The following is an article written by Real Football Services. They are a frequent contributor on newyorkjets.com.
Who's Hot
Quarterback
Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams:Head coach Scott Linehan has revived some portions of the old Rams playbook to give Bulger and his receivers some comfort level in the new offense. It has worked well as Bulger has thrown for 637 yards and 4 TD in the last two weeks. Look for more of the same against an awful Green Bay secondary, and an undersized front that will have to blitz in order to get pressure. The result will be players in single coverage all over the field. Expect big numbers from Bulger this week.
Running Back
Larry Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs:As long as Damon Huard is QB, Johnson will continue to see the ball 25-30 times per game. While his normal style is to run through defenders with a power rushing attack, this week he will face bigger defenders like SS Adrian Wilson who will be susceptible to head and shoulder fakes. Johnson can put up huge yards against the Cardinals defense, but he will have to do it with quickness rather than his trademark bowling ball style.
Wide Receiver
Terrell Owens, Dallas Cowboys:As if Owens' homecoming wasn't enough motivation for him, he faces a banged up secondary that will try to press him at the line of scrimmage and hold him up or re-route him. Owens is better than the Philly corners and will win those one-on-one battles at the line. Owens can make the safety miss and should have opportunities to run in the open field. Owens always plays big in big games, and for him, this is a big game. Look for his best numbers of the season and his first TD. He is a top 5 receiver this week.
Tight End
Ben Watson, New England Patriots:Watson has impressive speed for a man his size and can get up on a safety quickly. Miami will try to cover him off the line with LB Zach Thomas, but Thomas has given up numerous big plays this season to TE's who can run the seam. It is a big week for Watson owners.
Defense
Baltimore Ravens (@ Denver):The Ravens create tremendous pressure on the passer and are nearly impossible to run on. Sacks and takeaways are a weekly occurrence, while touchdowns are not. Look for Baltimore to shut down the Broncos zone blocking running scheme and send the hounds after Plummer who will make mistakes with the ball. They are the number one fantasy defense on the board.
Who's Not
Quarterback
Daunte Culpepper, Miami Dolphins:Culpepper is playing very tentative right now and is struggling to find his second and third receivers, especially when under pressure. Look for NE to bring LB blitzes and alternately drop as many as seven defenders into zone coverage to get Culpepper holding onto the ball. He will have to recognize his hot read and make quick decisions against the blitz, and read coverages properly to avoid making a big mistake with a bad throw. He's not a starter against the QB killer Bill Belichick.
Running Back
Kevin Jones, Detroit Lions:Look for a power running game from Jones, running off tackle behind FB Corey Schlesinger. Jones is a between the tackles runner, but will have to bounce outside this week to avoid the Vikes big DT's. The Minny LB's have speed to run to the ball and will limit his production. He is still a starter but won't be as close to the 100-yard mark as he was against St. Louis last week.
Wide Receiver
Joey Galloway, Tampa Bay Buccaneers:Galloway's strength is the perimeter go route where he can use his speed to beat deep coverage. But this week, playing with a rookie QB who lacks ideal arm strength and will be under pressure, Galloway will have to work the short and intermediate routes across the middle of the field. That's not where he is at his best, due to his lack of size. However, against the off coverage of the NO corners, he should get into his route quickly, and if Gradkowski can get the ball to him, he has the quickness to make plays after the catch. You shouldn't make him anything more than your 3rd WR this week.
Tight End
Kellen Winslow, Cleveland Browns:With the Browns problems in pass protection, they will have to keep Winslow in as a blocker more than they would like this week. But look for some 2-TE sets that will allow Winslow to split out on occasion and chip down on a defender before releasing into his route. He's still a starter, but might not put up big numbers this week.
Defense
Buffalo Bills (@ Chicago):The Bills have an aggressive front four that can rush the passer, a LB corps that can string out the run from sideline to sideline, and playmakers in the secondary. Normally this is a playmaking defense that should be on your short list of potential starting units, but against a Bears team that is not only now balanced on offense, but is downright explosive at times, the Bills aren't a good play.
Sleeper of the Week
Chad Pennington, QB, New York Jets:Pennington's efficiency is what keeps the Jets offense running without the threat of a strong rushing attack. His ability to break down coverages and read the blitz allows him to spread the ball to many receivers. His arm strength is improved, and now that he is able to reach all parts of the field, he can hit almost any spot out of three step drops, beating the Jags blitz in the process. If they lay back in coverage, he'll hit the open receiver underneath. He's a sure starter.
