Catch Lightning in a Bottle

We are now in week 12 and you are fine tuning your roster and looking at late-season match-ups. The playoffs are just around the corner and here is some advice: Catch Lightning in the bottle. Here are some players who are really going to cook from here on out.

Today, I would take Santana Moss over Plaxico Burress and his 8 touchdowns. Fantasy is not a yesterday’s game. You play the hot hand and Moss’s ‘Big Mo’ might be brewing. Here are a couple of factors. There is a good chance the guy will not end the season with just one touchdown. Jason Campbell is getting more freedom because Gibbs is opening up the offense and teams are gearing to stop Clinton Portis and the short route with Chris Cooley. Moss is also incredibly streaky. He was downright horrible early in the year and was cut in both of the leagues I play in. Against the hated Cowboys, Moss made a handful of tough catches en route to a big game. Those are big confidence boosters. I think Moss has about four more touchdowns in him for the year. Target week 14 against the Vikings (1st round of playoffs for many fantasy leagues) for a definite Moss start. Go and pick him up now. If you have him, go and start up in December.

The Houston Texans pass the ball a lot. Combine that with a backfield filled with question marks and you will get guaranteed production from Matt Schaub. I’m beating a dead horse, but the guy can really have a Derek Anderson like finish. He looked great early, but the O-line that failed David Carr, also failed Matt Schaub. This time around all of his receivers are healthy (most notably Andre Johnson) and maybe he won’t have to hold the ball long. A moderately tough fantasy playoff for Schaub though. He’s going against the Bucs, Broncos, and Colts in weeks 14, 15, and 16. A great start though this week with Cleveland.

Joseph Addai is a no-brainer every week start. He’s followed through and has become a top fantasy back. I think he’s actually exceeded expectations. If you have Addai on your team, you don’t fear the guy who owns LT if you go head to head in the playoffs. I don’t think Willie Parker owners can feel the same. Let’s face it. Norv Turner seems to want to make LT a working part in his offense and not the main cog. Addai is going the other way. The focus is going away from the aerial attack in Indy and is beginning to look more like the late nineties Bucs – coached by a younger Tony Dungy. The swift Addai and the complimentary bite of Kenton Keith is what keeps Indy’s offense afloat through all the injuries. Keith might steal a few key touches from Addai, but at this point in this season, I would rank Addai over LT for the rest of the season.

Temperature Rising: Don’t forget Kevin Walter. Eventually teams will try to slow down Johnson and force Schaub to look at other routes. Walter looks capable to pick up the slack. Michael Pittman is getting stronger and Earnest Graham is going into uncharted waters when it comes to touches. Like Reuben Droughns, Pittman has a nose for the end-zone and the Bucs have an easy schedule down the playoff stretch. Donald Lee and Greg Olsen are going to be premier tight ends for the next several years.

The Cowboys are playing against the Jets this Thanksgiving on national TV. One thing I am very thankful for is the affable villain, Terrell Owens. His shenanigans are timeless. Even the infomercials for the products he endorses are hilarious.

My friend Aaron hates him like Bobby Petrino hates Jerious Norwood. After last Sunday's fireworks, I thought about who the best wideout in the league was again and it coincides with who the best wideout over the last ten years. And the two guys who came to mind are TO and Moss. Not Steve Smith. Not Marvin Harrison (OK maybe Harrison, but he hasn't been playing lately, so it's easy to forget). Moss and TO will always be compared to each other. Maybe it’s the huge talent and track record on the grid iron that both of them possess. But when it comes to being a knucklehead, Randy Moss can’t touch TO - the other 81. Here is a classic Terrell Owens knucklehead move when he was an emerging supa’ dupa’ star for the San Francisco 49ers. Happy Thanksgiving all and good luck!