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You made need some Luck in final week

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in the 2013 regular-season finale. Watch 'em roll Andrew Luck, QB, Colts vs. Jaguars. Indy needs to win for a shot at a first-round bye. Fortunately, Luck and his receivers will be facing a Jags secondary that has coughed up 28 passing scores (against just 11 interceptions).

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) looks for a receiver during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. (Ed Zurga/AP)
Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) looks for a receiver during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. (Ed Zurga/AP)Read more

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in the 2013 regular-season finale.

Watch 'em roll

Andrew Luck, QB, Colts vs. Jaguars. Indy needs to win for a shot at a first-round bye. Fortunately, Luck and his receivers will be facing a Jags secondary that has coughed up 28 passing scores (against just 11 interceptions).

James Starks, RB, Packers at Bears. Even if Eddie Lacy (ankle) suits up in Week 17, Starks is a worthy starter against the historically inept Bears run defense. If Lacy sits, Starks will be a top 5 play.

Chris Johnson, RB, Titans vs. Texans. By all accounts, Houston has given up the ghost. And though Tennessee is out of contention, CJ1K still has something to prove.

Riley Cooper, WR, Eagles at Cowboys. It should go without saying that you start your stars against Dallas, but Cooper is one of those fringe players who hasn't attained star status just yet. They'll be calling his name often in this one, as Nick Foles has his way with the overly accommodating Cowboys secondary.

Brian Hartline, WR, Dolphins vs. Jets. After getting frozen out in Buffalo, the Dolphins return to the friendly climes of South Florida with a shot at a postseason berth. Hartline posted nine receptions for 127 yards and a score in the Week 13 meeting with the Jets, and he's a good bet to repeat his heroics against the struggling visitors.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Ryan Tannehill, Jay Cutler, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger; RBs DeMarco Murray, DeAngelo Williams, Alfred Morris, Ryan Mathews, Knowshon Moreno, Donald Brown, Bobby Rainey; WRs DeSean Jackson, Mike Wallace, Hakeem Nicks, Roddy White, Kendall Wright, Pierre Garcon, Cordarrelle Patterson, Julian Edelman, Alshon Jeffery, Keenan Allen, Torrey Smith.

Roll 'em back

Carson Palmer, QB, Cardinals vs. 49ers. The schedule-makers were brutal to the aging quarterback, forcing him to run a gauntlet of the Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers over the last three weeks. Palmer's body has been battered and beaten, but he'll give it his all in this important contest with major playoff implications. That said, don't expect San Fran's secondary to be gentle with the senior under center.

Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings at Lions. We saw what happened last Sunday when the Vikings pulled Peterson (groin, foot) after getting down by multiple scores. With nothing to play for this week, why would they risk their biggest star again? Even if he plays, the Lions are solid against the rush and would give AP a run for his money.

Steven Jackson, RB, Falcons vs. Panthers. Jackson has scored three TDs in the last two weeks, but the good times will screech to a halt against a stout Panthers run defense that has surrendered just four rushing scores all season. Carolina has a lot at stake in this game, so the Panthers won't be very hospitable to their visitors.

Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions at Vikings. Don't count on much, if anything, from Megatron in Detroit's meaningless finale. Something is clearly amiss with his knee (reports say a partially torn PCL), so the Lions would be foolish to risk the future of their franchise wideout in Minnesota.

Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs at Chargers. Kansas City is the only playoff-bound team that has nothing at stake this weekend. Andy Reid is expected to give his starters only a limited number of snaps, so Bowe and his QB must head to your bench. And as hard as it will be to sit Jamaal Charles, you will likely be stuck with whatever he can produce in a series or two.

More thumbs down: QBs Russell Wilson, Alex Smith, Matt Ryan, Matt Stafford, Mike Glennon; RBs Jamaal Charles, Ray Rice, Reggie Bush, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Lamar Miller; WRs Harry Douglas, Lance Moore, Rod Streater, Stevie Johnson, Jarrett Boykin.

Taking a flier

Joique Bell, RB, Lions at Vikings. Detroit has been eliminated from the postseason, so expect the backups to get a heavy workload. Bell has been limited in practice by a knee injury suffered after his 30-carry outing last Sunday. But assuming he fights through it, he should get plenty of action-as a rusher and receiver-against the average-at-best Vikings defense.

Don't be the idiot who . . .

... benches Andre Brown. First, the Giants running back passed his concussion tests. Second, though he has been stifled in consecutive weeks by two strong run defenses, he'll be facing the rushing doormats from Washington. And finally, he'll be making his case for a starting role in 2014.