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 San Diego Passing Game vs. The New York Jets' Defense (Great Matchup) Drew Brees is really growing into his role as starting quarterback for the Chargers. All they've done the past two weeks is defeat divisional rivals Kansas City and Oakland to cement first place in the ultra-tough AFC West, after all. Curtis Conway remains his #1 target, and is the top wide receiver in average fantasy points per game in 2002. Tim Dwight was barely visible early on but is becoming a bigger part of the gameplan. The Jets pass defense finds ways to fail. They are the 26th ranked pass defense this season, allowing 256 yards per game on average, and the 30th ranked unit over the last four weeks, allowing 297 yards per contest. They laid down for the Browns last week, allowing a furious second-half comeback to sink their team. Over the past four weeks, the Jets are 21st, 27th and 21st vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends. The Jets' secondary is healthy, and so is the Chargers' unit. Look for Brees and company to be very successful against the suspect Jets on Sunday. At least as successful as the QB and WRs will be in a Marty Schottenheimer offense featuring the rushing attack of LaDainian Tomlinson. Tampa Bay's Passing Game vs. The Minnesota Defense (Great Matchup) Brad Johnson looks to be able to regain his starting spot after recovering from not only the rib injury but a serious case of the flu virus. "I had such a bad virus. I was laid up in the locker room eight hours on Sunday, and I was about three nails away from my coffin shutting," he said Wednesday. But he looks to be ready to go Sunday and that's probably good news for Tampa Fans. Minnesota's pass defense is terrible, ranking 31st in the league this season allowing 291 yards per game, and 29th over the last four weeks allowing 279 yards per contest. They are 19th, 26th and 17th vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends in that span. The only problem is, what wide receivers will Johnson be throwing to? Keenan McCardell is questionable with his cracked scapula, and so is Joe Jurevicius with knee and ankle injuries. That leaves Charles Lee, Karl Williams and Reggie Barlow as the options opposite Keyshawn Johnson (4 catches among the three of them this season). Minnesota has no injuries of note in the secondary. In the absence of other receivers, Keyshawn Johnson will have to carry the load against the suspect Viking's secondary - he shouldn't mind, he just wants the **** ball, remember? And he'll likely see it often. If cornerback Eric Kelly matches with Johnson, it'll be a definite height mismatch with Kelly at 5' 10" and Johnson at 6' 4". Not to mention the talent difference. We're not big fans of the Tampa offense but if you've been waiting on Keyshawn Johnson, it won't get much better than it does this week. St. Louis' Passing Game vs. The Arizona Defense (Great Matchup) Marc Bulger is getting the job done. He is the 7th ranked quarterback on the average fantasy points per game list for quarterbacks, and the team has won both of his starts. Better yet, he's good at handing off to Marshall Faulk. Holt and Bruce are getting equal attention from Bulger, who has hit them with an almost equal number of passes in his two starts - 4/80 and a score for Holt, 5/70 and 1 score for Bruce vs. Oakland; 3/70 for Holt and 4/63 for Bruce vs. Seattle. Arizona's defense was badly burned by Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens last week, and looked ill prepared in the first half of that game. On the season, they are ranked 22nd in the league allowing 248 yards per contest, and are 17th over the past four weeks, allowing 225 yards per game. They have trouble containing opposing fantasy wideouts, ranking 28th vs. them over the past four weeks, and are 14th vs. quarterbacks, 1st vs. opposing tight ends. Worse yet, their secondary is shaky heading into the game, with starting CB Duane Starks highly questionable with that lingering groin injury and his back-up Renaldo Hill, also highly questionable with a foot injury. That leaves Coby Rhinehart as the only available cornerback on the depth chart, should Starks and Hill be unable to go. St. Louis' unit is healthy and ready to go (except for Kurt Warner, of course). The Rams are finally clicking and the Cardinals' secondary is in shambles. A bid advantage flows to St. Louis in this matchup. Houston's Passing Game vs. The Cincinnati Defense (Great Matchup) Houston beat Jacksonville last week, and they did it by throwing to their tight end Billy Miller (3/78 yards and a score) and rookie Jabar Gaffney (3/60). David Carr was sacked a mere 4 times, about half of the punishment he's used to receiving. All in all, it was a good week and a fine win. The Texans figure to keep that momentum going when they face the Bengals this week. Cincinnati is ranked 13th this season vs. the pass (214 yards per game) and is allowing only 230 yards per contest over the past four weeks (18th ranked). However, they are ranked 25th vs. opposing quarterbacks, 32nd vs. opposing wide receivers, and 8th vs. opposing tight ends in fantasy points allowed during those four weeks. A whole lot of scoring is going on against the Bengal's defenders. Houston's aerial attack is just fine, health-wise. Cincinnati's CB Jeff Burris is questionable with a sore hamstring, as is S Cory Hall (ankle). WR Corey Bradford doesn't seem to be the only receiver David Carr looks to now. Gaffney seemed solid and Carr has said he feels the most comfortable throwing to his TE Miller. Corners Artrell Hawkins and Jeff Burris have been pretty shaky. If you've been thinking about pulling Carr of Bradford off your bench and starting them, this looks like a great spot to do it. Despite the Bengal's guarantees of victory, Carr and company will be the ones who look good passing the ball on Sunday. Good Matchups � Defenses will struggle to stop the offense in these games New York Jets Passing Game vs. The San Diego Defense (Good Matchup) A few weeks ago the phrase "New York Jets' passing game" was likely to be a punch-line on Late Night with David Letterman, but not any more. Chad Pennington is throwing the ball well, and Laveranues Coles is an able target for Pennington's darts. Pennington, Coles and Chrebet did their part against the Browns, combining for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns in the game last week (61 and a score for Coles, 40 and a score for Chrebet). And Santana Moss is making noise as well. This week the Jets play the Chargers. The Jets caught a break in the form of a one-game suspension of Charger's starting S Rodney Harrison for a vicious helmet to helmet hit on Jerry Rice. Even with Harrison on the field, the Charger's secondary is getting shredded this season, allowing 258 yards per game on average (27th in the league) and 312 yards per game over the past four weeks (31st in the league).Oakland slapped 353 yards on them in the Charger's most recent game. Over the past four weeks, the Chargers are 32nd vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, 29th vs. wide receivers, and 19th vs. tight ends. The Jets' aerial attack is ready to roll, and so are the Charger defenders - injuries aren't an issue. Cornerback Ryan McNeil's a solid player but Alex Molden is shaky on the other side. The Jets should be able to exploit them. On the downside, Jr. Seau and Marcellus Wiley will be ready to go after a bye week to get healthy. Pennington is maturing into a very steady, reliable and productive NFL starter. Look for that maturation to continue this week against the Chargers although expect them to be tougher with Seau and Wiley back. Pittsburgh's Passing Game vs. The Cleveland Defense (Good Matchup) If Plaxico Burress can keep his fists to himself, Tommy Maddox and he should continue their remarkable revival of the Steeler's passing game. The two are definitely on the same page, with 4 of Maddox's 9 touchdown passes this season landing in Burress' hands. Burress has caught 30 of his 32 passes since Maddox took the helm week 4, including 5 for 55 yards and 2 scores last week in the rout of Baltimore. This week Maddox, Burress and Hines Ward get to pick on the Cleveland Browns, who play very average pass defense. The Browns rank 14th in the league this season, allowing 222 yards, and 15th over the past four, allowing 223. In points allowed to opposing fantasy players, the Browns are 6th vs. quarterbacks, 25th vs. wide receivers, and 14th vs. tight ends over the past four weeks. The Browns secondary is hurting, with key CB Corey Fuller out with a hamstring problem, and starting S Robert Griffith sidelined with a shoulder injury. LB Ben Taylor is also out with a hamstring injury. Burress is probable with a sore wrist, but he's fine. Corners Daylon McCutcheon and Anthony Henry don't intimidate offenses and should have a tough time with Ward and Burress. Look for more steady but unspectacular production from Maddox and company this week in this key divisional matchup - the injuries to Fuller and Griffith tip the scales Pittsburgh's way. Cleveland's Passing Game vs. The Pittsburgh Defense (Good Matchup) Credit is due to Tim Couch - he has overcome the boo-birds and the doubts in Cleveland and emerged stronger on the other side of the crisis of confidence. He hasn't thrown an interception in two games (both victories) and is completing right at 67% of his throws. Last week's 33/49 for 307 yards and 2 scores was even a fantasy-worthy outing. Couch is really spreading the ball around this season, no one Cleveland wide receiver is his favorite from game to game - last week 5 players caught more than 4 balls (none more than 7) from Couch. His confidence should continue to build this week against a suspect Pittsburgh defense. The Steelers are the 29th ranked pass defense in the NFL this season, allowing 269 yards per game and are 26th over the last four weeks, allowing 261 yards per contest. In that span, they rank 11th, 8th, and 29th vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends. Cleveland's unit is healthy, and so are the Steelers, so injuries are a non-factor in this matchup. It's possible that the Browns could try and copy the multiple WR sets and gameplan teams like New England used so effectively against Pittsburgh early on. Couch has the skills and he certainly has enough WRs. That's been the problem for FF owners, you never know who'll be catching those passes from Couch. You also can't forget about RB Jamel White who's an excellent receiver. Couch and company would seem to have the advantage entering Sunday's showdown. Tennessee's Passing Game vs. The Indianapolis Defense (Good Matchup) Indianapolis has lost two straight, and it's largely due to their ineffective pass defense. They made Shane Matthews and the struggling Redskins look like a juggernaut in the first half last week, spotting Washington a 20 point lead in the first half before making adjustments at half-time. On the season, they are ranked 4th in the league allowing 194 yards per game, and they are 10th over the past four weeks allowing 210 per game, but don't be deceived - they are playing much worse than that during stretches of their recent games. Statistically, they are the 11th ranked defense vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, 8th vs. wide receivers, and 29th vs. tight ends. Tennessee's passing attack got healthy in a hurry last week with the return of Derrick Mason to the lineup (7/98 yards and 2 scores). Steve McNair threw for 16/27 for 215 yards and 3 scores, 0 interceptions on the day. You'd expect that to be even better this week as Mason has another week back under his belt. Tennessee's unit is healthy, and so is the Colt's secondary excepting a couple of minor injuries (CB's Joseph Jefferson (groin) and Brian Legeib (ankle) are both probable). Corners David Macklin and Walt Harris are nothing special. Mason and McNair will get their opportunities to expose the stumbling Colts on Sunday. Also note how weak the Colts are against TEs. Frank Wycheck isn't nearly the weapon he used to be but this looks enticing for him. Indianapolis' Passing Game vs. The Tennessee Defense (Good Matchup) Edgerrin James is doubtful for Sunday, which will put more of the onus on offense on the shoulders of Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, and Marcus Pollard. Luckily for the Colts, these three are up to the task: Manning is the 10th ranked quarterback in points per game, Harrison is the 7th ranked wide receiver, and Pollard is the 7th ranked tight end in that category. Don't be fooled by the season long stats. Tennessee is playing much better pass defense over the past four weeks than they did to open the season: they rank 4th in the NFL (190 yards per game) over that time-span, vs. a season ranking of 21st (247 yards per game). However, they are still allowing opposing fantasy players to score at a decent clip - they are 22nd vs. opposing quarterbacks, 13th vs. opposing wide receivers, and 10th vs. opposing tight ends. Heck, even Jon Kitna and the Bengals generated 193 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air against the Titans. Tennessee is still thin at CB, with Dainon Sidney out with an arm injury, and Mike Echols questionable with his leg injury. The Colt's passing attack is healthy. CB Samari Rolle isn't the player he used to be and Andre Dyson is still developing. The Colts are smarting from two tough losses - look for Manning to take his frustrations out on the improving but still vulnerable Titans. Arizona's Passing Game vs. The St. Louis Defense (Good Matchup) Jake Plummer and David Boston tried their hardest to help their team overcome the horrible hole their defense stuck them in against the 49'ers. But Plummer's 3 interceptions and 0 touchdown passes doomed the comeback attempt and kept Boston without a score for the 6th week in a row (no touchdowns since week 1). This week the Cardinals joust with the Rams at home, and hope for better things against the league's 20th ranked passing defense (245 yards per game allowed). Over the past four weeks, the Rams are even worse, giving up 267 yards (28th in the league) and ranking 16th, 23rd, and 3rd vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends, respectively. Part of the Rams problem on pass defense is the loss of cornerback Aeneas Williams for the season. CB Dexter McCleon has been limited by a sore hamstring in recent weeks, too (probable this week). Arizona lost back-up wide receiver Bryan Gilmore for the season with a badly broken leg last Sunday. WR's David Boston (leg) and Frank Sanders (foot) are listed as probable for the game this week. Most folks know I'm not a big Boston fan but I'd look for Plummer and Boston to bounce back against the suspect Rams pass defense, at home in Sun Devil stadium on Sunday. Washington's Passing Game vs. The Seattle Defense (Good Matchup) Shane Matthews looked like the second coming of Mark Rypien last Sunday night in the first half against Indianapolis, who spotted the Redskins 2 touchdowns and 2 field goals before half time. However, Matthews cooled in the second half, and ended with a solid 17/35 for 210 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions performance. Thompson (4 catches) Gardner (4 catches) and McCants (3) were his targets of choice in his first week back as the starter. McCants and Chris Doering snagged the scores, 1 each. This week the Redskins play the Seahawks, who can't stop the run but are decent at defending against the pass. Seattle ranks 11th in the league this season, allowing 213 yards per game, and are 8th over the last four weeks, allowing only 204 yards per game. They are middling against opposing fantasy players, ranking 13th vs. quarterbacks, 18th vs. wide receivers, and 9th vs. tight ends over the past four weeks. Washington's passing attack is in good shape; the Seahawks linebackers corps is not. Often injured Anthony Simmons is again listed as questionable with his ankle, Chad Brown and Tim Terry join Simmons as questionable (both have ankle problems). Back-up DE Brandon Mitchell is out with a calf injury. Matthews is the best of the Redskins' quarterbacks, and can play tolerably well within Spurrier's system. Expect continued modest success against the limping Seahawks and their mediocre pass defense. Philadelphia's Passing Game vs. The Chicago Defense (Good Matchup) Donovan McNabb is such a double-threat that he gives opposing defenses migraine headaches. However, he is so talented at spreading the ball around to his wide receivers that he is also giving fantasy franchises everywhere head-aches, trying to start the "right" Eagle on any given week. Last week, James Thrash was the favorite, catching 7 passes for 69 yards. Pinkston and Freeman have also had big weeks recently. Chicago's pass defense is soft - they rank 24th in the NFL this season allowing 248 yards per game, and are 25th over the last four weeks, allowing 258 per contest. They are generous to opposing fantasy stars in that span, ranking 20th vs. quarterbacks, 17th vs. wide receivers, and 25th vs. tight ends. Chicago's secondary is once again haunted by injury - R. W. McQuarters is still struggling with that hamstring problem (questionable) and it is limiting what he can do in pass defense. Todd Pinkston's sore wrist should not keep him out of the game, he's listed as probable. Neither McQuarters or Jerry Azumah are much at cornerback so McNabb should get back on the passing track. Thrash is probably the best guy of the bunch, but honestly, Pinkston and Freeman aren't bad plays either against this unit. As you can see, the Bears are weak against TEs too so Chad Lewis is worth a look if you normally need him. Bottom line is the Eagles create mismatches with their offense, and the Bears don't have the personnel to cover all their weapons effectively. Atlanta's Passing Game vs. The Baltimore Defense (Good Matchup) Baltimore's defense is reeling from an injury that has removed it's beating heart, Ray Lewis, from the lineup. To compound the problem, veteran DE Michael McCrary is also sidelined this week with a bum knee. The remaining players have heart and grit, but little experience - and it shows. On the season, the Ravens are the 19th ranked pass defense in the NFL, allowing 241 yards per game. Over the past four weeks they are the 23rd ranked defense, allowing 253 yards per game, and fading fast in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing players. The Ravens rank 17th vs. opposing quarterbacks, 31st vs. opposing wide receivers, and 18th vs. opposing tight ends in that span. Atlanta doesn't pass a whole lot - who needs to pass when you can rush for 250+ yards in a game (260 and 4 scores vs. New Orleans last week)? But when they do, Vick is very accurate - 84/135 for 959 yards, 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions so far this season. For WR's Brian Finneran seems to be far and away the primary guy. Especially with the somewhat surprising release this week of Willie Jackson. If Finneran's a guy you normally consider, he deserves a good look here. Vick is probable to play in spite of his injuries to his left (throwing) hand and shoulder last week. The Ravens have only the above-mentioned injuries of note (but they are huge injuries!) This is a very favorable opportunity for Vick to make something good happen through the air or the ground. San Francisco's Passing Game vs. The Oakland Defense (Good Matchup) Jeff Garcia finally ate his Wheaties (or something) on a Sunday morning, and came out gun-slinging against the Cardinals. His 252 yard, 4 touchdown performance was easily his best of the season, as was Terrell Owens' impressive YAC that led to 132 yards and 2 scores on only 8 receptions. These are the performances fantasy owners dreamed of in the first round on draft day. Oakland's pass defense isn't very good. They are the 23rd ranked defense in the NFL on the season, allowing 248 passing yards per game on average, and are 20th ranked over the past four weeks, allowing 245 yards per game. Over that time frame, they are ranked 29th vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, 19th vs. wide receivers, and 16th vs. tight ends. A lot of the problems are due to the injury epidemic that has swept the Raider secondary. CB Phillip Buchanon is out for the season with a serious wrist injury, and Charles Woodson may be back (finally) from a broken shoulder (probable) that has sidelined him most of the first half of the season. San Francisco lists both their starting WR's as probable, Owens with a heel injury and Stokes with a tweaked knee. Owens is on a roll and is being helped by Tai Streets drawing attention as a strong # 2 WR. J.J. Stokes is close to returning and when he does, I wouldn't be surprised to see Streets hang onto the starting job. It'll be a case of too many solid weapons in the passing game and not enough Raiders to cover them. Woodson just won't be enough, in his first week back, to tie a tourniquet on the Raider's secondary. Look for Garcia and company to build on last week's momentum and continue to roll. Oakland's Passing Game vs. The San Francisco Defense (Good Matchup) It isn't the passing game's fault that the Raiders lost their last three games. Gannon has thrown for 334, 361, and 332 yards in those losing efforts, so the blame lies somewhere else. In fact, Gannon is the 2nd highest scoring fantasy football quarterback on a points per game basis in 2002. Rice, Brown and Porter may be the most dangerous WR corps in the league. San Francisco's defense is not scary, ranking 18th in the NFL this season allowing 233 yards per game, and 21st over the past four weeks allowing 246. In that span, the 49'ers are 23rd, 20th and 7th vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends, respectively. Oakland's aerial unit is healthy entering the game. The 49'ers are probably going to be without LB's Saleem Rasheed (thigh) and Jamie Winborn (knee) - both are listed as doubtful. In addition, LB Jeff Ulbrich (knee) and DT Bryant Young (shoulder) are listed as probable. Those injuries mean that the linebackers' corps will be thin on Sunday, and may tire in the second half as a result. Being tired vs. the Raiders is a bad thing, man. Advantage, Oakland. Green Bay's Passing Game vs. The Miami Defense (Good Matchup) After giving most Packer fans a near heart attack in the game vs. Washington, Brett Favre is probably going to start this Monday vs. Miami. He'll wear a brace on his tender knee, but he'll be in there - very good news for Favre owners, as well as Driver and Glenn owners. Miami has a talented secondary, but they just aren't as statistically dominant as they used to be. In fact, they're not statistically even very good. On the season, the Dolphins are the 25th ranked defense allowing 250 yards per game, and over the last four weeks they are 22nd, allowing 252 per contest. They are in the middle tier vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks (12th) and wide receivers (14th) during that span, although they are 6th vs. tight ends. Miami has listed S Trent Gamble (groin) as questionable and starting CB Patrick Surtain as probable with his sore knee. Favre appears as questionable on the injury report, as dose OT Chad Clifton (knee). Favre and his bevy of wide receivers are good enough to take advantage of any weakness a defense offers them - and Miami has a few of those this season. Neutral Matchups � The Defense and Offense are fairly evenly matched in these games Dallas' Passing Game vs. The Detroit Defense (Neutral Matchup) Rookie Chad Hutchinson did not post terrible stats in first NFL start - quite an accomplishment, actually. 12/24 for 145 and 1 touchdown with 0 interceptions was good enough to put his team in a position to win, and good enough to help Emmitt Smith get his rushing title. However, it wasn't much from a fantasy standpoint. And he looked pretty ugly out there. He looked often to his #1 wide receiver, Joey Galloway, throwing him 4 passes for 62 yards and a score. Expect that trend to continue. Detroit is quietly becoming a decent football team. They've improved from a season average of 272 yards allowed per game through the air (30th in the league) to 253 yards per game (24th) over the past four weeks, and are not dead last vs. opposing fantasy players - they rank 24th, 12th, and 28th vs. opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends in that four week span. Back-up S Lamar Campbell is listed as questionable with hamstring woes, starting S Brian Walker is probable with his toe problem. The Cowboy's passing attack is in good shape, health-wise. Cornerback Todd Lyght is adequate but Chris Cash is a liability on the other side. He'll likely see Antonio Bryant and that matchup clearly goes to Bryant. TE Tony McGee will probably continue to be a safety blanket for Hutchison. In the battle at Ford Field this weekend, neither team looks like it will dominate the other in this matchup. New York Giant's Passing Game vs. The Jacksonville Defense (Neutral Matchup) Against the brutal Eagles' secondary and in the face of their bruising pass rush, Kerry Collins managed to not throw interceptions. He also didn't throw any touchdowns, making it a lean day points-wise for the Giants, who lost to Philly 17-3. Collins is the 28th ranked quarterback in terms of fantasy points scored per game in 2002, hardly something to get excited about. Jacksonville's pass defense isn't too impressive either, ranking 15th in the league this season allowing 223 yards per game, and 13th over the last four weeks allowing 218 per contest. Against opposing fantasy players the Jags rank 26th vs. quarterbacks, 4th vs. wide receivers, and 31st vs. opposing tight ends over the same time frame. Jacksonville's secondary is good to go Sunday, unlike the Giants. They lost Ike Hilliard for the season to a shoulder injury this week, and Jeremy Shockey is playing on sheer guts with his painful toe injury and gimpy knee. Who knows how long he'll be able to continue? With his list of targets diminishing by the day, against a mediocre Jacksonville unit, this matchup looks about even for Kerry Collins and the Giants. Miami's Passing Game vs. The Green Bay Defense (Neutral Matchup) After the debacle that was Ray Lucas' first start of 2002, coach Wannstedt hastened to assure the press that he hadn't loss faith in Lucas. Well, maybe not yet, but a 13/33 for 165 yards, 1 touchdown and 4 interception performance certainly didn't make him feel comfortable, I'm sure. The good news is that the bye week helped the Dolphins get healthy, with Chris Chambers no longer appearing on the injury report. Lucas also had extra time to prepare for his second start of the season. Green Bay is strictly average vs. the pass lately, ranking 16th in the league allowing 224 yards per game over the last four weeks (9th allowing 212 on the season). Over that time span they are 8th, 22nd and 27th vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends, respectively. Ray Lucas (ribs/hips) and Randy McMichael (foot) are both listed as probable for Monday's game. Green Bay's CB Mike McKenzie (leg) is questionable, S Darren Sharper is probable with his hamstring problem. Lucas should be better prepped for Green Bay - he better be, because Green Bay is ready for him. Look for newly acquired WR Cris Carter to start this Monday. It'll be very interesting to see how quickly he contributes. New England's Passing Game vs. The Buffalo Defense (Neutral Matchup) Where has the wonder-boy Tom Brady hidden his passing game? The last three games became a tailspin for the Patriot's passing game (240 yards (2 td's, 2 int's), then 183 yards (1 td, 3 int's), and finally 130 yards (1 td, 0 int's) last week). Brady, once battling for #1 on the fantasy passer's list with Drew Bledsoe, is now languishing at #8 on the points-scored-per-game list, and moving steadily downward. Last week, Troy Brown was the only wide receiver to catch more than one pass, and he only managed 59 yards on the day. Buffalo's pass defense is consistently mediocre this season, ranking 16th on the season allowing 229 yards per game, and 19th over the past four weeks, allowing 236 yards per game. They are giving to opposing fantasy players in that span, ranking 27th vs. quarterbacks, 15th vs. wide receivers, and 22nd in the league vs. tight ends. The only receiver of note on the injury report is rookie TE Daniel Graham (shoulder - questionable). For the Bills, S Tony Driver (hip) and CB Antoine Winfield (knee) appear as questionable on the early injury report. If Winfield can't go, look for nickel back Chris Watson to start at corner. He'll be picked on. Nate Clements is a much better player on the other side. In a divisional rivalry, the teams always play harder - but will either play better? We can't tell beforehand if either has an edge over the other. Tough Matchups � Defenses should be able to contain the offense in these games Buffalo's Passing Game vs. The New England Defense (Tough Matchup) A river of ink won't provide enough adjectives to describe Drew Bledsoe's performance in the first half of 2002. Let the statistics speak for themselves: 230/318 for 2500 yards, 16 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in 8 games. Price and Moulds are must-start WR's every week, currently #1 and #2 in fantasy scoring by wide receivers in 2002 (740 yards and 6 touchdowns for Price, 785 yards and 5 scores for Moulds). New England plays some tough pass defense, ranking 2nd in the NFL this season allowing only 179 yards per game, and 3rd in the league over the past 4 weeks, allowing 189. In that same time span, the Patriots are 10th, 5th, and 30th in the league in points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends, respectively. Buffalo's starting unit is fit and ready to rock. So is New England's secondary. It's going to be a war out there on Sunday between these two teams, with the excellent Patriots making it hard on Moulds and Price to get open - hard, but not impossible. CB Ty Law is solid but Otis Smith can most definitely be beaten deep. Law will probably draw Moulds for most of the day so look for another solid day from Peerless Price as he takes advantage of the 36 year old Smith. Note that the Patriots have been awful in allowing points to TEs so this might be the spot to start TE Jay Reimersma if you've been considering him. Cincinnati's Passing Game vs. The Houston Defense (Tough Matchup) Jon Kitna bounced back from an awful game against the Steelers week 6 to post a solid game against Tennessee last week (193 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions), but his team still lost. Chad Johnson was his favorite target last week, with 6 catches for 86 yards. Houston's defense is solid against the pass, ranking 10th in the league allowing 212 yards per game, and 7th over the last four weeks, allowing 201yards per contest. In terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing players, the Texans rank 7th, 24th and 11th vs. opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends during those four weeks. Cincinnati's starting unit is healthy heading into the game. Houston's secondary has some minor complaints - CB Jason Bell (arm), S Eric Brown (shoulder) LB Jamie Sharper (knee), and CB Jason Simmons (hamstring) are all listed as probable for the game. Chad Johnson is the only Bengal in the passing game to warrant starting attention. He's quietly emerged as a solid player. The trouble is that he's the only guy presenting a threat. Corners Aaron Glenn and Marcus Coleman are very solid and complement each other well. I like how the Bengals are showing signs of life but this defense looks like a pretty tough matchup this week. Detroit's Joey Harrington vs. The Dallas Defense (Tough Matchup) This duel of two rookie quarterbacks kicks off at Ford Field on Sunday, and Joey Harrington is playing solid but unspectacular ball right now. He's thrown for 199 yards in each of the last two games, and only tossed 1 interception in that span. Not bad for a rookie. Dallas brings a tough pass defense into Detroit, ranking 17th on the season allowing 231 yards per game and 12th over the past four weeks allowing only 214 yards per game. During that time span, the Cowboys rank 5th, 9th, and 13th vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends. Dallas' back-up CB Pete Hunter is questionable with a bum ankle. Detroit has a bunch of injuries to back-up receivers: Larry Foster is doubtful with a shoulder injury, Eddie Drummond is questionable with an ankle problem, and so is Desmond Howard (ribs) and TE John Owens (shoulder). Hakim and Schroeder need to stay healthy, obviously. Corner Mario Edwards is solid and getting even better. Duane Hawthorne is adequate on the other side. And a tough Dallas pass rush could cause trouble for the young QB. WR Germane Crowell is getting back in the flow and he'd be a huge asset if he can get going. Az-Zahir Hakim's been up and down and Bill Schroeder's struggled to stay healthy. TE Mikhail Ricks has been outstanding at times but he's inconsistent. This one looks like a tough row to hoe for Harrington and company. Seattle's Passing Game vs. The Washington Defense (Tough Matchup) Trent Dilfer is done for the year with an Achilles injury. Matt Hasselbeck is in to start this week, but new signee and bad boy extraordinaire Jeff George is breathing down his neck, so Hasselbeck shouldn't get too comfortable right at the moment. For good reason - Hasselbeck hasn't proven to be a starting caliber quarterback, for all that he's getting paid like one. 12/19 for 131 and 0 touchdowns with 1 interception barely got it done against the Cowboys, but won't be good enough for long. Adding to the woes, star wide receiver Darrell Jackson suffered a concussion and went into life-threatening convulsions in the locker room after the injury - he won't be back in the lineup any time soon, if at all. Veteran Bobby Engram will take his spot in the starting lineup. Washington's defense is middle of the pack - they rank 8th this season allowing 205 yards per game, and are 9th over the last four weeks allowing 208 - but they are 18th, 11th, and 24th vs. opposing quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends in that span. Washington's secondary is healthy and ready to go. In addition to Dilfer and Jackson's injuries, rookie TE Jerramy Stevens is doubtful to play with a bum ankle. An offense in turmoil with a weak running game (like the Seahawks) would be challenged to move the ball against any NFL defense, let alone one as talented as the Redskins. Jacksonville's Passing Game vs. The New York Giants' Defense (Tough Matchup) Mark Brunell and his team lost a heart-breaker to expansion Houston last week, and is on a three game skid (that coincides with another Brunell concussion suffered week 6). Brunell has thrown 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in his last 5 games, and has not gone over 240 yards in a contest over that span. He strongly denies the concussion has anything to do with it but what else is he going to say? This week, the Jags face the stumbling New York Giants, who were crushed by Donovan McNabb and the Eagles on Monday Night Football this week. On the season, the Giants are the 5th ranked passing D in the league, allowing 196 yards per game. Over the last four weeks, they've slid to 14th, allowing 219 yards per game and ranking 28th vs. opposing quarterbacks, 6th vs. wide receivers, and 15th vs. tight ends. Other than LB Nick Griesen (out-foot) the Giants are healthy in the secondary. Jacksonville has problems with the wide-out position across from Jimmy Smith - WR Pat Johnson is questionable with an abdominal injury and WR Bobby Shaw is hobbled by a sore toe (probable). Two backsliding units hook up in this matchup, but the Giants have a good enough secondary that they have the advantage over the plummeting Jaguars' team. Bad Matchups � Defenses will cause major problems for the offense in these games Minnesota's Passing Game vs. The Tampa Bay Defense (Bad Matchup) Tampa Bay's passing defense: #1 on the season allowing 166 yards per game. #1 over the past four weeks, allowing 128 yards per game. #1 vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, #1 vs. opposing fantasy wide receivers, #2 vs. opposing fantasy tight ends during those four weeks. Awesome. Minnesota's passing offense is erratic this season, with Moss and Culpepper simpatico one week and screaming at each other the next. Last week was an "up" week, with Culpepper throwing 22/29 for 216 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, while Moss caught 9 for 119 and a score. Minnesota expects D'Wayne Bates to be back (questionable - back). Tampa's secondary is healthy and mean as ever. They also happen to be extremely talented. Ronde Barber will likely draw Moss. Nobody matches Moss physically, but Barber's tough and smart and will give him all he wants. Without a true #2 WR to attract attention, Barber will have plenty of help. Moss is too explosive not to start against any team but this is definitely a tough matchup for him. Of some concern is watching Daunte Culpepper and the more conservative play calling from last week. They seemed to be intent on Michael Bennett running the ball. It was effective and you'll likely see them try to continue that trend. Although I doubt they'll have the same success running the ball this week as they did last. All in all, this looks like a down week for Culpepper and Moss, facing the best pass defense in the NFL. Chicago's Passing Game vs. The Philadelphia Defense (Bad Matchup) Chicago is glad to welcome back starting QB Jim Miller to the lineup (shoulder - probable). He has been told that he can play with his torn rotator cuff if he can take the pain - Miller's pretty tough, so he's going to try it out. David Terrell is out with his injured foot, so the starters remain Marty Booker and Dez White. # 3 WR Marcus Robinson will also see plenty of action. But Booker is Miller's favorite target by far. Philadelphia is very tough on opposing passers, ranking 6th in the league vs. the pass for the season (197 yards per game) and over the past four weeks (201). They are in the top 3 vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks (3rd) and wide receivers (3rd) during that span. They rank 26th vs. opposing tight ends, though. Besides Miller and Terrell, the Bear's TE's are hurting - John Davis is doubtful with his rib/side injury, and Fred Baxter is questionable with a similar injury. Philly's starting LB Carlos Emmons is doubtful with a hamstring injury, and starting S Brian Dawkins (neck) is questionable, as is reserve S Rashard Cook (knee). With corners Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor, the Eagles have one of the better tandems in the game. Certainly one of the most physical. No team blitzes more effectively than Philadelphia and this could be ugly if Jim Miller shows much rustiness. Actually, it could be ugly no matter what Miller does. Baltimore's Passing Game vs. The Atlanta Defense (Bad Matchup) Jeff Blake is a much-traveled veteran who can play the pro game well - he is the guy who helped keep the Bengals from being totally laughable from 1994 - 1999, even though he got no respect from management for his talents. For his career, Blake is 1428/2533 (56.4 completion %) for 17191 yards, 106 touchdowns and 72 interceptions, and he can rush the ball as well, going for 1743 yards on 344 carries with 11 touchdowns before McNabb and Culpepper brought rushing quarterbacks back into vogue. 29 of 50 for 298 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions (with another rushing touchdown as well) is not a bad day for someone who had no reps with the first team during the week. He'll start again this week with Redman battling back trouble. Atlanta's defense is stalwart this season vs. the pass, ranking 3rd in the NFL allowing only 193 yards per game. Over the past four weeks, they are 5th allowing 197 yards per contest, and rank 9th, 10th, and 5th vs. opposing fantasy quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends during that span. Atlanta does have a couple of injury concerns in the secondary, CB Juran Bolden is doubtful with a knee injury, and CB Kevin Mathis is questionable with a knee problem, too. The Ravens are fine on the offensive side of the ball except for Redman's injury. This is a tough match-up for the Ravens to face anytime, and especially tough right now as the team adjusts to a new signal caller. Travis Taylor is the #1 WR but he's so up and down that he's very tough to depend upon. Brandon Stokely scares no one. Atlanta corners Ashley Ambrose and Ray Buchanon don't play up to their reputation always but both are solid. The only receiver on this offense worthy of a start in all but the biggest leagues is TE Todd Heap. Heap's too good not to start for most FF teams but even he has a tough matchup as Atlanta's been excellent defending TEs.