The (regular) season game of the century is this Sunday in Indianapolis. The Tom Brady / Peyton Manning clash of the titans has so many interesting angles and raises so many intriguing questions:

1.      Will the winner of the game go undefeated? Unlikely

2.      Will the winner of this game be the eventual Super Bowl winner? Likely

3.      Do the Patriots run up the score unnecessarily? Yes

4.      Are they stupid for risking Brady in games that are already decided? Yes

5.      Who is better? Joseph Addai or Laurence Maroney? Addai

6.      Who has better receivers? The Colts

7.      Should fantasy owners sit any Patriots against the Colts fourth ranked defense? No

8.      Should fantasy owners sit any Colts against the Patriots third ranked defense? No

9.      Will it be a high-scoring game? Yes

“Bye” the way, week nine is the last bye week. This will be the last time I have to write “bye-week-filler” in 2007. Things should get a little simpler now, and you can cut those backup tight ends, etc., that are marginal fantasy players.

Snap

Several teams are challenged with quarterback injuries this week. The Bills announced that J.P. Losman will get the start against the Bengals, for the injured Trent Edwards. Losman draws a favorable assignment, facing Cincinnati. As bye-week-filler, Losman is a good choice.

The Panthers quarterback situation is still a muddle. David Carr should be active this Sunday at Tennessee, but Vinny Testaverde may still start. Testaverde has his own health issues, injuring his ankle last week. Either way, it’s not a good match up against the Titans.

Vikings QB Kelly Holcomb is going to be out for a couple of weeks with a neck injury. Holcomb will probably be replaced by the man he replaced, Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson was ineffective before his injury sidelined him. He will play with a still-injured finger against a good and rapidly improving Chargers defense.

Houston QB Matt Schaub left last week’s game with a concussion. More than likely it will be Sage Rosenfels getting the start in Oakland. The depleted Houston offense could be without their starting QB (Schaub), best wide receiver (Andre Johnson out since week 3), starting TE (Owen Daniels - high ankle sprain) and starting running back (Ahman Green - knee). The good news is that Rosenfels will be throwing to the same guys he usually works with on the scout team. The bad news is that there is a reason that these guys are backups.

Packers RB DeShawn Wynn was a hot pickup last week. Now he is a hot potato that everyone will drop. Wynn suffered a stinger early in the Monday night game in Denver. A lot of fantasy owners were saddled with a one-yard rushing performance if they started Wynn. Green Bay put him on injured reserve today, ending his season.

The Broncos inactivated RB Travis Henry last week due to bruised ribs. We may have seen the last of Henry’s 2007 season since he is facing a possible suspension after this Sunday’s game. Selvin Young is the presumptive starter in Denver.

Bengals RB Kenny Watson has been very good subbing for Rudi Johnson. He has 218 yards rushing in his last two games. Watson left the game last week after taking a blow to the head. He still seems more likely to play against the Bills than Johnson, who is still nursing a hamstring injury.

The Seahawks wide receiver situation is improving after their bye week. Opening day starters Deion Branch and D.J. Hackett both are hoping to return in time to face the awful Browns defense. Of the two, Branch seems to be further ahead in his recovery.

Crackle

Eric Mangini finally threw in the towel on the Jets’ 1-7 season. Chad Pennington will be replaced at quarterback by young Kellen Clemens for this Sunday’s game against Washington. Mangini does not expect better performance from Clemens – He just wants to see what the kid can do. So if the Jets expect little from Clemens, you should trust their judgment. Don’t start him unless you are desperate for a bye-week-filler. Clemens will face an ornery Redskins defense that has something to prove after giving up 52 points to New England last week. Until Clemens gets his footing, this is not a good situation for Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery owners.

Rams RB Brian Leonard will probably start again for Jackson this week. Leonard had one big game, in week 5. In the three games since then he has only 95 yards on 39 carries, for a 2.4 average. Leonard still has not found the end zone this season, and will have a hard time doing so with the bad blocking in front of him.

Pop

Green Bay RB Ryan Grant will be the hot pickup this week, just as Wynn was the week before. Grant replaced Wynn in the Monday night game and ran for 104 yards against the Broncos. It’s Grant’s job for now.

Houston RB Adimchinobe Echemandu got his first action of the season last week. He ran for 62 yards on 10 carries against a good Chargers defense. Echemandu will definitely see more action this week and perhaps start if Green is out. He has a great match up versus the Raiders 30th ranked run defense.

Seattle RB Shaun Alexander started the season strong but cooled off considerably since his 100-yard effort in week 3. A lot of fantasy owners are wondering if they should bench him. Give him one more chance. Coming off a bye, Alexander has a chance to restart his season and to do it against the worst defense in the NFL, Cleveland’s. Everyone on Seattle is a good play against the Browns, including QB Matt Hasselbeck and whichever receivers are healthy enough to play. Bobby Engram is the safest (and healthiest) choice among the Seattle receivers.

Quick hits: Detroit RB Kevin Jones faces Denver’s bottom ranked run defense. Buffalo RB Marshawn Lynch faces the Bengals’ next-to-worst defense. Denver QB Jay Cutler and receivers Brandon Marshall and Brandon Stokley have a great match up against Detroit’s rotten pass defense.