Hiatus Ends

My Team:

So, who's all battling for the fantasy championship in their league? I've made it there in one of my three leagues, and I'm using the following lineup:

QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Brian Westbrook
RB: Frank Gore
WR: Reggie Wayne
WR: Andre Johnson
WR: Anquan Boldin
TE: Tony Scheffler
K: Shayne Graham
D/ST: MIN

My current lineup looks nothing like the one I started the year with, but I had a poor draft and had to use waiver wire pickups/trades to re-build my team. Big Ben and AJ are sadly the only players I drafted, but I did a good job selling high on Reggie Bush, LaMont Jordan, and Roy Williams to get me to where I am.

This Week:

The Colts are very tricky this week. Dungy says he'll play them a usual amount, but don't listen to what he says....logic states that they'll be rested quite a bit. I'd have a hard time benching Manning or Wayne as they'll likely put up a half of very good production against a weak Houston secondary. Gonzalez should be a safe WR3 as well this week as he might play the most of the starters, plus coaches don't usually worry about WRs as much. Dallas Clark is a decent TE1, but his recent inconsistent play is cause for concern. Addai, however, is a very risky start. There's no way he plays more than a half, and that's his ceiling of playing time. Unless you have a very weak 3rd option, I'd consider sitting him.

The Patriots might pull their starters a little earlier than usual once they get out to a comfortable lead, but I'd consider Brady, Maroney, Moss, and Welker all safe starts. Stallworth is losing snaps to Gaffney and isn't worth using as a WR3. Ben Watson is a poor bet as he's pretty worthless unless you get a TD from him.

The Packers are playing for homefield advantage, and Favre will want to avenge the loss to the Bears earlier this season. The Packers were killing the Bears in the first half, then inexplicably took their foot off the gas pedal in the 2nd half and watched the game slip away. Play Fave, Grant, Driver, Jennings, and Lee as you usually would.

You don't have to worry about any other teams resting players. Keep an eye on Westbrook's status tomorrow, but he's expected to start, and we've seen this song and dance plenty of times where he doen't practice, but then puts up his 100+ total yards. Let's hope we get one more week of that, preferably without the kneel down at the one. That cost my a playoff win last week, but Brady's horrible game and Galloway's 0 didn't help either.

Fitzgerald and Boldin are both gametime decisions, but Boldin put in a lot of work before taking Friday off this week and appears close to full health. Fitzgerald should not be benched, but won't be 100%, and he appears worse for the wear than Boldin does. Warner should find plenty of both of them against a poor Falcons secondary.

Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew should both post solid stats against a hideous Oakland run D. I got stopped in the playoffs last week in one league thanks to Addai's hideous game against the Raiders, but you can blame that squarely on the shoulders of either OC Tom Moore or Manning as they stubbornly, and ineffectively, tried to throw the ball all over the place against a strong secondary and poor run D. Jacksonville won't make the same mistake.

Shanahanigans? Yup, full force. Don't even think about using Selvin Young or Travis Henry this week. Thanks to Henry's injuries and legal problems, yet another timeshare has reared its ugly head in Denver.

Going Forward:

I will do a full wrapup of my QB value picks after this week, and I'll also post some lessons learned. Then, it's about time to start thinking fantasy baseball... :)

Hiatus Coming To An End?

Well, I'm out of sick days, so I might as well call in dead.

Thanks to work obligations taking up pretty much all of my week and some of my weekend, I haven't had time to write during my favorite part of the year. Unfortunately I'm finishing up this ridiculous project way too late to be of much assistance to fantasy football owners. Why couldn't this have happened from January to April when nothing is going on in baseball/football? My project ends this coming Friday, and I'll finally be able to contribute to my blog again.

I'll note some start/sit ideas for the fantasy playoffs (weeks 15 and 16), and I'll try to do something for the gameday actives/inactive on Sunday. Hopefully some of my 3 readers have hung with me and will start checking this again. Once the season is over, I'll look back through my QB value ratings that I did during the preseason and see how I did. I also promised to look through my buy/sell suggestions for baseball, and once football season is over and baseball preparation starts creeping into people's minds, I will definitely address that as well.

So, all in all, I'll be looking forward to doing more writing, hopefully starting this weekend, but most likely starting late next week.

Hiatus Continued Yet Again

Hey Everyone

Well, thanks to 2 crazy days at work last week combined with my vacation to Nevada/Las Vegas that started yesterday, I again was unable to do a weekly review. I apologize again to everyone that reads my writing and I promise to get back to it again soon. I'm on vacation until Wednesday of next week, so I will do my best to post a week 11 review after the games this weekend, although it might be delayed until later in the week.

Jeff

Hiatus Continued, Plus Notes

Work has slowed down, but I'm in Boston for a mini-vacation over the weekend. I won't be able to post anything until I return on Monday, and I promise to post a Week 10 wrapup.

A couple notes:

1) The Patriots are on bye, so you'll have a chance to beat the Brady owner this week.

2) Do NOT go crazy over Priest Holmes. We all remember him leading us to fantasy titles as one of the most dominant fantasy players for a few years. He has a solid matchup against Denver and will probably get 10-15 carries including the goal line work, but we're talking about a 34 year old RB on a below-average offense. He still provides valuable depth, but Kolby Smith is worth owning as well. There's a chance LJ could be out for the year with that foot injury. The Denver Post reported it, but of course the team denies it. It was a nasty injury.

3) Hope that JP Losman continues to start for the Bills. He actually cares about getting Lee Evans the ball, which goes against the wishes of Trent Edwards and most of the coaching staff.

4) Travis Henry has a real chance of playing the rest of the year as his trial keeps getting pushed back. However, do NOT drop Selvin Young. Henry is starting to get banged up, and there's still a good chance that the suspension could be handed down prior to the end of the year.

5) Shaun Alexander has officially broken down. I warned everyone about this when the season began. He is all but done.

6) Steven Jackson will be limited in his return this week, so don't expect RB1 numbers from him.

7) There's talk that the original Adrian Peterson could start stealing carries from Cedric Benson, but don't get carried away. The Bears have too much invested into Benson to not let him play out the season, so the other AP is still a Benson injury away from having fantasy value. A 50/50 split is as good as AP speculators can hope for at the moment, and I don't even see that happening yet.

8) I love Big Ben for helping me overcome a 12 points deficit, Willie Parker, and Heath Miller with his monster performance on MNF.

So, here are my teams:

Team 1 (6-3, 3rd place)

QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner
RB: Joseph Addai, Brandon Jacobs, Kenny Watson, Priest Holmes, Selvin Young, Kenton Keith
WR: Randy Moss, Roy Williams, Brandon Marshall, Kevin Curtis, Chris Henry
TE: Chris Cooley

Team 2 (4-5, 6th place - horrible luck with catching a ton of high scoring teams)

QB: Jon Kitna, Vince Young
RB: Joseph Addai, Brandon Jacobs, Ryan Grant, Priest Holmes, Kenton Keith, Derrick Ward
WR: Plaxico Burres, Roy Williams, Anquan Boldin, Ronald Curry, Ted Ginn Jr.
TE: Vernon Davis

Team 3 (4-5, 6th place)

QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning
RB: Brian Westbrook, Frank Gore, Maurice Hicks, Kolby Smith, Correll Buckhalter
WR: Roy Williams, Andre Johnson, Lee Evans, Kevin Curtis, D.J. Hackett, Patrick Crayton
TE: Vernon Davis

Team 1: No trades...all drafted players and waiver pickups.

Team 2: I traded Andre Johnson and Eli Manning for Anquan Boldin and Vince Young, and that'll probably backfire since I did it to get through AJ's injury since my team kept losing. Boldin gave me 14 yards last week, so that worked out well. He better blow up Sunday and outproduce AJ the rest of the way.

Team 3: I did the most work with this team. I traded Reggie Bush for Clinton Portis a couple weeks into the season, then spun Clinton Portis and LaMont Jordan for Brian Westbrook shortly after that. I made a boneheaded move of dealing Willis McGahee for Frank Gore, and then they revealed Gore was hurt. I didn't have a great draft, but I've fixed my RB positions if Gore can get healthy for a stretch run.

Good times, and I'll see you guys on Monday.

Hiatus

I'm spending almost every waking hour at work these days, so I haven't had time to post a review of week 8 or an injury update for week 9. I apologize to everyone. I will be around to list gameday inactives tomorrow, however.

NFL Week 8: Injury Report

* If I have not listed a player here, he's in no danger of missing this week's game.

QB

Trent Edwards - No injury here, but he has officially become the Buffalo Bills starter for the rest of the season.

Trent Green - Green suffered a severe concussion in week 5, he will not play again this year, and he could retire as a result. Drop him in all leagues. Cleo Lemon will start for the forseeable future, but he's probably just keeping the seat warm for rookie John Beck.

Chad Pennington - No injury here, but he's on a very short leash with youngster Kellen Clemens ready to take over. Pennington was declared the starter for week 8, but it's only a matter of time before he loses the job.

Steve McNair - McNair suffered a groin injury in week 5, and he hasn't played since. He is expected to return this week, but watch practice reports to make sure. Kyle Boller would start in his place if McNair can't go.

Matt Schaub - Schaub suffered several injuries in week 7, but he is expected to return this week. He was limited in practice on Wednesday. Sage Rosenfels would start in his place if Schaub can't go.

David Garrard - Garrard suffered a high ankle sprain in week 7, and he is out indefinitely. Quinn Gray will start.

Vince Young - Young suffered a strained quad in week 6, but he is expected to return this week. He returned to practice on Wednesday.

Josh McCown - McCown suffered a torn toe ligament in week 3, and he is questionable to return this week. Duante Culpepper still doesn't have the confidence of the coaching staff as they appear ready to start McCown again once he heals.

Tavaris Jackson - Jackson suffered a broken finger in week 7, and he is out this week. Kelly Holcomb will start.

Byron Leftwich - Leftwich suffered a high ankle sprain in week 7, and he is out indefinitely. Joey Harrington still start.

David Carr - Carr suffered a back injury in week 5, but he is likely to return this week. He practiced on Wednesday and Thursday.

Alex Smith - Smith suffered a separated shoulder in week 4, but he will return this week. He practiced on Wednesday.

RB

Ronnie Brown - Brown suffered a torn ACL in week 7, and he is out for the season. Jesse Chatman will start.

Laurence Maroney - Maroney suffered a groin injury in week 2, he returned in a limited fashion in week 7, and will return to full duty in week 8.

Rudi Johnson - Johnson suffered a hamstring injury in week 3, and he is expected to miss this week. Kenny Watson will start.

Jamal Lewis - Lewis suffered a foot injury in week 5, and he is questionable to return this week. If he can't play, Jason Wright will start again, and Jerome Harrison will be mixed in as well.

Joseph Addai - Addai suffered a hand injury in week 7, but he returned later in the game. The big news is that given Addai's penchant to get nicked up, even though it's never cost him more than a handful of snaps, Tony Dungy has decided to use Kenton Keith more in games. This will not be a 50/50 split, but apparently Dungy is worried that Addai just can't carry the full load. Don't panic as Addai will still be plenty valuable, but he's not going to receive 25-30 touches any more in all likelihood.

Maurice Jones-Drew - MJD suffered a sprained knee in week 7, and he is questionable for this week. He continues to say that it's nothing to worry about and that he's fine, but he missed practice on Wednesday.

Chris Brown - Brown suffered an ankle injury in week 6, and he is questionable for this week. If he misses another game, it'll make LenDale White a great play. He could eventually be replaced by Chris Henry.

Travis Henry - Henry suffered a rib injury in week 7, and he is questionable for this week. He missed practice on Wednesday. Selvin Young would start in his place, but it sounds like Andre Hall will play a role as well.

DeShaun Foster - Foster suffered a turf toe injury in week 6, and he is questionable for this week. Even if he plays, he won't be worth using.

Frank Gore - Gore suffered a sprained ankle in week 7, but he is probable for this week. He missed practice on Wednesday, but he is expected to return later this week.

Steven Jackson - Jackson suffered a torn groin in week 3, but he will return this week. He practiced on Wednesday.

WR

Andre Johnson - Johnson suffered a sprained knee in week 2, and he is out this week. He's likely to return in week 11, and he'll be replaced by some combination of Kevin Walter and Andre Davis.

Marvin Harrison - Harrison suffered a sprained knee in week 5, but he is probable for this week. He missed practice on Wednesday, but he is likely to return to practice later this week.

Javon Walker - Walker suffered a knee injury in week 3, and he is out indefinitely. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to clean his knee out, and his current timetable is 6 weeks.

Plaxico Burress - Burress suffered a severely sprained ankle in week 2, but he is probable for this week. He has missed every practice since the injury, but he hasn't missed a game yet.

Santana Moss - Moss suffered a hamstring injury in week 3, and he hasn't looked right since. He is probable for this week, but it seems very risky to use him given the 0s (or worse) that he's posted since returning.

Darrell Jackson - Jackson suffered a strained quad in week 7, and he is questionable for this week. Given what little he's offered his owners, I imagine you have better alternatives anyways. He missed practice on Wednesday.

D.J. Hackett - Hackett suffered a high ankle sprain in week 1, and he is on bye this week, but he seems probable to return in week 9. If you have WR depth problems or someone you want to drop, go get Hackett now. He's likely to be a solid fantasy contributor once he returns.

TE

Ben Watson - Watson suffered an ankle injury in week 6, and he is out indefinitely. Kyle Brady will start and can be used in a pinch.

Todd Heap - Heap suffered a strained hamstring in week 4, and he is expected to return after the team's bye this week.

Tony Scheffler - Scheffler suffered a sprained ankle in week 7, but he is probable for this week. He practiced on Wednesday. With Javon Walker out, he's a strong candidate to turn in a solid 2nd half, and can be picked up as a TE2.

L.J. Smith - Smith underwent hernia surgery prior to the season, and he is questionable this week. He's worth keeping an eye on if you have TE problems.

Bubba Franks - Franks suffered a sprained knee in week 5, and he is out for this week. Donald Lee becomes a great option at TE with Franks out.

Alge Crumpler - Crumpler is suffering from a knee injury that he had surgery on prior to the season, but he is expected to return after the team's bye this week. He has questionable TE1 value upon his return.

NFL Week 7: Monday Night Game Wrapup

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

Peyton Manning - 23/37, 259 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/0, 1 TD. Another solid fantasy game from Manning even against an elite pass D like JAX. He took what the defense gave him and also utilized a solid running game to move the ball and put points on the board.

Joseph Addai - 16/85, 4/22. A solid yardage game from Addai, but Dungy came out and stated that they want to get Kenton Keith more involved in the offense. Addai had to come out after hurting his hand on a 23 yard run, and that result in Kenton Keith picking up a TD. He had another nice 10 yard run down to the inside the 1, but he failed to reach the ball over the stripe, and then Manning plunged it in. Addai's fantasy value will drop, but he's still a very solid RB1.

Marvin Harrison - 3/16. Despite reports that he'd play a full set of plays, Harrison was limited in this outing and his production suffered. I expect improvement next week, especially against a ho-hum CAR secondary.

Reggie Wayne - 9/131. It's a shame he didnt' score, but he came up with big catch after big catch against a very tough opponent. His TDs are down currently, but expect him to pick up the scoring slack as the season moves along.

Dallas Clark - 4/66, 1 TD. Another game, another TD. He broke wide open late in the game off of a playaction and posted a 35 yard TD to ensure another solid fantasy performance.

David Garrard - 8/12, 72 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. Garrard was playing alright, but he had to leave with an ankle injury and could be out a couple weeks. It's blow to his owners as he was playing like a borderline QB1.

Quinn Gray - 9/24, 56 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 2/8, 1 FL. Ugly. He's not a fantasy option, but 2 QB leaguers should pick him up.

Fred Taylor - 11/55, 1/-2. Not enough touches for him to be anything beyond a decent RB3. Given MJD's potential knee injury, Taylor could see a rise in fantasy value, however.

Maurice Jones-Drew - 13/52, 3/17, 1 TD. The TD made him turn in yet another solid RB2 performance, but his knee injury bears watching this week in practice as he limped off towards the end of the game.

NFL Week 7: Late Game Wrapup

New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals

Chad Pennington - 20/31, 272 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 3/7, 1 FL. Pennington put up a solid game against a very weak defense, but he was picked off and it was return for a TD to seal the game for Cincy. This is probably not enough to hold off the calls for Kellen Clemens, especially with the team sporting a 1-6 record.

Thomas Jones - 19/67. A very disappointing effort from Jones against such a weak defense, especially with the game close throughout. Keep him in the lineup versus Buffalo in week 8.

Laveraneous Coles - 8/133, 2 TD. A huge last game from the Pennington/Coles connection, if that is indeed the end to Chad's run as the starter. There was no denying that the two had solid chemistry, so hopefully Coles will keep that up if Clemens takes over. He had a great matchup with Buffalo in week 8.

Jerricho Cotchery - 6/60, 1 TD. A solid game from Cotchery, and he could start to receive more targets from Clemens. He too has a great matchup with Buffalo in week 8.

Carson Palmer - 14/21, 226 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Owners were certainly left wanting more from Palmer in such a good matchup against the Jets, but Watson stole the scoring show, and Cincy was able to move the ball down the field very effectively on the ground. He faces a stern test against Pittsburgh in week 8.

Kenny Watson - 31/130, 3/27, 3 TD. Hello, Kenny Watson. The owners who used him with Rudi out were rewarded beyond their wildest dreams with a monster game. Given how well Watson has run, how poorly Rudi was running this year, and Rudi dealing with a lingering injury, there's a very good chance that Watson has carved himself a far more prominent role in the backfield.

Chad Johnson - 3/102. He had a couple long catches, but his targets were limited with Cincy choosing to run the ball down NYJ's throat. Owners are probably getting impatient with TJ stealing all the TD's, but Palmer obviously uses both to their strengths.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 4/43, 1 TD. TJ is 6/6 in games with TDs this year, making him insanely consistent. Like I mentioned above, Palmer obviously uses both to their strengths, and it's certainly making TJ a far more valuable fantasy WR this year.

Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders

Damon Huard - 16/31, 177 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/-2. A very subpar outing from Huard, but like I mentioned before, the Raiders secondary is very solid. This won't hurt his chances for starting the rest of the year, especially since the Chiefs won again.

Larry Johnson - 24/112, 6/21, 1 TD. LJ took advantage of a great matchup and posted another very solid game. He has entered the easier part of his schedule, so as long as he holds up, he should continue taking advantage of matchups against weaker defenses. I'm still wary on his healthy over the course of this season, but he's proving good to go for now.

Dwayne Bowe - 3/84. He hauled in a big 58 yard pass which saved his fantasy day in a game where he caught only 3 passes. Count the lack of catches up to a solid opponent, and feel lucky that he broke a big one to turn in a solid fantasy day.

Tony Gonzalez - 4/66. Another solid day from Gonzo who continues to thrive with Huard behind center. He's a TE1 like usual.

Duante Culpepper - 18/29, 228 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/4. A decent game from Culpepper. I think expecting numbers like these in most weeks is very reasonable.

LaMont Jordan - 11/29, 4/40. Jordan struggled horribly again on the ground, but he avoided a disaster by catching passes later in the game. Given Rhodes logged 9 carries to Jordan's 11, it's time to start worrying that Jordan's back is limiting his effectiveness, and that it will lead to Rhodes getting more playing time. Rhodes hardly did anything (9/21) with his carries, though.

Ronald Curry - 4/45, 1 TD. Jerry Porter seems to make the big plays (1/59), but he's being targetted less frequently than Curry. Curry remains the guy to own and makes for a solid WR3.

Zach Miller - 4/48. Culpepper effectively used Jermaine Wiggins during his tenure with the Vikings, so Miller could emerge as a solid TE2 down the stretch.

Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys

Tavaris Jackson - 6/19, 72 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/20. Worst QB in football. He has solid physical skills and is arguably the fastest QB in the NFL, but he's so raw and it's really showing this year. Brad Childress is really doing a disservice to his team by not starting a veteran until Jackson is ready.

Adrian Peterson - 12/63, 1/12, 1 TD, 1 FL. Peterson scored on a 20 yard run, but didn't get enough carries in this one to make a huge difference. Because of the erratic amount of times he touches the ball, he's a lower tiered RB1.

Chester Taylor - 10/47, 3/19. Taylor should not be unowned in leagues, and he's especially helpful as a handcuff to Peterson owners.

Tony Romo - 31/39, 277 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/4, 1 FL. I expected a better output from Romo against a weak Vikings secondary, but he still put up a solid effort in what has been one of is weaker outputs of the season thus far.

Marion Barber - 19/96, 4/9, 1 TD. Barber received 19 carries to Jones' 9, and while I wouldn't get too excited yet, this could be a step in Barber becoming the team's feature RB. He battered the vaunted MIN run D in the 2nd half.

Terrell Owens - 7/103, 1 TD. Owens sliced through the MIN secondary and put up his best game out of the last 3. Not that his owners were worried, but it's nice to see him put up another solid effort.

Patrick Crayton - 2/19, 1 FL. When you are the teams' 2B option in the receiving game, there's going to be games like this.

Jason Witten - 10/86. A monster PPR game from the talented Witten. He continues to be the best TE bargain in fantasy drafts with excellent consistency.

Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles

Brian Griese - 27/41, 322 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/0. He was having a rather modest day until leading the Bears on a 97 yard TD drive in under 2 minutes with 0 timeouts, culminating in a 15 yard TD pass to Muhammad. Griese is turning into a solid QB2.

Cedric Benson - 17/46, 1/19. Pathetic. He runs with no burst, no power, and seemingly no effort. It's time for the Bears to give Adrian Peterson more work.

Muhsin Muhammad - 5/79, 1 TD. He should be owned in all leagues. He's not the deep threat he once was, but he suits the short passing game that Griese does well, and he's the best fit for the new Chicago passing game. He's still a very solid redzone target. He gets a favorable matchup against the Lions next.

Bernard Berrian - 4/65. Still solid numbers, but without the deep playaction TD bombs he was catching with consistency last year, he's not posting any big games.

Greg Olsen - 4/48. He's been consistently posting decent yardage totals and is a solid TE2 with further upside in the 2nd half.

Donovan McNabb - 21/34, 226 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 2/18. McNabb is looking quicker on his feet as the season moves on, and while he hasn't had a big game since the explosion versus the Lions, he's slowly making progress. He makes for a solid buy-low candidate in the 2nd half.

Brian Westbrook - 18/79, 6/40. Westbrook against posted a very good yardage total, but didn't find the endzone again. He'll get more chances as McNabb continues to improve.

Kevin Curtis - 5/62. McNabb talked about getting Reggie Brown more involved, and while he has definitely succeeded in doing that after the bye, Curtis remains the preferred target. He's quick, runs good routes, and has good hands.

Reggie Brown - 3/44. He's slowly coming around, but he's nothing more than a WR4 for now.

St Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks

Marc Bulger - 21/40, 225 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT. What a horrible disaster in his return. I feel very bad that I recommended him in my gameday active area as he was clearly rusty on an offense that just isn't accomplishing anything. Steven Jackson likely returns next week, so that should help. They get Cleveland next, so if your other QB is on bye, it's a solid matchup to try him again with.

Brian Leonard - 12/44. Leonard hardly capitalized on a solid matchup. He's likely headed back to the bench next week.

Torry Holt - 8/82. His knee continues to limit his ability to make downfield plays, and since the offense is struggling so badly, he's not scoring TDs to make up for it.

Isaac Bruce - 2/52. The deep-in route king. He'll improve down the stretch as the Rams offense figures to do so as well.

Matt Hasselbeck - 18/35, 195 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. Not a big yardage day, but he made up for it by tossing 2 TDs. He's still a low tier QB1. He's on bye this week, and he'll benefit from getting Deion Branch back after the bye.

Shaun Alexander - 19/47, 1/18. This has gotten ugly in a hurry, plus he got into an argument with his coach on the sideline. I'd stick a fork in him, but he'd probably yell at me too.

Bobby Engram - 6/73. Another solid outing from Engram, but with Branch scheduled to return after the bye week, he'll lose fantasy value and likely return to the slot. However, he'll probably remain Hasselbeck's secondary receiver.

Nate Burleson - 1/12. Thanks, Nate.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

Ben Roethlisberger - 24/35, 290 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT, 3/20, 1 FL. Big Ben took full advantage of the DEN secondary with Bailey out by posting his best fantasy effort of the season. With Ward and Holmes both back at the WR position, expect him to improve his yardage in the 2nd half.

Willie Parker - 21/93, 2/34. Another fine yardage game, but the lack of TDs has to be frustrating his owners. He's been solid all year, otherwise.

Hines Ward - 7/78. He looked healthy and is safe to resume starting. Cincy is a great matchup in week 8.

Santonio Holmes - 6/54, 1 TD. Same as Ward.

Heath Miller - 5/50, 2 TD. Miller came through with a big game for those who chose to use him, and he'll likely retain his lower tier TE1 value all year long. He's a great redzone target.

Jay Cutler - 22/29, 248 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT, 3/41. A very solid fantasy day for Cutler who tossed a career-high 3 TDs. Given the competition, this was a very nice step forward this year for the youngster who seemed to have slightly regressed since last year. Expect continued modest improvement.

Travis Henry - 17/51. He was bottled up by a great PIT run D, and he also left a bit early with bruised ribs. He's really slowed down after a fast start. Check his practice status this week.

Brandon Marshall - 6/77. Another solid effort from Marshall who will be the go-to receiver for the Broncos with Javon Walker out at least 6 weeks. Expect better numbers against weaker defenses, but GB in week 8 isn't a weaker defense. He's still a WR3 with WR2 upside.

Brandon Stokley - 6/70, 1 TD. Perhaps he can be of WR3 assistance with Walker out? Pick him up to find out if he's available and you need WR depth.

Tony Scheffler - 5/50, 1 TD. He's a forgotten man after a strong finish to last season once Cutler took over. He was suffering from a foot injury to start the year, but with Walker down, Scheffler could emerge as a 2nd half sleeper if they get him more involved in the passing game. He certainly has the receiving skills.

NFL Week 7: Early Game Wrapup

Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills

Kyle Boller - 21/36, 191 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/7. Hardly the performance against a weak BUF secondary that Boller needed to unseat McNair. Expect McNair to return as the starter after the bye as long as he's healthy.

Willis McGahee - 19/114, 2/1, 1 TD. Despite the lack of touches, McGahee busted out for a 46 yard TD. Given the concern in the preseason about his explosiveness, that was certainly nice to see. The Ravens have a bye next week, and they could get both RT Adam Terry and LT Jonathan Ogden back at that point, which would be a big plus for McGahee's value.

Derrick Mason - 7/78, 1 TD. There's always a few veterans each year that are drafted for depth, but they take their fantasy owners by surprise and turn into a fantasy starter. Mason is certainly that, putting up solid performances on a weekly basis along catching a ton of passes.

Mark Clayton - 5/49. Clayton claims he's as healthy as he's been all year, and he certainly performed better this week. Don't forget about him. McNair's arm will certainly limit his upside, but he should definitely be viewed as no worse than a WR4.

Trent Edwards - 11/21, 153 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. He managed the game well and led the Bills to victory. He even took a shot downfield and hit Lee Evans for a 54 yard gaine, which was nice to see. Still, he's nothing more than depth in 2 QB leagues.

Marshawn Lynch - 27/84, 3/14, 1 TD. Lynch has certainly become a very solid RB2, and this was an especially impressive performance against such a strong BAL run D. His schedule eases up in the 2nd half, making his first half performance even more impressive given the defenses he's had to face.

Lee Evans - 5/98. It was just a matter of time before Evans got going, and he's actually posted solid games in 2 of the last 3 outings. He's not going to replicate the explosion he saw last season, but he's certain re-establishing himself as a WR3.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions

Jeff Garcia - 37/45, 316 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 6/10, 2 FL. Owner who used him this week because their starter was on bye or because he had a good matchup were rewarded with a very solid fantasy day. Garcia continues his resurgence under Jon Gruden.

Earnest Graham - 19/92, 13/99. A monster PPR day for Graham who kept new acquisition Michael Bennett on the bench for most of the afternoon. Don't read too much into this as it was the Lions defense, but Graham has definitely given his owners hope for RB3 value and will probably receive the majority of touches against Jacksonville next week, but he's certainly not recommended as a starter.

Joey Galloway - 5/46. It seems like unless he catches a deep TD, he's not doing much. That trend contninued today, but he's still a solid WR3.

Ike Hilliard - 9/92, 1 TD. Add him to the surprise veteran list, and he's an even bigger one than Mason since he was likely not drafted. It's amazing what a Jon Gruden system can do.

Jon Kitna - 16/20, 147 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/9. Don't read too much into this as the Bucs have a very good pass defense. Kitna has put up back-to-back poor games, but they've come against top notch secondaries. KJ's return will mean the Lions will run the ball more, but that should eventually help the passing game as defenses can't sit deep all game. He gets an injury-ravaged Chicago D next week, so expect better numbers and don't give up on him as your starter yet.

Kevin Jones - 15/76, 6/34, 1 TD. KJ is back, and he's ready to resume being the RB1 he was before his injury last year. I wouldn't expect many 25 carry games from him, but he's certainly going to be involved plenty in the passing game and has been proficient near the goal line.

Roy Williams - 3/23. He caught all 3 passes thrown to him, so you can't ask for much more. Life gets easier.

Calvin Johnson - 2/37, 1/32, 1 TD. Thanks to a 32 TD run where CJ looked like LT while stiff arming through defenders, he saved his fantasy day. Much like I said about Kitna and Roy above, better days are ahead in the passing game.

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

Kerry Collins - 25/42, 280 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. He threw the ball downfield, which is something Vince Young still doesn't do very well yet. He might still have a start or two left in him with Young's status up in the air, but I don't recommend him next week against a strong OAK secondary.

LenDale White - 27/104, 4/22, 1 TD. A 28 yard run! White looked better in this effort, although he still couldn't manage 4 YPC. Regardless, he's the primary ball carrier with Chris Brown injured (who didn't see that coming), and he's a very strong play against a weak OAK run D next week.

Chris Henry - 11/57, 1 TD. He did a fine job of spelling White, and he could overtake Chris Brown as TEN's backup RB. Don't rush to pick him up, but if he's officially named the backup, he's worth rostering.

Roydell Williams - 5/124. As I said with Collins, he looked downfield far more often, and Williams was the main beneficiary. If you're deparate at WR you could try him with Brandon Jones out, but you should have better options.

Matt Schaub - 5/9, 23 yards. He got hammered a couple times and left injured. Reports indicate that he'll return nextx week.

Ahman Green - 11/39, 5.32. TEN's run D is actually strong, but Green is showing little to nothing these days on the ground. Luckily he's still proficient in the passing game.

Kevin Walter - 6/97, 1 TD. He strikes again. He gets the shaky SD secondary next week, so you can roll with him again as your WR3.

Andre Davis - 4/88, 1 TD. The Houston system is using Davis well down the field, and he caught an improbable 53 yard TD to put Houston ahead for a bit at the end of the game. Up until then he definitely took a back seat to Kevin Walter.

Owen Daniels - 2/20. Very frustrating day given the Texans threw for over 300 yards and had 4 TDs, including one thrown to his backup Jeb Putzier. Don't read too much into this as he's a solid lower tier TE1.

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

Tom Brady - 21/25, 354 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT. He did this is just over a half's worth of work. His owners are probably at least 5-2 at this point.

Laurency Maroney - 6/31. Frustrating for those who used him as I recommended starting him, but in hindsight I learned something. First of all, the Pats were going to blow out the Dolphins. That was a given. Knowing that, there was no reason for them to use Maroney much and risk re-injury. Expect him to get more work next week.

Randy Moss - 4/122, 2 TD. Teams are routinely double and triple covering him, but he's going to win jump balls in the endzone no matter how many guys are blanketing him. Both TDs were bombs thrown into tight coverage, but Moss just outleaped everyone. It's amazing what he can do when he tries.

Wes Welker - 9/138, 2 TD. Forget Brandon Stokley, he's the new whiteness. His incredible run continues, but I'd still try to sell him for a more established WR. See what you can get in return for him.

Donte Stallworth - 3/51, 1 TD. He continues performing like a great WR3 in one of the best offenses of all time.

Cleo Lemon - 24/37, 236 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 3/16, 1 TD, 1 FL. With the trade of Chris Chambers and the loss of Ronnie Brown, he has such little talent around him that it's impossible to recommend him as a QB2.

Ronnie Brown - 17/76, 5/33. Torn ACL, and he's done for the year. He's one of my favorite players, and this kills his owners as he was a draft bargain at the beginning of the 2nd round.

Jesse Chatman - 7/73, 1/9, 1 TD. He carved up the NE D in garbage time, and he'll be the #1 waiver priority for most teams this week. He has solid skills and I believe in Cameron's system, but it's going to be really hard for him to post solid RB2 numbers with the talent around him. Still, he's worth burning your waiver position for.

Marty Booker - 3/28. With the Phins at 0-7, he might start losing playing time to youngsters Derek Hagan and Ted Ginn Jr. They're battling to start opposite of Booker for now, but I wonder how much the Dolphins will attempt to get their youngsters playing time.

San Francisco 49ers at New York Giants

Trent Dilfer - 23/38, 209 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 3/11, 2 FL. Pathetic. Alex Smith returns next week, thankfully.

Frank Gore - 14/88, 3/23. Another solid yardage game from Gore despite a lack of touches. He hurt his ankle in the 1st half and apparently played in quite a bit of pain in the 2nd half, so monitor his status. His backup, Michael Robinson, is not an attractive pickup.

Darrell Jackson - 2/6, 1 TD. I don't think even Alex Smith can revive him.

Vernon Davis - 4/22. Let's hope Alex Smith can get him more involved. It's such a waste of talent to not be using an athlete like Davis extensively, especially given the crap they have at the WR position.

Eli Manning - 18/31, 146 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. Not overly impressive, but the Giants had total control of this game throughout. Miami is a great matchup next.

Brandon Jacobs - 18/107, 1 TD. Jacobs ran all over SF's defense, but there are rumors that he re-injured the ankle that caused him to come out of last week's game prematurely. Keep an eye on his status this week as he has a tasty matchup against Miami up next.

Plaxico Burress - 5/43. The Giants didn't need to pass much, so his opportunities were limited.

Amani Toomer - 3/36, 1 TD. Toomer turned in another nice afternoon, and he's up there with veterans Derrick Mason and Ike Hilliard as surprise fantasy contributors.

Jeremy Shockey - 5/39, 1 TD. Same as above, but he got a redzone TD toss to give him a solid fantasy day.

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints

Byron Leftwich - 15/23, 145 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3/6. Lefty was putting up a solid afternoon until a high ankle sprain ended his day early. He could be out anywhere from 2 weeks to the rest of the year, making Harrington the starter again.

Warrick Dunn - 13/28, 1/1. Petrino is being a damned moron with his running game. Dunn has accomplished absolutely nothing while Norwood provides big plays (6/38, 30 yard run) almost every game. The team isn't going anywhere, so start Norwood already.

Roddy White - 8/110, 1 TD. A spectacular performance from White who is finally putting his talent on display. Unfortunately Leftwich went down, hurting his value, but he can still be a decent WR3.

Drew Brees - 22/34, 219 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2/8. He's slowly rounding back into form, and if you're struggling at QB, try to buy low on him. I don't see him exploding like he did last year, but I think he's back to stay as a QB1.

Reggie Bush - 17/54, 5/19, 1 TD. He bulled his way into the endzone on his TD reception, but looked rather ineffective outside of that. He still has a ways to go, but he's a RB1.

Marques Colston - 3/45. He's just not making big plays, but expect improvement as long as Brees is improving. Nowhere to go but up, but he's recommended as only a WR3 for now.

Devery Henderson - 1/37, 1 TD. Don't even think about it.

Eric Johnson - 5/54. He was a bit more involved this week, but he's nothing more than a boring TE2 option.

Arizona Cardinals at Washington Redskins

Kurt Warner - 27/41, 282 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 1/0, 1 FL. Warner was a surprise starter, and he played very well all afternoon against a tough secondary. If he can do this with a bad arm against a great secondary, he'll emerge as a strong starter against weak defenses. He'll have a bye week to heal his off-arm up.

Edgerrin James - 27/83. He had a very tough matchup, and he got enough touches to put together a solid yardage effort.

Larry Fitzgerald - 6/97. Another solid yardage game from Fitz, but Boldin took both of the scores. Warner helps his value moving forward, although it won't be what it was with Boldin hurt.

Anquan Boldin - 8/29, 2 TD. What a bizarre statline. His owners will smile and take it. Warner prefers Boldin, so his health is great news for Boldin owners.

Jason Campbell - 12/18, 95 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/7. A horrible outing from Campbell against what projected to be a solid matchup. Definitely a step back from last week's effort.

Clinton Portis - 18/43, 2/14, 2 TD. Portis continues to not look himself, but the 2 TDs saved his afternoon. I'd sell high. He should get the ball plenty, but his explosion isn't there as his knee is likely still bothering him. He hasn't shown much life over the past month.

Santana Moss - 2/8. I'd like to punch him in the face. I gave him a chance to redeem himself after last week and he does this. Dammit. He's likely still hurting.

Antwaan Randle El - 3/54. You could do worse as a WR3 while Moss is still hurting. He seems to have improved as a WR, and Campbell doesn't mind using him.

Chris Cooley - 1-3. Yay! Awesome. A victim of Campbell's poor day. No worries.

NFL Week 4: Monday Night Game Actives/Inactives

ACTIVE

Joseph Addai - He practiced all week, so this is not a surprise. Don't worry about some sort of new carry split with Kenton Keith given how well Keith ran in week 5. Addai is the unquestioned starter.

Fred Taylor - Despite being limited in practice, he's ready to go.

Maurice Jones-Drew - Same as Taylor.

Marvin Harrison - Reports today indicated that he'll be a full go, so get him in there if you were waivering between Harrison and someone like Aaron Moorehead or Anthony Gonzalez. Jacksonville's pass D is elite, but Manning and company had an extra week to prepare.

INACTIVE

Matt Jones - If you started him, you deserve this.

NFL Week 7: Late Game Actives/Inactives

Active

Marc Bulger - He put in a full week of practice, so this is no surprise. Start him.

Torry Holt - Holt's knee has definitely caused problem this year, but he should benefit from the return of Bulger.

Isaac Bruce - Bruce returns this week, and with the returt of Bulger, he back to being a usable WR3.

Deion Branch - Branch is still nursing his foot injury.

D.J. Hackett - Hackett was limited in practice this week, but he has a real chance of returning next week.

Inactive

Rudi Johnson - Rudi will sit this one out, and Kenny Watson will start in his place. Watson is a very solid RB2 play against the Jets.

Drew Bennett - Bennett is out again, although he should only be rostered in very deep leagues while he's injured.

NFL Week 7: Early Game Actives/Inactives

Active

Vince Young - Young is active, but reportedly won't start. He's not worth using to find out.

Kurt Warner - He's active, and despite early reports, he will start. He's a very risky start at QB with a tough matchup against the very good Redskins secondary.

Laurence Maroney - Maroney will start and is an excellent play against the Dolphins. Sammy Morris is out, so while Maroney appears to be the favorite for goal line carries, there's an outside chance the Patriots could use Heath Evans in that role. He's well worth starting to find out.

Brandon Jacobs - Jacobs is active, will probably start, and will hopefully receive goal line carries (Droughns vultured one last week while Jacobs was dealing with various injuries). He's a bit risky, but unless you have another sure-fire starting RB, I'd use him.

Plaxico Burress - Burress' pattern of not practicing all week and then playing on Sunday stays in tact. He's a WR1.

Anquan Boldin - Boldin is back on the field and is worth using, but temper your expectations with Rattay starting against a tough Redskins pass D.

Santana Moss - Moss was listed as probably, so this isn't a surprise. I expect him to rebound from last week's dismal performance.

Inactive

Chris Brown - LenDale White becomes a solid RB2 play with Brown out.

Andre Johnson - Johnson is out again. Kevin Walter and Andre Davis are borderline WR3 options this week.

Alge Crumpler - 2007 is turning into a lost year for Crumpler who is now too banged up to play.

San Diego Chargers Trade For WR Chris Chambers

The San Diego Chargers have traded for WR Chris Chambers from the Miami Dolphins, and the Dolphins will reportedly receive a 2nd round draft pick in return.

This will definitely help the Chargers WR group as Vincent Jackson wasn't standing out as a #1 WR, and the team had few quality alternatives behind him. Chambers will give Phillip Rivers another quality option in the passing game, and should help Rivers' development. He's definitely the fastest WR the Chargers now have.

Fantasy Impact: Believe it or not, this slightly hurts Chambers' value. He's obviously moving to a better offense with a better QB, but instead of being the go-to guy in the passing game like he was in Miami, he'll now share that role with Gates on the Chargers offense. The Chargers are still very much a run-first offense. This also hurts Vincent Jackson as Jackson definitely drops to WR4 value. Chambers should still be a fairly solid WR3 on a good offense, but it might take him a week or two to acclimate. If you can find someone in your league that thinks this is a boon to Chambers' value, deal him.

NFL Week 6: Monday Night Game Wrapup

New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons

Eli Manning - 27/39, 303 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT. Manning was on fire early, picking up 199 yards and 2 TDs in the first half before crumbling like the little girl that Sheli is. Regardless of my dislike for this player, I own him as a backup on 2 teams, and he's a borderline QB1 startable in most matchups.

Brandon Jacobs - 13/86, 1/2. Jacobs suffered a shoulder burner on the first carry. came out, came back in later, ran all over the Falcons for a bit, and then left the game for good with a minor ankle injury. His durability is becoming a serious concern, and I'm debating trying to sell him. Droughns finished up in the blowout, and it's possible the Giants were featuring him for a potential trade, but with Jacobs and Ward both nursing injuries, it seems unlikely. Plus Droughns vultured a score.

Plaxico Burress - 6/97, 1 TD. Much like Allen Iverson, Burress hates practice as well, and who can blame him with what he's accomplished this season so far despite not practicing since week 2. He's hauled in 8 of Eli's 11 TD passes. He's a WR1.

Amani Toomer - 7/89, 1 TD. He's very inconsistent as is Eli, but he's usable in the right matchups. Consider him a solid WR4.

Jeremy Shockey - 5/63. He continues posting solid, but not spectacular games. Burress has emerged as the clearly preferred redzone target, and Shockey has only scored once.

Joey Harrington - 18/39, 209 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1/1. Gross, again. It's only a matter of time before Leftwich is named the new Falcons starter.

Warrick Dunn - 8/15, 2/13. Dunn is more than living up to his name. Why they won't switch to Norwood is beyond me.

Jerious Norwood - 6/87, 4/51, 1 TD. Most of those receiving yards came on the last drive while the Giants were sitting in a prevent defense, so those aren't indicative of anything. Still, he busted out a beautiful 67 yard TD run, weaving his way through the secondary and outrunning the defense. His time has to be coming, right?

Roddy White - 4/64. White dropped a couple more passes, as he's best known for, but it's pretty impressive that he keeps posting solid yardage totals despite the drops and the recently poor QB play of Harrington. He's a solid WR4.

Joe Horn - 2/25. Joe needs to blow his own Horn and retire. He shouldn't be owned despite the name.

NFL Week 6: Late Game Wrapup

New England Patriots at Dallas Cowboys

Tom Brady - 31/46, 388 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT, 3/5, 1 FL. A career best 5 TD tosses from Brady as he continues to be the top scorer in all of fantasy football. Up next: a bad Miami secondary.

Sammy Morris - 10/14. Morris left with what is rumored to be a broken bone of some sort around the shoulder/collarbone area, and he wasn't very effective while in there, which was surprising given how Brady was again having his way with the Dallas secondary. Maroney looks likely to return next week, so it won't cost the Patriots anything. Hang onto him until you hear more about the injury.

Kevin Faulk - 13/50, 3/24. Faulk was decent in relief of Morris, and he'd have a sizeable role next week against Miami should Maroney miss yet another game. The Patriots would probably committee him somehow as he's hardly a 25 carry RB.

Randy Moss - 6/59, 1 TD. Brady overthrew him deep several times, he had a TD reversed on an incredibly acrobating almost-catch in the endzone as the ball popped loose when he hit the ground, and then he had another TD reversed because he shoved off when it wasn't necessary. The 11.9 points are great, but it could have been way more.

Donte Stallworth - 7/136, 1 TD. Stallworth is 100%, and he's incredible after the catch. He provides an excellent compliment to Moss, and his performance the last two games will provide bigger problems for the defenses as they now have to fully respect both WRs.

Wes Welker - 11/124, 2 TD. Welker posted the biggest game between the 3 WRs, but with Stallworth healthy now, I believe Welker presents his owners with a very interesting sell-high candidate.

Ben Watson - 1/28. He rolled his ankle on his catch and didn't return. His status is unknown.

Tony Romo - 18/28, 199 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 1-1. I'm sure his owners expected more in what was supposed to be a shootout, especially since Dallas trailed all game. Dallas just didn't seem to have the ball very much.

Julius Jones - 6/51, 1/2. He had a nice 25 yard run that padded his stats, but he should be nowhere near a starting lineup.

Marion Barber - 8/47, 2/12. Another disappointing performance from Barber. The Cowboys offense has a different attitude about them when Barber is on the field because he runs so hard and with so much authority on each carry. The only explanation for his lack of touches is that the Cowboys feel his running style is suceptible to injury as there's no other reason he shouldn't be getting the ball 20+ times a game.

Terrell Owens - 6/66, 1 TD. He was held back by a very modest output from Romo, but still managed to score to keep his owners happy. He dropped at least one catchable ball and seemed frustrated towards the end.

Patrick Crayton - 5/46, 1 TD. At least 1 TD in 3 straight games for Crayton. Crayton should be shopped now because if Terry Glenn returns, he'll lose most of his fantasy value. It's no sure thing that Glenn will return to the field, or that he'll last if he does, but why chance it if you can potentially trade Crayton for someone who's guaranteed to stay on the field?

Jason Witten - 3/47. His worst game this yeah, which was good for your average TE's output. I'll happily take this as a bad game.

Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers

Daunte Culpepper - 24/37, 230 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2/5, 1 FL. Most of this came with the Chargers in control, plus he was sacked 6 times. SD's pass rush is still fierce, but Culpepper continues to hang onto the ball too long. He's an OK QB2 for now.

LaMont Jordan - 18/42, 6/46. He shocked everyone by being active on gameday, and then posted yet another solid yardage total against a very stout defense. He seems likely to play next week against KC's weak run D. Fargas received 2 carries, while Rhodes saw the field for 1 play.

Ronald Curry - 6/73. Curry benefitted from the bye week, seemingly, as Culpepper looked his way more often. He's easily the most talented receiver they have, so expect him to be a bigger part of the passing game moving forward as he and Culpepper build chemistry. Jerry Porter just isn't worth owning. Curry is a solid WR3.

Zach Miller - 3/18, 1 TD. Culpepper used Wiggins quite a bit during his time with the Vikings, and Miller has talent as a receiver, but I'd wait til next year before calling him a solid TE2.

Phillip Rivers - 14/21, 156 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/1. Rivers just wasn't asked to do much on a day when LT ran wild and the Chargers were seemingly in control throughout. The Raiders boast a solid secondary to boot, so this is nothing to be concerned about.

LaDainian Tomlinson - 25/198, 3/16, 4 TD. LT ran wild on Oakland, as he usually does. He's pretty good.

Vincent Jackson - 1/5. Jackson was overrated as a sleeper heading into the season, and eventually his ADP eliminated him from really being called a sleeper anymore. He's a decent WR3, but he's going to be inconsistent as the 3rd option in the SD offense.

Antonio Gates - 3/58. If this is as bad as it gets with Gates, we'll take it.

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks

Drew Brees - 25/36, 246 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 4/0. You knew it was only a matter of time before he finally posted a solid game. Hopefully he can build on this as the offense finally seemed settled for the first time this season. I still think Sean Payton is too much like Mike Martz as a play caller as someone who is always trying to outsmart the defense, but the Saints should get back on track here. With Atlanta up next, Brees has another favorable matchup ahead.

Reggie Bush - 19/97, 6/44, 1 FL. Those who get bonuses for 100 yards were probably pulling their hair out as Bush was at 100 yards twice before dropping back under both times. He looked improved at running between the tackles and should be a borderline RB1 as he settles down into his feature back role. Atlanta is up next, and with Rod Coleman back, their rush D improves, but they're still not very good.

Marques Colston - 1/2, 1 TD. He's suffering from uncharacterstic drops this season. I don't know if he's feeling the pressure as the new #1 with Joe Horn gone, if he hasn't adjusted to the way defenses are playing him as the new #1, or what the deal is, but it's probably a combination of all of the above. He's no better than a WR3 right now, but if the Saints offense does indeed get this thing turned around, Colston will definitely benefit.

David Patten - 8/113. Lance Moore was supposed to take over the #2 WR role opposite Colston, but instead Patten came through with his biggest day in years. The Saints will likely mix and match with their WRs, so I wouldn't rush to go pick him up.

Lance Moore - 3/35, 1/7, 1 TD. Those who took a chance on the new "#2" in N.O. were rewarded with a TD, but he'll likely be inconsistent for the reason I listed above.

Eric Johnson - 2/12, 1 TD. The TE is mostly a forgotten man in the Saints offense. I'd dump him if you like someone better as your TE2.

Matt Hasselbeck - 26/43, 362 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2/13. He posted a great day in a game where Seattle trailed for most of the afternoon. Hasselbeck surprised me by not blinking an eye without Branch there as he had an entire week to get used to his new WR alignment. He's a borderline QB1.

Shaun Alexander - 14/35. That's 3 bum games in a row for the broken down veteran. His line isn't the same, and he just doesn't have the same explosion that he used to. Unfortunatley the Seahawks had to abandon the running game since Alexander's big games have all been because he's posted a big 2nd half. I hope you sold high.

Bobby Engram - 9/120. Engram did not disappoint, picking up exactly where Deion Branch left off. Expect solid games from him while Branch is out as he is mostly playing the flanker role in the offense; the favored ball catching position in Holmgren's offense.

Nate Burleson - 6/63, 1 TD. Burleson also posted a nice game on a night when Seattle was forced to go pass-happy. He should retain solid borderline WR3 value with Branch injured.

NFL Week 6: Early Game Wrapup

St. Louis Rams at Baltimore Ravens

Gus Frerotte - 19/36, 208 yards, 0 TD, 5 INT, 1/2. Good times for those who started him. The previously not-so-dominant BAL pass D made Frerotte look horrible. So much for the progress he showed last week. The Ravens did get Samari Rolle back this week, so perhaps his presence helped alter the face of the pass D. Regardless, this is likely Frerotte's last start as Bulger is due back in week 7.

Brian Leonard - 12/18, 3/23. As expected, Leonard was shut down by the stout BAL run D. There have been rumors that Steven Jackson won't be ready until after the Rams bye in week 10, so Leonard might get 2 more starts. Those two starts are against Seattle and Cleveland, so they are definitely favorable matchups.

Torry Holt - 4/33. Gus Frerotte threw 5 INTs. Enough said. His speed is diminished as Holt has admitted his knee is still bothering him, so expect him to post more possession-type numbers the rest of the way. Getting Bulger back will definitely help, however.

Kyle Boller - 18/30, 184 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/6, 1 FL. Boller was hardly good in this game, but it seems like he'll start for at least one more week with Steve McNair banged up yet again. I thought he'd turn in a solid performance against a weak Rams D, but that obviously didn't materialize. He'll have another favorable matchup against Buffalo next time out.

Willis McGahee - 25/61, 4/9, 1 TD. Well, McGahee finally scored on the ground from 6 yards out, but he was inexplicably shut down by the Rams run D. There's really no explanation for this, so hopefully McGahee gets back on track last week. Still, since his yardage was substandard, he picked a nice week to score to make up for it. He gets a revenge game against Buffalo next week.

Derrick Mason - 5/79. Mason has seemingly been re-born this year as he continues to play like an excellent WR3. Given Buffalo is up next, expect him to continue his solid performance.

Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

Tavaris Jackson - 9/23, 136 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. 60 yards and a TD came from a blown coverage, so it's hard to get excited about anything here. His only value is on bye weeks in 2 QB leagues.

Adrian Peterson - 20/224, 1/9, 3 TD. Say hello to a top 3 pick in next year's fantasy draft. The Vikings would be smart to continue somewhat limiting his touches given he's a rookie and will likely wear down, but there's no question that he's one of the top 5 RBs in the NFL right now. He slashed the Bears defense like it was a 1-AA school, breaking tackles and making defenders look silly.

Chester Taylor - 22/83. Sure, the yardage was nice, but Taylor is hardly going to get 22 carries every week. He makes a solid handcuff for Peterson owners, but is no more than a RB4.

Troy Williamson - 2/69, 1 TD. As mentioned above, he scored on a blown coverage, and he also continued dropping the ball. Don't bother.

Brian Griese - 26/45, 381 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT, 1/1, 1 FL. Thanks to the Bears being down most of the afternoon, Griese was again asked to throw the ball 40+ times, and he against posted a solid fantasy afternoon. He made mostly wise decisions througout and is probably going to be a solid QB2 over the rest of the season. He surely won't post yardage and TD totals like this most weeks, but expecting 200+ yards and a TD most weeks is reasonable, with the potential for more unless the Bears fix their defensive issues.

Cedric Benson - 18/67, 2/18. Benson came out running well, posting 49 total yards in the first half, and then fizzled in the second half. This was actually a bit better than expected given they were facing the #1 ranked MIN run D. He actually looked good on outside runs, so perhaps the Bears will try getting him outside a bit more.

Bernard Berrian - 5/78, 1 TD. He scored from 39 yards out thanks to the corner falling down, and the safety not getting over in time. Still, his owners will happily take it, and Berrian should be a decent WR3. He's definitely the #1 target for WRs on the Bears and just needs to hang onto the ball more.

Greg Olsen - 5/63. He looks much healthier and is becoming more and more involved in the offense. He and Clark techincally split time, but the Bears will use 2 TE sets more often than most teams, and he'll be targetted plenty. He's a solid TE2 with potential for more.

Desmond Clark - 3/48. See above, but he obviously doesn't have the same upside as Olsen.

Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns

Cleo Lemon - 24/43, 256 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 4/9, 2 TD. A huge game from Lemon for fantasy purposes, but don't go rushing to pick him up as you have to consider the opponent. Still, he might be a useful QB2 used in the right matchups.

Ronnie Brown - 19/101, 9/69. It's a shame that Lemon stole both TDs with QB sneaks, but Brown against posted a monster yardage day as expected. He's faced some pretty bad defenses during his 4 week run, so if you can use him to acquire LT or someone like that, do it. Otherwise, lower your expectations a bit, but Brown has finally arrived.

Chris Chambers - 6/73. Owners probably expected a bit more against the Browns, but he was definitely Lemon's favorite target when he wasn't dumping the ball off to Ronnie Brown, and he should maintain his WR3 value. Expect a little inconsistency as Lemon is hardly an established QB.

David Martin - 3/18, 2 TD. Don't read too much into this as Lemon only looked to him near the goalline. He's a TE2 with upside, but don't go blowing your waiver priority on him. He's a talented TE when he's healthy, so it's somewhat surprising that Cameron isn't trying to utilize him more.

Derek Anderson - 18/25, 245 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 5/13, 1 TD. Color me shocked, but Anderson is a legit QB1 right now. With Cleveland in a playoff race and Anderson playing well, there's absolutely no chance that Brady Quinn will take the job any time soon.

Jason Wright - 20/59, 3/39, 1 TD, 1 FL. The quintessential stat line as to why leagues should use decimal scoring. On topic, however, Wright wasn't nearly as impressive as he was against NE last week, but he still posted a very solid stat line for those who used him. Given how explosive James Harrison looked (8/57, 1/15), Wright probably won't dominate the carries again.

Braylon Edwards - 5/67, 3 TD. Edwards is slowly joining the list of the best WRs in football. He makes acrobatic catches in traffic and can beat defenses deep, showing the full range of what WRs should do. He's been an outstanding value this year.

Kellen Winslow - 5/90. He continues his run as one of the best fantasy TEs in football.

Washington Redskins at Green Bay Packers

Jason Campbell - 21/37, 217 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/6, 1 TD. Campbell played well despite the rough opponent and the drops by his WRs. He continues to slowly make solid progress as a NFL QB, and is a solid QB2.

Clinton Portis - 20/64, 3/25, 1 FL. I read some recaps of this game, and people seem to think that Portis is still hurt, citing a lack of explosion and the fact that he just doesn't "look right". Given all the knee tendonitis issues he's battled before the season and the various times he's come out of a game limping, it seems like that's an issue. I'd look to deal him if possible, or perhaps swing a very minor trade to land Ladell Betts and wait.

Santana Moss - 1/0, 1 FL. Thanks for coming back, Santana. I started this prick and all he did was drop passes, fumble a reverse, and then take himself out of the game. I hate him.

Chris Cooley - 9/105, 1 TD. As the Skins makeshift line gels, it will allow Cooley to head out on pass routes more often, and that will lead to a few games like this. He's very sure-handed and is a great redzone target.

Brett Favre - 19/37, 188 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 3/8. The Favre we've come to know over the past few years has made a visit the last two weeks, making horrible decisions and getting picked off in crucial moments of the game. He'll have the bye week to clear his head.

DeShawn Wynn - 13/37, 1 TD. The Packers just aren't any good at running the ball. Morency is probably their most talented ball carrier, but he doesn't have the durability to be a featured RB. Wynn isn't too bad, and is certainly better than Brandon Jackson, but the team doesn't stay committed long enough to using the ground game. That all being said, Wynn is an OK RB3 and a better RB4.

Donald Driver - 5/38. Brett Favre had an off day, so Driver did as well.

Donald Lee - 3/75. Lee busted a big 60 yard gain, and of more important news, Bubba Franks suffered what could be a severe knee injury. If Franks were to go down, Lee would have a chance at becoming a lower tier TE1.

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars

Matt Schaub - 19/31, 259 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/6, 1 FL. A tough day for Schaub without his two top WRs against a great defense. He was replaced by Sage Rosenfels later on in the game, but that does nothing ot hurt his status as the unquestion starter.

Ahman Green - 16/44, 2/4. A bad day against a good defense. At least he emerged healthy.

Kevin Walter - 12/160. A monster game from Walter that came out of nowhere. He's a solid slot WR, but you obviously just saw his best day of the year. Still, he could carve out a more prominent role in the offense moving forward.

Owen Daniels - 5/79. He keeps making plays, but is being denied the endzone. Once the WRs get healthy, expect more scoring opportunities. He remains a solid TE1.

David Garrard - 22/34, 221 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 5/26. He keeps moving right along as a great QB2/borderline QB1 option most weeks. He posted another solid outing against Houston, but gets a stern test against Indy next week.

Fred Taylor - 6/90. Taylor ripped off a 76 yard run on his first carry, but was barely used after that, presumably because of his groin injury. Still, that one carry provided those who started him a solid point production in the RB2 spot.

Maurice Jones-Drew - 12/125, 4/59, 2 TD. MJD is back as a great RB2 option as he's breaking big plays. If Taylor were to miss a game or two, MJD would be a top 5 option. Expect some running room versus the Colts D next week.

Reggie Williams - 5/38, 1 TD, 2 FL. Even in a game where he scores, he finds a way to screw up, losing 2 fumbles. He's not usable.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Carson Palmer - 26/43, 320 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 1/2, 1 FL. Thanks to the struggling Bengals offensive line, Palmer is being held back. There's little running game to speak of to balance the offense, and the defense is horrible. He's still managing to post very solid numbers each week thanks to the necessity to throw the ball so often, and that should continue over the rest of the season.

Rudi Johnson - 4/8. Rudi's clearly not healthy, and with the Bengals being forced to throw so much, Kenny Watson is a much better fit for the current state of the offense. There were workload concerns regarding Rudi heading into the year, and they have definitely come to fruition. He's a guy to consider selling low on, if you can get something reasonably valuable in return.

Kenny Watson - 13/68, 3/14. He's posting solid yardage totals when he's in the game, but he's no more than a RB3.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 8/145, 2 TD. TJ has been the biggest beneficiary of the pass-happy offense, posting monster numbers so far this year. Expect him to turn in a career year this year.

Chad Johnson - 8/83. CJ has taken a backseat to his teammate, but he might still be slowed by the ankle injury that put him in a walking boot earlier in the week. Expect him to bounce back sooner than later. but he appears to be more boom/bust than TJ.

Damon Huard - 25/35, 264 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1/-1. Huard made use of a good matchup and posted a solid game, hitting Gonzalez twice for TDs. He's clearly the superior option at the QB position, but if KC falls out of the race, expect them to turn to Croyle. Huard is a serviceable QB2 until that happens.

Larry Johnson - 31/119, 2/24, 1 TD, 1 FL. His second monster game in 3 weeks, although he was over 100 yards at half time and was completely bottled up in the 2nd half. With only 2 great games in 6 outings, he remains a big disappointment.

Dwayne Bowe - 4/46. A disappoitning outing against the weak Bengals secondary, but as rookies go, he's going to have games like this.

Tony Gonzalez - 9/102, 2 TD. Gonzalez owners have to hope the Chiefs keep winning and stay in the playoff hunt as Huard looks Gonzo's way quite often. A change to Croyle would likely hurt his value.

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets

Donovan McNabb - 22/35, 278 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/3. He started off on fire, but the offense slowed down, and they eventually relied on the running game to close out the contest. Owners expected a bigger bounceback game coming off of a bye, but at least it's progress.

Brian Westbrook - 20/120, 6/36. The only disappontment was that he didn't reach the endzone. He torched the Jets D while running down the clock and posted yet another monster yardage game. It appears that the rest in week 4 and the bye week did him a lot of good.

Kevin Curtis - 5/121, 1 TD. Another explosion from Curtis. He took a slant, broke 2 tackles, and outran the D to the endzone for a 75 yard score early in the game, and managed a solid day after that catch. McNabb's continued improvement is necessary for Curtis to remain a weekly start.

Reggie Brown - 6/89. The Eagles vowed to get him the ball more coming out of the bye week, and they succeeded. I believe McNabb will rebound as the season moves on and he becomes more confident with his knee, so I think Reggie Brown is a solid buy low candidate.

Chad Pennington - 11/21, 128 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 4/2. The Jets really need to turn to Kellen Clemens at this point, but apparently they're going to stick with Pennington for one more week. Dump him if you haven't already, but if you're desparate for a one week option next week, he's not that bad of an option versus the Bengals.

Thomas Jones - 24/130, 1/11. Jones managed a monster game versus the Jets D. He complained about his workload, was given more touches, and responded in a big way. He's a decent RB2, but beware of his matchups. Cincy next week is a good one, although I'm a bit worried about how many touches he'll get given Cincy will probably light up the Jets D.

Laveraneous Coles - 1/27. He was underthrown on a possible TD that would have saved his day. At this point, a change might be good for his value, too.

Jerricho Cotchery - 5/71. His performance despite Pennington's struggles is pretty impressive. Continue using him next week against the Bengals.

Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Vince Young - 11/14, 120 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 3/6, 1 FL. He pulled up lame running out of bounds and didn't return. Madden Curse? Uh oh.

Kerry Collins - 10/20, 125 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. He did his best to bring the Titans back, but he fell just short. He's only an option in 2 QB leagues if Young misses a game or more.

LenDale White - 25/64, 2/9, 1 TD. A disgusting effort from White after Chris Brown left with yet another ankle injury. His YPC was atrocious, but at least he scored. If Brown misses time, White makes a serviceable RB2.

Justin Gage - 4/82. No.

Jeff Garcia - 20/31, 274 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 2/1. He continues performing like the solid QB2 that he is.

Earnest Graham - 13/29, 6/17. Talk about doing nothing with your touches. He got all the carries, however, and that makes him worth owning. I find it hard to believe the Bucs, who are in the middle of a playoff run, don't do something to fix their injury-depleted backfield. Graham is not the answer.

Joey Galloway - 4/97, 1 TD. He got loose for a 69 yard TD, but did little else. That's more than good enough for his owners as he continues to break big plays, and Garcia has just enough arm left in his body to get it to him accurately.

Ike Hilliard - 4/59. Hilliard is still a solid WR5 as he's somewhat reborn in the Gruden offense, but he's only to be used in bye weeks and as a short-term injury replacement.

NFL Week 6: Late Game Inactives

I was against not available to get to a computer prior to the noon games, so I failed on my vow from yesterday. :(

ACTIVE

LaMont Jordan - Despite being listed as doubtful, Jordan is active and will start. He likely won't see a full load, although that could depend on how his back holds up. Fargas and Rhodes are much worse fantasy plays because of it.

INACTIVE

Laurence Maroney - Maroney is out amid conflicting reports. Sammy Morris will start in his place and is a solid RB2 play.

Anquan Boldin - Bryant Johnson will start in his place and is a sneaky good play against an avereage Carolina secondary.

Apology Plus Inactive Lists

Hey Guys

Due to work obligations this past week, I did not have enough time to put together all the injuries for the week. I will, however, produce inactive player lists about 30 mins prior to gametime for the 12 PM CST games, the 3:15 PM CST games, and the Sunday evening game.

Jeff

NFL Week 5: Monday Night Game Wrapup

Dallas Cowboys at Buffalo Bills

Tony Romo - 29/50, 309 yards, 2 TD, 5 INT, 2/7, 1 FL. Romo thought it was Halloween and dressed up like Rex Grossman. All his stats, outside of the turnovers, were about what was expected of him against a poor defense. He turned it around late by leading the Cowboys to 2 scoring drives, the 2nd of which resulted in the game winning FG.

Julius Jones - 12/41. He's a turd barely worth starting as a RB3 most weeks.

Marion Barber - 8/28, 6/45. Solid yardage given his limited touches per usual, but unless he's scoring, it's hard for him to put up double digit points. The Cowboys must think that using Jones makes Barber better because there's no question who's the superior RB when watching the games.

Terrell Owens - 2/25. Another clunker from Owens, and he would have added a 2 point conversion in there had the ball not been stripped from him by a CB who wanted it more. He's frustrating you right now, but despite the tough matchup against NE, expect him to turn in a big performance as the Moss/Owens subplot could take center stage.

Patrick Crayton - 6/73, 1 TD. Another solid game from Crayton who will continue to be a very solid WR3 while Glenn is sidelined.

Jason Witten - 9/103, 1 TD. Gates is the most consistent of the bunch, but the best draft value for TEs so far goes to Jason Witten and Dallas Clark. Witten has owned the middle of the field while Owens concerns defenses on the outside.

Trent Edwards - 23/31, 176 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1/6. It's OK Trent, you can throw down the field on occasion. Edwards made a living off of 1-10 yard passes with the 2 longest completions (23, 16) being mostly comprised of YAC by Lynch and Parrish respectively. Lee Evans gave a ringing endorsement for Losman in week 7, so we'll see who gets the nod. Still, Edwards turned in a solid performance.

Lee Evans - 1/12. He caught one out pass, and that was it. Not what owners wanted after a somewhat bounceback performance last week. This could have been the work of Terrance Newman, however, who appears healthy again.

NFL Week 5: Late Game Wrapup

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Indianapolis Colts

Jeff Garcia - 18/23, 143 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1/7. Another workman-like performance from Garcia who continues his QB2 performances.

Michael Pittman - 5/-1, 2/16. Not only did he suck, he tore tendons in his ankle. Pittman is out at least 6 weeks and leaves the Tampa Bay backfield to...

Earnest Graham - 6/11, 2/18. I'm sure Graham owners were elated to check the box scores and 2 three yard TD passes to Alex Smith. Graham is the alpha dog in the TB backfield meaning he's well worth owning if he wasn't owned already.

Joey Galloway - 4/50. Not bad considering the solid job the Colts did of limiting what TB could do through the air. Indy has a good secondary scheme that doesn't give up a bunch of yardage, so this was a solid effort in a fairly tough matchup.

Alex Smith - 2/6, 2 TD. Well, he sure made those 2 catches count. He's not used to stretch the field, so he's nothing more than a TE2 who will score here and there.

Peyton Manning - 29/37, 253 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2/-2. He's no Tom Brady, that's for sure. ;)

Kenton Keith - 28/121, 3/37, 2 TD. Indy is the new Denver, apparently. Plug in RB, receive 100 yards and a TD. Addai should be back after the bye week, so since Keith's value returns to that of a handcuff, see what you can get out of the Addai owner.

Reggie Wayne - 7/62, 1 TD. Every since week 1, teams seem intent on not allowing the Colts to beat them deep. That being said, it'll limit Wayne's value somewhat if teams are successful at doing this, but Wayne is still an elite WR2 at the very least.

Anthony Gonzalez - 7/71. Gonzalez shows that if Harrison doesn't return after the bye week, he'd be a fantasy factor. If Harrison owners have a bench spot around, it's not a bad idea to grab him.

Dallas Clark - 7/49, 1 TD. Clark was almost decapitated on a vicious hit in the first half, but he returned to the game and put up another fine performance. Some fantasy outlets wondered if Clark's emergence during the playoffs in 2006 was for real, and he's sure proving that's the case with a great start to the 2007 season.

San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos

Phillip Rivers - 13/18, 270 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/-3, 1 TD. Rivers shocked everyone by turning in his best fantasy performance of the year against what looked like his toughest matchup to date. Rivers looked much more like his 2006 version by racking up solid yardage despite not throwing a whole lot. Hopefully the offense has turned the corner. Norv Turner has quite a history producing great offenses, so let's hope the early season struggles were simply that of acclimation.

LaDainian Tomlinson - 21/67, 3/73. LT continues to disappoint with the TD total so far, and Denver definitely wanted Rivers to beat them in this contest. This was especially disappointing considering that the Broncos were the 2nd worst rushing defense in the league. If you can somehow find an LT owner that wants out, go for it. There's no way he'll continue to struggle like this.

Michael Turner - 10/147, 1 TD. This is a perfect sell-high opportunity for Turner owners that sniped him from LT owners on draft day. This performance doesn't do anything other than show that Turner is a beast when given the ball.

Vincent Jackson - 3/84, 1 TD. He's a very risky PPR WR, but he'll make enough downfield plays to remain a very solid asset in normal leagues. If Rivers can get this turned around, Jackson will become more consistently on a weekly basis.

Antonio Gates - 7/113, 1 TD. Gates is on his way to the best TE season ever in fantasy football. Turner realizes what a special talent that Gates is and is doing his best to consistently target him like a WR each and every week. He's somehow outperforming his already lofty draft day price.

Jay Cutler - 23/36, 232 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 3/7. Cutler has been extremely erratic this year, and he really seems to miss Javon Walker. Much more was expected against a poor SD secondary so far, but I would imagine defenses are now simply keying in on Marshall and forcing someone else to beat them. The bye week comes at a good time.

Travis Henry - 16/65. A solid YPC effort against a stout SD run defense, but with the Broncos getting blown out, they just couldn't run much. Two things of note here for Henry owners. The bad thing is that veteran center Tom Nalen went down with a season-ending injury, and whoever replaces him won't be as good. The good thing is that he's going to be able to delay a suspension thanks to the legal proceedings that need to take place prior to a suspension being handed down, so it could be over a month before he's actually suspended. Trying to buy low is not a bad idea at all if you can get 4-5 weeks out of him.

Brandon Marshall - 7/72, FL. He predictably lead the Broncos in receiving, but he didn't make any big plays down the field, plus he lost a fumble. We liked him better when Walker was starting across from him.

Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers

Steve McNair - 29/43, 214 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/10. Another yawn-inducing performance from McNair. McNair has had a very admirable career, but I think the Ravens would improve their offense by going to Kyle Boller. Who would have thought we'd be saying this 2 years ago?

Willis McGahee - 22/88, 7/48. 5 games, 464 yards, 4.5 YPC, and a shocking 18/143 in the passing game. However, the dude can't score a damn TD on the ground. A very frustrating fact to say the least, both the good and the bad, but the rest of his production has been very solid, if not a bit surprising.

Derrick Mason - 11/85. He continues to post similar numbers every single week. A switch to Boller would hurt his production, so PPR leaguers should keep an eye on the QB situation and attempt to sell high if a switch is ever made.

Trent Dilfer - 12/19, 126 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/4. Plus, one of the most emphatic fist pumps I've ever seen after the TD pass. A solid effort against a solid BAL defense, but Smith should be ready after the bye.

Frank Gore - 16/52, 3/23. SF really needs to find a way to stretch the field and get the 8th and 9th guys out of the box so Gore has some room to run.

Darrell Jackson - 2/6. Bench him.

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

Brian Griese - 15/25, 214 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 1/-1. A very efficient performance from Griese against a pretty solid GB defense. It's really hard to recommend him as a fantasy option, but Minnesota's shaky secondary is up next, and you could do worse for a one week option.

Cedric Benson - 27/64, 1/5. It honestly looks like he's running through quicksand into a wall on over half his carries. He shows no burst whatsoever, and the offensive line isn't doing him many favors. With Minnesota's #1 run D up next, I'd try to avoid using him, although there's a good chance he could score and save what projects to be a miserable yardage performance. They Bears will stay dedicated to feeding him the ball as long as he doesn't put it on the ground.

Bernard Berrian - 1/10. Berrian left with a toe injury and didn't return. He's sunk to an average WR3 option with Griese at the helm.

Desmond Clark - 3/62, 1 TD. He's a solid TE2 with Griese starting. He'll look to his TEs, and even if he's sharing time with Olsen, both could become solid plays as the Bears would be smart to continue using them both off of playaction passes.

Greg Olsen - 4/57, 1 TD. See above.

Brett Favre - 29/40, 322 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT. He racked up the vast majority of that in the first half, and then Green Bay imitated a turtle by going into a conservative shell and never re-emerging.

DeShawn Wynn - 13/78, 1/13, 1 TD. As with Favre, most of that came in the first half. Brandon Jackson seems likely to return this week, and while Morency was also very productive in this game, his knee is bothering him again. It's a mess worth avoiding in starting lineups.

Donald Driver - 4/51. Green Bay seems intent on using all 3 WRs, although if James Jones receives less targets thanks to his fumbilitis, Driver would benefit.

Greg Jennings - 4/83, 1 TD. He's their best deep threat and he's settling in as a solid WR3.

James Jones - 5/61, 2 FL. Tillman kept punching the ball loose, and owners kept punching the nearest thing to them.

Donald Lee - 3/23. His quiestest yardage game of the season. He's still a solid TE2.

NFL Week 5: Early Game Wrapup

Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans

Trent Green - His eggs were scrambled trying to block Travis Johnson, and now he's out indefinitely. This is why you don't put older QBs with concussion problems in a situation where they might have to block. Stupid Dolphins.

Cleo Lemon - 15/27, 151 yards, 1 INT. Hardly impressive, but Lemon has some quality physical tools and knows coach Cam Cameron from back in San Diego. He'll have rookie John Beck breathing down his neck for a bit, but you could do worse than Lemon in a matchup against the dreadful Cleveland secondary in week 6.

Ronnie Brown - 23/114, 5/39, 1 TD. Ronnie Brown has arrived. This was especially impressive against a Houston run D that had been much improved over previous years up until this game. Given his proficiency in the passing game, expect Brown to be a solid RB1 for as long as he stays healthy.

Chris Chambers - 2/19. 2 duds in a row for Chambers, and the switch to Cleo Lemon might spell trouble. Consider him a WR4 until he shows what he can do with his new QB, although his matchup in week 6 against CLE doesn't get much better.

Marty Booker - 5/45. He's more of a possession guy, and Lemon might use him a bit more often. Think Derrick Mason-ish numbers with Lemon at the helm, and he's good for WR depth and a bye-week fill in.

Matt Schaub - 20/34, 294 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 3/6, 1 FL. He had been playing pretty well despite all the injuries around him on offense, but he's still only a weak matchup kinda guy without AJ and Jones. He gets Jacksonville next, so if your starter is on bye and Schaub is your backup, I'd highly consider the WW options for week 6.

Ron Dayne - 16/40, 1/5, 1 TD. So yeah, Ron Dayne is officially worthless. If he can't get it going against Atlanta and Miami, there's no hope for him. Ahman Green appears ready to return, so Ron Dayne should also make a return of his own....to the free agent pool.

Andre Davis - 4/79. Another solid game from a very popular waiver wire pickup. I wouldn't start him versus Jacksonville unless you're completely out of options.

Owen Daniels - 6/96. Still no TD, but Daniels is posting solid yardage and even better PPR numbers with their WRs out. Schaub relies on him as much as anyone and he has emerged as a lower tier TE1.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs

David Garrard - 20/27, 218 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 4/9. Another workman-like game from Garrard who is definitely a quality QB2. His running game was absent this week, but he seems to find the endzone once, puts up solid passing yards, and he usually supplements all of that with some rushing yards as well.

Fred Taylor - 16/51, 1/9. Another blah game from Taylor who's barely a RB3 at this point. He's getting a fairly solid workload, but he's just not doing much with it most weeks. Still, Jacksonville figures to stay with him.

Maurice Jones-Drew - 9/82, 3/30, 1 TD. There he is. He busted out a great 52 yard TD run which highlight his return as a fantasy option.

Dennis Northcutt - 4/73, 1 TD. He seems to have emerged as a go-to target for Garrard of sorts. Given all the injuries and bye week problems in week 6, starting him against Houston isn't a horrible idea.

Damon Huard - 1/30, 196 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. He left with an injury, but appears ready to go in week 6 despite not returning in week 5. If you've been waiting to use him for some reason, this week against Cincy may be as good as it gets.

Larry Johnson - 9/12, 5/3. Talk about doing nothing with your touches. LJ has posted 1 good game in 5, although if there's a positive here, his schedule has definitely been brutal so far. Buying low is a possibility given your current team situation, but temper your expectations, like I've been saying since before the season.

Dwayne Bowe - 4/70. Another solid game from the rookie who is definitely doing his best Marques Colston impersonation. He's emerged as a solid WR3 despite the poor offense around him.

Tony Gonzalez - 8/100. He's really come alive these past two weeks and he's proving that he still has it despite the crap offense around him. He's a lower tier TE1.

Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots

Derek Anderson - 22/43, 287 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT, 3/7. Not a bad performance at all given the competition. At this point I'm sold that Anderson can be a quality QB2. He had a monster game against Cincy, and he's followed that up with solid efforts each time out since then.

Jamal Lewis - 1/11. He suffered a foot sprain, which could mean he'll be out several weeks. Not that you should have been starting him against NE, anyways.

Jason Wright - 15/59, 4/43. A very solid afternoon for the unheralded backup to Jamal Lewis, especially against a tough NE defense. Miami can't stop anything on the ground except for Ron Dayne, so he's not a bad week 6 guy if you're hurting with injuries and bye weeks.

Braylon Edwards - 6/110. Edwards is proving to be WR1 material. Anderson knows how to get him the ball, and he's not afraid to toss it deep. He's been the 2nd best draft value at WR so far this year.

Kellen Winslow - 4/49, 1 TD, 1 FL. He just keeps putting up great TE numbers, no matter who the competition is, and no matter if he's hurt or not.

Tom Brady - 22/38, 265 yards, 3 TD. His worst game of the season. That's how ridiculous he's been this year.

Sammy Morris - 21/102, 2/9. He shredded the Cleveland defense, although I'm sure owners were hoping for paydirt. He contines to perform like a solid RB2 with Maroney hurt, and it's unclear when Maroney will return.

Randy Moss - 3/46. Cleveland sent everything they had at Moss, so Brady looked elsewhere. Given the upcoming showdown against the Cowboys and TO, expect him to rise to the occasion and produce a great bounceback game.

Donte Stallworth - 4/65, 1/12, 1 TD. He needs to be owned in every league now as he's clearly healthy. He'll probably frustrate you as an inconsistent starter, but he's going to get open with Moss opposite of him, and he still can make things happen after the catch.

Ben Watson - 6/107, 2 TD. Cleveland spent all their time covering Moss, and that left the middle of the field wide-open for Watson to own. Don't expect yardage days like this from him, but he'll have a few explosions throughout the year. He's still a lower tier TE1.

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints

David Carr - 10/17, 119 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/6. He hurt his back and needed an alignment and pain killers to return, but he did return and helped lead the Panthers to a comeback win. He's not to be touched in anything other than 2 QB leagues.

DeShaun Foster - 19/59. The new Foster, same as the old Foster. He finally earns the majority of the carries, but then does nothing with them. He's a dicey RB3, but should continue getting the majority of the carries for at least another week or two.

Steve Smith - 4/47, 1 TD. Well, at least he scored late in the game to give his fantasy owners a solid performance. With Delhomme out for the year, trying to sell Steve Smith as a WR1 might be a wise idea. Carr just can't get him the ball down the field. Carr turned AJ into a possession receiver in Houston and has a good chance of doing the same to Smith. Don't panick and give him up for Coles, but if you can somehow move him for a stud WR like Moss, Owens, CJ, etc, I wouldn't hesitate to do it.

Drew Brees - 29/47, 252 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT. This has become a serious problem. I thought the Saints would rebound at home after the break, but this team is clearly not very good this year. I wouldn't drop him because they're going to rebound somewhat eventually, but you can't risk starting him anymore.

Reggie Bush - 21/67, 9/52. Solid all-around yardage for Bush, but he struggled with his carries. He still has a lot to learn about running between the tackles, so his vision will likely hold him back from being consistent regarding his rushing yardage, but his presence in the receiving game will make him a consistent all-around yardage producer, and the TDs will come. He's a borderline RB1.

Devery Henderson - 4/101. His random explosion game occured here, but I wouldn't let him near my starting lineup. There's talk that he could lose his starting job to Lance Moore. Yeah, exactly, I don't know who he is either.

Eric Johnson - 5/30. He's dropped to a solid TE2 since this offense isn't going anywhere currently.

New York Jets at New York Giants

Chad Pennington - 21/36, 229 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, 2/6. His arm strength has gone from below average to poor, and it's affecting the team's passing game. It's time to drop him, perhaps for Derek Anderson. The calls for Kellen Clemens are getting louder.

Thomas Jones - 13/36, 2/14. He was expected to be a solid RB2 in an offense that was supposed to resemble the Bears, but more efficient. Instead it sucks, and it's dragging Jones down with it. He's a weak RB2 at the current time.

Laveraneous Coles - 8/89. He's been consistent despite Pennington's erratic games, and given he's Pennington's favorite target, he might see a bit of a drop in production if the team moves to Clemens at some point.

Jerricho Cotchery - 4/31. He's been a solid WR3 so far, and he could benefit from a move to Clemens, who can get him the ball further down the field.

Eli Manning - 13/25, 186 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 4/17. Another solid game from Eli who's quitely become a borderline QB1.

Brandon Jacobs - 20/100, 1 TD, 1 FL. He fumbled early, but rebounded in a huge way. He had another 20 yard TD called back, so the fact he unofficially scored twice from 20 yards out is a great sign moving forward. He handled 20 carries just fine and could emerge as a low-end RB1 with enough carries.

Derrick Ward - 13/56, 3/8, 1 TD. Ward was also productive, scoring from 8 yards out and running well. The Giants obviously won't be able to run 35 times (Droughns had 2 carries) each week, so expect those lesser weeks to have a bigger impact on Ward than Jacobs.

Plaxico Burress - 5/124, 1 TD. The TD was a thing of beauty where Burress escaped at least one defender and outran everyone to the endzone. He had a swollen ankle after the ballgame, but should be fine for week 6.

Jeremy Shockey - 2/33, 1 TD. The Giants didn't need to pass a whole lot, but at least Shockey found the endzone to post a quality fantasy afternoon.

Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers

Matt Hasselbeck - 13/27, 116 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. A horrible afternoon from Hasselbeck, who completely fell out of rhythm with the injury to Branch. If Branch can't return this week, that leaves him with Burleson and Engram as his WRs, and that means you should probably leave him on the bench.

Shaun Alexander - 11/25, 3/7. I said sell high. Ugly game, although he should rebound somewhat versus the Saints next week.

Deion Branch - 2/14. He was on a solid roll since week 1 before spraining his foot. His status for week 6 is in question.

Ben Roethlisberger - 18/22, 206 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. He was incredibly accurate despite not having Ward, and losing Holmes before the game started. The bye week comes at a perfect time for him as this will give Ward and Holmes time to heal from their injuries.

Willie Parker - 28/102. Parker is proving to be a bust this year as Davenport seems to have officially become the preferred option at the goalline. Parker struggled with fumbles last season in the redzone, and apparently the new coaching staff prefers using Davenport down there instead. This is a huge hit to his value. He'll remain a solid yardage contributor and a threat to break a big run, but he's back to being a borderline RB1 instead of a solid one.

Santonio Holmes - 0/0. Holmes hurt his hamstring in pre-game and didn't play. Unfortunately this screwed over almost all of his owners, but he's expected to return after his bye week.

Heath Miller - 4/44, 1 TD. Miller benefitted with Ward and Holmes out by posting a solid fantasy afternoon.

Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams

Matt Leinart - 7/13, 100 yards, 1 INT. Leinart gave fantasy owners a relief by breaking his collarbone and making Warner the new starting QB for the rest of the season.

Kurt Warner - 14/28, 190 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/0, 1 TD. Warner put up a solid fantasy day after Leinart left injured, and he should border on QB1 value for as long as he stays healthy. He's attributed his success to using gloves, allowing him to get a better grip on the ball. He won't be pass crazy like in 2005 under Dennis Green, but he'll be in a solid offense with a better line in front of him, plus Boldin could return this week.

Edgerrin James - 26/88, 1/9. A very disappointing day from James against the STL run D. He still put up solid yardage totals and has remained a workhorse. Warner might allow him more running room as he'll be a more consistent passer than Leinart was.

Larry Fitzgerald - 9/136, 1 TD. A huge day from Fitz, and he finally scored his first TD. It could have been even bigger as he had over 100 yards at halftime. With Warner the new starter, Fitz should be more consistent than with Leinart, but Warner appears to favor Boldin.

Gus Frerotte - 24/43, 262 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT, 1/1. Frerrotte posted a solid fantasy game with Bulger out, but the 3 INTs were annoying. Given he hadn't started in quite some time, I'd attribute that to rust as he's always been a solid backup. He's a solid QB2 with Bulger out.

Brian Leonard - 18/102, 5/33. A very Steven Jackson-ish game, and it's a shame he didn't score. Consider him a solid RB2 worth using in the right matchups while Jackson remains hurt.

Torry Holt - 5/89, 1 TD. As expected, Holt bounced back with a healthy QB behind center, and he produced his first big play hauling in a 34 yard catch. All in all, this is very good news for Holt.

Drew Bennett - 2/32, 1 TD. Bennett could become a decent WR3 option with Bruce out. He needs to be owned in all leagues, and he's a great redzone target.

Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans

Joey Harrington - 16/31, 87 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. Horrible, and he was relieved by Leftwich later in the game. It's amazing how he crumbles under pressure. Not that this game itself was huge for the Falcons, but it's because Leftwich is picking up the offense and is now a legit threat to take his job. Get rid of him.

Warrick Dunn - 10/27, 2/12. More of the same from Dunn.

Roddy White - 3/55. Not a bad performance given how poorly both QBs played. He's defintely worth a roster spot, and he should be able to get open against the Giants next week. Whether Harrington will have time to get him the ball is another story.

Alge Crumpler - 2/4. Yikes. Crumpler owners have to be praying Leftwich takes over at this point.

Vince Young - 20/33, 157 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT, 8/27. Young was supposed to outshine the opposing QB, not emulate him. This further proves how Young can't be relied upon as a QB1 despite likely being drafted as such.

LenDale White - 12/32, 1 FL. A very disappointing effort against what had been a bad ATL run D. I still consider him a solid RB3.

Chris Brown - 10/27, 1 TD. Brown's TD came from 3 yards out, so everything that I've read about White being the preferred option near the goalline might not be true.

Brandon Jones - 3/36. Probably the only Titans WR worth keeping an eye on. He shouldn't be anywhere near starting lineups, but could emerge as Young's go-to WR eventually.

Detroit Lions at Washington Redskins

Jon Kitna - 16/29, 106 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 4/3. A very ugly game from Kitna who was due for a clunker one of these weeks. They'll have the bye week to get Calvin Johnson back on the field, and to readjust to defense sitting deep on them.

Kevin Jones - 11/48. Jones got all his carries in the 2nd half, presumably so that Detroit could feature Tatum in an attempt to deal him. KJ appears poised to take the job to himself after the bye. He's a quality buy-low guy who could re-emerge as a RB2 at worst over the rest of the season. Now's a great time to get him.

Roy Williams - 3/36. Kitna struggled, thus so did Roy. Same for all the other WRs, so it's nothing to worry about.

Jason Campbell - 23/29, 248 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/0. A very efficient game from Campbell...probably his best performance of the season. I remain very high on him and think that he's around to stay as a solid NFL QB, and he's a solid QB2 who should keep improving.

Clinton Portis - 18/72, 2/19, 1 FL. Another solid yardage day from Portis who looked much better in the 2nd half. He's still nothing more than an RB2 and the Skins seem set on limiting his workload. I thought he'd be seeing more carries, especially with Betts not impressing, but that hasn't been the case so far.

Antwaan Randle El - 7/100. All of that came in the first half, but he left injured and didn't return. With Santana Moss likely to return this week, Randle El should return to fantasy benches.

Chris Cooley - 4/26, 1 TD. Cooley continues to disappoint with his yardage totals, but he's scored a few TDs to make up for it. He's having to block more thanks to the injuries to Jon Jansen and Randy Thomas on the offensive line, but as the new offensive line members gel more into the scheme, expect Cooley to pick it up in the 2nd half.