by Mike Harmon

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That was the battle cry to get your carcass onto the practice field back in my day. For whatever reason, my grade school coaches eschewed the use of a shrill whistle to bark out instruction, including the old "Down!" and "Up!" commands on pushups.

I bring that cry back today as we prepare for the next round of playoff matchups. Perhaps you won your Week 14 game to get into the dance, or maybe you throttled your first-round opponent because of the Monday night heroics of one or more participants in the Carolina-Tampa Bay game. Whatever the case, we're already "lining up" for Week 15 of the NFL season, a slate that brings a number of tasty matchups for fans and fantasy owners. Obviously, with those matchups (Pittsburgh-Baltimore, anyone?) come very difficult lineup calls.

I'm here to lend my two cents, starting with the resurgent Donovan McNabb.

Top 10 Quarterbacks

(Not named Peyton Manning, Tony Romo, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers or Jay Cutler)

Donovan McNabb vs. Cleveland

McNabb's played superb football since his benching against the Ravens several weeks back. Having a seemingly healthy Brian Westbrook surely doesn't hurt the cause. McNabb's doing a fine job spreading the ball around and getting all of his receivers involved. Westbrook's involvement in the passing game sets McNabb up for another big week against the Browns, a team already looking to 2009.

Jeff Garcia at Atlanta

Garcia performed brilliantly against the Panthers on Monday night (321 yards and two touchdowns), although he did absorb five sacks in the loss. I'm expecting another strong performance this weekend in a huge divisional matchup. Garcia's averaged 201.7 passing yards with five touchdowns against two turnovers in his past three starts. He'll be ready for another strong effort against the 23rd-ranked Atlanta pass defense.

Tyler Thigpen vs. San Diego

Thigpen's been held under 200 passing yards in back-to-back games, but he's certainly kept this team competitive. He's passed for 12 touchdowns against five turnovers in his past seven games, averaging 205 passing yards and 32 rushing yards per game during this stretch. His rushing total adds the point equivalent of another half-touchdown per week.

Shaun Hill at Miami

Hill dominated the New York secondary in a resounding win over the Jets, completing 28-of-39 attempts for 285 yards with two touchdowns, an interception and two sacks. He narrowly missed out on another touchdown when Jason Hill fumbled near the goal-line on an early reception (it was recovered by an offensive lineman in the end zone). He's accounted for 10 touchdowns against six turnovers in the past five games and has an intriguing matchup on tap with the Dolphins (21st against the pass).

Matt Ryan vs. Tampa Bay

What else can be said about Ryan? I'm almost set to put him in the list of elite quarterbacks following his weekly heroics. He's passed for at least 207 yards in eight consecutive games while accounting for multiple touchdowns in five of his past eight games. He struggled in Week 2 against the Buccaneers (158 yards, four sacks and two interceptions), but he's come a long, long way since that meeting.

Kyle Orton's last few weeks haven't been too impressive, but his matchup Thursday looks to be a good one. (Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images)

Kyle Orton vs. New Orleans

Orton took advantage of a matchup against the injury-depleted Jacksonville secondary to produce his second straight multi-touchdown performance. He completed 20-of-34 attempts for 219 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and one sack. It was his first multi-touchdown performance since Week 7. I believe he posts another big game this week against the Saints, effectively deploying his tight ends, Devin Hester and all-purpose back Matt Forte against the suspect New Orleans defense.

Matt Cassel at Oakland

I place Cassel on this early-week list in anticipation of his return to the team in time for Sunday's game against Oakland. News broke Wednesday he'd left the team to be with his family following the death of his father. I extend my condolences to Matt and his family. He recovered nicely from the rough Week 13 showing against the Steelers with a 268-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Seahawks.

Jake Delhomme vs. Denver

Delhomme managed Monday's game against the Buccaneers effectively, passing for 177 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions while leading DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to their huge days. He's been shut out only once in the past seven games, and I believe he'll need to work downfield in a possible shootout against Jay Cutler's Broncos.

Seneca Wallace at St. Louis

Wallace was perhaps the most unlikely fantasy hero from Week 14, as he played magnificently against the Patriots. He completed 20-of-28 attempts for 212 yards with three touchdowns, adding 47 rushing yards for good measure. Additionally, he didn't commit a turnover in this game and was sacked only once. Wallace is a sneaky play this weekend against the Rams this week. Inserting him into your lineup for a playoff win would make you a legend at the water cooler.

Chad Pennington vs. San Francisco

The Dolphins are riding high, rolling to six wins in their past seven games behind the efficient play of Pennington. He's not going to put up huge numbers week after week, but he limits turnovers and keeps the offense moving. He's thrown at least one touchdown pass in eight of his past 10 games, topping 200 passing yards in seven of those outings. He warrants consideration for this week's home game against the 25th-ranked San Francisco defense.

Quarterback Sleeper Candidates

Kerry Collins at Houston

Collins generated his third multi-touchdown game in his past five starts although he failed to eclipse the 200-yard mark for the second straight game. He's thrown eight touchdown passes against four turnovers in his past five games. He's worthy of consideration against the Houston defense this weekend (214.9 yards and 1.5 touchdowns per game). Obviously, "Smash and Dash" will roll up their customary numbers, but I expect to see Collins take his shots in the red zone.

David Garrard vs. Green Bay

Given the overall struggles of this squad, I'm reticent to put Garrard on this list again. However, the Green Bay pass defense has played horribly down the stretch as well. He finished with respectable totals against the Bears in Week 14 following a slow start. The biggest question mark facing the Jaguars in this game is who (besides Maurice Jones-Drew) will catch the ball now that Matt Jones' suspension's been upheld. Obviously, Garrard's only a prospective option in the deepest of leagues, but he needs to be on the board.

Marc Bulger vs. Seattle

Like the Garrard entry above, this is quite obviously a longshot play in only the deepest of leagues. Bulger performed well against the Cardinals in Week 14, passing for 228 yards with a touchdown and an interception. More importantly, the offensive line did a nice job protecting Bulger once again (one sack in the past two weeks). He makes for a "Hail Mary" play this week against the bottom-ranked Seattle pass defense (264.8 yards and 1.5 touchdowns per game).

Quarterback Flop Candidates

Ben Roethlisberger at Baltimore

Roethlisberger took some hits against the Cowboys, but continued to work the ball downfield and finished with solid overall numbers (204 yards and a touchdown). Inconsistent pass protection has limited his productivity this season, and he's produced just two multi-touchdown games in his past seven games. I'm not optimistic of a big performance this weekend against the Ravens, against whom Roethlisberger passed for 191 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Week 4 thriller.

Joe Flacco vs. Pittsburgh

Flacco joins Roethlisberger down in the "Flops" section this week. Although I've been enamored with the rookie's play for a long while (remember that early stretch of games that included the Steelers?), this is a difficult test against the league's top-ranked pass defense. He passed for 192 yards, one touchdown and one lost fumble in the Week 4 meeting. Find another more high-powered option this week.

Eli Manning at Dallas

Manning extended his scoring streak to 12 straight games with a quiet effort against the Eagles last week. I'm not optimistic for a huge rebound effort this weekend against the Cowboys. His 194-yard, three-touchdown (three-turnover) game against the Cowboys in Week 9 certainly piques your interest, but I expect the Cowboys to rally at home following last week's crushing road loss. He's steady and leads this unit well (still among my MVP leaders), but that won't translate into big fantasy numbers this week.

Top 10 Running Backs

(Not named Adrian Peterson, Clinton Portis, Steven Jackson, Matt Forte, Michael Turner, Brandon Jacobs, DeAngelo Williams, Chris Johnson, LenDale White, Thomas Jones, Marion Barber, LaDainian Tomlinson or Brian Westbrook)

Maurice Jones-Drew vs. Green Bay

Jones-Drew owners have had a mixed bag this season. He's scored a boatload of touchdowns, but he hasn't eclipsed 80 rushing yards since Week 6. He's a perfect spot for a big performance against the run-deficient Green Bay defense at home. The Packers allow 141.3 yards and 1.3 touchdowns per game, and I expect Jones-Drew to find paydirt once again.

It hasn't been a good season for Ryan Grant, but things have begun to look up for him of late. (Jeff Gross / Getty Images)

Ryan Grant at Jacksonville

Grant turned in a strong 104-yard effort in the rough home loss to the Texans. After a slow start, he's rushed for at least 75 yards in seven of nine games. More importantly, he's scored in three of his past five starts. This week's matchup against the Jaguars offers him another phenomenal opportunity to help fantasy owners.

Reggie Bush at Chicago

Bush exploded through a gaping hole for a 43-yard run last week against the Falcons, announcing his triumphant return to the Saints lineup. Now, he'd played the week before, but the extra week clearly made a difference for Bush. He finished the game with 80 rushing yards and three catches for 26 yards and a touchdown. He'll play a big role on Thursday night in frigid Chicago, particularly if the wind starts whipping around by the lake.

Additionally, we need to keep Pierre Thomas on the radar. He's been phenomenal in recent weeks, topping 100 total yards in three of his past four games with six total touchdowns. He'll continue to seek the bulk of the workload and the prime goal-line touches.

Sammy Morris at Oakland

Morris scored for the second straight week as part of the important comeback win over the Seahawks. He was the lead back in the New England rotation, carrying the ball 11 times for 36 yards in the hard-fought victory. During the past two weeks, he carried the ball 21 times for 81 yards. More importantly, the now-healthy Morris has reclaimed the goal-line role from BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The Raiders rank 30th against the run, surrendering 158.7 yards and 1.4 touchdowns per game.

Steve Slaton vs. Tennessee

Slaton continues to pile up big numbers for fantasy owners down the stretch. He's topped 100 rushing yards in three of his past four games (over 150 total yards in each of those games) and reached the 1,000-yard mark last week in a hard-fought win against the Packers. He also lost just his first fumble in 237 touches this season in that game. The matchup against Tennessee is somewhat daunting, but lest we forget, Slaton rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown in the first meeting between these teams. I'm anticipating another big game with the Tennessee defense working to slow Matt Schaub.

Kevin Smith at Indianapolis

Smith rebounded from the expected sub-par Thanksgiving game against the Titans with 90 total yards against the Vikings. He's amassed at least 86 total yards in four of his past five games, rushing for at least 86 yards in three of those five games. This is a stellar matchup against the Colts (129.8 yards per game), although I'm afraid of what might occur given the unstable quarterback situation (Daunte Culpepper's listed as doubtful).

Warrick Dunn at Atlanta

Dunn returns to Atlanta to face his former team for the second time this season. He carried the ball 12 times for 49 yards and a touchdown in the Week 2 matchup against the Falcons while splitting time with Earnest Graham. Dunn will cede carries to Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, particularly around the goal-line, but I expect the veteran back to put up 15-20 touches. He's topped 100 total yards in two of his past four games.

Jonathan Stewart vs. Denver

Stewart's taken a backseat to DeAngelo Williams in the Carolina backfield, but he's still posting some big numbers of his own. He's topped 100 yard in two of his past four games with three touchdowns and an infamous near-miss following a long run in Week 13. You can bet John Fox will continue to run the ball frequently against the 26th-ranked Denver run defense (139.5 yards per game).

Ronnie Brown vs. San Francisco

Brown continues in his timeshare with Ricky Williams, but remains the lead option in this split backfield. He's remains a strong goal-line option (10 touchdowns) and maintains a heavy workload (15 or more touches in three of his past four games). He's a strong play this week against the middling San Francisco defense. This unit's played well under Mike Singletary, but I expect the Dolphins' phenomenal run to continue at home.

Joseph Addai vs. Detroit

Addai was quiet last week (12 touches for 40 yards) before sitting down because of a shoulder injury. I place him on this early-week listing because of the eye-popping matchup against the Lions, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him take a seat early in the second half to rest his shoulder and knee injuries. Still, the possibilities are huge in one half of football against the bottom-ranked Detroit run defense (173.3 yards and 1.8 touchdowns per game). Additionally, the Colts signed Najeh Davenport, which may be a signal of a larger issue. You'll find backfield mate Dominic Rhodes in the sleeper section below.

Running Back Sleeper Candidates

Tatum Bell at Carolina

The season-ending injury sustained by Peyton Hillis (a torn hamstring) puts Bell front and center in the Denver backfield once again. He carried the ball 11 times for 52 yards against the Chiefs in Week 14, adding two catches for 16 yards. With Selvin Young still ailing, Bell's the last man standing in Denver for Mike Shanahan. I'm still somewhat fearful of Mike Bell jumping back into the fray.

Dominic Rhodes vs. Detroit

Rhodes was a bonus sleeper play last week after Joseph Addai appeared on the late-week injury report. He rewarded gambling fantasy owners with 31 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Rhodes is worthy of Flex slot consideration against the putrid Detroit defense, even if Addai's ready to take on a full workload. I expect the Colts to roll up a big point total this week, and that means an early exit for Addai as he readies himself for the playoff push.

Maurice Morris at St. Louis

Who wants to roll the dice in the playoffs? Perhaps you do if you're sitting on Willie Parker or another tailback in a difficult matchup. Morris has eclipsed Julius Jones as the No. 1 option for Mike Holmgren's offense, and this is a true sleeper spot against the woeful Rams. St. Louis has been unable to stop the run all season, surrendering an average of 154.2 yards and 1.7 touchdowns per game.

Running Back Flop Candidates

Marshawn Lynch at New York Jets

Lynch struggled terribly against the Dolphins, who stacked the line and dared J.P. Losman to beat them downfield. Clearly, he failed. This week's matchup brings another tough test for Lynch. The Jets rank fourth in run defense at 83.5 yards per game, and this unit limited Lynch to 16 yards on nine carries (three catches for 52 yards) in Week 9. New York needs to right the ship after two straight disappointing losses, and I suspect the run defense rises up.

Willie Parker at Baltimore

Parker would normally be a start despite the tough matchup, but Mewelde Moore's presence in the running and passing game knocks him into "Flops" territory. The Ravens are flying high and own the league's third-best run defense (77 yards per game). In fact, Baltimore and run-stuffer Haloti Ngata have surrendered only three rushing touchdowns all season.

Jamal Lewis at Philadelphia

It's been a disastrous season in Cleveland, and Lewis hasn't been immune to the fallout. With three games remaining on the schedule, he still needs 200 rushing yards to reach the hallowed 1,000-yard mark. In fact, he amassed only seven yards on seven carries last week against the Colts . He last topped 80 rushing yards in Week 8 and has scored once in the past six games. Shut him down against Jim Johnson's defense this weekend.

Top 10 Wide Receivers

(Exclude Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Roddy White, Brandon Marshall, Randy Moss, Reggie Wayne, Calvin Johnson, Marques Colston, Wes Welker, Dwayne Bowe, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Andre Johnson, Greg Jennings, Steve Smith and Terrell Owens)

Donald Driver at Jacksonville

Driver's been an infrequent visitor to the end zone, but he remains a top option for Aaron Rodgers behind Greg Jennings. He's caught three or more passes in 12 of 13 games and has recorded at least 60 receiving yards in three of his past four games. He's caught eight passes for 158 yards and a touchdown in the past two weeks. I anticipate another big game for the Packers' passing game against the depleted Jacksonville secondary.

Vincent Jackson at Kansas City

Jackson posted his second 100-yard game of the season, an electrifying 148-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Raiders. He's caught touchdown passes in two of his past three games and five of his past eight starts. The passing game continues to rule the San Diego offense, and I expect Rivers to keep throwing in order to stave off a strong effort by Tyler Thigpen and company.

Antonio Bryant at Atlanta

What was that? Bryant turned in his fourth 100-yard game of the season, a ridiculously dominant nine-catch, 200-yard performance against the Panthers. I've been intrigued by Bryant in this comeback campaign given his high weekly target total. However, nobody could've expected such an explosive performance. He was shut out by the Falcons in Week 2, but that won't happen again. He's averaging 5.73 receptions and 81.2 receiving yards in his past 11 games.

Devin Hester vs. New Orleans

Hester's truly grown into his role as the top option for Kyle Orton in the Chicago passing game. He still leaves some plays on the table, but the learning curve's clearly been accelerated. He caught five passes for 80 yards in Sunday's win over Jacksonville and has caught 13 passes for 204 yards in the past three weeks (68 yards per game). He's a solid play this week against the 26th-ranked New Orleans pass defense (231.8 yards and 1.63 touchdowns per game).

Torry Holt at Seattle

Let's put Holt back onto the radar this weekend for an enticing matchup against the bottom-ranked Seattle pass defense. He's caught three or more passes in four straight games, recording 60 or more receiving yards in three of those contests. Seattle allows 264.8 passing yards and 1.5 passing touchdowns per game. The Seahawks have struggled to sustain a pass rush all season, and that's music to the ears of Marc Bulger.

Vincent Jackson's been able to find the end zone again recently. (Donald Miralle / Getty Images)

Steve Breaston vs. Minnesota

Breaston's been one of the unsung heroes in the Cardinals' rise to a NFC West title. Although he's scored only one touchdown in his past seven games, He's averaged 5.6 receptions and 70 receiving yards during this period. I'm expecting another big effort this weekend against the Minnesota secondary. Breaston needs 137 yards to join Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald in the 1,000-yard receiving club.

Lance Moore at Chicago

Moore's been quieted in back-to-back weeks, and he saw his five-game scoring streak come to an end against the Falcons. In fact, he's caught only five passes for 50 yards in the past two weeks, a dramatic downturn from his previous four games, when the third-year receiver snagged 25 passes from Drew Brees. He remains a strong WR3 option against the Chicago secondary for Thursday night's game.

Lee Evans at New York Jets

Evans is very quietly approaching 1,000 receiving yards for the season (he needs 87). His two-game rebound was abruptly halted last week by the Dolphins in Canada (three receptions for 23 yards). He and the Bills have another strong game on tap against the struggling New York Jets secondary. Trent Edwards is listed as day-to-day because of his groin injury, but I'm still optimistic "Mr. December" can shine against the Jets, even with Darrelle Revis covering him and J.P. Losman throwing to him. Remember, he was a well-placed ball (obviously, it wasn't) from catching a short touchdown pass last week.

Santana Moss at Cincinnati

Moss creeps up the rankings this weekend against the hapless Bengals. Although the Washington offense has struggled mightily, perhaps the latest outburst by Clinton Portis will help clear that air and re-focus the squad. Moss last scored in Week 8 as part of a huge performance against the Lions. He's topped 60 receiving yards only once in five games since that breakout performance. The Bengals surrender 224.8 yards and 1.6 passing touchdowns per game. This could serve as a nice bounce-back effort for the Redskins and Jason Campbell.

Deion Branch at St. Louis

Branch finally popped back onto the fantasy radar in Week 14, as he scored two touchdowns (his first since 2007) against his former team. He was targeted frequently by Seneca Wallace and finished the day with four grabs for 88 yards. He's a solid play this weekend against the 24th-ranked St. Louis pass defense.

Wide Receiver Sleeper Candidates

Justin Gage at Houston

Gage scored in last week's game against the Browns to snap a two-game mini-drought. It was his fifth touchdown of the year, and though he caught only two passes for 18 yards, his role as the top option for Collins was affirmed by his six looks. He's a decent WR4 play this week against the 18th-ranked Houston pass defense (214.9 yards and 1.53 touchdowns per game).

Laveranues Coles vs. Buffalo

I don't know why, but I like when receivers pipe up in the media, even if it's truly in jest (the jury remains out on that whole exchange). Those blowups normally result in a big game in the week following, or at least an extra couple of looks. I'm optimistic Brett Favre and company snap back from this two-game mini-funk against the struggling Bills. Coles has recorded only three catches for seven yards in the past two weeks, which makes him a true longshot pick. Those upset-minded owners among you need to reach deep.

Muhsin Muhammad vs. Denver

Muhammad's been relatively quiet in recent weeks given the surge of the running game behind DeAngelo Williams. He's scored only twice in his past eight games and has eclipsed 60 receiving yards only once during this time. I'm intrigued to watch Muhammad and the Carolina offense this weekend against the Broncos (27th in pass defense). The running game and Steve Smith will get their numbers, but I expect Muhammad to play a bigger role as Carolina tries to push toward the NFC South title.

Antwaan Randle El at Cincinnati

Randle El was one of the few bright spots for the Redskins on Sunday against the Ravens, catching five passes for 47 yards and a late touchdown. He's caught multiple passes in 12 of 13 games, averaging 3.7 receptions and 42.8 yards per game. He's scored in two of the past three games, and has become a nice check-down option for Jason Campbell.

Wide Receiver Flop Candidates

Braylon Edwards at Philadelphia

To put it bluntly, Edwards has had a disastrous 2008 season. He's been plagued by drops all year, and his touchdown total's been stuck on three since Week 9 (one touchdown in his past eight games). He's finished three of his past five games with fewer than 40 receiving yards. He's always a threat for a huge game, but I'd find a more consistent option for this playoff game against a hungry Philly defense on the road.

Chris Chambers at Kansas City

Chambers has become a fixture here. He opened the season as a red zone monster, rarely catching passes between the 20s. He's caught 10 passes for 84 yards in his past four games, including last week's shutout against the Raiders. He last found the end zone against his former team in Week 5. I'd slide Malcom Floyd ahead of him.

Roy Williams vs. New York Giants

I probably get as many questions in my inbox (harmononfox@hotmail.com) about Williams as I do any other player in the game. The fact of the matter is, he's been targeted fairly frequently since arriving in Dallas, but the results have sorely disappointing. He's topped 60 receiving yards once this season, and that happened in Week 5 as a member of the Lions. He's scored once since joining the Cowboys, and that strike came from Brad Johnson. Find another WR3. Place your hope elsewhere.

Hines Ward at Baltimore

I'm not expecting a knock-down, drag-out brawl between Ward and top rival Bart Scott, but that certainly is a nice storyline to grab onto this week. Ward's appearance here speaks to the fact I suspect this game boils down to a good, old-fashioned field goal-kicking contest. He caught two passes for 57 yards in the Week 4 performance against the Ravens and has been quieted by the Ravens during the bulk of his career. Ward's averaged 4.5 receptions and 51.8 receiving yards per with just six touchdowns in his 19 career starts against the Ravens.