NFL Fantasy Football News 2009-2010

HacheMan · Oct 13, 2009

Rewarding Anticipation

Last week provided a useful reminder about keeping up with player news and practice updates into the weekend. By early Tuesday afternoon, Fred Taylor was thought to be healthy, Mohamed Massaquoi was expected to continue to feast off the single coverage provided by Braylon Edward's presence on the other side, Sam Hurd was considered the top choice to replace Roy Williams, and Kevin Curtis had already returned to practice for the Eagles.

By Friday afternoon, however, it became obvious that Sammy Morris would have a major role in the Pats' offense, Mohamed Massaquoi would draw extra defensive attention in a passing offense likely to struggle mightily, Miles Austin would replace Roy Williams at split end, and talented rookie Jeremy Maclin would take over for Kevin Curtis. If you made the late-week moves in anticipation of the Week 5 breakout games, congratulations are in order. If not, welcome to this week's waiver wire lottery – and good luck.

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

Wide Receivers
1. Miles Austin
2. Jeremy Maclin
3. Donnie Avery
4. Hakeem Nicks
5. Austin Collie
6. Muhsin Muhammad

Running Backs
1. Sammy Morris
2. Derrick Ward
3. Jamaal Charles
4. Michael Bush
5. Correll Buckhalter
6. Jerious Norwood

Quarterbacks
1. Josh Johnson
2. Jake Delhomme
3. Matt Cassel
4. Chad Henne
5. Daunte Culpepper

Tight Ends
1. Jermichael Finley
2. Zach Miller
3. Ben Watson
4. Tony Scheffler/Daniel Graham

Defenses
1. Jaguars
2. Redskins

Editor's Note:</I> Not happy with your fantasy teams? New weekly leagues are drafting every single day at Snapdraft. Draft your team during the week, even Sunday morning, and win cash by Tuesday. It's a great complement to your yearly leagues and rewards the most skilled fantasy players who know matchups and value.

</FONT+1>WIDE RECEIVERS

Miles Austin, Cowboys – The Week 5 perfect storm of 10/250/2 won't happen again. Roy Williams will return to the starting lineup, Austin won't be targeted 15 times against one of the slowest secondaries in the league, and the Cowboys won't play an overtime game every week. The good news, however, is that Austin's talent is legit and coach Wade Phillips suggested that he will see just as much playing time in Dallas' next game. Patrick Crayton has always been ideally suited for the slot role, so Austin will take over as the starter opposite Williams. With Williams struggling to separate from defenders, Austin is easily the best big-play threat among the Cowboys receivers. Pick him up as a potential WR3 for the rest of the season, but keep in the mind the Cowboys' bye this week.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Jeremy Maclin, Eagles – The No. 19 overall picked earned his quarterback's confidence with a well-rounded breakout game in Week 5. We knew the blazer could get deep, but he was also willing to make tough grabs over the middle. The bad news is that Maclin won't get the Bucs' burnable secondary every week, and Kevin Curtis looms as a possible timeshare. The good news is that Curtis just can't shake his knee injury, and Maclin seized his opportunity. I'm expecting the rookie to hold onto the starting job in a pass-first offense.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Donnie Avery, Rams – Avery showed no ill effects from the hamstring injury that limited him in practice last week as he reeled in five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings. Now entrenched as the Rams No. 1 receiver, it was Avery's best performance since Week 11 of last season. The only option worth using in the St. Louis passing game, the speedster has an inviting matchup against a Jags secondary that surrendered four touchdowns to Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh in Week 5.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Hakeem Nicks, Giants – The first-round rookie is suddenly a threat to Mario Manningham's starting job. Nicks led the Giants in both targets and receptions in Week 5, and he's flashed home-run hitting ability in preseason and early-season action. Even if he dethrones Manningham, however, the two would likely split time and production. Grab Nicks as a stash for now.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Austin Collie, Colts – Are we sure that Anthony Gonzalez will go right back to being the No. 2 receiver when he re-enters the lineup? Collie has obviously earned Peyton Manning's confidence, catching six-of-seven targets in Week 4 and eight-of-nine in Week 5. The diligent rookie blocks well, runs great routes, knows the playbook, and hasn't been limited to slot duty the past two weeks. While Pierre Garcon grabs all of the accolades, Collie has been the more productive player. Keep in mind that the Colts are on bye this week, but Collie has the look of this year's Lance Moore.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Muhsin Muhammad, Panthers – The Bucs were able to shut down the Eagles' No. 1 receiver, DeSean Jackson, in Week 6, but No. 2 receiver Maclin exploded for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Steve Smith will draw the extra defensive attention this week, leaving Moose to make hay against the fourth most generous wide receiver defense in the league. Owners desperate for a WR3 should consider Muhammad as a one-week patch.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play

Long-Term Fliers

Michael Crabtree - Very long-term. Don't count on any fantasy contributions before Thanksgiving.

Josh Morgan - Growing more involved by the week; just missed two touchdowns over the past two games.

Lance Moore - Can he regain the No. 2 job following the Saints' bye?

Chris Henry - Now healthy after a painful early-season thigh injury, Henry is starting to get more involved in the offense. Laveranues Coles is toast.

Mike Wallace - Playing the Nate Washington role to perfection.

Cut Bait

Mohamed Massaquoi - Not ready yet to be the No. 1 receiver in a lifeless passing attack.

Lee Evans - Trent Edwards is killing the Buffalo passing attack.

Kevin Curtis - Unlikely to be 100 percent all season?

Justin Gage - Splitting production with rookie Kenny Britt. Vince Young sightings are bad news for all Titans receivers.



</FONT+1>RUNNING BACKS

Sammy Morris, Patriots – We recommended Morris as a long-term flier last week but quickly changed gears upon discovering that Fred Taylor underwent ankle surgery. Though the Patriots backfield committee approach remains intact, the roles of Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk went unchanged in Week 5. Morris, however, had 19 touches for 107 yards against a stingy Broncos defense. Inconsistency is expected, but Morris is clearly the back to own in New England.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Derrick Ward, Buccaneers – After the Week 4 knee injury along with the Bucs' desire to get Cadillac Williams more involved, Ward is now owned in just over half of all fantasy leagues. He outproduced Caddy in both yardage and per carry average against Philly, and the Panthers' third-worst run defense awaits this week. Ward is worthy of consideration as a flex play or bye-week fill-in this week.

Recommendation: Worth picking up as a matchup play

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs – Charles has yet to gain the confidence of his coaching staff after early season fumbling issues, but his role will continue to grow. Larry Johnson is averaging an alarmingly low 2.4 yards per carry on 93 attempts while Charles has managed 5.1 yards per carry and 9.8 yards per reception. The woebegone Chiefs will be playing from behind all season long, which means more passing-down work for Charles. Even if he doesn't steal the starting job outright, he'll keep eating away at Johnson's touches.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Michael Bush, Raiders – Bush started over Justin Fargas and was the far more effective runner against a tough Giants defense. Expectations should be kept low in an offense held hostage by JaMarcus Russell, but Bush is worth consideration as a desperate flex play for as long as Darren McFadden is out.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Correll Buckhalter, Broncos – Similar to Derrick Ward in that he's been dropped in almost half of all leagues after coming down with a high ankle sprain. While there's no guarantee that he'll be back in Week 6, Buckhalter is worth a stash as he's likely to regain his timeshare role with Knowshon Moreno after the Week 7 bye.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Jerious Norwood, Falcons – Norwood doesn't touch the ball enough to be an ideal bye-week fill-in, but owners with little depth at running back can plug him in and hope for a long touchdown run and a handful of receptions.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

Long-Term Fliers

Justin Forsett - Received just six touches against the Jags, but severely outplayed Julius Jones.

Shonn Greene - Will need a Thomas Jones injury for fantasy value.

Cut Bait

Jerome Harrison - Maybe it was the matchup, but Jamal Lewis' 31 carries to just eight for Harrison put an end to Harrison's window of opportunity.

Glen Coffee - Frank Gore is due back when the Niners come off their bye in Week 7. Gore owners will want to hang on to the handcuff, but his roster spot can be put to better uses for every one else.



</FONT+1>QUARTERBACKS

Josh Johnson, Buccaneers – The Week 5 numbers weren't eye-popping, but reviews of Johnson's effort against the Eagles were overwhelmingly positive. SI's Peter King called Johnson "a bold quarterback with growing confidence" who deserves to start the rest of the season. The National Football Post's Michael Lombardi pointed out that Johnson was much improved in his second career start and would have had a monster game if Michael Clayton and Antonio Bryant didn't drop so many passes. Our game charter agreed with those assessments while also pointing out that Johnson is "almost Vick-like" with his legs. Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow are viable weapons to go along with Johnson's legs. That Tyler Thigpen-like fantasy value in a lost season may not be such a pipe dream after all.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Jake Delhomme, Panthers – From the damning with faint praise department, Delhomme hasn't been downright awful since Week 1. The upcoming matchup against the Bucs' leaky defense has fantasy bonanza potential, making Delhomme an acceptable start for the owners dealing with bye week blues at quarterback.

Recommendation: Worth picking up as a matchup play

Matt Cassel, Chiefs – Don't count on playing him against the Redskins in a low-scoring affair this week, but Cassel may be worth a roster spot with the Chargers and Jaguars sandwiched around a Week 8 bye. While the offensive line is disturbingly poor, Dwayne Bowe is now healthy and Cassel is coming off a 253-yard, 2-touchdown performance against the Cowboys.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Chad Henne, Dolphins – In his second career start, Henne showed terrific touch and arm strength while completing 77 percent of his passes against the No. 4 passing defense in the league. Henne is worth a stash in deeper leagues, but beware of the upcoming schedule. The Dolphins have a Week 6 bye before hosting the Saints and then traveling to the Jet and Patriots.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

Daunte Culpepper, Lions – Matthew Stafford's Week 6 status hasn't been decided, but it makes sense for the Lions to hold their franchise cornerstone out through the Week 7 bye. Packers corners Al Harris and Charles Woodson get tremendous respect around the league, but Green Bay's secondary is allowing the eighth most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Culpepper is worth a look for owners with bye week issues.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a bye-week fill-in

Long-Term Fliers

Vince Young - The Titans' starting quarterback in Week 8?

Marc Bulger - I wouldn't run out to pick up Bulger, but he does have a nice matchup this week against the Jags burnable secondary.

Cut Bait

Kerry Collins - One game left as the starter?

Trent Edwards - Captain Checkdown is not the answer in Buffalo.

Jason Campbell - His offensive line was already a sieve, and now he's expected to be without Chris Samuels for a week.

Derek Anderson - The cupboard is just about bare at wide receiver and tight end.

</FONT+1>TIGHT ENDS

Jermichael Finley, Packers – Despite his Week 4 breakout game against the Vikings, Finley is still owned in just a third of all fantasy leagues thanks to the Packers bye week. This week's matchup against the Lions will provide another chance for huge numbers, as Detroit allows the third most fantasy points to tight ends.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Zach Miller, Raiders – There aren't many viable starters left on waiver wires by this point in the season, so let's concentrate on matchups. Miller recorded 69 percent of JaMarcus Russell's passing yards in Week 5. This week he draws an Eagles defense recently shredded by Kellen Winslow to the tune of nine catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Recommendation: Worth picking up as a matchup play

Ben Watson, Patriots – Watson left the Broncos game with a head injury. If he returns to practice on Wednesday, he's worth consideration in deep leagues going up against a Titans defense allowing the second most fantasy points to tight ends.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play

Tony Scheffler / Daniel Graham, Broncos – Keep an eye on Scheffler's back/hip injury this week. He was on his way to his best game of the season in Week 5, and the Broncos get the always tight-end friendly Chargers in Week 6.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a desperate matchup play

Long-Term Fliers

Brandon Pettigrew - Still too inconsistent, but his role in the passing game continues to grow.

Jared Cook - Cook appears to be finally over his early-season ankle injury, and the Titans looked they wanted to get him more involved last week. With Bo Scaife in a contract year, the Titans will want to see what they have in Cook.

</FONT+1>DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

Jaguars - The Jags laid an egg in Seattle, but they're a different team at home and the Rams will cure what ails you. St. Louis has surrendered four defense/special teams touchdowns in the past two weeks. If you're playing matchups on defense, the Jags are your best bet this week.

Recommendation: Worth picking up as a matchup play

Redskins - Jim Zorn is dead man walking. Luckily, the talent-starved Chiefs come to town with a patchwork offensive line that could be without left tackle Brandon Albert. While the Redskins offense has sputtered, the defense is sixth in the league in points allowed.

Recommendation: Worth picking up as a matchup play

HacheMan · Oct 14, 2009

Backfield Breakdown

The most common questions revolve around the backfields in Pittsburgh and New Orleans. Will Willie Parker resume starting duties if he's healthy enough to play this week? Is Pierre Thomas an obvious sell-high with Mike Bell due back and ready to siphon carries?

Though Parker admitted Sunday that he wasn't sure if he'd be able to play in Week 6, coach Mike Tomlin was optimistic about his chances two days later. You'll have to forgive me if I don't share Tomlin's optimism. Turf toe injuries tend to linger, and Parker stands a good chance of aggravating the injury when he attempts to return to a full practice on Wednesday.

If Parker does make it through the gauntlet of a full week of practice, will he remain atop the depth chart as offensive coordinator Bruce Arians suggested last week? I wouldn't count on it and neither would beat writer Ed Bouchette, who suggested there's been a changing of the guard in the Steelers backfield. Arians did couch his statement about the pecking order last week, saying he'd re-evaluate once Rashard Mendenhall showed that he was a proven commodity. On the heels of a second straight impressive outing, you can bet that Arians and Tomlin are doing some major re-evaluating this week.

Bouchette suspects that Mendenhall and Parker will reverse roles the rest of the way, with Mendenhall as the feature back and Parker spelling him. It's self-evident that the Steelers offense runs much more naturally with the more physical Mendenhall grinding out tough yardage and bursting through holes. Once the weather begins to play a factor, the contrast between the two backs will be even more drastic. While Mendenhall won't have another stretch as soft as the Chargers, Lions, and Browns, he is primed to maintain RB2 value the rest of the way.

Ever since Mike Bell went down with a sprained MCL in Week 2, Saints coach Sean Payton has been reluctant to delineate his plans for the backfield -- leaving the rest of to speculate. Rotoworld has been operating under the assumption that Pierre Thomas will continue to be the lead dog after carrying the team to victories over the Bills and Jets when the passing game was struggling in Weeks 3 and 4. Beat writer Jeff Duncan, on other hand, has been in Bell's corner since training camp and expects the two backs to split carries going forward.

While I realize I'm going up against one of the best beat writers in the business, I'm sticking to the prediction I made when Thomas was injured and Bell was the waiver wire darling du jour: Thomas remains the feature back when both players are healthy. Duncan loves Bell's physical, between the tackles style, but Thomas has the clear edge in talent, explosiveness, and versatility. Averaging a gaudy 6.4 yards per attempt in two games, Thomas is now up to 5.1 yards per carry in 214 career attempts and 9.0 yards per on 53 receptions. On a per-touch basis, Thomas is one of the most effective backs in the league – and Payton knows it. His offense is at its most dynamic when Thomas is featured heavily.

The physical Bell may capture short-yardage duties, but I fully expect Thomas to continue to see 14-18 touches per week. In the Saints high-powered offense, that spells fantasy asset as opposed to an obvious "sell."

Editor's Note: For early rankings, complete projections, and a host of other exclusive material for Week 6, head to Rotoworld's Season Pass.

Though coach Wade Phillips refused to use the word "starter" when talking about Miles Austin after his breakout performance, he did say that Austin would receive as much as playing time in Week 7 as he did in the Chiefs game. Addressing the subject again on Tuesday, Phillips was still hesitant to officially label him a "starter," but he did promise to play Austin "50-something plays" against the Falcons after the bye week. The upshot is that Austin will play flanker opposite split end Roy Williams with Patrick Crayton in the slot.

The Saints waived QB Chase Daniel to make room for K Garrett Hartley, who is returning from his four-game suspension. Though Hartley is still viewed as the team's kicker of the future, John Carney is fully expected to continue handling extra points and field goals. Pick him up if he was dropped over the bye week.

Editor's Note: Not happy with your fantasy teams? New weekly leagues are drafting every single day at Snapdraft. Draft your team during the week, even Sunday morning, and win cash by Tuesday. It's a great complement to your yearly leagues and rewards the most skilled fantasy players who know matchups and value.

Two-Minute Drill: According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, "the feeling is" Jim Zorn could be fired during the Week 8 bye if the Redskins lose to the Eagles in Week 7. … Eagles coach Andy Reid said he is sticking with his rotation of Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy in the backfield. … Chiefs coach Todd Haley insists that he has no plans to make a change at running back despite Larry Johnson's abysmal 2.4 yards per carry average. ... Lance Moore is expected to remain the Saints' No. 3 receiver with Devery Henderson starting opposite Marques Colston. … Lions coach Jim Schwartz assured that Ernie Sims (shoulder) will regain his starting job when "100 percent healthy." … Reggie Bush is reportedly not in danger of being released after the season, though the Saints may try to rework his contract. … Broncos owner Pat Bowlen acknowledged that Brandon Marshall has earned a "significant raise" – and will receive it if he continues his strong play. … Brett Favre has unsurprisingly declined to answer the question of whether or not he'd return to the Vikings in 2010. … Michael Crabtree will stay in San Francisco to work with coaches on learning the 49ers offense during the bye week. … Free agent Matt Jones worked out for the Bucs on Tuesday, but Yamon Figurs was signed instead. … The Colts released DT Ed Johnson. … The Patriots re-signed 40-year-old LB Junior Seau.

Red Zone: Jets WR Jerricho Cotchery hinted that he could sit out this week's game against the Bills to allow his hamstring time to heal. … Steelers DE Aaron Smith is tentatively scheduled to undergo rotator cuff surgery that could sideline him until January. … Colts president Bill Polian revealed that Anthony Gonzalez (knee) is not healthy enough to practice during the team's Week 6 bye, which is an indication that he won't be ready to resume a full-time role in Week 7. … Matt Hasselbeck (ribs) is not expected to be limited in Seahawks practice this week. … Darren McFadden (knee) has already been ruled out for Week 6, which doesn't bode well for a Week 7 return. … Though Ricky Williams hobbled off the field with an ankle injury Monday night, it's not considered to be serious. … Bills MLB Paul Posluszny hopes to return for this week's game against the Jets, but he's yet to receive medical clearance. … Patriots LT Matt Light's MRI results revealed no significant ligament damage in his right knee or ankle. … Texans RG Mike Brisiel joined LG Chester Pitts on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury in Week 5. … Dolphins KR/RB Patrick Cobbs is out for the season after tearing his ACL against the Jets Monday night. … Despite sustaining a third concussion in the last two months, 49ers SS Michael Lewis is not expected to miss the rest of 2009.

HacheMan · Oct 14, 2009

Trends for Romo, Portis, others began in late 2008

Are you surprised that your early-round pick has flopped so far this season, or that one of your later picks is playing beyond expectations? You shouldn't be, at least not if you looked at what was taking place toward the end of last season. Here are a few trends that began in 2008 and are still going strong. Check out the full article at SportsDataHub.com.

Tony Romo of the Cowboys is averaging 268 yards per game, but he's committed six turnovers and thrown for only six touchdowns in the first five games of the season.

CAPTION

By John Rieger, US Presswire

Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys: Romo started to falter in Week 14 last season. Over his final four games in 2008, Romo averaged 222 passing yards and completed 56% of his throws with five touchdowns and six interceptions. Romo has been merely average so far this season, averaging 268 passing yards per game, a 58% completion percentage with six touchdowns and four interceptions. Over his last nine games, he's completed 60% or more of his throws just twice.
Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers: With just one game of at least 85 receiving yards through last season's first 13 weeks, Jackson went over that mark three times in the final four games. He averaged five catches for 99 yards in that span and caught two touchdowns. Through San Diego's first four games this season, Jackson has two touchdowns and twice has had at least 120 receiving yards.
Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins: Through his first five games of this year, Portis is averaging nearly 68 rushing yards and has scored just once. However, his descent into statistical mediocrity began last season in Week 13. After having rushed for 120 or more yards in six of the Redskins' previous eight games, Portis finished the final five weeks of the season averaging only 56 yards per game. He also lost two fumbles in that time.
Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts: Already this season, Clark has three games of at least 75 receiving yards. He's averaging seven receptions for 88 yards per game and has scored two touchdowns. His surge actually started in Week 15 of 2008 against the Lions. Clark had two contests with at least 100 yards over the season's final three weeks, and he scored twice while averaging nearly nine receptions and 102 yards per game.
http://ww2.sportsdatahub.com/

HacheMan · Oct 14, 2009

Ship Sinking for Slaton?
As I sat at the University of Maryland Gospel Brunch at around 1:20 PM on Sunday, having my thoughts drowned out by arguably beautiful singing, I realized three things in life:

1. Thank God Adam Hammer texts me fantasy football updates.
2. Damn I should've started Ahmad Bradshaw.
3. Gospel music was not created to cure hangovers.

In the words of our Founding Fathers, I find these three truths to be self evident. And while these truths may not stir the pot like the ones from 1776, they are valid. But aside from my lunchtime revelations, it got me thinking: is anything really "True?" Certainly in this unpredictable season of Fantasy Football, most of what we perceived to be True in late August has ended up being false or true (small t) at best in October.

However, admitting we never really know the truth kind of takes all the fun out of this whole Fantasy Football thing. Let's be honest: is there any feeling that matches the simple joy of telling your entire league, "I told you so"? The prize money is nice, but what we really want is to be right.

In the interest of being right, here are a few of my truths, and some things that may be a little further from it, found in Week 5:

Things I Know

Steve Slaton's value is definitely hurt by Chris Brown

A few weeks ago, I put Slaton in my stock down section, and caught some flak from e-mailers. How you like me now? Not only has Brown been given all but one Goal Line carry on the year, Slaton has also received a dreadful 38% of carries inside the Red Zone (placing him between fantasy studs Reggie Bush and Chris Wells). These awful usage numbers essentially mean that Slaton will receive virtually no easy scoring chances. Unfortunately, Brown's limited role as a pure touchdown vulture makes him irrelevant in most leagues, but if you're in a deeper league he might be worth a gamble for a score.

In addition, coach Gary Kubiak has pretty much thrown Slaton under the bus saying, "We've got to move the football…If we've got to go out there and throw it all the time, that's what we'll do." Although Kubiak later backed off his "throw it all the time" idea, his comments were clearly not a good sign for Slaton. So how far does his value fall? Considering that Brown is stealing valuable carries, coupled with Slaton's lackluster performance, I see Slaton as being just outside the top 20 RBs. For a guy that was a 1st round pick in most leagues, that's a big drop. I would definitely look to trade Steve Slaton to an owner who still sees him as a top 10 RB.

Jamal Lewis is the Browns RB to own, for better or worse

Just seven days ago, Jerome Harrison appeared poised to take control of the Browns' RB situation for the foreseeable future. Then Eric Mangini did what he always does: make a head scratching decision. Now this wasn't kicker-drafting-in-the-second-round bad (Mike Nugent, where have you gone), and of course the $1,700 water bottle fine was worse. But Mangini pulling the plug on the young and talented Harrison, in favor of the aging and overpaid Lewis, for a Browns team going nowhere fast, made us all scratch our heads again.

Although Lewis had an underwhelming YPC (3.8), his volume of carries inside and out of the Red Zone proved valuable for fantasy owners. With rookie James Davis out of the picture, Week 5 was the first time we would see how the Browns intend to use their RBs going forward. Not only did Lewis get 31 carries to Harrison's 8, they gave every handoff in the RZ and GL to Lewis also (6 RZ, 2 GL). If this wasn't enough of a good sign, the Mangenius (good call by the New York Post on that nickname) also showered Lewis with praise.

While I'm not convinced that Lewis will perform well on a per-carry basis, the Browns clearly intend to give him a ton carries, including the majority of those in scoring situations. That combination means Lewis is worth owning in every league, and should be a borderline top 25 RB.

Brandon Jacobs' touchdowns will come

Although Week 5 was another disappointing week among a few others for Jacobs in '09, good times are coming. Despite Ahmad Bradshaw stealing the show this past Sunday, Jacobs still had 3 GL carries to Bradshaw's 0, Jacobs is still getting 62% of RZ carries and has only missed out on 2 GL carries on the year.

As long as Jacobs is getting 20 carries a game, his continued use in scoring situations will preserve his value as a top-10 RB. Only Ronnie Brown (29) and Maurice Jones-Drew (23) have touched the ball more in the Red Zone than Brandon Jacobs (21) this year. Keep the faith.

Ronnie Brown is a top 3 RB

Two weeks ago I told you Ronnie Brown was a top 10 RB. Now, I'm saying he's top 3. The only two RBs I would definitely take before Brown are Adrian Peterson and Maurice Jones-Drew. While there are arguments for others (Michael Turner, Matt Forte etc), they aren't convincing. Brown currently leads the entire NFL in touches (carries + targets) in the Red Zone (29) and on the Goal Line (12 carries). Although Ricky Williams does eat into Brown's RZ carries a little bit (22% to Brown's 68%), the Dolphins clearly favor Brown inside the five-yard line. In Goal Line situations, Brown has received 12 of 16 carries.

Unlike many backups Ricky Williams' impressive play has, ironically, helped Brown's production. In the Dolphins version of the Wildcat offense, Brown and Williams actually work together, meaning Williams is often used as a decoy on the option. Obviously Brown is owned in every league, but this is more a warning to his owners: don't sell high, you've got yourself a S.T.U.D.

Things I Think I Know

Austin Collie is For Real

Is it me or does Peyton Manning have a soft spot for scrappy slot receivers? He's found his new Brandon Stokley. Collie has been targeted for 18 passes in the past two games, and is finding a very nice home in the Indy passing attack. Much like Stokley once was, Collie is the third option (behind Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark) and is often left in single coverage or finds the soft spot in a zone. Collie was also targeted with 4 RZ passes this week, demonstrating Manning's growing trust in the rookie.

Although being the 3rd receiving option on the Colts limits his upside, Collie still could be a valuable WR3. While it's too early to rely on him, I would look to pick him up in any league.



Larry Johnson is Worth Waiting For

I know, I know, he's been Awful. But (there's always a "but") there is a reason to hold out some hope. Johnson remains the only player to have 100% of his team's RZ and GL carries. The Chiefs only having 9 carries inside the 20-yard line is the real problem, and that should go up as the season plays out. Despite LJ's nonexistent performance, it's encouraging that the Chiefs' coaching staff remains confident in giving Johnson the ball in scoring situations.

Very rarely does a running back get all of his RZ and GL chances and end up with no fantasy value. If Johnson has been dropped, stash him. I may be the last person on this sinking ship, but I think Johnson turns it around enough to be fantasy relevant and a RB2 play in favorable match-ups.

Clinton Portis Will Finish as a Top 10 RB

In a year where there are only 6 RBs on pace to receive 300 carries (hat tip to Mr. Rosenthal on that little nugget), Portis is on his way to getting 291 carries and is the hands down favorite in scoring opportunities for Washington. Portis is currently getting 83% of the Skins' RZ carries, and has received all of their goal line chances.

Despite all of the Redskins struggles, I still believe that Portis will rebound because he keeps getting chances to score. After all, he is still the focal point of that offense, and has been a very reliable fantasy option for the past few years.

Things That Might Be True

Heath Miller is a sure fire TE1 starter every week

The Steelers have been throwing the ball quite successfully this season, and Miller has been a huge part of it. Over the past two weeks, he has began to cash in on his RZ targets, scoring 3 TDs. Big Ben has thrown to Heath Miller 50% of the time in the Red Zone, the highest rate among all tight ends. In addition to his excellent RZ usage, Miller has been the 7th most targeted TE in football through Week 5.

Chris Johnson Will Finish Outside of the Top 10 RBs

Yes, his one great week was as great as they get, but Johnson has been less than pedestrian aside from his 46-point outburst. Not only has Johnson performed poorly outside of Week 2, but when the Titans have been in easy scoring situations LenDale White has gotten all but 2 carries, including all of them on the Goal Line.

While C.J.'s one big week will keep him ranked high on the leader board for a while, it doesn't look like Johnson will provide any sort of consistent fantasy goodness. This may be the perfect time to sell high on a feast or famine back that many owners would be happy to trade for.

Updated Red Zone and Goal Line Numbers for RBs:

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<TBODY><TR class=tableizer-firstrow><TH>Player</TH><TH>Team</TH><TH>RZ Carries</TH><TH>Team RZ</TH><TH>RZ%</TH><TH>GL Carries</TH><TH>Team GL</TH><TH>GL %</TH><TH>TD</TH><TH>RZ tar</TH><TH>RZ Chances</TH></TR><TR><TD>Larry Johnson</TD><TD>Kansas City Chiefs</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR><TD>Steven Jackson</TD><TD>St. Louis Rams</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>92</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR><TD>Maurice Jones-Drew</TD><TD>Jacksonville Jaguars</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>86</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>23</TD></TR><TR><TD>Cedric Benson</TD><TD>Cincinnati Bengals</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>86</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>14</TD></TR><TR><TD>Michael Turner</TD><TD>Atlanta Falcons </TD><TD>12</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>86</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR><TD>Clinton Portis</TD><TD>Washington Redskins</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>83</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>19</TD></TR><TR><TD>Ryan Grant</TD><TD>Green Bay Packers</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>83</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>72</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR><TD>Matt Forte</TD><TD>Chicago Bears</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>79</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>83</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>21</TD></TR><TR><TD>Kevin Smith</TD><TD>Detroit Lions</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>78</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>60</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR><TD>Marion Barber</TD><TD>Dallas Cowboys</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>75</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>89</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR><TD>Lendale White</TD><TD>Tennesee Titans</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>75</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>6</TD></TR><TR><TD>Ronnie Brown</TD><TD>Miami Dolphins</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>41</TD><TD>68</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>75</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>29</TD></TR><TR><TD>Adrian Peterson</TD><TD>Minnesota Vikings</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>67</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>67</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>15</TD></TR><TR><TD>Fred Jackson</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>66</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR><TD>Brandon Jacobs</TD><TD>New York Giants</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>62</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>67</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>21</TD></TR><TR><TD>Knowshon Moreno</TD><TD>Denver Broncos</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>46</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR><TD>LeSean McCoy</TD><TD>Philadelphia Eagles</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>60</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>8</TD></TR><TR><TD>Darren Sproles</TD><TD>San Diego Chargers</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>55</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>19</TD></TR><TR><TD>Thomas Jones</TD><TD>New York Jets</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>53</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR><TD>Rashard Mendenhall</TD><TD>Pittsburgh Steelers</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>53</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>67</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>8</TD></TR><TR><TD>Willis McGahee</TD><TD>Baltimore Ravens</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>52</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>66</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>17</TD></TR><TR><TD>Joseph Addai</TD><TD>Indiannapolis Colts</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>52</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jonathan Stewart</TD><TD>Carolina Panthers</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>52</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>46</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>9</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jamal Lewis</TD><TD>Cleveland Browns</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>9</TD></TR><TR><TD>Glen Coffee</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>67</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>6</TD></TR><TR><TD>Tim Hightower</TD><TD>Arizona Cardinals</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>75</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>5</TD></TR><TR><TD>Darren McFadden</TD><TD>Oakland Raiders</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>5</TD></TR><TR><TD>Ladanian Tomlinson</TD><TD>San Diego Chargers</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Marshawn Lynch</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Donald Brown</TD><TD>Indiannapolis Colts</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>48</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>67</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>14</TD></TR><TR><TD>Leon Washington</TD><TD>New York Jets</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>47</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR><TD>Cadillac Williams</TD><TD>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>44</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>6</TD></TR><TR><TD>Derrick Ward</TD><TD>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>44</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Chris Brown</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>84</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR><TD>Brian Westbrook</TD><TD>Philadelphia Eagles</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>42</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>40</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>7</TD></TR><TR><TD>Ray Rice</TD><TD>Baltimore Ravens</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>41</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR><TD>Reggie Bush</TD><TD>New Orleans Saints</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>41</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>17</TD></TR><TR><TD>DeAngelo Williams</TD><TD>Carolina Panthers</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>41</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>46</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>14</TD></TR><TR><TD>Michael Bush</TD><TD>Oakland Raiders</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>40</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jerome Harrison</TD><TD>Cleveland Browns</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>39</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>5</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD>7</TD></TR><TR><TD>Amhad Bradshaw</TD><TD>New York Giants</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>38</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR><TD>Steve Slaton</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>38</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>16</TD><TD> </TD><TD>3</TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR><TD>Beanie Wells</TD><TD>Arizona Cardinals</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>37</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Mike Bell</TD><TD>New Orleans Saints</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>9</TD></TR><TR><TD>Julius Jones</TD><TD>Seattle Seahawks</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Kevin Faulk</TD><TD>New England Patriots</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR><TD>Michael Bennet</TD><TD>San Diego Chargers</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>5</TD></TR><TR><TD>Chris Johnson</TD><TD>Tennesee Titans</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Updated Red Zone and Goal Line Numbers for WRs:

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<TABLE class=tableizer-table>
<TBODY><TR class=tableizer-firstrow><TH>Player</TH><TH>Team </TH><TH>RZ Targets</TH><TH>Team RZ</TH><TH>RZ%</TH><TH>TD</TH></TR><TR><TD>Steve Smith</TD><TD>New York Giants</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>45</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Andre Johnson</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Heath Miller</TD><TD>Pittsburgh Steelers</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Greg Olsen</TD><TD>Chicago Bears</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>38</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR><TD>Chad Ochocinco</TD><TD>Cincinnati Bengals</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>32</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Nate Washington</TD><TD>Tennesee Titans</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>59</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Vernon Davis</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>47</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Larry Fitzgerald</TD><TD>Arizona Cardinals</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>41</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Tony Gonzalez</TD><TD>Atlanta Falcons</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>41</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Anthony Fasano</TD><TD>Miami Dolphins</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>35</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Mike Sims-Walker</TD><TD>Jacksonville Jaguars</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>32</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Mark Clayton</TD><TD>Baltimore Ravens</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>23</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Sidney Rice</TD><TD>Minnesota Vikings</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Brent Celek</TD><TD>Philadelphia Eagles</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Marques Colston</TD><TD>New Orleans Saints</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Reggie Wayne</TD><TD>Indianapolis Colts</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>TJ Houshmandzadeh</TD><TD>Seattle Seahawks</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Randy Moss</TD><TD>New England Patriots</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>23</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Dwayne Bowe</TD><TD>Kansas City Chiefs</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>31</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Braylon Edwards</TD><TD>New York Jets</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Chansi Stuckey</TD><TD>Cleveland Browns</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>40</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Calvin Johnson</TD><TD>Detroit Lions</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Bernard Berrian</TD><TD>Minnesota Vikings</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jason Avant</TD><TD>Philadelphia Eagles</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Andre Caldwell</TD><TD>Cincinnati Bengals</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Austin Collie</TD><TD>Indianapolis Colts</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>23</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Nate Burleson</TD><TD>Seattle Seahawks</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Anquan Boldin</TD><TD>Arizona Cardinals</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Eddie Royal</TD><TD>Denver Broncos</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jhonny Knox</TD><TD>Chicago Bears</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>John Carlson</TD><TD>Seattle Seahawks</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Ben Watson</TD><TD>New England Patriots</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Wes Welker</TD><TD>New England Patriots</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Owen Daniels</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Antonio Bryant</TD><TD>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Kellen Winslow</TD><TD>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Bobby Wade</TD><TD>Kansas City Chiefs</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>31</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Roddy White </TD><TD>Atlanta Falcons</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Brandon Marshall</TD><TD>Denver Broncos</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Laurent Robinson</TD><TD>St. Louis Rams</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Randy McMichael</TD><TD>St. Louis Rams</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR><TD>Antonio Gates</TD><TD>San Diego Chargers</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Bryant Johnson</TD><TD>Detroit Lions</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Roy Williams</TD><TD>Dallas Cowboys</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Visanthe Schiancoe</TD><TD>Minnesota Vikings</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Laveranues Coles</TD><TD>Cincinnati Bengals</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR><TD>Heath Evans</TD><TD>New Orleans Saints</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jeremy Shockey</TD><TD>New Orleans Saints</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Michael Clayton</TD><TD>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>0</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Oct 15, 2009

Week 6 Rankings

The Vikings and Ravens game isn't the defensive battle that we would have expected at the beginning of the season.

The famed Williams Wall remains solid, but the Vikings are giving up 3.8 yards per carry and 124 yards from scrimmage to opposing running backs each week, numbers that don't scare you. If the Vikings ever played from behind, the total yardage could soar. Don't be afraid of starting Ray Rice if Steven Jackson was able to carve out 109 yards against them.

The Vikings do a great job getting to the quarterback, but they still give up 7.5 yards per pass attempt. The Ravens are giving up 8 yards per pass, and Carson Palmer had way too much time in the pocket last week against them. Palmer, Tom Brady, and Philip Rivers have all arguably played their best games against Baltimore.

I wouldn't be afraid to use Joe Flacco or Brett Favre this week, yet they still didn't crack Rotoworld's top-12 quarterbacks below. That illustrates how easy it easy to find a quality starting quarterback in fantasy leagues this week, like most weeks.

Borderline starters to open the year like Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, and Jay Cutler have stepped their games up a notch. Matt Schaub is playing too well to sit, and Eli Manning is playing the best football of his career. Donovan McNabb and Matt Hasselbeck have quickly bounced back from injuries to top form.

In a given week – like this one - there are 14 quality quarterbacks to start. Then there are players like Jake Delhomme and David Garrard who I wouldn't hesitate to use if necessary because the defenses for Tampa and St. Louis are so dreadful. By the time I get to Kyle Orton, who won't kill you, we're almost out of the top-20 .

Owning Peyton Manning has been huge this season, but the relative difference between the top-five quarterbacks and the ones ranked 10-20 most weeks isn't that large. Fantasy leagues will be won at running back and wide receiver, just like they usually are. Even though there are far more busts at those positions, it was still worth investing your early picks there. It was hard to make a bad pick at quarterback, much less two, no matter when you took them.

Editor's Note: Not happy with your fantasy teams? New weekly leagues are drafting every single day at Snapdraft. Draft your team during the week, even Sunday morning, and win cash by Tuesday. It's a great complement to your yearly leagues and rewards the most skilled fantasy players who know matchups and value.

[SIZE=+1]Week 6 Quarterbacks[/SIZE]

<TABLE 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>vs. DET</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Tom Brady</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>Probable(-)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Matt Schaub</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Ben Roethlisberger</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Drew Brees</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Donovan McNabb</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Kurt Warner</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>Probable(arm)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Matt Ryan</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Philip Rivers</TD><TD>vs. DEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Carson Palmer</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Matt Hasselbeck</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Jay Cutler</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Eli Manning</TD><TD>at NO</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Joe Flacco</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Jake Delhomme</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Brett Favre</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>David Garrard</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Kyle Orton</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Matt Cassel</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Jason Campbell</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Josh Johnson</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Marc Bulger</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>Fully expected to start</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Mark Sanchez</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Trent Edwards</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Daunte Culpepper</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Derek Anderson</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Kerry Collins</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>JaMarcus Russell</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

QB Notes: In a league without any quality running quarterbacks, Josh Johnson holds some long-term intrigue. He is staring down receivers and has no clue where blitzes are coming from, but he also would have had a 300-yard passing day against the Eagles if it wasn't for a ton of dropped passes. 81 rushing yards in two weeks from a quarterback can make a big difference in fantasy leagues. Johnson put up 20 fantasy points last week despite three picks. … Carson Palmer played his best game of the season against Baltimore. His pass protection was surprisingly awesome. That gives hope that he can be a difference-maker in fantasy leagues, at least when he has lay-up matchups like this one against Houston.

Concerns that the Seahawks would go run-heavy haven't really come to pass this season. Matt Hasselbeck threw at least 30 passes in both of Seattle's blowout victories. Hasselbeck was lucky to miss some tough early games on the Seattle schedule. He leads the league in touchdowns per throw, and should keep it going against a Cardinals pass defense that is third-worst in giving up fantasy points to quarterbacks. … FootballOutsiders compared Matt Cassel to a poor man's Ben Roethlisberger this week. I like the comparison. Cassel is learning to make plays on his own behind a terrible offensive line. His seven touchdown throws in four games are fortunate, but they are partly the product of Kansas City's terrible running game. The Chiefs aren't going to score running the ball in the red zone.

There are legitimate questions about what exactly we're going to get from the Saints offense this year now that the running game and defense has improved this much. They don't need Drew Brees to throw for 5,000 yards. This week's test against the Giants should be telling. The schedule has certainly helped New York out, but their defensive numbers are insane. If Brees puts up a big day against them, there isn't much reason for concern. If he's so-so for the third straight week, it's fair to wonder if he's come back to the quarterback pack. And there is a big one of legitimate QB1s this year. … The Browns don't have a pass rush that can get to Ben Roethlisberger or the cornerbacks to stay with the Steelers receivers. Expect a huge day.

Kurt Warner and the Cardinals passing attack aren't remotely consistent within a game, but they have put up numbers in two plus matchups this year. The Seahawks should be another one, despite their two shutouts. … The Bucs defense is bad enough to make Jake Delhomme a useful option.

[SIZE=+1]Week 6 Running Backs[/SIZE]

<TABLE 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>Maurice Jones-Drew</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Adrian Peterson</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Chris Johnson</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Matt Forte</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Cedric Benson</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Michael Turner</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>DeAngelo Williams</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Steven Jackson</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Brian Westbrook</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Ray Rice</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Ryan Grant</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Steve Slaton</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Rashard Mendenhall</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Kevin Smith</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>Probable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Pierre Thomas</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>Keep eye on injury</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Knowshon Moreno</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Clinton Portis</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>Probable(calf)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Marshawn Lynch</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Jonathan Stewart</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>Questionable(heel)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Brandon Jacobs</TD><TD>at NO</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Ahmad Bradshaw</TD><TD>at NO</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>LaDainian Tomlinson</TD><TD>vs. DEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Fred Jackson</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Tim Hightower</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Thomas Jones</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Julius Jones</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Leon Washington</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>LeSean McCoy</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Correll Buckhalter</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Darren Sproles</TD><TD>vs. DEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Willis McGahee</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Reggie Bush</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Sammy Morris</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Willie Parker</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>Questionable(toe)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Michael Bush</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Jerome Harrison</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Mike Bell</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Derrick Ward</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Jamal Lewis</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Carnell Williams</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Larry Johnson</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Jamaal Charles</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Chris Wells</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Ladell Betts</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Jerious Norwood</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Mewelde Moore</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Chester Taylor</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>LenDale White</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Rashad Jennings</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Laurence Maroney</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Justin Fargas</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Chris Brown</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Kevin Faulk</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Brandon Jackson</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>DeShawn Wynn</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>Edgerrin James</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

RB Notes: DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart aren't finding lanes to run through. The Panthers couldn't push Washington enough to get a yard in four straight plays at the goal line, which was eye opening. Stewart got the first two cracks, then Williams, then fullback Brad Hoover. Carolina came out of their bye week using the Wildcat more, with Williams at quarterback, but it wasn't remotely effective. The division of carries between the two talented backs is close to what it was last year, but their value is much closer this year with Williams falling back to earth.

Clinton Portis had big holes a few times during last week's game, but didn't hit them fast enough. He reminds me of Edgerrin James in his last year with the Colts. He can pick up the three-to-four yard gains, but isn't going to put up anything big. He would need the perfect situation to be any better than a low-end RB2, and Washington is far from perfect. Even with a cupcake like Kansas City coming to town. … It will be interesting to see how the Saints use Mike Bell this week. Pierre Thomas should be first in line, but it wouldn't be surprising if New Orleans mixes and matches. That makes Pierre's value very risky in a tough matchup like the Giants. We're too respectful of the Saints offense and Thomas' talent to bench him, but Bell could continue to be a thorn in owner's sides. This is the truest test of New Orleans' improved running game.

Tom Coughlin isn't going to hand the offense over to Ahmad Bradshaw. Brandon Jacobs should get it going, but his lack of production is worrisome because the schedule gets tougher. With no receiving value, his margin for error is smaller than most top-20 options. He needs touchdowns, and Eli/Bradshaw are stealing too many. … Tampa's offensive line has been a big disappointment. Perhaps the return of center Jeff Faine will help this week, but it's hard to trust Cadillac or Derrick Ward as flex options, even in neutral matchups. … The Cardinals have continued to stop the run well, so this isn't a week to use Julius Jones.

The Chargers are a great matchup for opposing running backs, so Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter are options this week, if Buckhalter plays. … Because of the matchups, we're going to keep Rashard Mendenhall as a RB2. Even if Willie Parker starts, will he finish? More importantly, he's not likely to match Mendenhall's effectiveness. … I haven't seen Brian Westbrook make anyone miss yet, not that he got the ball that much last week. He's still an awesome receiver, but it's not a great sign LeSean McCoy is getting the snaps out of the Wildcat over him. Both players should have plus weeks with the matchup in Oakland.

Note: For complete projections for every player ranked above, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.</B>

[SIZE=+1]Week 6 Wide Receivers[/SIZE]

<TABLE 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>Larry Fitzgerald</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Randy Moss</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Andre Johnson</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Roddy White</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Greg Jennings</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Steve Smith</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Vincent Jackson</TD><TD>vs. DEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Chad Ochocinco</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Marques Colston</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Steve Smith</TD><TD>at NO</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Brandon Marshall</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Calvin Johnson</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>Questionable(thigh)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Anquan Boldin</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>DeSean Jackson</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Wes Welker</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Mike Sims-Walker</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Hines Ward</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Braylon Edwards</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Santonio Holmes</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Dwayne Bowe</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Donald Driver</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Kevin Walter</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Derrick Mason</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Nate Burleson</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>T.J. Houshmandzadeh</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Santana Moss</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Mario Manningham</TD><TD>at NO</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Jerricho Cotchery</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>Questionable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Percy Harvin</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>Questionable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Bernard Berrian</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Antonio Bryant</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Terrell Owens</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Eddie Royal</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Devin Hester</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Mohamed Massaquoi</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Donnie Avery</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>Questionable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Torry Holt</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Earl Bennett</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Jeremy Maclin</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Steve Breaston</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Andre Caldwell</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Devery Henderson</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Sidney Rice</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Lee Evans</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Lance Moore</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Johnny Knox</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Kenny Britt</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Nate Washington</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>Probable(concussion)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>James Jones</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Mike Wallace</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Hakeem Nicks</TD><TD>at NO</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Mark Clayton</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Mark Bradley</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Justin Gage</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>Dennis Northcutt</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>Bobby Wade</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>57</TD><TD>Antwaan Randle El</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>58</TD><TD>Deion Branch</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>59</TD><TD>Jabar Gaffney</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>60</TD><TD>Bryant Johnson</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>61</TD><TD>Kelley Washington</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

WR Notes: Rowdy Roddy White's breakout was no fluke. With Matt Ryan now a top-five quality quarterback, White still has a chance to finish the season at or near the top of the wide receiver rankings. … This is Steve Smith of the Panthers' fantasy Super Bowl. If he can't bust a big play against the Bucs, his owners have to wonder when it will happen. We bet it will. … Chad Ochocinco also is due for a vertical catch. He's playing consistent football, but Carson Palmer has been inaccurate and Ocho has been well covered when they have tried to go deep. … Laveranues Coles was not on the field for most of the second half against the Ravens. Chris Henry and Andre Caldwell both have value in this week's matchup if that continues, and it should. Drop Coles, who has quietly been among the biggest busts in all of fantasy and reality.

Antonio Bryant did not struggle to get separation last week against the Eagles. He's produced fairly well with Josh Johnson in the lineup, and he would have had a big game if not for the drops last weeks. He's a reasonable WR3. … The end of the no huddle in Buffalo can't be bad news for Terrell Owens and Lee Evans, because it's hard to imagine their passing attack getting worse. Buffalo's offensive line may be the worst in football. Even Cleveland was getting pressure immediately last week on Trent Edwards … Mike Sims-Walker is back to being a solid WR2 considering the plus matchup against St. Louis. He can bring home all the ladies he wants with the game in Jacksonville.

I'm not overly worried about Derrick Mason's bagel, although the Vikings play a similar defense to the Bengals in that they keep plays in front of them. Still, the Vikings are giving up 7.8 yards per pass this year. The problem for the Ravens is protection. The team is better when Michael Oher is at right tackle. … Jerricho Cotchery's status is shaky, but we have him and Braylon Edwards ranked as if Cotchery will play. One concern for both players is that the Jets may not need to throw much to win against Buffalo.

Nate Burleson is one of the surprise stories of the year and there isn't a lot of reason to think he can't keep it going as long as he stays healthy. … Eddie Royal owners in PPR leagues could use him as a WR3 against San Diego. … Jacksonville's secondary has struggled against speedy wideouts, so Donnie Avery is a decent option with Marc Bulger back in the lineup. … The Jaguars may feed the ball to Torry Holt so he can have a nice day against his former team. … At this point, there isn't a lot of separation between the three top Bears receivers or the three top Vikings receivers. It's hard to predict who will step up in a given week.

Editor's Note: For more of Gregg's nonsensical ramblings, usually at night when no one is actually on Twitter, follow him on Twitter. Or don't.

[SIZE=+1]Week 6 Tight Ends[/SIZE]

<TABLE 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>Antonio Gates</TD><TD>vs. DEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Tony Gonzalez</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Brent Celek</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Owen Daniels</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Kellen Winslow</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>John Carlson</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Heath Miller</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Dustin Keller</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Jeremy Shockey</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Greg Olsen</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Todd Heap</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Chris Cooley</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Zach Miller</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Marcedes Lewis</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Jermichael Finley</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Visanthe Shiancoe</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Brandon Pettigrew</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Bo Scaife</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Randy McMichael</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Ben Watson</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>Questionable(head)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Tony Scheffler</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>- </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

TE Notes: Brent Celek is more athletic than I anticipated and has great hands. He's made a variety of tough catches and can break big plays. … Kellen Winslow can't separate from defenders, even when he's matched up against guys like Chris Gocong, but it doesn't matter. He is making insane grabs with defenders draped all over him. And with Josh Johnson unable to audible when blitzes are coming, and tons of free rushers coming at Johnson, Winslow will be the hot receiver for Johnson a lot. Winslow has benefited from Johnson's ascension to the lineup despite my expectations.

Todd Heap is quietly on pace for 675 yards and six scores. He's caught at least four passes in four of five games this year and is a solid PPR option. He's not going to stretch the field like he used to, but eight touchdowns this year is a possibility. … Heath Miller is another tight end not stretching the field, but could shatter his personal bests for yards and receptions this year. He's turned into another solid TE1, especially this week against Cleveland. … After Mark Sanchez talked up trying to get Dustin Keller involved, we'd stick with him for one more week, especially against an injury-plagued Buffalo linebacker unit.

[SIZE=+1]Week 6 Team Defense[/SIZE]

<TABLE 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>Eagles Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Steelers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Jets Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Packers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Jaguars Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Vikings Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Ravens Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Redskins Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Patriots Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Giants Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at NO</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Bengals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Panthers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Broncos Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Bears Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Seahawks Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Saints Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Falcons Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Chiefs Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Chargers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. DEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Cardinals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Texans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Bills Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Titans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Browns Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Buccaneers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Rams Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Lions Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Raiders Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[SIZE=+1]Week 6 Kickers[/SIZE]

<TABLE 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>Stephen Gostkowski</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Lawrence Tynes</TD><TD>at NO</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>David Akers</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Neil Rackers</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Ryan Longwell</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Mason Crosby</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Nate Kaeding</TD><TD>vs. DEN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>John Carney</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Matt Prater</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Robbie Gould</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Josh Scobee</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Jason Elam</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Olindo Mare</TD><TD>vs. ARZ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Jay Feely</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Kris Brown</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Rob Bironas</TD><TD>at NE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Jeff Reed</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Steven Hauschka</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Jason Hanson</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Rian Lindell</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>John Kasay</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Shayne Graham</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Ryan Succop</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Phil Dawson</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>Questionable(groin)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Shaun Suisham</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Shane Andrus</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Sebastian Janikowski</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>- </TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Josh Brown</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>- </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Oct 16, 2009

Grab backup receivers now and avoid the bye-week blues

Now is the time to think ahead to get ahead in your fantasy league.
There's an oddity in the NFL scheduling and it will almost certainly hit your team. Weeks 7, 8 and 9 will all have six teams on bye. That means nearly one in every five NFL teams will be resting their players in each of the coming three weeks. With 18 teams affected, over half of all NFL players will be out of action at some point.
If you already have viable replacements on your roster, consider yourself lucky. For those who play in bigger leagues and/or have deeper rosters, there's a greater chance your waiver wire doesn't have an obvious starter just hanging out waiting for you to snap him up.
Let's take a look at the deadly three bye weeks and examine who will be missing and who might be able to serve as one-game replacements. If there are better choices – grab them. But if you are playing in a league of 12 teams or more with rosters of more than 16 players, the pickings are mighty slim on most waiver wires, especially among wide receivers.
Week 7—Derrick Mason, Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Calvin Johnson, Mike Sims-Walker, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Nate Burleson are off. Consider:

Chris Chambers, Chargers – He disappears often but had a score and 39 yards at Pittsburgh. Playing in Kansas City should have some decent results since the defense will be devoted to keeping Vincent Jackson from pulling a Miles Austin on them again. That makes Chambers a bit more attractive with a great matchup.
Mohamed Massaquoi, Browns– He's easily forgotten since the horrible Week 5 showing in Buffalo, but the Browns will not throw for 23 total yards at home against the visiting Packers. They will also need to pass constantly and quarterback Derek Anderson has already shown a penchant for finding Massaquoi, who has become the No. 1 wideout since Braylon Edwards left.
Devin Hester, Bears – While Johnny Knox would be better, he's probably not available in most leagues, while Hester has likely been dumped. But Hester remains the No. 1 wideout for Jay Cutler and this week's game against Cincinnati should be a definite shootout. Relying on the defense and rushing attack no longer gets it done in Cincinnati this year.
Week 8 – Chad OchoCinco, Dwayne Bowe, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Antonio Bryant and Santana Moss are off. Consider:
Torry Holt, Jaguars – Mike Sims-Walker would be better but Holt remains a solid possession receiver who had seven catches for 95 yards in Week 5. Playing in Tennessee has been a gold mine for every other starting wideout.
Keenan Burton, Rams – Donnie Avery would be preferable but Burton should end up with a season-high game in Detroit. This may be the only week of the season that Burton actually holds significant promise.
Muhsin Muhammad, Panthers– Sure, he lives on most waiver wires because he has not scored yet and seems capped at 50 or so yards per game but Muhammad also is never worse than about four catches for 40 yards. Playing in Arizona in Week 8 should net better than average points. Starting Muhammad says you are willing to live with 4-40 at worst, but the Cardinals hold promise of more.
Week 9 –Terrell Owens, Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, Braylon Edwards and Donnie Avery are off. Works out to be on the light side but consider:
Josh Morgan, 49ers– By this time Michael Crabtree could be a factor as well but if he isn't available, Morgan makes a very attractive pickup for Week 9 when the Titans come to town and bring along their famed generosity to opposing wide receivers.
In summary, don't wait to grab some guys from your waiver wire. Prepare for Weeks 7-9 now.
Many fantasy rosters will be temporarily decimated because of bye-week absences and overall scoring in your league will be lower than usual. If you want a wideout who can help you for multiple weeks consider those from San Francisco (@HOU, @IND and TEN), Chicago (@CIN, CLE and ARI) and any Colts player you can still get (@STL, SF and HOU).
The good news is that your opponents will also have players out and likely won't score as much because of their missing starters. The bad news is that so will you ... unless you plan ahead for those deadly bye weeks.

HacheMan · Oct 16, 2009

Matchups: Donnie Ball is Back

As the October 20 deadline approaches, Week 6 is the final opportunity for organizations to "showcase" players for trades. Last year's biggest deal was the Cowboys' acquisition of Roy Williams on the day of the deadline. Braylon Edwards' move to the Jets will probably go down as 2009's most high-profile in-season trade, but here are some skill players that may be on the block due to expiring contracts and/or talent behind them on the depth chart:

1. Sinorice Moss - In the last year of his rookie deal and likely to lose return duties to Domenik Hixon. There were strong indications this preseason that Moss was on the trade block. He could appeal to teams in need of speed on offense, especially in the slot.

2. Justin Fargas - Contract expires after 2010, and the Raiders can roll with Michael Bush and Gary Russell at tailback until Darren McFadden (knee) returns. Fargas is 29, but versed in the zone-blocking scheme and blitz pickup. The Texans are a good fit on paper.

3. Roscoe Parrish - Buffalo has tried pawning Parrish off for a few years now and is facing another lost season. Like Moss, he is a diminutive slot receiver with special teams value.

4. Donald Driver - Still playing at a high level, but only signed through 2010 and the Packers need a way to get Jordy Nelson and James Jones more snaps. GM Ted Thompson fields all trade calls.

5. Byron Leftwich - Obviously can't be "showcased" as the Bucs' No. 3 emergency quarterback, but could generate interest as a serviceable, strong-armed backup.

6. Joshua Cribbs - Return man wants a new contract that the Browns refuse to give him. Cleveland has already thrown in the towel on the season, and the Dolphins, Chiefs, and Colts are showing interest.

Editor's Note: Not happy with your fantasy team(s)? New weekly leagues are drafting every single day at Snapdraft. Draft your team during the week, even Sunday morning, and win cash by Tuesday. It's a terrific complement to your yearly leagues and rewards the most skilled fantasy players who understand matchups and value.

Speaking of matchups, let's get cracking...

[SIZE=+1]1:00PM ET Games[/SIZE]

St. Louis @ Jacksonville

Mike Sims-Walker's late scratch was a death sentence for the Jags in Week 5. Slow-legged Torry Holt was forced into the top receiver role, with usual slot man Mike Thomas moving outside. It removed playmaking ability from the field and plays from OC Dirk Koetter's game plan. Sims-Walker's return in a home game versus a Rams team juggling bodies in the secondary should rejuvenate Jacksonville's attack. Sims-Walker needs to be immediately reinserted into fantasy lineups as he goes against rookie RCB Brandon Fletcher, who makes his second career start.

Maurice Jones-Drew will bounce back big from two slow weeks (97 yards, one TD total) with St. Louis down DT Gary Gibson (fractured ankle) and practice body-type LaJuan Ramsey thrust onto the first unit...Holt has a bone to pick against his old team, but is someone to avoid with Rams top CB Ronald Bartell likely to shadow him all over the field. Bartell isn't a shutdown corner, but tackles well and Holt does very little after the catch...David Garrard will benefit from Sims-Walker's return more than any Jaguar. The conditions (mid-70s, sun, light wind) will also work in Garrard's favor.

Donnie Avery's ludicrous "stanky leg" TD dance with the Rams down 31-9 last week aside, he is a viable WR2 this Sunday. "Donnie Football" comes off his best game of the year (5-87-1) and saw three targets from Marc Bulger after the Rams' QB entered for the final two possessions...Bulger, who rejoins the starting lineup full time after a two-week rotator cuff injury, is worth considering in two-QB leagues. The Jags have the weakest pass rush in the NFL (four sacks in five games), have surrendered the fourth-most passing touchdowns (11), and might be without top CB Rashean Mathis (hip).

The Jags may open Sunday's game with a "stacked box" to stop Steven Jackson, but an awful secondary always requires coordinator Mel Tucker to resort to nickel looks as games progress. Jackson, fourth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage, is a good bet to score for the first time this year. It doesn't hurt that Jaguars ILBs Justin Durant (hip) and Clint Ingram (ankle) are dealing with injuries...Keenan Burton lacks separation skills and is clearly not an NFL wideout. He's averaging two catches for 26 yards per game since Laurent Robinson's season-ending Week 2 injury.

Baltimore @ Minnesota

The Vikings went conservative after jumping out to a big early lead in Week 5 against St. Louis, limiting Bernard Berrian's (3-39) numbers. Expect a far closer game Sunday, and Berrian to get back on track. He'll primarily square off with Ravens RCB Domonique Foxworth, who is on the verge of losing his starting job to small-school rookie Lardarius Webb. Berrian's deep speed is accentuated on the Metrodome turf...Sidney Rice is also worth consideration in leagues that start a WR3. A red-zone star, Rice is 6'4" and Baltimore has been exploited by big wideouts all year.

Adrian Peterson's matchup seems poor, but owners can note that Cedric Benson dropped 136 yards and a score on Baltimore last week. A.P. is clearly a superior back...Brett Favre resumes QB2 status despite facing the Ravens' seventh-worst pass defense. Vikings LT Bryant McKinnie, who struggles with speed rushers, faces All-Pro OLB/DE Terrell Suggs. Favre will complete a few deep balls as Baltimore "cheats" to stop Peterson, but will be hurried all day...The Ravens defend the slot poorly, so consider Percy Harvin (shoulder) a strong WR3 if he plays, which is likely.

Willis McGahee's role will remain tiny Sunday. The Vikes' heavy front four is more susceptible to quick, scatback types like Ray Rice than "grinders" like McGahee. Rice probably won't find the end zone, but is the No. 6 overall RB in standard leagues and nearly impossible to bench in any matchup. He's on pace for 1,831 total yards...Minnesota's pass defense is coming back to earth. Now ranked 18th overall while giving up 17 plays of 20+ yards (fifth most), the Vikes aren't a tough enough matchup to bench Joe Flacco, particularly in the dome. Expect 220 yards and two TDs.

The Bengals held Derrick Mason target-less with bracket coverage in Week 5, begging the other Ravens to beat them. Rice nearly did, but ultimately fell short. This week, Pro Bowl shadow CB Antoine Winfield will be assigned to Mason. It severely limits Mason's upside because Winfield is such a sure tackler...Filling in for Jared Gaither (neck), Ravens LT Michael Oher stoned red-hot Bengals RE Antwan Odom last Sunday. Oher, perhaps the league's best rookie so far, has the athleticism and feet to contain Jared Allen. That will free up Todd Heap to run more pass routes.

Detroit @ Green Bay

New OT Mark Tauscher won't contribute for a few more weeks, but Aaron Rodgers' protection is likely to improve if only because of the opponent. Lions RE Dewayne White is still hobbled by a hamstring pull, and LE Cliff Avril has lost his starting job. Packers LT Chad Clifton, back from a high ankle sprain, should have no trouble containing White's sluggish replacement, Turk McBride. Expect Rodgers to have his biggest game so far against a Lions pass defense surrendering more touchdowns passes (15) and a higher quarterback rating (119.7) than any team in the league.

The bye week worked wonders for Ryan Grant in '08. He averaged a measly 3.38 YPC with one TD before Green Bay's Week 8 Sunday-off last season, and 4.22 YPC with four scores after it. The Packers' bye came earlier (Week 5) this year, and Grant has been a stronger winter runner ever since coming over from the Giants in 2007. The Lions allow 4.9 yards a carry and a rushing TD per game...Jermichael Finley was a hot waiver pickup after his 128-yard outburst against the Vikings two weeks ago, but have guarded expectations. He plays almost strictly in passing situations.

Daunte Culpepper, who gets another start with Matthew Stafford still nursing a sprained knee, showed improved athleticism and aggressiveness in Week 5 against Pittsburgh. However, he did most of his damage while playing from behind, took seven sacks, caused an ill-advised intentional grounding penalty, and fumbled three times. Expect the Lions to rely heavily on the ground game at chilly Lambeau Field. With Calvin Johnson (knee) likely out, career backups Dennis Northcutt and Bryant Johnson will be Detroit's starting wideouts. This isn't a recipe for passing success.

If Detroit is to move the ball through the air, fast-improving rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew may be Culpepper's main target. While LCB Charles Woodson shuts down Northcutt and RCB Al Harris tries to hang with Johnson, Pettigrew will mostly deal with LB Brandon Chillar and SS Atari Bigby (knee), who's been out over a month. Culpepper has targeted Pettigrew 11 times since replacing Stafford late in Week 4. Look for a short-field game plan from Lions playcaller Scott Linehan as Johnson and Northcutt struggle to beat Green Bay's zone. Pettigrew can exploit the soft spots.



Houston @ Cincinnati

No team is as potent at stopping No. 1 wideouts as the Bengals. Braylon Edwards (0-0), Derrick Mason (0-0), Santonio Holmes (1-18), Greg Jennings (0-0), and Brandon Marshall (4-27) have all been minimized by DC Mike Zimmer's scheme. Andre Johnson is a different animal, and torched RCB Leon Hall for 143 yards on 11 grabs in their last meeting. The No. 3 overall fantasy receiver, A.J. can never be benched...Worry more about Kevin Walter, who is losing targets to TE Owen Daniels at a rapid rate. In the last two weeks, Daniels has had 15 balls thrown his way to Walter's nine.

Matt Schaub's matchup looks difficult on paper against a Cincy pass defense that's yielded five scores all year. But the Bengals allow a mediocre 7.0 YPA (15th in NFL) and no team gives up more big plays through the air (20 gains of 20+ yards). The conditions will also be favorable, with only light wind expected at Paul Brown Stadium, lots of sun, and temps in the 50s. Look for 38-42 throws from Schaub, giving him considerable upside...While the pass-heavy offense makes Steve Slaton an every-week starter in PPR leagues, don't expect him to have success on the ground.

It hurts to say, but Cedric Benson is an elite NFL back. His power and speed have made a full 180 from his Bear days. Houston's run defense is improved of late, but still ranks 26th overall with a league-high nine TDs surrendered. He's easily a top-five RB1 in Week 6...While Carson Palmer still hasn't put together a complete game, doing most of his damage in crunch time, this matchup provides an opportunity to play well for four quarters. The Texans bring no heat (fourth-fewest in sacks), and top CB Jacques Reeves (leg, finger) still hasn't rejoined the starting lineup.

Good weather and skill player talent on both sides equate to a high-scoring affair, boding well for wideouts. Chad Ochocinco, the No. 6 fantasy receiver, will square off with Texans RCB Dunta Robinson while Houston's corner depth is tested by a blend of Laveranues Coles, Chris Henry, and Andre Caldwell. Of those three, Caldwell has emerged as the receiver to own. He only plays in three-wideout sets, but the Bengals use them plenty of those because of their tight end deficiencies.

Cleveland @ Pittsburgh

Word out of Pittsburgh is that Rashard Mendenhall will remain the lead back when Willie Parker (turf toe) returns. The team already conceded that Parker isn't 100% by inserting a fiber plate into his shoe. Mendenhall has a decisive edge in productivity, receiving skill, blitz-pickup ability, future value to the franchise, and health. This one's a no-brainer for the coaching staff; Mendenhall will dominate the backfield against Cleveland's last-ranked run defense and beyond...Mewelde Moore is surprisingly owned in most leagues, but is strictly a third-down back with no bigger role coming.

A 30% chance of showers at Heinz Field won't stop Ben Roethlisberger. Fantasy's No. 3 QB is an every-week starter thanks to improved protection (41-sack pace after taking 46 last year in a run-based offense) and a far more aggressive attack. The Browns' defensive strength is in coverage, but it surrenders plenty of big plays (15 of 20+ yards) and only eight teams have fewer sacks...Santonio Holmes' numbers are down because he runs so many clearing routes down the sideline. They open things up for Heath Miller (No. 7 fantasy TE) and Hines Ward (No. 11 WR).

Derek Anderson: meet a smoking-hot James Harrison. Pittsburgh's right outside linebacker and 2008's Defensive POY has 18 tackles and six sacks in his last three games, with a forced fumble in all but one this season. Anderson isn't a good bet to last four quarters, either because of injury or benching...Jamal Lewis' 31-carry, 117-yard Week 5 performance brought the Jerome Harrison hype train to a screeching halt. Lewis, 30, will undoubtedly break down if he continues to be used in such a manner. He'll also be a poor bet to top 50 yards against the AFC's No. 1 run defense.

How about the position Browns shot callers put promising but raw Mohamed Massaquoi in? With Braylon Edwards traded away for a bucket of mediocrity, the rookie will see a safety over the top for the rest of the year after coming to Cleveland as an underclassman draft pick. It's a terribly unfair situation...The point spread in this one is 14. With SS Troy Polamalu back from his knee injury, give me the Steelers all day long.

Kansas City @ Washington

In another game I'd advise to bet on, the Redskins are favored to win by six points Sunday. It's nice to play at home, but boos are likely to be more plentiful than Redskins scores at FedEx Field. Santana Moss is Washington's lone big-play threat and has a good on-paper matchup against a slow-footed K.C. secondary, but Jason Campbell won't have time to connect deep with former undrafted free agent Stephon Heyer on his blind side due to LT Chris Samuels' (spine) absence. The Skins' offense will be in especially bad shape if Chris Cooley is used as Heyer's "help" blocker more than he runs routes.

Hopefully, you've already sold "high" on Clinton Portis. He scored twice in Week 5 to finish with a productive fantasy game, but did not have a good real game, generating 3.0 YPC and getting thrown for a safety. His long run was seven yards. He has no upside, even in this matchup...The weather in D.C. calls for a 40% chance of rain and up to 20 MPH winds. It's not a huge concern for underneath receivers, but you don't want to use Antwaan Randle El or Malcolm Kelly anyway. Cooley, assuming he isn't forgotten in the passing game, is the Skins' best bet for catches.

The Chiefs intend to increase their use of the no-huddle offense. It's a very good idea, especially in this matchup. An up-tempo attack would keep heavyweight Skins DT Albert Haynesworth off the field for longer stretches and play to Matt Cassel's strengths in the shotgun. It would also sap Larry Johnson's usage, as he doesn't pick up blitzers or run pass routes well enough to be an every-down player. Play-to-play personnel change is more difficult in a no-huddle system. Should coach Todd Haley follow through with the plan, Jamaal Charles could end up as the primary back.

Windy, potentially slippery conditions could limit the passing-game production on both sides, but Dwayne Bowe's matchup is ripe for the picking. Kansas City's split end will spend most of his time against Redskins RCB DeAngelo Hall, who's been Washington's weakest corner all year. Hall's gambling style results in big plays for the opponent. Expect 70-80 yards and score from Bowe on Sunday.

Carolina @ Tampa Bay

Much more was expected from DeAngelo Williams last week, but the Redskins' front seven finally came to play and Jonathan Stewart vultured a touchdown. This matchup, however, sets up well for both backs to be worth fantasy starts. Size-deficient Tampa ranks 28th against the run and is a mismatch up front for Carolina's mauling front five...Jake Delhomme also has a favorable matchup, but the No. 30 overall fantasy QB simply isn't playing well enough for consideration.

Sunday's forecast at Raymond James Stadium calls for 70-degree temps and zero chance of precipitation. The Bucs allow more yards per pass attempt (9.1) than any team in the league, and their 12 touchdowns against are third most. Steve Smith lit up RCB Ronde Barber for an average of seven catches for 115 yards with one score in their two 2008 meetings. Smith's long overdue second big game of the year should be at hand...Despite a somewhat favorable matchup with LCB Aqib Talib, keep Muhsin Muhammad and his 9.4 yards-per-catch average benched.

Eight-man fronts will be the norm against Tampa's offense as long as Josh Johnson is under center, but you may as well use Carnell Williams against weak font sevens. While Cadillac will play himself hurt again soon enough, Carolina is 30th against the run with only Cleveland and Houston allowing higher YPC averages...Derrick Ward again significantly out-produced Williams in Week 5 (37 yards on six touches to Caddy's 16 yards on 13 opportunities), but the Bucs are using Williams as a clear-cut lead back. Ward is only playing every third series.

Kellen Winslow's first game with Johnson was a clunker, but he was a target monster in Week 5, racking up 102 yards and two TDs on a team-high nine catches. On Wednesday, playcaller Greg Olson touted Winslow as the team's No. 1 passing-game option. Winslow is rarely asked to block in Olson's scheme, and his short-to-intermediate routes perfectly suit Johnson's mediocre arm. He'll likely be inconsistent, but is an every-week start...Keep Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton on benches. Bryant's knee issues have become chronic, while Clayton's starting job is in doubt.



NY Giants @ New Orleans

Few wideouts are as boom-or-bust as Devery Henderson, in both real life and fantasy. But he always has the potential to go off, and his Week 6 matchup is swell on paper. With shutdown CB Corey Webster on Marques Colston and the Saints' ground game unlikely to be overly productive against a relentless Giants front seven, Henderson will spend most of his time against Terrell Thomas. Thomas, who many teams considered better fit to play safety coming out in the 2008 draft because of mediocre speed, doesn't have the wheels to stay with New Orleans' top deep threat.

Colston is a risk against Webster, as owners of Dwayne Bowe, Roy Williams, Antonio Bryant, and Santana Moss will attest...Use Jeremy Shockey against a Giants team that's allowed a tight end to be its opponent's leading receiver in each game since losing SS Kenny Phillips...Saints RBs should be avoided with a difficult matchup, Pierre Thomas batting a lingering hamstring injury, and Mike Bell recovered from his MCL sprain. It's anyone's guess as to which back will get the most carries...Drew Brees is always a must-start in the Superdome. Expect a pass-first game plan.

Eli Manning's foot injury will not threaten his availability, but a stingy Saints secondary keeps him as a low-end QB1. Only the Broncos and Colts have allowed fewer passing TDs (3), and no team has more picks (10). Still, he's hard to sit in the domed environment...Steve Smith is an every-week starter. His precision routes should give Saints rookie nickel back Malcolm Jenkins fits in the slot...Mario Manningham's value is on the down slope. Hakeem Nicks is simply a better all-around talent. This is a rotation, and both are more likely to help the Giants more than fantasy owners.

Brad Morgan was right to predict in his Red Zone Report that "Brandon Jacobs' touchdowns will come." Ahmad Bradshaw has been terrific, but Jacobs has received all but two of the Giants' goal-line carries this year and the coaching staff indicated this week that it will make a concerted effort to get Jacobs going. He's a strong bet for his second TD of the year in what figures to be a high-scoring game. The return of blocking TE Kevin Boss (ankle) will also help Jacobs' cause.

[SIZE=+1]4:05PM ET Games[/SIZE]

Arizona @ Seattle

Arizona's offseason moves (use of top draft pick on Chris Wells, passing of playcalling duty to ex-Steelers OC Ken Whisenhunt) pointed to a conversion from a pass-first offense to a balanced attack. The change hasn't been realized, as the Cards rank 11th in the league in pass attempts and 31st in carries. Whiz allows Kurt Warner to audible out of running plays whenever he sees an eight-man front, and Arizona is leading the NFC in passing offense. That's good news for Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and particularly the consistency of No. 3 wideout Steve Breaston.

Of course, it's terrible news for Wells. The 31st overall pick is averaging seven carries a game with no catches. He doesn't pick up blitzes well, or know the pass routes. Tim Hightower is this team's feature back going forward...60-degree temps, virtually no wind, and only a 30% chance of rain won't slow the Cardinals' up-tempo attack, and neither will Seattle's defense despite its Week 5 shutout of Mike Sims-Walker-less Jacksonville. The Seahawks are getting healthier with DE Patrick Kerney (groin) due back, but this has proven to be a mediocre unit even at full strength.

Seattle's No. 1 concern on either side of the ball remains at left tackle. They'll start '07 undrafted free agent Kyle Williams there in just his sixth NFL appearance. Williams, who was shuttled between the practice squad and active roster earlier this season, will square off with Cards ROLB Chike Okeafor. Luckily for Williams, the declining pass rusher is 33 and has one sack all year. Protection woes will catch up with Matt Hasselbeck, but probably not this week...Keep your Seahawks running backs benched. The Cardinals have the No. 1 run defense in the league.

Arizona can't stop the pass, though. Only six teams have fewer sacks, and the Cards' pass defense ranking has plummeted to 32nd in the NFL. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, coming off back-to-back big games, will see struggling LCB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in primary coverage while Nate Burleson goes against RCB Bryant McFadden. The Seahawks play the Cowboys, Lions, and Cardinals again in their next three games, so their wideouts will be worth relying on in fantasy for awhile.

Philadelphia @ Oakland

There were three hot waiver pickups at wide receiver this week: Miles Austin, Donnie Avery, and Jeremy Maclin. My bet is that Maclin attains the most value the rest of the way, while Avery has the biggest Week 6. Maclin's matchup simply isn't any good. While he's certain to start with Kevin Curtis (knee) a probable inactive or backup at best, the former Mizzou Tiger will usually be on the left side of the offensive formation. That's Raiders RCB Nnamdi Asomugha's territory.

DeSean Jackson is the much stronger play as he looks to put his one-catch, one-yard Week 5 behind him. Raiders LCB Chris Johnson doesn't have speed to stay with Jackson, who Donovan McNabb already admitted he'll make a serious effort to re-involve...Oakland is weak down the seams with the strong early-season play of safeties Tyvon Branch, Hiram Eugene, and Michael Huff fading. Continue to use Brent Celek...A committee with LeSean McCoy is cause for long-term concern in Brian Westbrook's case, but not when he's facing Oakland's No. 31 run defense.

As mentioned last week, there's little to say about Oakland's passing offense. JaMarcus Russell isn't even an option in two-QB leagues, Louis Murphy is poised to lose snaps to Chaz Schilens (foot) and was already unproductive, and Darrius Heyward-Bey has caught two of 20 targets on the year. Zach Miller is the lone player worth fantasy consideration, but may block often Sunday. Despite the tragic passing of former DC Jim Johnson, the Eagles haven't stopped bringing heat. Rookie coordinator Sean McDermott's defense blitzes more than any team in the league.

Darren McFadden will miss another game, and the struggles of Oakland's rushing offense will continue. While it was determined that Michael Bush is the fill-in starter and will get goal-line carries (he scored from five yards out last week), he saw just 13 touches to Justin Fargas' 12. Until McFadden, LG Robert Gallery (fractured fibula), and RT Cornell Green (calf) return -- which won't be this week -- the Raiders will struggle to move the football on a weekly basis.

[SIZE=+1]4:15PM ET Games[/SIZE]

Buffalo @ NY Jets

At some point, it's on the quarterback. Trent Edwards' protection has been poor, but his play isn't any better. He's scared in the pocket, especially to go downfield, and can't sense the pass rush. In addition to a new coaching staff, the Bills will be looking for a QB after the season...The Jets will likely assign LCB Darrelle Revis to Terrell Owens while RCB Lito Sheppard will cover Lee Evans for most of the game. Sheppard hasn't played in a month due to a quadriceps strain. Evans is the best fantasy bet at receiver for Buffalo if you have the mental toughness to use him.

Miami made the Jets' run defense appear vulnerable on Monday Night Football, but Rex Ryan's unit will be back for vengeance. The Bills' soft, undersized offensive line simply doesn't match up well with Jets NT Kris Jenkins and company. Browns NT Shaun Rogers consistently rag-dolled Bills LG Andy Levitre and C Geoff Hangartner in Week 5. While Marshawn Lynch still finished with a solid week (125 total yards), he was most productive in the receiving game. Consider Lynch a FLEX play. Fred Jackson and his declining role make him a non-factor in this one.

The Meadowlands forecast calls for a 70% chance of showers and 18 MPH winds. While Braylon Edwards will be impossible to sit for the rest of 2009, his quarterback needs to be benched. Mark Sanchez is still the most impressive rookie skill player in the league, but the Jets will focus on the run game in this weather...Edwards will likely match up with Bills RCB Drayton Florence for most of Sunday. Florence, a zone corner, won't be able to run with Braylon...Dustin Keller surprisingly blocked for most of Week 5, but now faces a Bills team that is very poor in tight ends coverage.

Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) is very unlikely to play, thrusting "Mr. August" David Clowney onto the first team. Clowney has blinding speed, but isn't much of an option because his game is so dependent on timing. We'll guess six targets and two catches for 37 yards...The even Thomas Jones-Leon Washington timeshare continues. Jones has 76 touches on the year to Washington's 67. Jones has more fantasy value because he gets goal-line carries, but Washington is always a decent FLEX play in PPR leagues. He has 12 receptions to Jones' two.



Tennessee @ New England

The Pats' game plan for Sunday seems obvious enough. With Tennessee down CB Nick Harper and nickel back Vincent Fuller indefinitely due to broken arms, and RCB Cortland Finnegan (hamstring) clearly not 100 percent, New England can flood the field with wideouts and pass the Titans to death. Tennessee is so desperate for defensive back bodies that it signed Roderick Hood on Thursday and will likely put him on the field immediately. The other options are practice squad type Cary Williams, and badly-struggling rookies Jason McCourty and Ryan Mouton.

In other words, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker are all must-starts against the NFL's No. 31 pass defense...However, if the Pats use the spread attack, a heavy rotation/committee of running backs is likely. Kevin Faulk is usually the primary "spread back," while Week 5 lead man Sammy Morris and Laurence Maroney can step in occasionally. This isn't the week to invest in a New England runner because they'll probably all see action and cancel each other out.

Chris Johnson's 11-touch Week 5 outing was painful considering it came against a Colts defense he should've owned. The Titans simply fell behind early and abandoned the run game. Johnson is an every-week starter, but the Patriots have the passing-game tools to pull off similarly efficient scoring. Be satisfied if Johnson tops 100 total yards and scores once...C.J. owners can at least be confident that LenDale White won't see the field. White does not play when the Titans are trailing, or when the game is close. And you can bet they won't have a lead often Sunday.

The swarming play of new Pats FS Brandon McGowan makes all three of the Titans' tight ends non-options. McGowan has helped hold Tony Gonzalez, Todd Heap, and Tony Scheffler all under 46 yards in the last three weeks...Kenny Britt and Justin Gage continue to rotate and cancel each other out from a fantasy perspective. Nate Washington is the only every-down receiver of the group, but remains too inconsistent to use as more than a desperate WR3.

HacheMan · Oct 16, 2009

Pats Sitting on a Powder Keg?

It was right around Halloween last year when Peyton Manning turned his season around with a 121.9 passer rating in a 18-15 win over the Patriots. Up until that game, there was serious hand-wringing in both NFL and fantasy circles about Manning's slow start following offseason bursa sac surgery on his knee. Manning went to finish the season as the MVP after a string of nine games that saw him toss 17 touchdowns to just three interceptions.

Tom Brady is coming back from a more serious knee injury this year, but signs are pointing toward a major turnaround for the Patriots' aerial attack. With Brady just missing on deep balls to Randy Moss early this season, the Pats are putting a focus on big plays in the passing game this week in practice. "Coach (Belichick) hammered into us today we haven't had a pass over 40 yards yet this year in five games," said Tom Brady. While the Pats had chances for big plays against the Broncos' stingy defense last week, Brady overthrew Moss and had a miscommunication with Wes Welker. Expect that to change starting this week.

The Titans are giving up the second-most passing yards in the league this season while allowing the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. It gets better for Brady. Pro Bowl right corner Cortland Finnegan (hamstring) and Pro Bowl FS Michael Griffin (neck) both missed practice again on Thursday and appear unlikely to play this week. Meanwhile, left corner Nick Harper and nickel back Vincent Fuller are both out with broken arms. Coordinator Chuck Cecil is so desperate for bodies that the team signed Rod Hood Thursday with the intention of playing him this week. The Titans secondary is the perfect antidote for an ailing pass offense. Sunday's game at New England is dream scenario for Tom Brady and Randy Moss.

With the Bucs' 28th ranked pass defense on the schedule for Week 7, now is the perfect time to exploit panicked Brady owners. Send an offer up the flag pole and see if it flies.

Editor's Note: For early rankings, complete projections, and a host of other exclusive material for Week 6, head to Rotoworld's Season Pass.

Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians indicated that the Steelers won't decide which running back will get the majority of carries until game time Sunday. Rashard Mendenhall, who was set to carry the load, missed Thursday's practice with "flu-like symptoms." Willie Parker (turf toe) worked with the first-team offense, but he's not 100 percent. As long as Mendenhall makes a full recovery by the weekend, he should dominate the backfield against the Browns porous run defense. Check back on Friday afternoon for an update on Mendenhall's status.

Pierre Thomas (hamstring) was limited again in Thursday's practice while Mike Bell (knee) continues to practice without limitation. Make sure to check back for Friday's practice updates. We're tentatively expecting Thomas to play, but it's too early to tell which back will get the majority of the carries.

Calvin Johnson (knee, thigh) and Matthew Stafford (knee) both missed Thursday's practice. Johnson watched practice in a warmup suit while Stafford wasn't even in attendance. Expect Daunte Culpepper to start at quarterback with Dennis Northcutt and Bryant Johnson as his main receivers Sunday.

Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete predicted that Marion Barber's quad injury could bother him for up to 10 weeks. It was assumed that Barber would be 100% when the Cowboys come out of their bye in Week 7, but that evidently won't be the case. "He's doing well. He just doesn't have the burst that he's had before he got injured," Peete said.

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Two-Minute Drill: Four teams have reportedly shown interest in trading for Browns WR/KR Josh Cribbs, the Browns are not inclined to deal him. … The Eagles reportedly had plans for Jeremy Maclin to replace Kevin Curtis as the starting wide receiver before the team's Week 4 bye. Curtis (knee) practiced again on Thursday, but he's coming back as a role player. … Coach Dick Jauron insists the Bills have not even considered the idea of dealing Terrell Owens. … Coordinator Greg Olson wants to make Kellen Winslow "the No. 1 or No. 2 progression" in the Bucs passing offense. … Santonio Holmes admits that his wrist injury hampered him the past few weeks, but he now says the wrist is fine. … Coordinator Cam Cameron accepted full blame for Derrick Mason's zero-catch, zero-target game against the Bengals and said it won't happen again. … Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown are both on pace for over 1,000 rushing yards. … Stephon Heyer will start at left tackle for the Redskins with Chris Samuels (neck) out this week. It's a huge downgrade for the 'Skins. … Williams Hayes has permanently displaced Jevon Kearse as the Titans' starting left defensive end.

Red Zone: Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) missed a second straight practice, and coach Rex Ryan was pessimistic about his chances of playing this Sunday. … Eli Manning (foot) was limited on Thursday "by design" but took more than half of the first-team snaps. … Panthers WR Steve Smith (knee) popped up on the injury report as limited. There's been no indication that the injury will keep him out of this week's game. … Percy Harvin (shoulder) returned to a semi-limited practice and is expected to practice fully on Friday. … Though limited in practice again Thursday, Wes Welker (knee) is expected to play this Sunday. … Jonathan Stewart (Achilles) returned to a full practice Thursday and will play against the Bucs. … Clinton Portis (calf) was limited again on Thursday, but he's expected to carry the load against the Chiefs. … Correll Buckhalter (ankle) practiced fully on Thursday and is on track to play against the Chargers Monday. … Though Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle) was held out of practice Thursday, he's fully expected to play against the Saints. … Nate Burleson (back) was limited in practice for a second straight day. … Antonio Bryant (knee) was limited Thursday but is expected to play against the Panthers. … Giants TE Kevin Boss (ankle) was upgraded to full participation and will start against the Saints. … Patriots TE Ben Watson (head) was limited in practice for a second straight day. … Raiders WR Chaz Schilens (foot) was limited in practice for the second straight day and doesn't believe he'll be ready to play by Sunday. … Troy Polamalu (knee) practiced in full and will play Sunday with a brace on his knee. … Bills MLB Paul Posluszny (arm) and FS Donte Whitner (thumb) were both upgraded to full participation and are likely to return for this week's game. … Packers SS Atari Bigby (knee) has resumed practicing fully and is expected to rejoin the starting lineup this week.

HacheMan · Oct 19, 2009

Explosive games make for hectic Week 6

This is the kind of day you live for in fantasy. After a couple of fairly quiet weeks, things exploded Sunday with big stats all over the place. Usually, I say that if you had one of these guys, you won. That might not be the case this week, however, because there were so many big games that you just as likely might have playing against one as well. Check it out.

Drew Brees: 369 passing yards, four touchdowns.
Tom Brady: 380 passing yards, six TDs.
Matt Schaub: 392 yards, four TDs.
Ben Roethlisberger: 417 yards, two TDs.
Thomas Jones, 210 rushing yards, TD.
DeAngelo Williams, 152 rushing yards, two TDs.
Maurice Jones-Drew, 133 rushing yards, three TDs.
Wes Welker, 150 receiving yards, two TDs.
Randy Moss, 129 receiving yards, three TDs.
Zach Miller, 139 receiving yards, one TD.
Owen Daniels, 78 receiving yards, two TDs.

It was a big day many ways around, and the beauty of it was that many of these performances were predictable, or at least came from predictable players. There is little worse than seeing Derek Anderson, or another forgettable starter, go off for 350 yards and three TDs when nobody in their right mind would have played. That wasn't the case this week.
Let's take a look at some of the other big stories to come out of Sunday's games:
-- Brady's performance was the most stunning, especially because it came against the Titans. A common theme is that Brady is "back" from his injury, and that might partially be the case. It also was something about the law of averages catching up for Brady and Moss, combined with facing a terribly overmatched secondary. Give the Patriots their full due heading into this week's game against Tampa Bay in London as that should be another great game. But I don't think this means Brady and Moss are back to their 2007 days.
-- Is Mike Bell the Saints' new goal-line back? Of all those TDs the Saints scored against the Giants, Pierre Thomas had none. Bell had a 2-yard TD in the first quarter and later had another TD called back because of a penalty. On another drive, both Thomas and Bell were stuffed in short yardage. The verdict is out on this one, but it certainly seems possible and needs to be watched. If the running back yards are split three ways, the most valuable player will be the guy getting the TDs.
-- My big knock against Ray Rice for not scoring TDs is going out the window. Rice had 194 total yards with two scores, giving him three in the past two weeks. And he quickly is becoming the Ravens' No. 1 back too. With a whopping three yards , Willis McGahee has 29 total yards over the past three games. If he doesn't get that TD role back from Rice, McGahee will be almost worthless.
-- So here come the changes for the Redskins. Todd Collins looks like he will be in at quarterback and coach Jim Zorn will no longer be calling plays. Collins came in on Sunday, immediately hit a 42-yard pass to Santana Moss and led the Redskins on back-to-back field-goal drives. Collins can not be any worse than Jason Campbell, but it is unclear how much better he can be. Don't pick up Collins unless you really need quarterback help. However, he could be a boost for both Moss and Chris Cooley.
-- Ryan Fitzpatrick might be in for a few weeks after the Bills' Trent Edwards left Sunday's game because of a concussion. As with the Redskins, it is hard to see how Fitzpatrick could be much worse. He barely looked toward Terrell Owens, who had three catches for 13 yards against the Jets. Fitzpatrick does have some experience, but in 13 games with the Bengals in place of Carson Palmer last year, he had more than one TD only once. That kind of production makes him a natural in Buffalo. If you have Owens or Lee Evans, you just have to hope that Fitzpatrick somehow gets the offense moving.
-- Mark Sanchez, with eight interceptions in the past two weeks, is the other big-time struggling quarterback. This spell likely will pass as we all know how rookie quarterbacks go through some rough patches. With Braylon Edwards' inconsistency and Jerricho Cotchery's bad hamstring, it is hard to like anybody in the Jets' passing game until Sanchez gets this turned around.
-- The pass-happy ways of the Steelers continue with Roethlisberger turning in his third 300-yard game and fifth game in a row with multiple TDs. His major threat, however, is Hines Ward, not Santonio Holmes. Ward had 159 yards and a TD on Sunday and is an automatic start at present. Ward has had only one game with fewer than 82 yards.
-- I have no insight into either the pathetic performances by the Eagles and Seahawks. All of their regulars should have been excellent starters in what looked like compelling matchups against Oakland and Arizona, respectively. My only advice is not to overreact to this bad game. The Seahawks have their bye coming up and will have two weeks to stew before facing the Cowboys, against whom they should do well. The Eagles play on Monday night against the Redskins. While Washington's defense has played well, it is impossible to see how that would be a bad spot for the Eagles. With the Redskins falling apart, the Eagles should be OK if they simply show up.

HacheMan · Oct 19, 2009

Tom Terrific

Snow in October? You better believe it, and that didn't seem to bother the Patriots one bit.

In addition to the mashing in Foxboro, there were monster performances all across the board on Sunday – Big Ben's 400-yard effort wasn't even good enough to make the list. Let's take a look at what went down in a wild Week 6.

Top 5 Quarterbacks:

1. Tom Brady – 380 Pass Yds, 6 TDs, 0 INTs – I think the Pats could have scored 100 if they really wanted to, but I think Brady owners will be satisfied with this flawless performance. Brady went over the 375-yard mark for the second time this season, and, needless to say, he's baaaaaaaaack!

2. Drew Brees – 369 Pass Yds, 4 TDs, 0 INTs – After two consecutive games without a passing touchdown and under 200-yards passing yards, you knew he wasn't going to be kept down for long. I wouldn't be surprised if he was part machine, because he knew exactly what the Giants were throwing at him and executed with pinpoint accuracy.

3. Matt Schaub – 392 Pass Yds, 4 TDs, 1 INT – Sunday marked Schaub's fourth 300-yard game of the season, as he has been everything fantasy owners could've asked for thus far. Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton were the immediate beneficiaries of Schaub's big day, as they both went over the 100-yard mark.

4. Brett Favre – 278 Pass Yds, 3 TDs, 0 INTs – The Minnesota miracle man strikes again – sorry Gordon Bombay. Favre continued his magical season on Sunday, as the fountain of youth has not proven to be elusive. The Vikings have let Favre be his old gun slinging self this season, and that's why he's been able to put up some big numbers.

5. Joe Flacco – 385 Pass Yds, 2 TDs, 0 INTs – It took a while for Flacco to get going, but it's better late than never. It was nice to see him bounce back after a subpar performance last week, and look for him to pick up right where he left off after the Ravens' Week 7 'Bye'.

Top 5 Running Backs:

1. Maurice Jones-Drew – 133 Rush Yds, 3 TDs, 5 Rec, 45 Yds, 1 FL – Ask and you shall receive. A frustrated Mojo vented to the media about his lack of involvement in the Jag's offense this past week, and the team responded by running him up-and-down the field on Sunday – albeit against the Rams.

2. Ray Rice – 77 Rush Yds, 2 TDs, 10 Rec, 117 Yds – Rice had his second consecutive big day in the receiving department, as Willis McGahee has clearly taken the back seat in the Ravens' offense, despite his unexpected start. Rice has taken some big strides in his second season, as he came into the game ranked sixth among running backs in standard non-PPR leagues.

3. DeAngelo Williams – 152 Rush Yds, 2 TDs, 2 Rec, 20 Yds – If only D-Will could face the Bucs every single week, as he now has now rushed for 338-yards and four scores in his past two games against them. The Panthers got back to their true identity on Sunday – tallying up forty-seven rushing attempts – and, as long as that's the case, Williams always has the ability to breakout.

4. Thomas Jones – 210 Rush Yds, 1 TD, 2 Rec, 17 Yds – TJ looked uncharacteristically explosive, breaking off runs of 64 and 71 yards. Jones has been fairly productive in the touchdown department this season, but he managed to put it all together in a big way this week. With Mark Sanchez continuing to struggle look for continued success from Jones and Leon Washington going forward.

5. Laurence Maroney – 123 Rush Yds, 1 TD, 3 Rec, 10 Yds – If you saw this coming, shoot me an email and let me know what numbers you're playing in the Lotto this upcoming week. Bottom line: I think Bill Belichick picks a different name out of a hat each week when deciding who is going to run the ball, because Maroney equaled the amount of total carries he's had in the past three weeks on Sunday. A lot of that was aided by the fact that Morris went down with an injury, so it remains to be seen if Maroney can build off this success.

Top 5 Wide Receivers:

1. Randy Moss – 8 Rec, 129 Yds, 3 TDs – Coincidence? I think not. Moss had his best game of the season since Week 1 when, surprise surprise, Tom Brady also had his best game of the season, minus today. Coming off a lackluster one-catch performance last week, this week was a classic case of Randy being Randy.

2. Wes Welker – 10 Rec, 150 Yds, 2 TDs – The week of the Patriots continues with Welker, as he now has eighteen receptions for three scores in his past two games. Having battled injuries early on this season, Welker appears fully recovered and all systems go in the Pats' highflying offense.

3. Marques Colston – 8 Rec, 166 Yds, 1 TD – Colston had his first 100-yard game of the season. The 'Bye' week seemed to do the Saints' passing offense some good, and that doesn't bode well for opposing secondaries in the near future.

4. Hines Ward – 8 Rec, 159 Yds, 1 TD – The Steelers passing success continued on Sunday, as Ward was the main beneficiary, looking ten years younger when he took a short pass from Roethlisberger 52-yards to paydirt. He has quietly put together an extremely effective season, as he has scored in his past two and gained at least 80-yards in each of his last four games.

5. Hakeem Nicks – 5 Rec, 114 Yds, 1 TD – The rook continued to impress, as he added a garbage time score for his third in as many games. The Giants will continue to have a rotation at wide receiver, but Nicks has earned significant playing time, and is quickly turning himself into having fantasy relevance.

Top 5 Tight Ends:

1. Owen Daniels – 7 Rec, 78 Yds, 2 TDs – Daniels has been as consistent as you can be from the tight end position, and as Matt Schaub goes so does Owen Daniels. There are definitely enough passes to go around in Houston, because the coaching staff would throw it every single down if they could.

2. Zach Miller – 6 Rec, 139 Yds, 1 TD – This is the kind of game that Miller owners have been dying for. How the Eagles allowed an 86-yard score to a tight end – let alone someone in the Raiders' offense – is still beyond me, but I've stopped trying to make sense of the N.F.L.

3. Visanthe Shiancoe – 4 Rec, 48 Yds, 2 TDs – The tight end touchdown machine continues has to love life with Brett Favre in town. He now has four scores in his past three games, making him tough to take out of fantasy lineups.

4. Heath Miller – 5 Rec, 80 Yds, 1 TD – Similar to his fellow tight end above, Miller has also scored four times in his past three games. Big Ben constantly looks his way in the red zone, making him a viable TE1 option at the moment.

5. Greg Olsen – 5 Rec, 57 Yds, 1 TD – Olsen hauled in some ridiculous catches late in Sunday night's game after taking some big hits over the middle. You wouldn't think it, but he's scored in three consecutive games, as he and Jay Cutler finally look like they're getting on the same page.

Bottom 5 QBs:

1. Matt Hasselbeck – 112 Pas Yds, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 1 FL
2. Derek Anderson – 122 Pass Yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 FL – Just keeps going from bad to worse in Cleveland.
3. Jake Delhomme – 65 Pass Yds, 1 TD, 2 INTs
4. Kerry Collins – -7 Pass Yds, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 1 FL – No typo here. Looks like it's Vince Young time from here on out.
5. Mark Sanchez – 119 Pass Yds, 0 TDs, 5 INTs – 8 INTs in his past three games. The Jets better have Vinny Testaverde on speed dial.

Bottom 5 Running Backs:

1. Willis McGahee – 3 Rush Yds, 0 TDs
2. Brandon Jacobs – 33 Rush Yds, 1 Rec, 2 Yds, 0 TDs – This is becoming a recurring theme.
3. Jamal Lewis – 21 Rush Yds, 2 Rec, 15 Yds, 0 TDs
4. Derrick Ward – 2 Rush Yds, 1 Rec, 5 Yds, 0 TDs
5. LenDale White – 15 rush Yds, 1 FL – Maybe tequila was the answer.

Bottom 5 Wide Receivers:

1. Nate Washington – 1 Rec, -22 Yds, 0 TDs
2. Steve Smith (Car) – 1 Rec, 4 Yds, 0 TDs
3. Terrell Owens – 2 Rec, 13 Yds, 0 TDs – Darrelle Revis strikes again.
4. Percy Harvin – 2 Rec, 10 Yds, 0 TDs
5. T.J. Houshmandzadeh – 4 Rec, 34 Yds, 0 TDs – Disappointing after last week's performance.

Bottom 5 Tight Ends:

1. Dustin Keller – 2 Rec, 16 Yds, 0 TDs
2. Kevin Boss – 1 Rec, 18 Yds, 0 TDs
3. Kellen Winslow – 3 Rec, 29 Yds, 0 TDs
4. Marcedes Lewis – 1 Rec, 5 Yds, 0 INTs
5. Bo Scaife – 0 catches

HacheMan · Oct 19, 2009

Minnesota Magic

[SIZE=+1]#5. Texans 28 Bengals 17[/SIZE]

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

* Cincinnati's defense blew tons of assignment following play-action fakes. Matt Schaub and Steve Slaton did an excellent job selling the fakes, but wide receivers broke completely free in the secondary on several occasions, including Jacoby Jones on his 23-yard touchdown grab.

* Houston's run defense came into the game as the worst in the NFL, so holding the league's leading rusher to 44 yards is a huge surprise. On the other hand, even when he's the league's leading rusher Cedric Benson is still Cedric Benson, and the Texans have fixed some of their run-stopping issues since signing safety Bernard Pollard and sticking him in the starting lineup.

* Carson Palmer wore a glove on his non-throwing hand and frequently handed off with his right hand because of a left-thumb injury, and it wasn't always a smooth transition to Benson. He didn't seem to have any problems passing, however.

GOING FORWARD

* Houston did tons of damage on screen passes to Andre Johnson and Slaton. Obviously those two guys are elite screen-catchers, but it's something to keep an eye on as future opponents game plan against the Bengals.

* Slaton had huge overall numbers, but didn't do much on the ground, particularly in the second half. He's never going to lose snaps on passing downs, but don't be surprised if Chris Brown steals some carries over the next couple games.

* Adding injury to insult in a game where Schaub annihilated them, the Bengals' pass defense likely lost sackmaster Antwan Odom for the season with a ruptured Achilles' tendon.

* Schaub has thrown for 1,644 yards and 14 touchdowns in his last five games, topping 300 yards four times.

[SIZE=+1]#4. Bills 16 Jets 13[/SIZE]

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

* Outside of two penalties, Darrelle Revis owned Terrell Owens. T.O. couldn't get open and had just three catches on eight targets. Owens also had a couple drops and now has six on the season. He's falling off the career cliff quickly.

* Mark Sanchez was just about as bad as his stat line looked. His decisions were horrible and even the passes he completed were off the mark. Weather was a factor, but he needs Jerricho Cotchery in there.

* Lee Evans looked really quick and explosive. He saw 11 targets, most of which came from backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. That's something to watch if Trent Edwards (concussion) misses any time.

GOING FORWARD

* Braylon Edwards needs Jerricho Cotchery almost as bad as Mark Sanchez does. Edwards must have felt like he was back in Cleveland as he constantly had a safety over the top. Edwards had nine passes come his way, and four of those got picked off.

* Don't go overboard on Thomas Jones' big day. He is still in a straight timeshare with Leon Washington and the holes he ran through on those two huge runs were gaping. Jones did show surprising breakaway speed.

* Dustin Keller was invisible once again, and it's starting to get a little worrisome. He is averaging 23.5 yards per game over his last four games and hurt the team in this one with a costly false start penalty in overtime. Keep Keller reserved until Mark Sanchez shows he can get his tight end the ball.

* If Kris Jenkins (knee) really is out for the year, boost all your running back plays against the Jets.

[SIZE=+1]#3. Falcons 21 Bears 14[/SIZE]

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

* Jay Cutler has a fantastic arm and can look great at times, but he often makes mistakes in terrible spots. In fact, he has the most red zone interceptions of any quarterback in the last two years.

* Matt Forte entered the game with just two fumbles in 387 career rushes and 76 career receptions. But he fumbled on consecutive plays at the goal line Sunday night, and the second was recovered by the Falcons.

* Matt Ryan looked out of sync with his receivers early on, and the Falcons didn't collect a single first down in the first quarter. Of course, things changed later.

* The Bears ran 43 passing plays to 23 running plays. That's simply not a healthy ratio.

* Falcons TE Justin Peelle grabbed a touchdown at the end of the second half, but it was negated by a holding call. He finished with two catches for eight yards and has just three receptions for 20 yards on the year.

* The Bears' offensive line needs work. Multiple penalties and missed blocking assignments cost Chicago both field position and scoring opportunities.

GOING FORWARD

* The Bears entered the red zone four times on Sunday evening, but scored just once. The other possessions either ended on downs, with a fumble or by way of a Jay Cutler interception. The Bears can't make mistakes in the red zone and hope to make a splash in the playoffs.

* The Falcons are off to a 4-1 start for the first time since 2004, when Michael Vick served as quarterback. Much of that credit goes to Matt Ryan, who always seems to play well in crunch time. He led a fourth-quarter game-winning drive that was capped off by a 5-yard Michael Turner touchdown scamper..

[SIZE=+1]#2. Jaguars 23 Rams 20[/SIZE]

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

* The Rams extended the NFL's longest current losing streak to 16 games. It looked like they were going to pull this one out after Leonard Little picked off a Garrard screen pass and returned it 36 yards for a score, but in the end they found a way to lose. After they were up early, it looked as if they were playing not to lose, rather than playing to win the game.

* Maybe Maurice Jones-Drew was right. The Jags did need to get him the ball more. MJD scored all of the team's touchdowns, as he touched the ball 38 times.

* The Jags' offense looked much better with Mike Sims-Walker back in the lineup after his late night rendezvous in Seattle last week, which ended up costing the Jags.

* Marc Bulger showed some flashes early in the game on the team's opening drive, as he was nearly perfect, leading to a 17-yard touchdown hookup with Donnie Avery. If Bulger's line protects him, he can still make things happen, but once Avery left the game with a bruised hip, the Ram offense looked lost.

GOING FORWARD

* It looks as if the Jags will keep handing the ball off to MJD, as they need to get back to running the ball, which got them this win. Jacksonville goes into their bye week before facing an atrocious Tennessee defense that got destroyed on by the Patriots on Sunday.

* Mike Sims-Walker has easily become David Garrard's favorite target. He is definitely an every-week starter for fantasy lineups.

* Steven Jackson and the Rams go up against a tough Indianapolis defense that is coming off their bye week. They held Chris Johnson in check in Week 5, and they can load up the box against S-Jax, as the Rams' passing game is struggling.

[SIZE=+1]#1. Vikings 33 Ravens 31[/SIZE]

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

* Ray Rice started the game, but struggled to get anything going. Willis McGahee played the third and fifth series and also started the second half. But once Rice caught fire, it was clearly his game. Along with Joe Flacco, Rice was the man most responsible for the comeback. His role as the feature back should be solidified, especially because this team is most effective throwing the ball right now. Rice is a great receiver out of the backfield.

* Ravens rookie OT Michael Oher was really getting abused by Vikings DE Jared Allen. That's what made Joe Flacco's game even more impressive. Even though Todd Heap helped Oher on many occasions, Flacco was under constant pressure.

* Adrian Peterson's owners got a major scare when All Day was tackled on a screen play by Dannell Ellerbe and twisted his ankle. It looked serious at first, but Peterson came back in and got three more carries. Watch this injury closely during the week.

GOING FORWARD

* Sidney Rice is Brett Favre's favorite receiver. Rice's size allows Favre to throw up questionable deep balls when he knows Rice is single-covered. Rice has the most upside and is the best fantasy option of the Vikings' receivers.

* Derrick Mason benefited from Antoine Winfield's injury. After getting zero targets last week, Mason saw 12 passes come his way Sunday. Chalk up that Week 5 debacle as a fluke, Mason is a WR2.

* Kelley Washington left with a concussion and the talented Demetrius Williams got a chance. He made a nice 19-yard grab and considering the way this offense is going, the No. 3 receiver could have some sleeper value.

* Percy Harvin's shoulder injury looked pretty bad. The Vikings are saying no further damage has been done, but we'll see. Bernard Berrian got just five targets on Sunday and that number should rise if Harvin misses any time.

HacheMan · Oct 19, 2009

Sixcess

New England's 59-0 triumph over the Titans was also a victory for not over thinking decisions in fantasy leagues.

Caller after caller on Sunday Morning considered benching Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker because of the wintry mix falling sideways in Foxborough two weeks before Halloween.

Five second quarter touchdown throws by Tom Brady later, owners either felt very fortunate or very foolish for passing on the chance to let Brady pass against a soft Titans secondary down its top three cornerbacks.

Even owners that didn't respect Chris Johnson enough to play him may have regretted putting him on the bench, then watching him post 128 yards. (Imagine if the Titans ever played with a lead.)

The game didn't teach us that snow doesn't matter, just that the reasons we often ascribe to struggles or success are often simplistic. The Titans, after all, lost seven yards through the air on 14 attempts by Kerry Collins and Vince Young. If the Patriots similarly struggled, we would have blamed the whole mess up to the weather, not execution.

The takeaway isn't complicated. The Titans have an inferior secondary, and you should take your chances with the Patriots in anything but a brutal matchup.

The 2007 Patriots aren't "back" because of one game. Tom Brady isn't necessarily going to live up to his draft value just because he carried your team Sunday.

Assuming everything will change because of one game is just as short sighted as assuming snow will make offenses melt.

But on Sunday, for 15 minutes of football, Brady and the boys did something no passing attack had ever done before. That could happen any Sunday, and the promise that no fantasy deficit is too great after the early games, that busts can transform into stars in one play, is why we keep coming back.

[SIZE=+1]Stepping Off the Ledge [/SIZE]

1. The entire overly long, flowery introduction to this column was one big, fat "stepping off the ledge" entry for the Patriots passing game. Another source of optimism for Welker and Moss owners is the lack of a true third receiver in New England. That means more targets all year for the top two guys, even if those targets are less efficient. This offense has come a long way since the spread-the-wealth days when no Patriot would top 1,000 yards.

2. Dropped in many fantasy leagues, Laurence Maroney is worth a look again with Sammy Morris hurt and Tampa coming up before New England's bye. Just expect to get your heart broken eventually.

3. Thomas Jones was due for a 210-yard day one of these weeks. Wait, what the Sanchez happened?? And the Jets lost? Leon Washington also put up 136 yards from scrimmage in a reminder that the Jets can still run over opponents in plus matchups.

4. Brian Westbrook's day in Oakland: six rushes, nine catches, 141 yards from scrimmage. I want to watch the DVR tape, but that sure sounds like the old Westbrook. LeSean McCoy had five carries, but they are splitting the receiving duties.

5. Dwayne Bowe still shies away from contact when he goes across the middle, but his week-to-week improvement is a sign he can survive this ugly '09 Chiefs offense with plenty of fantasy value intact.

6. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart won't turn back the block very often this season, but they face Buffalo's soft rush defense at home this week. The schedule gets much tougher after that; so they could both be good sell high candidates after one more big game.

7. Steve Slaton's final rushing stats didn't look great, but the Houston line got impressive push early in the game against Cincinnati. And his rushing doesn't matter since he's turned into Reggie Bush back when Bush was a useful fantasy option. Slaton now has more slightly more receiving yards than rushing yards on the season.

8. One week after Eddie Royal showed up, Lance Moore made his first healthy return to relevance. He's not going to lead the Saints in receiving yards this year, but he'll be a capable PPR WR3 if you need help.

[SIZE=+1]Don't Panic [/SIZE]

1. Matt Forte looks like a disappointing top-five pick at this stage. He's not finding holes, but he is catching passes. Most importantly, he has no one to threaten his carries. With Jay Cutler playing better than expected, we still believe Forte will carve his way back to top-ten value.

2. Michael Turner isn't nearly as good a running back as people think, especially before the year, but he's still a decent bet to score 15 times. In fantasy football, that's good enough.

3. Getting Calvin Johnson and hopefully Matthew Stafford back after Detroit's bye week should help Kevin Smith immeasurably.

4. Pierre Thomas watched a touchdown get vultured, but he also got a few chances of his own near the goal line. Both he and Mike Bell were stuffed, as the Saints aren't quite over their short-yardage issues. The Saints are confident enough in Thomas and Bell to use them in any formation, which is a concern for Thomas, but he'll score touchdowns too.

5. Steven Jackson has 140 touches this year without a touchdown. As a S-Jax owner, I'm oddly fine with this. He's on pace for nearly 1,800 yards from scrimmage and 50 catches. I can accept this if he plays 16. As grisly as the Rams are, it feels like he's overachieving.

[SIZE=+1]Some Panic is Acceptable [/SIZE]

1. Another takeaway from Titans-Patriots: The Titans wideouts don't have much light at the end of the tunnel if Vince Young takes over. Owner Bud Adams may call for the change during Tennessee's bye week.

2. Mark Sanchez still has five more games at the Meadowlands and the weather is only going to get worse. The Saints defense put something on tape two weeks ago that the Dolphins and Bills have been able to copy. The kid looks confused out there, which happens with rookie quarterbacks. But he's going to drag Braylon Edwards and Dustin Keller down with him at times. Sanchez was never a great fantasy option this season to begin with.

3. Some Bills fans wanted Ryan Fitzpatrick even before Sunday's win. Be careful what you wish for. If you thought Trent Edwards couldn't throw it deep … there could be some bad times for Lee Evans and Terrell Owens. Evans was a shaky overturned pass away from a 97-yard, one-score game, but any prolonged absence from Trent Edwards is still bad news for all parties involved.

4. Justin Fargas sealed Oakland's win against Philadelphia with some aggressive running in the fourth quarter. That should keep him ahead of Michael Bush in Tom Cable's heart.

5. We ranked Jeremy Maclin outside the top-40 this week despite expecting him to start because of his track record as a pro and Philly's spread the wealth offense. He's going to be a boom or bust pick every week, and he busted. And if Donovan McNabb hit him in stride when he had two steps on an Oakland defender for a potential long score, he would have been a boom. Just how it goes.

6. Matt Cassel hasn't averaged more than 6.2 YPA in a game this season.

7. I wrote that Carolina's matchup with Tampa Bay was Steve Smith's fantasy Super Bowl because he wasn't going to get an easier matchup with better big-play potential. Jake Delhomme threw five passes in his direction; the Bucs caught one, Smith caught one for four yards.

8. There are now six skill position players on the Saints offense not named Drew Brees that are more useful to Sean Payton than Reggie Bush. In no particular order: Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey, Devery Henderson, and Lance Moore. Robert Meachem is threatening to make the list seven.

[SIZE=+1]Solid as a rock [/SIZE]

1. Brent Celek hasn't scored fewer than 10 fantasy points in PPR leagues in a game this season. (With a little rounding up.) He's one of four tight ends producing like WR2s. (Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark, and Owen Daniels are the others.) Heath Miller and Tony Gonzalez aren't far off.

2. Steve Breaston hasn't scored fewer than 10 fantasy points in PPR leagues in any game he's played this year. His 80 receiving yards-per-game is eighth among wide receivers. His worst game was four catches for 66 yards.

3. Mike Sims-Walker has caught at least six passes for 80 yards in the last four games he didn't miss bed check.

[SIZE=+1]Easy there [/SIZE]

1. JaMarcus Russell threw for 224 yards passing, but his leading wide receiver had four yards. Where have you gone, Chaz Schilens? (Actually, he could be back next week.)

2. Matt Hasselbeck's 112-yard, one interception performance against the previous last-ranked Cardinals pass defense was among the most inexplicable box scores of the year considering his other starts. It's a reminder that Seattle's offensive line woes put him in jeopardy of occasional disasters.

3. Clinton Portis' 78-yard run Sunday isn't something that will happen twice a year. We'd trade him now before Washington plays some capable defenses. Portis had 31 yards on his other 14 carries against Kansas City.

[SIZE=+1]Julius Jones is annoying [/SIZE]

Twice this season, the former Cowboy has topped 130 yards from scrimmage with a touchdown in a game. The other three games he's totaled 49 yards combined.

HacheMan · Oct 20, 2009

Weak clubs provide strong opportunity

Let the talking heads opine that the NFL's lack of parity is bad for the league. And how this season's legion of atrocious teams drags down the quality of play.
Those of us in the fantasy realm know the truth: Bad teams make for good matchups. And there is no finer feeling than seeing a cakewalk on the schedule for your starters.
There have been plenty of cakewalks this season. Do you have much doubt about what will happen when the Indianapolis Colts visit the St. Louis Rams this week? Or what about the Green Bay Packers playing at the Cleveland Browns? These games might not always be pretty, but they usually are predictable, and predictable is what we want in fantasy football.
Last week, the New England Patriots dumped 59 points on the Tennessee Titans; the Packers had a predictable rout vs. the Detroit Lions, and the Pittsburgh Steelers took care of the Browns. Stars such as Aaron Rodgers, Wes Welker, Hines Ward and Maurice Jones-Drew had no trouble piling up big-time stats, doing what you expected and needed them to do. That is why nothing is more beautiful than having the Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers turn up in your player's opponent column.
The NFL has nine putrid teams: the Browns, Titans, Raiders, Lions, Buccaneers, Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins, with the Carolina Panthers a borderline case depending on how many interceptions Jake Delhomme throws. Wouldn't you love a schedule full of those opponents? Just think if you got to play the four worse defenses of the bunch (Tennessee, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Detroit), all allowing at least 28 points a game.

On a perfect weekend, that would be nine great matchups (of a maximum of 16 games) where you don't even have to think whom to start. Of course, even the bad teams have to face off sometimes. When that happens, you get the Chiefs and Redskins fumbling around while just kicking a bunch of field goals. For the most part, you simply can eliminate those games from your mind; if you are relying on Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Bryant, you probably are not winning many games.
Let's consider, for instance, what happened in Week 6. The Jacksonville Jaguars were coming off an ugly shutout at the Seattle Seahawks. They had more trouble than they should have against the Rams, but Jones-Drew wound up with 178 total yards and three touchdowns. Mike Sims-Walker didn't score, but he returned from a surprise suspension to tally 120 receiving yards. Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams got off to a sputtering start for a first-round star, but it wasn't anything that a trip to play the Buccaneers could not cure as he cranked out 152 yards and two TDs.
And, yes, this miserable mix of teams can pop up from time to time and surprise a club, such as the Raiders did to the Philadelphia Eagles. If you look at the schedule, however, this disparity plays into your favor. Whatever foibles the Arizona Cardinals might have this season, their matchups against Detroit and St. Louis in Weeks 15 and 16 are appealing if you can get into the playoffs. Been rolling with any New Orleans Saints starters? Your biggest risk in Week 16 is whether they rest players while holding a big division lead, not anything the Buccaneers throw at them.
More immediately, remember when Tampa Bay's defense was a cause for concern? This week, it is a chance for the Patriots to continue fine-tuning their big-play offense. The Packers have another week to sort out their offensive line issues vs. Cleveland. And the San Diego Chargers have another two weeks to work on their offense against Kansas City and Oakland.
The competitive games between good teams are tougher to figure out. This week's Minnesota Vikings-Steelers game is one of the best on the schedule, but should you start Brett Favre or Rashard Mendenhall? Do you reasonably expect Matt Schaub to get another four TD passes against what mostly has been a solid San Francisco 49ers defense?
These questions make the NFL interesting, but whenever you can eliminate tough choices, you improve your chances. In fantasy, it's OK to beat up on the weaklings.

HacheMan · Oct 20, 2009

Still in the woods

The most telling sign about the state of LaDainian Tomlinson's career came in the first quarter Monday night. Phillip Rivers was under heavy pressure and made a great play to flip the ball two-handed to Tomlinson who was wide open.

As Tomlinson bounded into the secondary, he encountered Broncos CB Andre' Goodman in the open field. The old LT2 would have ran around, through or just plain by the light-hitting Goodman. Not this LT2. Goodman made the solo tackle, preventing that huge play.

That was the way it went for Tomlinson against the Broncos. He was the unquestioned feature back (18 carries vs. one for Darren Sproles). He was fresh out of a bye and all his wheels were intact. The Chargers tried to establish a running game. But Tomlinson constantly couldn't break through that second level. He ended up with 18 carries for 70 yards and three catches for 30 yards. He also threw his helmet and was visibly upset on the sideline when Norv Turner tried to catch the Broncos off guard by giving Darren Sproles a goal-line carry.

The positive signs were that Tomlinson looked quick off the snap and through the holes. He just wasn't fast or strong enough to get through the linebackers. Perhaps when the Chargers' schedule lightens (@ Chiefs, vs. Raiders next two week) it will be easier for Tomlinson to produce numbers. Or perhaps the Chargers will realize that Tomlinson isn't a great fit for this offense.

Either way, Tomlinson will be a risky, low end RB2 play the rest of the way. And Monday night did nothing to change that.

* So much for the notion that Eddie Royal turned the corner after his 10-catch outburst in Week 5. His zero catch airball Monday night wasn't all that shocking considering nothing has changed about how Royal is used. He's still in a rotation with Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Stokley and Royal still rarely lines up in the slot. Antonio Cromartie did an excellent job on Royal, but it's a blow to the gut of Royal's owners. At least he got 12 points for you off returns.

Chargers vs. Broncos quick hitters:
With the way Tony Scheffler looked Monday night, it makes you wonder why the Broncos don't use him more. Most safeties and linebackers have no chance to defend him. … Knowshon Moreno started, but was in a timeshare with Correll Buckhalter again. … The Chargers' offensive line was abysmal in the second half, leading to Phillip Rivers' mediocre night. … Nate Kaeding has to be the best kicker in the NFL and has a great chance to be the No. 1 fantasy kicker this year.

Editor's Note: For early rankings, complete projections, and a host of other exclusive material for Week 7, head to Rotoworld's Season Pass.

NEWS OF THE DAY #2
At first glance, the news that Michael Crabtree will likely start this week seems absurd. The rookie that held out for all of training camp and five weeks of the regular season is getting handed the starting gig on a platter? What kind of message does that send to the rest of the team?

Here's the message it sends: Coach Mike Singletary and the Niners want to win. Josh Morgan and the rest of the receivers are not getting the job done as they are averaging a combined 81.8 receiving yards per game. Yeah, the game plan doesn't really involve the receivers. But maybe it would if they were big-time playmakers.

So add Crabtree in most formats and wait to see exactly how he's used. The fact he's a starter already shows the coaching staff just might have some plans for the diva.

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NEWS OF THE DAY #3
We basically already knew that Miles Austin had supplanted Patrick Crayton when coach Wade Phillips guaranteed 50 plays for Austin going forward. That (and his ridiculous 250 yard performance a couple weeks ago) is why he's owned in virtually all leagues already.

So beat writer Clarence Hill wasn't exactly breaking ground when he asserted that Austin will start over Crayton at flanker. Still, if you own Austin it's comforting to hear. Austin ran opposite Roy Williams at Monday's practice and will be a solid fantasy play this week against the Falcons, who lost CB Brian Williams (ACL) for the year Sunday.

NEWS OF THE DAY #4
It's rare that the Raiders cause a blip on the fantasy radar. And admittedly, the news that Justin Fargas is now apparently the team's feature back is a borderline blip. But Fargas does run hard and gets a boost this week as the Jets will be without Kris Jenkins. If you're really desperate for help during this bloated bye week, Fargas is a cheap bet for 15 carries.

Editor's Note: For early rankings, complete projections, and a host of other exclusive material for Week 7, head to Rotoworld's Season Pass.

INJURY QUICK SLANTS
Darren McFadden has already been ruled out for this week. That's a bad sign for his progress off that meniscus tear. … Chaz Schilens (foot) is expected to make his season debut this week. … Matthew Stafford (knee) is denying that his season is in danger, but we have to believe the report that Dr. James Andrews is at least looking at the rookie's MRI. Are there any three words in sports scarier than "Dr. James Andrews?" … Meanwhile, Daunte Culpepper said he just has a mild strain of his hamstring. … Donnie Avery (hip) is considered day to day. … Anquan Boldin (ankle) doesn't have any broken bones, but sounds very questionable for Week 7. … Mario Manningham tweaked his back against the Saints but says he's fine. … The Vikings are still showing no concern over Percy Harvin's shoulder injury. … Adrian Peterson (ankle) is expected to be fine for Week 7. Disaster seemingly averted there. … Jordy Nelson (knee) could miss a couple of weeks, just as he was pushing for that No. 3 WR job. … Trent Edwards (concussion) is day to day, but has a history of concussions and is very questionable for Sunday. … Roy Williams (ribs) and Felix Jones (knee) both practiced Monday. … Matt Forte had a wrap on his hand after Sunday's game, but it's not expected to be an issue. … Kris Jenkins (knee) is out for the season. … Lofa Tatupu's pectoral injury may not necessarily be season ending. … Antwan Odom (Achilles) was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

DEPTH CHART QUICK SLANTS
Titans owner Bud Adams said he wants to see more Vince Young going forward. A QB change could be in the cards soon. … The Packers worked out Ahman Green and Dominic Rhodes while rumors fly that they aren't happy with backup running back Brandon Jackson. … Patriots coach Bill Belichick had good things to say about Laurence Maroney, who figures to be the starter if Sammy Morris misses any time.

DEFENSE SPOT STARTS
Here are two ideas for owners adding a new defense each week based on matchups:

PACKERS vs. Browns - We put them in this space last week and they came through with a shutout, three interceptions and five sacks. If you didn't pull the trigger last week, hop on board now.

COLTS at Rams - There's a good chance Indy is on your waiver wire as they come out of a bye. The possible return of Bob Sanders will only give them a boost.

POSITIONAL SPOT STARTS
Chris Wesseling will cover this topic from head-to-toe in his Waiver Wired column, but here are three guys that are worth a quick add:

RB Laurence Maroney - It's almost painful to recommend this guy. But until we find out the status of Sammy Morris' knee, Maroney needs to be on a roster.

WR Lance Moore - We were waiting for Moore to show us something, and he finally did. Don't expect the same kind of numbers as last year, but he's a solid PPR option.

WR Michael Crabtree - There isn't huge upside in the Niners' offense, but yesterday's news is very encouraging for the rookie. See above for a bigger breakdown.

HacheMan · Oct 20, 2009

Biting Puppies?

Mark Sanchez's Week 6 fall from grace serves as a handy reminder of the wit and wisdom of Bill Parcells – the grinch who stole ga-ga, the killjoy with cold water. Way back in 2006 when Tony Romo pushed Drew Bledsoe to the sidelines and started drawing comparison to Troy Aikman, Parcells cautioned, "We've got a ways to go here. So put away the anointing oil, OK?" Less than a month after Sanchez was anointed "Sanchize," his starting job has come under fire. One month is a lifetime in the NFL.

While we're worshipping the wisdom of Parcells, here are a few more nuggets for your enjoyment.

On staving off the hype: "Sometimes when everybody's feeding you the cheese, it's hard not to eat it."

A player who has gotten to big for his britches: "Big cigars and motor cars."

Not having enough input on personnel matters with the Patriots: "If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries."

On GM "Punxsutawney Jeff" Ireland in Dallas: "You general managers stick your head out of the ground every year in February and, if everything's clear, you come up.'"

And my personal favorite in describing NFL rookies: "If he doesn't bite as a puppy, he won't bite."

Fantasy owners are warming up a fresh batch of anointing oils for hotshot rookie wide receivers Hakeem Nicks and Michael Crabtree on this week's waiver wires, so let's hope those puppies bite. After discussing the two players with Rotoworld's Evan Silva, I've given the slight edge to Nicks over Crabtree. While Crabtree's college track record may give him the higher career upside, Nicks has a significant edge in passing offense plus the demonstrated ability to make plays at the NFL level.

On to the lists. Here is how I rank the top players available at each position as we head into Week 7. Full writeups of each player are below.

Slideshow: Waiver Wired: Week 7

Editor's Note: Join subscriber only chats, get weekly rankings before anyone else, plus exclusive weekly projections, stat tools, dynasty ranks, columns, and much more including the Rotoworld Oracle in our Season Pass. Our mid-season edition is now 33 percent off!

Wide Receivers
1. Hakeem Nicks
2. Michael Crabtree
3. Lance Moore
4. Ted Ginn
5. Jerheme Urban
6. James Jones

Running Backs
1. Laurence Maroney
2. Beanie Wells
3. Mike Bell
4. Justin Fargas
5. Justin Forsett
6. Chris Brown

Quarterbacks
1. Vince Young
2. Chad Henne
3. Josh Johnson
4. Ryan Fitzpatrick

Tight Ends
1. Zach Miller
2. Kevin Boss
3. Tony Scheffler

Defenses
1. Colts
2. Chargers

</FONT+1>WIDE RECEIVERS

Hakeem Nicks, Giants – Two weeks ago, one beat writer noted the Giants "clearly want Hakeem Nicks to have a significant role" on offense going forward. The first-rounder now has a touchdown reception in three straight weeks, outproducing starter Mario Manningham in all three games. Better yet, his targets and receptions have gone up each week since returning from an early-season foot injury. While he'll remain inconsistent as he splits playing time with Manningham, Nicks' big-play ability is impossible to ignore. Pick him up and hope that his role continues to increase.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Michael Crabtree, 49ers – The No. 10 overall pick must have turned heads during the bye week. Originally slated for a limited role as the third receiver, the run-oriented Niners are now leaning toward benching their best run-blocking wideout (Josh Morgan) so Crabtree can move into the starting lineup. The two months of missed practice time and a mundane passing offense limit his value, but his difference-making talent is worthy of a waiver flier this week.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Lance Moore, Saints – The bad news is that the production opposite Marques Colston has been spotty all season, with Drew Brees spreading the ball around to his plethora of targets. The good news is that Moore appears to be finally over the injury hump, and it was clear in Week 6 that he has earned Brees' trust once again. If he can nudge Devery Henderson back into the situational deep threat role, Moore could emerge with WR3 value the rest of the way.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Ted Ginn, Dolphins – Much like the 49ers, the Dolphins' run-heavy offense limits the fantasy value of all members of the passing game. Ginn's deep speed, though, should play much better with Chad Henne's stronger arm. While he's too inconsistent for a weekly fantasy play, he's worth stashing as a WR4/5 in hopes that Henne makes him relevant again.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Jerheme Urban, Cardinals – Keep an eye on Anquan Boldin's ankle sprain this week. Reports have differed on the severity, so we'll have to wait for practice updates before we have a solid grasp on his availability for the Giants game. Urban has a reliable history of producing quality fantasy numbers when one of the Big-3 receivers is sidelined.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a bye-week fill-in

James Jones - Five of the next six opponents are in the Top-10 in the league in fantasy points surrendered to wide receivers. With No. 3 receiver competition Jordy Nelson set to miss a couple of weeks, Jones has a window of opportunity. He's going to be a high-risk fantasy play, but desperate owners with bye week blues may want to give him a long look against a Browns defense that allowed Ben Roethlisberger to top 400 yards in Week 6.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a bye-week fill-in

Long-Term Fliers

Kenny Britt - The rookie could be in line for an increased role in a lost season.

Jacoby Jones - Has playmaking ability and continues to outproduce starter Kevin Walter in limited snaps.

Andre Caldwell - No. 3 receiver has six receptions in half of his games thus far.

Cut Bait

Josh Morgan - Set to lose his job to Michael Crabtree?

Devery Henderson - Unreliable in the situational deep threat role.



</FONT+1>RUNNING BACKS

Laurence Maroney, Patriots – The Pats have been predictably tight-lipped about Sammy Morris' knee injury, but it would be a surprise if the veteran played this week. He was unable to put pressure on the leg and never came close to returning to Sunday's game. After Morris left early, Maroney recaptured the magic from his late-season string in 2007 and plowed through the Titans for 123 yards on 16 carries. It could be a case of Maroney changing his style to suit the snowy conditions, but the patience he exhibited was promising. For the most part, he ditched his dancing sideline-to-sideline style and went with a North-South approach. Due to start against a Bucs defense that just surrendered 262 yards and three touchdowns on the ground to the Panthers, Maroney should be a high-end RB2 this week.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Beanie Wells, Cardinals – Two weeks ago, coach Ken Whisenhunt promised to get Wells more involved in the passing-down offense. The following week, he indicated that his comfort level with the rookie was rising. In Sunday's game against Seattle, Beanie emerged as a true committee partner for Tim Hightower. He was more involved in passing sets and received 13 touches whereas his previous high had been seven. While there's no question that he's a far more talented runner than Hightower, he's owned in just over half of all fantasy leagues this week. If he continues to show improvement as a blocker and receiver, the 13-15 touches will become the norm rather than the expection.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Mike Bell, Saints – If Sunday's game against the Giants is any indication, Bell is set to emerge as this year's LenDale White. The Saints were constantly knocking on the door to the Giants end-zone, and Bell came on to replace Pierre Thomas nearly every time. In New Orleans high-flying offense, Bell could have scoring opportunities aplenty. He's a mandatory handcuff for Thomas owners and a high-upside pickup in touchdown-heavy leagues.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Justin Fargas, Raiders – We've seen this act before. Owners will run to the waiver wire for Fargas this week, but there simply isn't much upside here. Fargas doesn't score touchdowns, and he rarely catches passes. There's potential for a 20-carry, 80-yard game, but there's also potential for a stink-bomb in the Raiders' dysfunctional offense. Pick him up if you're desperate, but don't say you weren't warned.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Justin Forsett, Seahawks – Julius Jones hasn't reached 35 rushing yards in the last three games and appears to be losing confidence once again. Edgerrin James is running on fumes, so he's not a realistic option to take over as the feature back. Forsett, however, has already assumed passing-game work and could emerge as a poor man's Steve Slaton. He's averaging 4.8 yards per carry and 8.1 yards per reception to 3.9 and 5.6 for Jones. Forsett is already worth carrying in PPR leagues and could take on value in standard leagues down the road.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

Chris Brown - Speaking of Slaton, he's now averaging a startlingly low 3.0 yards per carry. Brown isn't much better at 3.3, but he was clearly the superior runner in the second half against the Bengals. While Slaton will never lose passing-down work, he's already losing red-zone work. Early-down carries could be next.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

Long-Term Fliers

BenJarvus Green-Ellis - "Law Firm's" North-South style could get him a look if Maroney reverts to dancing behind the line.

Javon Ringer - The Titans have a bye this week, so LenDale White (knee) will have a chance to get healthy. If not, Ringer could see 8-10 carries per week.

Cut Bait

Willis McGahee - Ray Rice is a monster, leaving McGahee with very little weekly value.

Michael Bush - It's pretty damning when you can't hold off Justin Fargas.

Editor's Note:</I> Not happy with your fantasy teams? New weekly leagues are drafting every single day at Snapdraft. Draft your team during the week, even Sunday morning, and win cash by Tuesday. It's a great complement to your yearly leagues and rewards the most skilled fantasy players who know matchups and value.



</FONT+1>QUARTERBACKS

Vince Young, Titans – The quarterback landscape on the waiver wire is awfully bleak right now, which means V.Y. may be the best of a bad bunch. Owner Bud Adams strongly hinted that Young will be the starter coming out of the Week 7 bye, and his first game is against the Jaguars' inviting secondary. Young didn't turn into a good passer while watching Kerry Collins over the past year, but he has produced fantasy points in the past (finishing 12th among QBs in his rookie season).

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Josh Johnson, Bucs – Coming out of a non-scholarship program at the University of San Diego, Johnson is surprisingly calm and confident in the pocket. What the Bucs should do is continue to give him the opportunity to improve, as there's no certainty that Josh Freeman has a brighter future. Instead, the drumbeat for Freeman is getting louder in Tampa. Johnson's running ability makes him worthy of a spot-start, but the threat of Freeman taking over in Week 9 limits his value.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Chad Henne, Dolphins – Henne was fantastic in his second start two weeks ago, but he has a tough schedule the next three weeks versus the Saints, at the Jets, and at the Patriots. As Mark Sanchez has found out, success is fleeting for first-time quarterbacks. Keep expectations low in the Dolphins run-first offense.

Recommendation: Worth picking up as a matchup play

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills – The noodle-arm of Harvard has one thing going for him: he's smart enough to know that Lee Evans is the Bills' best offensive player. Even if he can't throw deep, Fitzpatrick found a way to get the ball into his best playmaker's hands in the 16-13 shocker over the Jets. If Trent Edwards (concussion) misses this week's game at Carolina, Fitzpatrick would be worth a look for desperate owners with nowhere else to turn.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a bye-week fill-in

Long-Term Fliers

Marc Bulger - Oddly looking better over the past couple of weeks, but his receiving corps resembles a M.A.S.H. unit.

Matt Moore / A.J. Feeley - How many more meltdowns can Jake Delhomme afford?

Cut Bait

Kerry Collins - Done.

Trent Edwards - Captain checkdown is turning into Captain Concussed.

Mark Sanchez - Almost single-handedly lost the Bills game with his five-interception performance.

</FONT+1>TIGHT ENDS

Zach Miller, Raiders – Let's be honest here. Miller is a Pro Bowl caliber tight end trapped in a nightmare offense. His Week 6 production (6/139/1) was the result of fluky 86-yard touchdown and an Eagles linebacker corps that can't cover tight ends. Miller has a tough matchup against the Jets this week, but he goes against the tight Valhalla of San Diego the following week. Pick him up and hope he continues to be the only viable target for scattershot JaMarcus Russell.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Kevin Boss, Giants – Once again, there aren't many viable starters left on waiver wires by this point in the season, so let's take a look at matchups. It worked last week with Miller and Scheffler. Boss has concentrated on blocking at the expense of his fantasy value this season, but his next four opponents are in the Top-8 in fantasy points given up to tight ends.

Recommendation: Worth picking up as a matchup play

Tony Scheffler, Broncos – If you picked up Scheffler and started him against the always friendly San Diego defense, congratulations are in order. Everyone else is just chasing points now. Scheffler has Top-12 talent at his position, but he's going on bye in Week 7 followed by matchups against the Ravens and Steelers. He's certainly worth picking up if he was dropped in your Dynasty league, but he's not going to have much redraft value in the Broncos' spread-the-wealth offense.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

Long-Term Fliers

Randy McMichael - A trade out of St. Louis would help his value.

Jared Cook - Another rookie with an increased role in a lost season?

</FONT+1>DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

Colts - Indy is starting to get healthy on defense, and they have a dream matchup against the Rams in Week 7. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are already frothing at the mouth.

Recommendation: Worth picking up as a matchup play

Chargers - Darren Sproles is always a threat to take it to the house, and Week 7 brings a Chiefs team with no offensive line.

Recommendation: Worth picking up as a matchup play

HacheMan · Oct 21, 2009

Weak clubs provide strong opportunity

By Matt Pitzer, USA TODAY
Let the talking heads opine that the NFL's lack of parity is bad for the league. And how this season's legion of atrocious teams drags down the quality of play.
Those of us in the fantasy realm know the truth: Bad teams make for good matchups. And there is no finer feeling than seeing a cakewalk on the schedule for your starters.
There have been plenty of cakewalks this season. Do you have much doubt about what will happen when the Indianapolis Colts visit the St. Louis Rams this week? Or what about the Green Bay Packers playing at the Cleveland Browns? These games might not always be pretty, but they usually are predictable, and predictable is what we want in fantasy football.
Last week, the New England Patriots dumped 59 points on the Tennessee Titans; the Packers had a predictable rout vs. the Detroit Lions, and the Pittsburgh Steelers took care of the Browns. Stars such as Aaron Rodgers, Wes Welker, Hines Ward and Maurice Jones-Drew had no trouble piling up big-time stats, doing what you expected and needed them to do. That is why nothing is more beautiful than having the Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers turn up in your player's opponent column.
The NFL has nine putrid teams: the Browns, Titans, Raiders, Lions, Buccaneers, Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins, with the Carolina Panthers a borderline case depending on how many interceptions Jake Delhomme throws. Wouldn't you love a schedule full of those opponents? Just think if you got to play the four worse defenses of the bunch (Tennessee, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Detroit), all allowing at least 28 points a game.

On a perfect weekend, that would be nine great matchups (of a maximum of 16 games) where you don't even have to think whom to start. Of course, even the bad teams have to face off sometimes. When that happens, you get the Chiefs and Redskins fumbling around while just kicking a bunch of field goals. For the most part, you simply can eliminate those games from your mind; if you are relying on Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Bryant, you probably are not winning many games.
Let's consider, for instance, what happened in Week 6. The Jacksonville Jaguars were coming off an ugly shutout at the Seattle Seahawks. They had more trouble than they should have against the Rams, but Jones-Drew wound up with 178 total yards and three touchdowns. Mike Sims-Walker didn't score, but he returned from a surprise suspension to tally 120 receiving yards. Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams got off to a sputtering start for a first-round star, but it wasn't anything that a trip to play the Buccaneers could not cure as he cranked out 152 yards and two TDs.
And, yes, this miserable mix of teams can pop up from time to time and surprise a club, such as the Raiders did to the Philadelphia Eagles. If you look at the schedule, however, this disparity plays into your favor. Whatever foibles the Arizona Cardinals might have this season, their matchups against Detroit and St. Louis in Weeks 15 and 16 are appealing if you can get into the playoffs. Been rolling with any New Orleans Saints starters? Your biggest risk in Week 16 is whether they rest players while holding a big division lead, not anything the Buccaneers throw at them.
More immediately, remember when Tampa Bay's defense was a cause for concern? This week, it is a chance for the Patriots to continue fine-tuning their big-play offense. The Packers have another week to sort out their offensive line issues vs. Cleveland. And the San Diego Chargers have another two weeks to work on their offense against Kansas City and Oakland.
The competitive games between good teams are tougher to figure out. This week's Minnesota Vikings-Steelers game is one of the best on the schedule, but should you start Brett Favre or Rashard Mendenhall? Do you reasonably expect Matt Schaub to get another four TD passes against what mostly has been a solid San Francisco 49ers defense?
These questions make the NFL interesting, but whenever you can eliminate tough choices, you improve your chances. In fantasy, it's OK to beat up on the weaklings.

HacheMan · Oct 21, 2009

Deadline Dud

The NFL trade deadline came and went Tuesday with nary a splash. One member of Twitter nation pointed out that the day's events are "about as exciting as the league's supplemental draft." No argument here. NFL GMs are understandably loath to "start jettisoning players" just six weeks into a 17-week schedule.

While star-power names like Dwayne Bowe, Terrell Owens, Brady Quinn, Shaun Rogers, Josh Cribbs, Shawne Merriman, Glenn Dorsey, and even Steven Jackson were tossed around, the only last-minute trades involved relative no-namers Will Witherspoon and Tank Tyler.

Witherspoon was acquired by the Eagles in exchange for WR Brandon Gibson and a 2010 fifth-round pick. Middle linebacker Omar Gaither is out with a sprained foot, and the newly signed Jeremiah Trotter can't keep up with running backs and tight ends in the passing game. Witherspoon will fill a glaring hole in the middle of the defense for the rest of the season. The price they paid was a sixth-round pick last April, yet to be activated as the sixth wide receiver on the depth chart. The Rams, however, are tissue paper thin at receiver, where Gibson could begin to eat into struggling No. 2 receiver Keenan Burton's snaps within a matter of weeks.

Tyler, a former third-round pick by the Chiefs, had started just two games this season. The Panthers have already tried a handful of options at nose tackle since NT Ma'ake Kemoeatu when down with a torn Achilles' tendon in August. Tyler is simply the latest stop-gap solution.

Editor's Note: For early rankings, complete projections, and a host of other exclusive material for Week 7, head to Rotoworld's Season Pass. We're offering the mid-season edition at 33 percent off!

In a completely unsurprising move, the Patriots released Joey Galloway Tuesday. The 38-year-old had been a healthy scratch for three straight weeks after struggling to learn the Patriots' system. There was a rather large surprise at wide receiver, however, as the Boston Herald reported rookie Julian Edelman is out indefinitely with a broken arm. Special teams maven Sam Aiken will likely fill in as the No. 3 receiver this week, but keep an eye on third-rounder Brandon Tate. The explosive playmaker appears to be fully recovered from ACL surgery and is eligible to return from the PUP list this week.

Though the Patriots did not have an update on Sammy Morris' status Monday, the veteran was absent from Tuesday's walkthrough practice. A typically cryptic Bill Belichick would say only that he does not anticipate any offensive players being out for the season. Morris was unable to put any pressure on his knee while leaving Sunday's game, and he never returned to action. Our best tea-leaf reading indicates that Laurence Maroney will be the lead back in a tasty matchup against the Bucs this weekend.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirmed Tuesday that Rashard Mendenhall has officially displaced Willie Parker as the starting tailback. It's what we've been saying for at least two weeks now, but it's still nice to get official word from the team's brass. "It's great to have Willie back," Tomlin explained, "but Rashard has the hot hand right now. So in the short term we'll proceed in the manner that we have in the last several weeks." Mendenhall will continue to handle feature back duties, with Parker in the change-of-pace role and Mewelde Moore as the two-minute back. Mendenhall (bruised knee) may be limited in practice this week, but he's fully expected to start against the Vikings.

Though Marion Barber will continue to start, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday that Tashard Choice will receive an increase in carries. Felix Jones (knee) is expected to return this week, but Choice is the only back able to play at full speed. It's not clear how the committee will shake out long-term, but expect to see Choice and Barber at about 15 touches apiece this week with Jones being worked back in slowly.

The Bears agreed to terms with QB Jay Cutler on a two-year extension through 2013, including $30 million in "new" money and $20 million guaranteed. The deal comes in at essentially $50 million over four and a half years, which is a surprisingly reasonable number considering agent Bus Cook's history and the forced exit out of Denver. The Bears are obviously satisfied with what they've seen from their first franchise quarterback in over two decades.

Editor's Note: Not happy with your fantasy teams? New weekly leagues are drafting every single day at Snapdraft. Draft your team during the week, even Sunday morning, and win cash by Tuesday. It's a great complement to your yearly leagues and rewards the most skilled fantasy players who know matchups and value.

Two-Minute Drill: Redskins coach Jim Zorn confirmed that Jason Campbell will remain the starter for Monday night's game against the Eagles. The team also signed former Bengals LT Levi Jones, ostensibly to fill in for Chris Samuels (neck). … Despite reports to the contrary, free agent RB Ahman Green had not signed with the Packers as of Tuesday night. He may officially join the team on Wednesday. … Bucs coach Raheem Morris is resistant to the idea of putting rookie QB Josh Freeman into this week's game because of the short practice week for the game in London. … Texans coach Gary Kubiak once again expressed concern with Steve Slaton's fumbling problem. … Coach Rex Ryan confirmed that the Jets are scaling down the offense for QB Mark Sanchez. … According to GM Bill Polian, the Colts have no plans to alter their rotation at tailback. … James Jones is now the full-time No. 3 receiver in Green Bay with a knee sprain sidelining Jordy Nelson indefinitely. … Formers Steelers RB Gary Russell is expected to take over as the Raiders' starting fullback. … Ravens coach John Harbaugh assured that K Steven Hauschka is in no danger of losing his job. … In hopes of landing a starting gig next offseason, impending free agent LenDale White has switched to Drew Rosenhaus as his agent. … Patriots signed OLB Tully Banta-Cain to a two-year extension one day after releasing him in a procedural move. … The Vikings are working on a contract extension for head coach Brad Childress, with a deal expected to be announced in the next two to three weeks.

Red Zone: Browns leading tackler ILB D'Qwell Jackson is out for the season after suffering a serious shoulder injury in Week 6 against the Steelers. … Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez (knee) is not expected to be return to action this week. … Jets coach Rex Ryan indicated that Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) "feels better" this week, but his status for this week's game is unknown. … Though Vikings CB Antoine Winfield started the week in a walking boot, he has not been ruled out for Week 7. … LT Jared Gaither insists he'll "definitely' be ready to return to the lineup when the Ravens come out of their Week 7 bye. … Bengals OT Andre Simth (foot) will return to team practice Wesnesday. … Seahawks WLB LeRoy Hill (groin) and CB Marcus Trufant (back) returned to practice Tuesday. Trufant has spent the first six weeks on the PUP list. … Bucs placed FB B.J. Askew on the Non-Football Injury list due to neck and back injuries sustained in a weekend car accident. Earnest Graham is expected to take over lead-blocking duties.

HacheMan · Oct 22, 2009

Some Hope Left for L.J.?

Perhaps the hardest thing to deal with in fantasy football is watching your players rack up tons of points on your bench. This week I had Ray Rice and Ahmad Bradshaw riding the pine, while my 5th overall pick Brandon Jacobs broke my heart again (Mulligan, please). It's hard to do, but coming to grips with the fact that your 1st round pick isn't the guy you thought you were getting is just part of fantasy.

While Jacobs appears to be a huge bust (compared to what I thought I was getting), many players are unfairly given the bust label. This isn't a bad thing for you, though. This a great time to grab some players that should start producing soon at their lowest values. In case you don't get it, I'll hit you with a fantasy football buzzword: BUY LOW!

Buy Low

LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers RB

LT owners have been incredibly disappointed with their 1st round selection, but I have some good news: I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance with Geico. There are good times coming for Tomlinson. Despite his injuries, and the emergence -- then disappearance -- of Darren Sproles as a possible every-down back, LT is poised to have value similar to what we all expected on Draft Day (from this point forward). LT not only has a nice schedule coming up (KC and OAK over the next two games), but is still the man for the Chargers in scoring situations.

In the 3 games LT has played, he's gotten 7 of 11 RZ carries (64%), and 4 of 7 GL carries (57%). While both of these percentages seem low for what you would expect for LT, the numbers are more a result of small sample size than the Chargers not trusting Tomlinson in scoring situations. This past week LT got 4 out of 5 RZ carries (2 of 3 GL); the only one he didn't get got a ton of publicity. I would chalk that Sproles carry up as somewhat of a fluke. Norv Turner will be giving the ball to LT when it counts.

To those who have LT: hold onto him (unless you're in my league). To those who don't have him: this is going to be the lowest value LT will have the rest of the year: BUY LOW!

Larry Johnson, Chiefs RB

I wrote about him last week, and not much has changed since then. That's why I like him even more. Chiefs coach Todd Haley has had many chances to hand over the majority of the carries to Jamaal Charles, but has shown excruciating faith in the once-great Larry Johnson. Last week against a very tough Redskins run defense, Johnson was impressive. While he didn't get into the end zone, LJ once again got all of the Chiefs' RZ carries, and remains the ONLY RB in football to get all of his team's carries in scoring situations. I'm not suggesting Johnson will become a fantasy stud, but he could definitely be worth starting in the near future.

Not only does Johnson have Todd Haley's full faith in important situations (and throughout the game), but LJ also has a very favorable schedule from here on out. He's facing a terrible run defense this week in the Chargers, and will see JAC, OAK, SD, BUF, and CLE before the season ends. Those are some of the easiest teams to run against. Larry is imminently available, even if he's owned. It probably would take very little to trade for him, and he could pay off as a matchup RB2 soon.

Steven Jackson, Rams RB

Steven Jackson is one of the few RBs who has managed to: 1. Perform well, and 2. Get nearly all of his teams scoring chances, but has yet to find the end zone. This seems like bad luck more than anything else. Sure, the Rams have a terrible offense, but that hasn't prevented Jackson from having any meaningful carries. Steven Jackson has 11 RZ carries on the year; Michael Turner has 14. That number of scoring opportunities should be enough to get a few touchdowns.

Now is the perfect time to find a Steven Jackson owner who is fed up with mediocrity, and snag a guy averaging over 100 yards a game in total offense. Once he starts to find his way into the end zone, you will be very happy that you bought low.

Stock Up

Sidney Rice, Vikings WR

Since being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2007 Draft, Rice has always been a receiver high on upside, but low on just about everything else. His size (6'4, 200) and speed combination is elite, and in the mold of NFL receivers such as Randy Moss, Plaxico Burress, and Larry Fitzgerald. However, unlike them, Rice had yet to put those tools together entering this season. Now with gun slinging Brett Favre at quarterback, Rice has finally begun to make use of his tremendous skill set.

While most people know he is a viable big play threat for the Vikings new pass friendly offense (read: non-Tarvaris Jackson offense), Rice has found himself in a role that could take his fantasy value to a new level. Rice has emerged as Favre's favorite Red Zone target, getting more targets than even touchdown czar himself Visanthe Shiancoe. Rice has been targeted 8 times in the RZ so far, tying him for 8th in the NFL with Randy Moss, Tony Gonzalez, Marques Colston, and Chad Ochocinco (decent company, no?).

Although he only has 2 TDs so far, Rice's frequent RZ targets should eventually lead to more scoring. When considering Rice's big play ability and Brett Favre's new found love for him in scoring situations, Sidney Rice is a great WR3 play every week, and has some big time upside. Owned in just 29% of ESPN leagues, Rice is a relatively easy player to acquire, and could provide HUGE dividends.

Laurence Maroney, Patriots RB

Yes, I know, pretty much everyone has written about Maroney, alerting you to the obvious: pick him up. Since I assume you already know this I'll take a different approach. With Sammy Morris going down, it was unclear who -- if anyone -- would take control of the Patriots' RB spot. Maroney, surprisingly, was essentially given full control of New England's running game. Not only did he get the majority of carries in between the 20s (before getting replaced in the fourth quarter by BenJarvus Green-Ellis while up by 50), Maroney got all of the Patriots carries in scoring situations (5 of 5).

We know better than to trust what we see in one game from a Bill Belichick team, but Maroney looks to be the go-to RB in New England. While he definitely looks good right now, remember that Maroney remains extremely risky as long as he's running in a Patriots jersey. However, going into Week 7 against Tampa Bay, Maroney is a great RB2 option. If New England continues to use Maroney as they did in Week 6, he could grow into an excellent RB2 on a weekly basis (not just in great matchups, like against the hapless Bucs).



Can't We All Just Get Along?

DeAngelo Williams vs. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers RBs

Both of these guys look to be capable of carrying the full load as an every-down RB, however there are only so many carries to go around. This damning fact prevents either of these guys from reaching full value. For DeAngelo, he can't be a surefire RB1 each week. Williams is only getting 52% of RZ carries and 56% of GL carries, which combined with losing carries to JStew, really hurts his value.

For Stewart it makes him nothing more than a RB2 in good matchups. His chunk of the scoring opportunities (44% RZ, 38% GL) really serve more to hurt DeAngelo than to help Stewart's value. Stewart's main problem is, obviously, averaging less than 10 carries per week. At that rate, no one can be trusted.

The Panthers play an awful Bills run defense this week, so I wouldn't do anything rash with these guys until next week, when they will each be near their peak values. I do see them as great sell-high candidates after this week, seeing as they face one of the toughest schedules against the run from here on out (including Minnesota and the Giants in Weeks 15 and 16).

Brandon Jacobs vs. Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants RBs

Last week, I felt confident Jacobs would regain his status as the Giants go-to RB. This week, not so much. Six games in, it's clear Bradshaw is the more effective RB. The once big gap in RZ and carry % between the two has shrunk significantly. Jacobs now sits at a pedestrian 58%, while Bradshaw climbs the ranks at 42%.

While they face a tough matchup in Arizona this week, Bradshaw is still a solid RB2 in all formats, while Jacobs is now relegated to being a fringe RB1. This is one situation that will be very interesting to watch, and it goes to show you should always handcuff your stud RBs.

Don't Give Up, Yet

Ryan Grant, Packers RB

Grant clearly doesn't have the same speed and acceleration as the guy we were introduced to in 2007. However, he still has a few things going for him. For starters, Grant plays in a good offense which generates a good amount of scoring opportunities. More importantly, Grant continues to receive nearly all of the Packers' carries in the RZ and GL. With 85% of RZ carries and 5 of 7 GL carries,

Grant is still be giving an elite chunk of his team's scoring chances.
Although Ahman Green was just signed, I see that more as a replacement for the disappointing Brandon Jackson than a bad omen for Grant. Stick with Grant. He's going to turn it around and start rewarding Mike McCarthy's trust in scoring opportunities.

Updated Red Zone Information for RBs:

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<TBODY><TR class=tableizer-firstrow><TH>Player</TH><TH>Team</TH><TH>RZ Carries</TH><TH>Team RZ</TH><TH>RZ%</TH><TH>GL Carries</TH><TH>Team GL</TH><TH>GL %</TH><TH>TD</TH><TH>RZ tar</TH><TH> </TH></TR><TR><TD>Larry Johnson</TD><TD>Kansas City Chiefs</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Maurice Jones-Drew</TD><TD>Jacksonville Jaguars</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>90</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>5</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Cedric Benson</TD><TD>Cincinnati Bengals</TD><TD>13</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>87</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Ryan Grant</TD><TD>Green Bay Packers</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>13</TD><TD>85</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>72</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Steven Jackson</TD><TD>St. Louis Rams</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>13</TD><TD>85</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Matt Forte</TD><TD>Chicago Bears</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>83</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>88</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>3</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Clinton Portis</TD><TD>Washington Redskins</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>83</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>4</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Michael Turner</TD><TD>Atlanta Falcons </TD><TD>14</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>82</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Kevin Smith</TD><TD>Detroit Lions</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>79</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>60</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Marion Barber</TD><TD>Dallas Cowboys</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>75</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>89</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Frank Gore</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>72</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Willie Parker</TD><TD>Pittsburgh Steelers</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>70</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>67</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Ronnie Brown</TD><TD>Miami Dolphins</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>41</TD><TD>68</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>75</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Ladanian Tomlinson</TD><TD>San Diego Chargers</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>64</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>57</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Marshawn Lynch</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>60</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Adrian Peterson</TD><TD>Minnesota Vikings</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>60</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>71</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Tim Hightower</TD><TD>Arizona Cardinals</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>80</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Brandon Jacobs</TD><TD>New York Giants</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>67</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>LeSean McCoy</TD><TD>Philadelphia Eagles</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>60</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Knowshon Moreno</TD><TD>Denver Broncos</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>57</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>46</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Fred Jackson</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>56</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Rashard Mendenhall</TD><TD>Pittsburgh Steelers</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>56</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>72</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Jamal Lewis</TD><TD>Cleveland Browns</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>53</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Willis McGahee</TD><TD>Baltimore Ravens</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>52</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>66</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>DeAngelo Williams</TD><TD>Carolina Panthers</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>52</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>56</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>7</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Joseph Addai</TD><TD>Indiannapolis Colts</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>52</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Leon Washington</TD><TD>New York Jets</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Thomas Jones</TD><TD>New York Jets</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Cadillac Williams</TD><TD>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Donald Brown</TD><TD>Indiannapolis Colts</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>48</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>67</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Darren Sproles</TD><TD>San Diego Chargers</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>48</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>44</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>8</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Jonathan Stewart</TD><TD>Carolina Panthers</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>44</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>38</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Chris Brown</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>84</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Steve Slaton</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>16</TD><TD> </TD><TD>3</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Julius Jones</TD><TD>Seattle Seahawks</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Ahmad Bradshaw</TD><TD>New York Giants</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>42</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>33</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Brian Westbrook</TD><TD>Philadelphia Eagles</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>42</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>40</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Ray Rice</TD><TD>Baltimore Ravens</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>41</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>5</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Derrick Ward</TD><TD>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>40</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Updated Red Zone statistics for WRs:

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<TABLE class=tableizer-table>
<TBODY><TR class=tableizer-firstrow><TH>Player</TH><TH>Team </TH><TH>RZ Targets</TH><TH>Team RZ</TH><TH>RZ%</TH><TH>TD</TH></TR><TR><TD>Larry Fitzgerald</TD><TD>Arizona Cardinals</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>42</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Greg Olsen</TD><TD>Chicago Bears</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>37</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Steve Smith</TD><TD>New York Giants</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>36</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Andre Johnson</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>35</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Heath Miller</TD><TD>Pittsburgh Steelers</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Owen Daniels</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>35</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Nate Washington</TD><TD>Tennesee Titans</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>57</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Tony Gonzalez</TD><TD>Atlanta Falcons</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>36</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Chad Ochocinco</TD><TD>Cincinnati Bengals</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>TJ Houshmandzadeh</TD><TD>Seattle Seahawks</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Sidney Rice</TD><TD>Minnesota Vikings</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Marques Colston</TD><TD>New Orleans Saints</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>31</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Randy Moss</TD><TD>New England Patriots</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>42</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Vernon Davis</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>47</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Anthony Fasano</TD><TD>Miami Dolphins</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>35</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Mike Sims-Walker</TD><TD>Jacksonville Jaguars</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>23</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Mark Clayton</TD><TD>Baltimore Ravens</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Brent Celek</TD><TD>Philadelphia Eagles</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Eddie Royal</TD><TD>Denver Broncos</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>27</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Reggie Wayne</TD><TD>Indianapolis Colts</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jhonny Knox</TD><TD>Chicago Bears</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>23</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Bernard Berrian</TD><TD>Minnesota Vikings</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>23</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Dwayne Bowe</TD><TD>Kansas City Chiefs</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>31</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Wes Welker</TD><TD>New England Patriots</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>42</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Braylon Edwards</TD><TD>New York Jets</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>38</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Calvin Johnson</TD><TD>Detroit Lions</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jason Avant</TD><TD>Philadelphia Eagles</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>25</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Austin Collie</TD><TD>Indianapolis Colts</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>23</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Andre Caldwell</TD><TD>Cincinnati Bengals</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Nate Burleson</TD><TD>Seattle Seahawks</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Visante Schiancoe</TD><TD>Minnesota Vikings</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>5</TD></TR><TR><TD>Roddy White </TD><TD>Atlanta Falcons</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>23</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Laveranues Coles</TD><TD>Cincinnati Bengals</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Anquan Boldin</TD><TD>Arizona Cardinals</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Brandon Marshall</TD><TD>Denver Broncos</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>Mario Mannigham</TD><TD>New York Giants</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>John Carlson</TD><TD>Seattle Seahawks</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Antonio Bryant</TD><TD>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Kellen Winslow</TD><TD>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>Bobby Wade</TD><TD>Kansas City Chiefs</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>31</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Heath Evans</TD><TD>New Orleans Saints</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>31</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jeremy Shockey</TD><TD>New Orleans Saints</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>31</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>Ben Watson</TD><TD>New England Patriots</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>42</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>2</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Oct 22, 2009

Studs, duds and sleepers: Ryan, Rice will produce on the road

Matt Pitzer's look at the upcoming weekend's fantasy football landscape:
Studs
Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons. In a strong sophomore season, Ryan has at least two touchdowns in four of five games. The Dallas Cowboys are 26th in passing yards allowed and have a league-low two interceptions.
Sidney Rice, WR, Minnesota Vikings. Last week's big game, including 63- and 58-yard plays, solidifies Rice as the Vikings' No. 1 receiver. Now that he is the man, don't be shy about playing him against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that has struggled against the pass.
Steve Smith, WR, New York Giants. Two games in a row without a score concerns many fantasy owners. But expect Smith to be back in form as New York faces the No. 31 pass defense.
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers. He hasn't been much of a threat but showed promise Monday and was involved more as a receiver. The Kansas City Chiefs allow 130.3 rushing yards a game and could be in for a heavy dose of Tomlinson.
DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina Panthers. If last week's 152 yards and two touchdowns vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers weren't enough, Williams plays the Buffalo Bills, the only team worse vs. the run than the Bucs.
Duds
Braylon Edwards, WR, New York Jets. Quarterback Mark Sanchez is struggling, and Edwards is inconsistent. That is a bad combination against a newly blitz-happy Oakland Raiders defense that will use shut-down cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha on Edwards.
Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins. Don't think of him as a sneaky start in spite of a strong Week 5 and a likely need to keep up with Drew Brees. Remember the New Orleans Saints are tied for the NFL lead with 11 interceptions and will be coming after the youngster if they get a lead.
Jamal Lewis, RB, Cleveland Browns. The Green Bay Packers are finding their footing against the run. He had 117 yards two weeks ago, but in three other games, he is averaging 38.7 yards. The Packers gave up 141 total rushing yards in their past two games.
Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans. He is second among running backs in receiving but only 28th in rushing. Those receiving yards are tough to predict against a sound defense such as the San Francisco 49ers. And the Niners had an extra week to prepare and are No. 7 against the run.
Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona Cardinals. The Meadowlands brings out the worst in Warner. He struggled there in 2004 as a New York Giant. And in two visits since, he has posted 736 yards but only three touchdowns and seven turnovers. Plus, he might not have Anquan Boldin.
Sleepers
Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys. His 250-yard performance two weeks ago earned him a starting gig. In a key game against the Atlanta Falcons, he will either be exposed as a one-week wonder or as a threat for the rest of the season.
Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts. Brown has carved out a role as fresh legs coming in to pound worn-out defenses. He should have no trouble getting that chance again once Indianapolis rolls out to a big lead against the St. Louis Rams.
Keenan Burton, WR, St. Louis Rams. With Donnie Avery banged up, Burton will have a chance to build on his 10 catches over the past two games. Against the Indianapolis Colts, the Rams are likely to be playing from behind and throwing lots.
Matt Cassel, QB, Kansas City Chiefs. Cassel had a streak of three two-touchdown games halted by the Washington Redskins but should get another start. The Chargers give up 27.2 points a game and do not have a pass rush to threaten the Chiefs' suspect line.
Mike Wallace, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers. Losing Antoine Winfield exposed the Minnesota Vikings' lack of secondary depth. Wallace, who has at least 47 yards in four consecutive games, could prosper behind Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes

HacheMan · Oct 22, 2009

Time to cut your losses?

We're still patiently waiting for that Anthony Gonzalez breakout everyone predicted. And waiting. And waiting...

At what point do we tell Gonzalez that we've had enough and kick him to the curb? Well, that depends. Here's a quick look at the facts.

The third-year receiver hurt his knee in Week 1 on a non-contact play (aka the scariest kind of play. Scarier than Marshawn Lynch's headshot, if that's possible). He was quickly diagnosed as "out" for 2-6 weeks with strained ligaments according to NFL.com and other outlets.

The Colts said he wouldn't need surgery and would not be out for the season, but refused to supply any other updates. Since then, all we've heard is that Gonzalez was targeted to return after the bye. Fine. Sounds good. We'll stash him on our bench and ride it out.

The only problem is that Colts just had their bye, and Gonzalez is not ready. Frankly, we have no idea when he'll be back on the field. The Colts have no reason to rush him with their undefeated record. And there are no guarantees that he'll be effective upon his return either.

So we should dump him for some rookie hotshot like Jeremy Maclin, Hakeem Nicks or Michael Crabtree, right? I'm not. I'm not going to giving up on my fifth-round pick until someone tells me he won't play before Week 13 or so. Clearly, I could end up going down with the ship. But when push comes to shove in the fantasy playoffs, I want Gonzalez over any of those waiver fliers. He will put up numbers when he gets back on the field. Just stare at that Week 15 matchup with the Jaguars until we get some good news on A-Gonz.

Editor's Note: For rankings, complete projections, and a host of other exclusive material for Week 7, head to Rotoworld's Season Pass..

NEWS OF THE DAY #2
The Redskins have told backup QB Todd Collins to "be ready" Monday night against the Eagles. We're pretty sure that's because Jason Campbell will be on a short leash, but it also could be because Campbell's health is in danger.

The 'Skins offensive line is a complete and utter disaster. News came down yesterday that Chris Samuels (spine) could miss the season and his career could possibly be over. Randy Thomas (triceps) is already done for the year. So heading into a game against an Eagles team that is fuming over the embarrassing loss at Oakland, you better be sure Collins will be ready. It's hard to recommend any Redskins starters in this one.

NEWS OF THE DAY #3
Ahmad Bradshaw has been tearing up the league since his ankle started to bother him. He would wear a boot on his ankle during the week, take a couple reps on Friday and then go nuts on Sunday. This week, he ditched the boot and even participated in a limited practice yesterday. He's actually getting healthier.

Editor's Note: For rankings, complete projections, and a host of other exclusive material for Week 7, head to Rotoworld's Season Pass..

INJURY QUICK SLANTS: RUNNING BACKS
Pierre Thomas is not on the Saints' injury report. Mike Bell isn't either, though. … Frank Gore (ankle) resumed practicing fully. He's a full go. … Marion Barber fractured his left thumb in Week 5, but it won't affect his playing status. … Adrian Peterson was limited due to his ankle tweak, but he'll be fine. His owners sure got a scare last week though. … Clinton Portis (sprained ankle) didn't practice Wednesday, but he's known for playing through lower leg injuries. … Jerious Norwood (hip) is out for at least a couple weeks, making Jason Snelling Atlanta's third-down back. … We don't know much about Sammy Morris' knee injury, but he didn't practice and we're not expecting him to play. … Felix Jones (knee) is practicing fully, but he's not really a fantasy option thanks to Tashard Choice's emergence. … According to beat writer Jerry McDonald, a Week 10 return for Darren McFadden (knee) is a best-case scenario.

INJURY QUICK SLANT: QUARTERBACKS:
Trent Edwards (concussion) is not expected to play this week. Ryan Fitzpatrick's noodle arm is going to hurt the Bills' offense big time.

INJURY QUICK SLANTS: RECEIVERS AND TIGHT ENDS:
Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) only participated in individual drills. We could be looking at a game-time decision again. … Brad Smith (calf) returned to practice and should be ready to start if Cotchery can't go. … Anquan Boldin (ankle) didn't practice and said he'll be a game-time decision. … Roy Williams (ribs) has resumed practicing fully. …Josh Cribbs missed practice with a knee injury, but it's not expected to bother him against the Packers. … Percy Harvin (shoulder) was limited in practice and isn't a great fantasy option even if he plays. … Donnie Avery (hip) didn't practice and is sounding like a game-time decision. … Mario Manningham (back, ribs) practiced fully. He's expected to start, with Hakeem Nicks getting snaps as well.

DEPTH CHART QUICK SLANTS
Ahman Green was signed off the street by the Packers, the place where he made his name. DeShawn Wynn (knee) was placed on injured reserve and Brandon Jackson has officially been served notice. … Michael Crabtree is still expected to start Sunday, but Josh Morgan may actually see more snaps. Morgan is the man on one-receiver sets, which the Niners run often.