Quarterbacks

Must Start: The Top 10

1. Daunte Culpepper vs. TEN - Who's YOUR daddy? Unless you're a Yankees fan, it's Daunte. The outlandish "on pace" numbers look even more cartoonish after Week 7: 5,600 yards and 58 touchdowns. Can he keep it up if Randy goes down for an extended spell? Nope. Do you still want him? Yep.

2. Peyton Manning vs. JAX - In any other season, Peyton's projected totals would look pretty ridiculous, too (4,200 yards and 45 TDs). By comparison, they look just ho-hum. Then again, most fantasy owners can live with that kind of ho-hum. He gets the Jags for the second time in four weeks and on the Indy fast track, to boot. Get him back in there.

3. Donovan McNabb @ CLE - Don looked pretty shaky against Carolina, completing barely 50% of his passes. No need to panic, though. He faces yet another suspect D in Cleveland and should be primed for a bounce-back performance. It doesn't hurt that his main target has made this one personal. A motivated T.O. is a productive T.O.

4. Matt Hasselbeck @ ARI - Don't blame him for the 'Hawks' current two-game skid. The defense is springing leaks and his receivers are (once again) having a hard time holding onto the football. Provided they're able to turn things around this weekend (the receivers, not the defense), he should post some big numbers in the desert.

5. Tom Brady vs. NYJ - Only in Boston could Brady and his unbeaten Pats play second fiddle. This week, they face a 5-0 Jets squad that isn't as good as advertised. Even if they were, you wouldn't sit Brady. He's made a career out of beating quality opponents. Mark him down for 200+ yards and at least two more scores. Oh…and mark this down, too: New England 2, New York 0.

6. Michael Vick @ KC - Good coaches don't let philosophy interfere with ability. That's a fancy way of saying the jury's still out on Mora Jr. When he gives Michael some leash, there isn't a more dangerous weapon in the game (Randy Moss included). When he doesn't…well, let's just say it makes you wish you'd drafted someone like…

7. Byron Leftwich @ IND - Call him the anti-Mike. He's big, slow, right-handed, and prefers the pocket to the perimeter. Of course, he does share one thing in common with Mr. Vick: a rocket launcher for a throwing arm. This week, he faces an Indy bunch yielding well over three bills a game. Start him, sit back, and watch the fantasy points pile up.

8. Marc Bulger @ MIA - He's starting to round into form and even reacquainted himself with #1 target, Torry Holt, last Monday night. Unfortunately, he faces a tough Miami secondary in Week 7. He'll still get his yards (how could he not in that offense?) but will likely turn the ball over several times. If you can live with that, disregard.

9. Steve McNair @ MIN - What do Jeff Garcia, Josh McCown, Mark Brunell, and Rex Grossman have in common? They all have a higher passer rating than McNair through six weeks. That may be cause for concern in the long run but not this week. He draws a very generous Vikes' D (293.8 passing yards/game) and will need a big game to keep pace with Culpepper and Co.

10. Chad Pennington @ NE - We expected more than five touchdowns through five weeks but it's hard to argue with the unblemished record. Unfortunately for his owners, C-Mart's gain has been Pennington's loss. Making matters worse, the Jets rarely play from behind. That won't be the case this week against the twenty-and-running Pats. Expect lots of yards and a touch or two in the losing effort.

Grab A Helmet:

Brett Favre vs. DAL - See what happens when you don't fall behind by three touchdowns in the first quarter? The D finally played with some fire last Sunday and the result was a trip to the woodshed for Detroit. Favre administered most of the whippings with 257 yards and two scores. He could be similarly successful this week against a seriously short-handed Dallas secondary.

Aaron Brooks @ OAK - Numbers never lie but sometimes they can be awfully misleading. Exhibit A? Brooks. He always manages to throw for a bunch of yards and more TDs than INTs. Yet, his team is rarely (if ever) above .500. Bottom line: he's not a gamer. Fortunately for you, fantasy is all about the numbers. Guess that's why they call it fantasy, huh?

Jake Delhomme vs. SD - Speaking of fantasies, what was the Carolina brass thinking when they awarded him a $38 million contract extension this past off-season? He's not the kind of QB who can carry a ballclub and for that kinda money, he should be. If he doesn't get things going against a dreadful Chargers secondary this week, things could get ugly in Charlotte. He will and they won't…yet.

Kurt Warner vs. DET - Last we saw Warner, he was efficiently leading the Giants to a 4-1 record in Big D. Indeed, "efficient" seems to be his modus operandi this season. There's nothing dazzling about three TDs in five contests but the single pick and the 225 yards-per-tilt tell us he's capable of some big days. He might just bust out against a Lions defense struggling to stop the pass (278.6 ypg).

Jake Plummer @ CIN - He only completed 11 passes against the hated Raiders last weekend. Amazingly, three of them went for scores. That's called getting it done with limited opportunities, folks. I don't like Jake as a long-term solution but he's worth a matchup play here and there. Cincinnati's 26th-ranked defense is definitely a good matchup.

Vinny Testaverde @ GB - Joey Harrington was unable to capitalize on the Pack's deficiencies last week but the wily Vinny will definitely have more success this Sunday at Lambeau. Why? He's more accurate, has better receivers, and knows the only way Dallas has a chance is if he chucks it 40+ times. Start him if you don't have better options.

Grab A Clipboard:

Kyle Boller vs. BUF - Two weeks haven't dulled the memory of his last, most frightening performance: nine completions, 81 yards, and three picks. That's one pick for every three completions if you're scoring at home. Making matters worse (they can GET worse?), he'll be without the meal ticket, Jamal Lewis, this weekend. Coach Billick is sticking by him but he doesn't have much of a choice. You do.

Drew Bledsoe @ BAL - He'll be the best QB on the field for the second week in a row. Of course, when your opponents are named Fiedler and Boller, that's not saying much. I doubt you've been starting Bledsoe anyway but if you have been, it's time for Plan B. He faces the ever-ferocious (and well rested) Ravens this week and could lose his job in another two or three when J.P. Losman returns.

Jonathan Quinn or Craig Krenzel @ TB - Are the Bears joking? They'd be better off with ANTHONY Quinn under center than the alleged signal-caller who shares his surname. Krenzel, on the other hand, hasn't been relevant since the last time his alma mater was. Oh, by the way? That Buckeyes team didn't win a national championship because of great quarterback play. Cover your eyes.

Jay Fiedler vs. STL - With apologies to Jake Plummer, Fiedler threw the worst interception of the season in Buffalo last week. Naturally, it cost the Fish seven points in a game they ultimately lost by (you guessed it) seven points. Minus the turnovers, he's a marginal fantasy play. With them, he's a terrible one. Stay away.

Carson Palmer vs. DEN - It's been all downhill since a solid debut at the Meadowlands in Week 1. What's the problem? Peter Warrick's mysterious leg injury hasn't helped. Neither has a woeful effort from the defense. Playing come-from-behind isn't the route you wanna take with a new field general and it's DEFINITELY not the route you wanna take against a #1-ranked Denver D on Monday night. Expect a crescendo of "Kitna for QB" calls after this one.

Running Backs