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Sad to think that Thanksgiving generally represents the beginning of the stretch run for fantasy football, with only five weeks to go from that date forward in 2008. Take note of where we're at, Gridiron Challenge players; if you're going to make a late push to get into contention, you're quickly running out of time.

A few things dawn upon me as we begin to wind things down:

• Can't the Lions do us a favor once -- just once -- and field a competitive enough team that we want to watch them play on Thanksgiving? The last thing I need is to get indigestion before I've even started my Thanksgiving dinner.

• Speaking of those Thanksgiving Day games, none of which especially overwhelms me, the Cardinals might be troubled to learn that the five teams that hail from the states of Arizona, California and Washington are a combined 0-15 in games played in the Eastern time zone. By the way, the Cardinals not only travel to Philadelphia and fit into this classification, but they're playing the short week. Not that I'm about to bench Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin or Larry Fitzgerald, but don't be shocked if the Cardinals lay a stinker. (Of course, it helps them that the Eagles couldn't be mired in a deeper funk.)

• The other West Coast team traveling east: the 49ers, who play in Buffalo.

• I'm predicting that record goes to 1-16 after this week, with Arizona a winner, albeit not in the kind of blowout we just saw in Baltimore.

• Speaking of Buffalo, weather begins to come into play here, especially in those northeastern and Great Lakes-region cities. In other words, in addition to the matchups, it's now on you to track the weather reports in Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Green Bay, New England, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington each week. Fortunately, we'll keep you informed heading into each weekend throughout the site.

• Matt Cassel has 71 GC points the past two weeks combined, by far the most in the game, yet there is absolutely no chance I'm using him this week against the Steelers.

Ronnie Brown, RB, Dolphins (5.1 price tag): I'm a little curious to see how the Dolphins adapt to life without Greg Camarillo, and if you believe his season-ending injury is no big deal, obviously you haven't been following this team at all this year. Camarillo was largely the reason Chad Pennington had been performing so well, having served as the quarterback's most trusted receiving target. That means change must be anticipated, and count me among those who believe the Dolphins will adapt by putting more of an emphasis on the running game, especially accounting for the upcoming matchups (@STL, @BUF, SF, @KC). The Rams have allowed the second-most fantasy points to running backs this season, the 49ers the ninth-most and the Chiefs the most, and the Bills rank right in the middle (16th-most). Brown, meanwhile, is on pace for only 224 rushing attempts, a low number for a starting tailback, and each week that passes means another week removed from his reconstructive knee surgery. I'm expecting a strong finish.

Lee Evans, WR, Bills (4.9): I said a few weeks back that he was a buy-low, and apparently jumped the gun on that. Today, though, with Evans priced beneath 5.0, he's one of the smartest final-month investments in the game. Look at his December history: He has 17 touchdowns and has averaged 70.6 receiving yards in 18 career games in that month. Now, by talking up December numbers I'm technically excluding his Week 13 matchup -- it'll be played Nov. 30 -- but that's a fabulous one, too, as the 49ers have allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season (23.5 per game).

Larry Johnson, RB, Chiefs (5.7): This one is all about fresh legs, as his five-week absence (four games, one bye week) seems to have him refreshed, as evidenced by his 5.7 yards-per-carry average the past two weeks combined. Now Johnson, still capable of delivering top-tier running back numbers in the right circumstance, draws matchups against the Raiders and Broncos, who have allowed the sixth-most (23.5 per game) and third-most (25.8) fantasy points to running backs this season. By the way, in Week 4, Johnson obliterated Denver for 198 yards and two touchdowns rushing.

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons (5.5): Talented kid, even if his past two games might have left a bit to be desired. Ryan does have 15-plus GC points in five of his past seven games, he's not committing costly mistakes and now he hits the road to face two teams with shoddy secondaries who will engage the Falcons in potential shootouts (Chargers, Saints). Ryan actually faced the Saints in Atlanta as recently as Week 10, when he managed 17 points for our purposes. At this price, wouldn't another 17 classify him as a steal?

Roddy White, WR, Falcons (5.4): Obviously any endorsement of Matt Ryan is going to be immediately followed with a thumbs-up to his primary receiving target, White. The only criticism I could possibly have of this top-five wide receiver -- yes, he has been that good, folks -- is that the Chargers might double-team him, as they did Reggie Wayne at times in Week 12. But I can't see that being a winning strategy, so I'll take the chance White will break free for at least one score. As for the New Orleans matchup, check out White's numbers against the Saints in their past three meetings: 16 receptions for 253 yards and three touchdowns, one of those in each contest.

Antonio Bryant, WR, Buccaneers (NO, 3.9 price tag): I know the Packers just made Jason David look like Cortland Finnegan in this past Monday night's game, but I'm calling that the exception, far from the rule. Before that game, David had been burned by practically every receiver with whom he had been matched up in his entire career in New Orleans, especially, of all people, Joey Galloway when he was healthier a year ago. Guess who mans Galloway's spot in the lineup today? You got it, it's Bryant, owner of three 100-yard receiving efforts in his past nine games. If you're looking for a low-priced bargain to free you up to spend, spend, spend elsewhere, here's your man with a top-tier matchup.

Jay Cutler, QB, Broncos (@NYJ, 6.8): These Jets are for real, with one glaring weakness in my opinion, their secondary. They're awful at defending opposing tight ends, and can be beaten by some of the league's stronger receivers as well. I don't give the Broncos much of a chance at winning this game, but in a road affair against a team that will roll up the score early, I could see Cutler having to throw 40-plus times to keep his team in the hunt, like he did in Weeks 4, 9 and 10. He managed 18, 20 and 31 GC points in those three games in particular; tell me you wouldn't find that acceptable.

Chris Johnson, RB, Titans (@DET, 4.9): Opponents are making a living stacking the box and making Kerry Collins beat them through the air, and fact is, Collins has been doing the job (for the most part, excluding the Jets game in which the entire team seemed to take the week off). Thing is, the Lions can't afford to do that, because they sport the game's poorest defense, one that could be ripped to shreds by the likes of Bo Scaife and Justin Gage if they use that strategy. Besides, if that were Detroit's aim, care to explain how the Lions have served up 540 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground the past three weeks combined? Nope, Johnson is bound to go off this Thanksgiving.

Brandon Marshall, WR, Broncos (@NYJ, 4.9): Another case of "right price," as with Lee Evans, because Marshall's critics will surely point out that he has only single-digit points in six of his past seven games. But as I noted with Cutler, the Broncos' game plan is going to be a healthy dose of throws, not only because the Jets can put them in a hole early, but also because Peyton Hillis and the running game match up extremely poorly against perhaps the game's most underrated run defense. Marshall has seen at least nine targets in each of his past six contests, and he has 71 total during that span. Give him that kind of workload against this secondary and he's bound to bounce back in a big way.

Miami Dolphins defense/special teams (@STL, 4.2): There's only one thing I don't like about this week's matchup -- it's a road game, and the Rams do average 15.4 points per game at the dome, compared to 11.7 away from it. Beyond that, what's not to like? Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson will surely be limited if not sidelined entirely for the Rams, and the Rams' opponents the past four weeks -- the Cardinals, Jets, 49ers and Bears -- have managed 20, 27, 16 and 25 GC points defensively. The Rams are an ugly, turnover-prone offense, and this is a more talented defense than you'd think.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers (@NE, 6.3): Granted, they haven't faced the easiest of schedules in terms of opposing quarterbacks, but take a look at the numbers and these Patriots tend to serve up points in bunches to the position. Chad Pennington just lit up this secondary for 341 yards and three scores, and he's Chad Pennington! Plus, the Steelers might be missing Willie Parker, meaning their best chance at a victory in a tough road contest is to allow Roethlisberger to lead the offense. He has the skills to pick apart this overrated pass defense, in a hard-fought affair with playoff implications.

Cedric Benson, Dwayne Bowe, Plaxico Burress, Reggie Bush, Jason Campbell, Matt Cassel, Chris Cooley, Braylon Edwards, Peyton Hillis, Chad Johnson, Mewelde Moore, Sammy Morris, Willie Parker, Philadelphia Eagles defense/special teams, Jeremy Shockey, Tampa Bay Buccaneers D/ST and Tyler Thigpen.

Total points: 1,359.
Percentage: 97.3. Overall rank: 5,846th.
Ranking in Fantasy Editorial Group: 225th.

Speaking of turkeys, presenting my Week 12 GC lineup, worthy of a measly 107 points. Oh, sure, that represents an 11th consecutive week of more than 100, but compare it to the league average of 105 and I'd call it mediocre at best. Too much emphasis on that Colts-Chargers game, I admit, and 46 points from the five players I picked from it is unacceptable. The other four picks: 61 points total, far more productive.

As a result, I'm shaking it up, spreading the risk around more for Week 13, with the Chargers my only team with two representatives. (I couldn't resist Antonio Gates at that price.) Most notable: Reggie Wayne goes, despite my note last week about him being a buy-low investment opportunity. Wide receiver tends to be the most volatile of the three top skill positions, so if there's any place to rotate guys in each week on a whim, it's there.

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