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 - 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 - 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 10

The last of the bye weeks has arrived, and it's a doozy for owners of Patriot players.
While owners of Tom Brady, Randy Moss and friends are whipped into a tizzy, let's take a closer look at the Week 10 NFL action from a Fantasy standpoint.


BYES: Buccaneers, Jets, Patriots, Texans

1:00pm EST Games

Vikings @ Packers
Viking Offense - Receiving: 166.2 (30), Rushing: 183.1 (1)
Packer Defense - Receiving: 237.5 (21), Rushing: 93.8 (8)

Packer Offense - Receiving: 300.8 (2), Rushing: 72.1 (32)
Viking Defense - Receiving: 291.2 (32), Rushing: 70.4 (2)

START: Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Packer Defense
CONSIDER: Donald Lee
BENCH: Tarvaris Jackson (check), Chester Taylor, Viking Defense, Ryan Grant

Purple Jesus set the world on fire last week against the Chargers. He remains the Vikings' only true offensive threat, so look for the Packers' solid rush D to key on him. Forget about ever starting any of the Viking pass game components.
Look for Brett Favre to be slinging it as usual against the truly awful Viking pass D. Favre, Driver, Jennings, Jones and possibly Donald Lee should all have solid days. Meanwhile, the Vikings are solid on rush D while the Packers are the worst in the business, so make sure that Ryan Grant is warming the pine for your team.

Broncos @ Chiefs
Bronco Offense - Receiving: 244 (12), Rushing: 114.9 (13)
Chief Defense - Receiving: 236.4 (20), Rushing: 104.9 (14)

Chief Offense - Receiving: 227.6 (15), Rushing: 79.5 (30)
Bronco Defense - Receiving: 207.5 (7), Rushing: 161.5 (32)

START: Travis Henry (check), Selvin Young (check Henry), Brandon Marshall, Tony Gonzalez
CONSIDER: Jay Cutler (check), Tony Scheffler, Priest Holmes
BENCH: Brandon Stokley, Bronco Defense, Damon Huard, Kolby Smith, Dwayne Bowe, Chief Defense

Remember when this used to be a marquee match up?
The Broncos are in shambles after getting shredded by the Lions in Week 9. Travis Henry is expected to be a game-time decision. It'd be tough to go with him after his poor showing against the Lions, but the Chiefs are a bad rush D. Honestly, it'd be more interesting if Henry were inactive and you could start Selvin Young. Cutler is expected to give it a go after having his leg banged up last week.
The Chiefs are expected to use a RBBC in place of the injured Larry Johnson. As long as you have decent alternatives, you should take a wait and see approach. It will be a challenge for Priest to come back after almost 2 years away and carry a heavy workload, and this is a far cry from the O-Line of his heyday. Coach Edwards has indicated that he will not hesitate to put Broadie Croyle in if Huard gets off to a poor start, which wouldn't be a surprise since Denver is still good against the pass. Gonzo has a history of thriving against the Broncos.

Bills @ Dolphins
Bill Offense - Receiving: 182.6 (29), Rushing: 109.8 (18)
Dolphin Defense - Receiving: 195.8 (5), Rushing: 160.5 (31)

Dolphin Offense - Receiving: 222.4 (17), Rushing: 116.5 (12)
Bill Defense - Receiving: 261.5 (28), Rushing: 115.4 (19)

START: Marshawn Lynch, Lee Evans
CONSIDER: J.P. Losman, Bill Defense
BENCH: Cleo Lemon, Jesse Chatman, Dolphin Defense

The Dolphins are horrible. Really, really horrible. Historically bad. That's all you need to know, don't start any of them.
The curiously explosive Bill Offense should keep on rolling along this week. Keep Lynch and Evans active and enjoy their big days. Zach Thomas is out again, so it should be easy sledding. You can even consider the Bill Defense if you're in a pinch. The Dolphins, as you may have read, suck.

Rams @ Saints - Dome
Ram Offense - Receiving: 226.4 (16), Rushing: 82.1 (29)
Saint Defense - Receiving: 257.2 (26), Rushing: 96.9 (10)

Saint Offense - Receiving: 271.9 (5), Rushing: 93.1 (24)
Ram Defense - Receiving: 216.5 (11), Rushing: 129.9 (25)

START: Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson (check), Torry Holt, Drew Brees, Reggie Bush (check), Marques Colston
CONSIDER: David Patten
BENCH: Isaac Bruce, Eric Johnson

The Rams are going to be passing an awful lot in an attempt to keep up in this one. If Bulger can't put up numbers here, he can't put them up anywhere. He's banged up, but he needs to suck it up. Steven Jackson is expected to share carries this week, which cuts into his value. He also has to show that he can remain on the field for longer than one quarter.
Other than the Patriots, no team is hotter than the Saints right now. Look for Brees to shred the Rams, with Colston continuing his hot run, and for Reggie Bush to see plenty of looks if he is active, as he likely will be. Patten has also been putting up nice numbers lately, and not getting much hype for it.

Browns @ Steelers
Brown Offense - Receiving: 267.8 (7), Rushing: 110.9 (17)
Steeler Defense - Receiving: 183.1 (1), Rushing: 76 (4)

Steeler Offense - Receiving: 219.5 (19), Rushing: 150.5 (2)
Brown Defense - Receiving: 282 (31), Rushing: 135.1 (27)

START: Braylon Edwards, Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, Steeler Defense
CONSIDER: Kellen Winslow
BENCH: Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, Joe Jurevicius, Najeh Davenport

The Browns' improbable run of offense hits a roadblock here. Jamal Lewis' fluky performance last week was an aberration, it's not going to happen again against the Steelers. Brylon Edwards should remain active, following the "never bench your studs" rule, but you should look beyond the Browns for your offense.
On the other hand, the Browns don't bother playing defense, so trot ALL of your normal Steelers out there. Roethlisberger should continue his hot performance from Week 9, although it's likely he'll lose a TD or 2 to Fast Willie. Keep the Steeler D active as well, as they should be able to contain the Browns.

Eagles @ Redskins
Eagle Offense - Receiving: 255.5 (10), Rushing: 113.2 (14)
Redskin Defense - Receiving: 228.5 (17), Rushing: 95 (9)

Redskin Offsense - Receiving: 190 (27), Rushing: 128.9 (9)
Eagle Defense - Receiving: 244 (23), Rushing: 92.9 (7)

START: Brian Westbrook, Eagle Defense, Chris Cooley, Redskin Defense
CONSIDER: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Curtis, Clinton Portis, Santana Moss (check)
BENCH: Reggie Brown, L.J. Smith, Jason Campbell, Antwaan Randle El

The Eagles move down the field fairly well, but getting into the end zone has become a monumental struggle for them. They're facing a tough defense this week, so don't expect much to change. This should be a low-scoring game, so get the Eagle D out there.
The Redskin offense really isn't any better than the Eagles. The Eagles are good against the run, so look for limited production from Portis. Cooley remains their most likely TD target, so leave him active. Santana Moss is very questionable at this time, hopefully you have better options, if not keep a close eye on him before kickoff. The Eagles will struggle to score, again, so keep the Skin D active as well.

Falcons @ Panthers
Falcon Offense - Receiving: 214.8 (20), Rushing: 98.9 (20)
Panther Defense - Receiving: 217.1 (12), Rushing: 116.4 (20)

Panther Offense - Receiving: 191.4 (26), Rushing: 122.6 (11)
Falcon Defense - Receiving: 218.1 (13), Rushing: 125.1 (23)

START: Roddy White, Falcon Defense
CONSIDER: Warrick Dunn, DeShaun Foster, Steve Smith, Panther Defense
BENCH: Joey Harrington, Jerious Norwood (check), Alge Crumpler, Vinny Testaverde (check), Matt Moore (check Testaverde), DeAngelo Williams, Jeff King

Can the Falcons really win 2 in a row? I believe that they will. Roddy White has been consistent, so leave him active. If Matt Moore starts for the Panthers, then the Falcon D is a must-start.
Steve Smith continues to ponder what he did to deserve all this punishment. His value takes a hit if Testaverde is out and Moore starts. Moore couldn't possibly be worse than David Carr, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement for the Panther offense. The Falcons aren't going to light up the scoreboard either, and Harrington is always a decent bet for some turnovers, so give the Panther D some strong consideration.

Jaguars @ Titans
Jaguar Offense - Receiving: 206.4 (24), Rushing: 139 (5)
Titan Defense - Receiving: 219.1 (15), Rushing: 66 (1)

Titan Offense - Receiving: 160.2 (31), Rushing: 149.5 (3)
Jaguar Defense - Receiving: 261.4 (27), Rushing: 107.8 (16)

START: Jaguar Defense, LenDale White, Titan Defense
CONSIDER: Maurice Jones-Drew
BENCH: David Garrard (check), Quinn Gray (check Garrard), Fred Taylor, Vince Young, Roydell Williams

David Garrard will likely be active, but it may only be to back up Quinn Gray. The Jags should find some very tough sledding against a solid Titan D. MJD is always a threat to score, but he goes up against the NFL's top-ranked rush defense. If you have better options, use them. The Titans are certainly no offensive juggernaut, so keep the Jags D active.
The Titans will keep on riding the LenWhale this week, so make sure you've got him starting. Also keep the Titan D active, as they should give the Jags fits. Everybody else in this game...not very interesting. Look for a defensive battle.


4:00pm EST Games

Bengals @ Ravens
Bengal Offense - Receiving: 274.1 (4), Rushing: 88.4 (28)
Raven Defense - Receiving: 209.9 (8), Rushing: 74.1 (3)

Raven Offense - Receiving: 208.5 (22), Rushing: 104.2 (19)
Bengal Defense - Receiving: 262.2 (29), Rushing: 143.6 (28)

START: Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson (check), T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Willis McGahee, Derrick Mason, Todd Heap (check)
CONSIDER: Chris Henry, Raven Defense
BENCH: Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Steve McNair

Two of the NFL's most disappointing teams meet. The Ravens will likely be down a couple of DBs, so the Bengals should be slinging it per usual. The returning Chris Henry is worth strong consideration, but it would be best to wait and see how he looks, if possible. Don't look for the Bengals ground game to suddenly come to life against the fierce Raven rush D. Chad Johnson looks likely to play.
The Bengals don't play defense, so McGahee should have a field day. Also look for Mason to haul in a TD, since the Bengals don't play pass defense either. Todd Heap has a favorable match up, assuming that he can remain on the field for more than 10 minutes in his likely return from injury.

Lions @ Cardinals - Dome
Lion Offense - Receiving: 268.5 (6), Rushing: 95.2 (21)
Cardinal Defense - Receiving: 211.4 (9), Rushing: 115.1 (18)

Cardinal Offense - Receiving: 232.8 (14), Rushing: 93.1 (24)
Lion Defense - Receiving: 278.2 (30), Rushing: 101.1 (12)

START: Jon Kitna, Kevin Jones, Roy Williams, Kurt Warner, Edgerrin James, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin
CONSIDER: Calvin Johnson, Lion Defense
BENCH: Bryant Johnson

The Lion D cashed in another awesome performance in Week 9. They can't slow down the pass, but they continue a rock solid run in Fantasy, we all know that Kurt Warner loves the turnover. The Lions have become a much more balanced offense, which has taken fantasy value away from Kitna and the Lion WRs, while adding significant value to Kevin Jones. Look for a shoot out in this game. Points everywhere.
The Cardinal pass game should run wild like Hulkamania here. If there was ever a time to start Kurt Warner, this is it, at home against one of the league's worst pass defenses. Keep Edge active, as there should be plenty of offense to spread around in this one. Again, expect a shoot out.

Cowboys @ Giants
Cowboy Offense - Receiving: 288.5 (3), Rushing: 127.9 (10)
Giant Defense - Receiving: 219.4 (16), Rushing: 101 (11)

Giant Offense - Receiving: 203 (25), Rushing: 137.8 (6)
Cowboy Defense - Receiving: 230.5 (18), Rushing: 84.4 (5)

START: Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten, Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey
CONSIDER: Patrick Crayton
BENCH: Julius Jones, Cowboy Defense, Amani Toomer, Giant Defense

The Official Marquee Match Up of Week 10.
While I expect both teams to try to play ball control in this one with their power backs, I still expect it to result in a fairly high scoring game. Look for a few deep balls to be thrown TO's way. Witten is always a threat in the red zone. The Giants are still shaky against the pass, so give Crayton some consideration if you don't have more reliable options.
The Giants will continue to feed Jacobs the ball. The Cowboys are solid against the run but struggle against the pass, so look for Plax to burn them deep at least once.
Expect enough points to be scored in this one to not bother using either defense.

Bears @ Raiders
Bear Offense - Receiving: 238.9 (13), Rushing: 78.9 (31)
Raider Defense - Receiving: 190 (4), Rushing: 152.5 (30)

Raider Offense - Receiving: 183.6 (28), Rushing: 140 (4)
Bear Defense - Receiving: 245.6 (24), Rushing: 130.9 (26)

START: Cedric Benson, Bear Defense, Justin Fargas
CONSIDER: Ronald Curry
BENCH: Brian Griese, Bernard Berrian, Muhsin Muhammad, Desmond Clark, Greg Olsen, Josh McCown, LaMont Jordan, Jerry Porter

If Cedric Benson can't perform here, he can't perform anywhere. You'll never see him on "Start" or "Consider" again if he doesn't put up points in this game. The Raiders are solid against the pass, so leave the Bear passing game on your bench.
Justin Fargas has looked great the past couple weeks. He's not all that special, but neither is the Bear defense, so get him active. LaMont Jordan shouldn't see much action.
Everybody else in this game...no thanks.

Sunday Night Football

Colts @ Chargers
Colt Offense - Receiving: 258.4 (9), Rushing: 137.6 (7)
Charger Defense - Receiving: 243.6 (22), Rushing: 125 (22)

Charger Offense - Receiving: 207 (23), Rushing: 113.2 (14)
Colt Defense - Receiving: 184.5 (2), Rushing: 107.1 (15)

START: Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, LaDanian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates
CONSIDER: Chris Chambers
BENCH: Marvin Harrison (check), Dallas Clark (check), Colt Defense, Philip Rivers, Vincent Jackson, Charger Defense

Owners of Joseph Addai have to be salivating after seeing what Adrian Peterson did to the Chargers last week. Hand them a napkin, because while Addai should have a decent game, he won't sniff those kind of numbers. Despite evidence to the contrary in Week 9, the Chargers are decent against the run and struggle against the pass, so look for Manning to exploit them there. Harrison is too banged up to rely on, Dallas Clark is also nicked up, and has fallen off a cliff the past several weeks anyway.
Norv Turner continues to show the world why he has absolutely no business as an NFL head coach. Riding the extremely mediocre Philip Rivers instead of the LT express is inexcusable. Frustrated LT owners should expect better numbers here in prime time. Expect Gates to have a decent, but not spectacular bounce back game as well.

Monday Night Football

49ers @ Seahawks
49er Offense - Receiving: 157.9 (32), Rushing: 91.5 (26)
Seahawk Defense - Receiving: 252.5 (25), Rushing: 102 (13)

Seahawk Offense - Receiving: 253.6 (11), Rushing: 94.1 (23)
49er Defense - Receiving: 218.1 (13), Rushing: 127.2 (24)

START: Vernon Davis, Matt Hasselbeck, Bobby Engram, D.J. Hackett, Seahawk Defense
CONSIDER: Deion Branch (check)
BENCH: Alex Smith, Frank Gore (check), Michael Robinson (check Gore), Darrell Jackson, Shaun Alexander (check), Maurice Morris (check Alexander)

The 49ers Offense is absolutely horrid. Frank Gore will be limited if he's even active, play it safe and bench him for someone playing on Sunday. Vernon Davis is their main threat to score. Hopefully you're not counting on any 49ers to rescue your week on Monday Night.
The Seahawks should have too much trouble putting some points on the board. Shaun Alexander is in the same boat as Gore, and should also be benched for a safer option on Sunday. Deion Branch is also questionable, so use the same logic. Look for D.J. Hackett to be more involved in his second game back, and for him to be in better condition. Trot the Seahawk Defense out there, the 49er offense, as you may have noticed above, is absolutely horrid.

Thank you for reading, we'd appreciate any and all comments on the blog.
Check back Sunday for the Major Inactives.

Play Action - Week 9

As we boldly head into the second half of the 2007 Fantasy Football season, we are given what is being hyped as "The Game of the Century" between the Patriots and the Colts. If this game fails to be anything but a unique combination of "The Catch", This Play, and the end of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, it will not live up to the hype. Should be an excellent game, both in reality and in fantasy.

Let's break down that game and all the rest of the Week 9 action for the purposes of Fantasy Football.

BYES: Bears, Dolphins, Giants, Rams

1:00pm EST Games

Chargers @ Vikings - Dome
Charger Offense - Receiving: 208.4 (23), Rushing: 123.4 (12)
Viking Defense - Receiving: 304.7 (32), Rushing: 74.4 (3)

Viking Offense - Receiving: 167.4 (29), Rushing: 155.3 (2)
Charger Defense - Receiving: 255.9 (27), Rushing: 88.9 (7)

START: Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson, Chris Chambers, Antonio Gates, Charger Defense, Adrian Peterson
CONSIDER: None
BENCH: Vincent Jackson, Tarvaris Jackson (check), Chester Taylor, Viking Defense

LT faces a tough test here against a stout Viking rush D, but he's way too good to ever even consider benching. Phil Rivers should slice and dice the feeble Viking pass D, so look for Gates and Chambers to flourish. Beyond All Day, the Viking offense is a joke, so trot out the Charger Defense.
Adrian Peterson also faces a tough test, but you never know when he'll bust a long one. No other Viking offensive player should ever be considered. With the way the Charger offense is rolling, you should also bench the Viking D.

Panthers @ Titans
Panther Offense - Receiving: 198.3 (25), Rushing: 129 (10)
Titan Defense - Receiving: 230 (18), Rushing: 64.3 (1)

Titan Offense - Receiving: 167.4 (29), Rushing: 150.9 (3)
Panther Defense - Receiving: 232.4 (19), Rushing: 113 (19)

START: Panther Defense, LenDale White (check), Titan Defense
CONSIDER: Steve Smith, Jeff King
BENCH: David Carr (check), DeShaun Foster, DeAngelo Williams, Vince Young, Roydell Williams, Brandon Jones (check), Bo Scaife

There shouldn't be much offense to speak of in this game, especially through the air.
A banged-up David Carr should be starting for the Panthers...considering how bad a healthy David Carr is, just imagine the production from an unhealthy one. This makes Steve Smith benchable if you have more attractive options. Start the Panther D, and hope that they can slow down the mighty LenWhale. The Titans are the NFL's #1 rush defense, so don't expect much from DeShaun and DeAngelo in DeRunningGame.
LenDale White has been carrying a huge portion of the Titan offense recently, and it should continue. He does have turf toe issues, but should still be good to go here. The Titans are ferocious against the run, so their defense should give up very few points and David Carr is always a good bet for a few turnovers.

Cardinals @ Buccaneers
Cardinal Offense - Receiving: 241.4 (12), Rushing: 103.1 (19)
Buc Defense - Receiving: 187.2 (2), Rushing: 124.5 (22)

Buc Offense - Receiving: 225.2 (19), Rushing: 106.9 (17)
Cardinal Defense - Receiving: 213.6 (9), Rushing: 108.4 (15)

START: Edgerrin James, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Earnest Graham, Joey Galloway
CONSIDER: Kurt Warner, Jeff Garcia, Buc Defense
BENCH: Bryant Johnson, Michael Bennett, Ike Hilliard (check), Alex Smith (check)

A tough pass D against a solid passing O.
Fitz and Quan have a tough test, but you never bench your studs. The Bucs do struggle against the run, so Edge is a very nice play this week. Warner is worth consideration if you have no other options, but he is very fragile at this time.
Galloway also faces a tough test, but like every week, he's always a home run threat. Earnest Graham is the focal point of the Buc offense and he should continue putting up decent numbers here. Warner still fumbles too much, so the Buc D is a plausible option for leagues that reward defensive turnover recoveries.

Redskins @ Jets
Redskin Offense - Receiving: 196.9 (26), Rushing: 105 (18)
Jet Defense - Receiving: 245.9 (26), Rushing: 134.2 (27)

Jet Offense - Receiving: 209.9 (22), Rushing: 90.9 (24)
Redskin Defense - Receiving: 228.9 (16), Rushing: 90.9 (9)

START: Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley, Redskin Defense
CONSIDER: Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Thomas Jones, Jerricho Cotchery
BENCH: Ladell Betts, Kellen Clemens, Laveranues Coles (check), Chris Baker

The Redskins look for redemption while the Jets begin a new era.
The Redskin gave up against the Patriots last week and they should be playing angry this week. Look for them to exploit a terrible defense that is without their leader (Jonathan Vilma). Look for their defense to thrive against an inexperienced QB.
The Kellen Clemens Era begins in New York, with a very tough match up. The fact that Lavernaues Coles is virtually certain to miss this game with a concussion doesn't help his cause. The Jets are a bad team, and don't look for them to suddenly get right because they switched out their QB.

49ers @ Falcons - Dome
49er Offense - Receiving: 159.1 (32), Rushing: 88 (27)
Falcon Defense - Receiving: 228 (15), Rushing: 126.4 (23)

Falcon Offense - Receiving: 225.7 (18), Rushing: 90.9 (24)
49er Defense - Receiving: 229.6 (17), Rushing: 123.3 (21)

START: Frank Gore (check), Vernon Davis, 49er Defense, Roddy White, Falcon Defense
CONSIDER: Jerious Norwood
BENCH: Alex Smith (check), Darrell Jackson, Joey Harrington, Warrick Dunn, Alge Crumpler (check)

Not quite up to "Game of the Century" status here. Look for points to be hard to come by.
If Frank Gore struggles once again in this game, it's time for his owners to enter a full-blown panic that their first round pick is a complete bust, injuries or no injuries. Vernon Davis finally showed up last week, look for him to put up decent numbers again as the 49ers most dependable option.
Jerious Norwood has announced that the Falcon game plan changed during their bye week in order to get him more touches. It's great if it's true, but it's safer to wait and see for now. Roddy White continues to thrive in a terrible system. Alge Crumpler is likely to miss the game, not that it should really matter for your team. The Joey Harrington Era returns in Atlanta...and that really shouldn't matter for your team.

Bengals @ Bills
Bengal Offense - Receiving: 274.6 (5), Rushing: 97 (21)
Bill Defense - Receiving: 260.1 (29), Rushing: 127.9 (24)

Bill Offense - Receiving: 165.4 (31), Rushing: 100.3 (20)
Bengal Defense - Receiving: 256.4 (28), Rushing: 139 (28)

START: Carson Palmer, Kenny Watson, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Marshawn Lynch, Lee Evans
CONSIDER: Rudi Johnson
BENCH: J.P. Losman

Defense? Defense?!
The Bengal Offense shouldn't have much trouble moving the ball here. Week 9 will determine whether rumors of Kenny Watson taking over the role of feature back are true or not. Look for him to get more looks than Rudi. Palmer will continue to sling it against a defense that can't stop the pass...or anything. Ocho Cinco and Ocho Cuatro should be in store for big games. If the Bengals lose this game, we could see a full-blown team implosion.
Marshawn Lynch begins an easy stretch of games, get him in your lineup. Lee Evans finally makes a triumphant return to the "START" list. As for other Bills, well, you shouldn't own any other Bills.

Broncos @ Lions - Dome
Bronco Offense - Receiving: 238.6 (14), Rushing: 124.6 (11)
Lion Defense - Receiving: 277.7 (31), Rushing: 108.9 (18)

Lion Offense - Receiving: 270.9 (6), Rushing: 90.3 (26)
Bronco Defense - Receiving: 201.1 (6), Rushing: 166 (32)

START: Jay Cutler, Travis Henry, Brandon Marshall, Tony Scheffler, Kevin Jones, Roy Williams
CONSIDER: Brandon Stokley, Jon Kitna, Calvin Johnson (check)
BENCH: Selvin Young, Mike Furrey, Shaun McDonald

A battle of 2 defenses with massive holes in them.
The Lions D has improved lately, but they generally wait for teams to enter the red zone before they toughen up. Look for Cutler, Henry and Marshall to have very nice games. Stokley is also a plausible option. Travis Henry's substance abuse appeal has been pushed back until possibly after Thanksgiving, he may be able to retain the starting job all season long.
The Lions have become a more balanced offense with the return to starter status for Kevin Jones, to the detriment of Jon Kitna owners. The Bronco pass D has shown some chinks in the armor the past couple of weeks, look for Kitna to finally toss a TD this week, but Jones is the player that you really want in this game. Megatron's re-aggravation of his back injury is of concern, so if you have options, play it safe.

Packers @ Chiefs
Packer Offense - Receiving: 292.3 (2), Rushing: 71.3 (32)
Chief Defense - Receiving: 218.7 (11), Rushing: 108.7 (17)

Chief Offense - Receiving: 229.7 (15), Rushing: 82.1 (28)
Packer Defense - Receiving: 241 (23), Rushing: 98.4 (11)

START: Brett Favre, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Larry Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, Tony Gonzalez
CONSIDER: James Jones, Donald Lee, Packer Defense, Damon Huard
BENCH: Ryan Grant, Koren Robinson, Priest Holmes

Can Favre get his first victory against the Chiefs?
The Packers are still a pass-first team, Ryan Grant's performance on Monday Night Football was a mirage against an awful rush defense. Driver hasn't separated himself from the rest of the Packer WR corps, but you've still got to start him. Jennings is still always a deep threat, as shown in overtime of MNF.
The Chiefs continue on as one of 2007's biggest enigmas. They shouldn't be winning as many games as they have been, yet they are. Look for Damon Huard to remain serviceable against a shaky pass defense. Also look for the Chiefs to continue feeding LJ the ball.

Jaguars @ Saints - Dome
Jaguar Offense - Receiving: 185.3 (28), Rushing: 146.3 (4)
Saint Defense - Receiving: 243.4 (24), Rushing: 98.1 (10)

Saint Offense - Receiving: 247.1 (10), Rushing: 91.7 (23)
Jaguar Defense - Receiving: 235.1 (21), Rushing: 108.4 (15)

START: Maurice Jones-Drew, Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston
CONSIDER: Fred Taylor
BENCH: Quinn Gray, Jaguar Defense

Are the Saints all the way back?
MJD should be unrestricted this week. He'll still lose touches to Taylor, but he's the main scoring threat. Fred Taylor is a serviceable flex option if you're in a pinch. Quinn Gray looked much, much better in Week 8 than in Week 7, but he's still not a legit Fantasy option.
The Saints seem to have righted the ship and are rolling now. They can prove it's for real this week against a tough opponent. Brees rediscovered Colston last week, look for him to look his way more often from here on out. Reggie Bush remains the top option for the Saints.

4:00pm EST Games

Seahawks @ Browns
Seahawk Offense - Receiving: 244.4 (11), Rushing: 92.6 (22)
Brown Defense - Receiving: 276.9 (30), Rushing: 139.4 (29)

Brown Offense - Receiving: 254 (9), Rushing: 117.6 (14)
Seahawk Defense - Receiving: 236.6 (22), Rushing: 107.4 (13)

START: Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, D.J. Hackett, Bobby Engram, Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow
CONSIDER: None
BENCH: Deion Branch (check), Jamal Lewis (check), Jason Wright, Joe Jurevicius

There's more than one late game on Sunday?
The Browns can't stop anything, so unleash all of your Seahawks. Hasselbeck should be in for a big day. Hackett should be rusty in his first action since the first half of the first week, but he really couldn't hope for a much better match up, especially given that Deion Branch should be very limited if he's even active at all. It's now or never for Shaun Alexander.
The Seahawks aren't especially good against the pass either, so expect Derek Anderson to continue his improbable run. Look for Braylon Edwards to continue to flourish. Look for the Browns to utilize a RBBC with Jamal Lewis still limited, killing all of their fantasy values.

Texans @ Raiders
Texan Offense - Receiving: 275.8 (4), Rushing: 80.5 (30)
Raider Defense - Receiving: 191.3 (3), Rushing: 148.9 (30)

Raider Offense - Receiving: 187.3 (27), Rushing: 138.1 (6)
Texan Defense - Receiving: 220.9 (13), Rushing: 120.6 (20)

START: Texans Defense, Raider Defense
CONSIDER: Kevin Walter, Owen Daniels (check), Ronald Curry (check)
BENCH: Sage Rosenfels, Andre Davis, Ahman Green (check), Adimchinobe Echemandu, Andre Johnson (out), Josh McCown, LaMont Jordan, Justin Fargas, Jerry Porter

Seriously, there's more than one late game on Sunday?
There shouldn't be many points in this snoozer, so start both defenses.
Andre Johnson is out this week but is fully expected to return in Week 11. Owen Daniels is expected to play, despite a high ankle sprain, it remains to be seen how limited he will be. Kevin Walter has been hot, but this is a tough match up and he has his backup QB throwing to him. Ahman Green should be active, but it's hard not to be worried about his knee, plus he'll be in a RBBC.
Josh McCown takes back the reigns for the Raiders, and the tenure of Daunte Culpepper, starting NFL QB, is likely over permanently...barring injury. LaMont Jordan is a shell of his early season self, his back injury is clearly hindering him. Ronald Curry has a nice match up, but he should only be used if you have other late game options that you could replace him with, should he be inactive.

Patriots @ Colts - Dome
Patriot Offense - Receiving: 309.2 (1), Rushing: 135.8 (8)
Colt Defense - Receiving: 174.4 (1), Rushing: 107.4 (13)

Colt Offense - Receiving: 263.1 (7), Rushing: 140.3 (5)
Patriot Defense - Receiving: 204.4 (7), Rushing: 87 (5)

START: Tom Brady, Laurence Maroney, Randy Moss, Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark
CONSIDER: Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker
BENCH: Kevin Faulk, Ben Watson (check), Kyle Brady, Patriot Defense, Marvin Harrison (check), Anthony Gonzalez, Colt Defense

Anybody heard that they're playing this game on Sunday?
2 explosive offenses against 2 solid defenses. 2 undefeated teams, one of them is the beneficiary of The Incredible Hype Machine...the other is the defending Super Bowl Champions.
Roll out your usual Patriots, but if you have more attractive options than Stallworth and Welker against the NFL's #1 pass defense, you need to give them a long look. There shouldn't be any garbage time with Brady out there shamelessly padding his stats in this game. Look for Maroney to get more touches than usual in this game, so keep him active. The Colt rush D is much improved over last season, but they still have their moments of struggling. Ben Watson is still too banged up to be in your lineup, Kyle Brady will likely start.
Marvin Harrison is looking like he'll be inactive, so bench him and be safe. Dallas Clark is the primary beneficiary of an absent Harrison. Anthony Gonzalez will get more looks than usual, but you should have better options. They are facing a rock solid D, but the Colts will not quit like the Redskins. Peyton Manning is way too smart to be locked down.
Look for the Colts to pull out a squeaker here. If you're in Vegas, put your money on the Colts, take the points at home and smile.

Sunday Night Football

Cowboys @ Eagles
Cowboy Offense - Receiving: 283.4 (3), Rushing: 130.4 (9)
Eagle Defense - Receiving: 232.6 (20), Rushing: 90.4 (8)

Eagle Offense - Receiving: 254.3 (8), Rushing: 120 (13)
Cowboy Defense - Receiving: 225.7 (14), Rushing: 87 (5)

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

Enjoy the rivalry after the earlier rivalry.
The Cowboy offense should be pumped up and ready to go against their biggest rivals on national TV. The Boys still curiously insist on giving Julius Jones starts, so that hampers the value of MB3, but the guy still puts up numbers. Look for Romo to continue slinging it to TO and Witten and then smiling pretty for the cameras.
Likewise, the Eagles should be pumped up and ready to go. No word on how much of a distraction the Andy Reid Drug Emporium is going to cause, ideally the Eagles should be ready to rally behind their coach. The Cowboys are bad against the pass, so D-Mac should see plenty of action, as usual. Westbrook will struggle to pound the ball, but will continue being highly involved in the passing game, also as usual.

Monday Night Football

Ravens @ Steelers
Raven Offense - Receiving: 226.3 (17), Rushing: 110 (16)
Steeler Defense - Receiving: 197.3 (5), Rushing: 77.7 (4)

Steeler Offense - Receiving: 219 (21), Rushing: 159.1 (1)
Raven Defense - Receiving: 208 (8), Rushing: 71.9 (2)

START: Willis McGahee, Derrick Mason, Raven Defense, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Steeler Defense
CONSIDER: Todd Heap (check), Willie Parker, Santonio Holmes
BENCH: Steve McNair, Mark Clayton, Ben Roethlisberger, Najeh Davenport

More rivalry.
The Raven offense is terrible. Still, McGahee is their most likely option to score, he's been playing well recently and shouldn't be benched at this point, despite a tough match up. Mason should continue catching plenty of short passes. Todd Heap is too banged up to trust in this game, but he'll likely be active.

It'd be awfully tough to bench Willie Parker, but this is a brutal match up and I would expect the Steelers to look towards Heath Miller in the red zone. The Raven pass D has come around since early this season, still, if the Steelers need somewhere to attack, that should be it. The Steeler D is a must-start against an anemic offense.

Check back on Sunday for Game Day Inactives.