Rushing Matchups

Hi Folks,

Here's our look at the Rushing Matchups for this week.

PLEASE NOTE: This does NOT replace the Cheatsheet ranking. The Cheatsheet rankings are the final say on where we see a player for that week. The Matchup Breakdowns are simply one more tool in the box when it comes to helping choose your lineup.

Also note, just because a player has a "bad" matchup, it does NOT mean he's not a starter in your league. If Priest Holmes is playing the toughest rush defense in the league, that just means he's got a tough matchup that week. He's also your starter. In the same way, if the worst RB on your roster has a "great" matchup, that doesn't necessarily mean you start him, it just means he'll likely fare better this week than he normally would.

Bottom line, the cheatsheets are the final word.

Let's jump to it.

Joe

Baltimore's Jamal Lewis vs. The Oakland Defense (Great Matchup)

Jamal Lewis has been red-hot the last 3 weeks, with 75/375/4 rushing and 6/43/0 receiving during his 3 most recent games. He absolutely torched the Bengals last week, with 30/180/3 - to raise his season total to 11 TDs in all. His offensive line is one of the best lines in the game - there is no weakness on this unit right now. Start him if you've got him.

Oakland, on the other hand, deploys one of the worst run defenses in the league, having allowed 18 TDs (tied for second-most in the NFL) to date, and they rank 31st in the NFL allowing 149.4 rushing yards per game on average. They were trampled by Pittsburgh for 40/133/2 last week, and laid down to Denver allowing 46/193/2 two weeks ago. They are not good.

Oakland really misses starting DT John Parrella (groin, IR), and backup DL Sean Gilbert has missed time with a groin injury, too (doubtful). Baltimore comes into this game listing T Orlando Brown (chest, questionable), RB Jamal Lewis (wrist, questionable) and RB Alan Ricard (ankle, questionable). We look for Lewis to play through his wrist injury. He hurt it before halftime last week and came back strong in the 2nd half. But keep an eye on it later this week to be sure.

The forecast for Network Associate's Coliseum calls for a high of 58F with a low of 49F, and a 40% chance of precipitation. If the rain comes down hard around game time, footing and ball handling will probably become issues at some point in the game.

A great back against an awful defense = a great matchup for Lewis owners.

Carolina's Stephen Davis vs. The Arizona Defense (Great Matchup)

The Falcons surprised the Panthers last week, and choked the ground game to 33/90/1 (Davis had 24/81/1 on the day). It wasn't his least successful outing of the year, but it wasn't the stuff of fantasy legend, either. During the recent rash of losing, Davis has not been as potent a fantasy force - in the last 3 weeks, he has 73/255/2 rushing and 1/7/0 receiving (16th in FP per game among RB's during that span). Never fear, though, Carolina fans - Arizona is on the horizon.

Arizona just got utterly humiliated by the 49'ers last week, giving up 50 points - one week after Chicago spanked them 28-3. 36/232/3 was the hurt that the 49'ers inflicted in the rushing phase, while Chicago amassed 36/154/2 two weeks ago. The Cardinals had been decent in this phase a while ago (118.3 rushing yards allowed per game this season, on average), but that was then - this is now. The Cards look lethargic, apathetic, and are simply marking time until the season is, mercifully, over.

Carolina is in decent shape coming into this game, while Arizona lists DT Marcus Bell (illness), LB Levar Fisher (illness) and DE Dennis Johnson (illness) as probable to play.

The forecast for Sun Devil Stadium calls for a high of 67F with a low of 45F, and a 10% chance of precipitation. Sounds like a great day to play football.

Carolina needs to win this game, and Arizona's team looks like a group of beaten men. Advantage, Carolina. Davis hasn't been the same dominant player he was early, but we like this matchup a lot.

As a side note, the Cardinals had distributed 23,287 tickets for Sunday's game as of Tuesday. That doesn't add up to much of a home-field advantage.

Denver's Clinton Portis vs. The Cleveland Defense (Great Matchup)

Clinton Portis: 70/553/7 rushing and 6/66/0 receiving in the last 3 games. 22/218/5 rushing against K.C. last week. 252/1452/12 rushing with 37/308/0 receiving this season. The numbers speak for themselves. Lead blocker Mike Anderson is eligible to return to action this week, too.

Cleveland's defense just took a major blow - DE Courtney Brown is out for the season with a ruptured biceps tendon, leaving a major void in the defensive front. Much-traveled 3rd year pro Mark Word is expected to step in for Brown. Before the loss of Brown, Cleveland was averaging 119.8 rushing yards allowed per game, with 7 scores surrendered to date in this phase. Last week, Marshall Faulk managed 24/102/0 against this team, while two weeks ago, the Seahawks ran 36/157/1 against the Browns. They will have a hard time doing much better in the absence of Brown. Orpheus Roye was the 3rd best IDP DL last week, with 7 solo tackles, 2 assists, 1 sack and 2 passes defensed.

Denver lists the usual suspects on their injury report (but these guys always find a way to play): C Tom Nalen (knee, probable), G Dan Neil (knee, probable), and T Ephraim Salaam (knee, probable). In addition, RB Reuben Droughns is questionable (ankle). Cleveland has done without starting LB Ben Taylor (elbow, staph infection) for many weeks, but he's not listed on the initial injury report.

The forecast for Mile High Stadium calls for a high of 43F with a low of 29F, and a 10% chance of precipitation. It should be a nice afternoon to play football on the high plains.

Portis is blistering hot, Cleveland is sub-par and took a major hit due to injuries this week. Advantage, Denver.

Green Bay's Ahman Green vs. The San Diego Defense (Great Matchup)

Ahman Green started to get back on track last week, with a 30/80/1 rushing and 2/17/0 receiving performance against the hapless Bears. He has been pretty cold lately, with 70/291/1 rushing and 6/27/0 receiving in his last 3 games (17th among fantasy RB's in FP per game during that span) - not the lofty numbers we've come to expect from Green in 2003. Green Bay has slid to 3rd in average yards per carry during his slump, clear down to a 5.0 average (still an excellent average, but it illustrates how little room Green has had to run in recent weeks).

San Diego, of course, can't stop anybody not playing for Detroit (they gave up 20 and 28 points in their two other wins over Cleveland and Minnesota, hardly dominating defensive performances). 18/68/0 was all the Lions could muster last week, but K.C. hit them for 39/194/2 two weeks ago. The team is 27th in the league, averaging 139.5 rushing yards allowed per game, with 10 rushing scores surrendered to date.

Backup OL Marcus Spriggs is questionable with his injured hamstring. DT Jamal Williams (knee, doubtful) and LB Carlos Polk (ankle, questionable) are on the Charger's initial injury report.

The forecast for Qualcomm Stadium calls for a high of 65F with a low of 46F, and a 30% chance of precipitation. If the rain comes down hard at game-time, the field may get sloppy and slow and ball handling will be more of an issue.

Green is a top back. San Diego fields a cellar-dwelling defense - advantage, Green and Green Bay.

New Orleans' Deuce McAllister vs. The New York Giants' Defense (Great Matchup)

Deuce McAllister finally ran into a defense that could contain him last week, as Aaron Brooks put the ball on the ground 4 times (3 fumbles lost) to squander McAllister's shot at 10 straight 100 yard rushing games. 22/69/0 rushing and 3/19/0 were McAllister's totals when all was said and done. He remains in the top 10 among all fantasy RB's in FP per week during the last 3 weeks (71/418/2 rushing and 11/98/0 receiving in that span), but the scarcity of scoring is hurting his fantasy value at the moment.

The Giant's rush defense is sad. The Redskin's stable of backs slapped down 48/150/0 on the defensive front last week, and Travis Henry and company had 36/151/1 the week before. The Giants are 20th in the league allowing an average of 120.2 yards per contest, with 12 rushing scores surrendered to date. The only fantasy bright spot in the loss last week was Michael Strahan's play, 8 solo tackles, 3 assists, and 2 sacks - which led all fantasy IDP DL.

New Orleans' starting G LeCharles Bentley (knee, questionable) was injured last week, and backup OL Kendyl Jacox remains sidelined by his knee injury. RB's James Fenderson (foot, doubtful) and Fred McAfee (ankle, questionable) are also hurting. The Giants come into this game with their defensive front intact.

This game is being played in the Superdome, so weather isn't a factor.

McAllister is a top talent, while the Giants have a sub-par rush D and are playing poorly recently. Advantage, New Orleans.

Pittsburgh's Jerome Bettis vs. The New York Jets' Defense (Great Matchup)

Jerome Bettis is on the rise as a fantasy back in recent weeks, with 71/261/2 rushing and 5/33/0 receiving during the past 3 games (13th among all fantasy RB's during that span). He is definitely the featured guy, with various others combining as a support cast - Dan Kreider plunged in a score last week, for example (1/1/1). Speaking of last week, Bettis put together his first 100+ rushing effort of the year (27/106/1) to help his team to victory vs. Oakland.

The Jets got trampled (again) last week, laying down to the Bills' (Travis Henry's fractured leg and all) to the tune of 41/203/1 - this, one week after finally clamping down on somebody (23/84/0 for Tennessee's stable). Sadly, most of the year they've been closer to the Bill's game than the Tennessee game (152.8 rushing yards per game allowed, on average (dead last in the NFL), with 16 rushing TDs surrendered). It isn't hard to run the ball on this doormat-style defensive front.

Pittsburgh's starting OT Marvel Smith keeps missing time due to a neck injury (out), and reserve RB Verron Hayes has been put on IR. Bettis is probable to play despite a sore quadriceps. The Jets' starting DE John Abraham is probably done for the season due to his groin injury (out), and LB Sam Cowart has a thigh injury (out).

The forecast for Giants Stadium calls for a high of 39F with a low of 31F, and a 20% chance of precipitation. A crisp day for a football game is on tap in the Big Apple.

Bettis is gaining momentum, and the Jets are terrible in this phase of the game. Advantage, Pittsburgh.

San Francisco's Kevan Barlow vs. The Cincinnati Defense (Great Matchup)

San Francisco is giving Kevan Barlow another week to be the featured back as Garrison Hearst recuperates - Barlow had a great day against the Cardinals last week, with 18/154/1 rushing and 3/23/0 receiving during the blowout victory. "Barlow is in line to get another chance Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Coach Dennis Erickson announced that Garrison Hearst's knee injury will prevent him from taking the field for the second consecutive week. Erickson said Hearst has a chance to return for the Philadelphia Eagles game Dec. 21." (Mercury News article by Daniel Brown, 12/9/03) Now we are seeing what a featured back could have been doing in the 49'ers offense all year long. (Sigh).

Cincinnati got rocked for 45/223/3 rushing by the Ravens last week, and coughed up 25/85/1 to Pittsburgh two weeks ago - they clearly had a hard time containing a truly talented back behind a quality OL last week. They haven't been particularly good in this phase all season, averaging 126.2 rushing yards allowed per game (24th in the NFL), and have given up 12 scores to date.

Hearst is doubtful to play, while G Ron Stone (hamstring, questionable) and C Jeremy Newberry (ankle, probable) are also listed on the initial injury report. LB Adrian Ross (neck) is probable for the Bengals.

The forecast for Paul Brown Stadium calls for a high of 39F with a low of 34F, and a 40% chance of precipitation. If the precipitation comes down hard around game time, field conditions will be slick and ball handling is likely to become an issue in this game.

This week, the Bengals face a quality back running behind a talented OL in Barlow and the 49'ers, and come into this game stone cold. This is not a good combination for the deflated Bengals - advantage, San Francisco.

Atlanta's T.J. Duckett/Michael Vick vs. The Indianapolis Defense (Good Matchup)

Michael Vick ran wild against the Panthers last week, to lead the team with 14/141/1 rushing (Duckett threw in 17/59/1 rushing and 1/7/0 receiving). However, don't rely on him to put up such gaudy numbers this week: "Five of Vick's carries were called plays, the rest scrambles. Some should've been passes, but he often failed to wait for receivers to run their routes. The Panthers' aggressive game plan contributed to Vick's racing pulse. "He rushed through his [reads]," quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson said the day after Vick completed 16 of 33 passes for 179 yards and an interception in his first start since breaking his right fibula Aug. 16. "His footwork wasn't clean. I think it was more adrenaline than anything else." (Atlanta Journal-Constitution article by Matt Winkeljohn, 12/9/03) Clearly, the Falcons want to see Vick settle down and throw the ball more consistently, and to rely on his legs less. That should be good news for Duckett owners, as most teams assign a LB to "shadow" Vick, helping to free up a lane for the Falcons' backs. We'll see how well Vick can stick to the game-plan this week - it is a natural tendency for such a gifted athlete to rely on his instincts, especially when one is as rusty as Vick is after essentially missing the regular season this year. Duckett has 33/98/3 rushing and 3/31/0 receiving in the last 3 games, so he's a threat to punch in a score when the Falcons penetrate into the red-zone (26th ranked fantasy RB over the past 3 weeks).

Indianapolis hasn't allowed a ton of yardage in recent games (56 yards to New England, 93 yards to Tennessee), but they have coughed up 3 rushing TDs in the course of those two games (2 and 1, respectively). They rank 15th in the league this season allowing 117.6 yards per contest on average, and have given away 13 rushing scores to date. They've managed to be a little tougher in recent weeks, but this is still a pretty mediocre bunch even when they are "on".

Atlanta escaped Carolina intact, while the Colts list the following players on their initial injury report: LB Jim Nelson (collarbone, doubtful); DT Montae Reagor (chest, probable).

This game is being played in the RCA Dome, so weather won't be a factor.

Atlanta is very dangerous in this phase of the game when Michael Vick is under center - and Indianapolis is pretty ho-hum at defending the run. Advantage, Atlanta.

Dallas' Troy Hambrick/Eric Bickerstaff/Richie Anderson vs. The Washington Defense (Good Matchup)

Aveion Cason was sidelined last week, so Troy Hambrick was the featured back against the Eagles - he did a credible (but not spectacular) job, with 17/75/0 rushing and 2/6/0 receiving. Assisting him were Erik Bickerstaff (9/41/0) and Richie Anderson (6/32/0 rushing and 7/40/0 receiving (led the team in receiving)). Overall, the Cowboys amassed 34/150/0 rushing - on a day that none of the 3 top wide receivers caught a pass. The last time these teams met, back in week 9, Hambrick enjoyed a very solid outing with 21/100/2 rushing (the team slapped down 40/208/2). However, be aware that Hambrick has only managed 32/103/0 rushing and 4/11/0 receiving in the last 3 weeks (54th in FP per game among fantasy RB's in that span).

Washington has been pretty soft in this phase of the game recently: Tiki Barber sliced them up for 16/99/0 (a 6.2 ypc average) last week - Dorsey Levens powered in the sole NYG TD (7/21/1). Two weeks ago, Deuce McAllister and the Saints tore up the Redskins for 37/189/2 (a 5.1 ypc average). This year, the Redskins average 132.4 rushing yards allowed per game, with a total of 16 rushing scores allowed (tied for 3rd worst in the NFL to date). Jesse Armstead was an IDP monster last week, with 6 solo tackles, 2 assists, 2 sacks and 1 fumble recovery (#1 fantasy LB).

Aveion Cason is reported to be out this week. Washington's star LB LaVar Arrington is nursing a sprained knee - he's probable to play, as is fellow LB Jeremiah Trotter (knee) and DE Bruce Smith (hand/knee).

Washington isn't very good in this phase of the game, and Dallas enjoyed success running against this unit a few weeks ago. This looks like a good matchup of Hambrick and his compatriots.

Detroit's Shawn Bryson/Olandis Gary vs. The Kansas City Defense (Good Matchup)

Last week, as a team, against the bottom tier Chargers' defense, the tandem of Bryson and Gary managed 15/48/0 rushing (10/28/0 for Bryson, and 5/20/0 for Gary). Bryson added 8/42/0 receiving, while Gary had 3/20/0. If you are relying on either of these guys to make something happen for your fantasy team, you've done one heck of a coaching job to make the playoffs.

Kansas City was awful against the Broncos last week (they clearly missed MLB Mike Maslowski, among others) - Denver blasted them for 32/270/5 (Clinton Portis owners were in 7th heaven last week) - an 8.4 yards-per-carry average. LaDainian Tomlinson slapped them around for 28/159/1 two weeks ago - the Chiefs are playing "swiss-cheese" rush defense lately. It's really nothing new, as the team averages 146.2 rushing yards allowed per game this season (30th in the NFL), with 14 scores allowed to date.

Besides Maslowski (knee, questionable), LB's Monty Beisel (groin, out) and Quinton Caver (back, questionable) are hurting, and reserve DL Eddie Freeman has a bad toe (probable). Other probables include DT Eric Downing (thumb), LB Fred Jones (knee) and DE Jimmy Wilkerson (knee) The Lions' starting G Eric Beverly hurt his ankle last week (questionable), and G Jeff Backus is probable (toe).

The forecast for Arrowhead Stadium calls for a high of 36F with a low of 21F, and a 20% chance of precipitation. The gusty winds of the Plains make it feel a lot colder than the thermometer says most days at this time of year, though.

This is a good matchup for the Lions' backs, but don't expect a fantasy miracle just because they play a poor defense - Bryson and Gary just aren't much of a factor even in their best weeks.

Indianapolis' Edgerrin James vs. The Atlanta Defense (Good Matchup)

Edgerrin James ran effectively against the top-ranked rush D in the league last week, pounding Tennessee for 27/95/2 to power the Colts to victory in a hard-fought battle. With 80/291/4 rushing and 16/102/0 receiving over the past 3 games, James has been a fantasy force during the stretch run into the playoffs (7th best RB in FP per game during that span). The disturbing practice of splitting time with a variety of back-ups that occurred in mid-season seems to be a thing of the past, too (Dominic Rhodes had 1/2/0 last week as the only other back to take a hand-off).

OK, here's a question for you - how did the Atlanta defense suddenly get so much better in the past two weeks?: "In allowing a season-low 231 yards of offense Sunday (one week after allowing 236 yards at Houston), the Falcons buckled down against the run. Panthers running back Stephen Davis was averaging 114 rushing yards a game, but he was held to 81 as the Falcons for the first time all season held a team below 100 rushing yards (Carolina had 90 on 33 carries). Defenders tackled well, and the offense helped, too.

The Falcons entered the game last in the NFL in average time of possession at 26 minutes, 51 seconds. But by keeping drives alive -- Atlanta got at least one first down on 10 of 13 drives, knelt down on another, and lost a fumble on another -- the offense helped the defense.

Atlanta held the ball for 32:52 to Carolina's 27:08 in regulation. "It's easy to play defense like that," defensive tackle Ed Jasper said. "It's more difficult when they have 10 more minutes time of possession than you." (Atlanta Journal Constitution article by Matt Winkeljohn, 12/9/03) For whatever reason, a defense that has given away 38 TDs this season (18 passing, 20 rushing) is suddenly looking pretty stout. It's amazing how much impact one man is having on this Falcons' team, isn't it?

Atlanta's defensive front is reporting DT Edward Jasper is doubtful (knee/ankle), while DT Ellis Johnson (knee) and LB Keith Newman (foot) are questionable. The Colts list the following players on their initial injury report: RB Dominic Rhodes (knee/shoulder) and G Steve Sciullo (neck) - both are probable to play this week.

This game is being played in the RCA Dome, so weather won't be a factor.

While Atlanta is playing well recently, this week they face a balanced, top-caliber offense at home - we think James is just now hitting his top form, which means he should expose the Falcons for the 3-10 team that they are this week.

Kansas City's Priest Holmes vs. The Detroit Defense (Good Matchup)

Priest Holmes has 19 touchdowns rushing this season. He has one of the best offensive lines in the game in front of him, and an adequate passing game in support to keep defenses honest. He is second to only Clinton Portis in scoring fantasy points over the past 3 weeks, and Portis needed a 5 TD game to get ahead of Holmes (64/297/5 rushing and 17/157/0 receiving for Holmes in the past 3 games). If you don't start him every week (barring injury), well, something isn't quite right in your world.

Detroit held up moderately well against LaDainian Tomlinson and the Chargers' OL (averaging 5.2 ypc in 2003, tops in the NFL), allowing only 35/131/0. Two weeks ago, Green Bay's Ahman Green eked out 13/57/0 against them - the defensive front is playing very hard right now - much better than their average of 112.9 rushing yards allowed per game (with 10 TDs given away) would seem to suggest.

Kansas City is very healthy for this stage of the season, listing all these players as probable: RB Derrick Blaylock (knee), RB Priest Holmes (shoulder), T Marcus Spears (foot), T John Tait (ankle) and G Brian Waters (shoulder). Detroit has LB's Barrett Green (concussion, not listed) Boss Bailey (shoulder, not listed) and James Davis (shoulder, questionable), along with backup DL Jared DeVries (shoulder, probable) among the injured.

Holmes is awesome - Detroit is on a hot streak. In Arrowhead stadium, though, we've got to give Holmes and company the nod.

Minnesota's Michael Bennett/Moe Williams vs. The Chicago Defense (Good Matchup)

First off, the word on Bennett and Williams' injuries: "The Vikings received good news Monday afternoon when a magnetic resonance imaging test revealed running back Michael Bennett has a mild high ankle sprain. He should be ready to play Sunday at Chicago. Bennett was walking with a boot on his right foot and will not practice Wednesday. "Michael is going to be fine,'' coach Mike Tice said. "Everything is clean.'' The news on Moe Williams' left knee also was good. Williams likely won't practice Wednesday but is expected to play Sunday." (Pioneer Press article, by Bill Williamson, 12/9/03). Obviously, this is excellent news for the Vikings, and for fantasy owners of these players.

The last time around the block, way back in week 2, Bennett was sidelined - Moe Williams had an excellent game, though, with 21/108/1 rushing and 4/50/0 receiving. Don't expect Williams to repeat those rushing numbers this week with Bennett in the mix, but he should be a factor in the passing game. Last week, before both players got injured, Bennett had racked up 25/103/0 rushing and 2/12/0 receiving, while Williams had 8/28/0 rushing and 3/29/0 receiving. A similar sharing of the workload can be expected this week.
Chicago hasn't been too bad in this phase lately, allowing 38/97/1 to the Packers last week, and smothering the Cardinals two weeks ago (18/46/0). They have been playing significantly better than their 119.7 rushing yards allowed per game average would indicate. The team has also limited the opposition to only 10 rushing scores this season. Lance Briggs was a top IDP last week, with 7 solo tackles, 2 assists, 1 interception (returned for a TD) and 2 passes defensed (8th among all LB's in scoring).

Minnesota lists both Bennett and Williams as probable to play. Chicago is healthy on their side of the ball.

The forecast for Soldier Field calls for a high of 38F with a low of 28F, and a 30% chance of precipitation. Chicago is generally windy this time of year, making the temperature seem even colder - if the precipitation falls thickly around game time, the field will get slick and sloppy, creating footing and ball-handling issues.

Chicago had trouble stopping the Vikings last time around, but they have been playing solidly in the past few weeks. However, last time around, Michael Bennett wasn't even in the equation. We think the Bears are outclassed in this one - advantage, Minnesota.

St. Louis' Marshall Faulk vs. The Seattle Defense (Good Matchup)

Seattle needs this game to keep their faint conference championship hopes alive (they did defeat the Rams at home the first time around), and they are in a dog-fight with the Cowboys for a wild-card slot, as well. St. Louis, meanwhile, has clinched a play-off berth, and a win over Seattle would put them in the driver's seat in the NFC West.

Marshall Faulk has been on a tear since coming back into the starting lineup, with 65/310/4 rushing and 13/111/0 receiving in the last 3 weeks. It appears that the Marshall Plan is back in force in St. Louis (finally). He had his 4th straight 100 yard game last week (102) and added 6/43/0 receiving as a sweetener - also, Faulk has yet to fumble the ball in 2003. In the game vs. Seattle back in week 3, Faulk was struggling through injury problems and sharing time with Lamar Gordon (Faulk rushed for 15/31/0 that day), but that's ancient history as far as this matchup is concerned.

Seattle got trampled by Minnesota's stable of backs last week (43/193/0), but crushed Cleveland's backups two weeks ago (16/47/0 rushing as a team). The rush defense is squarely in the middle of the NFL pack this season (16th), allowing an average of 118.1 rushing yards per game, with only 8 rushing scores surrendered in 2003. The defensive front definitely holds their own in the red-zone.

St. Louis comes into this game relatively healthy, while Seattle has been missing some key players in recent weeks: starting LB Anthony Simmons has a chin/neck injury (questionable) - he sat out of last week's game - and starting LB Randall Godfrey injured his ribs last week (questionable). Also listed are DE Anton Palepoi (ankle, questionable) and DT Rashad Moore (ankle, probable). Seattle's injury problems in the middle of the D were part of the reason Minnesota ran with such ease last week.

This game is being played in the Edward Jones Dome, so weather is not an issue.

Faulk is on a tear, and playing at home. Seattle has been mediocre in general, and was very soft last week - advantage, St. Louis.

Buffalo's Travis Henry vs. The Tennessee Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Travis Henry is putting on quite a show for a man with a fractured fibula, gutting out a spectacular 32/169/1 rushing performance vs. the weak Jets' defensive front last week. He has been very focused and productive since the injury, amassing 80/359/2 rushing and 6/33/0 receiving in the past 3 weeks - it seems strange, but he has actually played some of his best games while injured. With Sammy Morris limited due to a knee injury (questionable), the Bills really need Henry's heroics to continue.

Tennessee was ground down to the tune of 32/117/2 by the Colts last week - they just couldn't stone-wall Edgerrin James at the goal line. The Jets also scored on Tennessee two weeks ago (30/97/1) - it's fair to say that the defensive front is slipping lately, despite their season average of 79 yards allowed per game (1st in the NFL) - 33% of their 9 TDs surrendered have gone into the end-zone in the last two weeks.

Starting LB Rocky Calmus is out with a broken leg, and starting DT Robaire Smith (ribs) is listed as questionable this week. LB Jordan Kramer is the first Titan to be listed as "doubtful" in recent memory (ankle). Buffalo is doing without starting G Mike Pucillo (foot, questionable) in recent weeks, among still-active offensive linemen (OT Jonas Jennings went onto IR recently).

The forecast for the Coliseum calls for a high of 50F with a low of 36F, and a 40% chance of precipitation. In the Appalachians, that could mean rain, sleet or snow coming down around game time - field conditions may be slick, and ball handling could be an issue if the skies open up.

Henry is on top of his game, and the usually-stout Titans are showing weakness at the moment. At the Titan's house, we call this a pretty even matchup, given recent trends.

Houston's Tony Hollings/Domanick Davis vs. The Tampa Bay Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Domanick Davis, on watching from the sidelines last week: "I've still got some soreness in my knee, so it was best that I didn't play. I didn't want to take a chance on getting hit and it messing me up for the rest of the games. It's always frustrating when you see your team needs help, and it hurts when you're on the sidelines unable to do anything. But I'll be back next week." (Houston Chronicle article, by David Barron, 12/7/03).

The Texans really hope that Davis can live up to that pronouncement, in the wake of Tony Hollings' 18/19/0 rushing performance last week. 188/825 with 5 rushing scores and 37/305/0 receiving is what Davis has amassed in only part of a season as the starter - he's the real deal, and has been a fantasy boon for owners lucky enough to pick him up in '03.

Tampa Bay smothered the Saints and Deuce McAllister last week (24/90/0 as a team), but struggled vs. Fred Taylor and company (35/135/0) two weeks ago. One thing the Buccaneers have done in 2003 is limit scoring in this phase - only 6 rushing TDs have been scored against them all year, while they rank 13th in the NFL allowing 110.1 rushing yards per game on average. Simeon Rice was a huge IDP DL last week, with 5 solo tackles, 3 sacks, and 1 forced fumble against the Saints (2nd best DL last week). Fellow defender LB Derrick Brooks racked up 10 solo tackles, 1 assist, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble (5th best IDP LB last week).

Houston lists Davis as probable to play this week, while G Zach Wiegert is questionable (elbow). DT Warren Sapp is questionable due to his injured ankle. DE Simeon Rice is probable despite a sore elbow.

The forecast for Raymond James Stadium calls for a high of 78F with a low of 59F, and a 30% chance of precipitation. If the rain comes down hard around game time, footing and ball-handling could become issues during the match.

Tampa is tough to score on, but bleeds yardage consistently. Davis has a hard time at the goal-line, but tends to get yardage in chunks. We call this one a neutral matchup if Davis can play, but a bad matchup for neophyte Tony Hollings.

Miami's Ricky Williams vs. The Philadelphia Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Ricky Williams slushed his way to 25/68/0 rushing against the Patriots last week in a forgettable game on the Dolphins' part (a 12-0 loss). He has been solid but less than electrifying in his last 3 games, actually, with 79/279/2 rushing and 7/56/0 receiving (good for 12th in FP per game among all fantasy RB during that span) - at least this week, he'll be back in friendlier climes in South Florida.

Philadelphia contained Troy Hambrick last week (17/75/0) but surrendered 34/150/0 to the Cowboys as a team, while two weeks ago Carolina put up 29/136/0 on them - quite a few yards surrendered, but not any scores. That's been true all year for the Eagles, who rank 21st in the league in 2003 allowing 124 rushing yards per game on average, but who have limited the opposition to only 8 TDs to date.

Both of these units have only minor injuries to worry about right now.

The forecast for Pro-Player Stadium calls for a high of 81F with a low of 58F, and a 40% chance of precipitation. The field in Miami could get slick and sloppy if the rains come down hard around game time.

Philadelphia is generous in the yardage department but hard to score on in the red-zone, while Williams hasn't been punching in a bunch of TDs lately - this looks like a neutral matchup to us if you play in a combinational scoring league, but a bad one for basic scoring leagues.

New York Giants' Tiki Barber/Dorsey Levens vs. The New Orleans' Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Tiki Barber recovered from his awful outing against the Bills to post 16/99/0 rushing and 3/47/0 receiving against the Redskins last week (he led the team in both categories). However, Dorsey Levens vultured the only TD of the game away from Barber (7/21/1), and it looks like he may be the goal-line guy going forward - which will limit Barbers' fantasy value just as fantasy playoffs are in full throttle across the land. With Kerry Collins on the sideline and neophyte Jesse Palmer under center, teams are likely to stack the line and dare the Giants to pass the ball, which will limit the amount of running room Barber sees going forward into the next few games.

New Orleans limited the Buccaneers to 29/107/0 rushing last week, but gave up 26/161/1 to the Redskins two weeks ago - they are inconsistent in this phase of the game in recent weeks, and have been sub-par most of the season (138.6 rushing yards allowed per game on average, 26th in the NFL, with 11 rushing scores given away to date).

OT Luke Petitgout's back flared up last week (doubtful), and he couldn't play. New Orleans went without starting DE Willie Whitehead (knee, questionable) and reserve LB Cie Grant (calf, questionable) last week.

This game is being played in the Superdome, so weather isn't a factor.

Barber has the potential to be explosive, but he'll be hindered by breaking in a new starting QB this week. New Orleans isn't very good at defending the run, though - we call it a neutral matchup.

New York Jets' Curtis Martin vs. The Pittsburgh Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Curtis Martin scraped together 100+ yards combined last week (25/84/0 rushing and 3/20/0 receiving), but it wasn't easy against the Bills - nobody on the team got into the end-zone last week. Martin has been a decent #2 RB in the past 3 weeks, with 69/207/1 rushing and 12/75/0 receiving during that span (20th among all fantasy RB's) - he won't win it for you all on his own, but he can contribute a measured amount of fantasy points.

Pittsburgh has been decent but not spectacular at rush defense lately, allowing 23/122/1 to the Raiders last week and 25/113/0 to the Bengals' stable two weeks ago. Compared to their season average of 101.7 rushing yards allowed per game (9th in the NFL), they've been off their normal pace in recent games (11 scores given up to date). Kimo von Oelhoffen was the 5th best IDP DL last week, with 3 solo tackles and 3 sacks for his team.

Both teams enjoy relatively good health, although T Kareem McKenzie has a sore ankle (probable).

The forecast for Giants Stadium calls for a high of 39F with a low of 31F, and a 20% chance of precipitation. A crisp day for a football game is on tap in the Big Apple.

Martin is mediocre, Pittsburgh is mediocre - this is a neutral matchup.

San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson vs. The Green Bay Defense (Neutral Matchup)

LaDainian Tomlinson is having one of the best "wasted" seasons in a long time - 240/1260/9 rushing and 75/556/2 receiving on a 3-10 team speaks volumes about his extraordinary talent. In the win last week, he piled up 25/88/0 rushing and 9/148/2 receiving to lead his team in both categories - he is the complete real world, and fantasy football, running back. Start him if you've got him.

Green Bay came out of the gate slow against the Bears (fell behind 14-0), but pretty much shut them down after that point, and they utterly smothered the Bear's rushing attack (20/44/0). Two weeks ago, Green Bay was surprised by the Lions (33/100/1), but were not dominated in this phase by any means. The Packers rank 11th in the NFL against the rush, allowing an average of 107.3 yards per game, with 9 rushing scores surrendered to date.

Not only is Tomlinson having an awesome season, he is doing it behind a make-shift line: last week, starting C Jason Bell (ankle, questionable) and starting OT Damion McIntosh (ankle, questionable) missed the game. Green Bay came out of their Chicago game down only reserve DL Kenny Peterson (knee, probable) among their current players not on IR.

Tomlinson is a special talent, playing in his own house. Green Bay is on top of their game, but they are not in a position to control Tomlinson. This looks pretty even to us.

Seattle's Shaun Alexander vs. The St. Louis Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Seattle has struggled on the road this year (1-5), and looked pretty bad last week against Minnesota - Alexander managed a paltry 14/56/1 rushing (the lone Seattle score all day), with 1/8/0 receiving last week. In his last 3 games, Alexander has rushed for 63/255/2 with 4/18/0 receiving (14th in FP per game among RB's during that span) - you can't call that cold, but it's not stellar, either. Seattle is in the top ten among all OL's this season with a 4.5 ypc average, so you can't blame the big guys up front for not doing their job. Back in week 3, Alexander had a poor fantasy outing against the Rams, with 14/58/0 rushing (a healthy 4.1 ypc average, though), with 3/8/0 receiving.

St. Louis has been winning games, but it is not thanks to their rush defense. The bevy of backup RB's and WR end-arounds that Cleveland threw at the Rams last Monday night gained a total of 24/162/1. Two weeks ago, it was Minnesota's stable slapping down 26/189/1 - those are very poor totals for a defensive front. The mediocrity is nothing new - the Rams rank 23rd in the NFL allowing an average of 125.7 rushing yards per game this season, although they have limited scoring to 8 rushing TDs to date.

Reserve OL Jerry Wunsch (ankle, doubtful) missed the game last week. St. Louis' unit lists LB Robert Thomas (groin, doubtful) and DE Leonard Little (chest, probable).

This game is being played in the Edward Jones Dome, so weather is not an issue.

Seattle hasn't been very good on the road, and the Rams limited Alexander's production in their last meeting. On the other hand, St. Louis has been giving up a ton of production to opposing backs in recent weeks. We'll call it a neutral matchup, as neither team looks like it is in a position to dominate the other.

Tampa Bay's Thomas Jones/Michael Pittman vs. The Houston Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Tampa Bay relied on Thomas Jones to do the heavy lifting against New Orleans last week, and he responded with 20/89/0 rushing and 2/14/0 receiving - meanwhile, fellow former Cardinal Michael Pittman put up 6/13/0 rushing and 3/29/0 receiving in a support role. Jones has seen 37 carries in the last 3 games, while Pittman has carried the ball 35 times. Look for Jones to see more and more action though.

Houston had a really bad game offensively last week, with a first-time starter under center and a first-time starter in the offensive backfield at running back - and the lack of offensive prowess showed while Jacksonville racked up 40/208/2 rushing as a team in 35:46 of possession time (24/163/1 rushing for Fred Taylor as the featured back). Two weeks ago, the Falcons had a much rougher time with 24/69/1 rushing. The Texans are usually somewhere in between those extremes, averaging 140 rushing yards allowed per game this season (28th in the NFL), with 13 rushing scores surrendered to date.

Houston's reserve LB Antwan Peek continues to miss games due to his injured foot (probable). LB Jamie Sharper is probable (back) as is DT Steve Martin (knee). Tampa Bay's unit is in good shape as far as injuries are concerned, with reserve RB Darian Barnes (ankle) and T Kenyatta Walker (elbow) both listed as probable.

Houston is usually pretty soft in this phase, while the Buccaneers mount an average-to-sub-par attack most weeks. This looks like a neutral matchup to us.

Chicago's Anthony Thomas vs. The Minnesota Defense (Tough Matchup)

A big development to keep in mind when considering Anthony Thomas this week is that the Bears will start rookie Rex Grossman at QB this week. NFL rookies in their first start don't usually have good games - Minnesota will stack the line against the run and dare Chicago to pass.

The Bears were horrible against Green Bay last week, managing a mere 20/44/0 rushing (9/22/0 for Thomas). Thomas has been less than impressive in recent weeks, amassing 30/82/0 in two games during the last 3 weeks (not much in the way of fantasy points here). Thomas was dissatisfied with his number of touches, but Coach Jauron defended the plan to replace Thomas with Brock Forsey (3/-4/0) every 3rd series saying "It was my fault clearly if he didn't understand that that was the way it was going to be, and secondly he should be able to deal with it on game day, too. I understood that he was aware of it, and if he wasn't, it was my fault." Jauron said several factors kept Thomas from getting his usual number of touches. "We had (just) 15 plays going into the two-minute (offense at the end) of the first half, so it's very difficult to establish anything," Jauron said. "When you go in at halftime and talk about what's working and what's not, it's hard to tell if you don't run a lot of plays." (Chicago Daily Herald article, by Bob LeGere, 12/9/03).

So far, there is no word on how the coaching staff intends to share the work-load this week. Back in week 2, Thomas had limited success running against the Vikings, totaling 10/53/0 rushing on the day - and that was before Forsey was in the mix.

Minnesota has been up and down in this phase of the game recently, with a mere 16/56/1 allowed to Shaun Alexander and company last week, but a disastrous 25/141/4 given away to the Rams two weeks ago. The Vikings have been sub-par all season, currently averaging 124.8 rushing yards allowed per game (22nd in the NFL) and they have given up a next-to-last total of 18 rushing scores to date - only Atlanta has surrendered more TDs this year.

Starting G Chris Villarial is struggling with a oblique muscle injury and is listed as questionable to play this week, as is T Mike Gandy (shoulder). Minnesota has been doing without reserve DL Billy Lyon (leg) in recent weeks - he's listed as probable.

Chicago is on the downside of another disappointing season, and will see what they have in Grossman. Minnesota shut down Shaun Alexander last week, and limited Chicago in the first matchup - advantage, Vikings.

Cincinnati's Corey Dillon/Rudi Johnson/Brandon Bennett vs. The San Francisco Defense (Tough Matchup)

That "thud" you heard last Sunday was the Bengals falling on their collective face against the Baltimore Ravens - and their running backs earned some of the blame (0 TDs and a lot of missed blocks in pass rush situations). Dillon led the team with 11/45/0 rushing, while Johnson struggled to 4/10/0 rushing and 1/4/0 receiving against the tough Ravens' defensive front. Brandon Bennett put in a healthy assist (5/43/0 rushing and 5/33/0 receiving), but nobody on the team excited their fantasy owners last week. Dillon has 39/201/0 rushing and 2/8/0 receiving over the last 3 weeks, while Johnson had managed 30/104/0 rushing and 4/29/0 receiving (Bennett is close behind Johnson with 7/66/0 rushing and 8/59/0 receiving), putting them at #38, #48 and #50 among all fantasy RB's in FP scored per game during the last 3 weeks. Clearly, this RBBC is not a fantasy owner's fondest dream.

22/66/0 was the Cardinals' sum total last week against the Niners, while Jamal Lewis and company managed 29/117/2 against the defensive front two weeks ago. San Francisco is in the top ten (8th) allowing only 99.6 rushing yards per game this season, and have allowed 8 rushing scores to date. They put up a solid rush defense week in and week out. Julian Peterson was the 3rd best fantasy LB last week, with 6 solo tackles, 2 assists, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 4 passes defensed (a high-quality outing, indeed!).

Cincinnati's starting T Levi Jones strained a knee last week (doubtful), and RB Brandon Bennett has a sore shoulder (probable). San Francisco's defensive front came away from the Cardinals rout intact.

San Francisco is tough to run on, and the Bengals haven't generated much in the way of fantasy points against quality defenses. The 49ers have been quality, plus the committee approach is hurting all three backs here. Advantage, San Francisco.

Cleveland's Jamel White vs. The Denver Defense (Tough Matchup)

Cleveland's starting running back, James Jackson, tore the PCL in his right knee Monday night, and is officially out for the season. Jamel White is most likely to see the majority of work, although rookie Lee Suggs will get work too (he's been returning kick-offs for 4 weeks, since coming back from shoulder surgery). The book on White in his career: 300/1104 yards rushing, and 158 receptions for 1213 yards, with 10 TDs in 4 seasons with Cleveland. His best season was 2002, with 106/470/3 rushing and 63/452/0 receiving, but he's been used sparingly in 2003. Cleveland averages 3.8 yards per carry (23rd in the NFL), so running room is pretty scarce whoever carries the ball - the OL is also pretty ravaged by injury - LG Chad Beasley went down this week with a fractured ankle as the latest casualty on that unit.

Denver restrained, but did not shut down, the vaunted Chief's attack last week (19/63/3), and allowed 23/120/0 to the struggling Raiders two weeks ago - they are not playing their best football on rush defense at the moment. This season, the Broncos have averaged 91.8 rushing yards allowed per game, and have surrendered a total of 8 rushing scores - they've bounced around their season average in recent weeks.

Denver dumped DT Daryl Gardener this week, but he wasn't performing anyway so that is likely to improve the play and attitude of their unit. DE Reggie Hayward is questionable (shoulder). Cleveland has been wracked by injuries, as detailed above.

The forecast for Mile High Stadium calls for a high of 43F with a low of 29F, and a 10% chance of precipitation. It should be a nice afternoon to play football on the high plains.

Cleveland is thin at RB, thin along the OL, and was not generating a terribly lot of running yards before the latest rash of injuries. Denver is usually tough on the run, and at home they will be hard for the Browns to handle in their current state.

Jacksonville's Fred Taylor vs. The New England Defense (Tough Matchup)

Fred Taylor had a great game last week, with 24/163/1 rushing in the 27-0 blanking of Houston. He's had 3 straight 100+ yard games in the last 3 weeks, and 4 out of his last 5. Taylor's 85/400 yards rushing is behind only Clinton Portis and Jamal Lewis during the last 3 weeks, but his paltry 1 TD rushing in that span (3/12/0 receiving) places him 11th among all fantasy RB's in FP per game. He and his mates on the OL are averaging 4.1 yards per carry this season - 13th in the NFL - and he's been especially good lately (6.8 yards per carry last week, with a long of 62 yards).

New England has been really tough in this phase of the game recently, choking Ricky Williams last week (25/68/0 rushing), and smothering the Colts two weeks ago (29/98/0) - those are some quality backs that the Patriots have stone-walled. Stone-walling is nothing new for this unit - they average only 90.1 rushing yards allowed per game this season, and have coughed up only 8 rushing scores to date.

Jacksonville enjoys good health on their starting unit, although backup RB Chris Fuamatu Ma'afala has a knee injury (probable). The Patriots have missed the services of backup DL Dan Klecko (hand, probable) recently.

The forecast for Gillette Stadium calls for a high of 37F with a low of 31F, and a 30% chance of precipitation. The wind causes the temperature to feel a lot lower, and footing isn't the best when a bunch of snowfall accumulates -- it's hard to put up big numbers in those conditions, whether you are a ball-carrier or a quarterback. There was 362 yards of total offense, combined, shared between Miami and New England in last week's game, for example.

Taylor is on a tear, but the poor weather conditions, New England's home-field advantage, and the excellence of the Patriots conspire to make this matchup an uphill battle for the Jaguar's back.

New England's Kevin Faulk/Antowain Smith vs. The Jacksonville Defense (Tough Matchup)

New England decided that Antowain Smith was their best option in the frigid conditions at Gillette Stadium last week, and he responded with a 27/60/0 rushing effort - the usual featured back, Kevin Faulk, had 5/20/0 and 1/15/0 receiving before exiting the game with a mild concussion. As the forecast for this week's game looks similar (if less extreme) to last week's weather, it may well be that Antowain Smith gets the majority of carries again this week. If you have either guy on your fantasy roster, pay close attention to the weather forecast as game time approaches. If things clear up, Faulk could be the guy on most downs. If it's snowing and sloppy, Smith will probably get his number called a bunch. The Patriots coaching staff is taking a very situational approach to this position in 2003, and the tendency has become more marked in the second half of the season - keep an eye on relevant factors before making your roster decisions.

Jacksonville has been very stout in this phase of the game recently, with 23/70/0 allowed to the rookie Tony Hollings and Dave Ragone last week (Houston) and 19/77/1 given up to the Buccaneers two weeks ago. Jacksonville is currently second in the NFL averaging 84.2 rushing yards allowed per game, with 10 rushing scores given away to date - they are playing even tougher than those numbers indicate in recent weeks.

Faulk is not listed on the initial injury report. Jacksonville is basically healthy among the members of the current starting lineup, although LB Deon Humphrey has a sore knee (questionable).

The Patriots mount an average-to-sub-par attack week in and week out, while Jacksonville has been very hard-nosed in this phase - even at the Patriot's house, we give the edge to coach Del Rio's hard-charging unit.

Philadelphia's Correll Buckhalter/Duce Staley/Brian Westbrook vs. The Miami Defense (Tough Matchup)

Correll Buckhalter's number came up in the great "Andy Reid Playing time raffle" last week, and he did a nice job with 13/115/1 rushing and 2/29/0 receiving. Just think what one of these guys could have done in 2003 if they were allowed to get into a rhythm from week to week. Brian Westbrook chipped in with 6/23/0 rushing and 4/48/1 receiving, so he wasn't a fantasy zero, at least. Staley also got in the act, with 3/22/1 receiving and 2/8/0 rushing - all three guys got to pay dirt. Who's going to be the biggest player this week? Get out your Ouija board, toss I-Ching sticks, gaze in a crystal ball - there's really no predicting Reid's tendencies from week to week. Westbrook has 99/511/6 rushing, with 28/241/3 receiving this season, while Buckhalter has 107/479/7 rushing and 7/117/0 receiving.

Miami gave ground for 34/78/0 to the Patriots on a frigid and slick day last week, while containing the Cowboys to 16/91/1 two weeks ago - there hasn't been a ton of running room against this unit all year long. The Dolphins allow a measly 88.1 rushing yards per game on average (3rd in the NFL), and are near the top of the league with only 7 rushing scores given away (tied for 3rd least in the NFL). They are playing up to that standard in recent games.

Starting DT Tim Bowens announced that he was done for the season earlier this week (the trainers think he is questionable, though). Reserve DL Rob Burnett (knee/ankle, questionable) missed the game last Sunday. LB Morlon Greenwood is probable (quadriceps), as are LB's Junior Seau (shoulder/finger) and Zach Thomas (hip) and DE Jason Taylor (shoulder). Philadelphia lists G John Welbourne as probable.

Miami is hard to gain rushing yards on (or to score against), and they are in their house this week. This looks like a tough matchup for Philadelphia's three-headed monster.

Washington's Trung Canidate/Rock Cartwright/John Simon vs. The Dallas Defense (Tough Matchup)

The injury situation in Washington's offensive backfield took a turn for the worse last week: "Canidate, after getting a season-high 19 rushes for 69 yards, sprained his left foot early in the second half at Giants Stadium and never returned. He'll be held out of practice tomorrow, and coach Steve Spurrier said he's not sure if Canidate will be ready to return by the end of the week. Betts, meanwhile, took a hit on his previously fractured forearm on his only carry of Sunday's game and spent the rest of the day on the sideline. He'll also be held out of practice and appears unlikely to play against the Cowboys.

"With Ladell out and Trung possibly out, it's maybe a good opportunity for John Simon to play quite a bit this week," Spurrier said. (Washington Times article by Mark Zuckerman, 12/8/03).

Rock Cartwright has been used sparingly in recent weeks (16/46/1 rushing in 2 games over the past 3 weeks) and John Simon has exactly 2/9/0 rushing and 2/16/0 receiving this season. With newbie Tim Hasselbeck slinging the ball around for the rest of 2003, the Redskins would love to have a legitimate running back to take the pressure off of their starter, but it doesn't look like that is in the cards right now. The last time these teams met, in week 9, neither Canidate or Betts touched the ball - Rock Cartwright (8/44/0) and Chad Morton (6/37/0) did the majority of the work carrying the ball.

Dallas has been surprisingly soft in this phase of the game recently, allowing 22/167/1 to the Eagles last week (including 13/115/1 to Correll Buckhalter (long of 64 yards)). Miami ran up 44/133/1 on Thanksgiving (only 3.0 yards per carry, though). Those numbers are way worse than the Cowboy's season average of 92.2 rushing yards allowed (7 scores coughed up to date). Last time around, Washington put up 16/89/0 (5.6 ypc) against this unit.

In addition to Canidate and Betts' injury problems, OT Chris Samuels is struggling to get on the field due to a leg injury (questionable), and Cartwright (ankle) and Chad Morton (ankle) are both dinged up but probable to play. Dallas' defensive front enjoys good health at the moment.

The forecast for Fed Ex Field calls for a high of 42F with a low of 35F, and a 30% chance of precipitation. If the precipitation falls thickly during the game, footing and ball-handling could become big issues in the cold conditions.

Washington is probably going to play back-up talent this week, and didn't have a good game against the Cowboys in week 9. The Cowboys are in better health than Washington, but have struggled against the run in recent weeks. However, this matchup still favors the Dallas unit - Washington has too many injuries working against them in this phase of the game.

Arizona's Marcel Shipp vs. The Carolina Defense (Bad Matchup)

The Panthers were trampled by Michael Vick and company last week - 37/224/2 as a team for the Falcons - and they gave up 28/124/1 to the play-off bound Eagles the week before - the fearsome defensive front has done a disappearing act in the last few weeks. The team now ranks 12th in the league allowing an average of 109.4 rushing yards per game, with 8 rushing TDs surrendered this season. Never fear, though, Carolina fans - Arizona is next on the schedule.

The same Arizona that rushed for 66 yards as a team against the 49'ers last week. The same Arizona that managed a mere 46 yards as a team against the Bears two weeks ago. The same Arizona that features Marcel Shipp - he of the 51/159/0 rushing and 5/16/0 receiving over the past 3 games. The same Arizona that is giving a new QB his first NFL start this week. It's ugly in the desert right now.

Carolina has been doing without their starting MLB Dan Morgan (concussion after-effects, questionable). DE Mike Rucker has a sore knee (questionable), while DT Brentson Buckner is ill (probable).Arizona lists starting C Pete Kendall (shoulder, out), and T L.J. Shelton (illness, probable).

The forecast for Sun Devil Stadium calls for a high of 67F with a low of 45F, and a 10% chance of precipitation. Sounds like a great day to play football.

Carolina is capable of playing solid rush defense, and the Cardinals are anemic, dis-spirited and downright inept in this phase right now. Advantage, Carolina.

As a side note, the Cardinals had distributed 23,287 tickets for Sunday's game as of Tuesday. That doesn't add up to much of a home-field advantage.

Oakland's Tyrone Wheatley/Charlie Garner vs. The Baltimore Defense (Bad Matchup)

Tyrone Wheatley put together a decent day against the Steelers last week, with 13/65/1 rushing, and got an assist from Charlie Garner (9/57/0) - nobody lit up a fantasy scoreboard, but Wheatley wasn't a total loss, either. He has 40/227/2 rushing and 1/7/0 receiving in the last 3 weeks, good for 19th on the fantasy RB board during that span. It appears that he will continue to get the majority of the work in the scaled-back, Mirer-led offense.

Baltimore's defensive front is one of the best around at this point in the season - they limited San Francisco's tandem to 30/106/0 two weeks ago, and contained the Bengal's stable (21/100/0) last week. The team ranks 10th in the NFL allowing an average of 101.8 rushing yards per game, but has only given away 5 rushing scores all season - that's the fewest rushing TDs allowed by a team in the NFL. Two of their LB's were in the top 10 among IDP last week: Peter Boulware had 6 solo tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble and a fumble recovery (2nd in the NFL last week among LB's), while Ray Lewis had 7 solo tackles, 2 assists, 1 interception and 1 pass defensed (7th among all LB's).

Oakland's starters on the OL are falling apart at this stage of the season. OT Lincoln Kennedy suffered a concussion and two knee injuries last week before being forced to the sidelines (probable). Starting C Barret Robbins has a bum knee (an chronic, arthritic condition - he's doubtful this week), and G Mo Collins also missed last week due to a knee injury (doubtful). Baltimore lost backup LB Adalius Thomas to a broken elbow last week, and fellow LB Ray Lewis is questionable due to a sore shoulder. Oakland is more impacted by their problems, as they are losing starters as opposed to backups.

A less-than-impressive offense clashes with a stellar D in this one - it's going to be a rough day to be a Raider.

Tennessee's Eddie George vs. The Buffalo Defense (Bad Matchup)

Eddie George was slowed by a sprained ankle last week vs. the Colts, and saw a lot of action flow to other players towards the end of the game last week as a result (11/51/0 rushing and 1/5/0 receiving on the day). However, nobody else managed to score, though Chris Brown had 4/23/0 rushing (Robert Holcombe netted a negative yard on his lone carry of the day). With 55/239/1 rushing and 4/18/0 receiving in the last 3 games, you have to play in a large league before George is worthy of a #2 spot (he's currently 25th among all fantasy RB's during the past 3 weeks).

Buffalo clamped down on the Jets' attack last week (26/88/0), and crushed the Giants two weeks ago (13/24/0) - they have been tough as nails against the rush in recent weeks. They now rank 7th in the NFL allowing an average of 96.7 yards per game, with 10 scores surrendered to date - obviously, they are performing even better than those numbers imply. Sam Adams was a top IDP DL last week, putting up 5 solo tackles, 2 assists, 2 sacks and 1 pass defensed (4th among fantasy DLs), and London Fletcher was a force at LB with 8 solo tackles, 4 assists, and 1 sack (6th best fantasy LB).

George is listed as questionable due to the ankle injury, while Buffalo's reserve DL Keith McKenzie (leg, questionable) missed last week for the Bills.

George struggles to get above 100 yards rushing most weeks these days, and the Bills are a hard-nosed group on top of their game - advantage, Buffalo.