I can’t believe that we are a week away from Thanksgiving already. Where does the time go?

Hopefully many of you are either in position for your leagues playoffs or are hanging tough. Keep your nose to the grindstone because there are always a few guys that jump onto the fantasy radar screen this time of year. With that said, lets see who I can dig up for you this week.

Start’em if you got’em
Willis McGahee RB (BAL) - He had 104 yards the last time he played Cleveland and I haven’t seen anything out of the Browns defense since to make me believe that they can keep him from doing it this time. Also, as shocking as this may sound, with Boller under center and a healthier Mark Clayton, I think the Ravens will be able to keep the defense honest and give Willy some room to run. Look for 125 yards and a touchdown to go with his 4 catches for 45 yards.

Final stats: 102, a TD and 2 for 24 receiving.
Final thoughts: Solid effort.

Minnesota Vikings Defense - This week the Vikings best tackler Antoine Winfield should be back on the field after missing a few weeks with a bad hammy. He will help his team will take out last weeks Lambeau frustration out on former Viking Daunte Culpepper. The only thing the Raiders can do is run and Culpepper hasn’t been very good at passing the rock this year. That my friend plays right into the Vikings hands. Oh and word has it the Jamarcus Russell will get a few snaps this week. That has to be good for at least one pick don’t you think? Overall, this could be the ugliest game of the year which is great for defense. My feelings for the Vikings aside, sounds like 6 points allowed, 4 sacks, 2 Culpepper fumbles, 2 picks and a touchdown to me.

Final stats: 22 points allowed, 4 sacks, 1 Culpepper fumble, 1 pick and 0 touchdowns.
Final thoughts: Five field goals for SeaBass chewed up the points allowed.

Sit’em if you’ve got em
Steve Smith WR (CAR) - I don’t like to put guys on the list two weeks in a row but I had no choice. He is going into Lambeau field to face a brutal Packers defense with either a 44 year old quarterback or a sack dummy throwing him the ball. Not good. Look for the once must-start to catch 3 balls, a cold and rack up a whopping 45 yards. Don’t even think about a touchdown.

Final stats: DNP
Final thoughts: We’ll never know.

Kevin Jones RB (DET) - Word has it that he left the game twice last week with soreness in his surgically repaired foot. And going up against a 9th rank rush defense of the New York Giants I don’t like the looks of this and either should you. Don’t put your playoffs hopes on a surgically repaired foot. Play it smart and find another guy to play this week. I’m not sure he’ll hold up the whole game so I figure in 35 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 catch for 5 yards.

Final stats: 11 for 25 rushing, 3 for 12 receiving and 0 TD’s.
Final thoughts: Kitna lost that game. He had two chances to drive for the wins and tossed interceptions each time.

Sleepers: don’t be surprised if…
…Kurt Warner QB (CAR) goes off against a Cincinnati defense that 31st overall and has surrendered 20 passing touchdowns this season. I don’t think it is unreasonable to expect 300 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Final stats: 16/22 211 for 2 TD’s and 2 rushes for -2 (Who said he was immobile).
Final thoughts: The Cards getting it done on both sides of the ball.

…Amani Toomer WR (NYG) has a solid day against the Detroit Lions. The Lions are solid at home and I am sure they won’t make things easy for Manning and company. But they are still 3oth against the pass and have allowed seven receivers to go over 90 yards this season. Plax should still get his but we haven’t heard from Amani in a few weeks and he has still been getting solid targets (9, 4, 6 and 7 the last four weeks). This week those targets turn to catches and he pulls down 7 catches for 110 yards and a TD to boot.

Final stats: 4 catches for 39 yards.
Final thoughts: Turned out to be a low scoring affair and Manning spread the ball around. Nine different players caught a ball or more.

Be sure to check out my Fantasy Football Waiver Wire post because you may be able to pick out a sleeper or two on your own.

As always, that is not all my friend. There are a few other stops you should make before finalizing your starting lineup.

First, make sure you stop by and see how the Fantasy Football Librarian can help you. Every week she posts all of the start’em sit’em articles, player ranking posts and waiver wire lists that she can find so that you don’t have to hunt for them yourself. Check her out and tell her the Goat says hi.

Second, you can get more in-depth NFL player projections throughout the week by checking out the Bruno Boys website over on MVN.com.

Third, be on the lookout for the weekly fantasy football start’em sit’em podcast I co-host with Marc Caviglia.

One last thing. Subscribing to the Goat is at the all time low price of free. You can Subscribe to The Fantasy Football Goat by Email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get info like this fast and easy. Don’t understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. Isn’t technology great?

If you like his advice, buy the Goat a Rolling Rock Green Light?