17.22

If the Pittsburgh Steelers move on from Hines Ward, the vet might sign with the Arizona Cardinals given the coaching connection with HC Ken Whisenhunt. He could be a mentor to the younger receivers, Andre Roberts and Early Doucet, and be a complement to Larry Fitzgerald. This still won't give him much fantasy football value, though. - Tim Heaney

17.20

Rashard Mendenhall hasn't been involved as much lately because the Pittsburgh Steelers have been leaning on Ben Rolethlisberger's arm and have been incorporating Isaac Redman more, which is coincidentally keeping Mendy fresh for the postseason. Mendenhall has been nicked up a bit of late. - Tim Heaney

17.20

The Pittsburgh Steelers could still clinch a first-round bye, and they're playing at the same time as the Baltimore Ravens, so there's reason to start a less-than-100-percent Ben Roethlisberger (ankle). - Tim Heaney

16.45

Our sources say there is a better than 50 percent chance the Eagles trade wideout DeSean Jackson and/or cornerback Asante Samuel this offseason. Other plans may include the first-round selection of a quarterback. Sounds strange, huh? Looking deeper, Michael Vick will be 32 years old in 2012, and a successor could then be groomed for a few years. It is safe to say that Mike Kafka didn't wow anyone in the organization. In what could be the strangest turn of events, it isn't out of the question that Andy Reid may step down next week. While we do not expect it to happen, do not entirely discount it. It should be noted that team president Joe Banner and owner Jeffrey Lurie have both been awfully quiet on this front, failing to endorse Reid's return in 2012. - Cory J. Bonini

16.35

Rumors swirling regarding St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo's potential return to the Eagles are simply that - conjecture. Tampering rules prohibit the Eagles from speaking with Spags or about hiring him, and it is even a lock that current defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will be fired since the Eagles' D has turned it around down the stretch. One speculative suggestion points to Spagnuolo joining the Eagles as a consultant to Castillo - a co-defensive coordinator, if you will. - Cory J. Bonini

16.21

The New York Giants have employed a lot of man-to-man coverage lately, and it didn't work in their favor in Week 14 against the Cowboys' Miles Austin. He caught only four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, but Austin likely would have hauled in a long scoring strike if Tony Romo had not overthrown him late in the game. It could be another long day for Giants cornerback Aaron Ross if Romo is on his game. - Cory J. Bonini

16.15

Rashard Mendenhall (Pittsburgh Steelers) should have a solid ground day versus the Cleveland Browns, but Cleveland's run D has been better in recent weeks thanks to the improving play of defensive tackle Phil Taylor and defensive end Jabaal Sheard. Taylor, especially, has helped strengthen the middle of the front seven along with fellow T Ahtyba Rubin and stud MLB D'Qwell Jackson. - Tim Heaney

16.05

Madden strikes again: Peyton Hillis won't be wearing Cleveland Browns threads in 2012. He has burned too many bridges off the field. It has yet to be seen how Cleveland fills the ground gap, but they probably just want to move on more than anything else. Stay tuned in the offseason. - Tim Heaney

16.02

The G-men will have Mario Manningham (knee) and Hakeem Nicks (hamstring) this week, but the latter could be limited. This may mean more work for Ramses Barden, but it didn't translate to any last week. The Giants will likely avoid using four wideouts. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw could catch a few balls out of the backfield instead. - Cory J. Bonini

15.57

The New England Patriots will probably be aggressive this coming offseason in looking for a third wide receiver, with Deion Branch slipping a bit. If they feel they can get along without Brian Waters' leadership and skills (the best among their OLs this year), he could be a cap casualty, as well. - Tim Heaney

15.55

Those considering Bill O'Brien as an NFL head coach candidate for 2012 should remember that he has benefited a ton from Tom Brady and that the New England Patriots' assistant coach tree hasn't exactly been the most fruitful. - Tim Heaney

15.54

Standout defensive end Dwight Freeney (7.5 sacks) is having a down year by his standards, but he hasn't appeared to have lost a step. He is still seeing a lot of double-teams and has struggled because of the team playing from behind so much this year. He is set to cost million against the cap in 2012, which is the final year of his contract, so expect an effort to restructure him through a short-term extension. - Cory J. Bonini

15.51

Stevan Ridley is the closest thing to a No. 1 RB that the New England Patriots have right now. He has set career highs in carries in each of his last two games as he's pushing BenJarvus Green-Ellis to the side. It isn't set in stone, but BJGE is a risky play for Week 17 fantasy Super Bowls. The Pats might even let BJGE walk this offseason if he demands RB1 money. - Tim Heaney

15.49

The only way Tom Brady's left shoulder will become an issue is if he lands hard on it. Either way, it's not an overwhelming concern. Expect the New England Patriots to try to jump out early to a big lead to avoid a repeat of both Week 16 and their Week 3 loss to the same Buffalo Bills they'll face in Week 17.

15.48

Don't expect the Jeff Fishers and Bill Cowhers to be considered for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coach job. New owner Shahid Khan wants someone with an offensive mind. One name floated around: Rob Chudzinski, the Carolina Panthers' OC that has aided the rise of Cam Newton. The TE-friendly Chud could extract more out of enigmatic talent Marcedes Lewis. - Tim Heaney

15.46

As he looks to hang on for the NFL rushing title, Maurice Jones-Drew should get upwards of 30 carries for the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the added benefit of protecting Blaine Gabbert from having to deal with the Indianapolis Colts' Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney more than needed. - Tim Heaney

15.45

Week 17 will be Matthew Stafford's first game at the Green Bay Packers' Lambeau Field; he was injured when the Detroit Lions made previous trips. The Southern boy might not have blood to consistently handle cold weather, but don't expect them to shy away from having him unleash through the air or rest any of their top offensive pieces. They can lock up the No. 5 seed, and the Pack might be resting plenty of starters. Jim Schwartz prepared the team for the elements, to some degree, by holding practice outside Friday. - Tim Heaney

15.44

The Green Bay Packers have successfully stifled Brandon Pettigrew in the past; the Detroit Lions won't shy away from going to him, but GB's coverage history against him forewarns of a dud game from the emerging tight end. - Tim Heaney

15.42

The Detroit Lions' offseason could get tricky. Most of their offense, including Jahvid Best (concussion), should return, but they might have to make a decision on left tackle Jeff Backus, depending on whether they can find an alternative. On defense, they might be forced to part with CB Eric Wright or LB Stephen Tulloch. They'll probably ink Cliff Avril for big money, and between him, Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson (after 2012) and Ndamukong Suh, they'll have a bunch of cash tied up in four players. - Tim Heaney

15.42

If the Colts beat the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend and lose the No. 1 overall pick, Indianapolis could address their offensive line by taking Southern California tackle Matt Kalil. They may move Anthony Castonzo to right tackle in that event. The option to trade down also remains, or Indy could select Oklahoma State wideout Justin Blackmon, especially if Reggie Wayne leaves in free agency. - Cory J. Bonini

15.41

Kevin Smith (ankle) should get at least 15 touches for the Detroit Lions backfield this week, with Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams following on the depth chart. If the weather proves overly inclement, they could be more involved on the ground. - Tim Heaney

15.23

Expect the Colts to offer Reggie Wayne a contract this offseason. We believe defensive end Robert Mathis will return, but center Jeff Saturday may retire. All three players are free agents entering 2012. Should Peyton Manning (neck) return to the team, he could make a strong push to convince Saturday to return for one more year. At 36 years old, the veteran center may have had enough even though he is still playing at a high level. - Cory J. Bonini

15.03

Expect the Colts to return their top three running backs in 2012, although there is a miniscule chance that Joseph Addai is released for cap relief. Donald Brown emerged this season and will be given the chance to compete for the starting job next summer. - Cory J. Bonini

14.40

Who rests for the Green Bay Packers in Week 17? Aaron Rodgers may not even be active! Clay Matthews (knee) and Charles Woodson (knee) could be down, too, and not because of injuries. The Pack's wideouts, on the other hand, probably don't have the luxury; Greg Jennings (knee) and Randall Cobb (groin) are out. Fantasy beneficiaries this week: Donald Driver and James Jones. How much Jermichael Finley (knee) plays is up in the air. Green Bay may rest him for a good portion of Sunday's contest, but he's had so many problems with drops this season that they may choose to give him the work. If quality alternatives are available, consider going with one of them instead. - Nicholas Minnix

14.14

By the way, Jimmy Graham needs 77 yards to surpass the record for most receiving yards by a tight end, set by Kellen Winslow's papa back in 1980. The New Orleans Saints' tight end is in his own tangle with a New England Patriots player, too. Graham is only six yards behind Rob Gronkowski for the distinction of record setter, should either of them gain enough to do the deed. - Nicholas Minnix

14.13

The most intriguing matchup of the weekend with fantasy football ramifications? Drew Brees versus ... Tom Brady? The former will be attempting to hold off the latter for most passing yards in a season. New Orleans isn't paying attention to records? That's BS. They'll probably have someone monitoring Brady's total. It matters to them. More evidence that fantasy owners shouldn't be concerned about how much some of their New Orleans Saints will play in Week 17. - Nicholas Minnix

13.57

Will the New Orleans Saints rest their stars? One forecast: only if the San Francisco 49ers appear to be in total control of their tilt with the St. Louis Rams. Who, it should be noted, will be starting Kellen Clemens at QB. Still, it's hard to envision players like Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston not playing for at least a half. In this offense, that's enough time to do some fantasy football damage, and we're talking about a conservative estimate. - Nicholas Minnix

13.51

Curious about how the Washington Redskins are going to approach the quarterback position in 2012? Here's a clue: Mike Shanahan, a bit unexpectedly, revealed that he's already begun evaluating college passers. The 'Skins are highly unlikely to land one who starts right away, so they'll probably try to re-sign Rex Grossman to serve as a bridge. - Nicholas Minnix

13.16

Brandon Lloyd has already said that he'd like to follow Josh McDaniels wherever he goes; it's likely McD won't be running the St. Louis Rams' offense. If Lloyd can stick with him, he'll still be a reliable fantasy pick; Lloyd knows McDaniels knows how to use him to his optimal impact. The Rams, meanwhile, have a bunch of cap space for next season and should be active in free agency; they might try to keep Lloyd but probably could try netting a wideout to join their group of Danny Amendola, Danario Alexander, Greg Salas and the suspended Austin Pettis. - Tim Heaney

13.13

He's probably not in the Washington Redskins' 2012 plans, but this season, Donte' Stallworth proved that he can still play. He's probably not a No. 2 wideout in the NFL, but he could definitely carve out a niche, be a No. 3 man or third-down. As Stallworth said, he's been in a variety of systems and has proven that he can pick up an offense quickly. He'd have to end up with a fairly prominent role, but don't eliminate him as a relevant player in very deep leagues next year. - Nicholas Minnix

13.08

Roy Helu Jr. has clearly emerged, and the Washington Redskins are interested in bringing back Tim Hightower (torn ACL), but Evan Royster has done enough to work himself into the mix in 2012. It'll be interesting to see what they do. Mike Shanahan's group may put on yet another unpredictability party every week, but Royster could be at least a Helu handcuff next season. - Nicholas Minnix

13.08

Don't expect Steve Spagnuolo to be retained by the St. Louis Rams, especially not after a potential 2-14 season with their atrocious defense and the high possibility they'll wind up scoring their fewest points in a season since 1944. Sure, injuries and a brutal schedule played a part, but a sweeping change is justified. Heck, Josh McDaniels is still being mentioned as a head coach candidate elsewhere, too. His departure would weigh heavily on the future of Sam Bradford, who'd have to learn another offensive system. There's still hope for the slinger, but he needs a better environment to facilitate growth. - Tim Heaney

13.05

If Mike Martz leaves the Chicago Bears, will offensive line coach Mike Tice be retained? 'Da Bears have done well on the ground this year, and he deserves to stay. This could impact their rushing attack next season, which wouldn't be a nice welcome back for impending free agent Matt Forte. - Tim Heaney

13.05

Josh McCown showed last week that he can run an NFL offense, unlike poor Caleb Hanie. The Chicago Bears face a spotty - to say the least - Minnesota Vikings defensive backfield; it could be a productive day for Earl Bennett, among others. - Tim Heaney

13.04

Expect the Chicago Bears, besides doing all they can to keep Matt Forte around, to keep Kahlil Bell as their backup carrier for 2012 and cut Marion Barber III, who's due nearly $2 million next season. Bell is more versatile and will cost them far less to roster. Though Chicago doesn't view him as a fallback plan to carry the load if they can't re-sign Forte, Bell could be a nice late-rounds fantasy pick in deep leagues next season. Oh, and he'll be extra-motivated this week against the Minnesota Vikings, who cut him back in '09 and left a bad taste in his mouth. - Tim Heaney