Upgrades

Most upgrades this week reflect teams that need to win. Many teams have already locked up their playoff seed and could be resting many skill positions at halftime.

QB Jake Delhomme (Car) - The Panthers must win this week to continue their playoff drive. Couple that with Delhomme's string of excellent games makes him a must play this week. Playing against the Saints is just a bonus.

Bengals QB (Carson Palmer or Jon Kitna) - The Eagles will be resting people in the 2nd half so the Bengals offense could be huge this weekend. Just keep an eye on Palmer's recovery.

QB Vinny Testaverde (Dal) - The Giants defense has been decimated with injuries so Testaverde should have a good outing in the last regular season game of the 2004 season.

QB Jake Plummer (Den) - The Colts pass defense isn't that bad, but Indianapolis has nothing to play for beyond pride. The Broncos are in a must-win situation so Plummer should have a very good showing.

QB Chad Pennington (NYJ) - The Jets will be looking to close the regular season strong and should have an easy time against the Rams defense.

QB Tommy Maddox (Pit) - He is expected to get the start in week 17.

*** Waiver wire - QB Trent Dilfer (Sea) - Dilfer could start and would play well against the average Falcons pass defense. If the Rams lose tonight, Hasselbeck will most likely sit to rest up for the playoffs. That would make Dilfer a solid option in week 17.

RB Nick Goings (Car) - The Saints have been terrible against the run this season so Goings should have an excellent day for Carolina.

RB Thomas Jones (Chi) - The Packers are a winning team this season in spite of their defense. Jones has struggled down the stretch, but he should have ample opportunity for success against a Green Bay team with nothing to play for.

RB Rudi Johnson (Cin) - The Eagles will be resting people in the 2nd half so the Bengals offense could be huge this weekend.

RB Lee Suggs (Cle) - Suggs was the entire ground Cleveland ground game in week 16, and there is no reason to believe anything different will occur against the Texans.

RB Domanick Davis (Hou) - Davis had a great day against a very good Jaguars defense. He should excel this week against the pitiful Browns.

*** Waiver wire - RB Dominic Rhodes (Ind) - The Colts know a healthy James is needed in the playoffs. Rhodes will get many 2nd half looks this weekend.

RBs Fred Taylor & Greg Jones (Jac) - If he is healthy enough to play, Taylor could explode against the hapless Raiders defense. If Taylor can not go, Jones will be the beneficiary of this excellent matchup.

RB Michael Bennett (Min) - He has reclaimed the starting job back with solid outings the last two weeks. We don't see a let up here.

*** Waiver wire - RB Verron Haynes (Pit) - You have to figure that Bettis and Staley will be used sparingly (if at all) in week 17 so that leaves Haynes with an enormous opportunity to excel.

*** Waiver wire - RB Jesse Chatman (SD) - San Diego has nothing to play for so Tomlinson will see plenty of bench time. Chatman will have every chance to perform well.

*** Waiver wire - RB Ladell Betts (Was) - Here's a waiver wire pick that could be golden. If Clinton Portis is out, Betts could be huge against the poor Vikings defense.

WR Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) - The guy just keeps scoring and scoring. The team is playing for next season so there is no reason to believe Fitzgerald will slow down.

WR Lee Evans (Buf) - Evans has been huge opposite Moulds. The Bills are in a must-win situation so Evans should continue to produce quality numbers.

WR Chad Johnson & T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Cin) - The Eagles will be resting people in the 2nd half so the Bengals offense could be huge this weekend.

WR Jimmy Smith (Jac) - Although he stunk up the joint against the Texans, Smith should have no problem closing the regular season with a solid showing against the Raiders.

WRs Deion Branch, David Givens, & David Patten (NE) - Of course New England spreads the ball around so much that it makes it a bit risky to count one of their WRs, the matchup against the 49ers is far too tempting. If you are looking for a guy to round out your starting lineup, throw in a Patriot WR.

*** Waiver wire - WR Reshaun Woods (SF) - The 49ers want to take a good look at this kid, and Brandon Lloyd is banged up. If you are desperate for another WR, Woods should certainly be available.

TE Jason Witten (Dal) - Witten played well against the tough Redskins defense and could explode against the injury-plagued Giants pass defense.

TE L.J. Smith (Phi) - With Owens on the sidelines, Smith will be expected to pick up the scoring slack. He should respond well to the challenge.

TE Chris Cooley (Was) - Cooley has an excellent matchup this weekend against the Vikings.

DT Baltimore Ravens (Bal) - The Ravens at home against the Dolphins will make for a happy new year.

DT Buffalo Bills (Buf) - With everything on the line for Buffalo and likely no Roethlisberger for Pittsburgh, the Bills defense could be huge this weekend.

DT New England Patriots (NE) - It doesn't seem right that these two dominating defenses could have such appealing matchups to close out the regular season. The Patriots should easily contain the 49ers.

Downgrades

QB Michael Vick (Atl) - Vick means everything to this team so don't expect him to play more than a half of football this weekend.

QB Peyton Manning (Ind) - Tony Dungy says that the Colts starters will play a good part of the game, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Manning play only a series or two into the 2nd half. However, this is a cautious downgrade as Manning has shown the ability to score multiple TDs in only a half of football.

QB Daunte Culpepper (Min) - The Redskins have been a major disappointment this season, but their defense is strong. Culpepper at Washington is not a good matchup. Benching him would be a stretch, but his numbers will be smaller than normal.

QB Donovan McNabb (Phi) - McNabb means everything to this team so don't expect him to play more than a half of football this weekend.

QB Matt Hasselbeck (Sea) - He was a very late scratch in week 16 and could see little or no action in week 17 as well. If the Rams lose tonight, Seattle will have nothing to play for so Dilfer will take most of the snaps.

RB Edgerrin James (Ind) - The Broncos have everything riding on this game while James is needed in the playoffs. That likely spells poor fantasy production.

RB Sammy Morris (Mia) - Morris facing the Ravens defense in Baltimore is not the stuff that fantasy titles are made of.

RB Brian Westbrook (Phi) - Westbrook is a huge part of this offense with Owens on the sideline. The Eagles know this and will use him sparingly this weekend as they rest their stars for the playoffs.

RBs Jerome Bettis & Duce Staley (Pit) - With the top seed locked up, the Steelers will certainly rest these two guys against the Bills.

RB Clinton Portis (Was) - He was unable to finish the week 16 game due to his injured chest. With nothing to play for, it wouldn't be surprising to see Betts be the team's primary runner this weekend.

WR Donald Driver (GB) - Driver will likely use week 17 to get healthy for the playoffs.

WR Randy Moss (Min) - It would be folly to bench Moss, but he still doesn't look completely over his hamstring injury. He will likely struggle against the excellent Redskins defense.

WR Jerry Porter (Oak) - The Jaguars were flat in week 16, but they should provide a good deal of resistance to the Oakland passing game. Porter will struggle to put up good numbers.

WR Brandon Lloyd (SF) - He's hobbled and the team wants to see Reshaun Woods in action.

TE Bubba Franks (GB) - In a strange statistical quirk, Chicago is average against WRs but stellar against TEs. Franks would be a bad play this weekend.

TEs Dallas Clark & Marcus Pollard (Ind) - The Broncos have been absolutely brutal against opposing TEs. If you have another option, go with it.

DT San Diego Chargers (SD) - The Chargers face a Chiefs offense that has nothing to play for. Of course neither do the Chargers so it should be a wild day.