Week 14
Games through December 8

• Tweet

• Tweet

START

QB:

Joey Harrington, Det: Detroit surprised just about everyone with their victory over the Packers on Thanksgiving. Their task should be a lot easier this week, when the Chargers come to Detroit. San Diego ranks 28th in the league against the pass, which could mean good things for Harrington and his receivers.

Brad Johnson, TB: Johnson is arguably the most underrated QB in the league, and should again be worth a start this Sunday. The Saints often look like they can’t stop anyone, and Johnson has the receivers to take advantage of the New Orleans secondary.

Others to start:
Aaron Brooks, NO
Jon Kitna, Cin
Jake Plummer, Den
Tommy Maddox, Pit
Chad Pennington, NYJ
Tim Hasselbeck, Was
Kerry Collins, NYG

No-brainers:
Peyton Manning, Ind
Marc Bulger, StL
Steve McNair, Ten
Daunte Culpepper, Min
Matt Hasselbeck, Sea
Brett Favre, GB

RB:

Jerome Bettis, Pit: Bettis owners haven’t exactly had much reason to smile this season, but if you are still in contention, this might be the time when your patience will be rewarded. Oakland is allowing a whopping 150 yards per game on the ground, which could make it a great day for Bettis.

Travis Henry, Buf: A lot of fantasy owners were concerned about Henry’s injury last week and wound up leaving him on the bench. Now we all know that Henry can still carry a fantasy team. And he might be able to do it again this week, running over a weak Jets front.

Others to start:
Edgerrin James, Ind
Domanick Davis, Hou
Michael Pittman, TB
Brian Westbrook, Phi

No-brainers:
Jamal Lewis, Bal
LaDainan Tomlinson, SD
Deuce McAllister, NO
Clinton Portis, Den
Fred Taylor, Jax
Stephen Davis, Car
Priest Holmes, KC
Shaun Alexander, Sea
Marshall Faulk, StL
Ricky Williams, Mia
Ahman Green, GB

WR:

Brian Finneran, Atl: This may a bit of a longshot, but with Michael Vick back in the lineup, Finneran’s value (and that of Peerless Price, of course) could rise significantly. Finneran was Vick’s primary posession receiver last year, and last week’s game left every impression that it will stay that way. So if you are thin at WR, it might be worth taking a shot on Finneran against a suspect Carolina secondary.

Charles Lee, TB: Technically, Lee is Tampa Bay’s #3 receiver, but don’t be fooled by the depth chart. For all practical purposes, Lee is second behind Keenan McCardell for the time being, and should continue to see plenty of looks.

Others to start:
Rod Smith, Den
Koren Robinson, Sea
Jimmy Smith, Jax
Isaac Bruce, StL
David Boston, SD
Az-Zahir Hakim, Det
Donald Driver, GB
Keenan McCardell, TB
Chris Chambers, Mia

No-brainers:
Randy Moss, Min
Darell Jackson, Sea
Marvin Harrisson, Ind
Chad Johnson, Cin
Steve Smith, Car
Terrell Owens, SF
Laveranues Coles, Was
Derrick Mason, Ten
Torry Holt, StL
Santana Moss, NYJ
Hines Ward, Pit

TE/K/D:

Marcus Pollard, TE, Ind: Due to the season-ending injury to Dallas Clark, Pollard immediately becomes a more valuable fantasy asset. He should be a solid play throughout the fantasy playoffs, so be sure to have him in your lineup from now on.

Jason Hanson, K, Det: He was one of the Lions’ most dangerous weapons on Thanksgiving Day, accounting for 16 of Detroit’s 22 points. Hanson was helped by a Lions team that moved the ball well, but struggled in the red zone. This could happen again this week against San Diego, making Hanson an intriguing start.

Green Bay: The Packers have something to prove this weekend following their bitter loss in Detroit. They should come out highly motivated and try to shed their frustration quickly. This could mean a lot of pressure on the Chicago offense, and a good start for your fantasy team.

 
BENCH

QB:

Trent Green, KC: Sunday’s game in Denver will be one of the most important contests of the week, with Kansas City needing a win for homefield advantage, while the Broncos are fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive. This should be a tough game for the Chiefs, who didn’t look overpowering in their victory over the Chargers. Furthermore, Denver is second in the league in fewest passing yards allowed, so benching Green may be wise.

Kordell Stewart, Chi: Don’t expect Stewart to duplicate last week’s performance. The Packers are not the Cardinals, and, after their turkey day failure, the Pack has something to prove. A motivated Green Bay team playing at home could spell trouble.

RB:

Marcel Shipp, Ari: Shipp has lost a step in the last few games, perhaps as a result of his increased workload. Right now, he is not a suitable #2 RB any more, and playing in San Francisco, where the 49ers excell at stuffing the run, is a taunting challenge for any rusher.

TJ Duckett, Atl: Vick’s presence might help him, but it still might not be enough to make him a solid start against a tough Carolina defense. The Falcons may go through the air often, which would limit Duckett’s carries, making him a risky start this week.

WR:

Curtis Conway, NYJ: Conway finally had a good game with the Jets last Monday, but that doesn’t make him a weekly starter quite yet. The matchups he’ll see in Buffalo should be tougher than those he faced against the Titans, and the odds are good that Conway will fall back into his old ways.

Justin Gage, Chi: He had an impressive game again last Sunday, but Gage is still a rookie, and not even a starter for the Bears; consistency may still be a ways away. The game in Green Bay could be very tough for the Bears (see Kordell Stewart), so leave Gage on the bench this time if you have safer alternatives.

TE/K/D:

Randy McMichael, TE, Mia: Not evenJay Fiedler’s comeback could save McMichael from yet another bad game. He simply hasn’t been consistent this year, and playing him this week against a tough New England defense is a gamble.

Morten Andersen, K, KC: The Chiefs juggernaut has struggled a bit recently, and this pattern could continue in Denver this week. Many are projecting a low score in a fierce battle, so this might be one of the rare occasions when Andersen is best left on the bench.

New York Giants: The G-men played apathetically last week in a devastating home loss against Bufallo, and Giants fans might be in for more of the same this week. Their season is practically over, and this makes the Giants a very risky play.

 
Fantasy Football Cafe’s Start & Sit lists are suggestions intended to give fantasy football players an edge in their weekly matchups. Savvy owners will see these lists not as an absolute ranking, but as an indication of possible outcomes of a given week, and use them together with their own opinions and hunches to field the lineup that will give their team the greatest odds of winning. The Start & Sit lists are compiled by Dan Spazierer (not Madame Zelda). For more insights and additional fine-tuning, visit our Who to Start/Bench forum section as well as Charles Budd and Steve Maluk’s weekly Player Projections.