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Must Start:
Ryan Grant @ CHI: This one should be obvious to everyone by now,
but some people just can’t their hands around the idea of
Green Bay having a running game and some guy named Grant being
at the head of it. Over the last four weeks, Grant is averaging
better than 100 yards on the ground and has totaled five touchdowns.
The Chicago defense is banged up and should be easy pickings.
 Laurence
Maroney v. MIA: Luckily for all the Dolphins fans out there,
their team got its first win last week, because they won’t be
getting another one this time around. As the Patriots try to satisfy
two different needs, staying undefeated and protecting Tom Brady,
Maroney will get another heavy workload and facing the hapless
Miami defense should give him a chance at a huge fantasy day.
Kolby Smith
@ DET: The biggest danger Smith faces this week isn’t the Detroit
defense, as San Diego showed us last week, both the possible reemergence
of Larry Johnson. After all the weeks he has missed though, LJ
won’t be able to eat into too many of Smith’s touches even if
he is cleared to play.
Fred Taylor v. OAK: Taylor has four straight 100 yard games and
Oakland has allowed a league worst 21 rushing scores. This has
a chance to be very ugly from the start, particularly if the Raiders
take this opportunity to check out their rookie quarterback. Taylor
has gone from being ‘Fragile Freddy’ to arguably the
best start of the week.
Going Out On a Limb:
Kenny Watson
v. CLE: Even with the Bungles struggling on offense, it won’t
be difficult for their running backs to do some serious damage
to a dismal Cleveland defense. Last week, Watson got twelve touches
compared to Rudi Johnson’s eight and, even better (for Watson
owners at least), Rudi was held out of practice Wednesday due
to his troublesome hamstring. Keep an eye on the injury reports….
Grab A Gatorade:
Thomas Jones
@ TEN: After getting shut down to the tune of nine rushes for
19 yards last week in New England, Jones gets the unenviable job
of heading to Tennessee for what will probably be a similar beat-down.
With Chad Pennington back under center and Laveranues Coles out,
there won’t be much running room even if Albert Haynesworth can’t
play.
Adrian
Peterson (CHI) v. GB: The good thing for Peterson is that
Kyle Orton sucks so badly that most of his passes are dump offs
to the running backs. The bad news is that Orton sucks so badly
the Packers will be playing eight men in the box all day long.
Even against a good team, Green Bay is tough to run on, having
allowed only five rushing scores all year. I can’t imagine ‘The
Other AP’ is going to get #6.
Clinton Portis @ MIN: Portis broke out of a four week slump of
68 rushing yards or less to have a great game last week. Unfortunately,
the Redskins now travel to Minnesota, home of the best run defense
in the league. The Vikings are allowing less than 70 yards per
game to their foes. They may have a hard time stopping the pass,
but the run is no problem.
Chester Taylor v. WAS: Over the last three games, Taylor has
run the ball fourteen, eight, and, most recently, five times.
Do I sense a trend here? With Adrian Peterson healthy and racking
up the yards, Taylor is seeing a corresponding drop in his opportunities.
He is also not getting any of the goal line work, as the bigger,
faster, stronger rookie is clearly what the team is looking for
when they get the ball in close.
Frank Gore
v. TB: Gore was able to hobble his way to over 100 yards against
the Bungles last week, but the Tampa Bay defense is made of sturdier
stuff. If you didn’t know, Cincinnati’s entire defense is comprised
of empty beer cans, bubble gum, and arrest warrants. With Shaun
Hill behind center for the 49ers, the Buccaneers will just laugh
and focus on stopping Gore.
Wide Receivers
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