Week 15
Games through December 15

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START

QB:

Chad Pennington, NYJ: The Jets were held without a TD for the first time in nine games last week, but the Steelers are simply not in the same class as the Bills defense right now. Pennington should enjoy more success this Sunday, and looks like a good start for your team.

Jake Delhomme, Car: If you lack a quality QB, you might want to consider taking a risk and starting Delhomme for this round of the fantasy playoffs. The Cardinals haven’t shown much competitive fire recently, and the Panthers go into Sunday’s matchup desperately needing a win. Delhomme may not have quite as much success against Arizona as Jeff Garcia did, but he’s an interesting fantasy option this week.

Others to start:
Trent Green, KC
Tom Brady, NE
Donovan McNabb, Phi
Aaron Brooks, NO
Drew Bledsoe, Buf
Steve McNair, Ten
Jon Kitna, Cin

No-brainers:
Marc Bulger, StL
Brad Johnson, TB
Brett Favre, GB
Matt Hasselbeck, Sea
Peyton Manning, Ind
Daunte Culpepper, Min
Michael Vick, Atl

RB:

Troy Hambrick, Dal: Finally, Hambrick gets to face a weaker rushing defense. After rough outings against the Bills, Patriots, Panthers, and Dolphins, Hambrick bounced back a bit against the Eagles last week, gaining 75 yards on the ground. Troy had 100 yards and two scores in the first meeting between these two teams this year, and should be able to produce solid numbers this time around.

Thomas Jones, TB: It looks like almost everyone can run over the Texans right now, and this can only be good news for Jones owners. This is exactly the matchup you want at this stage of the season, and now that Jones should be receiving the bulk of his team’s carries, he looks like a solid start.

Others to start:
Tiki Barber, NYG
TJ Duckett, Atl
Anthony Thomas, Chi
Travis Henry, Buf
Ricky Williams, Mia
Michael Bennett, Min
Jerome Bettis, Pit

No-brainers:
Jamal Lewis, Bal
Ahman Green, GB
LaDainan Tomlinson, SD
Deuce McAllister, NO
Clinton Portis, Den
Stephen Davis, Car
Shaun Alexander, Sea
Priest Holmes, KC
Marshall Faulk, StL
Edgerrin James, Ind

WR:

Javon Walker, GB: Walker is red-hot right now, and may not be ready to cool off yet. The Chargers have one of the weakest secondaries of the league and have allowed a whopping 29 touchdowns through the air this season, and this could translate to huge numbers for Favre’s number one target.

David Boston, SD: Boston is listed as questionable for this week (neck), but is expected to play and remains San Diego’s only reliable receiver. San Diego may have to throw the football a lot in the second half, and Boston should be a prime target. Be sure to check his status before kickoff, however.

Others to start:
Deion Branch, NE
Rod Smith, Den
Derrick Mason, Ten
Peerless Price, Atl
Chris Chambers, Mia
Joe Horn, NO
Koren Robinson, Sea
Keenan McCardell, TB
Anquan Boldin, Ari

No-brainers:
Randy Moss, Min
Chad Johnson, Cin
Terrell Owens, SF
Marvin Harrison, Ind
Eric Moulds, Buf
Laveranues Coles, Was
Isaac Bruce, StL
Torry Holt, StL
Darrell Jackson, Sea
Santana Moss, NYJ
Hines Ward, Pit
Steve Smith, Car

TE/K/D:

Alge Crumpler, TE, Atl: Michael Vick’s comeback can only be good news for Crumpler, who is one of the versatile quarterback’s favorite targets. The Falcons should come out battling in Indianapolis, and Crumpler could be a big part of the offensive game plan.

Jay Feely, Atl: With weather being a factor in December games, starting a kicker playing in a dome is never a bad idea. Feely’s Falcons play indoors in Indianapolis this week, and could enjoy a fine game behind a resurging Atlanta offense sparked by the return of Michael Vick.

Tampa Bay: The Buccaneers are still not the same defensive team that won it all last season, but playing at home against a struggling Texans team should be a enough to make tham a quality fantasy start.

 
BENCH

QB:

Tim Hasselbeck, Was: The Cowboys defense has struggled in recent games, but that doesn’t make Hasselbeck a safe start on Sunday. In an easy win over the Giants last Sunday, the Redskins only passed 19 times, and might rely heavily on their rushing game again this week. Additionally, the Cowboys must win this game and will try to hurry Hasselbeck as much as possible. There are better QB options this week.

Quincy Carter, Dal: The Carter’s poor play is another reason for Dallas’ recent downfall, and his play may not improve significantly this week, either. The Cowboys could also find themselves relying on the running game, limiting Carter’s opportunities. Play it safe and leave him on the bench.

RB:

Jamel White, Cle: White instantly became one of the hottest commodities on the wire after the injury to James Jackson. He responded with a good effort against St. Louis, but don’t count on him enjoying the same success this week. The Broncos may simply be too strong against the run for White to post good fantasy numbers. In the fantasy playoffs, starting White simply is not worth taking the risk.

Marcel Shipp, Ari: Shipp looks a bit worn out after a busy season, and playing against a solid Panthers team may not help matters. Carolina must win this game, while the Cardinals are simply playing out the string. Only the desperate will look to Shipp this week.

WR:

Jimmy Smith, Jax: This is maybe the toughest call to make at this point of the season, as Smith played very well since returning from his suspension. However, the Patriots are the best defensive unit in the league right now, and have not allowed a TD in their last four home games. Normally, you don’t want to sit players of Smith’s caliber during the fantasy playoffs, but in this case, that might just be a wise decision.

Joey Galloway, Dal: After a hot start, Galloway has cooled off significantly, partially due to the poor play of his QB. Add to that the fact that he only caught one pass the last time these teams met, and Galloway has to be considered a risky start at best.

TE/K/D:

Billy Miller, TE, Hou: The injury to starting QB David Carr was a big blow for the Texans. Last week showed all too clearly that with Dave Ragone at the helm, this team will have all kinds of problems on offense. Carr is listed as questionable this week, but even if he returns, starting Miller is a gamble against a Tampa Bay defense that could give Houston major headaches.

Adam Vinatieri, NE: Vinatieri is one of the better kickers in the league, but even he isn’t entirely immune to wind and weather. There won’t be another snowstorm during this week’s game at Gillette Stadium, but finding a kicker playing in a friendlier climate or, better yet, a dome might not be a bad idea.

New York Giants: The Giants look like they have closed their books on this season, playing without much heart recently. Facing New Orleans may not bring relief, either. The Saints need a victory to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, and Brooks, McAllister and company should pose a stiff challenge to the G-Men.

 
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.