Cedric Houston scored twice last weekend
Who's Hot
Quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks:Hasselbeck hasn't been stellar since his return to the field, but he has been fairly efficient. Arizona's corners are aggressive in press coverage but can be taken deep when beaten off the line of scrimmage. With SS Adrian Wilson playing close to the line, Arizona relies on FS Robert Griffith in a Cover One scheme that will give Hasselbeck more room to work if he can recognize and beat the blitz. With Shaun Alexander rounding back into form, and a host of talented receivers at his disposal, a 3-TD game from Hasselbeck is never far from reach. He is a starter this week.
Running Back
Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia Eagles:The Skins will employ the same defense that Carolina did in "limiting" Westbrook to 124 total yards and a touchdown. They will play their safeties close to the line and pick up Westbrook in his routes early as a receiver. If Jeff Garcia continues to throw deep, they will have to drop FS Sean Taylor, creating more space for Westbrook. He is a starter every week.
Wide Receiver
Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers:The Giants will bracket Smith with a safety and follow him all over the field, but his ability to make plays in the short and intermediate zones and his raw speed to beat defenders deep makes him nearly impossible to defend. The Giants will be physical at the line and cover him over top, but as the famous line goes, "they can only hope to contain him."
Tight End
Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys:Witten has the ability to stretch the seam as he showed last week, and with the safeties playing up to support the run or back to help with Owens and Glenn, the middle of the field should be open all night for Witten. Romo will face a very good pass rush, so look for him to have Witten as a dump off option on every passing down. He is a sure starter.
Defense
San Diego Chargers:Top five in the league against the run, 1st in sacks, Broncos rookie QB Jay Cutler making just his second start. This is a no-brainer.
Who's Not
Quarterback
Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams:The Rams will try to run the ball and take advantage of the injury to Bears DT Tommie Harris, which will give Bulger some time to heal his bruises. When he does throw, look for short drops and quick passes that will get the ball out of his hand and into the arms of his playmakers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, who will make yards after the catch. The Rams' recent struggles make us nervous, and against a formidable defense, we have to urge you to sit Bulger this week.
Running Back
Tatum Bell, Denver Broncos:Bell wasn't showing any signs of his turf toe injury last week with over 130 yards rushing. Bell's ability to bounce the run outside will get the defense moving laterally, which is not the Chargers' strength. But also look for off tackle runs out of 2-TE sets that will force the 3-4 LB's closer to the line of scrimmage. Once the TE's engage, they should be able to create enough of a seam for Bell to explode, make his cut to the outside and get downhill. It's hard to say which back will get the bulk of the load this week, as head coach Mike Shanahan continues to shuffle his backs, but expect them to split and make Tatum a 2-back if he is on your roster. The Broncos will have to run the ball to keep their young QB from getting killed, but if he's sharing carries, he won't be the boost to your fantasy roster that you were hoping for.
Wide Receiver
Santana Moss, Washington Redskins:Moss looked to be over his hamstring injury last week as he turned in his first 100-yard game since Week 4. But look for the Eagles' secondary to play press coverage and get physical with Moss off the line of scrimmage. He doesn't like getting banged around and will get knocked off his routes. The safety will shade to his side to protect against the deep go route, and QB Jason Campbell struggles with his accuracy on the deep ball, especially if the Eagles can force him out of the pocket and get him throwing on the run. Moss is only a #3 WR this week.
Tight End
Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs:Gonzalez is coming off his most productive game of the season, catching 9 passes for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. Gonzalez is a match-up nightmare because of his unique combination of size, athleticism and route-running ability. But he faces one of the best safeties in the league this week in Ed Reed, who has the cover skills of a corner. Look for Gonzo to struggle this week.
Defense
Jacksonville Jaguars:The Jaguars have been inconsistent, but that has everything to do with a myriad of injuries that have thinned out the middle of their defensive unit and hurt their depth at the corners. Against a high-powered offense like the Colts, they are not a smart play this week.
Sleeper of the Week
Matt Leinart, QB, Arizona Cardinals:The Cardinals have enough offensive weapons to be one of the most proficient scoring teams in the NFL. But if Leinart does not have the time to get the ball to his playmakers, all those weapons are wasted. Look for Arizona to give him more time by lining him up in the shotgun and having him throw quick-hitting passes to WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. This will force the Seahawks linebackers deeper into coverage and limit the Hawks blitz opportunities. Seattle has an active defensive front and will overload Leinart's left side, putting pressure in his face, but Leinart has a lot of poise in the pocket for a rookie, will read the blitz and make the proper throws. In a game that should be a shootout, look for him to put up some big numbers, especially if the Cards are playing from behind.
Chad Pennington, QB, New York Jets: Pennington has one of the best ball fakes in the NFL, and with an improved Jets rushing attack selling the run, the aggressive Bills defense will bite hard on those fakes, leaving the short crossing routes and the TE seam open for Pennington all day. After a rough stretch where some thought he might lose his starting job, Pennington has responded by completing 74% of his passes for 549 yards and 3 TD in his last two games, making him worth some consideration as a starter this week.
