Brady Quinn has thrown for 675 yards and accounted for eight touchdowns (seven passing and one rushing) in his last three games. In that same span, the once-vaunted Steelers defense -- minus safety Troy Polamalu -- has allowed Matt Cassel, Joe Flacco and Bruce Gradkowski to throw for a combined 845 yards and six touchdowns, with zero picks.

All of which might tempt a desperate owner to think with his heart and not his head and start Quinn tonight against the Steelers.

One word of advice: Don't. As well as Quinn played in parts of losses to the Lions and Chargers, he still should not be in anyone's fantasy lineup -- especially in Week 14, which should mark the start of your league's postseason. Quinn is no better than a No. 2 QB in fantasy, and that would have to be as a low-end No. 2 in 12- and 14-team leagues.

Before we get to the rest of the start-and-sit list, here are a few notes on the defenses:

-- The Steelers have the No. 5 overall defense and are the league's best against the run, giving up only 77.8 rushing yards per game and 3.6 yards per attempt. Pittsburgh has allowed three rushing TDs in 12 games.

-- The Steelers are much more ordinary against the pass, the area at which Polamalu's injury is most evident. Pittsburgh is No. 17 vs. the pass and has only eight interceptions, compared to 15 TD passes allowed.

-- The Browns are the league's worst defense at 400.3 total yards per game, and Cleveland ranks 29th vs. the run (154.2 yards per game, 14 TDs) and 26th against the pass (246 yards per game, 18 TDs, six picks).

START

Steelers: QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB Rashard Mendenhall, WR Santonio Holmes, TE Heath Miller, K Jeff Reed, defense and special teams

Browns: None

Quick slants: The assumption here is Hines Ward will not play because of a hamstring injury. If he is active, start the Steelers' receiving leader (72 receptions, 922 yards, six TDs). ... Roethlisberger threw for 417 yards, two TDs and one pick in the Steelers' win over the Browns in Week 6. He has thrown for 3,145 yards in 11 games, a total that is 368 shy of his career high of 3,513, set in 2006. ... Mendenhall has rushed for 842 yards in nine games as the Steelers' lead back. He has six TDs in that span. ... Holmes, who had five catches for 104 yards in the last meeting against the Browns, has scored a TD in two straight games and has 34 receptions for 490 yards in his last five contests. ... Miller, who had five catches for 80 yards and a score in Week 6 vs. the Browns, has only two catches for 29 yards in his last two games. He had 54 receptions for 490 yards and five TDs in the first 10. ... The Steelers forced four turnovers and had a pair of sacks in the last meeting against the Browns. ... Reed had nine points in the Steelers' 27-14 victory.

SIT

Steelers: WR Mike Wallace (if Ward is active)

Browns: QB Brady Quinn, RB Jerome Harrison, RB Chris Jennings, WR Mohamed Massaquoi, K Phil Dawson, defense and special teams

Quick slants: Quinn's eight TDs in the last three games are three better than the Browns' team total on offense in the first nine games. ... Harrison, who has battled an illness all week, is probable for tonight. He was effective last week (35 yards rushing, seven catches for 62 yards and two TDs), but shouldn't be much of a fantasy option until Weeks 15 and 16, when the Browns play at Kansas City and play host to Oakland. ... Massaquoi has two TDs in his last three games, but has only three catches for 36 yards in his last two. ... Dawson, who has 29 points in seven games, scored a combined 228 in 32 games from 2007-08.

The bye weeks are wreaking havoc on our lineups, but at least injuries shouldn't this week.

The most significant ailment is a knee injury that might sideline Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. In the playlist that follows, we're going with the assumption that Johnson will sit after missing practice all week. If he is active, start him, since the Lions should be doing plenty of passing at Lambeau Field.

-- Two more quick updates: Jets receiver Jerricho Cotchery likely will miss Sunday's game against the Bills because of a hamstring injury, and Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston has been limited by a knee injury but is expected to play.


Five to start

This week’s look at part-time starters and fantasy backups who should benefit from a favorable matchup:

-- Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seahawks, vs. Cardinals: He threw for 241 yards and four touchdowns last week in his return from a rib injury, and he has seven touchdowns in two starts at home this season. The Cardinals' pass defense is the league's worst.

-- Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals, vs. Texans: He's been clutch in Cincinnati's 4-1 start, but with a 76.9 rating and only one more touchdown pass than interceptions thrown (7-6), he hasn't been much of a fantasy starter. That should change against the Texans.

-- Brian Westbrook, RB, Eagles, at Raiders: We've grown accustomed to him constantly being banged up, but we're not used to his lack of production. That should change this week against the Raiders, who rank 31st against the run and have given up seven TDs on the ground.

-- Braylon Edwards, WR, Jets, vs. Bills: As Browns fans know all too well, Edwards scored his first TD of the season on Monday night -- in his first game wearing the green and white. Expect another solid performance with Cotchery likely on the inactive list.

-- Santana Moss, WR, Redskins, vs. Chiefs: He's usually boom (10 catches for 178 yards and a TD in Week 3) or bust (11 catches for 159 yards and one TD in Washington's other four games). The Chiefs (No. 29 vs. the pass, 10 TD tosses allowed) should bring out the good Moss.

More matchups I like: David Garrard, QB, Jaguars, vs. Rams; Marshawn Lynch, RB, Bills, at Jets; Mike Sims-Walker, WR, Jaguars, vs. Rams; Nate Burleson, WR, Seahawks, vs. Cardinals; Kevin Walter, WR, Texans, at Bengals; Donnie Avery, WR, Rams, at Jaguars; Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles, at Raiders

Three (and a bonus Browns player) to sit

If you have a decent backup, these starters should take a seat for a week:

-- Eli Manning, QB, Giants, at Saints: It seems crazy to bench a quarterback who has thrown nine TD passes and only one interception in his last four games, but Manning is slightly hobbled by a foot injury and the Saints have 10 picks while allowing only three scoring passes. If you have two good quarterbacks, play the other.

-- Julius Jones, RB, Seahawks, vs. Cardinals: After scoring three touchdowns in the first three weeks, he has rushed for 59 yards and hasn't scored in Seattle's last two games. The latter trend shouldn't change vs. the league's top-ranked run defense.

-- Jamal Lewis, Mohamed Massaquoi and every other Browns player, at Steelers: Lewis was very good last week, and Massaquoi was a disappointment in his first game as the Browns' No. 1 receiver. Neither should be an option against Pittsburgh, which gets Troy Polamalu back for the first time in five games.

More matchups I don’t like: Drew Brees, QB, Saints, vs. Giants (but I still wouldn't bench him); Willis McGahee, RB, Ravens, at Vikings; LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Chargers, vs. Broncos

Last week

On the start list, Rashard Mendenhall (77 yards rushing, one TD, two catches for 16 yards) was productive, Tim Hightower (17 yards rushing, one TD, five catches for 30 yards) was decent in PPR leagues, and MIke SIms-Walker was benched, reportedly for missing curfew on Friday night. The other two members of the quintet -- David Garrard (188 yards passing, zero TDs, zero picks) and Pierre Garcon (one catch for 9 yards) -- were duds.

The latter description could also be used for a sit list of Matt Ryan (329 yards, two TDs, one interception, one rushing TD), Cedric Benson (120 yards, one TD, two catches for 16 yards) and Eddie Royal (10 receptions for 90 yards).

Playlist

QUARTERBACKS
1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers, vs. Lions (No. 27 vs. the pass)
2. Tom Brady, Patriots, vs. Titans (No. 31)
3. Donovan McNabb, Eagles, at Raiders (No. 15)
4. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers, vs. Browns (No. 14)
5. Drew Brees, Saints, vs. Giants (No. 1)
6. Kurt Warner, Cardinals, at Seahawks (No. 9)
7. Matt Schaub, Texans, at Bengals (No. 23)
8. Jay Cutler, Bears, at Falcons (No. 22)
9. Matt Ryan, Falcons, vs. Bears (No. 20)
10. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks, vs. Cardinals (No. 32)
11. Carson Palmer, Bengals, vs. Texans (No. 16)
12. Philip Rivers, Chargers, vs. Broncos (No. 5)
13. Eli Manning, Giants, at Saints (No. 11)
14. Kyle Orton, Broncos, at Chargers (No. 12)
15. Matt Cassel, Chiefs, at Redskins (No. 3)
16. David Garrard, Jaguars, vs. Rams (No. 25)
17. Joe Flacco, Ravens, at Vikings (No. 18)
18. Brett Favre, Vikings, vs. Ravens (No. 26)
19. Mark Sanchez, Jets, vs. Bills (No. 6)
20. Jason Campbell, Redskins, vs. Chiefs (No. 29)

RUNNING BACKS
1. Cedric Benson, Bengals, vs. Texans (No. 26 vs. the run)
2. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars, vs. Rams (No. 23)
3. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers, at Buccaneers (No. 28)
4. Matt Forte, Bears, at Falcons (No. 24)
5. Knowshon Moreno, Broncos, at Chargers (No. 27)
6. Michael Turner, Falcons, vs. Bears (No. 9)
7. Adrian Peterson, Vikings, vs. Ravens (No. 4)
8. Chris Johnson, Titans, at Patriots (No. 11)
9. Pierre Thomas, Saints, vs. Giants (No. 15)
10. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers, vs. Browns (No. 32)
11. Ryan Grant, Packers, vs. Lions (No. 21)
12. Brian Westbrook, Eagles, at Raiders (No. 31)
13. Clinton Portis, Redskins, vs. Chiefs (No. 25)
14. Steven Jackson, Rams, at Jaguars (No. 18)
15. Ray Rice, Ravens, at Vikings (No. 10)
16. Steve Slaton, Texans, at Bengals (No. 12)
17. Kevin Smith, Lions, at Packers (No. 20)
18. Brandon Jacobs, Giants, at Saints (No. 7)
19. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers, vs. Broncos (No. 6)
20. Marshawn Lynch, Bills, at Jets (No. 19)
21. Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants, at Saints (No. 7)
22. Sammy Morris, Patriots, vs. Titans (No. 3)
23. Tim Hightower, Cardinals, at Seahawks (No. 17)
24. Larry Johnson, Chiefs, at Redskins (No. 25)

WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals, at Seahawks (No. 9 vs. the pass)
2. Randy Moss, Patriots, vs. Titans (No. 31)
3. Greg Jennings, Packers, vs. Lions (No. 27)
4. Andre Johnson, Texans, at Bengals (No. 23)
5. Roddy White, Falcons, vs. Bears (No. 20)
6. Anquan Boldin, Cardinals, at Seahawks (No. 9)
7. Wes Welker, Patriots, vs. Titans (No. 31)
8. Brandon Marshall, Broncos, at Chargers (No. 12)
9. Steve Smith, Panthers, at Buccaneers (No. 21)
10. Hines Ward, Steelers, vs. Browns (No. 10)
11. Steve Smith, Giants, at Saints (No. 11)
12. Chad Ochocinco, Bengals, vs. Texans (No. 16)
13. Vincent Jackson, Chargers, vs. Broncos (No. 5)
14. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks, vs. Cardinals (No. 32)
15. Donald Driver, Packers, vs. Lions (No. 27)
16. Marques Colston, Saints, vs. Giants (No. 1)
17. DeSean Jackson, Eagles, at Raiders (No. 15)
18. Nate Burleson, Seahawks, vs. Cardinals (No. 32)
19. Santonio Holmes, Steelers, vs. Browns (No. 10)
20. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs, at Redskins (No. 3)
21. Mike Sims-Walker, Jaguars, vs. Rams (No. 25)
22. Santana Moss, Redskins, vs. Chiefs (No. 29)
23. Derrick Mason, Ravens, at Vikings (No. 18)
24. Braylon Edwards, Jets, vs. Bills (No. 6)
25. Mario Manningham, Giants, at Saints (No. 11)
26. Terrell Owens, Bills, at Jets (No. 8)
27. Eddie Royal, Broncos, at Chargers (No. 12)
28. Kevin Walter, Texans, at Bengals (No. 23)
29. Bernard Berrian, Vikings, vs. Ravens (No. 26)
30. Antonio Bryant, Buccaneers, vs. Panthers (No. 2)
31. Donnie Avery, Rams, at Jaguars (No. 25)
32. Jeremy Maclin, Eagles, at Raiders (No. 15)
33. Torry Holt, Jaguars, vs. Rams (No. 25)
34. Devin Hester, Bears, at Falcons (No. 22)
35. Steve Breaston, Cardinals, at Seahawks (No. 9)
36. Bryant Johnson, Lions, at Packers (No. 17)

MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL: To read this week's column, which includes some of the wacky early season trends I'm buying and selling, click here. The link also includes this week's audiocast, in which Sports Editor Mark Podolski and I redraft the top 15 picks. You'll never guess who's No. 2.