QUARTERBACKS
HIGH FIVE
Marc Bulger -- The Rams are not in their home dome, but the game is indoors, against a Vikings defence that has given up the most yards passing in the NFL.
Peyton Manning -- Jason Taylor and the Miami D will give him all he can handle but, as usual, the potential for great numbers from Manning is always there.
Vince Young -- His weekly fantasy point totals the past five games -- 25, 3, 21, 19 and 27 -- are top-five stuff. And he faces a Pats team with nothing to play for.
Jon Kitna -- Hate going with any Lion, but he is coming off a huge game and the Cowboys have given up 654 yards and nine TD passes in just two weeks.
Carson Palmer -- Woefully off the mark last week, but that snowstorm in Denver sure didn’t help. He threw four TDs in an early-season tilt against the Steelers.
SLEEPERS
Brett Favre -- If, indeed, this is his final game, he’ll be gunning to go out in style against a Bears team that will revert back to cruise control should the Pack’s playoff hopes already have been extinguished by kickoff time Sunday night.
Michael Vick -- Few will want to chance him after last weekend’s dismal effort, but he remains that lightning-in-a-bottle pick who can roll up points in a hurry.
RED-FLAGGED
Drew Brees -- The Saints are in the playoffs but won’t tank this one as Carolina is still battling for its berth. Still, we'd be surprised if Brees -- or any of the other Saints' marquee players -- are around by the conclusion of the game.
RUNNING BACKS
HIGH FIVE
LaDainian Tomlinson -- The only reason the Arizona-San Diego tilt means anything is because the Ravens play at the same time. The Chargers need this one for home-field and that’s all we need to know to select LT.
Maurice Jones-Drew -- Hard to argue with nearly 500 yards and five TDs in his past three games. And if Taylor sits again in K.C., expect another big game.
Ladell Betts -- He has been a monster the past month, averaging 171 yards a game and scoring three times. The Giants sure won’t stop him.
Ronnie Brown -- A solid return on Monday night despite the inclement conditions. The Colts, meanwhile, still can’t stop anyone taking a handoff and were torched last week by Ron Dayne, of all people.
Tiki Barber -- Has amassed 479 yards in his past three outings against the Redskins and will be counted on big time in this critical Saturday night tilt.
SLEEPERS
Steven Jackson -- Don’t count on big rushing totals against the stingy Vikings, but he could take enough passes out of the backfield to make his numbers respectable.
Larry Johnson -- If it weren’t for the fact he lines up against the Jags this weekend, he would be a top-five selection.
Frank Gore -- Has become a fantasy stud since regaining the plunge assignments. Broncos have allowed 11 RB touchdowns (six to LT) in the past five games.
RED-FLAGGED
Shaun Alexander -- Do the NFC West-winning Seahawks try to snap that three-game losing streak in Tampa or rest their starters for the playoffs?
WIDE RECEIVERS
HIGH FIVE
Marvin Harrison -- It’s crunch time for the Colts, Marv is the one they are going to and he has responded with 16-198-5 totals in his past two games.
Torry Holt -- Expect the Rams to air it out in Minny and, unless Ike Bruce steals his thunder for a second week in a row, Holt should come up large.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh -- Lit up the Steelers for 9-94-2 totals in Week 3 and has five scores in his past four games against them. Bengals need this one.
Hines Ward -- Back to full speed and has had some big games against the Cinci secondary, which has been burned for six scores in its past three outings.
Reggie Wayne -- He may be overlooked by some selectors after playing second fiddle to Harrison the past two weeks. But as he often has done this year, Wayne could wind up with the better statistics.
SLEEPERS
Ronald Curry -- Lost in Oakland’s offensive ineptitude is the fact that he has gone 28-291-1 in his past three games.
Mike Furrey -- Has at least nine receptions in three of his past four games, and more fantasy points than Roy Williams in all four. Cowboys’ secondary is suddenly looking rather leaky.
Isaac Bruce -- Few selectors will be looking his way, even after his big game last week. But Bulger likely will, again, against the Vikings.
Plaxico Burress -- The Redskins have given up a league-high 29 TDs through the air this year while Plax has scored in seven of his past nine games.
Donald Driver -- Favre targeted him a season-high 17 times last Thursday and Driver usually gets his catches and yards against the Bears.
Terrell Owens -- He complained after being limited to two catches on Monday, which, sadly, should translate into better numbers against the sorry Lions.
RED-FLAGGED
Steve Smith -- In case you haven’t noticed the past couple of weeks, Chris Weinke at QB means stay away from anything involved in the Carolina passing game.
TIGHT ENDS
HIGH FIVE
Antonio Gates -- Has followed up three outstanding outings in a row with just three total catches in his past two games. That won’t continue at home to the Cards.
Jeremy Shockey -- Eli threw to him a season-high 14 times against the Eagles and he has totalled 15-18 fantasy points in four of his past five games.
Chris Cooley -- Had his best fantasy day of the season last Sunday (7-77-1) and should keep it up against the struggling Giants defence.
Vernon Davis -- Niners rookie becoming a bigger factor, it seems, with each outing. He will be needed, and used, often against the Broncos.
Todd Heap -- You can pretty much pencil him in for around five catches and 50 yards against the Bills. Long overdue for a TD with just one in the past two months.
SLEEPERS
Tony Scheffler -- Two of the NFL’s top young TEs are on display in the Denver-San Fran game. Scheffler has found the end zone three times in his past three games.
Jerramy Stevens -- With Seattle’s WRs still dropping passes, he becomes an inviting target against a Bucs defence that has yielded six scores and 317 yards to TEs the past five games.
Heath Miller -- Roethlisberger should be looking his way against a Bengals defence that has allowed the most TE receptions in the NFL this season.
Robert Royal -- Would’ve scored for fourth game in a row had he not nonchalanted that flea-flicker from Evans in the end zone and stepped out of bounds.
RED FLAGGED
Tony Gonzalez -- Since his torrid run from Weeks 7-9, he has been all over the map fantasy-wise and could be a boom-or-bust pick against the Jags.
