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| Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images |
| Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has thrown for career highs in yards and touchdowns this season. |
Start of the Week
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 San Diego Chargers |  Philip Rivers | Rivers has been an underrated fantasy star all season, and he'll lead a lot of owners to a league title against Denver in Week 17. In his first meeting of the season against the Broncos, he threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns. Rivers is also a beast at home -- he has thrown 16 touchdown passes in seven games at Qualcomm Stadium. |
Quarterbacks -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Denver Broncos |  Jay Cutler | Cutler has established himself as a prominent fantasy quarterback this season. Much like Rivers, he too should find success in the battle for the AFC West crown. Cutler faces the Chargers defense which ranks 31st against the pass. He also shredded them for 350 yards and four touchdowns back in Week 2, so look for a very high-scoring affair. |
| More quarterbacks with favorable matchups |
| Aaron Rodgers vs. Detroit, Chad Pennington at N.Y. Jets, Matt Schaub vs. Chicago, Tyler Thigpen at Cincinnati, Kurt Warner vs. Seattle. Sleeper alert: Joe Flacco vs. Jacksonville. |
Quarterbacks -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 New York Giants |  Eli Manning | Manning has a habit of going into a tailspin late in the season, and 2008 has been no different. He's thrown three touchdown passes with three interceptions in his last four starts, and he's really missing the presence of Plaxico Burress in the pass attack. Furthermore, reports indicate Manning won't even play the entire game in Minnesota. |
| More quarterbacks with unfavorable matchups |
| Marc Bulger at Atlanta, Brett Favre vs. Miami, David Garrard at Baltimore, Shaun Hill vs. Washington, Tony Romo at Philadelphia. Owners beware: Peyton Manning vs. Tennessee |
Running backs -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Detroit Lions |  Kevin Smith | The Lions are looking to avoid going winless for 2008, and the way to do that is to pound the ball against the Packers defense which is 26th against the run. Smith, who has been putting up solid fantasy totals in recent weeks, should see more than his share of the workload in what could be an historic contest. He's a solid No. 2 back across the board. |
| More running backs with favorable matchups |
| Warrick Dunn vs. Oakland, Ryan Grant vs. Detroit, Steven Jackson at Atlanta, Larry Johnson at Cincinnati, LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Denver. Sleeper alert: Tashard Choice at Philadelphia. |
Running backs -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Buffalo Bills |  Marshawn Lynch | Lynch, who has a nagging shoulder ailment, could be a game-time decision to face the Patriots. Even if he's active, he'll be a risk in fantasy leagues. The P-Men, who will be motivated to win to keep their postseason hopes alive, have been solid against the run all season. Also, Lynch could lose carries to Fred Jackson if he's not 100 percent. |
| More running backs with unfavorable matchups |
| Ronnie Brown at N.Y. Jets, Frank Gore vs. Washington, Brandon Jacobs at Minnesota, Jamal Lewis at Pittsburgh, LenDale White at Indianapolis. Owners beware: Maurice Jones-Drew at Baltimore. |
Wide receivers -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Carolina Panthers |  Steve Smith | Smith will be the hero of Week 17 for fantasy leagues playing for a championship. He has a great matchup against the Saints, who rank 19th in receiving yards allowed and surrendered 122 yards and a touchdown to him back in Week 7. This could be an absolute barnburner at the Superdome, so look for Smith to find success. |
| More wide receivers with favorable matchups |
| Larry Fitzgerald vs. Seattle, Vincent Jackson vs. Denver, Greg Jennings vs. Detroit, Brandon Marshall at San Diego, Roddy White vs. St. Louis. Sleeper alert: Kevin Walter vs. Chicago. |
Wide receivers -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Cleveland Browns |  Braylon Edwards | Edwards was Ebenezer Scrooge for countless fantasy owners this season. His 868 yards and three touchdowns are a bah humbug compared to his far more impressive 2007 totals, so there's no reason to trust him against the Steelers in Week 17 -- especially with Bruce Gradkowski at quarterback. Keep Edwards reserved if possible. |
| More wide receivers with unfavorable matchups |
| Bernard Berrian vs. N.Y. Giants, Isaac Bruce vs. Washington, Lance Moore vs. Carolina, Dennis Northcutt at Baltimore, Terrell Owens at Philadelphia. Owners beware: Antonio Bryant vs. Oakland. |
Tight ends -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Houston Texans |  Owen Daniels | Daniels has quietly recorded a career-best 67 receptions for 825 yards this season. Matt Schaub has found him 17 times over the last three games, including seven times for 111 yards in last week's surprising loss to the Raiders. That trend should continue against the Bears, who rank an unimpressive 29th in receiving yards allowed. |
| More tight ends with favorable matchups |
| John Carlson at Arizona, Todd Heap vs. Jacksonville, Zach Miller at Tampa Bay, Greg Olsen at Houston, Tony Scheffler at San Diego. Sleeper alert: Anthony Fasano at N.Y. Jets. |
Tight ends -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 New York Jets |  Dustin Keller | Keller's been in a statistical slide over the last three weeks, catching just six passes for 51 yards with no touchdowns. Now he'll face the motivated Dolphins defense which has been very tough on tight ends all season. The rookie has shown flashes of potential at times, but it looks like he's hit a wall. This is not the time to use him as a starter. |
| More tight ends with unfavorable matchups |
| Vernon Davis vs. Washington, Marcedes Lewis at Baltimore, Heath Miller vs. Cleveland, Visanthe Shiancoe vs. N.Y. Giants, L.J. Smith vs. Dallas. Owners beware: Chris Cooley at San Francisco. |
Kickers -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Arizona Cardinals |  Neil Rackers | Rackers has been a bit inconsistent this season, but it's hard not to like him this week against Seattle. No team has allowed more fantasy points to kickers than the Seahawks, who surrendered four field goals to Rackers back in Week 11. The Cardinals plan to use their starters, so Rackers should see plenty of chances to score fantasy points. |
| More kickers with favorable matchups |
| David Akers vs. Dallas, Rob Bironas at Indianapolis, Mason Crosby vs. Detroit, Jason Elam vs. St. Louis, Stephen Gostkowski at Buffalo. Sleeper alert: Nate Kaeding vs. Denver. |
Kickers -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Indianapolis Colts |  Adam Vinatieri | Based on the numbers, Vinatieri doesn't have much more than name value in fantasy land these days. He's currently 28th in points among kickers on NFL.com, and this week's matchup against Tennessee is anything but favorable. In fact, the Titans are tied with the Giants and Patriots for the fewest field-goal conversions allowed on the season. |
| More kickers with unfavorable matchups |
| Josh Brown at Atlanta, Rian Lindell vs. New England, Joe Nedney vs. Washington, Jeff Reed vs. Cleveland, Josh Scobee at Baltimore. Owners beware: Ryan Longwell vs. N.Y. Giants. |
Defenses -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player |
 Steelers defense | The Steelers could rest some of their starters this week, but their reserves are still good enough to hold down the likes of Bruce Gradkowski and Darnell Dinkins. The Steel Curtain won't fold against the lowly Browns in its regular-season finale at Heinz Field, so don't be afraid to use this unit even if some of the top names are rested in the contest. |
| More defenses with favorable matchups |
| Buccaneers defense vs. Oakland, Cardinals defense vs. Seattle, Eagles defense vs. Dallas, Packers defense vs. Detroit, Ravens defense vs. Jacksonville. Sleeper alert: Falcons defense vs. St. Louis. |
Defenses -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player |
 Jaguars defense | The bottom line with the Jaguars is very simple -- their defense just hasn't been good for fantasy purposes in 2008. With no motivation to perform well on the road against the Ravens, who have dreams of the postseason dancing in their heads, owners would be much better off keeping the teal and black on the sidelines this week. |
| More defenses with unfavorable matchups |
| Bills defense vs. New England, Broncos defense at San Diego, Jets defense vs. Miami, Raiders defense at Tampa Bay, Seahawks defense at Arizona. Owners beware: Chargers defense vs. Denver. |
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