Do fantasy owners take a chance on Todd Heap's health this week?

Snap

The Colts were not themselves last week against the Chiefs.  Uncharacteristically, they had to rely on defense to win the game for them.  The dearth of healthy wide receivers is killing Peyton Manning’s stats.  Manning was only 16 of 32 for 163 yards, an interception and no TDs.  Marvin Harrison was out. Backup Anthony Gonzalez was out.  Backup Aaron Moorehead got injured during the game.  That left Manning throwing to his tight ends, Joseph Addai and a triple-covered Reggie Wayne.  The Colts put Moorehead on injured reserve, so he is done for the year.  The only relief in sight is the possible return of Gonzalez.  Harrison will miss his fifth straight game.   That means a lot of Addai, Wayne and TEs Dallas Clark and Ben Utecht against the Falcons.

Other Turkey Day injuries of note: Colts Safety Bob Sanders, Colts OT Tony Ugoh, Falcons WR Joe Horn and Jets WR Laveranues Coles are all either Questionable or Doubtful for Thursday.

The running backs are filling up the injury reports this week. The most prominent name on the list is Priest Holmes. It appears that the improbable return of the Chiefs running back is over. Holmes may retire following a neck injury in Sunday’s game after a tackle by LB Shawne Merriman. The 34-year old Holmes got a chance to play when Larry Johnson went down, but he was a shell of his former self.  Holmes was the best running back in football from 2002-2004.

Troubled Broncos RB Travis Henry sat out his second straight game with a knee injury.  Henry is staring down the barrel of a league suspension for possible substance abuse.   That could happen as soon as this week.  If you still have Henry, it’s time to suspend him from your fantasy roster.

The Houston running back carousel keeps turning.  Ahman Green will probably sit out again this Sunday.  Ron Dayne will replace him in Cleveland with Adimchinobe Echemandu backing him up. 

Two terrific rookie RBs will likely sit again this Sunday. Buffalo RB Marshawn Lynch will likely miss another game with an ankle injury.   Vikings RB Adrian Peterson’s knee injury is a little mysterious.  There is no timetable for his return.  All we know is he is very unlikely to play this week.

Giants RB Brandon Jacobs is developing a reputation for being injury-prone.  The hulking running back tweaked his hamstring in the third quarter of last week’s game in Detroit and did not return.  Backup Derrick Ward is less likely to play than Jacobs. Ward has been out since injuring his ankle in Week Seven.

Giants LB/DL Mathias Kiwanuka had been a nice find in IDP leagues, especially those where he gets a DL rating.  He broke his leg against the Lions on Sunday and is done for the season.  On paper LB Reggie Torbor replaces Kiwanuka. However, don’t expect Torbor to rush the passer like Kiwanuka, a hybrid DL/LB.

Cleveland CB Eric Wright is a top defensive back in IDP leagues.  However, he hurt his knee early in last week’s game and did not return.   Expect Daven Holly to take his place against the Texans.

Crackle

The Steelers are a much better team at home than on the road.  They proved that last week in losing to the Jets in New Jersey. This week they are back in Pittsburgh against the winless Dolphins.  Any chance for a let-down evaporated with the OT loss to New York.   The league’s no. 1 ranked defense will smother the overmatched fish.   Miami has few players that are fantasy notable aside from RB Jesse Chatman and perhaps WRs Marty Booker and Ted Ginn in deeper leagues.  All are bad plays against the Steel Curtain.

The Giants will be down to their third option at running back, Reuben Droughns, as Jacobs and Ward nurse injuries.  Droughns has been underwhelming with only 21 yards on 14 carries in November.  The match-up doesn’t help either: Minnesota has the best run defense in the NFL.

Cincinnati RB Rudi Johnson is one of the biggest busts of the 2007 fantasy season.  He began the year as a middle-first round pick in fantasy drafts. He will end the year as one-half of a running-back-by-committee. And he’s not even the better half.  Johnson and Kenny Watson will share the load, to each other’s detriment, against a very tough Titans run defense.

Lions RB Kevin Jones has been terrible for two straight weeks.  He faces a good Packers run defense (ranked 6th) on Thanksgiving.  

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Green Bay receivers should give the weak Lions pass defense a lot of problems.  Brett Favre will find wide outs Donald Driver and Greg Jennings open down field and the white-hot TE Donald Lee in the red zone.

The way to beat Dallas is through the air.  The Jets will make it closer than you think by having QB Kellen Clemens throwing deep to WR Jerricho Cotchery on Thanksgiving. 

As good as the Vikings run defense is, that’s how bad the pass defense is.  The Giants will forget about the run and Eli Manning will have a big day throwing to Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and TE Jeremy Shockey.

Texans WR Andre Johnson returned from a knee injury and silenced the skeptics, including me, with a 73-yard TD early in the game.  He finished with six catches and 120 yards. Johnson faces the Browns this Sunday.  Cleveland has the worst defense in the NFL, but this week is an especially good time to exploit them without CB Eric Wright.

Looking for a sleeper? How about Chiefs rookie RB Kolby Smith?  Smith becomes the starter in place of Holmes and Johnson. He’s got a favorable match-up against the Raiders.  Only the Dolphins have a worse run defense.