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Start 'Em
SUPERSLEEPER
COREY DILLON
RB PATRIOTS
VS.
Bears
Don't let theChicago defense, which is ranked No. 1 overall, dictate every facet of yourfantasy plan. If the Bears are vulnerable anywhere, it's against the runninggame, especially since safety Mike Brown went down with a season-ending injuryin Week 6. The weakness was demonstrated recently by poor showings againstFrank Gore (111 rushing yards), Ronnie Brown (157) and Tiki Barber (141). Thoseare the kinds of numbers the lowly Raiders allow, and they're ranked 27th inrush defense. But even when Chicago has been a leaky sieve against the run, itstill has had a consistent goal-line defense; none of those three rushersreached the end zone. But Giants bruiser Brandon Jacobs did--twice--and Dillonis similarly physical. He doesn't rack up a lot of yards (he averages just 51.0per game), but he's punishing near the goal line, where he has four one-yardplunges and seven TDs overall.
QUARTERBACK
MARC BULGER
Rams VS. 49ers
Because of injuries he has played only one full home game against SanFrancisco, and that was in '03. At the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday, Bulger(313.6 yards per game with eight TDs and just one pick indoors this season)takes aim at a Niners D that has given up an average of 33.8 points on theroad.
TONY ROMO
Cowboys VS. Buccaneers
So this is what Bill Parcells envisioned. With Terry Glenn effective again,Romo has a full complement of quality wideouts, two tight ends who are makinghefty contributions and a healthy running attack to keep the defense guessing.All of which is too much for a banged-up secondary to handle.
JAKEDELHOMME
Panthers AT Redskins
Washington's defense has allowed 20 passing touchdowns in 10 games--and evenwith cornerbacks Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers healthy, the Redskins havegiven up 10 in their last four. Delhomme, meanwhile, has thrown at least one TDpass in seven of his last eight games.
RUNNING BACK
WALI LUNDY
Texans AT Jets
Lundy may get only a slice of his team's carries, splitting the job with SamkonGado, but Houston coaches favor Lundy as the Texans' long-term solution in thebackfield. And a game against New York provides an ideal platform for RBs withsomething to prove: The Jets have allowed 13 rushing TDs, most in theleague.
FRANK GORE
49ers AT Rams
Gore can gouge St. Louis, even when he's not the go-to guy; in Week 16 lastyear he tore off two TDs against the Rams coming off the bench. A starter thisseason, he ran for 127 yards and a touchdown against them in Week 2. Count onanother stellar showing against the NFL's second-worst run defense.
RUDIJOHNSON
Bengals AT Browns
Two things are certain with the Bengals: Chad Johnson will act like a fool inthe end zone, and Rudi Johnson will torch Cleveland. Johnson ran for 145 yardsand two touchdowns versus the Browns in Week 2, and in his last four gamesagainst Cleveland he's gone for 160.5 rushing yards a game and six TDs.
WIDE RECEIVER
JOE HORN
Saints AT Falcons
No quarterback on the planet has been as prolific as Drew Brees, who's totaled1,605 yards in his last four games. Enter Horn, who looked completely healthyon a 72-yard touchdown romp on Sunday after sitting out two weeks with astrained groin. Moreover, the Falcons' D is without two of its top threecorners.
DARRELLJACKSON
Seahawks VS. Packers
Rejoice, all wideouts, when you see Green Bay on your upcoming schedule. Theweekly Matt Hasselbeck watch won't impact Jackson, who's reached the end zonein five of his last six games, with Hasselbeck and Seneca Wallace at QB.Jackson will burn the Pack, whoever's under center.
LARRYFITZGERALD
Cardinals AT Vikings
How many times have you heard that Fitzgerald was once a ball boy forMinnesota? Well, he finally returns to the Metrodome for the first time as apro to show the folks in his hometown what Cris Carter and Randy Moss taughthim. The Vikings have given up six TD passes in their last two home games.
TIGHT END
ERICJOHNSON
49ers AT Rams
First-round pick Vernon Davis (broken leg) hasn't seen significant action sinceWeek 3, and Johnson has been erratic in relief duty. But Johnson should get onemore start before he's benched in favor of a healthy Davis, and the opportunitycomes against the Rams, whom he torched for 10 catches and 113 yards in Week 4of 2004, his last full season.
KICKER
MIKEVANDERJAGT
Cowboys VS. Buccaneers
The "idiot kicker" gets a matchup even an idiot would love. A weekafter ending the Colts' perfect season, Dallas hosts Tampa Bay, which ismediocre against both the run (20th) and the pass (18th). With their offensehealthy and firing on all cylinders, the Cowboys should run laps around theBucs--pausing for the occasional field goal.
DEFENSE
COLTS VS.Eagles
Take away Donovan McNabb and what does Philly have? Not much, as itdemonstrated in his absence last year. In seven games sans McNabb, the Eaglesnever scored more than 23 points, and the fill-in QBs threw only five TDpasses. They also tossed 11 picks, fumbled nine times and were sacked 23 times.Any D can work with that.
IS HE FORREAL?
DEVERYHENDERSON
WR SAINTS
For the secondtime in three weeks New Orleans was without one of its top receivers, and forthe second time in three weeks Devery Henderson came up big. He had only 110receiving yards on the year before his 111-yard, two-TD day in Week 9 whilefilling in for an injured Joe Horn. On Sunday, Marques Colston went down on theopening series, and Henderson had a career-high 169 yards. Although he has beenall-or-nothing this year (he has two games with no catches), Henderson's recenthot spell is too good to ignore.
DAVID SABINO THE PERFECT TEAM: WEEK 12
QB
DREW BREES at Falcons
Has averaged 401.3 yards in last four starts
RB
LADAINIAN TOMLINSON vs. Raiders
Has outscored Oakland in '06
RB
BRIAN WESTBROOK at Colts
Will account for most of Philly's O
WR
CHAD JOHNSON at Browns
Ocho Cinco està en fuego (2 G, 5 TDs)
WR
MARVIN HARRISON vs. Eagles
Someone will pay for Sunday's loss
TE
L.J. SMITH at Colts
Instantly becomes Jeff Garcia's safety valve
K
JOHN CARNEY at Falcons
Should be the weekend's highest scorer
D
COWBOYS vs. Buccaneers
Shut down Manning. Next up, Gradkowski
PHOTO
DAMIAN STROHMEYER (DILLON)
TWO PHOTOS
SIMON BRUTY (BULGER, DELHOMME)
PHOTO
BILL BAPTIST/GETTY IMAGES (LUNDY)
PHOTO
DAVID BERGMAN (JOHNSON)
PHOTO
KEVIN C. COX/WIREIMAGE.COM (HORN)
PHOTO
ROY DABNER/AP (FITZGERALD)
PHOTO
DOUGLAS JONES/ICON SMI (JOHNSON)
PHOTO
JAMES D. SMITH/ICON SMI (VANDERJAGT)
PHOTO
ALLEN KEE/WIREIMAGE.COM (HENDERSON)
