Week 6

Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia) – The last time that we saw McNabb, he was spending as much time on his back as he was on his feet.  Look for the quarterback to rebound in a big way on Sunday against the Jets’ 25th-ranked pass defense that has recorded just three sacks this season.  The Eagles, who have never lost the week after a bye under Coach Andy Reid, got healthy during their time off; three key starters who missed the embarrassing defeat vs. the Giants, RB Brian Westbrook, TE L.J. Smith and LT William “Tra” Thomas, are all expected to return to the staring lineup.   

Derek Anderson (Cleveland) – Anderson, who is averaging 267 passing yards and 2.5 passing TDs per start this season, has probably been wasting away on many fantasy benches this season.  If that is the case for you, consider moving him into your starting lineup this week.  With RB Jamal Lewis (foot) out, look for Anderson to continue to air it out against the Dolphins.  Miami ranks third against the pass, but that stat is very deceiving.  While Pro Bowl MLB Zach Thomas was out, opponents didn’t bother to throw against the Fish because it was easier to move the ball on the ground.  Last week against the Texans, it was a different story.  With Thomas back in the lineup, the Dolphins limited Houston to 74 rushing yards, but gave up 278 through the air.  

Vince Young (Tennessee) – So far this season, Young has yet to throw for more than 184 yards, and he has more INTs (5) than TDs (3 passing and 1 rushing).  Don’t look for him to break out of his slump on the road at Tampa Bay.  The Bucs are allowing less than 190 passing yards per game, and they have picked off more passes (6) than they have allowed touchdowns through the air (5).  Also, Young will likely be without his leading receiver, Brandon Jones, who didn’t practice this week due to a knee injury. 

Larry Johnson (Kansas City) – When I wrote the intro for this column before the start of the season, I assumed that Johnson would be a must-start every week.  It turns out that he isn’t.  With 275 rushing yards and no TDs in five games, LJ owners are suffering.  Last week against Jacksonville, he hit rock bottom, gaining just 12 yards on nine carries.  Well, folks, the Bengals are coming to the rescue.  Cincinnati ranks 29th against the run, allowing 152 rushing yards per game and 5.3 per carry.  I guarantee you that Johnson will get at least 20 carries this week and have his best game of the season to date.   
 

Willis McGahee (Baltimore) – Despite the fact that Coach Brian Billick has allowed dink-and-dunk QB Steve McNair to attempt more than 39 passes per game, McGahee has managed to rush for 464 yards, the third highest total in the league.  The problem is that he has just one TD on the season – and that came as a receiver.  Well, McGahee should visit the end zone at least once this Sunday vs. the Rams, who rank 28th against the run and have allowed an NFL-high eight TDs on the ground this season.   
 

Brandon Jacobs (NY Giants) – Despite sharing the workload with Derrick Ward last week against the Jets, Jacobs’ return to action was successful.  He rushed for 100 yards and a score on 20 attempts.  This Monday night against the Falcons, look for the big guy to have another solid game.  The Giants defense will likely dominate the action, and New York will be content to grind it out on the ground against an undersized Atlanta defense that ranks 20th against the run. 

Maurice Drew (Jacksonville) – Drew snapped out of his season-long slump last week against Kansas City, totaling 112 yards and a TD on nine carries and three receptions.  With fellow RB Fred Taylor nursing a sore groin, the second-year back should get a lot more touches this week against Houston.   

Ahman Green (Houston) – After missing two games with a knee injury, Green will return to the lineup on Sunday, but when it is all said and done, he might wish that he had waited one more week.  He’ll be facing a Jacksonville defense that has allowed a total of only 139 rushing yards in its last three games.    
 

Brian Leonard (St. Louis) – Leonard had a 100-yard effort last week against Arizona, but this Sunday, he’ll likely be stifled by Baltimore’s second-ranked run defense.  The Ravens are allowing less than 67 yards per game on the ground and are giving up just 2.9 per carry.  They also have allowed only one rushing TD this season.  To make matters worse, the Rams’ offense has been decimated by injuries, meaning that the Ravens will be able to focus on stopping Leonard more than they normally would.     

Terrell Owens (Dallas) – Have your popcorn ready?  Owens has had back-to-back quiet games, but he will be heard from on Sunday against New England.  The Cowboys will need to throw a lot to keep pace with the high-scoring Pats, and Owens is a mismatch against New England’s corners.  The last time TO faced the Pats was with the Eagles in the 2005 Super Bowl, and despite the fact that he played at less than 100 percent (recovering from a broken fibula), he caught nine balls for 122 yards.   

Chris Chambers (Miami) – Chambers has cooled off lately, catching a total of just four balls in his last two outings, and he has yet to find the end zone this season.  To make matters worse, backup QB Cleo Lemon will be starting for an injured Trent Green (concussion) this week against the Browns.  Even so, I’d give Chambers another shot this week.  Cleveland ranks 31st against the pass (267 yards per game) and has allowed an NFL-high 15 TD passes this season.   
 

Bobby Engram (Seattle) – With both Deion Branch (foot) and D.J. Hackett (ankle) out, Engram becomes the No. 1 receiver in Seattle.  So far this season, Engram has averaged a respectable 4 catches and 55 receiving yards per game, and he should better those numbers on Sunday night against the Saints’ porous secondary.  

James Jones (Green Bay) – The rookie is averaging a solid 4.6 catches and 59 receiving yards per game.  However, he fumbled twice in last week’s loss to the Bears, earning him a temporary spot on the bench.  While Jones should resume his usual role as the Packers’ No. 3 receiver, I don’t like his chances against the Redskins’ pass defense that is allowing just 182 yards per game and has given up only two passing TDs on the season. 

NY Giants Defense – The Giants might not have a great defense, but at least we know that they can pressure the quarterback.  They are tied for the league lead in sacks with 17, and this week, they’ll face an Atlanta offense that will be missing both of its starting tackles.  The Falcons’ quarterbacks have been sacked 18 times already this season, and they are averaging just 13.8 points per game.   
 

Jay Feely (Miami) – Surprisingly, Feely is the NFL’s ninth leading scorer, averaging 8.2 points per game, and this week, he’ll face a Cleveland defense that is allowing an AFC-high 30.4 points per game.  The Browns are also allowing more than two field goals per game.   

John Carney (Jacksonville) – Carney has done a solid job as Josh Scobee’s temporary replacement, averaging 7.7 points per game, and he is definitely worth a shot if you’re in need of a kicker this week.  He’ll be kicking against the Texans, who have allowed an AFC-high 12 field goals this season.   

Green Bay Defense – The Packers are playing solid defense, but the Redskins are not a good matchup.  So far this season, Washington has allowed just five sacks (the fourth lowest total in the league) and has just five giveaways (also the fourth lowest total in the league).