For the second year in a row, the Illini found themselves with a college basketball game scheduled at the exact same time as a college football game. Their bowl selection led to the scheduling conflict.

Last year, they won both as the football team crushed Robert Griffin III’s Baylor Bears in the Texas Bowl while the hoopsters beat the Iowa Hawkeyes handily.

This year Illinois football beat UCLA 20-13 in the Kraft Fight Hunger bowl while the cagers went to Purdue and…let’s not talk about that one.

Yes, indeed basketball turned out pretty bad today, and the football game was no picnic to watch itself. It was 7-3 Bruins heading into the final stanza. And before QB Nathan Scheelhaase hit senior receiver A.J. Jenkins with a 60 yard TD pass, his yards per attempt was a putrid 2.7. Yes that one pass play was just 10 yards less than the combined total of his previous 15 completions.

Scheelhaase did run for over 110 yards though. And the defense held UCLA to just 19 yards rushing.

Yes, this is the first ever back to back bowl win years in Illinois football history. That fact is less impressive when I remind you that both this year’s team and last year’s went 7-6! And that 70/120 FBS teams go to bowls these days. And that bowl expansion is a fairly recent phenomenon. And that UCLA came in 6-7 and had to petition the NCAA to even get the chance to be there. But I’ll just stop now.

It’s still back to back bowl wins.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

The fantasy football season is on the final stretch and every move takes on do-or-die importance. If you need a win now, start the higher rated player in my rankings and bring home that championship.

Quarterbacks

Could Impress: Tim Tebow. The Bills have fallen off the map after their fast start, and a big reason is the play of the defense. Buffalo is giving up 165 rushing yards a game and has struggled horribly against mobile quarterbacks. Tebow’s pass numbers have been better the last few weeks, so expect a good mix of rush and pass numbers for #15.

Could Disappoint: Eli Manning. The ‘other’ Manning is coming off his worst game of the season and has a tough matchup with the Jets this weekend. If we know one thing about Eli, it’s that he forces the issue in pressure games. If you’ve got other good options, you might want to consider sitting Manning.

Injury Replacement: Matt Moore. Give the guy credit; he’s been an above average quarterback this season, putting up double-digit fantasy points in more than half of his starts. The Patriots have allowed less talented quarterbacks to put up big fantasy numbers this season. Moore’s a decent play this week.

QB Rankings

1. Arian Foster HOU (@ Indianapolis)

2. Ray Rice BAL (vs. Cleveland)

3. Maurice Jones-Drew JAX (@ Tennessee)

4. LeSean McCoy PHI (@ Dallas)

5. Adrian Peterson MIN (@ Washington)

6. Ryan Mathews SD (@ Detroit)

7. Michael Turner ATL (@ New Orleans)

8. Reggie Bush MIA (@ New England)

9. Michael Bush OAK (@ Kansas City)

10. Rashard Mendenhall PIT (vs. St. Louis)

11. Chris Johnson TEN (vs. Jacksonville)

12. Shonn Greene NYJ (vs. New York Giants)

13. Frank Gore SF (@ Seattle)

14. Marshawn Lynch SEA (vs. San Francisco)

15. Willis McGahee DEN (@ Buffalo)

16. Beanie Wells AZ (@ Cincinnati)

17. Cedric Benson CIN (vs. Arizona)

18. C.J. Spiller BUF (vs. Denver)

19. Steven Jackson STL (@ Pittsburgh)

20. Roy Helu WAS (vs. Minnesota)

21. LeGarrette Blount TB (@ Carolina)

22. Felix Jones DAL (vs. Philadelphia)

23. Darren Sproles NO (vs. Atlanta)

24. Ahmad Bradshaw NYG (@ New York Jets)

25. DeAngelo Williams CAR (vs. Tampa Bay)

26. Jonathan Stewart CAR (vs. Tampa Bay)

27. Kahlil Bell CHI (@ Green Bay)

28. Donald Brown IND (vs. Houston)

29. Ryan Grant GB (vs. Chicago)

30. BenJarvus Green-Ellis NE (vs. Miami)

31. Kevin Smith DET (@ San Diego)

32. Peyton Hillis CLE (@ Baltimore)

33. Ben Tate HOU (@ Indianapolis)

34. Mike Tolbert SD (@ Detroit)

35. Brandon Jacobs NYG (@ New York Jets)

36. Marion Barber CHI (@ Green Bay)

37. Lance Ball DEN (@ Buffalo)

38. Chris Ivory NO (vs. Atlanta)

39. Jackie Battle KC (vs. Oakland)

40. Pierre Thomas NO (vs. Atlanta)

41. Thomas Jones KC (vs. Oakland)

42. Toby Gerhart MIN (@ Washington)

43. Evan Royster WAS (vs. Minnesota)

44. Kendall Hunter SF (@ Seattle)

45. Sammy Morris DAL (vs. Philadelphia)

46. Mark Ingram NO (vs. Atlanta)

47. Daniel Thomas MIA (@ New England)

48. Ricky Williams BAL (vs. Cleveland)

49. Stevan Ridley NE (vs. Miami)

50. LaDainian Tomlinson NYJ (vs. New York Giants)

Stephen Kelley is a contributor at The Sports Bank where he covers Fantasy Sports and Pro Drafts. You can follow him on Twitter @stephen_tsb.

The fantasy football season is on the final stretch and every move takes on do-or-die importance. If you need a win now, start the higher rated player in my rankings and bring home that championship.

1. Rob Gronkowski NE (vs. Miami)

2. Jimmy Graham NO (vs. Atlanta)

3. Tony Gonzalez ATL (@ New Orleans)

4. Jermichael Finley GB (vs. Chicago)

5. Antonio Gates SD (@ Detroit)

6. Aaron Hernandez NE (vs. Miami)

7. Jason Witten DAL (vs. Philadelphia)

8. Brent Celek PHI (@ Dallas)

9. Vernon Davis SF (@ Seattle)

10. Owen Daniels HOU (@ Indianapolis)

11. Brandon Pettigrew DET (vs. San Diego)

12. Dustin Keller NYJ (vs. New York Giants)

13. Kellen Winslow TB (@ Carolina)

14. Jermaine Gresham CIN (vs. Arizona)

15. Jared Cook TEN (vs. Jacksonville)

16. Anthony Fasano MIA (@ New England)

17. Ed Dickson BAL (vs. Cleveland)

18. Greg Olsen CAR (vs. Tampa Bay)

19. Heath Miller PIT (vs. St. Louis)

20. Marcedes Lewis JAX (@ Tennessee)

21. Scott Chandler BUF (vs. Denver)

22. Visanthe Shiancoe MIN (@ Washington)

23. Jacob Tamme IND (vs. Houston)

24. Kevin Boss OAK (@ Kansas City)

25. Evan Moore CLE (@ Baltimore)

Stephen Kelley is a contributor at The Sports Bank where he covers Fantasy Sports and Pro Drafts. You can follow him on Twitter @stephen_tsb.

The Indianapolis Colts won’t go 0-16. We know that much.

The Colts’ 27-13 victory against division rival Tennessee on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium — Indy’s first win of the 2011 season — prevented the franchise from going down in NFL history with the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the 2008 Detroit Lions, the only two teams to ever finish a season without a win.

But beyond the relief of finally breaking through for a win, the Colts still face some questions as they prepare to close out the final two weeks of 2011. Vice Chairman Bill Polian announced after the game that quarterback Peyton Manning would not appear in either of Indy’s last two games against Houston and Jacksonville. Also — believe it or not — there’s a legitimate race in the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes again.

The Colts clearly wanted this win Sunday, and they certainly deserved it.

Titans running back Chris Johnson, who had seemed to be returning to form after a holdout-induced slow start, was held to just 55 yards on 15 touches. Colts middle linebacker Pat Angerer went everywhere Johnson went; Angerer finished with 12 total tackles, a forced fumble and an interception of Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck that prevented a late score to bring Tennessee within a possession.

Jake Locker relieved Hasselbeck, who threw two picks, and led the Titans on that scoring drive. Afterward, however, Colts running back Donald Brown ran a brilliant reverse that turned into an 80-yard touchdown run. That ultimately was the dagger. Brown finished with 161 yards on 16 carries.

The Colts’ defense deserves the biggest share of credit for this one. On top of negating Chris Johnson and Angerer’s interception of Hasselbeck, the other pick was returned for a touchdown by Jacob Lacey to give the Colts a 17-6 lead.

While spirits were bright following the much-anticipated win, much speculation swirled during the game about Manning’s availability amid reports the four-time MVP has been throwing in pads and could, in fact, play in Thursday’s home finale against the Texans.

Polian addressed the media following the game, reiterating that Manning would not play in any games in 2011 and that his rehabilitation has not progressed quickly enough for that to be possible. He added, though, that Manning could participate in limited practice in these last two weeks.

It will be interesting to see if Manning does practice. If he doesn’t, the Colts might not get to see him do so until after the deadline by which they have to pay him a $28 million roster bonus to keep him in 2012. What can you do if you don’t have another elite quarterback or any idea where Manning’s health is?

Further complicating the situation is the fact the Colts have competition for the top pick in next April’s NFL Draft once again. The Minnesota Vikings and St. Louis Rams each have two losses. It’s not entirely inconceivable for Indy to win its final two games, and the Rams are very likely to lose out with contests against Pittsburgh and San Francisco. ESPN AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky put together a detailed explanation of tiebreak scenarios for the No. 1 pick. The gist of Kuharsky’s post is that if in the event the Colts, Rams and Vikings all end up with the same records, the Rams would fall out on strength of schedule and whoever has the weaker slate between Indy and Minnesota would get the pick. In other words, Colts fans should want all the Vikings’ opponents to win their final two games.

Who says a 1-13 season can’t be intriguing?

Most Americans, okay many Americans knew, North Korea supreme overlord/dictator/power mad nutjob Kim Jong Il best as the villain in the puppet film classic “Team America: World Police.” One of my all-time favorite movies, the 2004 satire featured Jong Il singing the heart felt…well, the video is after the jump.

And this scene with former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix is pretty awesome too

Jong Il who defied the globe to keep North Korea cut off from the rest of the world died tonight of exhaustion brought on by a sudden illness.

The official Korean Central News Agency (and in North Korea all news is VERY CENTRALIZED and controlled by the government) reported he fell ill and passed away on a train.

According to Bloomberg:

Kim probably had a stroke in August 2008 and may have also contracted pancreatic cancer, according to South Korean news reports.

The son of Kim Il Sung, North Korea’s founder, Kim was a bizarre guy to say the least. He was a n excessive movie buff who actually had an affinity for the culture originating from the West, which he was so vehemently against. He ruled for 17 years and built up a nuclear stockpile while his own nation’s infrastructure crumbled and his people starve.

His regime was based on fear and terror to say the least. More from Bloomberg:

“Kim Jong Un’s taking complete control of the helm will not take place for a while due to his youth and inexperienced leadership,” said Yang Moo Jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. “The North will likely be under the control of a governing body for about a year.”

A state television announcer wept as she read the news of Kim’s death. Footage was aired of thousands of people in the main square of the capital of Pyongyang chanting in unison and waving Kimjongilia, a flower named after the deceased leader.

Jong Un, is at the “forefront of the revolution,” KCNA said in its statement of the elder Kim’s death. While official reports give Kim’s age as 69, Russian records indicate he was born in Siberia in February 1941.

He was only 5’3″ but his thirst for power, and overall nuttiness made him loom large in the Far East.

AWESOME collection of photos from inside “Dear Leader’s” North Korea.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

One week of the fantasy playoffs is in the books, and as expected, there were some big days across the board. The good news is there are just as many points out there for fantasy owners in week 15. Follow my rankings and I’ll see you in the next round.

Quarterbacks

Could Impress: Matt Ryan. I was hard on Matty Ice early in the season for some really subpar play. But since the bye week, he’s averaging 300 yards and 2+ scores a game. Expect even better numbers against a Jacksonville squad that is pretty banged up in the secondary.

Could Disappoint: Carson Palmer. His numbers are trending in the wrong direction, despite playing against some usually porous fantasy defenses. If you’ve put your faith in him the past few weeks, you’re probably not still alive in the fantasy playoffs. If you’re thinking about taking a flyer this week, don’t.

Injury Replacement: Jake Locker. If you’re really desperate, or in a two quarterback league, you have to be impressed with what Locker did filling in for the injured Matt Hasselbeck, throwing for 280 yards and scoring twice. He likely earns his first start against a Colts team that is completely falling apart. It’s a risky move, but it very well could pay off.

QB Rankings

1. Aaron Rodgers GB (@ Kansas City)

2. Drew Brees NO (@ Minnesota)

3. Tom Brady NE (@ Denver)

4. Matthew Stafford DET (@ Oakland)

5. Tony Romo DAL (@ Tampa Bay)

6. Eli Manning NYG (vs. Washington)

7. Cam Newton CAR (@ Houston)

8. Matt Ryan ATL (vs. Jacksonville)

9. Tim Tebow DEN (vs. New England)

10. Philip Rivers SD (vs. Baltimore)

11. Michael Vick PHI (vs. New York Jets)

12. Ben Roethlisberger PIT (@ San Francisco)

13. Andy Dalton CIN (@ St. Louis)

14. Joe Flacco BAL (@ San Diego)

15. Rex Grossman WAS (@ New York Giants)

16. Carson Palmer OAK (vs. Detroit)

17. Mark Sanchez NYJ (@ Philadelphia)

18. Matt Moore MIA (@ Buffalo)

19. Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF (vs. Miami)

20. Josh Freeman TB (vs. Dallas)

21. T.J. Yates HOU (vs. Carolina)

22. Jake Locker TEN (@ Indianapolis)

23. Alex Smith SF (vs. Pittsburgh)

24. Christian Ponder MIN (vs. New Orleans)

25. Sam Bradford STL (vs. Cincinnati)

Should you be concerned about Frank Gore?

Running Backs

Could Impress: Chris Johnson. Indy’s run defense is giving up more than 21 points a game to fantasy backs, including an impressive 14 touchdowns. Johnson has been running like a man possessed against some of the weaker run defenses this year, and there’s no reason to expect anything but a big game against the Colts.

Could Disappoint: Frank Gore. It’s not that he won’t do well and it’s not even the matchup that is most concerning. San Fran has already started to scale back Gore’s work, giving him just 10 carries last week against Arizona, despite Gore posting an impressive 7.2 yards per carry. On the flipside, Kendall Hunter got 8 carries despite his 2.5 yards per carry. The 49ers want a healthy Gore for the playoffs, so expect the split listed above to continue.

Injury Replacement: Felix Jones. That was the player everyone expected to see this season. Jones ran extremely well against the Giants, putting up 106 yards. With DeMarco Murray on the shelf for the rest of the season, Jones should see plenty of work from here on out. He was still available in 30% of leagues. If it was yours, pick him up immediately.

RB Rankings

1. Arian Foster HOU (vs. Carolina)

2. Ray Rice BAL (@ San Diego)

3. Adrian Peterson MIN (vs. New Orleans)

4. Chris Johnson TEN (@ Indianapolis)

5. Maurice Jones-Drew JAX (@ Atlanta)

6. LeSean McCoy PHI (vs. New York Jets)

7. Marshawn Lynch SEA (@ Chicago)

8. Michael Bush OAK (vs. Detroit)

9. Michael Turner ATL (vs. Jacksonville)

10. Felix Jones DAL (@ Tampa Bay)

11. Shonn Greene NYJ (@ Philadelphia)

12. Ryan Mathews SD (vs. Baltimore)

13. Roy Helu WAS (@ New York Giants)

14. Beanie Wells AZ (vs. Cleveland)

15. Frank Gore SF (vs. Pittsburgh)

16. Reggie Bush MIA (@ Buffalo)

17. Cedric Benson CIN (@ St. Louis)

18. Steven Jackson STL (vs. Cincinnati)

19. Willis McGahee DEN (vs. New England)

20. Darren Sproles NO (@ Minnesota)

21. LeGarrette Blount TB (vs. Dallas)

22. Marion Barber CHI (vs. Seattle)

23. Rashard Mendenhall PIT (@ San Francisco)

24. C.J. Spiller BUF (vs. Miami)

25. BenJarvus Green-Ellis NE (@ Denver)

26. Ahmad Bradshaw NYG (vs. Washington)

27. Ryan Grant GB (@ Kansas City)

28. Jonathan Stewart CAR (@ Houston)

29. Brandon Jacobs NYG (vs. Washington)

30. Ben Tate HOU (vs. Carolina)

31. DeAngelo Williams CAR (@ Houston)

32. Peyton Hillis CLE (@ Arizona)

33. Donald Brown IND (vs. Tennessee)

34. Kevin Smith DET (@ Oakland)

35. Mike Tolbert SD (vs. Baltimore)

36. Pierre Thomas NO (@ Minnesota)

37. Kahlil Bell CHI (vs. Seattle)

38. Maurice Morris DET (@ Oakland)

39. Mark Ingram NO (@ Minnesota)

40. Toby Gerhart MIN (vs. New Orleans)

41. Daniel Thomas MIA (@ Buffalo)

42. Kendall Hunter SF (vs. Pittsburgh)

43. Jackie Battle KC (vs. Green Bay)

44. LaDainian Tomlinson NYJ (@ Philadelphia)

45. Dexter McCluster KC (vs. Green Bay)

46. Chris Ivory NO (@ Minnesota)

47. Montario Hardesty CLE (@ Arizona)

48. Thomas Jones KC (vs. Green Bay)

49. James Starks GB (@ Kansas City)

50. Brandon Saine GB (@ Kansas City)

Stephen Kelley is a contributor at The Sports Bank where he covers Fantasy Sports and Pro Drafts. You can follow him on Twitter @stephen_tsb.

One week of the fantasy playoffs is in the books, and as expected, there were some big days across the board. The good news is there are just as many points out there for fantasy owners in week 15. Follow my rankings and I’ll see you in the next round.

Wide Receivers

Could Impress: Andre Johnson. Injuries have really hurt Johnson’s fantasy stock this season, and this week is no different, with the big receiver nursing a hamstring injury. But if he can go, he’s got an ideal matchup against Carolina and should benefit from some suspect corner play.

Could Disappoint: DeSean Jackson. It’s not only the fact that Jackson will be the latest guest on Revis Island, but it’s also that he has topped four catches just once since week five. Unless he can get into the end zone, there is not much to like.

Injury Replacement: James Jones. It’s been an up and down season for Jones, who resigned with the Packers instead of competing for a starting spot on another team. He gets his chance to show his worth this week with Greg Jennings missing time. Green Bay spreads the ball around, so don’t expect him to put up Jennings-like numbers, but it’s safe to assume he’ll have something close to 4 catches and 60 yards.

WR Rankings

1. Wes Welker NE (@ Denver)

2. Roddy White ATL (vs. Jacksonville)

3. Calvin Johnson DET (@ Oakland)

4. Jordy Nelson GB (@ Kansas City)

5. Hakeem Nicks NYG (vs. Washington)

6. Larry Fitzgerald AZ (vs. Cleveland)

7. Steve Smith CAR (@ Houston)

8. Mike Wallace PIT (@ San Francisco)

9. Marques Colston NO (@ Minnesota)

10. Victor Cruz NYG (vs. Washington)

11. A.J. Green CIN (@ St. Louis)

12. Vincent Jackson SD (vs. Baltimore)

13. Brandon Marshall MIA (@ Buffalo)

14. Miles Austin DAL (@ Tampa Bay)

15. Percy Harvin MIN (vs. New Orleans)

16. Dwayne Bowe KC (vs. Green Bay)

17. Dez Bryant DAL (@ Tampa Bay)

18. Laurent Robinson DAL (@ Tampa Bay)

19. Steve Johnson BUF (vs. Miami)

20. Antonio Brown PIT (@ San Francisco)

21. Brandon Lloyd STL (vs. Cincinnati)

22. Andre Johnson HOU (vs. Carolina)

23. Santana Moss WAS (@ New York Giants)

24. DeSean Jackson PHI (vs. New York Jets)

25. Julio Jones ATL (vs. Jacksonville)

26. Anquan Boldin BAL (@ San Diego)

27. Demaryius Thomas DEN (vs. New England)

28. Nate Washington TEN (@ Indianapolis)

29. Santonio Holmes NYJ (@ Philadelphia)

30. Michael Crabtree SF (vs. Pittsburgh)

31. Mario Manningham NYG (vs. Washington)

32. Mike Williams TB (vs. Dallas)

33. Pierre Garcon IND (vs. Tennessee)

34. James Jones GB (@ Kansas City)

35. Eric Decker DEN (vs. New England)

36. Jabar Gaffney WAS (@ New York Giants)

37. Jeremy Maclin PHI (vs. New York Jets)

38. C.J. Spiller BUF (vs. Miami)

39. Lance Moore NO (@ Minnesota)

40. Doug Baldwin SEA (@ Chicago)

41. Torrey Smith BAL (@ San Diego)

42. Malcom Floyd SD (vs. Baltimore)

43. Damian Williams TEN (@ Indianapolis)

44. Donald Driver GB (@ Kansas City)

45. Plaxico Burress NYJ (@ Philadelphia)

46. Darrius Heyward-Bey OAK (vs. Detroit)

47. Nate Burleson DET (@ Oakland)

48. Deion Branch NE (@ Denver)

49. Johnny Knox CHI (vs. Seattle)

50. Reggie Wayne IND (vs. Tennessee)

Gronkowski has been the best TE this year

Tight Ends

Could Impress: Rob Gronkowski. Give credit where credit is due, Gronkowski has impressed every single time out this year. That won’t end this weekend with a very nice matchup against Denver.

Could Disappoint: Vernon Davis. It’s no surprise that the Steelers have a very good defense, just like it should surprise no one that they are very good at stopping opposing tight ends. Even when San Fran was trying to throw last week, Davis got just one catch. Temper your expectations for this week.

Injury Replacement: Anthony Fasano. He’s become more involved in the offense, catching 7 balls for 122 yards in the last two weeks. Buffalo is among the league’s worst at stopping opposing tight ends.

TE Rankings

1. Rob Gronkowski NE (@ Denver)

2. Jimmy Graham NO (@ Minnesota)

3. Jermichael Finley GB (@ Kansas City)

4. Antonio Gates SD (vs. Baltimore)

5. Tony Gonzalez ATL (vs. Jacksonville)

6. Jason Witten DAL (@ Tampa Bay)

7. Brandon Pettigrew DET (@ Oakland)

8. Owen Daniels HOU (vs. Carolina)

9. Aaron Hernandez NE (@ Denver)

10. Vernon Davis SF (vs. Pittsburgh)

11. Kellen Winslow TB (vs. Dallas)

12. Dustin Keller NYJ (@ Philadelphia)

13. Greg Olsen CAR (@ Houston)

14. Jermaine Gresham CIN (@ St. Louis)

15. Brent Celek PHI (vs. New York Jets)

16. Jake Ballard NYG (vs. Washington)

17. Dallas Clark IND (vs. Tennessee)

18. Visanthe Shiancoe MIN (vs. New Orleans)

19. Heath Miller PIT (@ San Francisco)

20. Ed Dickson BAL (@ San Diego)

21. Marcedes Lewis JAX (@ Atlanta)

22. Anthony Fasano MIA (@ Buffalo)

23. Jared Cook TEN (@ Indianapolis)

24. Kevin Boss OAK (vs. Detroit)

25. Evan Moore CLE (@ Arizona)

Stephen Kelley is a contributor at The Sports Bank where he covers Fantasy Sports and Pro Drafts. You can follow him on Twitter @stephen_tsb.

We all love our sports here at this site, and a great number of us love to play them as well. As such, many of us suffer from inflammation and the many related health problems.

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The fantasy football playoffs are here and every move becomes more important. Not to worry, there are plenty of good options both on the waiver wire and possibly your bench. Follow my rankings and advance to the next round.

Quarterbacks

Could Impress: Matthew Stafford. Despite the Lions tough loss to New Orleans on Sunday night, Stafford and the offense had an extremely good day. Minnesota allows more fantasy points to quarterbacks than any other team out there. You do the math.

Could Disappoint: Andy Dalton. The red haired signal caller might be a media darling, but he’s going to have a tough time against the league’s best defense on Sunday. Don’t give up on Dalton just yet, however, with his week 15 and 16 matchups among the best out there.

Injury Replacement: Joe Flacco. I wrote earlier in the season that no one had a better fantasy playoff stretch than Flacco and the Ravens. It all starts here against Indianapolis who has made a lot of subpar quarterbacks look like Aaron Rodgers.

QB Rankings

1. Aaron Rodgers GB (vs. Oakland)

2. Drew Brees NO (@ Tennessee)

3. Tom Brady NE (@ Washington)

4. Matthew Stafford DET (vs. Minnesota)

5. Cam Newton CAR (vs. Atlanta)

6. Tony Romo DAL (vs. New York Giants)

7. Eli Manning NYG (@ Dallas)

8. Michael Vick PHI (@ Miami)

9. Matt Ryan ATL (@ Carolina)

10. Philip Rivers SD (vs. Buffalo)

11. Ben Roethlisberger PIT (vs. Cleveland)

12. Tim Tebow DEN (vs. Chicago)

13. Joe Flacco BAL (vs. Indianapolis)

14. Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF (@ San Diego)

15. Carson Palmer OAK (@ Green Bay)

16. Rex Grossman WAS (vs. New England)

17. Alex Smith SF (@ Arizona)

18. Matt Moore MIA (vs. Philadelphia)

19. Mark Sanchez NYJ (vs. Kansas City)

20. Matt Hasselbeck TEN (vs. New Orleans)

21. Josh Freeman TB (@ Jacksonville)

22. Andy Dalton CIN (vs. Houston)

23. T.J. Yates HOU (@ Cincinnati)

24. Christian Ponder MIN (@ Detroit)

25. Dan Orlovsky IND (@ Baltimore)

 

Forte is out for at least two weeks. Do you have a replacement?

Running Backs

Could Impress: Michael  Bush. We know you can run against the Packers, and Bush has a running style very similar to LeGarrette Blount, who torched Grreen Bay for 107 yards and a score. In fact, the Packers have allowed 100 yard rushers in the last three games. It’ll be cold and the Raiders would be smart to slow down the game. Bush should be a big factor on Sunday.

Could Disappoint: Beanie Wells. Listen, Wells was absolutely fantastic the last couple of weeks and I know it’s difficult to sit the guy during the fantasy playoffs. But here are his totals against San Fran in the last matchup: 8 carries, 33 yards, 1 fantasy point. Enough said.

Injury Replacement: Marion Barber. The Bears are built to run the ball, and Caleb Hanie has done little to convince OC Mike Martz that they should be throwing the ball more. He’s a grinder who will get plenty of carries on Sunday. Barber is likely the top waiver pickup in your league. Hopefully you put a bid in.

 

RB Rankings

1. Ray Rice BAL (vs. Indianapolis)

2. Maurice Jones-Drew JAX (vs. Tampa Bay)

3. Arian Foster HOU (@ Cincinnati)

4. Michael Turner ATL (@ Carolina)

5. Chris Johnson TEN (vs. New Orleans)

6. Marshawn Lynch SEA (vs. St. Louis)

7. LeSean McCoy PHI (@ Miami)

8. Frank Gore SF (@ Arizona)

9. Ryan Mathews SD (vs. Buffalo)

10. Rashard Mendenhall PIT (vs. Cleveland)

11. DeMarco Murray DAL (vs. New York Giants)

12. Adrian Peterson MIN (@ Detroit)

13. Michael Bush OAK (@ Green Bay)

14. Willis McGahee DEN (vs. Chicago)

15. Steven Jackson STL (@ Seattle)

16. Reggie Bush MIA (vs. Philadelphia)

17. C.J. Spiller BUF (@ San Diego)

18. Shonn Greene NYJ (vs. Kansas City)

19. Darren Sproles NO (@ Tennessee)

20. LeGarrette Blount TB (@ Jacksonville)

21. Beanie Wells AZ (vs. San Francisco)

22. Roy Helu WAS (vs. New England)

23. BenJarvus Green-Ellis NE (@ Washington)

24. Ahmad Bradshaw NYG (@ Dallas)

25. Marion Barber CHI (@ Denver)

26. Cedric Benson CIN (vs. Houston)

27. Jonathan Stewart CAR (vs. Atlanta)

28. Mark Ingram NO (@ Tennessee)

29. Mike Tolbert SD (vs. Buffalo)

30. Peyton Hillis CLE (@ Pittsburgh)

31. Brandon Jacobs NYG (@ Dallas)

32. Donald Brown IND (@ Baltimore)

33. Maurice Morris DET (vs. Minnesota)

34. DeAngelo Williams CAR (vs. Atlanta)

35. Ben Tate HOU (@ Cincinnati)

36. Pierre Thomas NO (@ Tennessee)

37. Ryan Grant GB (vs. Oakland)

38. Toby Gerhart MIN (@ Detroit)

39. Dexter McCluster KC (@ New York Jets)

40. Daniel Thomas MIA (vs. Philadelphia)

41. Ricky Williams BAL (vs. Indianapolis)

42. Kevin Smith DET (vs. Minnesota)

43. Kahlil Bell CHI (@ Denver)

44. Felix Jones DAL (vs. New York Giants)

45. Montario Hardesty CLE (@ Pittsburgh)

46. James Starks GB (vs. Oakland)

47. Joseph Addai IND (@ Baltimore)

48. Thomas Jones KC (@ New York Jets)

49. Brandon Saine GB (vs. Oakland)

50. Jackie Battle KC (@ New York Jets)

Stephen Kelley is a contributor at The Sports Bank where he covers Fantasy Sports and Pro Drafts. You can follow him on Twitter @stephen_tsb.

The fantasy football playoffs are here and every move becomes more important. Not to worry, there are plenty of good options both on the waiver wire and possibly your bench. Follow my rankings and advance to the next round.

1. Rob Gronkowski NE (@ Washington)

2. Jimmy Graham NO (@ Tennessee)

3. Jason Witten DAL (vs. New York Giants)

4. Antonio Gates SD (vs. Buffalo)

5. Tony Gonzalez ATL (@ Carolina)

6. Jermichael Finley GB (vs. Oakland)

7. Vernon Davis SF (@ Arizona)

8. Kellen Winslow TB (@ Jacksonville)

9. Aaron Hernandez NE (@ Washington)

10. Brandon Pettigrew DET (vs. Minnesota)

11. Brent Celek PHI (@ Miami)

12. Owen Daniels HOU (@ Cincinnati)

13. Jermaine Gresham CIN (vs. Houston)

14. Dustin Keller NYJ (vs. Kansas City)

15. Jake Ballard NYG (@ Dallas)

16. Greg Olsen CAR (vs. Atlanta)

17. Heath Miller PIT (vs. Cleveland)

18. Jared Cook TEN (vs. New Orleans)

19. Ed Dickson BAL (vs. Indianapolis)

20. Jacob Tamme IND (@ Baltimore)

21. Visanthe Shiancoe MIN (@ Detroit)

22. Marcedes Lewis JAX (vs. Tampa Bay)

23. Benjamin Watson CLE (@ Pittsburgh)

24. Anthony Fasano MIA (vs. Philadelphia)

25. Scott Chandler BUF (@ San Diego)

Stephen Kelley is a contributor at The Sports Bank where he covers Fantasy Sports and Pro Drafts. You can follow him on Twitter @stephen_tsb.