FANTASY MD

After missing last week's game with an ankle injury, it once again is unclear whether Marques Colston will play on Sunday. He is reportedly not at full speed during practice this week and is a game-time decision. If he can't go Devery Henderson is once again a great option.

Reuben Droughns has been struggling with an ankle injury the past few weeks, but now it appears even when he's healthy, his job won't be waiting for him. Droughns appears to have been benched by Coach Crennel for Jason Wright for the remainder of the season. Droughns is confused and so am I. Regardless, Wright is not a very good fantasy option.

Ronnie Brown's hand injury will cause him to miss two-three weeks for the Dolphins. He will most likely be back in week 16 for the fantasy football finals. In the meantime his backup Sammy Morris will carry the load. With matchups against Jacksonville and New England looming, Morris isn't a very good pickup.

Another Saints WR on the mend is Joe Horn. He's listed as questionable with a groin injury and sat out practice on Wednesday. Horn played last week, and he is much more likely to play Sunday than his teammate Colston.

It was thought earlier in the week that Santana Moss may miss this Sunday's game with a hamstring injury. However, he's not listed in the injury report which means he should be a safe bet against the struggling Atlanta defense.

When referring to his RB Frank Gore who is listed as questionable this week with an ankle injury, Coach Nolan said that Gore was probable. This is a sign that there is no doubt in the organization that Gore will be available to suit up on Sunday.

As a result of a wrist injury Vikings RB Chester Taylor is questionable for this week's game against Chicago. He should play, but may not be a great idea against a good defense. Taylor needs 1 yard for 1000, and I would hope he would get at least that if he plays.

The biggest injury concern currently is Jamal Lewis who is questionable with a foot injury. The reason it is so important is that Lewis plays tonight and not Sunday. Lewis should play, but may not get as many carries as usual. It's supposed to rain hard tonight, so expect Baltimore to keep it on the ground regardless of who is carrying it.

DeShaun Foster is questionable again this week with an elbow injury. He probably has a 50/50 chance of playing after practicing on Wednesday. The injury doesn't seem to have improved much since last week when he had to miss the game. If Foster can''t go, DeAngelo Williams is a pretty good matchup against Philadelphia.

DAUNTING DECISIONS

If you're a member of a head to head fantasy league, this is the final week of play before your playoffs begin. While some people have probably clinched a playoff spot, numerous others are hoping to have a big week that catapults them into the playoffs. In a week as big as this, avoid showing loyalty to players, play the hot hand, and judge which matchups are most favorable to your team.

Edgerrin James- If Edgerrin James is on your team, you probably have been disappointed all season long. However, his matchup against the Rams this week could salvage his fantasy season. In their prior meeting this season, Edge had 94 yards and a TD. The Rams defense is actually worse now than it was then, so expect an even better effort this week. START.

Travis Henry- Despite the huge come from behind victory for the Titans against the Giants, Travis Henry had one of his least productive efforts in weeks. He was hardly a factor at all past the first half. This week the Titans will be focused on pounding the rock because they face a Colts team that has been absolutely shredded by the run. Last time these teams faced, Henry had over 120 yards on the ground, and the Titans almost pulled off the upset. Expect another big day this week. START.

Rex Grossman- Typically following a bad game like Grossman had last week, he bounces back for a very solid performance the following week. Going along with the favorable history, Grossman also has a very good matchup this week against Minnesota. Like most teams have in previous weeks, the Bears will most likely abandon the run if it doesn't work and chuck it down field all game against the second worst pass defense in football. Grossman won't do what Matt Leinart did last week against the Vikings in terms of yards, but he should have several TDs. START.

Santana Moss- The only question here is whether Moss is healthy or not. If it appears like Moss will play, he's a great start against the weak Falcons pass defense. The Redskins are starting to get on a roll, and Jason Campbell gives the team a better passing offense. Moss has had one good game all season, which means that he is probably more due than any WR in football. It should be Moss' best game in a long time against Atlanta. START.

Joseph Addai- Last week was the national coming out party for Joesph Addai. This week Addai gets a gift by facing the Tennessee rush defense. The only concern here is that since the Colts should win easily, they may give Dominic Rhodes an increased number of carries to lighten Addai's load. Either way Addai should have a very productive day while finding the endzone. START.

Thomas Jones- It was a bad week against New England in Chicago's last game for Jones, and it should be another difficult one against Minnesota and their number one rush defense. The approach against the Vikings in recent weeks has been to try the run early, and if it doesn't work to just go with the pass the rest of the game. Jones usually doesn't start fast, and he is also losing some carries to Cedric Benson so it shouldn't be a great day for him. However, the rest of the Bears' schedule is very favorable, so Jones is a great option following this week. SIT.

Kevin Jones- On Thanksgiving, the nation saw just how pathetic the Lions still are. They will be happy to get Kevin Jones back this week, but it still shouldn't matter against the Patriots. An injured Jones going against a stout Patriots rush defense is a recipe for disaster. There are many other better options this week that should be considered before Kevin Jones. SIT.

Andre Johnson- Believe it or not, the team with the best pass defense in all of football is the Oakland Raiders. That does not bode well for a very inconsistent Houston Texans offense. Their star WR will be going up against Nnamdi Asomugha, who is one of the most underrated defensive players in all of football. It's risky to sit Andre who has been one of the best WRs in football all season, but if there are better options on your team sit Andre this week. SIT.

Vince Young- It's becoming pretty obvious that Vince Young will be a star in this league for many years to come. However, as great as last week's performance was, Young isn't consistent enough yet to be a fantasy option at QB. The Titans go up against the Colts next week, and while that will help Young on the ground, it's not a great matchup for him passing the football. Expect Young to come back towards earth next week. SIT.

Joey Harrington- Don't be fooled by what you saw on Thanksgiving. This is the same Joey Harrington who was the QB for the Detroit Lions last season. It would be an awful idea to trust him with your fantasy season in this critical week. With Ronnie Brown out, defenses will be focused more on stopping the pass. His opponent next week is Jacksonville, who has done a very good job against the pass all season. SIT.

MONDAY NIGHT RECAP: FEELS SNOW GOOD

There was once a debate long before the season started that has since been forgotten. Who's the better RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, or Shaun Alexander? While Tomlinson had been rushing towards the MVP and Johnson was leading his team to the playoffs, Alexander became a forgotten superstar in the NFL. Perhaps it was because he was so abysmal in his first four starts this. Maybe it was because he's missed the majority of the season with an injured foot. It could be that Alexander lacks the style and flare that his peers run with week in and week out. Whatever the reason, last year's MVP was a forgotten man in the minds of football fans. Well, until last night.

It was no secret that the team that couldn't fall victim to the Super Bowl loser curse, the team that had so many weapons that was destined to repeat, had been struggling in mediocrity all season long. They have the talent on defense, the weapons at receiver, but a gaping hole was left a RB until tonight. Shaun Alexander completely dominated the Packers defense while topping 200 yards on the ground. Things looked bleak in the first quarter when Matt Hasselbeck was committing turnover after turnover, but fingers were not pointed and Alexander did the only thing he's done his whole career. He put his head down and ran, time after time, as Seattle chipped away at their early defecit. At the end of the night, the MVP was back, to his old form, and in a discussion with his elite peers.

Matt Hasselbeck- In his first game back from injury, Hasselbeck had one of his worst halves in quite some time. It appeared like all Hasselbeck needed was a little time to adjust though. Following his disastrous three turnover first half, Hasselbeck rebounded for 3 TDs in the second half. It wasn't an ideal situation for Hasselbeck to return considering the inclement weather during the game. While the weather should be better next week against Denver, it could be his worst matchup the remainder of the season.

Shaun Alexander- The reigning MVP finally busted out for a remarkable 40 carry performance for 201 yards. The main reason he received 40 carries was that due to the snow, it was almost impossible to be accurate on passes early in the game. After falling behind, Seattle refused to abandon the run, but instead relied on it to get back in the game. The Seahawks stalled early in the game inside the 20 which is the main reason he didn't score. Alexander won't get nearly as many carries against Denver next week, but he should have a decent day.

Brett Favre- Early in the game Favre looked very good as he benefited from great field position to lead his team to some early scores. However, as the Packers fell behind he returned to his old gunslinger ways, throwing interceptions into double coverage. Favre throwing interceptions was not the reason the team lost, and he has done a good job in limiting them this season. Favre has been off his game the last two weeks, so expect him to bounce back against the Jets next week.

Ahman Green- It wasn't an outstanding game for Green, but he did a very adequate job running the ball in tough conditions. Green only had 14 carries for 44 yards, but he did find the endzone. He was also an asset in the passing game as he had 46 yards receiving. Venand Morency is still stealing some carries from him, but it's not a major concern at this time. Green should have a much better day against a weak Jets rush defense.

Donald Driver- Quietly, Donal Driver is having another very solid season for the Packers. Barring injury, he should top 1000 yards receiving for the fourth time in his career. Last night, Driver finished with 82 yards receiving and a TD. As long as Favre is at QB, Driver is one of the best big play WRs in all of football. The Packers have a very favorable schedule the rest of the way which makes Driver a great option.

SUNDAY RECAP: AFC VARIETY

Chad Pennington- With the critics calling for a change at QB, Pennington needed a big game, and he delivered just that on Sunday. Pennington completed 24 of 31 passes for 286 yards and a TD in the Jets win over the Texans. Questions were raised about how healthy his arm was, but it appeared like it was back in its form similar to the beginning of the season. While it’s hard to start Chad anymore in fantasy, he has a very good matchup in Green Bay next week.

Leon Washington/Kevan Barlow/Cedric Houston- In what should have been a very strong performance for the Jets running game instead turned into a total flop as they totaled only 27 yards on the ground all game long. After looking like the most promising RB on the team in previous weeks, Washington received the least carries against the Texans on Sunday. There is no longer a clear cut number one back on the team which spells disaster for Leon Washington fantasy owners.

Corey Dillon/Laurence Maroney- As expected, neither Patriot RB was too productive against the stout Bears defense. Maroney had 13 carries for 33 yards while Dillon had 11 carries for 40 yards with a costly late fumble. Considering that Maroney is actually getting more carries than Dillon, he’s a great play against Detroit next week.

Willis McGahee- After returning from injury McGahee had a very productive game in limited work. It was a 12 carry 63 yard 2 TD performance that led Buffalo to victory. It was about half of McGahee’s normal workload, but if you played him in fantasy you were surely grateful for his two scores. Next week should be a tougher matchup against the swarming Chargers defense.

Carson Palmer- The Bengals QB had a very rough middle of the season, but he seems to have rebounded nicely for a strong second half of the year. For the third straight week Palmer had a three touchdown day. Despite a season that has been filled with several off the field problems in the organization, Palmer has put up a solid 21 TD 8 INT year. There’s a pretty good chance that Palmer could match last year’s numbers if he continues to play this way.

Ben Roethlisberger- Although Roethlisberger has thrown more than ever this season, that is not necessarily a good thing. The Steelers seem to have forgot that they won a Super Bowl by running the football. Big Ben has become extremely prone to the interception with 5 of his 19 coming in the last two games. If you’re looking for yards, Big Ben is your guy, but he throws way too many interceptions to be any sort of a fantasy QB.

Charlie Frye- Despite flashes of brilliance the last two season, Sunday’s 4 INT performance against the Bengals confirms that Charlie Frye is just not going to be the guy in Cleveland for the future. Frye is a very capable backup in this league, but he is too turnover prone to start. His sideline argument with Braylon Edwards doesn’t help his case either. Expect a veteran QB to be brought in next season.

Fred Taylor/Maurice Jones-Drew- Despite huge performances on the ground from their RB tandem, the Jags were unable to get the win in Buffalo. Jacksonville has been an up and down team all season, but their running game has been consistent every game. Taylor had 101 yards on the ground, while Jones-Drew had 145 total yards and a TD. Jacksonville is one of the few teams in football with two productive RBs each week which makes both guys decent options in fantasy.

Joseph Addai- The rookie RB for Indy was quietly putting together nice efforts week in and week out. Sunday night was the coming out party for Addai as he exploded for 171 yards rushing and 4 TDs. Addai appears like he will get the majority of carries for the rest of the year which makes him a very good fantasy option. The Indy system is great for RBs because they put up numbers there that they wouldn’t anywhere else. Just ask Edgerrin James.

Vince Young- In one of the most thrilling comebacks of the season, Vince Young had his best game as a pro. Young was able to lead his team back from a 21-0 deficit against a banged up Giants defense. Young was helped greatly by several dumb mistakes for the Giants, and he finished with a career high 249 yards passing and 3 total TDs. The rookie QB has shown a lot more consistency than other young running QBs, and he seems to get better from week to week.

Wali Lundy/Samkon Gado- As bad as the Jets running game was on Sunday, the Texans was worse. Lundy and Gado combined for 15 yards on the ground in a very pathetic effort from the entire Houston offense. Lundy did have 68 yards receiving which makes his day a bit more bearable, but if the Texans can’t run against the Jets who can they run on.

LaDainian Tomlinson- Well it was the first time since week 7 that Tomlinson did not run for more than one TD. So what does he do? He throws for his second TD of the season to go with his one rushing. Tomlinson single handedly beat the Raiders while Philip Rivers struggled. It was another example of how Tomlinson is both the MVP and the best fantasy player in the league.

SUNDAY RECAP: NFC STYLE

Sorry more technical issues on Sunday, so I was not able to make a Countdown to Gametime.

Jason Campbell- While Campbell wasn’t as effective a passer as he was the previous week, he did manage to lead his team to victory over the favored Panthers. Campbell completed only 11 of 23 passes for 118 yards, but he did manage to throw two scores for the second consecutive week. It’s clear that Campbell will one day be a good quarterback in this league. He has given the Redskin offense some life, and makes them more competitive than they were with Mark Brunell.

Ladell Betts- The new Redskins starting RB faired much better in his second start than his first. Betts finished with 24 carries for 104 yards. He did leave the game briefly after taking a big hit, but he was able to return with no ill effects. Betts remains a solid fantasy option with Washington facing a weak schedule against the run the rest of the way.

Eli Manning- The toughest QB to judge this side of Rex Grossman and Michael Vick has become Eli Manning. The first half Manning looked brilliant and completed almost all of his passes leading the Giants up and down the field. However, in the second half the Giants completely fell apart. Eli once again started to force passes and was largely inaccurate. The whole Giants offense is out of synch, and it could be a situation that explodes if things don’t get turned around. Don’t start Eli until he shows he’s out of this slump.

Jeff Garcia- The new Eagles starting QB did a very fine job Sunday night. Garcia completed 19 of his 23 passes for 140 yards and 2 TDs. The Eagles defense was the part of the team that let them down. With Garcia at QB it appeared like the value of Donte’ Stallworth and Reggie Brown will take a hit because Garcia relies more on TE LJ Smith. Although Garcia played well, his schedule is too difficult to seriously consider him every week.

Brian Westbrook- It’s clear that with McNabb out, Westbrook has become the focal point of the entire offense. He ran for a season high 124 yards and a TD. However, part of this success was due to the Colts worst rush defense in the NFL. Regardless, with McNabb out Westbrook will get more touches than ever so expect him to be more valuable now than any other part of the season.

Brad Johnson- It may have been a last stand for Brad Johnson on Sunday. With his critics all over him following four straight losses, Johnson had his best game of the season with 271 yards passing and 3 TDs. He wishes he could play Arizona last week, but after the team’s next game with Chicago, Minnesota has a very favorable schedule the rest of the way. You could do worse than Johnson for the rest of the year, but you could certainly do better as well.

Rex Grossman- The Bears QB continued his week to week up and down season with another down on Sunday. He only completed 15 of 34 passes and turned the ball over four times. It was his fourth multi turnover game of the season. Typically after a poor performance Grossman bounces back, and against Minnesota last week the Bears will try to throw as successfully as the Cardinals did on Sunday.

Michael Vick- Things are really starting to get ugly in Atlanta. Following the game Vick made a few obscene gestures towards the Atlanta crowd. If the Falcons cannot break the losing streak and beat Washington next week, word will begin to circulate about possibly both Vick and Coach Mora being replaced at some point. In midst of Sunday’s mess, Vick did rush for 166 yards on the ground. However, his 9 for 24 passing performance will not cut it.

DeAngelo Williams- After last week’s performance, big things were expected out of Williams in his first start. However, Williams disappointed with only 63 yards on the ground against one of the weaker rush defenses in football. If Foster does not return next week, Williams has another good matchup against a Philadelphia defense that was just torn up by fellow rookie Joesph Addai.

Drew Brees- There’s a new run and gun team in the NFL, and they play in New Orleans. Brees is basically a passing yardage machine as he topped 300 yards for the 5th straight week. He also tossed in two TDs to give him 19 for the year. The amazing part of this has been that the last few weeks he hasn’t even done it with healthy receivers as both Marques Colston and Joe Horn missing games during this stretch. Expect Brees to put up big numbers the rest of the year.

Devery Henderson- It’s clear why the Saints opted to trade Donte’ Stallworth before the season as they are one of the deepest teams at WR in football. Henderson stepped in for the injured Colston and had 158 yards receiving and a TD. It was the second straight week that Henderson topped 150 yards receiving. As long as Colston is out, Henderson is a very good option in fantasy.

Steven Jackson- After only 7 carries last week, Jackson had his best game of the season in the Rams win against San Francisco. He carried the ball 23 times for 121 yards and a score while also totaling 9 catches for 71 yards. He’s the focal point in the offense, and has become one of the best receiving RBs in football. Next week against Arizona should be another huge day.

Frank Gore- It was another huge day for Gore who had over 6 yards per carry for the third straight week. He finished with 134 yards rushing and a TD. Outside of Tomlinson and Larry Johnson, he has been the best fantasy RB this season and his good roll should continue as he faces four poor rush defenses in the upcoming weeks.

Matt Leinart- The Cards knew that they would be unable to run the ball against the Vikings so they dropped back and passed on virtually every play. Leinart threw the ball 51 times while completing 31 for 405 yards. The only disappointing aspect of his game was only 1 TD to 2 INT. The Cards will never throw like this because it eliminates virtually any chance of winning, but they will rely heavily on Leinart who has only been under 200 yards passing in one start this season for Arizona.

Larry Fitzgerald/Anquan Boldin- I’d separate these two players, but I’d write basically the same thing about both players. The only difference in their performances on Sunday was that Boldin caught a TD and Fitzgerald didn’t. Boldin finished with 140 yards to go along with his TD while Fitz had 172 yards. They are both in the top 10 WRs in football, and they will continue to put up huge numbers considering the Arizona running game has been virtually non-existent for the second straight season.

NEWS & NOTES

Ronnie Brown will definitely miss the team's next game, and couple be out for several more weeks after that. Sammy Morris and Travis Minor will split carries in his absence, but both players aren't very good options. Look for an increased reliance on the passing game.

Although Vernon Davis was active last week, he only played five snaps. Coach Nolan said that Davis will be much more active in the game against the Rams on Sunday.

Star rookie Marques Colston will be a game-time decision for the Saints on Sunday. He plans to work out before the game, and then the team will make decision. He has a fairly good matchup against the Falcons if he plays.

There is no longer a question whether Brett Favre will play on Monday Night as he will without a doubt suit up. He has a decent matchup against Seattle who has some trouble defending the big play.

Another player who will be a game-time decision this week is Bills RB Willis McGahee. His ribs don't sound that healthy, so it be a surprise if he actually suited up. Either way any Bills RB is a bad idea against the tough Jacksonville defense.

Hines Ward has struggled all week with his knee injury, but he did manage to take part in some practice on Friday. He is also a game-time decision, but judging the importance of every Steelers game, I expect that he will play. Even if he does play, you may want to consider other options with Ward playing the Ravens.

After being injured for about a month, Santana Moss will be probable for the Redskins game on Sunday. He's the healthiest he's been in some time, so he's not that risky of a play. The only question is what kind of chemistry Jason Campbell will have with him.

After a very good week of practice, Coach Holmgrem said that Matt Hasselbeck will definitely start on Monday. Hasselbeck has a great matchup against a weak Packers secondary.

Deshaun Foster is another game-time decision in the NFL this week. It looks like he will play and split carries with DeAngelo Williams. Don't be surprised that even if they do split, that Williams gets more.

The often injured Donte' Stallworth was questionable all week, but he will play on Sunday. He's a risky play only because there is no telling what kind of impact Jeff Garcia will have on the offense.

THURSDAY RECAP: THANKSGIVING FUN

Joey Harrington- Just when you thought you would never have to watch Joey Harrington on Thanksgiving again, he resurfaces with the Dolphins and starts against his ex-teammates at Ford Field. Harrington, who had never thrown a TD in four previous Thanksgiving starts, was tremendous leading the Dolphins to a 27-10 win after falling behind 10-0 early. Harrington threw for 213 yards 3 TDs and an INT, and he received a Gatorade bath by his teammates following the win. While Miami clearly is a better situation and has rejuvenated his career, you could do much better in the fantasy world.

Ronnie Brown- The Dolphins RB got off to a nice start, but was forced to leave with a broken hand. It appears like he will definitely miss at least the next game because the injury requires surgery. In relief Sammy Morris did a very good job rushing for 91 yards on the ground. In Brown's absence, Morris and Travis Minor will split carries. The next game is against Jacksonville so it would be a tough matchup for any Dolphin RB.

Roy Williams- It looked like Thanksgiving would turn out to be a career day for Roy Williams as he totalled 110 yards in the first quarter. However, once the Dolphins started to get pressure on Jon Kitna, there was not enough time to get Williams the ball. Roy finished with a solid 6 catches for 126 yards, but it could have been a much greater day. The performance showed America that one of the game's best receivers now plays in Detroit.

Cadillac Williams- There wasn't much good to be said of the Bucs team on Thursday, but lost in the debacle was a pretty solid effort from Cadillac. Williams, who followed up a good week last week with another solid performance, finished with 17 carries for 78 carries. If the Bucs were in the game, he probably would have had a much better day. It was good to see that Williams was productive in the midst of sophomore campaign that showed him taking two steps back rather than forward.

Tony Romo- While others got a chance to show America their talents on Thanksgiving, no one had a day like Tony Romo did. The Cowboys QB carved up the Bucs defense for 306 yards passing and a Cowboys Thanksgiving record 5 TDs. Romo made the Bucs defense look like a Pop Warner team, as he threw where he wanted when he wanted. Romo is clearly one of the best QBs in the NFC despite starting only 4 games this season. He's a great fantasy QB for the remainder of the season.

Marion Barber- To say that Bill Parcells likes Marion Barber is a complete understatement. For what appears like no reason at all Barber is clearly the favorite RB that Parcells has on his team. He steals all of Julius Jones' TD chances despite being about the same size runner. Yesterday, Barber had more carries and yards while scoring two more TDs. Parcells claims that he is just trying to rest Jones for the stretch run, but if you own Julius Jones in fantasy you have to be worried.

Jake Plummer- After dropping two straight games to divisional opponents, it appears as though Jake Plummer's days are done as the Denver starting QB. Plummer was basically playing for his job on Thursday, and throwing for 216 yards a TD and an INT in defeat was not going to save it. Jay Cutler should step in next week against Seattle. While the chances of Cutler being the next Romo are slim, he should still do a better job than Plummer did. He's a must have in all fantasy leagues.

The Never-Ending Saga Known as the Broncos Running Game- For the second week in a row Tatum Bell was listed as probable and did not play for Denver. Mike Bell started in his place, and he was far from impressive as he ran the ball 10 times for a mere 28 yards. Shanahan's new favorite guy Damien Nash rushed it 4 times for 0 yards. Tatum Bell is clearly the best RB on the team, but he is not healthy and Shanahan loves to screw around with his running game. It's hard to start a Broncos RB because they are so unpredictable, but both Bells should be owned.

Larry Johnson- One running back who seems never to be a question mark is Larry Johnson. Going against one of the better defenses in the AFC, Johnson had 157 yards and a TD. The best chance the Chiefs have of making the playoffs is to run Johnson all day, and Coach Edwards is committed to that idea. With Cleveland looming on the schedule next week, Johnson could have his best day of the season.

FANTASY MD

Although it is not being well reported, Hines Ward has missed a couple practices this week already. He is listed as questionable with a hyper extended knee. Since every game is a must win for the Steelers, it would be very surprising not to see Ward in the lineup.

Willis McGahee could return this week after suffering a ribs injury earlier in the season. He wants to test it out in practice the next few days, and then he and the Bills coaching staff will decide if he can play Sunday.

It's a real question mark whether Marques Colston will get onto the field on Sunday. He's been practicing this week, and Colston says his ankle is about 60%. An early guess would be that Colston will be on the field Sunday considering their game at Atlanta is huge for their hope of winning the division.

It's been unclear all week whether Kevin Jones would start on Thursday, but as of right now he is out for the game. The inactives should come soon, so a final answer will be had on Jones. Arlen Harris would carry the load if Jones can't go.

After missing last week with a shoulder injury, it is very likely that Tony Gonzalez will play Thursday night. The Chiefs passing game was virtually non-existent last week, but Trent Green will look early and often to his favorite target when he drops back.

Both Bells will most likely play for the Broncos on Thursday night. This could mean nothing considering Tatum was probable last game and wasn't active. It would be hard to start either Bell considering the amount of carries each one will get is very unclear because Mike Shanahan is insane.

Once again Redskins star receiver Santana Moss looks unlikely to play in their upcoming game. This may be a situation that could end with Moss being placed on IR. If he does eventually come back, he will not be very productive.

It's been well reported all over television, but just to say it one more time, it would be shocking if Brett Favre did not play on Monday night. The Seahawks defense has been hurt by the big play, so Favre could have a fairly good game.

Although Matt Hasselbeck was listed as probable for this week's upcoming game, Coach Holmgrem says he will still need to prove t0 the Seattle coaching staff that he can play Monday night. While it would be a shock if he didn't play, this is still a situation to watch.

Lamont Jordan will now miss the remainder of the season, and Justin Fargas will take over as the team's running back. Like Jordan, Fargas is not a very good play because he's a member of the Oakland offense. However, it'd be wise to own him in case he starts to show some serious ability.

After missing last week's game, Reuben Droughns is listed as quetionable for this week's game. Jason Wright did an adequate job filling in and as a result Coach Crennell is talking about a dreaded running back by committee. Browns RBs are not very desirable at this time.

It's very uncertain who will start for Carolina because Deshaun Foster is listed as questionable with his elbow injury. This is defintely a situation to watch because whether it is Foster or DeAngelo Williams who starts at RB, the starter will have a good matchup against the Redskins.

Donovan McNabb is out for the remainder of the season and filling in for him for at least this week will be Jeff Garcia. The new starter has shown in the past he has a lot of ability, so he should be owned in all fantasy leagues. He could be a huge surprise with all that talent on offense.

DAUNTING DECISIONS

Due to the holiday week, the schedule for this week will look like this:

Wednesday: Daunting Decisions
Thursday: Fantasy MD
Friday: Recap of Thursday games
Rest of week normal

Wali Lundy- Despite being benched for several games earlier in the season, Lundy has turned it around for a very successful season. The Texans play the Jets defense who is being killed on the ground in recent weeks. The whole Texans offense is playing well lately, and they will look to pound the rock in order to steal a victory. START.

Braylon Edwards- After being injured last season for the majority of the year, Edwards has bounced back for a tremendous sophomore season. The Browns face a Bengals defense that gave up 510 yards passing last week. In fact, the Bengals have the worst pass defense in football currently. Expect Charlie Frye to take several deep shots tp Edwards all game long. START.

Jake Delhomme- Going into this season it would be considered a no brainer to start Delhomme every week. However, Jake has been so inconsistent that he can't be relied on every week. The Panthers play a Redskins defense who has struggled to defend the pass all season. Another plus has been that lately Steve Smith has been a man on a mission which can only help his QB. Expect a huge day for Delhomme as the Panthers continue to streal towards the top. START.

Devery Henderson- In the case of Henderson, he is only a good play if Marques Colston is sidelined this week with his ankle injury. Henderson had a huge day last week in the Saints pass first offense led by their star QB Drew Brees. This week New Orleans faces Atlanta who has the fourth worst pass defense in all of football. Expect Henderson to have another solid day, and he's a good WR 2 or 3 option. START.

Eli Manning- Much has been made about Eli Manning's struggles, but it's easily forgotten that in the last two weeks he's played he #1 pass defense in Chicago and the #5 pass defense in Jacksonville. He gets a much easier task this week against a weak Tennessee secondary. The Titans had their day in the sun last week, and expect the entire Giants offense to have a nice bounce back this week. START.

Edgerrin James- Edge is coming off his two best games of the season and seems to be getting back on track. However, Arizona takes on Minnesota this week which has the best rush defense in all of football. Last week they destroyed Ronnie Brown. Try to avoid playing James at all costs considering the matchup couple with his poor offensive line. SIT.

Thomas Jones- Another RB who has put together a nice string of games lately is Thomas Jones. However, he also faces a very tough matchup as the Bears take on the Patriots on Sunday. This is perhaps the only difficult game left on the Bears schedule, so after this week Jones should be good to go for almost every remaining game. So sit him this week and enjoy the ride the rest of the season. SIT.

Donte' Stallworth/Reggie Brown- If there were ever a week to sit the two very productive Eagles' WRs it would be this week against Indy. With McNabb out, the numbers will suffer under backup Jeff Garcia. It's likely that the Eagles will rely heavily on Brian Westbrook with dump offs and runs considering the Colts rush defense is significantly worse than their pass defense. SIT.

Lee Evans- Last week's game was a breakout career day for Lee Evans, but with JP Losman as your QB those days will be few and far between. This week the Bills take on Jacksonville who has completely shut down the pass this season. It's likely that Losman will struggle like Eli Manning did last week, so as a result Evans should struggle. SIT.

Jon Kitna- While I'm a big believer in the Lions playing above their talent level on Thanksgiving, I don't forsee a good game from Jon Kitna on Thursday. The Dolphins have played much better lately and resemble the team that was picked to make the Super Bowl. Their defense has been a huge part of this, and the key to their success has been pressure on the QB. Kitna, like most QBs, perform poorly under pressure, and if he is without Kevin Jones, the Dolphins will know they are a one dimensional team. SIT.

MONDAY NIGHT RECAP: A TALE OF TWO TEAMS

These days the city of Jacksonville is the home for two different teams. One team has been struggling mightily this season. They've been swept by the Houston Texans, a team with 3 wins on the season. They've been unable to recover from injuries to stars like Mike Peterson, Byron Leftwich, and Donvoan Darius. Their receivers have been plagued my drop passes every week. Things are starting to get ugly for this team. There is a budding QB controversy, their RB is unhappy with his contract, and they are going no where quick.

The other team in Jacksonville is a lot different. They beat the Giants and Cowboys, and held the high-powered Colts to just 21 points. They've rallied together despite injuries to Mike Peterson, Byron Leftwich, and Donovan Darius. Their role players have stepped up to play huge roles. Their young WRs are stars in the making, after converting huge third downs with acrobatic catches. Things are starting to look up for this team. They have two terrific QBs that give them a chance to win every week. They have two of the best RBs in football. They are one of the best teams in the AFC.

The only question is: Which team will travel to Buffalo next week?

Eli Manning- The final totals don't look as bad because the Giants were forced to throw the entire second half, but the bottom line is that Eli Manning needs to step up his game quick if he's going to silence the New York crowd. Manning threw two awful interceptions that were right to Jaguar defenders. He's been horribly inaccurate the last couple of weeks. Part of the problem has been facing top defenses like Chicago and Jacksonville, which any QB would be sure to struggle against. Expect a bounce back next week against Tennessee.

Tiki Barber- The soon to be retired Giants RB had his worst game of the season. Tiki had 10 carries for just 27 yards, and he was not a factor at all in the passing game. The Jaguars seemed to know exactly what play the Giants were going to run as they were quick to close the gaps in the line. He's allowed one bad game the last two years, and expect him to bust out again next week against the Titans.

Jeremy Shockey- Although he was non-existent in the first half, Shockey finished with 7 catches for a season high 82 yards. The Giants were able to move the ball much better once they got Shockey involved, so expect them to try to do this earlier next week. Like every other Giant on offense, Shockey should have another good day next week against Jacksonville.

David Garrard- The Jags QB had his best day of the season completing 19 of 32 passes for 249 yards. The Giants were unable to get any sort of pressure on him, and as a result Garrard looked comfortable all game long. He converted several crucial third down passes, and his escapability at QB was one of the main reasons the Jags won. Expect him to have another good game next weke against Buffalo.

Fred Taylor- The MNF crew hit it perfectly when they said no one talks about this guys stats because the first word out of their mouth is about his injuries. While his yards per carry wasn't very high at all, Taylor finished with 79 yards and a TD. He should have scored again if it were not for a crucial fumble at the five yard line. He had his season high in carries, and it was a good sign that he showed no ill effects.

Maurice Jones-Drew- The Jags two most dangerous players on offense both play RB. Jones-Drew had a very productive 9 carry 45 yard day and a TD. He's on of the top 5 backup RBs in football, and could easily start for a handful of different teams in the league. It appears like Jones-Drew gets more carries in bigger games. Considering every game is a must-win here on out, he should get a lot of carries down the stretch.

SUNDAY RECAP: AFC VARIETY

Tom Brady- After two lackluster performances for the Patriots QB, Brady bounced back with a huge 244 yard 4 TD performance. Brady tore apart the weak Packers secondary and found a nice rhythm with TE Ben Watson. The Patriots will look to get on a roll before the end of the season to lock up a bye. Next week should be a tough test against the Bears’ defense.

Leon Washington/Kevan Barlow/Cedric Houston- The Jets continue to mix in all their RBs, and it’s unclear each week who will turn out receiving the most carries. This week Washington ran 13 times for 22 yards, Barlow had 4 carries for 2 yards, and Houston had 11 carries for 50 yards. Barlow seems to have become the team’s short yardage back while Houston and Washington continue to get the bulk of the carries. They all face a good matchup next week against Houston’s thin rush defense.

JP Losman- Rarely does Losman ever make any sort of headline in fantasy sports, but a career day gives him a little recognition. Losman tore apart the Texans defense en route to 340 yards passing and 3 TDs. Most of his production came on two early first quarter bombs to WR Lee Evans. While Losman is far from an option as your QB, it’s good to see him finally step in the right direction.

Lee Evans- It was supposed to be a big season for Evans, but up until this week Evans has done nothing but disappoint. However, he finally busted out to a huge 11 catch 265 yard 2 TD performance. Evans set a Bills franchise record by totaling 205 yards receiving in the first quarter. While he hasn’t been the stud we expected, he’s still a good WR 3.

Ronnie Brown- It seemed like a bad idea to play an injured Ronnie Brown against the number one rush defense in football, and if you didn’t listen to the advice and started him you are most likely very upset right now. Brown finished with 12 carries for 2 yards and a fumble. The injury didn’t seem like a problem which is promising considering he has the quick turnaround of a Thursday game. Expect a much better day against Dallas.

Corey Dillon/Laurence Maroney- It was once again a very typical day for the Patriots running game. While Dillon was less productive (12 carries 31 yards) he did punch in a TD. On the other hand, Maroney had a far better 19 carries for 82 yards. Dillon left the game with an injury after scoring his touchdown, but the injury does not seem serious at all. Expect more of the same next week against Chicago.

Ben Roethlisberger- Big Ben had what we can now call a typical game for him this season. He threw all over the place completing 25 of 44 passes for 272 yards 2 TDs and 3 INTs. Roethlisberger has amazingly transformed into the biggest gunslinger in all of football. If it weren't for the interceptions, Big Ben would be having a tremendous year. The Steelers would prefer to run the ball, but it seems like they wind up throwing 40 times a game anyway.

Willie Parker- The Steelers RB is quietly turning in a very productive season while carrying the full load. After scoring twice on Sunday, he already has 12 total touchdowns. He's become one of the most reliable RBs in all of football, and he has also been a major threat in the passing game. However, he goes up against Baltimore next week, and he should have one of his worst outings of the year.

Chad Johnson- In one of the most remarkable individual turnarounds of the season, Chad had another huge game with 190 yards receiving and once again 3 TDs. His combined 450 yards receiving are the most ever for a WR in consecutive games. What's even more shocking is that despite the start he got off to he now elads the NFL in receiving yards. He should have another great day next week against Cleveland.

Jamal Lewis- It was a huge day for Jamal Lewis as he reached the endzone three times to lead the Ravens to victory. He had 91 yards on the ground and a solid 4.1 yards per carry. It was the best day for Lewis in some time who is having a pretty solid bounce back season. He's held off Mike Anderson and Musa Smith to keep carrying the load. Lewis should have a tougher game next week against the Steelers.

Peyton Manning- Eventually Peyton Manning was bound to have a letdown game, and this was it. However, throwing for 254 yards and 2 TDs is not bad for a letdown game. The problem for him was the three turnovers forced by the Dallas defense. They applied pressure to him all game, and Peyton was clearly uncomfortable. Philadelphia likes to apply pressure to but is susceptible to the big play, so Peyton should have a better game next week.

Joseph Addai/Dominic Rhodes- It really wasn't a good day for either Colts RB on Sunday. Rhodes finished with 9 carries for 30 yards, while Addai had 13 carries for 50. Addai looked impressive like always, but the Colts clearly have no desire to give him a full workload this season. Expect more of the same next week.

Travis Henry- It was another huge day for the Titans RB as he had 18 carries for 143 yards and a TD. It was very surprisingly considering Philadelphia had done a nice job on RBs for the majority of the season. Henry's good play has been one of the biggest shocks in the NFL this season. He should have over 1000 yards and 7-8 TDs. He has another tough matchup against the Giants next week, but he's been so hot it'd be hard to sit him.

Vince Young- The former national champion showed flashes of greatness as he led the Titans to victory on Sunday. He ran very effectively and made some crucial passes on third down. Young should have had a few passes intercepted, but got lucky because no one on Philadelphia knows how to catch. Young takes a small step each week, but it looks like when he gets there he'll be a star.

David Carr- Remember when Mark Brunell set an NFL record by completing 22 consecutive passes and everyone made a huge deal about it? Well David Carr tied that mark yesterday, but nobody cares. Despite the lack of respect, Carr's great season cannot be taken away. Tying the record was just another reason why the Texans made a smart choice by sticking with Carr. The Texans appear to be heading in the right direction, and expect Carr to have a real breakout next season.

Larry Johnson- LJ broke the 1000 yard mark on Sunday during his 154 yard 2 TD performance. Johnson took care of buisness against an Oakland defense that he was supposed to excel against. This is a preview of when LJ takes on Oakland in week 16 which is commonly the fantasy football finals. Johnson should have a tougher time on Thursday against Denver.

LaDainian Tomlinson- He has 14 touchdowns in the last 4 weeks. Do you realize how rediculous that statistic is? Tomlinson single handedly beat the Broncos on Sunday night. He's on pace to shatter the single season TD record, and he will battle Peyton Manning for league MVP. Tomlinson should have another huge day next week against Oakland's defense. He's the most dominant player in fantasy this season.

Philip Rivers- Another good day for Rivers who hasn't been under 200 yards passing since week 3. Rivers had his first multi-interception game of the season, but also tossed in two touchdowns. It's good to see that Rivers played well enough against one of the better defenses in football. Next week against Oakland should be another solid game in a solid season.

Tatum Bell/Mike Bell- In another clear sign of evidence that Mike Shanahan enjoys to screw with fantasy owners, Tatum Bell was inactive after being listed as probable all week. In relief, Mike Bell was very productive after being inactive the previous week. Mike finished with 90 yards and 2 TDs in his start. Honestly, I have no idea who will start for Denver on Thursday.

SUNDAY RECAP: NFC STYLE

Jason Campbell- The Redskins young QB showed a lot of promise in his first action ever in an NFL game. His final numbers were 19 for 34 with 196 yards and 2 TDs. He started off slow, but then became comfortable and finished strong. While Campbell is not a great option for the rest of the year, he should be a very good QB for the Redskins for many years.

Ladell Betts- After an impressive performance in relief of Clinton Portis last week, Betts failed to follow up that performance with another good one. Betts finished with 7 carries for 18 yards and 5 receptions for 48 yards. He was removed in all short yardage situations which means TDs will be hard to come by. He should be owned in all fantasy leagues, but he's not a good start until he develops some consistency.

Donovan McNabb- In the biggest blow possible to both the Eagles and his fantasy owners, McNabb is now out for the season after suffering a torn ACL. The hit was not severe or dirty at all, McNabb just landed the wrong way. It's the same injury that Carson Palmer and Daunte Culpepper suffered. He's out 8-12 months, so he may not be ready for week 1 next season. Hopefully for his sake he can recover more like Palmer than Culpepper.

Jeff Garcia- Taking McNabb's place behind center in Philadelphia is Jeff Garcia. While he's no McNabb, Garcia should do a decent job filling in. The Eagles love to throw, so Garcia will be given several opportunities to boost his statistics. The Eagles have a very tough schedule ahead of them, but Garcia should still be owned in all fantasy leagues.

Tony Romo- While Romo failed to find the endzone on Sunday, he still had a very impressive day completing 19 of his 23 passes. He showed a lot of poise and led the Cowboys down the field several times for their scores. One could argue that Romo actually played a better game than Peyton Manning on Sunday. Romo has showed he's the real deal, and he's a great option as a fantasy QB the rest of the season.

Kevin Jones- After just four carries against Arizona, Kevin Jones left with an ankle injury. It's unsure what the extent of the injury is at this time. Considering the Lions play on Thursday for Thanksgiving, it would be unlikely that we'll see Jones come back so quickly. Brian Calhoun will fill in at RB if Jones can't play.

Brett Favre- Early in the Patriots rout of the Packers, Brett Favre left the game with an elbow injury. Word out of Green Bay was that he could have returned if the game was closer, and they sat him for precautionary measures. Coach McCarthy would not say whether Favre would be able to play next Monday, but considering the importance of getting a win, Favre should be behind center. Aaron Rodgers was not good at all in relief of Favre.

Thomas Jones- The Bears RB had his best game of the season as he ran 23 times for 121 yards. Jones had a chance to score early in the third quarter but couldn't convert on a few attempts within the five yard line. Once again Jones has had another very solid season, and the chances of Cedric Benson getting any serious carries would only increase if the Bears clinched home-field far in advance. Jones does have a couple tough matchups in New England and Minnesota coming up, so it may be a good idea to sit him for a few games.

Marques Colston- The second biggest injury of the week was to the explosive rookie Marques Colston. Before even having a catch, Colston left for the game with an ankle injury. The Saints believe that it is a high ankle sprain and that he will miss a few weeks. This should not hurt the Saints offense too much considering Brees threw for 510 yards without him yesterday.

Drew Brees- Speaking of Brees, he had one of the oddest games you'll ever see on Sunday. Brees finished with 510 yards passing but 2 TDs and 3 INTs while leading the Saints to only 16 points. It was a good sign to see that Brees had such a tremendous effort despite the loss of Colston. He spread the ball around all game as he tried to lead the Saints from behind. The Saints face the Falcons next week in a game featuring a couple of team's looking for a win after a streak of losses.

Michael Vick- He wasn't great, he wasn't bad, but Vick found that middle ground that gives people no idea what direction he's going in. Vick finished with 121 yards passing and a TD as the Falcons lost their third straight game. Vick cannot be trusted under any circumstances because he is totally unpredictable. I'd probably sit him next week against the Saints, but he could bust out again so it's hard to tell.

Deshaun Foster/DeAngelo Williams- The Panthers RB left very early in the game with a hyper extended elbow and did not return. The injury does not seem serious at all, and it looks like he may miss one game but could also very likely miss none. In his relief DeAngelo Williams had a very impressive 20 carries for 114 yards. Williams should be owned in all leagues because any serious injury to the fragile Foster would mean extended playing time for the promising rookie.

Cadillac Williams- In midst of a very disappointing season, Cadillac had one of his best days of the year yesterday with 27 carries for 122 yards. It was his highest total this season in yardage. Despite having this big day, the Bucs schedule the remainder of the season is murderous which means that Williams is not a very good option the rest of the season.

Shaun Alexander- In his first game back from injury, Alexander struggled mightily all day long. The reigning MVP finished with 17 carries for 37 yards in Seattle's loss. Maurice Morris only had two carries so that is one thing Alexander owners don't need to worry about. Alexander said he struggles with the speed of the game, and he needs a little more time to get back to full form. He should have a much better day next Monday against Green Bay.

Frank Gore- As predicted earlier this week by yours truly, the 49ers upset the Seahawks on Sunday to pull to 5-5 on the season. The main reason for this was Frank Gore. He had a tremendous 24 carries for 212 yards in the 49ers biggest win in years. Gore has turned into one of the best 5 running backs in all of football. He's one of the few guys that shares that combo of speed and strength. He should have another huge day next week against the poor Rams rush defense.

Matt Leinart- While leading his team to their second win all season, Leinart had one of his best performances in weeks. Leinart finished 19 for 29 for 233 yards and a TD en route to the victory. He also ran for his second TD in as many weeks. He looked very good all game long, but part of that was playing the Lions. He should have a tougher test next week when he plays the Vikings who are desperate for a win.

Edgerrin James- After not cracking 4 yards per carry all season, Edge has done it in back to back weeks for Arizona. James finished with 22 carries for 96 yards. It was the closest he came all season to cracking 100 yards. Edge should be signing a different tune next week when the Cards play the Vikings and the number one rush defense.

COUNTDOWN TO GAMETIME

Bernard Berrian will be back in the lineup for the Bears after missing last week's game with a rib injury. He's their best deep threat, and he should have a pretty solid game against the Jets.

What looked doubtful all week became a conclusion on Sunday when Reuben Droughns was listed as inactive for the Browns game on Sunday. Jason Wright is the team's starting RB.

A time table set for Byron Leftwich's return from ankle surgery has him possibly returning in late December. Whether he starts for the Jaguars when he returns all depends on the play of David Garrard.

Shaun Alexander is likely to play on Sunday against the 49ers. It is unknown right now whether he'll get a full load of carries or split with Maurice Morris for this week.

Unlike his teammate it doesn't appear like Matt Hasselbeck will play on Sunday. He should be dressed and serve as Seneca Wallace's backup. Hasselbeck appears on target to start next week.

After missing the majority of the season with injury, Aaron Brooks is back for the Raiders on Sunday. His relationship with Randy Moss is poor, and both players are poor starts in fantasy this week.

Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown will start on Sunday despite a groin injury. Backup RB Sammy Morris should see some extra carries to lighten Brown's load. It's a bad matchup for Dolphins' RBs facing the #1 rush defense in football.

Cedric Houston is active for the Jets on Sunday. By playing he should steal some carries from both Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow. The leader in carries for the Jets seems to vary week to week, so neither RB is a good matchup against the Bears.

NEWS & NOTES

Ronnie Brown couldn't do much in practice on Friday, but it still looks like he may start on Sunday. The Dolphins will most likely try to get Sammy Morris some extra carries to keep Brown fresh. The play the Vikings who have the number one rush defense in football, so starting Brown is a poor option.

Bears WR Bernard Berrian will be a game-time decision for their game against the Jets. The Bears want to be sure that Berrian can take a shot to the ribs. If they plan to determine this by actually by actually giving him one is still to be decided, but we won't know more till Sunday.

There are conflicting reports to whether Reuben Droughns actually practiced on Friday, but either way it appears like he will not play. Jason Wright will fill in for him and make his first NFL start.

Greg Jennings has been dealing with his ankle injury for close to a month now, but once it again it won't keep him out of the lineup on Sunday. Jennings won't start, but he will be the team's 3rd WR.

The 49ers are eager to get TE Vernon Davis back on the field, but his status still remains in question for this week. Nothing will be determined until most likely Sunday. Since the 49ers have a late afternoon game, you may not have the option of waiting for inactives.

Regarding the injury situation in Seattle, it appears that the Seahawks will have Shaun Alexander or Matt Hasselbeck in the lineup on Sunday but not both. Alexander is far more capable of playing right now, so it will probably be him, but nothing will be decided until before the game.

Fantasy WR bum Santana Moss will again miss the Redskins' game on Sunday. He had a bad week in practice and felt worse than the week before. This appears like it may be a situation that won't go away all season.

49ers RB Frank Gore was upgraded to probable after suffering a concussion in the 49ers last game. San Francisco faces a huge game against Seattle, and Gore will have a big day if he is truly healthy.

After missing the last two games, Joe Horn will be back in the lineup for the Saints on Sunday. Horn has a nice matchup against a weak Bengals pass defense, but this also means that Marques Colston's chances of double digit catches every week take a huge hit.

David Carr has had a pretty solid season so far, and he will look to continue his fine stats after being upgraded to probable this week. While he's not a very good fantasy option, it's good to see that he's getting a chance to finally show what he can do this season.