Fantasy Football News 11/13/06

[Hache Man]

Recaps: Slump Busters

Chargers 49, Bengals 41
Game Recap by: Scott Morrow

The Big Story

Defense: who needs it? Truthfully, either of these teams could have used some on Sunday, as the talented offenses of San Diego and Cincinnati combined to score 90 points. Philip Rivers (24-36, 337 yards, 3 TDs) led the Chargers on the biggest comeback in team history, erasing a 21-point halftime lead and setting up LaDainian Tomlinson (22-104-4, 6-54-0) for four rushing touchdowns. A massive performance by Carson Palmer (31-42, 440 yards, 3 TDs, FL) was for naught, and Chad Johnson (11-260-2) eased his owners' frustrations with a gigantic stat line.

Beyond the Box Score

Cincinnati's offensive line, including rookie LT Andrew Whitworth, provided ample protection for Palmer in the first half, and the quarterback let loose to the tune of 20-23 pass attempts, 282 yards, and two touchdowns. San Diego's pass rush put more pressure on Palmer in the second half, however, and Palmer's lost fumble enabled the Chargers to take their first lead of the game. Key drops by T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry, the latter coming in the end zone on Cincinnati's final possession, prevented an even bigger game from Palmer.

With a plethora of blown assignments in the San Diego secondary, it was a good day to be a Bengals receiver, and Palmer made a point to find his most brazen wideout. That would be none other than Chad Johnson, who cooked safety Terrence Kiel by selling an inside move on a corner route, leaving him wide open for his first touchdown. A miscommunication between Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer left him by his lonesome once more, and Johnson made them pay. Quick outs, curls, slants, deep corners, crossing patterns; you name it, and Johnson ran it, usually culminating with a catch.

Tomlinson was his usual elusive self, even though Cincinnati did a modest job of containing him. Rivers, meanwhile, was the real man of the hour, leading his team to six touchdowns in the second half despite getting off to a slow start. Malcom Floyd (5-109-1) provided a big target with his six-foot-five frame after Eric Parker left with a neck injury, and Tomlinson added 54 receiving yards on six receptions.

Housmandzadeh (7-88-0) took a nasty shot from safety Marlon McCree, which resulted in a pass interference penalty, but was had his helmet knocked off by the knee of linebacker Randall Godfrey. The pony-tailed receiver left the game and did not return, but seemed to have his wits about him in post-game interviews. Henry (2-18-1) caught a touchdown when CB Drayton Florence botched a zone-coverage assignment in the end zone.

Going Forward

Owners of Palmer and Johnson had been waiting all season for a day like today. With an advantageous match-up next week against the Saints, the duo could have another huge game in store.

Rudi Johnson (18-85-1) did not start as punishment for being late to a team meeting, but entered the game on Cincinnati's second possession. Chris Perry (4-31-0) was quiet despite the "extra" work, and should continue to have limited value unless Johnson gets hurt.

Floyd may be able to earn Rivers' affections without Parker, but isn't worth picking up outside of very deep leagues. With Denver on the docket for Week 11, Floyd could be limited even if he starts.

Packers 23, Vikings 17
Game Recap by Aaron Gleeman

The Big Story

Minnesota's offense looked surprisingly dangerous in the second quarter, putting 14 points on the board, but was as listless as usual for the other three quarters. Brett Favre racked up 347 yards through the air to offset another solid performance from the Vikings' run defense, as the Packers held off a late rally to win on the road.

Beyond the Box Score

Green Bay had some early success cut-blocking like crazy and running right into the middle of Minnesota's defensive line, but as usual the Vikings ended up shutting the ground game down. Ahman Green followed up back-to-back big games with 22 carries for 55 yards, was stuffed several times at the goal line, and had zero catches, with Favre going to William Henderson as his preferred dump-down option.

Donald Driver was targeted on a dozen of Favre's 42 throws, catching six of them for a career-high 191 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown right before halftime. Just as the announcers were saying Darren Sharper knew the Packers' hand signals and could potentially use it against Favre, Driver caught a pass right in front of him without breaking his stride and split through the secondary. Interestingly, three of the five longest passes in Favre's career have now gone to Driver.

It was another workmanlike effort from Chester Taylor, who totaled 95 yards on 22 touches, but he narrowly missed just his third touchdown of the season by fumbling at the goal after making a catch over the middle. Billy McMullen scooped up the ball for an easy touchdown, so the play didn't end up hurting the Vikings, but Taylor's scoring chances have been so rare this season that missing one like that hurts.

Favre came into the game with a 4-10 career record in Minnesota, but had little trouble doing damage against the Vikings' pass defense, throwing for 189 yards in the first half and 158 yards in the second half. He looked to Driver constantly when the pocket was collapsing, dumped the ball off effectively underneath, and followed up both touchdown throws by celebrating like the Packers just won the Super Bowl.

Going Forward

Greg Jennings fought through ankle problems to start, caught three passes for 38 yards, and made a great play to lateral the ball to Driver while he was being taken to the ground following one of his grabs. Jennings wasn't targeted a ton, but looked healthy and played well, which is great news after the injury stalled his rookie season.

With Marcus Robinson sidelined and Troy Williamson becoming less of a factor with each game, McMullen and Bethel Johnson (who had a kickoff return touchdown called back on a penalty) emerged with bigger roles in the Vikings' lackluster air attack.

Mewelde Moore has been one of Minnesota's few consistent producers offensively despite getting very few chances, but his touches appear to gradually be increasing. He gained 72 yards on seven touches against Green Bay and was especially productive in the passing game.

Colts 17, Bills 16
Game Recap By: Evan Silva

The Big Story

Buffalo may have played its best game all season Sunday and still lost. With the entire Bills defensive back depth chart committed to keep Peyton Manning from going deep, Dominic Rhodes (14-72, 3-20) and Joseph Addai (13-78-1, 7-46) found plenty of room to work. A Pro Bowl-like performance from Terrence McGee on special teams and sound running from Anthony Thomas (28-109) were not enough, as Manning picked Buffalo apart with short throws, frequently in the form of underneath passes to Ben Utecht (7-66).

Beyond the Box Score

Addai was used less on the ground than Rhodes until late in the game, when the Colts looked to the rookie to be their "closer." He got the ball on six consecutive plays during Indy's final drive (that lasted 6:22) and picked up 33 yards, along with three first downs. Rhodes was on the sidelines at that point.

The Bills didn't ask much of J.P. Losman (9-13-83-0-0), who has now avoided turnovers in two straight weeks. In theory, Buffalo's clamps on Losman would seem to hurt Lee Evans (5-70), but that hasn't been the case since Week 7.

Dallas Clark (3-28) had a bad drop in the red zone that was almost picked off by Bills third corner Kiwaukee Thomas while Indianapolis was down in the second quarter. Clark had another poor game, building on his disappointing season.

Reggie Wayne (4-42-1) and Marvin Harrison (2-21) were pretty quiet due to Buffalo's defensive strategy. Utecht led the Colts in receiving. Addai finished second.

The A-Train was back at it, plowing through defenders and dropping his shoulder. He's a powerful runner and should get a lot of credit for what he's done while Willis McGahee (ribs) has been out.

Going Forward

Clark will be in Indianapolis at least through 2008, when there's a player option in his contract. Though he drops tons of passes, as long as Clark is around, Utecht and Bryan Fletcher (1-13) will likely remain lower than him on the depth chart. Clark has been a Colt for a while and is an athletic pass catcher. Utecht has some tools but has never been able to stay healthy.

McGahee could be out for the rest of the season. He definitely won't be in pads next Sunday at Houston. Use the A-Train as a flex in Week 11.

Without Bob Sanders (inactive, knee), the Colts' defense just isn't as sharp. Indy's fantasy defense is weak when Sanders doesn't play.

Jets 17, Patriots 14
Game Recap by: Gregg Rosenthal

The Big Story

The Jets controlled the last three quarters of the game by winning the war in the trenches. On a muddy field, Kevan Barlow took charge of the Jets backfield and Jerricho Cotchery made Chad Pennington look good by snagging a late 22-yard score that could have been intercepted. Tom Brady made the big mistake in the fourth quarter again, not the big play.

Beyond The Box Score

Brady (25/37-255-1-1) didn't lead the Pats to a touchdown until the final five minutes. The Jets blitzed New England all day, and the Patriots had no answers. The conditions were tough to throw in, so it was surprising again that New England didn't run more. With Doug Gabriel and Troy Brown playing less, Brady looked out of synch with his receivers. Another Brady pick was overturned by a questionable penalty.

Reche Caldwell (9-90-1) has turned into the Patriots' most consisted threat on the outside. That's damning with faint praise. Doug Gabriel (2-30-0) lost playing time even before losing a fumble. Jabar Gaffney (3-65-0) and Chad Jackson (2-5-0) played early and often.

No player in the NFL leaves games more mysteriously than Corey Dillon (11-98-0). After busting open a 50-yard run in the first quarter, Dillon wasn't seen again until after halftime. Dillon has been in and out of games all season. Laurence Maroney (12-37-0), less suited for muddy conditions, completed his fifth straight game without topping 80 total yards or scoring a touchdown.

Pennington (22/33-168-1-1) made a lot of low percentage touch passes work because of great accuracy and aggressive efforts by his wideouts. The Patriots nearly picked off a few floaters early, but then Pennington settled down.

Laveranues Coles (5-29-0) made a few tough grabs early, but let a long pass go through his arms. Jerricho Cotchery (6-70-1) continued his excellent year by wanting the ball more than the Patriots secondary on a handful of catches. He reminds me of T.J. Houshmandzadeh a few years ago.

Kevan Barlow (17-75-1) had his best day as a Jet. He made a number of good cutbacks to make Patriots defenders miss and broke tackles with power running plays. Nick Mangold and Pete Kendall had great days. The Jets smartly ran straight at New England, who was missing Ty Warren all day and Richard Seymour for much of the afternoon. Leon Washington (9-35-0), more of a scat-back, took a backseat in clear power running conditions.

Going Forward

It's impossible to guess which Patriots offensive player will step up in a given week. Ben Watson is a decent TE1, but not a difference maker. Reche Caldwell is worth owning in PPR leagues, but you don't want to start him. The running backs often cancel each other out. Despite the inconsistent outing, Tom Brady is the one Patriots player to count on down the stretch – mostly because of his schedule.

I'm guilty of overrating Laurence Maroney as a fantasy option. The big days may yet come, but the reality is that Maroney has less fantasy points than Noah Herron over the last six weeks. It's hard to put up fantasy points with barely any receptions and only 10-15 carries a week.

Laveranues Coles was held under 40 yards for the fourth time in five weeks. I wouldn't bench him most weeks, but he's closer to a WR2/3 than a true top threat by now. Pennington can't get him the ball deep.

Kevan Barlow and Leon Washington will stay in a time share that will likely fluctuate depending on the game situation. Next week they face the Bears and should both be benched in fantasy leagues.

Eagles 27, Redskins 3
Game Recap by Aaron Gleeman

The Big Story

Washington dominated the clock early, but several big-yardage plays propelled Philadelphia into the lead and the surprisingly balanced Eagles had little problem keeping the Redskins off the board once they went exclusively to the air.

Beyond the Box Score

Perhaps those reports of Donte' Stallworth finally being 100 percent healthy were true. Stallworth looked every bit the game-breaker who put up huge numbers early in the season, catching an 84-yard touchdown in the first half and totaling six grabs for 139 yards. He showed no signs of lingering hamstring trouble while sprinting through the Redskins' defense and was targeted on 11 of Donovan McNabb's 26 throws. On the other hand, Santana Moss was limited to three short catches in a return from hamstring problems of his own.

Coach Andy Reid handing play-calling duties over to offensive coordinator Marty Morningweg didn't make headlines, but the impact was clear. Morningweg took a pass-heavy offense and made them downright balanced, calling 30 runs and 29 passes. The result was a career-high 22 carries for Brian Westbrook and a total of 145 rushing yards for the team, as the Eagles finally preserved a late lead by doing like every other team in the world and running the ball.

Another impact of Morningweg's play-calling is less of a focus on ball-control passing and more deep bombs, which is how McNabb racked up 222 yards on just 12 completions. He wasn't particularly accurate, completing fewer than half his tosses, and was 4-of-16 for 139 yards at halftime before going 8-of-10 in the second half.

Going Forward

After carrying six times for 25 yards in the first quarter, Clinton Portis left with what was later revealed to be a broken hand. Coach Joe Gibbs said afterward that he'll require surgery, which means Ladell Betts will have at least a few games as the Redskins' No. 1 running back. Betts ran 20 times for 83 yards in Portis' place Sunday while also catching four passes, and has the potential to be a very solid RB2 heading down the stretch.

Westbrook was at his defender-juking best against Washington and a focus on mixing in more runs will do nothing but boost his fantasy value. Prior to Sunday, Westbrook had topped as many as 15 carries in just three games this season. He might break down under a heavy workload, but the numbers will be nice in the meantime.

Portis' injury led to an actual T.J. Duckett sighting, including a nice 12-yard run. Duckett will likely be given a chance to take over the goal-line carries and could emerge as the primary backup to Betts in an offense that has previously had plenty of carries to go around for two backs.

Texans 13, Jaguars 10
Game Recap By: Evan Silva

The Big Story

The Big Story is that the Jaguars' receivers are terrible. Some had multiple drops (Ernest Wilford and Matt Jones), or made extremely costly mistakes (Reggie Williams) that killed David Garrard (15-34-214-0-4, 4-44). Garrard played an average game, not the complete disaster it looks like. Other than a few scampers by David Carr, Houston couldn't forge a running game and Andre Johnson was shut down. Carr even got hurt late in the game, and Jacksonville experienced three Sage Rosenfels (1-3-9-0-0) passes. This loss was squarely on the Jaguars' wide receivers, who were even reported to be fighting amongst themselves heading to the half.

Beyond the Box Score

Garrard put a deep ball in the belly of Wilford (2-52) and a first-down pass in his hands. Ernest dropped both. Jones had two drops on perfect passes from Garrard and both were picked off, one by a Texans defensive lineman. Williams was whistled for offensive-pass interference away from the ball that negated a 38-yard catch by Cortez Hankton, as well as another holding penalty that preceded Garrard's fourth interception.

Maurice Jones-Drew (3-11-1, 4-56) and Fred Taylor (12-63, 5-71) both had strong days that can't be overlooked. Taylor was especially impressive, darting around defenders on several long gains. Drew made back-to-back catches after the Jags were buried deep in their own territory late in the first half and scored a three-yard TD in the fourth quarter.

The Jaguars double-teamed Andre Johnson (3-56) and keyed on stopping Wali Lundy (16-34-1, 1-9) early in the game after both burnt them for 100+ total yards in Week 7. Samkon Gado (17-67, 1-6) came in late and gained some yards after Lundy had already wore the defense down.

Going Forward

Though Gado did most of his work late in the game, there's a possibility he's now back in the picture for a time share, which is scary for Lundy owners who've been eying four straight strong matchups coming up. Lundy is likely to remain the starter but expect Gado to eat into his carries if Lundy doesn't get it done. Wali is not as safe a fantasy play anymore. Gado is worth a look in deep leagues.

There's not a Jaguars receiver who is definitely worth a roster spot in a shallow fantasy league. Jones and Williams can't be confident the way they're playing.

Don't expect Byron Leftwich (ankle, inactive) to reenter the QB picture, but Garrard is only a mediocre fantasy play versus the Giants in Week 11.

Carr (16-32-167-0-0, 5-48) has recently been at his best when using his legs and has been given more freedom to run with the football. But it looks like Texans coach Gary Kubiak is going to have a quick hook for his starting QB going forward. Carr did not appear to be seriously injured but never came back in after going down.


Ravens 27, Titans 26
Game Recap by: Gregg Rosenthal

The Big Story

Steve McNair found Derrick Mason for the go-ahead score as the old Titans stuck it to their former team by scoring the last 20 points of the game. Vince Young was stymied after a hot first half, but drove Tennessee within field goal range late, only to see Trevor Pryce block a Rob Bironas field-goal attempt.

Beyond The Box Score

McNair (29/47-373-3-2) had his best fantasy day of the year. He pumped faked Lamont Thompson out of his shoes on a 65-yard score to Mark Clayton early in the game. While McNair made a few mistakes, he had no running game to speak of, and was more mobile than in games past. His best three games of the year have arguably been his last three, all with Brian Billick calling plays.

Mark Clayton (7-125-1) has passed Derrick Mason (8-64-1) as Baltimore's best fantasy wideout. With Demetrius Williams (4-75-0) flashing some serious skills, Baltimore could have a potent pass attack if McNair can keep improving. Clayton is the team's best receiver after the catch. Todd Heap (4-49-0) left the game briefly with an ankle injury, but x-rays were negative and he returned.

Vince Young (13-25-211-0-1, 8-39-1) found Drew Bennett (6-115-0) early and often in the first half, taking advantage of single coverage by Chris McAlister. Young looked to use his legs more often in this game, which is a sign he's getting more confident. Despite being shutout in the second half, it was a step forward for the rookie against a great defense. Bennett's big day was a sign that there could be second-half life for the Titans receivers.

The minor Jamal Lewis (16-45-0) revival ended a week early. Brian Billick appears happy to run him into the ground this season, despite his 3.44 yards-per-carry average.

Two players were carted off the field with serious injuries. Musa Smith had to be strapped to a backboard before being carted off. If he's out for a long time, Mike Anderson will be Jamal Lewis' backup. David Givens returned from a thumb injury only to hurt his knee. Coach Jeff Fisher said "it doesn't look good" after the game, which usually means the player is done for the season. Brandon Jones could re-enter the starting lineup.

Going Forward

Travis Henry (27-107-1), like most of the Titans, did most of his damage in the first half with 86 yards. He's been up-and-down as a starter, but this effort should earn him a few more starts at least. I still would think about selling high if you can get a fantasy starter back for him.

McNair and Clayton can absolutely keep it rolling. Their next three opponents (Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati) are giving up yards in chunks through the air. Both players should be owned in all leagues and are decent options for now.

Mike Anderson is a reasonable pickup now that he's the clear backup to Jamal Lewis. I wouldn't bother picking up Brandon Jones or Bobby Wade, who aren't likely to be consistent options.

Browns 17, Falcons 13
Game Recap by Aaron Gleeman

The Big Story

The Browns turned two early Michael Vick turnovers into touchdowns, uncharacteristically avoided mistakes of their own, and held off a late Falcons comeback by getting Vick to give the ball up a third time. The turnovers were the difference, allowing Cleveland to win on the road despite being out-gained 343-to-236.

Beyond the Box Score

Atlanta's beat up secondary provided ample opportunity for Charlie Frye to post big numbers, but instead he took advantage by managing the game with 16 completions in 22 throws and avoided an interception for the first time in 10 games. Frye started out 9-of-11 for 107 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown strike to Braylon Edwards, and appeared to focus on avoiding the same type of mistakes that have caused the Browns to cough up past leads.

Cleveland continues to pound the ground game since replacing offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon, but this time Reuben Droughns' 21 carries led to just 54 yards. He was particularly ineffective in the second half, rushing 10 times for 11 yards while losing a key fumble, but did find the end zone from short yardage following Kellen Winslow's 40-yard catch in the first quarter.

Vick has now followed up back-to-back great games with back-to-back horrible ones, although he still put up solid fantasy numbers by rushing for 74 yards Sunday. Vick completed just 18-of-40 passes for 197 yards, was picked off twice leading to Cleveland touchdowns, and carelessly lost a fumble scrambling late that wiped away the Falcons' comeback.

Vick played poorly, but a lot of credit goes to the Browns' defense. Cleveland did an excellent job pressuring Vick and staying with him all over the field by using spying linebackers like Kamerion Wimbley, and even knocked him out of the game for a single play. Vick was also hurt by his receivers dropping at least four passes, which has been a season-long problem (they dropped a half-dozen last week).

Going Forward

Alge Crumpler's four catches for 37 yards doesn't look like much, but don't worry. He was targeted on 13 of Vick's 40 throws, including both interceptions, and remains the clear go-to receiver in the maddeningly inconsistent Atlanta passing game.

Michael Jenkins caught a touchdown and Ashley Lelie narrowly missed having a huge game when two balls went off his finger-tips, but it was Roddy White who posted big numbers. White caught five passes for 99 yards, including a huge 55-yard catch in the fourth quarter, and was targeted a total of six times despite coming into the game with a total of 13 catches for 121 yards.

With Jerious Norwood out, the full workload went to Warrick Dunn, who rushed 21 times for 73 yards and caught four passes. Norwood had been emerging as a snap-stealer prior to injuring his knee, so any additional time he misses is good news for Dunn's stats.


Dolphins 13, Chiefs 10
Game Recap by: Gregg Rosenthal

The Big Story

The Dolphins defense kept Larry Johnson mostly under wraps, while Tony Gonzalez left the game late with a shoulder injury in a disastrous game for the Chiefs. Ronnie Brown solidified his top-ten fantasy ranking with an 89-yard, 1 TD effort.

Beyond The Box Score

Gonzalez (6-84-0) is the hottest tight end in football, but it looks like a shoulder injury will force him to miss time. Tony's brother Chris, the loosest lipped relative since Adam Vinatieri's mom, told the Palm Beach Post that Gonzo would likely miss 2-3 weeks with the injury. There's no telling if he's right, but Gonzalez owners should start scanning the wire.

Ronnie Brown (25-89-1) left early with a groin injury, but only missed a series. Brown had big holes to run through hole in the first half. Moving Damion McIntosh to left tackle has really changed the Miami line's effectiveness. There was less room to work with late after G Jeno James was hurt, but Brown picked through some holes showing his usual patience. This was Brown's lowest total yardage in four games, and he still had a decent fantasy day.

Larry Johnson (18-75-1, 2-14-0) looked mortal, but it's a sign of a great fantasy player when they produce during an off-game. Considering the Chiefs didn't have a first down until three minutes were left in the first half, his afternoon didn't turn out bad. It was a weak effort overall for Kansas City's offensive line, who was overwhelmed.

Damon Huard (15-38-201-0-0) showed why the Chiefs play better with a lead. His protection didn't hold up, and Huard was very lucky not to have a few interceptions. Samie Parker (1-13-0) didn't help his cause with another showing of poor hands.

Chris Chambers (3-66-0) owners have a right to feel cheated. He caught a 46-yard flea flicker but went out at the one-yard line. He was ruled out of bounds on a dubious call later in the game when he nearly scored. Still, it's clear Joey Harrington (19-35-201-0-0) is not going to lock on to Chambers. His first six completions were to different receivers. None of the Dolphins had exciting days, including Wes Welker (3-46-0), Marty Booker (2-16-0), and Randy McMichael (5-34-0).

Going Forward

If Gonzalez is out, the Chiefs may use Kris Wilson more at tight end. Wilson would be a fine short-term pickup. Damon Huard would no longer be a good fantasy option without Gonzo while facing Oakland and Denver the next two weeks. If you can sell high with Huard, now is the time.

Joey Harrington and the Dolphins' wideouts are decent options over the next two weeks because they face Minnesota and Detroit.

49ers 19, Lions 13
Game Recap By: Evan Silva

The Big Story

Without three starting defensive linemen, Detroit wasn't ready for Frank Gore. Gore (22-159-1, 2-14) broke the game open in the first quarter with a 61-yard touchdown and hard running that led to two more first-half field goals. Detroit's normally potent offense was ineffective against a revamped Niners' D that doubled down on Roy Williams (5-81) all game and forced Jon Kitna (19-30-202-1-1) to throw to receivers with far less big-play ability.

Beyond the Box Score

All Alex Smith (14-20-136-0-0) had to do was play smart. He got some help when Lions nickel back Stanley Wilson dropped a sure interception return for a TD in the second quarter. Smith also fumbled in the third, leading to the Lions' lone touchdown. But other than that, he did a good job of not trying to do too much, and often hooked up with Arnaz Battle (6-55), who seemed to get a first down every time he touched the ball.

Kevin Jones (13-44, 9-71) got off to an extremely slow start after Detroit fell behind early. He didn't get a carry until late in the first quarter and fumbled on his third touch. But Jones turned it up big time in the second-half receiving game, where Mike Furrey (2-13), DeVale Ellis (0-0), and Kevin Kasper (0-0) were complete non-factors.

Niners linebacker Brandon Moore is on a serious tear. After breaking into the starting lineup in Week 9 and recording 14 tackles and a sack, Moore dominated this game at times, and finished with nine stops and two sacks. It's uncertain what position Moore is playing, as the Niners rotate Moore and Derek Smith between the middle and strong side.

Going Forward

From week to week, Jones has been highly inconsistent in the running game, mostly because his carries are hard to predict. But because Jones is now one of the best receiving backs in the NFL, his fantasy numbers are steady.

Don't worry about Furrey, Williams, and Kitna. San Francisco's defense is on a high right now after finding the right personnel to fit coach Mike Nolan's evolving scheme. Furrey, Williams, and Kitna, after all, are still starters in Mike Martz's offense.

Gore suffered a "mild concussion" that cost him a few late-game carries. He may be on the Week 11 injury report, but Nolan didn't seem overly concerned after the game.

Battle at this point is a better bet to rack up catches than Antonio Bryant (2-24) in any game. Bryant is a high-risk fantasy play week in, week out.

[Hache Man]

A Kick in the Teeth

Through eight games of 2006, Chad Johnson was on pace for a Rod Smith-like season of 80 catches, 964 yards and four TDs.

It seemed Johnson wasn't even the best receiver on his team, as T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry were consistently making more plays, scoring more often and contributing in the ways Johnson always had.

As a result, Chad Johnson (11/260, 2 TDs) was one of the most-shopped players in fantasy football last week, with buyers looking to get in on Johnson's lowest value in years and sellers looking to recoup some of their early-round investment for a second half run.

Fast-forward to today.

The now physically-ill sellers are cursing their luck and cursing their stupid decision to give up on stupid Chad Johnson and his stupid recently-departed Mohawk a little too early.

Whilst the buyers are figuratively lighting their victory cigars with ignited one-hundred dollar bills and doing laps in their fantasy gold a la Scrooge McDuck.

So what are the lessons to be learned here?

One could be to value career stats more than those from half a season. Another lesson could be one of patience with star players. And yet another could be that sometimes we just get unlucky.

I'm sure none of this is helping the former Chad Johnson owners out there, some of whom have probably thought about retiring from fantasy football altogether in the last 24 hours (there really is nothing more painful than seeing 'C.Johnson: 11/260, 2 TDs' scrolling across the screen the week after you've traded him. It's like the world is taunting you).

But the reality is that sometimes things work out and sometimes they don't. All we can do as fantasy owners is to make the best decisions we can based on the information we have available.

And if that doesn't work, so be it.

Emerging Trends

The Good Stuff:

Frank Gore (22/159, TD; 2/14) scored his first touchdown since week two on a 61-yard run Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately for Gore, he also suffered a concussion in the third quarter that forced him from what could have been an even bigger statistical game against the Lions.

We'll have to see how Gore responds during the week, but I'm tempted to sell here on Frankie. Michael Robinson is still getting looks in short yardage and Gore has a history of injury problems in addition to his recently concussed brain.

It's certainly a risk, but it may pay to see what the market will bear if Gore is deemed healthy enough to play in week eleven. I understand there aren't many reliable fantasy backs (of which Gore is one), but the injury history on top of the lack of TDs makes me think this week may be a good time to ring the register here. Sell.

Donald Driver (6/191, TD) is quietly having a nice year…again.

One of fantasy football's least heralded stars is on pace for a very nice 2006—100 catches, 1,370 yards and seven TDs. And those numbers shouldn't surprise anyone.

Over the last three years Driver has been one of football's most consistent wideouts. His average game in that span: six catches, 80 yards and half a TD. And while those numbers may not jump off the page, over the course of a season they really add up...especially for a guy that routinely goes much later on draft day than his statistical counterparts.

Donald is old-ish (31), sure, but he's still a highly productive player. And as long as Brett Favre is running the show in Green Bay, I imagine Driver will continue to produce.

The Bad Stuff:

In five of his last six games, Anquan Boldin (2/53) has registered four or fewer catches. This from a guy that topped 100 catches in 2005 while playing in just fourteen games!

Boldin is obviously a talented player, but the limitations of his offense are noticeably affecting 'Quan's numbers.

Until Leinart and the Cardinals offensive line become more productive, Boldin and the rest of the Cardinals skill guys will have trouble putting up consistent numbers. The return of Larry Fitzgerald (6/80) should help to deflect the attention of defenses moving forward, but I can't help but feel that Boldin's upside is somewhat limited as things stand now.

Don't get me wrong, Boldin is still a fine WR2. But most owners were hoping for a little more from the fourth year pro. Concerned owners would be justified in shopping Boldin this week if they're able to get WR1-value in return.

Shanahan Corner:

Ever see a movie called 'Vice Versa'?

It came out in 1988 and starred Fred Savage and Judge Reinhold as a father and son that magically switch roles after encountering some sort of mysterious skull.

As a kid, I remember it being a decent movie. I also remember it being the movie Fred Savage was in just prior to 'The Wizard', his movie about playing Nintendo that teased so many of us youngsters into thinking we, too, might be able to play Super Mario Bros. for a living one day.

Why do I bring up this Fred Savage-related nostalgia? Because I was wondering if Mike and Tatum Bell have accidentally stumbled onto that very same ethereal skull from 'Vice Versa'.

I purposely omitted the Broncos situation last week because Mike Bell got virtually every touch in Denver's backfield against the Steelers and Tatum was inactive. But this week, it's Vice Versa!

Mike was inactive yesterday against the Raiders, a healthy scratch. While Tatum (14/37; 1/-2) dominated the touches in the Denver backfield.

I've written it once, and I'll write it again—This section of The Morning After is called 'Shanahan Corner' for a very good reason. I have no idea what to expect from Broncos runners moving forward. For that matter, I'm not sure Shanny does either.

Samkon Gado returned to the realm of the fantasy relevant in Week 10. He carried 17 times for 67 yards, outpacing incumbent Wali Lundy (16/34; 1/9) on both counts. Clearly this job isn't Lundy's exclusively, so line up to grab Gado this week if you're thin at running back.

In the same game that saw Sam Gado's return to the Texans' backfield, we may have seen a slight shift in philosophy regarding Fred Taylor (12/63; 5/71) and Maurice Jones-Drew-Griffith-Joyner-Kersee (3/11, TD, 4/56).

The Jags, trailing all day, gave Taylor a decided edge in carries and touches, though Jones-Drew-Griffith-Joyner-Kersee still got the ball at the stripe.

In my opinion, and despite Taylor's edge in touches, this situation here remains as it has been. The flow of the game dictated a lot of what transpired yesterday in Jacksonville. David Garrard (15/34, 214, 4 INTs; 4/44) was forced to throw much more than Jack Del Rio would have liked and things generally went poorly for the Jags.

Maintain the status quo for now.

Those New England Patriots continue to split their carries evenly between Corey Dillon (11/98; 1/5) and Laurence Maroney (12/37).

I advised buying low on Maroney last week and I'm advising the same this week as Maroney's value is now even lower.

Dillon ripped off a 50-yard run to help his stats on a day in which the Patriots couldn't otherwise get much going on the ground. With every week that passes, it's getting tougher to recommend Maroney over Dillon, but I believe in the rookie's talent and I think he's due for a big game sometime soon.

He remains a 'buy', and an attractive one at his current price.

The Colts went back to splitting carries between Dominic Rhodes (14/72; 3/20, fum) and Joseph Addai (13/78, TD; 7/46). Addai is the preferable player here, though the job isn't solely his as many of us surmised after last weekend's disparity in carries.

It should be noted, though, that Addai was in the game as the Colts went into run-out-the-clock mode late against the Bills. And that's an important distinction between the two runners. It means the Colts have faith in Addai in tight situations. And that, as felonious hag Martha Stewart would say, is a good thing (for Addai owners).

The Titans gave Travis Henry (27/107, TD) virtually all the carries yesterday. LenDale White played sparingly and didn't receive a carry.

Henry remains the best bet for touches in the Tennessee, which is officially on the endangered species list of Shanahan backfields.

Reggie Bush (10/49, TD; 7/40, fum) scored his first career touchdown from scrimmage Sunday against the Steelers. It came on a reverse, for the record. He also had the most productive fantasy day of his young career.

Deuce McAllister (15/60, 2 TDs; 1/2) did fine in his own right as the Saints continue to boast one of the league's most productive Shanahan backfields. In a given week (like week ten), both McAllister and Bush can be serviceable RB2's regardless of the format. That said, Deuce remains the favorite in scoring formats and Bush the favorite in most ppr formats.

The Bears went decidedly Thomas Jones-heavy Sunday night, feeding Jones 30 times for 113 yards and a TD. He also caught three balls for ten yards and lost a fumble.

Cedric Benson (6/7; 1/-1) was as much of a non-factor as his pedestrian numbers would indicate. As I've written before, I can't imagine the Bears would look to work Benson into their rotation more heavily in the midst of a post-season run. While Benson may be their future, Jones is definitely Chicago's present. Cedric is worth owning, but he's strictly a handcuff in my opinion, and shouldn't be counted on for any kind of regular production.

I advised buying Marion Barber and selling Julius Jones last week. Their week ten results illustrated why.

Barber (14/65, TD; 1/8) continues to score the TDs while Jones (15/45) continues not to. What really hurts Julius is his lack of involvement in the passing game. He's caught just three passes this season.

Here's the reality: Julius is a time share back that doesn't get the ball at the stripe and doesn't catch passes. And that's generally not a good thing for fantasy football purposes. Deal him if you can.

Zach Crockett (7/40; 1/4) led the Raiders in rushing yards in week ten, easily outpacing LaMont Jordan (10/12, TD; 1/21) and Justin Fargas (8/-6; 1/21).

This will be a tough backfield to get a grasp of until we see consistent results. That said, I'd still prefer ownership of LaMont Jordan to Crockett or Stubb…er…Fargas.

In something of a surprise, Kevan Barlow (17/75, TD; 1/7) doubled the carries and production of Leon Washington (9/35; 2/1) in muddy conditions against the Pats.

Barlow had previously been relegated to short-yardage duty, but his style was perfectly suited to the conditions Sunday. He ran hard and he ran well, which is troubling for anyone invested in Washington or the Jets backfield.

I expect Washington to eventually resume his role as the main-ish guy in New York, but this situation certainly bears watching this week.

One note here—both runners have a tough matchup next week against the Bears.

[Hache Man]

Late Game Recaps

Seahawks 24, Rams 22
Game Recap By: Evan Silva

The Big Story

After serving up monster games to LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson the past two weeks, the Rams again could not contain the run, this time against a far lesser opposing back. Maurice Morris (21-124) ripped off two huge 15-yard runs with the Rams ahead by a point late in the fourth quarter. Darrell Jackson (5-85-1) dug a ten-yard pass from Seneca Wallace (15-23-161-2, 2-30) out of the dirt to put the Seahawks in field-goal range with :13 left. Josh Brown's kick was true from 38 yards, sending the spiraling Rams to a 4-5 record on the season.

Beyond the Box Score

Wallace again was marginal, putting up a solid fantasy day but fumbling three times and losing two. He didn't fade badly late in the game as he had in his first two starts, but couldn't connect with Deion Branch (3-22) enough. Wallace looked good on a few roll outs and had a huge 31-yard run to get into Rams territory and set up a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jerramy Stevens (3-29-1) before the half.

Steven Jackson (18-93-1, 6-40) scored in the fourth quarter on one of the best runs of the year. Taking the handoff from Marc Bulger (26-40-215-0-1) at the Seattle 14-yard line with just over two minutes left, Jackson made a cut through defenders and met three Seahawks at the goal line. Jackson overpowered all three would-be gang tacklers at the point of attack. It was evident then that Jackson did not get the ball enough in this game.

Torry Holt (7-73) couldn't make big plays in the second half. Isaac Bruce (7-66) turned it up late but did nothing early on. The Rams' wideouts didn't put together a complete game. Bulger didn't help, missing badly on a fourth-and-one pass to Joe Klopfenstein (no catches) in the fourth quarter and again during a two-point conversion after Richie Incognito's holding penalty nullified a three-yard completion to Holt.

Going Forward

St. Louis had serious protection problems after Orlando Pace (torn triceps) left in the second quarter. Bulger was hurried five times, intercepted once, and sacked twice in the second half. With Pace done for the season, Bulger's fantasy potential takes a major hit. The Rams are strapped for quality offensive line depth.

Darrell Jackson and Branch are basically rotating big games at this point. While it's uncertain whether Matt Hasselbeck (knee) will be available in Week 11, play both of them against the 49ers next week.

Steven Jackson could see more carries down the stretch with Bulger's blindside protection so uncertain. With a score in each of his past four games, Jackson has been the Rams' most consistently potent offensive weapon since early in the season.

Steelers 38, Saints 31
Game Recap by: Gregg Rosenthal

The Big Story

Willie Parker's fast. FWP rushed 187 yards and two scores after halftime in a game for the ages. Parker's two runs over 70 yards were just barely enough to take down the best quarterback-receiver combination in fantasy football, Drew Brees to Marques Colston. Saints starting wideout Terrance Copper fumbled the ball at the Steelers 25-yard line with less than a minute remaining to seal the win.

Beyond The Box Score

Remember when the biggest concern about FWP was getting the ball at the goal-line? Parker is third in the NFL with ten scores, behind the top two fantasy picks this season. Bill Cowher fed Parker the ball inside the five Sunday. He was stuffed twice in the first half, and Heath Miller (3-30-1) ended up getting a score. Then Cowher was nice enough to let Parker finish off both drives after his long runs. Parker refused to go down at first contact throughout the game.

Drew Brees (31/47-398-1-0) and Marques Colston (10-169-0) have something special. Brees is seeing the whole field and his arm strength is improving as the season goes. There isn't a better receiver in the NFL, much less a rookie, than Colston. He made diving grabs Sunday, he broke off routes, he broke tackles. The best player comparison is Andre Johnson. Except it took AJ four seasons to get this consistent. Colston owners should pray Joe Horn stays hurt.

Brees had great protection all day. After Troy Polamalu and Deshea Townsend were hurt, the Saints had stopped running. Brees continues to impress with his ability to evade the rush.

Reggie Bush (10-49-1, 7-40-0) had his best game since Week 1 because he danced less. The Saints got him the ball on a reverse, and he scored from 15-yards out, seemingly all in the air as he flew into the end zone. I was more impressed to see Bush's four other rushes between four and six yards. That's what he needs to be consistent. Deuce McAllister (15-60-2) once again got the ball on the goal-line, although one score was on a busted snap that the center rolled past Brees and McAllister happily gobbled up.

Ben Roethlisberger (17/28-264-3-0) is dangerous when he doesn't throw interceptions. His receiver corps is coming around. Hines Ward (5-86-1) is enjoying one of the best stretches of his career. Santonio Holmes (2-57-0) and Cedrick Wilson (2-47-1) make enough big plays.

Devery Henderson didn't have a catch for the Saints, but starter Terrance Copper (6-92-1) was all over the field. Even if Joe Horn doesn't come back right away, don't count on New Orleans' other receivers to be consistent.

Going Forward

Both these teams have major potential for fantasy points because their defenses are giving up big plays. Pittsburgh and New Orleans can be attacked through the air. The Saints have a great schedule in the next month: Cincy, Atlanta, San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington. Don't sell high with Brees or Colston. Brees is now an every week starter.

Ben Roethlisberger is putting up numbers worthy of a top five-to-ten fantasy quarterback. He has tough matchups against Cleveland and Baltimore the next two weeks, but we'd still consider using him.

Santonio Holmes is a fine pickup for the stretch run.

Cowboys 27, Cardinals 10
Game Recap by Aaron Gleeman

The Big Story

Matt Leinart's crash back down to earth continued, as the should-be-potent Arizona offense was once again entirely harmless. Dallas aired it out behind Tony Romo, turned a pair of Leinart interceptions into touchdowns in the second half, and milked the clock late with the running game.

Beyond the Box Score

Edgerrin James' performance was unique in that he showed a surprising amount of burst and broke a number of tackles when given a rare chance to do some things in space, yet didn't pile up big numbers because he got only 15 carries. In past games he's essentially been stuffed at the line of scrimmage 25 times. If the Somewhat Shifty and Elusive Edge can somehow combine with the Heavy Workload Edge, he might actually have some big numbers in him at some point.

Dallas' passing game didn't miss a beat with Terry Glenn out, as Patrick Crayton and Sam Hurd emerged as capable play-makers. Hurd started in Glenn's place and caught four passes for 42 yards, including a nice leaping grab on an off-target throw, and had a would-be touchdown called back by a penalty in the second quarter. Crayton caught five balls for 104 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown, but was actually targeted fewer times (6) than Hurd (8).

With 308 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Romo has three big games in three starts. He benefited from good pass protection and also was helped by receivers—particularly Terrell Owens—going up to snatch several high throws. Romo has completed two-thirds of his throws in each start and has the weapons necessary (with or without Glenn) to keep posting big stats.

Larry Fitzgerald looked good in his return from a hamstring injury, catching six passes for 80 yards while being targeted a ridiculous 13 times in a little over three quarters. However, he missed most of the final quarter after reportedly tweaking the injury, which is a situation that's definitely worth monitoring later in the week.

Coach Bill Parcells has been saying all season that he wants to get Marion Barber more involved in the offense, but it took him until the second half of Week 10 to actually follow through with his plan. Barber rushed just three times in the first half, but carried 11 times for 48 yards in the second half as starter Julius Jones glared on from the sidelines.

This has nothing to