FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEKLY FEATURES

ATL (11-4) vs SEA (8-7)

Game Prediction: ATL 17, SEA 27

Seattle needs the win here and get to face the visiting Falcons who have nothing to win and everything to lose with any injuries. This game should clinch the division and the 9-7 end to the season helps disguise the struggles of the year.

Update: I am not changing the projections but Michael Vick is expected to play at least some this week as well T.J. Duckett but with nothing to win here and everything to lose if anyone is injured, don't rely on any Falcons this week.

Hasselbeck is still expected to play this week though he will not be 100%. This game should be all about Shaun Alexander anyway.

Pre-Game Notes - ATL

The Falcons got the whop last week by the Saints since Vick and Crumpler were held out and there was nothing to win. HC Jim Mora has come out and said that he wants to win this week but that is either foolish bravado or just the beer talking.

Quarterback: Matt Schaub filled in for Vick last week and ended with 188 yards and two interceptions - a better passing effort than Vick generally posted though without all those rushing yards. HC Jim Mora said on Monday that Vick was very likely to get some playing time this week after missing last Sunday with a sprained left shoulder. Yeah, sure. Let Vick get hurt and the Falcons slim chances of advancing deeply evaporate.

Running Backs: With T.J. Duckett held out last week, Warrick Dunn had surprisingly heavy use and ran the ball 18 times for 52 yards and one score with six catches for 87 yards. He may reproduce that this week. He may end up sitting out the second half since a Dunn injury would be almost as bad as a Vick injury.

Duckett may get some playing time here but it is all such a risk that I am not projecting for him. There is nothing reliable from the Falcons this week and less so from Duckett.

Wide Receivers: The wideouts complained after the game last week that Schaub was pelting them with passes because they had not realized they were supposed to catch them. With Crumpler and Vick out, the wideouts received an astounding 34 passes but Peerless Price only had 49 yards on six receptions in spite of getting 16 passes thrown to him. It appears they have forgotten that a wideout does more than block downfield for the quarterback.

Tight Ends: There is a dropoff from Alge Crumpler to Dwayne Blakely. But Crumpler might get time this weekend. He'll test out his knee mid-week and determine from there what will happen. He is out with a slight tear of his posterior cruciate ligament. There is no way he is a safe fantasy start and it's just as possible that he won't play a down this week.

Match Against the Defense: As with other teams, this matchup goes against a team with nothing to win and that will very likely be relying on nothing more than subs by the end of the game if not earlier. Mora claims to want to win the game and to play the starters, but that is not reasonable and more importantly - not reliable.

Expect a replay of last week with possible cameos from Vick, Duckett and even Crumpler. But don't buy into it mattering.

Pre-Game Notes - SEA

The Seahawks get to end their season on a winning note here against a team cruising into the playoffs. A probable loss by the Rams to the Jets this week would secure the division for Seattle anyway, but there is no reason to expect less than a 100% effort from the 'hawks.

Quarterback: Matt Hasselbeck was bothered by his elbow last week in practice though he remain listed as probable all week and did attend practice from Thursday onward. He was a gametime demotion to #2 and Trent Dilfer got the start. Dilfer ended with only 128 yards and one interception but this week Hasselbeck looks better to play. Seattle needs this game and Hasselbeck is a clear step up from DIlfer. You just cannot fully rely on what Holmgren says.

Running Backs: Shaun Alexander leads the NFL in rushing yards (1616) and touchdowns (19) - not bad for someone about to be a free agent. Seattle won't likely go far in the playoffs since Alexander is all they really have, so expect more of the excellent same from Shaun this week.

Wide Receivers: Koren Robinson returned last week and yet had no catches. Darrell Jackson had 101 yards on six catches which accounted for all but 27 passing yards last week. This time around with Hasselbeck back the wideouts should matter more, but in a game against a team with nothing to play for, they likely won't need to come up big.

Tight Ends: Only three touchdowns in the entire season from Itula Mili and Jerramy Stevens.

Match Against the Defense: The only lock here is that Shaun Alexander should have a nice game as always. The Falcons say they want to play to win but how that pans out is less certain.

If Hasselbeck plays there could be some decent passing numbers for Darrell Jackson but playing at home against the Falcons who are only 4-3 on the road this season anyway and now they have nothing to win? Rely on Alexander and consider the rest as a big risk.