Quarterbacks

Kerry Collins (Oak) - Collins took full advantage of an excellent matchup and completed 27 of 41 passes for 343 yard and 3 TDs (no INTs) against the defensively challenged KC Chiefs, but he also lost starting WR Ron Curry in the process. Curry's injury puts a damper on the Raiders performance in the passing game. He had developed into Collin's go-to receiver, especially on 3rd downs. Collins has an excellent schedule the rest of the season during the fantasy playoffs and could be a nice quick-fix. If you are in a keeper league, then Collins make sense as well since he'll likely return to the Raiders as their starting QB even if they go QB with their first pick in April's draft. The next four weeks include traveling to Atlanta next week, followed by Tennessee at home, then at KC and finishing against the Jaguars at home. Not a bad matchup amongst the four with outstanding matchups the next three weeks, particularly in weeks 15 and 16 against the Titans and Chiefs.

Carson Palmer (Cin) - Palmer continues to emerge as a viable fantasy option after leading the Bengals to a 17 point come-from-behind victory against the mighty Ravens defense. Palmer completed 29 out of 36 passes for 382 yds with 3 TDs and 1 INT on the road. There's no question Palmer has talented weapons to work with and he looks like one of a few QBs poised to make a big step forward in 2005. For the rest of the year he'll continue to face some tough defenses with the Patriots, Bills and Eagles remaining. Then again A.J. Feeley threw for 300 yards and 3 TDs against the Bills (with 5 INTs, too) so maybe Palmer will find some success against them in week 15.

Billy Volek (Ten) - The McNair retirement talk continues as he missed this week's game against the Colts. Volek once again did a solid job in McNair's place completing 21 passes in 35 attempts for 269 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. If Volek remains the starter next week or for the rest of the season - and it's likely to be something in between those two in all likelihood - then he's a solid option to consider. Next week is at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. By all means that is an excellent fantasy matchup making Volek potentially a top 5 or 10 QB for the week. The next two weeks will be slightly tougher at Oakland and then at home vs Denver. They close the season at home against the Lidowns, another solid matchup indeed. From a keeper/dynasty league perspective Volek deserves a look for those of you McNair owners. I personally added Volek in one dynasty league to protect myself if McNair does actually follow through with his retirement talk. Volek is signed through next season with the Titans.

Chris Chandler (Stl) - Marc Bulger sprained his shoulder in the early going against the 49ers forcing Chandelier into the game. Chandler finished the game and went 18 for 27 for 216yds with 1 TD and 1 INT on the day. If  Bulger misses any extended time or even next week's game then Chandler becomes a consideration in your lineup as a player to pick up off waivers and insert in your lineup if your alternatives aren't pretty. The Rams are at Carolina next week followed by a road game in Arizona for week 15 and two homes games to finish the season against Philly and the NY Jets. Not an outstanding series of matchups, but the Rams are likely to produce passing yards and a TD or two in most games anyway. With Chandler it's also managing the risk of him starting, but not finishing games, too. The Panthers, Eagles, Jets and even the Cardinals all have a pass rush good enough that you'll need to take that into consideration with Chandler. Otherwise, if Bulger is able to return next week, then Chandler's not even a waiver wire consideration.

Drew Bledsoe (Buf) - Bledsoe put on a clinic against the tough Dolphins pass defense throwing for 277 yards and completing 19 out of 30 passes for 4 TDs. Lee Evans caught 2 of the TDs as he continues to emerge as a  viable big play threat as a rookie. Bledsoe and Evans seem to be connecting more and more lately. The Bills offense has improved in the 2nd half of the season and figures to have more success in the coming weeks with games against the Browns, Bengals, 49ers and then a home game against the tough Steelers defense. Otherwise, Bledsoe is a nice 2nd option to have on your bench for the next three weeks since all of those games are for the most part favorable matchups.

Patrick Ramsey (Was) - Amazingly sharp and accurate against the Giants. Ramsey completed 19 out of 22 passes for 174 yards and 3 TDs. It also goes to show what establishing a running game can do for an offense and a QB's efficiency. Ramsey doesn't look very good in week 14 facing the Eagles, but once Ramsey gets over that hump the rest of the way looks much better with two road games against San Francisco and Dallas followed by a home against Minnesota. All three of those games are favorable matchups where Ramsey could produce useful numbers.

Kyle Boller (Bal) - We've come to know that we can't rely consistently upon Kyle Boller (yet). Whether or not he takes the next step as the Ravens franchise QB remains to be seen, but from a fantasy perspective his worth down the stretch boils down to 2 good matchups and 2 poor ones. The next two weeks look like favorable scenarios for Boller to potentially be useful as the Ravens face the Giants and Colts. However, against the Steelers and Dolphins the following weeks you'll do best to completely avoid Boller.  

Chad Hutchinson (Chi) - Surprisingly, Hutchinson and the Bears proved to be a worthy opponent for the Vikings beating them 24-14. Hutchinson completed 18 of 30 passes for 213 yards with 3 TDs. He lost a fumble but otherwise did a good job avoiding turnovers. Jeff George could also emerge at some point, but after Hutch's clutch performance this week expect the Bears to stick in his corner for the time being and see how he competes and plays moving forward. By all means it was a success for Hutchinson, but the Vikings defense isn't exactly a tough matchup either. The next four games look fairly promising though with the Jags on tap next week and probably making their toughest matchup of the lot. Beyond next week they'll face Houston, Detroit and Green Bay. All three are very solid in terms of passing matchups making Hutchinson a certifiable sleeper if he can sustain his poise and produce similar numbers like he did this week.

Desperado.. why don't you come to your senses

A.J. Feeley (Mia) - First the good news, Feeley threw for 3 TDs in the first half and finished the day with 303 yards. Now the bad news, he completing just 25 out of 51 passes and 5 to the wrong jerseys. On an optimistic note he's likely to keep his job barring a Sage Rosenfels experiment and at least you know the coaching staff is willing to lay it out on the line and throw the football - almost without abandon. That could continue to lead to lots of passing yards but probably a good increase in turnovers, too. That said, both Feeley and the Dolphins have a tough road to finish the season going to Denver next week then back home against the Patriots and Browns. Feeley might be a decent sleeper against the Browns in week 16, but they finish the season in Baltimore where Feeley shouldn't even be considered as an option. Overall, Feeley might provide depth, but he won't give you that added bonus of favorable matchups with week 16 being the lone exception. Dynasty leaguers? Feeley will likely compete for the job next year, but expect the Fish to bring in someone via the draft or free agency if possible. He could get David Boston back though there's rumors of a steroid suspension surfacing. With Boston, Booker, Chambers and McMichael he'd certainly have some weapons to work with, but it's debatable whether he'll be in position to take advantage of them.

Eli Manning (NYG) - Manning is getting much needed experience, but one has to openly wonder what the heck Tom Coughlin's motive is behind the benching of Warner. At least the Giants were competitive and in the playoff hunt. Since Manning took over whatever playoff hopes the Giants had are gone. Manning is simply awful right now. Next week he'll be in Baltimore, a terrible matchup, followed by the Steelers in week 15, another terrible matchup. If you have any hopes of getting production out of Eli than look towards the final two weeks of the season against the Bengals and Cowboys. Both are good matchups but it's questionable whether Eli will be able to muster enough production to warrant any fantasy consideration. Sometimes strange things happen in the box score when two teams are playing out a string, so you can hold your hat on those hopeful thoughts but otherwise I'd recommend avoiding Manning and whatever hopes you might have that he'll emerge down the stretch. Obviously, he remains a top notch dynasty league QB as the #1 pick in the 2004 draft. It just might take a little longer for him to realize that potential when compared to how quickly his brother blossomed with the Colts.

John Navarre (Ari) - Navarre injured his finger early in the Cardinals loss to the Lions but he played through it and Dennis Green said he expects Navarre to start for the team next week against the 49ers. It will be a solid matchup for the Cardinals passing game, but it's debatable whether Navarre is worth the risk of picking up and potentially using in your lineup. He didn't exactly light any fires this week throwing for a meager 168 yards on 18 of 40 passing with 1 TD and 4 - count 'em - 4 INTs. The schedule also is less favorable once you get past the 49ers next week. Weeks 15 thru 17 include the Rams, Seahawks and Tampa. 

Luke McCown (Cle) - McCown wasn't expected to do much making his first NFL start against the intimidating Patriots defense. Yet McCown didn't fall flat on his face and actually produced decent numbers despite throwing 2 interceptions. He completed 20 out of 34 passes for 277 yards with 2 TDs - both to Antonio Bryant (go figure). The next three weeks bring along some fairly tough matchups against the Bills, Chargers and Dolphins followed by an easy matchup to close the season in Houston against the Texans. It's questionable whether McCown will start the final four games as Jeff Garcia remains in the picture if healthy, not to mention Kelly Holcomb. Either way, McCown is a highly risky player to rely upon and his shaky status as the team's starter keeps him low on the current list of waiver QBs likely to be available.

Waiver options with favorable p(l)ayoff schedules

Kerry Collins (Oak)
Patrick Ramsey (Was)
Drew Bledsoe (Buf)
Chad Hutchinson (Chi)
Billy Volek (Ten)

The top fantasy defensive matchups for QBs and who they face:

Keep this as a min-cheat sheet of sorts.. below are roughly the most favorable defenses for your QB to face from a fantasy scoring potential point of view. Try to utilize this knowledge to better position your team for a strong finish.

Kansas City - at Ten, Den, Oak, at SD
Green Bay - Det, Jac, at Min, at Chi
Houston - Ind, at Chi, at Jac, Cle
New Orleans - at Dal, at TB, Atl, at Car
Oakland - at Atl, Ten, at KC, Jac
Indianapolis - at Hou, Bal, SD, at Den
Detroit - at GB, Min, Chi, at Ten
Minnesota - Sea, at Det, GB, at Was
Dallas - NO, at Phi, Was, at NYG
San Francisco - at Ari, Was, Buf, at NE
NY Giants - at Bal, Pit, at Cin, Dal

Running Backs

Nick Goings (Car) - Goings is hotter than a firecracker on the 4th of July. There's no doubting his potential as a fantasy RB for your squad at this point, but it is highly doubtful that he's still available in your league. Regardless, if he's there nab him without so much as a blink of an eye. He's been producing over 100 yards a game and he's getting into the end zone - not to mention catching the rock out of the backfield. He tore up the Saints this week and faces them against in the final week of the season. Goings has most a solid schedule remaining as far as matchups go. The Falcons are giving up rushing TDs a plenty and the Rams have struggled mightily against the run. The Bucs are the lone tough matchup coming in week 16. 

Kevin Jones (Det) - Like Goings, it's highly doubtful that Jones is out there in any league, but if he is then don't pass go and collect the $200, just pick the guy up. He's on a tear and if he continues his recent pace of around 100+ rushing yds/gm then he should pass the 1,000 yd rushing mark in his rookie season despite the slow start marred by injuries and poor run blocking up front. Simply put, Jones has moves on top of moves to go with above average power and a good burst of speed and quickness. He's not a track star, but he can see a hole and hit it quickly while avoiding tacklers with his strong legs/hips. The final four games appear to be very favorable, too. Next week is against the Packers, then the Lions host Minnesota and Chicago before going to Tennessee to close the season. Green Bay's run defense is improved since Grady Jackson returned from injury and the same can be said for the Bears and Brian Urlacher. Otherwise, Tennessee and Minnesota are both vulnerable and could be very good matchups for Jones to produce big points.

Chester Taylor (Bal) - It looks like Jamal Lewis will not be available in week 14. When Lewis returns is something I can only speculate about at this moment. Conservatively, Chester looks like a safe bet to start this coming week against the Giants in what appears to be a solid matchup. Beyond that it's completely dependent on whether Lewis is on the field or not. The Colts are on tap for week 15 - another solid matchup followed by a poor matchup against the Steelers in week 16. The final week of the season brings the Dolphins which is another good matchup for the Ravens. Yesterday Taylor was outstanding rushing for 139 yards on 24 carries with 3 catches for 25 yards. He scored 1 TD.

Larry Johnson (KC) - Johnson continues his strong play this week while splitting carries with Derrick Blaylock. Blaylock was injured and left the game briefly, but it doesn't look like he'll miss any time moving forward at the time I'm writing this article. Johnson finished with 20 carries for 118 yards and 1 TD while also contributing as a receiver catching 3 balls for 56 yards and another score. The next four games on the schedule include Tennessee, Denver, Oakland and San Diego. Not a stellar group of matchups, but we're also talking about the Chiefs who seem to run the ball fairly well even against the tougher defenses, so take that with a grain of salt. It doesn't look like we'll see Priest Holmes again this season, so bump Johnson up accordingly but keep in mind he's likely to share the RB duties with Derrick Blaylock and both RBs have solid value and could be used in your starting lineup if needed.

Steven Jackson (Stl) - Jackson had a strong day running the football finishing with 119 yards on 26 carries while catching 3 passes for another 30 yards. He didn't score a TD surprisingly, but looked very good as the Rams future star RB with Marshall Faulk on the decline and sitting this game out due to injury. The Rams have some solid matchups in the next three weeks against the Panthers, Cardinals and Eagles before ending the season against the Jets. Faulk will likely not miss all 4 games, but as long as Jackson remains the starter he's an excellent player to lean on in your lineup - particularly in the next three games. We'll have to wait and see if Jackson gets that opportunity though because Faulk could return as early as next week.

Travis Minor (Mia) - Minor turned in a solid effort against a tough Bills run defense rushing for 82 yards on 20 carries with a TD. Sammy Morris missed his 2nd straight game due to injury, while reserve back Vick King also saw some playing time in relief of Minor and he rushed 3 times for 8 yards while catching a 8 yd pass. King is a bigger back than Minor, but doesn't appear to be a threat for the starting job barring injury. The Dolphins remaining schedule features Denver next week on the road followed by New England and Cleveland at home and then at Baltimore. That's one good matchup against the Browns in week 16, otherwise, you might keep looking elsewhere to get enough production in the playoffs. You'll need every point you can get.

Amos Zereoue & Justin Fargas (Oak) - The Raiders running game was not a factor in their game this week against the Chiefs. Zereoue carried the ball 4 times for 15 yards and caught 2 passes for 18 yards. Nothing to report there. Zereoue may be the best candidate here, but that's like saying the Great Lakes is a nice vacation destination in the winter. It's not, so save yourself the effort. Meanwhile, Huggy Bear Jr. carried the pill twice for 14 yards and caught 3 passes for 17 yards. Further adding to the RBBC approach, J.R. Redmond was utilized frequently as a receiver catching 5 balls for 49 yards and short yardage back Zack Crockett also caught a pair of balls for 13 yds but didn't touch the ball on the ground. As far as the matchups go the Raiders do have some potential for production if they'd simply settle on a back and give him the rock. The next four games feature matchups against Atlanta, Tennessee, KC and Jacksonville. All have some exploitable potential but it's highly questionable whether or not Norv Turner can be trusted to do just that. Adding any of the Raiders backs is purely a gamble but Zereoue and Fargas are the best bets as long as Tyrone Wheatley remains sidelined due to injury.

Lamont Jordan (NYJ) - The Jets turned to their ground game this week to lead them to victory against the Houston Texans. Curtis Martin and Lamont Jordan combined for 194 yds rushing on 34 carries. Martin toted the rock 23 times for 134 yds and a TD while Jordan saw 33% of the touches finishing with 11 carries for 60 yards. The Steelers are next up on the schedule and present a very tough matchup for both backs, then it's Seattle, New England and St. Louis to close the season. The Rams are a good matchup and Jordan could see plenty of carries in that game depending on who has secured playoff births and who hasn't. Jordan is a top talent, but mostly he's a great handcuff to Martin. From a dynasty league perspective he's definitely worth owning and appears to be the 2nd best RB available on the unrestricted FA market this winter.

Anthony Thomas (Chi) - In what seemed like a change of attack midway through this week's game, the Bears turned to the A-Train and once again got some good results. Thomas rushed 15 times for 55 yards compared to Jones' 15 carries for 49 yards. That said, Jones looked good running the football early in the game, but for whatever reason the Bears got away from running the football when they got near the red zone. It's hard to read too much into these numbers because Jones was tackled in the backfield on a few occasions which hurt his overall numbers, but otherwise he was also productive. The gut says that Lovie Smith and Terry Shea will utilize both backs moving forward with Jones remaining more of the featured guy and obviously the starter. That said, Thomas deserves consideration and could get upwards of 10 to 15 touches any given week. The next four games include Jacksonville (average matchup), Houston (average to solid), Detroit (good) and Green Bay (average). Not outstanding, but nothing to fret either.

Ladell Betts (Was) - There was a lot of talk about Betts displacing Clinton Portis as the Redskins starting back in week 13, but it didn't happen obviously. Betts remains a solid backup and a good change of pace option for Portis because he's bigger, stronger and perhaps better on muddy tracks - as was the case in week 12. But don't be fooled in thinking that he's going to supplant Clinton Portis anytime soon. The Redskins didn't invest all that money and picks into Portis to bench him for Betts. Still, the Redskins have solid potential for rushing production the rest of the way with games against Philly, SF, Dallas and Minnesota. All of those are moderate to favorable matchups and if anything happens to Portis than Betts will definitely have value as a potential starter. Beyond that Betts might have some sleeper value in deeper leagues. He did manage 11 carries this week for 64 yards, but this game was over before halftime thus providing Betts with ample opportunity to run the football while they keep Portis healthy. If the Redskins defense continues to play well, then Betts could get more extended playing time against SF and Dallas in particular. However, it's likely that Philly and Minny will score enough points to keep Betts role to a minimum barring injury, of course.

Larry Croom (Ari) - Croom started in place of the injured Emmitt Smith and rushed 18 times for 49 yds against the Lions while fellow backup Josh Scobey caught 3 passes for 23 yds and ran the ball 5 times for 23 yards. Emmitt could return this next week against the 49ers, but if he doesn't then Croom and/or Scobey both hold potential as sleeper RBs. The 49ers are a very good matchup for RBs so there's value to be found here whether it's Emmitt, Croom or Scobey getting the touches. Week 15 draws the Rams - another favorable matchup. The last two games are not as favorable featuring games against the Seahawks and Tampa Bay Bucs.

Antowain Smith (Ten) - Smith started for the Titans in weeks 11 and 12 but Chris Brown returned to the lineup and ran very well this week against the Colts, but wasn't able to finish the game. Brown's been a frustrating game-time decision for much of the past two months and that's likely to be the case in the near future as well - if not the rest of the season. If you own Brown, or even if you don't, grab Smith as a potential game-day plug in at RB if Brown's not able to suit up and play with his painful turf toe. Three of the next four games feature what I'd term as outstanding matchups with one poor matchup against Denver coming in week 16. Otherwise, with three games against KC, Oakland and Detroit - all at home - Smith or Brown look like excellent fantasy options depending on who gets the nod. The good thing to know here is Fisher tends to be a coach who wants to use one back. If Brown doesn't go, Smith is the lock and load type of backup to safely insert in your lineup. The only downfall might come if Brown starts, but can't finish like this week, and you go with him.

Michael Bennett (Min) - Onterrio Smith sprained his shoulder in the 2nd half against the Bears and it's unknown at this point whether or not he'll miss any playing time looking ahead to next week. Bennett would stand to gain the most if Smith isn't able to play, but even then do you really trust Mike Tice to stick with Bennett to the tune of 20+ touches a game? I don't. Moe Williams and Mewelde Moore are just too good to ignore and Tice consistently uses more than one back every week. Just because Smith gets hurt and could miss a game doesn't necessarily bump Bennett way up in the rankings, but it does give him a greater opportunity for him to produce if and only if he's able to get the ball enough to make the most of it. The schedule includes Seattle, Detroit, GB and Washington. Not great really, but the Seahawks and Lions could be exposed on the ground while GB is improving and Washington remains a tough sell.

Cedric Cobbs & Kevin Faulk (NE) - Corey Dillon left the game on Sunday with what was described as a leg injury, but he briefly reappeared long enough to reach the 100 yard plateau for the 6th time this season - a career high. That said, the meaningful thing to take from Dillon being on the sidelines was that both Kevin Faulk and Cedric Cobbs were able to log some solid playing time. The Patriots had the game safely in hand and everyone in the house knew they were going to run the football providing a good litmus test for the rookie Cobbs and Faulk to show their wares. Cobbs managed only 29 yards on 16 carries with a long of just 6 yds. Faulk did much better going for 87 yds on 13 carries scoring on a 10 yd run while also registering a 20 yd run. The next two games feature excellent matchups for the Patriots ground attack - Cincinnati and Miami. Week 16 is on the road against the Jets in what will be a huge game with playoff implications for the Jets and that could prove to be a much tougher matchup. The Pats close the season against SF. Pay attention here. The Patriots will likely have everything wrapped up by then and this could prove to be a nice opportunity for Cobbs or Faulk to vulture some fantasy worth. It's entirely possible they could hold Dillon out of this game with their eyes on the playoffs.

Dorsey Levens (Phi) - Levens received some gratuitous playing time this week as the Eagles sent the Packers home with their tails safely tucked between their yellow and green rear ends. Nicely put, the Packers got it handed to them on Sunday. If the 4th and 26 play left them feeling raw, then this should at least wipe away that searing memory and replace it with a more fresh, thorough whipping they're not likely to forget for a long time. Needless to say, Levens got some mop up duty against the Packers who essentially might well have just laid down at that point in the game. He rushed 7 times for 63 yards with the bulk of them coming on a 45 yard run my grandma-ma could've run for good yardage on. Levens is not a threat to the starting job as Brian Westbrook was simply fantastic, but he will continue to clean up on defenses in the same manner as long as the Eagles keep laying the wood to their opponents - which seems likely. Upcoming games include Washington (tough matchup), Dallas (favorable), at St. Louis (very good) and Cincinnati (outstanding). As such, Levens could very well be useful in deeper leagues particularly those which are TDs only or 14 or more teams.

Tatum Bell (Den) - Bell got a little action this week as Reuben Droughns was poked in the eye and left the game long enough for Bell to cash in with a nifty little TD run. After that, Droughns returned and finished the game. Nothing to see here as Droughns isn't going anywhere nor is he about to relinquish the starting job without suffering a serious injury, but it was nice to see Bell get a taste of playing time and show some flashes. Obviously, the kid is talented, but until the opportunity comes he's a glorified backup who could be GOLD if he's ever able to start for the Broncos - whether it's this year or next. The next four games are cake for the Broncos, too. Next week vs Miami is a very good matchup followed by at KC (outstanding), at Tennessee (very good) and Indianapolis (very good).

Jamel White (Bal) - White got some carries spelling Chester Taylor this week, but his value is very short-term because it hinges not only on Chester Taylor but Jamal Lewis as well. If Lewis doesn't play, then White is worth a look and a roster spot perhaps. If Lewis returns, White is 3rd string and not worth much at all. He managed 43 yards on 6 carries with a long of 16 yds against the Bengals.

Dynasty Watch

Dominic Rhodes (Ind) - Keep in mind that Edge and Rhodes are both free agents following this season. For that reason alone it's worth a speculative pickup to secure Rhodes just in case he lands elsewhere and competes for a starting gig, or Edge jumps ship. Either way, Rhodes has definite talent and value. He could be a sleeper that in the right situation could emerge once again as a solid fantasy back in 2005.

Maurice Morris (Sea) - Shaun Alexander is set to become a free agent after the season. If he leaves Seattle than Holmgren would likely turn to Morris, if not draft another RB to back fill Alexander's potential loss. Morris has excellent speed and is a better runner outside the tackles, but he's under-rated between the tackles and could be a viable NFL starter if given the chance. The biggest concern with him might be staying healthy, something he's struggled with at times, particularly this season.

Joe Echemandu (Cle) - William Green was on the sidelines late in this week's game against the Patriots as Echemandu took the field for this first extended look in the NFL. He was on the PUP list for the first half of the season but was activated prompting the Browns to waive veteran James Jackson. Echemandu could work himself into a 3rd down role next season or at the very least be the 3rd back on the Browns depth chart behind Suggs and Green. He carries 3 times for 12 yards and caught 3 balls for 25 yards against the Pats in garbage time.

Wide Receivers

T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Cin) - It would be a coup if Houshmandzadeh is still available and you can grab him following his 2nd breakout performance in a row. This week he caught an amazing 10 passes for 171 yards and 1 TD against the tough Ravens defense. The matchups down the stretch include New England, Buffalo, NY Giants and Philly - not great really, but not particularly bad either. He's proving to be an impact player when given the opportunity the last couple weeks and combined with Chad Johnson give Carson Palmer a pair of big WRs as targets who can do some big damage.

Antonio Bryant & Dennis Northcutt (Cle) - The Browns dynamic duo produced 7-115-2 and 5-93 (plus 8 yd run) accordingly this week. Bryant is rounding into shape as the Browns top WR threat, particularly in the red zone while Northcutt remains a solid possession WR and a good option to use as a backup to provide quality depth on your roster. Either one of these WRs could be useful in the starting lineup if the matchups make sense, but the Browns final four games include Buffalo, SD, Miami and Houston. Of those matchups Buffalo, Miami and SD are moderate to below average and could go either way while Houston is a great matchup. 

Doug Gabriel (Oak) - With Ron Curry out for the season with an achilles injury Gabriel's value figures to skyrocket down the stretch with a string of very good matchups for he and Kerry Collins to potentially exploit. Atlanta, Tennessee, KC and Jacksonville are the Raiders next four opponents. Look for Gabriel to emerge as a solid fantasy WR capable of producing in the top 30 range in any of these weeks. Also keep an eye on Johnnie Morant, a rookie with excellent size/speed. Morant will likely move up the depth chart and get more opportunities down the stretch and produce similar numbers to Gabriel's previous production the last several games.

David Terrell (Chi) - Ok, I feel just a little bit justified with Terrell's TD this week and modest 3 catches for 44 yards. I know there are a lot of reasons not to like Terrell and by all accounts he's been a huge bust since being drafted near the top of the first round out of Michigan. Ironically enough, there's a good chance the Bears could look at another Wolverine WR in this year's coming draft as Braylon Edwards promises to be among the first WRs selected. Back to the subject, however, Terrell has plenty of talent and Hutchinson was able to connect with him for some big gains this week. If the Bears can get some consistency from their QB then Terrell's a viable sleeper with a solid upside the last four games. They face Jacksonville, Houston, Detroit and Green Bay. All four are at least good matchup with Houston, GB and Detroit being closer to outstanding than good. Bobby Wade and Justin Gage could also get involved and are worth mentioning. Wade caught 2 passes for 43 yds while Gage had 2 for 31. Gage and Wade came into the league together and the Bears staff remains high on both players, so from a dynasty league perspective they may be worth a nibble.

Joey Galloway (TB) - Galloway finally produced a strong game as he caught a 36 yd TD pass while leading the Bucs receivers with 4 catches and 63 yards on the day. The Bucs schedule includes several favorable matchups with one potentially tough matchup in week 16 against the Panthers. Otherwise, the Chargers are up next week and that could go either way. New Orleans in week 15 and Arizona in week 17 look like good opportunities for Galloway, Michael Clayton and even Joe Jurevicius to put up good numbers.

Marty Booker (Mia) - Booker turned in a strong performance this week against the Bills catching 5 passes for 96 yards leading the team in both categories. However the Dolphins have kind of brutal schedule the rest of the season making Booker a certain gamble as a waiver wire option. Weeks 15 and 16 hold some potential against the Patriots and Browns, but don't hold your breath. Chris Chambers is still the top WR here and Randy McMichael didn't see the ball much this week either. Things will probably go back to normal in the weeks ahead leaving Booker as the 3rd wheel in the Dolphins passing attack, but still someone worth a long look if he's available.

Robert Ferguson (D) - Ferguson is finally healthy and getting on the field again with consistency. He caught just 3 balls this week but they went for 68 yards. With the next four games featuring matchups against Detroit, Jacksonville, Minnesota and Chicago the Packers passing attack looks like they are ready to make some serious noise. That means Javon Walker should be a strong finisher as well as Donald Driver, but don't forget about Ferguson. He's definitely a gamble, but he's probably someone you'll see with regularity in my next three sleepers of the week articles. Call this a little bit of a preview if you will.

Troy Edwards (Jac) - Edwards produced his best game of the year and against the team that drafted him in the 1st round only to cut him a couple seasons later. If nothing else, Edwards has been a consistent 3-4 catch player each week with around 40 yds as a baseline. He lost the starting job to 1st round pick Reggie Williams over a month ago, but operating out of the slot hasn't hurt his production any as he continues to produce better numbers than Williams. Edwards really doesn't have much starter value outside being a potentially good sleeper play if you have big stones and don't mind taking big risks. Otherwise, you gotta like the matchups that lie ahead. Who knows? Maybe Reggie Williams will hold some value down the stretch also. The next four games feature Chicago, Green Bay, Houston and Oakland - all outstanding matchups for Leftwich, Jimmy Smith, Edwards and even Williams to sneak in there. Of those four the Bears might prove to be a tougher than expected opponent since they have Charles Tillman and Brian Urlacher back from injury. The Bears defense has some serious talent evolving and they could be a heckuva pickup in dynasty leagues with the potential to be a top 5 unit in 2005. (sorry for the mid-stream hijack, but it's gotta be said).

Antwan Randle-El (Pit) - Randle-El's window of opportunity appears to be closing as Plaxico Burress gets closer and closer to returning to the lineup. He caught 5 passes for 71 yards against the Jags on Sunday night. The upcoming schedule features the Jets (moderate matchup), Giants (good), Baltimore (below average) and Buffalo (moderate to potentially good). All told, if Burress returns this week and starts the rest of the season than Randle-El's value is minimal. As long as Randle-El starts he deserves consideration particularly if the matchup is solid like in week 15 vs the Giants.

Tai Streets (Det) - Streets produced his best game of the season catching 3 passes for 54 yds and 1 TD, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. He's been inconsistent and for the most part a bust as far as the Lions and fantasy owners are concerned. Az-Zahir Hakim remains a potentially better option as long as he continues to get healthier each week. Hakim was healthy this week but didn't show up in the box score. Roy Williams is the guy here, so counting on Streets is risky business, but he could be a sleeper if Hakim doesn't play. The final four games look great for Lions WRs with matchups against Green Bay, Minny, Chicago and Tennessee - all of which are solid to great matchups with the Bears arguably being the worst of the four.

Lee Evans (Buf) - This kid is coming into his own quickly. He's got extraordinary talent including top notch speed, soft hands and just enough size and strength that opposing defensive coordinators simply can't ignore him and commit all their coverage to Eric Moulds or load up too much against the run to stuff McGahee. If they do choose either of those two strategies, Evans will make them pay with big plays like he did on Sunday against the tough Dolphins pass defense. Evans caught just 4 passes but made them count going for 110 yds and 2 TDs (from 69 yds and 21 yds). Upcoming games against Cleveland, Cincinnati, SF and Pittsburgh suggest playing Evans as a sleeper pick the next three weeks could prove to be worthwhile.

Dynasty Watch

Jerricho Cotchery & Jon Carter (NYJ) - I don't know the contract status of Wayne Chrebet, but he's certainly not a young buck anymore and the Jets have these two young WRs who appear to be on the verge of playing bigger roles in 2005. Cotchery is a talented player who broke some of Torry Holt's records at NC State. He could emerge as a good 3rd WR for the Jets but will compete against the super speedy Carter, whose biggest limitation has been route running. Carter is great on fly patterns, but he's easy to bump at the line and corners successfully alter his routes with consistency. Still, both players are worth scouting but it's difficult seeing them breaking out without a substantial injury to McCareins or Moss. The Jets simply rely too much on the run and their defense is good enough that they don't need to throw the ball frequently. If they lose John Abraham to free agency that could change though.

Justin Gage (Chi) - See above remarks under David Terrell, but Gage has ample size but not outstanding speed. He could evolve into a decent possession WR and a decent big play threat in the vertical passing game, but until the Bears develop a QB that can make use of his talents he's going to be a work in progress.

Who is Hot? (last three weeks)

Antonio Bryant - 6th among WRs with 18 catches, 282 yds and 4 TDs since week 10
Jerry Porter - 7th with 14-265-4
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 8th with 16-274-3
Eddie Kennison - 10th with 12-257-3
Drew Bennett - 12th with 12-242-3 (most coming in wk 13)
Donte' Stallworth - 19th with 15-186-2
Joe Jurevicius - 24th with 10-104-2 (mostly in 1 game)
Deion Branch - 28th with 11-169-1
Troy Edwards - 30th with 10-169-1
Dennis Northcutt - 31st with 12-220-0
David Terrell - 33rd with 8-154-1
Marcus Robinson - 39th with 11-145-1

Tight Ends

Erron Kinney (Ten) - Kinney is ranked as the 6th fantasy TE over the last three weeks since he's returned to the lineup from injury with 11 catches, 107 yds and 2 TDs in that span. The Titans regularly utilize their TEs and Kinney is the their best one at the moment. Next year, that may change with rookie Ben Troupe likely to carve himself a much bigger role and I'm sure he'll be near the top of next season's breakout players or sleepers amongst the TE position. For now, Kinney is better than an average pickup and he could easily be counted on for starter quality numbers.

Freddie Jones (Ari) - Jones disappeared part of this year but seems to be coming out of his shell lately. Over the last three weeks he ranks 8th with 12 catches for 156 yds and 1 TD. With John Navarre at QB look for Jones to have solid value. After all, those Michigan QBs are trained to utilize their TEs and Navarre is no different. The fact that he's a greenhorn rookie who will look to his safety value more often than a veteran QB also points towards a potential up-tick in value for Jones down the stretch.

Desmond Clark (Chi) - Clark has largely been a non-factor for the Bears this year, but he was a big factor in Sunday's win over the Viking as he caught 6 balls for 58 yards and a TD - leading the teams in catches and yards. Clark remains a solid pass-catching TE and most thought he'd be a decent backup TE this season for fantasy purposes, but it just didn't work out that way. Over the last three weeks, Clark ranks 16th with 8 for 78 and 1 TD.. obviously the bulk of that damage came this week. If he's available you might consider picking him up. He might be the best TE available and the Bears passing matchups are very favorable down the stretch.

Chris Cooley (Was) - Had a TD called back and then came back and scored to finish off the drive. Cooley caught 3 passes for just 21 yards but the important thing to note here is that he's developing consistency. He's scoring TDs and catching 2-4 passes a week with a decent chance to produce starter-quality numbers for the rest of the season. He's sort of a bubble player right now, but that might not be bad considering waiver options I've looked at in the various league's I'm in recently.

Ken Dilger (TB) - Dilger is a usual suspect on this list, but he continues be a decent option on the waiver wire as he caught 4 passes for 29 yards this week.

Dynasty looks

Tim Euhus (Buf) - Euhus is another former basketball player who is an intriguing prospect as a dynasty league TE. The Bills are making better use of their TEs this year and we look for that trend to continue in 2005 as Euhus gets more acquainted with the offense and NFL level of play. He caught 4 passes for 32 yards and a TD this week, but can't be relied upon at this point from a starter perspective. He's 6'5" and 249 lbs and is the classic pass catching TE who needs to work on his blocking. He could play a bigger role in 2005 so keep an eye out for him.

Kickers

John Kasay (Car) was simply unbelievable this week for the Panthers kicking 6 FGs. The Panthers offense is firing on all cylinders like it was late last season which is remarkable considering they're without Steve Smith, Deshaun Foster and Stephen Davis. Look for Kasay to be a solid pickup with good scoring potential the last month of the season. Other options include Jason Hanson (Det) who ranks 7th over the last 4 games with 35 points, Josh Scobee (Jac) with 34 pts in the last four games (8th), Lawrence Tynes (KC) with 32 pts over the last 4 (10th) and Doug Brien (NYJ) with 30 pts over the last four games (11th).

Defense / Special Teams

Defense/Special teams units with favorable matchups during the playoffs the next few weeks include:

Week 14
Dallas vs New Orleans
Indianapolis at Houston
Jacksonville vs Chicago (and vice versa for the BEARS)
Green Bay vs Detroit
Arizona vs SF (and vice versa for the 49ers perhaps)
Carolina vs St. Louis

Week 15
San Francisco vs Washington (vice versa)
Carolina at Atlanta (gamble play here with Vick a wild card)
Buffalo at Cincy
Chicago vs Houston
Minnesota at Detroit
Arizona vs St. Louis
Indianapolis vs Baltimore

Week 16
Cincinnati vs NY Giants
Detroit vs Chicago (vice versa)
Atlanta vs New Orleans
Buffalo at SF
Dallas vs Washington
Cleveland at Miami
Seattle vs Arizona