Start Torain or Hightower vs. the Eagles?
Alex Dunlap, Rosterwatch.com

OK. The secret is officially out, and in case no one let you know, The Eagles are a terrible run defense. Head Coach Andy Reid has been seen looking down the sidelines at defensive coordinator Juan Castillo with the kind of nasty, confused expressions he generally saves for being presented with pizza that has vegetables on it.

Before I get too far into this, please recognize that I warned you of this fantasy headache in the preseason.

This is a Dream matchup for one of these Redskins runners interweaved with a sick nightmare that only Fantasy Football’s minister of doom, Mike Shanahan could concoct.

Lets look at the facts.
1) Tim Hightower has been the Redskins starting RB and presumed “workhorse” for weeks 1-3 of the 2011 NFL Season.
2) Shanahan almost benched Hightower in the 3rd Quarter of the Cowboys game in Week 3.
3) Ryan Torain looked better than Hightower when he burst on to the scene in the Week 4 game just prior to the Redskins bye, rushing for 135 yards and a TD on 19 carries vs. the Rams.
4) Shanahan has always loved Torain, and it was all but assumed he would be the Redskins’ lead runner coming into camp. As usual, he was hampered by minor injuries, leaving the door open for Hightower to assume the lead role coming into the final two weeks of preseason and into the start of the regular season.
5) Torain had a better game in limited action than Hightower has had all season as an outright starter.
6) Picking RBs weekly in this system is going to be a nightmare. If you have the handcuff with both, you’re in better shape; but its going to be a headache.

We’ll keep you updated as practice reports come in, but for now- I am on the Torain side of this deal. Shanahan is not going to say anything, so all we can assume is that he will do what he has done historically with his RB rotations and go with the hot hand.

As an initial instinct, I simply like Torain better to get the hot hand vs. a truly crappy Philly run defense this week.