To prepare you as best we can for your week of Fantasy Football, we've devised this series of previews for each NFL game. We'll give you a taste of what to expect, then rank each significant Fantasy contributor on a scale from 0-5 stars (with five stars suggesting can't-miss; a player or unit without any stars suggests you probably shouldn't start him under any circumstances). The rankings take the matchup into account, but injuries and other significant factors also contribute. You should be able to compare the ratings for the players on your team and make an educated pick on who should start -- and sit -- in your lineup .
Should be a low-scoring game as the Ravens defense has stifled opponents all year and the Browns defense is on the upswing. Cleveland didn't allow a 100-yard rusher last week but did in the previous two, and Baltimore is committed to running the football. Expect Willis McGahee to get a full slate of action with Ray Rice and LeRon McClain pitching in. The Browns are improving against the pass, and they're starting to improve their pass rush, so counting on anyone in the Ravens' pass attack isn't wise, especially with deep-threat receiver Demetrius Williams no longer part of the equation. While the Browns' stats haven't been great for much of this year, the offense is leaning on Jamal Lewis more and taking more shots downfield. The Ravens' secondary is depleted and Braylon Edwards has torched them in two career home games (at least 90 yards and a TD in each). Look for Edwards to be busy, and don't rule out Lewis. True, the matchup is tough for him, but he's averaged over 4.0 yards per carry in his last two against the Ravens with a touchdown in two of three. The Browns are 3-0 in games Lewis gets at least 20 carries, so expect him to be busy. Both kickers could see multiple field-goal opportunities.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, 1:00 pm, Paul Brown Stadium
Try as we might to suggest that Jacksonville is a running team, they've opted to trust David Garrard and the passing game. That said, Jacksonville is 1-4 in games where Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor don't total 25 carries. The Bengals have been getting beat up through the air of late, allowing three pass TDs in each of their last two games, so it wouldn't shock us to see the Jags continue to throw the ball, especially if receiver Matt Jones is still skirting his three-game suspension. All that said, Cincinnati's run defense ranks 28th in the league and has yielded 11 rushing TDs, but just two 100-yard rushers. Look for Jones-Drew and Taylor to be touchdown candidates more than big yardage guys. Meanwhile, Jacksonville's defense is beginning to come around even though they lost last week to Cleveland. While the Jaguars have allowed two 300-yard passers this year, only one tight end (Bo Scaife) has gone for more than 100 yards against them, and that was in Week 1. Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn't have a 300-yard arm, and the Bengals' wideouts have one 100-yard game between them this season. Be wary of T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson. Additionally, Cincinnati hasn't been able to run with Cedric Benson and may eventually turn back to veteran Kenny Watson, who was successful with the ball last season. That might not happen this week, and it's almost a lock that the Bengals won't do well on the ground (the Jags have allowed one 100-yard rusher and five rush TDs this season). All signs point to a big stat day for the Jaguars and a small stat day for the Bengals.
Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams Sunday, 1:00 pm, Edward Jones Dome
These teams totaled over 60 points in each meeting last year, and there's no reason not to expect a similar result here. The Cardinals' run game has been stagnant, partially because they've been passing a ton. The club might start giving Tim Hightower more carries as soon as this week, and that's important to note since the Rams have allowed a rushing touchdown in every game they've played this season along with a 100-yard rusher in two of their last three. Edgerrin James also has a nice history against the Rams, but will he get enough opportunities? Of course, the Rams are also iffy against the pass and Larry Fitzgerald topped 125 yards with a score in each meeting last year. The Cardinals are passing as well as anybody right now and have the best receiving trio in Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston. All three have a shot at getting close to 100 yards and/or scoring. The Rams should continue to be balanced and take deep shots with Donnie Avery and high-percentage short-area throws with Torry Holt. The Cardinals have allowed a 100-yard receiver in each of their last four contests. The X-factor is Steven Jackson, who is a "question mark" to play according to coach Jim Haslett. His presence will mean less throws to the receivers as keeping him moving the chains will mean keeping the Cardinals offense off the field. If he goes, he's impossible to sit even though he hasn't scored on Arizona since 2005.
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears Sunday, 1:00 pm, Soldier Field
The Bears are getting healthier after a week off, and that could spell trouble for an already-struggling Lions offense. Detroit's been mixing and matching with Kevin Smith and Rudi Johnson at running back, but there's little to like about them here, though Smith has totaled at least 60 yards in limited reps over his last three games and did score in the Week 5 meeting vs. Chicago. Calvin Johnson has never played well against the Bears and won't get any help if cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher are healthy. Teams have been double-covering Johnson but he's still found the end zone in each of Dan Orlovsky's three starts this season. Expect Orlovsky to throw more than hand off, especially if the Lions fall behind in the second half. Bears quarterback Kyle Orton has another dream matchup in his lap and should flourish against a Lions defense that he skewered for over 300 yards and two touchdowns earlier this year. With a week of rest, expect the Bears to be balanced offensively, not leaning a ton on running back Matt Forte but still giving him plenty of work. Brandon Lloyd's potential return to the lineup would be good for Orton but not as good for the other Bears' receivers. If he's not back, Devin Hester and Rashied Davis are good No. 3 receiver picks. Greg Olsen should post solid numbers as he matches up well against a Lions defense that has struggled with tight ends of late.
N.Y. Jets at Buffalo Bills Sunday, 1:00 pm, Ralph Wilson Stadium
With the Jets' penchant for using Brett Favre and throwing the football, this is a great matchup for them. The Bills gave up over 300 passing yards last week to Chad Pennington and are beginning to show cracks in the pass defense, especially with cornerback Terrence McGee playing hurt and defensive end Aaron Schobel missing several games with a foot injury. Buffalo has played great defense at home, but all three home games have been against West Coast teams in Seattle, Oakland and San Diego. Expect Favre to do well, and that means a nice effort from receivers Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery with speedster Chansi Stuckey as a sleeper (Ted Ginn blew past coverage last week with his speed). The Bills might be forced to throw here as well; the Jets' run defense has been strong (82.6 rush yards per game; no 100-yard rushers this season) and Marshawn Lynch has struggled to get to even 80 yards per game. Lee Evans should have a field day against the Jets' suspect corners, and look for the team to use Roscoe Parrish's speed and James Hardy's height to create mismatches. It all should lead to another decent week for Trent Edwards.
Green Bay Packers at Tennessee Titans Sunday, 1:00 pm, LP Field
The Packers are going to have some trouble as the Colts did little to expose the Titans last week. Ryan Grant has received a lot of work in the past few games and is coming off a bye, but the Tennessee run defense has done a nice job this season against most running backs (one 100-yard rusher, five rush TDs allowed to RBs). Grant should be decent if he gets 15 carries with a chance to score, but expect Aaron Rodgers to do plenty of passing much like Peyton Manning last week. What helps the Packers is that the Titans are coming off a short week, so the combination of underneath throws to Donald Driver and tight end Donald Lee (tight ends have done well vs. the Titans) along with some deep lobs to Greg Jennings might result in some favorable stats. Tennessee will continue to lean on their 'scalpel and hatchet' run game of Chris Johnson and LenDale White. After allowing 100-yard rushers in three straight games, the Packers limited running backs in their last two and are getting healthy with the return of safety Atari Bigby. That said, the Packers have allowed six rush touchdowns in their last five games. The Titans' star rushers should post good enough numbers, but the rest of the offense is suspect, especially with Al Harris expected to return to the Green Bay secondary.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, 1:00 pm, Arrowhead Stadium
Last week was only the second time in six games that Kansas City didn't allow a 100-yard rusher, and that had a lot to do with the Jets letting Brett Favre throw. The Bucs are the same way -- they are averaging nearly 28 rush plays a game vs. 34 pass plays. That's not a good sign when facing a Chiefs' run defense that has been miserable vs. the run. Still, expect Earnest Graham to do well with the carries he gets, and he might get a lot if Warrick Dunn is held out of the game. The passing game is a mixed bag as Jeff Garcia, Antonio Bryant and the Chiefs secondary haven't played with much consistency. If anything, the Bucs might be motivated to be more aggressive in the passing game after being conservative last week. Chiefs coach Herman Edwards joked this week that the offense would run a spread formation since Larry Johnson is expected to be deactivated and running back Jamaal Charles is banged up. While we aren't thrilled with Tyler Thigpen, we must admit that he does a nice job getting the ball to Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez. Expect the Chiefs to throw a bunch since the Buccaneers are so great against the run, and that makes Bowe and Gonzalez serviceable.
Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings Sunday, 1:00 pm, Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Texans take on the first good defense they've seen in four games as they hit the road for the first time in a month: a Vikings team that has given up more rushing touchdowns (seven) than passing touchdowns (six). Only twice this year has Minnesota allowed a 300-yard passer and a 100-yard receiver (Peyton Manning/Anthony Gonzalez, Drew Brees/Devery Henderson). Translation: The Vikings can be beat deep, but they are still good against the run. Look for Houston to try and involve Steve Slaton via the ground game but ultimately lean on Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson. The matchup isn't perfect for them, but at least Johnson should continue to post big numbers. Ahman Green and Kevin Walter aren't locks to play, which would hurt the Texans. The Vikings should have their way with the Texans defense and lean on a rested Adrian Peterson to shoulder the load. Peterson has a shot at a huge day as the Texans' run defense ranks low and has allowed 11 rush touchdowns even though they haven't seen a 100-yard rusher since Week 1. That will also open up the play-action pass, which should give Gus Frerotte several chances to continue hooking up with favorite target Bernard Berrian.
Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos Sunday, 4:05 pm, Invesco Field at Mile High
The stats suggest a high-scoring game here thanks to two defenses that aren't very good. The Dolphins should be able to run and throw their way past the Broncos and into the end zone, a change from their last three games in which Miami opted to throw more and not run as much. The Broncos are awful against the run, so expect a return to glory for Ronnie Brown. Chad Pennington has also been on fire but how has he done it? With amazing accuracy (74.8 pct. completed last five games) and timely passing to receivers he quickly finds open. The Dolphins' pass game is very balanced and no player is a lock for huge numbers in any given week because of it. But, with all that said, it wouldn't be a surprise if Ted Ginn, Jr. got behind the Broncos defense a couple of times. The Broncos, rested after their bye, should fight back with plenty of passing. Jay Cutler's receiving corps appears to be healthy, and Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal have great matchups against a Miami pass defense ranked 25th in the league with nine passing touchdowns allowed (five in three road games). As for the Broncos' run game, the Dolphins have been decent stuffing opposing running backs, but Denver might have rookie Ryan Torain available to make his debut, and the club loves the potential he brings to the field. He's not a safe start in Fantasy -- Michael Pittman is still the main man -- but he's worth adding to your bench if he's still available in your league.
Atlanta Falcons at Oakland Raiders Sunday, 4:15 pm, Oakland Coliseum
This is a great matchup for the Falcons to ride Michael Turner for more than a third of their offensive snaps. The Raiders run defense wasn't terrible against the Ravens last week, but they've struggled with the run all season (11 rush TDs allowed) and will have their hands full preparing for Turner and the Falcons upstart passing game. Matt Ryan's precision is incredible, especially considering he's a rookie, and seeing him connect with Roddy White is a likely occurrence week in and week out. The Raiders pass defense hasn't allowed a 100-yard receiver this season, but neither did the Eagles last week and White burned them. The Raiders should be able to respond with a good run game of their own as Justin Fargas didn't see much work last week and could bounce back with a lot of carries for some good yardage here. Atlanta's run defense isn't much better than Oakland's -- Brian Westbrook ran all over them last week. It's hard to trust anyone in the Raiders' passing offense, but it's worth noting that JaMarcus Russell has thrown for over 200 yards and one touchdown in three of his last four games (two of three with Tom Cable as the Raiders head coach). Oakland is letting him make more plays, and his numbers show it even though they're not outstanding totals.
Dallas Cowboys at N.Y. Giants Sunday, 4:15 pm, Giants Stadium
The Giants are expected to bring a lot of heat at Brad Johnson, and judging by Johnson's play over his last two starts, that's not a good thing for the Cowboys. Like they did last week, look for Dallas to utilize Marion Barber as much as possible. The Giants have done moderately well vs. the run but Barber has posted some nice games against them in his career. But with him as their best option, the Giants should be focused on stopping him. Dallas would be wise to use play-action to get the ball over the middle to tight end Jason Witten (if he plays) and down the field to Terrell Owens and Roy Williams. Problem is, they had the chance to do that in their past two games and failed to do well. With the Giants pass defense better than it has been in years (just two 100-yard receivers and seven passing touchdowns allowed this season), do not expect big stat lines from Owens and Williams, especially with Johnson under center. The Giants will likely come out balanced on offense, but passing against a further-depleted Cowboys secondary makes the most sense. Eli Manning shouldn't go for 300 yards (the Cowboys haven't given up a 300-yard passer this year), but with Plaxico Burress being a good boy this week and the offense having a knack for taking advantage of opponents' pass defense deficiencies (the Rams game from Week 2, the Seahawks game from Week 4), look for Manning to get over 200 yards with a couple of scores.
Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks Sunday, 4:15 pm, Qwest Field
The Eagles should have their way here as the Seahawks defense has incurred some recent injuries to Patrick Kerney and Lofa Tatupu. Look for Brian Westbrook to have his way with the Seattle defense much like he did vs. Atlanta a week ago. Donovan McNabb should also lean on DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis in this matchup as Reggie Brown and tight end L.J. Smith aren't at 100 percent. The Eagles' defensive game plan is as easy as their offensive game plan: Contain quarterback Seneca Wallace and force him into making some turnovers. No one is scared of Seattle's running game and the Eagles did well against Michael Turner last week, their first game back from the bye. Hard to like anyone from Seattle here except for tight end John Carlson, who leads the team in receptions and receiving yards and has a touchdown in two of his last three games. The Eagles have had trouble covering tight ends, though they may not have much trouble here considering the rest of the Seahawks offense.
New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts Sunday, 8:15 pm, Lucas Oil Stadium
Look for New England to work on exploiting the Colts' run defense while looking for mismatches in the passing game. Matt Cassel's script for short-area passing has worked well, but the Pats always attack their opponent's weaknesses, and there's no doubt that the Colts' inability to stop the run is where they'll go. Assuming Sammy Morris is still out, look for Kevin Faulk and BenJarvus Green-Ellis to both see plenty of touches. Faulk has the shot at posting better numbers as he is a threat to rack up yardage out of the backfield. Bob Sanders' return to the Colts defense will help eliminate long runs, but Faulk and Green-Ellis haven't done better than 16 yards on a single run in their last two games. Plus, if the Patriots can work long drives, it will keep Peyton Manning off the field. The Patriots played small ball for much of last year's game against the Colts and won. The Colts, meanwhile, are desperate for a win and face a Patriots defense that hasn't done well against the pass, allowing a 300-yard passer and 100-yard receiver in two of their last three contests. That said, the Colts should adopt a similar strategy to what they did against the Ravens and try to get ahead early by throwing the ball. Joseph Addai's return will help the offense only so much as they were able to run with Dominic Rhodes. Manning should have a good outing as should Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne. Marvin Harrison's play has been a mess for the most part, and expecting a big day out of him is tough since he's easier to cover than the rest of Indy's wideouts.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Redskins Monday, 8:30 pm, FedEx Field
The Steelers are in trouble any time they play a team with a solid pass rush. That's not the case this week as the Redskins own a mere 10 sacks this season (Joey Porter of the Dolphins has more). As such, Ben Roethlisberger will be in a position to have a good game. The Redskins defense hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher or receiver in four straight games, but they're going to play without Shawn Springs and Jason Taylor again, and they've struggled in their last three games against the Rams, Browns and Lions. The Steelers are in a different class and should rebound. Look for Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore to split the workload with Parker getting more carries, and expect Roethlisberger to throw a couple of touchdowns en route to a decent game. The Redskins have been impressive but face their toughest opponent to date. Clinton Portis, easily the offensive MVP of the NFL through eight weeks, has a matchup nightmare against a Steelers run defense that has yet to allow a 100-yard rusher and has given up two total touchdowns to running backs this season. For many, sitting Portis isn't an option, and the Redskins will try to run the offense through him, but keep expectations low. The Redskins will have to play much like the Giants did against the Steelers and manage the clock while moving the chains. That's going to mean spreading the ball around and being clever with the gameplan. Don't be surprised to see a trick play or two with Antwaan Randle El going up against his old team, and expect a decent week from Jason Campbell, Santana Moss and Chris Cooley, so long as the offensive line stays upright. One more note: The Redskins' bye is in Week 10, so the team might run on fumes late in the game as the players have already expressed that they can't wait for their week of rest.
