While there still are a few owners one win away from reaching championship weekend, the majority of fantasy footballers have reached the pinnacle of the season this weekend.

Fantasy championship weekend for most, week 16, is the culmination of a season-long struggle between luck, skill and timing. Like it or not, Lady Luck does play a nice little role in your team’s success. But that does not detract from the skill it took to assemble a winning roster and keep that team winning games, despite the obstacles. Finally, drawing the right match ups on the right weekends made all the difference between making the postseason and watching at home.

And now this weekend, fantasy owners have to make the toughest decisions of them all. Choosing the right starting lineup despite all the interference — injuries, playing time, weather — is much tougher now than back in week 1. But you would not have made it this deep into the season if these decisions made you quiver.

Trust your gut and believe in your instincts. And if it does not work out, at least your team had a chance to win it all.

Start ‘em

Quarterbacks

  • Matt Cassel v. Cardinals: Cassel is one of those guys playing well at the right time, for both New England and his fantasy owners. Arizona’s pass defense has struggled lately, evidenced by Tarvaris Jackson’s four-touchdown performance against the unit last weekend. Cassel, barring any type of weather set back, should be in for a shootout with Kurt Warner.
  • Shaun Hill @ Rams: Hill missed out on a touchdown pass in a good matchup last weekend but should get back on that train this weekend. Playing in a dome against a foul defense certainly help his chances.

Runningbacks

  • Pierre Thomas @ Lions: With Reggie Bush now out for the season, Thomas becomes the feature running back in New Orleans. The Saints will give him 20+ touches in this game, so 150+ total yards and a couple of scores are not outside the realm of possibility.
  • Ronnie Brown @ Chiefs: If Brown is ever going to get back on track for fantasy owners, it should be this weekend. The Cheifs did a number on LaDainian Tomlinson last weekend, but that more than likely is the result of San Diego’s problems in the run game, not Kansas City’s run D.

Wide receivers

  • Torry Holt v. 49ers: With Shaun Hill and the 49ers playing well, Marc Bulger and Torry Holt may need to flash back to better days to stay in this game. Holt plays well on the turf at home and got back into the endzone last weekend. He could be warming up a little too late for most fantasy owners, but has good upside as a flex play or deep league WR2 against San Fran.
  • Antonio Bryant v. Chargers: Bryant is hot at the right time and nearing must-start status. He deserves to start much more than some players still getting WR2 starts, like Chad Johnson and Braylon Edwards. Forget the names, start the guy who is producing great fantasy stat lines at the perfect time of year.

Tight end

  • Jeremy Shockey @ Lions: It is about time Shockey caught his first touchdown as a Saint. If it does not happen this weekend, it may not happen this year. He is getting more involved in the offense and less involved in the off-field chatter, which is a good sign. He could be in for a decent stat line along with the rest of the Saints’ offense.

Sit ‘em

Quarterbacks

  • Jake Delhomme @ Giants: This game means almost everything to both of these teams this weekend, with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs on the line. Being at home favors the Giants’ defense, which will put a ton of pass rush on Delhomme.
  • Tarvaris Jackson v. Falcons: Do not expect another four-touchdown performance out of Jackson. In fact, I would expect far less from him in this game. Last weekend was an anomaly of the worst kind, almost like a mirage. Only fantasy footballers in the deepest of leagues or two quarterback leagues should even consider starting TJax.

Runningbacks

  • Brandon Jacobs v. Panthers: Hobbled but expected to start this weekend, Jacobs wants to play in this must-win game. How his knee holds up over the course of the game is a huge question mark, so much so that is makes Jacobs one of the riskier plays in this ever-important fantasy weekend.
  • Marion Barber v. Ravens: Same thing goes for Barber. He was terrible in his return against the Giants last weekend and now faces an even-tougher run defense. Tashard Choice continues to be the more impressive back and that should be the case again this weekend.

Wide receivers

  • Santonio Holmes @ Titans: I was way wrong about the Titans secondary last week, thinking they would do a number on Andre Johnson. I do think Courtland Finnegan and Co. will rebound this week in controlling the Pittsburgh passing game. If not for a very late, controversial touchdown last week, Holmes would have been a useless fantasy play.
  • Anquan Boldin @ Patriots: Fantasy owners beware, I only advise sitting Boldin if he does not start. Otherwise, cross your fingers and hope he can make it through the game against a pretty porous secondary. Q is a tough guy and should suit up for the faltering Cardinals.

Tight end

  • Todd Heap @ Cowboys: The Ravens passing game is not evolved enough to trust anyone unless you play in a three wide receiver league. And unless there are some two tight end leagues out there, Heap should remain on fantasy benches.

For more great fantasy roster advice this week, including a plethora of Start & Sit links and consensus rankings, head over to the Fantasy Football Librarian. Don’t forget to grab your library card.

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