Sit 'em

BEWARE OF BUST

LARRY JOHNSON
RB

CHIEFS

VS

Ravens

Last week Chiefs coach Herm Edwards expressed his belief that running the football wins games. While Kansas City does rely heavily on Johnson, here's a case where such dependence could prove costly to you in a crucial week. That isn't to say Johnson should automatically be shelved, but take a look at the defensive matchup and your alternatives before proceeding. The Ravens' vaunted defense has stood its ground against almost every top AFC back, including LaDainian Tomlinson, whom they held to 98 yards and zero TDs. (He leads the league with 26 this season.) Baltimore has bottled up the likes of Rudi Johnson (47 and 78 yards), Willie Parker (22), Reggie Bush (16) and DeShaun Foster (58), and it has surrendered more than 100 yards to a running back only once, when it was banged up against Tennessee. This week the Ravens are healthy, so consider yourself warned.

QUARTERBACK

ELI MANNING
Giants AT Panthers
The South hasn't recently shown its famed hospitality to a kid who grew up in New Orleans and went to college in Mississippi. In games at Jacksonville and Tennessee, Manning passed for an average of 186.5 yards and totaled two TDs and four picks. Since Week 10, Carolina's D has allowed nine points per game.

MARC BULGER
Rams VS. Bears
This would be a tough assignment even if St. Louis had a full complement of O-linemen to protect Bulger against Chicago. But Orlando Pace is out for the year, and with Bulger having thrown three picks against Arizona (which was missing top pass rusher Bertrand Berry), he must be benched.

BEN ROETHLISBERGER
Steelers VS. Browns
K.C.'s Trent Green torched the Browns for 297 yards and four TDs, so Roethlisberger seems like a sure bet at Heinz Field next week. However, with Hines Ward ailing, Big Ben will find it hard to duplicate the 272 yards (with two touchdown passes) he had at Cleveland on Nov. 19.

RUNNING BACK