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Your buy-low window opens in San Diego this Sunday night.

It might just close there.

Here's what you've got: On one side, the red-hot Colts' passing game, which has totaled 814 yards and seven touchdowns the past three weeks combined, against the league's bottom-ranked pass defense. On the other, LaDainian Tomlinson, who has averaged 125.0 total yards and 1.3 touchdowns per game in his past 42 -- take a second and let those numbers sink in -- against a Colts run defense that has allowed an average of 139.6 yards and 1.1 touchdowns per game in their past 42 -- again, take a second, absorb the numbers.

Now, it's not like you need me to tell you Peyton Manning -- and to an extent his receivers -- and LaDainian Tomlinson are exceptional fantasy players. That's a smattering of the obvious. But what I can tell you is, thanks to more ordinary first halves by each, their Gridiron Challenge price tags are actually not top-of-the-game price tags, but their remaining schedules absolutely would justify top-of-the-game price tags.

Let's take a stroll down "Remaining Schedule Lane" with Manning and the boys:

Week 12 (@SD): The Chargers rank dead last against the pass (267.0 ypg).
Week 13 (@CLE): The Browns have allowed the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks the past five weeks, and second-most to wide receivers.
Week 14 (CIN): The Bengals have allowed the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers the past five weeks, and fifth-most to quarterbacks.
Week 15 (DET): They stink on ice defensively. But to give you the numbers, the Lions have allowed 401.7 total yards per game, second-most in the league.
Week 16 (@JAC): Kerry Collins just clobbered them for 230 yards and three scores. Let that sink in for a second. Kerry. Collins.
Week 17 (TEN): OK, I'd (probably) avoid this one. But if I have to make the case, there's no way the Titans will have anything to play for in this game.

Now, look at Tomlinson's:

Week 12 (IND): The Colts have allowed nine rushing touchdowns the past four weeks, including two apiece to Ahman Green and Mewelde Moore.
Week 13 (ATL): The Falcons rank 22nd against the run, and just allowed 113 yards and two touchdowns to Denver's fifth-, sixth- and seventh-string running backs.
Week 14 (OAK): Tomlinson has 12 total touchdowns in these teams' past six meetings, and has averaged 153.9 total yards in their past 12 meetings.
Week 15 (@KC): Don't bring up LDT's miserable Week 10 against this team, because in their previous four meetings he totaled 693 yards and six scores.
Week 16 (@TB): OK, so no schedule is perfect.
Week 17 (DEN): Again, poor performance by LDT earlier this year, but even with that he has 11 total touchdowns in these teams' past seven meetings. And with San Diego currently two games back of Denver, the AFC West title might yet be up for grabs.

It's that last note that warrants close attention; neither the Colts nor the Chargers shape up today as an early-clincher playoff team. In fact, neither is a lock to either make the playoffs or be locked out of the playoffs before Week 17, but I'll go ahead and say that both teams will make it into the postseason. To do it they'll need to play strong, with their "A" squads, right through Week 17 of this season, which is a heck of a lot different position than either team found itself in years past.

Sound like a recipe for GC success?

So, the 11.6 percent of GC owners who owned Manning in Week 11, keep him on hand for the stretch run -- especially if you have him for cheaper than the 7.2 that I do. You 11.7 percent of Tomlinson owners stay the course as well, as a 6.3 price tag for a top-shelf running back facing easily the game's softest schedule is a slam dunk.

Stick with my "Bull market" Colts from a week ago, too: Reggie Wayne, who actually declined in price this week, to 5.3, sixth among wide receivers. He averaged 103.7 receiving yards with six touchdowns in his final 11 games of 2007, people. Dallas Clark dropped in price too, to 4.1, and remains a steal of a deal.

A-number-1: Tomlinson, obviously!

Jamal Lewis, RB, Browns (4.9 price tag): I'm feeling this eerie sort of déjà vu with Lewis this week, with a home game against the Texans next up. Why, you might ask? Well, in Week 12 of the 2007 season, he played -- you guessed it -- a home game against the Texans, and on that day he ripped off 134 rushing yards with a score. From there he'd endure a four-game hot streak in which he totaled 544 yards from scrimmage and four total touchdowns. I know, it was the turkey dinner, right, Jamal? Lewis gets the Colts at home after these Texans, and both of those matchups play well in his favor. Brady Quinn appears to have developed into a perfectly adequate starting NFL quarterback if he can play through his broken finger, so no real doubts that the Cleveland offensive attack will sap Lewis' production.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Bills (6.0): This one's twofold; the matchups this and next week are stacked in his favor, and Trent Edwards couldn't be in much more of a funk, putting the pressure on Lynch and, to a lesser extent, Fred Jackson to do the dirty work. Kansas City isn't the easiest of cities for a road team to play in, so Edwards' task is at least as difficult as any of his past four, during which time he has totaled 28 fantasy points (7.0 per game). Meanwhile, the Chiefs' run defense ranks 31st, and San Francisco, the Bills' Week 13 opponent, ranks a so-so 16th. Meanwhile, if you're worried that Jackson will eat into Lynch's touches, be aware that Lynch had 33 to Jackson's 12 -- a 2.8-1 ratio -- in Week 11, meaning the Bills obviously are learning who they need to let lead their offense. It's Lynch, whose hot streak will surely extend at least two more weeks.

Marion Barber, RB, Cowboys (SF, 6.3 price tag): I pick this one not only because it's a favorable matchup, but also because it might represent the last such favorable one for GC purposes all season. Granted, that depends on what level of respect you have for the Seattle defense in Week 13; I merely think it's easier to pass against that team. Barber is coming off a stunning 20-point GC performance, and the 49ers have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to running backs this season (21.1 per game).

Greg Jennings, WR, Packers (@NO, 5.3): Whether it's Randall Gay, Jason David or Usama Young shadowing Jennings this week, the bottom line is the Saints are bad in the secondary. I'm thinking it's Gay, who, by the way, was torched for two touchdowns by Dwayne Bowe in Week 12. The Packers will need to throw a healthy amount in order to keep pace with the New Orleans offense in this one, and when they do, Jennings will probably be free all day at the other end of those throws.

Pittsburgh Steelers defense/special teams (CIN, 5.4): As you'll see in a moment, I'm decidedly pro-Steelers this week. What's not to like? Defensively speaking, they've amassed 15 points or more in the GC in six of 10 games this season, including 18 against these Bengals in Cincinnati in Week 7. They've also won each of these teams' past three meetings, by a combined 86-33 score, and 14 of their past 18. Bengals quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick ranks fifth in the league with 27 sacks, in only six starts, and you guessed it: The Steelers pressure the passer better than anyone in the league, with an NFL-most 36 sacks. For Cincinnati, this one could get ugly in a hurry.

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers (@NO, 6.2): If I like Jennings for this week, naturally, I'm going to like Rodgers as well. He feasts upon favorable matchups, as evidenced by the 68 GC points he has totaled in three games against teams currently ranked in the bottom 10 pass defenses. New Orleans ranks -- you guessed it -- 26th. Bottom line: If Rodgers can excel against the Bears, no doubt he can beat up on the Saints.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers (CIN, 6.1): Again, this week I'm a Steelers fan, apparently, and "Big Ben" sure has the track record against this defense, with two passing scores in each of his past three meetings with the Bengals, including a 216-yard, 2-TD effort in Week 7. Willie Parker might want the Steelers to return to a run-based offense, but what's he complaining about, having carried the football 25 times in Week 11, anyway? No reason to expect a change to the game plan, especially not with the Bengals having allowed 51 total GC points the past three weeks combined.

Bo Scaife, TE, Titans (NYJ, 3.2): This is sleeper special of sorts, and if there's any place at which to go cheap, it's at tight end. The Chargers might be hailed as the matchup of all matchups for a tight end, but the Jets aren't much less attractive; they've allowed 8.8 fantasy points per game to the position, No. 2 only to San Diego. Scaife, meanwhile, has the eighth-most targets (57) among tight ends, and the fifth-most in the red zone (11). Good chance this is a week he finds that ever-elusive end zone.

Hines Ward, WR, Steelers (CIN, 4.8): He's the dude who does the damage against that Bengals secondary, with a score and 60 yards against them in Week 7, and 23 receptions for 238 yards and five touchdowns combined in these teams' past three meetings. Plus, if you've been paying attention the past two weeks, Ward is on a tremendous tear, totaling 19 receptions on 24 targets for 236 yards. With a workload even close to that Thursday, he could lead his position in GC points.

Chris Chambers, Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, Brett Favre, Tim Hightower, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Vincent Jackson, Chad Johnson, Chris Johnson, Willis McGahee, Donovan McNabb, Matt Ryan, Brian Westbrook and LenDale White.

Total points: 1,253.
Percentage: 98.3. Overall rank: 3,706th.
Ranking in Fantasy Editorial Group: 156th.

Tristan H. Cockcroft is a fantasy baseball, football and hockey analyst for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.