FANTASY FOOTBALL IN-SEASON FEATURES

Prediction: NYG 24, PHI 30

Here is the battle for the NFC East with the New York rematch looming in week 15. These teams are tied at 6-3 though the Eagles come off a shocking demolition of the team formerly known as the Redskins while the Giants just lost to the visiting Cowboys and their interim head coach. The Giants are 3-1 on the road so far and the Eagles are just 2-2 at home. But the Eagles are looking as good as a team can look.

The Eagles swept the Giants last year, winning 40-17 at Philly and later 45-38 in New York.

QUARTERBACK: Eli Manning has been red hot for five games with no less than two scores in each and 14 in total during that time. But that was against some very soft secondaries of HOU, DET, DAL and SEA. Manning on the road has not faced any decent defenses other than the Colts when he was held to 161 yards and two scores. Manning will be without Steve Smith for at least another week and just lost Ramses Barden to injured reserve. Throw in a very banged up Kevin Boss and Manning 's targets are shrinking.

Manning passed for 222 yards and one score in Philly last year.

The Eagles have played much better defense at home where no opponent has passed for more than two scores and only Peyton Manning had more than 250 passing yards. Eli has been hot lately but against some of the worst defenses. Figure on him needing to throw in this game and posting very good yardage and those two scores.

RUNNING BACKS: This is one of those weeks that Ahmad Bradshaw doesn't care for. They are called road games. He has gained over 100 rush yards three times this year - all at home. He has scored in four different games - three at home and then in Seattle. Even his role as a receiver decreases when he leaves New York. Brandon Jacobs has been more consistent but only with scoring and even then it is with lesser yardage.

The Giants rushed for 107 yards and one score on 29 carries in Philly last season.

The Eagles have allowed four rushing touchdowns in Philly so far but only moderate yardage at best. Jacobs has the best shot at a score in this game with a goal line plunge while Bradshaw should remain with only moderate yardage.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Steve Smith remains out at least one more week with a pectoral injury and Ramses Barden has been placed on injured reserve which sends the Giants scurrying to find replacements. Hakeem Nicks has remained very effective and Mario Manningham took his promotion into Steve Smith's flanker spot well enough to gain 91 yards and one score on ten catches against the Cowboys. Derek Hagen has been resigned and he will battle Duke Calhoun for the #3 spot though neither have played a down this season. I will project only for Nicks and Manningham - the #3 guy has no fantasy value here even if you could be sure who that will be.

Hakeem Nicks (4-53) and Steve Smith (8-68) had moderate games in Philly.

The Eagles have been solid against scoring at home with no wideouts allowed a touchdown since week one but four different players turned in 80+ yards already and Manning is going to need to throw to remain in this game. Both Manningham and Nicks are must starts with Nicks the more likely to score.

TIGHT ENDS: Kevin Boss needed an X-ray on his lower back but it was negative and he has just a strained lower back that is not expected to keep him away this week. Boss has scored in each of the last two games and turned in 81 yards on five catches versus the Cowboys. The Eagles are weak against the tight ends and Boss caught three passes for 70 yards and a score in Philly last season. He later had seven receptions for 70 yards and a score again in the second meeting. With wideouts missing from the offense, expect Boss to continue to play a more prominent role in the passing game.

Pregame Notes: Michael Vick comes off the biggest performance by a quarterback in the history of fantasy football. To say that the announcers did not notice would be incorrect. If you thought the media's attraction to Vick was strong, think about now when there is actually a reason to be. The win over the Skins coupled with the loss by the Giants to the Cowboys means this week is for the NFC East title lead and provides a one game tie breaker as well. The Skins were responsible fort Vick's chest injury in week four. He returned the favor in a big way.

QUARTERBACK: Apparently you do not sandwich Michael Vick with two defensive backs and injure his ribs because it turns him superhuman. What other explanation is there for 333 passing yards and four touchdowns with 80 yards and two running scores on eight carries? Remember this was the Vick who only had 218 yards and one score against the Colts though he rushed for another score and 74 yards in that game. If only for one week, Vick looked all world against the Skins in the driving rain no less. Now he travels to the QB-Killers in New York where his skills as a runner will come in very handy.

Donovan McNabb passed for 240 yards and three scores on the Giants last year.

The Giants had held opponents to only one score and low yardage but that was only CAR, DET, TEN and CHI once Cutler was knocked out of the game. Then the Cowboys show up and dump 327 yards and three scores on them last week. Vick is an obvious must start and should supply rushing yards for a third week.

RUNNING BACKS: LeSean McCoy has been a very effective runner this year though he has not scored since week five. And when Vick played, he was suddenly cut out of the receiving game since Vick would either run it himself or scramble around before throwing instead of just dumping off to McCoy. But McCoy accounted for five catches for 57 yards and a score in Washington and hopefully that is a growing trend because his other three games with Vick as the starter combined for only nine catches for 23 yards. McCoy was pulled from the rout on Monday and allowed Jerome Harrison (11-109, TD) to have perhaps his only game of note this year.

LeSean McCoy gained 82 yards on 11 carries and scored once on the visiting Giants last year. Leonard Weaver also had 75 yards and a score in that game.

The Giants have allowed three runners to score on them and only Chris Johnson has topped 100 rushing yards against them. Expect a decent yardage game from McCoy with likely no score.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Four games together and DeSean Jackson has caught a score each time from Vick with never less than 98 receiving yards. Jackson never had more than 34 yards in any game with Kevin Kolb as the starter - big difference. Jeremy Maclin has been less consistent with Vick but did turn in a score and 79 yards in Washington and had scores in the first two starts for Vick. Less yardage than Jackson but the same number of touchdowns. Jason Avant had a score and 76 yards on Monday but that was his only fantasy relevant game of the year.

Jackson gained 78 yards and a score on three catches against the Giants last year. Maclin scored once on his four receptions for 47 yards.

The Giants secondary was just roasted by the Cowboys and even when facing other decent pass attacks it has been susceptible to scores and yards. By this point, no reason to not expect the normal game for both starters here against a secondary that allowed 11 scores to opposing wideouts and most often the opponents #1 receiver.

TIGHT ENDS: There is no denying that Vick has killed off all value of Brent Celek. He has just two catches for eight yards in the last two starts by Vick.

Celek scored once on his five receptions for 64 yards versus the Giants last year.