Thanksgiving Day Football: Pass & Rush Defenses

Surprisingly, today's Detroit Lions game sets-up as a rushing affair as both teams have been dismal against the rush over the past three games.  The Lions are an expectedly awful as the 2nd worst team in rushing yards allowed, but the Titans have been an unexpectedly bad 23rd in RYA.

RB Chris Johnson was a lock to start for fantasy teams, but Lions' RB Kevin Smith is surprisingly viable start assuming his shoulder isn't serious.  In Smith's last three games, he has 96, 112 and 86 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers respectively.

The Dallas Cowboys' game agains the Seattle Seahwaks shapes up as a must start for the Cowboys' skills players as the Seahawks rank 26th in both RYA and PYA.  The toughest question is whether WR Terrell Owens can have a second consecutive quality fantasy game.  I was personally burned by his 198 yard game last week as I finally threw in the towel on TO after his five consectutive under 40 yards receving games.

Finally, the biggest start/sit decsion of the day involves Philadelphia Eagels' RB Brian Westbrook.  He has not practiced during this short week and was ineffective in Sunday's blow-out loss to the Ravens - as he had been in the previous two games.  In the three, he has had no more than 14 carries.

I'm not taking any chances with Westbrook.  The Arizona Cardinals rank 5th in RYA over its past three games.  A dinged-up Westbrook against a Top 10 rush defense is something that will not make me relinguish the opportunity to start another RB before Sunday's games.