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 Priest Holmes is playing the toughest rush defense in the league, he's got a tough matchup that week. He's also your starter unless you're sitting on Marshall Faulk. Let's jump to it. Great Matchups – Defenses will have major problems with the offense in these games Kansas City's Priest Holmes vs. The New York Jets Defense (Great Matchup) This one has the hallmarks of a career day for Priest Holmes. Plain and simple, the Jets can't stop anybody from running on them. They are currently 31st in the league, allowing 185 yards per game on the ground, and are dead last in terms of fantasy points allowed to running backs, 32nd out of 32 teams. Bottom line: the Jets aren't tackling worth beans, and their defensive front hardly qualifies as a speed bump - Fred Taylor and Stacey Mack demolished them for 212 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns between the two of them. Worse yet, they came out of the game vs. the Jaguars hurting: starting LB Mo Lewis hurt his right hip flexor (questionable), back-up NT James Reed injured his right toe (questionable), and back-up DE Steve White hurt his right ankle - White is out Sunday. Yikes! Holmes, meanwhile, has an extremely good run-blocking line which enters the game healthy, and Holmes is Numero Uno in the NFL in fantasy scoring by a running back with 8 total touchdowns (7 rushing, 1 receiving) and 570 yards combined (438 rushing on 97 carries, 132 receiving on 22 catches). Holmes looks to add to that total after brutalizing the Jets. Indianapolis' Edgerrin James vs. The Cincinnati Defense (Great Matchup) Edgerrin James and the Colts are rested and ready to rock and roll when the Bengals come to town. One of the best offensive lines in football, playing against one of the worst defensive fronts (currently ranked #28 against the rush, allowing 140 yards per game and having allowed 4 rushing touchdowns). One of the best running backs, playing with perhaps the best quarterback and wide receiver currently in the game, against a team in turmoil, coming off a horrendous loss to the Bucs - a Bengals team that can't move the ball at all right now, and who generated exactly 168 yards of offense, total, last week. The Bengals are beat up and featuring a line with questions about the availability of injured DE Vaughn Booker (ankle). MLB Brian Simmons is struggling with a toe injury, and has added a neck injury to the list this week (he's probable).The Bengals are very generous to opposing running backs, currently ranking 23rd in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Welcome to Indianapolis, Coach LeBeau. Your nightmare season will likely continue, courtesy of Edgerrin James and company. This is a prime opportunity for James to pursue a new career-high game. Tennessee's Eddie George vs. The Washington Defense (Great Matchup) The terrifying trio of Redskin's linebackers - LaVar Arrington, Jeremiah Trotter, and Jessie Armstead - have become the terrible trio, as the Redskins are being trampled by opposing running backs this season. They are so bad that the ballyhooed Redskins defense is currently 30th in the league, allowing 163 yards per game. In terms of fantasy points surrendered to opposing running backs, they rank slightly better at 20th in the league, but that still represents a major disappointment. In the game against San Francisco, with star QB Jeff Garcia sidelined and everyone in the park knowing the 49'ers were going to run the ball, the Redskins collapsed and allowed 252 yards of rushing (6.1 per rush average). The Redskins are just the thing to help the Titans overcome the loss of star WR Derrick Mason. George has been in the endzone but his yardage numbers are nowhere near where they should be. On the season, George is the 11th ranked fantasy running back, with 192 rushing yards and 3 scores, along with 107 receiving yards and 1 score. It's also a little troubling to see John Simon and Mike Green more in the mix. But if George is going to break out of his yardage funk, this looks like the defense to do it against. At least judging by what they've done thus far. The Titans line is healthy, if not terribly good, so they should be able to help pry open some holes against the Redskins' defensive front which is currently dealing with minor injuries to DT Daryl Gardener (back-probable) DT Dan Wilkinson (wrist-probable) and LB LaVar Arrington (wrist-probable). Look for a heavy dose of Eddie George on Sunday, when he will look like the George of old against the surprisingly bad Redskins defenders. Good Matchups – Defenses will struggle to stop the offense in these games Carolina's Lamar Smith vs. The Arizona Defense (Good Matchup) Carolina's Lamar Smith is the surprise come-back RB of 2002. He is really getting the job done for the Panthers, and it shows in his place at #4 on the fantasy scoring list for fantasy running backs - he has 97 rushes for 360 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 6 receptions for 96 more yards. That's better than Fred Taylor or Charlie Garner. The Arizona defense isn't exactly stout against the run, either. The Cards are 14th against the rush in 2002, allowing 99 yards a game, and rank 18th on the season in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Except for LB Levar Fisher (knee-doubtful), they are healthy heading into Sunday, though. Carolina's line is slightly dinged up - starting C Jeff Mitchell (ankle) and T Todd Steussie (ankle) are both listed as probable. The Carolina offense is basic, smash-mouth football. And it is working well with veteran Rodney Peete under center. Without star WR Muhsin Muhammad available, Lamar Smith will be center stage again on Sunday. There is no reason it shouldn't continue to be effective at home against the Cardinals. Washington's Stephen Davis vs. The Tennessee Defense (Good Matchup) When the passing side of the Washington offense falters, (as it has the last two weeks) opposing defenses can contain the Redskins' rushing attack. Thus, Stephen Davis has struggled, amassing 53 and 59 yards in the two losses, with 0 scores. This week, a new quarterback will be under center for Washington, either pre-season warrior Danny Wuerffel or rookie Patrick Ramsey. Davis's starting LT Chris Samuels is nursing an injured thigh (probable) and reserve G Kipp Vickers is out with a bum knee. The Titans will start Carlos Hall in Jevon Kearse's DE spot. The Titans' rushing defense is highly ranked as far as yards allowed - currently 5th in the NFL surrendering 82 yards a game - but part of that is because teams find it so easy to pass against their soft secondary. They rank 11th in the league in points allowed to opposing running backs. If there is a better set-up for the Stunned-N-Done to become the Fun-N-Gun again than facing the Titans' weak secondary, it would only be playing the Bengals. Look for Stephen Davis to run and run well as the pass sets up the run in Tennessee this weekend. New Orleans' Deuce McAllister vs. The Pittsburgh Defense (Good Matchup) Deuce McAllister is having a solid season, he currently ranks as the 10th best fantasy running back in the NFL. Coming off of a tough loss to Detroit, in which McAllister played well (12 rushes for 61 yards and a touchdown, with 8 receptions for 67 yards), the Saints will go without rising rookie star, WR Donté Stallworth this weekend. This deficiency may increase Aaron Brooks' reliance on McAllister in the passing game, depending on whether Jake Reed still has enough gas in the tank for four quarters of play (or not). The Steelers currently rank 10th in the NFL, surrendering an average of 94 yards per game, and rank 17th in the league in terms of fantasy points surrendered to opposing running backs. But Pittsburgh's rushing defense was exposed last week by Jamel White, who put up 105 yards on only 16 carries (6.6 yards per carry average) and a touchdown in the losing effort. Every back that has played the Steelers this season has fared pretty well, (Charlie Garner produced 6/56 yards, 9.3 average, and 1 score, and before him Antowain Smith put up 60 yards on 17 rushes (3.5 average) week 1 during the late part of the game while running out the clock) The team is vulnerable to backs with the speed to break long runs. White had a 54 yard scamper, and Garner a sprint of 36 yards. And Deuce McAllister definitely has break-away speed in his arsenal of skills. Add to the above that Pittsburgh is probably without key LB Kendrell Bell (ankle-doubtful), back-up DT Kendrick Clancy (hamstring - questionable) and back-up S Mike Logan (hamstring-questionable), and the future looks pretty rosy for McAllister and the healthy Saints line. Miami's Ricky Williams vs. The New England Defense (Good Matchup) The story line of the New England rushing defense is sort of like the beginning of Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities - at the start of the season, they were the best of rush defenses, containing Pittsburgh's Jerome Bettis for 35 yards on the game, and crushing the Jets' Curtis Martin, allowing only 5 yards on 4 attempts to the Jets' star. Since then, though, they have played like the worst of rush defenses, getting trampled by the Chiefs' Priest Holmes for 180 yards on 30 attempts (6.0 average) and 2 touchdowns. To cap the list last Sunday, the Pats were absolutely demolished by San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson for 217 yards on 27 attempts (8.0 average) and 2 touchdowns. The results of these four performances (and the perspective of watching the above four teams play other teams besides the Pats) show us that the Patriots stuffed bad teams with poor running games (Pittsburgh, the Jets) and got blasted by teams with decent-to-good offensive lines and great running backs (Chiefs, Chargers). The Chief's game was not an aberration after all - it looks like the beginning of a trend. In fact, over the first four games, the Patriots rank 29th in the league allowing 141 yards per game rushing, and are 24th in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Ricky Williams is a great running back with a solid offensive line, although right now 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). To date Williams has racked up 460 yards on 82 carries (5.6 yards per carry, on average) and added 11 receptions for 145 yards with 5 total touchdowns (4 rushing, 1 receiving). Miami is coming off a tough loss to the Chiefs during which Williams ran quite well, putting up 66 yards on only 14 carries (4.7 yards per carry average) and a touchdown while his team played catch-up for most of the afternoon. Part of the Patriots problem (but not all) has been injuries to key defensive players like LB's Tedy Bruschi, Roman Phifer and DE Willie McGinest. None of these guys appear on the injury report this week, but starting RDE Anthony Pleasant does, he's questionable with a shoulder injury, and back-up DE Rick Lyle is also questionable with an aching back. Unless coach Belichick and his staff can transform their rushing defense radically over the course of this week (and get healthy again on defense), it appears that Williams is in for a very good day rushing the football. Philadelphia's Duce Staley/Brian Westbrook/Donovan McNabb vs. The Jacksonville Defense (Good Matchup) Duce Staley remains the featured back so far in Philadelphia. He has 63 touches for 314 yards and 3 scores this season, while Brian Westbrook has 21 touches for 97 yards. ¾ of the work goes to Staley, while Westbrook is the change of pace back. Staley's not spectacular, but he's getting the job done, and he has only fumbled once this season. McNabb remains almost another running back for this team, he has only 6 less yards rushing than Staley (141 to 147) and as many scores, 2. As coach Reid avowed this week, he'll get Staley plenty of touches on the football (whether rushing or receiving). The Jacksonville defense is playing decently this season, and is currently ranked 18th in the league vs. the rush, allowing 107 yards per game. However, they are very tough on opposing backs in terms of fantasy points allowed, ranking 4th in the NFL so far. The defense is mainly healthy, although DE Tony Brackens (knee) and DT Larry Smith (ankle/knee) both show up on the injury list as probable. The problem defenses have with the Eagles is trying to cover the multitude of weapons the team deploys. The Eagles are good enough to cause problems for the Jaguars on Sunday. Look for Duce Staley to get his chances to make some plays on Sunday, thanks to the prolific aerial assault of the Eagles. Jacksonville's Fred Taylor/Stacey Mack vs. The Philadelphia Defense (Good Matchup) Fred Taylor is back in sync this season, and running extremely well. His compadre, Stacey Mack, feasted on the lame-duck Jets last week, ringing up three scores, but otherwise the rushing attack features the game-breaking skills of Taylor. Taylor is also avoiding the injury bug this season, so far. All that adds up to a 6th place appearance on the fantasy running backs scoring list (in only 3 games), with 65/339 yards and 3 scores along with 13 catches for 175 yards. Quite a start to the season. It's worth noting that the Red Zone tendencies reversed themselves last week. Through games 1-3, Taylor had 6 redzone looks compared to just 1 for Mack. Then in week 4, Mack vultures 3 short TDs. For Taylor owner's sake, let's hope week 4 was a fluke. I'm afraid it's not but Taylor still should be able to rack up the yards to be a solid play. With his breakaway skills, the "red zone" is pretty much anywhere on the field. This week a very banged up Philadelphia squad comes to town. Starting DT Corey Simon is doubtful with an ankle injury, DE Derrick Burgess is out with a foot injury, S Michael Lewis is out with a hamstring injury and S Rashard Cook is doubtful with a knee injury. LB's Carlos Emmons (hamstring) and Ike Reese (knee) are nursing injuries but probable, and so is S Julian Jones (knee). The number of injured safeties is going to affect the Eagles ability to blitz (which they love to do!). All those injuries are going to make it difficult for the Eagles to live up to their 8th ranked rushing defense (allowing only 91 yards per game so far) and their #8 ranking against opposing fantasy running backs. Fred Taylor is a very dangerous back to show weakness against. His big play speed is returning, and it will help him take advantage of a limping Philly defense on Sunday. This is an attractive matchup for teams that have Taylor. Green Bay's Ahman Green vs. The Chicago Defense (Good Matchup) Ahman Green remains a yardage machine in 2002, cranking out a combined 412 yards in only 3 games (309 rushing, 103 receiving) - however, he has yet to crack the end-zone, which is depressing his fantasy value significantly. Starting G Marco Rivera should be able to go this week, he is listed as probable on the injury report. The Chicago Bears are not the fearsome defense that they were in 2001, largely due to injuries. Their list of woes continued this week, when starting LB Warrick Holdman was put on the IR list - out for the season. Some observers claim that Holdman is just as key to the Bear's D as Brian Urlacher, so it's a major blow. He joins a long list of defensive stars now sidelined for the Bears (DT Ted Washington and DE Phillip Daniels spring to mind), which helps explain the lowly 20th in the NFL ranking of the rushing defense. In terms of fantasy points, the Bears rank 6th in points allowed to opposing backs, so they are a little tougher than they look at first glance. With Holdman out and Green Bay throwing a bunch of weapons at the Bears' defenders, Green should find room to roam on Sunday. Chicago's Anthony Thomas vs. The Green Bay Defense (Good Matchup) Anthony Thomas has been held in check this season, only putting up 288 yards and 2 scores rushing the ball (and adding 86 yards of receiving yardage). That puts him at #15 on the fantasy running backs scoring list, currently. The Green Bay defense, though, should be enough to jolt Thomas out of the doldrums, as they are very soft against the run, currently ranking 27th against the rush in the NFL, allowing 140 yards per game, and 30th against opposing running backs in terms of fantasy points allowed. The loss of Vonnie Holliday to a torn pectoral muscle has not helped matters, nor does the ankle problem that is hampering S Darren Sharper (probable) or the broken arm of S Antuan Edwards. When the Packers come into Champaign, Thomas and company will be eager to stuff the ball down their division rival's throats - and should have success doing it, too. Oakland's Charlie Garner/Tyrone Wheatley vs. The Buffalo Defense (Good Matchup) Charlie Garner is having an awesome season, folks. His numbers over three games: 32 rushes for 240 yards and 2 touchdowns, and 16 receptions for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns. He is averaging 7.5 yards per carry on the season. That's sick. Wheatley is still getting touches - 25 for 93 yards and no scores, with 3 receptions for 18 yards - but he is not generating fantasy-worthy numbers. Garner, Wheatley and company are on a roll after the Raiders bludgeoned the Titans for 52 points last Sunday, including 1 touchdown reception by Garner. This week, the Raiders head to Buffalo (home to the mad-bomber Drew Bledsoe and his merry band of receivers) where one of the most generous defenses in the NFL just keeps giving - giving up points to their opponents, that is. The Bills have scored 132 points this season - good thing, because they have surrendered 131. Their 32.8 points per game average is only slightly better than the Jets, Chiefs and Vikings. However, the rushing defense has only been responsible for allowing 3 of those touchdowns this season (and 125.3 yards per game, 23rd in the NFL). The relatively few touchdowns allowed puts the Bills at 14th in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. The Raiders' unit is mostly healthy going into Buffalo (back-up G Mo Collins is struggling with a knee injury, starting RT Lincoln Kennedy is suffering from the after-effects of a concussion and a foot problem, (he's questionable)), and the Bills' defenders don't have a person on the injury report, so injuries won't be a major factor in this rushing matchup. The Raiders' veteran offense is exploiting whatever weakness their opponents are exposing to them, and the Bills have plenty of problems on their defense. Look for the Raiders' passing game to open up opportunities for Garner to exploit in the rushing game - and rest assured that he will. The visitors have the advantage in this contest. Cincinnati's Corey Dillon vs. The Indianapolis Defense (Good 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. This week's sacrificial lamb (quarterback) is reportedly to be Jon Kitna (again). 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 laugh and joke about the offense while he's calling the games (on multiple occasions this season, not just against the Bucs). Corey Dillon has managed to find yards here and there, putting up 240 yards on 70 carries (3.4 ypc average) and adding 104 yards on 14 receptions - but no touchdowns. Those numbers put him at the 25th running back in 2002 in terms of fantasy points scored. Which honestly, given the situations he's running in, is pretty commendable. The Bengals line has also suddenly gotten worse, with 13 year veteran Richmond Webb going down for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. Rookie Levi Jones will step into Webb's spot at left tackle. To provide depth, the Bengals signed rookie Reggie Coleman off of Washington's practice squad. 3 out of the other 4 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). Coach LeBeau has stated that the team will "find five men" to play the game this week - but rest assured whoever those five are the majority either won't be 100% healthy or they won't be very experienced. This week, the Bengals visit Indianapolis, home to the 26th ranked NFL defense in terms of yards allowed. They rank 25th in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. The Colts have a few dinged back-up DT's - Josh Williams (foot) is listed as doubtful, while James Cannida (knee) is probable for Sunday's game - and starting LB Mike Peterson is also probable with a tweaked knee. Realize this, though: 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 plaguing the offense, every matchup that Corey Dillon faces is going to be a bad situation, because nobody has to respect the Bengals' passing game right now. With the offensive line as banged up as it is, it's going to be a challenge. But on the flip side, every game is a challenge for Dillon. And this defense is one of the weaker unit's he'll face. From a Dillon owner's perspective, it doesn't get a lot better for him than this game against the Colts who've fared poorly against the run. St. Louis' Marshall Faulk vs. The San Francisco Defense (Good Matchup) Teams that drafted Marshall Faulk this season feel that he is a huge disappointment in 2002 - and he is, for a #1 pick. However, times are changing in St. Louis, with ineffective Kurt Warner mercifully put out of the Rams misery by his broken pinkie finger. Now, Mike Martz is hopefully going to have to get back to basic football, which means running the ball. No one runs the ball better than Marshall Faulk - even with the pathetic 0-4 start, Faulk remains in the top ten of fantasy backs, currently #9 with 188 yards rushing, 4 touchdowns, and another 221 receiving yards. 400+ yards in 3.5 games isn't terrible - it just isn't world-beating (which is what we all expect from Faulk). Beautiful San Francisco welcomes Marshall Faulk to town on Sunday, and he's glad to be going to visit. The 49'ers rank 15th in the league, allowing 100 rushing yards per game, and are 16th in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Key LB Jamie Winborn is out with a bad knee, and that helps balance the lack of starting T Orlando Pace on the St. Louis line. This game will be about opportunities - and Faulk should finally get enough carries in a game to make the magic come back. Look for the Marshall Faulk of legend to return to the field on Sunday. Neutral Matchups – The Defense and Offense are fairly evenly matched in these games San Francisco's Garrison Hearst/Kevan Barlow vs. The St. Louis Defense (Neutral Matchup) The balanced rushing attack (between Hearst and Barlow) is very, well, balanced this season, with Barlow getting 30 carries for 174 yards and 1 score, and Hearst seeing 36 balls for 142 yards. Hearst has added 11 catches for 65 yards and 1 score (Barlow 4 for 43). Hearst has 207 combined yards, Barlow has 217. Together, they add up to one heck of a fantasy football back. Taken singly, they are bye-week substitute type guys. A good rushing defense comes calling in the struggling St. Louis Rams - they are currently 13th in the NFL, surrendering 98 yards per game and rank 9th in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. LB Tommy Polley is the only missing element in their defensive front, and the Niner's starting unit is fit after a week of rest. An effective rushing attack clashes with an effective rushing defense and neither has the upper hand starting out on Sunday. Will power and desire will determine which unit prevails. New England's Antowain Smith vs. The Miami Defense (Neutral Matchup) Antowain Smith is a very effective back in 2002, running hard and gaining yards when his team needs to grind it out on the ground. To date, he has notched 296 yards and 1 touchdown (with 3 receptions for 15 yards) in four games, and he's averaging 4.6 yards per carry with only one fumble. No 100 yard games, but no sub-50 yard games either. Steady and reliable, in the face of poor defenses (Kansas City - 16 for 92 yards and 1 touchdown) and great defenses (San Diego - 16 for 78 yards and no scores). In his four games he's carried 17, 15, 16 and 16 times, respectively. The Miami rushing defense is in the top ten this season, so far - ranking #9 in terms of yards allowed with 94 yards per game on average. They've given up 3 touchdowns in the course of games against Detroit, Indianapolis, the New York Jets, and Kansas City. They are slightly more generous in terms of fantasy points surrendered to opposing running backs, currently ranked 12th in the league through four weeks. You have to take note that they held Kansas City RB Priest Holmes to 53 yards rushing and that's no easy feat. Although focusing on Holmes allowed Trent Green to throw for 328 yards and 5 TDs. Both teams come into the contest somewhat banged up, with New England's line probably lacking G's Joe Andruzzi (knee injury) and Damien Woody (leg injury) - both are questionable - while Miami's star DE Jason Taylor is somewhat limited by a sprained knee, and back-up DT Jermaine Haley is probable with an ankle injury. Back-up LB Twan Russell is questionable with an ailing knee. The New England line is deep, though, and they were effective against the Charger's ferocious defense last week (0 sacks allowed, 3.8 yards per carry as a team average) largely without the services of Andruzzi and Woody. This looks like a neutral matchup, with Smith and his cohorts not holding an edge but not giving one up to the Dolphins either. Expect more steady (if unspectacular) production out of Smith this week. New York Jet's Curtis Martin/LaMont Jordan vs. The Kansas City Defense (Neutral Matchup) A sinking ship - that is how Martin describes the moribund Jets offense. In a move to shake up the dismal unit, head coach Edwards is going to start Chad Pennington at quarterback. Pennington has a live arm, at least. However, how much a new quarterback in the backfield will help Martin and Jordan is questionable. The offensive line is dismally bad, and neither back has over 100 yards of rushing after 4 games. Detroit's back-up running back, Lamont Warren (out for the season now), has scored more fantasy points in 2 games than either Martin or Jordan have in 4. However, if there is a chance for the Jets' backs to begin a resurgence, this week is a good bet. The Chiefs defense is horrible against the pass, dead last in the league, but their rush defense isn't too hot, either. They do rank #12 in the NFL in terms of yardage allowed per game (98 yards per game), but they are near the bottom in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing backs, at 26th. They have surrendered 4 rushing touchdowns to opposing backs so far in 2002. Their 448 yards allowed per game is dead last in the NFL, so the passing game should open up some lanes for Martin and Jordan, regardless of their lame line. Speaking of lame, starting RT Kareem McKenzie is questionable for the game with a groin problem, and back-up C Dennis O'Sullivan is probable with a tweaked knee. The Jets have played so terribly in the rushing phase of the game that even the abysmal Chiefs defense isn't enough to grant the Jets an edge. They do have a level playing field week 5, though. San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson vs. The Denver Defense (Neutral Matchup) Give credit where credit is due - the Charger's offensive line overcame significant injuries last week and absolutely humiliated the proud Patriots en route to paving the way for a steamroller named LaDainian Tomlinson (27 carries for 217 yards and 2 scores). Rookie's Jason Ball and Toniu Fonoti were just fine and Tomlinson is stellar, period. He leads all NFL backs with 101 rushes for 506 yards, and is currently #3 on the fantasy points scored list for running backs, behind only Priest Holmes and Ricky Williams. This week the Chargers meet Ray Rhode's tough defense in Denver. Denver still ranks as the second-best NFL defense in terms of rushing yardage surrendered on the season, averaging 57 yards a game. However, cracks started appearing on Monday night, when Jamal Lewis was very effective, garnering 78 tough yards and 1 score on 25 carries against the stout Broncos. On the season, the Broncos rank 7th in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. This matchup looks like trench warfare at it's best. Marty Schottenheimer's run first, run second philosophy vs. Ray Rhodes' stop the run game-planning. Two top NFL units clashing for AFC West dominance. What a game it will be. Denver's Clinton Portis/Mike Anderson/Olandis Gary vs. The San Diego Defense (Neutral Matchup) Only two teams play better run defense than the Chargers, in terms of rushing yardage allowed per game - Denver and Oakland. But nobody is stronger than the Chargers in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs - they're #1 in that category. Clinton Portis is starting to emerge as the Bronco's favorite back - he's got 35 carries for 204 yards and 1 touchdown - but Mike Anderson is right behind with 29/159 and Olandis Gary has 28/116 in 3 games. Shanahan is not hesitating to rotate the three in and out, and not one of them can be called a "feature" back at this point. Last week the split was 8 carries for Portis, 5 for Anderson, and 5 for Gary. Not exactly the number of carries that lead fantasy football teams to the playoffs. Also, the offensive line needs to eliminate the stupid penalties that hampered the team in the first half at Baltimore. Their focus was not good at all in the first 30 minutes on Monday night. Mike Anderson is listed as questionable for the game Sunday with a bum ankle. It's looking iffy right now. If he can't play, it's obviously good news for Portis and Gary to not have to split the carries 3 ways, but Anderson's blocking as the FB will be missed. San Diego's Junior Seau is playing on a tender ankle, and Donnie Edwards had bruised ribs after the Patriots game - but neither is allowing the injuries to hamper their game. Both are probable for the showdown on Sunday. 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. Keep an eye on this situation as the week progresses, but for now it looks like there will be a line to block for Portis and company on Sunday. Should be two excellent teams going at it. Cleveland's Jamel White/William Green vs. The Baltimore Defense (Neutral Matchup) Jamel White finally got the vast majority of the carries in a game last week, and he responded with 105 yards on only 16 carries (6.6 ypc average) and 1 touchdown, and added 3 receptions for 14 yards. William Green was a non-factor again, 7 carries for 16 yards and no receptions. He ended the game on the stationary bike. Still, Butch Davis has not officially named White the starter, so his stubbornness with Green may continue to deprive White of several touches per game. Into town stride the Ravens, riding an emotionally charged first victory on Monday night over the mighty Broncos. The Ravens are in the middle of the NFL pack against the run through the first four weeks, allowing 105 yards per game on average (16th in the NFL) and ranking 19th in terms of fantasy points allowed to running backs. They allowed speedy Clinton Portis 6.9 yards per carry on 8 rushes Monday night (55 yards total) and he also put up 30 receiving yards. White is a similar type of back, with good receiving skills and quick feet, so the Ravens might have trouble containing White, too. His offensive line isn't as good as the Broncos, however. Back-up C Dave Wohlabaugh is questionable with a hand injury. All in all, this matchup looks like a wash, with neither side a clear favorite over the other. Baltimore's Jamal Lewis vs. The Cleveland Defense (Neutral Matchup) Jamal Lewis ran strongly and fairly well against a very tough Broncos' defense last week, putting up 78 yards on 25 carries with 1 touchdown, and added 4 receptions for 21 yards. On the season, he's putting up a workman-like 195 yards on 59 carries and 1 touchdown and 92 yards on 13 receptions. Not flashy numbers, but very respectable considering the exceptionally strong defensive fronts he has been pitted against so far (Carolina (4th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game), Tampa Bay (6th), and Denver(2nd)) and the lack of an effective passing game the first two contests. No Ravens' linemen appear on the injury report this week. This week he gets a much easier defense to play against, the Cleveland Browns. The Browns rank 25th in the NFL in terms of yardage allowed per game (132) and are ranked 27th in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to running backs. However, the rushing defense has been playing better of late, and the line with DT's Orpheus Roye, Gerard Warren and Alvin McKinley and DE's Kenard Lang and Courtney Brown containing Eddie George to 59 yards and 1 touchdown 2 weeks ago and stuffing Jerome Bettis for 24 yards on 14 carries last Sunday. Lang's back-up, DE Tyrone Rogers, is the sole defensive lineman on the injury report (he's questionable with neck trouble). The question is whether that was the defense improving or Eddie George and Jerome Bettis fading? With Lewis finding his game legs again and poised to really assert himself, and the Brown's line smothering the opposition of late, neither team looks like they have a decisive advantage in the rushing phase of the game this week. The team with more staying power will assert itself in the second half. Atlanta's Warrick Dunn/T.J. Duckett/Michael Vick vs. The Tampa Bay Defense (Neutral Matchup) The Falcons went into their bye-week with a confidence-boosting drubbing of Cincinnati, and return to a home game in the Georgia Dome, which, thanks to new owner Arthur Blank's marketing efforts and cut in ticket prices, is now filled with excited fans cheering on their Birds. T.J. Duckett was much more involved in the win vs. Cincinnati, with 18 rushes for 67 yards. It was the first game this season that Michael Vick was not the team's leading rusher. The triple-threat backfield is working well for the Falcons, who are averaging 148.3 yards a game rushing as a team. Warrick Dunn has scored 4 times this season (3 rushing, 1 receiving) and is 17th highest-scoring fantasy back through 4 weeks (he's only played 3 games, though, due to the early bye). This week the Falcons face a tough Tampa Bay rushing defense that is currently 6th in the league, allowing only 84 yards per game on average, and the Bucs are also tough on opposing running backs in terms of fantasy points allowed - they rank 5th in the league in this category. Atlanta's line is in good shape, they'll probably only miss backup C Roberto Garza (out-foot injury), although starting C Todd McClure is listed on the injury report (knee-probable). Not one of the Bucs defensive players is on the injury report. In this divisional clash between the ferocious Tampa Bay defensive front and the speedy, shifty Dunn/Vick combination (with bruiser Duckett for change of pace), neither team has a clear advantage over the other. Tampa will be in the backfield pursuing Vick on some downs - and on some downs he and Dunn will be in the secondary with a long gainer. Tough Matchups – Defenses should be able to contain the offense in these games Pittsburgh's Jerome Bettis/Amos Zereoue vs. The New Orleans' Defense (Tough Matchup) Let's be honest, the Steeler's rushing attack stinks in 2002. Bettis has put up 32 rushes for 100 yards and 1 catch for 5 yards in 3 games, and Amos Zereoue has 36 yards on 14 carries and 41 yards on 7 receptions. Chris Fuamatu Ma'afala has been a non-factor, and is now out with a rib injury for an undetermined period of time. No Pittsburgh back has scored a touchdown. Jerome Bettis was benched last week when the Cleveland game was on the line. Their rushing quarterback, Kordell Stewart, is currently riding the pine due to woeful passing and general ineffectiveness. The Steeler offensive line has simply not been getting off the ball as they're accustomed to and not opening holes for the backs. This week Jerome Bettis and his team-mates visit the bayou, where the Saints boast the 11th ranked rushing defense in the NFL. The Saints are not so solid when considered in terms of fantasy points surrendered to opposing running backs, they rank 21st in the league in that category. 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. The Steelers' third down back, Zereoue, has a foot injury that's nagging him (he's probable) and starting T Marvel Smith is also dealing with a quadriceps injury (probable). Both will play. With a new starting quarterback trying to get in rhythm, the Steelers would love to rely on their rushing game -- but can they? As anemic as the attack has been, the edge in this game has to go to the home-team Saints. Tampa Bay's Michael Pittman/Mike Alstott vs. The Atlanta Defense (Tough Matchup) Tampa Bay comes off an easy win against the toothless Bengals, and heads to divisional rival Atlanta for a clash in the Georgia Dome. Neither Pittman or Alstott is having a particularly impressive season so far, Pittman is the 27th ranked fantasy football scorer among backs this season (rushing, 55/194/0 td's, receiving 22/144/0 td's), and Alstott is the 32nd (29/73/2 td's, 11/89/0 td's). Pittman actually struggled rushing the ball against the Bengals (19/54 yards, a 2.8 average) - but the line is missing starting RT Kenyatta Walker due to an ankle injury, and starting LG Kerry Jenkins is heroically battling through a fractured bone in his left leg, so they are hurting down in the trenches right now. This week their prospects may appear (on the surface) to be looking up, heading into Atlanta where the defense ranks 24th in the NFL surrendering 128 yards per game on average, and is 22nd in terms of fantasy points surrendered to running backs. However, the Wade Phillips-led defense is getting a lot of personnel back from early-season injuries, and have steadily improved their play through the first 3 games (211 rushing yards surrendered to Green Bay, 106 to Chicago, 66 to Cincinnati). In fact, at one point this season, as many as 5 linebackers were injured and the defensive line was super thin with 4 healthy guys to play 3 positions. Now, only LB John Thierry (hip-doubtful), DE Travis Hall (groin-questionable) and LB Will Overstreet (shoulder-questionable) appear on the injury report. Given the lack-luster play of the Buccaneer's line and backs, and the improving play of the Falcons, who will be fresh coming off a bye week, the advantage in this contest lies with the home team. New York Giant's Tiki Barber/Ron Dayne vs. The Dallas Defense (Tough Matchup) The Giant's coaching staff has taken steps this week to address the lack of rushing yardage generated by Barber and Dayne. 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 currently sporting a league-worst 2.7 yards per carry average for the season. Barber, for all the travails of the team, is still the 12th best fantasy football back this season, with 68 rushes for 214 yards and 2 scores, along with 24 receptions for 174 yards. Dayne has been totally ineffective (31/78 and 2/12, 0 scores). The offensive line is healthy at this point. The Giants roll into division rival Dallas with both teams .500 and one game back of NFC East leader Philadelphia. Dallas' run defense isn't quite as stout this season (they're really missing LB Dat Nguyen, still out with a broken wrist), and rank 17th in the NFL allowing 107 yards per game. However, the Cowboys are still the 3rd ranked defense in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Given the Giants' struggles to run the ball, and the Cowboy's excellence at defending the run, it looks like a tough week for Payton and company to attempt to get the running game on track. Buffalo's Travis Henry vs. The Oakland Defense (Tough Matchup) While it is true that the Raiders are exploding for a ton of points every week, it is also true that their revamped rushing defense is playing extremely good football over the first three games. In fact, the Raiders are first in the league in terms of rushing yardage surrendered per game, averaging a meager 52.7 yards per game. They have also allowed a modest 2 touchdowns in three games. In terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, the Raiders are slightly more generous, ranking 10th in the league this week. Travis Henry is having an up and down season so far, and responded to his coach's threat of the bench with 12 rushes for 68 yards, and 3 receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown against the Bears last week. On the season he's put up 67 for 282 (4.1 yards per carry average) and 4 touchdowns (3 came week 1), along with 13 receptions for 103 yards and a score. However, he continues to turn the ball over at an alarming rate, dropping another fumble in the Chicago game and having lost 3 of 4 fumbles in 4 games (1 per game, in crucial situations) to the opposition. Henry appears as "probable" on the early injury report with his tweaked knee, but should be ready to go Sunday. Neither the Bill's offensive line nor the Raider's starting defensive front is banged up (though back-up DT Roderick Coleman is questionable with ankle and knee trouble), so injuries aren't a significant factor heading into the game. Look for Travis Henry to have a hard time finding running room against the Raiders in a game where the Bills may have to play catch-up (if the Raiders TD machine continues to crank out points) - not a good recipe for a big day running the ball. Bad Matchups – Defenses will cause major problems for the offense in these games Dallas' Emmitt Smith vs. The New York Giants' Defense (Bad Matchup) Emmitt Smith is a warrior, but he is a victim of circumstances in 2002. With a reshuffled, slow line that isn't blocking well, and a young and inconsistent quarterback that doesn't threaten opposing defenses, Smith is really struggling to find daylight to run to. Plus, he's simply not the back he used to be. He currently ranks 31st among fantasy football backs, behind part-timers like Clinton Portis, Stacey Mack, and Jamel White. This week, one of the better rush defenses in the NFL comes calling, the Giants. They are 7th in the NFL defending the rush, allowing only 87 yards per game. Their ranking vs. opposing fantasy running backs isn't quite as good - they are 13th on the points allowed list this week. The Defense is banged up though with DT Keith Hamilton (Groin) DE Kenny Holmes (Elbow) and OLB Dhani Jones (Hamstring) all probable but likely less than 100%. With starting RT Larry Allen questionable with a bum ankle, and starting C Andre Gurode battling a smarting knee (probable), the prospects for more help from the line look dim. This unit was totally reshuffled last week with only 1 starter in his normal position. Also, the Giants' pass defense is excellent, which should put major pressure on Quincy Carter and that won't help the running game. Smith will get closer to Payton's record this weekend, but not by a lot. Arizona's Thomas Jones - Damien Anderson vs. The Carolina Defense (Bad Matchup) Head Coach Dave McGinnis has always wanted a running game in Arizona. Just as it looks like he's getting one, both his starter, Thomas Jones, and his promising backup, Marcel Shipp, both got themselves injured. Jones is questionable with his ongoing ankle injury, and Shipp is doubtful with a very sore knee. Neither practiced Wednesday or Thursday, and both sound glum about their prospects to go against Carolina. G Chris Dishman is still dealing with the lingering effects of a concussion (probable) and C Mike Gruttadauria is playing through back pain caused by a bulging disk (probable). T Anthony Clement is still out with his injured arm. Into the breach strides little-known rookie Damien Anderson, who is practicing with the first team this week and likely to be activated off of the practice squad. Anderson is an undrafted rookie from Northwestern. He's not big at 5' 11" -205 but big enough (That's Curtis Martin - Terrell Davis range) He was a great prospect before a severe shoulder injury pretty much closed out his senior year. The word we get is that Jones' ankle is worse than the Cardinals want to admit. See how practice goes Friday and then the Cardinals will have up till Saturday afternoon to activate Anderson if Jones can't go. There are few worse teams for a rookie just cutting his NFL teeth to try and chew up than the 2002 Carolina Panthers. They currently rank 4th in the league in rushing yards allowed, 81 yards per game on average, and are 2nd ranked in terms of fantasy points surrendered to opposing running backs. Mike Rucker is a terror on the defensive line, and Dan Morgan is playing large at the MLB spot. An assortment of minor injuries is plaguing the defensive front - DT Brentson Buckner has an aching toe, DT Sean Gilbert's bum knee aches, DE Mike Rucker tweaked his ankle, and DE Al Wallace also has an aching knee - but all are listed as probable for the contest with Arizona. Any way you slice it, this is a tough match-up for either an ailing Jones or a rookie running back in his first NFL start.