The Fantasy 6-Pack

  Well when it rains, it pours. Not only did I get knocked out of all my leagues last week but I even lost the Toilet Bowl Championship this week.

• I don’t really have a problem with what the Colts have d one because I don’t think it will make that big a difference with a veteran team but I do have to agree with the non-stop complaints I get to hear here in Indianapolis, they’ll be remembered for giving up on the perfect season if they don’t win the Super Bowl. I’m just glad I’m not a Colts fan.

• I’m a Broncos fan and it prides me to say that we sent five players to the Pro Bowl . Back for his second time in a row is my boy Brandon Marshall and it’s great to see. Granted, it’s a stacked WR corps with Vincent Jackson and Randy Moss not getting in but when a guy breaks an NFL record like that, you’ve just got to get him in HawaiiMiami!?!?!

• Whoever thought it was a good idea to move the Pro Bowl from Hawaii to Miami is an idiot. On top of that, whoever had the moronic idea to play the Pro Bowl one week before the Super Bowl is an even bigger retard. That’s possibly the dumbest idea I’ve heard of in quite some time.

• Didn’t I just petition for the Cutler Campaign in 2010 last week? Well he certainly answered the call and rewarded me with a four-TD performance. It’s not like that erases the memory of his INT-riddled 2009 season but it’s definitely a nic e confidence booster going forward. I still believe in Jay and I STILL wish he was the QB in Denver.

• With Jonathan Stewart running for 200-plus yards last week, the Panthers became the fifth team in the league to have two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season. The interesting thing here is that I called it back in the summer! Check out the RB by Committee Article that I posted back in early June: Committee on RBs

• Finally, give us a shout-out 9:00pm EST tonight over at The Fantasy Exchange Podcast. Live Advice, News/Notes, Playoff Talk, and Matchup Previews. We’ll even tell you who the Raiders will draft in April tonight!

Alright, it’s time to get down to business an d if you’re crazy enough to still be playing fantasy football in Week 17, then you probably need a lot more help than I can give you but we can at least tweak your fantasy lineup while we’re here. . .

QB Matt Hasselbeck - Seattle Seahawks

It’s not easy to trust this guy, I should know. I’m the idiot that thought I snuck in a solid QB2 when I took him late this year, only to find out that he was the same old Matt Hasselbeck from the past two seasons.

That’s not what we need him for here though, we need a QB who can put up some points this week in a game that only means one thing...get Chris Johnson 2,000 yards. While Tennessee’s offense focuses on that, the defense might be more prone to letting bigger plays go to save time on the clock just so CJ can get the yardage he needs. It’s not a bad theory but even past that, Nick Harper will miss the game and Tennessee still has a suspect pass defense that the Seahawks might be able to take advantage of.

RB Arian Foster - Houston Texans

I’m just as guilty of being wrong about this guy two weeks ago but I wasn’t the one who fumbled on his fourth carry of the game. Kubiak won’t tolerate any kind of fumbling and I think that Arian Foster learned that the hard way.

It’s still blatantly obvious that Foster is the favorite of the coaching staff but how much longer that coaching staff is still calling the shots remains to be seen. If this is their last game at the helm, they’re going out their way and that will be with a heavy dose of Foster against a Pats defense that doesn’t have a lot to play for.

Who knows what the future holds for Houston and the RB corps that resembles the island of misfit toys but one thing is safe to say, Foster is the present!

RB Gartrell Johnson - New York Giants

Well Brandon Jacobs is already having season-ending knee surgery after swearing that there was nothing wrong with his knee. Go figure. Oh well, that puts an end to what has been a season to forget for the “giant-sized” Jacobs but it also places a young Mr. Gartrell Johnson in a very nice position.

The Giants have nothing to play for and they’re even less likely to use Ahmad Bradshaw, who has been playing hurt all year long. Johnson figures to get a lot of carries in a game that neither team should care about.

I expect to get an extensive look at the rookie out of Colorado State to see what he’s got between the tackles as well as catching the ball out of the backfield. Might be of some use for Week 17.

WR Jabar Gaffney - Denver Broncos

Two TDs and you’re on the Fantasy 6-Pack? Well, yeah but it’s also the fact that Eddie Royal is still out with a neck injury and now, Brandon Marshall just went down with an injury at practice.

Jabar Gaffney could be the last man standing...literally! Looking at things though, Gaffney seems to have the inside track on McDaniels offensive system and could get a LOT of looks this coming week if Marshall is slowed at all. Regardless, he’s being more involved as the year goes on and I expect that to continue if the Broncos make the post-season.

WR Deion Branch - Seattle Seahawks

I hate this guy and I think most Seahawks fans do as well but that’s not stopped him from scoring points and that’s what it’s all about if you’re still playing FF right now.

You need points in your PPR league? I’m looking at Deion Branch ’s last three games and the fact that he’s caught 14 passes combined in them with his best game of the season coming last week with five receptions and 53 yards on nine targets.

With Burleson and Housh being almost after-thoughts in the offense, Branch has re-established himself and Hasselcrap seems to like throwing to him better. I wouldn’t mind starting him this week against a shaky Titans pass defense.

WR Muhsin Muhammad - Carolina Panthers

If he’s still available, you’ve gotta go out there and get him. I’m not saying that Matt Moore is a great QB and I know Muhsin Muhammad won’t be as effective with Steve Smith out of the lineup but I still like him for at least eight targets, five receptions, and 50-plus yards minimum.

The Panthers simply can’t run every single play, so we’ll have to see Moore air it out at least 20-plus times in this game, so look for “Moose” to make an impact here in what could be his last game as a Panther.

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 [e-mail]