Rushing Matchups

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

Bye Weeks:

Cincinnati: Corey Dillon is on bye.
Detroit: Olandis Gary/Shawn Bryson are on bye.
Minnesota: Onterrio Smith/Moe Williams are on bye.
San Diego: LaDainian Tomlinson is on bye.

Buffalo's Travis Henry vs. The New York Jets Defense (Great Matchup)

Buffalo's Travis Henry came back from his rib cartilage injury last week, and slapped down 25/85/1 rushing and 2/14/1 receiving against the Cincinnati Bengals. That's a pretty fine fantasy outing (it was the 5th best performance by a fantasy back last week). The really great news for Henry owners is that this week, he gets to play the tragic-comic Jets' defense.

The New York Jets run defense stinks, bad. They are dead last in the NFL this season, allowing an average of 174 rushing yards per game, and have allowed 4 rushing TDs so far in 2003. They did have the benefit of a bye week last week - maybe it will help them find a spark. Heading into their bye week, Troy Hambrick and company trampled the Jets for 41/202/1, so don't expect a miracle cure.

Buffalo's Sammy Morris remains sidelined by his abdominal injury.

The forecast for Giants' Stadium calls for a high of 70F and a low of 51F, with a 30% chance for rain. If the rains come down hard, the ball will be slick, as will portions of the field, making for an increased chance of problems with ball-handling.

Henry came back with authority last week, and the Jets defense is pathetic. Advantage, Henry and the Bills.

Chicago's Anthony Thomas / Kordell Stewart vs. The New Orleans' Defense (Great Matchup)

Anthony Thomas and company certainly shocked the lackadaisical Raiders last week, pulling off a come-from-behind victory in front of the home-town fans. See what happens when you score TDs in the red-zone, Rich Gannon? Anyway, Thomas was 22/123/0 on the day, a robust 5.6 yards per carry, while Kordell Stewart ran for 9/52/0 (5.8 yards per rush) - give their patch-work OL credit, the Bears are finding room to run. For the season, the team has rushed 100 times for 516 yards - a 5.2 yards per carry average (3rd best average in the NFL). Thomas has 35/233/1 rushing and 2/4/0 receiving over the last two games - he's topped 100 yards rushing regularly lately.

Meanwhile, the Saints are getting battered week in and week out - last week, it was Carolina's Stephen Davis cramming the ball down their throats for 30/159/1. This season, the team ranks 25th in the NFL, allowing 123.2 rushing yards per game, and has given up 4 rushing scores so far. LB Orlando Ruff led the way with 9 solo tackles in the loss.

OT Marc Colombo remains sidelined for the Bears, and reserve RB Rabih Abdullah is out wit a concussion. New Orleans' defensive front is shattered by injuries, with starting LB Sedrick Hodge (knee - out), starting DE Darren Howard (wrist - out), DT Kenny Smith (knee - questionable) and backup LB Cie Grant (knee - questionable) all sidelined due to injuries.

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

Chicago's running game is on track, and the Saints' rush defense is stumbling around ineptly. Advantage, Chicago.

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

His team is losing games, but Deuce McAllister is having a fine time rushing the ball, ranking 8th in the league in FP over the last 3 weeks, putting up 51/233/1 rushing with 11/107/0 receiving. In fact, McAllister led the team in receiving vs. Carolina last week, 4/59/0 and slapped down 23/124/0 vs. the ultra-tough Panthers' defensive front. That's strong running. For the season, the Saints are 13th in the league with 122 rushes for 539 yards - a 4.4 ypc average.

Chicago's defense, on the other hand, is pretty awful in this phase of the game, allowing an average of 168.5 rushing yards per game (31st in the NFL) with 6 rushing scores surrendered so far. Last week, Oakland went 27/123/1 against the Bears, so they were able to improve somewhat from their early-season performances.

Chicago is playing without starting DT Keith Traylor (knee surgery - out) and starting WLB Warrick Holdman injured his ankle last Sunday (questionable). New Orleans' OL is in good shape, as is McAllister, though T Wayne Gandy has a sore hamstring (probable).

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

McAllister and company can get the job done in this phase, while Chicago is struggling with rush defense (and have important players limited or out due to injury). Advantage, New Orleans.

St. Louis' Lamar Gordon vs. The Atlanta Defense (Great Matchup)

Lamar Gordon (21/81/1 rushing, 1/8/0 receiving) and his backup Arlen Harris (12/47/0, 3/18/0 receiving) did a credible job in their appearances vs. Arizona two weeks ago, helping the Rams to a 37-13 victory. They managed to better the team's ypc average (3.2 this season) by over half a yard (both averaged 3.9 yards per carry), so they did some good running by any measuring stick.

Atlanta's defense has been torn apart by injuries, and the hits just keep coming. Backup LB Will Overstreet was placed on IR this week due to his chronically injured left shoulder. Starting LB Sam Rogers missed the game last week due to his knee injury (doubtful), and starting LB Keith Brooking (sprained neck) and backup LB Karon Riley (shoulder) were banged up in the game. Through it all, the rush defense is definitely suffering, currently ranking 29th in the NFL allowing over 150 rushing yards per game (153) and surrendering 8 rushing scores so far in 2003.

Last week, the Vikings lit up Atlanta for 39 points - RB Moe Williams had 2 scores rushing, and Onterrio Smith punched in a 2 point conversion as the Vikings' attack collected 38/166 yards (Smith had the team's long run of the day with a 28 yard jaunt). It's ugly in Atlanta in this phase of the game, folks.

St. Louis comes into the game refreshed from a bye week.

This game is being held in the Edward Jones Dome, so weather isn't a factor.

St. Louis' backs have an excellent opportunity to shine on Monday Night Football against the weak Atlanta defense.

Baltimore's Jamal Lewis vs. The Arizona Defense (Good Matchup)

Jamal Lewis has slowed down a little since his league-record outing week 2, but is still a top fantasy back with 49/247/2 rushing and 6/51/0 receiving over the past two games (6th best fantasy back over the past 3 weeks). He went into the bye week with 26/115/1 rushing and 4/44/0 receiving vs. the Chiefs, so he is still the focus of the Ravens' attack. The Ravens as a team are the 2nd ranked attack in the NFL as of week 5, with 132/785 - which translates to an astonishing 5.9 ypc average.

Arizona's defensive front neatly contained Troy Hambrick and the Cowboys last week (36/97/0, a 2.6 ypc average), and currently rank as the 11th best rush defense in the league, averaging 98.4 yards per game allowed, with 4 rushing scores surrendered so far in 2003. MLB Ronald McKinnon led the team with 9 solo tackles and 2 assists last week vs. the Cowboys.

Arizona has been doing without starting DT Wendell Bryant (high ankle sprain - not listed this week), and one of his backups, Kenny King, is missing action too, due to a toe injury (out). LB LeVar Woods is probable to play despite a groin injury. Baltimore is coming off a bye week, and is generally healthy in this phase.

The forecast for Sun Devil Stadium calls for a high of 91F and a low of 73F, with a 30% chance for rain. If the rains come, ball-handling could be an issue and the field will slow down as the playing surface gets soggy.

Lewis is a top back with an excellent offensive line, while Arizona is a second-tier unit with some injury issues on the line. Advantage, Baltimore.

Carolina's Stephen Davis vs. The Indianapolis Defense (Good Matchup)

In his past two games, Stephen Davis has carried the ball 51 times for 312 yards and 2 TDs, with 5/41/0 receiving tacked on for good measure. Now that's a fantasy football running back. There is no question that Davis is the focus of the Panthers' attack.

Indianapolis had a hard time containing Michael Pittman on Monday Night Football, allowing him 106 yards on only 16 carries, and 33/139/0 to the Bucs as a team. For the season, the Colts are 20th in the league in terms of rushing yardage allowed per game (119.4), but are tied for the league lead by only surrendering 1 rushing score so far in 2003. ROLB David Thornton was the 3rd best fantasy LB week 5, with 10 solo tackles and 5 assists.

Indianapolis is dinged up - LB Jim Nelson is out with a injured collar bone, while DT Montae Reagor (knee) and LB David Thornton (thigh) are probable to play.

The game is in the RCA dome, so weather isn't a factor.

Davis has been an almost unstoppable force in 2003, while the Colts play bend-but-don't- break rush defense. That should lead to a lot of yards for Davis, but he may have a hard time putting up multiple TDs. As good as Davis has looked lately, we give him the nod in this matchup.

Cleveland's William Green vs. The Oakland Defense (Good Matchup)

0 rushing touchdowns, 0 receiving touchdowns - 102/349 rushing, 8/48 receiving this season (in 5 games). William Green and the Cleveland Browns' rushing attack are a major disappointment in 2003. In the last 3 weeks, Green is the 23rd ranked fantasy back with 64/209/0 rushing and 4/22/0 receiving - there just isn't much to get excited about as far as the Browns' rushing attack is concerned.

Oakland's defense let Anthony Thomas and Kordell Stewart beat them last week - they laid down for a fourth-quarter surge that was sparked by the Bears' running game (to the tune of 35/200/1 on the day). For the season, the Raiders are the 30th ranked rushing defense in the land, allowing 163.4 rushing yards per game on average, with 6 rushing scores surrendered so far. SLB Travian Smith led the defensive front and team last week with 8 solo tackles.

Cleveland is in good health on their unit, although T Barry Stokes ankle is flaring up (questionable). Oakland has missed starting LB Bill Romanowski (concussion - doubtful) lately, and reserve DL Sam Williams is struggling with a knee injury (questionable). DE John Parrella (groin) and DT Dana Stubblefield (ankle) are also questionable to play on Sunday.

The forecast for Cleveland Browns Stadium calls for a high of 59F and a low of 46F, with a 30% chance for rain. If the rain comes down hard, the football will get slick and the field could be treacherous come game time.

Cleveland's rushing attack has been stalled all year, but the Raiders may be just what the doctor ordered. This game will be one of the Browns' best opportunities to excel in 2003.

Denver's Clinton Portis vs. The Pittsburgh Defense (Good Matchup)

Portis was back last week in a big way, racking up 220 yards of combined offense, with 1 rushing score on 23/141 worth of work. - a robust 6.1 ypc average against the Chief's defense. Mike Anderson spelled Portis sparingly (4/14/0), and it appears that Portis is ready to resume full-time duties as the Broncos featured back.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, was making the struggling Browns' attack look good, allowing 33/115/0 to William Green and 40/124/1 to the Browns as a team. The Steelers now rank 8th in the NFL allowing an average of 93.6 rushing yards per game, and have coughed up 5 rushing scores this season. LB Kendrell Bell led the losing effort with 9 solo tackles and 2 assists.

Denver lists C Tom Nalen (knee) and T Ephraim Salaam (knee) as probable to play. LB Clint Kriewaldt is also probable to go despite his sore knee.

The forecast for Mile High Stadium calls for a high of 73F and a low of 49F, with a 10% chance for rain. It should be a fine day for a football game.

Clinton Portis is an elite back, while the Steelers have regressed from early success into mediocrity in this phase lately. Advantage, Denver.

Green Bay's Ahman Green vs. The Kansas City Defense (Good Matchup)

Ahman Green has 5 less yards from scrimmage and the same number of TDs (7) as Priest Holmes at this point in the season (Holmes is the top fantasy back in the NFL, but Green is a very close second). What's more, he is the hottest fantasy back in the land over the past 3 weeks, with 67/347/4 rushing and 11/54/0 receiving during that span (27/118/2 rushing last week vs. Seattle) - if you've got him, start him!

Kansas City's defense is improved over the 2002 version, but still gives up a bunch of rushing yards - 121.8 per game so far in 2003 (23rd in the NFL). They are tough to score on in the red-zone, with only 2 rushing TDs surrendered so far. Last week, the Bronco's backfield gouged them for 31/176/1, so the Chiefs are on a downswing coming into this game. ROLB Shawn Barber led the defensive front last week with 7 solo tackles.

Green Bay's reserve FB Nicholas Luchey continues to miss games thanks to his injured thumb. Starting LG Mike Wahle sprained his knee in the game last Sunday, but is to play this week. Reserve LB's Kawika Mitchell (hamstring - doubtful) and Monty Beisel (left shoulder - probable), reserve DL R-Kal Truluck (right ankle sprain - doubtful), starting DT John Browning (shoulder - probable), DE Vonnie Holliday (groin - questionable) and LB Fred Jones (foot - questionable) are hurting on the Chiefs' side of the line.

The forecast for Lambeau Field calls for a high of 52F and a low of 37F, with a 30% chance for precipitation. In the chill of autumn, wet conditions would lead to slick footballs and possibly treacherous footing, depending on how hard the precipitation falls and whether it is rain or sleet.

Green is an elite fantasy back, while the Chiefs are back on their heels a bit after the Denver game and pretty mediocre, even at their best. Advantage, Green Bay.

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

Another week, another 100+ combined-yards performance by Priest Holmes - 17/97/0 rushing and 4/14/0 receiving. The Kansas City star just keeps on performing - over the past 3 weeks, he has 57/276/2 rushing and 12/94/0 receiving, good for 4th among all fantasy RB's over that span. As a team, the Chiefs average 4.7 yards per carry in 2003, with 137/674. Holmes has failed to score a touchdown for two weeks in a row but we're not worried.

Green Bay's rush defense has been up and down to begin the season, and currently ranks 21st in the NFL allowing an average of 120 yards per game. The Packers have surrendered 4 rushing scores so far in 2003. Last week, the Packers performed exactly in line with their season average, allowing 23/128/1 to Shaun Alexander and company. MLB Nick Barnett led all fantasy LB's with 11 solo tackles, 1 assist and 1 sack during the game.

Green Bay's defensive front got beaten up last week, with starting NT Gilbert Brown injuring a knee, starting LDE Joe Johnson pulling a triceps muscle, starting WLB Na'il Diggs spraining a knee, reserve DL Chuckie Nwokorie injuring a knee, and reserve LB Paris Lenon also spraining a knee. Reserve DL Aaron Kampman missed the game due to his injured ankle. All the players are listed as questionable at this point in the week. Kansas City comes into the game relatively healthy, though T Willie Roaf has a sore thigh (probable). Holmes hip is also sore (probable).

Priest Holmes is one of the elite backs in the NFL, while Green Bays' defense hovers on the cusp of the bottom third in the league, and has several team members banged up right now. Advantage, Kansas City.

New England's Mike Cloud / Antowain Smith vs. The New York Giants' Defense (Good Matchup)

Antowain Smith got the chance to be a featured back again last week, and was doing a fine job of it (16/80/1 rushing, with a long of 19 yards, and 3/23/0 receiving) until he got shaken up in the 3rd quarter. Enter new addition Mike Cloud (fresh off a 4-week suspension), who grabbed the brass ring when he got the chance, exploding for 7/73/2 TDs, with a long run of 42 yards. In all, the Patriots racked up 27/161/3 vs. the Titans last week - and Tennessee is ranked in the top 5 NFL defenses at defending the run this season. How the RBBC in New England will be affected by the addition of Cloud to the mix is something we'll have to wait and see - remember, Kevin Faulk could be back this week, too - he was listed as questionable last week.

The Giants' rush defense is solid but unspectacular this year, allowing 101.3 yards per game on average (13th in the NFL), while only surrendering 3 rushing scores so far. Last week, the Giants smothered Ricky Williams (22/39/1 TD), but gave up a long end-around to James McKnight (1/68/1). LDE Michael Strahan was 3rd among all defensive linemen last week in FP, with 6 solo tackles, 3 assists, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble.

Besides Faulk's leg injury (questionable), the Patriots have been playing without starting RT Adrian Klemm, who is nursing an ankle injury (doubtful). FB Fred McCrary is questionable to play with a knee injury, and Antowain Smith's shoulder is sore (questionable) The Giants' starting unit is good to go, although backup DT William Joseph is questionable with a foot problem.

The forecast for Gillette Stadium calls for a high of 66F and a low of 46F, with a 30% chance for rain. If the rain comes down hard, ball handling and footing could become issues on Sunday.

The Patriots are in the top ten as a team rushing the ball (144/581 for a ypc average of 4.0), but it isn't clear who may see the most balls this week, given Clouds' stellar performance last week. The Giants are in the middle of the NFL in this phase. We give the home team credit for good fans, and think the Patriots have an edge in this matchup.

New York Giants' Tiki Barber vs. The New England Defense (Good Matchup)

So much for Tiki Barber being spelled by Delvin Joyce - Barber carried the ball 20 times for 71 yards and a score Sunday, while Joyce saw the ball 3 times for 6 yards. Barber also added 4/28 through the air, so he just missed 100 combined yards on the day. Barber also saw all the red-zone carries and finally got into the end-zone for the first time in 2003. Over the last 3 weeks, Barber is the 14th-ranked fantasy back in FP scored, with 48/197/1 and 8/46/0 in 2 games (most of the other backs ahead of him have 3 games under their belt).

New England's rush defense doesn't surrender a ton of yards, ranking 9th in the NFL allowing only 91.6 rushing yards per game on average - but, they can be scored on in this phase, proven by the 7 rushing TDs they have given up in 2003. Even the anemic rushing attack of the Titans managed to punch in 2 rushing scores (by McNair), while only mustering 70 yards rushing as a team. SS Rodney Harrison led the team with 9 solo tackles and 2 assists last week.

New York's unit comes into the game in relatively good health. New England's defense is battered, with starting LB's Ted Johnson (foot - out), Willie McGinest (neck - questionable) and Mike Vrabel (arm - doubtful) all missing last week's game, along with starting DT Ted Washington (broken leg - out). Johnson and Washington are out this week for sure, Vrabel and McGinest may not be available.

The forecast for Gillette Stadium calls for a high of 66F and a low of 46F, with a 30% chance for rain. If the rain comes down hard, ball handling and footing could become issues on Sunday.

Barber is having a very productive season, and comes into this game going strong. New England limits yardage, but is vulnerable in the red-zone - advantage, New York.

San Francisco's Garrison Hearst / Kevan Barlow vs. The Seattle Defense (Good Matchup)

Garrison Hearst has been seeing the lions' share of the carries over the last 3 weeks (41/148/0 rushing and 9/51/0 receiving vs. Barlow's 25/110/0 rushing and 4/36/0 receiving), and he has been targeted for twice as many passes in 2003 (18 for 13 receptions yielding 107 yards and 1 TD, vs. Barlow's 9 targets for 8/74/0). It appears that Hearst is becoming more of a focus, while Barlow is slipping into more of a "role-player" situation - that's good news for Hearst owners, but bad news for Barlow partisans. Anyway, last week, Hearst was 19/74/0 vs. Detroit, with 1 reception for 10 yards (2 targets), while Barlow went for 7/24/0 rushing and 2/33/0 receiving (2 targets).

Seattle's defense had been hard to score on in 2003, until they stepped in front of the Mack truck a.k.a. the Packers at home in Lambeau field. The Seahawks were ran over for 35/159/3 (a 4.5 ypc average), and got blown out 35-13. WLB Chad Brown led the defensive front with 8 solo tackles, but it wasn't nearly enough to divert Ahman Green. For the season, the Seahawks are the 17th ranked rush defense allowing an average of 107.5 yards per game, with 4 score surrendered, so far.

San Francisco's starting LG Eric Heitmann missed last week's game due to his injured ankle (probable). C Jeremy Newberry is also nursing a sore ankle (probable), T Derrick Deese (ankle) and Garrison Hearst (leg/knee) are both probable to play as well. Seattle's backup LB Orlando Huff is sidelined due to a high ankle sprain (questionable).

The forecast for Seahawk's Stadium calls for a high of 63F and a low of 52F, with a 30% chance for rain. If the rains come, ball-handling could be an issue and the field could get slick (depending on how hard it rains).

San Francisco has a top-ten rushing attack, and the Seahawks are unspectacular at run defense, especially after last week's meltdown. Advantage, San Francisco.

Tampa Bay's Michael Pittman vs. The Washington Defense (Good Matchup)

Michael Pittman was having a heck of a game on Monday Night Football (16/106/0 and 4/35/0 receiving), until he left the game with a leg problem in the 4th quarter. His team went on to lose in the face of a furious Colts' comeback. The problem was identified as cramps rather than an injury, a relief for the Bucs because Alstott / Stecker / Jones did not get the job done once Pittman went down. Over the last 3 weeks, Pittman is on a tear, with 36/188/0 rushing and 11/117/1 receiving in only 2 games (9th in FP among all fantasy backs for that time period).

Washington's rush defense is solidly mediocre in 2003, averaging 102.4 yards allowed per game (15th in the NFL), and they have surrendered 4 rushing scores so far in 2003. Philadelphia's consortium of backs put up 30/121/1 against the 'Skins last week - not a very impressive performance by Washington at all, considering how badly the Eagles were struggling in this phase coming into the game. LB LaVar Arrington led the defensive front with 5 solo tackles and 1 assist last week.

Aside from Pittman's woes, Mike Alstott was just placed on IR due to his mysterious neck condition. No details on the exact nature of the problem so far, but its bad enough to end his season. Aaron Stecker has a sore knee (probable). Washington comes into this game relatively healthy.

The forecast for FedEx Field calls for a high of 72F and a low of 47F, with a 30% chance for rain. If the rain comes down hard, ball handling will be more difficult and the field could get slick in spots.

Pittman has been doing really well lately - if he can play, the Bucs have a good shot at a productive day. However, if he comes out of the game again this week, expect the Bucs to struggle. For now, we call it a good matchup, but pay attention to Pittman's status, especially in light of the Alstott injury.

Atlanta's T.J. Duckett / Warrick Dunn vs. The St. Louis Defense (Neutral Matchup)

The game-plan in Atlanta seems to be evolving into a RBBC, with T.J. Duckett seeing the majority of carries (11/69/0 vs. 3/15/1 for Dunn), while Warrick Dunn sees more opportunities in the passing game (6/83/0 vs. 2/10/0 for Duckett). The approach helped generate some scoring last week, so it's good news for fantasy owners from that perspective. However, it doesn't look like either guy is going to see the ball 20+ times a game as things stand right now. As a team, the Falcons are the 18th ranked rushing offense in the NFL, with 111/474 (a respectable 4.3 ypc average).

St. Louis was on bye last week, and went into their rest upbeat after spanking Arizona 37-13, while smothering Emmitt Smith and company to the tune of 14/36/1. For the season, the Rams rank as the 16th rush defense in the NFL, allowing 107.3 rushing yards per game, and only giving away 3 rushing scores so far in 2003. That's fairly decent play, so far.

St. Louis has DE Courtland Bullard (hamstring) and LB Robert Thomas (groin) are both questionable to play. Atlanta's starting LG Travis Claridge sprained his right knee last week (questionable), and RG Kynan Forney (not listed) dinged his shoulder.

This game is being held in the Edward Jones Dome, so weather isn't a factor.

Atlanta's rushing attack is dangerous at times, and flat at others, while the Rams are solidly mediocre in this phase of the game. It looks like a toss up to us before the fact.

Indianapolis' Rushing Attack vs. The Carolina Defense (Neutral Matchup)

There are two distinctly different possible outcomes of this matchup as of this writing - either Edgerrin James' back is healthy by Sunday, and he is the featured back vs. Carolina, or the tandem of Ricky Williams and James Mungro will try and crack the Panthers' defensive front. Williams and Mungro proved Monday night that they can run well against the best - 13/56/2 for Williams, and 6/20/1 for Mungro vs. the Buccaneers' vaunted defense. Stay tuned as the weekend approaches if you are a James owner.

Carolina's defense is much like Indianapolis in this phase of the game, allowing a generous 108.5 rushing yards per game to the opposition, but a miserly 1 rushing TD so far in 2003. Deuce McAllister and company rang up 29/155/0 vs. the Panthers last week, so the Carolina squad isn't at the top of its game at the moment. MLB Dan Morgan led the defense with 6 solo tackles and 3 assists.

Indianapolis lists James as questionable at this point, while T Tarik Glenn (knee) is also questionable to play. C Jeff Saturday (back) and G Steve Sciullo (foot) are both probable to play, as is backup RB Dominic Rhodes (knee). DT Brentson Buckner has a sore knee (questionable) while starting MLB Dan Morgan (hamstring) and backup LB Mike Caldwell (knee) are probable to play.

The game is in the RCA dome, so weather isn't a factor.

Carolina is tough to score on, but the Colts have shown they can perform against the best. We see this as a neutral matchup on the Colts' home turf.

Jacksonville's Fred Taylor vs. The Miami Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Fred Taylor obviously benefited from the return of Jimmy Smith - 27/87/1 rushing and 3/77/1 receiving placed him at # 1 among all fantasy backs last week. Taylor is the 3rd best fantasy back over the past 3 weeks, with 63/280/2 rushing and 10/115/1 receiving during that span. He's definitely on a tear. For the season, the Jaguars are averaging only 3.9 yards per carry (134/524), which is lower than we'd like to see - but Taylor's fantasy numbers aren't being impacted so far.

Miami did a decent job last week vs. Tiki Barber, 20/71/1 with 4/28/0 receiving - they didn't shut him down, but he didn't victimize the Dolphins, either. Miami is 3rd in the league this season allowing an average of only 66.5 rushing yards per game (and have given up only 1 rushing score in the early going). WLB Junior Seau led the team with 11 solo tackles and 2 assists, but pulled a hamstring in the game and is questionable for this matchup.

Setting aside Seau's problem (questionable), the Dolphins also list DT Tim Bowens (hand - questionable), starting DE Jason Taylor (quadriceps - probable) and backup LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (abdomen - probable). Jacksonville enjoys good health heading into the game.

The forecast for ALLTEL Stadium calls for a high of 82F and a low of 64F, with a 10% chance for rain. That's good football weather, if the forecast holds up.

Fred Taylor is one of the elite backs in fantasy football, while Miami sports a top-shelf run defense. If Seau sits, there is a chink in the Dolphins' armor, but it's a small one. This one looks pretty even to us as things stand.

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

Ricky Williams saw plenty of action last week vs. New York's Giants - 22 carries and 2 receptions - unfortunately, he only translated those opportunities into 39 yards rushing (with 1 TD) and 20 yards receiving. That's not exactly a dominating performance. In his past 2 games, Williams has 64/192/2 rushing and 5/16/0 receiving - good, but not stellar, numbers. Miami as a team has rushed 140 times for 573 yards (a 4.1 ypc average) this season.

Jacksonville, meanwhile, finally contrived to win a game - and in the course of doing so, they limited LaDainian Tomlinson to 10/38/0 rushing (the Chargers put up 13/69/0 as a team). WLB T.J. Slaughter led the team with 5 solo tackles, 1 assist and 1 sack on the day. For the season, the Jaguars are the 6th best rush defense in the NFL, allowing only 83.4 yards rushing per game on average, with 5 rushing scores surrendered so far in 2003.

Miami is missing their starting OT Mark Dixon (ankle surgery - out) and their starting C Tim Ruddy (knee surgery - questionable) - their line is a little thin right now. G Jamie Nails (shin) and T Wade Smith (elbow) are probable to play. FB Rob Konrad is also sore (knee - probable). Jacksonville missed two backup LB's - Eric Westmoreland (knee -- doubtful) and Shannon Taylor (calf - not listed this week) last week, and starting LB Mike Peterson is questionable with a rib injury.

The forecast for ALLTEL Stadium calls for a high of 82F and a low of 64F, with a 10% chance for rain. That's good football weather, if the forecast holds up.

Ricky Williams is one of the best backs around (despite his poor showing last week), but his OL has injury issues at the moment. Jacksonville plays tough D, and is circling the wagons at home. It looks like a neutral matchup from where we sit.

Oakland's Charlie Garner/Tyrone Wheatley vs. The Cleveland Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Oakland lost to Chicago because they couldn't convert scoring opportunities into TDs. Anytime your kicker boots 5/6 field goals, you are struggling in the red-zone as a team. Garner didn't have a bad day (15/92/0 rushing, 1/3/0 receiving), but he just couldn't find the end-zone. Wheatley was OK as a role player - 6/21/0 rushing with 1/16/0 receiving - and Zack Crockett punched in a goal-line plunge. However, this team just isn't scoring enough points. The dearth of scoring explains why Garner is the 21st ranked fantasy RB over the past 3 weeks - 31/171/1 rushing and 3/9/0 receiving - and he just isn't seeing enough action in the passing game right now, either.

Cleveland's defense, meanwhile, stuffed the Steelers practically all day long last week (18/60/1 as a team rushing) and generally manhandled the Pittsburgh attack. For the season, the Browns rank as the 26th rush defense in the NFL, allowing an average of 125 rushing yards per game - but only 3 rushing scores so far in 2003. Courtney Brown was 2nd among all DL players in FP with 2 solo tackles, 1 assist, 2 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery last week.

Oakland has been missing the services of starting T Lincoln Kennedy (calf - questionable) and backup OL Matt Stinchcomb (shoulder - questionable). Wheatley has a sore back (questionable), and Ronney Jenkins' ankle is still sore (questionable). Cleveland's front 7 are in good health at this point in the season.

Oakland's once-great offense is coming unglued before our eyes, while the Browns' once-struggling defense is starting to come to life. This looks like a neutral matchup to our eyes.

Seattle's Shaun Alexander vs. The San Francisco Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Shaun Alexander did his part vs. Green Bay last week, turning in the 10th best fantasy RB performance with 20/102/1 rushing and 3/13/0 receiving. Over the past 2 games, he has been up and down, with a poor showing vs. St. Louis week 3 (14/58/0 rushing with 3/8/0 receiving). As a team, the Seahawks are the 17th ranked rushing attack in 2003, with 108/505 (a robust 4.7 ypc average).

San Francisco's rush defense is pretty good this season, currently ranking 4th in the league allowing only 76 rushing yards a game and only 3 TDs - part of the story here, though, is that the D has given up 10 passing scores, so their problems in the secondary are making the run defense look better than it may actually be. Olandis Gary and Shawn Bryson combined for 20/84/1 vs. the 49'ers last week, and they aren't exactly a high-octane duo of backs.

Seattle's starting RT Floyd Womack is struggling with an injured toe (out). Shaun Alexander has an ankle injury but he is probable to play on Sunday. San Francisco's starting LB Jamie Winborn strained his neck last week, but is expected to play as usual this week. LB Jeff Ulbrich is questionable due to a concussion.

Seattle's rushing attack is solid (if unspectacular at points), while San Francisco is pretty stout, too. That sounds like an even matchup to us, given that Seattle enjoys home field advantage.

Washington's Trung Canidate / Ladell Betts / Rock Cartwright vs. The Tampa Bay Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Washington's trio of backs did not fare well against the Eagles, compiling 31 yards rushing on 16 carries. Ladell Betts injured his shoulder in the game, to boot. As a team, the Redskins managed 21/49/1 (QB Patrick Ramsey accounted for the TD). It was an atypically bad day for the team, which had been playing well in this phase during 2003 - 10th in the NFL with 137/574 (a 4.2 ypc average).

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, got trampled by the Colts' second-and-third stringers, giving up 22/74/3 TDs - the Bucs had only surrendered 1 rushing TD all year, up to Monday night. For the season, the Buccaneers are surprisingly soft in this phase, allowing an average of 98.8 rushing yards per game (12th in the NFL to this point in the season). MLB Nate Webster led the defensive front with 3 solo tackles and 9 assists in the losing cause.

Washington has been going without starting LG Dave Fiore in recent weeks, due to his injured knee (probable) while G Randy Thomas is listed as questionable due to a knee injury. RB Ladell Betts (shoulder) is probable to play. Tampa Bay came out of the Indianapolis disaster sound physically, and may get LB Shelton Quarles back (elbow/forearm - questionable).

Washington had been running the ball well, up until last week. Tampa Bay had been difficult to score on in this phase, up until last week. Given that Washington has home-field advantage, we call this one a neutral matchup.

Arizona's Marcel Shipp vs. The Baltimore Defense (Tough Matchup)

Emmitt Smith is out indefinitely due to a broken shoulder blade, so Marcel Shipp is once again the man in Arizona. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry last year, 188/844, and added 420 yards receiving as well, so he has been able to get the job done in the past (9 TDs last year). He didn't have much luck vs. Dallas last week, though, carrying the ball only 9 times for 31 yards after Smith went down.

Baltimore's defense is striving to get better, and currently ranks 14th in the NFL allowing an average of 102.3 rushing yards per game. They have only given up 2 rushing scores all season, so they are very tough in the red-zone. Two weeks ago, Priest Holmes couldn't find the end-zone against them (22/90/0 rushing, 4/13/0 receiving) - the Ravens were playing well heading into the bye-week.

Baltimore had a week off to rest up, and is good to go. Arizona has depth problems in the WR stable (several guys out due to injury, including #2 starter Bryant Johnson), and starting RG Leonard Davis has struggled to stay in the lineup in recent weeks.

Given the injury problems at WR, it would be no surprise to see the Ravens stack the line and dare the Cardinals to pass the ball. Shipp is a decent back, but the Ravens sport a solid rush defense that is hard to score on - Advantage, Baltimore.

Dallas' Troy Hambrick vs. The Philadelphia Defense (Tough Matchup)

Troy Hambrick came back down to earth last week, with an unimpressive 23/59/0 (1/8/0 receiving) performance against the Arizona Cardinals. He was given the ball a lot, but just didn't convert his carries into much production. Over the last 3 weeks, Hambrick has been up and down, totaling 47/186/1 with 2/14/0 receiving over 2 games. Two of his starting OL went out of commission briefly on Sunday (G Larry Allen tweaked his tender knee and C Andre Gurode injured and ankle), but they weren't out long enough to explain away Hambrick's regression to mediocrity.

Philadelphia's rush defense is tops in the NFL right now, only allowing 55.5 yards per game on the ground per game, and limiting the opposition to 2 rushing scores in 2003. The Redskins only managed 21/49/1 last week - nothing to write home about. LB Mark Simoneau was the 5th best IDP LB last week, with 7 tackles, 3 assists and 1 sack in the game.

Philadelphia is still waiting on DL Jerome McDougle to make it back onto the playing field (ankle/knee - doubtful) and reserve LB Keith Adams is dealing with a concussion (probable). DT Corey Simon (back), LB Nate Wayne (hip) and DE Brandon Whiting (hamstring) are all probable to play. Dallas should be in good shape come Sunday.

The forecast for Texas Stadium calls for a high of 78F and a low of 57F, with a 10% chance for rain. It should be a great day to play football.

Philly plays great in this phase of the game, and Hambrick brings to the table average talent on his best days. Advantage, Philadelphia.

New York Jets' Curtis Martin vs. The Buffalo Defense (Tough Matchup)

The only thing more tragic-comic than the Jets' rush defense is their rushing offense, which is just lame in 2003. They are dead last in the league as a team in rushing offense, with 79 rushes for 209 yards (a 2.8 ypc average). Curtis Martin is the 37th ranked fantasy back so far in 2003 (61/197/0 rushing and 13/76/0 receiving in 4 games). There is no bright spot to be found for the Jets in this phase of the game.

Buffalo sports a new-look defense that has been up and down in this phase of the game during 2003, currently ranking 23rd in the NFL allowing an average of 121.8 rushing yards per game, with 5 rushing scores surrendered. Cincinnati (sans Corey Dillon) managed only 27/67/1 last week (2.5 ypc), so the Bills are coming into this game off a strong performance.

The Jets were on bye last week, and should be generally healthy week 6. Buffalo's starting DT Sam Adams suffered a leg contusion on Sunday, but should be good to go this week (questionable).

The Jets stink at running the ball, and the Bills are playing well in this phase of late. Advantage, Buffalo.

Pittsburgh's Amos Zereoue vs. The Denver Defense (Tough Matchup)

Pittsburgh's offense is suddenly experiencing a power-outage, only managing 13 points in two consecutive games week 4 and week 5. Amos Zereoue has done fairly well as a fantasy back under those trying circumstances, with 47/158/1 rushing and 14/134/0 receiving during the past 3 weeks (10th best fantasy RB in the NFL). He was 13/38/0 rushing with a team-best 7 receptions for 57 yards (0 scores) last week - Jerome Bettis stole the team's sole TD away from Zereoue, though (3/8/1).

Denver's defense looked OK against Kansas City's offense, containing Priest Holmes and denying him the end-zone (17/97/0 rushing and 4/14/0 receiving), but they gave up ground at the clip of 5.5 yards per carry (24/133/0). For the season, the Broncos rank as the 10th best rush defense in the NFL, allowing only 97.6 yards per game on average, and a stingy 1 rushing score so far in 2003. Last week, LB's Ian Gold (6 solo tackles) and Al Wilson (5 solo tackles) led the defensive front's effort.

Denver continues to wait for starting DT Daryl Gardener to get his wrist back to 100% (questionable), while DT Monsanto Pope has a sore ankle (probable). Pittsburgh's starting LT Marvel Smith re-injured his tender shoulder last week - it has been an ongoing problem for him since training camp (out).

The forecast for Mile High Stadium calls for a high of 73F and a low of 49F, with a 10% chance for rain. It should be a fine day for a football game.

Zereoue keeps finding ways to rack up yardage, even when his team is struggling. Denver will be stout, as usual, so this looks like a tough challenge for the Steelers, given their struggles at the present time.

Tennessee's Eddie George / Steve McNair vs. The Houston Defense (Tough Matchup)

Eddie George averages 2.7 (90/244) yards per carry in 2003. Steve McNair has a slightly better 3.5 average (14/49), but has scored 2 times vs. Georges' single rushing TD. As a team, the Titans are 28th in the league, with 131/344 yards so far in 2003, with a measly 2.6 ypc average this season. Those are some grim numbers for George owners, folks. 11/21/0 and 1/-3/0 was what George managed in the game vs. Pittsburgh in week 4, followed up by 15/35/0 and 2/13/0 last week vs. New England.

Houston is a mediocre rush defense this season, ranking 19th in the NFL allowing 110.8 yards per game on average, with 5 rushing scores surrendered so far this year. Fred Taylor and company put up 22/79/1 against the Texans in week 4.

Both teams come into the game relatively healthy, although DE Gary Walker still has a sore toe (probable).

The forecast for The Coliseum calls for a high of 71F and a low of 44F, with a 30% chance for precipitation. If the rain comes down hard, ball handling will be an issue, and footing could be a problem if the field gets slick.

George is getting no help from his OL, and looks plain old slow. Houston plays mediocre defense in this phase, but they are looking better than George and company at this point of the season.

Houston's Stacey Mack / Domanick Davis vs. The Tennessee Defense (Bad Matchup)

Stacey Mack is the 33rd ranked fantasy back in 2003, with 69/198/1 rushing and 8/49/0 receiving. The Texans' change of pace/3rd down back, Domanick Davis, ranks 53rd with 28/112/0 and 6/68/0. At least they will be fresh this week, coming off a bye. Mack did manage to score in the week 4 game vs. Jacksonville, as did David Carr, so they are seeing some sort of surge out of their OL lately (37/110/2 as a team in the game).

Tennessee, meanwhile, plays stout rush defense (ranked 5th in the NFL currently), allowing only 82.8 yards per game, with 5 rushing scores allowed so far in 2003. Last week, the Titans smothered the Steeler's attack (25/69/1), so they are playing up to the standard their average implies at the moment. RDE Jevon Kearse was the 5th best fantasy DL last week, with 3 solo tackles, 1 assist, 2 sacks and 1 forced fumble.

Tennessee expects starting LB Peter Sirmon (back) and starting DT Albert Haynesworth to remain sidelined due to their injuries this week (regardless of the fact they are listed as questionable on the injury report). Houston lists G Milford Brown as questionable due to his knee injury, while C Steve McKinney is probable to play despite a sore knee.

Mack and Davis are at the bottom of the NFL heap in 2003, Tennessee is at the top. Don't expect much from the Texans in the Titan's house.

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

The three-headed monster that is the Eagles attack managed to find a few seams in the defense last week, and helped their club squeak past Washington 27-25. Brian Westbrook led the charge with 11/64/1 with a long run of 19 (and 4/15/0 receiving), while Duce Staley contributed 10/36/0 rushing. Correll Buckhalter left the game with a knee bruise. As a team, the Eagles put up a respectable 4.0 ypc average (30/121/1). For the year, the Eagles are 96/518 (a 5.4 ypc average) - somebody is finding room to roam, but unfortunately no one back is the unquestioned "featured" back, limiting the Eagles' backs utility as fantasy players. Over the past 3 weeks, Westbrook has been the top performer, with 22/160/2 rushing and 5/20/0 receiving in 2 games.

Dallas has come out of the blocks very strong in 2003, and currently rank 2nd in the NFL at run defense, allowing only 62.3 rushing yards per game, with a miserly 1 rushing score allowed all season long. The Cowboys have not allowed a 100 yard rusher in 9 consecutive games dating back to last year. The Cardinals only mustered 18/32/0 amongst the whole team last week, and Emmitt Smith was knocked out for several weeks with a broken shoulder blade. MLB Dat Nguyen led the charge with 5 solo tackles and 1 assist last week.

Besides Buckhalter's bruised knee (questionable), the Eagles' starting G Jermane Mayberry has a bad elbow (questionable), and T Jon Runyan's back is flaring up (probable). Dallas' unit is also in fine fettle for a game.

The forecast for Texas Stadium calls for a high of 78F and a low of 57F, with a 10% chance for rain. It should be a great day to play football.

The Eagles finally got something going last week, but they face a real up-hill battle against the tenacious and nasty Dallas defensive front this week.