Week 15: Thursday Game: Pittsburgh at St. Louis; Saturday Game: Dallas at Carolina
Here are our rankings for the coming week at each position to help you decide your starting lineup. Our rankings are based on the following scoring system: three points for a passing touchdown; six points for a rushing/receiving touchdown; one point for every 20 passing yards; and one point for every 10 rushing/receiving yards.
Last updated December 18. * = check status (not necessarily injury status)
Quarterback
- Tom Brady NE vs. MIA
- Peyton Manning IND vs. HOU
- Brett Favre GB at CHI
- *Tony Romo DAL at CAR -- Note: Thumb injury.
- Derek Anderson CLE at CIN
- Kurt Warner AZ vs. ATL
- Drew Brees NO vs. PHI
- Matt Hasselbeck SEA vs. BAL
- Jon Kitna DET vs. KC
- *Ben Roethlisberger PIT at STL -- Note: Nursing sore shoulder.
- Carson Palmer CIN vs. CLE
- Donovan McNabb PHI at NO
- David Garrard JAC vs. OAK
- Vince Young TEN vs. NYJ
- Marc Bulger STL vs. PIT
- *Philip Rivers SD vs. DEN
- Todd Collins WAS at MIN
- *Jeff Garcia TB at SF -- Note: Back contusion still lingers, not terribly effective last week.
- Eli Manning NYG at BUF
- Brodie Croyle KC at DET
- *Sage Rosenfels HOU at IND
- Trent Edwards BUF vs. NYG
- Shaun Hill SF vs. TB
- *Jay Cutler DEN at SD -- Note: Sore knee.
- Chris Redman ATL at AZ
- *Cleo Lemon MIA at NE
- *Josh McCown OAK at JAC
- *Chad Pennington NYJ at TEN -- Note: Kellen Clemens dealing with rib and shoulder injuries.
- Tarvaris Jackson MIN vs. WAS
- Kyle Orton CHI vs. GB
- *Kyle Boller BAL at SEA -- Note: Mild concussion, Troy Smith finished last week.
- *Matt Moore CAR vs. DAL
Running Back
- *LaDainian Tomlinson SD vs. DEN -- Note: Hamstring twinge, but should play on Monday night. Game matters for the No. 3 seed.
- Steven Jackson STL vs. PIT
- Joseph Addai IND vs. HOU
- Ryan Grant GB at CHI
- *Brian Westbrook PHI at NO -- Note: Still dealing with knee contusion, look for him to miss at least one practice this week.
- Earnest Graham TB at SF
- Adrian Peterson MIN vs. WAS
- *Fred Taylor JAC vs. OAK -- Note: Slight knee injury didn't get in the way of a huge game.
- LenDale White TEN vs. NYJ
- Marshawn Lynch BUF vs. NYG
- Jamal Lewis CLE at CIN
- Willie Parker PIT at STL
- Laurence Maroney NE vs. MIA
- Clinton Portis WAS at MIN
- *Kolby Smith KC at DET -- Note: Ran reasonably well despite line woes and sore knee.
- *Dominic Rhodes OAK at JAC -- Note: Likely starter with Justin Fargas out.
- Rudi Johnson CIN vs. CLE
- Marion Barber DAL at CAR
- Maurice Jones-Drew JAC vs. OAK
- Edgerrin James AZ vs. ATL
- Kevin Jones DET vs. KC
- Frank Gore SF vs. TB
- Willis McGahee BAL at SEA
- Brandon Jacobs NYG at BUF
- *Jerious Norwood ATL at AZ -- Note: Right ankle injury, but expected to play. Nine carries for 73 yards last week.
- *Aaron Stecker NO vs. PHI -- Note: Reggie Bush might be back this week, look for a timeshare. If Bush sits out, move him up above Kevin Jones.
- *Ron Dayne HOU at IND -- Note: Ankle held up well last week, making Monday's missed practice less critical.
- Adrian Peterson CHI vs. GB
- Selvin Young DEN at SD
- Thomas Jones NYJ at TEN
- DeAngelo Williams CAR vs. DAL
- Chester Taylor MIN vs. WAS
- *Travis Henry DEN at SD
- *Maurice Morris SEA vs. BAL
- Fred Jackson BUF vs. NYG
- Julius Jones DAL at CAR
- *DeShaun Foster CAR vs. DAL
- *Shaun Alexander SEA vs. BAL -- Note: Totally ineffective last week; you can't start him with any sort of confidence right now.
- T.J. Duckett DET vs. KC
- Kenny Watson CIN vs. CLE
- *Darius Walker HOU at IND
- Warrick Dunn ATL at AZ
- Leon Washington NYJ at TEN
- Ladell Betts WAS at MIN
- *LaMont Jordan OAK at JAC -- Note: Back in the rotation with Justin Fargas hurt.
- *Jesse Chatman MIA at NE -- Note: Inactive last week due to ankle injury.
- Samkon Gado MIA at NE
- *Michael Turner SD vs. DEN -- Note: "Pop" in his shoulder, replaced by Darren Sproles.
- *Darren Sproles SD vs. DEN
- *Correll Buckhalter PHI at NO
- *Kenton Keith IND vs. HOU
- *Reuben Droughns NYG at BUF
- Chris Brown TEN vs. NYJ
- Pierre Thomas NO vs. PHI
- DeDe Dorsey CIN vs. CLE
- Najeh Davenport PIT at STL
- Kevin Faulk NE vs. MIA
- Musa Smith BAL at SEA
- *Maurice Hicks SF vs. TB
- Jason Wright CLE at CIN
- Michael Robinson SF vs. TB
- *Michael Pittman TB at SF
- *Reggie Bush NO vs. PHI -- Note: "Ahead of schedule" in rehab, will open the week as questionable.
- *Justin Fargas OAK at JAC -- Note: Sprained MCL, probably won't play the last two weeks.
Wide Receiver
- Randy Moss NE vs. MIA
- Braylon Edwards CLE at CIN
- Terrell Owens DAL at CAR
- Marques Colston NO vs. PHI
- Greg Jennings GB at CHI
- Reggie Wayne IND vs. HOU
- Andre Johnson HOU at IND
- T.J. Houshmandzadeh CIN vs. CLE
- Hines Ward PIT at STL
- Chad Johnson CIN vs. CLE
- *Larry Fitzgerald AZ vs. ATL -- Note: Groin injury still looms.
- Brandon Marshall DEN at SD
- Anthony Gonzalez IND vs. HOU
- Shaun McDonald DET vs. KC
- Joey Galloway TB at SF
- Torry Holt STL vs. PIT
- Wes Welker NE vs. MIA
- Plaxico Burress NYG at BUF
- *Calvin Johnson DET vs. KC
- Lee Evans BUF vs. NYG
- *Santonio Holmes PIT at STL -- Note: Four catches despite sore ankle, complained about the offense after the game.
- Chris Henry CIN vs. CLE
- *Roddy White ATL at AZ
- Reggie Williams JAC vs. OAK
- Bobby Engram SEA vs. BAL
- Donald Driver GB at CHI
- *Anquan Boldin AZ vs. ATL -- Note: Played despite toe injury last week, 50-50 this week.
- Deion Branch SEA vs. BAL
- Kevin Curtis PHI at NO
- *Jerricho Cotchery NYJ at TEN
- David Patten NO vs. PHI -- Note: Two good weeks in a row, but this is a bad matchup.
- Derrick Mason BAL at SEA
- Reggie Brown PHI at NO
- Steve Smith CAR vs. DAL -- Note: Missed practice with an illness.
- Bernard Berrian CHI vs. GB
- Patrick Crayton DAL at CAR
- Kevin Walter HOU at IND
- Justin Gage TEN vs. NYJ
- *Arnaz Battle SF vs. TB
- Santana Moss WAS at MIN
- Roydell Williams TEN vs. NYJ
- Chris Chambers SD vs. DEN
- Isaac Bruce STL vs. PIT
- Jabar Gaffney NE vs. MIA
- Devard Darling BAL at SEA
- *Bryant Johnson AZ vs. ATL
- Dwayne Bowe KC at DET
- Ronald Curry OAK at JAC
- Jerry Porter OAK at JAC
- Donte Stallworth NE vs. MIA
- *Nate Burleson SEA vs. BAL
- *Jerheme Urban AZ vs. ATL
- Roscoe Parrish BUF vs. NYG
- *Ike Hilliard TB at SF
- Ernest Wilford JAC vs. OAK
- Amani Toomer NYG at BUF
- Muhsin Muhammad CHI vs. GB
- Marty Booker MIA at NE
- *Joe Jurevicius CLE at CIN
- Devery Henderson NO vs. PHI
- Mike Furrey DET vs. KC
- Ted Ginn MIA at NE
- Michael Jenkins ATL at AZ
- Vincent Jackson SD vs. DEN
- Brad Smith NYJ at TEN
- Darrell Jackson SF vs. TB
- James Jones GB at CHI
- Robert Ferguson MIN vs. WAS
- Bobby Wade MIN vs. WAS
- Mark Clayton BAL at SEA
- *D.J. Hackett SEA vs. BAL -- Note: Could return to practice (ankle) this week.
- Dennis Northcutt JAC vs. OAK
- Andre Davis HOU at IND
- Josh Reed BUF vs. NYG
- Drew Carter CAR vs. DAL
- Laurent Robinston ATL at AZ
- Drew Bennett STL vs. PIT
- *Javon Walker DEN at SD
- *Laveranues Coles NYJ at TEN -- Note: In for only one play last week.
- *Antwaan Randle El WAS at MIN
- *Terry Glenn DAL at CAR -- Note: Season debut on Saturday night?
- *Marvin Harrison IND vs. HOU
- *Sidney Rice MIN vs. WAS -- Note: Sprained ankle, perhaps a fractured bone in ankle.
- *Brandon Stokley DEN at SD -- Note: Scratched last week (knee), didn't practice on Monday.
Tight End
- Jason Witten DAL at CAR
- Kellen Winslow CLE at CIN
- *Antonio Gates SD vs. DEN
- Donald Lee GB at CHI
- Tony Scheffler DEN at SD
- Owen Daniels HOU at IND
- Dallas Clark IND vs. HOU
- Tony Gonzalez KC at DET
- Chris Cooley WAS at MIN
- Alge Crumpler ATL at AZ
- Heath Miller PIT at STL
- Billy Miller NO vs. PHI
- Desmond Clark CHI vs. GB
- Greg Olsen CHI vs. GB
- Vernon Davis SF vs. TB
- Alex Smith TB at SF
- *Chris Baker NYJ at TEN
- Marcedes Lewis JAC vs. OAK
- Zach Miller OAK at JAC
- *Kevin Boss NYG at BUF
- Robert Royal BUF vs. NYG
- Randy McMichael STL vs. PIT
- Bo Scaife TEN vs. NYJ
- *Todd Heap BAL at SEA
- *Brent Celek PHI at NO -- Note: Three catches with L.J. Smith out last week.
- Will Heller SEA vs. BAL
- *Ben Watson NE vs. MIA -- Note: Ankle injury kept him out last week. No need to rush him back.
- *Ben Utecht IND vs. HOU
- *Eric Johnson NO vs. PHI
- *Daniel Wilcox BAL at SEA
- *L.J. Smith PHI at NO -- Note: Knee/ribs could keep him out again.
- *Jeremy Shockey NYG at BUF -- Note: Out for the season.
Kicker
- Nick Folk DAL at CAR
- Phil Dawson CLE at CIN
- Mason Crosby GB at CHI
- Stephen Gostkowski NE vs. MIA
- Shayne Graham CIN vs. CLE
- Josh Brown SEA vs. BAL
- Jason Hanson DET vs. KC
- Jeff Reed PIT at STL
- Nate Kaeding SD vs. DEN
- Rob Bironas TEN vs. NYJ
- Robbie Gould CHI vs. GB
- Adam Vinatieri IND vs. HOU
- Neil Rackers AZ vs. ATL
- Ryan Longwell MIN vs. WAS
- Kris Brown HOU at IND
- Rian Lindell BUF vs. NYG
- Lawrence Tynes NYG at BUF
- Mike Nugent NYJ at TEN
- Jeff Wilkins STL vs. PIT
- Jason Elam DEN at SD
- David Akers PHI at NO
- Joe Nedney SF vs. TB
- Matt Bryant TB at SF
- Matt Stover BAL at SEA
- Sebastian Janikowski OAK at JAC
Defense
- New England vs. Miami
- Seattle vs. Baltimore
- Tampa Bay at San Francisco
- Green Bay at Chicago
- San Diego vs. Denver
- Indianapolis vs. Houston
- Jacksonville vs. Oakland
- Dallas at Carolina
- Minnesota vs. Washington
- Tennessee vs. New York Jets
- New York Giants at Buffalo
- Pittsburgh at St. Louis
- New Orleans vs. Philadelphia
- Buffalo vs. New York Giants
- Detroit vs. Kansas City
- Baltimore at Seattle
- Chicago vs. Green Bay
- Arizona vs. Atlanta
- St. Louis vs. Pittsburgh
- Kansas City at Detroit
- New York Jets at Tennessee
- Denver at San Diego
- San Francisco vs. Tampa Bay
- Washington at Minnesota
- Cleveland at Cincinnati
- Philadelphia at New Orleans
- Cincinnati vs. Cleveland
- Atlanta at Arizona
- Oakland at Jacksonville
- Houston at Indianapolis
- Carolina vs. Dallas
- Miami at New England