NFL Week 14 Fantasy Notes

NOTE: Our advice, as it does on our FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER weekly program (Thursdays, 9-11 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com), is based on helping you determine which of your marginal starters are worth a play this week. Hopefully, your initial draft/auction efforts were successful, because frankly, “playing the matchups” is far from an exact science regardless of what you will be told by other advisory services claiming to possess a crystal ball. But our weekly game notes are designed to try to help you maximize the potential of your situation. We will post this preface to the notes every week to remind you of the context of our advice.

Thursday, Dec. 6
Chicago at Washington, 8:15 pm In this battle of desperate teams, "the other" Adrian Peterson is the only offensive starter worth little here -- because the only strong element of either team's defense is the Skins' run D.

Sunday, Dec. 9
Carolina at Jacksonville 1:00 pm All four of the main RBs in this game have value because of the suspect passing games on both sides (Garrard is certainly very competent, but has no stud WRs)
Dallas at Detroit 1:00 pm The Williams injury just makes WR Johnson that much more valuable. Cowboy starters are of course all-in until further notice.
Miami at Buffalo 1:00 pm If Lynch can't go, RB Jackson will feast on Fish.
N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia 1:00 pm The Philly passing game is in flux and the WRs have underachieved all year long. With RB Ward out, Droughns and his six rushing TDs look even better right now, if only as a goal-line vulture.
Oakland at Green Bay 1:00 pm This Super Bowl II rematch will see RB Grant hit new heights against a surprisingly poor Raider run defense. If the unthinkable happens and Favre can't go, Rodgers showed against Dallas that he is ready.
Pittsburgh at New England 1:00 pm Particularly with the recent Patriot defensive slippage, this is certainly all-in!
San Diego at Tennessee 1:00 pm With two capable defenses that should be at full-throttle in a key game for both teams, this one looks to be all-out in terms of marginal players.
St. Louis at Cincinnati 1:00 pm Offensively at least, both teams are back. All in!
Tampa Bay at Houston 1:00 pm RB Graham is the key marginal player worth starting here against a mediocre Texan run defense.
Arizona at Seattle 4:05 pm WR Johnson should benefit from the injuries of the "Big Two" in Arizona. RB Alexander is still one of the players you have to start, even if this is not a great matchup.
Minnesota at San Francisco 4:05 pm There are no marginal players likely to make an impact in this one. All out.
Cleveland at N.Y. Jets 4:15 pm The Browns' D has been a tad better over the last few games, but the Jets should still be all-in -- the Browns as well because RB Lewis should be very successful against New York.
Kansas City at Denver 4:15 pm RB Smith will roll against the anemic Bronco run defense.
Indianapolis at Baltimore 8:15 pm With a slightly improved Raven O, Mason will benefit and will also see action when garbage time inevitably rolls around.

Mon., Dec. 10
New Orleans at Atlanta, 8:30 pm Even with two underwhelming defenses, the offenses are even more so and hence, the game is all-out.