This is the week that playoffs should be starting for 90 percent of you. If you made the championship bracket, congratulations. Now just don't get ahead of yourself and overthink your lineup decisions. A lot of fantasy football players get to these critical weeks, and they start guys that have been hot for just a couple of weeks over their proven players that might have a tweaked ankle or hamstring. I know things are more crucial since it's a win-or-you're-out week, but keep doing what got you this far and you'll do fine. Now on to the calls for the week. Quarterbacks Matt Schaub and the Houston Texans will be wrapping up their three-game road trip this week in New England. Schaub has more than 1,000 passing yards and eight touchdown passes over his last three games, so to say things are going well for Schaub owners right now would be an understatement. This week, Schaub is a ‘good call' to be in your fantasy lineup because the Patriots rank 29th against opposing quarterbacks. They've given up seven 300-plus yard passers on the season, and with their high-powered offense, Houston won't be able to sit back, run the ball and wind the clock. If you've got Schaub this week, go ahead and start him. The Philadelphia defense has given up multiple touchdown passes in every one of their last six games. Josh Freeman has thrown multiple touchdown passes in seven of his last eight games. This matchup seems ripe for the picking for Freeman to throw multiple touchdown passes again this week. Freeman should also be able to get moderate yardage this week, but don't expect 350-plus passing yards out of him this week. If you need a quarterback to get you some decent points Freeman would be a ‘good call,' but if you need a boom-or-bust week from your quarterback, Freeman might not be who you're looking for. Tony Romo's trip to Cincinnati this week could be a rough one if you're starting him. The Bengals rank seventh against quarterbacks, and have allowed just one passing touchdown in their past four games. Romo has been better as of late with two good games back-to-back, but those were against Philadelphia and Washington, who rank 27th and 30th against quarterbacks, respectively. If you were sitting Romo earlier this season, I'd go with whomever you were starting back then this week. Romo is a ‘bad call' to be in your lineup this week. Before allowing Robert Griffin III to throw four touchdown passes against them on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys defense had allowed just two ...

Back in 2004, Sean Combs (aka Puffy, Diddy, P. Papa, Papa Diddy Pop, or whatever he's calling himself these days) founded the political service group "Citizen Change" to try and motivate America's youth to get out and vote. Their campaign was simple, "Vote or Die!" More than 51 percent of Americans under the age of 30 voted in that election, up more than nine percent from the previous election. Fortunately, for the other 49 percent of Americans under 30, Diddy didn't follow through on his threat. Wuss. The mantra for this time of the fantasy football season is just as simple. No, it's not "Win or Die!" Although if a loss this week ends your season, it might as well be. Next September is so far from now, the rapture will likely take place before it arrives. No, the mantra is, "Win or Go Home." Better yet, "Win or Stay Home," because you ain't going nowhere ... especially to the championship game. Unless, of course, you've earned a bye this week, or your playoffs start next week and you've already clinched a spot. In which case, what do you care? Your do-or-die moment doesn't come until a week from now. Kick your feet up, grab a cold one and watch your team crush the hopes of another team whose fate rests on this week. Here's some plays this week that could impact your matchups: some good, some bad, and a little bit of everything else for Week 14. Week 14 BUYS Matchups I like this week QB Andrew Luck vs. Tennessee. Luck threw the ball 54 times last week. That's 47 more attempts than Tim Tebow has had all season! OK, bad example. Luck didn't even complete half of those attempts, and he was still able to post 36 points against the Detroit Lions (most points for any quarterback last week). Sure it was a game that went to overtime, but Luck is second in pass attempts for the season. The dude gets volume. And this week, the dude also gets a matchup against the Titans, a team so far down the ranks in pass defense they can't even see the ones on the top shelf. ( Other favorable matchups: Eli Manning vs. New Orleans, Josh Freeman vs. Philadelphia, Matt Schaub at New England, Joe Flacco at Washington.) RB Ahmad Bradshaw vs. New Orleans. Bradshaw has reached double-digit fantasy points only six times this season. We're in Week 14. Quick math. Is that a good ratio? Not so much. But now he's facing fewer threats to his workload without Andre Brown lurking on the sideline. David Wilson still isn't getting enough touches to warrant consideration. So now ...

Welcome to Week 14! Hopefully you've already locked up a playoff berth, if not, best of luck to you this week. We've got some movement on and off of the 'Studs' list this week, so come inside and let's take a look. QUARTERBACKS STUDS Tom Brady Drew Brees Robert Griffin III Peyton Manning Carson Palmer Aaron Rodgers Ben Roethlisberger *Expected to start in Week 14* Matt Ryan START Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay vs. Philadelphia: Freeman, who has thrown multiple touchdown passes in seven of his last eight games gets a dream matchup versus an Eagles defense that has allowed multiple touchdown passes in six straight games. The Philadelphia defense has been relatively stout versus the run having allowed only one rushing touchdown in the last four weeks while only allowing three total rushing touchdowns on the season. This should force the Bucs in to more of a passing mode. Brandon Weeden, Cleveland vs. Kansas City: Coming off of a very emotional win in Week 13 the Chiefs will travel to Cleveland to face a Browns team that has been very inconsistent on offense. But after shredding the Oakland defense for 364 yards passing on the road last week look for Weeden to pass for 225-plus yards and at least two touchdowns as he'll be facing the third worst defense in fantasy versus the pass. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis vs. Tennessee: Coming off a Week 13 game in which he was just magical down the stretch in leading the Colts to a come from behind victory, Luck will get a tasty matchup versus a Titans defense that has allowed multiple touchdown passes in nine out of 12 games this year. Although Luck has a 17:16 touchdown-to-interception ratio on the season, he has a 13:6 ratio at home. BENCH Philip Rivers, San Diego at Pittsburgh: Rivers, who has thrown only one touchdown pass in his last two games, will be facing a Steelers defense that has only allowed two touchdown passes in its last five games and only five in its last eight. The Steelers are the No. 1 defense in fantasy versus quarterbacks. I think I've made my point. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo vs. St. Louis: Fitzpatrick, who has thrown zero touchdown passes in four games this year, will be going up against a Cardinals defense that hasn't allowed a touchdown pass in its last two games and has only allowed two touchdown passes in its last four games. Any Cardinals Quarterback at Seattle: Seattle is the fourth best defense in fantasy versus quarterbacks and prior to last week had only allowed one ...

(Editor's note: This article was written prior to Thursday's games.) I hope everyone is enjoying or has enjoyed their Thanksgiving feast. I know I surely will/have. Last week I mentioned looking for that one stud running back that comes out of nowhere to carry teams deep into the playoffs or perhaps wins them championships. I said to be on the lookout for guys that get increased playing time because of injury or overtaking the starter. The other thing I forgot to mention is to be on the lookout for guys that could possibly have been dropped because of injury that are finally getting healthy. There's a decent chance that Chris "Beanie" Wells or Rashard Mendenhall could be sitting on your waiver wire right now. Both of these guys have a bit of an injury history so I tend to stay away from them in drafts because I think they're overvalued, but snagging them off the waiver wire during the season is more than enough value for me. These guys have shown that they can produce when healthy and could be that jump-start your team needs to get you into or carry you deep into your playoffs. Check your waiver wire and see if either of these guys has been dropped, and you might be rewarded with a nice few games here at the end of the season for being aware of their returning time table. Now on to the calls for the week. Quarterbacks Andy Dalton has been hot lately with no interceptions and 20-plus fantasy points in his past two games. That should continue this week with his game against Oakland. The Raiders have given up eight touchdowns and decent yardage the last three weeks, and currently rank 28th in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. Dalton should have no problem tossing a couple of touchdowns and extending A.J. Green's streak of nine straight games with a touchdown. Go ahead and start Dalton if you've got him this week; he's a ‘good call' to be in your starting lineup. I've been down on Tony Romo this year, because he's just been mediocre and throws way too many interceptions, but this is the week to start him if you've got him. The Cowboys play Washington and its 29th-ranked defense against fantasy quarterbacks. Before last week's shutdown of Nick Foles the Redskins had given up 20-or-more fantasy points to seven of the nine quarterbacks they've faced. In his last four meetings with the Redskins, Romo has averaged 279 passing yards and over a touchdown a game. If you've got Romo he's a ‘good call' this week and you should play him. In his three ...

Larry Fitzgerald's stock continues to plummet. It's not his fault, but Fitzgerald might have the worst quarterback options in the league throwing him the ball. You know, besides the Kansas City Chiefs. It's actually completely possible that Kevin Kolb, John Skelton, and some guy named Ryan Lindley may all be left-handed and not know it. In any case, Fitzgerald caught just one of his seven targets for 11 yards, including one overthrow when he was wide open for a score. His quarterback situation was the one strike against him going into the season, and it looks to be the one thing holding him back. Even with his considerable talent, I'm not sure he's a WR1 at this point. James Starks is now the guy to roster in Green Bay's backfield. The running back carousel continues in Green Bay. First, it was Cedric Benson. Then, Alex Green was given a shot. Now, it's come full circle back to last year's starter. Starks ran 25 times for 74 yards, which is unimpressive, but what was telling was that the Packers stuck with the run. The team knows that Aaron Rodgers can throw the ball, but it will need to run the ball down the stretch. Keep in mind that Benson should return some time in mid-December, but Starks is the guy for now, which is to say he's the guy for this week. A.J. Green is making a case as the top receiver in the league. In my own rankings, I had Green as the eighth receiver behind Calvin Johnson, Wes Welker, Fitzgerald, Brandon Marshall, Victor Cruz, Jordy Nelson and Julio Jones. I still think those preseason choices were defensible, at least at the time, but Green has since taken exception. On Sunday, he caught six balls for 91 yards and a score, his 10th touchdown in his last nine games. His consistency is coveted across fantasy leagues, and he will continue to be a Top 5 option every week. The Nick Foles era was fun while it lasted. Well, that was quick. In his first NFL start, the rookie completed just 21-of-46 passes for 204 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. He looked overmatched, even against a suspect Washington pass defense, as the Eagles mustered just six points. Since the game, the "significant" concussion Michael Vick suffered in Week 10 has miraculously improved to the point that he may be available in Week 12. If he can pass his baseline concussion tests, he will probably get the start. Josh Freeman is a viable QB1. On Sunday, Freeman threw for 248 yards, three touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Including this past week, ...

We are now firmly into the second half of the season and you need to keep your eyes wide open for that stud running back that surfaces in the second half of the season. There is always at least one running back that either by and injury or increased play, emerges in the second half of the season to help carry fantasy teams into the playoffs and maybe to a championship. In the past it has been Jamaal Charles (five 100-yard games from Week 8 to Week 17 in 2009), LeGarrette Blount (17.1 fantasy points per game from Week 8 to Week 17 in 2010) and Roy Helu (18.6 fantasy points per game from Week 9 to Week 17 in 2011). This year I'm keeping an eye on Vick Ballard, Marcel Reece, Chris Ivory and Jonathan Dwyer as potential guys that could breakout in the second part of the season. I'm not saying all or any of these guys are going to have a huge second half of the season, but just that you should keep your eye on them for increased workloads or if the running back ahead of them on the depth chart has an injury that lingers longer than it should. Keep your eyes open for that one stud running back. There's always one. Now on to the calls for the week. Quarterbacks Carson Palmer has been hot lately. All three of his best games of the year have come in the past four weeks. This week he gets another easy matchup with the easiest fantasy defense for quarterbacks to go against, New Orleans. The Saints have allowed three of their last four quarterbacks to throw for 330-plus yards and three touchdowns each. Palmer's on a hot streak against a very weak defense and that makes him a ‘good call' this week. Start him with confidence. If you're desperate and are looking at starting Nick Foles this week, go ahead and do it. Foles walks into a very nice match-up this week as he starts for the injured Michael Vick. The Redskins have been steadily allowing seven of the nine quarterbacks they've faced to score between 20 and 25 fantasy points against them. If the rookie is going to show us what he's got, this is going to be the week. Things don't get much easier than this. Start Foles if you've got no other options, he's a ‘good call' this week. If you're looking to start Josh Freeman this week, you may want to think again. Freeman has a tough matchup with Carolina. When Freeman played the Panthers in Week 1 he had just 138 passing yards with one touchdown and that game was in Tampa Bay. Since that Week 1 game, only one quarterback has thrown for more than one touchdown against ...

Beaten and Battered One look at the leading news from fantasy football this week and you can't help but notice the large amount of injuries that took place. Even worse, many of the injuries that occurred were to quarterbacks. Given that each team only uses one quarterback (sorry, New York Jets fans), there are a precious few options out there for teams who find themselves limping at this pivotal position. Here is a look at the injuries and what I think about the possible fill-ins. For years, fantasy pundits have warned that Michael Vick was a high injury risk due to his reckless style of play. After nine weeks of inflicting pain on owners with inconsistency and turnovers, Vick left Sunday's game with what is being described as "a pretty significant concussion." For some owners, the definitiveness of the injury will be a blessing as it allows them to bench Vick and consider other options. Rookie Nick Foles is slated to get his first start after an impressive preseason. Filling in for Vick against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Foles threw for 219 yards and a touchdown. He added an interception and fumble for good measure. In his first start, Foles will face off with the Washington Redskins. The Redskins are one of the weaker fantasy defenses against quarterbacks, so Foles could be a decent one week fill-in if your normal starter is banged up or on a bye (Christian Ponder, Eli Manning, Russell Wilson, Jake Locker). For the long haul, you should expect Foles to perform like the typical rookie signal caller with a lot of inconsistency. Two other concussed quarterbacks may be prepping their understudies for a Monday night matchup that could quickly turn in to a defensive battle. Alex Smith and Jay Cutler also took hard hits that lead them to being sidelined. Jason Campbell would fill-in for Cutler if he is unable to go. Campbell has started before in the NFL and figures to be a quick study for the Chicago Bears' offensive game plan. Despite his experience, Campbell is not a solid option to lead your fantasy team. Campbell was uninspiring Sunday night against the Houston Texans, and there is a reason that other teams elected to go other directions at the quarterback position. In San Francisco, Smith was replaced by Colin Kaepernick, who ran for more yards than he passed. Kaepernick is an athletic quarterback who has the ability to extend plays with his feet. Given the Bears' talented and equally athletic defense, Kaepernick may be forced to run more for ...

Before we get to all the game time action, of which there was plenty, we must address one of my favorite holidays, Halloween. This Wednesday night young kids will flood the streets delirious by the thought of gathering a sack load of candy; the equivalent of children's gold. As we head out to celebrate with friends and family, remember that many of these young people aren't always paying attention to the traffic around them. Please do your part to keep our children safe by slowing down and looking out for all those little ghouls and goblins. If nothing else, take the time to admire all the great costumes and enjoy a safe holiday. Tampa Bay 36, Minnesota 17 Bucs Right before our eyes Tampa Bay is developing into a very balanced offense. Doug Martin kicked off week eight rushing for 135 yards and one touchdown while catching three passes for 79 yards adding a second touchdown through the air. On countless runs Martin did an excellent job making the first man miss while pilling up yards after contact. It appears TB got the memo as LeGarrette Blount is officially in the rear view mirror, even on the goal line. Over the years there has been a recurring trend of quarterbacks breaking out in the middle of their fourth season (last year is was Matt Ryan finishing fifth in fantasy scoring in weeks 8-16). Josh Freeman looks to be the 2012 candidate after scoring 28, 22 and 25 points over the past three weeks. Two weeks ago, almost by default, I picked up Freeman as a bye week filler, but he seems to have earned a spot on my roster as a blossoming low end QB1. Most encouraging is seeing the Bucs continue to throw the football despite a commanding lead. Pleasant surprise. Tampa Bay has officially entered the conversation for most prolific tandem of wide receivers in the NFL. This week it was Mike Williams catching six passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. Williams does an excellent job "h igh pointing" the football making him a preferred target in the red zone. After a sophomore slump, Williams is once again blossoming into a solid fantasy player now impossible to sit. Great draft pick for those of you who had the foresight. The Bucs offensive line deserves a ton of credit adding confidence to owners of Martin and Freeman. Vikings What the hell is going on in Minnesota? They started the game perfectly working the ball to Percy Harvin (90 yards one touchdown) and continuing to run Adrian Peterson (123 yards and one touchdown). Falling behind in the mid ...

Six teams are on a bye in Week 7: Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, Miami, Philadelphia and San Diego. Between those six teams, we have four starting caliber quarterbacks and several viable running backs, wide receivers wand tight ends. Below, I'll list the player, their Week 7 matchup, and the percentage of leagues in which he is owned according to our friends at fleaflicker.com. DISCLAIMER - The hope is that you don't find yourself in a situation like this. The hope is that you dodge the bullet. But hope won't help you come Sunday. Let's move on to this week's targets, keeping in mind that these aren't every week starters. Instead, these are guys that should only be used if you're in some kind of roster emergency, whether it be related to bye weeks or injuries. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Tennessee -- 66 percent . I like Fitzpatrick this week against a Tennessee defense that performed well last week against a better Pittsburgh offense. And Fitzpatrick has struggled recently, but San Francisco and Arizona have a habit of frustrating opposing quarterbacks. Tennessee will have its hands full with an underrated Bills offense, and I like Fitzpatrick to surpass the 220 yards and two scores we've projected. Josh Freeman vs. New Orleans -- 62 percent. Freeman got off to a rough start this season, facing a few tough defenses. But last week, he got on track against the Kansas City Chiefs, as quarterbacks have often done this year. Against New Orleans this week, Freeman gets another poor pass defense, and he'll likely have to throw the ball a bit more this week than the Buccaneers normally would. We have him projected for 280 yards and two touchdowns, and I think he reaches those marks. Carson Palmer vs. Jacksonville -- 66 percent. Palmer has been feast-or-famine this season. When the cupboards are bare, you'll talk yourself into eating just about anything. Jacksonville is average, at best, against the pass, so take a flier on Palmer if you must. Our site has him projected for 290 yards and a score. I can't believe I just wrote this. Running Back Felix Jones at Carolina -- 58 percent; Phillip Tanner -- 3 percent. Jones is the real target here, with Tanner a distant second. With DeMarco Murray expected to miss a juicy matchup with a porous run defense, Jones steps up and figures to split work with Tanner, once again. The Cowboys are starting to use the run more consistently, and even stuck with it once Murray left last week. Jones is projected for ...

Michael Turner cannot be started with any confidence. He's still decent enough, and he plays on a high-powered offense, but it seems that the coaching staff has lost faith in his ability to pick up yards and run with power. He carried the ball just 11 times on Sunday, and he was only able to manage 33 yards. I know that people thought the end was near for Turner, but I'm not sure folks thought the dropoff was this close, or this steep. It's clear that this is now Matt Ryan's team, especially with the arsenal of weapons at his disposal, and it looks like Turner will be taking a backseat. Make plans accordingly. Josh Gordon might be for real. Gordon is still a very young, very raw talent at receiver. He's still learning how to play the position at an NFL level, but he's showing some promise, and Brandon Weeden is looking for him. His three catches on Sunday included a 71-yard touchdown. He's a boom-or-bust guy, with 12 catches for 274 yards and three scores. Fantasy owners would be dependent on big plays for real production, but you can do a lot worse at your WR3 or flex with the injuries and bye weeks. Shonn Greene might not be dead ... yet. Well, that was interesting. Every time I'm ready to completely write-off Greene, he has a game like this. After several weeks of splitting carries with Bilal Powell, Green exploded on Sunday for 32 carries for 161 yards and three touchdowns. I'm still not sure what to make of Greene, since I've seen him play terribly more often than not. The Indianapolis defense is suspect, so I guess I need to see more. If you own Greene, it's possible you are even more frustrated, thinking that he'll most likely get shutdown big time in his next game at New England. Josh Freeman showed glimpses of his 2010 form. I didn't think Freeman would be all that good this year. With Greg Schiano bringing a run, run, run-some-more offensive scheme, I figured he had a poor fantasy outlook. To be fair, in the four games prior to Sunday, Freeman had posted less than 200 yards, one touchdown, and an interception per game -- not terrible, but not good either. Against a Kansas City team that looks lost right now, the Buccaneers found their offensive stride, as Freeman put up a 328-yard, three-touchdown, one-interception performance. I still need to see more, but Freeman has taken the first step towards regaining the trust of fantasy owners. Despite Michael Vick's issues, he's still worth the start. If you watched or listened to any show dealing...