Teams on bye: New York GiantsAFC East
Buffalo — Rookie RB Travis Henry had an excellent game against the Dolphins
with 19 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown. … QB Alex Van Pelt is a perfect
fit for the Bills' West Coast offense and has thrown for 300-plus yards the last two
games. Most importantly, he's re-established WR Eric Moulds as a deep threat.
Moulds caught TD passes of 80 and 54 yards against the Dolphins. … PK Shayne
Graham has been signed to replace PK Jake Arians, who was cut. Graham was a
four-time All-Conference performer from Virginia Tech of the Big East. He was a final cut
of the Seahawks in the preseason.
Indianapolis — QB Peyton Manning and RB Dominic Rhodes are working
extensively to improve their timing in the passing game. The Colts will try to use Rhodes
more on simple swing and screen passes and send him to the flats frequently in passing
situations. … Check status of WR Reggie Wayne (doubtful). Head coach Jim Mora
said Wednesday Wayne probably would not play Sunday vs. Baltimore.
Miami — WR Oronde Gadsden is expected to play despite a bruised shoulder,
which may limit his effectiveness. Gadsen’s injury could increase the production of
rookie WR Chris Chambers, who has been on fire with 14 catches, 239 yards and four
touchdowns the last four games. Some of the credit for his emergence can come from public
criticism from Wannstedt and QB Jay Fiedler. After Fiedler was intercepted twice
against Seattle, both Wannstedt and Fiedler said Chambers has to be more aggressive going
after the football. They said he didn’t go after the ball hard enough after two
passes were intercepted. Since then, he has been much more aggressive and has been
dominating defensive backs with his 4.4 speed and 44-inch vertical jump.
New England — RB Antowain Smith has become a key factor in the Pats'
success this season. He's rushed for 100-plus yards in three of the last four games and
has 721 rushing yards and seven touchdowns this season. … WR Charles Johnson
caught his first TD pass of the season at the end of the first half in the Pats' 34-17 win
over the Saints.
New York Jets — The Jets are coming off a bye week and should be fully rested.
Their offensive line has worked relentlessly to finish blocks knowing that RB Curtis
Martin likes to cut back for extra yardage. Martin leads the league in rushing and is
17 yards away from becoming the third back in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000
yards in his first seven seasons. He has been the cog of the Jets’ offense, running
for more than 100 yards and a touchdown in Week Two when the Jets defeated New England
10-3. With Martin’s legs fresh and New England’s defense wounded, look for
another big game from Martin. … WR Santana Moss looked rusty and was probably
nervous in his last game. He serves more as a deep threat than as a productive wideout.
His presence could help other receivers
AFC Central
Baltimore — RB Moe Williams became the Ravens’ third starter this
season with Jamal Lewis, who was lost for the early in training camp, and Jason
Brookins, who broke his foot against Jacksonville, out of the picture. Williams, a
six-year veteran, will be making only his second career start. He has a mere 247 career
yards rushing, but he does have decent outside speed and will be facing a very porous
Colts defense. … QB Elvis Grbac, back in the team’s good graces following
his game-winning TD toss to TE Shannon Sharpe vs. Jacksonville last week, has three
TDs in two starts vs. the Colts. … Sharpe, who leads NFL tight ends in receptions
(56) and yards (623), as always can be expected to be the go-to guy this Sunday, but keep
an eye on Travis Taylor, who showed signs last Sunday that he could be ready for a
strong outing.
Cincinnati — WR Peter Warrick’s injured shoulder is just bruised,
which is good news for anyone out there who is forced to start a Bengals wide receiver.
The Buccaneers’ defense has buckled down against the run lately, so starting RB
Corey Dillon behind his inconsistent offensive line may be something to think twice
about.
Cleveland — Be careful about starting RB James Jackson this week, as he is
listed as doubtful with a lingering ankle injury. It appears as if Butch Davis is going to
have to trust young RB Ben Gay again this week. Gay is the most talented running
back on the roster, but because he is considered unreliable due to his questionable past,
Davis isn’t thrilled with the idea of counting on him. However, he might be a good
late-season pickup if you are in desperate need of running backs.
Jacksonville — WRs Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell have
cooled off a bit. After Smith recorded consecutive 100-yard games in Weeks Seven and
Eight, he has failed to crack the century mark in the last three games. McCardell has just
one 100-yard game this season, which came in Week Seven. While both of these players are
considered must-plays every week, they could have some trouble against a good Packers
secondary that is ranked No. 7 against the pass.
Pittsburgh — Even with TE Mark Bruener, who Pittsburgh considered a sixth
lineman because of his blocking prowess, injured and Jerame Tuman starting, the
Steelers will remain patient and continue handing the ball to RB Jerome Bettis, no
matter the defensive front opponents show. The coaching staff expects Tuman to play an
expanded role in the passing game. … Bettis, along with WRs Plaxico Burress
and Hines Ward, will have plenty of opportunities to make big plays Sunday vs.
Minnesota. The Vikings have allowed 223.0 passing yards per game (23rd in the
league) and 126.1 rushing yards (23rd).
Tennessee — WR Justin McCareins probably will be lost for the season after
fracturing his left ankle again. McCareins first suffered the injury Oct. 14 vs. Tampa Bay
and was expected to return vs. Cleveland this week. But the ankle was stepped on in
practice, and X-rays revealed a stress fracture. … TE Erron Kinney recovering
well from a calf injury and is expected to play Sunday at Cleveland. … RB Eddie
George hasn’t been a good play for most of the season, but his matchup this week
is intriguing. In two games last season vs. the Browns, George rushed for 310 yards and
six touchdowns.
AFC West
Denver — Sources in Denver say that they expect WR Rod Smith to play this
weekend despite his two sprained ankles. He has had trouble in practice this week, but
knowing Smith and how he battles through pain, they said it would be a surprise if he
weren’t on the field. How effective he’ll be remains up in the air. To this
point, the Broncos WR corps is too unpredictable and injured to suggest picking up someone
as a free agent.
Kansas City — The Chiefs lost to the Eagles on Thursday night.
Oakland — The Raiders are beginning to finally get healthy along the offensive
line, and head coach Jon Gruden has expressed an interest recently in wanting to get the
ground game going like it was last year. That should be good news for owners of RBs Charlie
Garner and Tyrone Wheatley. FB Zack Crockett has become a fantasy option
for those of you short on RB depth because of his goal-line prowess.
Seattle — The Chargers’ run defense has been nearly as stingy as usual
lately, so don’t be afraid to start RB Shaun Alexander. He was held down a
week ago by the Chiefs, but the Seahawks fell behind early, limiting his touches. A slow
learning curve for rookie WR Koren Robinson should probably keep him on the bench.
NFC East
Arizona — While Cardinals running backs have hardly been productive fantasy
weapons this season, you might want to give one of them a shot this week vs. the Raiders. Michael
Pittman and Thomas Jones have a shot at picking up some yardage against a
Raiders team that is ranked 24th against the run and has allowed 12 rushing
touchdowns.
Dallas — QB Quincy Carter is back under center for the first time since
injuring a hamstring in Week Four. That doesn’t bode well for starting WRs Joey
Galloway and Raghib Ismail. It will likely take Carter some time to get in sync
with his targets, so you may want to consider other options at wide receiver.
New York Giants — The Giants are on bye this week.
Philadelphia — The Eagles beat the Chiefs on Thursday night.
Washington — QB Tony Banks might be a good play this week. His team is on a
five-game role and he is especially jacked up about facing the team that released him late
in training camp. Banks didn’t look especially sharp in Washington’s loss to
Dallas earlier in the season. However, he has a much greater command of the offense now
and has been helped out by an increased role for RB Stephen Davis.
NFC Central
Chicago — Anthony Thomas says he’s ready to go, but the Bears’
coaches might keep him out one more game to make sure his ailing hamstring heals properly.
Thomas, who gave way to James Allen in last Sunday’s win over Minnesota,
practiced Thursday and expected to play Sunday vs. Detroit. But he remains listed as
questionable on the injury report, and if the Bears believe there is any chance of him
missing more time in the future (i.e.: the playoffs), they will sit him again. If Allen
plays, he has a good matchup against a Lions defense that ranks near the bottom of the
league against the run (132.0 yards allowed per game).
Detroit — RB James Stewart has overcome a new offense and a bad ankle
injury, yet he’s still averaging an impressive 5.2 yards per carry (425 yards on 82
attempts). In his first game back from the injury last week, Stewart gained 102 yards on
14 carries. He said his ankle will continue to bother him for the rest of the season, but
that won’t stop him from starting Sunday vs. Chicago. But he might be stopped by the
Bears’ defense, which leads the NFC in rushing defense (77.4 yards per game). …
QB Charlie Batch, who missed the final seven minutes of the last week’s game
vs. Green Bay with a groin injury, practiced Wednesday and showed no ill effects.
Green Bay — Nothing is definite yet, but the Packers might activate TE Tyrone
Davis for Monday night’s at Jacksonville. Since returning from a hamstring
injury, Davis has practiced for more than three weeks, and he says he’s ready to
play. Davis’ ability to stretch a defense could come in handy for a team hasn’t
received much downfield production from its tight ends. Rookie David Martin had a
bad drop on Thanksgiving at Detroit, but Bubba Franks finally broke the 35-yard
mark in a single game this season thanks to a career-long 31-yard gain. Remember, Davis
caught seven TD passes in 1998, but only two in each of the last two seasons.
Minnesota — QB Daunte Culpepper is expected to play Sunday at Pittsburgh,
despite a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee suffered last Sunday vs.
the Bears. The injury probably will limit his mobility, and he was limited in practice
both Wednesday and Thursday, but he is still listed as probable on the injury report. Said
Culpepper: "I feel a little bit sore. But I feel that I’m going to be ready to
go." But a limited Culpepper doesn’t bode well against the top-ranked Steelers
defense, which ranks second in passing yards allowed per game, first in sack percentage
and second in first downs allowed per game.
Tampa Bay — It appears the Buccaneers will continue splitting carries between RB Warrick
Dunn and FB Mike Alstott. Dunn carried 14 times for 60 yards and a touchdown,
while Alstott carried 11 times for 34 yards and two touchdowns. Both are worthy of
starting in fantasy leagues, but that’s bound to frustrate many a fantasy owner.
Between the two, Alstott ranks higher because of his ability in short-yardage situations.
He leads the team with seven rushing touchdowns, five of which have come from the
nine-yard line in. … WR Keyshawn Johnson (ankle) and Dunn (turf toe) practiced
Thursday and should be play Sunday at Cincinnati.
NFC West
Atlanta — Keep a close eye on Falcons RB Maurice Smith, who is listed as
questionable for the Rams Sunday with ankle and neck injuries. It’s unlikely the
Falcs will deviate much from their run-oriented attack vs. the Rams (they have rushed for
100 yards in eight of 10 games this season), which means Smith (if he plays), backup Rodney
Thomas and FB Bob Christian, who has gained over 100 yards rushing and
receiving the last two weeks, could all be factors. The Falcons could benefit by the fact
the Rams’ defense is really undermanned at the moment, particularly at linebacker and
the safety positions. Christian has a sore groin but is listed as probable.
Carolina — While he continues to struggle, there are a few reasons why QB Chris
Weinke could be an effective fantasy performer in the Superdome this Sunday vs. the
Saints. For starters, Weinke’s numbers in games played indoors this season
aren’t too shabby (40-of-63 for 499 yards). He also had his moments in the first game
vs. New Orleans this season, when he rebounded from a subpar first half with a strong
second-half performance (14-of-19 passes for 125 yards and a pair of TDs) in a game won by
the Saints on RB Ricky Williams’ one-yard sweep with no time remaining. The
Panthers’ 28 carries in the loss to Atlanta last Sunday were the most since their
season opener vs. the Vikes. RB Richard Huntley, who had 19 of those carries (for
55 yards), will be facing a New Orleans run defense that gave up a whopping 191 yards last
Sunday night to the Patriots. … WR Muhsin Muhammad will miss his second
straight game with shoulder injuries but is expected to play a week from Sunday in
Buffalo. … WR Patrick Jeffers had his first reception of the year last Sunday
vs. the Falcons. … FB Brad Hoover (shoulder) returned to practice Thursday and
is expected to play Sunday.
New Orleans — Needing very badly to get back on track following their worst game
of the year vs. the Patriots last Sunday, the Saints will be looking to stomp all over a
Panthers defense that is one of the weakest in the league, even though it performed well
last week in defeat vs. Atlanta. … RB Ricky Williams, who ran for 147 yards
and a game-winning TD on 31 carries in the Saints’ first game this season vs.
Carolina, can again be expected to be a major force vs. the Panthers. … The same goes
for QB Aaron Brooks, who is coming off an uneven performance vs. New England after
looking really good the previous two weeks. Brooks (65 yards rushing vs. Pats) is starting
to use his legs a lot more and could be a potent double threat rushing and passing. …
After returning to practice Wednesday for the first time in a month, TE Cam Cleeland
(high ankle sprain) missed practice Thursday and is listed as questionable for the
Panthers.
San Francisco — WR Terrell Owens (sprained right foot) didn’t practice
for the second straight day Thursday but was going to try to practice Friday and is listed
as questionable for the Buffalo game Sunday. Owens, who is first in the NFL with 12 TD
catches, needs 30 yards for his third 1,000-yard season. … His chances of playing are
a lot better than those of rookie RB Kevan Barlow, who has been walking around most
of this week with the shoulder he dislocated last week vs. the Colts in a sling. Barlow is
listed as doubtful … RB Garrison Hearst (groin; probable) has 343 yards in his
last three games.
St. Louis — Coming off a short work week following the Monday-night loss to the
Bucs, the Rams hope to beat up on the Falcons the same way they have in the last four
games against them, in which they’ve averaged just over 40 points per game. Look for
RB Marshall Faulk, who, for reasons only Mike Martz knows, carried just 12 times
against Tampa Bay, to carry the ball more vs. the Falcons. Faulk has 767 yards from
scrimmage and three TDs in his last four games vs. Atlanta. QB Kurt Warner, whose
completion percentage vs. the Bucs was under 50 percent for the first time in his career,
has completed 49-of-84 passes for 961 yards, six TDs and one interception in three career
games in Atlanta. … WR Isaac Bruce has 421 yards receiving in his last four
games. |
