, even with the immortal Todd Collins.

Purple Jesus rebounded nicely from his Week 14 3-yard performance against the Bears in Week 15. He faces a tough test here, but the guy is too much of a freak to bench, plus he appears to be back in the featured role.

Monday Night Football

Broncos @ Chargers

START: Brandon Marshall, LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates

The season's final Monday Night showdown.
Brandon Marshall has been on fire lately, there's no reason for him to stop now. The rest of the Broncos aren't of any particular interest.

LT had a monster half in Week 15 against the Lions and was then rested in the second half. Obviously you start him, and pray that the Broncos can keep the game somewhat close. Antonio Gates really hasn't been himself lately, but the Broncos struggle mightily against TEs...keep him active.

Check back on Sunday for the Major Game Day Inactives.

Play Action - Thursday Edition - Week 16

This week's edition of Play Action will only include players that are recommended as starters.
You're likely in your League Championship Game this week, and cannot afford to be risking playing anything other than surefire, high quality players.

Now, get out there and bring home the Lombardi Trophy...or at the very least, some exclusive league bragging rights.

Thursday Night Football

Steelers @ Rams - Dome

START: Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Steeler Defense, Steven Jackson, Torry Holt

The Steelers are looking much more like pretenders than contenders at this point. The should play angry against the Rams. The Lambs aren't good against the run, so expect Fast Willie to pile up another high yardage, TD-free game. They're also not good against the pass, so the law firm of Roethlisberger, Ward and Miller will be open for business. The Rams have been playing well at home lately, but you can count on the Steeler D coming away with a couple of turnovers.

Reportedly, a newly concussed Marc Bulger took an errant pass off of his head in Week 13 warmups. That's just funny. Bulger can't be counted on here. S-Jax also faces a very tough test, but that was also true last week when he shredded the Packers. Jackson and Holt are every-weekers regardless of who they're playing against.

Play Action - Week 15

I apologize for missing the Thursday game.

First, let's all give Milton J. a thunderous standing ovation for tearing up his Beating The House column last week.
Also, allow me to point out that Milton PM'ed me before the Broncos/Texans game to inform me that he was taking the Texans. He's on fire.

The analysis this week will be fairly quick. It is likely the semifinals for your Fantasy Playoffs this week. Let's take a gander at who to get active in order to dominate your opponent. I am leaving out the weather links this week, because I'm in a serious time crunch, so be sure to keep an eye on the Sunday morning conditions as weather does play a major factor this time of year.

Saturday Night Football


Bengals @ 49ers

START: Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Housmandzadeh, Frank Gore
CONSIDER: Rudi Johnson, Bengal Defense
BENCH: Kenny Watson, Chris Henry, Shaun Hill, Darrell Jackson, Arnaz Battle (check), Vernon Davis

Marvin Lewis is likely winding down his tenure in Cincy. Chemistry is a big question for the Bumbles, and you never know which team will show up week-to-week. This game should be a blowout, and hopefully it will be for those of you relying on Bengals. The Bengal D is worthy of consideration if you're in a pinch. The 49ers offense is horrible...and now Shaun Hill is their starting QB.
It's very hard to recommend using Frank Gore. The guy has been an undisputed disaster this season. But still, the Bengals don't play defense. Bump up Arnaz Battle if he is active AND if he is going to start. If he sees limited action, he should be on your bench. The rest of the Niners...well, they suck.

Sunday - 1:00pm EST

Jets @ Patriots

START: Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Patriot Defense
CONSIDER: Thomas Jones
BENCH: Kellen Clemens, Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, Donte Stallworth, Jabar Gaffney, Laurence Maroney, Ben Watson

The Patriots have been scorched on the ground lately. But still, you only want to start Thomas Jones if you really don't have any better options, the guy doesn't score TDs. The rest of the Jets...no way.
There's no reason this game shouldn't end up 80-0. You want to bench Stallworth and Gaffney, since nobody really knows which one will see more action, and you can't afford gambles at this time of the season. Despite the Jets being the 30th ranked rush defense, bench Maroney as well, the guy has shown that he can't be relied on. Unleash the rest of the Patriots, this game should be a points bonanza.

Titans @ Chiefs

START: LenDale White, Titan Defense, Tony Gonzalez
CONSIDER: Nope
BENCH: Vince Young, Roydell Williams, Brodie Croyle, Kolby Smith, Dwayne Bowe

Wake me when it's over.
The LenWhale finally made a splash again in Week 14. Keep him out there again this week. Also start the Titan D against a very lackluster Chief O and hope they can contain Gonzo.
Gonzo is the only reliable Chief option.

Seahawks @ Panthers

START: Matt Hasselbeck, Deion Branch, Bobby Engram, Seahawk Defense
CONSIDER: Nate Burleson
BENCH: Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Vinny Testaverde (check), Matt Moore, DeShaun Foster, Steve Smith

There's no benching the usual suspects from the Seahawk passing game, they love to sling it. The ground game, however, is a full blown RBBC, killing the values of all parties. Nate Burleson seems to find the end zone reliably enough, so if you're in a crunch for a WR3, you could certainly do a whole lot worse. The Panthers are awful, get the Seahawk D out there.
It doesn't matter who starts at QB for the Panthers, you don't want to be counting on any of them to get you to your league championship.

Jaguars @ Steelers

START: Ben Roethlisberger (check), Willie Parker, Hines Ward
CONSIDER: Fred Taylor, Steeler Defense
BENCH: David Garrard, Maurice Jones-Drew, Reggie Williams, Santonio Holmes (check), Heath Miller

Likely the best game of the week.
Fred Taylor has been on fire lately, but he's facing the Steelers here. If you have better options, you've got to go with them. If not, it's not time to panic, get him out there and hope for the best. The rest of the Jags should be benched in this tough battle.
The Jags aren't good against the pass, so keep Benny Roeth and Smiling Hines active. Santonio Holmes is too banged up to be counted on and Heath Miller has been invisible for a month.

Bills @ Browns

START: Marshawn Lynch, Lee Evans, Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow
CONSIDER: Nope
BENCH: Trent Edwards, Fred Jackson, Joe Jurevicius

Lee Evans always carries boom or bust risk, but the Brown pass D is terrible, so you've got to roll the dice here. Lynch looked strong in his return in Week 14, and there's no reason to believe he can't keep it up.
Speaking of terrible defenses, how 'bout them Bills? All of the major players on the Browns should be in for big days.

Packers @ Rams - Dome

START: Brett Favre, Ryan Grant, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Donald Lee, Steven Jackson, Torry Holt
CONSIDER: Packer Defense, Marc Bulger (check)
BENCH: James Jones, Isaac Bruce, Randy McMichael

Ryan Grant is Superman in green & yellow, there is no hotter player in the league right now. Still, Favre loves to get out there and sling it, and he should do so effectively against the Lambs.
Marc Bulger should be good to go, which is great news for Torry Holt owners. S-Jax should obviously always be active.

Falcons @ Buccaneers

START: Roddy White, Earnest Graham, Joey Galloway
CONSIDER: Alex Smith
BENCH: Chris Redman, Warrick Dunn, Jerious Norwood, Alge Crumpler, Jeff Garcia (check), Ike Hilliard

The post-Petrino Era begins in Atlanta...way to be a stand-up guy, Bob-O. Roddy White is too good to bench, but he faces an awfully tough test here. The rest of the Falcons aren't even worth a second thought.
The Falcons may give up completely after Petrino left, so Earnest Graham and Galloway make very nice options. Jeff Garcia is expected to start, but he's old and brittle, so that's too much risk for your team. Alex Smith has become a quietly consistent, but far from spectacular, option.

Cardinals @ Saints - Dome

START: Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald (check), Drew Brees, Marques Colston
CONSIDER: Anquan Boldin (check), Bryant Johnson (check Boldin), Aaron Stecker
BENCH: Edgerrin James, David Patten

Despite the broken toe, Boldin deserves serious consideration if he plays. Otherwise, Bryant Johnson deserves serious consideration. By now, I'm sure you're well aware of WR2's shredding the Saints. Larry Fitzgerald is also a game-time decision. Assuming that either of those guys play, Kurt Warner makes a very nice option, despite his love of the INT. Edge isn't a reliable option unless you're in total desperation.
There shouldn't be any shortage of passing in this game, expect Drew Brees to flourish as well. Colston has yet to catch a TD at home, maybe he'll get lucky this week. The Cards are decent against the rush, so only start Stecker if you're in a big pinch. David Patten shows up huge at times, but is too inconsistent for this time of season.

Ravens @ Dolphins

START: Willis McGahee, Raven Defense
CONSIDER: Derrick Mason
BENCH: Kyle Boller, Mark Clayton, Todd Heap (out), Cleo Lemon, Jesse Chatman, Marty Booker

Offense? What offense?
Look for a whole lot of Willis McGahee...a WHOLE lot. Derrick Mason continues to get the ball a lot, so he's an option if you're in a crunch. They've been a huge disappointment, but why wouldn't you start the Raven defense here?
The Dolphins...well, they should achieve perfection this season. That is all.

4:00pm EST Games

Colts @ Raiders

START: Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, Colt Defense
CONSIDER: Dallas Clark, Justin Fargas
BENCH: All Raiders not named Fargas

The Raider rush defense is horrible, Joesph Addai should be in for a field day. He should greatly reduce Payton Manning's numbers, but you can't bench Manning, despite the solid Raider pass D. Obviously, this could also be a negative for Wayne, who is also too studly for the pine.
The Raiders only hope to keep the game even remotely close is to feed Fargas the rock. The drawback is that the Raiders will likely be forced to air it out by halftime. If you need to start Fargas, just pray that he puts up numbers before then.

Eagles @ Cowboys

START: Brian Westbrook, Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten
CONSIDER: Donovan McNabb, Patrick Crayton, Cowboy Defense
BENCH: Kevin Curtis, Reggie Brown, Julius Jones

Brian Westbrook is a beast, you're obviously starting him. The Cowboy pass D is pretty bad, so D-Mac is a decent option. He had a decent games against them earlier this season, although he also threw 2 INTs.
There's no reason to sit you're usual Cowboy options. Jason Witten is the hottest TE in the league right now. The Eagles are always a threat to stink up the place, so the Cowboy D is a plausible option.

Lions @ Chargers

START: LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates (check), Charger Defense
CONSIDER: Jon Kitna, Kevin Jones, Calvin Johnson, Chris Chambers
BENCH: Shaun McDonald, Mike Furrey, Philip Rivers, Vincent Jackson

The Lions are a terrible team on the road. You don't really want to start any of them, especially given that you never know if they're going to pound the ball, or pass exclusively. Avoid the headache here and try to avoid them all.
LT should be in store for a very big game, usually when that happens a player will disappoint, but hope that he doesn't. Gates is worth waiting for as long as you have a suitable alternative at TE that plays late. If Gates can't go, then Chris Chambers gets a nice bump in his value and should be strong starter material.

Sunday Night Football

Redskins @ Giants

START: Chris Cooley, Brandon Jacobs, Plaxico Burress, Giant Defense
CONSIDER: Clinton Portis
BENCH: Todd Collins, Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Redskin Defense, Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey

The Redskins are in serious trouble with Todd Collins leading the team. Look for the Giants to key on shutting down Portis. Collins should be looking Cooley's way a lot, since he is the 'Skins' only reliable option.
Brandon Jacobs has proclaimed that he will be having "the game of his life" this week. Probably not, but he's still a solid option. Plax finally turned in a solid performance again in Week 14. Shockey has been a big disappointment, he's all name at this point. Leave Eli on the bench, since you don't want to have him active in the playoffs and cashing in one of his famous meltdowns, just play it safe.

Monday Night Football

Bears @ Vikings - Dome

START: Bernard Berrian, Adrian Peterson (Min)
CONSIDER: Desmond Clark, Viking Defense
BENCH: Kyle Orton, Adrian Peterson (Chi), Muhsin Muhammad, Greg Olsen, Bear Defense, Tarvaris Jackson

A collision of Adrian Petersons.
A WR is always a reasonable option against the Viking pass D, and with Berrian's big play ability, he's as good of a choice as any. Chicago Adrian showed in Week 14 that he's a pretender, not a contender.
Purple Jesus was a monumental disappointment in Week 14. Still, he's been too hot to bench, and he torched the Bears earlier this season. Don't expect a repeat, but a nice game certainly isn't out of the question.

Check back on Sunday for the Game Day Inactives.

Play Action - Week 14

You're likely in one of two camps heading into Week 14.
You're either gearing up for a big playoff push, or you're cursing the people in your league that are gearing up for a big playoff push.

The week is already off to an ominous start with injuries to Rex Grossman and Jason Campbell on Thursday. Hopefully it's not a sign of things to come.

Rams @ Bengals

START: Steven Jackson, Torry Holt, Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry
CONSIDER: Rudi Johnson
BENCH: Marc Bulger (out), Brock Berlin, Isaac Bruce, Randy McMichael, Kenny Watson

The schedule makers probably thought this would be a much more exciting game when they were planning things out.
Marc Bulger misses this game, and with Gus Frerotte also on the shelf, we'll get a large dose pf Brock Berlin. Torry Holt owners don't want to hear that heading into this crucial time of year, but you've got to put him out there against the awful Bengal defense. Expect to see a whole lot of Steven Jackson.
Rudi Johnson deserves consideration since he has finally become a goal line option. Getting to the goal line will continue to be the responsibility of the Bengal passing game.

Cowboys @ Lions - Dome

START: Tony Romo, Marion Barber III, Terrell Owens, Patrick Crayton, Jason Witten, Cowboy Defense
CONSIDER: Jon Kitna, Calvin Johnson
BENCH: Julius Jones, Kevin Jones, Roy Williams (out), Shaun McDonald, Mike Furrey

The Cowboys should be in for a cakewalk against the collapsing Lions. Tony Romo should be all smiles on the sidelines as usual, as he carves up the terrible Lion secondary like a jack-o-lantern. Start all of your Cowboys that usually warrant consideration.
It's been a long, hard fall for the Lions. Now their offense has also stopped producing. "Genius" Mike Martz has no clue how to run the ball, so let Kevin Jones ride the pine for your team. Calvin Johnson has become invisible, but he's the Lions' lone big play threat against a shaky Cowboy pass defense.

Raiders @ Packers

START: Brett Favre (check), Ryan Grant, Greg Jennings
CONSIDER: Justin Fargas, Donald Driver, Donald Lee
BENCH: Whoever QBs for the Raiders, Ronald Curry, Jerry Porter, James Jones

The Raiders will try to play ball control and that will mean a heavy dose of Justin Fargas against the tough Packer D. Don't expect a lot of points, although he'll certainly get ample opportunity.
It's unclear how healthy Brett Favre actually is, but he will play. He is a risky play, and he faces a tough test against the solid Raider pass D, but there's a good chance you won't have a better option. Expect the Pack to unleash Ryan Grant against the poor rush defense of Oakland. He's an absolute must-play.

Dolphins @ Bills

START: Marshawn Lynch (check), Lee Evans
CONSIDER: Bill Defense
BENCH: John Beck, Jesse Chatman, Marty Booker, David Martin, Trent Edwards, Fred Jackson (check Lynch)

Phew, what a stinker.
You don't want to start any Dolphins. Seriously, why do you even own any Dolphins at this point? Come on, Francis, it's no wonder you missed the playoffs.
Lee Evans has once again gone all inconsistent on us. Still, you can't ask for much more than a match up against the Dolphins. Marshawn Lynch carries a lot of risk and will definitely lose touches to Fred Jackson, but if he's active, you have to play him here.

Buccaneers @ Texans

START: Earnest Graham, Joey Galloway, Ron Dayne, Andre Johnson
CONSIDER: Buc Defense, Owen Daniels
BENCH: Jeff Garcia (check), Luke McCown, Alex Smith, Sage Rosenfels, Ahman Green (on IR), Kevin Walter

A battle of the backup QBs...maybe.
Is there a more underappreciated Fantasy player than Joey Galloway? Nope. Also expect another nice day out of Earnest Graham.
The absence of Matt Schaub really drains the value out of the Texans. Andre Johnson is too much of a stud to bench, but start a better TE option than Daniels if you can. Expect lots of slim and trim Dayne.

Chargers @ Titans

START: LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Charger Defense
CONSIDER: Philip Rivers
BENCH: Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, Vince Young, LenDale White, Roydell Williams, Titan Defense

Expect the same curious pass-happy Charger attack that we get every week. That workload alone makes Rivers consideration worthy, it's certainly not his talent. The Titans haven't been scoring against decent defenses, so get the Chargers out there if you've held onto them this long.
Albert Haynesworth will finally, allegedly, carry a full load. You still don't want anything to do with any of the Titans on either side of the ball.

Panthers @ Jaguars

START: Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguar Defense
CONSIDER: DeShaun Foster, Steve Smith, David Garrard
BENCH: Vinny Testaverde, Panther Defense, Reggie Williams

The Panthers lit up the 49ers last week...with very little offense. Don't expect the Panthers to suddenly become a juggernaut. You should have better options to start than any of them.
Fred Taylor seems to have found the fountain of youth, and perhaps even more surprisingly, hasn't got hurt yet. MJD has been a major disappointment, but is still a decent option for a score. The Panther offense is pretty weak, so start the Jags D.

Giants @ Eagles

START: Brandon Jacobs (check), Jeremy Shockey, Giant Defense, Brian Westbrook (check)
CONSIDER: Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, Donovan McNabb (check), Correll Buckhalter (check Westbrook), Kevin Curtis
BENCH: Amani Toomer, Reggie Brown, L.J. Smith, Eagle Defense

Eli Manning has been a bust in the second half, just like every other season he's been in the NFL. Brandon Jacobs should be back and should be active for your team. Brian Westbrook is very questionable...if he's active, bump the Giant D down, if he's inactive, then they're a rock solid option.
D-Mac returns. Whether that actually means anything at all remains to be seen. If you have solid alternatives, take a wait-and-see approach. If not, you could certainly do worse. Check on Westbrook on Sunday, if he doesn't go, it's a huge blow to the Eagles. If he does go, which is likely, you've got to have him active for your team. If he doesn't go, then Correll Buckhalter is consideration worthy, but don't expect a lot.

4:00pm EST Games

Cardinals @ Seahawks

START: Matt Hasselbeck, Deion Branch, Bobby Engram
CONSIDER: Kurt Warner, Edgerrin James, Larry Firzgerald (check), Bryant Johnson, Nate Burleson, Shaun Alexander
BENCH: Anquan Boldin (check), D.J. Hackett (out), Maurice Morris


The Cardinal offense will take a huge hit if neither Fitzgerald nor Boldin suit up. Fitz is much more likely to play than Q, but they both need to be checked before kickoff. Make sure you have replacements if you're counting on either of them. They will be limited even if they go. Obviously this also makes a large impact to the values of Warner and Johnson. Johnson gets a big bump if neither is active.
Look for the Seahawks to continue to air it out as much as possible. D.J. Hackett may surprisingly be back next week, but that doesn't help you here. Bobby Engram continues to be among the game's most underappreciated players. Only start Shaun Alexander if you're in a complete fit of desperation.


Vikings @ 49ers

START: Adrian Peterson, Viking Defense
CONSIDER: Frank Gore
BENCH: Tarvaris Jackson, Chester Taylor, Trent Dilfer, Arnaz Battle (check), Vernon Davis

Purple Jesus is an absolute beast. Obviously he's an every week must-start. Tarvaris Jackson has been quietly solid the past few weeks, but he's not someone you should be counting on for fantasy purposes at this critical of a time.
Frank Gore is in for a hell of a test here. The Vikings are rock solid against the run. They will likely try to force Trent Dilfer to beat them, wouldn't you? Arnaz Battle is very questionable to play, he's a decent option if he goes, but that doesn't look likely at this time. If he doesn't go, don't expect much of anything out of any 49ers, as if you ever should.

Steelers @ Patriots

START: Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Tom Brady, Randy Moss
CONSIDER: Willie Parker, Santonio Holmes (check), Heath Miller, Wes Welker
BENCH: Steeler Defense, Laurence Maroney, Donte Stallworth, Ben Watson, Patriot Defense

The game that the world is talking about. The Patriots' last best chance to lose before the playoffs.
Fumbling Willie Parker has been terrible the past 3 weeks or so. Still, Willis McGahee carved up the Patsies last week. Don't expect similar results for Willie. If the Steelers win this game, it will be through the passing game and relentless blitzing. Santonio Holmes should return to action, but check the inactives to be sure.
This is a bigger test than the Eagles and Ravens for the Patriots. Obviously, Brady and Moss are must starts every single week, even when facing the best D in the business. Laurence Maroney has been a huge bust, don't expect that to change here. The heat will be on Brady all day long, just hope that he doesn't get as flustered as he usually does when that happens.

Browns @ Jets

START: Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, Laveranues Coles
CONSIDER: Kellen Clemens, Thomas Jones
BENCH: Joe Jurevicius, Jerricho Cotchery (check)

The Browns shouldn't have any difficulty moving the ball. Derek Anderson has fallen back to reality a bit the past few weeks, but that's not going to prevent him for airing it out here. Jamal Lewis continues to quietly resurrect his career.
I consider Kellen Clemens to be one of the better "sleeper" options for this week. The Browns still suck against the pass. This means that Coles is a solid play, but it would be a stunner if Cotchery played.

Chiefs @ Broncos

START: Kolby Smith, Tony Gonzalez, Travis Henry, Brandon Marshall
CONSIDER: Dwayne Bowe, Jay Cutler, Bronco Defense
BENCH: Broadie Croyle, Selvin Young, Javon Walker, Tony Scheffler

Another AFC West vintage rivalry that has seen much better days.
Kolby Smith should put together a nice day against the feeble Bronco rush defense. Gonzo is an every week starter. Bowe is worth consideration if you're in a pinch.
There really isn't much of anything that anyone can say about the Broncos. They're an extremely average team. Start Henry, he should have a little extra motivation after beating his suspension. Don't start Walker, he has been worthless since his "return". Maybe he would be better off on IR.

Sunday Night Football

Colts @ Ravens

START: Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Colt Defense, Willis McGahee
CONSIDER: Joseph Addai, Raven Defense
BENCH: Marvin Harrison, Kyle Boller, Derrick Mason, Todd Heap (likely out)

Joseph Addai hasn't been the same player that he was early in the season lately. If you have more reliable options, go with them, since Addai is in for a tough battle here. Start all of your usual Colts. Coach Dungy claims that Harrison is a game time decision, but he isn't worth waiting for. He'll likely be inactive again. Start the Colt Defense, because the Raven offense still stinks.
The Ravens come off an impressive showing against the Patriots and are rewarded with another national TV game against the 2nd best team in the NFL. Will the defense keep it together again this week? Perhaps, but other than McGahee, you don't want any of their offensive players going for you.

Monday Night Football

Saints @ Falcons - Dome

START: Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Roddy White
CONSIDER: Saint Defense
BENCH: Reggie Bush (out), Aaron Stecker, Pierre Thomas, David Patten, Chris Redman, Warrick Dunn, Jerious Norwood, Alge Crumpler

Well, here's a craptacular choice for Monday Night Football.

Reggie Bush has a torn PCL, and he's been playing with it for a while for some reason. Not this week, though. Brees and Colston should be looking for each other for most of the night. The Falcons are terrible, so the Saint Defense makes a risky sleeper play, but they shouldn't give up many points, and they go against Chris Redman.
Nobody gives up fantasy points to WRs quite like the Saints do. Roddy White is a great play here. The rest of the Falcons, well, they suck and should be avoided like The Plague.

Check back on Sunday for Major Game Day Inactives.

Play Action - Thursday Edition - Week 14

The Bears and the Redskins square off tonight.
It's debatable whether the game should have been pushed back, after all, the Redskins did just bury Sean Taylor this past Monday.

If this game ends up being exciting, expect the bitching about the NFL Network not being available on every cable provider. Get DirecTV or Dish Network if you're not happy, people.
Expect Bryant Gumbel to be terrible. Absolutely terrible. Just horrendous. It's like listening to someone with massive brain damage trying to call an NFL game.

Bears @ Redskins

START: Bernard Berrian, Bear Defense, Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley, Redskin Defense
CONSIDER: Rex Grossman, Adrian Peterson, Desmond Clark
BENCH: Muhsin Muhammad, Greg Olsen, Jason Campbell, Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El

Whoever loses this game is, for all intents and purposes, out of playoff contention. The winner remains on life support. Expect players to be motivated.
The Redskin defense has really taken a nosedive lately. Get Berrian out there and hope that he breaks a deep one. If you're in a PPR league, then Adrian Peterson makes a more attractive option...either way, you could certainly do worse if you're in a pinch.
The Bear Defense hasn't taken a nosedive, they just haven't played very well all season long. Portis has performed poorly of late, but he still gets the ball a ton, so keep him active. Captain Chaos is always a red zone threat. As usual, none of the other Redskin offensive weapons make an attractive option.

Play Action - Week 13

Trying something a bit new for Play Action in Lucky Week 13.
I am cutting out the statistical rankings and getting straight to the Start/Consider/Bench recommendations and the Game Analysis.

Feel free to let me know which layout you prefer by commenting on this entry.

1:00pm EST Games

49ers @ Panthers

START: Frank Gore, Steve Smith, Panther Defense
CONSIDER: Arnaz Battle, 49er Defense
BENCH: Trent Dilfer, Darrell Jackson, Vernon Davis, Vinny Testaverde, DeShaun Foster, Drew Carter

Trent Dilfer looked decent last week against a decent Cardinal pass defense, and Arnaz Battle has been quietly consistant. Frank Gore finally exploded last week, and he should continue building upon the momentum as he faces an average Panther rush D. If you held onto him this long, there's no reason to not have him in your lineup.

246-year-old Vinny Testaverde should start for the Panthers, therefore boosting Steve Smith's value. Don't expect miracles, but Smith has a nice match-up here. Despite their output in Week 12, the 49er offense is still abysmal, so trot out the Panther D. The rest of the Panthers are far too frsutrating to bother with.

Bills @ Redskins

START: Clinton Portis (check), Ladell Betts (check Portis), Chris Cooley, Redskin Defense
CONSIDER: Lee Evans, Jason Campbell, Santana Moss
BENCH: J.P. Losman, Marshawn Lynch (out), Anthony Thomas (out), Fred Jackson, Antwaan Randle El, Keenan McCardell

Fred Jackson is going to start for the Bills. The Redskins are pretty tough against the run, so hopefully you're not desperate enough to be starting the 3rd stringer. Lee Evans basically disappeared again in Week 12, and he'll likely struggle again as the only real Bills threat. Don't expect many points out of any Bill this week.

The Redskins will be playing an extremely emotional game at home following the Sean Taylor tragedy. Clinton Portis is looking like a game-time decision, so be sure to check the inactives on Sunday. If he goes, he has an awesome match up. If he can't go, then Ladell Betts really couldn't ask for a better chance to showcase his wares. The Bills are also poor against the pass, so Jason Campbell is a decent option and I anticipate Santana Moss showing up...for the second time this season. Other than him and Cooley, don't roll the dice on any other Redskins receiver.

Texans @ Titans

START: Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels
CONSIDER: Matt Schaub, Kevin Walter, Vince Young, LenDale White, Titan Defense
BENCH: Ahman Green (out), Ron Dayne, Chris Brown, Justin Gage

Andre Johnson followed up his triumphant Week 11 return with...not much of anything. He has a tough test against the Titans, but he's far too explosive to bench. Owen Daniels experienced a Thanksgiving miracle in Week 12 and finally found the end zone. It'd be a shock if he scored in consecutive games, so don't hold your breath. Word was that Ahman Green really wanted to give it a go this week, but don't expect much of anything the rest of the season from him. Albert Haynesworth is very likely to return for the Titans, so keep Ron Dayne on the pine as well.

It's very hard to get excited about starting anyone associated with the Titans anymore. LenWhale likely gets his fullback back this week, but you've really got to question White's conditioning and whether he's just worn out now. More time in the exercise room, less time hoisting Whoppers. The return of Haynesworth would provide a big boost for the rapidly sliding Titan Defense, but only consider them if you're in dire straights.

Falcons @ Rams - Dome

START: Roddy White, Steven Jackson, Torry Holt
CONSIDER: No thanks
BENCH: Joey Harrington, Warrick Dunn, Jerious Norwood, Alge Crumpler, Gus Frerotte, Isaac Bruce, Randy McMichael

Joey Harrington vs. Gus Frerotte! Imagine the headlines on Monday!
Roddy White had been invisible the past few weeks...then all of a sudden he showed up in Week 12 and caught 104 of Joey Sunshine's 155 passing yards. That was against a better pass defense than he's facing this week. Look for him to be the focal point once again. The rest of the Falcons, not so much.

Gus Frerotte takes the helm for the "resurgent" Rams. That's something that you never want to hear. Yup, 2 guys that are castoffs from both the Dolphins and Lions are starting. S-Jax and Big Play are both too good to bench. But everyone else certainly doesn't meet those qualifications.

Seahawks @ Eagles

START: Matt Hasselbeck, Deion Branch, Bobby Engram, Brian Westbrook
CONSIDER: Seahawk Defense, Kevin Curtis
BENCH: Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, D.J. Hackett (out), Nate Burleson, Donovan McNabb (out), A.J. Feely, Reggie Brown, L.J. Smith


Allegedly Shaun Alexander has looked great in practice this week and will start. Don't get sucked in. At best Alexander will still be in a RBBC with Maurice Morris, neither makes a decent play, plus the Eagles are tough against the run. Look for a supposedly healthier-than-in-Week 12 Matt Hasselbeck to be slinging it. Bobby Engram returns to usefulness with the absence of Hackett.
Trot out the 2 starting Seahawk WRs against the mediocre Eagle pass D.

A.J. Feely cashed in a very nice performance against the rock solid Patriots in Week 12. Can he do it again? I'm going to say no and guess that the Eagles feature Westbrook, as they should. The Seahawks are very average against the pass, so consider Curtis and hope that he breaks one deep.

Lions @ Vikings - Dome

START: Jon Kitna, Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Lion Defense, Adrian Peterson (check)
CONSIDER: Shaun McDonald
BENCH: Kevin Jones, Tarvaris Jackson, Chester Taylor (check Peterson)

The Lions' tendency to abandon the run far too early is a week-to-week concern. They let Jones pound it on Thanksgiving, he had a very nice game, and the Lions had a failed comeback shot. He's facing an extremely tough test against the fierce Viking rush D here. Look for the Lions to be airing it out against the weak Viking pass D. Kitna has banged up knees, but you've got to put him out there this week. Williams and Megatron should finally reward their owners for starting them.

The return of Purple Jesus...probably. Check to make sure that he's active, if he is, you almost have to start him. He'll likely lose more touches than usual to Taylor, but it's almost impossible to bench All Day. The rest of the Vikings remain extremely uninteresting.

Chargers @ Chiefs

START: LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Kolby Smith, Tony Gonzalez
CONSIDER: Philip Rivers, Chris Chambers, Charger Defense
BENCH: Vincent Jackson, Brodie Croyle, Dwayne Bowe

The Chief receiving D is surprisingly good, 10th ranked in the NFL. Expect the curious 40+ pass attempts out of Rivers to be less effective than they were in Week 12. Remember the good ol days when Tomlinson was basically a lock to get into the end zone. Those are a distant memory, expect Rivers to look for Gates in the red zone.

The Chargers have struggled mightily against the run, so expect another quality day out of Kolby Smith. Gonzo won't want to be shown up by Gates, so look for him to be active in the pass game. Keep Dwayne Bowe on the bench, at least until he does something...anything...for you.

Jaguars @ Colts - Dome

START: Fred Taylor, Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark
CONSIDER: Maurice Jones-Drew
BENCH: David Garrard, Marvin Harrison (check), Anthony Gonzalez

Where, oh where, have you gone MJD? At this point, if you have better options than MJD, you've got to go with them. The Jags are likely going to pound the ball, though, so trot out Fred Taylor and hope for the best. With the Jags' terrible WRs and the Colts' #1 ranked pass D, don't even think about playing anyone involved with the Jaguar pass offense.

The Jaguars, on the other hand, absolutely suck against the pass. This should be music to the ears of owners of Manning and Friends. I'd still keep Anthony Gonzalez on the bench, though. Sure, he had 105 yards against the Falcons...but at this point, that's a clear aberration for his season. Addai's yardage has fallen off a cliff lately, but he's still been scoring TDs.

Jets @ Dolphins

START: Thomas Jones, Laveranues Coles (check), Jesse Chatman
CONSIDER: Watching a different game
BENCH: Kellen Clemens, Jerricho Cotchery, John Beck, Marty Booker

Possible AFC Championship Game Preview?
Possible Battle for the #1 Overall Draft Pick?
The Dolphins rush D is awful. Look for a rare productive day from Thomas Jones. Laveranues should be good to go this week, but check the Sunday Inactives to be sure.

You know who's rush D is even worse than the Dolphins'? That's right, the Jets. Get Jesse Chatman into your lineup. And...well, that's it.


4:00pm EST Games

Broncos @ Raiders

START: Travis Henry, Tony Scheffler, Bronco Defense, Justin Fargas
CONSIDER: Brandon Marshall, Selvin Young
BENCH: Jay Cutler, Javon Walker, Josh McCown, JaMarcus Russell, LaMont Jordan, Ronald Curry, Jerry Porter

Remember when this game used to decide the AFC West Champion? Not anymore.
Roll the dice with Travis Henry this week, if you've held onto him this long. The Raiders have the worst rush defense in the NFL against the run, so Selvin Young is a reasonable flex play since he'll also be involved in the gameplan. On the other hand, the Raiders are solid against the pass, so give Brandon Marshall some consideration only if you don't have any other options. Leave Javon Walker on the bench until he shows that he'll actually play for real.

Completing our coverage of the NFL's 4 worst rush defenses, welcome in #4, the Broncos. Start Fargas and expect him to be highly active. McCown is banged up and the hot rumor is that JaMarcus Russell will see action if he struggles. You don't want anything involved in that.

Browns @ Cardinals - Dome

START: Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards (check), Kellen Winslow, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald (check), Anquan Boldin
CONSIDER: Edgerrin James
BENCH: Joe Jurevicius (check Edwards)

Braylon Edwards hasn't done much in practice this week, so you've definitely got to have other late game options ready if you're going to wait for him. Jamal Lewis has enjoyed a resurgence the past couple of weeks, and there's no reason for him to slow down now.

The status of Larry Fitzgerald is also in question, but it's most likely that he'll start. If he doesn't go, it should be a big boost for Quan's value against the terrible Brown pass D. Kurt Warner also deserves a start, although he will lose goal line action to Tim Rattay. The value of Edge has fallen so far that I cannot, in good conscience, recommend starting him...even against the Browns.

Giants @ Bears

START: Plaxico Burress (check), Jeremy Shockey, Bear Defense
CONSIDER: Eli Manning, Derrick Ward, Giant Defense, Adrian Peterson, Bernard Berrian
BENCH: Brandon Jacobs (out), Reuben Droughns, Amani Toomer, Rex Grossman, Muhsin Muhammad, Desmond Clark, Greg Olsen

Eli Manning had one of history's all-time worst games last week, against one of the NFL's worst pass defenses. If you have a better option, go with them. If Plax is active, Eli should have a bounceback game, but Eli is never someone that you should be relying on. Chances are that Derrick Ward gets the start, but may lose goal line work to Droughns.

The long, painful, Cedric Benson experiment is over for this season. There's is a realistic chance that "The Other" Adrian Peterson outperforms him and puts up adequate fantasy numbers. You simply HAVE to start the Bear Defense after watching what the Vikings did against the Giants in Week 12. They won't match that performance, but if you count special teams, it doesn't get any better than Devin Hester.

Buccaneers @ Saints - Dome

START: Earnest Graham, Joey Galloway, Alex Smith, Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston
CONSIDER: Jeff Garcia (check)
BENCH: Buc Defense, David Patten

Jeff Garcia is a game-time decision, and based on this being a late game, you should plan on going with a safer option. Regardless of Garcia's status, keep Galloway active. Nobody gives up points to WRs quite like the Saints give up points to WRs. Alex Smith has shown that he makes a plausible TE option.

Reggie Bush is ready to take back the full RB load. Keep Brees and Colston active, since the Saints pass so much, but don't expect a ton of output due to the Bucs' solid pass defense.

Sunday Night Football

Bengals @ Steelers

START: Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Steeler Defense
CONSIDER: Chris Henry
BENCH: Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Santonio Holmes (out), Nate Washington

Houshmandzadeh and Roethlisberger. It's long surname night in Pittsburgh.
The Bengals get to go against the NFL's best all-around defense. Word is that there may be rain in the Steel City again, just like this past Monday Night. Still, there's no way that the field is that sloppy again. The Bengals will get their passing numbers as usual, just less of them. Carson Palmer looks nothing like what he's looked like the past couple seasons, but you've still got to go with someone who throws that often to WRs with so much talent.

Benny Roeth and Smiling Hines shouldn't have any difficulty against the feeble Bengal pass D. Willie Parker has been terrible against the NFL's lowliest rush defenses, but he has a history of tearing up the Bengals. Expect the Steeler D to find their way to a few turnovers.

Monday Night Football

Patriots @ Ravens

START: Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, Patriot Defense
CONSIDER: Willis McGahee
BENCH: Laurence Maroney, Ben Watson, Kyle Boller, Derrick Mason, Todd Heap (check), Raven Defense

The Patriots play their 837th consecutive game on national TV.
Start your usual Patriots. You shouldn't need to be told that. However, don't expect much of anything out of Maroney. Even when the Patsies are shamelessly running up the score in garbage time. Ben Watson is far too inconsistent to rely on. It doesn't get much better than this for the Patriot Defense.

Expect the Ravens to struggle mightily to move the ball, even more so than usual as they will be forced to pass. If you have to play him, just pray that McGahee scores early. Feel free to completely forget that other Ravens players even exist for this week.

Check back on Sunday for the Game Day Inactives!

Play Action - Week 13 - Thursday

Hello and welcome to the Thursday Edition of Play Action for Week 13.


For the moment, we're only looking at the Thursday brouhaha between the Packers and Cowboys, which really should be the best game of the week.


Packers @ Cowboys
Packer Offense - Receiving: 306.6 (2), Rushing: 81.8 (32)
Cowboy Defense - Receiving: 235.4 (20), Rushing: 82.1 (4)

Cowboy Offense - Receiving: 276.6 (5), Rushing: 122.9 (11)
Packer Defense - Receiving: 232.5 (18), Rushing: 100.1 (13)

START: Brett Favre, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten
CONSIDER: Donald Lee, James Jones, Marion Barber III, Patrick Crayton
BENCH: Packer Defense, Julius Jones, Cowboy Defense

This should be a high scoring, pass-happy game.
The Cowboys are solid against the run and weak against the pass, which fits the Packer offense perfectly. Expect Favre to be slinging it per usual. Also expect the primary beneficiary to be anyone's guess, also per usual. The Pack have been feeding the rock to Ryan Grant much more recently, but he should find some tough sledding against the Cowboy D.
The soft underbelly of the Packer Defense is all their pass D, which will be even softer tonight without Charles Woodson. The lack of Woodson could make Pat Crayton a rare decent option. KGB also may not play, which could benefit MB3. Still, expect the Cowboy pass game to be prominently featured. Look for the Romo to TO Show to be reborn.
I expect for the Pack to pull off the "upset" on the road tonight, mark it down.

Play Action - Week 12

Let's get straight to the analysis.

1:00pm EST Games

Raiders @ Chiefs
Raider Offense - Receiving: 192.1 (28), Rushing: 129.2 (6)
Chief Defense - Receiving: 224.6 (15), Rushing: 104.6 (17)

Chief Offense - Receiving: 223.5 (16), Rushing: 77.5 (32)
Raider Defense - Receiving: 202.4 (5), Rushing: 152.6 (31)

START: Ronald Curry, Tony Gonzalez
CONSIDER: Justin Fargas, Kolby Smith, Chief Defense
BENCH: Daunte Culpepper, Brodie Croyle, Dwayne Bowe

Remember when this used to be an exciting rivalry?
Having Daunte Culpepper in the lineup actually does help Ronald Curry. Keep him active. The Raiders will struggle to score, so if you have more interesting options than Fargas, roll with them.
The Raiders are awful against the rush, the Chiefs are awful at rushing the ball. Something's gotta give. Expect the Chiefs to hand the ball to Kolby Smith early and often.

Saints @ Panthers
Saint Offense - Receiving: 273.7 (6), Rushing: 83.5 (28)
Panther Defense - Receiving: 215.6 (9), Rushing: 112.2 (20)

Panther Offense - Receiving: 194.2 (26), Rushing: 120.2 (13)
Saint Defense - Receiving: 265.5 (28), Rushing: 101.1 (15)

START: Drew Brees, Reggie Bush (check), Marques Colston, Steve Smith
CONSIDER: Nope
BENCH: David Patten, Eric Johnson, Vinny Testaverde, DeShaun Foster, DeAngelo Williams

The Saints have hit the skids once again. Reggie Bush is a game-time decision, be sure to check his status on Sunday. If he starts, he's a solid play against a mediocre Panther rush D.
The Panthers have been on a season-long skid. Steve Smith once again hits the "Start" list, since the Saints can make any WR look good, Smith should look excellent.

Texans @ Browns
Texan Offense - Receiving: 268 (7), Rushing: 92.5 (23)
Brown Defense - Receiving: 281.3 (30), Rushing: 136.8 (28)

Brown Offense - Receiving: 253.9 (10), Rushing: 103.8 (17)
Texan Defense - Receiving: 221.5 (12), Rushing: 116.5 (21)

START: Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels, Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow
CONSIDER: Ron Dayne, Jamal Lewis
BENCH: Ahman Green (out), Kevin Walter

Schaub and Johnson should absolutely carve up the horrid Brown pass D. Look for Owen Daniels to put up his usual respectable receiving yardage, but the guy is positively allergic to the end zone. Ron Dayne is worthy of consideration, but this game is likely a pass-fest.
Now is not the time to start questioning Derek Anderson, leave him, active along with Edwards and Winslow. Jamal Lewis is worthy of consideration, but like I just said, this game will likely be a pass-fest.

Seahawks @ Rams - Dome
Seahawk Offense - Receiving: 264.4 (8), Rushing: 96.2 (21)
Ram Defense - Receiving: 223.5 (14), Rushing: 111.4 (19)

Ram Offense - Receiving: 227 (15), Rushing: 89.2 (24)
Seahawk Defense - Receiving: 240 (23), Rushing: 100.2 (13)

START: Matt Hasselbeck (check), Deion Branch, D.J. Hackett (check), Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, Torry Holt
CONSIDER: Maurice Morris, Bobby Engram
BENCH: Shaun Alexander (out), Isaac Bruce, Randy McMichael

Matt Hasselbeck and Hackett are expected to be good to go, but definitely check to make sure they're active on Sunday. Word on the street is that Maurice Morris has officially passed Shaun Alexander on the Seahawk depth chart, regardless of health.
The Ram offense has come back to life suddenly, with all of the key components healthy. Start Bulger, S-Jax and Holt. The rest of the Rams are much less interesting.

Redskins @ Buccaneers
Redskin Offense - Receiving: 210.2 (22), Rushing: 125.1 (8)
Buc Defense - Receiving: 191.5 (4), Rushing: 106.8 (18)

Buc Offense - Receiving: 215.9 (19), Rushing: 116.6 (14)
Redskin Defense - Receiving: 237.2 (21), Rushing: 97.1 (9)

START: Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley, Redskin Defense, Earnest Graham, Joey Galloway
CONSIDER: Buc Defense
BENCH: Jason Campbell, Ladell Betts, Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Jeff Garcia, Ike Hilliard, Alex Smith

Expect to see a whole lot of Clinton Portis here against the average Buc rush defense, rather than having Campbell testing the tough pass D. Santana Moss finally showed up, for the first time this season, in Week 11. Don't look for a repeat this week.
Is there a more underappreciated Fantasy player than Joey Galloway? I don't think so. The 'Skins are tough against the run, but Earnest Graham continues to look excellent.

Titans @ Bengals
Titan Offense - Receiving: 184.4 (29), Rushing: 139.1 (4)
Bengal Defense - Receiving: 252.6 (26), Rushing: 126.5 (27)

Bengal Offense - Receiving: 279.3 (3), Rushing: 84.9 (26)
Titan Defense - Receiving: 205.4 (7), Rushing: 86 (5)

START: Vince Young, LenDale White, Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry
CONSIDER: Titan Defense
BENCH: Chris Brown, Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson

Break Vince Young out of the mothballs and get him into your starting lineup for this one. Also, give the LenWhale one last shot. If he disappoints for the 3rd straight week, he'll be in a time-share with Chris Brown. If your defensive scoring relies heavily on turnovers, then the Titan D isn't a bad option. They get a bump if Albert Haynesworth can suit up.
The Bengals should be what they are every week, completely pass-happy. Palmer and the WRs are must-starts every week and everyone else on that team should be left on the pine.

Bills @ Jaguars
Bill Offense - Receiving: 179.1 (30), Rushing: 101.9 (19)
Jag Defense - Receiving: 265.7 (29), Rushing: 100.3 (14)

Jag Offense - Receiving: 194.1 (27), Rushing: 140 (3)
Bill Defense - Receiving: 260.6 (27), Rushing: 119.3 (22)

START: Lee Evans, Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguar Defense
CONSIDER: J.P. Losman, David Garrard, Fred Taylor
BENCH: Anthony Thomas

J.P. Losman shouldn't have too much trouble finding Evans against the Jags' feeble pass defense. The rest of the Bills, well, they're just not exciting at all.
Likewise, MJD shouldn't have much difficulty slicing and dicing his way through the all-around weak Bill Defense. Fred Taylor is worthy of consideration for the same reasons, but is much less likely to score. Garrard should be serviceable, but look for the Jags to pound the rock.

Vikings @ Giants
Viking Offense - Receiving: 177.1 (31), Rushing: 177.9 (1)
Giant Defense - Receiving: 237.9 (22), Rushing: 91.3 (7)

Giant Offense - Receiving: 214.3 (20), Rushing: 128 (7)
Viking Defense - Receiving: 304.2 (32), Rushing: 74.8 (1)

START: Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, Giant Defense
CONSIDER: Adrian Peterson (check), Chester Taylor (check Peterson), Amani Toomer
BENCH: Tarvaris Jackson, Viking Defense, Brandon Jacobs (out), Derrick Ward (likely out), Reuben Droughns

I would be so shocked if Adrian Peterson starts, that I very well may lose control of my bowels.
Even if he does go, he's likely lose a heavy amount of carries to Chester Taylor. Unlike last week, Taylor faces a big boy defense. If he's the primary back, he deserves some heavy consideration. If he has to share carries, not so much.
The Vikings are pathetic against the pass, so trot out the Giant passing game. Peyton's retarded brother Eli should put up very nice numbers. If Plax is ever going to do anything else this season, this is the week to show it. Reuben Droughns is virtually certain to start, but you don't want anything to do with him against the NFL's best rush defense.

4:00pm EST Games

49ers @ Cardinals - Dome
49er Offense - Receiving: 160.8 (32), Rushing: 84.3 (27)
Cardinal Defense - Receiving: 231.6 (18), Rushing: 97.5 (10)

Cardinal Offense - Receiving: 233.4 (14), Rushing: 86.8 (25)
49er Defense - Receiving: 217.8 (10), Rushing: 122.6 (24)

START: Kurt Warner, Edgerrin James, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Cardinal Defense
CONSIDER: Frank Gore
BENCH: Trent Dilfer, Darrell Jackson, Vernon Davis, Leonard Pope

The Niners very well may be the most inept offense in the game. Yes, that includes Baltimore. Frank Gore has been a monumental bust, but if you don't have better options, you should give yourself a severe beating. Stay far, far away from the rest of the 49ers.
For some reason, people like to claim that the 49ers are bad against the pass. Truth is, they're pretty good against it. Still, this will be a nice game for Mr. Brenda Warner and friends. There's not a whole lot less exciting than Edge these days...other than, ya know, Frank Gore...the Niners are bad against the rush, so leave him active.

Broncos @ Bears
Bronco Offense - Receiving: 234.4 (13), Rushing: 122.6 (12)
Bear Defense - Receiving: 241 (24), Rushing: 125.7 (26)

Bear Offense - Receiving: 241.6 (12), Rushing: 81.6 (31)
Bronco Defense - Receiving: 221 (11), Rushing: 149.2 (29)

START: Jay Cutler, Selvin Young (check), Javon Walker, Brandon Marshall, Cedric Benson
CONSIDER: Bronco Defense, Desmond Clark, Greg Olsen
BENCH: Travis Henry (out), Andre Hall (check Young), Brandon Stokley, Tony Scheffler, Rex Grossman, Bernard Berrian, Muhsin Muhammad, Bear Defense

The return of Javon Walker. It's always risky to start a player that has missed significant time, but someone of Walker's talent is hard to resist. Besides, just look what Andre Johnson did upon his return. It's uncertain if Selvin Young will be active, start him if he is, if he isn't then only start Andre Hall if you're incredibly desperate. Brandon Marshall's value take s a slight dip with Walker back, but don't expect him to disappear. Do look for Stokley to disappear, however.
Cedric Benson should continue his impressive season here. What? OK, maybe I'm just playing around there, but Benson should have a good game. "Good" by Benson's status would be around 80 yards and a TD. The Bear TE's could be a factor against the declining Bronco pass defense. Don't look for Champ Bailey to have much trouble against Berrian, though.

Ravens @ Chargers
Raven Offense - Receiving: 216.4 (18), Rushing: 102.8 (18)
Charger Defense - Receiving: 246.6 (25), Rushing: 119.7 (23)

Charger Offense - Receiving: 206.9 (23), Rushing: 107.6 (16)
Raven Defense - Receiving: 222.4 (13), Rushing: 77.4 (2)

START: Willis McGahee, LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Charger Defense
CONSIDER: Derrick Mason, Raven Defense, Chris Chambers
BENCH: Kyle Boller, Mark Clayton, Todd Heap (out), Philip Rivers, Vincent Jackson

A battle of who wants it least.
McGahee should be in store for a high quality game against the surprisingly poor Charger rush defense. The Raven D is worth consideration, since Phil Rivers is guaranteed to be good for anywhere from 2-67 turnovers.
Is this the week that Stupid Norv Turner realizes that he should be utilizing LT more? Probably not, otherwise he wouldn't be Stupid Norv Turner. LT faces a very tough test here, but should put up his usual (for 2007) good but not great numbers. Gates must be kept active, always. Look for the Philip Rivers INT and Fumble World Tour to continue.

Sunday Night Football

Eagles at Patriots
Eagle Offense - Receiving: 244.5 (11), Rushing: 124.7 (9)
Patriot Defense - Receiving: 203.3 (6), Rushing: 89.3 (6)

Patriot Offense - Receiving: 311.2 (1), Rushing: 131.8 (5)
Eagle Defense - Receiving: 227.6 (17), Rushing: 97.8 (11)

START: Brian Westbrook, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, Ben Watson, Patriot Defense
CONSIDER: Laurence Maroney
BENCH: Donovan McNabb (likely out), A.J. Feely, Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis, L.J. Smith, Eagle Defense

No McNabb against the stat-padding Pats? Yikes. Westbrook is an every-weeker, but leave the rest of your Eagles on the bench.
The Pats were given the biggest Vegas line in NFL history. As usual, look for them to be out there shamelessly padding stats and risking pointless injury by the middle of the 3rd quarter. Keep all of your usual suspects active.

Monday Night Football

Dolphins @ Steelers
Dolphin Offense - Receiving: 201.9 (24), Rushing: 115.2 (15)
Steeler Defense - Receiving: 175 (2), Rushing: 79.9 (3)

Steeler Offense - Receiving: 222.9 (17), Rushing: 147.5 (2)
Dolphin Defense - Receiving: 188.1 (3), Rushing: 154.9 (32)

START: Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Steeler Defense
CONSIDER: Nate Washington
BENCH: John Beck, Jesse Chatman (check), Ricky Williams, Marty Booker, David Martin, Santonio Holmes (out)

Apparently it's Slaughter on National TV Week for the NFL.
Ricky Williams will likely be active for the Phins...enjoy that Steeler defense, Smokey. Don't even consider trotting out any Dolphins.
The Dolphins are 3rd in the NFL in pass defense, which is really more of a product of them being so poor against the rush that passing isn't necessary. Fast Willie has struggled mightily against the NFL's worst rush defenses this season, but those were on the road. If he struggles against the Dolphins, feel free to hunt him down and maim him.

Check back on Sunday for the Game Day Inactives.

Play Action - Week 11

The Bye Weeks are behind us, the excuses are over, the Playoff Push is in full force.
This is no time for mistakes.
It's time to take an in-depth look at every game going in Week 11 and determine who to Start, Consider and Bench.

I'd also like to take a moment to give praise to Fantola's Milton J. for absolutely shredding "Beating The House". Everybody should have bet the ranch. If you didn't, hey, perhaps you should listen.


1:00pm EST Games

Dolphins @ Eagles
Dolphin Offense - Receiving: 212.2 (20), Rushing: 119.4 (11)
Eagles Defense - Receiving: 240.8 (24), Rushing: 100.1 (12)

Eagle Offense - Receiving: 255 (10), Rushing: 116.1 (14)
Dolphin Defense - Receiving: 192.3 (4), Rushing: 149.7 (30)

START: Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook (check), Eagle Defense
CONSIDER: Jesse Chatman, Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis, L.J. Smith
BENCH: John Beck, Marty Booker, David Martin

Unless you're in an incredibly deep league, Jesse Chatman is the only Dolphin that should be owned. The team has made the switch to John Beck and will, therefore, have to endure rookie mistakes in addition to being a terrible team. The Eagles are decent against the run, so don't expect a big day here.
The Dolphins are surprisingly highly ranked against receivers. Still, D-Mac is coming off a long-awaited 4 TD performance and the Eagles love to pass. Still, don't expect a repeat. Brian Westbrook should be in store for a monster game. He is an important piece of the passing game and the Dolphins are horrible against the run. Also start the Eagle D and expect Beck to serve up some turnovers.
Keep in mind that the Eagles have an uncanny knack for finding ways to lose games.

Buccaneers @ Falcons - Dome
Buc Offense - Receiving: 222 (18), Rushing: 113 (15)
Falcon Defense - Receiving: 210.9 (8), Rushing: 121.2 (23)

Falcon Offense - Receiving: 213.2 (19), Rushing: 97.7 (20)
Buc Defense - Receiving: 185.6 (3), Rushing: 113.2 (18)

START: Earnest Graham (check), Joey Galloway, Buc Defense
CONSIDER: Jeff Garcia, Warrick Dunn, Roddy White
BENCH: Michael Pittman (check), Michael Bennett, Alex Smith, Byron Leftwich (check), Joey Harrington (check), Jerious Norwood (check), Alge Crumpler

Earnest Graham has firmly entrenched himself as the feature back in Tampa. Pittman should be active, but limited and Bennett has struggled to pick up the playbook. Joey Galloway is always a deep threat and the Buc Defense shouldn't have any difficulties shutting down the Falcons.
It is uncertain who will start at QB for Atlanta this week, and against the solid Buc pass D, it doesn't matter, you want to bench him. Warrick Dunn has been excellent carrying his heavy workload the past couple weeks, but look for the streak to end here. Norwood should play, but most likely in a very limited capacity. Roddy White will also have fits against this pass D.

Browns @ Ravens
Brown Offense - Receiving: 251.7 (11), Rushing: 103 (18)
Raven Defense - Receiving: 216.7 (12), Rushing: 73.7 (2)

Raven Offense - Receiving: 209.4 (22), Rushing: 100 (19)
Brown Defense - Receiving: 281.6 (31), Rushing: 137.8 (28)

START: Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, Willis McGahee, Mark Clayton, Derrick Mason
CONSIDER: Kyle Boller, Raven Defense
BENCH: Jamal Lewis, Joe Jurevicius, Todd Heap (check)

The Brownies should win this game, but don't be shocked if they score relatively few points. Anderson, Edwards and Winslow are every week must-starts. Jamal Lewis shouldn't sniff your starting lineup this week.
Kyle Boller is my personal favorite sleeper of the week. The Brown Defense is a joke. And yes, yes you do see Mark Clayton as a recommended starter now that he doesn't have to deal with the just plain awful Steve McNair. Mason should also cash in a nice performance and look for McGahee to have a field day against these chumps. Todd Heap is unlikely to be active, but if he is, he deserves consideration, but will likely be limited.

Chargers @ Jaguars
Charger Offense - Receiving: 195.6 (24), Rushing: 110.8 (16)
Jaguar Defense - Receiving: 260.9 (28), Rushing: 102.7 (15)

Jaguar Offense - Receiving: 194.7 (25), Rushing: 142 (3)
Charger Defense - Receiving: 253 (26), Rushing: 119.4 (21)

START: LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Maurice Jones-Drew
CONSIDER: Chris Chambers
BENCH: Philip Rivers, Vincent Jackson (check), David Garrard, Fred Taylor

A collision of two highly overrated defenses.
It's amazing how effectively the severely retarded Norv Turner has castrated the Charger Offense, choosing to ride the awful Philip Rivers instead of LT. Will things change this week? Who am I to guess the "thought" process of Norv? Look for Rivers to cash in a few turnovers as usual. Pray that the Chargers get close enough to the end zone for LT to get a TD and that Gates overcomes a poor QB and breaks out of his funk. Feel free to plan ways to lynch Norv now, if you'd like.
Look for the Jags to continue to effectively pound the ball. They tore up the Titans last week and shouldn't have too much trouble against the Chargers. Garrard should be owned as a reserve QB in your league, but isn't to be used unless you're in an emergency. No Jags receiver deserves consideration...ever.

Saints @ Texans
Saint Offense - Receiving: 271.9 (5), Rushing: 87.6 (27)
Texan Defense - Receiving: 213.9 (10), Rushing: 124.2 (24)

Texan Offense - Receiving: 265.2 (8), Rushing: 91.3 (23)
Saint Defense - Receiving: 262.4 (29), Rushing: 100.9 (14)

START: Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, David Patten, Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels
CONSIDER: Matt Schaub
BENCH: Eric Johnson, Ahman Green (check), Ron Dayne (check Green), Kevin Walter, Andre Davis

The Saints got embarrassed by the lowly Rams in Week 10. Look for them to be out for blood here. The Texans are pretty good against the pass, but the Saints are really good at receiving. Keep Brees, Colston and Patten in your lineup. Reggie Bush overcame his bone bruise in Week 10 for a nice performance and should be effective here.
Andre Johnson finally returns for the Texans. Get him in your lineup, although he will likely have to shake off some rust. He's too good to leave on your bench. The return of AJ renders Andre Davis useless and will result in fewer looks for Kevin Walter. AJ's return should actually have a positive effect on Owen Daniels by removing some pressure...who knows, perhaps Owen even finds the end zone by accident. It is currently uncertain who will start for the Texans at RB, and I would expect a RBBC if Green is active. If Green is inactive, then Ron Dayne deserves some consideration against a porous Texan rush D.

Chiefs @ Colts - Dome
Chief Offense - Receiving: 229.6 (16), Rushing: 78.1 (31)
Colt Defense - Receiving: 175.6 (1), Rushing: 105.3 (16)

Colt Offense - Receiving: 266.1 (7), Rushing: 130.7 (9)
Chief Defense - Receiving: 231.4 (21), Rushing: 108.9 (17)

START: Tony Gonzalez, Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, Colt Defense
CONSIDER: Priest Holmes
BENCH: Brodie Croyle, Kolby Smith, Dwayne Bowe, Marvin Harrison (check), Aaron Moorehead, Dallas Clark

The Brodie Croyle Era begins in Kansas City. Hey Brodie, enjoy the #1 ranked receiving defense. Good luck. Gonzo is too much of a stud to bench, but the rest of the Chief passing game should definitely sit this one out for you. Priest could receive 20+ touches this week, but the Colts should be keying on him and forcing Croyle to beat them. Those touches would make him a decent flex play if you don't have better options.
Look for the Colts to carve up the relatively weak Chief pass D. It is unknown if Marvin Harrison will take the field before the playoffs, possibly the 2012 playoffs, but Wayne should have a very nice performance. Look for Addai to enjoy another nice day as well. Roll with the Colt D and enjoy the numerous rookie mistakes from Croyle.

Giants @ Lions - Dome
Giant Offense - Receiving: 206.7 (23), Rushing: 134.2 (6)
Lion Defense - Receiving: 276.3 (30), Rushing: 98 (8)

Lion Offense - Receiving: 271.6 (6), Rushing: 82.7 (29)
Giant Defense - Receiving: 22.4 (14), Rushing: 98.7 (9)

START: Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, Jon Kitna, Roy Williams
CONSIDER: Kevin Jones, Calvin Johnson (check), Mike Furrey, Shaun McDonald
BENCH: Amani Toomer, Giant Defense, T.J. Duckett, Lion Defense

The Giants should be able to pass up and down the field here. Shockey looked great in Week 10 and there's no reason to believe that he won't carry the momentum over. Plax has fallen off a cliff lately, the bad wheel is likely bothering him quite a bit...still, this is a great match up for him. The Lions are tough against the run, still, Jacobs has been too hot to bench. He's a force in the red zone.
The Lions are a completely different team at home than they are on the road. Their Week 10 performance in Arizona was pathetic. They set a record for rushing futility. Despite his not being on the injury report, Kevin Jones' injured foot is giving him a lot of trouble, so it's quite possible that the Lions go back to their early season pass-happy ways, or give Jones plenty of rest before the Thanksgiving Day battle with the Packers. Calvin Johnson is having back issues again and could be limited. Look for Kitna to be slinging it, in what should be a high scoring affair.

Panthers @ Packers
Panther Offense - Receiving: 187.1 (27), Rushing: 119 (12)
Packer Defense - Receiving: 230.7 (18), Rushing: 92.9 (7)

Packer Offense - Receiving: 308.2 (1), Rushing: 77.4 (32)
Panther Defense - Receiving: 215.3 (11), Rushing: 113.2 (18)

START: Brett Favre, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Donald Lee, Packer Defense
CONSIDER: Steve Smith (check), Ryan Grant
BENCH: Vinny Testaverde, DeShaun Foster, DeAngelo Williams, Panther Defense, James Jones, Koren Robinson

98-year-old Vinny Testaverde will be the starting QB for the Panthers for the remainder of the season, assuming that he can remain healthy. Sadly, this is good news for Steve Smith, who is really nothing more than a WR3 these days. Smith is also dealing with some sort of shin injury. Look for the tough Pack rush D to shut down Foster and Williams.
Brett Favre continues to light up the passing totals. Greg Jennings has been the primary beneficiary, much to the chagrin of Donald Driver owners. Still, with so much passing to go around, Driver must remain active for your team. Keep the Packer D active against a struggling offense here.

Raiders @ Vikings - Dome
Raider Offense - Receiving: 175.2 (29), Rushing: 136.3 (5)
Viking Defense - Receiving: 299.8 (32), Rushing: 75.9 (3)

Viking Offense - Receiving: 167.3 (31), Rushing: 172.3 (1)
Raider Defense - Receiving: 195.4 (5), Rushing: 144.2 (29)

START: Raider Defense, Chester Taylor, Viking Defense
CONSIDER: Nobody
BENCH: Daunte Culpepper, JaMarcus Russell, Josh McCown, Justin Fargas, Ronald Curry, Tarvaris Jackson, Adrian Peterson (out)

A real stinker.
Daunte Culpepper returns to the helm. He was so good last time he was a starter that there are rumor that JaMarcus Russell could see time on specially designed plays. But, it's possible that McCown could be the backup QB. Either way, the Raiders are too inept to exploit even the Vikings' craptacular pass defense. The solid Viking rush D should greatly limit Fargas. Start the Raider D, and that's it.
The equally craptacular Tarvaris Jackson returns to the helm this week. Happy days are here again. OK, maybe not. Look for a hefty dosage of Chester Taylor against the weak Raider rush D. If you own him, now is the time to use him. Also start the Viking D in what should be an extremely low-scoring and excruciatingly boring game.

Cardinals @ Bengals
Cardinal Offense - Receiving: 235.9 (14), Rushing: 90.9 (24)
Bengal Defense - Receiving: 257.2 (27), Rushing: 135 (27)

Bengal Offense - Receiving: 273.8 (4), Rushing: 86.3 (28)
Cardinal Defense - Receiving: 220.8 (13), Rushing: 100.3 (13)

START: Kurt Warner, Edgerrin James, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Carson Palmer, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry
CONSIDER: Chad Johnson (check), Rudi Johnson
BENCH: Kenny Watson

In contrast, this game should be a shoot out.
The Bengals are horrible defensively. Absolutely terrible. Unleash all of your Cardinals that are worth owning. If Anquan Boldin can't put together a big game here, it's time to panic.
The Cardinals' rush D ranking is bloated due to their performance against the Lions in Week 11. Still, you don't really want Rudi or Kenny starting for you. Chad Johnson is downgraded this week due to missing practice on Thursday and Friday...skin issue? Still, he makes an attractive flex play, as he is expected to start. Chris Henry looked great in his first game back, assuming that he can stay out of jail until Sunday, get him active.

4:00pm EST Games

Steelers @ Jets
Steeler Offense - Receiving: 226 (17), Rushing: 151.4 (2)
Jet Defense - Receiving: 234.3 (22), Rushing: 152.2 (32)

Jet Offense - Receiving: 211.7 (21), Rushing: 94.6 (22)
Steeler Defense - Receiving: 176.4 (2), Rushing: 72 (1)

START: Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, Steeler Defense
CONSIDER: Nobody
BENCH: Najeh Davenport, Nate Washington, Anyone affiliated with the Jets

Ben Roethlisberger has been slicing up the competition lately...huge TD numbers without huge passing yardage, which is fine. My gut tells me that this is finally Fast Willie's week, though. He's facing the NFL's worst rush defense and with Dookie getting stuffed in Week 10, it should be his time. That said, don't expect Benny Roeth to just disappear...the Jet pass defense isn't much better than their rush D. Also trot out the Steeler D, since the Jets are also bad offensively. Offensively offensive.
The Jets are a terrible team taking on an awesome defense. Leave them all on your bench. That is all you need to know.

Bears @ Seahawks
Bear Offense - Receiving: 238.9 (12), Rushing: 78.8 (30)
Seahawk Defense - Receiving: 237.1 (23), Rushing: 99.4 (10)

Seahawk Offense - Receiving: 256.3 (9), Rushing: 95.4 (21)
Bear Defense - Receiving: 230.3 (17), Rushing: 128.2 (26)

START: Matt Hasselbeck, D.J. Hackett, Seahawk Defense
CONSIDER: Bernard Berrian, Maurice Morris, Deion Branch (check), Bobby Engram
BENCH: Rex Grossman, Cedric Benson, Adrian Peterson, Muhsin Muhammad, Desmond Clark, Greg Olsen, Bear Defense, Shaun Alexander (check), Maurice Morris, Nate Burleson

Remember when Shaun Alexander went in the first round and the Bear D was one of the first off the board? Funny times.
Interceptus Rex once again graces us with his presence. Surprisingly enough, this is good news for Bernard Berrian...and DB's across the nation. Cedric Benson is leading the NFL! In dropped passes, which is extra impressive, considering that he is pulled on passing downs. The guy is a disaster. Also look for the Bear D to flounder its way through another game.
Shaun Alexander is expected to sit this one out, which really means nothing this season. Look for the Seahawks to be chucking it. Deion Branch is questionable again, it may be best to play it safe and bench him. If he's out then bump up Bobby Engram with D.J. Hackett to have nice games. Engram remains among the league's most underappreciated possession receivers. Start the Seahawk D and enjoy Rex tossing up a few sexy INTs.

Rams @ 49ers
Ram Offense - Receiving: 235 (15), Rushing: 87.8 (26)
49er Defense - Receiving: 224.8 (16), Rushing: 124.9 (25)

49er Offense - Receiving: 153 (32), Rushing: 90.1 (25)
Ram Defense - Receiving: 22.7 (15), Rushing: 120.2 (22)

START: Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, Torry Holt, Frank Gore
CONSIDER: Isaac Bruce, Ram Defense
BENCH: Randy McMichael, Trent Dilfer, Darrell Jackson, Arnaz Battle, Vernon Davis

The Rams should once again dust off their offense and look pretty in this one. When they're healthy, they can still put up points. Steven Jackson has successfully made it an entire week injury-free. He should put up nice numbers. Bulger should party like it's 2006 in this one, and look for Big Game to finally have one as well. Should you really consider the Ram defense? Sure, they're going against Dilfer. There's Pop Warner teams with better offenses than the Niners.
It's hard to imagine Dilfer really dragging the Niners down any more than Alex Smith, but who knows, maybe he'll prove us wrong again. Give Frank Gore one last shot here, the Rams are bad against the run and Gore seems genuinely annoyed at his massive quantity of suckage thus far. The rest of the 49ers? No thanks. Not even against the Rams' swiss cheese.

Redskins @ Cowboys
Redskin Offense - Receiving: 192.8 (26), Rushing: 132.1 (8)
Cowboy Defense - Receiving: 231.1 (20), Rushing: 86.8 (5)

Cowboy Offense - Receiving: 283.9 (3), Rushing: 122.6 (10)
Redskin Defense - Receiving: 231 (19), Rushing: 99.9 (11)

START: Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley, Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten
CONSIDER: Marion Barber, Cowboy Defense
BENCH: Jason Campbell, Ladell Betts, Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Redskin Defense, Julius Jones, Patrick Crayton

The Redskins really haven't been the same since they got humiliated by the Patriots. Still, Clinton Portis has 66 carries the past 2 weeks, not counting receptions. He should break down soon, but until then, he must be active. In the least exciting NFL news since it was announced that Trent Dilfer and Rex Grossman were once again starting NFL QBs, Santana Moss has declared himself good to go. Even against the pedestrian Cowboy pass D, you should be able to do better.
Terrell Owens has gone insane the past 3 weeks...and not in the way you expect TO to go insane. He has 100+ and at least one TD in all of those games. The Skins will likely be without Sean Taylor, so that only boosts TO's value further. Why does Julius Jones continue to get more work than Marion Barber? Nobody knows. Wade Phillips works in mysterious, ways. Perhaps ill-advised ways when it comes to the ground game. Maybe he likes Romo being forced to pass, who knows.

Sunday Night Football

Patriots @ Bills
Patriot Offense - Receiving: 303.2 (2), Rushing: 132.3 (7)
Bill Defense - Receiving: 247 (25), Rushing: 118.4 (20)

Bill Offense - Receiving: 179.8 (28), Rushing: 104.6 (17)
Patriot Defense - Receiving: 206.7 (7), Rushing: 90.6 (6)

START: Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker (check), Donte Stallworth, Patriot Defense
CONSIDER: Laurence Maroney
BENCH: Kevin Faulk, Ben Watson, J.P. Losman, Marshawn Lynch (out), Anthony Thomas, Lee Evans

The last time we saw the Bills on national TV, they nearly shocked the Cowboys.
This time, the Bills are without their star, Marshawn Lynch could miss multiple weeks. Enter Anthony Thomas. You shouldn't even consider him. Lee Evans should be smothered in this one, considering that the Bills have no other weapons. There won't be a shocker here, this should be a white-washing.
Look for Tom Brady to be shamelessly padding his stats and throwing 3 yard TD passes despite a 40+ point lead with 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Wes Welker is listed as "questionable" with a mystery ailment. Bill Belichick is so sly. Somehow the Patriots have managed the NFL's 7th best rushing attack despite the lack of a single reliable fantasy rusher. Ben Watson should be back to full-speed this week, but you should have a more consistent option. The rest of the Pats' WR corps should find themselves open deep early and often against a mediocre defense.

Monday Night Football

Titans @ Broncos
Titan Offense - Receiving: 171 (30), Rushing: 139.8 (4)
Bronco Defense - Receiving: 211.7 (9), Rushing: 151 (31)

Bronco Offense - Receiving: 238.2 (13), Rushing: 117.8 (13)
Titan Defense - Receiving: 206 (6), Rushing: 139.8 (4)

START: LenDale White, Titan Defense
CONSIDER: Brandon Marshall, Bronco Defense
BENCH: Vince Young, Roydell Williams, Jay Cutler, Travis Henry, Selvin Young, Brandon Stokley, Tony Scheffler

Don't look for Vince Young to suddenly bust out a big passing day here. Despite his disappearing act in Week 10, you've got to ride the Whale here. Look for LenDale White to run like he's going to Krispy Kreme against the terrible Bronco rush D. The solid Titan D should give the Broncos fits. Of course, they also shouldn't have got lit against the Jags last week, but that was last week.
The disappointing Bronco offense should get a shot in the ass next week when it's possible that Javon Walker returns, but that's next week. Travis Henry is expected to be active in what is likely his last game before his one-year suspension begins, despite his noble efforts to appeal and continue receiving that paycheck to support those 9 kids. This RBBC will hurt both Henry and Selvin's values. Brandon Marshall could beat someone deep, but probably not.

Check back Sunday for the Major Game Day Inactives.
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