Love

Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT – Pittsburgh has had issues on the offensive line this season and Mendenhall’s stats have suffered as well as Roethlisberger’s health.  Ben is not even close to 100% and the match up is especially soft for Mendenhall and the running game.  It has been a while since you’ve been able to use him as an RB1 but he snuck into my top 10 this week and has to be in your lineup this week.

A.J. Green, WR, CIN – The rookie battle between Patrick Peterson and Green might be spoiled by an injury as Green is currently listed as questionable for this week but he is tough and should they start him, you have to as well.  The deck was stacked against Green this season with a fellow rookie QB and shortened off-season but he has been unbelievable and the match up isn’t really that scary as Peterson has gotten beat often enough.

Tim Tebow, QB, DEN – The Bills defense gives up a lot of yardage on the ground and with the number of carries Tebow gets, he is among the safest options at QB this week. I wouldn’t even be too surprised if he got up over 100 if the game gets out of hand, which isn’t too likely.

Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ  - The Jets are currently clinging to a playoff spot tied at an 8-6 record with Cincinnati and playing against the Giants, who have been weak to the ground game this season. Greene is also playing the best football of his career and the offense plays much better when the ground game is effective.

Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN – Thomas has clearly over-taken Decker as Tebow’s top receiving threat and going on the road to Buffalo means that there will be a a fair amount of yardage to be gained for the Bronco offense.  The run game will be the focus but that means that with 8 men in the box, you can’t double cover Thomas very often.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, CAR – Williams has scored in 2 straight weeks and with Tampa Bay being the 3rd worst rush defense in the NFL, the chances are better than ever that Williams AND Stewart are able to put together another nice game.  Don’t overreact too much though, you have to the play the guys that got you to the playoffs and he certainly wasn’t very helpful this year. But, you could consider him in your flex if you’ve had an injury over the past couple weeks.

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG – Darrelle Revis will be locked on Hakeem Nicks, who has been the top threat over the past few weeks by far. Cruz will be the more targeted of the two and is more likely to have a big game in what can barely be considered a home game for the Jets.

Hate

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL – Joe Haden has been shutting down elite receivers all season and Boldin has been on the slide recently too. Boldin might pull in a TD but he has so little upside, I think you could sit him down easily this week.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, SEA – I know what you are thinking, he has been really consistent over the past few weeks but look at it this way.  The 49ers are the top rush defense in the NFL and have allowed 259 yards fewer than the Ravens, who are in 2nd. Last week, Lynch faced the 8th best rush defense and only managed 40 yards. He did have 2 TDs in that game but the 9ers have yet to allow a single TD on the ground all season.  He’s improved a lot recently but the deck is stacked against him this week. Flex play at best.

Steve Johnson, WR, BUF – Johnson has been battling a groin injury all season long and just as it seemed to be behind him, he re-aggravates it.  On top of that, Champ Bailey comes to town and is one of the most under-rated shut down corners in the league. Another flex play.

Tony Romo, QB, DAL – Romo is usually a no brainer to get the start but this week he falls outside my top 10 against an Eagles secondary that has been much improved over the past couple weeks.  The Cowboys will find that they are more effective on the ground.  Romo will do OK, but I wouldn’t hold your breath for 30 points.

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Bengals at Ravens

I am fast becoming a huge Bengals fan.  I thought they were foolish for cutting Palmer from the team and holding out on trading him.  I thought they were forfeiting the season in favor of the future and didn’t quite understand why. Well, all their “questionable” decisions turned out to be the right one as they got a first round pick for Palmer by the end and maybe a second.  They are still a wild-card contender with Dalton and I’m not 100% that Palmer would have done as well as Dalton. I was very impressed with how well the Bengals D held up against the Steelers,  they gave the offense a chance to win and considering they were facing one of the top teams in the AFC, we have to take notice.  I am expecting Cinci to get an upset this week and bottle up Ray Rice for the most part.  If this game comes down to Flacco’s arm, I don’t think Baltimore will be able to score enough points to out-do Dalton, Green and Benson.  I look for more than each team’s fair share of turnovers and simply think that Cinci will do a better job of capitalizing on these possession changes and that makes all the difference in this one.  Expect a close, hard fought game. I am lowering my expectations of all offensive players in this game due to the quality of defense that we will see but Ray Rice and Anquan Boldin still should be started in their usual roles.  I expect AJ Green to play in this game and I believe that he is match-up proof and still should be good for a decent yardage total and a score as well. This will be a must-watch game for true football fans and people who like stout defenses.

Titans at Falcons

Christmas came early for the Titans when Matt Schaub was lost for the regular season.  Tennessee has a serious chance to make a push for the division title but has a very tough game this week on the road against the Falcons.  This season Atlanta has not been such a powerhouse on their home-turf but there is no denying that they still do play considerably better at home.  I was very impressed with how well the Falcons shut down the running game of the Saints and I expect them to do the same this week.  This game will be decided on the arm of Matt Hasselbeck.  He needs to be efficient pushing the ball down field despite how ineffective I expect Chris Johnson and Javon Ringer to be.  Damian Williams should be featured more as the #1 receiver and I think this will open up things for Nate Washington quite a bit and will really help him regain some of the fantasy-value he had when Kenny Britt was on the field.  Atlanta will be shoving Michael Turner down the Titans’ collective throat and limiting Hasselbeck’s chances to connect on that big-play.  Because I only see one of these teams being effective on the ground, I have to pick Atlanta to win this game.  I don’t think it is a blow-out, but I do believe that Atlanta will have control over the game from start to finish and it will be a fairly convincing victory for them.  Matt Ryan, Roddy White and Michael Turner are all very solid starts this week and assuming Julio Jones does not play, Harry Douglas just may be a very sneaky flex-play this week as well.  I am using Nate Washington as a WR2 of flex play and only see CJ as a potential flex-play as well.  I would stay away from Damian Williams until we see how he does when opposing defenses are able to plan for him a bit more.

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Jets at Bills

I am lucky enough to be going to this game and there might not be one that has a bigger impact on the playoff picture in week 9. Buffalo currently sits atop the AFC East and would have the #2 seed in the playoffs if the season ended today. Currently, the Jets are on the outside looking in on the playoff race and would have a really steep hill to climb if they lost this game. On offense, the Jets have gotten away from the ground and pound offense that has gotten them to two straight AFC championship games.  Buffalo’s defense has been incredibly opportunistic and currently leads the NFL with 14 interceptions. In order for Sanchez to get the win for his team and get back on track towards their Super Bowl aspirations, it will take a heavy dose of Shonn Greene and the run game. The Bills offense has been very explosive and it all starts with Fred Jackson, who is having an MVP caliber season. The Jets have been weak against the run and Jackson will pick them apart if they turn the ball over or get off to a slow start and force Sanchez to go to the air and play from behind. Unfortunately for Jets fans, that is how I see this game going.  Jackson just always seems to make the big play when it matters the most and the defense is constantly turning the ball over in crucial spots to help them put the game away. Steve Johnson is a flex play despite being on Revis island this week.  Fitzpatrick will look to him when he is in man coverage and should be able to put up OK stats in this game.  He hasn’t been great in recent weeks and I do not think that he will be able to do too much, but I just don’t think he can be benched. You can start all your normal Bills and Jets in this game, but I would avoid Sanchez as usual and expect this game to be largely about the running game.

Giants at Patriots

The Giants have a two game lead on their division and have been getting some incredible performances from both Bradshaw and Manning.  Bradshaw unfortunately is going to miss around a month of time and I am not sure Brandon Jacobs will be able to provide the same balanced offensive attack.  Luckily for them you do not need balance to attack the Patriots secondary, which is ranked dead last in the NFL and is allowing 323 yards per game. Hakeem Nicks is questionable going into this game and his presence would mean the difference in this game being either competitive or a blow out. If he plays it could go either way but without him, I do not know if they will be able to keep pace with Tom Brady. Brandon Jacobs gets a bump in value with Bradshaw out and you should play every Giants wide receiver that you own in this game.  Tom Brady is of course a must-start despite a pretty average performance last week and there are still no Patriots Wide Receivers that I would go out of my way to start.  I am expecting a Patriot victory in this game but if Nicks plays it will be a pretty close and high scoring affair.

Ravens at Steelers

My favorite part of the AFC North is that these two teams meet up twice a year.  There is always some great football to be had when defenses of this caliber meet up and these have been the best two defenses for at least a decade or two. This particular game could get out of hand as the Steelers are surging and the Ravens struggling, but nothing forces you to play your best like a divisional rivalry game that decides who will sit in first place. I would stay away from any flex plays from either team and just focus on your typical starters: Ray Rice, Rashard Mendenhall, Mike Wallace and Ben Roethlisberger.  Anquan Boldin is typically a very good WR2 option, but I think of him more as a poor flex play this week against this Steelers team that just shut down Brady.  I like Pittsburgh to get a tough win, but the Ravens defense has not been what has struggled as of late so I don’t see it being by any more than 10 points.

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Love

Michael Turner, RB, ATL – The Falcons are on the road and have not been playing that great so far this season.  They have gotten down early and this has minimized Turner’s impact on each of the first three games.  Do you think Seattle’s offense can get off to a blazing start and keep the Falcons passing the entire game? I don’t.  I don’t like the Seahawks’ rush defense and I think Turner might be in a for a really big game. Double digit points should be just about guaranteed.

Matthew Stafford, QB, DET – The Lions’ offense would be the biggest talk of the NFL if it wasn’t for the Bills and this week Stafford has a great match up against a weak Cowboys secondary. The Cowboys offense is banged up and could have troubles sustaining drives against the Lion’s VASTLY improved defensive unit. This will lead to a lot opportunities for Stafford and with Megatron pulling down 2 TD passes per game, there is no reason to not ride out the wave.

Mario Manningham, WR, NYG – The Giants face off against the Cardinals, who I think might have the worst pass defense in the NFL this season.  The currently are ranked 25th and have faced Carolina, Seattle and Washington.  None of these teams have top-end passing attacks and the Giants are coming off of a big game through the air against the most talented secondary in the league.  I have my concerns about their chances this year as well as the play of Eli Manning, but last week lessened them and the match up is just too good to ignore.

Ray Rice, RB, BAL – The Jets just did not look like Rex Ryan was in charge of the defense last week as Darren McFadden ran all over them to give his Raiders a big win.  Ray Rice is a premiere back in this league and after he shredded the Steelers in week 1, I am just simply not at all scared of what would normally be a poor match up.  I think the Ravens match up very well against the Jets and will win this game on the legs of Rice.

Rex Grossman, QB, WAS – The Monday night game was conservative and hard fought.  Grossman put up OK numbers and didn’t kill fantasy owners that needed to use him last week.  This week the Skins get to play the Rams in a dome. After watching Flacco tear the Rams’ secondary apart last week I think Grossman has a great chance for a really good game. St Louis is not as competitive so far this season as they were last year and I am choosing not to overreact to a mediocre offensive outing in an NFC East rivalry game.

Jermaine Gresham, TE, CIN – Buffalo has been an entirely different team this year.  They have been able to stop the run and put up huge numbers on offense. One weakness they still have is at linebacker. Last season the Bills allowed 11 TDs to opposing tight ends (worst in the NFL) and an average of 9.2 fantasy points per game (also worst in the NFL).  That average is down to 8.7 so far this year, but have only faced one legitimate TE (Gronkowski) and he tore them apart.  It is also worth noting that this weakness is why Wes Welker went crazy last week on short crossing routes.  I look for the Bengals to try and mirror this approach and with Dalton playing this well, it should be a relatively effective strategy.

Percy Harvin, WR, MIN – I won’t be shocked if Harvin doesn’t have a big day, but Harvin is the one spark that the Vikings have in their receiving corp and without Eric Berry, the Chiefs secondary is far more vulnerable to the deep play.  I personally like safe and consistent producers, but I can’t ignore the high likelihood of Harvin ripping off a long TD run or catch against this secondary.

Hate

Mark Sanchez, QB, NYJ – The Jets offense has become much more about the passing attack and I don’t think that is the kind of QB that Sanchez is best suited to be. So far he has proved me wrong and put up some quality numbers.  I do not think it is very likely to happen in this game and think that the Ravens will be able to force some bad decisions out of Sanchez. Don’t let his early production fool you, I do not think he is a legit #1 QB for fantasy owners.

Mike Tolbert, RB, SD – Most people thought that Tolbert was the guy you wanted to draft from the Charger’s backfield because he was available much later and likely to see a lot of goal line touches. This was affirmed in week 1 and since then, it looks like we were dead wrong.  I am not jumping ship yet, but the Chargers have not been playing inspired football in recent weeks and despite a good match-up I don’t think Tolbert is a very good start this week. I want to see how the work load is distributed in a couple weeks when the Chargers are back to their old selves again.  I wish I could figure out why they are so bad early in the year and so good late…

DeAngelo Williams, RB, CAR – What is it about all the RBs who received big contracts this off season? they all seem slow and unable to find a crease to run through.  Williams hasn’t been widely discussed as a bust because Chris Johnson and Frank Gore are taking all the heat, but he has just been awful as of late and Jonathan Stewart is clearly the guy worth starting if you need a Panther RB in your lineup.

Mike Williams, WR, TB – This has nothing to do with his recent performance really. I didn’t expect him to improve on last season much, if at all and the Buccs are a young team that is sstill establishing their identity. A big part of this identity needs to be LeGarrette Blount and he needs to see at least 20 carries to be as effective as they would like.   I think the Buccs will take a conservative approach and try and run early and often against a bad Colts rush defense. Williams is still the go-to guy when they need a big play through the air, but his targets will be down as there is not likely to be much need to take risks against the win-less, Peyton-less Colts.

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL - Have you met Darrelle Revis yet Mr. Boldin?

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Love

Michael Vick, QB, PHI – The Eagles face a stout defense that will need to spend a TON of time on the field this Sunday. Last week, the Bears drew up a blueprint for how to beat Joe Webb. They were very effective at disguising pressure and forcing Webb to make mistakes. With the ballhawks in the secondary for the Eagles, don’t be surprised to see a blow out come from this Sunday night game.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, NE – Isn’t it the law that I have to love running backs against the Bills?  It should be!  Despite having a decent performance last week against the Dolphins, the Bills run D is still ranked 32nd in the league.  Don’t expect the Pats to look past Buffalo either, especially not after such a narrow escape against Matt Flynn and the Packers.

Mike Wallace, WR, PIT – The Steelers are likely to obliterate the Panthers this week at home on Thursday night. Wallace is a huge part of their vertical passing game and should see his share of targets early on in the game.  If he is not able to haul one in before it gets out of hand Wallace owners could be in trouble, but I don’t think the Panthers will be able to cover him with any consistency.

LeGarrette Blount, RB, TB – Except for in Week 14 against the Redskins, Blount has been a major contributor against each below average defense the Buccs have faced since he took over the starting job.  Despite breaking the road game losing streak for the Lions last week, look for the Buccaneers’ young core group of players to rebound strong and be able to produce offensively.

Matt Ryan, QB, ATL – There is a lot going for Ryan here.  He beat the Saints on the road earlier in the season and he is a much more efficient and productive QB at home.  The Saints offense will score points and force Ryan to air it out plenty in this game and he should be able to produce a quality outing for fantasy owners regardless of whether they win or lose.

Brandon Lloyd, WR, DEN – The Broncos face the Texans this week, who are on pace to be the worst pass defense in NFL history.  While Tebow scares me some, his ability to run will force defenses to stay honest and Lloyd was targeted enough last week to maintain some value going into your Super Bowl.

Chris Johnson, RB, TEN – The Titans play the Chiefs this week who are allowing just over 100 yards per game on the ground.  I think we can all agree that Johnson is better than the average running back and with Kerry Collins able to move the ball effectively through the air, you shouldn’t be shy about playing your first round draft pick.

Hate

Knowshon Moreno, RB, DEN – Since the Bye week, Moreno has been a picture of consistency.  Last week he got hurt and was not able to finish the game.  If somehow this didn’t knock you out of the playoffs, stay away from Moreno this week.  Tebow will be running a little more and these carries will be taken from Moreno.  Couple that with his sore ribs and he is just a little bit too risky for my liking this week.

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL – Boldin has really only had one good game this season and it was a 3 TD outing against the same opponent that the Ravens face this week.  With his incredible lack of consistency, there is no reason you should risk starting him.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, BUF – I expect this to a be a one-sided affair and the Bills are clearly not who I anticipate winning.  He is a solid QB2 play, but there are better options for standard leagues.

Brandon Jacobs, RB, NYG – Many teams would not be able to recover from the crushing defeat that the Giants suffered last week.  It is tough not to be mentally affected by a let down like that and since Aaron Rodgers is looking to return in time for this week’s game, they would have their hands full under the best of circumstances.

Brandon Marshall, WR, MIA – Marshall has TDs in consecutive games for the first time all year and just caught 11 passes last week against what was the league’s 4th ranked defense.  With that said, after a long disappointing season the odds are pretty bad that he is able to put together another quality performance even with his very nice match up. Consider him a flex play at best this week.

Matt Forte, RB, CHI – You’re still going to need to start him because of his involvement in the passing game, but lower expectations of Forte this week as he faces the Jets.  Their injuries have weakened their front 7, but the Jets’ blitzing scheme is still among the best in the league.  If Forte is to be successful he will need to break a fair few tackles in the backfield.

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Studs

Michael Vick, QB, PHI – After being pretty well shut down for the first three quarters of the game, Vick picked the Eagles up and carried them to an amazing comeback victory that many are calling the Miracle at The New Meadowlands. Vick was personally responsible for 372 of the Eagles’ 418 yards.  He made one hell of a convincing argument for the NFL MVP and earned the top spot in my rankings for next week.

Ray Rice, RB, BAL – Rice had by far his best game of the season, with 31 carries for 153 yards and a TD, as well as 5 receptions for 80 yards and a second touchdown.  With the Browns as opponents next week, Rice is sure to have another solid performance and just in time for your super bowl.  Colt McCoy does provide stability and efficiency for the Browns offense, so don’t expect a repeat performance.

Vincent Jackson, WR, SD – He only caught five passes on 7 targets, but racked up 112 yards with THREE scores.  This is exactly why people drafted him in the late rounds, knowing it would take until at least half of the season for him to touch the field.  He is a top 10 WR as far as talent is concerned and with one of the best and most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL throwing to him, he is a must start this week against the Bengals’ injured secondary.

Rex Grossman, QB, WAS – This is by far the best performance of Week 15 that NO ONE got the points for.  There have been many opportunities for Grossman to prove that he can be a starting QB in the NFL and he has never before managed to sustain success.  I will be assuming that this was a fluke, but regardless of how average his talent may be, the Jaguars do not have a very good secondary.  I am much more intrigued with Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong, but Rex should be able to get you double digit points if you are desperate for a QB2 in your super bowl.

Cedric Benson, RB, CIN – Finally, the Bengals used Benson as their work horse and he saw over 30 carries in this game.  It looked oddly reminiscent of last season, when they were a winning football team.  With the Chargers coming into town there is little reason to assume the Bengals will be able to run the ball for long.  They should be down by a sizable margin by halftime and unable to provide the number of carries that Benson will need to be this productive again.

Mario Manningham, WR, NYG – This is the perfect scenario for Manningham to be productive.  I do not think he is good enough to be the top receiver and he is not able to maximize his potential as the slot receiver.  By being 2nd on the depth chart he avoids double teams and is on the field enough to really get into a rhythm with Manning.  He managed 8 catches for 113 yards and 2 TDs in his new role and I like Manningham as a low-end WR2 or great flex play in your super bowl.

Bears, D/ST, CHI – The Bears’ D outscored Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Jamaal Charles and Chris Johnson… this is no easy accomplishment!  If they had Webb leading the Vikings offense all game, there would have been more turnovers (though they did force an INT from Favre on a nice tipped pass at the line of scrimmage).  They were able to disguise their blitzes in order to confuse Webb all throughout the second half.  They should have a good game against the Jets inconsistent offense, in what should be a low scoring affair.

Jason Witten, TE, DAL – This makes 4 great fantasy-performances in a row under Jason Garrett and there is little reason to think it will stop with a game against the Cardinals coming up. It will be either Witten or Vernon Davis at the top of my TE rankings this week but i’m pretty sure you don’t own them both so don’t over think it, Witten is a must start for your Super Bowl match up.

Duds

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL – I am almost lost for words about how disappointing his level of production and consistency has been in his new offense.  Whether you like it or not, Derrick Mason is the top receiver on the Ravens offense and Boldin cannot be trusted for your super bowl this week.

Brandon Jacobs, RB, NYG – Jacobs was only able to muster 3 fantasy points after stringing together some very nice outings over the past few weeks.  This is primarily because they were not able to close out the game against the Eagles.  With Vick controlling the ball for the vast majority of the 4th quarter, Jacobs was on the bench during the part of the game where he normally excels.

Reggie Wayne, WR, JAC – The reason for this week’s 3 point game is pretty simple, Collie did a great job in the first half and stole the show.  In the 2nd half, Donald Brown was able to efficiently close out the game with the best performance of his short career. Wayne is still a top 5 wide receiver and should be in your lineup when the Colts play the Raiders next week.

Jahvid Best, RB, DET – Another hugely disappointing game with just 1 point for his fantasy owners.  Meanwhile, Maurice Morris was able to get 17 points.  Leave Best on your bench and if you have no better options than Morris, go ahead and use him!

Vernon Davis, TE, SF – To say that the 49er offense had troubles on Thursday is putting it mildly.  Their struggles should not be blamed on Alex Smith, who played a decent game.  He got no help from any of his receivers and all he needed was someone to step up and make a play.  That person should have been Davis, but the play calling of their newest offensive coordinator did not make an effort to get the ball into his hands.   You have to keep playing him, because hopefully they will realize how important he is to the synergy of their Frank Gore-less offense.

Tim Hightower, RB, ARI – After a big week 14, Hightower let his fantasy-owners down against the Panthers of all teams.  I did not expect him to top 100 yards, but I certainly thought he would manage more than two points!

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Love

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAC - The Jaguars are fighting for a playoff spot and/or the division title in December?! Someone pinch me… I must be dreaming.  The Jags are an exceedingly average team with a mediocre quarter back, so it will not be an easy road for them.  The one thing that they do have going for them is a star RB in MJD.  The Raiders come to town this week and are known to be a bit weak against the run.  Look for MJD and Rashad Jennings to see a lot of work in this game and for Jack Del Rio to avoid having to attack the likes of Nnamdi Asomugha on the outside in the vertical passing game.

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL – All season long receivers and tight ends have been having huge games against the Texans and while Boldin has been inconsistent all year… this week he is worth the risk.  You may also want to look towards Derrick Mason this week as he is the most trusted receiver on the field for Flacco and he understands the offense incredibly well as a possession receiver.

Knowshon Moreno, RB, DEN – Moreno is making a pretty solid claim at being a top 10 RB for next year’s fantasy draft.  With the firing of Josh McDaniels and the promotion of the Bronco’s former RB coach to interim head coach… it stands to reason that the predominately pass-first offense we have gotten to know from Denver is gone for at least the season.  Studesville has a tall task ahead of him, but a nice back in Moreno to lean on for the remaining 4 games.

Jacoby Ford, WR, OAK - I still say he is not a weekly starter unless your league counts return yards.  However, Ford has been a dynamic playmaker for the Raiders and they look to get him involved in the game early and often.  I would try and stick with safer options this week, but if you have been snake-bitten by injuries, the upside of Ford could pay off big this week against the Jaguars who have a pretty terrible group of cornerbacks.

Michael Turner, RB, ATL - Turner is one of the few workhorse backs in the NFL and he has a matchup that Marshawn Lynch was able to exploit last week.  The Panthers run defense has been their achilles heel all season and Turner is having a great year.  Also, considering the game is outdoors in Carolina, Matt Ryan will lean on his run game to push the Falcons to another win  in a setting they typically do not perform well in (road game, outdoors).

Donald Driver, WR, GB – Ok, so I wanted to put Jennings here, but that just seemed too lazy to me… So I am including Driver instead!  Everyone knows that Jennings is the hottest receiver in the NFL now that Bowe crapped out last week and if you read my article earlier in the week, you saw Driver’s amazing TD catch.  They are going against the Lions this week folks… Driver is at least a flex play against a defense known to allow the big play, oh and they are banged up at the moment to boot!

Peyton Hillis, RB, CLE – As per fantasy-law… start your RBs against Buffalo! It doesn’t hurt that he is a top 5 guy either.  And if you’re scared of how last week went, Buffalo’s defense will not be able to participate in a field goal oriented game… just too bad!

Earl Bennett, WR, CHI - He just appeared in my weekly pickup article this week, but I am already throwing him into my love list!  To me, Monday was about the Jets collapsing… not the Patriots defense being suddenly great.  The secondary for NE will likely nab an INT or two from Cutler, but since that doesn’t negatively effect the score of a WR… don’t worry about it!  The Patriots DBs are young, inexperienced and they will not be able to shut down the Bears balanced offensive attack completely.

Hate

Cedric Benson, RB, CIN - What a rough season for the Bengals, but for this week all I need to say here is that he is up against the Steelers!  Make sure to leave Benson on the bench this week if possible!

Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR - After such a disappointing number of carries last week for Goodson, you might expect Stewart to be the top fantasy RB on the Panthers. You’re correct… just not this week! I expect Atlanta to get the lead early and hold it through the entire game and since Goodson is the guy they look to in the passing game, don’t expect Stewart to have a big performance.  The rankings on these two guys should be VERY close, but Stewart holds much more value the rest of the way.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, SEA – Treat that game as a one-time deal… until it proves not to be!  I doubt you see a repeat performance against the 49ers this week with the division title hanging in the balance in every game for each team the rest of the season.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, NE – The Lawfirm has been clutch for the past few weeks and you can still start him this week because of it… but the Bears have a very good run defense (ranked 2nd in the NFL) and if he does not find the end zone you could be in trouble!

Sidney Rice, WR, MIN - Don’t let one game force you into making a mistake in the playoffs!  Rice has a lot of big play potential, but Favre is expected to be the QB and the match up is not favorable.  The Giants defense is effective when they rush the passer… Favre, being old, is not adept at evading a rush… and the Giants are ranked 2nd in the NFL against the pass.  They are only allowing an average of 192 yards per game.  Rice will still get a decent ranking (top 20), but if you drafted well you won’t need him, so don’t sit any of your studs to make room for him.

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Jets at Patriots

The Battle for the AFC East will be fought on Monday night this week as the Patriots play host to the cardiac Jets.  The Jets managed to win this match up when they were at home in week 2 this year, but in order to demonstrate they are a true threat to make it to the Super Bowl… they will need to prove they can go on the road and beat an elite team.  Despite the fact that the Patriots have the same record, I don’t foresee them being able to beat the Jets in this match up.  The Patriots’ pass defense has fallen to last place in the NFL and with the development of Sanchez coming along smoothly and the integration of Santonio Holmes into the Jets offense being finished, I am going to go out on a limb and say that the Jets complete a comeback win inside the last two minutes of the game.  Because of the Jets defense you should stay away from starting any and all Patriots players on your fantasy team… except Brady. Upgrade Sanchez and his receivers as the Patriots have proven they are not able to keep receivers covered for very long at all.  The Patriots run defense is solid, but they are not good enough to lower expectations for LT or Shonn Greene.

Texans at Eagles

The number two game on my list of must-see games this week is the Thursday night game on NFL Network tonight.  The Texans are another pass defense that does not seem to be able to cover anyone and until last week they appeared to have a strangle-hold on the worst ranked pass defense in the NFL.  On the other side of the ball Michael Vick is having an MVP season this year.  He has thrown just ONE interception thus far and while facing off against such a terrible secondary, Vick is sure to have a huge performance in this game and he has been locked in as my top ranked QB for the week.  Also look for great performances from each of the Eagles’ top two receivers as each has been a beneficiary of Vick’s play.  Lots of people have lowered their expectations for DeSean Jackson, largely due to the consistency of Jeremy Maclin… but no receiver in the league has the big-play ability that Jackson does and I feel he is a must start for the rest of the way.  The Eagles defense has been able to contain most of the RBs they have faced this season, but with Foster being the top rusher of the season… he remains a must start and it is reasonable to expect a good game from him this week.  Andre Johnson is still a stud and since he was not suspended, you still have to start him as he is the best all-around receiver in the NFL.  I expect a big win for the Eagles if they get Asante Samuel back in their lineup for this match up, but if not… this game could go just like the Bears game did.

Steelers at Ravens

A football fan’s favorite match up comes in as the third must-watch game of the week.  The past 10 or so years have featured elite defenses from both the Steelers and Ravens every year.  Since they face each other twice a year, there is also a rivalry element when these teams meet… which almost always leads to a hard-fought and entertaining defensive battle.  So, if you want to see long passing TDs and breakout offensive performances… your going to want to find a different game to watch.  Downgrade EVERYONE involved in this game on the offensive side of the ball, though with the struggles of the Ravens defense this year… your Steelers are likely still starters for your week 13 fantasy match up.  I expect the Steelers to create a big play or two with Big Ben’s scrambling ability and that should be enough to get the win in this game.  As for the Ravens on your fantasy team, don’t expect a big game from  Boldin… but with Ray Rice’s involvement in the passing game he will remain a top 20 RB.

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Studs

Peyton Hillis, RB, CLE – What more is there to say about this guy? He is lighting the NFL on fire with his performance this season.  With Gore out for the year, Adrian Peterson is the ONLY back I would rather own than Hillis.  Not bad for a free agent acquisition.  Hillis racked up 131 yards rushing and scored three times, he was also able to add 68 receiving yards.  Hillis is the key to the success of the Browns offense and there is just no way that his workload diminishes.  You can’t ask for a better guy to take into the playoffs.

Dwayne Bowe, WR, KC - Speaking of players performing at an elite level… Dwayne Bowe went from a HUGE early-season disappointment, to a fantasy owners dream.  Just in time for the playoffs too!  You can’t afford to sit this guy on your bench… no matter who you have on your team.  Bowe currently leads the NFL with 14 receiving TDs, exactly one more than any player had last year over the course of all 16 games.  Bowe has 13 of his 14 scores in the last 7 weeks… talk about a hot streak!

Brian Westbrook, RB, SF – Before this week Westbrook had just 5 carries and 9 yards.  After Frank Gore’s fantasy-season ended early in week 12, Brian saw 23 carries and tallied 123 yards and a rushing TD.  Westbrook used to be a fantasy-stud and since we only need him for a few weeks… I am not scared of his age at all.  I didn’t get to include him in my pickups article this week since this all happened on Monday, but make sure you pick up Westbrook and keep him from the Gore owner who just got screwed over for the playoffs!

Michael Vick, QB, PHI - What more can you ask for a QB that no one drafted? I know that I personally have yet to lose with Vick in my lineup this fantasy-season and despite losing this week, Vick’s performance was excellent.  Look for another HUGE game from Vick in Week 13 as he faces the league’s worst secondary on Thursday night in prime time.

Wes Welker, WR, NE – Well, two good games in a row for a guy like Welker would usually mean a significant increase in the rankings… but as he is by far the top wide receiver on the Patriots, we can expect him to see a lot of snaps across from Darrelle Revis and that typically leads to a pretty terrible fantasy-performance.

Fred Jackson, RB, BUF - I don’t have any specific numbers to back this up, so feel free to correct me in the comments, but Fred Jackson had what is sure to be the best fantasy performance that ANY RB has had against the Steelers all season.  And as I said last week when I put Jackson on my Hate list (sorry about that)… his only chance was in the passing game.  I really think that Jackson is a must-start RB2 regardless of match up the rest of the season.

Mike Goodson, RB, CAR – While I am surprised to see so much work go to Jonathan Stewart after how productive Goodson was the past couple weeks, the tandem approach led to the Panther’s most dominant rushing performance of the year.  It was a winning approach if Kasay can make that field goal too… Look for more of the same, with Goodson having the most fantasy value due to his value in the passing game.  Goodson is a flex-play here and Stewart is more of a bench player/injury fill-in.

Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT - Like I said last week, you start your running backs against the Buffalo Bills.  We don’t learn anything new from this big-performance by Mendenhall, who will remain a low-end top 10 RB the rest of the season.

Mike Tolbert, RB, SD – Norv Turner isn’t one to play games with his running backs like Shanahan and Todd Haley do… so even when Ryan Mathews comes back from injury, expect Tolbert to carry the load as the Charger’s lead back.  You can bank on him being a flex-play the rest of the season and many Frank Gore owners will likely be using him as an RB 2 to salvage any playoff hopes they may have.

Duds

Chris Johnson, RB, TEN - Zero points is not acceptable from a number 1 overall draft pick.  Johnson has had some disappointing performances… and with this one he validates the decision that some people made to take AP over him with the first overall pick this year.  Truly great players are able to perform and be a positive for their team when they are struggling.  Rusty Smith or not, this should not have happened.  With Kerry Collins likely to return, you need to weather the storm and the offense should stabilize when Collins does return.

Terrell Owens, WR, CIN - Have you met Darelle Revis? I won’t likely include someone who is on Revis Island again in my Duds list, but with how dominant Owens has been all year… this is an announcement that the Revis-effect is back.

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL - He didn’t used to have so many bad games while in Arizona… but he also didn’t have the upside that he has on this Ravens offense.  I am very low on Boldin this week going against the Steelers, but after that is Houston… so there is a light at the end of this tunnel.  Hopefully you drafted well enough to consider him a flex-option or WR3, which is where I will be ranking him from here on out.

Dez Bryant, WR, DAL - It is time to come back down to earth when ranking Bryant.  It was such a successful strategy for the Saints, who where able to make the rookie visibly upset.  It affected his play and you should expect to see the Colts employ a very similar strategy.

Jahvid Best, RB, DET – Both of his feet have turf toe now, saw no work last week on thanksgiving and I can’t rank him as someone you should consider starting any longer.

Mike Williams, WR, TB - He wasn’t able to rack up many yards or find the endzone… but the Ravens are still a very good defense and the Buccaneers struggle against quality opponents.  Luckily, there are no good secondaries left on the Buccs schedule until week 17.

Mike Wallace, WR, PIT - I have spent some time trying to convince people that the Bills are not a good opponent for WRs and QBs this season.  Now that the offense is playing well, it is even more apparent. Wallace is fine going forward, the Steelers are still an elite team in the AFC.

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