Decker out vs. Patriots: Broncos WR Eric Decker sprained his knee in Sunday’s win over the Steelers and coach John Fox said he is day to day for Saturday’s game against the Patriots. Because Denver’s offense is so unpredictable and unconventional, it’s hard to see Decker’s absence having a major impact if he doesn’t play. Demaryius Thomas long ago took over as Tim Tebow’s top target and likely will continue to be this week against New England’s porous pass defense. Even still, with the Patriots heavily-favored to win, Thomas is a risky play in the NFL Playoff Challenge. If you’re  searching for a receiver, you might want to considering looking on the other sideline for Thomas’ counterpart, Wes Welker.

McDaniels a “good asset” for Pats: Just days after rejoining the Patriots coaching staff, head coach Bill Belichick says Josh McDaniels could be a “good asset” for the team heading into this weekend’s game against the Broncos. McDaniels was Denver’s head coach for 28 games in 2009-10 and certainly would have quite a bit of inside knowledge on players on both sides of the ball. When the teams met in Week 15, a 20-point second quarter helped the Patriots pull away for a 41-23 victory. Tom Brady and the rest of New England’s offense is good enough on their own. Any potential added advantage makes Brady, Welker and crew even more attractive for the Playoff Challenge.

Best says he’ll be back: After missing the final 10 games of the season with concussion symptoms, Lions RB Jahvid Best says he’ll “definitely” be back next season. There had been some talk that Best should consider retirement due to a number of head injuries suffered in a relatively short amount of time. In his two seasons in the NFL, the former Cal star has shown flashes suggesting he could be a dynamic back, but his already lengthy injury history makes him a serious risk for any fantasy owners looking at drafting running backs next year.

– Marcas Grant

Charles happy with rehab efforts: After missing nearly the entire season with a knee injury, Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles told NFL.com’s Michael Fabiano that he’s “coming back stronger and faster” next season. That’s intriguing news for anyone with Charles in a keeper league. In most instances it takes a player a full season to regain his strength and speed after major knee surgery, but considering Charles was injured in Week 2, it will be nearly a full year by the time he laces them up for the preseason. With a dearth of bell-cow RBs in the NFL, holding onto the former Texas Longhorn isn’t a bad idea.

Tice named Bears offensive coordinator: In the wake of Mike Martz’s resignation, the Bears have elevated Mike Tice to the position of offensive coordinator. While it’s hard to imagine Chicago going completely away from Jay Cutler and the passing game, NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora suggests that Tice could usher in more of a “ground-and-pound” mentality. That’s good news for Matt Forte and Marion Barber next season.

McDaniels back to Patriots?: Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been granted permission to seek new employment and is garnering interest from the Patriots, where he was offensive coordinator from 2006-08. It’s hard to imagine New England’s offense being any more potent than it was this season, but McDaniels was at the controls during Tom Brady’s 50-touchdown season in ’07. With Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez as weapons to work with, it could be another banner year for the Patriots’ offense.

– Marcas Grant

Johnson back at practice: As we surmised on Wednesday, Lions WR Calvin Johnson’s (Achilles) absence from practice was a day of rest and nothing out of the ordinary. He returned to practice Thursday. It’s difficult to imagine Johnson will repeat his career-high 244 receiving yards from last week against the Saints, who did allow the ninth-most fantasy points to receivers during the regular season. But Saturday’s wild-card game has the potential to be a shootout, so you’d be foolish to sit Johnson in your Playoff Challenge lineup.

Dalton returns to practice: Bengals QB Andy Dalton was set to join his teammates at practice Thursday after sitting out with the flu. While the rookie has had an outstanding season, he’s probably not the best option for your lineup this week. In Week 14, the Texans limited the Red Rocket to just 189 yards, one touchdown and 9.76 fantasy points. Likewise, downgrade WR A.J. Green and TE Jermaine Gresham this week against a defense that is more than capable of making Cincy a one-and-done squad this postseason.

Gabbert still the man in Jacksonville: There may be a new owner in Jacksonville, but there won’t be a change at quarterback. Shahid Khan told reporters that Blaine Gabbert is still their QB of the future after struggling during his rookie season. Right now, there’s no reason to recommend drafting Gabbert (save for the late rounds in deep leagues), but keep an eye on Jacksonville during the offseason. With the right moves — such as help at receiver — Gabbert could have some deep sleeper appeal.

– Marcas Grant

Bonus Podcast - 

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Elliot Harrison and Michael Fabiano host a bonus edition of the “NFL Fantasy Live” podcast to talk about the NFL.com Fantasy Playoff Challenge with Jason Smith and Adam Rank as they discuss what sleepers you need to pick up to differentiate yourself from the pack and win a trip to Super Bowl XLVII.

Hour 1 - 

Hour 2 –

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Elliot Harrison and Michael Fabiano preview the 2011 Wild Card weekend playoff matchups and talk about what a commissioner’s role should be in a fantasy league. In the second hour, the guys are joined by fellow “NFL Fantasy Live” analysts Adam Rank and Jason Smith to talk NFL.com’s Fantasy Playoff Challenge and preview the Wild Card weekend matchups.

Roethlisberger’s ankle still hurting: Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has played for the past few weeks on a sprained ankle and told reporters Wednesday that it’s currently “a 5 on a scale to 10″. That’s good news for Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil and the rest of an aggressive Broncos’ defense. Roethlisberger was less than effective against a similarly aggressive 49ers’ outfit in Week 15, although he was still able to spread the ball to his receivers. Even if Big Ben isn’t 100 percent, it shouldn’t have a major impact on WRs Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown – although a matchup against Broncos CB Champ Bailey certainly could.

Lions’ Johnson sits out: Lions WR Calvin Johnson was a spectator at Wednesday’s practice, although it’s far too early to determine if it will have any impact on his status for Saturday’s game against the Saints. Johnson sat out most of last week’s practices as well before putting together a typical Megatron-type game against the Packers. The Lions are likely just being cautious, so consider Johnson good to go for the weekend and feel free to have him in your Playoff Challenge lineup until you hear otherwise.

Saints’ Moore questionable: Saints WR Lance Moore (hamstring) is uncertain for this weekend’s game against the Lions. Moore has battled the injury for the past few weeks and was inactive in Week 17. Combine that with WR Robert Meachem, who suffered a bruised knee last week, and New Orleans’ depth isn’t quite as deep. It should mean more targets for Devery Henderson, but the likely end result could be more passes in the direction of WR Marques Colston and TE Jimmy Graham.

– Marcas Grant

Manning’s return uncertain: The Colts learned the true value of Peyton Manning last season. Now come the questions of when he could return and whether or not it will be in a Colts uniform. Owner Jim Irsay is taking a very cautious approach. Of course, Indy could select Manning’s replacement with the top pick in the draft. Wherever the future Hall of Famer ends up, he won’t be the sure-fire first round fantasy pick. But, in the right situation, he could still be an extremely valuable fantasy piece.

Sanchez to start next season: Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum says QB Mark Sanchez will be the starter next season. The third-year quarterback was a weekly fantasy enigma, alternating between good performances and bad. The pieces around Sanchez could easily change, especially in the wake of accusations that Santonio Holmes quit on the team. It’s hard to imagine Sanchez becoming a top-tier fantasy QB overnight, but he could be a solid No. 2 QB with the right pieces around him.

Hasselbeck, Locker to compete for starting job: The biggest offseason question asked of Titans coach Mike Munchak is who will be the starting QB next season. The short answer: The job is open. Matt Hasselbeck started all 16 games this season, but rookie Jake Locker saw relief appearances in five of those games. It could be one of the more intriguing position battles of training camp. If WR Kenny Britt comes back healthy and RB Chris Johnson can rebound from a disappointing season, Locker could have some fantasy sleeper appeal in 2012.

– Marcas Grant

Mendenhall likely out: The Steelers expect to be without RB Rashard Mendenhall for their Wild Card game against the Broncos after he suffered a knee injury in Week 17. Isaac Redman had a nice game in his place, rushing for 92 yards and a TD. That was against the NFL’s 30th-ranked rushing defense, but the good news is that Denver hasn’t been much better against the run. Despite improvement during the second half of the season, the Broncos still gave up 126.3 rushing yards per game — good for 22nd best in the league. Redman may not be the first RB that comes to mind if you’re selecting a Playoff Challenge squad, but with the Steelers being a favorite over the slumping Broncos, the chances of the second-year back having an encore in the divisional round is likely.

Ingram likely done for season: Saints RB Mark Ingram (toe) wasn’t a factor for the final month of the season, and is now expected to have season-ending surgery this week. New Orleans has boasted a deep stable of running backs all season, proven by Chris Ivory’s 127-yard, one-touchdown performance Sunday against Carolina. The problem for Playoff Challenge owners is that you never know who will have the big day. Darren Sproles is about as close to a sure thing as you’ll find in the New Orleans backfield. After watching this week’s opponent, Detroit, give up 45 points to Matt Flynn and the Green Bay Packers, the red-hot Saints have reason to be optimistic.

Manningham, Ballard feeling OK: You may not have known it by watching Sunday night, but the Giants are banged up. Mario Manningham played with a balky knee while TE Jake Ballard sat out altogether. But QB Eli Manning could have more of his weapons at hand for Sunday’s game against the Falcons. Manningham saying his knee feels “fine” and Ballard suggested he could be back in action this weekend. Atlanta was a middle of the road defense against the pass during the regular season, which could have a bigger impact on Manningham, who has been relegated to the No. 3 WR role. Ballard, however, was becoming a bigger part of the offense before his injury and could slide back into a very productive slot.

– Marcas Grant

• Mike Vick and the Eagles offense once again looked like the team they were projected to be. Vick threw for 335 yards and three TDs while Jeremy Maclin had over 100 yards receiving and Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson each had 86 yards and a TD. If they had shown that kind of consistency all season, most owners wouldn’t have given up on them so soon. But it could be just enough to steady their draft value for next season.

• Just when you thought #shanahanigans were dead, Evan Royster finishes the season strong with 243 rushing yards in his past two games. So just when you thought the Redskins had a settled running back situation, we’ll be right back where we started next year.

• Unless New England drafts a big-time WR this offseason, next year’s offense could once again be all about the tight ends. Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski combined for 15 catches, 246 yards and three TDs Sunday against Buffalo.

• You never know with Bill Belichick, but Stevan Ridley did his best to wrestle away the Patriots’ No. 1 RB job. He lead the team in carries in each of the last three games and averaged 5.4 yards per carry, including running for 81 yards Sunday against the Bills.

• Few players had the mid-season turnaround that Percy Harvin experienced. Harvin caught 10 passes for 115 yards and rushed for a TD. He scored seven TDs in his last seven games and re-affirmed some of the early season excitement about his prospects.

• Maurice Jones-Drew fell in a lot of drafts after concerns about his knee. He proved plenty of people wrong by rushing for 169 yards on Sunday to lock up his first career rushing title. It’s hard to see him getting overlooked next year.

• Ben Tate ends the season on a fantasy high, rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown. He’s certainly worthy of being drafted last next season as a great handcuff for Arian Foster.

• Similar to their WRs, it’s hard to figure out the Saints RBs. Sunday, it was Chris Ivory’s turn to do big things, rushing for 127 yards and a TD. With Darren Sproles being a consistent performer all year, Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas might have to battle with Ivory next preseason for more carries.

• He may have disappeared for a sizable stretch this season, but Vernon Davis can still remind you that he’s a quality TE. At halftime, he has six catches for 80 yards and is a prime target for Alex Smith.

• We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the roulette wheel that is the Saints WR corps. But so far today, Marques Colston is reminding people that he’s still the top dog in New Orleans. Midway through the second quarter, Colston has four catches for 73 yards and a TD.

• Ryan Fitzpatrick seems to have the Patriots’ number. In Week 3, he threw for 369 yards and two TDs. Today, he has 156 yards and two TD passes in the first quarter.

• Arian Foster is the undisputed No. 1 RB in Houston, but since he’s taking Sunday off, the Texans are auditioning a No. 2. Early on, Derrick Ward and Ben Tate are splitting the carries, with both having a fair amount of success.

– Marcas Grant

Romo expected to be ready: Cowboys QB Tony Romo has taken it slow during practice this week, but owner Jerry Jones says he expects the signal-caller to be ready to go for Sunday night’s contest with the Giants. Romo torched the G-men for 321 yards and four TDs when the two teams met in Week 14. With a bruised throwing hand, it might be a bit much to look for those types of numbers, but judging by how well he played earlier this year with fractured ribs and a punctured lung, it isn’t unreasonable to expect a quality fantasy performance. That’s also good news for WRs Dez Bryant, Miles Austin and Laurent Robinson, who could have big games while going against the NFL’s 27th-ranked passing defense.

Roethlisberger listed as probable: All week, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has been trying to work his way back on the field. It looks like he’s closer to getting there after being listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Browns. Cleveland has swallowed up fantasy quarterbacks this year, which would be bad news for a healthy Roethlisberger. It’s even worse news for a hobbled Big Ben. If you have a better (read: healthier) option for this week, that’s where you should look. In other news, it could be good news for WRs Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown, who can still make plays even if Roethlisberger isn’t 100 percent.

Bush ruled out: Dolphins RB Reggie Bush (knee) has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Jets, setting up Daniel Thomas as Miami’s No. 1 RB for Week 17. Earlier this season, the rookie was held to just 47 yards on 15 carries, but he was also splitting carries with Bush. Gang Green still has a slim shot at a playoff berth, which means their 15th-ranked rushing defense has a reason to be motivated. If you’re scrambling for a flex player, you can consider Thomas, but you might be better off looking elsewhere for help.

– Marcas Grant

It’s been a fantastic year for Eagles RB LeSean McCoy. But just because the Birds will be grounded for the postseason doesn’t mean they plan on clipping McCoy’s wings in the regular-season finale.

Eagles OC Marty Mornhinweg admitted Thursday McCoy will be given the chance to win the rushing title against the Redskins if it fits within the game plan. McCoy will start the day 128 yards behind Maurice Jones-Drew, so his chances of winning it are slim. But fantasy owners should be buoyed by Philly’s willingness to try.

There are worse opponents McCoy could be facing than the Redskins. Washington sits in the middle of the pack, allowing nearly 19 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs. When the two teams met in Week 6, McCoy rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown, accounting for 19.90 fantasy points. That should be all the convincing you need to make sure he’s in your lineup this week.

– Marcas Grant

Fantasy owners might be worried about the playing time that will go to many of the stars on their rosters in Week 17, there’s little reason to be concerned about what the Saints will do. That’s because coach Sean Payton says he has no intentions of taking his foot off the gas this week against the Panthers.

That should be a load off the minds of owners, who now know that QB Drew Brees and his receivers should be on the field for the majority of the game. Carolina’s defense has been better than average against fantasy WRs this season, which could add to the already considerable consternation that comes with trying to pick the right New Orleans wideout. Marques Colston has been the most consistent this season, but with TE Jimmy Graham gobbling up so many targets, it leaves Lance Moore and Robert Meachem to fight for what’s left.

However, it does look like RB Mark Ingram (turf toe) is on the shelf yet again after suffering a setback. If you were holding on to him hoping to see some production in the finale, you can officially give up on that dream. Look for another week of Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory rotating in the backfield.

– Marcas Grant

Cowboys QB Tony Romo was back to work Thursday throwing with a protective wrap on his bruised hand in preparation for Sunday’s pivotal regular-season finale against the Giants. Romo expects to play, and at this point there’s little reason to doubt his ability to play injured. Romo helped lead the Cowboys to a comeback victory against the 49ers in Week 2 while playing with fractured ribs.

It would take a lot to keep Romo out of a game with so much meaning, especially against the NFC East rival Giants, who he torched for 321 yards and four TDs in Week 14. The forecast for New York this weekend looks to be cold and rainy, so it would be a lot for Romo to match those numbers. But against a secondary that has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per week to opposing QBs, Romo’s a high-quality start.

– Marcas Grant

Johnson held out of practice: For the second straight day, Lions WR Calvin Johnson (Achilles) missed practice, jeopardizing his chances to play Sunday against the Packers. With a wild-card spot already in hand, it’s possible Detroit holds him out of action this week in order to prepare for the first round of the playoffs. Even if he does play, it’s hard to imagine coach Jim Schwartz risking him for an entire four quarters. Start making contingency plans, just as long as you’re aware that you’ll never find anything close to equal value. Grab a guy like Titus Young off the waiver wire — he’s scored in two of his past three games and is earning more looks from QB Matthew Stafford.

Bush out for second straight day: Dolphins RB Reggie Bush (knee) missed a second practice Thursday in advance of Sunday’s game against the Jets. Bush has been one of the hottest fantasy backs in the second half of the season, scoring double-digit fantasy points in eight of his past nine games. Even against Gang Green earlier this season, the former USC star ran for 71 yards on just 10 carries while still splitting touches with Daniel Thomas. Now that Bush is the undisputed feature back in Miami, he’s worth a start as a No. 2 RB this week … if he’s playing. If he doesn’t play, consider plugging Thomas into your flex spot.

Brady’s shoulder is OK: The non-throwing shoulder of Patriots QB Tom Brady has been closely watched this week. After missing Wednesday’s practice for “non-injury related” reasons,  he was back on the field stretching with the team on Thursday. By all accounts, New England expects its field general to be ready to go when they host Buffalo this week. Certainly Bill Belichick has been known to play some tricks with his injury reports, but it’s hard to imagine him pulling a fast one with Brady — especially when a win earns the Patriots the top seed in the AFC playoffs. Start Brady with confidence.

– Marcas Grant

Hour 1 - 

Hour 2 –

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Elliot Harrison and Michael Fabiano go over the final week of fantasy football and who you should look to if you think your starters may be resting on the bench in Week 17. In the second hour, ”NFL Fantasy Live” analysts Jason Smith and Adam Rank join the show for a 2012 fantasy football mock draft and discuss strategy for the NFL.com Playoff Challenge.