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Week 15 value meter

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Week 15: Thursday Game: Denver at Houston; Saturday Game: Cincinnati at San Francisco

Here are our rankings for the coming week at each position to help you decide your starting lineup. Our rankings are based on the following scoring system: three points for a passing touchdown; six points for a rushing/receiving touchdown; one point for every 20 passing yards; and one point for every 10 rushing/receiving yards.

Last updated December 11. * = check status (not necessarily injury status)

Quarterback

  1. Tom Brady NE vs. NYJ
  2. Tony Romo DAL vs. PHI
  3. Drew Brees NO vs. AZ
  4. Carson Palmer CIN at SF
  5. Derek Anderson CLE vs. BUF -- Note: Huge game this week - if Cleveland wins, Buffalo basically is knocked out of the final playoff spot.
  6. Peyton Manning IND at OAK
  7. Matt Hasselbeck SEA at CAR
  8. Brett Favre GB at STL -- Note: Could see limited use with first-round bye imminent, but Aaron Rodgers is banged up right now.
  9. Ben Roethlisberger PIT vs. JAC
  10. *Kurt Warner AZ at NO -- Note: Wrenched his knee in the loss to Seattle, but should start again this week.
  11. *Jeff Garcia TB vs. ATL -- Note: Sat last week, but should start this week against Atlanta. They clinch the NFC South with a win.
  12. Jay Cutler DEN at HOU
  13. Eli Manning NYG vs. WAS
  14. Donovan McNabb PHI at DAL
  15. *Philip Rivers SD vs. DET -- Note: Swollen knee on Monday, probably won't practice on Wednesday.
  16. Trent Edwards BUF at CLE
  17. David Garrard JAC at PIT
  18. Jon Kitna DET at SD
  19. *Vince Young TEN at KC -- Note: Sore ribs, sore fantasy owners cringing from the lack of production.
  20. *Sage Rosenfels HOU vs. DEN -- Note: Matt Schaub is likely out again with a dislocated left shoulder. The fact that the game is on Thursday doesn't help.
  21. *Todd Collins WAS at NYG -- Note: Jason Campbell is out with a dislocated kneecap.
  22. Tarvaris Jackson MIN vs. CHI
  23. *Kyle Boller BAL at MIA -- Note: Yanked in favor of Troy Smith in last week's blowout loss, but should start again this week.
  24. *Marc Bulger STL vs. GB -- Note: Effects of concussion are still lingering. We might see Brock Berlin again this week.
  25. *Kyle Orton CHI at MIN -- Note: Rex Grossman is out for the season, and Brian Griese is a known commodity. So, instead, it's a chance to see what they have in Orton, and for Deadspin readers to rejoice.
  26. *Shaun Hill SF vs. CIN -- Note: Trent Dilfer (concussion) is doubtful, and Alex Smith has opted for season-ending shoulder surgery.
  27. *Chris Redman ATL at TB
  28. Kellen Clemens NYJ at NE -- Note: Got the dreaded vote of confidence after last week's loss to the Browns.
  29. Brodie Croyle KC vs. TEN
  30. *Josh McCown OAK vs. IND -- Note: Sore finger, but probably should start again this week. JaMarcus Russell will get some playing time, however.
  31. *Vinny Testaverde CAR vs. SEA
  32. *John Beck MIA vs. BAL -- Note: Yanked in favor of Cleo Lemon last week, and his status as the starter is up in the air still.

Running Back

  1. Joseph Addai IND at OAK
  2. LaDainian Tomlinson SD vs. DET
  3. Ryan Grant GB at STL
  4. *Brian Westbrook PHI at DAL -- Note: Bruised knee. Watch him carefully - the Eagles might treat him more cautiously now that their playoff hopes are fading.
  5. Earnest Graham TB vs. ATL
  6. Adrian Peterson MIN vs. CHI -- Note: Despite what happened last week, cautiously optimistic he'll have a good rebound game.
  7. Steven Jackson STL vs. GB
  8. *Willis McGahee BAL at MIA -- Note: Aggravated his toe injury in the loss to the Colts.
  9. *Kolby Smith KC vs. TEN -- Note: Minor ankle injury.
  10. *Marshawn Lynch BUF at CLE -- Note: Sharing the workload with Fred Jackson, although he'll still get a majority of the carries.
  11. Marion Barber DAL vs. PHI
  12. *Aaron Stecker NO vs. AZ -- Note: The starter with Reggie Bush out.
  13. *LenDale White TEN at KC --Note: Finger was a non-issue for him last week.
  14. Jamal Lewis CLE vs. BUF
  15. *Clinton Portis WAS at NYG -- Note: Hand injury shouldn't keep him out.
  16. Frank Gore SF vs. CIN
  17. Willie Parker PIT vs. JAC
  18. Rudi Johnson CIN at SF
  19. *Selvin Young DEN at HOU -- Note: The better of the three backs, but Henry still gets the goal line love.
  20. Kevin Jones DET at SD -- Note: Remarkable turnaround from the previous week.
  21. Edgerrin James AZ at NO
  22. Adrian Peterson CHI at MIN
  23. Fred Taylor JAC at PIT
  24. *Brandon Jacobs NYG vs. WAS -- Note: Healthy, but lost two fumbles and saw Reuben Droughns take away the goal-line action again.
  25. Thomas Jones NYJ at NE
  26. Laurence Maroney NE vs. NYJ
  27. *Justin Fargas OAK vs. IND -- Note: Rib injury, but still expected to start.
  28. Darius Walker HOU vs. DEN
  29. Julius Jones DAL vs. PHI
  30. *Shaun Alexander SEA at CAR -- Note: Devolving into a true time-share. Remember when Seattle was weighing the merits to ponying up to sign him to the big extension? This is the nightmare salary cap scenario they were contemplating.
  31. Maurice Jones-Drew JAC at PIT
  32. *Travis Henry DEN at HOU -- Note: Not fully healthy, but enough to at least get goal-line carries.
  33. *Jerious Norwood ATL at TB -- Note: Six carries are not going to produce a breakout performance. Yet he was still better than Warrick Dunn on Monday night.
  34. *DeShaun Foster CAR vs. SEA
  35. Chester Taylor MIN vs. CHI
  36. *Fred Jackson BUF at CLE
  37. *Maurice Morris SEA at CAR
  38. DeAngelo Williams CAR vs. SEA
  39. Leon Washington NYJ at NE
  40. *Ladell Betts WAS at NYG
  41. T.J. Duckett DET at SD
  42. *Ron Dayne HOU vs. DEN -- Note: Ankle injury flared up last week, and the Texans have a short week for him to get better. Look for Darius Walker and Adimchinobe Echemandu to split the workload this week.
  43. *Jesse Chatman MIA vs. BAL -- Note: Ankle injury, might not be able to go again this week.
  44. *Correll Buckhalter PHI at DAL -- Note: Suffered a concussion in the loss to the Giants.
  45. *Reuben Droughns NYG vs. WAS
  46. Warrick Dunn ATL at TB
  47. Adimchinobe Echemandu HOU vs. DEN
  48. *Chris Brown TEN at KC
  49. Kenny Watson CIN at SF -- Note: Losing carries not just to Rudi Johnson, but also to DeDe Dorsey.
  50. Pierre Thomas NO vs. AZ
  51. DeDe Dorsey CIN at SF
  52. *Kenton Keith IND at OAK -- Note: Thumb injury, may sit out this week.
  53. *Najeh Davenport PIT vs. JAC
  54. Kevin Faulk NE vs. NYJ
  55. Leonard Weaver SEA at CAR
  56. Greg Jones JAC at PIT
  57. Musa Smith BAL at MIA
  58. *Maurice Hicks SF vs. CIN
  59. Jason Wright CLE vs. BUF
  60. Michael Turner SD vs. DET
  61. Samkon Gado MIA vs. BAL
  62. Michael Robinson SF vs. CIN
  63. *Andre Hall DEN at HOU
  64. *Michael Pittman TB vs. ATL
  65. *Larry Johnson KC vs. TEN -- Note: Out again, and you should assume that he'll continue to be so unless the Chiefs go out of their way to say otherwise - after all, they have nothing left to play for this season.
  66. *Reggie Bush NO vs. AZ -- Note: PCL tear, almost certainly out for the year.

Wide Receiver

  1. Randy Moss NE vs. NYJ
  2. Terrell Owens DAL vs. PHI
  3. Braylon Edwards CLE vs. BUF
  4. Marques Colston NO vs. AZ
  5. Greg Jennings GB at STL
  6. Reggie Wayne IND at OAK
  7. *Joey Galloway TB vs. ATL -- Note: Productive despite toe injury.
  8. Wes Welker NE vs. NYJ
  9. *Andre Johnson HOU vs. DEN
  10. T.J. Houshmandzadeh CIN at SF
  11. *Plaxico Burress NYG vs. WAS -- Note: Moved as well as he has in a long time last week.
  12. Hines Ward PIT vs. JAC
  13. Chad Johnson CIN at SF
  14. Torry Holt STL vs. GB
  15. Bobby Engram SEA at CAR
  16. *Larry Fitzgerald AZ at NO -- Note: Still not 100 percent due to groin injury.
  17. Brandon Marshall DEN at HOU
  18. Shaun McDonald DET at SD
  19. Donald Driver GB at STL -- Note: Hasn't scored since Week 3.
  20. *Deion Branch SEA at CAR -- Note: Only four targets last week.
  21. Roddy White ATL at TB
  22. Kevin Curtis PHI at DAL -- Note: Hasn't scored since Week 6.
  23. Derrick Mason BAL at MIA
  24. Bernard Berrian CHI at MIN
  25. *Patrick Crayton DAL vs. PHI -- Note: Injured his foot late in the win over Detroit.
  26. *Calvin Johnson DET at SD -- Note: Still should be pretty prominent in the passing game, despite last week's disappointing output.
  27. *Laveranues Coles NYJ at NE -- Note: Still monitoring his high ankle sprain.
  28. Anthony Gonzalez IND at OAK
  29. Lee Evans BUF at CLE
  30. Sidney Rice MIN vs. CHI
  31. Chris Henry CIN at SF
  32. *Santonio Holmes PIT vs. JAC
  33. *Jerricho Cotchery NYJ at NE -- Note: Doubtful (finger) one day, six catches and 119 yards the next. It's enough to drive you crazy.
  34. Kevin Walter HOU vs. DEN
  35. Justin Gage TEN at KC
  36. *Anquan Boldin AZ at NO -- Note: Sat out last week with toe injury, but encouraged by progress in his recovery.
  37. *Arnaz Battle SF vs. CIN
  38. Isaac Bruce STL vs. GB
  39. Jabar Gaffney NE vs. NYJ -- Note: Surpassing Stallworth in the offense?
  40. *Bryant Johnson AZ at NO
  41. Reggie Williams JAC at PIT
  42. Dwayne Bowe KC vs. TEN
  43. Jerry Porter OAK vs. IND
  44. David Patten NO vs. AZ -- Note: Agonizingly inconsistent.
  45. Donte Stallworth NE vs. NYJ -- Note: Losing time to Gaffney?
  46. *Nate Burleson SEA at CAR -- Note: Three touchdowns in his last four games.
  47. Steve Smith CAR vs. SEA
  48. *Santana Moss WAS at NYG
  49. *Jerheme Urban AZ at NO
  50. *Reggie Brown PHI at DAL -- Note: Minor knee injury.
  51. *Brandon Stokley DEN at HOU
  52. Devard Darling BAL at MIA
  53. Roscoe Parrish BUF at CLE
  54. Chris Chambers SD vs. DET
  55. *Ike Hilliard TB vs. ATL
  56. Roydell Williams TEN at KC
  57. Amani Toomer NYG vs. WAS
  58. Muhsin Muhammad CHI at MIN
  59. Ronald Curry OAK vs. IND
  60. Marty Booker MIA vs. BAL
  61. *Joe Jurevicius CLE vs. BUF
  62. Devery Henderson NO vs. AZ
  63. Mike Furrey DET at SD
  64. Ted Ginn MIA vs. BAL
  65. Michael Jenkins ATL at TB -- Note: Nine catches on Monday night, but matchup this week is considerably worse.
  66. Keenan McCardell WAS at NYG
  67. James Jones GB at STL
  68. Mark Clayton BAL at MIA
  69. Ernest Wilford JAC at PIT
  70. Dennis Northcutt JAC at PIT
  71. Vincent Jackson SD vs. DET
  72. Andre Davis HOU vs. DEN
  73. Josh Reed BUF at CLE
  74. Drew Carter CAR vs. SEA
  75. Laurent Robinston ATL at TB
  76. Brad Smith NYJ at NE
  77. *Drew Bennett STL vs. GB
  78. *Darrell Jackson SF vs. CIN
  79. *Javon Walker DEN at HOU -- Note: Continued knee soreness.
  80. *Antwaan Randle El WAS at NYG
  81. *Brandon Jones TEN at KC
  82. *Marvin Harrison IND at OAK -- Note: Out again this week.
  83. *D.J. Hackett SEA at CAR -- Note: Progressing nicely from ankle sprain, but probably won't play this week.

Tight End

  1. *Antonio Gates SD vs. DET -- Note: Lower back bruise or hip injury? Expected to play nonetheless.
  2. Jason Witten DAL vs. PHI
  3. Kellen Winslow CLE vs. BUF
  4. Donald Lee GB at STL
  5. Chris Cooley WAS at NYG
  6. Dallas Clark IND at OAK
  7. Owen Daniels HOU vs. DEN
  8. *Tony Gonzalez KC vs. TEN -- Note: Sprained an ankle but returned last week.
  9. *Jeremy Shockey NYG vs. WAS -- Note: How much is his abdominal strain hurting his production? We hear he's going to throw a mean New Year's Party, though.
  10. *Alge Crumpler ATL at TB
  11. Alex Smith TB vs. ATL
  12. Tony Scheffler DEN at HOU
  13. Ben Watson NE vs. NYJ
  14. Heath Miller PIT vs. JAC
  15. Desmond Clark CHI at MIN
  16. Greg Olsen CHI at MIN
  17. Chris Baker NYJ at NE
  18. Marcedes Lewis JAC at PIT
  19. Zach Miller OAK vs. IND
  20. Vernon Davis SF vs. CIN
  21. *Daniel Wilcox BAL at MIA -- Note: Dolphins' linebackers not very apt at defending the tight end.
  22. Eric Johnson NO vs. AZ
  23. *Robert Royal BUF at CLE
  24. Randy McMichael STL vs. GB
  25. Bo Scaife TEN at KC
  26. Quinn Sypniewski BAL at MIA
  27. *Todd Heap BAL at MIA -- Note: (Hamsting) Will try to give it a go this week.
  28. Jeff King CAR vs. SEA
  29. Will Heller SEA at CAR
  30. Ben Utecht IND at OAK
  31. *L.J. Smith PHI at DAL -- Note: Knee and rib injuries.

Kicker

  1. Nick Folk DAL vs. PHI
  2. Stephen Gostkowski NE vs. NYJ
  3. Mason Crosby GB at STL
  4. Phil Dawson CLE vs. BUF
  5. Shayne Graham CIN at SF
  6. Rob Bironas TEN at KC
  7. Jeff Reed PIT vs. JAC
  8. Nate Kaeding SD vs. DET
  9. Josh Brown SEA at CAR
  10. Ryan Longwell MIN vs. CHI
  11. Kris Brown HOU vs. DEN
  12. Lawrence Tynes NYG vs. WAS
  13. Robbie Gould CHI at MIN
  14. Jason Elam DEN at HOU
  15. David Akers PHI at DAL
  16. Mike Nugent NYJ at NE
  17. Matt Bryant TB vs. ATL
  18. Adam Vinatieri IND at OAK
  19. Jeff Wilkins STL vs. GB
  20. Jason Hanson DET at SD
  21. Rian Lindell BUF at CLE
  22. Matt Stover BAL at MIA
  23. Neil Rackers AZ at NO
  24. Sebastian Janikowski OAK vs. IND
  25. Joe Nedney SF vs. CIN

Defense

  1. Minnesota vs. Chicago
  2. Tampa Bay vs. Atlanta
  3. New England vs. New York Jets
  4. New York Giants vs. Washington
  5. Green Bay at St. Louis -- Note: It looks as if Bulger won't play, meaning that the Packers get to feast on Brock Berlin. If Bulger starts, move them down a couple of pegs.
  6. San Diego vs. Detroit -- Note: Without Shawne Merriman this week.
  7. Pittsburgh vs. Jacksonville
  8. Indianapolis at Oakland
  9. Seattle at Carolina
  10. Dallas vs. Philadelphia
  11. Baltimore at Miami
  12. New Orleans vs. Arizona
  13. Cincinnati at San Francisco
  14. Houston vs. Denver
  15. Cleveland vs. Buffalo
  16. Tennessee at Kansas City
  17. Kansas City vs. Tennessee
  18. Denver at Houston
  19. Chicago at Minnesota
  20. Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
  21. Carolina vs. Seattle
  22. Miami vs. Baltimore
  23. San Francisco vs. Cincinnati
  24. Washington at New York Giants
  25. Buffalo at Cleveland
  26. Arizona at New Orleans
  27. St. Louis vs. Green Bay
  28. Detroit at San Diego
  29. Atlanta at Tampa Bay
  30. Oakland vs. Indianapolis
  31. Philadelphia at Dallas
  32. New York Jets at New England