Most fantasy leagues are into the second week of the playoffs. Hopefully your team is still alive. The blockbuster fantasy matchup pits offensive juggernauts Cincinnati and Indianapolis on Monday night.
But before Monday comes Sunday. Hereâs a look.
Sunday
Browns at Ravens â Neither team is very good at putting up points, and the Ravens excel at prohibiting end zone visits. The Browns run defense ranks near the bottom (30th). However, Jamal Lewis didnât exactly run all over the Browns (86 yards, no TDs). We expect Lewis to fare better this time around.
If you can call it a weakness, the Ravens arenât as stout vs. the pass. Theyâve given up a couple of big games to opposing WRs this year, one of them to Braylon Edwards in the first meeting (116 yards, 1 TD).
Good week: Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards
Bad week: Charlie Frye
Lions at Packers â They donât play defense in Green Bay. In fact, the best resistance they can offer is the Frozen Tundraâs nasty weather, and even that looks like it is taking a hiatus this week.
Donald Driver practiced Friday, so the FT expects him to play, even though heâs listed as questionable. Since his ailment is a shoulder, it shouldnât prohibit his route-running, but an average game at best is likely at hand.
Good week: Brett Favre, Greg Jennings, Ahman Green, Jon Kitna, Roy Williams, Mike Furrey
Bad week: Arlen Harris
Dolphins at Bills â Donât look now, but both these quads are playing fairly well. The Dolphins defense has elevated itâs play, as has the Bills offense. Buffalo is normally not kind to the Fins. Plus, Miami does have, gulp, Joey Harrington at QB. We expect a Dolphin letdown after their big win last vs. the Pats, and the Bills will take advantage.
Good week: Sammy Morris, Lee Evans, Willis McGahee
Bad week: Joey Harrington, J.P. Losman
Jets at Vikings â No one can run vs. the Vikings, and the Jets canât run vs. anyone. On the flip side, the Jets are vulnerable to the run, and thatâs something the Vikes do fairly well. Chester Taylor has been upgraded to probable. However, considering how well Artose Pinner looked last week, an afternoon platoon may be in the offing. Still, if Taylor is playing vs. a run defense this lax, itâs tough to recommend putting him on your bench.
Good week: Chad Pennington, Laveraneus Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, Marcus Robinson
Down week: Chester Taylor
Bad week: Leon Washington, Cedric Houston
Buccaneers at Bears â Tampa has no offense, so Chicagoâs elite defense could easily register a TD (is two too much?). Bucs defense isnât what it used to be. This could be a rout.
Good week: Cedric Benson, Thomas Jones, Muhsin Muhammad
Bad week: Cadillac Williams, Joey Galloway
Redskins at Saints â Yes, weâre aware Washingtonâs pass defense has improved considerably in the past few weeks. But no one has stopped the Saints air assault. The Redskins wonât be the team to do that.
The Saints D has been solid vs. the pass but weak against the run. Expect the Skins to try to milk the clock with a ground game, until they fall too far behind and are forced to put the ball in the air. And we donât like Jason Campbell as the QB of a one-dimensional offense late.
Good week: Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush, Ladell Betts, Chris Cooley
Bad week: Jason Campbell
Jaguars at Titans â Jags D is tough when it wants to be. Coming off a huge win vs. Indy, they may have scheduled themselves another bye for this week (much as they did both times they faced the Texans).
The run defense is too tough to expect much from Travis Henry, but Vince Young could have a nice day.
Good week: Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew, Vince Young
Bad week: David Garrard, Travis Henry
Texans at Patriots â Coming off an embarrassing shutout loss to the Dolphins, expect the Patriots to be firing on all cylinders, especially against a Texans squad that is capable of little in the way of resistance.
Good week: Tom Brady, Corey Dillon, Reche Caldwell, Ben Watson
Bad week: David Carr, Andre Johnson, Ron Dayne, , Wali Lundy, Laurence Maroney
Steelers at Panthers â Trying to figure out the Panthers is like playing with a Lite Bright in a busy household. Once you have a good picture of what kind of team the Cats are, someone bumps into the console and knocks all you lights out and you have to start all over.
Which team will show up? The preseason Super Bowl pick (which has made cameos in a few quarters throughout the season) or the inconsistent sleepwalkers (who have seen much more playing time)? With little to play for, the FT would not be surprised is the Cats played dead again.
Good week: Willie Parker, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Carter
Down week: Steve Smith
Bad week: Chris Weinke
Broncos at Cardinals â Trying to figure out why Mike Shanahan switched QBs in midseason for a seemingly playoff-bound squad is like trying to figure out a Rubix Cube. Every time you get one line of thinking in order, you realize it doesnât make any sense because it messes up the rest of the puzzle.
That said, we think Jay Cutler will show a little of the flair that led to Shanahanâs ill-timed decision. At least for one week.
The Cardinals are young enough to still play well despite being 2006 road kill.
Good week: Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Javon Walker, Tatum Bell, Jay Cutler
Bad week: Edgerrin James, Matt Leinart
Eagles at Giants â These teams racked up some points in Week 2. No reason to believe it wonât happen again. And the FT can see a trick play or a concerted effort to get rookie Sinorice Moss in the mix before the playoffs. That could come this week.
Good week: Eli Manning, Tiki Barber, Plaxico Burress, Sinorice Moss, Jeremy Shockey, Donteâ Stallworth, Brian Westbrook
Rams at Raiders â The âEscape from L.A. Bowl.â Not even the people of L.A. care.
Good week: Steven Jackson, Justin Fargas
Down week: Torry Holt
Bad week: Marc Bulger, Randy Moss
Chiefs at Chargers â L.T. vs. L.J. The determining factor will likely be the stiffer San Diego defense. And the fact the LaDainian Tomlinson is, in fact, superhuman.
Good week: LaDainian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers, Eric Parker, Larry Johnson
Down week: Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez
Bad week: Trent Green
Monday
Bengals at Colts â Cincy ranks in the middle of the pack vs. the run, dead last vs. the pass. Indy ranks dead last vs. the run, No. 2 vs. the pass. And both teams are full of offense weapons.
The only problem for the Bengals is if they fall behind early, rendering their running game useless. Then they have to test the stiff Colts pass D.
Great week: Peyton Manning, Rudi Johnson
Good week: Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Down week: Chad Johnson
Bad week: Joseph Addai