Playoffs??!!?

Many apologies for my recent slacking on the blog updates. I spent last weekend in my home state of New Jersey with my fiancee for a combined bachelor party/wedding shower, plus a trip to NYC, so I only got to sneak in a little bit of football watching. I'll let you guess which was greater: total beers consumed by yours truly, or number of spatulas we received as gifts. But anyway, I'm totallly focused on this weekend's crucial playoff matchups, and I'd like to make it up to you with some advice for Week 15:

-Arlen Harris seems like a quick fix for anyone suffering a code-red emergency at RB, particularly those who had Kevin Jones. Facing the Green Bay Packers might make just about anyone a semi-attractive fantasy option. But think carefully about what you're doing: Do you really want your playoff fate riding on Arlen Harris?

-While I'm not a big fan of Harris this week, I like just about everybody else in the Lions-Packers showdown: Donald Driver, Ahman Green, Roy Williams, Mike Furrey, Brett Favre, heck, even Jon Kitna. On paper, this game should be a fantasy points bonanza.

-Speaking of which, Monday night's Colts-Bengals tilt shouldn't be half-bad either if it comes anywhere close to last season's shootout. Rudi Johnson owners are salivating, and rightfully so against that sorry run defense of Indy's. Cincinnati's pass D isn't that much better, so Peyton Manning and Co. seem in line for their usual aerial success. With Dallas Clark and Brandon Stokley out, Bryan Fletcher, Ben Utecht or even Ricky Proehl (yup, he's back!) might get in on the action, but you know none of those guys is a sure thing. As for the Bengals, the studs should get their numbers - even Chris Henry, assuming he's not incarcerated in the next few days.

-I like Cedric Benson a lot against the defense formerly known as the Buccaneers. Benson was already seeing a steady increase in carries before Thomas Jones tweaked his ankle. Jones is listed as questionable.

-If you really need help, give Justin Fargas a try. He's auditioning for a starting role and a new contract in 2007, and while he's been mediocre so far since with the Raiders, the Rams' run defense might offer the big breakthrough he's been looking for.

-Flash-in-the-pan Saints FB Mike Karney is not the solution, three TDs be damned. Didn't the Marcel Shipp saga teach you anything? Karney goes back to being Deuce McAllister's personal plow this week. Stick with the rest of the Saints' skill players instead - except Joe Horn, who's shut down for the rest of the regular season.

-How fun is Sunday night's LT vs. LJ matchup going to be for fantasy players? This could actually be the first time where the networks' hyping of individual players actually means more than the game itself. Between the Chiefs-Chargers on Sunday and the Colts-Bengals on Monday night, there could be some record ratings in store thanks to the fantasy playoffs. Enjoy, and good luck.