On Monday night, the Ravens will try to be the first team to defeat the New England Patriots this season -- good luck. The Ravens have lost a franchise-record five straight games and the once-smothering defense has given up 30 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1999. More importantly, the offense is turning the ball over at a high pace, which is a recipe for disaster against the Pats.

Kyle Boller, QB: With Steve McNair ruled out, Kyle Boller gets another start. If you want a bright spot, Boller does have four touchdowns versus only one interception in his Monday Night Football appearances. The reality, though, is that he has three touchdown passes, three interceptions and three fumbles in the last three weeks. In those three weeks, he's faced the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and San Diego Chargers defenses -- not exactly murderer's row.

Willis McGahee, RB: Willis McGahee has scored a touchdown in six straight games but will likely be the target of the Patriots' defensive gameplan. Furthermore, he's dealing with an ankle injury, although it is not considered to be serious. A touchdown is a possibility but if the Ravens fall behind early, don't expect a high rushing yardage total.

Derrick Mason, WR: Derrick Mason recorded seven receptions for 99 yards last week as the Ravens were playing from behind. He might be able to approach those totals again since the Ravens could be trailing early. The Philadelphia Eagles moved the ball successfully through the air last week.

Mark Clayton, WR: Mark Clayton has four catches for 24 yards in the last two games and is not reliable in any type of fantasy leagues. The fact that Todd Heap has been out/unhealthy for most of the season and Clayton hasn't capitalized is a discouraging sign. Obviously, he's been limited by the shoddy quarterback play.

Todd Heap, TE: Todd Heap was limited in practice, which is better than not practicing at all. By now, if you own him, you are likely waiting for a strong performance before getting him in your lineup. My guess is that he's not fully healthy and if he does play, he's dealing with the type of injury that might force him out of the game before halftime.

Baltimore Ravens Defense: The Ravens are one of only two teams to never allow a passing touchdown to Tom Brady. I get the feeling that might change this week. The Ravens defense has really struggled during their current losing streak. The Ravens have given up 28.6 points per game in their last five. Like every other defense the Patriots have faced this year, the Ravens will likely get shredded. Chris McAlister is not completely healthy, which is a big problem. Losing Trevor Pryce for a prolonged period of time is another big loss that has flown under the radar around the league. The Ravens have only 10 sacks in the last five games.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 4:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

A.J. Feeley, QB (PHI): Although A.J. Feeley won't have another game of his life this Sunday, he might be a decent starter for fantasy purposes if Donovan McNabb isn't healthy enough to start. Feeley should have the crowd behind him at home, and he showed that he can move the Eagles' offense successfully. Only start him if you are desperate, though.

Adrian Peterson, RB (CHI): With Cedric Benson out of the picture due to a season-ending leg injury, the other Adrian Peterson takes over the No. 1 spot in Chicago. Although Peterson is only averaging 3.6 yards per carry this season and doesn't have much of a resume, he will be getting the chunk of the carries now, and getting a first-string runner this late in the season can only help your fantasy roster. Peterson is also a quality receiver out of the backfield, which should help his value.

Reggie Williams, WR (JAC): Reggie Williams only has 22 receptions this year and has notched more than two receptions in a game only twice this season, but the fourth-year wideout has a nose for the end zone. He's caught six touchdowns and has good chemistry with David Garrard. Don't count on much yardage production but he gets into the end zone more than the other receivers on your waiver wire.

Tony Scheffler, TE (DEN): Tony Scheffler had a career day this past Sunday, finishing with five catches for 82 yards and a touchdown. In the past seven games, he has 28 receptions, 312 yards and three touchdowns. Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler has a lot of confidence in him, and with a matchup against the Oakland Raiders this week, Scheffler is worth a look.

Denver Broncos Defense: Not many offenses hand out fantasy points like the Oakland Raiders' offense, which is who the Broncos are facing this weekend. The Raiders have 25 giveaways, which is the fourth-highest total in the AFC, and are allowing their quarterbacks to get sacked 2.5 times per game. The Broncos have averaged three takeaways per game over the last four weeks and are a good play this weekend.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 5:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Buy:

Beno Udrih, PG (SA): Beno Udrih, better known as the backup/third-string point guard from San Antonio over the past couple of seasons, is now in Sacramento and with the injury to Mike Bibby, he's making waves in the fantasy world. Udrih's averaging over 33 minutes per game, which is already a good sign. He's scoring in double-figures (12.7 PPG) and even hit the 23-point mark against the Detroit Pistons on November 18th. He's also averaging 4.3 assists per game, which is low for someone you drafted, but pretty good for somebody off the waiver wire. He's a decent source for assists while Bibby is out.

Andrew Bynum, C (LAL): Andrew Bynum has had inconsistent minutes this season but has still scored in double figures in nine of 13 games. He needs to receive roughly 25 minutes a game to have value in categories other than points. In the last five games (not coincidentally Kwame Brown was injured), Bynum has finished with at least seven rebounds and one block per game. In that span he's averaging 12.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 steals. With Brown out indefinitely, Bynum has value indefinitely.

Jamario Moon, F (TOR): Rookie free agent Jamario Moon did more than just crack the Toronto Raptors roster -- he's starting and producing valuable minutes. He's averaging 8.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 1.3 steals and 1.0 assists -- that's a a stat stuff for ya! Still not impressed? How's this for the box score from his last outing: 15 points, nine rebounds, six blocks and three steals. Moon still hasn't reached his ceiling because his minutes continue to increase. Don't sleep on him anymore.

Juan Carlos Navarro, G (MEM): If you are looking for a good source of three-pointers, Juan Carlos Navarro is your sharp-shooter. He averages nearly two per game but those averages are held back by the fact that he didn't start seeing consistent minutes until recently. In the four games that he's played over 30 minutes, Navarro has 16 threes.

Sell:

Brendan Haywood, C (WAS): Just when it looked like Brendan Haywood would finally see a regular dose of minutes after Etan Thomas was lost for the season, Haywood sprained his ankle and allowed Andray Blatche to step in and light it up. Blatche has become a valuable player off the bench and should continue to cut into Haywood's minutes.

Theo Ratliff, C (MIN): Theo Ratliff getting hurt is almost as likely as him getting traded at the deadline -- it's an annual occurrence. Lo and behold, he injured his knee and is expected to be out for roughly a week. He's a decent source for blocks if his knee injury doesn't linger.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Kyle Boller, QB: Boller did help bring the Ravens back in an impressive second-half comeback against the Cleveland Browns, but the stats aren't very pretty for fantasy purposes. Although he had 279 passing yards, he completed only 53.7% of his passes, connecting on one touchdown and two interceptions. That's against a pass defense that is ranked 31st in the NFL. Also of note, the Browns defense, which totaled only 11 sacks in their first nine games, managed six against the Ravens. Boller has lost his last eight road starts and is not a good option this week.

Willis McGahee, RB: McGahee continues to be a reliable runner in both fantasy and reality. He has 100 total yards or a touchdown in every game this season and has found the end zone in five straight games. He must be in your starting lineup if you have him.

Derrick Mason, WR: After six catches for 83 yards last Sunday, Mason continues to be a good option in point-per-reception leagues. But with Boller's struggles on the road and with the passing offense struggling to find the end zone, Mason isn't a good option outside of those leagues.

Devard Darling, WR: Darling was a Kyle Boller-favorite this past Sunday, but picking him up and starting him is a big roll of the dice. Exhibit A: Mark Clayton, who caught eight passes for 107 yards in Week 9, then followed that up with two receptions for nine yards in Week 10.

Mark Clayton, WR: Same story as Darling -- the receivers in this passing game are too inconsistent to rely upon.

Todd Heap, TE: An injury-plagued season continues for Heap, who is nursing a hamstring injury and might not play. Boller usually looks for him quite a bit when he's in the lineup but if he plays, he probably won't be 100%.

Baltimore Defense: This will be an interesting matchup this week as the veteran Ravens gets to face a struggling young quarterback. Philip Rivers -- and the San Diego offense -- have been awful lately. Rivers has 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on the season and has just one touchdown pass in the month of November. His other November stats include a 50.9 completion percentage, five interceptions and a quarterback rating of 52.0. The Ravens defense is fairly strong against the run -- even though they allowed 92 yards rushing to Jamal Lewis last week -- and if they can shutdown LaDainian Tomlinson, they should have a number of opportunities to get some takeaways.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Vince Young, QB (TEN): After accumulating 429 passing yards, zero passing touchdowns and six interceptions Week 4 through 9, Vince Young was probably dumped onto the waiver wire in most leagues. The Madden curse has taken it's effect on Young in his sophomore season, but he's come back to life in the previous two weeks and is worth owning again. He has 562 yards and three total touchdowns in the last two weeks and has posted season highs for passing yards in back-to-back weeks -- a sign that he is looking crisp again.

Kolby Smith, RB (KC): Kolby "Caillat" Smith is looking like a bubbly pickup now that Larry Johnson is sidelined with a foot injury and Priest Holmes is expected to retire thanks to a pain in his neck. For better or for worse, the Louisville product is going to get the bulk of the carries, which means he's worth a shot.

Andre Hall, RB (DEN): Although the Denver backfield has been murky the past few seasons, it's starting to clear up. With Travis Henry dealing with a PCL sprain and a pending suspension, and Selvin Young forced out of Monday's game with a knee sprain, rookie free agent Andre Hall stepped in and ripped off a 62-yard touchdown. Although Young returned, Hall should see some more carries and is definitely a person of fantasy interest. He could become worth a lot should he become the starter.

Ron Dayne, RB (HOU): With Ahman Green in and out of the lineup, and consistently questionable each week, Ron Dayne has stepped in and been productive for the Houston Texans. The Great Dayne has 237 total yards and a touchdown over his last two starts and should see more running room now that the passing game is back in full effect with Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson healthy. With December approaching, it is worth noting that Dayne totaled 429 rushing yards and five touchdowns Week 13 through 16 last season.

D.J. Hackett, WR (SEA): With the Seattle Seahawks focusing more on their passing game, than their running game, D.J Hackett has been a beneficiary. He's caught 23 passes for 295 yards in his last three games, notching a touchdown grab in each one. Even with Deion Branch returning, there's plenty of passes to go around for Hackett to continue his success.

Javon Walker, WR (DEN): Not a lot needs to be said here. Javon Walker is returning from a lengthy injury and if somebody dropped him to the waiver wire, now is the time to pick him up. He has potential to be a No. 1 fantasy wideout and should return to his role as the Broncos' top wide receiver.

Alex Smith, TE (TB): If you are looking for help at tight end, Alex Smith has proven to be a productive option of late. He's been dealing with an ankle sprain all season but looked strong last week after the Buccaneers returned off of their bye. He's a talented player and the Bucs are still looking for a second option to Joey Galloway, it's just a matter of consistency.

Arizona Cardinals Defense: This is an easy call: the Cardinals are facing the San Francisco 49ers' offense this week. For the 49ers, they might be better off putting their defense and special teams on the field because their offense simply can't score points. Regardless of who is at the helm, it is a constant uphill trek to reach 200 yards for the 49ers' offense and the Cardinals have proven to be a tough out at home.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 12:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Next to the San Francisco 49ers, the Ravens have arguably the most anemic offense in the NFL. While every year in the NFL there is some lovable loser that morphs from a losing program into a winning one, the Ravens are on the other end of that spectrum. After finishing 13-3 a year ago, they have to climb a steep hill just to get back into the playoff conversation.

Kyle Boller, QB: The Boller experiment continues and although some people wonder why it hasn't ended yet, the answer has to do with the fact that Steve McNair -- or any other quarterback on the roster -- hasn't been any better. Boller has arm strength but lacks accuracy, poise in the pocket and quarterback smarts. That's why his career completion percentage is 56.3% and that's why he's completed only two more touchdown passes than interceptions.

Willis McGahee, RB: As Sun reporter Jamison Hensley explains here, the Ravens invested a lot in McGahee, but he hasn't really changed the offense. A lot of fantasy people invested a high pick in McGahee and while he hasn't been spectacular, he has been decent. He has notched touchdowns in his last four games, even though his yards per carry have dropped to 3.9 over his last five games. He's a quality start this week against the feeble Cleveland Browns' defense.

Mark Clayton, WR: Well, look who woke up out of his daze. A high ankle sprain, turf toe and porous quarterbacking have contributed to his struggles, but with Boller in the lineup, at least Clayton should get some looks down the field. He caught eight passes for 107 yards last week and is worth being back on your radar.

Derrick Mason, WR: Mason has been limited to 10 receptions and 64 yards over the last two weeks. His receptions-per-game average is still decent, but his yardage total is limiting him even in point-per-reception leagues. He's a good safety valve but should be competing for a third spot among wide receivers on your fantasy team.

Todd Heap, TE: Heap missed several practices this week and is dealing with a hamstring injury, which will likely keep him out on Sunday. Look for other options this week.

Ravens Defense: The defense has still been strong, working on mostly guts as various key parts have been in and out over the course of the season. This week, Ed Reed is dealing with a back injury, Chris McAlister is dealing with a knee sprain and Samari Rolle will likely miss another game this Sunday. They are facing Cleveland, who hung a good number on them the first time they played. They'll have to be on their toes if they want to prevent that from happening a second time this season. The Browns are on back-to-back road games, so fatigue could factor.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Buy

Darko Milicic, F/C (MEM): So for the last two years, you've been the guy trying to buy low on Darko and you struck out. Well, now he's finally blossoming and he should be on your roster. His averages are 11.1 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 2.0 BPG. Over his last two games, all of his averages have been even higher. Quite frankly, he's taking rebounds, blocks and even points away from his frontcourt mate, Pau Gasol. People who drafted Gasol are ticked that Milicic is vulturing his stats but regardless of those sentiments, Milicic must be on your roster.

Rafer Alston, PG (HOU): In deep leagues, Alston -- a starting point guard -- has value. I might be in the minority, but I believe he has more than a little bit of value. For starters, with Alston, you never look at the game-to-game box scores. Just look at the overall averages. He's averaging 6.8 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.0 SPG and he's making about one three-pointer per game. I don't know why everyone is so down on him, but he chips in across the board.

Damien Wilkins, F (SEA): Through nine games this year, Wilkins is doing 14.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.6 APG, and 1.4 threes per game. He's mostly a scorer and although that's a cheap commodity, he's one of the guys who can fill it up. He's scored in double figures in all but two games and is averaging just under 32 minutes -- both good signs.

Sean Williams, F/C (NJ): After receiving a career-high 29 minutes on Wednesday night, Williams responded with career highs in a few stat categories. We knew he could block and he notched four blocks. He added 14 points, seven rebounds and a steal. Williams was an outstanding shot blocker in college and he has been stellar so far this year. He has 12 blocks in 83 minutes, which averages out to about three blocks per 20 minutes. The way he's played so far this season, he likely will be hovering around at least 20 minutes per game, which makes him a good source for blocks. With Jamal Magloire/Jason Collins being his competition, he could be starting soon.

Daniel Gibson, G (CLE): There's no way I can give Gibson a pass on his nickname -- Boobie. Boobie flashed some nice cleavage in the 2007 playoffs when he proved to be a quality secondary scoring option to LeBron James. Now he's continuing the show. In nine games, he's averaging over 32 minutes, which is probably the best sign you want to see from a guy who came off the bench last year. Boobie is scoring 12.2 PPG but is an excellent source for threes. He's averaging just under three per game and is shooting 58% from three-point land. 1.33 steals per game isn't exactly a handful, but it will help in that category. His other averages of 2.7 APG and 2.4 RPG leave some to be desired.

Sell

John Salmons, G/F (SAC): So Ron Artest made his return on Wednesday night and Smoked Salmons was the guy who got the shaft. Salmons minutes dropped to 27, after he was averaging nearly 40 per game before that. He'll likely stay in the mix but with shorter minutes, his value curtails. Keep an eye on the situation to see if the Kings try to move Artest by the trade deadline.

Damon Stoudamire, G (MEM): Although Mighty Mouse had a great training camp/preseason, and really fended off both of the Grizzlies last first-round picks, Mike Conley Jr. and Kyle Lowry, but his minutes have continued to diminish since the start of the season. If the team was winning with Stoudamire running the show, he'd suck up the minutes. But given their 2-6 record, it makes sense to develop the youngsters. He's played just under 15 minutes per game in his last three outings and it is just a matter of time before he hits the bench in favor of Conley Jr. and Lowry.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Kurt Warner, QB (ARI): Warner has 10 touchdowns in nine games this season including five over his past three starts. He's already a quality fantasy contributor but with matchups against Cincinnati, San Francisco and Cleveland over the next three weeks, Warner becomes a solid starter.

Jesse Chatman, RB (MIA): There aren't many valuable fantasy parts on the Miami Dolphins' offense but Chatman is one. He has 276 yards on his past 50 carries, which boils down to a solid 5.52 yards per carry average. With no competition in the backfield, he'll receive a steady dose of carries the rest of the season.

Chester Taylor, RB (MIN): Needless to say, without Adrian Peterson around, Taylor becomes a valuable commodity. Don't forget, the former Raven was a good fantasy back last season until he wore down from being overworked. He has been underworked to this point in the season and should be very fresh. The way the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line has been playing, he'll be able to find ample running room.

Drew Bennett, WR (STL): After the St. Louis Rams went 0-for-8 in the first half of the season, their offense looked healthy and crisp coming off of a bye week. Bennett was a beneficiary, finding the end zone for the second time this season. With Isaac Bruce expected to miss some time with a strained quad, Bennett will benefit from some starts.

L.J. Smith, TE (PHI): If you drafted Smith, you have probably been waiting all year for him to show up like he did in Week 10. Smith finished with four catches, 49 yards and a touchdown against the Redskins on Sunday and seems to be getting over a hernia injury that was bothering him earlier in the season. Smith has been a quality fantasy tight end in the past, which means he's worth owning when healthy.

Cleveland Browns Defense: The Browns' defense would probably struggle against a high school football team but this week they get an offense that has been playing at that level. The Ravens' offense has been atrocious and is coming off a week where it nearly got shut out at home by the pitiful Cincinnati Bengals. They play the Cleveland Browns, statistically a better defense than the Bengals. On a matchup play alone, the Browns' defense has value this week.

*** Note: Yes, I am human. I originally said the Ravens are in Cleveland this week. They are not. They host Cleveland at M&T Bank Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m. Thank you for the note.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Buy:

Brendan Haywood, C (WAS): With Washington Wizards center Etan Thomas out for the season, Brendan Haywood has scooped up extra minutes. Haywood was already a borderline contributor, but the fact that he split time with Thomas last year hindered both guys. Without any competition for minutes - that's right, Andray Blatche and an injured Oleksiy Pecherov are not competition - Haywood is seeing roughly eight more minutes per game. Quite frankly, he's the team's main rebounder. He'll average a double-double this season and has averaged 10 points, 13.1 rebounds and 3 blocks per game The three blocks per game makes him a must-own in every league.

Al Horford, F (ATL): It looks like The Landlord has been evicted in Atlanta as Al Horford is averaging nearly nine more minutes per game than last year's first-round pick, Shelden Williams. Williams seems to be a one-dimensional rebounder while Horford, three games into his NBA career, is already a better player in fantasy and reality. Horford is the guy you want and he should be averaging close to a double-double by the end of the season. Expect his point production to grow stronger as the season progresses, but he has filled out some other categories (five steals, four assists, three blocks) as well, which is a delightful sign.

John Salmons, G-F (SAC): With Mike Bibby out and Ron Artest serving a suspension, John 'Smoked' Salmons has put up 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game in their absence. Bibby figures to be out a while, which should give some minutes to Salmons. You might be thinking about how their return will cut into his production, but keep in mind that the Sacramento Kings will be trying to deal Artest and/or Bibby at the trade deadline. If that's the case, Salmons is looking at a career-year.

Sell:

Steve Francis, G (HOU): So I went to ESPN.com to look up Steve Francis' game log to tell you how many minutes he has played this year. But when you click on his game logs, it shows his stats from 2006-07. You know why? Because he hasn't even made it onto the court for a single minute this season.

What seemed like a great off-season pickup by the Houston Rockets has become a superfluous addition to a crowded backcourt. Stevie Franchise showed up out of shape, assuming he would get starter's minutes handed to him. Instead, he's been handed a seat on the bench. Franchise star, Tracy McGrady, backhanded the player he was once traded for, saying that Francis is not what he used to be. Unless you are in a league that counts points for DNP-CD (did not play - coach's decision), Francis should be dropped.

Kelena Azubuike, G (GS): Kelena Azubuike has averaged 32:36 minutes per game, 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals per game along with 1.3 three-pointers per game. Don't get too excited, though. Steven Jackson is still on suspension. When he returns, that will push Azubuike to the bench or at the very least cut into his minutes. Enjoy him while it lasts, though.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 4:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

J.P. Losman, QB (BUF): J.P. Losman lost his job due to injury -- can he win it back the same way? While Trent Edwards stood on the sidelines on Sunday, Losman threw for 295 yards and a touchdown. He now has nearly as many passing yards in his last 39 attempts that Edwards had in all of October. More importantly, the parts around him -- Lee Evans and Marshawn Lynch -- also experienced their best game of the season Sunday. The Bills have a soft matchup vs. the Miami Dolphins this week, and if Losman is the starter again, look for this unit to be productive again.

Maurice Morris, RB (SEA): Shaun Alexander has fallen off the face of the earth. No former MVP has lost his luster moreso than Alexander. The best analogy I can think of is Lindsay Lohan's drop in the Hollywood industry. Well right now, I'm singing her one "hit" single "Over".

That's how I feel about Alexander, after I drafted him in the first round this year. He has 139 rushing yards in his last four games and hasn't found the end zone since week two. 139 yards is what we used to expect from him on a per-game basis. With an injured wrist and now a sprained knee, it's only a matter of time before Maurice Morris plays a more integral role. Last Sunday, Morris took nine carries for 55 yards and proved that he can find the running lanes, unlike Alexander. The one caveat about Morris is that it looks like Mike Holmgren is going to be loyal to Alexander until the end.

David Patten, WR (NO) : The New Orleans Saints' offense has returned over the last five games and in four of those, David Patten has been key. In the last four weeks, Patten has 332 receiving yards and a touchdown. With Marques Colston on the other side, he's not going to be facing a lot of attention. He's now starting and with Drew Brees back on point, Patten figures to have good value down the stretch of the season. It's worth noting that while the Saints' offense has turned it around, their running game is still struggling. They are averaging 93.1 yards per game.

Chris Henry, WR (CIN): Chris Henry is back in action for the Cincinnati Bengals after serving a nine-game bid, and he might make an impact sooner than expected. With Ocho Cinco getting his clock-cleaned last Sunday, Henry may be relied on as a starter as early as this Sunday. Henry was already a fantasy contributor as a third wideout and will get a bump if Johnson is out for a prolonged period of time. Although, he's probably not available on the waiver wire in point-per-off-field-infraction leagues.

Kansas City Chiefs Defense: With Jay Cutler dealing with a badly bruised leg and a trip to Arrowhead Stadium on the schedule, the Kansas City Chiefs' defense becomes a pretty good play this week. Before giving up 20 fourth-quarter points last Sunday to the Green Bay Packers, the Chiefs were giving up less than 16 points-per-game at home. They also have seven takeaways and seven sacks over their last three games.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 1:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Ravens have aimed for the stars, but through eight weeks of the NFL season they've been fairly far off their astronomical Super Bowl expectations. But to be quite frank, although injuries have caused a bit of detour, they can still reach their destination. Everything is on the line when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night with first place in the AFC North at stake. Coming off a bye, this is a winnable game.

Steve McNair, QB: McNair has had three weeks off after missing the last two contests, and practiced fully with the offense this week. He'll be good to go on Monday night and we'll start to find out whether he can be the fantasy quarterback we thought he might be now that he's healthy. Some efficient quarterbacking would do wonders for all of the fantasy parts on this offense.

Willis McGahee, RB: McGahee has been consistent, but not particularly explosive. Some of that can be blamed on the offensive line and some of it can be blamed on the inconsistent play by the quarterbacks. It should be tough sledding this week as the Steelers' defense gives up less than 78 yards per game on the ground.

Todd Heap, TE: Although Heap returned to practice on Saturday, it is difficult to gage how effective he'll be Monday. Heap has only one touchdown in six games in Pittsburgh, so if you have healthier options with better matchups, use them.

Derrick Mason, WR: Mason has at least seven catches in all but one game this season and has developed into the safety valve of the offense. For point-per-reception leagues, he's fantastic and he should get a boost in yardage production now that McNair is back at full strength.

Ravens Defense: With a difficult schedule down the second half of the season, the Ravens defense might be a "sell" candidate. For this week's purposes, defensive lineman Trevor Pryce should return in some capacity, but cornerbacks Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle might miss the game (Both missed Saturday's practice and coach Brian Billick said they were "doubtful" to play Monday). Playing without McAlister and Rolle will be a significant blow; the Steelers' offense is a different animal than what it's been in previous years. Nowadays, they line up with four wide receivers and spread the ball around and will surely test the depths of the Ravens' secondary.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Saturday at 12:00 PM ET on THE Hardcore Fantasy Show:

The NBA season is half a week in and we'll break down the early happenings as Tom Beer of Hoopsworld.com joins us to break everything down.

And Ben Standig of fftoolbox.com gets you set for Week 9 of the NFL season. By the way, there is a full slate of other games outside of the New England Patriots/Indianapolis Colts game.

As always, 1-888-9-HARDCORE and if you missed the show, check the podcast at www.hardcoresportsradio.com!

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 12:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)