Game Day Wonders Week 13 Edition

Has your cable provider ruined your fantasy season by not offering the NFL Network? Will you be starting Rudi Johnson but following the game by a delayed statistical breakdown on some major sports web site? Why do that? Click here if your cable provider does not carry the NFL Network. Our Live Stats feed automatically updates while the game is in play. Just thought I would let you know. Now, settle down, gain back some composure, put down that beer and read the week thirteen edition of Game Day Wonders!

The Hot List

• Okay, okay, Travis Henry pulled a DeShaun Foster on me last week. Everything added up, the match-up, the statistics, and my gut instinct. What happened? Just look at my DeShaun Foster projections through out the season. I will not miss on Henry this week, I promise you. Henry is facing the same Indianapolis Colts' run defense he shredded 8 weeks ago. The only difference this time around is that he will reach the end zone. Indianapolis is still ranked 31^st in the league against the run. Start Henry with confidence, he will rip off 114 yards and 1 touchdown week 13.
• Are you looking for a frightening, yet fantastic play this week? Look no further than Aaron Brooks. Yes, Oakland will be taking on a porous pass defense. Yes, Brooks has thrown 3 interceptions compared to 2 touchdowns since returning from injury. Yes, new offensive coordinator John Shoop is more conservative than Fox News. The fact of the matter is though that this new, anticipated playbook could play into the hands of Aaron Brooks. Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans and company will not get enough pressure on this paperbag offense in Oakland to affect Aaron Brooks, you heard it here first! Expect Aaron Brooks to throw for 289 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception this week. If you own Matt Hasselbeck, Michael Vick, or Eli Manning, go grab Brooks and start him.
• Expect another rookie running back to run all over the Philadelphia Eagles candy cane defense this week. DeAngelo Williams is averaging 112 total yards over the last two weeks with DeShaun Foster banged up, even though Foster has played the last two weeks. For the record, Foster is once again listed as questionable for Monday night, so don't be a bonehead, make sure you bench him! The Eagles are giving up just under 140 rushing yards to opponents this season. Expect DeAngelo Williams confiscate the starting job from Foster on Monday night, in front of America. Get ready for 121 rushing yards, 33 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns for Williams this Monday night.

The Cold List

• With his groin injury looking like it has disappeared, Fred Taylor is still not a good play this week, especially in non-PPR leagues. I have been knit-picking against running backs facing the Dolphins' defense all season, and in each case I made the right call. The Dolphins have only allowed 5 rushing touchdowns in 11 games. They also have limited the big play making ability of opposing running backs by only allowing 2 rushing gains of 20 yards or more all season. Taylor has been a very dependable back all season, more dependable than Tatum Bell or Willie Parker. He will hit a wall this week. I am projecting Fred "Everyother Season" Taylor to produce 52 total yards and no scores.
• The New York Giants are crumbling from within, remember I kept you posted with that back in the summer? Well, the walls are starting to come down and it all starts with the quarterback, Eli Manning. Eli Manning is at the forefront. Quite frankly, he has looked like Kyle Boller! In his last four games, he only has 3 touchdowns compared to 7 interceptions. The Dallas defense just keeps improving and they are stuffing the run. This offense revolves around Tiki Barber and when he doesn't get it going, it will be tough for the rest of the dominoes to fall in place. Expect this downward spiral to keep spinning. Manning will pass for 202 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions this week. The blind side pressure will be too much!
• Foot injuries are tough to recover from in the beginning, but once they heal, running backs tend to take over right from where they left off, ask Shaun Alexander. This week, you have to look elsewhere if you own Jamal Lewis. Lewis missed practice again Wednesday and the team boarded the plane with a major question mark surrounding Lewis. I am not too sure if he will play this week, but if he does, I still do not expect much production-wise, even if it is Cincinnati we are talking about. Steer clear of my main man this week, if I have to, I will reiterate it via cell phone (get it?). If, and I mean if Jamal Lewis plays Thursday night, expect limited production due to his foot injury. So little that I will project it at less than 25 yards.

Silent but Deadly

• With Frank Gore listed as questionable with a leg bruise, Michael Robinson is a conditional "Silent but Deadly" start this week. Frank Gore is expected to play Sunday, according to the Monday presser, but we need to watch this situation carefully. Gore missed portions of practice on Wednesday. Gore's status in short-yardage situations is up in the air as well. We haven't heard of Michael Robinson since he ran in 2 touchdowns against Philadelphia week 3. New Orleans is not the easiest team to run on but San Francisco has run on the likes of Chicago. If Gore is a game-time decision, we should expect him to be a go, but Michael Robinson will see some action as well, especially in the red zone as he is more "sure-handed" than Frank Gore. If this situation pans out as I think it will; Michael Robinson should get 9 carries for 29 yards and 1 touchdown. That's decent production for all of you running back-deprived fantasy owners out there.
• With Minnesota's stout run defense coming into town Sunday, neither Thomas Jones nor Cedric Benson may look like good plays. The Vikings are allowing only 2.8 yards per carry to opposing running backs. Okay, okay, what is this nut getting to? Start Bernard Berrian. Rex Grossman has looked like Kyle Orton in recent weeks. Berrian's name has dropped off of the fantasy circuits since his injury even though he returned last week with 5 receptions for 104 yards. The run game will be had by the Purple People Eaters and Grossman will have to throw to beat them. I expect Berrian to take full advantage of this secondary, even if he attracts the more than necessary attention we expect. Oh yeah, Minnesota may be #1 against the run, but they are #31 against the pass. That should refortify your confidence. I expect 8 receptions for 140 yards and 1 touchdown for Berrian week 13. That is double the production that ensued when he faced off against the Vikings earlier this year.

After a confident feeling last week, some players let me down for the first time in a while. I am looking to rebound this week with some unusual calls. If you have a pair big enough to start Aaron Brooks (hey, so what if I like him), let me know via e-mail below. I want to give you props in the next week's column. As for the rest of you, I think I choked some of you up with my little Kobayashi stint from last week. I know, you know, we all know it was funny in a hot dog kind of way (Is that a way?). Keep your chins up, pray to the fantasy gods, and I send you my blessings.

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[Charles P. Dymeck is a fantasy sports writer for ffLiveWire.com and is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers of America. You can contact him at pete_dymeck04@yahoo.com]