In most leagues, the playoffs have arrived. The pressure is really on now that the fantasy season comes down to a “one-and-done” situation. From fantasy draft night until now, most owners have made so many roster moves that they cannot remember their original teams. I am in a league with one more game left. Inexplicably, I picked up running backs Maurice Morris and Brandon Jackson this week just in case my team comes through and extends the season for a few more weeks. Hey, I am a glass-half-full kind of person. Brandon Jackson might start, and Ryan Grant is as disappointing this year as the San Diego Chargers. OK, here are some plays that will maximize your roster during Week 14 of the NFL season.
START ‘EM
Donovan McNabb, Eagles. Everyone is expecting McNabb and the Eagles to plummet back down to Earth this week against the Giants. The exact opposite is going to happen. The Eagles and McNabb are going to break through against their rivals with a 30-plus point game. Brian Westbrook and the receiving corps are finally healthy. Coach Andy Reid is great in weeks after byes and the Eagles have had a few extra days to prepare, because they played on Thanksgiving Day.
Gus Frerotte, Vikings. With injuries and quarterback shuffling, you might be looking for a quarterback this week to fill in for your normal starter. Frerotte deserves a hard look as a starter, because of his matchup against the Lions. This game is on the road for the Vikings, but with the apathy in Detroit, there might be more Vikings’ fans at the game. Look for coach Brad Childress to open up the offense a little more and allow Frerotte to throw a couple of deep passes.
Frank Gore, Niners. Gore is one of these guys that gets stronger towards the end of the season when other players are breaking down and making vacation plans. For some reason, the Jets have not played well on the West Coast in two previous trips this season. This game shapes up to be a low-scoring affair and Gore will score two touchdowns—one rushing and one on a screen pass.
Wes Welker, Patriots. Undoubtedly, you saw the devastating hit that Welker took last week against the Steelers. He did not come back into the game after the hit, but he should be good to go this week against the Seahawks. Look for the Patriots’ offense to get back on track against a porous Seattle defense. Welker should get plenty of looks from Matt Cassel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels—maybe a touchdown this week will ease the pain of being jacked up on every TV highlight package last Sunday.
Steve Breaston, Cardinals. The Cardinals are a two-touchdown favorite against the Rams and that might be a conservative estimate. My prediction is that Kurt Warner is going to throw almost 50 times in this game. The short passing game will actually set up the downfield passing game. Even though Breaston is the third wide receiver, he actually is targeted for longer passes. In this game, start Breaston and any other Cardinals offensive players that you have.
Larry Johnson, Chiefs. If LJ is on your team, ride him for the rest of the antasy season and the playoffs. He had a monster game against the Broncos with almost 200 yards rushing when these teams played the first time. This week will be no different. Johnson is flying under the radar and playing with a chip on his shoulder. When this guy has something to prove, he plays his best football.
SIT ‘EM
Jake Delhomme, Panthers. In Week 6 when these teams played in Tampa, Delhomme threw three interceptions. Last week, the Buccaneers held Drew Brees in check. It has been a while since the Panthers played in a nationally televised big game, while Tampa was in the playoffs last year. The prediction here is that the Buccaneers are going to harass Delhomme into some mistakes and they will become the first road team to get a win in the tough NFC South division.
Matt Schaub or Sage Rosenfels, Texans. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Texans should not be starting for your fantasy team this week. According to a Houston Chronicle report, Schaub participated fully in practice and is going to start on Sunday. I think switching quarterbacks at this point is going to backfire on the Texans. Both of these guys probably take some snaps in a terrible road loss to the Packers.
Willie Parker, Steelers. Fast Willie’s wheels still are flat—his knee is bothering him and it is affecting his running ability. He is going to split carries with Mewelde Moore and the Steelers are going with running back Gary Russell in short-yardage situations against the Cowboys. Because both defenses are playing well and Heinz Field is in terrible condition, this game is probably a low-scoring contest. Sit Parker out this week.
Jamal Lewis, Browns. The Browns might not score a point this week. The only way they score is if Josh Cribbs runs back a punt or a kickoff for a touchdown. Everything is against Lewis: the Titans’ defense is great against the run; the Browns are starting the rusty Ken Dorsey (calling Dorsey a journeyman quarterback would be a compliment); the Titans’ crowd gives them great home field advantage; and the Titans have had an extra week to get ready for the game. Sorry Browns’ fans, Titans win this game 31-0.
Last Week. I finished up the week with four picks correct and six misses. My best prediction last week was to start running back Steve Slaton against the Jaguars. I also said to sit Ryan Grant and wide receiver Brandon Marshall. My worst picks were that rookie quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco would have bad games. Both played great and led their teams to big victories.
Fantasy Questions? Need lineup advice? Leave a comment below or e-mail your questions to me at jck.bender@gmail.com. Good luck this week!
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