The Ravens now have the NFL's longest losing streak. On most weeks when getting set to face the Pittsburgh Steelers with third-stringers at quarterback and running back, the Ravens would be packing a knife for a gun fight. Given that the Steelers have little to play for, the Ravens might have a shot.

Troy Smith, QB: Troy Smith makes his second NFL start and you can raise the bar a little for your expectations since this will be his first home start. He has thrown only one touchdown -- a late, meaningless strike against the Seattle Seahawks last week -- and hasn't completed 50 percent of his passes. But the Steelers would need to rest several of their defensive parts before I had any confidence in him for my fantasy team. Namely, their whole starting unit. Here's a couple of interesting notes thanks to The Sports Xchange: the Ravens are 0-10 when not scoring first and 0-8 when losing the coin toss.

Musa Smith, RB: It's time to face the Musa as Musa Smith makes his first NFL start. Although that was an awful joke, the reality is that Smith might have some fantasy value. In a year where Ryan Grant, Selvin Young and a slew of other second-day draft picks or undrafted prospects have made significant impacts, Smith might do the same. He should be an OK flex play in a deep league.

Derrick Mason, WR: Even though he found the end zone last week, Derrick Mason is an extremely risky/borderline foolish play because of the quarterback situation. He's the only receiver from this offense worth considering at this point.

Mark Clayton, WR: Mark Clayton is questionable with a back injury. If you are starting him in your championship game, I hope you have a 50-point head start.

Lee Vickers, TE: With Todd Heap on injured reserve and Quinn Sypniewski and Daniel Wilcox ruled out for Sunday, Lee Vickers should see most of the work at tight end. There's no fantasy value to be had at this position.

Baltimore Defense: With Charlie Batch expected to start for Ben Roethlisberger, the Ravens defense might catch a break. The problem is that their success, as usual, hinges on what the offense can accomplish. If they can move the chains, give the defense a break and put up a few points, the Ravens might be a decent play. If they turn it over and put the defense in as many awful situations as they did during the previous meeting, the Ravens defense could get blitzed. On paper, this contest has the appearance of a low-scoring one.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 6:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

T.J. Duckett, RB (DET): With Kevin Jones injured -- again -- and out of the picture, former first-round pick T.J. Duckett is set to get the full set of carries. Last week, that resulted in 102 rushing yards and a touchdown. This week the Lions face the Green Bay Packers, who will likely be resting a few players since they have nothing to play for. Duckett should be in for a decent day.

Clifton Dawson, RB (IND): Maybe he’s a better story than fantasy player, but Indianapolis Colts running backs are always valuable. Clifton Dawson has been chasing the NFL dream for a little while, even though he was drafted in the sixth round of the CFL Draft. Last week, Dawson found the end zone after Joseph Addai and Kenton Keith were rested. He should be in line for more carries as the Colts plan to rest their starters even more this year.

Najeh Davenport, RB (PIT): Najeh Davenport is easily one of the most valuable backs on the waiver wire now that Willie Parker has sped off to the injured reserve. Davenport will take most of the carries the rest of the way and considering he totaled 167 yards with two touchdowns last week, he’s worth owning and starting, even against the Ravens.

Jabar Gaffney, WR (NE): Even with Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth and Wes Welker around, Jabar Gaffney has proven to be a pesky fantasy wideout. He has 14 receptions for 212 yards over his last three games and has found the end zone in four of his last five outings. He’s worth taking a flier on -- the New York Giants don’t have a very good secondary.

Cleveland Browns Defense: As Jim Cramer might say, this is a risky play, but the Cleveland Browns defense gets a quarterback who is making his first road start this week. It’s fairly simple for Cleveland: stop Frank Gore. If they can do that, the hostile environment should force Shaun Hill into some of the mistakes he was able to avoid at home. With nothing to play for, Hill and the 49ers shouldn’t feel too much pressure, but the Browns should be an intense bunch considering their playoff lives are on the line.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 4:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The last show of 2007 is going to be a blast!

We will be joined by Roy Williams of the Detroit Lions and Andrew Brunette of the Colorado Avalanche. Also, John Halpin, a fantasy sports contributor to FOXSports.com will get us up to date on all the Week 16 injuries.

There's always one owner in fantasy football who makes the head-scratching picks in the first round and apparently for the Avalanche, it's Joe Sakic.

Feel free to call us at 1-888-9-HARDCORE or email us at thefantasyshow@hardcoresportsradio.com.

If you missed the show, catch the podcast at www.hardcoresportsradio.com.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 6:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

So rookie quarterback Troy Smith will start after all, which really can't be bad for fantasy or reality purposes. Baltimore has lost it's second "Super Bowl" of the season and they needed some kind of spark for the final two games of the season. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks are coming off of a sleeper, which means that the Walrus will probably have them ready for this game. Interestingly enough, three of the Ravens' four wins this season have come against the NFC West.

Troy Smith, QB: Straight up -- if you are starting Troy Smith at this point in the season, you are playing for a consolation prize. That consolation prize might be your first victory of the season but it's difficult to gage how Smith will do. I would assume we'll see a lot of handoffs, but Smith's ability to scramble could be useful in the red zone -- a place where the Ravens have struggled mightily this season.

Willis McGahee, RB: Smith starting won't hurt Willis McGahee too much. It's not like the Ravens' quarterbacks have threatened opposing defenses to this point so McGahee will once again be the focus. The other argument I've heard frequently this week is that the Ravens should be playing from behind for most of this game. That's true, but again, that has also been true most of the season. You have to start McGahee if you own him -- ignore the matchup. I received a few questions as to whether some owners should start Steven Jackson against the NFL's No. 1 defense on Thursday night and Jackson finished with 100+ total yards (85 rushing, 21 receiving) and a touchdown.

Mark Clayton, WR: So I was off with my hunch on Mark Clayton last week, but I'll carry it over to this week. When Smith came into the game, I noticed that he was looking for Clayton with regularity. That should continue this Sunday. Sometimes when a new quarterback comes in, he uses a simplified type of thinking: get the playmakers the ball. Clayton is a very risky sleeper start at this point and there are better options as your third wide receiver -- even if you like my hunches.

Derrick Mason, WR: Derrick Mason is just 87 yards short of 1,000 and registered his fourth touchdown last week. He hovers around the No. 3 fantasy wideout spot but he doesn't find the end zone enough to consistently leave him in your lineup. If you are in a point-per-reception league, use him; if not, find somebody better.

Todd Heap, TE: If I was handicapping whether Todd Heap would play at all, I'd set the line at +150. If I was setting the line as to whether he'll have a fantasy impact, it would be closer to +400. Heap is still dealing with a hamstring injury and considering he's a building block for the future, why rush him out? He's been limited in practice by the injury, Smith is making his first NFL start and the Ravens have nothing to play for, so if you are relying on Heap for your fantasy team, you are also probably playing for nothing.

Ravens Defense: This is a tough matchup for the Ravens' defense. Back-to-back road games and this time they get an angry team that dozed off last week and is one of the few teams in the NFL still playing for something. The Seahawks are a passing team and the Ravens will probably be without starting cornerback Samari Rolle and will be without Chris McAlister, who's been placed on injured reserve. Rookie corner Willie Gaston -- no relation to the antagonist from Beauty and The Beast -- is expected to start again. Good luck. The Ravens' defense needs to be benched for other options this week.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Buy:

Anthony Johnson, PG (ATL): Is this a reach? As I write Anthony Johnson's name in the section of my weekly NBA waiver wire article where I suggest free agents to pick up, I'm still not sure. That's because he's Anthony Johnson, a career backup/journeyman point guard. He did once drop 40+ in a playoff game against New Jersey, if you want to take solace in that. The Atlanta Hawks really don't have any point guards and have probably forgotten what a good point guard looks like, which is why Johnson might actually keep the job for awhile. As long as the Hawks are in contention, Johnson might be leading the show while guys like Acie Law will come of the bench. Johnson is averaging 9.1 PPG, 6.3 APG, 1.2 SPG and almost 30 minutes per game in December.

Sebastian Telfair, PG (MIN): While Marko Jaric has been dealing with a slew of injuries, Sebastian Telfair has stepped up to the plate in December and delivered. He's averaging 6.8 APG to go with 10 PPG and 1.0 SPG -- quality numbers for the youngster. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a supermodel girlfriend like Jaric but he might keep the minutes and the starting job even when Jaric gets back.

Sean Williams, C (NJ): It's fairly simple with this guy -- when he gets to start and plays starter's minutes, he is extremely valuable. He started on Tuesday night and totaled 11 points, eight blocks, seven rebounds and two steals. He even threw in an assist to boot -- what a guy. I can't see Lawrence Frank keeping him on the bench for much longer considering how he's played -- stick with him through his inconsistent spells and he'll pay off in the new year.

Nazr Mohammed, C (CHA): The Charlotte Bobcats have been desperately searching for some interior presence to insulate Emeka Okafor and to protect what is supposed to be their franchise cornerstone. Is Nazr Mohammed that guy? Who cares, we're talking about fantasy relevance here. Mohammed might be a decent fantasy play since he's got the starting minutes to himself. In his first start, he notched 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks -- that's quality and he might be able to buzz around those numbers if he continues to start.

Sell:

Marko Jaric, PG (MIN): See Sebastian Telfair.

Walter Hermann, F (DET): Walter Hermann's late-season run last year is a distant memory. Mi Hermano (Arrested Development reference) is in a better situation in Detroit now but he's at the back end of a long rotation.

Larry Hughes, SG (CLE): Larry Hughes misses that free-flowing offense that he used to thrive in when he played in Washington. He doesn't fit the defensive scheme in Cleveland and has very little fantasy value.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 9:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Sage Rosenfels, QB (HOU): With Matt Schaub out of the picture, 29-year-old Sage Rosenfels has stepped into the limelight. He's 3-0 as the Texans' starter this year and gets a fairly good matchup for Week 16. The Indianapolis Colts have locked up the No. 2 seed in the AFC and might rest their starters at some point in the game. Rosenfels has averaged nearly 200 total yards per game, with six total touchdowns in his last three starts.

Dominic Rhodes, RB (OAK): Justin Fargas has been one of the biggest fantasy surprises this season but now that he is done for the year, Oakland's high-priced backs will get another kick at the can. Former Terp LaMont Jordan is deep in Lane Kiffin's doghouse and has openly stated that he can't wait for the season to end, which may indicate that Rhodes has the inside track on the carries. Both have value but Rhodes appears to have more upside at this point.

LaMont Jordan, RB (OAK): Jordan has talked a lot of trash in the last few weeks and there is a very good chance he won't be back in Oakland next season. But he still might see some carries. Lane Kiffin said he'd let his two underwhelming backs, Rhodes and Jordan, battle it out and see who gets the carries. I picked up Rhodes, but the truth is neither might have much value as the Raiders head to Jacksonville this week.

Roydell Williams, WR (TEN): Although the two touchdowns Roydell Williams tallied in Week 15 doubled his season total, he's still worth a look in deep leagues. He's totaled 198 receiving yards and three touchdowns in December, establishing himself as Vince Young's favorite target. Williams is a decent option as the Titans host the New York Jets this week.

Tony Scheffler, TE (DEN): Tony Scheffler is an obvious acquisition this week. If you picked him up a few weeks ago when I advised you to do so, then you enjoyed his seven-reception, 100-yard performance last Thursday night, which also included a touchdown. Scheffler shares time with Daniel Graham but Graham suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 15 and will likely be limited this week, if he even plays. That means Scheffler will see more playing time and now becomes one of the more valuable fantasy tight ends overall.

Kevin Boss, TE (NYG): Who's the Boss at tight end for the New York Giants? It's actually Kevin Boss, now that Jeremy Shockey is out for the year. Like tight end stud Antonio Gates, Boss is a former basketball player. He is a rookie but that should affect his blocking more than pass-catching at this point. He's a risk to start, but an interesting prospect at this point.

Seattle Seahawks Defense: What's worse than Kyle Boller? (insert numerous options here) How about a concussed Kyle Boller? Why he is starting is beyond me - but maybe me and the guy who commented on last week's Ravens Fantasy Flash are the only people that have come to the realization that Boller is worthless as a starting quarterback. With nothing to play for, it might make sense to see what Troy Smith has to offer - he looked OK last week considering he was thrown into the fire. The Seattle Seahawks are going to be fired up this week after falling asleep in Carolina. The Ravens' secondary is a mess right now and Seattle loves to pass. That likely means Baltimore will be playing from behind all day. Boller facing a deficit is like Paris Hilton facing an algebra test -- the odds of success are not good.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 1:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Miami Dolphins have lost all 13 of their games this year, but this week they face the team with the second-longest losing streak in the NFL: the Ravens. That's the good news. The bad news for Miami is that the Ravens are fresh off of playing the two (or two of the) best teams in the NFL. As long as the Ravens aren't half asleep like on Sunday night, they should feel like they're playing a high school team after facing such stiff competition. The key for the Ravens will be to score first - they are 0-9 when they don't.

Kyle Boller, QB (BAL): Kyle Boller is the starter by default with Steve McNair on injured reserve. Boller hasn't won a road start since 2004 and if you are starting him for fantasy purposes, your team is likely playing for a consolation prize.

Willis McGahee, RB (BAL) Willis McGahee is the key to victory for the Ravens and should have a bounce-back week against the 28th-ranked run defense. The Dolphins will be without their top two linebackers, Zach Thomas and Channing Crowder, and McGahee, a former Hurricane, has some extra incentive coming back to Miami. If you have him, you start him.

Derrick Mason, WR (BAL): The Dolphins have the third-ranked pass defense in the NFL, but I'd say that's more because opponents know they can grind out wins on the ground. Mason is tough to rely on for fantasy purposes right now. He might have a few grabs, but big plays are few and far between.

Mark Clayton, WR (BAL): If you want a sleeper pick at wide receiver, here is your guy. Mark Clayton has shown some signs of life over the last two weeks and I think he gets into the end zone this week for the first time this season. He caught seven passes for 90 yards last Sunday and seems to be finding a little bit of rhythm after injuries and quarterbacking inconsistency kept him out of sync throughout most of the season.

With injuries to Todd Heap and Demetrius Williams, there aren't any other viable fantasy players on this offense.

Baltimore Defense: It's fairly simple: if the Ravens are up for this game, they won't give up much to the Dolphins. After facing Tom Brady and Peyton Manning in consecutive weeks, shutting down Cleo Lemon should be a much simpler task. The Ravens don't give up rushing yards very frequently, so if Lemon has to beat them through the air, his prospects aren't so good. The Ravens defense is a quality fantasy defense this week.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Buy:

Steve Blake, PG (POR): The Portland Trail Blazers have Jarrett Jack and former first-round pick Sergio Rodriguez. They used another first-round pick on Petteri Koponen this year and also drafted Florida point guard Taurean Green, yet who is running the show? Journeyman Steve Blake. Blake has been starting and playing close to 30 minutes a night for Portland in November and December, which means he should be on rosters. The guy is short for points, but he'll give you 5.5 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 3-pointers and a steal here and there. The key here is that he's getting minutes. Not many coaches have consistently shown faith in him over the course of a season, which means he has potential for better averages.

Jarrett Jack, PG (POR): The only reason Jarrett Jack is not in the 'sell' category of this blog is because he is in the 'sell' category for the Portland Trail Blazers. Apparently, they are looking to move him because they've soured on his prospects. A trade to the Miami Heat would give Jack a shot in the arm and make him very valuable again. If he doesn't get dealt, though, he's not much more than waiver-wire fodder.

Paul Millsap, F (UTA): With Mehmet Okur expected to be out for a few games, Paul Millsap's minutes and value shoot up. Filling in for Okur on Wednesday night, Millsap finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Okur is dealing with a strained trapezius, an injury that could linger according to my google searches. Millsap is a good source of points and rebounds while Okur is out.

Dorrell Wright, F (MIA): Proceed with caution, but Dorrell Wright might become a valuable fantasy player shortly. He already has - over his last three games he's averaged 13 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG and 1.3 BPG. The problem is consistency. Sandwiched in between two amazing games over his last three is a 20-minute, four-point one-rebound effort. In his other two games, he's double-doubled. He's a youngster and is getting his first exposure to serious playing time. The Heat are short on bodies, so he'll likely continue to see minutes. I would pick him up now in case he continues stay hot - if he cools off, you can always drop him.

Sell:

Martell Webster, G (POR): If you are wondering what the downside of picking Dorrell Wright up can be, Martell Webster is a good example. Webster is a youngster that is also getting his first taste of starting and prolonged playing time, and he has been wildly inconsistent so far. Eschewing last night's two-point effort because of the flu, here are Webster's point totals over December: 25, 9, 4, 3, 17. Webster doesn't offer a whole lot in the way of rebounds, assists, blocks or steals, so if he's not scoring and hitting 3-pointers consistently, then you don't need him. Travis Outlaw's value takes a bump up if he takes over the starting role.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Trent Edwards, QB (BUF): While the Buffalo Bills have played musical chairs all season long with their quarterbacks, the music has stopped now and they've finally settled on Trent Edwards. Edwards responded last week with four touchdown passes and actually has a pretty good matchup this week against the Cleveland Browns. The Dawg Pound has the 30th-ranked pass defense and the 27 touchdown passes they've allowed is the most in the NFL. Although Edwards is a rookie, he's in a decent spot this week.

Aaron Stecker, RB (NO): If you wanted to see some evidence of how Reggie Bush's replacements might fair, Monday night gave us a good indication. Journeyman Aaron Stecker will likely see the bulk of the carries the rest of the way, and he responded with 20 carries and 100 yards rushing. Earlier in the season, the Saints used Mike Karney near the goal line so he might vulture some of Stecker's touchdowns, but since Stecker is a starting running back on a good offense, he should be picked up.

Anthony Gonzalez, WR (IND): With Marvin Harrison hurting, rookie wideout Anthony Gonzalez has stepped up his game. He has quickly developed good chemistry with Peyton Manning and playing opposite Reggie Wayne has kept the attention off of him. He has 13 receptions, 261 yards and two touchdowns over the last three weeks and is worth starting as long as Harrison is out.

Marcus Pollard, TE (SEA): Marcus Pollard isn't going to challenge Antonio Gates for receiving yards anytime soon but what he might be able to do is help you find the end zone. With the Seattle Seahawks airing the ball out more, Pollard has become a valuable weapon for them in the red zone. His Week 15 matchup against Carolina is a good one. The Panthers have allowed their opponents' tight end to catch a touchdown in each of the last four games.

Cincinnati Bengals Defense: One week after facing first-time starter, Brock Berlin, the Cincinnati Bengals get another gift when they step onto the field against another first-time starter, Shaun Hill. Compounding the problems for the 49ers is that Hill has a dislocated index finger on his throwing hand. Even the feeble Bengals should be in for a good day against an offense that is more inept than their defense typically is.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 1:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Still stinging from a loss to the New England Patriots, the Ravens will have a difficult time matching their intensity from last week. Arguably, they played close to their best game of the season against what might be one of the best teams - and quarterbacks - of all-time and fell just short. Now they get the reigning Super Bowl Champs and must be on their toes again to get a win. Brian Billick is 1-4 lifetime against the Indianapolis Colts.

Kyle Boller, QB: If you haven't figured it out by now, Kyle Boller is not the future franchise quarterback in Baltimore. Or if he is, then the future isn't very bright. Last week his stats were padded by a last-second Hail Mary that Mark Clayton caught. This week Boller faces the No. 2 pass defense and isn't a good play for fantasy purposes. We'll see if the offensive line can match their impeccable performance of last week.

Willis McGahee, RB: As most people have been clamoring for all season, Brian Billick put the offense on Willis McGahee's back last week and he should do the same again if he wants to win. McGahee is the Ravens' best offensive option and responded well to his season-high 30 carries. He churned out 138 yards and a touchdown but more importantly, put the Ravens in position to win. McGahee is a must-start every week for fantasy purposes.

Derrick Mason, WR: Derrick Mason found the end zone for a third time this season against the Patriots and added six catches and 67 yards to go with it. He has 20 receptions for 249 yards and a touchdown over his last three games and continues to be Boller's top target.

Mark Clayton, WR: Mark Clayton caught a 52-yard Hail Mary to end the game against the Patriots but that was his only catch. He is a non-factor for fantasy purposes.

Ravens Tight Ends: With Todd Heap dealing with a hamstring injury, this position has been rendered virtually useless for fantasy purposes. Daniel Wilcox caught a touchdown last week, but you have to be really desperate to look for fantasy production from the Ravens tight ends.

Ravens Defense: The Ravens have a couple of injury issues to deal with this week, which might hamper their performance. Chris McAlister has a right knee sprain and will be a game-time decision and Bart Scott, who will most likely play, has a broken bone in his left hand. When the Ravens secondary is healthy, they are tough to beat. McAlister's injury would be a huge blow. Overall, there are better matchups for fantasy purposes than this one.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Chris Redman, QB (ATL): Desperate for help at quarterback? So are the Atlanta Falcons. Keep an eye on the starting situation there where former Raven Chris Redman might get the start this week. Redman stepped in last week and led the Falcons to a couple of scores after they were blanked in the first half. He completed 16-of-24 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown. One former Ravens quarterback draft pick is unexpectedly thriving (Derek Anderson) - could another?

Mike Furrey, WR (DET): With Roy Williams out for the season, Mike Furrey -- not Shaun McDonald -- will step into the starting lineup. Furrey has found the end zone only once this season but his stock shoots up now that he becomes the top target. With Calvin Johnson in and out of Mike Martz' doghouse and McDonald better suited for part-time duty, Furrey should be the Lions' most reliable target the rest of the way.

Bryant Johnson, WR (ARI): With Anquan Boldin dealing with a broken toe and Larry Fitzgerald saddled with a groin injury, Bryant Johnson becomes a very valuable starting wide receiver. Johnson caught six passes for 54 yards and a touchdown in Week 13 and should be in line for even more with the top two targets ailing.

Leonard Pope, TE (ARI): With the Arizona Cardinals preferring to use their aerial attack, there seems to be enough passes to go around for everyone. Leonard Pope, like Johnson, should benefit from the injuries to Boldin and Fitzgerald, and should see a bump in attention. Pope has caught touchdowns in three of his last four games and is one of the Cardinals' main red-zone options.

Denver Broncos defense: Who are the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers? They are the Division II football team that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Tyler Thigpen played for. Why is Thigpen relevant? He might see some more action this Sunday if Brodie Croyle's bad back or Damon Huard's bad hand keep them out. Croyle should start but back pain lingers and could affect his performance. The Chiefs' offense hasn't exactly been lighting it up anyways so the Broncos are a solid play as they get the mild Chiefs offense at home this week.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)