The Sunday Special

After a two week hiatus, The Sunday Special is back!  We’re just a couple of hours from kickoff to Week 12, so it’s time to get those fantasy rosters set and ready for action.  Here is your last minute breakdown of everything to keep in mind heading into today’s games.  Feel free to shoot me any roster questions you may still be struggling with. 

INJURY REPORT

1.   Steven Jackson    St. Louis Rams:  Once again, St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson is OUT for today’s game.  No timetable has been set for his return.  Be sure to get him out of your lineup.

2.   Brian Westbrook    Philadelphia Eagles:  The announcement was made this morning that Westbrook WILL start at running back for today’s game at Baltimore.  Owners should be advised:  backup RB Correll Buckhalter will see an increased workload today. 

3.   Clinton Portis    Washington Redskins:  Portis will start today for the Redskins at Seattle.  C.P. has admitted he’s still not 100%, but is a good start against a Seahawks defense that is giving up 115.5 yards per game on the ground. 

4.   Brandon Jacobs    New York Giants: It was announced this morning that Jacobs is expected to play today when Big Blue takes on the Cardinals at 4:15pm.  Be advised:  the Giants have three good running backs, so Jacobs’ touches may be limited in an effort to prevent further injury.

5.   Plaxico Burress    New York Giants: Plax is listed as “questionable” and will be a game time decision today.  Owners may want to play it safe and go with a more reliable option, rather than take a chance on Burress. 

6.   Bob Sanders    Indianapolis Colts:  While it’s rare to see a defensive player on our fantasy injury report, this one HAS to be taken into account.  Sanders is OUT for tonight’s game at San Diego, which is good news for Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates and Chris Chambers owners. 

7.   Roddy White    Atlanta Falcons: White was held out of practice all week (except for Friday) with a nagging back injury.  He is listed as “questionable” for today’s game against the Carolina Panthers.  There is a good chance he will play.

8.   Reggie Bush    New Orleans Saints: Bush was held to limited reps in yesterday’s practice and is still listed as questionable for Monday night’s game against the Packers.  Since he is a game time decision, it would be a smart move for owners to go with another option, in the event Bush can’t play tomorrow night. 

9.   Tony Gonzalez    Kansas City Chiefs:  Tony G has been nursing a knee injury all week, but was taken OFF of the injury report on Friday.  He will start today when the Chiefs host the Buffalo Bills. 

10.  Kellen Winslow    Cleveland Browns:  Winslow suffered a sprained shoulder in last Monday’s win at Buffalo, and was held out of practice for most of the week as a result.  As of the current moment, it is still up in the air whether or not he will play in today’s game against Houston.  Owners should be proactive and plan for the worst. 

LAST SECOND START EM

Santana Moss    WR   Washington Redskins:  Moss has been downright awful the last two games, earning fantasy owners a lousy 3 points (7/43/0) during this stretch.  However, these poor performances came against the league’s 1st and 7th ranked passing D’s respectively.  What’s encouraging is that despite the poor numbers, he still saw 18 targets during this rough patch.  Even more encouraging is the feeble Seahawks’ secondary he’ll go up against this week. With the 265 yards per game average and 15 TDs this unit has given up in 2008, this is the perfect game to help Moss break out of his slump. 

LAST SECOND SIT EM

Brett Favre    QB    New York Jets: Yes, Favre and the Jets are hot, having won four straight.  But remember, three of those wins came against easy targets (KC, BUF, and STL). The tide shifts this week as Favre heads down south to face the 6th ranked passing defense of the undefeated Titans. Tennessee enters the game having allowed 17 or fewer points in 9 of 10 games this year.  Also consider that Favre leads the league with 12 INTs; 10 of which have come while facing out-of-division opponents. Favre’s often reckless style could come back to bite him this week. 

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Brandon Marshall vs. Nnamdi Asomugha:  This could be the matchup of the weekend.  One of the NFL’s elite wide receivers goes up against the “most underrated player in the history of the NFL” (according to Broncos’ head coach Mike Shanahan).  Jay Cutler and the NFL’s third ranked passing offense (279.9 yds/gm) welcome the bumbling Oakland Raiders to Mile High today in a showdown that likely won’t get much air time on highlight reels come Monday morning.  Marshall has been in a slump (by his standards) as of late, with only 14 receptions for 205 yards and 1 TD in his last three games.  Things don’t look to get any easier today when he matches up with one of the NFL’s most impressive CBs in Asomugha.  Aso has had big-time success shutting down some of the NFL’s elite receivers this season, including Steve Smith, Lee Evans and Roddy White.  If Marshall struggles to get open, look for Eddie Royal to have a big game. 

WATCH OUT FOR…

New England Patriots (+1) at Miami Dolphins:  In my opinion, something does not smell right about this game.  With all due respect to Miami (they have been playing some great football as of late), how are they favored against the Patriots?  New England travels to South Florida on nine days rest to take on a defense that is giving up 19.7 points and 315.2 yards per game.  The Dolphins’ last two wins have come against NFL doormats Oakland and St. Louis by an average of only two points.  In addition, Patriots’ quarterback Matt Cassel has been improving with each game, averaging 279.3 passing yards in his last three outings.  How many people out there really think the Wildcat offense can fool a coach like Bill Belichick twice in the same season?  One thing to keep in mind, the heat and humidity of South Florida has the ability to wear visiting teams down late in games.  Be sure to get yourself a fresh beer and check out the fourth quarter of this AFC East showdown. 

MUSH PICK OF THE WEEK…

NEW YORK GIANTS (-3) at Arizona Cardinals:  Big Blue has been an absolute nightmare for opposing teams every since their wake-up call at Cleveland back in Week 6.  They’ve ripped off 5 straight wins by an average of 13 points, against some very respectable competition (Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Dallas, Philadelphia).  This afternoon, New York takes the NFL’s 2^nd ranked total defense (265.8 yards per game) to the desert for a showdown with the red-hot Cardinals.  While Arizona brings an impressive 7-3 record to the table, their wins have come against teams with a combined record of 27-43.  In addition, the Cardinals’ three losses have come at the hands of the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and Washington Redskins by an average of 10.6 points per game.  Look for the Giants to pound the ball between the tackles in an effort to control the clock and keep Kurt Warner and company off the field. 

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