WEEK 15 FANTASY PROJECTIONS

December 16, 2005 3:00 PM ET

All eyes are on Colts-Jaguars and Buccaneers-Panthers in week 14…well, all except ours, which will be watching all 16 games. It's the first round of the fantasy football playoffs for many leagues, and here are a few of the many things we're eager to witness.

Say It Ain't So, Captain America!: After 30 consecutive weeks of holding our breath as Tom Brady played through a shoulder injury that had him appearing on the injury report as "probable," this week we really mean it. Captain America has been downgraded to questionable with a shin injury, but quite frankly his team needs him—and about three or four inches of the white stuff from Mother Nature—to close down the Buccaneers and wrap up the AFC East title.

Who's the Barber Here?: A fortnight ago, Larry Johnson was staring at a schedule that included four straight tilts against top-10 run defenses. What, we worry? All LJ has done is shred the Broncos and Cowboys to the tune of 283 yards and five touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, Tiki Barber flat-out owns the Meadowlands, with at least 100 rushing yards or a touchdown or both in each of his last 15 games at Jimmy Hoffa's final resting place. LJ gets a Giants defense that just lost its top tackler, Antonio Pierce, while Tiki may have to make due without two starting linemen. Advantage, LJ, but don't count Tiki out on the home field.

Hot Toddy: It only took five years of questionable decision-making, but finally the Saints have tired of the walking inconsistency that is Aaron Brooks. Todd Bouman gets the nod against Carolina as the Saints shutter down the Louisiana portion of their schedule—meaning owner Tom Benson won't be on hand. Can Bouman do what Brooks had been unable to accomplish over the past three months—namely, locate Joe Horn?

Pursuit of Perfection (Part 14): The Chargers are the latest squad to test the prowess of the Colts, and they'll have to brave the noise of the RCA Dome and an Indy lineup Tony Dungy says that, for this week at least, is playing to win. While LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates are likely to inflict their share of damage to a defense that will be without at least two regulars, do you really think the 28th-ranked pass defense will be the unit that rains on Peyton Manning's parade? Yeah, neither do we.

Cruise Control: Say what you will about the Vikings' infamous "Love Boat" sex cruise; the team is 7-2 since they bonded over their bye week. On the heels of charges being filed against four Vikings for their activities during the cruise, Minnesota puts a six-game winning streak on the line against the Steelers. Can the team remain united in the face of scrutiny and adversity? More importantly, can they muster points against the Steel Curtain and find a way to slow Willie Parker on the fast track at Metrodome?

Cat Fight: You shouldn't need Jim Fowler or Jeff Corwin to tell you who's going to win this fight between Bengals and Lions. Cincinnati's offense is roaring towards its first playoff berth since 1990, thanks mainly to the rushing of Rudi Johnson. Carson Palmer and T.J. Houshmandzadeh should be factors as well, though Dre Bly may very well keep Chad Johnson from doing his impersonation of the Supremes in the end zone. As if the Lions needed more problems, Detroit fans are being urged to wear orange (Bengals colors) to Ford Field to demonstrate their lack of support for team president Matt Millen.

Swing State: While this classic rivalry dates back to the mid-1800s, the Cowboys and Redskins have been meeting on the football field for only the past 45 years. Still, you can throw the proverbial records out the window because these teams still don't like each other much. Dallas' defense is doing the slow fade, but the Redskins are ill-equipped to take advantage with Mark Brunell—he of four consecutive sub-200 yard passing efforts—still at quarterback. That means you should see plenty of Clinton Portis, which the Boys will counter with Julius Jones and Marion Barber.

Bear Necessities: If the Falcons are going to make the postseason, they're going to have to earn it; following this tilt in Chicago, they travel to Tampa before hosting Carolina in the season finale. But first things first, as despite last week's loss the Bears are anything but a pushover. Michael Vick enters this game banged up—not a great way to be against a very good (and very physical) defense. Pittsburgh ran on the Bears with success last week, and Atlanta sports the league's top-rushing team, so it will be strength on strength as the Bears look to dash the Falcons' playoff aspirations.

Lopsided Affairs: The Seahawks, Broncos, Jaguars, and Dolphins are a combined 40-point favorite over the Titans, Bills, 49ers, and Jets, respectively—and it probably won't be that close. Seattle has outscored its last two foes 83-3 and faces a Titans offense that hasn't generated a touchdown in nine quarters; Denver can use either No Mistake Jake Plummer (yeah, we threw up in our mouths when we heard that, too) or the league's second-best ground game to subdue a Bills' defense that has dramatically underachieved this year; David Garrard gets another chance to test his throwing arm against the worst pass defense in the league; and Miami could get big days from both its backs against a Jets defense that allows 163 rushing yards per road game.

No, We Won't: Sorry, unless you're a relative or close personal friend or have a player or two going in your fantasy postseason, there's simply no reason to watch the Texans try to find yet another way to lose—this week, to the Cardinals—without arousing suspicion, the Browns visit the Black Hole, the Eagles and Rams replay the 2001 NFC title game (albeit with significantly less talent), or John Madden and Al Michaels take turns worshipping at the altar of Brett Favre in potentially his final appearance on Monday Night Football.

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