Fantasy Football News 2011/2012

HacheMan · Oct 9, 2011

Week 5 Rankings

Fantasy football owners once revered Mike Martz. The mercurial offensive coordinator would arrive in a new town, and fix everything. The weak-armed quarterback would suddenly throw for big yardage. That undersized receiver would become a weekly starter.

The marriage of Mike Martz and Jay Cutler, one of the most talented quarterbacks drafted in the last decade, seemed destined for big numbers if not victories.
Watching the Bears retreat into a run-first shell last week, it dawned on me that Martz’s time may have passed. Roy Williams was dropping passes. Dane Sanzenbacher did a poor Az-Hakim impression. It all felt so stale.

Cutler glumly contemplated the passes he didn’t attempt while sitting on the bench as Cam Newton put on a show. The Panthers moved up and down the field at will on a veteran Bears defense. Chicago’s attack is built to prevent big plays, but all Newton made were big plays.

It didn’t matter that Brandon LaFell dropped too many passes or Legedu Naanee played a prominent role. Newton has turned one of the worst offenses of the last decade into a high productive group. He fixed everything, just like Martz used to do.

Week 5 Quarterbacks

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Aaron Rodgers</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Michael Vick</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Drew Brees</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Matthew Stafford</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Tom Brady</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Cam Newton</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Philip Rivers</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Ryan Fitzpatrick</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Eli Manning</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Matt Ryan</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Matt Schaub</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Ben Roethlisberger</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Jay Cutler</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Matt Hasselbeck</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Donovan McNabb</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Mark Sanchez</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>Probable(-)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Josh Freeman</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Kevin Kolb</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Kyle Orton</TD><TD>vs. SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Jason Campbell</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Alex Smith</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>Probable(concussion)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Matt Cassel</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Andy Dalton</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Tarvaris Jackson</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Curtis Painter</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Blaine Gabbert</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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QB Notes: Cutler will throw more in future weeks. He can’t throw less. But Chicago’s ability to win while playing so conservatively doesn’t bode well for Cutler’s pass attempt numbers in the coming weeks. The Bears run-blocking can be decent on the right day. The pass protection just melts down too easily. I think Lovie Smith just freaked out after the second half against the Packers. That was as ugly a half of offensive football as I’ve seen since Jimmy Clausen was battling Tony Pike for playing time. … I would try to trade for Ben Roethlisberger after this week. The Steelers will likely struggle against an underrated Titans group. Tennessee’s secondary is playing very well. After this matchup, Big Ben gets the Jaguars, Cardinals, and Patriots. You couldn’t come up with an easier trio.

One of the best things about Cam Newton: he’s the team’s goal line back. The Panthers repeatedly called runs for Newton near the stripe last week, just like they did earlier in the season. It’s a bummer for Jonathan Stewart owners, but huge for Newton’s fantasy value. … Matt Schaub has quietly not played that well this year. He’s not consistent quarter-to-quarter. Losing Andre Johnson knocks him from fantasy starter status until A.J. is back. … Ryan Fitzpatrick was very inefficient last week. He missed some throws by a big margin and too often went for low-percentage tries. I’ll chalk it up to an excellent Bengals defense. He can pick on Philly’s safeties.

Even Aaron Rodgers’ slightly off throws get caught. The chemistry and level of play between Rodgers and his young receivers is in another stratosphere right now. … Newton’s game last week informs Staffords high ranking. So does Stafford’s complete game. He’s doing a nice job on bombs and touch throws, plays in the pocket and improvisations on the run. Stafford has been especially good on third downs. The Bears are now a neutral matchup, although I worry about how Detroit's slow tackles will hold up this week. … Matt Hasselbeck can’t keep this up. He’s third in YPA. The lack of weapons and relatively conservative approach limit him. … As bad as Mark Sanchez looked last week, he’s not a terrible bye week play against the Patriots secondary. Donovan McNabb is another decent desperation try. He’s really not playing that poorly, and the matchup is right. … One good game against Seattle doesn’t make me trust Matt Ryan just yet.

Week 5 Running Backs

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Darren McFadden</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Arian Foster</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Adrian Peterson</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>Probable(calf)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>LeSean McCoy</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Fred Jackson</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Matt Forte</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Maurice Jones-Drew</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Chris Johnson</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Beanie Wells</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Jahvid Best</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Ryan Mathews</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Frank Gore</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Ahmad Bradshaw</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Cedric Benson</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>LeGarrette Blount</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Mike Tolbert</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Michael Turner</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Shonn Greene</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Mark Ingram</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Rashard Mendenhall</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>Ranked as if starting (hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Darren Sproles</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>James Starks</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Jonathan Stewart</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Joseph Addai</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>DeAngelo Williams</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Willis McGahee</TD><TD>vs. SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Ryan Grant</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Stevan Ridley</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Pierre Thomas</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Brandon Jacobs</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>Sidelined(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Isaac Redman</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>Move him up to 20 if starting</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Michael Bush</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>LaDainian Tomlinson</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Dexter McCluster</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>BenJarvus Green-Ellis</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Marshawn Lynch</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Kendall Hunter</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Thomas Jones</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Knowshon Moreno</TD><TD>vs. SD</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Delone Carter</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Ben Tate</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>Probable(groin)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Earnest Graham</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>C.J. Spiller</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Jacquizz Rodgers</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Bernard Scott</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Ronnie Brown</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Danny Woodhead</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>Status Uncertain (ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Deji Karim</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Jason Snelling</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>Sidelined(concussion)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Jerome Harrison</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Marion Barber</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Keiland Williams</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Javon Ringer</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>Probable(back)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Joe McKnight</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>Probable(finger)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

RB Notes: The Bears line opened massive holes against Carolina. That won’t be as easy against Detroit, but it’s safe to expect Matt Forte to get 20 touches. … James Starks cut down on the dancing last week, but his performance wasn’t good enough to keep a healthy Ryan Grant on the bench. Grant stood out in his last game, sticking his foot in the ground and moving upfield quickly. Grant’s lateral agility is gone; he can’t get to the outside. But he showed a lot two weeks ago against Chicago and has earned plenty of snaps.

Javhid Best is like a younger Reggie Bush on crack. It’s a concern he’s averaging only 3.2 yards-per-carry. He’s not on the field as much as you’d like. But the Lions offense is so explosive and Best is averaging more than 12 yards-per-catch. He lines up wide often and beats cornerbacks. It will add up to RB2 numbers, especially against a team like Chicago that struggles against the screen…. I’d just like to point out that Adrian Peterson is the same as he ever was. He leads the league in carries. His yards-per-carry is 4.6, which is his average since 2008. Steve Hutchinson is having an improved season at left guard. This matchup sets up well for Peterson to really break out. There is still potential for him to be the RB1 this year, but I worry about Christian Ponder.

Arian Foster looked like Arian Foster last week. The cutbacks were beautiful to see. Gary Kubiak is going to give Foster a huge workload over the next few weeks. … Carolina’s offensive line played very well last week. They are starting to open up bigger holes in the run game. That helped DeAngelo Williams bust out of his slump, although I still don’t really trust either Panthers back as a RB2.

Don’t underestimate the Bengals defense. They could keep Jacksonville under 10 points this and hold Maurice Jones-Drew in check. … Cincinnati’s offensive line is playing very well. Cedric Benson’s legs look fresh; he can get to the outside. I thought he’d decline by now, but he looks like the same guy. … When the Bills absolutely needed yards last week, they went to Fred Jackson over and over. C.J. Spiller isn’t even a small concern.


Week 5 Wide Receivers

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Calvin Johnson</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Larry Fitzgerald</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Hakeem Nicks</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Wes Welker</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Roddy White</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>Probable(thigh)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Greg Jennings</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Steve Smith</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>DeSean Jackson</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Mike Wallace</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>Probable(ribs)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Stevie Johnson</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>Probable(groin)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Vincent Jackson</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>Questionable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Julio Jones</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Santonio Holmes</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>Probable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Jeremy Maclin</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Dwayne Bowe</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Brandon Lloyd</TD><TD>vs. SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Sidney Rice</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>A.J. Green</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>Probable(toe)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Jordy Nelson</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Percy Harvin</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Mike Williams</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Eric Decker</TD><TD>vs. SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Marques Colston</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>David Nelson</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Mario Manningham</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Reggie Wayne</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>Probable(-)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Nate Washington</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Lance Moore</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Jacoby Jones</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Johnny Knox</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Mike Thomas</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Robert Meachem</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Nate Burleson</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Denarius Moore</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Michael Crabtree</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Victor Cruz</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Plaxico Burress</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>Probable(elbow)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Jacoby Ford</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Pierre Garcon</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Titus Young</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Deion Branch</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Antonio Brown</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Kevin Walter</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Donald Jones</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Steve Breaston</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>James Jones</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Michael Jenkins</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>Probable(-)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Austin Collie</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Patrick Crayton</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Early Doucet</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Malcom Floyd</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Hines Ward</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Dane Sanzenbacher</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Devery Henderson</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>Probable(calf)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>Chad Ochocinco</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>Donald Driver</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>57</TD><TD>Mike Williams</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>Sidelined(concussion)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>58</TD><TD>Derrick Mason</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>59</TD><TD>Emmanuel Sanders</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>60</TD><TD>Brandon LaFell</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>61</TD><TD>Roy Williams</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>62</TD><TD>Steve Smith</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>63</TD><TD>Josh Morgan</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>64</TD><TD>Darrius Heyward-Bey</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>65</TD><TD>Andre Roberts</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>66</TD><TD>Arrelious Benn</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>67</TD><TD>Andre Caldwell</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>68</TD><TD>Damian Williams</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

WR Notes: The use of Percy Harvin as a running back is saving his fantasy value. The Vikings seem determined to give him a few carries a game, and that’s led to big plays. It’s a little concerning for Harvin owners that Donovan McNabb is so eager to look for Michael Jenkins on third downs and in the red zone. Jenkins has McNabb’s trust. … I still like David Nelson long term, but last week showed how he could have off weeks. Donald Jones and Brad Smith stole targets. This happens when you go four wide so often. Nelson only saw three targets. … It’s a good sign Stevie Johnson was back at practice early this week. His injury has clearly been bothering him. He should have scored on his biggest catch last week, but there was no explosion after he got the ball near the goal line and he was caught from behind.

A.J. Green is dirty. The throws Andy Dalton makes to him aren’t especially good. Green just makes terrific plays on the ball. A better throw from Dalton last week and Green could have scored a long touchdown. Dalton targeted him two other times in the end zone that didn’t work. Green is such a natural receiver. There isn’t a great comparison for him, but it’s hard not to think about Chris Henry when Green is leaping for passes. Henry was a big talent, but Green is at another level and his mental approach to the game has been unquestioned.

I’m not that worried about Mario Manningham long term. He’s keeping his starting job and the matchup is right this week. … I’m also sticking with Mike Williams in Tampa. The Bucs offense is disappointingly conservative, but there are a lot of reasons to believe Williams will still break out. … Jacoby Jones has done well in the past as a starter, but the Texans passing game was in better shape them. I don’t expect Matt Schaub to put up a ton of yards, even against Oakland. … We have been a little strong with the Denarius Moore hype. He’s going to be a fantastic player, but there are a lot of options for Jason Campbell to throw to and the Raiders will remain a run-first offense.

Week 5 Tight Ends

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Jermichael Finley</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Jimmy Graham</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Rob Gronkowski</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Owen Daniels</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Vernon Davis</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Dustin Keller</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Brandon Pettigrew</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>Probable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Greg Olsen</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Kellen Winslow</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Tony Gonzalez</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Jermaine Gresham</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Dallas Clark</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>Questionable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Aaron Hernandez</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>Sidelined(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Jared Cook</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Kevin Boss</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Marcedes Lewis</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Todd Heap</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>Probable(ribs)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Visanthe Shiancoe</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Scott Chandler</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Randy McMichael</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Heath Miller</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Brent Celek</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>Probable(illness)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>James Casey</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Zach Miller</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

TE Notes: On one hand, I want to tell you not to worry about Rob Gronkowski. On the other hand, he’s going to have more quiet weeks. That’s why I see Gronk Nation as someone more likely to finish around fifth at tight end rather than first. There will be some weeks he focuses on blocking. There will be some weeks the ball just goes elsewhere. … Kellen Winslow is still catching plenty of passes, but there is absolutely no after-catch ability left.

Owen Daniels should be Houston’s No.1 receiver while Andre Johnson is out. … Brandon Pettigrew should be a perfect zone buster against Chicago. … Folks have been selling Jermaine Gresham short. He has a great pair of hands and can get vertical on occasion. He can make the wildly athletic catch. Andy Dalton loves throwing to him; Gresham has a real chance to finish in the top ten this year and lead the Bengals in receptions. … Kudos to Greg Olsen, whose one-handed catch last week was one of the best meaningless touchdowns to win fantasy leagues and get a backdoor cover of all time. … Kevin Boss wouldn’t be a terrible pickup this week if Gresham is gone.

Week 5 Kickers

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Mason Crosby</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Matt Bryant</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Sebastian Janikowski</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>John Kasay</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Stephen Gostkowski</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Jason Hanson</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Robbie Gould</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Neil Rackers</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Jay Feely</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Ryan Longwell</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Nick Novak</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Rob Bironas</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Rian Lindell</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Matt Prater</TD><TD>vs. SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Nick Folk</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>David Akers</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Lawrence Tynes</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Shaun Suisham</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Olindo Mare</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Alex Henery</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Connor Barth</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Adam Vinatieri</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Josh Scobee</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Ryan Succop</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Mike Nugent</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Steven Hauschka</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Week 5 Team Defense

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Lions Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Chargers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Titans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Bengals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Steelers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Giants Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Fortyniners Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Saints Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Eagles Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Packers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Bears Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Vikings Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Jets Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Texans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Patriots Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Chiefs Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Falcons Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Colts Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Buccaneers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Cardinals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Bills Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Jaguars Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Raiders Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Seahawks Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Broncos Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Panthers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Oct 9, 2011

Hillis Ready For Hardball?

Strep throat is not a pleasant experience.

Your entire body aches, you can barely swallow and your energy leveI is somewhere between Marlon Brando after Thanksgiving dinner and Joe West after umpiring a Yankees/Red Sox game. In terms of non-life threatening illnesses, it can be a pretty rotten way to spend six or seven days.

All that being said, it was peculiar when Peyton Hillis didn’t play through his case of it in Week 3. Again, strep throat equals less fun than editing the first draft of a Jose Canseco tweet, but it’s still something a world class athlete making $600,000 would normally be able to play through for three and a half hours.

But therein lies one of the first problems: $600,000. Hillis thinks he’s worth more than that after going for 1,654 yards from scrimmage in 2010, a total that was sixth in the NFL, and ahead of those of Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson, to name a few. At the very least, Hillis believes he deserves a longer term commitment than four months from the team he almost single-handedly made watchable in 2010.

So what did he do? Depending on who you ask, he took advantage of unideal circumstances and used his illness to what he thought was his advantage, sitting out in Week 3 in hopes of showing the Browns what they’re missing without him.

What he got instead was talented backup Montario Hardesty doing a fairly decent Hillis impression in his absence, carrying the ball 14 times for 67 yards while adding three more catches for 19 yards in a home win over the hapless Dolphins.

The day helped illustrate a point the Browns appeared to have already realized: a soon-to-be 26-year-old back coming off an out-of-nowhere breakout campaign where he was run into the ground just isn’t all that valuable of an asset, especially with somebody like Hardesty lying in wait.

So despite everything Hillis has accomplished in the past 14 months — including inexplicably landing on the cover of Madden 2012 — he finds himself back where he was when he first landed in Cleveland: without much leverage, and not an integral part of the team’s future plans.

According to top Browns’ beat writer Tony Grossi, Hillis’ next gambit may be requesting trade ahead of the October 18 deadline. If he does so, he’s going to discover one of two things. 1) The Browns will laugh in his face or 2) The Browns will indulge him, if only so he can see no other team wants to pay him like a star, either.

Does Hillis deserve to be making more than $600,000? Yes. Will he be a competent starting running back for at least the next 2-to-3 seasons? Probably. Is he in any position to play hardball? No.

It will be interesting to see if he learns that some time in the next 11 days.

NEWS OF THE DAY #2
Ben Roethlisberger has been a lot of things since entering the NFL in 2004, many of them not good. However, there is one thing almost everyone should be able to agree on: he has the pain tolerance of a Bond villain.

The latest example will come on Sunday, when Roethlisberger plays through a sprained left foot. Playing through a broken right foot in Weeks 13-17 last season, he was able to complete 103-of-169 passes, throwing for 1,375 yards, five touchdowns and just one interception.

In other words, there’s little reason to believe we’ll see a slippage in play from him this weekend, especially with the recently re-signed Max Starks likely to line up as his blindside protector.

Ben dodged a bullet with his latest injury, and Starks’ return lowers the chances he’ll have to dodge another one later on this season.

NEWS OF THE DAY #3
The news is less encouraging for Roethlisberger’s teammate Rashard Mendenhall, who missed his second straight practice Thursday with an ailing hamstring. Barring a Roethlisberger-like recovery, he will be inactive against the Titans this Sunday, and replaced in the starting lineup by Isaac Redman.

An undrafted free agent out of Bowie State, Redman has been quietly productive through his first 20 career NFL games, averaging 4.8 yards on 74 carries. He’s a more than capable fill-in for Mendenhall in all formats.

INJURY QUICK SLANTS
Frank Gore (ankle) was limited in 49ers practice for the second straight day Thursday, but it’s obviously not a real concern after Gore was able to go for 127 yards on just 15 carries on the same ankle against the Eagles last weekend. … His teammate Michael Crabtree (foot) was also limited for the second straight day, but like Gore, he’ll be a full-go against the Bucs. … The news is less rosy for Vincent Jackson (hamstring), who missed another practice Thursday. He’s looking very dicey for San Diego’s Week 5 tilt with the Broncos. … Aaron Hernandez (knee) practiced in pads on Thursday for the first time since spraining his MCL in Week 2. If he does so again on Friday, he’ll be a good bet to take the field against the Jets. … Brandon Jacobs’ knee held him out again Thursday. It’s beginning to look like the Giants backfield will be the Ahmad Bradshaw Show in Week 5.

BUMMER BYE OF THE WEEK: WASHINGTON
At first glance, the obvious answer here would be the Cowboys. But with Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Miles Austin and Felix Jones all playing at far less than 100 percent the past few weeks — if they were playing at all — the missed week is likely a blessing in disguise for owners of the Cowboys’ quartet of elite skill players.

With Washington on the other hand, the off week simply leaves fantasy owners with seven more days to ponder the uncertainty taking hold of the Redskins offense.

Was Ryan Torain’s Week 4 domination of the Rams a one off, or sign he’s ready to be a RB2 going forward?

Were Rex Grossman’s back-to-back dismal performances in Weeks 3 and 4 the beginning of the end, or just two small bumps in the road during an improbable comeback campaign?

Was Fred Davis’ second consecutive quiet performance in Week 4 confirmation the hype surrounding him got out of hand?

We’d love to know the answers to all three questions, but will have to wait until the Redskins take on the Eagles in Week 6 for our next round of clues.

FOUR PICKS FOR SUNDAY
Big game: New England 28, New York 13. The Jets will probably be the first team to slow down Tom Brady and Wes Welker, but even with Nick Mangold back at center, it will be another week of offensive misery for a gang of green who’ve looked like they’ve had gangrene the past few weeks.

Big game II: Green Bay 41, Atlanta 27. Nine months after the Packers dismantled the Falcons in Atlanta in the playoffs, discovering their identity while making the Dirty Birds question theirs, they roll to another fairly easy victory.

Upset of the week: Bears 27, Lions 17. After the Vikings and Cowboys both toyed with sending the upstart Lions to their first loss of 2011, the Bears seal the deal one week after rediscovering their confidence in a wild win over the Panthers.

The I really don’t have a clue but will pretend I do game: Eagles 38, Bills 17. No more screwing around. The Eagles finally click, as the Bills’ second straight tough loss makes them realize they still have a long ways to go.

HacheMan · Oct 9, 2011

Matchups: Take Ryan Off Ice
1:00PM ET Games

Oakland @ Houston

Owners that had the cojones to pick Arian Foster in fantasy drafts (and secure Ben Tate as mid-round insurance) when a bad hamstring was torpedoing Foster's stock in late August should pat themselves on the back. A healthy Foster burned an annually run-tough Steelers defense for eight gains of five-plus yards on his first 12 touches in Week 4, unloading with his usual acceleration and speed to go the distance. Foster busted a Troy Polamalu tackle on a second-quarter 18-yard explosion, showing incredible balance to stay upright after being hit behind the line. The icing on the cake was a 42-yard touchdown early in the fourth, with Foster hammering a cutback lane on a play that demonstrated why he's a superior, more dangerous runner than Tate. Understandably, Foster petered out late, managing a two-yard average on his final eight touches in a game that saw him receive 33 -- Foster's most since Week 17 of last season. The damage was already done, and coach Gary Kubiak confirmed this week that the Texans will "lean on" Foster with Andre Johnson (hamstring) out indefinitely. Oakland ranks 29th against the run and dead last in yards-per-rushing attempt allowed (5.91). Foster is the No. 1 running back in fantasy football again.

Even with Tate (groin) and Derrick Ward (ankle) iffy for Week 5, Houston is returning to a ground-and-pound offensive approach that could easily result in 30 more touches for Foster. Owners need to cling tightly to Tate, as Foster may remain susceptible to setbacks on monster workloads. ... Matt Schaub's start-ability outside of two-QB leagues is shaky at best without Andre Johnson. Only Wes Welker and Mike Thomas have commanded a higher percentage of their team's pass targets than Johnson. Ranked 14th in quarterback scoring, Schaub is a fantasy reserve. ... Jacoby Jones will take Andre's place at X receiver, lining up most often against right cornerbacks. This means he should avoid Raiders top CB Stanford Routt for the majority of Sunday's game. Jones will square off primarily with rookie Chimdi Chekwa, giving him an edge on Kevin Walter if you're dying to start a Texans wideout. ... The main beneficiary of Johnson's absence is likely to be Owen Daniels. Daniels has scored in three straight games, is the Texans' most reliable pass catcher left, and will be a solid bet to lead Houston in targets on Sunday. ... Perhaps the Texans will game plan to get TE/FB James Casey re-involved after he followed up his 137-total yard Week 3 "breakout" with a one-catch, eight-yard Week 4. But that's just guesswork.

Darrius Heyward-Bey's 115-yard Week 4 against New England will in all likelihood prove a mirage. The Pats have been torched by the pass, anyway, and the last time DHB had a 100-yard game he went catch-less in his next two. ... Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips confirmed this week that the Texans are using Johnathan Joseph to shadow No. 1 wideouts. “He’s the guy we put on the other team’s best receiver every week,” Phillips said. “(Mike) Wallace is a heck of a receiver. We knew that, so we put Joseph on him.” Wallace was held to 77 scoreless yards in Week 4, 60 Minutes' lowest output in his last nine games. It remains to be seen whom the Texans will deem Oakland's No. 1 wideout. Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford are candidates for Joseph's coverage. ... Houston is a legit top-10 team against the pass, racking up the fifth most sacks in football and allowing bottom-ten numbers in completion rate (55.6), yards per attempt (6.35), and passing scores (5 in 4 games). Ranked 17th in fantasy scoring at his position, Jason Campbell is a low-end QB2. ... Darren McFadden leads the NFL in rushing and all running backs in fantasy points. The Texans have been far more susceptible to the run than the pass, giving up 4.94 yards a carry.

Score Prediction: Texans 27, Raiders 23

Philadelphia @ Buffalo

The Eagles' run defense is an unfixable disaster, and long-term injuries to hulking DT Antonio Dixon (triceps) and top DE Trent Cole (calf strain) are nails in the coffin. Philly is small and slow at linebacker, which causes major problems behind DL coach Jim Washburn's Wide-9 scheme. Washburn's approach spreads the front four thin, sacrificing gap control for up-field pass rush. Linebackers must get off and elude blocks on run plays, but the Eagles' are engulfed snap in, snap out. It's not an exaggeration to call Cole and Dixon the team's top two run stuffers, either. Fred Jackson is off to a hot start, and there's every reason to think he'll keep it up against a Philadelphia defense that was dismantled for 254 yards and a touchdown by the 49ers' struggling backfield in Week 4. ... The Bengals rank No. 1 in defense and effectively slowed down the pace of last week's game against Buffalo. Ryan Fitzpatrick finished with year-lows in completion rate (58.8), passing yards (199), and touchdowns (0). Philly's aggressive defense will likely bring heavy pressure against a Bills offense without LT Demetrius Bell (shoulder), but Fitz can counter with a quick release and gunslinger's mentality. The Eagles have allowed a league-high 10 TD passes through four games and NFC-high 106.7 QB rating against. On paper at least, it's still a plus matchup for Fitzpatrick.

David Nelson has been a favorite in this space because he is a physical, every-down slot receiver playing in the NFL's truest spread. His skill set and position are natural fits for Fitzpatrick's popgun arm. Nelson let down owners with a two-catch, 18-yard Week 4, as the Bills tried attacking the edges of Cincinnati's defense as opposed to the middle. Nelson played 53-of-57 snaps (93%), but saw just three targets in Fitzpatrick's worst game of the season. This week, Nelson will match up often with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who's covering the slot for the first time in his career. No one could be blamed for benching Nelson after last Sunday's clunker, but he has a favorable matchup. Rather than take five-step drops and target deep threat Donald Jones downfield, Fitz will need to get rid of the football quickly against an Eagles defense that leads the NFL in sacks (15). Stevie Johnson, at flanker, and Nelson, inside, are Buffalo's top possession receivers. ... The Eagles notoriously struggle against tight ends, but Scott Chandler remains a part-time player whose yardage totals have dropped every week this season. He needs a touchdown to matter.

Michael Vick got his season on track in Week 4, playing all four quarters and racking up 30.1 standard-league fantasy points against San Francisco, which quietly fields one of the NFL's top defenses. Buffalo lacks edge pass rushers to capitalize on LT Jason Peters' (hamstring) absence, as well as outside linebackers with enough speed to keep Vick contained in the pocket. The Bills rank 24th against the pass and dead last in sacks (4). Last week was just the start of Vick's forthcoming tear. ... Seemingly bereft of confidence, Bills RCB Leodis McKelvin has been a turnstile for big passing plays this season. Jeremy Maclin lines up most often against right corners. Clearly 100 percent, Maclin is on pace for a career-high 104 receptions. ... DeSean Jackson got off the snide with a 171-yard explosion in Week 4, and it could've been even bigger had D-Jax not dropped a wide-open, would-be 40-yard bomb in the first quarter. Promisingly, Vick kept throwing to him for the rest of the game, and Jackson's nine targets were his most since Week 1. He should remain a staple in fantasy lineups going forward.

The Bills rank 25th against the run and are surrendering 4.89 yards per carry, which is going to be problematic for them with No. 2 fantasy back LeSean McCoy on the slate. The Eagles resisted running against San Francisco's immovable front seven last week, and McCoy showed his fantasy "floor" with 11.2 standard-league points. Shady's passing-game dominance rescues him even in down weeks, however, and this won't be one of those. I can’t find a statistical category in which McCoy isn’t on pace to shatter his previous career high. ... Brent Celek is so irrelevant that he has fewer receiving yards on the season than his backup, Clay Harbor. ... Backup slot receiver Steve Smith's snap count has now fallen in three straight games, going from 19 plays in Week 2 to 14 in Week 3 and 10 last week. Smith needs at least one Eagles wideout injury to make an impact, and maybe two. ... First-string slot receiver Jason Avant has yet to find the end zone and is on pace for under 700 yards. It should say something that Avant’s 684-yard pace would be his best ever.

Score Prediction: Eagles 30, Bills 28

Seattle @ NY Giants

Eli Manning has overcome a dreadful August and season opener to go on a tear in his last three games. Favorable matchups have certainly helped, but they continue this week. Eli has completed 66.7% of his passes since Week 1, with eight touchdowns compared to two picks and a sterling 8.58 yards-per-attempt average. Seattle's defense stuffs the run but struggles against the pass, so consider Manning a rock-solid bye-week QB1. ... It was only a matter of time. Finally over a swollen knee, Hakeem Nicks blasted Arizona's secondary for 10 catches, 162 yards, and a TD in Week 4, narrowly missing out on two more scores. Nicks squares off with right cornerbacks most often, so he projects to see quite a bit of Seahawks RCB Brandon Browner in this game. A weekly whipping boy for pass games, Browner served up catch after catch to Julio Jones in Week 4 and will now see an even more talented receiver in coverage. Per Pro Football Focus, Browner has allowed 24-of-29 passes (82.8%) to be completed against him this year, for 342 yards (11.8 YPA).

OC Kevin Gilbride assured Thursday that Mario Manningham remains a starter, but the Giants may continue to have a quick hook. Mario was yanked from two-wide sets for Victor Cruz in the first half of Week 4, and the pair finished with similar snap counts. Cruz was far more productive, hauling in 6-of-9 targets for 98 yards. Running incorrect routes and failing to secure his first four targets, Manningham caught one pass for 10 yards. Cruz is getting more balls and outplaying Manningham, and it isn't realistic to say there's a noticeable talent gap between the two. They're both dicey WR3s. Cruz wins the Done-For-Me-Lately tiebreaker. ... Yards-per-carry averages allowed by Seattle to opposing feature backs this year: Michael Turner -- 2.69; Alfonso Smith (subbing for Beanie Wells) -- 3.18; Rashard Mendenhall -- 3.47; Frank Gore -- 2.68. They're at 2.96 combined. The Seahawks stifle run games with a wide-bodied, powerful front four, creating a poor matchup for "big back" Brandon Jacobs. Ahmad Bradshaw has a significant edge in elusiveness, and he's also averaging 17.5 touches a game to Jacobs' 10.5. A sprained MCL and missed practice time make this one a no-brainer: Jacobs isn't a Week 5 fantasy option. Bradshaw could get the rock 30 times.

Tarvaris Jackson posted a career-high 319 yards in Week 4, throwing three touchdown passes and finally seeming comfortable in the pocket against a lifeless Falcons pass rush that hasn't registered a solitary sack since Week 1. T-Jack will have a much tougher go of it on the road versus LE Jason Pierre-Paul (18-sack pace) and RE Osi Umenyiora, who sacked Kevin Kolb twice last week and forced a fumble in his 2011 debut. Jackson is a two-QB league option at best. ... For as many defensive back injuries as the G-Men have suffered, you wouldn't think they'd be allowing the fewest touchdown passes in the NFC. New York has made do with Corey Webster and an improving Aaron Ross on the corners, supplemented by one of the league's better pass rushes. This is still a quality defense. The Giants haven't allowed an opposing No. 1 receiver to find the end zone yet this season, holding them to an average of five catches for 58.3 yards. Sidney Rice is easy to double team out of Seattle's offense because there are no alternative threats, particularly with Big Mike Williams (concussion) set to be inactive. Rice is a risky WR3. ... Marshawn Lynch is averaging a career-low 3.07 yards per carry and 13.3 touches per game.

Score Prediction: Giants 23, Seahawks 14



Kansas City @ Indianapolis

After a Monday night loss in Tampa, the Colts are playing on a short week with three key offensive line injuries. RG Ryan Diem is nursing a high ankle sprain, while promising rookie tackles Anthony Castonzo (ankle) and Ben Ijalana (ACL tear) both have significant, long-term maladies. It's a major concern against a Chiefs defense that pressured Donovan McNabb relentlessly in Week 4. OLB Tamba Hali piled up a whopping 13 hurries and two sacks, putting Hali on pace for 16 in the latter category. Dallas Clark will go to work as a blocker again this week. Clark hasn't topped 46 yards in any game yet, and is a bottom-barrel TE2. ... Curtis Painter's Week 4 stat line doesn't look bad, but he was awful against the Bucs. Consistently missing open wideouts, Painter benefited from a Tampa defense that simply didn't tackle. Per Pro Football Focus, Pierre Garcon alone accounted for 128 of Painter's 281 yards after the catch (46%). With a battered offensive line, make Painter "prove it" before plugging him into two-QB league lineups.

With natural guard Jeff Linkenbach and street free agent pickup Michael Toudouze likely to start at left and right tackle, respectively, it's hard to imagine Painter having time to throw. Painter was either pressured or sacked on virtually every snap against the Bucs after Castonzo, and then Ijalana went down. Tampa left Reggie Wayne singled up with RCB E.J. Biggers, but the declining wideout managed just four catches and 59 scoreless yards on eight targets. Wayne remains the Colts' best bet for receiving production, but fantasy leaguers need to capitalize on his next halfway decent game and trade Wayne to a less-informed owner. He isn't turning the corner. ... Garcon had the best run-after-catch performance of his life in Tampa Bay, but most NFL secondaries know how to tackle better than the Bucs'. Particularly in a matchup with Chiefs LCB Brandon Flowers (zero catches allowed last week), to start Garcon is to chase points. ... Austin Collie is a part-time player and has yet to hit 30 yards in a game. He was droppable several weeks back. ... Delone Carter continues to make a weak case for more work with a 3.55 YPC average, including 2.91 in his last two games. Joseph Addai's clips are 4.60 and 4.53 over the same spans. Addai is a low-upside RB2, but has plenty of job security.

The Chiefs started Dexter McCluster against the Vikings, but it's not a great sign that his snap percentage fell (from 54.4 to 43.8) in a close game. McCluster still played more than Thomas Jones and Jackie Battle, and remains the only K.C. back worth flex consideration. You just can't ever expect a feature back workload. ... The Chiefs talked up Battle this week, which is much more an indictment of Jones than a hint at fantasy relevance for the career special teamer. Perhaps Battle will punch in a goal-line carry at some point, but he's a plodding back averaging 3.04 yards on 51 career attempts. Battle didn't get drafted because he has no short-area burst. Pick him up to see what happens, but don't expect much. ... Here's some decent news for Dwayne Bowe, who I'd still sell high after back-to-back games with a touchdown: No. 1 receivers are averaging five catches for 88 yards with two scores against Indy this season. ... Steve Breaston's 91 yards in Week 4 helped open up the field for Bowe, but don't take them as a sign of things to come independently. Breaston hasn't found the end zone in his last 14 games and is averaging 33.1 yards in his last eight.

Score Prediction: Chiefs 17, Colts 13

Cincinnati @ Jacksonville

Bengals-Jaguars has this week's lowest over-under at a paltry 37 points. Avoid where possible. ... A.J. Green has swapped clunkers with 100-yard games through four weeks, but it's time to give Green's talent its due and lock him into lineups. The payoff is likely to be greater if you use Green every week than try to predict his big games in spot-start fashion. Green leads his team in targets, catches, yards, and receiving touchdowns, and even in a weak passing offense that's a formula for fantasy success. Expectations should probably be checked this week, though, against a Jags Cover 2 squelching big plays. ... Andre Caldwell is getting more targets than Jerome Simpson, despite Simpson's starting job and higher snap percentage. I wouldn't bother owning either. ... The Jaguars have a solid all-around defense, ranking No. 14 against the pass and 16 versus the run. Cedric Benson is averaging over 20 touches a game, keeping him afloat as a respectable RB2. Andy Dalton is an incredibly inconsistent rookie with a tough matchup on the road. ... The fantasy start of the week on Cincinnati's side may be Jermaine Gresham. The Jaguars' zone defense is extremely susceptible over the middle, and opposing tight ends are averaging an eye-popping 10 catches for 110 yards with three touchdowns against them in the past three weeks.

After a relatively solid first half in his second career start (12-of-24 for 165 yards, one touchdown), Blaine Gabbert imploded in the final two quarters of last week's loss to the Saints. Constantly missing open receivers, Gabbert closed out 4-of-18 for a pathetic 31 yards with an interception. It's scary to think how poorly he might perform against a Bengals team that leads the league in defense and ranks No. 3 against the pass, coming off its near-total shutdown of a previously red-hot Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Bengals' defense is a recommended streamer play. ... Mike Thomas is the lone Jags pass catcher worth considering in fantasy leagues, as his 19 targets in Gabbert's two starts easily lead the team. (Next closest is Jason Hill with 12, and Hill has caught three for 39 yards.) Thomas is a weak WR3, but he's at least an option. ... Marcedes Lewis finally had more pass routes than blocking plays in Week 4, but it translated to 38 yards on three catches. Telling is that those were both season-highs for Lewis. ... Maurice Jones-Drew is averaging 21 touches a game and ranks 12th in fantasy running back scoring. Jones-Drew has a very tough matchup with a Bengals defense yielding a league-low 3.10 yards per carry, but it's hard to imagine ever sitting MJD. Jones-Drew's own yards-per-rushing attempt average has risen in four consecutive weeks.

Score Prediction: Bengals 20, Jaguars 10

New Orleans @ Carolina

Among Week 5 over-unders, only the Sunday Nighter has more projected scoring than Saints-Panthers. Start 'em. ... Drew Brees is the No. 3 fantasy QB through four games, behind Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Carolina is surrendering an NFC-high 8.55 yards per pass attempt. ... Jimmy Graham has seven touchdowns in his last seven games, and his yardage total has jumped every week this year. No NFL tight end has more 20-plus yard plays. Start him every chance you get. ... Returning from a collarbone fracture, Marques Colston played just 20-of-81 snaps (24.7%) against the Jaguars in Week 4. With that rate certain to rise, the rest of the Saints' receivers will become less predictable in fantasy. ... Lance Moore's playing time was most affected by Colston's return. A 56.9% player with Colston out in Week 3, Moore dipped to 40.7% at Jacksonville as he played only on passing downs. That doesn't make him waiver wire fodder, but Moore is going to be inconsistent. ... Devery Henderson is back to WR5/6 status after a one-target, no-catch Week 4 game. ... Robert Meachem (76.5 snap percentage, 6 targets, 4 catches, 59 yards) can maintain WR3 value despite Colston's return. Meachem's been a borderline every-down player all season.

Darren Sproles is averaging just 10.25 touches per game, but it's notable when he's on pace for 1,432 total yards and 12 TDs. Coach Sean Payton game plans for Sproles to be in space virtually every time he handles the football. He's a strong flex play, particularly in PPR. ... Mark Ingram still leads the Saints in red-zone touches (14), but Sproles had three last week to bring his season total to nine, and Pierre Thomas got two, including a carry at the Jags' two-yard line. Thomas now has four on the year. It's worth noting that Ingram -- not Sproles or Thomas -- was in the game during FB Jed Collins' surprise one-yard score on New Orleans' opening Week 4 possession. Ingram motioned out of the backfield, lining up in the slot and watching as Collins punched it in. (Collins played extensively only because No. 2 TE David Thomas was inactive with a concussion.) Ingram remains Payton's clock-killing back of choice, and the first-rounder has led the backfield in touches every game this season. Despite Ingram's slow start, it's hard to imagine benching him against a Panthers defense that ranks 31st versus the run and is permitting 5.18 yards per carry.

Continuing to defy logic, Cam Newton scored 32.5 standard-league fantasy points at Soldier Field in Week 4 and is locked in as a top-ten QB1. Matchups go out the window when he's averaging 34 rushing yards and a rushing score per game, on top of the third most passing yards in football. Newton is Carolina's goal-line back, having scored all four of his TDs inside opposing five-yard lines. Neither Jonathan Stewart nor DeAngelo Williams has found the end zone. ... It's early to call Stewart the Panthers' designated passing-down back when he and Williams have combined for just one third-down touch in the past two weeks. But there's little doubt that Newton is more comfortable throwing to Stewart. J-Stew has 15 catches for 159 yards (10.6 average) in the last three games, compared to D-Will's 40 yards on six receptions (6.7). Stewart is averaging 4.56 yards per carry to Williams' 3.86. The two rotate evenly and don't get scoring chances. Stewart is the preferred fantasy "hold" because he's such a better player.

Steve Smith tore the lid off the Bears' Cover 2 and currently ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards (530, 132.5 per-game average), first in yards per reception (22.1), and first in 20-plus yard catches (12). Don't bet on the Saints' 19th-ranked pass defense stopping him. ... I love starting tight ends against the Saints because DC Gregg Williams' scheme puts linebackers and coverage liability SS Roman Harper on them. In the last two weeks, New Orleans has allowed Jaguars and Texans tight ends to combine for 14 receptions, 254 yards, and three touchdowns. Jeremy Shockey (concussion) appears unlikely to play and may be strictly a blocker if he does because of a broken finger. Greg Olsen is shaping up as a top-five tight end start. He's currently eighth at the position in fantasy points. ... Brandon LaFell played a season-best 55.7 snap percentage in Week 4, but saw just six targets compared to starter Legedu Naanee's 11. Both had four scoreless catches. LaFell needs to formally pass Naanee on the depth chart to be a reliable fantasy option.

Score Prediction: Panthers 28, Saints 27



Tennessee @ Pittsburgh

It's too early to say that Chris Johnson's season has officially turned a corner, but there's little doubt it's headed in that direction. CJ2K made a dangerously sharp cut to juke Browns WLB Chris Gocong on an early 25-yard run, and finished Week 4 with 11 gains of five or more yards against a Cleveland defense that entered the game permitting just 3.98 YPC. (Johnson's was 4.39.) Johnson entered the game with just 13 plays of five or more yards on the season. His previous game-high was six five-plus plays. A beat-up, underperforming Pittsburgh defense is next on the slate. In the past two weeks, the Steelers have allowed Joseph Addai, Arian Foster, and Ben Tate to pile up two rushing scores and 261 yards on 49 carries (5.33 average). They'll also be without LE Aaron Smith (foot) and OLB James Harrison (fractured orbital bone). Meanwhile, Johnson gets back FB Ahmard Hall from suspension to replace fill-in Quinn Johnson, whom Pro Football Focus rated as the league's worst lead blocker in the first four games. Still yet to hit a truly long run -- the aforementioned 25-yarder is Johnson's best of the season to date -- CJ2K should confidently be in lineups this week.

Jared Cook turned a short pass into an 80-yard touchdown in Week 4 at Cleveland, but his game was discouraging long term. Despite Kenny Britt's year-ending injury, Cook played a season-low 22 snaps (44%), seeing six targets and securing two. I'd love to see what Cook could do as a full-time player, but Titans OC Chris Palmer refuses to make him one. Cook is averaging an unbearable 3.25 targets per game. .... The Steelers used usual RCB Ike Taylor as a true shadow corner on Andre Johnson last week, and Taylor maintained good coverage until Johnson's game-ending hamstring tear. Look for Nate Washington to get similar treatment from Pittsburgh. The Titans don't have another established receiver threat. ... As expected, Damian Williams started over Lavelle Hawkins in Week 4, although they each finished with four targets. Washington remains the best receiver bet in Tennessee. Williams is a distant second, just ahead of Hawkins. ... Matt Hasselbeck deserves heaps of credit for starting the season in such fine form; he's currently the eighth-ranked fantasy quarterback. But Hasselbeck is going to come crashing back to earth in a hurry, and it's a good bet that the fall will begin Sunday against Pittsburgh's No. 1 pass defense. Four of Hasselbeck's next five opponents are top-ten teams against the pass. Sell him high now.

The Steelers' O-Line isn't giving its skill players a prayer, which makes third-and-long situations common and impossible, and prevents Ben Roethlisberger from finding an in-game rhythm. Now battling a sprained left foot in addition to his previously cracked right foot, Big Ben is hard to trust even as bye-week filler against a Tennessee defense stifling passing games. The Titans have surrendered the league's second lowest yards-per-pass attempt average, racking up eight sacks in the last three weeks. LE Derrick Morgan has been an absolute nightmare for offensive lines. I wouldn't recommend starting Roethlisberger, but one stat does suggest he'll pick it up: Big Ben's 2.2 "touchdown rate" (TDs/Pass Attempts) is easily a career low and worst in the NFL. It's also prime for regression. Roethlisberger will finish better than his current No. 25 fantasy quarterback ranking suggests. ... Stay far away from Hines Ward. He played 92.1% of the Week 4 offensive snaps, but was targeted four times. Roethlisberger knows Ward isn't worth throwing to anymore. He had an ugly drop against the Texans, is on pace for 544 yards without a touchdown, and will square off with Titans shutdown slot cornerback Cortland Finnegan for large chunks of this game.

Isaac Redman is the Flavor of the Week 5, and it's hard to beat a 20-25 touch projection when you need a flex starter. Redman obviously lacks homerun speed (4.76 forty), but runs with good pad level and keeps his feet moving, both factors that help behind an embattled O-Line. He also can play on passing downs as a blocker and receiver. The question is whether the Steelers will move the football on Tennessee's top-seven defense, a unit that ranks No. 8 versus the run and is allowing 3.22 YPC. Redman probably won't hit long runs, but the possibility of a goal-line carry or two makes him intriguing. Be sure Rashard Mendenhall (hamstring) is inactive Sunday morning, and start Redman as an RB2/flex with more upside than might meet the eye. ... I'm not worried about Finnegan shutting down Mike Wallace because Finnegan lines up at right cornerback on early downs and slot corner in the nickel. He's got a set role. Wallace plays both outside spots and should see more of RCB Alterraun Verner and LCB Jason McCourty. ... Antonio Brown is playing more snaps and getting more targets than Emmanuel Sanders, making the former a better fantasy option. It's just hard to rely on situational players in fantasy leagues.

Score Prediction: Steelers 21, Titans 17

Arizona @ Minnesota

The Chiefs sold out wholeheartedly to stop the Vikings' run game in Week 4, stacking the box with eight defenders and leaving back one single-high safety on the vast majority of snaps. Donovan McNabb just barely capitalized for his best game of the year (202 yards, two touchdowns), which obviously isn't saying much. While Arizona fields a bottom-seven pass defense, McNabb must now worry about an in-game benching after an 0-4 start. He's not a standard-league option and carries risk in two-QB formats. ... After catching a 20-yard pass at Kansas City, Bernard Berrian is "up" to two receptions on 16 targets this year. The Vikings would be better off handing split end duties to Devin Aromashodu, who made an incredible diving grab for a 34-yard score in Week 4. Unfortunately, Aromashodu hasn't topped 16 snaps in any game this season. ... The Cardinals typically present a favorable matchup for tight ends, but Visanthe Shiancoe and Kyle Rudolph are canceling each other out in fantasy terms. They're both on pace for under 400 receiving yards.

Adrian Peterson's yards-per-carry average has dipped from 6.1 in the opener, to 4.8 in Week 2, to 4.6, and a season-low 3.5 last week. An easy-to-defend offense is curtailing his production, even if Peterson remains an elite RB1 versus Arizona. Defenses are swarming the line of scrimmage, daring McNabb, Molasses Michael Jenkins, and Wide Deceiver Berrian to beat them. The good news is "All Day" has operated as a legit every-down back (89.1% snap rate in Week 4), and Minnesota should move the ball on Arizona, setting up scoring chances. The Vikings' personnel decisions and usage are the biggest reasons why Peterson isn't a top-15 fantasy scorer through the first month. ... Percy Harvin played 42-of-64 snaps (65.6%) in Week 4, which isn't nearly enough. Harvin hasn't scored a touchdown on offense, but is averaging 97 total yards per game since Week 1. He's a solid WR3 against the Cardinals' stiff-hipped secondary. ... Jenkins' playing time is in decline (54.7 snap percentage in Week 4), and he's coming off a one-target game.

The Vikings play a ton of two-deep safety coverage, a scheme designed to limit big plays. It's not quite double teaming, however, and Minnesota was exposed for 198 yards and a score on nine catches by Chiefs outside receivers in Week 4 -- most of it via Dwayne Bowe. RCB Cedric Griffin got absolutely torched on Bowe's 52-yard touchdown, even rallying back to catch Bowe after Matt Cassel's underthrown pass, and promptly blowing the tackle. Larry Fitzgerald sees mostly right corners in coverage, so he'll face Griffin often in this game. In four career meetings with the Vikes, Fitz is averaging eight catches for 119 yards. ... Vikings top CB Antoine Winfield primarily covers the slot, so his expected absence due to a painful neck injury isn't much of a matchup boost to Fitzgerald. It does make slot receiver Early Doucet slightly more intriguing as a bye-week WR3. The Vikings' backup nickel back is burnable third-year pro Asher Allen. The problem with starting Doucet is that he's only a 45.9% player, though in Week 4 Doucet did see six targets to starter Andre Roberts' zero. The Cards need to think long and hard about replacing Roberts with Doucet.

I'd love to recommend Kevin Kolb as a sneaky QB1 because Winfield isn't expected to play, and two Cardinals wideouts have very good matchups. I just don't have faith that Kolb will have even a semi-clean pocket. LT Levi Brown is a sieve in pass protection and will face off with Vikings RE Jared Allen, who ranks second in the NFL in sacks (6.5). RT Brandon Keith aggravated a knee injury last week. Perhaps the Cardinals will stick TE Todd Heap on Brown's side to help block Allen? Whatever the case, it's hard to trust Kolb. His pocket presence remains a big issue, and Kolb only ranks 22nd in fantasy quarterback scoring. ... While the Vikings present a very difficult run defense matchup, Beanie Wells has officially entered RB1, every-week starter territory with a 5.44 yards-per-carry average and 20-touchdown pace. The Giants were supposed to be tough against the run last week, too, but Wells bum-rushed them for career highs in carries (27), rushing yards (138) and scores (3). When Wells is healthy, there aren't ten more dangerous backs in football.

Score Prediction: Vikings 24, Cardinals 20

4:05PM ET Game

Tampa Bay @ San Francisco

Playing on a short week, the Bucs transition from a home game against Indianapolis' soft front seven to a cross-country away matchup with perhaps the best defense no one is talking about. NFL Films guru Greg Cosell recently described San Francisco's front seven as a top-five unit in the league, and the stats reinforce that notion. The 49ers rank fourth against the run, surrendering just 3.52 yards per carry, and the Eagles showed their respect by calling 53 pass plays versus 13 designed runs in Week 4. The Niners are the only team left that hasn't surrendered a solitary rushing score. It's probably safe to expect a big step back from LeGarrette Blount, who will run into a brick wall more often than not Sunday. ... The Niners have held opposing starting tight ends out of the end zone altogether through four games, and to a 43.5-yard average. Kellen Winslow hasn't shown enough to qualify as a recommended bye-week fantasy play, ranking a miserable 25th in points at his position. ... Arrelious Benn had a long catch-and-run touchdown called back by penalty in Week 4, but that doesn't help fantasy owners much. Nor does his 456-yard pace.

Cover-2 defenses willing to surrender short catches underneath have brought Bucs slot receiver Preston Parker onto the fantasy radar, unfairly. Parker has preyed on soft zones, working against freelancing nickel linebackers over the middle. Unfortunately, the 49ers play man in the secondary and will have a defender actually covering Parker. Parker basically went unguarded at Minnesota in Week 2 (6-98) and versus Indy in Week 4 (5-70-1). I would not start him, and Chris Wesseling says he wouldn't, either. ... Whereas the Niners are fourth against the run, they're 27th in pass defense. The Bucs will likely have many more pass than rushing attempts on Sunday, so consider Josh Freeman a reasonable desperation, bye-week QB1 and must-start in two-QB leagues. ... The 49ers are willing to take chances deep in their back end, evidenced by DeSean Jackson's 171-yard breakout in Week 4. San Francisco also served up nine catches for 143 yards and three TDs to Miles Austin in Week 2. With the Bucs making it more of a priority to get Mike Williams the rock on drag routes and underneath stuff, plug-and-play the sophomore receiver as a WR2/3.

Entering Week 4 without a game over 24 yards, Michael Crabtree showed signs of life by beating Nnamdi Asomugha for a 38-yard catch and breaking a tackle to add seven yards to the play. He was otherwise quiet, hauling in four more passes for 30 yards and failing to find pay dirt. Crabtree is the 49ers' best fantasy receiver again, at least until Braylon Edwards comes back. But his upside is limited as the No. 2 passing-game option in a conservative offense. ... Vernon Davis has really picked it up with an eight-catch, 114-yard Week 3 game followed by 45 yards and a score at Philly. The Bucs have been stout in tight end coverage, but haven't faced one of Davis' caliber. If Aqib Talib takes Crabtree out of this game, Davis could set a new targets season-high. ... Frank Gore awoke from his slumber against a bad Eagles run defense in Week 4. This week's matchup is tougher with an improved, 11th-ranked Bucs unit on the slate, but Gore should resume his full workload after a healthier week of practice. ... Alex Smith has gotten darkhorse love in fantasy circles, but the story hasn't changed other than a renewed emphasis on limiting turnovers. His Week 4 stats were largely attributable to come-from-behind mode after San Francisco got down 26-3 early in the second half. In closer games Smith will be purely a game manager. He's a QB2.

Score Prediction: Bucs 17, 49ers 13



4:15PM ET Games

NY Jets @ New England

The Patriots' backfield is likely to have success against the softest Jets defense we've seen since Eric Mangini, particularly after it lost OLB Bryan Thomas to an Achilles' tear. Opposing backs have exposed New York for four TDs and a 186-total yard average over the past three weeks, including 4.7 YPC. So the question really isn't if BenJarvus Green-Ellis or Stevan Ridley will be effective. It's whether one of them will get the rock enough to truly capitalize. Game watchers by now know that Ridley is the Patriots' most talented, versatile back, while Green-Ellis is a pedestrian runner who moves the pile but doesn't outrun or make defenders miss, and offers zip in the passing game. Ridley's workload and snaps played have increased every week this season, and his yards-per-touch average (7.95) dwarfs those of "Law Firm" (4.06) and Danny Woodhead (4.88). Especially if you're in a bye-week crunch, Ridley needs to be in your fantasy lineup. Green-Ellis is shaping up as a dicey, if still reasonable flex play. Coming off an injured left ankle, Woodhead isn't an option.

The Jets are expected to assign Darrelle Revis to Wes Welker situationally, perhaps on all third downs. Keep in mind that Welker rolled through the Jets with a healthy Revis for 80 yards and a touchdown on seven catches early last December. The potential return of Aaron Hernandez (knee) will make Welker and all of the Patriots' receivers that much more difficult to defend. You can't sit the No. 1 fantasy wideout, regardless of matchup. ... Hernandez owners should be excited about his improving health, but he needs to prove he's a regular player in the offense again before being thought of as a bankable fantasy play. ... Rob Gronkowski's 2010 numbers against the Jets don't look great, though he did have 65 yards on four catches against them in the playoffs. Gronkowski leads the NFL in tight end scoring and can only be "stopped" by blocking. The Bryan Thomas injury should translate to a few more pass routes for Gronk. ... In his last two games against the Jets, Tom Brady has a 6:1 TD-to-INT ratio and at least 299 passing yards. He's good to go every week. ... Deion Branch scored a touchdown in both of his 2010 games against Rex Ryan's defense, but it's obviously not crazy to sit him with one catch for four yards in his last two games. Branch is probably just as good a bet to see Revis in coverage as Welker.

Ryan's rekindling of the "ground and pound" approach seems swell in theory, but it's difficult to envision how it's going to work. Even with All-Pro C Nick Mangold (ankle) back, New York's O-Line isn't the mauling unit it once was. RT Wayne Hunter has been a massive downgrade from Damien Woody, LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson has always been more agile pass blocker than road-grader, and RG Brandon Moore seems to have lost his fastball after offseason hip surgery. The Jets rank 30th in yards-per-rushing attempt (3.09), and supposed feature back Shonn Greene is 50th in YPC (3.08) among players with at least 15 carries. The per-play ineffectiveness suggests the Jets are kidding themselves with the new philosophy, which changed only because the passing game didn't work, either. Be cautious about thinking Greene is suddenly a strong fantasy option. The Jets are well aware of Greene's struggles, and have spoken openly of increasing Joe McKnight's role. 32-year-old LaDainian Tomlinson (2.95 YPC) certainly won't save the offense.

The decrease in sheer attempts will quickly dump Mark Sanchez into clear-cut QB2 territory, particularly if his 6.8 YPA doesn't improve. At that rate, Sanchez will fall from 300-yard candidate on 37 attempts per game to a 170-200 yard quarterback on the 25-29 passes Ryan would surely prefer. Despite a favorable matchup with New England's 32nd-ranked pass defense, Sanchez is a two-QB league option only. The Jets want to take the air out of the ball. ... It's certainly fair to be frustrated with Santonio Holmes, and at first glance the revamped offense would seem to make him even less desirable. But defenses will begin dropping an eighth defender into the box if the Jets stress running the ball down by down. It should lead to a more efficient passing game, even if it doesn't light up secondaries. For now, it's reasonable to consider Holmes a risky WR3 as opposed to the WR2 you thought you drafted. It's been said before in this space, but Holmes does have a plus matchup. He'll face off mostly with Patriots LCB Devin McCourty, who according to Pro Football Focus is on pace to surrender 1,592 passing yards. No NFL cornerback allowed more than 1,000 from 2008-2010. ... Dustin Keller gave New England fits in Week 2 last season (7-115-1), but they shut him down in Week 13 (3-27) and the playoffs (3-15). Keller is back to risky TE1. ... Plaxico Burress is on pace for 40 catches. He's still only a TD-heavy league option.

Score Prediction: Patriots 34, Jets 17

San Diego @ Denver

The Chargers are dealing with numerous injuries in their pass-catching corps, including Antonio Gates' multi-week foot ailment and Vincent Jackson's hamstring and abdominal injuries. It makes plenty of sense, then, that coach Norv Turner would lean heavily on his run game and increase Ryan Mathews' workload. "He got what 16 carries, 18 carries (last week)?" Turner said in his post-practice interview Wednesday. "If we can get him 24, 25 carries, it's gonna help him." Mathews has certainly earned it, ranking fourth in the league in total yardage and averaging 4.72 yards per carry to Mike Tolbert's 2.61. If you didn't trade for Mathews prior to Week 3, do it while his market value is still reasonable. Currently the No. 6 fantasy running back, Mathews will easily secure a top-five finish if Turner follows through on his plan. ... Tolbert hasn't hit double-digit touches or exceeded 2.9 YPC since the opener. While spotty red-zone touchdowns should keep him afloat, Tolbert is just a risky flex option even in bye-week crunches. He's also fumbled twice.

Champ Bailey (hamstring) practiced fully all week, targeting this division game for his return. V-Jax hasn't topped 54 yards in four straight meetings with Denver, and Bailey's coverage has a lot to do with it. We'll have more info on Jackson by Friday evening, but for now he's shaping up as a game-time decision. Because this game has a late start, it's reasonable to err on the side of caution if you don't know Jackson's status on Sunday morning. ... Gates won't play, giving Randy McMichael the start. McMike caught three passes for 25 yards on six targets last week and will hurt you if he doesn't score. ... V-Jax owners would be smart to pick up Malcom Floyd if he's on the waiver wire. Healthy again, Floyd practiced without limitations this week and could be a sneaky fall-back WR3 as the Chargers' No. 1 passing game option if Jackson is inactive. ... I'd rather play Cam Newton, for instance, than Philip Rivers this week, primarily because San Diego projects to lean heavily on the run. It's still hard to forget Rivers' four-TD Week 11 effort against Denver last year. Bailey played; Jackson and Gates didn't. ... Patrick Crayton and rookie Vincent Brown are the receivers behind V-Jax and Floyd on the depth chart. Neither has exceeded 47 yards in a week this year, and it's just a guessing game as to whom would be more productive.

Willis McGahee earned John Fox's nomination as the Broncos' feature back with a 15-carry, 103-yard burst against Green Bay's then-No. 1 run defense. San Diego is 12th against the run and yields 4.06 YPC. The matchup isn't prohibitive, so McGahee owners can comfortably use the 30-year-old back as a low-end RB2/flex. Just don't be surprised when he doesn't break four yards a carry in a game the rest of the way. ... A year after leading the NFL in pass defense, the Chargers are once again top-five and get LCB Quentin Jammer back from injury this week. Jammer will line up across from possession threat Eric Decker most of the day, while Brandon Lloyd gets Antoine Cason. The Denver wideouts don't change sides much, and Decker will see impressive rookie Marcus Gilchrist when he kicks to the slot. So far at least, Cason has been San Diego's weakest corner. ... A similar-looking Chargers secondary (with not as much pass rush as they've benefited from this year) held Kyle Orton to 217 yards and one touchdown last December. This isn't a good matchup for him. ... Knowshon Moreno has fallen well behind McGahee, playing only 16-of-59 snaps (27.1%) at Green Bay. Moreno touched the ball three times, compared to McGahee's 17.

Score Prediction: Chargers 28, Broncos 20

Sunday Night Football

Green Bay @ Atlanta

Packers-Falcons has this week's highest over-under at a whopping 53 points. Fire up your guys. ... Aaron Rodgers leapfrogged his way to the No. 1 spot among fantasy QBs with a six-touchdown effort against Denver in Week 4. Atlanta's 24th-ranked pass defense is fresh off allowing three scores and a career-high 319 yards to Tarvaris Jackson. ... Jennings squares off with RCB Dunta Robinson when the Packers play the Falcons, so it shouldn't surprise that Jennings dropped over 100 yards in each of his two 2010 games against Atlanta. Robinson is severely overrated. ... It's hard to imagine sitting Jordy Nelson in a shootout like this, but he does have the tougher matchup among Green Bay wideouts. Nelson will get LCB Brent Grimes for the majority of Sunday night. ... The Falcons have seen Jermichael Finley on tape, but they've never actually played against him. He's a lot bigger in real life than he looks in the film room. Finley is currently the No. 5 tight end in fantasy football. ... Donald Driver is expected to play through a knee injury, but has been totally ineffective. He'll probably continue to share slot receiver playing time with rookie Randall Cobb.

On the ground, it's more of a wait-and-see week for the Packers' backfield. Ryan Grant's return muddles things, reverting the committee to an unpredictable, hot-hand situation. The Falcons rank tenth against the run, although that isn't fully indicative of their stoutness. They've played the last several games without SLB Stephen Nicholas (calf) and DT Jonathan Babineaux (knee), and both of the impact defenders will return this week. As Atlanta allowed just 3.60 YPC even without Nicholas and Babs, Grant and Starks would ideally be left on fantasy benches. Starks is coming off an 18-touch, 101-yard game and is the pick if you're deciding between the two. ... James Jones caught his first touchdown of the season in Week 4, though it occurred essentially in garbage time. The Packers were up by 18 points. Jones still only played 54.2% of the snaps.

In his last seven home games, Matt Ryan has led Atlanta to a 6-1 record with a 15:3 TD-to-INT ratio and 66.5 completion rate. The Packers rank last in the NFC in pass defense, have lost FS Nick Collins (neck) for the season, and are clearly scuffling to replace their "centerfield" safety. Only New England has allowed more completions of 20-plus yards. Ryan owners may be displeased with his somewhat spotty start, but he's going to explode soon, quite possibly this week. Ryan is currently the No. 10 fantasy quarterback. He has 290-plus passing yards in 3-of-4 games. ... Ryan might be the best buy-low candidate in fantasy football, but Julio Jones has already arrived. Coming off back-to-back games of 115 or more yards, Jones is out-producing Roddy White and hasn't even found the end zone yet. Jones is a must-start on Sunday night as he prepares to square off with Packers RCB Tramon Williams, who's been shaky this season. Williams gave up a Week 1 touchdown to Robert Meachem and was consistently beaten deep by Brandon Lloyd in Week 4. Lloyd finished with season highs in receptions (8) and yards (136).

White is the No. 24 fantasy receiver through four games, way down from yesteryear's top-three finish. The biggest drop-off has been White's scoring; he only has one touchdown after reaching pay dirt ten times last season. Still on pace for over 100 catches and 1,200 yards, White has been a consistent scorer, and TDs often follow naturally. Tony Gonzalez has hogged touchdowns, but isn't going to hit the 20 for which he's on pace. ... In fairness to Gonzo, he too is an absolute must-start versus Green Bay. A tight end has scored in 3-of-4 games against the Collins-less Packers, who've played their last two against tight end-unfriendly offenses of Chicago and Denver. Gonzo is third in fantasy scoring at his position, behind Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham. ... The Packers' run defense is far better than it showed against Willis McGahee last week. Still second in the league against the run, Green Bay forces its opponents to air it out; no team has fewer rushing attempts against. Michael Turner is plodding along at 2.43 YPC in his last two games. It's just difficult to sit workhorse backs in projected shootouts. Turner is averaging 18.5 touches a week.

Score Prediction: Packers 37, Falcons 31

Monday Night Football

Chicago @ Detroit

Is the Bears' defense overrated?. Since what's shaping up as a fluky Week 1 domination of the Falcons, Chicago has been touched up for an average of 314 passing yards per week, seven touchdowns and two interceptions, while coming up with only three sacks. Opposing backs are averaging 4.66 yards per carry. There's nothing intimidating about those numbers. Use your Lions skill players. ... In Calvin Johnson's last five meetings with the Bears, he's scored three TDs and averaged six catches for 87 yards. At age 26, Megatron is a better receiver than he's ever been. Look for Johnson to dog-walk diminutive LCB Tim Jennings and aging RCB Charles Tillman all over the field Monday night. ... The last time Matthew Stafford made it through a full game against the Bears was during his rookie year, and he racked up 296 passing yards. Like Johnson, Stafford is a way better player now. He's the No. 4 overall fantasy quarterback, and appears incapable of being stopped. ... Lions slot receiver Nate Burleson has four catches for 28 scoreless yards in his last two games, combined. I'd want to see Burleson pick it up before using him in fantasy football.

Jahvid Best is a top-nine PPR back, but much more an RB2 in standard leagues. Whereas his 3.2 YPC is identical to last year's, Best ranks fifth in the NFL in receptions among tailbacks, and sixth in receiving yards. ... The Lions may have to explore using Brandon Pettigrew as a "help" blocker for Jeff Backus soon, because Detroit's blind-side tackle is getting ransacked in protection. While Backus was lucky Stafford escaped countless Week 4 left tackle pressures to take no sacks, Backus was just as ineffective as the previous game, when Jared Allen pinned three quarterback takedowns on him. Backus was facing DeMarcus Ware, of course, but he'll have his hands full again with Julius Peppers on Monday night. To be sure, the stats say Pettigrew is in line for a productive day. Chicago has allowed four touchdowns to tight ends in four games, and a 6.5-catch, 82-yard weekly average. Just don't be surprised when Pettigrew slows down and starts blocking more. He's on pace for career highs in receptions (88) and yards (960). ... The Bears defend designated deep threats well because of their scheme. It isn't good news for Titus Young.

Playing on the road against the aggressive Lions, the Bears will likely try to keep Stafford off the field with heavy doses of Matt Forte. Reintroducing a lead blocker to their rushing attack (FB Tyler Clutts), the Bears skewed toward the run in Week 4, racking up 31 rushing attempts to 17 passes. The revised game plan worked, as Matt Forte averaged 8.2 yards per carry en route to a career-high 205 yards. The Lions rank 20th against the run, allowing 4.76 YPC. ... Jay Cutler is barely on the QB2 radar coming off his fewest pass attempts in a full game since 2009. Detroit is also significantly better in pass than run defense. Cutler is a lowly 24th in fantasy quarterback scoring, so here's to hoping you didn't consider him anyway. The Bears have lost faith in their passing game. ... Dane Sanzenbacher and Johnny Knox are the only Chicago wideouts worth Week 5 consideration, and neither is an inviting option. Sanzenbacher was on the field for just 13 snaps last week. Knox would need Chicago to fall behind early and start winging it to be worthwhile.

Score Prediction: Lions 30, Bears 20

HacheMan · Oct 9, 2011

Week 5 Injury Questions

These bloated bye weeks reward the active owner. Those of us that are grinding the waiver wire weekly, following the injuries closely and building deep benches have a major advantage. Heck, we might even come across some very viable plug-n-plays every now and then.

This week, injuries are providing help to owners with thin benches. Isaac Redman is going to get a ton of touches if Rashard Mendenhall sits. Jacoby Jones is ready to fill in for Andre Johnson. Stevan Ridley is set to continue his upward trend with Danny Woodhead sidelined.

As we get set for Week 5, Mendenhall is among the true game-time decisions. We’ll know his official status around Noon ET.

Each week in this space, we’ll bring you the latest line on all the hurt folks. Of course, the Rotoworld News Page will be humming all Sunday morning to bring you official word on all your players ahead of kickoff. To make sure you’re prepared, read every word of these rankings from Gregg Rosenthal/Chris Wesseling in combination with Evan Silva’s unprecedented Matchup Column.

And if you want to draft a new team just for this week, check out SnapDraft here.

OK, let’s get to the hurt folks:

1 P.M. GAMES
TITANS at STEELERS
* Rashard Mendenhall is a true game-time decision, but we’re tentatively expecting him to sit after putting in one limited practice all week. Isaac Redman will be a RB2 with upside if starting. Mewelde Moore (ankle) is also out.
* Ben Roethlisberger (foot) may have limited mobility, but is a full go.
* Tennessee FB Ahmard Hall is back from suspension to pave the way for Chris Johnson.
www.rapsports.com
RAIDERS at TEXANS
* Andre Johnson (hamstring) is out. Jacoby Jones gets the nod.
* Ben Tate (groin) and Derrick Ward (ankle) are both game-time calls. Regardless, Arian Foster is getting the monster workload.
* Louis Murphy (groin) is not expected back this week in Oakland’s crowded receiving corps.
* Michael Bush (ankle) is fine. Darren McFadden’s goal-line chances will have to wait.

CHIEFS at COLTS
* Jonathan Baldwin (thumb) is healthy, but it’s unclear if he’ll be active. He’ll likely have to earn his role on offense by playing on special teams first.
* Curtis Painter is starting even though Kerry Collins (concussion) returned to practice.

BENGALS at JAGUARS
* Zach Miller (shoulder) will not play.

SEAHAWKS at GIANTS
* Mike Williams (concussion) is out. Ben Obomanu gets the nod, leading to plenty of double teams on Sidney Rice.
* Brandon Jacobs (knee) popped up with an MCL sprain this week and is out. Ahmad Bradshaw will be backed up by Danny Ware.

CARDINALS at VIKINGS
* Beanie Wells (hamstring) was limited in practice all week. It’s only a mild concern though, as he looked 110 percent last week and isn’t known to have any setbacks. Beanie should be fine.
* Todd Heap (hamstring) is headed for a game-time call after pulling up lame in practice. Avoid.

SAINTS at PANTHERS
* David Thomas (concussion) is out. Jimmy Graham is set for another monster game.
* Devery Henderson (calf) is banged up and Marques Colston is back. Move along.
* Speaking of Colston, his role is expected to increase significantly this week. Best bet among Saints wideouts.
* Jeremy Shockey (concussion) is expected to play, but Greg Olsen is the tight end to roll with here.

EAGLES at BILLS
* C.J. Spiller (knee) is ready to play his returner role.
* Jeremy Maclin (hamstring) isn’t even on the injury report.

4 P.M. GAMES
BUCS at 49ERS
* Sammie Stroughter (knee) remains sidelined. Preston Parker will continue to man the slot job.
* Braylon Edwards (knee) is still out. Michael Crabtree (foot), however, looks 100 percent.
* Frank Gore (ankle) is healthier this week than he was ahead of last week’s breakout.

JETS at PATRIOTS
* Danny Woodhead (ankle) is out. Stevan Ridley will pick up extra carries once again.
* Aaron Hernandez (knee) is expected to make his return. His exact role, however, is unknown.
* Nick Mangold (ankle) is ready to return. Big news for the entire Jets’ offense.
* Plaxico Burress (elbow) is a full go in a dream matchup.

CHARGERS at BRONCOS
* Vincent Jackson (hamstring) is going to try to fight through his injuries once again. He likely won’t play the whole game, but it’s hard, even impossible, to sit him.
* Antonio Gates (foot) is out, as expected, Randy McMichael gets another start.
* Eddie Royal (groin) remains out, giving Eric Decker more leash.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
PACKERS at FALCONS
* Ryan Grant (kidney) practiced all week and is ready to share the load with James Starks.
* Jason Snelling (concussion) is ready to resume his third-down/change-of-pace role.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
BEARS at LIONS
* Earl Bennett (chest) remains sidelined, giving Dane Sanzenbacher a chance to bounce back.

SURVIVOR PICK OF THE WEEK
It wasn’t pretty, but we survived with the Bucs last Monday night. I have now used Houston, Detroit and San Diego and Tampa.

This week’s most likely winner is clearly the Giants. Seattle played a hard-fought home game against the Falcons last week and now has to go all the way across the country to face the Giants’ pass rush. I’d estimate that 80 percent off all entries remaining in Survivor leagues use the Giants this week.

I’d like to get tricky here and try to fade the Giants. But I just don’t see another choice I feel comfortable with. So we’ll try to make our move in the weeks ahead.

Some spots I would avoid include the Saints as the Panthers are on the verge of knocking someone off. We can also find a better spot for Green Bay than on the road in a Sunday Night Football game. Houston scares me in their first game without Andre Johnson.

MY TOUGHEST DECISION OF THE WEEK
In a 10-team, half-PPR league with bloated starting lineups, my flex spot came down to Jonathan Stewart, Robert Meachem or Stevan Ridley.

Of course, I’ve been praying for DeAngelo Williams injury all season long. If you watch Stewart play, you can see he’s a top-5 kind of running back when given opportunities. He’s also made major strides as a receiver out of the backfield.

Ridley is certainly a consideration with Danny Woodhead (ankle) sidelined. The rookie’s snap count is on the side, peaking at 19 last week as he flashes explosive ability. I ruled out Meachem with Marques Colston back. It’s not that Meachem won’t see as many snaps -- it’s that the red-zone chances are going to come down.

In the end, I decided to go with Ridley by a hair over Stewart. Against a suddenly weak Jets’ defense, Ridley should push for 10-14 touches. And with Carolina using Cam Newton as their goal-line back, Ridley is a better bet for a score than Stewart.

HacheMan · Oct 9, 2011

Will Jets limit red-hot Wes Welker?

By Christopher Harris
ESPN.com

Five In Depth
1. Can Wes Welker keep it up on Revis Island? All four of our ESPN.com rankers, myself included, put Welker among their top 10 wideouts this week, but the other three guys put him first or second, while I put him ninth. A small difference, you might say, but it reflects my anxiety about Welker possibly having to match up with Darrelle Revis. At his Wednesday press conference, Rex Ryan was mum about whether Welker would pay a permanent visit to Revis Island. But we've seen multiple times over the past few years (and most obviously in Week 1 this season versus Dez Bryant), even if Ryan doesn't start Revis out exclusively on a dangerous weapon, if that weapon starts going ballistic, Revis will get in his jersey on every subsequent snap.

Welker, of course, has been otherworldly. He's as quick as he ever was before his torn ACL and has 40 catches for 616 yards and five scores in four games. (Hello, 160-catch season!) If I'm Ryan, I absolutely put Revis on Welker in the slot and let Tom Brady do his worst throwing at the defense's perimeter. If Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco and/or Matthew Slater can beat you, well, you tip your cap and move on. It's true that Welker didn't utterly destroy the Jets in three games last season: Including the playoffs, he had 20 catches for 175 yards and two TDs. That's good stuff, but not as good as Welker's been in 2011. It's also true that the Jets haven't always put Revis on Welker (there used to be a guy named Randy Moss in Beantown), and it's true that in recent seasons, Ryan has tended to deploy Revis in more creative ways rather than simply assign him a single player. But when you add up New England's targets this year, the evidence for Welker as a must-stop player only mounts:

Patriots Targets This Season

<TABLE><THEAD><TR><TH></TH><TH>Targets </TH><TH>Pct. Of Team Targets </TH></TR><TBODY><TR class=last><TD>Wes Welker </TD><TD>56 </TD><TD>34.8% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Rob Gronkowski </TD><TD>27 </TD><TD>16.8% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Deion Branch </TD><TD>26 </TD><TD>16.1% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Aaron Hernandez </TD><TD>18 </TD><TD>11.2% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Chad Ochocinco </TD><TD>11 </TD><TD>6.8% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Danny Woodhead </TD><TD>8 </TD><TD>5.0% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Julian Edelman </TD><TD>6 </TD><TD>3.7% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Matthew Slater </TD><TD>3 </TD><TD>1.9% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>BenJarvus Green-Ellis </TD><TD>3 </TD><TD>1.9% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Stevan Ridley </TD><TD>3 </TD><TD>1.9% </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

For context, Welker had 24.5 percent of New England's overall targets last season. And according to Football Outsiders, the Jets continue to be the best NFL defense limiting opposing teams' No. 1 receivers, no doubt in large part thanks to Revis. (According to FO.com, if there's a place where the Jets' pass D struggles, it's against tight ends. Look out Rob Gronkowski, especially if Aaron Hernandez again can't play.) None of this is enough for me to stay completely away from Welker, a player who's got 28, 8, 34 and 21 fantasy points in his four games this year. But it makes me a little nervous, and it makes me psyched to watch.

2. While we're at it, can you consider using the Jets' defense against Brady? Obviously, we're not going to blame the Jets' D for the three defensive TDs directly traceable to Mark Sanchez last week against the Ravens. Take out those scores and Revis and Co. allowed 13 points Sunday night, an output anyone could live with. Add into the mix a defensive TD from David Harris and a kickoff return TD from Joe McKnight, and you had a 21-point fantasy outing from this group, which shot the Jets up the charts to No. 2 among all defenses. But the Ravens did dominate time of possession in that game, and they did win a game in which their quarterback completed 10 passes. Add that to a moribund effort in Week 3 against the Raiders (minus-1 fantasy point), and tack on the fact that the Jets' past three opponents have each rushed for at least 112 yards, and it's fair to wonder whether this group is ripe for the Tom Brady picking Sunday.

I'm the only ESPN ranker who has the Jets outside his top-10 fantasy defenses this week; I have them 16th. Let's look at the past three times the Jets' D squared off against New England:

Jets D vs. Patriots Last Season, Incl. Playoffs

<TABLE><THEAD><TR><TH></TH><TH>Pts. All. </TH><TH>Yds. All. </TH><TH>Sacks </TH><TH>Takeaways </TH><TH>Def. TD </TH><TH>Fantasy Pts. </TH></TR><TBODY><TR class=last><TD>9/20/2010 </TD><TD>14 </TD><TD>291 </TD><TD>1 </TD><TD>3 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>12/7/2010 </TD><TD>45 </TD><TD>405 </TD><TD>3 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>-3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>1/16/2011 </TD><TD>21 </TD><TD>372 </TD><TD>5 </TD><TD>1 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>6 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

That's a not-so-pretty bottom line of 4.3 fantasy points per game for the Jets' D. And heck, you can persuasively make the argument that the first game listed here, Week 2 of the '10 season, came before Brady launched into this insane skein of greatness in which he currently finds himself. Heck, look how fantasy defenses have fared against the Patriots this season:

Opposing Defenses vs. Patriots, This Season

<TABLE><THEAD><TR><TH></TH><TH>Pts. All. </TH><TH>Yds. All. </TH><TH>Sacks </TH><TH>Takeaways </TH><TH>Def. TD </TH><TH>Fantasy Pts. </TH></TR><TBODY><TR class=last><TD>Dolphins </TD><TD>38 </TD><TD>622 </TD><TD>1 </TD><TD>1 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>-7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Chargers </TD><TD>35 </TD><TD>504 </TD><TD>2 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>-7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Bills </TD><TD>31 </TD><TD>495 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>4 </TD><TD>1 </TD><TD>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Raiders </TD><TD>31 </TD><TD>409 </TD><TD>1 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>-3 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Maybe you feel peachy about the Pats racking up 400-plus yards and 30-plus points, but with Brady throwing four picks like he did against the Bills, I don't. Either way, doesn't that pretty much feel like the only way the Jets' D musters a big fantasy points day? I'm staying away.

3. Just how unprecedented is Darren Sproles' production so far this year? I admit I've been super-slow to get aboard the Sproles bandwagon. It's just so hard for me to get past how few touches he gets from scrimmage. But even in Week 4, the first game of '11 in which he didn't find the end zone, Sproles was vexingly great. He racked up 75 yards on just seven carries and mustered another 56 yards on five receptions. For a month, there's absolutely no doubt that he's been the Saints' best offensive weapon. It hasn't been close. I've been under-ranking him and paying for it in leagues where my own teams have played against the mighty mite.

But can this possibly keep up? I mean, Sproles has 50 fantasy points on just 41 touches from scrimmage. That's ludicrous! Even if we take away his Week 1 punt return touchdown in the name of being able to compare him to other running backs, 44 fantasy points on 41 touches still seems crazy. But is it? With a huge assist from my friend and ESPN colleague Tristan Cockcroft, I looked at data from 2000 forward to find RBs who had the highest ratio of fantasy-points-to-touches. I looked only at players with 150 touches from scrimmage or more, and here are the best such seasons over the past 11 NFL campaigns:

Most Fantasy Pts Per Touch, Since 2000

<TABLE><THEAD><TR><TH></TH><TH>Year </TH><TH>Fantasy Pts. </TH><TH>Touches </TH><TH>Pts/Touch </TH></TR><TBODY><TR class=last><TD>Marshall Faulk </TD><TD>2000 </TD><TD>365 </TD><TD>334 </TD><TD>1.09 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Marion Barber </TD><TD>2006 </TD><TD>166 </TD><TD>158 </TD><TD>1.05 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>LaDainian Tomlinson </TD><TD>2006 </TD><TD>410 </TD><TD>404 </TD><TD>1.01 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Maurice Jones-Drew </TD><TD>2006 </TD><TD>211 </TD><TD>212 </TD><TD>1.00 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Marshall Faulk </TD><TD>2001 </TD><TD>324 </TD><TD>343 </TD><TD>0.94 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Priest Holmes </TD><TD>2002 </TD><TD>361 </TD><TD>383 </TD><TD>0.94 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Brian Westbrook </TD><TD>2003 </TD><TD>143 </TD><TD>154 </TD><TD>0.93 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Pierre Thomas </TD><TD>2008 </TD><TD>148 </TD><TD>160 </TD><TD>0.93 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>DeAngelo Williams </TD><TD>2008 </TD><TD>272 </TD><TD>295 </TD><TD>0.92 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Shaun Alexander </TD><TD>2005 </TD><TD>351 </TD><TD>385 </TD><TD>0.91 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Sproles has 15 carries and 26 catches for 44 non-special-teams fantasy points. That makes his ratio 1.07. Do we really believe we're watching the most-efficient fantasy season for a RB in the past decade? Note also that not a single one of our historically efficient RBs had even 35 percent as many catches as carries, and that Sproles is bent in completely the opposite direction. Heck, there literally isn't a running back over the past 11 seasons who scored at least 100 fantasy points and did it with more catches than carries. Not one! The closest guy was -- surprise! -- the Saints' own Reggie Bush in '09, who had 70 carries and 47 catches. And the next-closest guy was Kevin Faulk in '08, who had 141 carries and 83 catches.

And in the end, that's who Sproles is. He's Reggie Bush, he's Kevin Faulk. He's a playmaker, but he's not this much of a playmaker. Unless he's about to set a pretty amazing precedent for point-per-touch efficiency, expect him to slow down. Of course, I'm kind of a hypocrite here, because I did rank him 21st among RBs this week, higher than Mark Ingram or Pierre Thomas. But I was still lower than my three ESPN cohorts.

4. Can a rookie QB really stay this good? Cam Newton is third among all players in fantasy points scored, behind only Aaron Rodgers and Brady. That this all seems ludicrous and impossible based on my (and many others') expectations this summer is kind of beside the point. We have to take what we get from reality, and reality is telling us Newton is a weapon. Sure, he's completing "only" 59.5 percent of this throws (still pretty snazzy for a rookie), and he has as many TD passes as interceptions (five). But he's rushed for four scores, and he's thrown for an amazing 1,386 yards, or 346.5 per game, also third-highest in the sport. If you remove Newton's rushing TDs and the rushing TDs of all other quarterbacks, Newton would still be ranked fifth in QB fantasy points. He's been that great.

Is there recent precedent for this? Heck, is there recent precedent for a rookie QB ending a season even among the top 10 among fantasy signal-callers?

Rookie QB Scoring Leaders, Past 7 Seasons

<TABLE><THEAD><TR><TH></TH><TH></TH><TH>Rank Among QBs </TH></TR><TBODY><TR class=last><TD>2010 </TD><TD>Sam Bradford </TD><TD>20th </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>2009 </TD><TD>Mark Sanchez </TD><TD>25th </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>2008 </TD><TD>Matt Ryan </TD><TD>15th </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>2007 </TD><TD>Trent Edwards </TD><TD>31st </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>2006 </TD><TD>Vince Young </TD><TD>10th </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>2005 </TD><TD>Kyle Orton </TD><TD>36th </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>2004 </TD><TD>Ben Roethlisberger </TD><TD>22nd </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Certainly, Young stands out here, but almost entirely because of his seven rushing TDs in his rookie year. In 13 starts that season, Young averaged 158.9 passing yards per game, completed 52.3 percent of his passes and tossed 12 TDs and 13 INTs. That year, VY registered 195 fantasy points. Newton is on pace for 400. For context, Michael Vick had 300 in his amazing '10 season.

The historical-analytical part of my brain, therefore, wants to put the brakes on Newton Mania. It can't possibly always be thus, can it? Can Newton really produce more than the 386 fantasy points Brady produced in his 50-TD '07 season? (Rodgers and Brady are both on a pace to top that great campaign, too.) The card-cataloguer in my head says, "No way." But then you watch the tape, and you see Newton throwing on the run and hitting his targets pretty far down the field. You see him zing it into tight spaces. True, you don't often see him go through very many progressions, but it's the understatement of the young season to say that whatever he's doing, it's working.

I rated Newton 10th among fantasy QBs in this bye-filled week, and I'm the only ESPN ranker who had him lower than sixth. So I'm complicit in buying, too, if only to a lesser degree. The Panthers face a Saints D that's been lit up by Rodgers and Matt Schaub this year, but that's clamped down hard on Jay Cutler and Blaine Gabbert. Once again, Newton has a chance to show in whose neighborhood he belongs.

5. Can the Bills' offense really support multiple starting fantasy WRs? Steve Johnson is tied for eighth in fantasy points among wideouts, despite failing to find the end zone against the Bengals last week for the first time this season. Meanwhile, David Nelson is tied for 32nd in WR fantasy points, and in a week with six NFL teams resting, that could make him a viable No. 3 wideout in standard-sized leagues. Certainly a couple of the other ESPN rankers believe that, having put him inside their top 35. But he's No. 44 on my list.

When I think of this Bills offense, I go back to Chan Gailey's '08 group in Kansas City, led by Tyler Thigpen. Gailey presided as offensive coordinator over an attack that seemed very close to a collegiate spread and momentarily made Thigpen something of a fantasy star. From Week 5 to Week 9 that year, Thigpen had 11 TD passes and three picks and averaged 34.2 pass attempts per game. Dwayne Bowe was still an underwhelming pup in his second season but he managed a 1,000-yard campaign, as did Tony Gonzalez. Thigpen exceeded 300 yards only once in his 11 starts, but when I squint and look at Ryan Fitzpatrick (who's already got 300-plus yards once in four games this year), I see Thigpen circa '07: A below-average arm, good athleticism, some varied weapons and a whole bunch of four-wide formations. In fact, look at how many passes Fitzpatrick has thrown with different numbers of WRs on the field so far, and compare it to Gailey's Chiefs attack in '08:

2011 Bills vs. 2008 Chiefs

<TABLE><THEAD><TR><TH></TH><TH>Bills '11 attempts </TH><TH>% </TH><TH>Chiefs '08 attempts </TH><TH>% </TH></TR><TBODY><TR class=last><TD>0 or 1 WR </TD><TD>1 </TD><TD>0.7% </TD><TD>23 </TD><TD>4.3% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>2 WR </TD><TD>10 </TD><TD>6.9% </TD><TD>49 </TD><TD>9.1% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>3 WR </TD><TD>32 </TD><TD>22.1% </TD><TD>131 </TD><TD>24.2% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>4+ WR </TD><TD>102 </TD><TD>70.3% </TD><TD>338 </TD><TD>62.5% </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Source: STATS, Inc.

The two offenses look pretty similar, and this year's Bills are even a little more heavily weighted toward four-wide. And that's the problem I see with Nelson as a viable fantasy threat. There are so many other guys running around out there waving for Fitzpatrick's attention; Donald Jones, Brad Smith, Ruvell Martin and even Naaman Roosevelt have WR targets. On that Chiefs team, the next-best fantasy wideout after Bowe was Mark Bradley. Ew. And all this is to say nothing of the fact that the league caught up with Thigpen and started putting more pressure on him to make faster choices among his many weapons, and the fantasy magic ended pretty quickly. I fear that same fate awaits Fitzpatrick, which is another reason the only guy who really excites me in this pass offense is still Steve Johnson.

Five In Brief

6. Is Shonn Greene ready to shock the world? A couple weeks ago in this space, I tackled the Shonn Greene issue under a headline asserting that he might, in fact, stink at football. In two games since then, he's carried it 25 times for 82 yards, a 3.3 per-carry mark, and he's failed to reach the end zone. So why do I put Greene 16th among RBs this week, higher than any of the other rankers? Partly it's the "best-tasting-brussels-sprout" theory in a week with six teams on bye. But partly it's his solid numbers last year versus New England. In three games versus the Pats, Greene had 192 yards on 45 carries (4.3 YPC) with a touchdown. Also, Jets center Nick Mangold is likely to suit up Sunday, which should make a big difference for a much-maligned O-line (though to be fair, Greene wasn't doing much before Mangold got hurt). Add Jerod Mayo's knee injury and Rex Ryan's "ground-and-pound" PR campaign this week, and I do think we're going to see Greene get 20 touches Sunday. I say he performs solidly.

7. Who is Antonio Brown, and what has he done with Emmanuel Sanders? In my Flag-Planting Players column this summer, I gave Sanders quite the love, and I guess this is how he repays me: seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown in four games. Sigh. Sanders didn't get over multiple foot surgeries this offseason quickly enough to get back on track with Ben Roethlisberger, which was Antonio Brown's gain. Brown is making the move I predicted Sanders would make: He's first on the entire Steelers team in targets with 33 (two more than Mike Wallace and 10 more than Hines Ward), and after watching last week's film versus the Texans, I can't blame Brown for catching only five of his 10 targets, because Big Ben was under pressure and as a result was often quite inaccurate. Naturally, Brown's fantasy value is tied to whether Roethlisberger can stay healthy and upright behind that shaky offensive line, but I say he's addable in most leagues. If you own Sanders, drop him for Brown. And I'm sorry.

8. Jacoby Jones: Savior to Andre Johnson owners? I rated Jones 18th among fantasy wideouts this week, 10 spots higher than any other ESPN ranker. Clearly, this means I'm buying into his performance in two games late last year when AJ sat with an ankle injury, and Jones mustered 10 catches for 185 yards. Am I overdoing it on a player who burned the fantasy world last season, after a summer of hype led to an underwhelming 562 yards receiving? It's possible. It does seem likely that the Texans will use Arian Foster early and often against a Raiders defense that doesn't defend the run well. Plus, Owen Daniels is now the pass-catcher Matt Schaub trusts most in this offense. But if I'm choosing between Jones and Kevin Walter, I'm taking Jones; I don't rule out the possibility that Walter could perform well, but it would be his first good game all year (Walter has four receptions in three games). Jones has a similar size/speed package to Johnson (OK, he's a bit smaller and a bit slower), and he'll be running AJ's routes. When Schaub takes a shot, I think he's going to Jones.

9. Is Mario Manningham still in the doghouse? Anyone watching the Giants beat the Cardinals last week had to notice Super Mario's disappearing act: He didn't play in two-receiver sets at all in the second half, ceding time to Victor Cruz. The New York media whirlwind hasn't gotten many on-the-record comments about specifically what Manningham did early in the game that ticked off someone, but given his penchant for sloppy routes especially near the sideline (and his shaky hands, though he didn't have any drops in Week 4 that I saw), one imagines it was about being in the right place at the right time. Cruz wound up with six catches for 98 yards, which sent many folks scrambling to the waiver wire to grab him, considering Cruz now has nine catches for 208 yards and two TDs the past two weeks. I'm not biting yet. I still put Manningham solidly in No. 3 fantasy wideout territory this week, the only ESPN ranker to do so. The Seahawks don't feature a secondary that frightens me, and I saw them struggle mightily with No. 2 Falcons receiver Julio Jones last week. All comments out of Giants camp the past few days indicate Manningham should be back in two-receiver sets, which should relegate Cruz to a cameo role. If he replaces Mario at all again this week, well, then we have ourselves a story.

10. What the heck should folks do with Dallas Clark? It's awfully hard for me to advise fantasy owners to part ways with Clark, one of the most talented pass-catching tight ends the NFL has ever seen. No, I don't believe in the Curtis Painter administration -- which will almost certainly be my prog-rock band's name once I finally get it off the ground -- though he's probably better than Kerry Collins. No, I don't think the Colts' offensive line will improve to the point where Clark can stop pass blocking or coming out of the game in favor of more accomplished blocker Brody Eldridge. But the conservative-minded fantasy player in me doesn't like to cut elite talent. I admit, however, that as the bye weeks are upon us and you have an essentially unstartable Clark taking up a roster spot, the temptation is going to get mighty sharp to cut bait. And I won't laugh at you if you do. What I will laugh at is anyone outside a 16-team league who's still putting Dallas Clark in their starting lineup. The guy has 13 grabs in four games. He's got 23 targets so far; in the four games before he got hurt in '10, he had 53 targets. There's just no way he can be in lineups right now.

HacheMan · Oct 9, 2011

A day for atonement

By Matthew Berry
ESPN.com

Back when I was attending Syracuse University, there was a student stand-up comedy competition, and a guy by the name of Stephen Kanter told the following joke.

"So, I'm Jewish, but I'm thinking of becoming Catholic. Because it's the same guilt, just better food."

20 years later, I still remember that joke. Still makes me laugh. Maybe because I'm also Jewish and never got the appeal of gefilte fish (it's like fish-flavored paste, but lumpier), the joke resonated with me. Like anything else in life, there are good things and bad things about being Jewish.

But among the best -- other than getting to say things like "You know Scarlett Johansson, Bar Rafaeli, Elizabeth Banks and Mila Kunis? They play for us" -- is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.

The website JewFAQ sums it up pretty well; "The name 'Yom Kippur' means "Day of Atonement," and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year. … On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends."

This year, it begins at sundown on Friday. I love the idea of Yom Kippur. I don't think the idea should be limited to Jewish folks. I do this column every year, and I'll keep doing it until the concept gets adopted by the rest of the world. On one day, you apologize and atone for everything you've done wrong in the past year, and it's all washed away. Forgotten. Fresh start. One-stop shopping, and you're all set for the year. I have a ton of stuff to atone for, but I'll probably be really bad tonight just to squeeze in a few more sins before the deadline.

I asked the gang on my Facebook page and on Twitter for input, and together we came up with a fairly definitive list of who needs to "demonstrate repentance and make amends" -- to football fans, fantasy players or humanity in general.

Mike Shanahan: You know what I think? I think that if I found him standing outside a burning building, he would tell me "Help, my cat is in there!" and I would run into the flames, save his cat, come back out, covered in ash, hand him the cat and he'd say "Actually, I meant my dog. My dog's in there. That's a stray." Hell hath no fury like a fantasy owner of a Shanahan running back.

Anyone who still thinks Mike Martz is an offensive genius. As Jeremy Lundblad of ESPN Stats & Information points out, when Jay Cutler throws more than 35 passes, Chicago is 2-12. When he throws 35 or fewer times, the Bears are 17-4.

<CITE>AP Photo/Joe Howell</CITE>Randy Moss attempted redemption with the Titans, but that didn't end well either.

Randy Moss. I'm still bitter. And @therealJakeTB is with me.

People who steal a parking space when you've clearly been waiting for it. Or people who drive the wrong way in a parking lot to beat you to a space. Or people who sit in their cars talking on the phone instead of leaving when the lot is crowded. Basically, I have a short fuse in parking lots.

The Colts' front office. If you didn't think Curtis Painter was the answer, why did you wait until three weeks before the season to sign Kerry Collins? Don't give me lockout, you've known for a while what you have in Painter. Whatever the question, Kerry Collins is not the answer.

Anyone who isn't watching "The League" on FX, the sitcom about a group of friends in a fantasy football league. The third season premieres tonight (Thursday) at 10:30 ET. It's adult humor, so make sure the kids and/or the easily offended are not near the TV, but if you enjoy laughing and fantasy football, I highly recommend it. Hilarious show.

Hamstrings. Specifically those owned by Miles Austin, Andre Johnson, Arian Foster and Rashard Mendenhall. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times, nothing good comes from hustling. Take your time. Mosey a bit, friend. Play another day.

People who call themselves "experts" in fantasy football. There's no such thing. You'll notice I never refer to myself that way; I'm an analyst. It's a game. Experts are for important things, such as saving lives, launching people into space and figuring out who wore it best at the Oscars.

Digital tattletales. Dude, when you see something I tweet, don't retweet it, copy somebody else on Twitter and try to start something. What are you, 6? If I wanted his/her Twitter handle in it, I would have put it in there. And Twitter is public, so people can see things if they want to look for them. And the same in reverse. Don't tweet stuff at me from others.

People who judge without any concept of what they are talking about. Until you've walked in their shoes…

From the gang at Twitter: Frank Gore (@runks29), the guy who says his team would be good if he didn't have injuries (@sbaileyRN), any mention of Brett Favre (@internetbullies), people who complain they "coulda had" someone in the draft (Yeah, we all could have had Steve Smith.) (@bailarge), rich people fighting with richer people #lockouts (@kingsrule5), the guy I share a cube wall with who loudly talks to his wife on the phone at his desk. Every. Single. Day. (@Beevans), and people who use their Twitter followers to write the first half of their columns every week. (@HogeJ).

Hmmm…

The people who, when you're sleeping on a plane, grab your headrest to lift themselves up, waking you in the process and paying no mind. Are you so out of shape you can't stand up without help? Are you so oblivious you can't apologize?

Questionable statuses for late games, LeBron James (gotta get it in now, might not have a NBA season), anyone discussing his or her golf game or vacation (I don't care), Internet trolls, people who drive too slowly in the left lane, people who try to convince me their religion/cause/politics is the right one, "That guy," the lack of a Chick-fil-A anywhere in Connecticut, Antonio Gates' foot, the middle seat, people who tell me on Twitter about a wrong call I've made (Trust me, when I blow a call, I'm well aware of it), most Yankees and Philly fans (many Yankees fans and Philly sports fans agree with me, incidentally), people who can't express themselves without using ALL CAPS and/or being vulgar, the guy who shows up at a draft without prep but then looks over at your sheet and steals a sleeper he's never heard of, flaky people and Rex Grossman (for what I know is coming).

<CITE>Doug Pensinger/Getty Images</CITE>I need to atone on multiple levelsg for that awful "say yes to Knowshon" joke in the preseason.

And, of course, the biggest person who needs to atone is … me. I was clearly wrong on Knowshon Moreno. I continue to hold out hope on Michael Vick and Antonio Gates, but that clearly might not work. For every call I got wrong so far this year and the ones that are coming (many soon after this intro!), for rehashing this column every year, for my lack of ability to turn the other cheek sometimes, for my rampant Lakers and Redskins homerism, for not speaking more clearly into the mike on the podcast, for any and all awkwardness on TV, for being egocentric, for being egocentric enough that I think it's OK that I am egocentric and that it has worked for me so far, which only makes me more ego-centric, for Beanie Wells last week (Hey, he was a game-time decision in a late game! I was thinking better safe than sorry!), for the fact that I have enough readers who don't get it that I have to do the stupid explanation for Love/Hate every week, for my thinking rookie wide receivers Julio Jones and A.J. Green would take awhile to catch on, for every time I say "oh by the way," "right" and "uh," plus all my other crutch phrases, and for failing on my promise to keep this (or any column) to fewer than 3,000 words.

Who else needs to repent? While you think on that, let's get to this week's "Love/Hate," which, as usual, comprises players I think will do better or worse than the rest of my fellow rankers do. Numbers in parentheses are my Wednesday ranks and the average rank of the other three rankers. As always, check my Friday ranks and watch "Fantasy Football Now" on Sunday for the final call on where I stand on every player.

Week 5 Players I Love

Michael Vick, QB, Eagles (my rank: 2, average rank from the other three rankers: 4): The Matthew Berry "Vick at No. 1" redemption tour continues this Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y.; Who wants to tailgate?

Cam Newton, QB, Panthers (5, 7): Top five is my way of saying "Not a fluke, kids. Not even close." He can make all the throws, obviously they are not scared to chuck it in Carolina and -- as ESPN Stats & Info's Zach Jones points out -- only the Lions have had more passes from the shotgun than the Panthers. (Lions, 186; Panthers, 164; Bills, 145; Dolphins, 135.) Cam is obviously comfortable in the shotgun and, against the blitzing Saints, he will have enough time to throw quick slants to Steve Smith, underneath stuff to his tight ends and, of course, make the occasional run. Saints allow 17.5 points per game to opposing quarterbacks (ninth most) and, if you ignore last weekend against Blaine Gabbert, it goes up to 20 points per game.

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons (8, 9): Sort of an obvious name given how bad the Packers pass defense has been this year, plus his well-known stats at home, but including him here because people think I always hate on him. I don't. A lot, sure. But not always. Packers will both score a lot and stop the run in this game, so Ryan will have to take to the air -- the way a Falcon does! (pause) Right. Bad puns on team names. Adding it to the "stuff to atone for" list. Got it.

Kevin Kolb, QB, Cardinals (12, 16): Well, we know Minnesota has to respect the run now. Ahem. A lot of talk about the pressure Jared Allen and Brian Robison will bring, but, when facing a blitz, Zach Jones once again tells us that Kolb completes 58.6 percent of his passes, has a 95.8 passer rating and has five touchdowns, so bring it on, I say, and bring your friends. Vikes CB Antoine Winfield missed practice Wednesday with a neck injury, and the St. Paul Pioneer Press is saying he will miss the game, further weakening a pass defense that gives up 17 points a game to opposing quarterbacks (tied for 11th most) and made Matt Cassel look usable last week.

Curtis Painter, QB, Colts (21, 25): OK, I'll say it. When he actually got time to throw on Monday night, I thought he looked all right. (ducking) They need to do a better job of protecting him (he was terrible when faced with pressure), but only the Bills (four) have fewer sacks this year than Kansas City's five. Given time, at home, he's a decent bye week fill-in in a deep league.
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<CITE>Matt Stamey/US Presswire</CITE>Let's be clear here: Darren Sproles took Reggie Bush's old job, but he didn't actually become Bush.

Darren Sproles, RB, Saints (11, 18): What am I missing here? Have my fellow rankers seen the scoring leaders? You know, the list where Sproles is the 10th-highest-scoring fantasy running back? And it's not as if it's all from one crazy game. He has been remarkably consistent, with games of 13, 11, 14 and 12 fantasy points. Last week, the 11th-highest-scoring running back scored 14 points. That's the area we are in this year, and Sproles leads New Orleans in receptions and is second in total yards, targets and total touches. Against the Panthers (fourth-most points allowed to opposing running backs), Sproles is a very safe start.

Isaac Redman, RB, Steelers (21, 24): Fun facts about Redman: Averaging 4.9 yards per carry this year. Has a gimpy quarterback the team need to keep upright, which can be accomplished by running the ball. Likely to get a start with Rashard Mendenhall banged up. (If Mendenhall starts, disregard this). Faces the Titans, who are a good defense but have given up 511 total yards and three touchdowns to opposing running backs in four weeks. Is available in 85 percent of leagues.

Mark Ingram, RB, Saints (17, 24): Fun with numbers: 13, 14, 11, 19. Those are Ingram's touches the past four weeks. The week with 11, he scored a touchdown. Carolina's run defense is still as bad as it was when I talked about it in the Sproles paragraph.

Dexter McCluster, WR/RB, Chiefs (32, 33): Bit of a gut call here, but, in a bye week, I kind of like him on the road at Indy. There's obvious big-play potential; only six teams have allowed more runs of 10-plus yards than Indy, and the Colts are also top 10 in rushes of 20-plus yards allowed. Averaging 5.9 yards per carry, he's gotten double-digit touches in the two games since Jamaal Charles went down, and, on the turf in Indy, I kinda like his chances to break one.

DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles (8, 11): A defensive gem, this game will not be.

Julio Jones, WR, Falcons (14, 17): As seen in things I need to atone for! (Tied for ninth-most targets in the NFL and has a pretty good matchup.)

David Nelson, WR, Bills (26, 39): One bad week, but ultimately still believe in him, especially out of the slot to the middle of the field, where the Eagles are really vulnerable.

Pierre Garcon, WR, Colts (28, 33): Mentioned this on "Fantasy Football Now" this past weekend and again on Twitter before the "Monday Night Football" game, but since Curtis Painter took over as the Colts' QB, Reggie Wayne has gotten 23.1 percent of the targets compared with Garcon's 30.8 percent. Now, he still has bricks for hands and his big Monday night score was the result of blown coverage and poor tackling, but still. At home, against the Chiefs? In a bye week, you could do worse and probably have. Good motto to remember at closing time.

Titus Young, WR, Lions (39, 50): For deeper leagues or teams decimated by injuries and bye weeks, Young has gotten more and more involved in one of the best offenses in football. In the past three weeks combined, he has 12 receptions for 181 yards on 20 targets. I'm guessing the Bears will send a million guys to try to cover Calvin Johnson, so Young should see some single coverage he can exploit. And aren't we all looking for single coverage we can exploit?

Owen Daniels, TE, Texans (1, 6): The cries of agony were from Andre Johnson's owners. The muted and respectful squeals of joy were from Owen Daniels' owners.

Dallas Clark, TE, Colts (9, 13): The problem with Clark, other than the obvious, is that he's been staying in to block more. But, as I mentioned in the Painter bit, that won't be as necessary against KC, which also happens to give up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. And if Clark doesn't start producing, I'm gonna hit something. So there's that.

Tennessee Titans D/ST (3, 3): We're all on the Titans' D this week, going against that porous Steelers line that helps allow the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing D/ST. Tennessee is available in almost 75 percent of leagues, is the seventh-highest-scoring defense in fantasy and is averaging more than 11 points a game the past three weeks. What are you waiting for?

New York Giants D/ST (4, 3): Happiness is Tarvaris Jackson traveling east to face your defense. Available in 46 percent of leagues. I like the Titans and the Giants better than the highly drafted defenses of the Steelers or Jets this weekend.

Week 5 Players I Hate

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<CITE>Andy Lyons/Getty Images</CITE>Matt Schaub will be missing his top weapon for the next few weeks, and we'll be missing a big reason to start Schaub in our fantasy leagues.

Matt Schaub, QB, Texans (14, 10): I asked Zach Jones from ESPN Stats & Info to look up Schaub's career numbers without Andre Johnson. In three games last season (when Arian Foster was there), Schaub averaged 251.7 yards and had just four touchdowns in three games. In 2007, Johnson missed six games and Schaub was even worse, with just 217 passing yards per game and two touchdowns total, along with seven interceptions. That's a lot of math to tell you that, without Andre Johnson and with a healthy Arian Foster, I don't see Schaub putting up top-10 numbers the way the other rankers suggest.

Jay Cutler, QB, Bears (19, 17): What happens when the most sacked quarterback since 2009 meets Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch? Not actually sure. I just know that you never want to cross the streams and that I don't want Cutler anywhere near my team.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers (20, 16): According to the New York Life Protection Index, Big Ben has been sacked, hurried and knocked down 54 times in four games. That's a lot, kids. He's hurt; Mendenhall is banged up; the line is a mess; and the Titans have the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL. I have Jay Cutler ranked ahead of him. What does that tell you?

Shonn Greene, RB, Jets (30, 20): Greene likes to play smashmouth football; too bad he's no good at it. According to ESPN Stats & Info's Paul Carr, Greene is averaging 2.2 yards per carry up the middle, which accounts for 26 of his 51 carries. Meanwhile, the Pats were able to limit the San Diego Chargers' backs to 2.9 yards up the middle in their only home game this season. In their three other games, the Chargers have averaged 4.4 yards up the middle, twice Greene's average. You do the math.

James Starks (25, 18) and Ryan Grant (28, 31), RBs, Packers: It's actually a great matchup. The Falcons are top 10 in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and the Packers' offense is so explosive that at least one of these running backs will have a good game. I just have no idea who it will be. That's as honest as I can be. Starks was the better runner the first two games, Grant clearly better in Week 3. Starks was fine but nothing special as the lone back in Week 4, and Grant has returned to practice. Will they split carries? Will one be more effective than the other? Will Aaron Rodgers and/or John Kuhn vulture any more rushing touchdowns? I don't know. I could tell you I like Starks better, but that's a complete and total guess. So I'm putting them in my "hate" list because I just don't know how to interpret this situation accurately right now. And I'm sure one of them will go off (again, great matchup) and some of you will point to this as my "hating" them, but it's only because there's no clarity here. If some comes, I'll update my ranks Friday.

Jordy Nelson, WR, Packers (25, 15): Another one that could easily blow up in my face. Good matchup, great offense, he's been hot lately. But I have him outside my top 20 because there are so many weapons in Green Bay. For all the scoring the Packers did last week, Jermichael Finley wasn't involved, and I expect that to change this week against the Falcons. Nelson has had two good games. You didn't care about his lack of looks in Week 2 because he caught one pass for 84 yards and a score, but you can't count on something like that. So he's had two games when he's been a big part of the offense and two games when he hasn't. With both running backs healthy, along with Greg Jennings and Finley (not to mention Randall Cobb, James Jones and Donald Driver), I just have a hard time making him a must-start, given the other options available. He's a flex play.

Jacoby Jones, WR, Texans (37, 27): Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me every single season …

Deion Branch, WR, Patriots (40, 34): Seems to have disappeared, and the Jets' secondary is nothing to sneeze at. Or even hack cough at. And coughing up a hairball is entirely out of the question.

Jared Cook, TE, Titans (20, 13): As much as I like his skills, his touchdown in Week 4 -- on an 80-yard pass play with a lot of broken/missed tackles -- was a fluke and he has yet to have more than two receptions in any game. It's not a terrible matchup and James Harrison being out helps, of course, but until he's a more consistent part of the offense, I have a hard time starting him over the deep pool of other available tight ends.

Arizona Cardinals D/ST (21, 15): I don't care that it's the Vikings. This is a defense anyone can throw on. Anyone. Even you.

And that's all we have this week, kids. Wish I had a clever way to end this, but I don't. So I'll atone for that, too.

HacheMan · Oct 10, 2011

Mathews' Calf, Julio's Hammy

The good news about Week 5 is that there were no season-ending injuries to any top-tier skill players. The bad news, as always, is that a number of notable names fell head-first into the infirmary. Here’s an early look at Sunday’s injury fallout:

In Chargers RB news, Ryan Mathews came out of Week 5 with calf and wrist injuries, and Mike Tolbert sustained a concussion. Despite the fact that Mathews reportedly left the stadium on crutches, indications are that neither of his injuries is serious, which is a big relief after the emerging RB1 ran 24 times for 125 yards. Mathews and Tolbert both get a chance to rest for Week 7 during a well-timed Week 6 bye.

Julio Jones (1 rec, 16 yds) pulled up with a left hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s game and walked off to the locker room. The strain didn't look too severe when it happened, and Jones wasn't limping seriously when he left, but any hamstring injury has the potential to be a multiple-week issue. Harry Douglas is next in line for targets if Jones misses any games.

Chris Johnson was sidelined with hamstring tightness late in Sunday's game, but appears to have avoided anything serious (and saved us from a "CJ2K Not OK" headline to this column). Johnson told the Nashville Tennessean that "I was set to go back in, but they didn't want to injure it more knowing that the game was pretty much out of hand." Johnson – who ran for his first TD of the season on Sunday – should be fine coming out of a Week 6 bye.

Joseph Addai saw his day end in the first quarter due to a hamstring injury. It’s terrible timing for Addai, who had a chance at some respectable RB2 production with Curtis Painter infusing at least a little bit of life into the Colts’ offense. Addai has never been Mr. Resilience, so it wouldn’t be remotely shocking to see him miss a game (or multiple games). With that in mind, Delone Carter (12 rush, 22 yds, TD; 2 rec, 12 yds) and Donald Brown (8 rush, 38 yds) could be worth consideration as bye week replacements, but neither is very appealing against a tough Bengals run D.

LeGarrette Blount left Sunday’s blowout loss with a knee injury. It’s certainly possible that the lopsided score contributed to Blount’s absence, but as of Sunday night it was unclear how significant this injury might be. Earnest Graham and Kregg Lumpkin would benefit if Blount misses time, but neither would be a worthwhile consideration outside of deeper formats.

Antonio Gates (foot) told the San Diego Union-Tribune that he's been planning to return in Week 7 all along. It's good news that he’s aiming to be back in a couple of weeks, but fantasy owners need to be preparing to shop Gates once he comes back and re-establishes value. His foot could easily flare up again during the second half of the season.

Follow me on Twitter: @MattStroup

Rashard Mendenhall (hamstring) was available in an emergency Sunday, but wasn’t needed. No word yet on Mendenhall’s availability for next week, but it’s obviously a positive development that the Steelers theoretically could have turned to him if needed. There’s certainly some cause for optimism that Mendenhall will be back in his lead RB role in Week 6.

The Houston Chronicle reports that Andre Johnson (hamstring) will attempt to practice this week. It doesn’t sound like he’s got much of a chance to play in Week 6, but this is a good development for his potential availability in Week 7.

Donald Jones (2 rec, 25 yds) left with an ankle injury, and was spotted on crutches and in a walking boot after Sunday’s game, with WGR 550 Buffalo's Joe Buscaglia reporting that Jones “looked crushed.” Jones missing time could result in some additional looks for David Nelson (1 rec, 6 yds, TD), but Jones alone won’t spring Nelson free after a second consecutive quiet week. Deeper league owners should keep an eye on Naaman Roosevelt (5 rec, 41 yds).

Tarvaris Jackson was knocked out of Sunday’s game with a strained pectoral muscle. Charlie Whitehurst (11-for-19, 149 yds, TD) looked solid in Jackson’s absence, but ProFootballTalk.com reports that Jackson is expected to be fine, and with the Seahawks headed into a bye, there’s a good chance he’ll be back under center for Week 7.

On the same day that he picked up his fifth sack of the season, Mario Williams tore his pectoral muscle, as reported by John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Williams is headed for an MRI on Monday, and would likely be done for the season if surgery is deemed necessary.

Editor’s note: If you want to draft a new fantasy team, check out SnapDraft here.

More injury notes: Josh Morgan (5 rec, 75 yds) may be headed for the I.R. due to a fractured ankle, according to CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco ... Rob Gronkowski almost didn't play on Sunday due to a stomach illness, which partially helps explain his quiet day (and his absence during a long Patriots drive) ... Packers LT Chad Clifton was carted off with a hamstring injury, which contributed to Aaron Rodgers taking a season-high four sacks ... Matt Schaub took a scary-looking hit to his knee late in Sunday’s game, but stayed in and appeared to be fine … Aaron Hernandez (knee) limped to the locker room in the second quarter, but returned and clearly wasn’t slowed down afterward … Bucs DT Gerald McCoy is believed to have a high ankle sprain, according to the St. Petersburg Times … The Texans lost TE/FB James Casey to a torn pectoral muscle … Cardinals FS Kerry Rhodes left with a foot injury … Giants RG Chris Snee and LB Zak DeOssie both suffered concussions … Broncos DB Brian Dawkins left with a neck injury … Cardinals LG Daryn Colledge (concussion) did not return … Seahawks TE Zach Miller sustained what is believed to be a concussion, according to the Everett Herald … Panthers LB Omar Gaither left in the second quarter with a leg injury … Falcons SS William Moore left with a neck injury, CB Chris Owens suffered a concussion and Sean Weatherspoon sustained an apparent head injury of his own.

HacheMan · Oct 10, 2011

It's Not Easy Being Green

The title comes, of course, from Joe Raposo’s classic lament for Kermit the Frog on Sesame Street. With apologies to Kermit, it’s Ray Charles’ fabulous version that best captures the complex duality of self knowledge. It’s hard to blame Kermit, though. If Charles ever tackled Rubber Ducky, Ernie would have to find a new gig, too.

On a football level, the title works for a Jets defense that has now surrendered 30 points in three consecutive games and at least 24 in four of five contests. From a fantasy perspective, though, the story of the day is an Eagles defense that has emerged as a dream matchup from running backs. The Iggles entered Week 5 bending over backwards for a league-high 29.5 fantasy points to opposing backs. Cadillac Williams and Steven Jackson both finished in the top-15 in Week 1; Michael Turner was fantasy’s No. 7 back in Week 2; Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs became the second pair of backs to reach the top-15 in Week 3; and the duo of Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter both reached 100 yards against the Eagles in Week 4, effectively ending San Francisco’s ground attack slump.

Firing Sean McDermott and transitioning long-time offensive line coach Juan Castillo to defensive boss was the NFL's most head-scratching move of the offseason. After five games, it now seems indefensible. As Evan Silva pointed out in last week's typically excellent Matchups column, DL coach Jim Washburn's Wide-9 scheme sacrifices gap control for up-field pass rush, leaving Philly's small and slow linebackers exposed against the run. It's a systematic failure rooted in scheme as much as talent disparity. With top run defenders Antonio Dixon and Trent Cole out, the stage was set for one of the league's hottest running backs to run roughshod over a capitulatory front seven.

Comprising 59.2 percent of Buffalo's offense, Fred Jackson joined Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas as the only backs in franchise history with 100 rushing yards (111) and 80 receiving yards (85) in the same game. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Jackson grinded out 59 of his 111 rushing yards after first contact. Against a soft underbelly, Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 21-of-24 passes traveling less than 10 yards, allowing Jackson to exploit coverage-deficient linebackers and poor tackling at the back end to become the first Bills back since Larry Centers in 2001 with five or more receptions in three straight games.

The difference in F-Jax between this season and last is playmaking ability. He's averaged three plays of 10+ yards per week, including five that led to a trio of touchdowns against the Eagles. After five weeks, Jackson leads all running backs in fantasy points (101), is tied for the rushing touchdown lead (5), ranks third in yards per carry (5.3), second in rushing yards (480), and second in yards from scrimmage (712). If he keeps it up, the NFL's most underrated player will earn a lucrative contract extension on the way to a starting Pro Bowl nod in the AFC.

Game Balls

Adrian Peterson, Vikings - It’s become trendy the past few weeks to suggest that Darren McFadden, Ray Rice, or LeSean McCoy has taken over as the NFL’s best back. As NFL Films guru Greg Cosell stated a couple of weeks back, though, it’s not even close. It’s an open-and-shut case, and the answer remains Peterson.

It only took coordinator Bill Musgrave five weeks to figure out how to use his best offensive player. There’s no telling when Musgrave will figure how to take the bubble wrap off of Percy Harvin. Behind two instances of Peterson on Peterson crime, Adrian trucked rookie Patrick to become the first back with three touchdowns in the opening quarter since 1999.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - The folks at Yahoo’s Shutdown Corner Blog named Max Starks one of the five most valuable players of Week 5. Big Ben’s new blindside protector walked in off the street and immediately plugged the hole in the offensive dyke. Roethlisberger was sacked just once against one of the league’s premier defenses over the first month of the season. Playing through a sprained left foot, Big Ben patiently accepted what the Titans’ Cover-2 defense allowed with short passes over the middle before his fifth touchdown of the day went for 40 yards to Mike “60 Minutes” Wallace. If you can find an owner looking to sell, it's still a good idea to pounce on Roethlisberger as an underappreciated QB1 in Pittsburgh's spread offense.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers - The early-season MVP shredded the Falcons secondary once again, this time for 396 and two touchdowns (both of which came in the second half, along with 299 yards). In three Georgia Dome games over the past two seasons, Rodgers has lit up Atlanta’s defense for 1,106 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions. Despite opening the game without his starting right tackle and losing his starting left tackle, Rodgers remains fantasy’s No. 1 QB, edging out Cam Newton and Tom Brady. He’s currently on pace for 5,507 yards and 45 touchdowns.

Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs - As atrocious as Kansas City looked early on, it’s time to give Bowe credit as one of the top receivers in the NFL. While the rest of the offense invites derision, Bowe’s has earned the awe and respect of the typically stoic Chiefs beat writers. After a juggling end-zone catch that rivaled Victor Cruz’s one-handed beauty, Bowe ended the day as fantasy’s No. 6 receiver.

Steve Smith, Panthers - As Pat Daugherty suggested Sunday night, mixing it up with Steve Smith is up there with charging the mound on Nolan Ryan in the sports pantheon of biting off more than one man can chew. Much like the rest of the league’s corners, Jabari Green couldn’t contain Smith down the field. Roman Harper answerd with a cheap shot, Malcolm Jenkins ended up with Smith’s fist in his facemask, and DC Gregg Williams resorted to bracket coverage the rest of the way. Third only to Wes Welker and Calvin Johnson in fantasy points, Smith is on pace for 1,950 yards in revitalized offense.

Jimmy Graham, Saints - With another eight receptions for 129 yards, the “Graham Reaper” becomes the first tight end in Saints history with three consecutive games over the century mark. Firmly entrenched as Drew Brees’ go-to receiver, Graham bypassed Rob Gronkowski to take over as fantasy’s No. 1 tight end. On pace for a 102/1,587/10 line, Graham has already racked up 130 more yards than the next closest tight end.

Committee Time

Chargers - Ryan Mathews: 25 touches, 132 yards / Mike Tolbert 8 touches, 49 yards / Jacob Hester 13 touches, 60 yards

The good news is that Mathews managed to rack up 24 carries despite a calf injury that ended his day early and sent him home on crutches. Early signs suggest neither the calf or an additional wrist injury is serious, and Mathews has the bye week to rest up for the Jets in Week 7. He remains a top-10 fantasy back. Tolbert is also expected to be fine coming out of the bye week after sustaining a concussion. Jacob Hester will not have fantasy value barring further injuries to both players.

Chiefs - Jackie Battle: 21 touches, 140 yards / Thomas Jones: 12 touches, 62 yards / Dexter McCluster 5 touches, 18 yards

Coach Todd Haley warned that Battle had earned a larger role, and the journeyman special teamer responded with a career game against a hapless Colts run defense. "There’s never been a time where I’ve seen him get hit and he doesn’t fall forward," offered Matt Cassel. Battle was a mediocre talent lacking in short-area quickness with a career per-carry average of 3.0 coming into this game. Don’t expect him to get more than what’s blocked, but there’s fantasy value here as the Chiefs’ primary runner. With Jones’ touches on the decline and McCluster ideally suited to a niche passing-down role, Battle is now the best use of a fantasy roster spot in Kansas City.

Patriots - BenJarvus Green-Ellis: 28 touches, 149 yards, 2 TDs / Stevan Ridley 7 touches, 13 yards

Green-Ellis success was dictated by game plan against a defense that sported a lighter 3-1-7 alignment to start the game. BJGE racked up 99 yards and a score on plays in which the Jets has six or fewer defenders in the box. Courtesy of ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss, Green-Ellis played 61-of-81 offensive snaps compared to just 13 for Ridley. Lawfirm’s receiving skills are subpar, but the Patriots believe he’s superior in pass protection. We knew that coach Bill Belichick would only trust a rookie who makes the most of his opportunities, and Ridley failed for the first time in three weeks. Belichick opted to stick with the hot hand, which now belongs to Green-Ellis as the goal-line horse and feature back. The carry distribution is fluid, however, and subject to change if Ridley bounces back in the next couple of weeks.

Saints - Darren Sproles: 16 touches, 91 yards / Mark Ingram: 11 touches, 49 yards, 1 TD / Pierre Thomas: 10 touches, 42 yards, 1 TD

Sproles is one of New Orleans’ most dynamic players, and coach Sean Payton knows it. For the first time this year, Sproles led the backfield in touches while continuing to play the most snaps among the three backs. Ingram was set up for success against a tissue paper-thin run defense, but he lost a gimme touchdown to FB Jed Collins for the second straight week. Thomas may be the NFL’s first screen-pass specialist -- quite a luxury for Payton.

Panthers - DeAngelo Williams: 9 touches, 115 yards, 1 TD / Jonathan Stewart 7 touches, 33 yards

Stewart was noticeably absent the entire first half, as the Saints ran more than twice as many offensive plays. He did enter on first-and-goal opportunities on two separate series, but the Panthers opted for Cam Newton as the goal-line runner of choice on every occasion. For the second straight week, Williams was the more effective runner. D-Will is averaging 98.5 yards at 10.4 yards per clip over the past two weeks, but it’s hard to trust either back in semi-even timeshare with Newton as the touchdown vulture.

Packers - James Starks: 14 touches, 59 yards / Ryan Grant: 8 touches, 24 yards

Coach Mike McCarthy planned to increase Grant’s workload before a bruised kidney kept him out last week. Grant fumbled on the opening drive Sunday night while failing to flash power and speed equal to Starks. The latter saw an 11-4 carry advantage following Grant’s fumble. We still prefer Starks to Grant fantasy-wise, but this is the quintessential “hot hand” situation.

Colts - Donald Brown: 8 touches, 38 yards / Delone Carter: 14 touches, 34 yards, 1 TD / Joseph Addai 7 touches, 25 yards

It’s time to collect if you had Week 5 in the Addai injury pool. The Colts’ starter was visibly frustrated after a game-ending hamstring injury, which suggests it’s of the multi-week variety. Backup Carter, now averaging just 3.0 yards per on 41 carries, was outplayed by former first-round bust Donald Brown the rest of the way. The two will likely split touches next week against the Bengals, the league’s No. 1 defense through five games.

Injury Ward

Tarvaris Jackson - Pectoral
Ryan Mathews, Chargers - Calf
Chris Johnson, Titans - Hamstring
LeGarrette Blount, Buccaneers - Knee
Mike Tolbert, Chargers - Concussion
Joseph Addai, Colts - Hamstring
Julio Jones, Falcons - Hamstring
Donald Jones, Bills - Ankle
Josh Morgan, 49ers - Ankle
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots - Illness
Zach Miller, Seahawks - Concussion
James Casey, Texans - Pectoral
Mario Williams, Texans - Pectoral

Check out Matt Stroup’s “Mathews’ Calf, Julio’s Hammy” for in-depth analysis of Sunday’s M*A*S*H unit fallout.

Awards Section

Stat of the Week: As pointed out by the Boston Globe’s Shalise Manza-Young Sunday night, Wes Welker has piled up 740 receiving yards through five games. All of the Jets wide receivers combined have 576 yards. Total.

Runner-Up: Courtesy of CSN Philly’s Reuben Franks, the Eagles are averaging 446 yards per game. Their 2,228 total yards are the eighth-most in NFL history through five weeks and the most ever for a 1-4 team.

Quote of the Week: Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s deadpan style was in full effect on the subject of Welker this week. Asked about his star receiver setting a pace to break Jerry Rice’s single-season records, Belichick replied, “Wes has been productive for us.” Asked if Welker is doing anything different this year, Belichick offered, “I don’t think he’s eating more broccoli or anything like that.”

Runner-Up: From Cam Newton, when asked by a reporter if he was surprised by how quickly he had made the transition to the NFL: “If you write a good article, do you surprise yourself?”

Tweet of the Week: From ESPN.com analyst Ross Tucker, watching Sunday night’s Packers-Falcons game: “If Michael Turner has a daughter I hope for her sake she doesn't get her daddy's thighs.”

Runner-Up: From Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com, watching Sunday night’s game in the first half, panning the Brett Favre radio comments from early last week: “Favre: I would have won this game already.”

Second Runner-Up: From Broncos beat writer Andrew Mason sitting in the press box late in the fourth quarter, an understated description of the Tebow effect late in the fourth quarter: “My laptop is shaking.”

Fantasy MVP of Week 5: Adrian Peterson, Vikings

Fantasy Breakout Player of Week 5: Pierre Garcon, Colts

Fantasy Rookie of Week 5: Cam Newton, Panthers

Fantasy Disappointment of Week 5: Matt Ryan, Falcons

Fantasy Fraud of Week 5: Josh Freeman / Mike Williams, Buccaneers

Fantasy Fluke of Week 5: Jason Hill, Jaguars

Fine Fifteen Fantasy Offenses

1. Patriots
2. Eagles
3. Lions
4. Packers
5. Saints
6. Cowboys
7. Panthers
8. Texans
9. Falcons
10. Giants
11. Chargers
12. Bills
13. Steelers
14. Ravens
15. Cardinals

Early Waiver Look

QB: Tim Tebow, Alex Smith, Matt Cassel, Andy Dalton, Christian Ponder, Charlie Whitehurst, Curtis Painter
RB: Jackie Battle, Delone Carter, Donald Brown, Jonathan Dwyer, Earnest Graham, Kregg Lumpkin, Allen Bradford
WR: Steve Breaston, Doug Baldwin, James Jones, Early Doucet, Damian Williams, Greg Little, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kevin Walter, Devin Aromashodu, Jason Avant, Naaman Roosevelt, Ted Ginn, Jeremy Kerley
TE: Jared Cook, Jermaine Gresham, Jake Ballard

HacheMan · Oct 10, 2011

MNF Matchup: Bears @ Lions
Monday Night Football

Chicago @ Detroit

Is the Bears' defense overrated? Since what's shaping up as a fluky Week 1 domination of the Falcons, Chicago has been touched up for an average of 314 passing yards per week, seven passing touchdowns and two interceptions, while generating only three sacks. Opposing running backs are averaging 4.66 yards per carry against the Bears. There's nothing intimidating about those numbers. Use your Lions skill players on Monday Night Football. ... Calvin Johnson has scored three touchdowns and averaged 87 yards on six catches in his last five meetings with the Bears, not including a would-be 30-yard scoring grab in Week 1 last season that was controversially overturned on review. Look for Johnson to dog-walk diminutive LCB Tim Jennings and aging RCB Charles Tillman all over the field. ... The last time Matthew Stafford made it through a full game against the Bears was during his rookie year, and he racked up 296 passing yards. This season, Stafford is the No. 4 overall fantasy quarterback and his connection with Megatron appears incapable of being stopped. ... Lions slot receiver Nate Burleson has four catches for 28 scoreless yards in his last two games, combined. I'd want to see Burleson pick it up before using him in fantasy football.

Jahvid Best is a top-nine PPR back, but much more an RB2 in standard leagues. Whereas his 3.2 YPC is identical to last year's, Best ranks fifth in the NFL in receptions among tailbacks, and sixth in receiving yards. ... The Lions may have to explore using Brandon Pettigrew as a "help" blocker for Jeff Backus soon, because Detroit's blind-side tackle is getting ransacked in protection. While Backus was lucky Stafford escaped countless Week 4 left tackle pressures to take no sacks, Backus was just as ineffective as the previous game, when Jared Allen pinned three quarterback takedowns on him. Backus was facing DeMarcus Ware last week, but he'll have his hands full again with Julius Peppers on Monday night. To be sure, the stats say Pettigrew is in line for a productive day. Chicago has allowed four touchdowns to tight ends in four games, and a 6.5-catch, 82-yard weekly average. Just don't be surprised when Pettigrew slows down and starts blocking more. He's currently on pace for career highs in receptions (88) and yards (960). ... The Bears historically defend designated deep threats well because of their Cover-2 scheme. It isn't good news for Titus Young.

Playing on the road against the aggressive Lions, the Bears will likely try to keep Stafford off the field with heavy doses of Matt Forte. Reintroducing a lead blocker to their offense (FB Tyler Clutts), the Bears skewed toward the run in Week 4, racking up 31 rushing attempts compared to 17 passes. The revised game plan worked, as Forte averaged 8.2 yards per carry en route to a career-high 205 yards. The Lions rank 20th against the run, allowing 4.76 YPC. ... Jay Cutler is barely on the QB2 radar coming off his fewest pass attempts in a full game since 2009. Detroit is also significantly better in pass than run defense. Cutler is a lowly 24th in fantasy quarterback scoring, so here's hoping you didn't consider him anyway. The Bears have lost faith in their passing game. ... Dane Sanzenbacher and Johnny Knox are the only Chicago wideouts worth Week 5 consideration, and neither is an inviting option. Sanzenbacher was on the field for just 13 snaps last week. Knox would need Chicago to fall behind early and start winging it to be worthwhile. ... Devin Hester isn't a fantasy option outside of return-yardage leagues. Coming off a catch-less Week 4 game against the Panthers, he's on pace for just 556 receiving yards this year.

Score Prediction: Lions 30, Bears 20

HacheMan · Oct 10, 2011

Instant Impressions: Week 5

By Christopher Harris
ESPN.com

• Welcome to TSPN. As in: Tebow and Sports Programming Network. Tim Tebow replaced an ineffective Kyle Orton after halftime Sunday, and although Timmy's numbers didn't sing (4-of-10 for 79 yards with a passing touchdown; six carries for 38 yards and a rushing touchdown), it won't stop us folks at the Worldwide Leader from dedicating a large chunk of our talk over the next two weeks to the question: Tim Tebow, great quarterback or the greatest quarterback? Tebow nearly brought the Broncos back from the brink against the Chargers, and although Denver has a Week 6 bye, you'd have to be the staunchest Tebow hater evah to claim that Orton should retain his starting job. It's time to watch Timmy sink or swim. And because the guy almost will certainly be his own goal-line back, Tebow is worth an add in all fantasy formats.

<CITE>Jeff Gross/Getty Images</CITE>Ryan Mathews recorded his first 100-yard game of the season but will need the bye week to get back on the field.

• The same game saw drama amid the Chargers' backfield. First, Ryan Mathews left the game with a calf strain. Then, Mike Tolbert suffered a concussion. Then, Mathews returned to the game, reinjured the calf and left for good. Mathews was certainly the beneficiary of the most playing time, winding up with 24 carries for 115 yards while Tolbert had five carries for 24 yards, but it was revealing that Jacob Hester was actually the back on the game's key drive with San Diego winning by two. San Diego also has a bye next week, which should allow these guys to get healthy (as well as possibly Antonio Gates). But the merry-go-round keeps going 'round. Mathews is the player to start, but he's not shedding his injury-prone label just yet.

• LeGarrette Blount took a blow to the knee from Dashon Goldson in the third quarter Sunday with the Buccaneers losing 31-3, and Blount didn't return to the game. As of this writing, we don't know much about the injury, and the fact that Tampa was getting crushed at the time might've meant the problem wasn't serious, but the team decided to hold Blount out for precautionary reasons. In Week 6, the Bucs try to get back on track against the Saints at home. If Blount is limited, the running back work figures to be spread out among Earnest Graham, Allen Bradford and Kregg Lumpkin.

• The Colts look like an early leader in the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes, going to 0-5 with a dispiriting defensive effort against the moribund Chiefs. Worse for fantasy owners, Joseph Addai proved that his reputation for fragility isn't all talk, as he injured a hamstring in the first quarter and didn't return. Expect the slow-healing Addai to miss more time. In his place, Indy split the work between Delone Carter and Disappearing Donald Brown, and you know what? Brown was actually the better player (eight carries for 38 yards, compared to 12 for 22 for Carter). However, it was clear that Carter will be the Colts' preferred option near an opponent's goal line, though I can't promise they'll get there often against the Bengals next week. This will almost certainly be a split, at least until one of the young rushers asserts himself.

• On the other sideline, Thomas Jones had an acceptable statistical game on a per-carry basis (10 totes for 55 yards), but Jackie Battle got more work and really put the game away late. He wound up with 16 carries for 119 yards and added 21 more yards in the passing game; 41 of those rushing yards came on a crucial third-quarter drive, and he put the contest out of reach with about two minutes left with a 24-yard scamper. Battle also appeared to get his head dinged on his final carry and had to be helped off the field, but the Chiefs are off in Week 6, so he'll have time to get right. Visually, there's very little difference between Jones and Battle: Each looks as though he's running in molasses, but K.C.'s line blew open some good holes Sunday. I'm skeptical that Battle will notch another 100-yard game this season, but he's still probably worth an add for teams that are desperate for running back help.

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<CITE>William Perlman/US Presswire</CITE>Victor Cruz continues to show a flair for the spectacular, but can he be trusted in fantasy?

• Still color me skeptical, but Victor Cruz put up his third consecutive game of at least 98 receiving yards, and in those three contests he has 17 grabs for 369 yards and three scores. The UMass alumnus made a ridiculous circus catch on a bad pass from Eli Manning into double coverage Sunday, and that led to his 68-yard score, but Cruz seems to be making a living on these tipped, bobbled and misdirected plays. The difference Sunday, however, was that Cruz hadn't replaced Mario Manningham in two-receiver sets; his biggest plays came as he ran out of the slot, and Manningham appeared to be in nobody's doghouse for a change. Cruz is a good story (and he played collegiate football in the town where I live), but I think he's someone to sell high on.

• Rashard Mendenhall was active but served only as the Steelers' emergency back. Isaac Redman started and did get the lion's share of carries, including a look from the Titans' 1 on which he was stuffed, but it was the better-pedigreed Jonathan Dwyer who broke the only long run of the game, a 76-yard scamper midway through the second quarter. Redman actually wound up leaving the game with a leg injury, ceding garbage touches to Dwyer, although early reports out of Pittsburgh indicated that Redman was dealing with a cramp. If Mendy's hammy is still bad for next week's contest with the Jaguars, I still think Redman will be the lead back if he's healthy, though Dwyer proved worthy of touches, too.

• Some unheralded receivers produced big games in Week 5. Doug Baldwin (136 yards and a score), Jason Avant (139 yards) and Jason Hill (118 yards and a score) emerged from nowhere, while James Jones (140 yards and a touchdown) and Malcom Floyd (100 yards and a touchdown) climbed out of their respective funks. But how about Darrius Heyward-Bey? In back-to-back weeks, DHB has at least 99 yards receiving. True, the Texans essentially dared the Raiders to beat them with DHB by singling him up on corner Jason Allen, but Heyward-Bey played a legitimately strong game with good moves and power after the catch. The WR smoke seems to be settling in Oakland, with DHB and Denarius Moore starting as the outside receivers and Jacoby Ford playing the slot (with guys like Chaz Schilens and Derek Hagan also seeing time). This is probably too big a mess to consider starting any of these guys right now. But DHB has never come close to stringing together two games like this in his pro career. I think he's worth a speculative add, just in case.

• It was pretty obvious what happened as soon as Julio Jones pulled up on a deep throw down the left side Monday night. Jones touched his hamstring and bent over, then was next seen limping to the locker room. The Falcons roared down the field the first two times they touched the ball against the Packers but did precious little thereafter, and Jones -- coming off back-to-back 100-yard efforts -- illustrated why it can be scary to rely on rookie No. 2 receivers in fantasy by posting one catch for 16 yards. My speculation simply based on observing the injury is that Jones' fantasy owners should be prepared for life without him for at least next week against the Panthers. Harry Douglas and Eric Weems are best suited to be slot players, but they'll likely both line up in three-receiver sets if Jones does miss time.

• It wasn't as big a story as it could've been because the Falcons are having terrible trouble rushing the passer, but the Packers may be without both of their starting tackles for a time. Bryan Bulaga missed Week 5 with a sprained knee, and Chad Clifton appeared to severely injure a hamstring Sunday night. That leaves rookie Derek Sherrod at right tackle and Marshall Newhouse guarding Aaron Rodgers' blind side. It's not like you'd even think about benching Rodgers or his primary weapons, nor do I expect Green Bay's Week 6 opponent, the winless Rams, to generate much of a pass rush. (They have eight sacks in four games.) But this could be a story as the season winds on.

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<CITE>Greg M. Cooper/US Presswire</CITE>BenJarvus Green-Ellis had a career day against the Jets and now has five touchdowns this season.

• I've been strident in my stance that although Stevan Ridley has looked pretty good for a couple of straight games, you need to start BenJarvus Green-Ellis over him every week, because at the very least there's no evidence to suggest that BJGE's goal-line work is in jeopardy. Well, versus the Jets in Week 5, the Law Firm did more than just pound in a short touchdown (though he did that, too): Green-Ellis carried it 27 times for 136 yards and two short scores, as he killed the clock and choked the life out of New York. It won't always be this way for BJGE, but you're wise to use him over Ridley until further notice. (But that doesn't mean Ridley isn't ownable.)

• There's no debating that Curtis Painter likes to throw to Pierre Garcon. Garcon led the Colts in targets again with eight. And his first touchdown Sunday was supremely legit: a 6-yard, red zone score over the middle where Garcon fought through traffic and caught a crisp slant. But his second score -- a 67-yard affair -- was yet another utterly blown coverage where Garcon found himself traipsing down the field with nobody within 10 yards. I can't quibble with the numbers. I mean, in the past two weeks Garcon has 271 yards receiving and four touchdowns. But three of those touchdowns have come because of insanely bad tackling or just flat-out forgetting that No. 85 plays for Indy. I admit that I'm going to start ranking Garcon in the mid-30s among fantasy wideouts this week. But I'm not buying him as elite, and I'm still putting Reggie Wayne above him (if only slightly above him) for the time being. www.rapsports.com

• The Texans' defense suffered a serious blow, as former No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams tore a pectoral muscle Sunday against the Raiders. As of this writing, the team hasn't indicated how much time Williams will miss, but it's hard to imagine he'll be playing any time soon. Williams suffered the injury while sacking Jason Campbell, his fifth sack of the young season; as a team, Houston currently has 15 in five contests. Not that he looked like a viable starting fantasy quarterback the last time we saw him on the field, but Joe Flacco's matchup next week versus Houston did just get more attractive.

HacheMan · Oct 10, 2011

Four Downs: Thoughts on Chiefs O,Tebow

Eric Karabell

Many fantasy owners probably gave up on the key members of the Kansas City Chiefs when star running back Jamaal Charles sadly went down for the season in Week 2. Consider that the Chiefs lost their first two games by a combined 89-10 score. Quarterback Matt Cassel was terrible, averaging just 126 passing yards per game. Dwayne Bowe wasn't doing much. There was no running game, little hope overall.

Things look considerably different now. Cassel, 19th among quarterbacks in ESPN average live drafts but 30th in standard scoring entering Sunday, tossed four touchdown passes in a comeback win against the Indianapolis Colts, earning a cool 27 standard fantasy points. Bowe caught two of the touchdown passes, the third time in four games he topped 100 receiving yards. Steve Breaston, owned in fewer than 4 percent of ESPN standard leagues after being selected in the 15th round of ESPN average live drafts, caught the other two touchdowns, finally showing relevance. And the Chiefs perhaps found their new running back in veteran reserve Jackie Battle.

All of this is nice, but fantasy owners shouldn't get too excited; I was down on all Chiefs other than Charles entering this season in part because they have a difficult schedule. These Colts aren't so difficult, notably against the run. Cassel's crew still must face the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, New York Jets and Green Bay Packers, not to mention a pair of games with the decent Oakland Raiders and a rematch with the San Diego Chargers. Bowe is the only Chief that should be started in all fantasy leagues, and it's a good sign that Cassel, a fantasy backup, isn't holding him back at all.

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<CITE>Michael Hickey/US Presswire</CITE>Jackie Battle, 28, came into Sunday's game with just 51 carries in his career.

Then there's Battle, sure to be a popular free-agent addition this week. I wrote about Battle on Friday as a sneaky fantasy pickup, and it turned out to be more prescient and immediate than even I thought; Battle received 20 rushing attempts last season. On Sunday, 19 were bestowed on him and he turned them into 119 yards. He had 118 rushing yards his first four NFL seasons. Battle is big and strong, and stranger things have happened for fantasy owners ignoring what could be that next big thing (Peyton Hillis, circa 2010), but the Colts haven't been able to stop the run seemingly since the Reagan administration. I'd add Battle in most formats, but merely as home run depth. Thomas Jones and Dexter McCluster are still there, you know. Second down: Ben Roethlisberger seemed like a poorer play than usual for Week 5 because his sprained left foot had him limping around all week in a boot. Plus, the Tennessee Titans were playing terrific defense. Naturally, Big Ben tossed five touchdown passes in the Sunday rout. Roethlisberger had produced three touchdowns his first four games.

My advice would be to not assume Roethlisberger is safe the rest of the way. I can't explain the Titans' side of things, but the Steelers still can't protect their quarterback or help the team's running backs. I know, I know, third-stringer Jonathan Dwyer broke a 76-yarder en route to 111 yards. Don't buy it. It's one play. Rashard Mendenhall, active for the game but not used thanks to a balky hammy, is having a poor season. Isaac Redman, overrated and probably overactive in fantasy leagues this week, averaged 3 yards per carry. Roethlisberger threw for a pedestrian 228 yards. Like the Chiefs, you can't help but love the Steelers' top wide receiver (Mike Wallace) no matter what, but otherwise I'm still selling the other parts, if possible.

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<CITE>Andrew Carpenean/US Presswire</CITE>Tim Tebow is owned in just 2.6 percent of ESPN standard leagues.

Third down: Kyle Orton couldn't even make it to November this season. Say what you will about the polarizing Tim Tebow, but I think he'll be a decent fantasy provider, just like he was in his three-game sample last season, when he produced seven touchdowns and an average of 66 rushing yards per contest. I realize I'm in the minority on this one. While his arm isn't strong or accurate and his passes aren't pretty, he makes up for it with his legs. I won't call Tebow a top-10 fantasy quarterback -- I'd say probably the 14-17 range if he keeps playing -- but it's pretty clear Orton needs to be elsewhere.
As for how this presumed official quarterback change affects others, I don't think this news necessarily helps any Broncos, but it doesn't hurt, either. Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd averaged 88 receiving yards during Tebow's three-game trial last season, scoring twice, and I just don't buy the argument that running quarterbacks deem their running backs ineffective, like in Carolina this season. LeSean McCoy is fine in Philly. Rejuvenated Willis McGahee has topped 100 rushing yards three times in four weeks. That's impressive, and oddly enough, I think legit. Fourth down: Speaking of those Carolina Panthers, my problem in recommending DeAngelo Williams as a smart buy-low fellow moving forward is that I just don't see enough carries. He achieved his 115 rushing yards Sunday on a mere nine attempts. The totally legit Cam Newton ran seven times. Jonathan Stewart ran six times. The Panthers always seem to trail, necessitating the many passes Newton throws, and entering Sunday they were closer to last in rushing attempts than first, with Newton getting a third of the carries. Williams is averaging nine carries per game. It's not enough, and I don't see this changing, which is why I'd sell high on Williams before the next game. For perspective, he will not be among my top 25 running backs for Week 6 at Atlanta.

HacheMan · Oct 11, 2011

The Best Style? Jahvid Best is a boom-or-bust kind of runner, putting up inconsistent week-to-week production and driving owners up a wall. He’s also the kind of player all fantasy owners should want to own.That’s because Best is an explosive, difference-making back. As he showed Monday night, he can win you fantasy weeks. And when you have his kind of elusiveness and speed, the kind of massive game he put on the Bears is a weekly threat. Plodders like Shonn Greene, LeGarrette Blount and the current Michael Turner just aren’t capable of it. With Best, we use the strategy of reaching for the highest possible ceiling. That strategy leads to fantasy titles more often than not.Speaking of ceilings, owners playing matchups should note that Best loves the Ford Field turf. Coming into last night, Best was averaging 3.9 yards per carry at home vs. 2.6 yards per carry on the road. Also, he was at 10.5 yards per catch at home vs. 8.0 yards per catch on the road. After last night’s 12 carries for a career-high 163 yards, that split has spiked even more. One last thing: Calvin Johnson is now on pace for 92.8 catches, 1443.2 yards and 28.8 touchdowns. Not even the Bears’ Cover-2 that tries to keep everything in front could contain him. BEARS at LIONS RANDOM THOUGHTSEarl Bennett isn’t very good, but Dane Sanzenbacher isn’t much better. Three of his six catches last night came in garbage time. Move along. … The Bears’ offensive line is a joke. Jay Cutler is skittish, anticipating the rush. And with good reason. Avoiding their entire passing game is the safe play. … Titus Young is getting more and more chances in two-wide sets. He had four targets last night, the same number as Nate Burleson. … Brandon Pettigrew is essentially the Lions’ short-yardage option on early downs. They throw short gains to him instead of pounding the ball into the line. Nice PPR asset. … Nick Fairley (foot) made his NFL debut as a rotational rusher.Editor’s Note: For early rankings, projections, the Running Back report, the top-200 going forward list and much more, check out the Season Pass!NEWS OF THE DAY #1Sometimes, NFL coaches actually put their best players on the field. On Monday, the Browns pledged to do so. Coach Pat Shurmur announced that Greg Little has been promoted to the starting “X” receiver spot, replacing a brutally ineffective Brian Robiskie. Little will move to the slot in three-wide sets. That means that the Browns’ most dangerous offensive player -- yes, more dangerous than Peyton Hillis -- is going to be on the field every snap. Little’s target count was on the rise anyway as a perfect fit for the Browns’ sleepy West Coast offense. He got three targets in Week 1, five in Weeks 2 and 3 and eight in Week 4. The rookie is a special talent after the catch and a physical specimen. Owners in PPR formats need to take a look. NEWS OF THE DAY #2There was a lot of speculation leading up to Week 5 as to what Aaron Hernandez’s role would be just three weeks removed from an MCL sprain. Some reports had him playing a bit role despite being active. Nope.Hernandez played 65-of-81 snaps in his first game back and caught five passes. He also dropped an easy touchdown. After the game, the wideout/tight end earned high praise from Bill Belichick for how hard he worked during rehab. Hernandez is solidly back now as the Patriots’ No. 2 receiver, behind only Wes Welker. He’ll sustain TE1 value all season. INJURY QUICK SLANTSDonald Jones is out 4-6 weeks due to a high-ankle sprain. That moves David Nelson outside and Naaman Roosevelt into the slot. … Chris Johnson (hamstring) is expected to be fine. … LeGarrette Blount (knee) is in serious doubt for Week 6. Yes, pass him. … Ryan Mathews (calf, wrist) is expected to be ready when the Chargers come out of their bye. Mike Tolbert (concussion) should be fine as well. … Joseph Addai’s hamstring strain is going to cost him at least a week. Delone Carter is the add. … Tarvaris Jackson’s pectoral strain is going to cost him a week of practice at least. … Braylon Edwards (knee) is expected back Week 8. Meanwhile, Josh Morgan (ankle) is out indefinitely. … Miles Austin (hamstring) was back at practice Monday. He’s ready to go.DEPTH CHART QUICK SLANTSThe Redskins declined to name a starting running back between Ryan Torain and Tim Hightower. … Still no word on Cedric Benson’s possible suspension. It sounds like he is going to stave this thing off even longer. … The Broncos didn’t name a starting quarterback Monday, but we all know who it will be: Tebow Time, baby. … Donovan McNabb played poorly again in Week 5, but the Vikings won. So he keeps his job for now. … Bernard Berrian was benched for missing meetings last week. He figures to rotate with Devin Aromashodu going forward. Yawn. … Derrick Mason was benched in favor of Jeremy Kerley Sunday. … Editor’s Note: Sick of your team already? Get a new one and win real cash with SnapDraft!WAIVERSDEFENSIVE SPOT STARTSAdding a different defense/special teams each week based on matchups is a fine strategy. Here are units that might be on waivers to consider this week for streaming purposes: 1. STEELERS vs. Jaguars - In the days leading up to Week 5, Pittsburgh’s defense was labeled as old and declining by the national media. That may be true to some degree, but they’ll eat up Blaine Gabbert. Scoop ’em up if they were dropped. 2. BENGALS vs. Colts - In Week 5, the Bengals scored a defensive touchdown, had two fumble recoveries and recorded three sacks. They get an equally tasty matchup at home this week against the Colts. 3. RAIDERS vs. Browns - I do think the Browns will come out of the bye sporting a more effective offensive scheme. But the Raiders are proving to be playmakers with 14 sacks, three forced fumbles and five interceptions through five games.

HacheMan · Oct 11, 2011

Tebow Time

Along with Bob Knight and Pete Rose, Tim Tebow has already been one of the most polarizing figures in professional sports over the past half-century. Visceral love and hate are his constant companions. This Twitter exchange sums up the national attitude on Tebow in a nutshell: SI.com's Jim Trotter is pulling for Tebow because the negative reaction toward him "borders on irrational." Responds Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post, "So does the praise and adulation."

Detractors love to paint Tebow Nation as unreasonable acolytes, yet the former have been just as close-minded. Scouts, national and local writers, and plenty of NFL execs have written off a talented player, painting his devout followers as a fervent cult with simplistic notions on the making of a successful NFL quarterback. As Cecil Lammey of Footballguys.com puts it, “The human mind has difficulty processing something it's never seen before. Just because we've never seen a QB like Tebow doesn’t mean he sucks.”

The data at both the college and the pro level suggest that Tebow is indeed a “gamer,” that he’ll rarely impress teammates and coaches in scripted practice sessions. Even more than Ben Roethlisberger, Tebow is a free lancer and an improviser in the pocket. With an ugly throwing motion and a skill-set that is half-fullback, half-quarterback, he calls to mind former Vikings quarterbacks Joe Kapp and Fran Tarkenton a/k/a The Mad Scrambler, Frantic Fran, and Scramblin’ Fran.

The similarities to Hall of Famer Tarkenton don’t end there. Broncos coach John Fox and personnel czar John Elway have made it clear that they would prefer “a dropback quarterback with good accuracy” just as ex-Vikings head coach Norm Van Brocklin disdained the idea of a mobile quarterback.

As I’ve stated several times before, I have no idea if Tebow will develop into a successful NFL quarterback. Considering his immense fantasy potential, though, I still think it’s a sensible policy to keep an open mind. In three late-season 2010 starts, Tebow was the No. 1 fantasy player at any position. In each of four games with at least 10 pass attempts, he’s scored a touchdown via the pass as well as the run. He accomplished that feat in a fifth game with just one pass attempt and two rushes. Tebow may not be the passer that Cam Newton is, but he could very well be 80-90 percent of Newton as a fantasy option.

Similar to last year’s Michael Vick vs. Brandon Jackson waiver debate, I’m siding with the difference-making quarterback over the fleeting running back. Unless you have a stacked roster at quarterback and dregs at running back, Tebow is the No. 1 fantasy option this week. Just beware he’s heading into the bye week before returning to Florida for Gator reunion week against the Dolphins.

On to the players. Here is how I rank the top players at each position as we head into Week 6. Full writeups of each player are below.

Editor’s Note: Join subscriber only chats, get weekly rankings before anyone else, plus exlusive weekly projections, stats, dynasty ranks, columns, and much more including the Rotoworld Oracle in our Season Pass.

Quarterbacks
Tim Tebow
Matt Cassel
Alex Smith
Matt Moore
Charlie Whitehurst
Andy Dalton

Running Backs
Jackie Battle
Earnest Graham
Delone Carter
Donald Brown
Roy Helu
Jonathan Dwyer
Bernard Scott
Kregg Lumpkin

Wide Receivers
Greg Little
James Jones
Early Doucet
Damian Williams
Steve Breaston
Doug Baldwin
Mark Clayton
Darrius Heyward-Bey
Naaman Roosevelt

Tight Ends
Jared Cook
Ben Watson
Visanthe Shiancoe
Heath Miller

Defense/Special Teams
Bengals
Saints
Redskins

Quarterbacks

Tim Tebow, Broncos - Coach John Fox announced to his team Tuesday morning that Tebow would be the new starting quarterback. In three late-season 2010 starts, Tebow produced more fantasy points than any player in the NFL. In all four career games in which he’s received significant playing time, Tebow has scored via the run as well as the pass. He also did it in a fifth game with just one pass attempt and two rushes. Tebow and Cam Newton may already be the best goal-line quarterbacks in fantasy history. Consider Tebow 80-90 percent of Newton going forward. There will be bumps in the road, but this is a low-end QB1 right now. Just beware that the Broncos don’t play again until Week 7 at Miami.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Matt Cassel, Chiefs - After a dismal start, Cassel has now put together back-to-back games over 250 yards -- the most recent of which produced four touchdowns. Dwayne Bowe was the best player on the field last week, and Steve Breaston is emerging as a dangerous second option. Cassel has an attractive matchup in Week 7 against a Raiders team that allows the seventh-most points to opposing quarterbacks, but he’s off in Week 6.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Alex Smith, 49ers - Rotoworld’s Aaron Bruski, a Bay Area resident and lifelong 49ers fan, has led chants against Smith as recently as last season. As of Sunday night, though, Jim Harbaugh had him convinced that Smith has turned the corner and may actually go beyond the game manager label this season. He has a passer rating over 90 in four of five games this year while finishing with the highest single-game Total QBR score of the season in Week 5. For the record, I remain highly skeptical that Smith will be a fantasy asset in 12-team leagues this season. His track record suggests a faceplant is just around the corner.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Matt Moore, Dolphins - A favorite of former front-office exec and NFL scout Russ Lande, Moore takes over an offense with some interesting pieces in Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, Daniel Thomas and Reggie Bush. While he’s capable of matching Chad Henne’s production, Moore will have to played judiciously in deeper leagues against weaker secondaries. He gets fantasy’s stingiest pass defense in Week 6 (Jets) before a Week 7 matchup against fantasy’s most generous pass defense (Broncos).

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Charlie Whitehurst, Seahawks - At 11-of-19 for 149 yards and a touchdown, Whitehurst played well enough in relief of Tarvaris Jackson to lead Seattle to victory in the second half. The Seahawks won’t know “for a while” the severity of Jackson’s pectoral strain, and surgery hasn’t been completely dismissed. Jackson won’t even throw the ball during the bye week, which would seem to leave Whitehurst as the favorite to start at Cleveland in Week 7. The Seahawks offense is coming alive of late, too, with more yards the past two weeks 796 than the first three weeks combined (644).

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Andy Dalton, Bengals - Dalton may have a winning record, but he’s averaging just over 200 yards and one touchdown per week. He’s proven capable of solid numbers when the Bengals are playing from behind. Unfortunately, the winless Colts are on the docket for Week 6 before a Week 7 bye. Dalton is still limited to two-quarterback leagues.

Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues.

Hold Off: Blaine Gabbert

Gabbert would have had been held under 150 yards with zero scores had the Bengals not blown coverage on Jason Hill’s long touchdown. His footwork and pocket presence will continue to hold him back.

Watch List: Christian Ponder, John Beck, Richard Bartel

Donovan McNabb got another vote of confidence Monday, but the Vikings won in spite of their quarterback. One or two more losses, and it will be time to join the Broncos in moving on to the future. … Similarly, Beck is just a couple of Rex Grossman meltdowns away from the starting job. … Bartel is purely a stash for deeper leagues. Kevin Kolb is struggling, and the former has shown that he can move the Cardinals offense.

Running Backs

Jackie Battle, Chiefs - A 28-year-old special teamer who narrowly made the final roster in September, Battle entered Week 5 with an underwhelming career per-carry average of 3.0. The scouting report suggested an intriguing size/speed package with a fumbling problem and little natural feel for the position. If LeSean McCoy is at a 10 on the lateral agility scale, Battle is in the 1.5 range. He’s a pure straight-ahead runner, who enjoyed extra wide lanes against a 31st-ranked Colts defense surrendering 145 rushing yards per game. While I suspect Week 5 will stand as a career game, opportunity is half the battle for NFL running backs. If Samkon Gado and Earnest Graham can emerge as fantasy factors in a lost season, Battle can follow suit for the Chiefs as a potential RB2 the rest of the way.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Earnest Graham, Buccaneers - Speaking of Graham, he’s set to take over as the “lead ball carrier” with LeGarrette Blount (knee) possibly (likely?) out for Week 6 against the Saints. Graham is a pedestrian runner, but he’s already on pace for 70+ receptions as a part-time player. If Blount does miss this week’s game, consider Graham a solid RB2 in PPR formats and a borderline option in standard-scoring leagues.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Donald Brown, Colts - Let’s not mince words here. The 2009 first-rounder has been an injury-prone bust to date, showing no power, questionable pass protection skills, and only rare traces of playmaking ability. That said, Brown outplayed Delone Carter in Week 5 once Joseph Addai went down with a hamstring injury. Addai is likely to miss this week’s game at Cincinnati, leaving Brown and Carter to split the workload. Behind a cobbled-together offensive line, neither player will be more than desperation flex option in deeper leagues.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Delone Carter, Colts - I couldn’t believe that Donald Brown looked better Carter last week, so I went back and watched the game via NFL.com’s Rewind. Carter flashed decent power against the Chiefs, but he offers no playmaking ability and won’t make tacklers miss. If you’re forced to play him against the Bengals in Week 6, it’s with the idea that he could sneak into the end zone again as the goal-line back.

Recommendation: Worth a look in touchdown-heavy leagues.

Roy Helu, Redskins - Helu has averaged just nine touches over his past three games. If that workload remains static in the revamped Redskins backfield, he has a shot for deep-league flex value against the Eagles (most fantasy points allowed), Panthers (third-most), and Bills (ninth-most) the next three weeks. If Cadillac Williams, Kendall Hunter, and Brandon Jacobs can explode against Philly’s overmatched defense, Helu has a shot as well.

Recommendation: Should be owned in deeper leagues.

Jonathan Dwyer, Steelers - Rashard Mendenhall’s (hamstring) status for Week 6 against the Jaguars is unclear after he missed the entirety of last week’s game. Aided by a 76-yard jailbreak run, Dwyer outplayed Isaac Redman on his way to 107 yards via 11 carries against the Titans. Dwyer is only an option if Mendenhall sits out -- and even then merely a deep-league flex in a timeshare with Redman.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Bernard Scott, Bengals - Once again, the decision on Cedric Benson’s three-game suspension is not expected to be announced this week. Scott remains a stash for insurance purposes, but keep in mind that the Bengals have their bye in Week 7. He’s not going to be in fantasy lineups until Week 8 at the earliest.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Kregg Lumpkin, Buccaneers - After talking up an increased role for Lumpkin, the coaching staff has a chance to put that plan into action with LeGarrette Blount (knee) in doubt for Week 6 against the Saints. While Earnest Graham is expected to be the early-down back, Lumpkin is slated for third-down duty. He’s worth tracking in deeper league in case Blount’s injury is of the multi-week variety.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper PPR leagues.

Cut Bait: Thomas Jones, Danny Woodhead

Jones is worthless now that Jackie Battle has taken over as the primary runner in Kansas City.

Hold Off: Jacob Hester

The San Diego Union-Tribune confirmed Monday that Ryan Mathews (calf, wrist) and Mike Tolbert (concussion) are both expected back after the Week 6 bye.

Watch List: Javon Ringer, Allen Bradford, Joe McKnight

Coach Mike Munchack fully anticipates Chris Johnson (hamstring) starting after the bye in Week 7, but Ringer is worth tracking in the event of a setback. … Bradford could get a carry or three against the Saints if Blount sits out as expected. … McKnight remains ahead of Bilal Powell, who has yet to be active this season.

Wide Receivers

Greg Little, Browns - Little was elevated to the starting lineup Monday, and it sounds like the coaching staff worked on increasing his role during the off week. Already playing more snaps than any Browns receiver, Little is now an every-down player, moving to the slot in three-wide sets. Boasting early-career Anquan Boldin skills after the catch, the rookie is now the obvious receiver to own in Cleveland.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.

James Jones, Packers - Jones is coming off a season-high 140 yards at Atlanta, and it may not be a fluke. Jones has been on the field for the majority of Aaron Rodgers’ pass attempts the past two weeks after riding the pine in the first three games. At the same time, an ineffective Donald Driver has played just one-third of the offensive snaps the past two weeks. It looks like we have a well-deserved changing of the guard at the third receiver spot. Jones could be a sneaky WR3 play in Week 6 against a Rams team without its top three cornerbacks.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues.

Early Doucet, Cardinals - Doucet drew a whopping 16 targets against the Vikings with Larry Fitzgerald continuing to draw double coverage. Starter Andre Roberts has played 118 more snaps than Doucet this season, but the latter has a 21/309/1 line compared to 12/125/0 for the former. With the passing game struggling, the coaching staff will have to think about making a change during the bye week. Doucet could feast on single coverage the rest of the way, though tough matchups against the Steelers and Ravens loom in Weeks 7 and 8.

Recommendation: Worth a look in PPR leagues.

Damian Williams, Titans - The 2010 third-rounder found the end zone for the second straight game while leading the Titans with 11 targets at Pittsburgh. He’s locked in as the starter opposite Nate Washington with a chance to maintain value as long as Matt Hasselbeck continues to air it out in Nashville.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues.

Mark Clayton, Rams - Danny Amendola is out for the season, Mike Sims-Walker is coming off a drop-filled nightmare performance, and Brandon Gibson was targeted just once in the last game. Sam Bradford is in desperate need of a reliable go-to receiver. Clayton filled that role early last season, and he’s eligible to come off the PUP list in Week 7 at Dallas. Updates have been scarce, but as of mid-September Clayton’s surgically knee was expected to be ready for action. He makes for a decent WR5 stash heading into Week 6.

Recommendation: Worth a stash in 12-team leagues.

Steve Breaston, Chiefs - I’ve been hesitant to recommend Breaston only because the Chiefs’ passing offense failed to hit 180 yards in each of the first three games. Now that Breaston has emerged as a viable second fiddle to Dwayne Bowe with eight catches, 141 yards, and two scores the past two weeks, he’s worth a look as a bench option heading into the Week 6 bye.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues.

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks - The Seahawks have found their long-term slot receiver. The undrafted rookie has decent size, above-average speed, and run-after-catch skills. After watching the Giants game on NFL Rewind, I’d feel much better about Baldwin as a fantasy pickup if Charlie Whitehurst remains the quarterback for a stretch of games. The two showed a nice rapport in the fourth quarter, where Baldwin did the majority of his damage. He’s going to be unreliable on a weekly basis if Tarvaris Jackson returns after the bye.

Recommendation: Worth a look in PPR leagues.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, Raiders - DHB has flirted with the century mark in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, but I need to see it again. His 115 yards in Week 4 were boosted by a long circus catch. His seven receptions for 99 yards in Week 5 were thanks in large part to Jason Allen’s huge cushion at the line of scrimmage. Feel free to add Heyward-Bey, but I’m not cutting Denarius Moore to pick him up.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Naaman Roosevelt, Bills - A hometown favorite from the University of Buffalo, Roosevelt stepped in with five second-half catches against the Eagles after Donald Jones went down with a high-ankle sprain in Week 5. Roosevelt will move into three-wide sets with Stevie Johnson and David Nelson, who was shifted outside after Jones’ injury. As we’ve noted in the past with Nelson, the slot receiver in Chan Gailey’s offense offers PPR potential.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper PPR leagues.

Cut Bait: Donald Jones, Austin Collie, Jacoby Jones, Chad Ochocinco, Big Mike Williams, Devery Henderson, Preston Parker, Donald Driver, Derrick Mason

Jones is out 4-6 weeks. … Collie is a great receiver going to waste in the Colts’ two-wideout sets. … Jacoby Jones fell flat on his face in Week 5. … Ochocinco isn’t playing well or often enough to matter. … Henderson has become an afterthought in NOLA. … Parker is unreliable. … Driver and Mason are done.

Hold Off: Jason Avant, Jason Hill, Ben Obomanu, Legedu Naanee

Avant is worth a look in deeper PPR leagues, but he’s never a great bet to follow one big game with another. … Hill’s 118 yards against the Bengals were courtesy of blown coverage on a 73-yard touchdown. … Obomanu isn’t certain to keep the starting job opposite Sidney Rice. … Naanee is still missing more than he’s catching.

Watch List: Harry Douglas, Ted Ginn, Devin Aromashodu, Austin Pettis, Titus Young, Jeremy Kerley

I wouldn’t go crazy over Douglas just because Julio Jones is nursing a hamstring injury. Douglas has never proven that he can be effective on the outside. … Ginn should see increased snaps with Josh Morgan out. … Aromashodu has a chance to take Bernard Berrian’s job. … Pettis comes out of the bye as the Rams’ slot receiver. … Young continues to eat into Nate Burleson’s snaps. … Kerley could take over for Derrick Mason as the Jets’ third receiver.

Tight Ends

Jared Cook, Titans - We suspected that Cook’s role would increase with the loss of Kenny Britt, and that has been the case the past two weeks. Cook has been targeted 15 times for six receptions, 152 yards, and a touchdown. The Titans have a bye in Week 6, so Cook would have to be rostered as a TE2 stash with a waiver pickup.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues.

Ben Watson, Browns - Coach Pat Shurmer calls Watson a “three-down tight end” who is playing at a “very high level” this season. Watson has been a low upside TE2 option thus far, but he has cleared 45 yards in three of four games as the most consistent option in Cleveland’s passing game. He’s set to face a Raiders defense allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings - The waiver outlook is grim for plug ‘n’ play tight ends, but Shiancoe and Heath Miller at least have attractive matchups. Coming off six targets last week, Shiancoe takes on a Bears defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a desperation spot start.

Heath Miller, Steelers - Miller finally found the end zone in Week 5, producing 40+ yards for the third time in five games. He’s worth a look in deeper leagues against a Jaguars defense allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a desperation spot start.

Cut Bait: Marcedes Lewis, Scott Chandler, Randy McMichael, Brent Celek, James Casey

Lewis has averaged less than 20 yards per game since Blaine Gabbert took over. … Chandler is no longer finding the end zone. … McMichael is without value now that Antonio Gates is due back after the bye.

Hold Off: Joel Dreessen, Jeff King

Much like James Casey, Dreessen has never produced two consecutive big games as long as Owen Daniels has been healthy. I wouldn’t bet on Dreessen blowing up again in Week 6. … King saw an increased role only because Todd Heap was out with a hamstring injury.

Watch List: Evan Moore, Jake Ballard, Delanie Walker, Rob Housler

Coach Pat Shurmur promises to get Moore extra playing time going forward. He should be monitored closely in deeper leagues. … Travis Beckum won’t be overtaking Ballard anytime soon. Ballard is in the mold of Kevin Boss and Mark Bavara as a blocking tight end who can also catch, and Eli Manning looks for him in the middle of the field. … Walker’s role could expand with Josh Morgan out, but he’s never been able string together a streak of fantasy-worthy starts. … Speedy rookie Housler saw eight targets last week with Heap out.

Defense/Special Teams

Bengals - Cincinnati still boasts the NFL’s No. 1 defense, just ahead of AFC North foes Pittsburgh and Baltimore. They have an excellent matchup for the second straight week, this time against Curtis Painter and the league’s 27th-ranked offense.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Saints - New Orleans has been a middle of the road fantasy defense through five weeks, but this is an attractive matchup against the NFL’s 28th-ranked offense. The Bucs will likely be playing without power back LeGarrette Blount, leaving them a one-dimensional offense in the hands of a slumping passer.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a spot start.

Redskins - It’s a high-risk move to spot start the ‘Skins in leagues that subtract for points and yards allowed, but many leagues do not. Michael Vick already has more turnovers than all of last season, and his patchwork offensive line will have trouble keeping Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan out of the backfield.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a spot start.

HacheMan · Oct 11, 2011

Free-agent finds: Week 6

Tebow, Battle lead top pickups even with bye week on the horizon

By Christopher Harris
ESPN.com

Some beliefs die hard. We learned stuff in the past, and it's hard to let the scales fall from our eyes. For the third straight summer, some folks tried to divine which Chicago Bears receiver would become a fantasy star thanks to Mike Martz, refusing to believe that it simply wasn't going to happen for any of them, and that perhaps the NFL has passed Martz by. When the Patriots traded for Chad Ochocinco, some would've had you believe The Ocho was instantly due a Randy Moss resurgence, when it had become obvious the past couple of years that Ochocinco hasn't been his old tough-as-nails self. Brent Celek would return to former glory. Donovan McNabb just needed a coach who believed in him. Reggie Bush would flourish as a feature back in Miami. It's not like anyone who believed these things was stupid; each belonged to a logical possible storyline. But now that they're all obviously not true, it's time to let them go. We're five weeks into the NFL season, and I daresay all of these players -- and many more -- are droppable in standard-sized fantasy leagues. So do yourself a favor: Rid yourself of these history-induced headaches and add some fresh blood.

Week 6 byes: Broncos, Cardinals, Chargers, Chiefs, Seahawks, Titans

Standard ESPN League Finds

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<CITE>Andrew Carpenean/US Presswire</CITE>Tim Tebow likely will be the most added player, but remember that his Broncos are on bye this week.

Tim Tebow, QB, Denver Broncos (owned in 2.7 percent of ESPN.com leagues). Sure, he's over-hyped. No, I'm not convinced he makes the Broncos appreciably better than Kyle Orton. But the winds of change are blowing in Denver, as Tebow has been named the Week 7 starter. If his three-start cameo at the end of last year taught us anything, it's that he's a solid bet for a rushing TD in almost every game. (In each of those three starts, he got in the end zone rushing the ball himself.) Tebow's ascension to the starting job is a blow to owners who've been pleasantly surprised by Willis McGahee, because What-You-Talkin'-'Bout-Willis won't be getting many (if any) short rushing scores in the immediate future. While Tebow won't make sense as your starting QB if you've got a certified stud under center, he's at least a very strong bye-week fill-in, and could even be a starter for those sputtering along with a Kevin Kolb or Sam Bradford. (Note, however, that Denver has a bye in Week 6.)

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Oakland Raiders (2.8 percent). I recommended DHB in last week's column, but only as a deep-league option. After his second straight strong game, I'm raising my estimation. Listen, it's the Raiders, and they've got a lot of very similar players in that receiving corps. I won't be surprised if someone like Denarius Moore or Jacoby Ford stars as soon as this week against the Cleveland Browns. But it's hard to ignore Heyward-Bey's 11 grabs for 214 yards the past two weeks. Oakland has been unwavering in keeping DHB in the starting lineup, and now seems to have settled on him and Moore on the outside, with Ford running out of the slot. Granted, Chaz Schilens scored a touchdown Sunday, Louis Murphy should return soon and Derek Hagan also gets some run. But when you watch tape of that Houston Texans game from this past weekend, you have to admit DHB did a superior job of being physical at the catch, and running solid routes. I'm not saying you start him right away, but there's no doubt that with his speed and size, he's got good bench upside.

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<CITE>AP Photo/AJ Mast</CITE>Jackie Battle averaged more than 6 yards a carry in the Chiefs' win over the Colts.

Jackie Battle, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (0.8 percent). Battle was the rushing star of Kansas City's second straight win, converting 19 carries into 119 yards. Thomas Jones also played well (10 carries for 55 yards), but it was Battle who led the charge as the Chiefs came back on the Indianapolis Colts: He had 14 carries for 93 yards in the second half. I watched this game tape and didn't see tons special about what Battle did: He took what was blocked, and found gaping holes on six or seven second-half runs. This is a guy who was known as a good athlete for his size (6-foot-2, 238 pounds) coming out of the University of Houston, running a 4.42 40 at his pro day, and he was a TD machine during his senior year (2006) in that wide-open Cougars attack. However, during NFL play he doesn't stand out to me as particularly speedy, and I'm not completely sold that Todd Haley is ready to hand him the keys, not with Jones still around. Also, most matchups aren't going to be as friendly versus the run as the Colts were in Week 5. The Chiefs are off this week so we're not going to know the answer to this backfield puzzle for a while, but I do acknowledge Battle is a good speculative add in all leagues, just in case we get some repeat performances down the road.

Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts (1.0 percent). Joseph Addai left Week 5's game in the first quarter with an injured hamstring, and I'm guessing he doesn't suit up Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. That leaves Brown and Delone Carter to share Indy's backfield touches. It probably is a committee; Brown got eight carries Sunday to Carter's 12. Despite the fact Brown was better on a per-play basis (averaging 4.8 yards per carry and producing a 16-yarder late in the first half, compared to Carter's 1.8 YPC), I prefer Carter as a desperation pickup simply because he looks like a clearer bet for goal-line carries. But I've talked Carter a couple of times in this column, and have yet to mention Brown. This former first-rounder is a bust among busts, an inveterate dancer at the line of scrimmage and a poor pass-blocker. But beggars can't be choosers, and he's a pretty good bet for double-digit touches in a week when guys like Chris Johnson, Ryan Mathews, Beanie Wells, Mike Tolbert and Willis McGahee are off.

Greg Little, WR, Cleveland Browns (1.5 percent). Just as anyone who observed Pat Shurmur's offense with the St. Louis Rams last year could've predicted, the Browns are among the league's worst in terms of passing yards per attempt. Colt McCoy is completing a vaguely respectable 58.1 percent of his throws, yet he's netting only 5.7 YPA and, according to STATS Inc., he's 27th in "yards at the catch," which measures how far downfield receivers are when they actually catch a pass. In other words, there's not very much to get excited about in the Cleveland receiving corps. Still, I like Little as a speculative add coming out of the bye week. News out of Browns camp indicates that Little has surpassed Brian Robiskie and will be the team's starting split end, and thus should be on the field for most of the squad's offensive snaps. Our theory on Little was always that this converted running back could do some damage in a short-passing offense because he's a tough guy to tackle after the catch. We'll get to put that theory to the test as soon as this week, against the Raiders. www.rapsports.com

David Nelson, WR, Buffalo Bills (46.1 percent). Predictably, Nelson has tailed off in a major way. He began the year with three games in which he caught 20 passes for 233 yards, but the past two weeks, as Ryan Fitzpatrick has crashed back down to earth, so has Nelson: three grabs for 24 yards, though he did salvage his fantasy day Sunday with a 6-yard TD on his only catch. As I wrote in last week's Hard Count, I was wary of adding any of the Bills' ancillary parts because this Buffalo offense reminds me a lot of Chan Gailey's '08 Chiefs squad, which had a blaze of glory but then crashed down to earth. So why do I pick now to write about Nelson? Because of Donald Jones's high ankle sprain, Nelson will reportedly bump outside from the slot, and potentially be more of a downfield threat. That combined with one fewer strong weapon available to Fitzpatrick gives Nelson some upside that I didn't see from him when the September hype built. I still think we're looking at a much better bye-week fill-in than regular starter. But provided Nelson can make the transition from inside to outside smoothly (which is no sure thing), I think we'll see some more consistent production from him.

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<CITE>Kirby Lee/US Presswire</CITE>Jason Campbell is a solid bye-week fill-in as the Raiders' receivers are starting to emerge.

Jason Campbell, QB, Oakland Raiders (34.7 percent). Yeah, I know. Ew. But the fact is that Campbell is fantasy's No. 12 quarterback right now, and has managed at least 13 (and as many as 24) fantasy points in four of his five starts. And the Browns are averaging 13.3 fantasy points allowed to opposing QBs. Certainly 13 fantasy points typically isn't something that's going to boost you to a bye-week win. But it's better than a sharp stick in the eye. Campbell doesn't always complete a high enough percentage of his passes (he went 15-for-35 last week in Houston, though for the season he does still sit at 60.3 percent), but he's made some plays down the field in just about every one of his starts in 2011. He'll be wise to stay away from budding star corner Joe Haden on Sunday, but this matchup doesn't scare me as much as some. I view him as an acceptable one-week replacement for a guy like Philip Rivers.

Cincinnati Bengals defense (39.1 percent). My pick in this spot last week was the New York Giants' defense, which mustered only six fantasy points versus a surprisingly spunky Seattle Seahawks offense. I think we can do better in Week 6 with Cincinnati. The Bengals' D has allowed the fewest total yards per game in the NFL, and while we're not talking about an elite turnover machine, they're doing well to get after opposing quarterbacks: You see a typically wide variety of blitzes from this Mike Zimmer unit, plus an inordinate amount of pressure right up the gut. The Colts' offense has perked up under Curtis Painter but still falls far shy of scary. I'm cool with Cincy as a one-week fill-in.

Other acceptable bye-substitutes, about whom I've written in previous weeks: Kendall Hunter, RB, 49ers (10.2 percent); Delone Carter, RB, Colts (1.8 percent); Isaac Redman (47.7 percent); Victor Cruz, WR, Giants (38.3 percent); Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers (7.4 percent); Jacoby Jones, WR, Texans (15.3 percent); Jermaine Gresham, TE, Bengals (38.5 percent).

Deeper League Finds

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<CITE>AP Photo/Don Wright</CITE>Surprisingly, it was Jonathan Dwyer who turned in the Steelers' first 100-yard rushing game of the 2011 season.

Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (0.1 percent). As of this writing it was unclear whether Rashard Mendenhall would have to miss another game because of his injured hamstring. If he does, Isaac Redman is probably still first man in for the Steelers versus the Jacksonville Jaguars this week, but Dwyer proved that he belongs in the rotation, too. The only big play Pittsburgh made on the ground against the Tennessee Titans last week was Dwyer's 76-yard scamper, and Redman really did nothing to distinguish himself, including getting stuffed from the 1-yard line.

Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco 49ers (9.2 percent). The Smitty hype will be excruciating this week, as the surprising 4-1 Niners get all sorts of media love for smacking around the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm not telling you to completely ignore Smith's solid performance so far. But I am telling you to manage your expectations, especially for Smith going up against a tough 5-0 Detroit Lions defense. Plus with Josh Morgan injured, Smith's receiving corps is truly battered. I don't mind investing in Smith if you have a spare roster spot, but this wouldn't appear to be a great week to use him.

Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle Seahawks (0.8 percent). Believe it or not, Baldwin, an undrafted rookie out of Stanford, already has three 80-plus-yard receiving performances this season, including a 136-yard effort in Sunday's shocking win over the Giants. What are we to make of this kid, who according to his skills (no great size, no blinding speed) is really supposed to be little more than a slot receiver, but who's currently averaging a very respectable 10.6 yards-at-the-catch, the same total as his teammate Sidney Rice, and good for 30th among all NFL receivers? Well, color me skeptical that some combination of Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst is going to keep this up. But if you're in a deeper league, there are worse stashes.

Jason Avant, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (1.7 percent). When and if the Eagles fall behind, Avant becomes a factor. The past two weeks, Avant has 15 catches for 208 yards, though he did lose a fumble in Sunday's loss against the Buffalo Bills. Certainly, you don't look at Avant's skill set and think "every week fantasy starter!" He's a (usually) sure-handed player who doesn't run routes down the field and rarely gets looks near the end zone. But in PPR leagues, if you're desperate, perhaps the Eagles' troubles can be your gain.

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<CITE>Cary Edmondson/US Presswire</CITE>Ted Ginn has just four catches for 38 yards, all in Week 2, but now could be a main part of the 49ers' passing game.

Ted Ginn, WR, San Francisco 49ers (4.9 percent). Believe it or not, Ginn is now second in line for wide receiver targets in San Francisco. Josh Morgan has a broken ankle and Braylon Edwards is still recovering from knee surgery, so for the moment it's Michael Crabtree and Ginn on the outside. Does this automatically translate to fantasy glory? Of course not. Ginn has a grand total of 17 fantasy points this season, and 12 of them came on his two Week 1 special-teams returns for TDs. You'd have to be in a mighty deep league to need to consider Ginn, but there are such leagues out there. He's obviously more attractive in formats that count return yards.

Jacob Hester, RB, San Diego Chargers (0.1 percent). The Chargers are off this week, so Ryan Mathews (calf) and Mike Tolbert (concussion) will have time to heal their injuries and probably be back in time for Week 7. But their injuries revealed one interesting fact about the Chargers' offense: Hester, not rookie Jordan Todman, is apparently third in line for carries. With the two front-liners out of the game Sunday, Hester had 13 touches for 60 yards. Clearly, his skill set is mostly that of a fullback, so you likely wouldn't get huge production even if those other guys get hurt again. But we're not talking about a durable top two here. In a really deep league, Hester could make an intriguing insurance policy.

Other acceptable bye-substitutes for deep-leaguers, about whom I've written in previous weeks: Montario Hardesty, RB, Browns (16.1 percent); Earnest Graham, RB, Buccaneers (4.1 percent); Jabar Gaffney, WR, Redskins (6.4 percent); Laurent Robinson, WR, Cowboys (3.8 percent); Ed Dickson, TE, Ravens (7.6 percent).

HacheMan · Oct 11, 2011

'11 ranks: A.J. Green jumps to WR2 status

Eric Karabell

There's a tendency in fantasy football to overreact to one nice performance or the hype of a player or team. Fantasy owners have been talking about a certain young, fleet quarterback in Denver, the changing running back situations in Kansas City and Washington, and at wide receiver … well, just so many options are out there that it's tough to miss out on production. I try not to overreact in my year-to-end rankings, but on the flip side, rest assured that I have put in the time and effort to avoid a lack of reacting as well. We have more than two months to go before fantasy playoffs; by then, some of these "hot" names will be irrelevant.

So it is that I present the latest edition of the end-of-season rankings, putting everything we've seen and likely will see into proper perspective. Agree, disagree, whatever your take, always consider your options. And please note these are not the Week 6 rankings; those will be published Wednesday, showing our group and individual lists, then updated again Friday. Use the rankings below as if you were drafting today or trading for the rest of the way. Good luck and enjoy! Quick click by position, for easy reference:

Top 40 Quarterbacks

<STYLE type=text/css>.mod-inline td img {margin: 0px;}</STYLE>
<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 200px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8439/aaron-rodgers')"]Aaron Rodgers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2330/tom-brady')"]Tom Brady[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2580/drew-brees')"]Drew Brees[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5529/philip-rivers')"]Philip Rivers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12483/matthew-stafford')"]Matthew Stafford[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5209/tony-romo')"]Tony Romo[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2549/michael-vick')"]Michael Vick[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13994/cam-newton')"]Cam Newton[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5615/matt-schaub')"]Matt Schaub[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5536/ben-roethlisberger')"]Ben Roethlisberger[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5526/eli-manning')"]Eli Manning[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11237/matt-ryan')"]Matt Ryan[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12473/josh-freeman')"]Josh Freeman[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11252/joe-flacco')"]Joe Flacco[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8664/ryan-fitzpatrick')"]Ryan Fitzpatrick[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1575/matt-hasselbeck')"]Matt Hasselbeck[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13200/tim-tebow')"]Tim Tebow[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12482/mark-sanchez')"]Mark Sanchez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8416/alex-smith')"]Alex Smith[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10480/kevin-kolb')"]Kevin Kolb[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13199/colt-mccoy')"]Colt McCoy[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4480/rex-grossman')"]Rex Grossman[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8440/jason-campbell')"]Jason Campbell[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8644/matt-cassel')"]Matt Cassel[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9597/jay-cutler')"]Jay Cutler[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14012/andy-dalton')"]Andy Dalton[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13197/sam-bradford')"]Sam Bradford[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12479/curtis-painter')"]Curtis Painter[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1753/donovan-mcnabb')"]Donovan McNabb[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13987/blaine-gabbert')"]Blaine Gabbert[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11128/matt-moore')"]Matt Moore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9650/tarvaris-jackson')"]Tarvaris Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9667/charlie-whitehurst')"]Charlie Whitehurst[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9589/vince-young')"]Vince Young[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8520/kyle-orton')"]Kyle Orton[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1383/jon-kitna')"]Jon Kitna[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/734/kerry-collins')"]Kerry Collins[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3636/david-garrard')"]David Garrard[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>FA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4260/shaun-hill')"]Shaun Hill[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10484/john-beck')"]John Beck[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

www.rapsports.com
• Michael Vick produced 21 fantasy points in Week 5, which was difficult to do considering he threw four interceptions. My concerns about Vick haven't changed; the Eagles are a mess, and he remains a huge injury risk. It's also worth noting that rookie Cam Newton has outscored him by 29 points. Can we really trust a rookie on a bad team over a potentially dominant veteran also on a bad team? It's possible Vick will still play in December, but another thing to consider: Will the Eagles force him out there if he's hurting and they're 5-8? For now I have Tony Romo at No. 6 -- Matthew Stafford moves up to No. 5 -- then Vick and Newton. But both should be considered fantasy starters.
• It was an unimpressive Week 5 outing for Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman, who produced three fantasy and real-life points in San Francisco. Freeman had a strong 2010 campaign, but most of his value was in his consistency; he regularly scored in the double digits in fantasy, eclipsing 20 points a few times. With three touchdown passes and six interceptions so far this season, this clearly isn't the same Freeman, and he drops a few spots, even though two of his next three games are against the New Orleans Saints, the eighth-most-favorable defense for opposing quarterbacks in fantasy.
• Quarterbacks who moved up a bit in the rankings include Alex Smith of the for-real 49ers, Matt Cassel of the not-for-real Chiefs (check out their difficult upcoming schedule), Matt Moore in Miami and, yes, Colts starter Curtis Painter. I'm not really buying Painter's 36 fantasy points over the past two weeks, but we'll probably learn considerably more in his next three games on the road against winning teams.
• In the end, it seems to always come down to Denver Broncos savior Tim Tebow. There's been no shortage of Tebow coverage at ESPN.com and on these fantasy pages. My opinion is Tebow will put up numbers and, considering he made my top 20 for the rest of the season, pretty decent numbers. His three starts last season might have been too small a sample size for some, and he might not complete half his passes, but he'll run enough to be relevant. The Broncos are still a 4-12 team, though.
Top 60 Running Backs

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 200px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10452/adrian-peterson')"]Adrian Peterson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11289/ray-rice')"]Ray Rice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12514/lesean-mccoy')"]LeSean McCoy[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12497/arian-foster')"]Arian Foster[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11238/darren-mcfadden')"]Darren McFadden[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11278/matt-forte')"]Matt Forte[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10195/fred-jackson')"]Fred Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9646/maurice-jones-drew')"]Maurice Jones-Drew[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11258/chris-johnson')"]Chris Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5679/michael-turner')"]Michael Turner[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8479/frank-gore')"]Frank Gore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13204/ryan-mathews')"]Ryan Mathews[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13205/jahvid-best')"]Jahvid Best[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10693/ahmad-bradshaw')"]Ahmad Bradshaw[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11754/benjarvus-green-ellis')"]BenJarvus Green-Ellis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12525/beanie-wells')"]Beanie Wells[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11257/rashard-mendenhall')"]Rashard Mendenhall[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5549/steven-jackson')"]Steven Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13213/legarrette-blount')"]LeGarrette Blount[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11461/peyton-hillis')"]Peyton Hillis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8544/darren-sproles')"]Darren Sproles[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11256/felix-jones')"]Felix Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14056/daniel-thomas')"]Daniel Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9613/deangelo-williams')"]DeAngelo Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13214/james-starks')"]James Starks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4481/willis-mcgahee')"]Willis McGahee[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12500/shonn-greene')"]Shonn Greene[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8419/cedric-benson')"]Cedric Benson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10456/marshawn-lynch')"]Marshawn Lynch[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11658/mike-tolbert')"]Mike Tolbert[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11362/ryan-torain')"]Ryan Torain[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9616/joseph-addai')"]Joseph Addai[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11247/jonathan-stewart')"]Jonathan Stewart[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13208/montario-hardesty')"]Montario Hardesty[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13981/mark-ingram')"]Mark Ingram[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10544/michael-bush')"]Michael Bush[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2138/thomas-jones')"]Thomas Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12516/knowshon-moreno')"]Knowshon Moreno[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10713/pierre-thomas')"]Pierre Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11383/tim-hightower')"]Tim Hightower[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11197/jackie-battle')"]Jackie Battle[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13210/ben-tate')"]Ben Tate[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14028/stevan-ridley')"]Stevan Ridley[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2553/ladainian-tomlinson')"]LaDainian Tomlinson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14192/roy-helu')"]Roy Helu[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12724/bernard-scott')"]Bernard Scott[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11303/jacob-hester')"]Jacob Hester[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14077/delone-carter')"]Delone Carter[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12898/isaac-redman')"]Isaac Redman[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13207/dexter-mccluster')"]Dexter McCluster[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12489/donald-brown')"]Donald Brown[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4950/earnest-graham')"]Earnest Graham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13203/cj-spiller')"]C.J. Spiller[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8524/brandon-jacobs')"]Brandon Jacobs[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9588/reggie-bush')"]Reggie Bush[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9475/ryan-grant')"]Ryan Grant[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>57 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14159/kendall-hunter')"]Kendall Hunter[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8420/cadillac-williams')"]Cadillac Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11359/tashard-choice')"]Tashard Choice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>60 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14193/jacquizz-rodgers')"]Jacquizz Rodgers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

• Remember a few weeks ago when New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley was Mr. Popular? Well, Ridley followed his 97-yard, 15-fantasy-point effort against the Oakland Raiders with a mere 13 rushing yards and one fantasy point in Week 6. Meanwhile, BenJarvus Green-Ellis has rushed for more touchdowns than anyone since the start of 2010. Enjoy this solid production for your RB2 spot; The Law Firm shouldn't be doubted, and he moves up the rankings to a more suitable spot.
• Among those to drop in the rankings is LeGarrette Blount of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I didn't expect much from him against the run-stuffing San Francisco 49ers, as I said in various platforms, but the news is even worse: Blount suffered a knee injury and could miss a few games. Earnest Graham moves up in the ranks a bit, but don't expect 100-yard-rushing games out of him. He's more receiver than runner at this stage of his career, and not in a Darren Sproles type of way, either.
• I discussed the running back situations for the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers in Monday's Four Downs blog. I'm leaving Thomas Jones as my top Chiefs option for now, ahead of Jackie Battle. It's not as though Jones struggled Sunday, and he's obviously more proven. Battle isn't 23, you know. He's 28. But he moves ahead of Dexter McCluster, who just isn't being used enough. For the Panthers, DeAngelo Williams had a nice game Sunday … but nine carries is not enough for us to trust him. Essentially, Williams, Jonathan Stewart and quarterback Cam Newton are splitting carries just about evenly. That's not good news for the running backs. Williams passes underwhelming James Starks, though. Starks seems average to me despite the team he's on.
• Other movers in a positive way include Willis McGahee, Shonn Greene and Marshawn Lynch, while a bunch of new faces enter or re-enter the ranks. Welcome back, Delone Carter. I wouldn't prepare to start Carter in fantasy even if Joseph Addai and his balky hamstring missed time. Donald Brown also is back in the rankings. Jacob Hester is ranked because the Chargers' two primary backs, Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert, both seem brittle. Someone has to run the football, and Hester looked OK on Sunday.
• Leaving the rankings are a few big names, including Danny Woodhead, Ricky Williams and the Jacksonville Jaguars' Deji Karim, which is noteworthy if you're someone who handcuffs running backs. Let's just say Maurice Jones-Drew looks pretty healthy at this point. Woodhead is not, and he wasn't getting touches anyway. Williams has been productive with his carries, but he's not a goal-line option and Ray Rice is plenty healthy.
Top 60 Wide Receivers

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 200px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10447/calvin-johnson')"]Calvin Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5941/wes-welker')"]Wes Welker[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9638/greg-jennings')"]Greg Jennings[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12601/mike-wallace')"]Mike Wallace[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8475/vincent-jackson')"]Vincent Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8442/roddy-white')"]Roddy White[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12586/hakeem-nicks')"]Hakeem Nicks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11283/desean-jackson')"]DeSean Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5528/larry-fitzgerald')"]Larry Fitzgerald[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4461/andre-johnson')"]Andre Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2622/steve-smith')"]Steve Smith[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10467/dwayne-bowe')"]Dwayne Bowe[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13215/dez-bryant')"]Dez Bryant[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12579/jeremy-maclin')"]Jeremy Maclin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11458/steve-johnson')"]Steve Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13983/aj-green')"]A.J. Green[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4582/brandon-lloyd')"]Brandon Lloyd[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10147/miles-austin')"]Miles Austin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9705/brandon-marshall')"]Brandon Marshall[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9611/santonio-holmes')"]Santonio Holmes[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2564/santana-moss')"]Santana Moss[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11270/jordy-nelson')"]Jordy Nelson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11439/pierre-garcon')"]Pierre Garcon[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12569/percy-harvin')"]Percy Harvin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2578/reggie-wayne')"]Reggie Wayne[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13982/julio-jones')"]Julio Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9838/marques-colston')"]Marques Colston[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13489/mike-williams')"]Mike Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10488/sidney-rice')"]Sidney Rice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13271/eric-decker')"]Eric Decker[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13553/victor-cruz')"]Victor Cruz[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4512/anquan-boldin')"]Anquan Boldin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3593/deion-branch')"]Deion Branch[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11329/mario-manningham')"]Mario Manningham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9307/nate-washington')"]Nate Washington[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12598/mike-thomas')"]Mike Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/6016/malcom-floyd')"]Malcom Floyd[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10471/robert-meachem')"]Robert Meachem[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12678/johnny-knox')"]Johnny Knox[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2139/plaxico-burress')"]Plaxico Burress[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9400/lance-moore')"]Lance Moore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10517/jacoby-jones')"]Jacoby Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13621/david-nelson')"]David Nelson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14221/doug-baldwin')"]Doug Baldwin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14153/denarius-moore')"]Denarius Moore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12561/austin-collie')"]Austin Collie[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4529/nate-burleson')"]Nate Burleson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4713/kevin-walter')"]Kevin Walter[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10585/steve-breaston')"]Steve Breaston[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13934/antonio-brown')"]Antonio Brown[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12570/darrius-heyward-bey')"]Darrius Heyward-Bey[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12563/michael-crabtree')"]Michael Crabtree[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5575/devery-henderson')"]Devery Henderson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11315/early-doucet')"]Early Doucet[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12567/brandon-gibson')"]Brandon Gibson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13363/jacoby-ford')"]Jacoby Ford[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>57 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13207/dexter-mccluster')"]Dexter McCluster[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1494/hines-ward')"]Hines Ward[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10522/james-jones')"]James Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>60 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14034/titus-young')"]Titus Young[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

• Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green continues to impress. The rookie has been in double digits in standard fantasy scoring four of the first five weeks, and he has moved easily into the top 20. Green's quarterback, fellow rookie Andy Dalton, remains risky for fantasy use, and who knows what Bernard Scott will do if given the chance to fill in for Cedric Benson, but Green is legit. In fact, I'd consider him a fantasy starter.
• As for the New York Giants, newcomer Victor Cruz is certainly making things interesting. One minute he makes an acrobatic catch, the next he's fumbling the ball and helping add another interception to poor Eli Manning's slate. Regardless, Cruz has 20 or more fantasy points in two of the past three weeks. Mario Manningham has 15 fantasy points this season. I'm no longer betting this is a short-term change. I feel like we'll be making a similar adjustment with Detroit Lions wide receivers Titus Young and Nate Burleson (switching their order) soon, but I'm not there yet. Regardless, you need to own Cruz at this point.
• It was nice to see Deion Branch bounce back after catching just one pass in Weeks 3 and 4 combined (though it was for a touchdown). Branch had a season-best 13 fantasy points in Week 5 and moves up closer to weekly flex consideration. Of course, he's no Wes Welker; that guy already has 740 receiving yards, the most by a player through five games in league history. And what's wrong with Calvin Johnson? Only one touchdown on Monday night? Come on!
• Jacoby Jones was a popular free-agent addition with Andre Johnson on the shelf for a few weeks, but Jones didn't shine in Week 5. He caught just one of his 11 targets, which can't be all quarterback Matt Schaub's fault. Kevin Walter caught a touchdown pass and contributed 14 fantasy points, but most of Schaub's 416 passing yards went to running backs and tight ends. Don't overrate Jones or Walter moving forward. Plus, Johnson should return sooner than later.
• At the back of the wide receiver rankings, you deeper leaguers should take a look at Early Doucet, Hines Ward and James Jones, as they get a little love, or at least more love than last week. Doucet led everyone -- even Welker -- with 16 targets in Week 5, catching half of them for 92 yards. The Cardinals do have some interesting future opponents to throw against, too. Ward scored his first two touchdowns, though you shouldn't expect many more. Green Bay's Jones, in most weeks the team's fourth option, at best, is also not likely to continue his trend, but in a Devery Henderson sort of way, he comes up with the occasional big play.
Top 30 Tight Ends

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 200px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13232/jimmy-graham')"]Jimmy Graham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4527/jason-witten')"]Jason Witten[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11325/jermichael-finley')"]Jermichael Finley[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9592/vernon-davis')"]Vernon Davis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9684/owen-daniels')"]Owen Daniels[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1231/tony-gonzalez')"]Tony Gonzalez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13230/aaron-hernandez')"]Aaron Hernandez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5362/antonio-gates')"]Antonio Gates[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13229/rob-gronkowski')"]Rob Gronkowski[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10475/greg-olsen')"]Greg Olsen[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12549/brandon-pettigrew')"]Brandon Pettigrew[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13228/jermaine-gresham')"]Jermaine Gresham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11264/dustin-keller')"]Dustin Keller[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4482/dallas-clark')"]Dallas Clark[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5531/kellen-winslow')"]Kellen Winslow[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12537/jared-cook')"]Jared Cook[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13530/jake-ballard')"]Jake Ballard[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11282/fred-davis')"]Fred Davis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9614/marcedes-lewis')"]Marcedes Lewis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8612/joel-dreessen')"]Joel Dreessen[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10572/scott-chandler')"]Scott Chandler[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3542/jeremy-shockey')"]Jeremy Shockey[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8444/heath-miller')"]Heath Miller[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13272/ed-dickson')"]Ed Dickson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3642/randy-mcmichael')"]Randy McMichael[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2579/todd-heap')"]Todd Heap[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5606/chris-cooley')"]Chris Cooley[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4549/visanthe-shiancoe')"]Visanthe Shiancoe[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10596/kevin-boss')"]Kevin Boss[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5557/benjamin-watson')"]Benjamin Watson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

• The return of Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was not a given leading up to Sunday's game. I ranked him 10th among tight ends in Wednesday's initial Week 5 rankings and was the lone ranker to include him. Hernandez played and was certainly busy, getting nine targets. Rob Gronkowski, meanwhile, has four fantasy points over the past two weeks after starting the season with 56 points in three games. Both Patriots made my top 10, but if I must choose between them for fantasy value the rest of the way, I'd pick Hernandez.
• You'll notice a change at the top. Jimmy Graham is on pace to break the NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end. Yeah, he's pretty good.
• Antonio Gates and his San Diego Chargers are on bye this coming week. Let's hope Gates suits up in Week 7. If he can't suit up then, I'd have serious doubt he'll be helping fantasy owners anytime soon.
• Would you rather have Scott Chandler of the Buffalo Bills or Jake Ballard of the Giants? Chandler caught two touchdown passes in Week 1. He caught touchdowns in Week 2 and 3, but on only two receptions each. And he has zero fantasy points the past two weeks. Ballard has 105 receiving yards the past two weeks with touchdowns each time. I'd take Ballard. This is a deep fantasy position, so play the hot hands.
Top 32 Defense/Special Teams

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 40px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 40px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; WIDTH: 5px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 40px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 40px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/bal/baltimore-ravens')"]Baltimore Ravens[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyg/new-york-giants')"]New York Giants[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/gb/green-bay-packers')"]Green Bay Packers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/oak/oakland-raiders')"]Oakland Raiders[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/det/detroit-lions')"]Detroit Lions[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/dal/dallas-cowboys')"]Dallas Cowboys[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/sf/san-francisco-49ers')"]San Francisco 49ers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/cle/cleveland-browns')"]Cleveland Browns[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-steelers')"]Pittsburgh Steelers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/tb/tampa-bay-buccaneers')"]Tampa Bay Buccaneers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets')"]New York Jets[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/ne/new-england-patriots')"]New England Patriots[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/chi/chicago-bears')"]Chicago Bears[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/sea/seattle-seahawks')"]Seattle Seahawks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/no/new-orleans-saints')"]New Orleans Saints[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/min/minnesota-vikings')"]Minnesota Vikings[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/wsh/washington-redskins')"]Washington Redskins[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/jac/jacksonville-jaguars')"]Jacksonville Jaguars[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/hou/houston-texans')"]Houston Texans[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/ari/arizona-cardinals')"]Arizona Cardinals[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/atl/atlanta-falcons')"]Atlanta Falcons[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/mia/miami-dolphins')"]Miami Dolphins[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/cin/cincinnati-bengals')"]Cincinnati Bengals[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/den/denver-broncos')"]Denver Broncos[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/sd/san-diego-chargers')"]San Diego Chargers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/car/carolina-panthers')"]Carolina Panthers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/buf/buffalo-bills')"]Buffalo Bills[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/kc/kansas-city-chiefs')"]Kansas City Chiefs[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/ten/tennessee-titans')"]Tennessee Titans[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/ind/indianapolis-colts')"]Indianapolis Colts[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/phi/philadelphia-eagles')"]Philadelphia Eagles[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/stl/st-louis-rams')"]St. Louis Rams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Top 100 Overall

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Ovr.
Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player </TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Pos.
Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Next 3
Weeks </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10452/adrian-peterson')"]Adrian Peterson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CHI, GB, @CAR </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11289/ray-rice')"]Ray Rice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>HOU, @JAC, ARI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12514/lesean-mccoy')"]LeSean McCoy[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@WAS, bye, DAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12497/arian-foster')"]Arian Foster[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@BAL, @TEN, JAC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10447/calvin-johnson')"]Calvin Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF, ATL, @DEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11238/darren-mcfadden')"]Darren McFadden[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CLE, KC, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11278/matt-forte')"]Matt Forte[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIN, @TB, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5941/wes-welker')"]Wes Welker[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10195/fred-jackson')"]Fred Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NYG, bye, WAS </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9646/maurice-jones-drew')"]Maurice Jones-Drew[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@PIT, BAL, @HOU </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8439/aaron-rodgers')"]Aaron Rodgers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11258/chris-johnson')"]Chris Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, HOU, IND </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5679/michael-turner')"]Michael Turner[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8479/frank-gore')"]Frank Gore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@DET, bye, CLE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2330/tom-brady')"]Tom Brady[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9638/greg-jennings')"]Greg Jennings[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13204/ryan-mathews')"]Ryan Mathews[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13205/jahvid-best')"]Jahvid Best[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF, ATL, @DEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12601/mike-wallace')"]Mike Wallace[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>JAC, @ARI, NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8475/vincent-jackson')"]Vincent Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2580/drew-brees')"]Drew Brees[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8442/roddy-white')"]Roddy White[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10693/ahmad-bradshaw')"]Ahmad Bradshaw[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12586/hakeem-nicks')"]Hakeem Nicks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11283/desean-jackson')"]DeSean Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@WAS, bye, DAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5528/larry-fitzgerald')"]Larry Fitzgerald[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, PIT, @BAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11754/benjarvus-green-ellis')"]BenJarvus Green-Ellis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4461/andre-johnson')"]Andre Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@BAL, @TEN, JAC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2622/steve-smith')"]Steve Smith[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@ATL, WAS, MIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5529/philip-rivers')"]Philip Rivers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12525/beanie-wells')"]Beanie Wells[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, PIT, @BAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10467/dwayne-bowe')"]Dwayne Bowe[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @OAK, SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13215/dez-bryant')"]Dez Bryant[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11257/rashard-mendenhall')"]Rashard Mendenhall[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>JAC, @ARI, NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12579/jeremy-maclin')"]Jeremy Maclin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@WAS, bye, DAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5549/steven-jackson')"]Steven Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@GB, @DAL, NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13213/legarrette-blount')"]LeGarrette Blount[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO, CHI, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12483/matthew-stafford')"]Matthew Stafford[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF, ATL, @DEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11461/peyton-hillis')"]Peyton Hillis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@OAK, SEA, @SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5209/tony-romo')"]Tony Romo[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8544/darren-sproles')"]Darren Sproles[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13232/jimmy-graham')"]Jimmy Graham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>63 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11458/steve-johnson')"]Steve Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NYG, bye, WAS </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11256/felix-jones')"]Felix Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13983/aj-green')"]A.J. Green[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>IND, bye, @SEA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>61 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4582/brandon-lloyd')"]Brandon Lloyd[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @MIA, DET </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14056/daniel-thomas')"]Daniel Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NYJ, DEN, @NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10147/miles-austin')"]Miles Austin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4527/jason-witten')"]Jason Witten[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9705/brandon-marshall')"]Brandon Marshall[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NYJ, DEN, @NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9613/deangelo-williams')"]DeAngelo Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@ATL, WAS, MIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>60 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9611/santonio-holmes')"]Santonio Holmes[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIA, SD, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2564/santana-moss')"]Santana Moss[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>PHI, @CAR, @BUF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2549/michael-vick')"]Michael Vick[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@WAS, bye, DAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11270/jordy-nelson')"]Jordy Nelson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11439/pierre-garcon')"]Pierre Garcon[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CIN, @NO, @TEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>79 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>57 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13214/james-starks')"]James Starks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>57 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12569/percy-harvin')"]Percy Harvin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CHI, GB, @CAR </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2578/reggie-wayne')"]Reggie Wayne[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CIN, @NO, @TEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>64 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>60 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4481/willis-mcgahee')"]Willis McGahee[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @MIA, DET </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>82 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>61 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13982/julio-jones')"]Julio Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>62 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13994/cam-newton')"]Cam Newton[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@ATL, WAS, MIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>68 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>63 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11325/jermichael-finley')"]Jermichael Finley[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>64 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9838/marques-colston')"]Marques Colston[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>67 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>65 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12500/shonn-greene')"]Shonn Greene[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIA, SD, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>80 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>66 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13489/mike-williams')"]Mike Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO, CHI, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>67 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10488/sidney-rice')"]Sidney Rice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @CLE, CIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>72 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>68 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5615/matt-schaub')"]Matt Schaub[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@BAL, @TEN, JAC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>62 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>69 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9592/vernon-davis')"]Vernon Davis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@DET, bye, CLE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>69 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>70 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8419/cedric-benson')"]Cedric Benson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>IND, bye, @SEA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>65 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>71 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10456/marshawn-lynch')"]Marshawn Lynch[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @CLE, CIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>92 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>72 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13271/eric-decker')"]Eric Decker[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @MIA, DET </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>73 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13553/victor-cruz')"]Victor Cruz[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>88 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>74 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11658/mike-tolbert')"]Mike Tolbert[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>75 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5536/ben-roethlisberger')"]Ben Roethlisberger[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>JAC, @ARI, NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>86 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>76 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9684/owen-daniels')"]Owen Daniels[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@BAL, @TEN, JAC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>76 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>77 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5526/eli-manning')"]Eli Manning[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>75 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>78 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4512/anquan-boldin')"]Anquan Boldin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>HOU, @JAC, ARI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>66 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>79 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3593/deion-branch')"]Deion Branch[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>80 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11362/ryan-torain')"]Ryan Torain[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>PHI, @CAR, @BUF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>71 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>81 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11329/mario-manningham')"]Mario Manningham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>73 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>82 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9616/joseph-addai')"]Joseph Addai[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CIN, @NO, @TEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>70 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>83 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9307/nate-washington')"]Nate Washington[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, HOU, IND </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>78 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>84 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11247/jonathan-stewart')"]Jonathan Stewart[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@ATL, WAS, MIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>74 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>85 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12598/mike-thomas')"]Mike Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@PIT, BAL, @HOU </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>81 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>86 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11237/matt-ryan')"]Matt Ryan[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>87 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1231/tony-gonzalez')"]Tony Gonzalez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>88 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/6016/malcom-floyd')"]Malcom Floyd[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>100 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>89 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13230/aaron-hernandez')"]Aaron Hernandez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>90 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10471/robert-meachem')"]Robert Meachem[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>83 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>91 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13208/montario-hardesty')"]Montario Hardesty[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@OAK, SEA, @SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>84 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>92 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13981/mark-ingram')"]Mark Ingram[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>93 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5362/antonio-gates')"]Antonio Gates[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>97 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>94 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10544/michael-bush')"]Michael Bush[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CLE, KC, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>90 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>95 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12678/johnny-knox')"]Johnny Knox[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIN, @TB, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>93 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>96 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2139/plaxico-burress')"]Plaxico Burress[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIA, SD, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>94 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>97 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2138/thomas-jones')"]Thomas Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @OAK, SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>95 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>98 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13229/rob-gronkowski')"]Rob Gronkowski[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>87 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>99 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10713/pierre-thomas')"]Pierre Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>99 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>100 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9400/lance-moore')"]Lance Moore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR41 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>89</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Oct 11, 2011

'11 ranks: A.J. Green jumps to WR2 status

Eric Karabell

There's a tendency in fantasy football to overreact to one nice performance or the hype of a player or team. Fantasy owners have been talking about a certain young, fleet quarterback in Denver, the changing running back situations in Kansas City and Washington, and at wide receiver … well, just so many options are out there that it's tough to miss out on production. I try not to overreact in my year-to-end rankings, but on the flip side, rest assured that I have put in the time and effort to avoid a lack of reacting as well. We have more than two months to go before fantasy playoffs; by then, some of these "hot" names will be irrelevant.

So it is that I present the latest edition of the end-of-season rankings, putting everything we've seen and likely will see into proper perspective. Agree, disagree, whatever your take, always consider your options. And please note these are not the Week 6 rankings; those will be published Wednesday, showing our group and individual lists, then updated again Friday. Use the rankings below as if you were drafting today or trading for the rest of the way. Good luck and enjoy! Quick click by position, for easy reference:

Top 40 Quarterbacks

<STYLE type=text/css>.mod-inline td img {margin: 0px;}</STYLE>
<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 200px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8439/aaron-rodgers')"]Aaron Rodgers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2330/tom-brady')"]Tom Brady[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2580/drew-brees')"]Drew Brees[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5529/philip-rivers')"]Philip Rivers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12483/matthew-stafford')"]Matthew Stafford[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5209/tony-romo')"]Tony Romo[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2549/michael-vick')"]Michael Vick[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13994/cam-newton')"]Cam Newton[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5615/matt-schaub')"]Matt Schaub[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5536/ben-roethlisberger')"]Ben Roethlisberger[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5526/eli-manning')"]Eli Manning[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11237/matt-ryan')"]Matt Ryan[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12473/josh-freeman')"]Josh Freeman[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11252/joe-flacco')"]Joe Flacco[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8664/ryan-fitzpatrick')"]Ryan Fitzpatrick[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1575/matt-hasselbeck')"]Matt Hasselbeck[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13200/tim-tebow')"]Tim Tebow[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12482/mark-sanchez')"]Mark Sanchez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8416/alex-smith')"]Alex Smith[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10480/kevin-kolb')"]Kevin Kolb[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13199/colt-mccoy')"]Colt McCoy[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4480/rex-grossman')"]Rex Grossman[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8440/jason-campbell')"]Jason Campbell[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8644/matt-cassel')"]Matt Cassel[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9597/jay-cutler')"]Jay Cutler[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14012/andy-dalton')"]Andy Dalton[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13197/sam-bradford')"]Sam Bradford[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12479/curtis-painter')"]Curtis Painter[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1753/donovan-mcnabb')"]Donovan McNabb[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13987/blaine-gabbert')"]Blaine Gabbert[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11128/matt-moore')"]Matt Moore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9650/tarvaris-jackson')"]Tarvaris Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9667/charlie-whitehurst')"]Charlie Whitehurst[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9589/vince-young')"]Vince Young[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8520/kyle-orton')"]Kyle Orton[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1383/jon-kitna')"]Jon Kitna[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/734/kerry-collins')"]Kerry Collins[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3636/david-garrard')"]David Garrard[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>FA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4260/shaun-hill')"]Shaun Hill[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10484/john-beck')"]John Beck[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

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• Michael Vick produced 21 fantasy points in Week 5, which was difficult to do considering he threw four interceptions. My concerns about Vick haven't changed; the Eagles are a mess, and he remains a huge injury risk. It's also worth noting that rookie Cam Newton has outscored him by 29 points. Can we really trust a rookie on a bad team over a potentially dominant veteran also on a bad team? It's possible Vick will still play in December, but another thing to consider: Will the Eagles force him out there if he's hurting and they're 5-8? For now I have Tony Romo at No. 6 -- Matthew Stafford moves up to No. 5 -- then Vick and Newton. But both should be considered fantasy starters.
• It was an unimpressive Week 5 outing for Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman, who produced three fantasy and real-life points in San Francisco. Freeman had a strong 2010 campaign, but most of his value was in his consistency; he regularly scored in the double digits in fantasy, eclipsing 20 points a few times. With three touchdown passes and six interceptions so far this season, this clearly isn't the same Freeman, and he drops a few spots, even though two of his next three games are against the New Orleans Saints, the eighth-most-favorable defense for opposing quarterbacks in fantasy.
• Quarterbacks who moved up a bit in the rankings include Alex Smith of the for-real 49ers, Matt Cassel of the not-for-real Chiefs (check out their difficult upcoming schedule), Matt Moore in Miami and, yes, Colts starter Curtis Painter. I'm not really buying Painter's 36 fantasy points over the past two weeks, but we'll probably learn considerably more in his next three games on the road against winning teams.
• In the end, it seems to always come down to Denver Broncos savior Tim Tebow. There's been no shortage of Tebow coverage at ESPN.com and on these fantasy pages. My opinion is Tebow will put up numbers and, considering he made my top 20 for the rest of the season, pretty decent numbers. His three starts last season might have been too small a sample size for some, and he might not complete half his passes, but he'll run enough to be relevant. The Broncos are still a 4-12 team, though.
Top 60 Running Backs

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 200px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10452/adrian-peterson')"]Adrian Peterson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11289/ray-rice')"]Ray Rice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12514/lesean-mccoy')"]LeSean McCoy[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12497/arian-foster')"]Arian Foster[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11238/darren-mcfadden')"]Darren McFadden[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11278/matt-forte')"]Matt Forte[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10195/fred-jackson')"]Fred Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9646/maurice-jones-drew')"]Maurice Jones-Drew[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11258/chris-johnson')"]Chris Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5679/michael-turner')"]Michael Turner[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8479/frank-gore')"]Frank Gore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13204/ryan-mathews')"]Ryan Mathews[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13205/jahvid-best')"]Jahvid Best[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10693/ahmad-bradshaw')"]Ahmad Bradshaw[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11754/benjarvus-green-ellis')"]BenJarvus Green-Ellis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12525/beanie-wells')"]Beanie Wells[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11257/rashard-mendenhall')"]Rashard Mendenhall[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5549/steven-jackson')"]Steven Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13213/legarrette-blount')"]LeGarrette Blount[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11461/peyton-hillis')"]Peyton Hillis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8544/darren-sproles')"]Darren Sproles[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11256/felix-jones')"]Felix Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14056/daniel-thomas')"]Daniel Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9613/deangelo-williams')"]DeAngelo Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13214/james-starks')"]James Starks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4481/willis-mcgahee')"]Willis McGahee[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12500/shonn-greene')"]Shonn Greene[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8419/cedric-benson')"]Cedric Benson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10456/marshawn-lynch')"]Marshawn Lynch[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11658/mike-tolbert')"]Mike Tolbert[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11362/ryan-torain')"]Ryan Torain[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9616/joseph-addai')"]Joseph Addai[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11247/jonathan-stewart')"]Jonathan Stewart[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13208/montario-hardesty')"]Montario Hardesty[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13981/mark-ingram')"]Mark Ingram[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10544/michael-bush')"]Michael Bush[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2138/thomas-jones')"]Thomas Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12516/knowshon-moreno')"]Knowshon Moreno[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10713/pierre-thomas')"]Pierre Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11383/tim-hightower')"]Tim Hightower[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11197/jackie-battle')"]Jackie Battle[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13210/ben-tate')"]Ben Tate[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14028/stevan-ridley')"]Stevan Ridley[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2553/ladainian-tomlinson')"]LaDainian Tomlinson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14192/roy-helu')"]Roy Helu[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12724/bernard-scott')"]Bernard Scott[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11303/jacob-hester')"]Jacob Hester[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14077/delone-carter')"]Delone Carter[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12898/isaac-redman')"]Isaac Redman[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13207/dexter-mccluster')"]Dexter McCluster[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12489/donald-brown')"]Donald Brown[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4950/earnest-graham')"]Earnest Graham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13203/cj-spiller')"]C.J. Spiller[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8524/brandon-jacobs')"]Brandon Jacobs[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9588/reggie-bush')"]Reggie Bush[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9475/ryan-grant')"]Ryan Grant[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>57 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14159/kendall-hunter')"]Kendall Hunter[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8420/cadillac-williams')"]Cadillac Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11359/tashard-choice')"]Tashard Choice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>60 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14193/jacquizz-rodgers')"]Jacquizz Rodgers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

• Remember a few weeks ago when New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley was Mr. Popular? Well, Ridley followed his 97-yard, 15-fantasy-point effort against the Oakland Raiders with a mere 13 rushing yards and one fantasy point in Week 6. Meanwhile, BenJarvus Green-Ellis has rushed for more touchdowns than anyone since the start of 2010. Enjoy this solid production for your RB2 spot; The Law Firm shouldn't be doubted, and he moves up the rankings to a more suitable spot.
• Among those to drop in the rankings is LeGarrette Blount of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I didn't expect much from him against the run-stuffing San Francisco 49ers, as I said in various platforms, but the news is even worse: Blount suffered a knee injury and could miss a few games. Earnest Graham moves up in the ranks a bit, but don't expect 100-yard-rushing games out of him. He's more receiver than runner at this stage of his career, and not in a Darren Sproles type of way, either.
• I discussed the running back situations for the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers in Monday's Four Downs blog. I'm leaving Thomas Jones as my top Chiefs option for now, ahead of Jackie Battle. It's not as though Jones struggled Sunday, and he's obviously more proven. Battle isn't 23, you know. He's 28. But he moves ahead of Dexter McCluster, who just isn't being used enough. For the Panthers, DeAngelo Williams had a nice game Sunday … but nine carries is not enough for us to trust him. Essentially, Williams, Jonathan Stewart and quarterback Cam Newton are splitting carries just about evenly. That's not good news for the running backs. Williams passes underwhelming James Starks, though. Starks seems average to me despite the team he's on.
• Other movers in a positive way include Willis McGahee, Shonn Greene and Marshawn Lynch, while a bunch of new faces enter or re-enter the ranks. Welcome back, Delone Carter. I wouldn't prepare to start Carter in fantasy even if Joseph Addai and his balky hamstring missed time. Donald Brown also is back in the rankings. Jacob Hester is ranked because the Chargers' two primary backs, Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert, both seem brittle. Someone has to run the football, and Hester looked OK on Sunday.
• Leaving the rankings are a few big names, including Danny Woodhead, Ricky Williams and the Jacksonville Jaguars' Deji Karim, which is noteworthy if you're someone who handcuffs running backs. Let's just say Maurice Jones-Drew looks pretty healthy at this point. Woodhead is not, and he wasn't getting touches anyway. Williams has been productive with his carries, but he's not a goal-line option and Ray Rice is plenty healthy.
Top 60 Wide Receivers

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 200px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10447/calvin-johnson')"]Calvin Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5941/wes-welker')"]Wes Welker[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9638/greg-jennings')"]Greg Jennings[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12601/mike-wallace')"]Mike Wallace[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8475/vincent-jackson')"]Vincent Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8442/roddy-white')"]Roddy White[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12586/hakeem-nicks')"]Hakeem Nicks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11283/desean-jackson')"]DeSean Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5528/larry-fitzgerald')"]Larry Fitzgerald[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4461/andre-johnson')"]Andre Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2622/steve-smith')"]Steve Smith[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10467/dwayne-bowe')"]Dwayne Bowe[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13215/dez-bryant')"]Dez Bryant[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12579/jeremy-maclin')"]Jeremy Maclin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11458/steve-johnson')"]Steve Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13983/aj-green')"]A.J. Green[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4582/brandon-lloyd')"]Brandon Lloyd[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10147/miles-austin')"]Miles Austin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9705/brandon-marshall')"]Brandon Marshall[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9611/santonio-holmes')"]Santonio Holmes[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2564/santana-moss')"]Santana Moss[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11270/jordy-nelson')"]Jordy Nelson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11439/pierre-garcon')"]Pierre Garcon[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12569/percy-harvin')"]Percy Harvin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2578/reggie-wayne')"]Reggie Wayne[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13982/julio-jones')"]Julio Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9838/marques-colston')"]Marques Colston[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13489/mike-williams')"]Mike Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10488/sidney-rice')"]Sidney Rice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13271/eric-decker')"]Eric Decker[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13553/victor-cruz')"]Victor Cruz[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4512/anquan-boldin')"]Anquan Boldin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3593/deion-branch')"]Deion Branch[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11329/mario-manningham')"]Mario Manningham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9307/nate-washington')"]Nate Washington[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12598/mike-thomas')"]Mike Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/6016/malcom-floyd')"]Malcom Floyd[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10471/robert-meachem')"]Robert Meachem[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12678/johnny-knox')"]Johnny Knox[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2139/plaxico-burress')"]Plaxico Burress[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9400/lance-moore')"]Lance Moore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10517/jacoby-jones')"]Jacoby Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13621/david-nelson')"]David Nelson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14221/doug-baldwin')"]Doug Baldwin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14153/denarius-moore')"]Denarius Moore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12561/austin-collie')"]Austin Collie[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4529/nate-burleson')"]Nate Burleson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4713/kevin-walter')"]Kevin Walter[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10585/steve-breaston')"]Steve Breaston[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13934/antonio-brown')"]Antonio Brown[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12570/darrius-heyward-bey')"]Darrius Heyward-Bey[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12563/michael-crabtree')"]Michael Crabtree[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5575/devery-henderson')"]Devery Henderson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11315/early-doucet')"]Early Doucet[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12567/brandon-gibson')"]Brandon Gibson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13363/jacoby-ford')"]Jacoby Ford[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>57 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13207/dexter-mccluster')"]Dexter McCluster[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1494/hines-ward')"]Hines Ward[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10522/james-jones')"]James Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>60 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14034/titus-young')"]Titus Young[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

• Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green continues to impress. The rookie has been in double digits in standard fantasy scoring four of the first five weeks, and he has moved easily into the top 20. Green's quarterback, fellow rookie Andy Dalton, remains risky for fantasy use, and who knows what Bernard Scott will do if given the chance to fill in for Cedric Benson, but Green is legit. In fact, I'd consider him a fantasy starter.
• As for the New York Giants, newcomer Victor Cruz is certainly making things interesting. One minute he makes an acrobatic catch, the next he's fumbling the ball and helping add another interception to poor Eli Manning's slate. Regardless, Cruz has 20 or more fantasy points in two of the past three weeks. Mario Manningham has 15 fantasy points this season. I'm no longer betting this is a short-term change. I feel like we'll be making a similar adjustment with Detroit Lions wide receivers Titus Young and Nate Burleson (switching their order) soon, but I'm not there yet. Regardless, you need to own Cruz at this point.
• It was nice to see Deion Branch bounce back after catching just one pass in Weeks 3 and 4 combined (though it was for a touchdown). Branch had a season-best 13 fantasy points in Week 5 and moves up closer to weekly flex consideration. Of course, he's no Wes Welker; that guy already has 740 receiving yards, the most by a player through five games in league history. And what's wrong with Calvin Johnson? Only one touchdown on Monday night? Come on!
• Jacoby Jones was a popular free-agent addition with Andre Johnson on the shelf for a few weeks, but Jones didn't shine in Week 5. He caught just one of his 11 targets, which can't be all quarterback Matt Schaub's fault. Kevin Walter caught a touchdown pass and contributed 14 fantasy points, but most of Schaub's 416 passing yards went to running backs and tight ends. Don't overrate Jones or Walter moving forward. Plus, Johnson should return sooner than later.
• At the back of the wide receiver rankings, you deeper leaguers should take a look at Early Doucet, Hines Ward and James Jones, as they get a little love, or at least more love than last week. Doucet led everyone -- even Welker -- with 16 targets in Week 5, catching half of them for 92 yards. The Cardinals do have some interesting future opponents to throw against, too. Ward scored his first two touchdowns, though you shouldn't expect many more. Green Bay's Jones, in most weeks the team's fourth option, at best, is also not likely to continue his trend, but in a Devery Henderson sort of way, he comes up with the occasional big play.
Top 30 Tight Ends

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 200px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13232/jimmy-graham')"]Jimmy Graham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4527/jason-witten')"]Jason Witten[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11325/jermichael-finley')"]Jermichael Finley[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9592/vernon-davis')"]Vernon Davis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9684/owen-daniels')"]Owen Daniels[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1231/tony-gonzalez')"]Tony Gonzalez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13230/aaron-hernandez')"]Aaron Hernandez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5362/antonio-gates')"]Antonio Gates[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13229/rob-gronkowski')"]Rob Gronkowski[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10475/greg-olsen')"]Greg Olsen[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12549/brandon-pettigrew')"]Brandon Pettigrew[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13228/jermaine-gresham')"]Jermaine Gresham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11264/dustin-keller')"]Dustin Keller[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4482/dallas-clark')"]Dallas Clark[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5531/kellen-winslow')"]Kellen Winslow[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12537/jared-cook')"]Jared Cook[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13530/jake-ballard')"]Jake Ballard[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11282/fred-davis')"]Fred Davis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9614/marcedes-lewis')"]Marcedes Lewis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8612/joel-dreessen')"]Joel Dreessen[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10572/scott-chandler')"]Scott Chandler[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3542/jeremy-shockey')"]Jeremy Shockey[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8444/heath-miller')"]Heath Miller[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13272/ed-dickson')"]Ed Dickson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3642/randy-mcmichael')"]Randy McMichael[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2579/todd-heap')"]Todd Heap[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5606/chris-cooley')"]Chris Cooley[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4549/visanthe-shiancoe')"]Visanthe Shiancoe[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10596/kevin-boss')"]Kevin Boss[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5557/benjamin-watson')"]Benjamin Watson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

• The return of Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was not a given leading up to Sunday's game. I ranked him 10th among tight ends in Wednesday's initial Week 5 rankings and was the lone ranker to include him. Hernandez played and was certainly busy, getting nine targets. Rob Gronkowski, meanwhile, has four fantasy points over the past two weeks after starting the season with 56 points in three games. Both Patriots made my top 10, but if I must choose between them for fantasy value the rest of the way, I'd pick Hernandez.
• You'll notice a change at the top. Jimmy Graham is on pace to break the NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end. Yeah, he's pretty good.
• Antonio Gates and his San Diego Chargers are on bye this coming week. Let's hope Gates suits up in Week 7. If he can't suit up then, I'd have serious doubt he'll be helping fantasy owners anytime soon.
• Would you rather have Scott Chandler of the Buffalo Bills or Jake Ballard of the Giants? Chandler caught two touchdown passes in Week 1. He caught touchdowns in Week 2 and 3, but on only two receptions each. And he has zero fantasy points the past two weeks. Ballard has 105 receiving yards the past two weeks with touchdowns each time. I'd take Ballard. This is a deep fantasy position, so play the hot hands.
Top 32 Defense/Special Teams

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 40px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 40px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; WIDTH: 5px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 40px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player <CENTER></CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 40px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/bal/baltimore-ravens')"]Baltimore Ravens[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyg/new-york-giants')"]New York Giants[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/gb/green-bay-packers')"]Green Bay Packers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/oak/oakland-raiders')"]Oakland Raiders[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/det/detroit-lions')"]Detroit Lions[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/dal/dallas-cowboys')"]Dallas Cowboys[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/sf/san-francisco-49ers')"]San Francisco 49ers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/cle/cleveland-browns')"]Cleveland Browns[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-steelers')"]Pittsburgh Steelers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/tb/tampa-bay-buccaneers')"]Tampa Bay Buccaneers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets')"]New York Jets[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/ne/new-england-patriots')"]New England Patriots[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/chi/chicago-bears')"]Chicago Bears[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/sea/seattle-seahawks')"]Seattle Seahawks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/no/new-orleans-saints')"]New Orleans Saints[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/min/minnesota-vikings')"]Minnesota Vikings[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/wsh/washington-redskins')"]Washington Redskins[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/jac/jacksonville-jaguars')"]Jacksonville Jaguars[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/hou/houston-texans')"]Houston Texans[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/ari/arizona-cardinals')"]Arizona Cardinals[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/atl/atlanta-falcons')"]Atlanta Falcons[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/mia/miami-dolphins')"]Miami Dolphins[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/cin/cincinnati-bengals')"]Cincinnati Bengals[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/den/denver-broncos')"]Denver Broncos[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/sd/san-diego-chargers')"]San Diego Chargers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/car/carolina-panthers')"]Carolina Panthers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/buf/buffalo-bills')"]Buffalo Bills[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/kc/kansas-city-chiefs')"]Kansas City Chiefs[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/ten/tennessee-titans')"]Tennessee Titans[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/ind/indianapolis-colts')"]Indianapolis Colts[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/phi/philadelphia-eagles')"]Philadelphia Eagles[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/stl/st-louis-rams')"]St. Louis Rams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Top 100 Overall

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<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 100%"><THEAD><TR><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Ovr.
Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom">Player </TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Team </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Pos.
Rank </CENTER></TH><TH style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Next 3
Weeks </CENTER></TH><TH style="WIDTH: 50px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom"><CENTER>Prev. </CENTER></TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10452/adrian-peterson')"]Adrian Peterson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CHI, GB, @CAR </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>1 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11289/ray-rice')"]Ray Rice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>HOU, @JAC, ARI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>2 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12514/lesean-mccoy')"]LeSean McCoy[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@WAS, bye, DAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12497/arian-foster')"]Arian Foster[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@BAL, @TEN, JAC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10447/calvin-johnson')"]Calvin Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF, ATL, @DEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11238/darren-mcfadden')"]Darren McFadden[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CLE, KC, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>3 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11278/matt-forte')"]Matt Forte[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIN, @TB, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5941/wes-welker')"]Wes Welker[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10195/fred-jackson')"]Fred Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NYG, bye, WAS </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9646/maurice-jones-drew')"]Maurice Jones-Drew[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@PIT, BAL, @HOU </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>7 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8439/aaron-rodgers')"]Aaron Rodgers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11258/chris-johnson')"]Chris Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, HOU, IND </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>6 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5679/michael-turner')"]Michael Turner[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>11 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8479/frank-gore')"]Frank Gore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@DET, bye, CLE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2330/tom-brady')"]Tom Brady[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9638/greg-jennings')"]Greg Jennings[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>9 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13204/ryan-mathews')"]Ryan Mathews[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13205/jahvid-best')"]Jahvid Best[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF, ATL, @DEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12601/mike-wallace')"]Mike Wallace[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>JAC, @ARI, NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>19 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8475/vincent-jackson')"]Vincent Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>14 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2580/drew-brees')"]Drew Brees[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>21 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8442/roddy-white')"]Roddy White[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10693/ahmad-bradshaw')"]Ahmad Bradshaw[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>13 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12586/hakeem-nicks')"]Hakeem Nicks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11283/desean-jackson')"]DeSean Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@WAS, bye, DAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5528/larry-fitzgerald')"]Larry Fitzgerald[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, PIT, @BAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>20 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11754/benjarvus-green-ellis')"]BenJarvus Green-Ellis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4461/andre-johnson')"]Andre Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@BAL, @TEN, JAC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>22 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2622/steve-smith')"]Steve Smith[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@ATL, WAS, MIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5529/philip-rivers')"]Philip Rivers[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>30 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12525/beanie-wells')"]Beanie Wells[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ari </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, PIT, @BAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>17 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10467/dwayne-bowe')"]Dwayne Bowe[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @OAK, SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13215/dez-bryant')"]Dez Bryant[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR13 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>28 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11257/rashard-mendenhall')"]Rashard Mendenhall[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>JAC, @ARI, NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>34 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12579/jeremy-maclin')"]Jeremy Maclin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR14 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@WAS, bye, DAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5549/steven-jackson')"]Steven Jackson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>StL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@GB, @DAL, NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>36 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13213/legarrette-blount')"]LeGarrette Blount[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO, CHI, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>23 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12483/matthew-stafford')"]Matthew Stafford[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Det </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF, ATL, @DEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11461/peyton-hillis')"]Peyton Hillis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@OAK, SEA, @SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>37 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5209/tony-romo')"]Tony Romo[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>38 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8544/darren-sproles')"]Darren Sproles[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>41 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13232/jimmy-graham')"]Jimmy Graham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE1 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>63 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11458/steve-johnson')"]Steve Johnson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Buf </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR15 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NYG, bye, WAS </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11256/felix-jones')"]Felix Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>44 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>45 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13983/aj-green')"]A.J. Green[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR16 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>IND, bye, @SEA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>61 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>46 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4582/brandon-lloyd')"]Brandon Lloyd[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR17 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @MIA, DET </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>33 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14056/daniel-thomas')"]Daniel Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NYJ, DEN, @NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10147/miles-austin')"]Miles Austin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR18 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4527/jason-witten')"]Jason Witten[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Dal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE2 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NE, STL, @PHI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>42 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>50 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9705/brandon-marshall')"]Brandon Marshall[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Mia </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR19 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@NYJ, DEN, @NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>43 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>51 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9613/deangelo-williams')"]DeAngelo Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@ATL, WAS, MIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>60 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9611/santonio-holmes')"]Santonio Holmes[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR20 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIA, SD, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>48 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2564/santana-moss')"]Santana Moss[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR21 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>PHI, @CAR, @BUF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>52 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2549/michael-vick')"]Michael Vick[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Phi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@WAS, bye, DAL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>54 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11270/jordy-nelson')"]Jordy Nelson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR22 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>56 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11439/pierre-garcon')"]Pierre Garcon[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR23 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CIN, @NO, @TEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>79 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>57 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13214/james-starks')"]James Starks[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>57 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12569/percy-harvin')"]Percy Harvin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Min </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR24 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CHI, GB, @CAR </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>55 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2578/reggie-wayne')"]Reggie Wayne[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR25 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CIN, @NO, @TEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>64 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>60 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4481/willis-mcgahee')"]Willis McGahee[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @MIA, DET </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>82 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>61 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13982/julio-jones')"]Julio Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR26 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>59 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>62 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13994/cam-newton')"]Cam Newton[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@ATL, WAS, MIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>68 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>63 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11325/jermichael-finley')"]Jermichael Finley[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>GB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE3 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>STL, @MIN, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>49 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>64 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9838/marques-colston')"]Marques Colston[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>67 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>65 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12500/shonn-greene')"]Shonn Greene[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB27 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIA, SD, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>80 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>66 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13489/mike-williams')"]Mike Williams[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TB </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO, CHI, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>53 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>67 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10488/sidney-rice')"]Sidney Rice[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @CLE, CIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>72 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>68 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5615/matt-schaub')"]Matt Schaub[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@BAL, @TEN, JAC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>62 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>69 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9592/vernon-davis')"]Vernon Davis[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE4 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@DET, bye, CLE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>69 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>70 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8419/cedric-benson')"]Cedric Benson[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cin </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB28 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>IND, bye, @SEA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>65 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>71 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10456/marshawn-lynch')"]Marshawn Lynch[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Sea </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB29 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @CLE, CIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>92 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>72 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13271/eric-decker')"]Eric Decker[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Den </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @MIA, DET </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>58 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>73 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13553/victor-cruz')"]Victor Cruz[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>88 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>74 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11658/mike-tolbert')"]Mike Tolbert[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB30 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>47 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>75 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5536/ben-roethlisberger')"]Ben Roethlisberger[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Pit </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB10 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>JAC, @ARI, NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>86 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>76 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9684/owen-daniels')"]Owen Daniels[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Hou </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE5 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@BAL, @TEN, JAC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>76 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>77 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5526/eli-manning')"]Eli Manning[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB11 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>75 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>78 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4512/anquan-boldin')"]Anquan Boldin[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Bal </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>HOU, @JAC, ARI </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>66 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>79 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/3593/deion-branch')"]Deion Branch[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>80 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11362/ryan-torain')"]Ryan Torain[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Was </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB31 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>PHI, @CAR, @BUF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>71 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>81 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11329/mario-manningham')"]Mario Manningham[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYG </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>BUF, bye, MIA </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>73 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>82 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9616/joseph-addai')"]Joseph Addai[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ind </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB32 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@CIN, @NO, @TEN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>70 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>83 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9307/nate-washington')"]Nate Washington[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Ten </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, HOU, IND </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>78 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>84 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11247/jonathan-stewart')"]Jonathan Stewart[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Car </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB33 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@ATL, WAS, MIN </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>74 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>85 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12598/mike-thomas')"]Mike Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Jac </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@PIT, BAL, @HOU </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>81 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>86 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11237/matt-ryan')"]Matt Ryan[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>QB12 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>87 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1231/tony-gonzalez')"]Tony Gonzalez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Atl </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE6 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CAR, @DET, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>88 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/6016/malcom-floyd')"]Malcom Floyd[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>100 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>89 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13230/aaron-hernandez')"]Aaron Hernandez[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE7 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>90 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10471/robert-meachem')"]Robert Meachem[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR38 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>83 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>91 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13208/montario-hardesty')"]Montario Hardesty[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Cle </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB34 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@OAK, SEA, @SF </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>84 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>92 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13981/mark-ingram')"]Mark Ingram[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB35 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NR </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>93 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5362/antonio-gates')"]Antonio Gates[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE8 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @NYJ, @KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>97 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>94 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10544/michael-bush')"]Michael Bush[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Oak </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB36 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>CLE, KC, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>90 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>95 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12678/johnny-knox')"]Johnny Knox[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>Chi </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIN, @TB, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>93 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>96 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2139/plaxico-burress')"]Plaxico Burress[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NYJ </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR40 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>MIA, SD, bye </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>94 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>97 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/2138/thomas-jones')"]Thomas Jones[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>KC </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB37 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>bye, @OAK, SD </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>95 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>98 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13229/rob-gronkowski')"]Rob Gronkowski[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NE </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>TE9 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>DAL, bye, @PIT </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>87 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>99 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10713/pierre-thomas')"]Pierre Thomas[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>RB39 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>99 </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>100 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">[URL="javascript:newWin('http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9400/lance-moore')"]Lance Moore[/URL] </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>NO </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>WR41 </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>@TB, IND, @STL </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" align=middle>89</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Oct 11, 2011

Blount, Addai, Jones among Week 5 injuries

Stephania Bell

The Houston Texans have seen star players go down in consecutive weeks. This time, it was on the other side of the ball, and it was season-ending. Linebacker Mario Williams tore a pectoral muscle and is done for the year. He is expected to undergo season-ending surgery this week, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Andre Johnson is making progress after a surgical procedure on his injured hamstring tendon. Although the Texans are not locking in a return date, coach Gary Kubiak said of Johnson, "As of right now, the soreness has gone away, and his rehab has picked up." The Chronicle notes that Johnson is not expected to return this week against Baltimore. But take comfort, fantasy owners. Based on Johnson's injury and subsequent procedure, there is every reason to be confident he'll return -- and return strong -- within the month.

The San Francisco 49ers have to take some bitter with the sweet. Although the team racked up its biggest margin of victory in nearly a quarter century, the 49ers also lost wide receiver Josh Morgan indefinitely to a broken bone in his right lower leg. According to The Sacramento Bee, Morgan underwent surgery Monday and could be placed on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Braylon Edwards remains sidelined after meniscus surgery, although the team hopes to have him back after its Week 7 bye.

And now we turn to the rest of the injury happenings in Week 5.

[+] Enlarge

<CITE>Kim Klement/US Presswire</CITE>LeGarrette Blount was limited to just 34 yards rushing against the 49ers this past week.

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back LeGarrette Blount took a helmet to his left knee Sunday and exited the game early. It is not clear whether he remained out because the Buccaneers were losing big to the 49ers at the time or whether he was truly unable to return. According to the St. Petersburg Times, coach Raheem Morris is calling Blount "day-to-day" at this point, adding, "[I'd] like to get more detailed information on him." So would his fantasy owners. More should be forthcoming when the team publishes first injury reports after Wednesday practice. In the meantime, it would be wise to secure a backup.

• Another player fantasy owners will have to take a wait-and-see approach on is Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, who looked to be quite uncomfortable when he exited Sunday night's game in the fourth quarter with a left hamstring injury. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, coach Mike Smith said Jones will not practice Wednesday and will be evaluated later in the week. By now, fantasy owners are familiar enough with these injuries to know that many players miss the week after the injury and sometimes more. It's best to be prepared to have someone step in for Jones should he sit. The Falcons likely would bump up Harry Douglas opposite Roddy White. Remember how good Douglas looked in the preseason? He is owned in less than 1 percent of leagues. If you're in a deep league and the pickings are slim, you might want to consider picking him up in the event Jones is out.

• And the hamstring injuries keep a comin'. Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph Addai left Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second quarter with a right hamstring injury. Addai was scheduled to undergo further evaluation Monday, but it is looking as if the Colts might be without him in Week 6. The Colts are getting all too familiar with the injury carousel, and Addai is just the latest addition.

• The San Diego Chargers are getting a bye week at about as good a time as ever. In Sunday's game, the Chargers found themselves down to one available running back (Jacob Hester) when Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert went out with injuries. Tolbert suffered a concussion in the second quarter, and Mathews injured his calf and wrist. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, Mathews likely would not be able to go this week if the team were playing but could be ready by Week 7. One thing is for sure; going forward, the team plans to dress four running backs so as to have more insurance on game day.

• Seattle Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is dealing with a pectoral strain suffered in Sunday's win over the New York Giants. The Seahawks surely are thankful to be catching a bye this week, as well. The Seattle Times notes that Charlie Whitehurst will lead the team in practice in the meantime.

• On a more encouraging note, the bye week rest seems to have helped Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin. Austin, who has been dealing with an ailing hamstring since the preseason, was back at practice and is expected to play Sunday against the New England Patriots.

• The Steelers activated Rashard Mendenhall but reserved him for an emergency. That is a good indicator that they hope to have him back this week, especially given that backup Isaac Redman was forced out of the game with a left leg issue. Reports suggest that it was cramping as opposed to a more serious injury, but the Steelers would be happy to have a healthy Mendenhall regardless.

We will continue to update these injuries and others as the week progresses.

HacheMan · Oct 11, 2011

Tebow could be serious find for fantasy players

Prepare for the next bye weeks with these five claims. All are available in at least 50% of leagues.

•Tim Tebow, QB, Denver Broncos: If he's the starter for Week 7's road trip against the Miami Dolphins' struggling defense, Tebow will be worth claiming to compensate for Tom Brady, Michael Vick, Eli Manning and Ryan Fitzpatrick on a bye. In one half of work in the loss to the San Diego Chargers, he generated more points than Brady, Fitzpatrick and Philip Rivers did in Week 5.
<NOTCH><WEB-FRAGMENT>Fantasy Football Essentials

Pigskin Pool: Pick the winners
NEWS: Player notes
Leaders: By category
Sortable stats: By position
Teams: Rosters, injury updates, depth charts

</WEB-FRAGMENT></NOTCH>

MORE: Leaders by category

When Tebow started in the final three weeks of 2010, he posted the second-most fantasy points of any player in the league.
•Donovan McNabb, QB, Minnesota Vikings: The Chicago Bears have a short week to prepare after a Monday night tangle with the Detroit Lions. McNabb has averaged 235 yards and 1.3 scores during his last three visits to his hometown.
•Jackie Battle, RB, Kansas City Chiefs: He succeeded as the Chiefs' primary back against the Indianapolis Colts, rushing for his first 100-yard game (119) on a career-high 19 carries. Battle had run for 118 yards during his first four seasons but received more than 13 carries for the first time in his career. He has a solid matchup against the Oakland Raiders' shaky run defense in Week 7.
•Delone Carter, RB, Colts: The rookie could receive a big workload if Joseph Addai is limited or sidelined by a hamstring injury. Donald Brown, a 2009 first-rounder, also will be in the mix, but Carter figures to get the crucial work at the goal line. He scored his first NFL touchdown against the Chiefs.
•Jason Avant, WR, Philadelphia Eagles: Vick has thrown 40 or more times each of the last two weeks as the result of the team's defensive struggles. During this span, Avant has caught team highs of 15 passes on 18 targets for 208 yards.
Avant scored his only touchdown last season at the Washington Redskins, finishing with five catches for 76 yards. He meets the Redskins again Sunday.

HacheMan · Oct 12, 2011

Andre Johnson's Hammy

The details coming out of Houston regarding Andre Johnson’s hamstring injury are muddled.

First, he went down like he got shot upon suffering the initial injury. It looked like he blew out his knee. But then it was revealed that he actually hurt his hamstring and rumor had it he was undergoing PRP therapy. Wrong. Johnson actually had a surgical procedure on his hamstring, which sounds major. Is it?

To help us get a better handle on Johnson’s injury, we chatted with Brian Eckenrode, PT, DPT, MS, OCS and sports rehabilitation specialist for GSPP Penn Therapy and Fitness at the Penn Sports Medicine Center in Philadelphia. For more info on GSPP and the Penn Sports Medicine Center, head to Phillyrehab.com.

ANDRE JOHNSON
Injury: Hamstring
Status: Tentatively expected to return in Week 7 or 8.

Johnson’s surgery was reportedly repair the distal tendon in his hamstring. What is the distal tendon?
The term hamstring refers to three different muscles. The distal tendon is the one closest to the knee. Hamstring injuries closer to the pelvis are much more common. Either way you’re going to be limited the same way. They are just managed a little differently, but it really depends on the severity of it.

Hamstring surgery sounds bad. Don‘t most players recover with simple rest?
They do. The one surgery they have to do is if you pull the tendon completely off the bone and they have to reattach it. But the recovery for that is much, much longer than Johnson’s current timetable.

So he could have had some other type of minimally invasive thing. Maybe he had some tissue form and it needs to be released. That would be something you can get from multiple, repeated injuries.

If Johnson did have scar tissue cleaned up, how will he feel going forward?
If he had a restriction of motion and the scar tissue is what they attribute that to, certainly by going in there and taking care of that it will make him feel better and have a quicker recovery. But hamstrings are always tricky anyhow and on top of that we don’t know exactly what procedure he had. There’s kind of a question mark around the whole injury.

ROTOWORLD OPINION: Johnson’s soreness has already gone away and he’s begun his rehab. There’s even talk he could get out on the practice field this week. We can therefore rule out a rupture of the hamstring. It’s a safe guess that Johnson’s procedure was just to clean out the area that connects his knee to his hamstring. The Texans figure to play it safe, but a full return without much risk of aggravation in Week 8 seems reasonable. The Texans insist that the additions of Derrick Mason (see below) and a practice squad receiver don't have anything to do with Johnson recovering slowly.

Editor’s Note: For early rankings, projections, the Running Back report, the top-200 going forward list and much more, check out the Season Pass!

NEWS OF THE DAY #1
The Texans and Jets pulled off the rare NFL trade late Tuesday night, with Derrick Mason getting shipped to Houston in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick.

Mason fell out of favor in New York by predictably being unproductive and then complaining he wants the ball more. The problem is he’s 37 and can no longer get open. That won’t change in Houston, no matter how desperate they are for help during Andre Johnson’s absence. Kevin Walter is a better player at this point and a focused Jacoby Jones likely (maybe) is too. Mason will just fill a jersey in the slot.

Meanwhile, rookie Jeremy Kerley takes over as the No. 3 wideout for the Jets. But they have gone back to two-wide as their base offense, leaving Kerley with only 15-20 snaps per game going forward.

NEWS OF THE DAY #2
Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski confirmed Monday that Cam Newton will remain the Panthers’ goal-line back. So far this season, Newton has 13 carries from inside the 10-yard line while Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams have combined for three. Newton has five rushing touchdowns already.

"That's one place where it's so compact that it's hard to get good numbers and so with the quarterback as a runner your numbers even out so that you can get hats on hats a little easier," said Chudzinski.

The fallout here is simple: Stewart and Williams are mega-talents that are going to waste in both fantasy and real life. Newton is turning into a weekly top-5 QB play. When quarterbacks are a good bet to run for 50 yards and score, the passing numbers feel like icing. Right, Tim Tebow?

Editor’s Note: Sick of your team already? Get a new one and win cash with SnapDraft!

INJURY QUICK SLANTS
Rashard Mendenhall (hamstring) is on track to play in Week 6, but his workload is uncertain. … The Colts promoted RB Darren Evans from their practice squad, a sign that Joseph Addai (hamstring) won’t play this week. … Daniel Thomas (hamstring) returned to practice Tuesday but looked tentative. … Seattle's Mike Williams (concussion) is expected to be cleared during the bye. … Julio Jones (hamstring) won’t practice Wednesday. Harry Douglas may very well start across from Roddy White this week. … Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral) may end up needing surgery.

DEPTH CHART QUICK SLANTS
Tim Tebow was officially named the Broncos starter. Tebow time. … Cedric Benson’s suspension decision may take another 3-4 weeks to play out. … Donald Driver is playing on just 42.2 percent of the Packers’ snaps since Week 1. James Jones is the No. 3 wideout. … Coach Pat Shurmur called Ben Watson a three-down tight end. … Earnest Graham will be the feature back if LeGarrette Blount (knee) sits this week.

HacheMan · Oct 12, 2011

Target Watch: Week 6

The numbers by each name are targets for week 5 and then in the parenthesis are the total year to date targets. All snap count data comes from our friends over at Pro Football Focus.

If you are looking for the bye week teams (Ravens, Browns, Cowboys, Dolphins, Rams, Redskins) take a look at last week's Target Watch.

Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald - 8 (43), Early Doucet - 16 (37), Andre Roberts - 6 (23), Todd Heap - dnp (20), Jeff King - 6 (12), Beanie Wells - 1 (9), Rob Housler - 8 (9)

Week 5 went just like the Cardinals planned with Early Doucet and Rob Housler leading in targets as they destroyed the Minnes ... oh, wait, they lost you say? Ok, that makes more sense now that I look at this again. When Larry Fitzgerald isn't hurt and gets out targeted by Early Doucet by 8 there is little chance the Cardinals are winning. But as far as fake football goes, 16 targets is a whole lot, and Doucet is now clearly the 2nd (or sometimes 1st) read in this passing offense. He was targeted early and often and opportunity often trumps ability.

Atlanta Falcons

Roddy White - 9 (54), Tony Gonzalez - 8 (41), Julio Jones - 4 (41), Harry Douglas - 5 (18), Jason Snelling - 2 (14), Jacquizz Rodgers - 1 (10), Michael Turner - 0 (7)

Julio Jones left the game early with a hamstring injury and Harry Douglas picked up some targets. If Jones is out this week Douglas would most likely be in the starting role but that also means it will be the Roddy White show once again.

The two-headed running back monster is still lurking, well when it comes to the passing game, and I don’t think it's going to change. Rodgers and Snelling are going to continue to cancel each other out.

Buffalo Bills

Stevie Johnson - 5 (41), David Nelson - 2 (32), Donald Jones - 2 (31), Fred Jackson - 6 (23), Scott Chandler - 1 (15), Naaman Roosevelt - 7 (9), C.J. Spiller - 2 (6), Brad Smith - 1 (6), Ruvell Martin - 1 (4)

Naaman Roosevelt was the main beneficiary of Donald Jones' injury and led the Bills with 7 targets. His placement in the slot and the Eagles defense is what attracted the targets more than his ability and the true beneficiary should be David Nelson. He's a more talented receiver and without Jones competing for looks we should see his target totals get more consistent. Roosevelt will be the new slot receiver and will also see targets, but will be more inconsistent.

Breaking: C.J. Spiller was on the field for 6 plays.

Carolina Panthers

Steve Smith - 7 (48), Greg Olsen - 5 (32), Legedu Naanee - 7 (32), Jeremy Shockey - 7 (27), Jonathan Stewart - 1 (19), Brandon LaFell - 2 (18), DeAngelo Williams - 0 (10)

I keep looking for the more talented Brandon LaFell to start moving ahead of Legedu Naanee in targets, but it just isn't happening. The numbers are a bit baffling really; Naanee has 32 targets with 12 receptions for 128 yards while LaFell has 18 targets with 13 receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown. Add to that, Naanee's 9 red zone targets to Lafell's 4 and you have a chin scratcher to be sure.

The same can be said but to a lesser extent for the continued amount of targets Jeremy Shockey receives in relation to Greg Olsen who appears to be much quicker and more effective than Shockey. Olsen had been pulling away from Shockey in the target race, but this week the tables turned once again. Olsen is the player to own of course, but his ceiling is lowered by Shockey.

DeAngelo Williams was the running back of the week in Carolina, but was only on the field for 20 snaps compared to Jonathan Stewart's 38. Neither can be fully trusted in fantasy unless you can put them in the new RBBC slot that I just invented.

Chicago Bears

Matt Forte - 7 (40), Devin Hester - 7 (28), Dane Sanzenbacher - 10 (27), Johnny Knox - 2 (25), Kellen Davis - 3 (12), Sam Hurd - 5 (11), Roy Williams - 1 (10)

While the walls come crashing in on Jay Cutler every time he drops back to pass he is desperately looking to get rid of the ball and Dane Sanzenbacher and Matt Forte are running the shortest routes, i.e. they are ready for the ball to get there quickly. This will most likely continue as long as the Bears offensive line is awful beyond belief. Of course Earl Bennett could return at any time which could push Dane back to the bench, but who knows with Mike Martz. But as a general rule this season, don't roster a Bears wide receiver. Oh, and they should pay Matt Forte.

Cincinnati Bengals

A.J. Green - 8 (41), Jermaine Gresham - 7 (35), Jerome Simpson - 7 (32), Andre Caldwell - 4 (26), Brian Leonard - 3 (10), Cedric Benson - 0 (6), Andrew Hawkins - 2 (5), Bernard Scott - 2 (4)

Any improvement to Andy Dalton's game is a great boon for A.J. Green. Green has elite ability and just needs a quarterback to get him the ball. Dalton has been doing that as of late which should keep him in the WR2 range. And as that happens Jerome Simpson once again pops up on the radar, not the police blotter. In good matchups Simpson will benefit from the extra coverage Green will start to see.
Denver Broncos

Eric Decker - 5 (41), Brandon Lloyd - 4 (33), Daniel Fells - 4 (19), Willis McGahee - 1 (17), Matt Willis - 3 (13), Lance Ball - 0 (9), Knowshon Moreno - 3 (7)

The "Tebow Game" was a painful one for the wide receivers. They only saw 12 targets as a group and 3 receptions for 16 yards. Of course those numbers fall on the shoulders of Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow and the Chargers secondary.

Tim Tebow has been named the starting quarterback and with that the offense gets a whole new look. Willis McGahee will start to lose out on some goal line opportunities and Eric Decker will most likely have trouble receiving on-target passes on his short to mid-range routes.

Brandon Lloyd did well with Tebow late last season and could even see a bump in production as Timmy Ballgame eludes defenders letting him get deep. Knowshon Moreno did get 3 targets and turned one of those into a touchdown. He was also on the field for 20 plays while McGahee was in there on 25. It will be interesting how that sorts out with Tebow at the helm.

Detroit Lions

Calvin Johnson - 6 (47), Brandon Pettigrew - 5 (36), Jahvid Best - 4 (32), Titus Young - 4 (25), Nate Burleson - 4 (24), Tony Scheffler - 1 (7), Maurice Morris - 1 (5)

Big plays were the name of the Monday Night game so target numbers were down for the Lions which hurts Titus Young who needs shootouts to be relevant. Otherwise these numbers are steady and look about right for a 5-0 team with great and good skill position players.

Green Bay Packers

Greg Jennings - 5 (38), Jermichael Finley - 7 (31), Jordy Nelson - 7 (28), James Jones - 7 (19), James Starks - 3 (18), Donald Driver - 2 (16), Randall Cobb - 2 (10), John Kuhn - 1 (7), Ryan Grant - 1 (6), Tom Crabtree - 1 (2), D.J. Williams - 1 (1), Alex Green - 1 (1)

This target list is long. Very long. Out of the 12 players Aaron Rodgers targeted in week 5, only 12 of them had a reception. And when I say "only" I mean, good lord that's insane. And that was with rotating tackles! Rodgers is a beast.

James Jones was the clear winner this week with 7 targets, 5 receptions, 140 yards and a touchdown. That is good news for him, but with Jennings, Finley and Nelson consistently getting more targets than him it will be tough to know when or if this kind of game will happen again. But during the bye weeks I’d rather own the 4th receiver on the Packers than the 2nd receiver on most other teams.

The battle for running back supremacy went to James Starks this week. He was on the field for 30 plays in comparison to Ryan Grant’s 21 and had 15 looks to Grant's 8. They are going to continue to hurt each other in fantasy, but Starks is the guy to own.

Houston Texans

Owen Daniels - 11 (34), Jacoby Jones - 11 (21), Arian Foster - 7 (14), Joel Dreessen - 9 (14), James Casey - 2 (13), Kevin Walter - 6 (12), David Anderson - 2 (2).

With Andre Johnson out I was looking for the Owen Daniels and James Casey show to come to town, but instead of Casey, Joel Dreesen made his presence known. Oh and Jacoby Jones was there too. Well, sorda; he had 11 targets and caught a whopping one of them. Matt Schaub was not good in this game, but when you throw 51 times you are bound to put up some yards, even when you complete less than 50 percent of your passes.

Arian Foster was the work horse once again and had 29 looks and was on the field for 77 plays. His hamstring seems to be feeling just fine now.

Indianapolis Colts

Reggie Wayne - 7 (47), Pierre Garcon - 8 (37), Austin Collie - 2 (29), Dallas Clark - 5 (28), Joseph Addai - 1 (13), Delone Carter - 3 (4), Brody Eldridge - 0 (3), Jacob Tamme - 0 (1), Anthony Gonzalez - 1 (1)

The big news continues to be the production of Pierre Garcon from what was the worst offensive team in the league. Cutis Painter is the reason for this change. This week against the Bengals (a better pass defense) we should get a clearer idea of how well that connection will continue to produce. Reggie Wayne is still getting his targets and with Garcon stepping up he could start to see less attention. His numbers will improve as long as Painter keeps it together.

Joseph Addai hurt his hamstring and both Delone Carter and Donald Brown replaced him. Carter was in on 24 snaps to Brown's 21. There's not a ton of upside here, but Carter did see 4 looks in the red zone compared to a big fat zero for Brown.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Mike Thomas - 7 (47), Jason Hill - 7 (26), Marcedes Lewis - 4 (16), Maurice Jones-Drew - 0 (11), Deji Karim - 4 (11), Zach Miller - dnp (7), Jarett Dillard - 1 (6), Cecil Shorts - 1 (5), Brock Bolen - 1 (3), Greg Jones - 1 (3), Chastin West - 1 (2)

Mike Thomas has been the target king in Jacksonville until this week. Jason Hill tied him and had a big game, but that big game was based on a 74-yard, gift-wrapped blown coverage touchdown. Both Thomas and Hill are going to have trouble putting up fantasy numbers in this offense.

Kansas City Chiefs

Dwayne Bowe - 11 (42), Dexter McCluster - 2 (22), Steve Breaston - 5 (20), Leonard Pope - 3 (16), Keary Colbert - 2 (10), Jackie Battle - 2 (5), Thomas Jones - 3 (4), Terrance Copper - 1 (2)

Dwayne Bowe abused the Colts secondary and deserved every one of his 11 targets and then some. He will continue to be the target hog. Breaston only had 5 targets, but turned those into 2 touchdowns. Dexter McCluster was only on the field for 12 snaps and is most likely going to start losing targets to Breaston.

The running back situation is fairly split, but Jackie Battle took over as the lead back as the game went on. Battle was on the field for 34 snaps and Thomas Jones for 29.
Minnesota Vikings

Percy Harvin - 2 (26), Visanthe Shiancoe - 6 (24), Michael Jenkins - 6 (23), Bernard Berrian - dnp (17), Adrian Peterson - 0 (11), Devin Aromashodu - 5 (11), Kyle Rudolph - 0 (9), Toby Gerhart - 0 (4), Jim Kleinsasser - 0 (3), Lorenzo Booker - 2 (3)

I've been trying to find the silver lining in Percy Harvin's snap count and targets these last few weeks, but I'm giving up. He was a little dinged up this game, but still ran 19 pass routes which was in line with Jenkins and Shiancoe. This offense is Adrian Peterson's and then whoever gets lucky enough to get some crumbs.

New England Patriots

Wes Welker - 8 (65), Deion Branch - 8 (34), Rob Gronkowski - 4 (31), Aaron Hernandez - 9 (27), Chad Ochocinco - 3 (14), BenJarvus Green-Ellis - 1 (4), Stevan Ridley - 0 (3)

The target breakdown through five weeks is consistent with the Patriots receivers who need to be owned in fantasy. In this offense Welker, Branch, Gronkowski and Hernandez are going to continue to get their targets, but of course Welker is the only stone cold lock from week to week.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis dominated this game and in turn Stevan Ridley's looks took a nose dive. Law Firm was on the field for 61 snaps to Ridley's 13, believe it or not, I prefer to not.

New Orleans Saints

Jimmy Graham - 12 (48), Darren Sproles - 7 (42), Robert Meachem - 5 (31), Lance Moore - 6 (25), Devery Henderson - 1 (18), Marques Colston - 6 (18), Pierre Thomas - 3 (17), Mark Ingram - 2 (6), Jed Collins - 1 (2)

Jimbo Graham continues to dominate targets and production in the Saints receiving game. That fact is actually a bit of a relief compared to the past when we had absolutely no clue who would lead in targets from week to week.

After Graham it's going to be harder to decipher, but Marques Colston is now fully back in the fold and most likely will see the bulk of targets/time on the field for the wide receivers. He was on the field for 54 snaps, Meachem 53, Moore 37 and Henderson 25. That will continue as long as Colston stays healthy.

New York Giants

Hakeem Nicks - 7 (44), Victor Cruz - 11 (29), Mario Manningham - 9 (28), Ahmad Bradshaw - 5 (22), Jake Ballard - 4 (12), Henry Hynoski - 0 (6), D.J. Ware - 1 (3), Travis Beckum - 1 (2), Bear Pascoe - 1 (2)

In Victor Cruz's first five games he has been targeted 2, 2, 5, 9, and 11 times. That is a nice trend upward. He was also targeted 3 times in the red zone last week compared to a total of zero coming into the game. He made some real life errors that didn't hurt him too badly in fantasy, but do limit some of what he will be asked to do. But if he can continue to stay close to these kinds of targets he will continue to be fantasy relevant.

The use of Mario Manningham didn't turn into great fantasy production, but he was the No. 2 receiver as far as time on the field and in targets. That's good news going forward.

New York Jets

Santonio Holmes - 6 (33), Dustin Keller - 2 (33), Plaxico Burress - 8 (33), Derrick Mason - 1 (22), LaDainian Tomlinson - 1 (19), Shonn Greene - 2 (12), Matthew Mulligan - 1 (5), Jeremy Kerley - 3 (4), John Conner - 1 (3)

Looking over these numbers you'd think Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes were equal in ability. They have the same number or targets so they must be valued equally in the offense. I just don't see it. Burress has 6 red zone targets to Holmes' 1 which is giving Plaxico more TD chances, but Holmes' skill should (should) start to pull him ahead of Burress as the season goes forward.

Oakland Raiders

Darrius Heyward-Bey - 12 (29), Denarius Moore - 6 (26), Darren McFadden - 3 (21), Derek Hagan - 3 (19), Jacoby Ford - 7 (13), Brandon Myers - 1 (10), Chaz Schilens - 3 (9)

As you can see with these total targets there just aren't enough from week to week to support a fantasy footballer through the hard times. Heyward-Bey has been "consistent" the last two weeks with 7 and 12 targets. The trick is keeping up the target numbers and the production. I have a hard time believing he can do it with the talent level around him that will also need targets and Darren McFadden is going to continue to get the ball and often.

Philadelphia Eagles

Jeremy Maclin - 8 (44), DeSean Jackson - 7 (37), Jason Avant - 10 (34), LeSean McCoy - 7 (26), Brent Celek - 5 (21), Steve Smith - 0 (7), Clay Harbor - 1 (5)

Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson will continue to be the main guys week in and week out, but Jason Avant had 10 targets to lead the team. He led the team in targets twice all of last season. Consider this a mirage.
Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Wallace - 7 (38), Antonio Brown - 4 (37), Hines Ward - 8 (31), Heath Miller - 4 (21), Emmanuel Sanders - 3 (16), David Johnson - 2 (5), Isaac Redman - 3 (5), Jerricho Cotchery - 1 (2), Weslye Saunders - 1 (2), Jonathan Dwyer - 1 (1)

Mike Wallace retook the targets lead from Antonio Brown and Hines Ward moved back up the charts. Brown still has more upside than Ward, but this week’s performance makes it hard to trust either player, especially with Brown only seeing the field for 18 snaps.

San Diego Chargers

Vincent Jackson - 6 (36), Mike Tolbert - 3 (34), Malcom Floyd - 7 (25), Ryan Mathews - 1 (24), Randy McMichael - 6 (21), Patrick Crayton - 2 (10), Jacob Hester - 2 (8), Kory Sperry - 1 (3), Vincent Brown - 0 (3)

With Champ Bailey doing his best Champ Bailey impersonation on Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd was able to see more work than usual. For the most part Jackson will be the man, but not until after he faces the Jets and Revis.

The running back situation was a little screwy with the concussion to Mike Tolbert and the multiple injuries to Ryan Mathews. Jacob Hester came in and looked capable, but the pecking order is pretty clear now if these guys can stay healthy. And yes, that's a big if. Like that sculpture with the LO on top of the VE, but with I and F instead.

Seattle Seahawks

Ben Obomanu - 10 (28), Doug Baldwin - 9 (27), Sidney Rice - 5 (21), Marshawn Lynch - 6 (17), Justin Forsett - 1 (16), Zach Miller - 0 (15), Golden Tate - 3 (13), Anthony McCoy - 6 (12), Leon Washington - 1 (6)

Marshawn Lynch had 18 looks and the most receiving targets he's had all season. He used to be a receiving threat back in the good old days so this is a good sign. The breakdown of wide receiver targets continues to be erratic from week to week and it will be a bit risky to rely on any of them.

San Francisco 49ers

Vernon Davis - 3 (26), Michael Crabtree - 5 (22), Josh Morgan - 6 (20), Frank Gore - 2 (13), Delanie Walker - 3 (13), Kyle Williams - 1 (3)

Three targets for Vernon Davis is criminal. It makes me crazy! Oh, he had 2 touchdowns? Well, that's pretty good, but 3? He was on the field more than any other offensive skill player and they could only muster 3 targets for him. It was a blowout and the starters sat part of the game, but I do wish Davis was averaging more than 5 targets a game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Williams - 9 (40), Kellen Winslow - 9 (35), Earnest Graham - 0 (28), Preston Parker - 3 (24), Arrelious Benn - 4 (18), Dezmon Briscoe - 2 (8), LeGarrette Blount - 3 (8), Kregg Lumpkin - 1 (6), Micheal Spurlock - 2 (2)

Tampa Bay has to be one of the more disappointing teams this season. Yes, there are plenty of teams out there underperforming, but Tampa seemed to be on the verge of taking another step forward, but so far they are stepping back. Mike Williams and Josh Freeman aren't even coming close to the numbers they were putting up last season, but thankfully the opportunities are still there for Williams at least. As long as he is averaging 8 targets a game you have to keep him around. But after that the Bucs passing game is way too sketchy to take a risk on.

Tennessee Titans

Nate Washington - 8 (39), Chris Johnson - 3 (24), Jared Cook - 9 (22), Lavelle Hawkins - 8 (21), Damian Williams - 11 (20), Javon Ringer - 6 (10), Marc Mariani - 2 (6), Daniel Graham - 1 (2)

The Steelers pass defense has been very strong this season so it's hard to look hard at the production from last week, but seeing Jared Cook get 9 targets is a great sign. He has the ability to be a top tight end in this league and as long as the targets are there he will produce.

Damian Williams took a step forward with 11 targets and his second touchdown in as many weeks. Yes, Matt Hasselbeck had more attempts than he usually will, but Williams is the clear No. 2 receiver now.