It’s midweek so you’re probably starting to study your upcoming Fantasy Football matchups. In this column, I hope to guide you to some more “under the radar” players that could have a big impact this weekend. And let’s be honest. I’ll give you some great advice. My incredible* 15-14-1 record among my three teams is proof of that.

Start ‘Em
Chester Taylor: Part of my soul died when I saw Adrian Peterson wincing on the ground in pain Sunday. As I contemplated cutting my wrists, I was lucky enough to find Chester Taylor on the waiver wire. He’s no AD but at the same time, it’d be unfair to really call the guy a true backup. Running behind a great offensive line and against a porous Raiders run defense (144 yards allowed per game), Taylor should make fantasy owners forget about Mr. Peterson…for now.

Matt Schaub: Andre Johnson is back! Before going down to injury, Johnson had consecutive games with over 100 yards, scoring three touchdowns in the process. His effect on Matt Schaub was obvious; after Johnson went down, Schaub threw just two touchdowns over his next six starts. He should be good to go after suffering a concussion a few weeks back. A reunited Schaub and Johnson should work wonders against a Saints defense that allows over 250 passing yards per game.

Giants Defense: After getting embarrassed by Tony Romo and the Cowboys for the second time this year, look for the Giants to regain their aggressiveness against the Lions. Jon Kitna has been sacked 37 times this year, most in the NFL. He’s also thrown eight interceptions and lost four fumbles. Against a Giants team that leads the NFL in sacks, that’s not a good thing. I don’t know who will win this game, but I do think New York will bring it on the defensive side of the ball.

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Let’s be honest, we all want LaDainian Tomlinson on our team. But only one bastard is going to be lucky enough to land LT with the top choice in the draft. For the rest of us, we’re going to need all the help we can get. In many leagues, the guys drafted in the 10th or 11th rounds will make more a difference than the guy we take in the 1st round. Here are five of my sleepers.

Tell Sportable: Who are your Fantasy Football sleepers?

Devery Henderson: With Joe Horn now in Atlanta, look for the production of other Saints receivers to increase. Henderson had 32 catches last year and showed some incredible big-play ability that made it easier for the Saints to part with Horn. Eight of Henderson’s receptions went for 40 yards or more. His average of 23.3 yards a catch was the best in the NFL by a full four yards.

Jerious Norwood: It’s anybodys guess as to what will happen with the Atlanta Falcons’ offense. Michael Vick is likely going to jail and Warrick Dunn’s back injury is reducing his role. That leaves Norwood, who carried the ball 99 times in his rookie season. His average of 6.4 yards is one of the few bright spots in the ATL these days. Norwood should be worth a late-round selection, especially if the uninformed owner in your league snatches up Dunn.

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2006 was a special, special year in Fantasy Football. Any discussion started and ended with the performance of Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who broke the NFL record for most touchdowns in a season with 31, not including his two touchdown passes. But 2007 is a new year. With thousands of leagues starting to plan for their draft, does LT warrant the top pick again? Or will running backs like Larry Johnson and Frank Gore close the gap?

If you were picking in the top three of last year’s draft, you were damn near guaranteed to end up with either LT, Larry Johnson, or Shaun Alexander. This year, the top three may be entirely different. Certainly, Tomlinson will be there. But will his numbers go anywhere but down in ‘07? With Philip Rivers sure to make strides under new coach Norv Turner, Tomlinson won’t be asked to do as much this year, which wasn’t the case in 2006.

In Fantasy Football, running backs are king. It’s just a matter of finding the right guys to do the job. Our goal is to help you find the next Frank Gore or Maurice Jones-Drew, rather than the next Reuben Droughns. Without further ado, here’s my top five fantasy players for 2007.

1. LaDainian Tomlinson: I expect LT’s numbers to be lower this year than last. However, there’s little doubt who the best player in the league is. LT’s 31 touchdowns could fall to 20-25, which will still likely be tops in the league. He’s the best player on, in my opinion, the best team in football. If Philip Rivers improves under quarterback guru Norv Turner, LT will have even more room to run behind the best offensive line in football.

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In a new feature on Sportable, I’ll try to give you some insight on some lesser known players to consider in fantasy football. Take everything I say with a grain of salt. My 1-5-1 record in fantasy football speaks for itself.

Quarterbacks: For you JP Losman, Mark Brunell, and Joey Harrington owners, it might be better to just hand over the reigns of your team to somebody who knows what they’re doing. But if you’re dumb enough to have those QBs and they’re on their byes, you have to look elsewhere this week. Look into picking up David Garrard this weekend. He’s expected to get the start over Byron Leftwich and has been known to be one of the league’s best backups. Also, Sports Illustrated disagrees but I would consider giving Matt Leinart a start. You may have to sift through a couple of interceptions but the Cardinals won’t be able to run the ball, which means Leinart will get lots of pass attempts. He goes against a Packers defense that gave up 400+ to Joey H. last weekend. If your league isn’t very deep (8-10 teams) Chad Pennington may be available. He’s only owned by 70% of fantasy teams on ESPN and he’s put up some solid numbers. He’ll go up against the Cleveland Browns, who have definite issues. If Philip Rivers isn’t picked up yet, you have no excuse to not win your league; pick him up and watch him throw for 250+ against the Rams.

Running Backs: A couple backs separated themselves from their running mate last weeek. The Jets’ Leon Washington ran for over 100 yards and two touchdowns last week and goes up against a Browns defense that is 29th against the run. Expect him to get the majority of the carries instead of Kevan Barlow. Also, Houston’s Wali Lundy won back his starting job and will get the carries vs. the Jaguars. Lundy ran for 93 yards against the Jags and goes up against Tennessee this weekend. Maurice Morris could be a nice sleeper as well. Mike Holmgren will want to keep the ball out of Seneca Wallace’s hands and will look to quiet the Arrowhead Stadium crowd. Therefore, Maurice Morris is a good start if you’re hurting for a running back this week.

Wide Receivers: Marcus Robinson was suggested by Sports Illustrated this week. He’s benefiting from the Vikings running game and has a few big plays for touchdowns in the past couple gaes. He has 3 TDs in his last five games and will likely get some more looks this week. You may also want to look to Santonio Holmes, who had a big game vs. the Falcons (5 catches, 91 yards). Also, start any receivers for Arizona, Houston, and Chicago. They’re going up against three of the worst pass defenses in the league.