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Fantasy soda: Bears' pass defense a real downer for the best of QBs

BREAKING NEWS: Sources are speculating that after Sunday's loss to the Giants the Redskins may be prepared to give up on quarterback Donovan McNabb after just one season. Nothing of interest here for fantasy owners; they gave up on McNabb a long time ago.

I like the SHORT ODDS, so give me the following quarterbacks to register multiple touchdown passes in Week 14: Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers and Jon Kitna.

It hasn't exactly been a banner year for DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin. Neither Eagle receiver ranks among the league's top 20 in receptions. Jackson has had some nice performances mixed in among six games with three or fewer catches; Maclin, on the other hand, has been more consistent, with a lot of singles and doubles but very few home runs (two 100-yard games, just two touchdowns since Week 6). The pair has been waiting to explode -- maybe they've been waiting for Dallas. DOUBLE DOWN on both receivers in Sunday night's contest against the division rival. The Cowboys have given up the second most passing scores (25) of any defense in the league and allow 254.0 passing yards per game. In a game that should feature plenty of passing, Jackson and Maclin are sure to excite.

A little BASIC MATH tells us that Jamaal Charles will eat San Diego alive again this week. The Chiefs back has gained 218 yards on 29 carries over his last three games against the Chargers. That's an average of 7.51 yards per carry, and Charles has averaged no less than 6.64 yards in any of the three contests.

THE BREAK ROOM (industry experts share their thoughts): Which 2010 college star will make the biggest splash as a fantasy rookie next season?

"Easy one -- I think Julio Jones is the next Randy Moss," says SportsIllustrated.com fantasy writer Will Carroll. "Jones is a physical wide receiver in the mold of Dez Bryant but with ridiculous speed. He probably won't be the first wide receiver drafted -- won't be the first Alabama player drafted -- but like Moss, you'll look back and wonder how anyone passed on him."

CBSSports.com Senior Fantasy Writer Jamey Eisenberg is also banking on the wide receiver position, only one from a different SEC school.

"It used to take three years for wide receivers to develop into quality fantasy options," says Eisenberg, "but that's not the case anymore. Rookie wide receivers can make an impact right away -- just ask Austin Collie, Percy Harvin, Hakeem Nicks and Mike Wallace in 2009 and Mike Williams and Dez Bryant this season ..."

Eisenberg believes Georgia's A.J. Green is next in line. In just eight games this season, the junior has caught 49 balls for 771 yards and nine touchdowns.

"He has the chance to be another Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald with his size (6-foot-4, 212 pounds), speed and hands."

SUCKER TRADE OF THE WEEK

Rory from South Carolina writes: "A guy laughed after I gave him Chad Ochocinco for Dwayne Bowe." ... Poor guy is probably in tears now. Ah, nothing is sweeter than when someone feels they've taken advantage of you, only to learn later that they've been taken advantage of.

Mike Beacom is a contributing writer for FootballDiehards.com. Send him your questions and "sucker trade" entries at fantasysoda@yahoo.com. Include a full name and your home state, please.