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Quarterback John Kitna – The Cowboys are playing with tons of hope, while their opponent the Redskins is the joke of the league. John Kitna goes against a putrid secondary, that hasn’t gotten a pass rush since week 1 vs. Dallas, when their season still had meaning. Washington has given up over 3,500 passing yards and currently rank 29th against the pass. Jason Witten has stepped up his game, so look for Kitna to rely on the veteran as well as Miles Austin heavily in what could be a 250 yard passing two touchdown game.
Running Back Ronnie Brown/Ricky Williams – Arguably the most disappointing running backs this season have been Brown and Williams as both will likely not reach 1,000 rushing yards. In the NFL, where average backs surpass 1,000 the Dolphins duo have been dropped in many leagues and with your championship aspirations on the line your likely not trusting either of them. I want fantasy owners to dig deep and give both of them another chance as a flex play with the Bills rushing defense coming to Miami. Buffalo is giving up over 165 yards on the ground per game, and with the Dolphins playoff hopes on the line, look for the Fins to pound the rock to a victory.
Wide Receiver Kenny Britt –Britt returned from injury last week and had an immediate impact catching four balls for 39 yards. Britt changes the whole Titans passing game and that’s with or without Randy Moss on the field. Britt is the clear number one receiver for Tennessee and with the Texans 32nd ranked passing defense on deck, Britt is a great start this week even with the veteran Kerry Collins slinging the rock.
Tight End Owen Daniels– For the first time all season, Daniels looked like the top tier tight end he was through the first half of 2009. Daniels caught five balls for 91 yards on Monday Night against the Ravens top 10 defense. Daniels is easily the Texans second best passing option next to Andre Johnson, as the Houston passing offense looked as efficient as it did a season ago. Expect Matt Schaub to rely on Daniels heavily, as the Texans try to salvage their season.
Defense Carolina Panthers – The Panthers might have one win, but the defense has been solid all year long. Carolina has the 10th best passing defense in the NFL, while playing in a division where they see Drew Brees and Matt Ryan twice a year. In what could be the ugliest game of the week, ride the Panthers defense against John Skelton and his 55.5 QB Rating.
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Quarterback –Ben Roethlisberger – If I had one game to win, Roethlisberger might be the quarterback who I choose out of all 32 starters in the league. In terms of fantasy, the upside of Roethlisberger isn’t there, as he hasn’t surpassed 12 fantasy points in his last three games. The Steelers have given up 32 sacks this season, and with the Jets intimidating pass rush coming to Pittsburgh, leaving Roethlisberger on your bench is a best bet.
Running Back Brandon Jackson/ James Starks – With Matt Flynn possibly playing quarterback on Sunday expect the Patriots defense to make Flynn beat them through the air. The New England rushing defense is steadily improving as they currently rank 14th in the league. The Packers have struggled to run the ball all season and are averaging less than 100 yards per game on the ground. After watching last week’s debacle vs. the Lions, I would leave all my Green Bay running backs on the bench.
Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin – I’ve put Boldin here before, and I will say it again, he’s not the number one receiver in the Ravens offense. If you’re starting a Baltimore receiver, my advice would be to go with Derrick Mason, who leads the Ravens in receiving yards. Outside of the Steelers game, Boldin has nine catches for 97 yards in three of the last four weeks. It’s hard to bench Boldin, but the Saints bring the 5th best passing defense in to Baltimore, in a battle of playoff bound teams..
Tight End Bo Scaife- After scoring two touchdowns on Thursday Night, Scaife is one of the hottest pickups of the fantasy circle. With six receptions for 37 yards in his last three games, I don’t see how anyone would even consider Scaife as an option. A player, who is the fourth or fifth option on a team, should not be used in a fantasy playoff game. With a repeat performance so slim, stick with Kellen Winslow and Greg Olsen for Sunday’s game.
Defense Green Bay Packers – In 2010 no matter how good your defense is, a great offense has proven to show more muscle when these types of teams collide. The Patriots host the Packers on Sunday in what could be an embarrassing game with or without Aaron Rodgers. New England is averaging 38.3 points per game over their last six games, as they clearly look like the juggernaut offense that got them to the Super Bowl in 2007. Green Bay’s defense biggest challenge is on Sunday, and I doubt Clay Mathews and crew are up to the test.