Update: Brooks has been upgraded to probable and is expected to play.

This should be a close game and could be between back-up quarterbacks. Both teams have lost more of their games by less than a touchdown and the homefield Redskins with Betts back should have a slight advantage over the Saints who have injuries to Brooks and Stallworth.

It will be McAllister versus the Redskins and so far that looks more like a coin flip.

New Orleans Notes

The Saints fall to 5-6 after their loss in Philadelphia.

Quarterbacks:: Aaron Brooks injured his knee in the second quarter of the Philadelphia game and will have an MRI this week. He is considered questionable to play and I am assuming that Todd Bouman takes the start pending positive news out of New Orleans about the knee.

Running Backs: Deuce McAllister continues to roll regardless of who the Saints play or where. He comes off a 184 yard effort against the Eagles and now has 1,228 rushing yards and needs only 447 more to break the 22-year-old club record of 1,674 yards by George Rogers. He only needs to average 90 yards a game to get there and has only one game this season that he has failed to rush for more than 90 yards.

He is on pace for almost 1800 rushing and 2250 total yards this year.

Receivers: Joe Horn managed his best game in a month with 4 catches for 76 yards against the Eagles. As usual, Donte Stallworth sat out the game with a sprained ankle and is listed as doubtful for next week's game. The biggest star last week was Boo Williams who had a career best nine catches for 110 yards and one touchdown as a replacement for Ernie Conwell who was placed on injured reserve.

Michael Lewis sprained his left ankle against the Eagles and is doubtful for Sunday's game.

Match against the Defense: McAllister will face a defense that has allowed opponent rushers to gain at least 90 yards and score in each of the five past games. With Brooks possibly out or hobbled, the running game will be even more important.

Whether it is Bouman or Brooks, the Redskins secondary has good cornerbacks and the Saints suddenly find themselves with little depth for receivers outside of Horn and Pathon. Look for lower production from the passing game. Horn draws CB Champ Bailey which should depress his numbers as well.

Washington Notes

Quarterbacks:: Patrick Ramsey is still questionable to play this week after getting knocked from the Miami game. In his place, Tim Hasselbeck was surprisingly effective and efficient, throwing for 150 yards and one touchdown. Hasselbeck looked so sharp compared to the ever-battered Ramsey that Spurrier made a point in his press conferences to state that Ramsey is the unquestioned starter when healthy. The assumption for now is that Hasselbeck gets the start.

Running Backs: Going against what should normally be a stout defense in Miami, Trung Canidate looked better running than he had this season and gained 69 yards on 20 carries with one touchdown. Chad Morton Chipped in 47 yards on only eight carries as well. This week Ladell Betts is expected to return to practice and play against New Orleans. Betts has missed four straight games with a fracture in his forearm.

Betts should be a big factor in the game as the best runner for the Redskins.

Receivers: Laveranues Coles had a standard four catches for 62 yards but snagged a touchdown from Hasselbeck. Rod Gardner crawled back into his hole with CB Sam Madison on him last week. The duo should find the Saints far kinder to receivers.

Darnerian McCants has a knee bruise and will be questionable to play.

Match against the Defense: The Saints have given up big yardage to runners this year and so the duo of Betts and Canidate should have one of their better games here. DT Willie Whitehead did not play last week because of an injury to the MCL in his right knee and he's listed as questionable this week which should help.

The Saints will also likely be without CB Dale Carter which should get Rod Gardner more into the passing scheme again. Since New Orleans allows decent passing yardage and scores to teams that want them, either Ramsey or Hasselbeck should have an above average day here.

* Fantasy point rankings calculated using standard Huddle fantasy points