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| Don't let the Bengals 1-3 record make any impression upon fantasy starting decisions this week. Cincy is averaging over 25 points per game and is rested off a bye week. Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are all among fantasy leaders and will pad their totals this week. RB Rudi Johnson may still be out this week (check status closer to game time)...so Kenny Watson will go if Rudi can't. The Bengal defense is awful (esp. pass D). QB Damon Huard threw Wednesday and will start on Sunday barring a setback. Huard is a nice option for fantasy owners suffering from injuries or in need of a bye week replacement QB. Rookie Dwayne Bowe is the best Kansas City WR play this week with Eddie Kennison likely sitting out with a hamstring injury (Kennison will yield his spot to Samie Parker if he's unable to go). TE Tony Gonzalez has a perfect matchup against Cincinnati. Larry Johnson wants to get it going, but has done very little to date. LJ should change all that and light up the Bengals defense. |
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| Tex WR Andre Johnson is healing, but likely won't play until week 7. RB Ahman Green will be back on the field this week and be tested against a tough Jax matchup. Houston QB Matt Schaub is playing well and will be up against a defense that has allowed just 41 points through 4 games...especially since he will again be without Andre Johnson and rookie Jacoby Jones (who still could end up playing this week). For the Jags, Maurice Jones-Drew finally had a decent game in week 5 against KC - although MJD and this team has been highly inconsistent despite their 3-1 record. Jax is winning, but fantasy stars aren't exactly jumping out of the woodwork. Houston's D is solid (Texans are ranked 3rd against the run and 10th against the pass). |
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| Miami is winless and will now be without Trent Green...which may actually help to get something going on offense besides handing off to Ronnie Brown. Plan on Brown to add to his record pace this week against a porous Browns D (esp. the passing game). Cleo Lemon will start at QB for the Phins, but I don't think you grab him for one week just because Cleveland's D is weak (who knows how Lemon will peform fresh off the pine?). Play WR Chris Chambers if you have him. For the Browns on offense, WR Braylon Edwards and TE Kellen Winslow are dialed in to QB Derek Anderson. Cleveland is the 5th highest scoring team and I think they keep going. RB Jamal Lewis may be out again...Jason Wright gets the start if Lewis can't go.
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| Nobody would have believed these two teams would combine for a 7-2 record at this point. Green Bay seems to have the much better team of the two, but you can't argue with Washington's record. Jason Campbell looked much better against the Lions, but not yet a reliable fantasy starting QB. The Skins look like they'll get WR Santana Moss back this week (groin). If Moss plays, Campbell becomes a much better option. In addition to Moss, play Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley this week...although keep in mind that Green Bay's D is for real. On offense, Brett Favre has become a fantasy lock...regardless of whether Washington's pass D shut down Detroit's aerial attack last week. Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, and James Jones may have tougher day of it, but Favre still gets his points at home. Stay away from the Packer running game until a clear starter emerges. |
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| Marc Bulger will rest his ribs for the 2nd consecutive week while Gus Frerotte gets his second straight start. And at RB, Steven Jackson will also sit this week (again) and continue to frustrate his fantasy owners (SJax may be out until week 10. Backup RB Brian Leonard had a nice game last week, but the Ravens are still a talented team against the run. For Baltimore, QB Steve McNair is itching to get back in the lineup and will find his favorite receiver Todd Heap for several tosses and at least one score. WR Derrick Mason should play and has a chance of turning on of his many catches into a TD against a weak Rams secondary. RB Willis McGahee looks good when he touches the football, but for some reason he hasn't been utilized as expected. Baltimore should roll this week against a defense that has given up almost 28 points per game. |
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| Tavaris Jackson (probably) returns as QB to face a sinking Bears defense. Even though the Bears haven't been the defensive dynasty they were last season, I still like them this week against Minnesota. So basically, the only fantasy option for the Vikes is rookie RB Adrian Peterson. Brian Griese got the win against Green Bay on the road this past Sunday Night and looked decent. Griese may be okay for a replacement this week against Minnesota...but could be without WR Bernard Berrian. TEs Desmond Clark and rookie Greg Olsen are favorite targets of Griese, but it's a coin flip as to who gets the receptions and possible points. Minnesota has the league's top run D (allowing just 62 rushing yards per game)...making the shaky Chicago backfield a risky fantasy option. Besides, Cedric Benson isn't doing jack for the Chicago running game. There could be two Adrian Peterson's at RB before this game is over. |
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| Philly has only really played one decent game (when they wore their throwback unis and spanked the Lions in a rout). RB Brian Westbrook is on the mend for the Eagles, but there is no guarantee he'll play this week. Fantasy owners are still waiting to see if QB Donovan McNabb can muster a second week of quality stats...and he should have no problem shredding the NYJ defense on Sunday (the Jets have given up 138 points to date). If Westbrook is unable to go as McNabb's main passing outlet, McNabb will hit Kevin Curtis (over Reggie Brown) for several tosses and a score or two. The Jets continue to struggle on offense - and patience with QB Chad Pennington has become limited. WRs Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles should see plenty of action...but I don't recommend starting Pennington this week with the chance he could easily be pulled by halftime in favor of Kellen Clemens. Thomas Jones has had his problems this season and likely won't be busting out this week against a respectable Eagles run defense. |
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| Tennessee-Tampa Bay should be a pretty tough match for either team. QB Vince Young struggled to put up any fantasy points in week 5, but that should change this week on the road in Tampa. Young will throw for at least one score and may run for another with a couple hundred passing yards along the way (nothing earth-shattering, but much better than last week). On the ground, the Titans will continue to rotate RB Chris Brown in the mix with LenDale White...making either back a risky play (although White will get the bulk of the action). For the Bucs, Earnest Graham is now the main man in the Tampa Bay backfield with injuries to Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman. Graham becomes a solid play this week against Tennessee...even with the recent Tampa Bay signing of short yardage specialist Zack Crockett on Wednesday. QB Jeff Garcia will again look for WR Joey Galloway, but both should be held in check against a decent Titan pass defense. |
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| With the quarterback woes beset upon the Panthers, they're lucky to be 3-2. Jake Delhomme started off well prior to opting for a season ending surgery to repair his elbow. Replacement David Carr has looked awful and is banged up. IFF Carr can't go, the Panthers signed veteran old-man Vinnie Testaverde...although you shouldn't be tempted. However, Steve Smith is just too good to sit regardless of the QB...and Arizona doesn't have the best defense. As usual, Carolina can't decide upon a favorite in their running backfield. DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams will collectively put up some nice numbers...start one of the pair only if you're willing to split your stats with the other back. For the Cardinals, Kurt Warner is looking great in the few games he's played this year (definitely the top waiver pickup this week with Matt Leinart out for the season and many other QBs on bye weeks). Agueably, Warner may have a better wide receiving corps than when he played in St. Louis. Anquan Boldin reports himself at 80% going into week 6, but his high standards of not wanting to risk further injury don't guarantee he'll play this week (Bryant Johnson will replace Boldin if he can't go). RB Edgerrin James will also have a nice game in week 6 and is a solid start. |
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| HUGE game here...and all will be watching this one. Only one of these teams will remain undefeated and join the Colts as one of two unbeatens. Fantasywise, both teams have stellar offenses to go along with solid defenses. But I believe the offenses will prevail and you play your studs. For New England, start QB Tom Brady, WR Randy Moss, and TE Benjamin Watson. Watch the status of RB Laurence Maroney prior to placing him in your lineup...if he can't go, Sammy Morris is a nice play. Donte Stallworth isn't practicing fully and could be another gametime decision (check his status before starting him). For Dallas, start QB Tony Romo, WRs Terrell Owens / Patrick Crayton, and TE Jason Witten. RBs Julius Jones and Marion Barber will alternate carries and put up collective stats, but it could be feast or famine for either against a top Pats defense. Sit back and enjoy! |
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| Daunte Culpepper comes off a bye and is looking forward to his second start for the Raiders after a 5 TD performance in week 4. Although the Chargers have struggled early, their defense can be stout and C-pepp won't have it easy. Play Culpepper if necessary against SD, but he is by no means a fantasy lock. Ronald Curry and Jerry Porter will be the target of Culpepper's tosses, but will both be held to moderate totals against a surging SD team (who kicked Denver 41-3 last week). RB LaMont Jordan is banged up and may not go. Dominic Rhodes is back from his suspension, but his number of touches will likely not be determined until Jordan's status is clear closer to gametime. Justin Fargas will join Rhodes as a trio of question marks in Oaklands backfield (and three's a crowd in the fantasy world). The Chargers are 2-3 and still one of the best teams in the league. Play QB Philip Rivers, RB LaDainian Tomlinson, and TE Antonio Gates with confidence. WR Vincent Jackson suffered a shoulder injury against the Broncos, but is expected to play on Sunday (check his status prior to placing him in your lineup). RB Michael Turner will get several touches if this game gets out of hand in the second half. |
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| Drew Brees owners are pulling their hair out and don't know whether to bench him, trade him, or drop him. Brees gets another chance in prime time (3rd New Orleans Saints national night game in 5 starts). Most owners don't have a better option at this point and are hoping Brees finally shows on SNF why New Orleans had the NFL's best passing offense in 2006. WR Marques Colston and Devery Henderson will receive the bulk of Brees' attempts when he's not throwing to RB Reggie Bush. Bush should get 40% of the touches this week and is a decent play in Seattle...despite the fact that the Saints have scored only 51 points this season. Even though the Seahawks are 3-2, they aren't that happy with their season to date (largely due to the standard set in 2005). Matt Hasselbeck lost WR Deion Branch to injury for the next couple weeks, but H-beck gets a nice matchup against a beatable Saints secondary. Shaun Alexander isn't close at all to preseason expectations and continues to play with a wrist cast...he's still a low end number 1 play this week against the Saints. Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren is planning to get backup RB Maurice Morris more touches as the tries to spell Alexander, but Morris won't be much of a threat to Alexander's numbers. |
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| The Giants should destroy the Falcons on MNF. Play QB Eli Manning, RB Brandon Jacobs, TE Jeremy Shockey, and WR Plaxico Burress with confidence. RB Derrick Ward has filled in nicely for Jacobs to this point. However, Ward reinjured his ailing ankle in week 5 and will see a dimished role (if he plays) with Jacobs now at 100%. The Giants won't pitch a shutout, but there's nobody on Atlanta worth a fantasy roster spot...and certainly not worth a start in week 6. |
BYE WEEKS - Bills, Broncos, Lions, Colts, Steelers, 49ers
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