Passing Matchups

When picking your starters each week, one thing that must be considered is the matchups. We've taken each game and broken down the matchups for you here.

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 Peyton Manning is playing the toughest pass defense in the league, he's got a tough matchup that week. He's also your starter unless you're sitting on Donovan McNabb

Let's jump to it.

Great Matchups � Defenses will have major problems with the offense in these games

Oakland's Passing Game vs. The Buffalo Defense (Great Matchup)

How good is the season that Rich Gannon and his fellow team-mates in the passing offense are enjoying this season? Gannon is currently the 10th ranked quarterback in terms of fantasy points this season - and has played one less game than anyone else in the top 10. He's 91/131 for 998 yards, with 7 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Rice and Brown, his 1A and 1B targets, are splitting receptions evenly, 20 for 263 and 1 score for Rice, 17 for 200 and 2 scores in Brown's case. The Raiders have absolutely dominated every opponent in the passing phase of the game, and crushed the Titans, their latest victim, by throwing for four scores en route to a 52 to 25 victory.

This week they play a soft Buffalo pass defense that (in spite of being ranked #16 in terms of yards allowed in 2002 at 223 per game) has given up 9 touchdown receptions. The load of touchdowns allowed puts the Bills defense at the bottom of the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks (28th), wide receivers (24th) and tight ends (28th). The Bills have won 3 games in overtime, largely because their team has surrendered 131 points so far this season, while scoring 132.

Both teams come into the game healthy, with only Oakland's back-up WR James Jett listed as probable on the injury report.

The Raiders must be licking their chops at the thought of unleashing their complex and veteran offense against the relatively young defenders playing for the Bills. Gannon and company should have a banner day picking apart this secondary (the most experienced member, S Billy Jenkins, has 6 years in the league. It won't be like playing the Titans without CB Samari Rolle, but the Raiders should have plenty of success.

New York Jets Passing Game vs. The Kansas City Defense (Great Matchup)

Vinny Testaverde deserved to get benched, even before he got injured. 485 yards and 3 touchdowns with 3 interceptions doesn't get it done in the NFL. His back-up and new starter Chad Pennington has 352 yards on exactly half as many completions (26 vs. 53 for Vinny), even if Pennington hasn't thrown any touchdowns yet. Pennington has struggled to learn Paul Hackett's offense, but late in training camp the coaches were praising his improvement - and let's face it, he'd have to try really hard in order to be worse than Testaverde. From a fantasy perspective, at least Laveranues Coles figures to benefit - he more than doubled his season output with 97 yards in last week's loss to the Jags. Wayne Chrebet continues to struggle with a bruised right knee this week, and is doubtful, A Santana Moss appearance may occur, he's listed as probable with his tweaked hamstring but should play. If Chrebet can't go, Moss would start. Anthony Becht is the lone fantasy star on the squad, currently the 5th best TE in the league with 115 yards on 11 receptions and 2 touchdowns.

Good Fortune smiles on Pennington this week as the Chiefs come to town for his first start of the 2002 season. The same Chiefs who are dead last in the NFL vs. the pass, allowing 350 yards per game through the air. The same Chiefs who are ranked 32nd in the league in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, 29th in points allowed to wide receivers, and 17th in points allowed to tight ends. The same Chiefs who list back-up CB Ray Crockett as questionable with his bad hamstring, and starting S's Jason Belser (hip) and Greg Wesley (shoulder) as probable on the injury report.

There is no better opponent than this one for Pennington to play as he begins his reign as the top Jet.

Buffalo's Passing Game vs. the Oakland Defense (Great Matchup)

Superlative, magnificent, inspired - all terms to describe Drew Bledsoe's performance in 2002 for his new team, the Bills. He leads the league with 1345 yards of passing in 4 games (336 yards per game, on average) and has thrown 10 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions. Eric Moulds tops the list of fantasy wide receivers after 4 games, with 33 catches for 413 yards and 3 touchdowns. Price is 6th with 28 catches for 367 yards and 3 scores. "Wow" would pretty much describe this passing offense.

The Raiders may be tough against the run, but they are soft against the pass in 2002, allowing 251 yards passing per game (25th in the league) and a healthy 6 touchdowns over 3 games. These numbers equate to a Raiders defense that ranks (in terms of fantasy points allowed in 2002) at 21st vs. quarterbacks, 26th vs. wide receivers, and 16th vs. tight ends. Some of those statistics are due to blowing out their opponents and forcing their opposition to abandon the running game. But, for fantasy football franchises, that doesn't really matter, does it?

What did matter in terms of loosening up the pass defense was the loss of CB Charles Woodson to a broken shoulder. Without him in there, the Titans threw for 387 yards in their losing effort on last Sunday. The Bills' TE Jay Riemersma shows up on the injury report as probable for the contest with a sore ankle.

This game and the match-ups between the two squads spells "shoot-out" in neon letters twenty feet high. Bledsoe and his crew will give Gannon and company a run for their money. Start your engines, gentlemen - this looks like a drag-race to the finish between two jet-fueled units.

Indianapolis' Passing Game vs. The Cincinnati Defense (Great Matchup)

Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison come into this game rested and refreshed after a bye-week. The Bengals come into the game after being stomped by Brad Johnson and the Bucs, who put up 277 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Cincinnati passing defense last week.

Brad Johnson is a very solid quarterback, but he isn't a Peyton Manning. This week, the Bengals will get an up-close and personal look at just how lethal Manning and his compatriots can be on the attack. Cincinnati comes into the game ranked 8th in the NFL in terms of passing yardage surrendered (202), which sounds impressive until you realize that the striped-ones have given up 9 touchdown receptions in four games to go with their 193.8 yards per game average. That plethora of scores means that the Bengals defense is generous to opposing fantasy football stars, currently ranking 23rd in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, 21st vs. opposing wide receivers, and 30th vs. opposing tight ends.

You know the big three of Manning, James and Harrison are must starts every week but if you're sitting on Qadry Ismail, I'd give him serious consideration too.

The Bengal's starting CB Artrell Hawkins continues to struggle with an injured calf, which doesn't help the Bengals' secondary, and S JoJuan Armour is probable with a shoulder problem.

Expect both the Bengals' average yardage per game surrendered and their reception touchdowns-surrendered numbers to rise significantly after this matchup with Indianapolis.

Good Matchups � Defenses will struggle to stop the offense in these games

New York Giants' Passing Game vs. The Dallas Defense (Good Matchup)

The Giant's coaching staff has taken steps this week to address the lack of scoring generated by Kerry Collins and his compatriots on offense. Offensive Coordinator Sean Payton was instructed by head coach Fassel to pare down the number of plays prepared for Sunday. The idea is to focus on what's working, and to chuck the rest. We'll see how it goes, but something had to be done to address an offense that has exactly 1 passing touchdown to go with 1130 yards of passing offense. Collins has also thrown 6 interceptions over the first 4 games. Considering the struggles in the red-zone, the Giants' receivers are playing pretty well, ranking 20th (Amani Toomer) and 42nd (Ike Hilliard) on the fantasy scoring list so far.

The Dallas defense is playing very poor pass defense this season, ranking 23rd in the league in terms of yardage surrendered per game (248), and showing up on the fantasy points allowed list at 26th vs. opposing quarterbacks, 27th vs. opposing wide receivers, and 19th vs. opposing tight ends. They are coming off an encouraging victory over the Rams, but the pass defense was weak in that game too, allowing a total of 279 yards to the Rams last week (and 1 touchdown).

The starting secondary for the Cowboys is healthy but features a brand new cornerback in Derek Ross, a 3rd round pick from Ohio State. He'll likely draw Ike Hilliard in coverage and while Hilliard isn't a star, he and Kerry Collins are veterans that will likely go at the young guy. The Giants are healthy on the offensive side of the ball, so injuries aren't a big deal heading into this game.

The outlook for the Giants to successfully begin their offense's overhaul this weekend is good. A soft Dallas pass defense should help Collins and company get their house in order.

Philadelphia's Passing Game vs. The Jacksonville Defense (Good Matchup)

Donovan McNabb sure knows how to spread the ball around. Antonio Freeman, James Thrash, Todd Pinkston, Duce Staley, Chad Lewis and Jeff Thomason can all catch, and they make a defensive coordinator's life miserable. As Freeman points out, with that many receivers flying around the field, nobody gets double coverage - which opens up opportunities and explains why McNabb has 1050 yards on 92 completions and 9 touchdowns vs. 3 interceptions. Those stats, plus his 141 yards rushing and 2 scores on the ground, put McNabb atop the fantasy football scoring list for quarterbacks.

This week, the Eagles visit Jacksonville and the resurgent Jaguars. The Jags currently rank at 20th in the league vs. the pass, and are mediocre in terms of fantasy points allowed to their opponents: 14th vs. quarterbacks, 19th vs. wide receivers, and 20th vs. tight ends.

Both squads - the Philly offense and the Jags secondary - enter the game mostly healthy (Chad Lewis is having a problem with recurrent neck stingers, though), so injuries aren't much of a factor in this phase of the game.

The Eagles just have too much juice for the Jaguars to run with them all day long. Advantage, Eagles.

Jacksonville's Passing Offense vs. The Philadelphia Defense (Good Matchup)

Jacksonville�s Mark Brunell is doing just fine without Keenan McCardell. Through 3 games he�s thrown for a respectable 57 completions and 721 yards yielding 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. Jimmy Smith is his usual scintillating self (in spite of an off week during the rout of the Jets � the Jags just ran the ball all over the New York squad and hardly needed to pass at all).

Philadelphia is tough against the pass, ranking 6th in the NFL surrendering 194 yards per game. Looking at fantasy points allowed by position, the Eagles rank 5th vs. quarterbacks, 17th vs. wide receivers, and 7th vs. tight ends. Three of their safeties are injured this week, Michael Lewis is out (hamstring), Rashard Cook is doubtful with a knee injury, and Julian Jones is probable with a tweaked knee, so depth behind Brian Dawkins and Blaine Bishop is a concern.

With problems up front on the defensive line, and LB�s Carlos Emmons (hamstring) and Ike Reese (knee) slowed (though probable to play), the Eagles will be challenged to contain both Fred Taylor and the Jaguar�s receivers. This will lead to some opportunities which the veteran Brunell and company should be able to exploit.

Green Bay's Passing Offense vs. The Chicago Defense (Good Matchup)

Brett Favre just keeps on trucking, regardless of who is shagging his darts. Terry Glenn not available? No problem, throw to Donald Driver. Javon Walker is out? No problem, Bubba Franks is in the game. His talent and experience have added up to 1111 yards on 103 completions and 8 touchdowns vs 3 interceptions in 2002, good enough for 7th on the fantasy scoring list for quarterbacks. This week, TE Bubba Franks (knee), WR Terry Glenn (head), and WR Javon Walker (quadriceps) are all questionable to play, TE David Martin is probable after recovering from his concussion. Terry Glenn's been diagnosed with Migraine headaches resulting from post concussion syndrome. He's practicing with the team and plans to start but it all depends on if the medication can take care of the headaches. He's definitely a risk. All this means that Donald Driver and Robert Ferguson will probably be the ones getting bruises on their chests from Favre's lasers this week.

The Chicago D is struggling to defend the pass this season, currently 22nd in the NFL with 240 yards surrendered on average each game. They are also weak in terms of fantasy points allowed by position, ranking 30th vs. opposing quarterbacks, 23rd vs. opposing wide receivers, and 29th vs. opposing tight ends. Key LB Warrick Holdman is out for the season now, and CB R. W. McQuarters is very questionable with a knee injury, so the Bears aren't positioned well to deal with Brett Favre this week.

Even with all the personnel shortages at WR for the Pack, the injuries on the Bears' squad and, of course, Brett Favre, will tip the scales against the Bears. Advantage, Packers.

New England's Passing Game vs. The Miami Defense (Good Matchup)

Tom Brady is battling Drew Bledsoe for the most passing yards in the league, he's currently 19 yards behind with 1326 yards over 4 games. Brady has thrown an astronomical 11 touchdowns vs. only 4 interceptions over that span, including a 36/53 for 353 yards, 2 touchdown, 2 interception performance against the Chargers in a losing effort last week.

Deion Branch, David Patten and Troy Brown are all in the top 25 of fantasy wide receivers (8th, 14th, and 24th, respectively) - even though Brown is struggling with a knee injury and didn't play at all last week.

Watch our Players in the News closely to check Troy Brown's status. He's practiced lightly this week but is still Questionable. The slot receiver in Patriot OC Charlie Weis' system is the prime guy. Deion Branch exploded last week in large part because he was playing the slot in place of Brown. If Brown can play, Branch moves back to the # 3 WR and will probably post numbers closer to what he did in weeks 1-3. Obviously, if Brown can't go, Branch is much more valuable as the starter in the slot.

This week the Patriots visit Miami, where the secondary is having a major problem: LCB Patrick Surtain has been injured the past two weeks (knee) and his replacement Jamar Fletcher just isn't getting the job done. Exhibit A: Trent Green threw for 5 touchdowns against the Dolphins last week, while Surtain was unavailable. Ouch. This week starting RCB Sam Madison (shoulder) and back-up CB Paul Miranda (neck) join Surtain on the injury report - they're probable to play. Surtain was listed as questionable with the knee but he's practiced this week and should start.

On the season, the Dolphins are 24th in the league allowing 249 yards per game, and the problems show up in the fantasy points allowed statistics. The Dolphins are currently ranked 24th vs. opposing quarterbacks, and 32nd vs. opposing tight ends (partly because Tony Gonzalez victimized the Dolphins for 140 yards and 3 scores last week), Miami ranks 5th vs. opposing wide receivers so clearly, the Gonzalez game had an impact.

Miami plays an aggressive man defense with their corners which can go either way. Weaker WRs can be pushed and around and smothered. But the better receivers can often exploit the press coverage for a few big plays.

If Surtain can go against the Patriots, then the Miami defense has a much better chance to recover from their shelling at the hands of the Chiefs. Assuming he is still unable to go, then the Patriots look like they hold the edge in the hot hand of Tom Brady.

Pittsburgh Passing Game vs. The New Orleans' Defense (Good Matchup)

Bill Cowher has finally seen enough of Kordell Stewart's inconsistent play (as have many, many fantasy franchises with Plaxico Burress on their roster), and benched his under-performing starter (finally). The next thing in Pittsburgh is NFL/Arena League/XFL/NFL quarterback Tommy Maddox, the guy who took the long way home to his new job as starter in Pittsburgh. Was coach Dan Reeves right about this guy, after all? Time will tell - but for now he has a huge opportunity with the struggling Steelers.

Maddox looked good in last week's comeback over the Browns (11/13 for 122 yards and 1 touchdown with 1 interception) - but that was during the part of the game that the Brown's two starting cornerbacks, Corey Fuller and Daylon McCutcheon, were out with injuries. Maddox also looked crisp in pre-season work - now he'll get to play four quarters for real.

The Saint's pass defense is soft, ranking 26th in the league allowing 263 yards per game and very vulnerable in terms of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks (ranked 25th) and wide receivers (28th). Tight ends haven't faired very well, though, as the Saints rank 1st vs. that particular position. The Saints were embarrassed by lack-luster Detroit and their rookie quarterback last week (Harrington 20 of 35 for 267 yards, 1 touchdown and no interceptions) Harrington's talented but he's still a rookie.

For New Orleans, starting LDE Willie Whitehead is out for this game, and back-up LB James Allen is questionable with a knee injury. Rookie Charles Grant steps in at LDE for Whitehead. Backup CB Keyuo Craver is also out. The Steelers are essentially healthy in terms of the passing phase of their offense.

It looks like Maddox has a good chance to make a favorable impression in his first start this season, going up against a poor defensive unit with his cadre of excellent receivers (Plaxico Burress, Hines Ward, and Antwaan Randle-El).

The New Orleans' Passing Game vs. The Pittsburgh Defense (Good Matchup)

Aaron Brooks will be without star rookie wide-receiver Dont� Stallworth who's out with a hamstring injury. #1 wideout Joe Horn had a knee injury last week but is progressing nicely and should start Sunday. The venerable Jake Reed will see action as the # 3 WR. Unknown Michael Lewis could see time in this mix. Lewis is very raw, and didn't play college ball, so it's good news that Horn is expected to start Sunday.

Up until the Detroit game, Brooks had been playing solid football this season, and currently ranks as the 4th best fantasy quarterback in the NFL, with 89 completions for 979 yards, 9 touchdowns and 6 interceptions (he's added 19 rushes for 99 yards and 1 score, as well). 4 of those touchdown passes have gone to Stallworth, though, so a major piece of the Saint's passing game is out of commission on Sunday.

Side note - The injury to Stallworth's hamstring is on his left leg, the opposite leg he had hamstring troubles with in the preseason.

Pittsburgh got absolutely shelled in their first two games, when Tom Brady and Rich Gannon's teams essentially ignored the running game to bomb the Steelers into submission. Last week, however, the defense played with some authority, and held Tim Couch to 144 yards, 0 scores and 2 interceptions. Granted, some of that is because Couch isn't on the Brady-Gannon level yet. On the season, the Steelers rank 28th in the league allowing an average of 280 yards per game. In terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing players, they rank 19th vs. quarterbacks, 31st vs. wide receivers, and 27th vs. tight ends.

Pittsburgh's Defense is nicked with starting LB Kendrell Bell likely to miss another game (ankle-doubtful), back-up DT Kendrick Clancy (hamstring - questionable) and back-up S Mike Logan (hamstring-questionable)

Due to Dont� Stallworth's absence, and the improvement in Pittsburgh's play against the Browns, the Saints go into this game with a slight advantage in the matchup, rather than an overwhelming one.

Carolina's Passing Game vs. The Arizona Defense (Good Matchup)

Muhsin Muhammad is out of this game with a hamstring injury, and maybe out for weeks to come. That shifts the burden of the receiving game squarely onto Steve Smith and Wesley Wall's shoulders heading into Sunday's matchup. Both Walls and Rodney Peete (the ageless wonder) are nursing aching knees (probable), but both are expected to be ready to go on Sunday. Rodney Peete is not playing like a fantasy superstar, but he is setting up Lamar Smith to play like one. His 869 yards on 63 completions with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions are good enough to force defenses to respect the Panther's aerial attack and open up lanes for Smith.

The Panthers welcome the .500 Cardinals to town for a showdown on Sunday, and I do mean welcome. The Cardinals are currently 27th in the NFL vs. the pass, allowing 265 yards per game, and rank at 15th in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, 20th vs. opposing wide receivers, and 18th vs. opposing tight ends. That last statistic could be key for the Panthers, as Walls needs to be a bigger presence in their attack with Muhammad out. Walls did not catch a single pass last week and in fact, only had 1 ball thrown his way. I can't imagine that will sit well with Walls. I'd also imagine most of the Panthers heard about it.

Smith continues to surprise folks and could use his speed and quickness again this weekend to create matchup problems with the secondary.

The Cards will play Sunday without starting CB Duane Starks, who is still out with that serious groin injury.

Expect more steady, effective passing from Peete against the Cardinals, with Steve Smith and Walls as the main targets. They should be good enough to notch above average points against the weak Cardinals.

Washington's Passing Game vs. The Tennessee Defense (Good Matchup)

The Fun-N-Gun has become the Stunned-N-Done offense now that the regular season is here, and Coach Steve Spurrier is playing hide-n-seek with his starting quarterback, refusing to name a starter until Saturday. Right now it looks like Danny "The Gloved One" Wuerffel will go, either that or rookie Patrick Ramsey will get the honor of facing the wounded Titans (Personally, I think you'll see Wuerffel start but Ramsey will play. Maybe play a lot). On the season, the Redskins quarterbacks have put up 62 completions for 629 yards, 4 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Shane Matthews (currently in the Spurrier Doghouse) accounted for all 4 scores, Wuerffel accounted for 2 of the 4 interceptions.

What a mess.

Luckily enough, whoever starts will play a terrible pass defense, currently ranked 30th in the league against the pass, allowing 290 yards per game. The Titans are also terrible in terms of fantasy points allowed, they rank 31st vs. opposing quarterbacks, 32nd vs. opposing wide receivers, and 21st vs. opposing tight ends. At least Rod Gardner owners have some hope this week. He should be back close to 100%. Kevin Lockett is the new # 2 WR and if you're ever going to start him, this is the game.

Titan's CB Samari Rolle is very questionable with an injured hamstring and probably won't play although the injury isn't quite as bad as originally feared. Rookie Mike Echols will likely fill in for Rolle. He was rudely introduced to life in the NFL last week by Jerry Rice. Pass rushing terror Jevon Kearse is out with a foot injury, so the Redskins QB can feel a little more secure in the pocket, although Carlos Hall is no slouch in Kearse's place. Redskins TE Walter Rasby will probably play.

As far as match-ups go, Washington won't get a much better chance to get the passing offense rolling than this week's game. As inept as their offense has been, the Titans are worse defending the pass.

Neutral Matchups � The Defense and Offense are fairly evenly matched in these games

Tennessee's Passing Game vs. The Washington Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Once-feared Defensive Coordinator Marvin Lewis is now mortal again, as his talented but underachieving defense has been mauled by Philadelphia and handily defeated by San Francisco in the two games leading up to Washington's early bye. San Francisco didn't even need their top quarterback in the game to beat the struggling Redskins, (although Tim Rattay was very limited in his half of work).

This week the Titans will attempt to get back on the W side of the win/loss column, but they will do it without star wide receiver Derrick Mason, who's out 2-3 weeks with a separated shoulder. Into his spot steps Drew Bennett, while Justin McCareins will also probably have an increased role in Mason's absence. Steve McNair is actually having a very good Fantasy Football season, ranking 9th on the fantasy scoring list, with 91 completions for 1000 yards and 7 touchdowns vs. 6 interceptions in 2002. He has not run very much, 15/70 yards.

The Washington defense is very mediocre against the pass, ranking 7th in the NFL in terms of yardage allowed, but much lower in terms of fantasy points allowed: vs. opposing quarterbacks they rank 22nd, against wide receivers, 18th, and vs. tight ends they're 14th. The Redskin's secondary is in good shape health-wise. Kevin Dyson will likely draw cornerback Champ Bailey and that's not good for Dyson or his owners. CB Fred Smoot talks better than he plays on the other side but will probably be able to handle Bennett or McCareins although neither of those guys are WR starters in most leagues.

Anytime you lose your best wide receiver it will affect how your offense plays. Look for the mediocre Redskins to match up well with the Mason-less Titans on Sunday.

San Francisco's Passing Game vs. The St. Louis Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Besides Kurt Warner, has there been a bigger fantasy bust this season than Jeff Garcia? In 2.5 games, he's scrabbled together 455 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions throwing the ball. What is going on? Terrell Owens has 11 catches for 112 yards and 1 score this season - he would easily put those numbers up in a single game in 2001. Talk about anemic.

Still, coach Mariucci dismisses any talk of a slump, and points out that Garcia is just taking what the defense gives him, and not forcing the ball in where it can't go. He praises Garcia's decision making, and says that mentally Garcia is on top of his game. O.K. coach, then how about calling some long passes?

Statistically, the Rams are in the middle of the pack against the pass, ranking 19th in the NFL with 228 yards per game surrendered, and 13th ranked in points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. They are tougher against opposing wide receivers, ranked 9th, and weaker vs. tight ends, ranked 22nd. Teams that play Eric Johnson take note.

The Ram's defense is coming into this game without star LB Tommy Polley, CB Dexter McCleon. CB Aeneas Williams is listed as questionable for Sunday with his ankle injury but is expected to start. So there will be some holes to exploit. The fresh 49'ers have a healthy passing unit.

Between the struggles of the 49'ers to generate large plays and the mediocrity of the Rams, this matchup looks about even heading into the divisional rivalry on Sunday.

Kansas City's Passing Game vs. The New York Jets Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Trent Green is hot right now, coming of a 24/34 for 328 yards and 5 touchdowns that vaulted him into the top ten of all fantasy quarterbacks, where he currently ranks 5th in the league. Tony Gonzalez was a monster last week, 140 yards (on only 7 receptions) and 3 touchdowns, while Eddie Kennison and Johnnie Morton were only modest contributors to the rout, (2/57 and 0 scores, 4/39 and 1 score, respectively). Kennison is currently the #16 fantasy wide receiver, while Morton is down at the humble ranking of #55 on the season.

This week, the Chiefs get to play the staggering New York Jets. The Jets are so soft on rushing defense that their passing defense numbers look OK - they are currently 17th in the NFL by yardage allowed, and their defense ranks at 8th in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, 13th vs. opposing wide receivers and 23rd vs. opposing tight ends. Part of the reason for these statistics, though, is that other teams can simply cram the ball down the Jets' throats (the Jags put up 223 yards rushing and gouged the Jets for 4 rushing touchdowns last week).

With the powerful Kansas City line and the dominating Priest Holmes around to victimize the Jets on the ground, the Chiefs may not go to the air much - but when they do, they should find some opportunities. Donnie Abraham and Aaron Beasley are hanging in at CB, but the Jets LB's haven't been playing well of late and that should open up opportunities for Gonzalez and the receivers on short and intermediate routes.

Chicago's Passing Game vs. The Green Bay Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Jim Miller, Marty Booker, and company are having a good season tossing the football around. Miller is currently #13 on the fantasy quarterback's list (77/128 for 864 yards, 7 touchdowns vs. 3 interceptions, and Booker appears at #5 on the receiver's list (25 for 425 yards and 2 touchdowns so far!). They are the spark-plugs of the Bear's aerial attack.

Green Bay has been fairly tough against the pass this season, ranking 9th in the NFL surrendering 203 yards per game through the air. In terms of fantasy points allowed by position, the Packers are 17th vs. opposing quarterbacks, 12th vs. opposing wide receivers, and 5th vs. opposing tight ends. But, starting S Antuan Edwards is out with a broken arm, and the other starting S Darren Sharper is nursing a hurt ankle (probable) so the secondary is definitely banged up.

The Bears and the Packers is a classic NFL rivalry, and it looks to be a great matchup between evenly matched teams.

Miami's Passing Game vs. The New England Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Until last week, Jay Fiedler looked like he fit into Norv Turner's offense like a gear in a Swiss watch - that is to say, perfectly. He has been piloting the Dolphins with a sure hand, currently ranking 8th on the quarterback's fantasy points list, throwing for 889 yards on 76 completions with 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Yes - Jay Fiedler is # 8 on the list. He's also added 15 rushes for 59 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns, a nice bonus for Fiedler owners. Fiedler has a plethora of fine weapons in wide-outs Oronde Gadsden (circus-catch engineer and highlight reel staple), Chris Chambers and sensational rookie TE Randy McMichael. Ricky Williams has suddenly become a big target as well seeing 8 passes come his way last week. But, Kansas City came along and roughed Fiedler up, marring the pretty start to the season, and Fiedler threw 4 interceptions vs only 1 touchdown en route to 310 yards on 29 of 45 passing.

New England's pass defense is one of the best in the league, currently ranking 2nd in the NFL surrendering only 172 yards per game, although they have surrendered 6 passing touchdowns over four games. Lawyer Milloy and Ty Law are the linchpins that hold the secondary together. The Patriots are also rather stingy in terms of fantasy points allowed by position: to opposing quarterbacks they rank 10th this week, in points to wide receivers they are 14th and points to tight ends the defense is at 9th.

Fiedler is listed as probable on the injury report with his sore finger and will be fine. His line is banged up with starting T's Mark Dixon (ankle-questionable) and Todd Wade (ankle-probable) both appearing on the injury report, along with starting C Tim Ruddy (groin-questionable).

Anybody can have a bad game - last week, Fiedler had one. Against the stout Patriots, look for Turner to emphasize Fiedler's strengths to guard against another bad outing, and use Ricky Williams' rushing to set up the pass. This match-up looks about even heading into Sunday.

San Diego Passing Game vs. The Denver Defense (Neutral Matchup)

Drew Brees is doing an outstanding job executing the San Diego offense. His 608 yards on 57 completions with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions are good for #21 on the fantasy points scored by quarterbacks list, and good enough to provide enough of a credible passing game that Tomlinson can batter the opposition into submission. Curtis Conway is currently the #2 fantasy wideout in the NFL, putting up 313 yards on 20 catches and 3 scores, along with his 3 rushes for 30 yards and another touchdown.

This week, Brees and Conway (and the rest of the team) head into Mile-High stadium for a showdown with the division-rival Broncos. Ray Rhodes' defense has been vulnerable to the passing game, ranking 21st in the NFL surrendering 239 yards of passing per game, on average. Todd Heap and Chris Redman certainly showed them up in the first half last Monday, and as a result the Broncos rank 20th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, and 31st in the league in points allowed to tight ends. They are stronger against wide receivers, currently sitting at 8th in the league in fantasy points allowed.

However, San Diego's tight ends, Josh Norman and Stephen Alexander, haven't exactly set the world on fire, notching 3/19 and 1 touchdown and 6/47 respectively. The other wide-receivers on the roster haven't done much (Tim Dwight has caught 5 balls for 72 yards, and Reche Caldwell has a hamstring injury hindering him so far - he has yet to snag a pass in 2002).

Look for the Chargers to continue with the conservative passing game against the Broncos. Brees and company should see some opportunities once Tomlinson gets the defense drawn up close to the line of scrimmage, though. Neither team has a clear advantage in this one, although Mile-High's fans always disrupt the rhythm of opposing offensive teams with their deafening cheering.

Denver's Passing Game vs. The San Diego Defense (Neutral Matchup)

If Brian Griese can avoid his dog on the stairs this week, he should come into the San Diego game fairly healthy. His team didn't suffer any further serious injuries in the embarrassing loss to the Ravens on Monday night, in spite of Ray Lewis' ferocious hits. However, almost the entire Denver line is nursing minor injuries - four out of five starters - with RT Matt Lepsis nursing a sore hamstring, RG Dan Neil an injured leg, C Tom Nalen has a tweaked knee, and LT Ephraim Salaam has a sore ankle. 2 back-up linemen, G Lennie Friedman (thumb) and T Blake Brockermeyer (toe) join their team-mates - all 6 showing up as "probable" on the injury report. Monitor this situation as the week progresses, but for now it looks like there will be a line to block for Griese.

Griese looked uninspired on Monday night, throwing for 328 yards and 1 touchdown vs. 3 interceptions. McCaffrey, Sharpe and Smith saw a lot of balls thrown their way, but none of them cracked the endzone, and the offense generally looked like they were struggling all night. McCaffrey's seen his targets increase with each week (10 against Baltimore) and now seems to be right back just a half notch below Rod Smith when it comes to Griese spreading the ball around.

San Diego is solid against the pass, surrendering 217 yards a game (12th in the NFL, currently) with solid rankings in fantasy points surrendered per game to quarterbacks (11th), wide receivers (11th), and tight ends (15th). They are strong all the way around, and fairly healthy. LB's Junior Seau (ankle) and Donnie Edwards (bruised ribs) are playing through minor injuries, SS Rodney Harrison continues to play through a groin injury, and CB Tay Cody is out with a toe injury.

The Denver passing game will have a lot of pressure to perform on Sunday, because the Chargers are so tough against the run. It won't be easy, but at least they get home field advantage.

Tough Matchups � Defenses should be able to contain the offense in these games

Baltimore's Passing Game vs. The Cleveland Defense (Tough Matchup)

Talk about getting it in gear� The Ravens' offense shocked the nation on Monday Night, embarrassing the haughty Broncos and their feared defense. Chris Redman finished with a modest-but-effective 13 completions for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns, both to tight end Todd Heap, who out-jumped the Broncos' secondary in the end-zone. Brandon Stokely and Travis Taylor only garnered 3 balls for 43 yards between them, although Stokely did make a big play with a 32 yard reception. Heap bruised his thigh in the win, though, (he did return to the game), and is listed as questionable for the Cleveland game although he looks to be ready to start.

Now the Ravens begin divisional play with their #1 rival, the "new" Browns, in Cleveland. Cleveland's defense has been inconsistent this season - they were stout against Pittsburgh's Kordell Stewart last week, but then their starting CB's Corey Fuller (right hamstring) and Daylon McCutcheon (poked eye) went down to injury and Tommy Maddox passed for 11/13 and 122 yards with 1 interception and 1 touchdown to lead the Steelers to an OT victory on a bizarre special-teams play.

Overall, the Browns rank 15th in the NFL surrendering 222 yards per game, and are ranked 12th in fantasy points surrendered to opposing quarterbacks and tight ends, and 16th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers.

Depending on the game-time status of Fuller and McCutcheon (currently questionable and probable on the injury report) the Browns look like they have a slight edge over the Ravens in this matchup, as they have defended opposing tight ends well and the Ravens' aerial attack is currently predicated on Heap.

Cleveland Passing Game vs. The Baltimore Defense (Tough Matchup)

Tim Couch could've played better against the Pittsburgh defense, which until last week was a sieve against the pass in games vs. Tom Brady and Rich Gannon. Where the other two quarterbacks shone, Couch was pretty bad, throwing for 144 yards on 16 completions and 2 interceptions, in spite of finally having an effective ground game provided by Jamel White. Couch is currently #31 on the list of fantasy points scored by quarterbacks, with 52 completions for 470 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions on the season. His compadres in the wide-receiving corps, Andre Davis (9th), Kevin Johnson (17th) and Quincy Morgan (23rd) all appear in the top 25, though, largely due to Kelly Holcomb's excellent play week one and two.

This week the Browns face arch-rival Baltimore at home, and the Ravens come in off a huge win vs. the Broncos on Monday Night Football. Baltimore ranks near the middle of the pack (18th) in terms of yardage surrendered per game, with 225 yards on average, but are stronger when looked at in terms of fantasy points allowed by position. The Ravens rank 9th in the league vs. opposing quarterbacks, 4th in the league against opposing wide receivers, but 25th vs opposing tight ends. The Ravens have only surrendered 2 receiving touchdowns all season, 1 last week to the Bronco's Patrick Hape.

Both units come into the game healthy, so injuries are not a factor going into the game.

Cleveland at home will face a fired up Raven's team out to climb atop the AFC North. This will be a tough game in which the Ravens (especially Ray Lewis and Chris McAlister) make Couch and company work for every yard.

Tampa Bay's Passing Game vs. The Atlanta Defense (Tough Matchup)

Brad Johnson and his compatriots on offense in Tampa finally had their break-out game for 2002. His 277 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions were the best performance so far. Of course, it came against the Bengals. On the season, Johnson is the 12th highest scoring fantasy quarterback, throwing to the tandem of Keyshawn Johnson (he's still not seen the end-zone, though) and Keenan McCardell. They both have 17 catches, Johnson for 238 yards, McCardell for 237 and 2 touchdowns. Talk about a balanced passing attack.

This week the Buccaneers attempt to raid the Falcons in Atlanta. The Falcons are actually pretty tough against the pass, ranking 5th in the league allowing only 188 yards per game, and they are the 3rd ranked defense against opposing fantasy quarterbacks, 10th against opposing wide receivers, and 8th against opposing tight ends. They have also allowed less scoring through their first three games, 37 points, 14, and 3 respectively. All of this without star CB Ray Buchanan, who is on a 4-game suspension for using a banned dietary supplement.

The Bucs are healthy, while the Falcons are less fit, with LB's John Thierry (hip-doubtful) and Will Overstreet (shoulder-questionable) nursing injuries and perhaps standing on the sidelines Sunday.

In a divisional contest, on the road, with an anemic rushing attack, the Buccaneers will have an uphill battle to post a good game against Wade Phillips and the Falcons.

Atlanta's Passing Game vs. The Tampa Bay Defense (Tough Matchup)

Michael Vick has been a pleasant surprise in 2002. The second-year man has yet to throw an interception (48 completions for 549 yards, 4 touchdowns, and adding 24 rushes for 184 yards and 1 touchdown), and is currently the 14th ranked fantasy quarterback in the NFL. The receivers aren't anything to get excited about, with the top guy, Brian Finneran, checking in at #36 on the fantasy wide receivers' scoring list (14 for 173 and 2 scores), although that is only through 3 games (most have 4 under their belt). Alge Crumpler, the top TE, is at #21, with 6/57 and 1 touchdown.

The Buccaneers defense is solid against the pass, ranking 10th in the league surrendering 205 yards per game. They're very tough on opposing fantasy quarterbacks, ranking 1st in terms of fantasy points allowed at that position, and are 7th against wide receivers, and 11th against opposing tight ends. The defense is also very healthy going into Sunday's game.

The Falcons will be lacking back-up wide receiver, Darren Chiaverini (out-quadriceps), but otherwise their passing attack is in good shape. Injuries aren't a big factor heading into this game.

This week, the Falcons and Vick will be in a divisional dog-fight, and the Bucs look like a formidable obstacle to accumulating big passing numbers. The visitors will have the edge in this matchup.

Arizona's Passing Game vs. The Carolina Defense (Tough Matchup)

For the first time in weeks, WR David Boston does not appear on the injury report. That's good news for a Cardinals team looking at playing Sunday likely without their #1 or #2 running back. Jake Plummer definitely missed his #1 option while Boston was limited, going 23 of 32 for a measly 168 yards and 1 touchdown in the win over the Giants. On the season, Plummer has tossed 64 completions for 691 yards, 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions , and ran 1 in for a score as well. With the stout Carolina defense waiting to smother their probable starting running back, Damien Anderson, the Cardinals will need to air it out if they have a chance to win this week.

The Carolina defense is not a bunch of wimps on pass defense, though. They rank fourth in the league at 187 yards per game surrendered, and held Brett Favre to 200 yards passing in Lambeau field last Sunday. Now that's what you call stout. They are 4th in terms of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, 15th vs. wide receivers, and 10th vs. tight ends in 2002. Their secondary is a picture of health heading into Sunday's match.

Boston just hasn't been able to get separation. Let's see if that changes Sunday. Also look for TE Freddie Jones to continue increasing his role. He started off slowly but has been a bigger part of the game plan each week.

With the twin advantages of playing at home and facing either Thomas Jones at less than full strength or a rookie running back in Damien Anderson, the Panthers should hold the edge against Jake Plummer and his compatriots on offense.

St. Louis Passing Game vs. The San Francisco Defense (Tough Matchup)

The Rams have lost their star quarterback, Kurt Warner, for 5-10 games (depending on whether you believe Warner or the docs) with a finger surgery. Guess what - it might not be the end of the world with back-up Jamie Martin, who should be better able to take care of the ball than Warner did in his appearances. Let's face it, 1 touchdown and 8 interceptions was not exactly "powering" the Rams offense anywhere but to the bottom of the league. If the presence of the back-up Martin in the lineup forces Mike Martz to get back to the "Marshall Plan" - which was what opened up the passing game for Bruce and Holt in the first place - then so much the better for the Rams' fortunes. Martin's 24/37 for 262 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception performance was at least a credible beginning. Holt and Bruce haven't forgotten how to catch the ball this year, Kurt Warner just struggled with getting it to them (and not the opposition) in the end-zone.

A rested and fully recovered (from the stomach flu) 49'ers greets the division rival Rams on Sunday. San Francisco ranks 11th against the pass in the NFL this season, allowing 215 yards per game, and is very tough against opposing fantasy players. They rank 6th against opposing fantasy quarterbacks, 3rd against opposing wide receivers, but a lowly 26th against the oppositions' tight ends. Key linebacker Jamie Winborn is out with a knee injury, and back-up S Ronnie Heard is questionable with a gimpy ankle, so there are a few bodies missing, but overall the 49er's pass defense is in good shape.

An excellent defense will clash with a talented but struggling Rams' offense on Sunday. Since they possess the twin advantages of the home field and being well rested, the 49'ers will be a tough challenge for the new Rams' starter.

Bad Matchups � Defenses will cause major problems for the offense in these games

Cincinnati's Passing Game vs. The Indianapolis Defense (Bad Matchup)

Well, the Bengal's savior of the moment, Akili Smith, was abysmal in his start last week, and Corey Dillon got completely shut down as a result of the total lack of a credible passing attack. The coaching staff has sentenced Jon Kitna to be the fans' scapegoat this week. Reports by the Bengal's radio announcer, Dave Lapham, indicate that the Bengals are so inept on offense that Lapham actually has had to endure listening to the opposing defensive coaches in the booths near his broadcast booth laughing uproariously about the offense while Lapham calls the games (on multiple occasions this season, not just against the Bucs).

Even worse for Jon Kitna, the Bengals are visiting the Indianapolis defense this weekend - a team that ranks #1 in the league vs. the pass right now, surrendering a mere 171 yards per game, and only 4 touchdowns in 3 games. In terms of fantasy points allowed, the Colts rank #18 against opposing quarterbacks, #1 vs. opposing wide receivers, and #13 vs. opposing tight ends.

The Bengals' line is also disintegrating: Richmond Webb, the 13 year veteran who played LT, is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. 3 out of the other four starters on the line are hurting and either out or questionable to start vs. Indianapolis: G Mike Goff is out with a lacerated knee, RT Willie Anderson has shoulder and hamstring problems (questionable) and LG Matt O'Dwyer has a bum elbow (questionable). WR Danny Farmer is questionable with a knee injury, and T. J. Houshmandzadeh is probable with sore ribs. TE Sean Brewer is out. The Colt's starting SS Cory Bird is doubtful with a hip injury.

The reality is that the 2002 Bengals are perhaps the worst Bengals offensive team in the past 10 years, and that is really saying something, considering the company that has preceded them.

Until the coaching staff finds some kind of fix for the problems with the passing game, every matchup the Bengals face will be a bad one. The opposition will feast, and the Bengal's fans starve. Consider all your other options before even looking at the Bengal passing game right now, (if you have any on your roster still).

Dallas Passing Game vs. The New York Giants' Defense (Bad Matchup)

While the Giants may be struggling on offense right now, they aren't struggling on defense, at all. They currently rank 3rd in the league against the pass, allowing only 180 yards per game, and are in the top five as far as allowing fantasy points: 2nd ranked vs. opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers, and 3rd against opposing tight ends.

As we've been telling you since the Giant corners held down Terrell Owens and Jeff Garcia in week one, Will Peterson and Will Allen are one of the best tandems in the game. They're good enough to keep Jason Sehorn as a nickel back. Injuries are thinning the defense somewhat, with starting LB Dhani Jones battling a hamstring problem (probable), and back-up LB Nick Griesen out with a foot injury. Reserve SS Darnell Dinkins is also out with a foot injury. The line is also banged up with DT Keith Hamilton (Groin) and DE Kenny Holmes (Elbow) probable but likely less than 100%.

However, as the Giants are visiting Mr. Quincy "inconsistency-is-my-middle-name" Carter's Cowboys this weekend, they have little to fear. Top wide receiver Joey Galloway is questionable with a thumb injury although he'll likely play. If he's less than 100%, it won't help Carter's chances for success - he's currently the 20th ranked fantasy scorer among quarterbacks, with 74 completions for 776 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in 4 games. Antonio Bryant may be someone in this league someday but not this weekend against this defense. Darnay Scott scored the TD last week but had one more target (3) than Ken-Yon Rambo. He's not worth much.

Dallas guard Larry Allen played for a quarter last week before re-aggravating his ankle. Allen had moved to right tackle. He'll likely stay there as Dallas tries to contain DE Michael Strahan. The Cowboys totally reshuffled their offensive line last week with only one starter lining up in his normal position.

All in all, a tough matchup for an inconsistent passing attack with a shuffled OL against an excellent pass defense.