I know Fantasy Football Season may be over but the 5 Post-Season Playoff competitions I’ve entered are telling me different.

• We may have seen the last of Brian Westbrook, especially as an elite Fantasy RB. The guy still has some skills but you could tell he’s too concerned with taking the big hit and Philadelphia clearly looks to be moving on with LeSean McCoy likely to be the main RB next season. So long Westy, it’s been nice knowing you and thanks for the good years.

• I know the Bengals are done and they looked terrible down the stretch but Cedric Benson was a man child this season and it looks to continue. Marvin Lewis has already gone out there and stated that the Bengals will be run heavy in 2010, so don’t expect a decline from Benson who will be on the last year of his current contract.

• “The Patriots Dynasty is over”. Please don’t shed too many tears for Bill Belicheat and the Bundchen Gang, as they still have a very young defense, three 2nd round picks in 2010, two 1st round picks in 2011(thanks to the Raiders being idiots), and there’s also that guy named Tom Brady to build around. “Yeah, we’ll never hear from them again” <—- Insert Sarcasm Here.

• The 2009 MVP has been announced and it’s Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts. There’s no doubting his talent and the total control that he has over that Colts’ machine but what’s really concerning me here is the fact that nobody voted for Chris Johnson. Manning received 39.5 votes, Drew Bress received 7.5 votes, Philip Rivers received 2 votes, and Brett Favre only got one vote. I know that “Everybody Loves a QB” but this is getting way out of control.

• Alright, I can’t help it. I’m REALLY getting stoked up about Pete Carroll coming back to the NFL. He’s going to be instituting his west-coast system, he’s bringing in Jeremy Bates, and now he just hired Alex Gibbs to be the offensive line coach. If you’re not familiar with Gibbs, he is the Godfather of the Zone Blocking scheme made famous in Denver under Mike Shanahan. Justin Forsett might be a very interesting player this off-season.

• Finally, give us a shout-out Wednesday Night 9:00pm EST over at The Fantasy Exchange Podcast. Live Advice, News/Notes, Playoff Talk, and Match-up Previews. We’ll even get Brenda Warner’s take on her husband’s prospective retirement.

OK, here’s a few start ‘ems for these playoff games this week if you’re still alive in your playoff pools, contests, and such. You can either get some advice or experience how dead wrong I am. . .

QB Drew Brees - New Orleans vs Arizona

I love this pick for a survivor league, where you can only use a player once. YES, I think the Saints are going to choke but that doesn’t mean that Drew Brees won’t still have a great game. The Cards gave up plenty of points to the Packers and can be beaten through the air, so I’m looking for the Saints to put points up on the board in another game that should be a safe “Over”.

RB Thomas Jones - New York @ San Diego

On that survivor note, now is the time to use Thomas Jones! He’s in a great situation and the Chargers can still be had on the ground with the lack of talent on their D-Line. Shonn Greene has been getting used a lot more but I still expect the Jets to stick to the run and I’m looking for TJ to hit pay-dirt at least once.

WR Derrick Mason - Baltimore @ Indianapolis

This should be a no-brainer but with the Ravens going up against the injury riddled Colts secondary, look for Derrick Mason to have a ton of targets in this match-up. The veteran WR should be in store for at least 70 yards receiving and should find his way to the end-zone in the process. If you’ve still got the chance to use Mason, now is the time.

WR Pierre Garcon - Indianapolis vs Baltimore

I know that it’s no fun to have more than two or three players in a game but the rook should be closed in Indianapolis, making for excellent passing conditions. The Ravens do have Ed Reed back in the lineup but their corner backs are still very suspect and Manning targeted Pierre Garcon 8 times in the team’s last game against the Ravens resulting in 6 receptions for 100+ yards. I like his chances with the Ravens trying their best to shut down Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne.

TE Jeremy Shockey - New Orleans vs Arizona

I hate going with one Brees target only but I’ve got a feeling that today is “Jimmy Shaker Day” and that this weekend will be a good time to start Jeremy Shockey. The Saints do have a good match-up but I think Shockey will get open deep and expose a Cardinals’ defense that will be going out of their way to stop Marques Colston and Robert Meachem.

PK Neil Rackers - Arizona @ New Orleans

We’ve got to touch on the special-teamers and we knocked one out of the park last week with the super special-teamer Jay Feely but this week we need somebody involved in the game that should feature the most points scored. The Cardinals’ Neil Rackers had only missed one kick all year before last weekend and he should be in store for a lot of points regardless of if they come via 7 extra points or 3 field goals.

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

Early Doucet was considered a steal in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. He amassed 160 receptions in four seasons at LSU, but his value dropped because of his relatively pedestrian size and speed.

Sound familiar? Sounds a lot like Anquan Boldin in several ways.

Doucet is 6′0″/212 while Boldin is 6′1″/217. Doucet ran a 4.56 40-yard dash at the Combine, Boldin a 4.71.

In fact while at first it appeared the Cardinals had nabbed Doucet to step in and become the No.3 receiver behind Fitzgerald and Boldin, perhaps even immediately, injuries and circumstances have changed.

Steve Breaston emerged in last year’s training camp as much more than a return man to the surprise of most, and Doucet battled several injuries on his way to collecting only 14 rookie receptions.

Anquan Boldin meanwhile went public with his dissatisfaction with Cardinals management and his current contract. While Q is still a member of the team this year, all signs point to him getting traded this offseason.

Which begs the question, did Arizona draft Doucet to take Q’s place on the team rather than play alongside him? He is a virtual clone physically.

We may get that answer after the Cardinals’ season is over.

In the meantime, Boldin is reportedly “highly unlikely to play Sunday against Green Bay” for Arizona’s first round playoff matchup on Wild Card Weekend. Even if he does, he will surely be gimpy and not be in the game for his usual number of snaps.

Enter Doucet. Early has really been coming on as of late, showing a noticeable swagger that had not been present until the past few games. It seems the pro game has slowed down for him and he has gained confidence.

He was inactive for the first seven games of the season but has now caught at least one pass in every game except one, having surpassed Jerheme Urban on the depth chart at mid-season.

Additionally, it is clear that when Doucet has spelled Boldin in the past, he runs many of the same routes.

Expect Doucet to be in position to make some crucial plays for the Cardinals on Sunday, and perhaps one of 2010’s biggest sleepers as well.

This article also appears on Undrafteds.com

Cedric Benson is the key to the Bengals offense and will be ready after getting a week off.

SURVIVOR POOLS

It’s time for my top selections for Suicide Pools. If you’re looking for one sure-fire winner each week, look no further than this column. I’ll give you my top three, just in case you’ve already chosen my top selection. The roll will continue from last year where I barely ever missed.

LAST WEEK: 3-0 ——–> Tennessee, Minnesota, and Atlanta

OVERALL: 43-8 (THE SUICIDE POOL SELECTIONS ARE DONE FOR THE 2009 SEASON)

WEEK 17 PREDICTIONS

LAST WEEK SU: 12-4
LAST WEEK ATS: 10-6

OVERALL SU: 175-81
OVERALL ATS: 140-98-2

WEEK 18 SELECTIONS

NY Jets at Cincinnati (Bengals -2)
We all have such a short term memory that it’s nearly impossible to pick the Bengals in this spot after what we saw Sunday night. Not me. I know what the Bengals are capable of and they remind me a lot of the Cardinals last year. A hot start, then fading down the stretch. It’s kinda like they were sleep-walking the last month of the season, but it’s not like this team forgot how to play football and I believe the addition of Cedric Benson (he didn’t play last week) will have a tremendous effect on the passing game. The Jets have played very well, defensively, this year, but when Cincy grabs the early lead it will force Mark Sanchez to throw… and do Jets fans really want that? I wouldn’t. I’m siding with the home team, 17-13.
PREDICTION: SU BENGALS/ATS BENGALS

Philly at Dallas (Cowboys -4)
I gotta admit, I never imagined the Cowboys would be hosting a playoff game, especially against the Eagles. But if you look at how the Cowboys defense has played recently (vs. the Chargers, Saints, Redskins and Eagles), it has to worry you a little if you’re a Philly fan. The Eagles couldn’t even muster a field goal in a 24-0 shutout, but if you’re thinking we’ll see a repeat performance from either team, you’re crazy. Dallas won’t be able to move the ball quite as easy as they did last week while the Eagles WILL be able to find the end zone. Andy Reid is a better coach than Wade Phillips, hands down, while I still have a lot of faith in the Philly defense. This one will come down to the wire, but remember, these are the Cowboys and this is the playoffs. Eagles win, 16-13.
PREDICTION: SU EAGLES/ATS EAGLES

Baltimore at New England (Pats -4)
At first glance, I was on the same side as the rest of the general public… thinking the Patriots would steamroll the Ravens. But the more I hear everyone touting the Patriots as an “easy home winner”, the more I’m starting to think Baltimore is the right side. Remember, this same Ravens team was in the AFC Title game last year against the Steelers and could have easily won that game. Not much has changed from that roster other than Ray Rice getting more touches and Joe Flacco getting one more year of experience. The loss of Wes Welker might actually hurt more than I initially anticipated, and as good as Julian Edelman has done filling in, he’s not Welker. Without that security blanket, I could easily see the Patriots struggling more than they are used to. Plus, I don’t anticipate much of a running game from the Pats either. First home loss for New England? I think so, 27-23.
PREDICTION: SU RAVENS/ATS RAVENS

I know Fantasy Football Season may be over but the 5 Post-Season Playoff competitions I’ve entered are telling me different.

• It appears the Texans are retaining head coach Gary Kubiak and that’s good news for the fantasy stock of Matt Shcaub and Andre Johnson but the same can’t be said of the RB corps. Kubiak, a former understudy of Mike Shanahan, was as fickle as they come when it came to his distribution of rushing attempts. His “One Fumble & Done” philosophy has been a nightmare for Fantasy owners this year.

• Well it looks like Brandon Marshall has played his last game as a Denver Bronco and is likely to sign a contract with another team. Don’t be surprised to see the Baltimore Ravens make a strong move to get the physical wide receiver paired up with cool Joe Flacco for the next few years.

• Why do I keep hearing; “The Patriots can’t win without Wes Welker“. Please! Tom Brady has been a winner since he put that Patriots helmet on and he’s won plenty of Super Bowls without Wes Welker. . . 3 to be exact. I know that Welker is a special player who brings a lot of different things to the table but I’m not counting out Brady, Belicheat, or Bundchen for matter.

• MVP is about to be decided and as much as I want to vote for Peyton Manning and the offensive machine he runs in Indianapolis, I’d honestly vote for Brett Favre and the season that the Vikings have had. It’s still a feel-good story for me with the way Favre has transformed that offense and turned two young WRs (Rice & Harvin) into pro-bowlers. None of this would have happened for the Vikings if “The Silver Fox” didn’t un-retire and bring his magic to the team.

• Funny stuff in the rumor mill: Hearing that agents might be setting up a race between Chris Johnson and Usain Bolt in the 40-yard dash for a charity. I love Chris Johnson just as much as the next guy and I think he does deserve a lot more attention than he gets because this is too much of a QB league but Bolt would torch CJ. It wouldn’t even be close, as Bolts projected 40-yard time would be 3.7 seconds and if you clocked the last 40-yards of his record setting 100-meter dash, he ran a 40 of 2.97 seconds. (I’d still pay to see it)

• Finally, give us a shout-out Wednesday Night 9:00pm EST over at The Fantasy Exchange Podcast. Live Advice, News/Notes, Playoff Talk, and Match-up Previews. We’ll even tell you who the next Raiders Coach will be… WTF!

Alright, I figured throwing out a few start ‘ems for these playoff games this week might be of some help if you’re in as many playoff pools/contests as I’m in. You can either get some advice or experience how dead wrong I am. . .

QB Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers @ Arizona

This one is the can’t miss pick, as the Cardinals have been prone to being beaten through the air and their top cornerback, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, has been hampered by a nagging knee injury that’s been slowing him down all week. Aaron Rodgers has been on fire to close out the season and I could see him score 2 TDs minimum in this game. I expect a high scoring game here and while it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pick Kurt Warner, I’d rather go up against the Cardinals secondary as opposed to the Packers secondary.

RB Ray Rice - Baltimore Ravens @ New England

I know that nobody likes the match-up here but I’m just looking at the simplicity of things, especially if you’re in a PPR format. Ray Rice will be targeted early and often in the passing game, while getting the majority of carries. I’m not sure that the Ravens will win this game outright but I think this would be the week to use a RB that will rack up pts in PPR systems.

WR Julian Edelman - New England Patriots vs Baltimore

This goes right along with my theory that the Patriots won’t be done without Welker. I don’t think that Julian Edelman is the next Wes Welker but he’s got a very similar skill set and he should have a terrific match-up against a suspect Ravens secondary that will be focusing a lot of attention on #1 WR Randy Moss. Once again, I expect at a lot of short range targets and over the middle routes that might pay off in the right scoring system.

WR Donald Driver - Green Bay Packers @ Arizona

I really like this match-up going in with the injury concerns going for the Cardinals defense here. The Packers have a lot of weapons but Donald Driver has been getting steadily targeted 6 times in the last 5 games. Rodgers will pick apart the Cardinals secondary when the Packers are on offense and Driver will be a big part of that is my thinking.

TE Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia

I know, the Philly defense is a good pass defense, which is true but they still give up a lot of points to tight ends. Their lack of talent at linebacker is starting to catch up to them and Jason Witten should be in store for another great game against the Iggles. You don’t need to look much further than last week to get a preview of what’s going to happen. Witten may have had a

PK Jay Feely - New York Jets @ Cincinnati

Gotta get a kicker? Thought so. I’m not a big fan of this guy but Jay Feely has banged in 30 of 36 field goals on the season and I expect this game to be close. The Jets running game should be able to move the ball but I don’t see the Jets blowing the Bungles out of the water either. He should be in store for a good amount of opportunities this weekend.

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

~Bears~QB Jay Cutler

~Lions~QB Matthew Stafford

~Packers~TE Jermichael Finley

~Vikings~QB ?

~Falcons~WR Harry Douglas

~Saints~WR Robert Meachem

~Panthers~QB Matt Moore/TE Gary Barnidge

~Buccaneers~QB Josh Freeman

~Giants~RB Andre Brown

~Eagles~WR Jeremy Maclin

~Redskins~RB Quinton Ganther

~Cowboys~WR Kevin Ogletree/RB Felix Jones

~Cardinals~WR Early Doucet/RB Chris Wells

~49ers~WR Michael Crabtree/WR Josh Morgan

~Seahawks~RB Justin Forsett

~Rams~WR Brandon Gibson/WR Danny Amendola

~Ravens~WR 2010 draft pick/WR Brandon Marshall

~Browns~RB Jerome Harrison

~Bengals~RB Bernard Scott/WR Andre Caldwell

~Steelers~WR Mike Wallace/RB Rashard Mendenhall

~Texans~WR Jacoby Jones/RB Arian Foster

~Colts~WR Pierre Garçon/RB Donald Brown

~Jaguars~WR Mike Thomas/TE Zach Miller

~Titans~TE Jared Cook

~Bills~RB Fred Jackson

~Dolphins~WR Davone Bess/WR Brian Hartline

~Patriots~WR Julian Edelman

~Jets~WR Braylon Edwards/RB Shonn Greene

~Broncos~WR Eddie Royal

~Chiefs~RB Jamaal Charles/TE Leonard Pope

~Raiders~QB Bruce Gradkowski/WR Chaz Schilens

~Chargers~RB Mike Tolbert/WR Legedu Naanee

Well it’s time for “Black Monday” and while I’m sure that there will be plenty of coaches fired today, we’ve also got plenty of injuries to hit on in the last week of the regular season.

From Wes Welker’s shredded knee to the latest on Pat White’s condition, we’ve got it all right here in the latest edition of the Infirmary Report, the first article to read for what happened on Sunday.

So make sure that you know all the big injuries and check us out every single week right here at FantasyFootball.com!!!

Quarterbacks

OUT
Chad Henne (Eye), Miami Dolphins
Chad Henne did not start the second half and remained out for the Dolphins due to an eye injury. Henne was having a great game against the Steelers’ secondary in the first half, going 16-of-20 for 140 yards with a touchdown but he could not return to the game due to blurred vision and he’ll see an eye doctor on Monday. The 2nd-year pro from Michigan says he first started experiencing a problem with his vision after Steelers LB Lamar Woodley sacked him and he landed on the left side of his head. It’s obviously something that was hindering his performance during the game but it’s nothing an off-season of rehab won’t cure.

OUT
Pat White (Head/Neck), Miami Dolphins
In a very scary moment, Dolphins QB Pat White was carted off the field during Sunday’s game against the Steelers. White, who was in for an injured Chad Henne, was trying to run for a first down when he took a hard helmet-to-helmet hit from Ike Taylor. White immediately collapsed to the ground and showed little movement before being taken off the field in a stretcher. Harvey Greene, the Dolphins’ spokesman said White seems to be OK in terms of moving his extremities after initial tests but is going to stay in the hospital for further examination.

Running backs

DOUBTFUL
Tashard Choice (Concussion), Dallas Cowboys
Tashard Choice suffered a concussion in the first quarter of Sunday’s win and did not return to the game. While Choice says he’ll be “ready for the Wild Card round”, he’ll only be cleared for the game if he’s completely symptom-free on Monday and all week long after that. The NFL has been extremely stringent with it’s new concussion policy, as teammate Martellus Bennett had to miss two games earlier this year with the same injury. “I could remember everything,” Choice insisted. “I was dazed a little bit. I’m playing. I got to.” Choice’s status is very questionable considering the league’s recent treatment of this injury.

Wide Receivers

OUT
Wes Welker (Knee), New England Patriots
Welker tore his knee out in the 1st quarter after catching a Tom Brady pass and, while attempting to make a move on a defender, his left knee completely buckled underneath him. It’s always a bad sign when a player collapses in a heap without any contact and this appears to be the case with Welker. The preliminary prognosis is not encouraging, as early reports show Welker having a torn ACL and torn MCL. He is scheduled to undergo more testing on Monday but as of right now, things do not look good for owners hoping to see Welker in the post-season. Consider this a huge upgrade for Julian Edelman’s playoff-fantasy status.

QUESTIONABLE
Anquan Boldin (Knee/Ankle), Arizona Cardinals
Anquan Boldin left Sunday’s game in the 3rd quarter with a left knee & ankle injury and did not return. Boldin was undercut over the middle and his left leg bent backward awkwardly. Boldin says he expects to play in next week’s Wild Card playoff game, the Arizona Republic reports. Boldin said both his ankle and knee were caught up in the play but team reporters are very suspect on his playoff status this coming weekend.

Defensivebacks

QUESTIONABLE
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Knee), Dallas
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was carted off the field after landing hard on his kneecap on the 3rd play of the game and did not return. DRC’s loss would be a devastating blow to the Cardinals in the playoffs, as he has become one of the best young corners in the game. While the 2nd-year pro says he’ll be fine for the Cardinal’s first playoff game, the Cardinals’ pass defense could potentially be in bad shape going up against the high-flying Packers’ passing attack.

QUESTIONABLE
Charles Woodson (Shoulder), Green Bay Packers
Woodson left the game with a shoulder injury just one possession after he returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown. He had been bothered by shoulder problems recently but was in the starting lineup anyway. While Woodson said his shoulder injury wouldn’t have kept him from returning to the game if needed Sunday, he also says he’ll be fine for next week’s game at Arizona.

POST-SEASON FANTASY FOOTBALL FREEZE OUT

It’s called the Post-Season Fantasy Football Freeze Out. I’m quite sure you’ve heard about it… the only post-season fantasy football league you need to play in. This is our 5th year to hold the Freeze Out competition and each year it’s been more and more successful. Every year we get more and more participation and that allows us to raise the prize money even more. How many contests do you know that pay out the TOP 20 place finishers? That’s right… no matter if we have 50 or 500 participants, we’re paying out the top 20 winners… and the prize money WON’T CHANGE!!

Here are the details:

PRIZES

Entry fee: $15

1st place: $1,000 cash!

2nd place: $500 cash!

3rd place: $150

4th - 10th: $50

11th - 20th: $25

THE GAME

You will choose twelve post-season NFL players, and you will choose wisely, because there will be no roster moves or lineup changes allowed after the games have started on Wild Card Weekend!

During the NFL playoffs, your players will accumulate fantasy points according to the scoring system detailed below. When a team washes out of the playoffs, you’re stuck with the players from that team on your roster for the rest of the contest! The team that compiles the most total points over the course of the regular season is declared the winner.

Play starts Wildcard Weekend and goes through the Super Bowl. The entry deadline is fifteen minutes before the first game on Saturday, January 9, 2010. Rosters will lock five minutes before the first game on January 9, and they will remain locked through the Super Bowl. If one of your players drops out of the playoffs or underperforms or gets injured or benched, you will NOT be allowed to replace him.

You may JOIN NOW and change your roster as many times as you wish right up until five minutes before the first game of Wildcard Weekend.

You may enter as many times as you wish, but you must pay the entry fee each time!

You will choose the following players for your roster:

2 quarterbacks

3 running backs

4 wide receivers

1 tight ends

1 kicker

1 defenses/special teams

TIEBREAKERS

First tiebreaker: Guess the total points scored by the two NFL teams in the Super Bowl.

Second tiebreaker: Guess the total points scored by the four NFL teams in the AFC and NFC Championship Games.

SCORING

Passing

Passing yardage: 1 pt per 20 yards
Passing TD: 4 pts
Two-point conversion pass: 2 pts
Interception thrown: -2 pts

Rushing

Rushing yardage: 1 pt per 10 yards
Rushing TD: 6 pts
Two-point conversion rush: 2 pts

Receiving

Reception: 1 pt
Receiving yardage: 1 pt per 10 yards
Receiving TD: 6 pts
Two-point conversion catch: 2 pts

General

Fumble lost: -2 pts

Kicking

Extra point: 1 pt
Field goal 0-39 yds: 3 pts
Field goal 40-49 yds: 4 pts
Field goal 50+ yds: 5 pts

Defense/special teams

Defensive sack: 2 pts
Defensive fumble recovery: 2 pts
Defensive interception: 2 pts
Safety: 4 pts
Defensive TD: 6 pts
Special teams TD: 6 pts
0 points against: 10 pts
2-7 points against†: 7 pts
8-14 points against†: 4 pts
15-21 points against†: 1 pt

†Points allowed by the offense and special teams count as if they were scored against the defense.

GOOD LUCK!

12:20 pm CT

- This knee injury to Wes Welker doesn’t look good. He won’t come back today for sure, and now his return for a playoff game is in question.

- Atlanta went three-and-out and had to punt. Tampa has good field position on their second drive of the game.

- The Dolphins are putting together a nice little drive in answer to Pittsburgh’s scoring drive.

- The Niners and Rams are doing exactly what we expected in the early going… NOTHING.

12:15 pm CT

- Maurice Jones-Drew just limped to the sidelines in Cleveland.

- Another UH OH!!! Wes Welker just went down with a knee injury and it doesn’t look good. Yikes!! And it came on his 123rd catch of the season.

- Uh oh… didn’t I tell someone to bench Fred Jackson today?? DOH!! Jackson just caught a TD pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick. Bills lead 7-0.

12:14 pm CT

- Looks like the Patriots have all their offensive starters in the game… at least early on.

- I’m still waiting for the Minnesota defensive line to show up for a game.

- Robbie Gould 3, Lions 0.

- Right on cue… Visanthe Shiancoe just caught a TD pass from Brett Favre. Vikings lead 7-0.

- Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes… 10-yard TD pass. Steelers lead the Dolphins 7-0.

- Terrell Owens just got “JACKED UP”!!!

12:10 pm CT

- Looks like the early fumble in Tampa was upheld. The Bucs go 3-and-out and are forced to kick a field goal… Connor Barth from 48 yards out.

- Cleveland is on the board, 3-0, over Jacksonville. Phil Dawson connects in snowy Cleveland.

- Peyton Manning just threw an INT in the snowy Buffalo weather.

- Matt Schaub to Joel Dreessen, 25-yard TD pass. Texans lead 7-0.

12:06 pm CT

- Steelers moving the ball well on their opening drive.

- The first challenge of the day in Tampa on a Falcons fumble of the opening kickoff.

- Jonathan Stewart alert… he just ripped off a 67-yard TD run less than a minute into the game.

- I expect a big game from TE Visanthe Shiancoe today… just a hunch.

- All 1pm games have kicked off. Looking forward to blogging with you about these games and the playoffs scenarios. Please feel free to leave comments below.

Weather is sometimes a huge factor in how well our fantasy players are going to do every weekend. Make sure you check out if your stud or sleeper is playing under sunny skies or in the muck of mud this weekend.

Sunday, January 3
• Indianapolis at Buffalo (1:00 pm)
Snow, 15F, Winds From NW - 18 MPH

• New Orleans at Carolina(1:00 pm)
Partly Cloudy, 32F, Winds From WNW - 12 MPH

• Jacksonville at Cleveland (1:00 pm)
Cloudy/Wind, 19F, Winds From WNW - 21 MPH

• New England at Houston (1:00 pm)
DOME - No Weather To Report

• New York Giants at Minnesota (1:00 pm)
DOME - No Weather To Report

• San Francisco at St. Louis (1:00 pm)
DOME - No Weather To Report

• Atlanta at Tampa Bay (1:00 pm)
Mostly Cloudy, 47F, Winds From NNW - 8 MPH

• Pittsburgh at Miami (1:00 pm)
Partly Cloudy, 63F, Winds From NW - 11 MPH

• Chicago at Detroit (1:00 pm)
DOME - No Weather To Report

• Philadelphia at Dallas (4:15 pm)
DOME - No Weather To Report

• Kansas City at Denver (4:15 pm)
Partly Cloudy, 38F, Winds From NNW - 8 MPH

• Baltimore at Oakland (4:15 pm)
Sunny, 59F, Winds From NE - 5 MPH

• Tennessee at Seattle (4:15 pm)
Cloudy, 49F, Winds From NE - 3 MPH

• Washington at San Diego (4:15 pm)
Partly Cloudy, 70F, Winds From NW - 6 MPH

• Green Bay at Arizona (4:15 pm)
DOME - No Weather To Report

• Cincinnati at New York Jets (8:20 pm)
Cloudy/Wind, 22F, Winds From NW - 20 MPH

SURVIVOR POOLS

It’s time for my top selections for Suicide Pools. If you’re looking for one sure-fire winner each week, look no further than this column. I’ll give you my top three, just in case you’ve already chosen my top selection. The roll will continue from last year where I barely ever missed.

LAST WEEK: 2-1 ——–> Arizona, New Orleans and Cincinnati (how the Saints lost is beyond me)

OVERALL: 40-8

THIS WEEK’S SELECTIONS (obviously a little tougher this week)

1. Tennessee vs. Seattle - The Seahawks have cashed it in for the season while the Titans would love to finish the season strong after a very good second half.

2. Minnesota vs. NY Giants - Vikings play much better at home and have to win to even have a chance to get the #2 seed in the NFC. Giants have packed it in.

3. Atlanta vs. Tampa Bay - Bucs won their “Super Bowl” last weekend. They’ll show their true colors this weekend.

BYE WEEKS: N/A

WEEK 16 PREDICTIONS

LAST WEEK SU: 10-6
LAST WEEK ATS: 6-9-1

OVERALL SU: 163-77
OVERALL ATS: 130-92-2

WEEK 17 SELECTIONS

Indy at Buffalo (Bills -8)
Okay, so it’s the Colts #2s vs. the Bills #1s. Should Buffalo win? Yeah, they should and they probably will. But even playing against the backups I can’t see Buffalo beating anyone by 8 points. I’m taking the Bills in a close one, 19-16.
PREDICTION: SU BILLS/ATS COLTS

New Orleans at Carolina (Panthers -7)
Anyone else hate these Week 17 games as much as I do? Matt Moore won’t have Steve Smith and I think the Saints want to end the season on a strong note. I think the Saints actually win this one, 24-21.
PREDICTION: SU SAINTS/ATS SAINTS

Jacksonville at Cleveland (Browns -2)
Every single time we think the Jags are left for dead, they surprise us. And let’s not crown the Browns just yet. Jags still mathematically alive for the playoffs, though it will take a miracle. I’m siding with the Jags to win this one, 16-13.
PREDICTION: SU JAGS/ATS JAGS