Here are the injury updates for Sunday's late action:

• For the Cowboys, RB Marion Barber (toe) and TE Jason Witten (ankle) are both active at Philly. Witten is fine to start, but Barber likely will share carries with Tashard Choice and isn't a terrific play.
  
• For the Eagles, WR Kevin Curtis (calf) is active vs. Dallas. However, TE L.J. Smith (shoulder) is inactive.
• Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew (knee) is active at Baltimore. It's an extremely difficult matchup, but you might as well roll with M.J.D. if you were planning on doing so.
• 49ers RB Frank Gore (ankle) is active vs. the Redskins. He is fine to use if you need him.
• Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin (shoulder) is inactive. Steve Breaston will replace him and is a solid start.

Here are the injury updates for Sunday's early action:

• Bengals WRs T.J. Houshmandzadeh (back) and Chad Ocho Cinco (hamstring) are both inactive. Get them out of your lineup. Chris Henry's value gets a boost.
• Saints RB Pierre Thomas (wrist, back) is inactive. Deuce McAllister will start vs. Carolina but likely will cede some work to Mike Bell. Expect a pass-heavy offense from New Orleans. TE Jeremy Shockey (ankle) is out, as expected.
  
• Giants RB Brandon Jacobs (knee) is inactive. This is no surprise, as the Giants are playing for nothing. Derrick Ward will start at Minnesota and is a fine play, although Ahmad Bradshaw will take away some carries. Also, TE Kevin Boss (ankle, concussion) is out.
• Vikings WR Bernard Berrian (ankle) is active vs. the Giants. He is not a very reliable option with Tarvaris Jackson at QB, but he's available if you need him.
• Bills RB Marshawn Lynch (shoulder) is inactive. Fred Jackson will start vs. the Patriots and could be in line for a productive day, as high winds may force both teams to run often.
• Browns TE Kellen Winslow (ankle) is inactive. That ends a disappointing season for the talented but enigmatic tight end.
• Lions RB Kevin Smith (ankle) is active at Green Bay. He is a solid start for a Lions team desperate to finish the season with a victory.
• Falcons WR Michael Jenkins (shoulder) is active vs. the Rams. He is a decent bet to get you some fantasy points in this favorable matchup.
• With nothing on the line, the Titans have opted to scratch RB Chris Johnson, so sit him down. LenDale White (illness) is active, though, at Indy and could pick up some points before heading to the bench. WR Justin Gage is also inactive.
• For the Colts, RB Dominic Rhodes (chest) is out, but RB Joseph Addai is active vs. the Titans. He'll definitely get some work but could head to the sideline at any point.

So we've arrived at the final week of the regular season, meaning most fantasy leagues have come to an end. But if you're still playing fantasy football this week, things could get a bit tricky.

With many teams already having their playoff spot clinched, lots of top players will be rested this Sunday — that's why most leagues hold their championship in Week 16. Trying to piece together a starting lineup when the status of so many guys is in question really brings an anticlimactic ending to fantasy seasons, but some owners are stuck doing so anyway.

When choosing your starters this week, heep in mind the teams not playing for anything. The Colts, for example, are notorious for resting their key players and are likely to do so again Sunday. That means you shouldn't be relying on Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne or Marvin Harrison to give you fantasy production. Obviously, the absence of those guys will hurt quite a few owners out there.

Indy's opponent Sunday, the Titans, have the AFC's No. 1 seed locked up, so don't expect a ton from their starters either. Jeff Fisher might be saying now that he's going to play Chris Johnson and LenDale White, but those guys could really use some rest heading into the playoffs. I wouldn't expect a whole lot from that duo.

The Steelers also have nowhere to go as the second seed in the AFC. However, Mike Tomlin wasn't happy this week when asked if he'd rest his starters and indicated that he planned to play hard and attempt to win the game. That likely makes it safe to use Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes in a favorable matchup with the Browns. Willie Parker might put up some numbers too, but his knee is clearly still an issue, so he might he limited playing time.

In the NFC, the Giants have the top seed locked up, but Tom Coughlin has indicated that he'd like to still use his starters at Minnesota. However, given Brandon Jacobs' knee issues, I wouldn't play him Sunday. Nobody from the passing game excites me much in a normal week, so I probably wouldn't use them in a game that they might only play part of. If anything, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw could see lots of action in this one and might be ok to start.

Finally, the Cardinals can't move from the No. 4 seed, but they certainly don't want to enter the postseason playing awful football, which they've been doing often lately. I look for them to come out firing vs. the Seahawks as they try to finish on a high note. Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin (if healthy) and Steve Breaston are all pretty solid starts. Just don't be shocked if they get pulled in the fourth quarter.

Good luck navigating through Week 17's troublesome currents. 

Here are the injury updates for Sunday's late action:

• For the Bills, both QB Trent Edwards (groin) and RB Marshawn Lynch (shoulder) are active at Denver. Lynch is a solid start in a favorable matchup, but Edwards should only be used if you're desperate for a QB.
• For the Eagles, both WRs Kevin Curtis (calf) and Hank Baskett (knee) are inactive. Reggie Brown will start opposite DeSean Jackson and could put up decent numbers.
• Redskins RB Clinton Portis (back) is active vs. the Eagles. If you need him, go ahead and put him in your lineup.
• Vikings QB Gus Frerotte (back) is active but will back up Tarvaris Jackson vs. the Falcons.
• Jets WR Laveranues Coles (thigh) is active at Seattle. He has a fine matchup, but poor conditions are expected, so use him at your own discretion.

Here are the injury updates for Sunday's early action:

• Bengals WR Chad Ocho Cinco (hamstring) is inactive. Hopefully you weren't relying on him anyway.
• Lions RB Kevin Smith (ankle) is active vs. the Saints. He isn't a bad play against a beatable defense.
  
• Bucs QB Jeff Garcia (calf) is active and will start vs. the Chargers. Their pass defense is one of the worst in the league, so Garcia is a decent option in larger leagues.
• Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin (shoulder) is inactive. Get him out of your lineup. The weather is going to be a major issue today in New England, so Steve Breaston might not be worth using even though he's starting. RB J.J. Arrington (knee) is also inactive.
  
• 49ers RB Frank Gore (ankle) is inactive. DeShaun Foster will start vs. the Rams and is a solid fill-in if you're thin at RB.

Admittedly, the likelihood that you're diving for the waiver-wire at the last minute to fill a spot for your title match is a bit far-fetched. But it's possible. With uncertainties all around the league -- such as Joseph Addai last Thursday, Marion Barber tonight, Anquan Boldin tomorrow, and bad weather all around the country -- it isn't impossible that you may need to plug someone in at the last minute. Heck, in my own championship battle I sat both Addai and Rhodes on Thursday, and I have Boldin, Lynch and Portis all technically as game-time decisions. I may need my own deep sleeper at the Flex spot if things don't break my way.  

As you of course know by now, I am aiming for largely available players on your waiver wire who you could feasibly plug into your lineup on Sunday if desperation calls. For my sake and yours -- and all of our sanity -- let's hope it doesn't come to this.

49ers QB Shaun Hill @ STL: Well, it didn't happen for us last week, when Hill was shut out of the endzone for the first time all season, but he did record a respectable 233 passing yards and added 17 rushing. Even with the untimely goose egg, he has 10 touchdowns (1 rushing) in his last six games, and with Frank Gore at least limited, chances are the Niners will have to throw it a healthy amount. An indoor game against the lowly Rams defense (24th vs. the pass, 29th overall) is as good a situation as you could ask for.
Alternate option: Bills QB Trent Edwards @ DEN

Cardinals RB Tim Hightower @ NE: When you pluck a guy off waivers and drop him in your lineup at the last minute, a TD is pretty much a win, right? Well, despite all the passing Arizona has put up, Hightower is still one of only seven NFL RBs with double-digit TDs this season. Last week's fiasco vs. Minnesota should convince Ken Whisenhunt that he must at least run the ball on occassion, and if not, the weather in New England on Sunday may make it mandatory. With J.J. Arrington very questionable, Hightower should at least double his 10 touches from a week ago.
Alternate option: Cowboys RB Tashard Choice vs. BAL

Eagles WR Jason Avant @ WAS: Avant was last seen setting a career high with five catches for 101 yards against the Cleveland Browns last Monday night, demonstrating chemistry and connection with the resurgent Donovan McNabb. He has scored twice since Week 10, and that all came with Kevin Curtis on the field. Curtis was designated doubtful for this week's tilt, meaning Avant may have a larger role on offense than usual. 
Alternate option: Lions WR John Standeford vs. NOR

Buccaneers TE Jerramy Stevens vs. SD: No team in the NFL has allowed more fantasy points to the TE position than San Diego, and it's not close. They've permitted 10 TE touchdowns in just 14 games and an average of more than 70 TE yards per game. Even when they don't let a tight end waltz into their endzone, they still cede something like 8-64 to Zach Miller or 7-82 to Billy Miller or  4-53 to Robert Royal. We're not exactly talking about Gates, Gonzo and Witten here people. Stevens should find some room to roam.
Alternate option:  Packers TE Donald Lee @ CHI

So Mr. Addai obliged in Week 15, took one for the team, sat on the sideline, and allowed Dom to dominate the Lions to the tune of 116 total yards and two touchdowns. Just three days later, here we are, staring a game-time decision in the face on Thursday night in Jacksoville -- the kickoff of Fantasy Super Bowls everywhere.

If Addai is once again a scratch, we all know what that means: Rhodes is a must start. After all, the veteran backup now has four TDs and an average of 98 total yards per game in three starts this season.

The tougher question is: what to do if Addai, who has practiced the last couple days, is indeed active on Thursday night? I'm not so sure that Rhodes isn't the better play; he does have more fantasy points on the year. But can you really count on either? The Jags are 15th overall in points allowed to RBs on the year. They allow 111 rushing yards per game and have ceded 11 ground scores in 15 games. Not all that promising.

If Addai does play, you have to think the Colts would like to get him some reps and get him in rhythm. Should they blow the Jags out, Rhodes may be the guy down the stretch, but then again, Indy has been all about close games this season, as evidenced by last week's nailbiter vs. Detroit.

Were this week's opponent the Lions, or Rams, or Raiders, I could make an argument for using either Addai or Rhodes. And while the Jags are no world-beaters, they have been decent vs. the run. Only three backs have topped 100 yards on them all year long (Slaton, Benson, and M. Pittman, all of whom were featured in those games).

With the two Colts backs inevitably sharing carries (again, assuming Addai is active), I'm on record suggesting that title-seeking owners opt out unless all their other options are also stuck in similar time shares. 

Well, it's finally here, the championship week in most fantasy leagues. If you made it, good for you. I'm sure it wasn't easy.

Now that you've made it here, though, convention needs to be thrown out the window. Similar to how baseball teams will abandon usual strategy in Game Seven of a playoff series, you need to do all you can to win this week, because there's no tomorrow.

For many of you, that might mean benching a guy like LaDainian Tomlinson. L.T. hasn't been a significant part of the Chargers' offense this season, and you can't afford to start him simply because of his name. If you have alternatives with better matchups — like Pierre Thomas vs. the Lions — you need to have them in your lineup, as maximizing points is all you should be worried about at this stage in the game.

With everything on the line, there's no way anyone should be starting Marion Barber vs. the Ravens, and Tony Romo is far from a sure thing too. If you have someone like Matt Cassel or Chad Pennington, who have been playing very well and have favorable matchups, they probably deserve more starting consideration than guys like Romo, Jake Delhomme or Ben Roethlisberger.

Now I'm not saying to bench any of your studs if they're healthy and have good matchups, but the ones at less than 100 percent and/or facing tough defenses probably are not stellar options in a championship game. To use another baseball example, in a critical game, would a manager start a pitcher against a team that's battered him in the past?

Obviously, choosing a starting lineup is easier said than done, as we all know how random the NFL can be at times. But all you can do is give yourself the best chance at success. If that means starting DeShaun Foster vs. the Rams, then so be it. If Frank Gore is out, Foster could have a big day against a soft "D".

So in Week 16, don't necessarily go with what got you here, but with what will get you a victory. Good luck to fantasy owners everywhere.

Here are the injury updates for Sunday's late action:

• Vikings QB Gus Frerotte (back) is inactive. Tarvaris Jackson will start at Arizona but isn't a fantasy option.
• Ravens RB Ray Rice (calf) is inactive. Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee will likely split the workload vs. the Steelers, but neither is a great play in a very tough matchup.
• For the Broncos, RB Selvin Young (groin) is active vs. the Panthers. Since he'll be splitting time with Tatum Bell, he's not a viable fantasy option. WR Brandon Stokley (foot) is also active.

Here are the injury updates for Sunday's early action:

• Bucs QB Jeff Garcia (calf) is inactive. Get him out of your lineup. Brian Griese will start at Atlanta. Also, WR Joey Galloway is a healthy inactive.
• Titans RB LenDale White (knee) is active vs. the Texans. He is safe to use as you normally would.
  
• Bills QB Trent Edwards (groin) is out again, so J.P. Losman will start vs. the Jets. Losman struggled last week and only should be considered in very deep leagues.
• 49ers RB Frank Gore (ankle) is inactive. DeShaun Foster will start at Miami, but likely will share carries. Foster is only an average fantasy option.
• Chiefs WR Mark Bradley (calf) is active vs. the Chargers. His numbers have been down a bit lately, so you might want to hold off on using him unless you're very thin at WR.
• Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck (back) is again inactive. Seneca Wallace draws another start and could be a sneaky play against the Rams' dreadful defense.
• Jets WR Laveranues Coles (thigh) is active vs. the Bills. Feel free to use him if you usually do.
• Colts RB Joseph Addai (shoulder) is inactive. Dominic Rhodes will start vs. the Lions and makes for an excellent fantasy play.
• Jaguars WR Jerry Porter (groin) is out vs. the Packers. Also, don't forget that RB Fred Taylor (thumb) and WR Matt Jones (suspension) are both done for the season.
• For the Lions, WR Calvin Johnson (hand) and RB Kevin Smith (ankle) are both active vs. the Colts. Start them as you normally would. Remember that QB Dan Orlovsky will be starting for the injured Daunte Culpepper (shoulder). WR Shaun McDonald (ankle) is also out.
  

What does one make of the Clinton Portis-Jim Zorn soap opera this week? Well, perhaps we should ask LenDale White. After all, it was White who went off after receiving just one carry in the Titans' first (and only) loss of the season, calling out Jeff Fisher and his decision not to utilize him against Gang Green.

If there was a coach in the NFL who wouldn't stand for such baloney, I would have thought Fisher would have been the one. And yet there was White the very next week, receiving 23 carries, more than he had in any previous game that season. And thanks to the hapless Lions, those touches were enough for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

The very same opportunity awaits Portis, who got personal in attacking Zorn in the wake of last week's benching vs. Baltimore. He has reportedly patched things up with the Skins' rookie head coach, and on Sunday, he draws the Bengals, who rank 29th in scoring defense.

Remarkably, Portis has not scored since Week 7. But he's practiced all week and may be as healthy as he's been since sustaining a rash of injuries midseason. Better yet, he demanded the rock and called out his coach, and it seems that's the quickest way to glory.

Week 15: When dreams are achieved and hopes are dashed. Financial gain aside, reaching the championship round in your fantasy league -- whether you win the title or fall short in Week 16 -- typically offers you immunity from ridicule and a steardy perch from which to brag. Entry into the title game is earned tomorrow, and here's hoping that with your season on the line, "deep sleeper" is not something you have to ponder. However, it's not out of the realm of possibility. Let's say you've been riding Brandon Jacobs, Marion Barber and Frank Gore all season long. In that case, this might be of interest to you.

As you of course know by now, I am aiming for largely available players on your waiver wire who you could feasibly plug into your lineup on Sunday if for whatever reason you're missing multiple players. So let's get at it for Week 15, when we will be without Jacobs, Kellen Winslow, and perhaps Barber, Gore, and Joseph Addai among a host of other important fantasy commodities:

Chiefs QB Tyler Thigpen vs. SD: Admittedly, Thigpen has cooled from his tremendous stretch in which he performed like a weekly fantasy starter. However, the Chargers are in town on Sunday, a team which Thigpen dashed for 266 passing yards and three TDs in Week 10. In fact, the Bolts have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing QBs, which is an impressive feat considering they've faced the inept Raiders passing attack twice. San Diego has permitted six different passers to throw for multiple scores against them.
Alternative option: 49ers QB Shaun Hill @ MIA

Chargers RB Darren Sproles @ KC: Loyal followers of this weekly post know how fond I am of green-lighting whatever backup runner is facing the Chiefs. A whopping 20 different backs have reached 50 rushing yards against the Chiefs this season, and K.C. has ceded more rushing scores than all but two NFL teams; not surprisingly, no defense has been more fantasy-friendly to RBs than Kansas City. It doesn't hurt that Sproles is coming off a 2-TD outing in third-down duty behind L.T.
Alternative option: Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw @ DAL

Rams WR Donnie Avery vs. SEA: With just three catches for 32 yards in his last three outings, the shine has definitely faded on Avery's star. However, the Seahawks have given up more fantasy points to opposing WRs than any other team, and they struggled with a similar jitterbug in Wes Welker (12 catches, 134 yards) just two weeks back. With a big Sunday, Avery will give us something to remember him by over the long offseason.
Alternative option: Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez vs. DET

Titans TE Bo Scaife @ HOU: With 40 yards or less in each of his last four games, and nary a TD since Week 10, Scaife has fallen off the fantasy radar and onto waiver wires. Fortunately, the Titans have a perfect opponent to relocate their safety valve. Houston has ceded four TE touchdowns in their last six games, including two to Todd Heap, one to Visanthe Shiancoe and one to Donald Lee -- all of whom happen to rank right near Scaife in the season totals. Bo also reached paydirt on the Texans earlier this season.
Alternative option: Colts TE Gijon Robinson vs. DET

Odds are that if you have Joseph Addai on your roster, you spent a top-five pick on him on draft day. If I'd told you in August that in Week 15, you'd be hoping and praying that for your main man to be deactivated on gameday, you probably would've kicked me in the store. And yet, presuming you have Dominic Rhodes on your roster raring to go, that's exactly what you're pining for.

Obviously, if you don't have Rhodes waiting in the wings, this doesn't apply to you. But assuming you've made it this far by following sound fantasy strategy such as handcuffing your top backs, you're invested in both Colts backs. And there's no question that the best scenario involves Rhodes carrying the load on Sunday with Addai resting for Week 16 and beyond.

Frankly, Rhodes doesn't trail Addai all that much in terms of total production on the year. Each runner has six scores, Addai has just 45 more total yards, and Rhodes has 12 more catches. But making things complicated lately has been the involvement of both backs, with Addai totaling 51 touches to Rhodes' 38 over the last four games. 

Again, assuming you have both backs, it's a no-brainer preference to have Addai in street clothes and Rhodes carrying the load exclusively (with only just-signed Najeh Davenport and perhaps a practice-squad commodity behind him). In two previous starts in Addai's stead this year, Rhodes recorded 143 rushing yards, 80 receiving yards on 12 catches, and two scores against the Packers and Titans. This Sunday, he would draw the hapless Lions, who have given up more rushing yards (173.5 per game), more rushing TDs (23) and more points (31.8) than any team in the NFL.

Fantasy football is a nutty game, one that finds you rooting for some of the more arbitrary developments in any given football game. And now it has fantasy owners rooting for their first-round pick to sit out the biggest game of the season. 

Considering that it's December in Chicago, there's always a decent chance that lousy weather could affect the offensive strategy that teams employ at Soldier Field.

We all know that the right mix of conditions can basically force a team to stop throwing, which would be devastating to the Bears' opponent Thursday night, New Orleans, a club that loves to rest its hopes on the arm of QB Drew Brees. Since a lot of people will be relying on Saints players in critical fantasy matchups this week, I figured it would be wise to check out the forecast for this tilt.

To no one's surprise, it's going to be very cold. In fact, they're predicting the wind chill to be around 16 degrees at game time. However, luckily for New Orleans, no snow is expected to fall, and the wind should be gusting at roughly 13 mph. So while these conditions certainly will be uncomfortable for guys used to playing indoors, there's nothing in the forecast that suggests the Saints won't be able to chuck the ball all over the field.

That's obviously great news for owners of Brees, RB Reggie Bush or any New Orleans pass catcher. And while RB Pierre Thomas' outlook might have benefitted from more inclement weather, he should still see enough action to be worth starting in many leagues.

For the Bears, who figured to put the ball mostly in the hands of RB Matt Forte regardless of conditions, this forecast shouldn't have a huge affect on anyone's fantasy value. None of the key parts of their passing game are great options, but TE Greg Olsen at least bounced back last week and could be serviceable in larger leagues. And if you really have to dig deep for a receiver, Devin Hester has led the team in receiving the past few games and makes for a high-risk, high-reward play.

So with neither team sporting much of a defense, feel free to utilize your Saints and Bears as usual. Hopefully they can get your important fantasy week off to a nice start. And if you're playing against guys from these two teams, well, I recommend you pray for a blizzard.

There was a lot of anticipation for Monday night's matchup between the Bucs and the Panthers, two teams tied atop the NFC South at 9-3. But with both clubs boasting solid defensive units and pedestrian offenses, fantasy owners weren't expecting big numbers. After all, the over/under for the game was only around 40.

Well, 61 points later, many owners were either elated at their miraculous comeback or fuming mad because their opponent's players came through with incredible numbers.

If you were one of those people trailing big after Sunday but celebrating now, odds are you had one of the Panthers RBs in your lineup. DeAngelo Williams has put together a simply marvelous season, but no one could've expected him to run for 186 yards and two TDs vs. the Bucs, a team that held him to just 27 yards a couple months ago in Tampa. And the enormous effort from Jonathan Stewart came as an even bigger shock, as he hadn't done much at all in the past couple games. His 115 yards and two scores surely had owners jumping for joy.

For those playing against either of the Carolina one-two punch, you must have had steam coming out of your ears. To put it in perspective, entering Monday night the Bucs had allowed one rushing TD all season. Then, they turn around and give up four to this duo in one game. And to make matters worse, it wasn't even looking so bad for anyone facing Williams, who had 87 yards and no scores through three quarters. A 99-yard, two-TD fourth quarter, though, likely flipped the outcome of numerous playoff matchups.

On the other sideline, a couple of Bucs players had unexpected great nights as well. QB Jeff Garcia finished with his best fantasy outing of the year, throwing for 321 yards and two TDs, most of which came late in the contest. And then there was the jaw-dropping performance of WR Antonio Bryant, whose nine catches, 200 yards and two scores could not have come at a better time for those who rolled the dice on him this week. I couldn't even imagine how angry I'd be if one of my opponents mounted an insane comeback because of Bryant's career night.

So if any of you saw your fantasy season end because of one of these guys, I feel your pain. It's tough to witness months worth of dedication go down the drain in the blink of an eye. And if you were lucky enough to be on the other end of the stick and pull a rabbit out of your hat, congrats, you caught a break this time. Just don't be too upset if the shoe is on the other foot at this same time next week.