Fantasy Football News 2007

[Hache Man]

Brenda Warner is back!
As you can see, my empire is slowly expanding here at Rotoworld. At first relegated to news, I have now added both the NBCSports.com $100,000 Fantasy Challenge and half of the Waiver Wired column to my arsenal. I will write about quarterbacks and wideouts this week, while Gregg tackles running backs, tight ends, and team defense. I fully expect that Gregg will start adding the videos I'm producing to the front page, as long as I start wearing more than just underpants and a leather hood.

In the meantime, here are some quarterback and wide receiver waiver options:

Quarterback

Kurt Warner – Matt Leinart fractured his collarbone on Sunday, and should be out for most of the remaining fantasy season. Warner, who has been solid in limited action, will now take over for the Cardinals. He is capable of putting up QB1 numbers, and is this week's top waiver option at quarterback.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Trent Edwards – In real life, Edwards showed an aware presence in the pocket, the ability to get the ball into tight spaces and was adept at checking down in Week 5. Unfortunately, it didn't translate into fantasy points. Edwards has a bye this week, so the Bills have a big decision to make at quarterback. After the team's bye, they face the Ravens, but then three teams in the bottom eight in terms of points allowed to fantasy quarterbacks.

Recommendation: Worth owning in dynasty leagues, bye-week fill-in if maintains the starting job.

Cleo Lemon – Trent Green suffered a Grade 3 concussion on Sunday, and will likely be out until after the fantasy season. Lemon will take the reins until rookie John Beck is ready to start. Lemon led an efficient attack on Sunday, but his time appears limited. Still, Lemon faces the Browns in Week 6, a team that has allowed the most points to fantasy quarterbacks all season. You could do worse.

Recommendation: Bye week fill-in, especially in deeper leagues.

Brodie Croyle – Croyle lost out on the competition for the starting job to Damon Huard, but now that Huard is injured, Croyle gets a chance to show he deserves the gig. A Week 6 match-up against the Bengals makes him a decent fantasy start for owners desperate for a quarterback. If he plays well, the job should be his long-term.

Recommendation: Worth owning in 2QB leagues

Kellen Clemens – While Chad Pennington remains the starter for now, The New York Daily News reports that his status as a starter is a "legitimate issue." Clemens had a decent game in Week 2, but he shouldn't be owned until he actually has the job. The AFC East has some tasty matchups and Clemens has quality receivers, so it's not a bad spot for him.

Recommendation: Worth watching in deeper leagues.

Brian Griese – Griese has thrown for two touchdowns in each of his two starts, and looked much more composed in his second start for the Bears. Griese, who attempted 52 passes in his first start, faces the Vikings this week. Minnesota is great at stopping the run but is vulnerable through the air. Griese seems destined to be throwing more of his trademark dink-and-dump passes this week.

Recommendation: Bye week fill-in for Week 6

Wide Receivers

Dennis Northcutt – Northcutt scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 5, and also flashed a bit of his big play ability catching a 40-yard pass from David Garrard. He squares off against a Houston defense that has only allowed scores to Steve Smith and Michael Jenkins this year, albeit multiple times for each. Northcutt has turned his career around in Jacksonville and has been consistent.

Recommendation: Worth owning in deep leagues

Lance Moore – Lance Moore hasn't seen much action, but he looks good when involved. The Saints keep reiterating that they want him to be more involved in their offense, and it's quite possible he could take the starting gig away from Devery Henderson, who continues to drop way too many passes. Despite the Saints' struggles, that makes him an inviting flier.

Recommendation: Worth owning in deep leagues

Bobby Engram/Nate Burleson – Deion Branch owners have to be frustrated that Branch will miss games against the Saints and Rams, who allow a ton of fantasy points to wide receivers. The Seahawks' passing game struggled mightily against the Steelers this week, but both Engram and Burleson have the potential to put up good numbers for the next couple weeks. Engram has been highly consistent this year, while Burleson is more likely to make big plays.

Recommendation: Worth owning in 12-team leagues

Nate Washington – Filling in for the injured Hines Ward, Washington caught five passes for just 26 yards. His time as a starter has likely come and gone, as the Steelers have a Week 6 bye and Ward is expected to return afterward. With just eight catches for 104 yards on the season, Washington shouldn't be on most fantasy radars.

Recommendation: Pass.

Andre' Davis/Kevin Walter – Both Davis and Walter were targeted ten times in Houston's victory over Miami. Both managed to put up solid yardage, and Davis just missed scoring a touchdown. This week they face Jacksonville, who has allowed just one passing touchdown this year. Still, because of their consistent yardage, both can be considered until Andre' Johnson returns. Jacoby Jones may come back this week, and could steal some touches.

Recommendation: Bye week fill-in for 12-team leagues.

Ike Hilliard - Hilliard leads all Tampa Bay receivers with 23 catches. He has only put up over 60 yards once, though, and faces a tough Week 6 match-up against a Tennessee secondary that has allowed just one passing touchdown this season and kept all Indianapolis receivers out of the endzone. Things look a lot better for Hilliard in Week 7 against the Lions. Also, like any old man is prone to be, Hilliard was a little banged-up in Week 5. Make sure to check his status during the week.

Recommendation: Bye week fill-in, especially in PPR leagues

Bryant Johnson – Johnson filled-in admirably for an injured Anquan Boldin, catching six passes for 80 yards. Boldin is expected back next week, though, and the Cardinals have a tough match-up anyway.

Recommendation: Not worth a claim

Drew Bennett – Bennett filled-in for Isaac Bruce and caught two passes, one of them just happened to be a touchdown. That's not a surprise for Bennett, who has been a red-zone target for the Rams all season. If Isaac Bruce misses another game, and Baltimore CB Samari Rolle is out, Bennett makes a solid start in Week 6.

Recommendation: Worth owning in 12-team leagues

Anthony Gonzalez – The rookie filled in admirably for Marvin Harrison, but Harrison is expected back after the team's Week 6 bye.

Recommendation: Only roster-worthy as piece of mind for Harrison owners.

[Hache Man]

Five Picks, No Upset
My fear is that I may have jinxed both the Bills and Gregg Rosenthal when I instant messaged the latter following the Cowboys' failed two-point conversation Monday night and said, "What a loser, you were off by a point." Then, in one of those awkward moments that can't happen face to face but seems to occur all the time via IM, he didn't respond and I watched the Cowboys kick the game-winning field goal after recovering an onside kick with less than 20 seconds left. "Or not."

While I give Gregg semi-credit for being damn close with a pretty gutsy prediction, here are some other notes from around football …

* I spent much of last week touting Michael Pittman as a strong pickup and potential RB2 option following Cadillac Williams' season-ending knee injury, which looked good when Pittman got seven touches in the first 22 minutes of game action Sunday. Unfortunately, the Pittman bandwagon that I was driving came to a screeching halt when he went down with an ankle injury in the second quarter.

No official word on his status has been given as of Tuesday morning, but there's speculation that he suffered a fractured fibula and coach Jon Gruden indicated Monday that Pittman could miss 6-8 weeks while calling the injury "a pretty good sprain." With both Williams and Pittman out, the Bucs are left with Earnest Graham as their starter and Kenneth Darby as his backup. In other words, those rumors about Tampa Bay shopping for a running back figure to pick up steam.

If the Bucs fail to bring in a veteran like Mewelde Moore or LaBrandon Toefield to take third-down duties and split carries, Graham looks likely to get close to a full workload. He's not nearly as versatile as Pittman, but the former undrafted free agent out of Florida has averaged 4.1 yards on 88 career carries and has pretty good size for a potential goal-line role. At this point I'd probably bet on a trade, but in the meantime Graham is someone to target.

* Despite pulling him in favor of Byron Leftwich down a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter Sunday, coach Bobby Petrino said Monday that Joey Harrington remains the starter. "It's in our best interest and gives us our best chance to succeed to stay with Joey," Petrino said. "He knows what we want to do, what we want to execute." I'm far from the biggest Harrington fan and he was awful Sunday, but Leftwich was as bad and has been with the team for under a month.

Petrino is likely right that Harrington gives the Falcons the best chance to win, but that could change very soon if Leftwich can get more familiar with the offense. In other words, despite all the glowing stories written about Harrington last week, he's likely one more bad performance from losing the job for good. Fortunately for Harrington he has a favorable matchup against the Giants in Week 6, although a torn ACL means that he won't have Wayne Gandy protecting his blind side.

Meanwhile in Atlanta, after being held to four yards Sunday, Alge Crumpler accused Petrino of having an "agenda" that includes favoring young players while phasing out veterans, said that the Falcons have "the worst offense in the NFL" once they cross the 50-yard line, and complained that the team is no longer getting him the ball in a position to "make plays." "I'm scratching my head," Crumpler said. "I'm trusting, but 1-4 makes you think about a lot of things."

* Coach Cam Cameron announced Monday that Trent Green suffered a Grade 3 concussion Sunday, which is the most serious kind. Cameron shied away from talking about whether or not Green was considering retirement, but indicated that he's not expected to play for at least several weeks. Cleo Lemon will get the start this week and has a relatively good chance to succeed with a road matchup against the Browns' horrible pass defense.

Lemon's athleticism and arm strength make him an intriguing player and he looked good in a spot start against the Colts in Week 17 of last season, but the odds are that he'll be on a short leash as Green's replacement. Second-round pick John Beck is waiting in the wings and he's already 26 years old thanks to going on a two-year Mormon mission, which means that the timetable to work him into the mix is much different than with most rookie quarterbacks.

* Picked off five times in two games, the New York Daily News reported Monday that Chad Pennington's starter status is a "legitimate issue." I've been very unimpressed with Pennington this season and his 71.2 completion percentage is misleading given that the majority of his throws are high-percentage dump-offs. His lack of arm strength keeps the Jets from stretching the field and he's floated far too many passes on mid-range routes. Let the Kellen Clemens Watch begin.

Two-Minute Drill: Kevin Jones got most of the second-half snaps Sunday and said afterward that he'll ready for a full workload when the Lions return from their Week 6 bye … Frank Gore had a modest game Sunday, but touched the ball on exactly half of the 49ers' offensive plays … Mike Karney stole a touchdown from him in Week 5, but coach Sean Payton said Monday that Reggie Bush will get plenty of goal-line chances … Coach Andy Reid said Sunday that rumors of him potentially stepping down "couldn't be any further from the truth" … Michael Turner gained 147 yards on 10 carries Sunday, including a 74-yard touchdown, but it all came in garbage time … James Jones had a pair of costly fumbles Sunday night, but the rookie also showed why he's a Daily Dose favorite with five catches for 61 yards … Ashley Lelie was on the field for exactly one play Sunday … Priest Holmes (neck) said Sunday that he's "about 90 percent ready to go," but remains unlikely to play this season … General manager A.J. Smith said Monday that Michael Turner won't be traded this season … Despite three interceptions Sunday, coach Romeo Crennel said Monday that Derek Anderson's starting job is secure.

Red Zone: Marc Bulger's (ribs) status for Week 6 is undecided, which indicates that he's unlikely to suit up against the Ravens … Meanwhile, Steven Jackson (groin) has already been ruled out for Sunday's game, giving a third straight start to rookie Brian Leonard … Santana Moss (groin) and Antwaan Randle El (hamstring) are both hoping to play in Week 6 … Todd Heap (hamstring) sat out Sunday's game, but coach Brian Billick indicated Monday that he has a good chance to return in Week 6 … Josh McCown (toe) isn't ready to return despite a Week 5 bye, meaning that Daunte Culpepper will get the start Sunday against the Chargers … Alex Smith (shoulder) threw prior to Sunday's game and is expected to be active when the 49ers return from their Week 6 bye … X-rays on Greg Jennings' injured shoulder came back negative and coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that he "should be fine" … Tarvaris Jackson (groin) practiced Monday following the Vikings' bye and is expected to start in Week 6 against the Bears … It won't make headlines, but losing Pro Bowl center Tom Nalen for the season with a torn biceps will hurt the Broncos' running game.

[Hache Man]

Top 24 Backup Running Backs
Running back injuries have descended upon the 2007 season like a plague of Canadian Soldiers (insert Kenton Keith joke here). Eleven starting running backs from Week 1 have already missed a game this season, with Jamal Lewis, LaMont Jordan, and Travis Henry possibly joining the list soon.

Owners of Sammy Morris and the aforementioned Mr. Keith will tell you about the importance of handcuffs, but not all backups are created equal. The offensive system makes all the difference. For this week's Waiver Wired, let's recap all the backups, and rank which ones are worth owning. You can use the ranks to decide if swapping backups is worth the waiver move. Teams that have committees where both runners are owned like Jacksonville, Dallas, and Lions aren't listed.

For a vastly superior view the backfields in the league, you can check out Evan Silva's Running back report on Season Pass. For waiver picks at quarterback and wideout, click on the other half of Waiver Wired.

Top 24 Handcuffs

1. Patriots: Sammy Morris - Laurence Maroney's difficulties staying healthy could keep Morris in a significant role all season.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

2. Colts: Kenton Keith - Joseph Addai has never been asked to be a primary back for a complete season, dating back to college. Don't dump Keith just because Addai is likely to return after the team's bye.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

3. Broncos: Selvin Young/Andre Hall - Could Andre Hall get into the mix once Travis Henry is suspended? Anything and everything (Cecil Sapp, Mike Bell) is possible in Denver. Young is taken in most leagues, but Hall is well worth a roster spot over many handcuffs.

Recommendation: Young - Should be owned in all leagues; Hall – should be owned in 12-team leagues.

4. Chargers: Michael Turner - He won't have flex value, but that's not the point of a handcuff. There's little doubt Turner would be a top-10 fantasy back if he gets the chance.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

5. Rams: Brian Leonard - The Rams offense isn't as explosive as some of the ones listed below. But Steven Jackson isn't close to returning, making Leonard a serviceable RB2/flex play in the meantime.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

6. Bengals: Kenny Watson - Solid running back, excellent offense. Watson will be a useful RB2/flex if Rudi misses any more game time.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

7. Redskins: Ladell Betts - Owners drafted Betts hoping for more than a handcuff, but that's what he's become. Despite the slow start, Betts is worth hanging on to in all leagues.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

8. Bears: Adrian Peterson – The "other" AP is averaging 5.8 yards-per-touch on the season; Cedric Benson is averaging 3.27. Peterson is also a better blocker. He's available in a ton of leagues, and is among our favorite running backs to increase in value over the second half.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

9. Texans: Ron Dayne - He's looked sluggish this season, but his red zone work and Ahman Green's injuries still make him a valuable RB4/5.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

10. Steelers: Najeh Davenport - Prototypical handcuff, with some vulture potential thrown in. Don't expect many two score weeks, but Davenport needs to be owned in all leagues.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

11. Eagles: Correll Buckhalter - The Eagles have tried to replace him for years, but never find anyone better. Philly's diminished offense knocks him down the rankings, but Brian Westbrook's injury troubles make him worth owning.

Recommendation:Should be owned in all leagues

12. Packers: Vernand Morency - No one knows who the backup or starter is in Green Bay. I suspect the Packers want to run a two-back committee, with Morency playing the third-down/reserve role. That could leave Brandon Jackson on the outside looking in when he gets healthy. Owners can consider cutting bait in shallow leagues.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

13. Browns: Jason Wright - Most weeks, Wright would be ranked towards the bottom of this list. But this is Waiver Wired, and Wright could be a fine one week pickup with a date with the Dolphins on the docket. Jamal Lewis' status is uncertain.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

14. Dolphins: Jesse Chatman - Ronnie Brown hasn't topped 300 carries in a season before, so Chatman is worth hanging on to in all leagues. Miami's offensive line is playing better this year.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

15. Raiders: Dominic Rhodes – The revamped Raiders offensive line faces their biggest challenge yet: making Dominic Rhodes look good. Since Justin Fargas played so well in Week 5, Rhodes may have a challenge to be LaMont Jordan's backup.

Recommendation: Worth owning in 12-team leagues

16. Ravens: Musa Smith - The Ravens running game has survived nicely without Jonathan Ogden. Smith would be a solid option if Willis McGahee ever gets hurt.

Recommendation:Should be owned in 12-team leagues

17. Jets: Leon Washington - If special teams touchdowns counted, Washington would be more valuable than Thomas Jones. But they don't, and Washington's meager production indicates that he wouldn't be better than a flex option even as a starter.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

18. Seahawks: Maurice Morris - Mike Holmgren says he wants to get Morris more involved after Shaun Alexander's recent struggles. Morris was serviceable last season when given a chance, but Seattle's offensive line problems limit his ceiling.

Recommendation: Worth owning in 12-team leagues

19. Saints: Aaron Stecker - It's going to take a Reggie Bush injury for Stecker to matter. Even if that happens, Pierre Thomas would probably split the load on a below-average offense. You could consider dropping Stecker for names listed above.

Recommendation: Worth owning in deep leagues

20. Cardinals: Marcel Shipp - Remember when we were worried about Shipp cutting into Edgerrin James' workload? He has three carries this season. Shipp would probably share the job with J.J. Arrington if James gets hurt.

Recommendation: Worth owning in deep leagues

21. 49ers: Michael Robinson - A terrible offensive line and a possible jobshare if Frank Gore was hurt make Robinson one of the least attractive handcuff options.

Recommendation: Only worth owning in deep leagues

22. Chiefs: Michael Bennett - If LJ can't get yards for the Chiefs, Michael Bennett won't either. And no, I'm still not buying a Priest Holmes comeback.

Recommendation: Only worth owning in deep leagues

23. Bills: Anthony Thomas - Marshawn Lynch is having trouble scoring points, so the A-train wouldn't be a great option if he gets the chance.

Recommendation: Only worth owning in deep leagues

24. Bucs: Kenneth Darby - Tampa is likely to acquire more talent at running back, which would knock this seventh-round pick (who had some moments in training camp) down the depth chart.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deep leagues

Note: The Jaguars, Titans, Cowboys, Lions, Falcons, Vikings Panthers, and Giants were not listed because they have two runners likely owned in all leagues.

Tight Ends

Here's how I'd rank the likely tight ends available this week in fantasy leagues.

1. Desmond Clark
2. Greg Olsen
3. Donald Lee
4. Alex Smith
5. Quinn Sypniewski

This Week's Team Defense

1. Bucs (probably dropped before Colts game)
2. Giants
3. Cardinals

[Hache Man]

Making Lemonade
Good luck filling out your lineup this week.

Maybe you have avoided the litany of injuries and bad play that hammered quarterbacks last week. Maybe you even avoided drafting a bum like Larry Johnson and love having Sammy Morris these days.

But if those problems didn't nail you, the off weeks will. And this week is one of the worst, with six teams spending the day like you and I -- in front of the TV. Along with Week 8, it is one of two weeks this season with so many players sidelined.

That makes starters even tougher to find and it is why I can guarantee you that many otherwise intelligent people are debating Cleo Lemon and Brodie Croyle. Any time the Colts' starters (whether that's Joseph Addai or Kenton Keith) are not available, it is a big hit. The other big loss this week is the Steelers -- and, apparently, the Bills' defense.

A problem for one person, of course, is an opportunity for somebody else. If you're going up against the guy who had Peyton Manning, be happy if that owner is scrambling to grab David Carr. Of if your opponent started the season with a quarterback duo of Jon Kitna and Marc Bulger, your odds of winning this game went up a few dozen percentage points.

And the quarterback problem is not limited to the injured guys going down. We're still wondering if Donovan McNabb can be any good, if Derek Anderson really is for real or when Philip Rivers will start playing as consistently as Eli Manning. Even Tony Romo is a question mark following his Monday night meltdown, especially with the Patriots coming to town. Thanks to this dreaded six-team off week, Tom Brady and Carson Palmer might be the only solid bets this year.

You hardly every want to make an outlandish trade to solve a one-week lineup problem, but with all of the quarterback issues, making a trade for this week, with the long term in mind, would be justified. Again, the problem is who are you going to trade for? Going after Peyton Manning or Palmer will cost you the rest of your team and almost everybody else has injury or job-security problems.

No, free agency is easiest way to go. And the whole thing could turn into a week-by-week proposition where you are picking up Gus Frerotte, dropping Matt Leinart, adding Brian Griese for every game. With so much up in the air, this week, let's go to a quarterback-by-quarterback analysis with a verdict on their value.

Cleo Lemon. I'm one of the few who thinks Lemon could have something to offer. You don't bounce around the NFL for four seasons without having some talent and Dolphins coach Cam Cameron is familiar with it from when the two were together in San Diego. Lemon did OK in one start last year and his bigger problem will be winning rather than talent. This week against the Browns could be a close-to-the-vest affair, followed by games against New England and the Giants. Even if Lemon is good, if he does not win, rookie John Beck will get his shot. Verdict: Pick him up for curiosity in deep leagues.

David Carr. You have to hand it to Carr for knowing how to get hit hard; his ability to get hammered forced the Panthers to go to Matt Moore for a while on Sunday and raises questions about how long Carr can last. With regular practice and without having to look over his shoulder, he could be a marginal starter in good matchups as long as he is healthy. Steve Smith is the star whose value suffers the most, however. Verdict: His relative job security makes him worth a pick.

Brodie Croyle. I have hammered the Chiefs as much as anybody, but I have a feeling that if Croyle starts this week, he will stay there for a while unless he is truly awful. And games against the Bengals and the Raiders will help him get off to a good start before a bye week and two weeks of practice. The Chiefs think Croyle can be a franchise-type quarterback and, in this QB hungry environment, that makes him worth a selection. Verdict: Go after somebody with more of a track record first.

Byron Leftwich. He will get a shot sooner or later if the Falcons keep losing, but his long windup seems to have gotten more exaggerated during his time off. He now seems to have about a six-second release and he was nowhere close to accurate in relief of Joey Harrington last week. I don't like Leftwich in this, or any other, offense. He would not have much time to throw behind a depleted offensive line and is not the kind of rally-around leader the Falcons need. Verdict: Skip him, even if you have Harrington.

Joey Harrington. You can't talk about Leftwich without talking about Harrington, who seems to be playing himself out of another job. It is hard to believe that Harrington can be effective in more than very short stretches and because he is not a proven winner, he better string together a bunch of those short stretches very soon. Verdict: You're nuts if you're planning more than week at a time with him.

Kurt Warner. He is the top quarterback pick of the week thanks to Matt Leinart's broken collarbone. Grab him while you can and he is playing well enough to be a decent start against Carolina. But Warner's injury history is terrible and he has not played in more than 10 games since 2001 with the Rams. Verdict: Be sure to get another backup as well because Warner will not last.

Brian Griese. Back-to-back two-TD games turned Griese into a decent play and, if you think about it, it makes sense. The Bears are not the run-dominant team they were last year so Griese will need to average about two TD passes for them to have a chance to win. That will not happen every game but in the right spots, like against Minnesota this week, he is a very solid play. Verdict: He should be good enough to win with enough help on the rest of your team.

Gus Frerotte. At least he threw three TD passes in his first start and got the Rams 31 points -- almost double their previous season-to-date total. Of course, he also threw three interceptions to contribute to the loss. But the Rams can learn something from the Bears. Griese had a similar rash of interceptions in his first start and neither he nor Frerotte had played any meaningful snaps in almost two years. So let Frerotte settle in for a week and watch the picks drop. Verdict: There isn't a pass defense to be scared off the next three weeks against Baltimore, Seattle and Cleveland.

Chad Pennington. The moment of truth is coming for Kellen Clemens after Pennington threw five interceptions the last two weeks in helping the Jets to a 1-4 record. The Eagles are 8-0 under coach Andy Reid after a week off and another Jets loss would put huge pressure on Pennington, who is not much of a fantasy play anyhow. A bigger arm would at least make Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery better downfield threats. Verdict: Grab Clemens if you also have Pennington.

Trent Edwards. Perfect for a dink-and-dunk offense, Edwards is fifth in completion percentage and tied for 25th at 6.4 yards per attempt. That is down in Chad Pennington and Tarvaris Jackson territory -- though at least it is better than Drew Brees. Edwards has just one TD pass in two games and while he seems likely to keep playing as long as the Bills are competitive, he will not throw many TDs. Verdict: Play him only if you get points for completions.

Trent Dilfer. When can Alex Smith get back? Dilfer's two-game stats: 24-of-52 for 254 yards, three picks, one TD and 10 points. Smith was not exactly playing well, but he was not this bad. And now the 49ers hope Smith can get back after the team's off week. Verdict: Don't get near Dilfer if Smith isn't ready.

[lupus]

vq

[Hache Man]

Not So Fast, My Friend
With the Broncos on their bye, Travis Henry was excused from practice Tuesday so that he could fly to New York to submit a hair sample and take a lie-detector test as part of challenging his positive drug test. The Denver Post reports that Henry's challenge "could take up to five weeks, including appeal time" and Adam Schefter of NFL Network suggests that it'll probably be at least a month before Henry potentially has to miss a game.

Assuming for a moment that the NFL wins their legal case against Henry, they must then issue a suspension and fight off an appeal, which will surely add significantly to the process. In other words, he's probably not going anywhere for a while and the Selvin Young train might have to go back into the station. For all coach Mike Shanahan's praise of Young and all the talk of him as the replacement, Henry has 80 percent of the carries that have gone to a Broncos running back.

For now, Young remains no more than an elite handcuff and Henry retains his RB1 status. Henry has averaged 21.4 touches and 110 total yards through five games, which ranks him 13th among all fantasy running backs despite reaching the end zone just once. Young has also played very well, averaging 8.6 yards per touch, but the fact that he got just one carry Sunday despite Henry's uncertain status makes it clear that he's not challenging for the starting job at this point.

While the Henry saga drags on much to the delight of his fantasy owners, here are some other notes from around football …

* Two weeks ago Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that Jake Delhomme would require elbow surgery, which the Panthers promptly denied. Delhomme insisted that he planned to play through the pain and was even seen throwing on the side after fill-in David Carr went down with a back injury during Sunday's game. However, the team announced Monday that Delhomme will indeed undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, which is typically reserved for baseball pitchers.

That leaves Carr as the full-time starter, although his status is somewhat uncertain given that he needed a chiropractic adjustment and multiple pain-killers to get back into Sunday's game. With only undrafted rookie Matt Moore behind Carr on the depth chart, the Panthers scrambled for a veteran quarterback and came up with Vinny Testaverde, who signed Wednesday. He'll likely begin as the No. 3 man, but seemingly won't have a difficult time rising past Moore.

Signing the 43-year-old Testaverde is surprising enough given that his last extended action came in 2005 with the Jets and included a 59.4 quarterback rating in six games, but more amazing is that Testaverde actually had to choose between offers. He reportedly turned down a chance to back up 36-year-old Kurt Warner in Arizona because it was too far from his Florida home. When Steve Smith is hoping that Carr stays healthy, needless to say that his fantasy stock is hurting.

* With Testaverde spurning their offer, the Cardinals turned to Tim Rattay as their new backup. Rattay presents no real challenge to Warner, who has a firm grasp on the job for the remainder of the season after Matt Leinart and his fractured collarbone were placed on injured reserve Tuesday. Trusting Warner again is likely a pretty big leap of faith for many fantasy owners, but he's in a position to put up good numbers throwing to Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.

The Cardinals weren't expected to be quite as pass-happy as they were under former coach Dennis Green, but they're actually throwing slightly more often this season, ranking fifth in the league with 36.2 attempts per game. Toss in the fact that Warner has been fantastic in spot duty, completing 62.3 percent of his passes and compiling a 102.3 quarterback rating while Leinart struggled, and there's plenty of opportunity for him to emerge as a viable QB1 option.

* Damon Huard left Sunday's game with a shoulder injury and was initially expected to miss Week 6, but an MRI showed no major damage and he's back in the mix to start against the Bengals. Coach Herm Edwards made it clear Tuesday that he'll go with Huard as long as he's reasonably healthy, which means that the Brodie Croyle era will likely have to wait a while longer. "We'll see where Damon is," Edwards said. "If he can go and he feels good, then he'll go."

Two-Minute Drill: Lee Evans said Tuesday that J.P. Losman (knee) should reclaim the Bills' starting job over rookie Trent Edwards once he's healthy, which isn't surprising given that Losman was at the helm while Evans racked up big numbers in the past … After destroying Winston Justice in Week 4, Wayne Gandy's season-ending injury means that Osi Umenyiora gets another juicy matchup Monday night against undrafted rookie Renardo Foster … With rumors swirling that they're interested in trading for Tatum Bell, Mewelde Moore, LaBrandon Toefield, or Reuben Droughns, the Bucs worked out Ciatrick Fason, Kevan Barlow, Eric Shelton, Shaud Williams, and Tony Fisher before signing Zack Crockett … Brad Smith has officially passed Justin McCareins on the Jets' depth chart, starting in a three-receiver set Sunday … Coach Mike Holmgren said Monday that Maurice Morris will see his workload increase going forward, but he remains little more than a solid handcuff for Shaun Alexander.

Red Zone: Coach Tony Dungy said Monday that both Joseph Addai (shoulder) and Marvin Harrison (knee) could have played in Week 5 if it had been a playoff game, so they figure to be ready to go when the Colts return from their bye … Plaxico Burress aggravated his ankle injury Sunday, but it didn't stop him from racking up 124 yards and he's expected to continue playing through the pain Monday night … On Tuesday general manager Bruce Allen denied reports that Michael Pittman has a fractured fibula, but he's expected to miss at least 6-8 weeks anyway … Meanwhile, the Bucs officially ended Chris Simms' season Tuesday by placing him on injured reserve … After aggravating his hamstring injury Sunday, coach Herm Edwards said Tuesday that Eddie Kennison likely won't play in Week 6 … With Deion Branch (foot) out for several weeks and D.J. Hackett (ankle) not ready to return, Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson get a value boost for the next couple games … Coach Brad Childress wouldn't confirm it when asked Tuesday, but Tarvaris Jackson (groin) is expected to start against the Bears in Week 6.

[Hache Man]

Where's Torry?
One of the questions that shows up most often in my e-mailbox and chat sessions is whether or not Torry Holt is going to "turn things around." It's an interesting question for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that Holt has produced at least five catches and 50 yards in every game and is on pace for a 90-1,100-10 season. Of course, that would be his fewest catches since 2001 and his lowest yardage total since gaining 788 yards as a rookie in 1999.

The real question is probably whether or not Holt is going to get back to being the fantasy monster he was from 2000-2005, and the answer is "probably not." He's 31 years old, showed major signs of slowing down last season while failing to top 1,300 yards for the first time in six years, and underwent knee surgery during the offseason. Toss in Marc Bulger's broken ribs and Holt's chances of re-emerging as a top-five fantasy receiver aren't looking especially good.

The good news is that while he's no longer a truly elite WR1, he remains a consistent fantasy producer and continues to play through pain. Holt sat out Wednesday's practice to rest his surgically repaired knee, with coach Scott Linehan calling it "just something we need to manage" and "not serious enough to keep him from playing." Holt should be good to go against the Ravens in Week 6 as long as he practices by Friday, but he won't be the 2000-2005 version.

While Holt tries to prove me wrong with one good wheel and Gus Frerotte, here are some other notes from around football …

* Jamal Lewis seems likely to sit out Week 6 after missing practice and wearing a protective boot on his injured foot Wednesday. Coach Romeo Crennel said afterward that Lewis "is working to get back" and "if he can play he's going to play," but it looks like Jason Wright will start against the Dolphins. Miami's run defense has been horrible this season and Wright gained 102 total yards on 19 touches after replacing Lewis early in Sunday's game, so he's a solid Flex/RB3 play.

* Despite sitting out back-to-back games with a sprained knee and attending his stepfather's funeral Tuesday, Ahman Green is expected to return in Week 6. He practiced fully Wednesday, meaning Ron Dayne's stint as the starter lasted all of 31 carries. Unfortunately for Green, he's returning to face a very tough matchup against the Jaguars' run defense, which has allowed 46 yards per game on the ground since being torched for 282 rushing yards by the Titans in Week 1.

* Laurence Maroney was limited in practice Wednesday, which means that his status Sunday will likely come down to a game-time decision for the third straight week. Because the Patriots play the Cowboys in one of the late-afternoon games and a groin injury has sidelined Maroney for back-to-back games, it'll be very risky to wait out his status unless you have Sammy Morris handcuffed to him or can quickly fill your lineup with another running back who plays a late game.

* Anquan Boldin sat out practice Wednesday, but reportedly "went through a rigorous workout and ran with his teammates." Boldin has missed two straight games with a hip injury and likely needs to practice at least once in order to be active Sunday, with the newspaper suggesting that could come Thursday. Boldin's would-be replacement, Bryant Johnson, also sat out Wednesday's practice with a quadriceps injury, so Larry Fitzgerald could be a busy man against the Panthers.

* Despite coming off a bye, LaMont Jordan was unable to complete a full practice Wednesday when his back problems flared up again. "Day by day he'll feel good, but then all of a sudden he won't," coach Lane Kiffin said. Jordan still has time to work his way into the starting lineup, but with Justin Fargas coming off a 179-yard game and Dominic Rhodes back from suspension the Raiders may choose to play it safe. Fargas and Rhodes split first-team reps Wednesday.

* Like Jordan in Oakland, Rudi Johnson was unable to practice Wednesday despite coming off a bye week. Johnson's hamstring injury forced him to sit out Week 4, with Kenny Watson totaling 63 yards on 15 touches in his place, and Carson Palmer said Wednesday that he expects Watson "to play a great deal" again this week against the Chiefs. Watson should remain owned in all leagues and would be a solid Flex/RB3 option if Johnson sits out again.

* Judging from Hard Knocks' coverage of the Chiefs essentially ignoring him during training camp, Priest Holmes' chances of playing this season seemingly hit "miniscule" once he was placed on the PUP list. However, coach Herm Edwards indicated Wednesday that Holmes still has some chance to return in Week 7. "We'll see," Edwards said. "He's getting better, I know that. We've go to make a decision next week. He's been working since training camp."

Two-Minute Drill: Despite getting banged up a bit Sunday, Clinton Portis is absent from the Redskins' injury report … Coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday that he's "moved on" after benching rookie James Jones for a pair of fumbles in Week 5 … With J.P. Losman (knee) returning to practice Wednesday and rookie Trent Edwards playing relatively well in two fill-in starts, the Bills have a big decision to make during their bye week … Judging from the coverage in various New York newspapers, Chad Pennington's starter status is beginning to be questioned and calls for Kellen Clemens are growing louder … Tampa Bay was said to be interested in former second-round bust Eric Shelton, but instead signed his old Louisville backfield mate, Lionel Gates, to the practice squad Wednesday … Meanwhile, B.J. Askew said Wednesday that he expects to see some action at running back with Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman out, although the fullback seems unlikely to get much more than goal-line work.

Red Zone: Marc Bulger (ribs) is expected to sit out Sunday's game, but reportedly has a chance to return in Week 7 … Steven Jackson (groin) might also have a chance to suit up in Week 7 after doing some light running and conditioning Wednesday … Chad Johnson (ankle) is absent from the Bengals' injury report and practiced fully Wednesday … Santana Moss (groin) practiced fully Wednesday and looks good to go in Week 6 … Meanwhile, Antwaan Randle El (hamstring) is hoping to play Sunday, but coach Joe Gibbs said Wednesday that it'll take a "miracle" for him to start against the Packers … Coach Herm Edwards announced Wednesday that Damon Huard (shoulder) will start Sunday "unless he has a setback" … Jacoby Jones (shoulder) returned to practice Wednesday and could play in Week 6, but Andre Johnson (knee) missed practice and seems likely to sit out another game … Brandon Jackson (shin) returned to practice Wednesday and has been removed from the injury report, further crowding Green Bay's backfield … Brian Westbrook (abdomen) and L.J. Smith (groin) practiced fully Wednesday after using the Eagles' bye to rest up, but Smith remains less than 100 percent healthy.

[Hache Man]

Week 6 Rankings
Week 6 Quarterbacks

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Tom Brady	at DAL
2	Carson Palmer	at KC	-
3	Eli Manning	at ATL	-
4	Matt Hasselbeck	vs. NO	-
5	Brett Favre	vs. WAS	-
6	Tony Romo	vs. NE	-
7	Donovan McNabb	at NYJ	-
8	Derek Anderson	vs. MIA	-
9	Kurt Warner	vs. CAR	-
10	Vince Young	at TB	-
11	David Garrard	vs. HOU	-
12	Jason Campbell	at GB	-
13	Drew Brees	at SEA	-
14	Steve McNair	vs. STL
15	Cleo Lemon	at CLE	-
16	Philip Rivers	vs. OAK	-
17	Brian Griese	vs. MIN	-
18	Chad Pennington	vs. PHI
19	Jeff Garcia	vs. TEN	-
20	Damon Huard	vs. CIN
21	Joey Harrington	vs. NYG	-
22	Matt Schaub	at JAC	-
23	Daunte Culpepper	at SD	-
24	David Carr	at ARZ
25	Gus Frerotte	at BAL	-
26	Tarvaris Jackson	at CHI

Note: For projections for all the players listed here, head to Season Pass. Use the projections to help decide your flex spots. … Also, I usually include my game notes from the tapes I watch during the week in Goal Line Stand. For space reasons, I'll be posting them throughout the day over at Pancake Blocks.

QB Notes: Dallas is playing surprisingly effective pass defense despite the injuries to Terrence Newman and Anthony Henry this year. They are seventh in YPA allowed and sixth in FootballOutsiders' pass defense stats. Yes, the Patriots are the toughest matchup Tony Romo has faced. But the Dallas defense is also the toughest matchup New England has faced during a cupcake schedule. You shouldn't bench either quarterback, but don't expect this score to be in the thirties.

Eli Manning had a weak effort against the Jets last week. New York had him mentally scrambled, and they day wouldn't have looked pretty if Plaxico Burress didn't embarrass Andre Dyson after the catch. Eli has been among the most consistent quarterbacks this year, so we'll give him a pass. You have to start him against the Falcons on Monday night. … Jason Campbell's receivers could struggle in Green Bay, but there just aren't many good options this week after the top 11. … Drew Brees is struggling, but the Saints' propensity to throw 45 times a game keeps his yardage afloat. … Derek Anderson is no longer a fluke. He isn't particularly accurate and he throws too many picks, but his YPA is sky high because the Browns are so aggressive throwing down the field. Miami's secondary doesn't scare me, making Anderson a solid QB1 this week.

A trio of mediocre options has fine matchups if you need help this week: Brian Griese against the Vikings, Steve McNair against the Rams, and Cleo Lemon against the Browns. I think Lemon can be a serviceable QB2 throughout the season and Cleveland's secondary hasn't solved their problems. … I think Matt Schaub's impressive streak without Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones hits a major speed bump this week against a motivated Jaguars defense. … Joey Harrington has been much better at home, but this matchup could get ugly. Osi Umenyiora will line up across from an undrafted rookie making his first career start at left tackle. … Here's how pass-wacky the Ravens have been this season: Steve McNair is ninth in the league in pass attempts despite missing one game and parts of two others. Here's how lame the Ravens passing game has been: Steve McNair's completions are averaging 8.95 yards. That's like playing with an entire team of Peerless Prices.

Week 4 Running Backs

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	LaDainian Tomlinson	vs. OAK	-
2	Ronnie Brown	at CLE	-
3	Brian Westbrook	at NYJ
4	Willis McGahee	vs. STL	-
5	Larry Johnson	vs. CIN	-
6	Shaun Alexander	vs. NO
7	Clinton Portis	at GB	-
8	Reggie Bush	at SEA	-
9	Edgerrin James	vs. CAR	-
10	Laurence Maroney	at DAL
11	Brandon Jacobs	at ATL
12	Adrian Peterson	at CHI	-
13	Thomas Jones	vs. PHI
14	Maurice Jones-Drew	vs. HOU	-
15	Jason Wright	vs. MIA	-
16	Kenny Watson	at KC	-
17	Marion Barber	vs. NE	-
18	DeShaun Foster	at ARZ	-
19	Derrick Ward	at ATL
20	Fred Taylor	vs. HOU	-
21	LenDale White	at TB	-
22	Cedric Benson	vs. MIN	-
23	Warrick Dunn	vs. NYG	-
24	Brian Leonard	at BAL	-
25	Sammy Morris	at DAL	-
26	Ahman Green	at JAC	-
27	Chester Taylor	at CHI	-
28	Earnest Graham	vs. TEN	-
29	Chris Brown	at TB	-
30	Julius Jones	vs. NE	-
31	DeShawn Wynn	vs. WAS	-
32	Vernand Morency	vs. WAS	-
33	Jerious Norwood	vs. NYG	-
34	DeAngelo Williams	at ARZ	-
35	Justin Fargas	at SD	-
36	Ladell Betts	at GB	-
37	Dominic Rhodes	at SD	-
38	Michael Turner	vs. OAK	-
39	Ron Dayne	at JAC	-
40	Correll Buckhalter	at NYJ	-
41	Adrian Peterson	vs. MIN
42	Leon Washington	vs. PHI	-
43	Musa Smith	vs. STL	-
44	Maurice Morris	vs. NO
45	Aaron Stecker	at SEA	-
46	Kenneth Darby	vs. TEN	-

RB Notes: With six teams off, including many good runners, the rankings fell off a cliff after the top-12. Thomas Jones has been dreadful, but he should get all the carries in a decent matchup. Maurice Jones-Drew, Marion Barber, and Adrian Peterson are all splitting carries, but their big-play ability or scoring potential keep them slotted as solid RB2s in a rough week. Jones-Drew woke up last week, but there were still some signs for concern. Fred Taylor continues to get more consistent carries, and Greg Jones again took some snaps near the goal line. Houston has done a solid job against the run this year, but Taylor is overdue to break a long gainer. … Maybe Jason Wright has improved since his weak showing as a rookie, but I know the Cleveland offensive line certainly has. Wright has surprisingly held off Jerome Harrison in Cleveland, which has to mean something. The Miami rush defense is improved with Zach Thomas back in the
lineup, but Wright still makes a decent RB2 if he starts because he'll get the ball. NFL Network's Rich Eisen said Lewis was unlikely to play on Wednesday's show, but you'll want to follow his progress all week.

Rudi Johnson is another player whose status is up in the air. For now, we're ranking Kenny Watson as if he'll start. You know to play Rudi if he's a go. … Sammy Morris is a must-start if Laurence Maroney sits, but the 4PM start for the Cowboys-Patriots game could cause some difficult decisions. I don't see Morris as a great option if he's coming off the bench against a good rush defense. While the Patriots like to use Morris in short-yardage, the designation as a "goal-line back" is overrated. Plenty of Patriots will get a taste near the end zone, including Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans, Mike Vrabel, and possibly Mosi Tatupu. Of course Maroney might start, might be out this week or might be out for another month for all we know. I'm not speculating, but the reality is that no one knows the severity of his injury.

If last week was any indication, the Giants could have the most productive running back committee in the league. Derrick Ward's versatility should help keep him relevant even in Brandon Jacobs gets twenty carries a game. Ward has turned into one of the best receiving backs in the league and the Giants don't lose much in short-yardage when Ward is in the game; he's 235 pounds and doesn't go down easy. There's a chance, however, that Ward misses this game, so check practice reports closely. Jacobs also looked sharp in his first week back except for his fumble, showing patience and versatility on some strong runs to the outside. … The Leonard Leap won't be as easy to pull off this week against the Ravens. Baltimore has shown some decline against the pass, but their run defense is strong as ever. … Five games in, the Packers running game may have settled on a rotation: Deshawn Wynn and Vernand Morency splitting the workload evenly. Brandon Jackson is back this week, but I don't expect him to be a major factor moving forward unless the other backs slip up. … Mike Holmgren wants to get Maurice Morris the ball more now that the backup is healthy. Holmgren has never really involved his reserve runners that much, so this may just be a motivational ploy for Shaun Alexander. Or it's another sign of Alexander's decline.

Week 6 Wide Receivers

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Randy Moss	at DAL	-
2	Chad Johnson	at KC	-
3	T.J. Houshmandzadeh	at KC	-
4	Larry Fitzgerald	vs. CAR	-
5	Terrell Owens	vs. NE	-
6	Plaxico Burress	at ATL
7	Steve Smith	at ARZ	-
8	Braylon Edwards	vs. MIA	-
9	Laveranues Coles	vs. PHI
10	Donald Driver	vs. WAS	-
11	Torry Holt	at BAL	-
12	Jerricho Cotchery	vs. PHI
13	Dwayne Bowe	vs. CIN	-
14	Kevin Curtis	at NYJ	-
15	Derrick Mason	vs. STL
16	Marques Colston	at SEA	-
17	Bernard Berrian	vs. MIN	-
18	Ronald Curry	at SD	-
19	Santana Moss	at GB	Probable(groin)
20	Chris Chambers	at CLE	-
21	Roddy White	vs. NYG	-
22	Patrick Crayton	vs. NE	-
23	Greg Jennings	vs. WAS	-
24	Bobby Engram	vs. NO	-
25	Wes Welker	at DAL	-
26	Vincent Jackson	vs. OAK	-
27	Nate Burleson	vs. NO	-
28	Joey Galloway	vs. TEN	-
29	James Jones	vs. WAS	-
30	Marty Booker	at CLE	-
31	Drew Bennett	at BAL
32	Dennis Northcutt	vs. HOU	-
33	Andre' Davis	at JAC	-
34	Bryant Johnson	vs. CAR	-
35	Jerry Porter	at SD	-
36	Antwaan Randle El	at GB
37	Donte' Stallworth	at DAL
38	Joe Jurevicius	vs. MIA
39	Brandon Jones	at TB	-
40	Demetrius Williams	vs. STL	-
41	Reggie Brown	at NYJ	-
42	Amani Toomer	at ATL	-
43	Ike Hilliard	vs. TEN
44	Keary Colbert	at ARZ	-
45	Bobby Wade	at CHI	-
46	Muhsin Muhammad	vs. MIN	-
47	Kevin Walter	at JAC	-
48	Mark Clayton	vs. STL	-
49	Michael Jenkins	vs. NYG	-
50	Roydell Williams	at TB	-

WR Notes: Tampa is below average defending number one receivers this year, but they are the top team in the league at stopping number two options, according to FootballOutsiders. That makes Brandon Jones a reasonable option if you're in a pinch. … Derrick Mason leads the league in receptions, but is averaging only 8.5 yards-per-catch. That makes him a top-ten must start in PPR leagues, and a borderline WR2 must weeks in standard leagues. I had my doubts about Mason keeping up his pace, but he's still been targeted at least 12 times in every game this season. Consistency like that is hard to find.

You would expect the Browns to stop number one receivers better than secondary receivers because of the presence of Leigh Bodden. But they've been equally awful against all receivers, so I wouldn't hesitate to use Chris Chambers or Marty Booker in a pinch this week. … I don't love Santana Moss' matchup against the Packers physical corners, but I had a hard time ranking him below 20, especially with Antwaan Randle El iffy to play this week.

Nate Burleson is Seattle's best big-play receiver with Deion Branch and D.J. Hackett out of the lineup. And the Saints are prone to giving up big plays. That makes Burleson a fine WR3 this week, even if he's been inconsistent this year. … Considering Baltimore's struggles against number two receivers, Drew Bennett is a reasonable option this week. … Dennis Northcutt has only one game this season with less than four catches and 50 yards. If you are in a PPR league, that's valuable consistency for your bench or bye week.

Week 6 Tight Ends

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Antonio Gates	vs. OAK
2	Kellen Winslow	vs. MIA
3	Tony Gonzalez	vs. CIN	-
4	Jason Witten	vs. NE	-
5	Jeremy Shockey	at ATL	-
6	Alge Crumpler	vs. NYG	-
7	Todd Heap	vs. STL
8	Chris Cooley	at GB	-
9	Owen Daniels	at JAC	-
10	Ben Watson	at DAL	-
11	Donald Lee	vs. WAS	-
12	Desmond Clark	vs. MIN	-
13	Greg Olsen	vs. MIN	-
14	Jeff King	at ARZ	-
15	Marcedes Lewis	vs. HOU	-
16	Eric Johnson	at SEA	-
17	Randy McMichael	at BAL	-
18	Chris Baker	vs. PHI	-
19	Alex Smith	vs. TEN	-
20	Bo Scaife	at TB	-
21	Marcus Pollard	vs. NO	-
22	Matt Schobel	at NYJ	-
23	David Martin	at CLE	-
24	Bubba Franks	vs. WAS	-
25	Zach Miller	at SD	-
26	Visanthe Shiancoe	at CHI	-

Week 6 Team Defense

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Ravens Def/Spec Team	vs. STL	-
2	Jaguars Def/Spec Team	vs. HOU	-
3	Bears Def/Spec Team	vs. MIN	-
4	Patriots Def/Spec Team	at DAL	-
5	Titans Def/Spec Team	at TB	-
6	Giants Def/Spec Team	at ATL	-
7	Chargers Def/Spec Team	vs. OAK	-
8	Eagles Def/Spec Team	at NYJ	-
9	Vikings Def/Spec Team	at CHI	-
10	Packers Def/Spec Team	vs. WAS	-
11	Buccaneers Def/Spec Team	vs. TEN	-
12	Redskins Def/Spec Team	at GB	-
13	Cowboys Def/Spec Team	vs. NE	-
14	Cardinals Def/Spec Team	vs. CAR	-
15	Texans Def/Spec Team	at JAC	-
16	Chiefs Def/Spec Team	vs. CIN	-
17	Panthers Def/Spec Team	at ARZ	-
18	Seahawks Def/Spec Team	vs. NO	-
19	Raiders Def/Spec Team	at SD	-
20	Bengals Def/Spec Team	at KC	-
21	Browns Def/Spec Team	vs. MIA	-
22	Dolphins Def/Spec Team	at CLE	-
23	Rams Def/Spec Team	at BAL	-
24	Saints Def/Spec Team	at SEA	-
25	Jets Def/Spec Team	vs. PHI	-
26	Falcons Def/Spec Team	vs. NYG	-

Week 6 Kickers

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Neil Rackers	vs. CAR	-
2	Stephen Gostkowski	at DAL	-
3	Josh Brown	vs. NO	-
4	Shayne Graham	at KC	-
5	Nate Kaeding	vs. OAK	-
6	Nick Folk	vs. NE	-
7	Matt Stover	vs. STL	-
8	Jeff Wilkins	at BAL	-
9	Jay Feely	at CLE	-
10	Kris Brown	at JAC	-
11	Robbie Gould	vs. MIN	-
12	David Akers	at NYJ	-
13	Mason Crosby	vs. WAS	-
14	Shaun Suisham	at GB	-
15	Rob Bironas	at TB	-
16	Ryan Longwell	at CHI	-
17	Phil Dawson	vs. MIA
18	Lawrence Tynes	at ATL	-
19	Matt Bryant	vs. TEN	-
20	Sebastian Janikowski	at SD	-
21	John Kasay	at ARZ	-
22	Olindo Mare	at SEA
23	Mike Nugent	vs. PHI	-
24	John Carney	vs. HOU	-
25	Dave Rayner	vs. CIN	-

[Hache Man]

QBs suddenly hot commodities
Remember that quaint notion back in the preseason that good quarterbacks were a dime a dozen? That you'd be able to pick up a serviceable starter if you did not draft one?

Turns out that idea was just about as bulletproof as a starting backfield of Steven Jackson and Larry Johnson.

The importance of the quarterback, in fantasy and in reality, is obvious, especially after an injury-packed Week 5 left the position in tatters. With six teams off this week, and with the latest round of players sidelined, plenty of owners will be forced to decide between starting the likes of Gus Frerotte and Cleo Lemon.

Matt Leinart was the top player to go down last week, but at least his injury cleared the way for Kurt Warner, who had been playing better than Leinart anyhow. Trent Green, Damon Huard and David Carr also were injured; none are great, and their replacements are worse. Jake Delhomme's season officially ended Monday with news of his pending elbow surgery. And Chad Pennington and Joey Harrington are in serious jeopardy of losing their starting roles at any time.

And so we're left trying to decide whether to start quarterbacks such as David Garrard. Sure, he is winning games for the Jaguars, but he has thrown one touchdown pass and no interceptions in each of his starts. That's OK, but it won't help you beat the guy with Tom Brady.

Whereas wide receiver injuries have garnered so much attention in recent weeks, with guys like Anquan Boldin, Andre Johnson and Hines Ward out, the real problem is with the players throwing them the ball.

Two reliable starters — Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger — are off this week as well as one expected to be reliable (Jon Kitna). At least Carson Palmer will return, but the list of sure things is pretty much limited to Brady, Palmer and, usually, Tony Romo and Brett Favre. Even supposedly dependable guys such as Matt Hasselbeck throw up ducks like the 116-yard, zero-TD game he had last week. And all of those young quarterbacks we have been waiting on — Jay Cutler, Alex Smith, Leinart, Philip Rivers — have had trouble.

If you do not have a sure thing at quarterback and cannot swing a trade, stay on top of free agency and weekly matchups. You'll have to figure out that Frerotte (at Baltimore) and Derek Anderson (vs. Miami) are not bad plays this week or muster the courage to start Daunte Culpepper or Brian Griese.

And if you have an every-week starter (or better, two of them), do not let them go cheaply. Make sure to demand a ransom in trade because you will find quarterback-desperate owners in your league. But as the first five weeks have shown, what we thought was reliable quickly can go by the wayside.

Around the league:

One of the NFL's top clichés is that every team thinks its bye week comes at the perfect time. That is not the case for the Denver Broncos. The NFL has an extra week to work through the issues around Travis Henry's potential one-year suspension, making it more likely that Henry has played his last game.

You should plan to play on without Henry, who did not go out on a high note with 65 rushing yards in a blowout loss to the Chargers. NFL lawyers are not exactly known for botching cases, so they likely will find a way to get Henry off the field before the Broncos play again in Week 7 if Henry deserves it. Selvin Young seems to be the probable replacement.

Mike Bell, Cecil Sapp and Ahmad Hall all are worth pickups as well, in case the rotation does not turn out as expected. That has happened before in Denver (see Olandis Gary, Reuben Droughns and Quentin Griffin), but the Broncos do like to have one featured runner. Grab any back you can and then see how things play out.

Things can't get much worse for Larry Johnson after having 14 touches for 15 total yards in the Chiefs' loss to the Jaguars. But they are about to start to get much better. Up next for the Chiefs are the Cincinnati Bengals, who were running out of linebackers before their week off and who are allowing a league-worst 5.33 yards a carry and 152 rushing yards a game. And with questions at quarterback again, what will the game plan be? Expect about 40 carries from Johnson, assuming the Chiefs stay close enough to stick with him.

The week off did come at a good time for several other backs: the Bengals' Rudi Johnson, the Eagles' Brian Westbrook and the Raiders' LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes. The first three are battling injuries, and Rhodes is coming off suspension. Johnson and Westbrook should be ready to return after missing last week, but the Raiders' situation is unclear. Jordan might not be over his back injury. Try not to play Rhodes or Justin Fargas without further word about how they will split time.

[Hache Man]

Return of the Old Favre?
Last week, most of the e-mail I received disagreeing with my matchup selections revolved around two players: Matt Hasselbeck and Ben Watson, both of whom I'd recommended fantasy owners to sit. Hasselbeck had a miserable day…about as miserable as Watson's was great.

Of course, no one's perfect, least of which me. The best I can do is provide the information me and the rest of the gang at Football Outsiders have gathered and present my informed opinions. One thing we do know, which isn't an excuse by any means, is that tight end performance in fantasy, along with wide receiver performance, is much less affected by fantasy matchups than quarterbacks or running backs. It's something to keep in mind if you're wavering on a couple of moves each week.

Quarterback

The number-one pass defense according to DVOA (our metric which accounts for opponent and down and distance) through the first five weeks season, believe it or not, has been the Tennessee Titans. Cortland Finnegan has not only replace Pac-Man Jones at cornerback, he's surpassed him; in addition, whether you like him or not, Albert Haynesworth has been the best defensive tackle in football this season.

The result is a pass defense that was the only one this season to hold Peyton Manning below a 100 QB rating. Are they for real? They're not this good, but they are someone who you'll want to keep your starting quarterback away from. This week, Tennessee will head to Tampa Bay; while Jeff Garcia has no running back of note to hand the ball off to, Tampa's best bet to win this week will be to run the ball on the Tennessee front seven, not throw the ball. Keep Garcia out of your lineup this week.

The other surprise in the top five of pass defenses is at #4; the Washington Redskins, last year, had the dead-worst pass defense in football. Again, they're not likely to keep up this pace, but they're way better than the worst defense in football. Expect Brett Favre's numbers to be quieted some this week, with a multi-interception game likely.

Two pass defenses, meanwhile, stand out on the dire side. While the Jets even used their first-round pick on a cornerback, Darnelle Revis, he's struggled to keep up with the game following a lengthy holdout. Meanwhile, fellow corner David Barrett has been equally awful, and Andre Dyson's struggled to stay on the field. Throw in a mediocre group of linebackers in pass coverage and a defensive line that's struggled to get pressure and you have the worst pass defense in football, a year after the Jets, ironically, had the worst rush defense in football. The beneficiaries of this largesse in Week 6 will be Donovan McNabb and the Eagles. McNabb should be in your lineup, warts and all.

The other awful pass defense is that of the Saints, who went the alternate route this offseason by shoring up their cornerback spot with a free agent. Unfortunately, Jason David's been equally as awful as incumbent Fred Thomas, and Mike McKenzie's returned to the patchy form that matched his 2003-2005 seasons, as opposed to his revival year of 2006. That means a big week for, ironically, Matt Hasselbeck, even without Deion Branch. While I'm hesitant to say this game will be a shootout because of Drew Brees' sudden inability to find the strike zone, I would still take the over on points scored in this one.

Running Back

This one's easy. Find whatever running back Minnesota and Baltimore are up against and don't play them. Fantasy owners of Cedric Benson are already sick of Benson's fumbleitis and struggles to break big gains. That won't change against the Vikings this week. Benson and Thomas Jones averaged only 73 yards in two games against the Vikes last year. Keep Benson on the bench.

Baltimore, meanwhile, looks forward to eating Brian Leonard for lunch. Ask Kellen Clemens how much fun it is to be a rookie against the Baltimore defense. Then remember the pass defense for the Ravens has only been average this year. Leonard's not a starting running back this week.

Miami's rush defense has absolutely been gashed this season. At 31st in the league, they're not getting any better or younger. Make sure Jamal Lewis or Jason Wright is in your lineup this week as a second back or in a flex role.

As mentioned previously, Kansas City's defense has the weird split of being great against the pass and terrible against the run. That bodes well for Rudi Johnson or Kenny Watson, who's looked pretty bad for most of the season, but is in line for a big game this week.

Another slow starter who I like this week is Willis McGahee, up against the 27th-ranked rush defense of St. Louis. At home, Baltimore's likely to be leading most of the way here, which could mean a big day for McGahee all around.

Wide Receiver

With Deion Branch out and my projection of a big game for Seattle, well, someone has to catch those passes. That task falls to Seattle's secondary receivers. The primary beneficiary will be Bobby Engram, who's an excellent below-the-radar starter this week in deeper leagues. If Engram's still on the waiver wire, nab him and stick him in a wideout slot. He won't disappoint. It could also mean chances for Nate Burleson or even Ben Obomanu, but expect Engram to be the primary target.

Meanwhile, the Eagles will take every opportunity to find bad matchups for the Jets and exploit them to their advantage. That makes both Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis suggested starts this week.

While Al Harris was a shutdown corner in 2005 and 2006, he began to slip in the latter stages of last season, and this year, he's been a far cry from his previous levels of performance. Green Bay's DVOA against #1 receivers this year is 30th in football. That could bode well for whichever of Washington's wideouts is healthy enough to start. If Santana Moss or Antwaan Randle El are able to make it into the lineup this week, you'll want to get them in yours.

Tight End

Start: Randy McMichael, STL; Owen Daniels, HOU; Reggie Kelly, CIN
Avoid: Bo Scaife, TEN; Chris Baker, NYJ; Jeff King, CAR

[Hache Man]

You've Got a Friend
The "James, Taylor fight at practice" headline on the Minneapolis Star Tribune's website threw me for a loop when I saw it Thursday, because he never seemed like much of a fighter while singing "Carolina In My Mind" and "Sweet Baby James." Turns out though, the story was actually about Erasmus James punching Vikings teammate Chester Taylor in the eye and Taylor responding by throwing a chair at James.

You'd think that Taylor would have enough on his mind trying to fight off Adrian Peterson for his starting job, but coach Brad Childress' refusal to actually put the best players on the field has apparently made him confident enough in his job status that he can go around getting into locker-room altercations with guys who have five inches and 50 pounds on him. Taylor got a shiner for his troubles, but the good news for the Vikings is that the entire incident took place on dry land.

While Childress' planned "culture of accountability" fights his supposed "kick-ass offense" to see which can be a bigger joke, here are some other notes from around football …

* Steven Jackson appeared to make significant progress toward his return from a partially torn groin when he reportedly "did some light running and conditioning" at Wednesday's practice, but now the St. Louis Post Dispatch suggests that he might be out until Week 10. The Rams have a Week 9 bye coming up, which could make them hesitant to rush Jackson back before then, and the newspaper reports that his return is "far from imminent."

Rookie fill-in Brian Leonard has a tough matchup against Baltimore this week, but the schedule lightens up with Seattle in Week 7 and Cleveland in Week 8. After struggling some in his first start, Leonard racked up 135 total yards on 23 touches Sunday against the Cardinals. Don't count on many yards per carry against the Ravens, but Leonard is nearly guaranteed 15-plus rushing attempts given the Rams' lack of depth and also plays a sizable role in the passing game.

* The good news for the Cardinals is that Bryant Johnson returned to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's session with a quadriceps injury. The bad news for the Cardinals is that they may need Johnson in the starting lineup again Sunday, because Anquan Boldin missed Thursday's practice. Boldin said afterward that his injured hip is about "80 percent" healthy, but may not allow him to play against the Panthers.

Boldin indicated that he'd likely suit up if this week's game was the Super Bowl, but seems determined to heal completely and lessen his chances of aggravating the injury before returning. If that's indeed the case—and it seems likely given that he's missed back-to-back games and hasn't practiced all week—then Johnson becomes a decent WR3/Flex play. Larry Fitzgerald has dominated the ball in Boldin's absence, but Johnson did catch six passes for 80 yards in Week 5.

* Initially expected to return following the Bengals' bye, Rudi Johnson instead sat out practice Wednesday and Thursday before getting back on the field Friday. A week off not giving his injured hamstring enough time to heal is a big concern and signals that Kenny Watson could get another start Sunday. Carson Palmer said earlier this week that he expected Watson to play "a great deal" in Week 6, so it's possible that Johnson's injury is more serious than was let on.

* Andre Johnson will miss his fourth straight game this week, but ran in practice Wednesday for the first time since spraining his knee and Adam Schefter of NFL Network reported Thursday that the Texans "feel pretty good" about his chances of returning in Week 7. Meanwhile, it sounds like Houston will get Jacoby Jones back from a separated shoulder, although coach Gary Kubiak said that Andre Davis will keep his starting spot for now after producing 266 yards in three games.

* LaMont Jordan was limited in practice Thursday and said afterward that his back injury "is the worst it's been in years," with the San Francisco Chronicle reporting that it "does not sound like his bad back will be ready for Sunday's game." Jordan seems nearly guaranteed to be a game-time decision and the Raiders play a late game, which makes it tough to hold a lineup spot open. Even a healthy Jordan wouldn't be a great bet against the Chargers, so look to another option.

* Jamal Lewis missed practice Thursday for the second straight day and will be a game-time decision in Week 6. The Browns' upcoming bye means that Lewis could get two weeks off if he skipped Sunday's game, but coach Romeo Crennel said Thursday that he won't keep him out of the lineup solely because of that. Lewis is worth watching because he'd have a great matchup against the Dolphins' sub par run defense, but for now it looks like Jason Wright will start.

Two-Minute Drill: Chad Pennington will start Sunday against the Eagles, but New York Newsday speculated Thursday that he could be yanked in favor of Kellen Clemens at the first sign of trouble … Warrick Dunn blamed a lack of touches when asked Thursday about the decline in his production, but Dunn is actually averaging just one fewer touch per game compared to last season … According to the Denver Post, the Lions are shopping Tatum Bell around the league now that Kevin Jones is healthy, but the Broncos aren't interested in reacquiring him … Damon Huard (shoulder) is now a lock to start in Week 6 after being removed from the Chiefs' injury report Thursday … Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Thursday that he has no plans to lessen Edgerrin James' workload despite an NFC-leading 107 carries … Previously arrested for allegedly defecating in a woman's dorm room while at the University of Miami in 2002, Najeh Davenport was arrested Thursday after witnesses reportedly saw him hit, choke, and throw the mother of his five-year-old daughter to the ground.

Red Zone: As expected, Torry Holt practiced fully Thursday after taking Wednesday off to rest his surgically repaired knee … Neither player is 100 percent physically yet, but both Brian Westbrook (abdomen) and L.J. Smith (groin) look likely to play against the Jets after practicing fully Thursday … Fred Taylor (groin) was limited in practice Thursday and Maurice Jones-Drew's will get a big value boost if The Fragile One is limited or out in Week 6 … Adam Schefter of NFL Network reported Thursday that David Carr (back) is likely to start in Week 6, with the Panthers prepared to go with newly signed 43-year-old Vinny Testaverde if he can't play … Todd Heap (hamstring) participated in some of Thursday's practice and looks likely to be a game-time decision in Week 6 … Santana Moss (groin) looks likely to play in Week 6 after practicing fully Thursday for the second straight day … Vernand Morency skipped practice Thursday to rest his knee, but is expected to suit up and potentially split snaps with DeShawn Wynn in Week 6 … D.J. Hackett (ankle) ran on the side during Thursday's practice and there's speculation that he could be ready to return in some capacity as soon as next week.

[Hache Man]

Week 6 Rankings Update

Note:The Rankings were updated Friday night. LaMont Jordan isn't expected to play and isn't listed.



Week 6 Quarterbacks

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Tom Brady	at DAL	Probable(shoulder)
2	Carson Palmer	at KC	-
3	Matt Hasselbeck	vs. NO	-
4	Eli Manning	at ATL	-
5	Tony Romo	vs. NE	-
6	Donovan McNabb	at NYJ	-
7	Brett Favre	vs. WAS	-
8	Derek Anderson	vs. MIA	-
9	Kurt Warner	vs. CAR	-
10	David Garrard	vs. HOU	-
11	Vince Young	at TB	-
12	Drew Brees	at SEA	-
13	Jason Campbell	at GB	-
14	Kyle Boller	vs. STL	Decent spot-starter if he gets call
15	Steve McNair	vs. STL	Game-Time Decision
16	Cleo Lemon	at CLE	-
17	Brian Griese	vs. MIN	-
18	Philip Rivers	vs. OAK	-
19	Chad Pennington	vs. PHI
20	Jeff Garcia	vs. TEN	-
21	Damon Huard	vs. CIN
22	Daunte Culpepper	at SD	-
23	Joey Harrington	vs. NYG	-
24	Matt Schaub	at JAC	-
25	David Carr	at ARZ	Expected to start
26	Gus Frerotte	at BAL	-
27	Tarvaris Jackson	at CHI	Expected to start

Note: For projections for all the players listed here, head to Season Pass. Use the projections to help decide your flex spots. … Also, I usually include my game notes from the tapes I watch during the week in Goal Line Stand. For space reasons, I'll be posting them throughout the day over at Pancake Blocks.

QB Notes: Dallas is playing surprisingly effective pass defense despite the injuries to Terrence Newman and Anthony Henry this year. They are seventh in YPA allowed and sixth in FootballOutsiders' pass defense stats. Yes, the Patriots are the toughest matchup Tony Romo has faced. But the Dallas defense is also the toughest matchup New England has faced during a cupcake schedule. You shouldn't bench either quarterback, but don't expect this score to be in the thirties.

Eli Manning had a weak effort against the Jets last week. New York had him mentally scrambled, and they day wouldn't have looked pretty if Plaxico Burress didn't embarrass Andre Dyson after the catch. Eli has been among the most consistent quarterbacks this year, so we'll give him a pass. You have to start him against the Falcons on Monday night. … Jason Campbell's receivers could struggle in Green Bay, but there just aren't many good options this week after the top 11. … Drew Brees is struggling, but the Saints' propensity to throw 45 times a game keeps his yardage afloat. … Derek Anderson is no longer a fluke. He isn't particularly accurate and he throws too many picks, but his YPA is sky high because the Browns are so aggressive throwing down the field. Miami's secondary doesn't scare me, making Anderson a solid QB1 this week.

A trio of mediocre options has fine matchups if you need help this week: Brian Griese against the Vikings, Steve McNair against the Rams, and Cleo Lemon against the Browns. I think Lemon can be a serviceable QB2 throughout the season and Cleveland's secondary hasn't solved their problems. … I think Matt Schaub's impressive streak without Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones hits a major speed bump this week against a motivated Jaguars defense. … Joey Harrington has been much better at home, but this matchup could get ugly. Osi Umenyiora will line up across from an undrafted rookie making his first career start at left tackle. … Here's how pass-wacky the Ravens have been this season: Steve McNair is ninth in the league in pass attempts despite missing one game and parts of two others. Here's how lame the Ravens passing game has been: Steve McNair's completions are averaging 8.95 yards. That's like playing with an entire team of Peerless Prices.

Week 4 Running Backs

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	LaDainian Tomlinson	vs. OAK	-
2	Ronnie Brown	at CLE	-
3	Brian Westbrook	at NYJ
4	Willis McGahee	vs. STL	-
5	Larry Johnson	vs. CIN	-
6	Clinton Portis	at GB	-
7	Shaun Alexander	vs. NO
8	Reggie Bush	at SEA	-
9	Edgerrin James	vs. CAR	-
10	Brandon Jacobs	at ATL
11	Laurence Maroney	at DAL	Game-time decision
12	Adrian Peterson	at CHI	-
13	Maurice Jones-Drew	vs. HOU	-
14	Jason Wright	vs. MIA	Expected to start
15	Rudi Johnson	at KC	Will start, may lose touches to Watson
16	Thomas Jones	vs. PHI
17	Marion Barber	vs. NE	-
18	DeShaun Foster	at ARZ	-
19	Derrick Ward	at ATL	Expected to play
20	LenDale White	at TB	-
21	Cedric Benson	vs. MIN	-
22	Warrick Dunn	vs. NYG	-
23	Fred Taylor	vs. HOU	Questionable(groin)
24	Brian Leonard	at BAL	-
25	Ahman Green	at JAC	-
26	Kenny Watson	at KC	-
27	Sammy Morris	at DAL	Top-15 if Maroney is out
28	Chester Taylor	at CHI	-
29	Earnest Graham	vs. TEN	-
30	DeShawn Wynn	vs. WAS	-
31	Chris Brown	at TB	-
32	Julius Jones	vs. NE	-
33	Vernand Morency	vs. WAS
34	Justin Fargas	at SD	Could split carries
35	Jerious Norwood	vs. NYG	-
36	Dominic Rhodes	at SD	Could split carries
37	DeAngelo Williams	at ARZ	-
38	Ladell Betts	at GB	-
39	Michael Turner	vs. OAK	-
40	Ron Dayne	at JAC	-
41	Correll Buckhalter	at NYJ	-
42	Adrian Peterson	vs. MIN	Questionable(calf)
43	Leon Washington	vs. PHI	-
44	Musa Smith	vs. STL	-
45	Maurice Morris	vs. NO
46	Greg Jones	vs. HOU	Could get role if Taylor is out
47	Aaron Stecker	at SEA	-
48	Kenneth Darby	vs. TEN	-

RB Notes: With six teams off, including many good runners, the rankings fell off a cliff after the top-12. Thomas Jones has been dreadful, but he should get all the carries in a decent matchup. Maurice Jones-Drew, Marion Barber, and Adrian Peterson are all splitting carries, but their big-play ability or scoring potential keep them slotted as solid RB2s in a rough week. Jones-Drew woke up last week, but there were still some signs for concern. Fred Taylor continues to get more consistent carries, and Greg Jones again took some snaps near the goal line. Houston has done a solid job against the run this year, but Taylor is overdue to break a long gainer. … Maybe Jason Wright has improved since his weak showing as a rookie, but I know the Cleveland offensive line has. Wright has surprisingly held off Jerome Harrison in Cleveland, which has to mean something. The Miami rush defense is improved with Zach Thomas back in the
lineup, but Wright still makes a decent RB2 if he starts because he'll get the ball. NFL Network's Rich Eisen said Lewis was unlikely to play on Wednesday's show, but you'll want to follow his progress all week.

Rudi Johnson is another player whose status is up in the air. For now, we're ranking Kenny Watson as if he'll start. You know to play Rudi if he's a go. … Sammy Morris is a must-start if Laurence Maroney sits, but the 4PM start for the Cowboys-Patriots game could cause some difficult decisions. I don't see Morris as a great option if he's coming off the bench against a good rush defense. While the Patriots like to use Morris in short-yardage, the designation as a "goal-line back" is overrated. Plenty of Patriots will get a taste near the end zone, including Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans, Mike Vrabel, and possibly Mosi Tatupu. Of course Maroney might start, might be out this week or might be out for another month for all we know. I'm not speculating, but the reality is that no one knows the severity of his injury. Update: John Clayton thinks Maroney will play this week.

If last week was any indication, the Giants could have the most productive running back committee in the league. Derrick Ward's versatility should help keep him relevant even if Brandon Jacobs gets twenty carries a game. Ward has turned into one of the best receiving backs in the league and the Giants don't lose much in short-yardage when Ward is in the game; he's 235 pounds and doesn't go down easy. There's a chance, however, that Ward misses this game, so check practice reports closely. Jacobs also looked sharp in his first week back except for his fumble, showing patience and versatility on some strong runs to the outside. … The Leonard Leap won't be as easy to pull off this week against the Ravens. Baltimore has shown some decline against the pass, but their run defense is strong as ever. … Five games in, the Packers running game may have settled on a rotation: Deshawn Wynn and Vernand Morency splitting the workload evenly. Brandon Jackson is back this week, but I don't expect him to be a major factor moving forward unless the other backs slip up. … Mike Holmgren wants to get Maurice Morris the ball more now that the backup is healthy. Holmgren has never really involved his reserve runners that much, so this may just be a motivational ploy for Shaun Alexander. Or it's another sign of Alexander's decline.

Week 6 Wide Receivers

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Randy Moss	at DAL	-
2	Chad Johnson	at KC	-
3	T.J. Houshmandzadeh	at KC	-
4	Larry Fitzgerald	vs. CAR	-
5	Terrell Owens	vs. NE	-
6	Plaxico Burress	at ATL	Who needs practice?
7	Steve Smith	at ARZ	-
8	Braylon Edwards	vs. MIA	-
9	Laveranues Coles	vs. PHI
10	Donald Driver	vs. WAS	-
11	Torry Holt	at BAL
12	Jerricho Cotchery	vs. PHI
13	Kevin Curtis	at NYJ	-
14	Dwayne Bowe	vs. CIN	-
15	Derrick Mason	vs. STL	Probable(flu)
16	Santana Moss	at GB	Probable(groin)
17	Marques Colston	at SEA	-
18	Bernard Berrian	vs. MIN	Expected to start
19	Ronald Curry	at SD	-
20	Chris Chambers	at CLE	-
21	Roddy White	vs. NYG	-
22	Patrick Crayton	vs. NE	-
23	Greg Jennings	vs. WAS
24	Bobby Engram	vs. NO	-
25	Wes Welker	at DAL	-
26	Vincent Jackson	vs. OAK	-
27	Nate Burleson	vs. NO	Sneaky play
28	Joey Galloway	vs. TEN	-
29	James Jones	vs. WAS	-
30	Marty Booker	at CLE	-
31	Drew Bennett	at BAL	Expected to start
32	Dennis Northcutt	vs. HOU	-
33	Andre' Davis	at JAC	-
34	Bryant Johnson	vs. CAR	-
35	Jerry Porter	at SD	-
36	Demetrius Williams	vs. STL	-
37	Joe Jurevicius	vs. MIA	Questionable(knee)
38	Donte' Stallworth	at DAL
39	Reggie Brown	at NYJ	-
40	Amani Toomer	at ATL	-
41	Ike Hilliard	vs. TEN	Questionable(shoulder)
42	Brandon Jones	at TB	Game-time decision
43	Keary Colbert	at ARZ	-
44	Mark Clayton	vs. STL	-
45	Bobby Wade	at CHI	-
46	Muhsin Muhammad	vs. MIN	-
47	Kevin Walter	at JAC	-
48	Michael Jenkins	vs. NYG	-
49	Roydell Williams	at TB	-

WR Notes: Tampa is below average defending number one receivers this year, but they are the top team in the league at stopping number two options, according to FootballOutsiders. That makes Brandon Jones a reasonable option if you're in a pinch. … Derrick Mason leads the league in receptions, but is averaging only 8.5 yards-per-catch. That makes him a top-ten must start in PPR leagues, and a borderline WR2 must weeks in standard leagues. I had my doubts about Mason keeping up his pace, but he's still been targeted at least 12 times in every game this season. Consistency like that is hard to find.

You would expect the Browns to stop number one receivers better than secondary receivers because of the presence of Leigh Bodden. But they've been equally awful against all receivers, so I wouldn't hesitate to use Chris Chambers or Marty Booker in a pinch this week. … I don't love Santana Moss' matchup against the Packers physical corners, but I had a hard time ranking him below 20, especially with Antwaan Randle El iffy to play this week.

Nate Burleson is Seattle's best big-play receiver with Deion Branch and D.J. Hackett out of the lineup. And the Saints are prone to giving up big plays. That makes Burleson a fine WR3 this week, even if he's been inconsistent this year. … Considering Baltimore's struggles against number two receivers, Drew Bennett is a reasonable option this week. … Dennis Northcutt has only one game this season with less than four catches and 50 yards. If you are in a PPR league, that's valuable consistency for your bench or bye week.

Week 6 Tight Ends

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Antonio Gates	vs. OAK
2	Kellen Winslow	vs. MIA
3	Tony Gonzalez	vs. CIN	-
4	Jason Witten	vs. NE	-
5	Jeremy Shockey	at ATL	-
6	Alge Crumpler	vs. NYG	-
7	Todd Heap	vs. STL	Expected to start
8	Chris Cooley	at GB	-
9	Owen Daniels	at JAC	-
10	Ben Watson	at DAL	-
11	Donald Lee	vs. WAS	-
12	Desmond Clark	vs. MIN	-
13	Greg Olsen	vs. MIN	-
14	Jeff King	at ARZ	-
15	L.J. Smith	at NYJ
16	Marcedes Lewis	vs. HOU	-
17	Eric Johnson	at SEA	-
18	Randy McMichael	at BAL	-
19	Chris Baker	vs. PHI	-
20	Alex Smith	vs. TEN	-
21	Bo Scaife	at TB	-
22	Marcus Pollard	vs. NO	Questionable(knee)
23	David Martin	at CLE	-
24	Bubba Franks	vs. WAS	-
25	Zach Miller	at SD	-
26	Visanthe Shiancoe	at CHI	-

Week 6 Team Defense

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Ravens Def/Spec Team	vs. STL	-
2	Jaguars Def/Spec Team	vs. HOU	-
3	Bears Def/Spec Team	vs. MIN	-
4	Patriots Def/Spec Team	at DAL	-
5	Titans Def/Spec Team	at TB	-
6	Giants Def/Spec Team	at ATL	-
7	Chargers Def/Spec Team	vs. OAK	-
8	Eagles Def/Spec Team	at NYJ	-
9	Vikings Def/Spec Team	at CHI	-
10	Packers Def/Spec Team	vs. WAS	-
11	Buccaneers Def/Spec Team	vs. TEN	-
12	Redskins Def/Spec Team	at GB	-
13	Cowboys Def/Spec Team	vs. NE	-
14	Cardinals Def/Spec Team	vs. CAR	-
15	Texans Def/Spec Team	at JAC	-
16	Chiefs Def/Spec Team	vs. CIN	-
17	Panthers Def/Spec Team	at ARZ	-
18	Seahawks Def/Spec Team	vs. NO	-
19	Raiders Def/Spec Team	at SD	-
20	Bengals Def/Spec Team	at KC	-
21	Browns Def/Spec Team	vs. MIA	-
22	Dolphins Def/Spec Team	at CLE	-
23	Rams Def/Spec Team	at BAL	-
24	Saints Def/Spec Team	at SEA	-
25	Jets Def/Spec Team	vs. PHI	-
26	Falcons Def/Spec Team	vs. NYG	-

Week 6 Kickers

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Neil Rackers	vs. CAR	-
2	Stephen Gostkowski	at DAL	-
3	Josh Brown	vs. NO	-
4	Shayne Graham	at KC	-
5	Nate Kaeding	vs. OAK	-
6	Nick Folk	vs. NE	-
7	Matt Stover	vs. STL	-
8	Jeff Wilkins	at BAL	-
9	Jay Feely	at CLE	-
10	Kris Brown	at JAC	-
11	Robbie Gould	vs. MIN	-
12	David Akers	at NYJ	-
13	Mason Crosby	vs. WAS	-
14	Shaun Suisham	at GB	-
15	Rob Bironas	at TB	-
16	Ryan Longwell	at CHI	-
17	Phil Dawson	vs. MIA
18	Lawrence Tynes	at ATL	-
19	Matt Bryant	vs. TEN	-
20	Sebastian Janikowski	at SD	-
21	John Kasay	at ARZ	-
22	Olindo Mare	at SEA
23	Mike Nugent	vs. PHI	-
24	John Carney	vs. HOU	-
25	Dave Rayner	vs. CIN	-

[Hache Man]

Back Woes
As effectively as the Raiders have run the ball during the early part of the season, one would think that Oakland's backfield might emerge as a significantly valuable source of production. However, the return of Dominic Rhodes from a four-game suspension coupled with LaMont Jordan's recurring back problems in all likelihood means we're headed for an unpredictable and inconsistent second half from a carry-sharing standpoint in Oaktown.

Things have been going great for the Raiders' running game. Line coach Tom Cable brought the zone-blocking scheme from Atlanta, and Jordan picked it up instantly, averaging five yards-per-carry through the first four games. Even ham-fisted third-stringer Justin Fargas has excelled in the system when given the opportunity. The Raiders rank first in the NFL in rushing – and by a wide margin.

However, it was Rhodes who ran with the first team in the offseason and looked like the most obvious candidate to start at running back for the Raiders in Week 1 before word broke of his impending four-game layoff. Rhodes may be somewhat overrated after his playoff performance for the Colts last year, but he has sufficient experience in Cable's system, is a capable receiver, and a reliable back. Jordan's injury issues mean he cannot measure up to that third standard.

So when Jordan is able to play in a game again, the Raiders may be reluctant to rely on him as an every-down or even lead back in their committee. Because Rhodes is more dependable and it seems that just about anyone can get hot in Cable's scheme, the reinstated running back could simply wind up being too good to pull off the field.

Week 6 Game-Time Decisions

Arms
Chad Pennington – Will start despite missing parts of practice all week.
Steve McNair – Game-time decision; start Kyle Boller if McNair misses.
David Carr – Downgraded to questionable; Vinny Testaverde may start.
Tarvaris Jackson – Will start but Kelly Holcomb could see action too.
Byron Leftwich – Questionable but expected to back up on Monday night.

Wides
Torry Holt – Probable and will start, but may struggle vs. Chris McAlister.
Plaxico Burress – Despite not practicing all week, is highly likely to start.
Anquan Boldin – Hip injury lingering, expected to keep him out vs. CAR.
Laveranues Coles – Sudden TD machine fully expected to start vs. PHI.
Greg Jennings – Probable and slated to start despite sprained shoulder.
Santana Moss – Probable; almost certain to play but has tough matchup.
Derrick Mason – Expect PPR monster to start against Rams' shaky DBs.
Vincent Jackson – Probable, but in for tough test vs. Nnamdi Asomugha.
Donte' Stallworth – Should start; has found his niche in offense, finally.
Joe Jurevicius – X-rays came back negative on knee but status uncertain.
Antwaan Randle El – Not expected to play; likely to struggle if he does.
Bryant Johnson – Considered probable to start in place of Boldin Sunday.
Ike Hilliard – Questionable w/ bum shoulder; weak play even if he's up.
Brandon Jones – Didn't practice all week; Roydell Williams should start.
Jacoby Jones – Set to resume punt return duties, but only a fourth WR.
Bernard Berrian – Expected to start against MIN after practicing Friday.
Derek Hagan – Hagan not likely to be active due to strained hamstring.
Justin McCareins – Has fallen behind Brad Smith on Jets' depth chart.

Backs
Rudi Johnson – Listed as probable, but expected to share carries at KC.
LaMont Jordan – Doubtful; Dominic Rhodes, Justin Fargas to split the load.
Laurence Maroney – Appears set to start after missing last two contests.
Fred Taylor – Don't count on Taylor playing after missing Friday workout.
Derrick Ward – Lingering ankle injury may mean he's limited vs. Falcons.
Vernand Morency – Brandon Jackson will be a healthy scratch Sunday.
Derrick Ward – Returned to practice Friday; may be limited on game day.

Ends
Kellen Winslow – Probable to start, be on this list the rest of the season.
Todd Heap – Fully expected to play vs. STL after missing Week 5 game.
L.J. Smith – May be limited in return from bothersome groin ailment.
Marcus Pollard – 35-year-old with knee troubles far from a fantasy option.

Legs
Olindo Mare – Probable; disappointing so far but Saints staying with him.

Already Ruled Out for Week 6

Arms
Marc Bulger – Worth hanging onto if possible; should be back by Week 7.
Matt Leinart – Broken collarbone landed him on I.R.; Kurt Warner starting.
Jake Delhomme – Went on injured reserve following Tommy John surgery.
Trent Green – Not sure why the Dolphins would let him take the field again.
Josh McCown – Daunte Culpepper has high-upside matchup at San Diego.
Chris Simms – Betting he'll only net a second-day pick in offseason trade.

Wides
Andre Johnson – Still not practicing, Andre may be sidelined until Week 11.
Deion Branch – He's expected to be out until Week 9 with mid-foot sprain.
Terry Glenn – Still seems to be weeks, even months from playing again.
Isaac Bruce – Has strained hammy; Drew Bennett to start against Ravens.
D.J. Hackett – Bobby Engram is an intriguing option against New Orleans.
Eddie Kennison – Re-injured hamstring, Samie Parker to start in meantime.
Chris Henry – Eligible for reinstatement in Week 8; worth claiming now.
Eric Parker – Recovery behind schedule and Chargers missing Parker badly.
Steve Smith (Giants) – Still battling shoulder injury, but is getting closer.
David Givens – On PUP list, Titans not counting on him to play in second half.
Rod Smith – Veteran not expected to see the field for Denver this season.
Koren Robinson – Will add another dimension to Packers once reinstated.
Dante Hall – Marques Hagans takes over as St. Louis' punt return man.
Tab Perry – Antonio Chatman Cincy's third receiver until Chris Henry's return.

Backs
Steven Jackson – Didn't work at all this week and still seems a ways away.
Jamal Lewis – Downgraded to OUT on Saturday.
Michael Pittman – Out at least a month; Earnest Graham an every-down back.
Chris Perry – Has seemingly good chance of being activated in Week 7.
Brian Calhoun – Placed on I.R. again, faces a battle to make Lions in 2007.
Ricky Williams – Can be reinstated soon; is worth a glance in deep leagues.
Michael Bush – Signs point to him possibly being activated in near future.
Priest Holmes – Little word on whether he has a shot to return in Week 7.

Ends
Daniel Wilcox – Ankle/foot still bugging Wilcox, but Todd Heap set to return.

Legs
Josh Scobee – John Carney still starting, Scobee may be candidate for I.R.

Week 6 Matchups to Exploit/Avoid

Redskins @ Packers
Game Time: 12:00 CT/1:00 ET

Antwaan Randle El had an outstanding first half last week against the Lions. The former Steeler rang up seven catches for 100 yards through the first two quarters before a hamstring pull knocked him out for the second half. But before jumping on the Randle El bandwagon (he's surprisingly had a decent season so far), consider Washington's Week 5 opponent and the fact that his stepping up was mostly out of necessity. The Redskins were without Santana Moss (groin) and forced to start James Thrash of Stinkston and Trash infamy at split end. This week, the 'Skins get back Moss, and Randle El is a game-time decision. He did not practice at all during the week and coach Joe Gibbs said Wednesday that it'll be a "miracle" if Randle El plays Sunday. Throw in the fact that Randle El has never fared well against press coverage, which Green Bay utilizes more than any team in the NFL, and he's an easy sit, even if your only alternative is Nate Burleson…

…On the other side, DeShawn Wynn's apparently low tolerance for pain and discomfort seems to be wearing thin on the Packers' coaching staff, but there is little doubt who the starter in Green Bay is currently. The Pack will go so far as to deactivate second-round pick, and now fourth-stringer, Brandon Jackson despite getting the rookie back at full strength from a two-week shin injury. Among the members of Green Bay's RBBC, Wynn has the best makeup to be an effective short-yardage back, while also performing on third downs. He'll probably miss a few snaps because of cramping or a bruise or some minor ailment, but Wynn makes a strong flex play against a Redskins defense that will be without strong-side linebacker Marcus Washington (hamstring) and is banged up at left defensive end, where Phillip Daniels is dealing with a separated shoulder. The Packers aren't close to consistent on the ground, but Wynn will be a good bet for a score as he gets the majority of carries for the Pack.

Dolphins @ Cleveland
Game Time: 12:00 CT/1:00 ET

The Browns are calling Jamal Lewis (foot sprain) "questionable" on the injury report, but seeing as he was unable to participate in practice at all during the week and remains in a protective boot, Lewis is probably closer to doubtful in reality. The other reality is that Lewis' injury could be one that sidelines him multiple weeks; the more up-front Seahawks immediately announced Deion Branch would miss at least two games when his foot was diagnosed as sprained. At least for this Sunday, Jason Wright is almost sure to start, and although coordinator Dom Capers' unit is almost back at full health with the return of LBs Channing Crowder and Zach Thomas, Miami's rush defense is still ranked 31st in the league and awful until proven otherwise. It's a great week to use Wright, who has flashed in limited duty before, as a fantasy flex…

On the other side, with Trent Green out indefinitely while recovering from a concussion that may very well end his career, Cleo Lemon has taken over as Miami's interim starter. Lemon appeared in four contests last season and did not help Chris Chambers' cause, as the wideout caught only six passes during those games. However, Chambers is playing a new position in coach Cam Cameron's offense and has been getting the ball on shorter patterns. That could be a recipe for a newfound chemistry between he and Lemon, whose bread and butter is the quick outlet pass. As the "X" receiver under Cameron, Chambers is supposed to get more run-after-catch opportunities. With Browns LCB Leigh Bodden (groin) still hurting and in the midst of a major down year, Chambers should get by him after at least one of several short receptions.

Rams @ Ravens
Game Time: 12:00 CT/1:00 ET

Steve McNair missed both Thursday and Friday's workouts due to a bad back, which the Ravens believe may be a product of his previously injured groin. By whatever means McNair acquired the new ailment, his status for Week 6 will come down to a game-time decision. We won't know who it'll be until about 12 ET Sunday, but it's time to get fired up about a potential start for Kyle Boller. The Ravens have a full complement of receivers with Todd Heap (probable, hamstring) returning to the starting lineup and Mark Clayton beginning to round into shape. If Boller gets the start and carves up the hapless Rams as he should, the Ravens might be inclined to hand him the reigns on a full-time basis. McNair poses little threat to defenses in any facet of the game, and the installation of Boller would significantly boost the fantasy values of all Ravens pass catchers, including Willis McGahee…

…On the other side, a lost season continues for St. Louis. This will most likely be Gus Frerotte's last start before Marc Bulger returns to face Seattle in Week 7, but the Rams are unlikely to have Steven Jackson back prior to their Week 9 bye. Torry Holt admits his knee problems won't be going away anytime soon, and Isaac Bruce is already out with a strained hamstring. It looks like CB Samari Rolle (illness) will return to the starting lineup for the Ravens, which makes Drew Bennett a less intriguing play than the 6-5 wideout would've been against 5-9 nickel back Corey Ivy. The matchup is one to avoid for any Rams players, excluding Holt unless you have another top 20 option…

Saints @ Seahawks
Game Time: 7:15 CT/8:15 ET

It'll be Bobby Engram's time to step up for the next two weeks. Coach Mike Holmgren announced Thursday that the usual slot receiver will take over as his new starting flanker, a featured position. According to Football Outsiders, the Saints are the NFL's easiest team to beat with No. 1 receivers, and that's the role Engram will be playing until Branch returns in Week 9. If Engram is still somehow lingering on your waiver wire, he's an ideal start on Sunday Night Football.

[Hache Man]

All Day
If you love football, I strongly recommend going to NFL.com to watch the four minute, eleven second highlight reel of Adrian Peterson's Sunday. It's like one of those Youtube greatest hits tapes with cheesy graphics set to Braveheart – except it was Peterson's greatest hits from one day. In Chicago. With no passing game supporting him.

Peterson's transformation from damn good to greatness can be summed up by broadcaster Brian Baldinger's evolving commentary throughout the game.

After the first touchdown (67 yards): "The Best back to come into this league since LaDainian Tomlinson taking over."

After the 73-yard score: "Now, this is what the league is finding out: That this guy is the best running back in this league right now."

After 35-yard score: "How anyone passed on Adrian Peterson … The Arizona Cardinals had a chance for him. He's got the Rookie of the Year sewn up."

By the time Peterson was finished, the Chicago Bears had replaced their strong safety and that talk about last week's Packers win saving their season was exposed as wishful rhetoric. Green Bay has a three game lead in the NFC North and Chicago is in last place.

Piling on the Bears is focusing on the negative, though, and Peterson's performance was pure joy. It's why we play fantasy football; why we love fantasy football. While Peterson was silencing 62,174 fans in Chicago, thousands of owners were at home just happy to be along for the ride. All Day.

Stepping Off the Ledge

1. Thomas Jones ran with aggression from the first snap, posting 130 yards against a previously stout Eagles rush defense. Now if only Jones could learn to punch it in around the goal-line. He's fourth in the NFL with 13 carries inside the ten-yard line, but still hasn't scored.

2. Willis McGahee had a surprising amount of difficulty against the Rams as Baltimore's young offensive line got pushed around. But the league's fourth-leading rusher gave his owners sweet relief with his first score of the season. McGahee leads the NFL with 15 carries inside the ten, but dances too much near the stripe. Must be in the water in Baltimore.

3. Larry Johnson also ended his scoreless skid on Sunday. While it's a concern he didn't top four yards-per-carry against the Bengals, Herm Edwards is back to working LJ like it was 2006. Johnson finished with 31 carries Sunday. Michael Bennett had two. Patient Johnson owners should be rewarded with four favorable matchups in the next five Chiefs games.

4. Reggie Brown and Chris Cooley both more than doubled their receiving yardage on the season in one game. Brown's six catches for 89 yards were coming eventually, but it's a good reminder for owners to grab him in leagues he's available. Donovan McNabb also kept up his Good Donovan/Bad Donovan season going with a fine outing against the Jets.
Year of the Tight End. Again.

Tight ends just keep getting better. In points-per-reception leagues, five of them (Gates, Gonzo, Witten, Clark, and Winslow) are averaging 14.5 fantasy points-per-game or better. No one averaged that much last season, and only Gates did it in 2005. In the past, I always recommended playing wideouts over tight ends in flex spot. But this five-pack produce like high-end WR2s or better, while guys like Ben Watson, Heath Miller, and Owen Daniels haven't disappointed as late-round picks.

Don't Panic

1. Santana Moss had an all-time terrible game. He dropped at least three passes, and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. One of his drops would have gone for 40 yards. Another tipped in the air and was intercepted. Then, in a rare move, Moss took himself out of the game halfway through the fourth quarter despite being healthy.

It was a stinker, but Moss is a quality player on an improving offense. There is risk because of his injury history, but we'd buy low.

2. Dwayne Bowe against the Bengals looked like a winning matchup, but Jeff Webb and Tony Gonzalez stole the show. Rookies are going to have slow games, but Bowe's consistent play still makes him a decent WR3.

3. Laveranues Coles caught exactly one pass for only the third time in his career, and may not be playing at full strength (Is he ever?). And while Coles' buddy Chad Pennington could lose his job, Kellen Clemens will still look for Coles in the red zone. He's their designated goal-line receiver to the consternation of Jerricho Cotchery owners everywhere.

[Hache Man]

All Day
If you love football, I strongly recommend going to NFL.com to watch the four minute, eleven second highlight reel of Adrian Peterson's Sunday. It's like one of those Youtube greatest hits tapes with cheesy graphics set to Braveheart – except it was Peterson's greatest hits from one day. In Chicago. With no passing game supporting him.

Peterson's transformation from damn good to greatness can be summed up by broadcaster Brian Baldinger's evolving commentary throughout the game.

After the first touchdown (67 yards): "The Best back to come into this league since LaDainian Tomlinson taking over."

After the 73-yard score: "Now, this is what the league is finding out: That this guy is the best running back in this league right now."

After 35-yard score: "How anyone passed on Adrian Peterson … The Arizona Cardinals had a chance for him. He's got the Rookie of the Year sewn up."

By the time Peterson was finished, the Chicago Bears had replaced their strong safety, and all that talk about last week's Packers win saving their season was exposed as wishful rhetoric. Green Bay has a three game lead in the NFC North and Chicago is in last place.

Piling on the Bears is focusing on the negative, though, and Peterson's performance was pure joy. It's why we play fantasy football; why we love fantasy football. While Peterson was silencing 62,174 fans in Chicago, thousands of owners were at home just happy to be along for the All Day ride.

Stepping Off the Ledge

1. Thomas Jones ran with aggression from the first snap, posting 130 yards against a previously stout Eagles rush defense. Now if only Jones could learn to punch it in around the goal line. He's fourth in the NFL with 13 carries inside the ten-yard line, but still hasn't scored.

2. Willis McGahee had a surprising amount of difficulty against the Rams as Baltimore's young offensive line got pushed around. But the league's fourth-leading rusher gave his owners sweet relief with his first score of the season. McGahee leads the NFL with 15 carries inside the ten, but dances too much near the stripe. Must be in the water in Baltimore.

3. Larry Johnson also ended his scoreless skid on Sunday. While it's a concern he didn't top four yards-per-carry against the Bengals, Herm Edwards is back to working LJ like it was 2006. Johnson finished with 31 carries Sunday. Michael Bennett had two. Patient Johnson owners should be rewarded with four favorable matchups in the next five Chiefs games.

4. Reggie Brown and Chris Cooley both more than doubled their receiving yardage on the season in one game. Brown's six catches for 89 yards were coming eventually, but it's a good reminder for owners to grab him in leagues he's available. Donovan McNabb also kept up his Good Donovan/Bad Donovan season going with a fine outing against the Jets.

Year of the Tight End. Again.

Tight ends just keep getting better. In points-per-reception leagues, five of them (Gates, Gonzo, Witten, Clark, and Winslow) are averaging 14.5 fantasy points-per-game or better. No tight end averaged that much last season, and only Gates did it in 2005. In the past, I always recommended playing wideouts over tight ends in flex spots. But this five-pack produces like high-end WR2s or better, while guys like Ben Watson, Heath Miller, and Owen Daniels haven't disappointed as late-round picks.

Don't Panic

1. Santana Moss had an all-time terrible game. He dropped at least three passes, and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. One of his drops would have gone for 40 yards. Another tipped in the air and was intercepted. Then, in a rare move, Moss took himself out of the game halfway through the fourth quarter despite being healthy.

It was a stinker, but Moss is a quality player on an improving offense. There is risk because of his injury history, but we'd buy low.

2. Dwayne Bowe against the Bengals looked like a winning matchup, but Jeff Webb and Tony Gonzalez stole the show. Rookies are going to have slow games, but Bowe's consistent play still makes him a decent WR3.

3. Laveranues Coles caught exactly one pass for only the third time in his career, and may not be playing at full strength (Is he ever?). And while Coles' buddy Chad Pennington could lose his job, Kellen Clemens will still look for Coles in the red zone. He's their designated goal-line receiver to the consternation of Jerricho Cotchery owners everywhere.

Stop calling him number two

T.J. Houshmandzadeh has more targets than Chad Johnson (72-60), more touchdowns (7-3), and more fantasy points (92-76). Housh also has more catches (47) than any receiver in football. If he keeps up his pace, Houshmazilli will record more catches than any receiver in NFL history. With the way Cincy's defense is playing, anything is possible.

Some Panic is Acceptable

1. The broadcasters in the Redskins game speculated that Clinton Portis wasn't fully healthy. He played his guts out, but was very slow moving to the outside. He doesn't make anyone miss these days and only looks comfortable on inside carries. There is still plenty of value here, but some missed games seem likely before the year is up. Ladell Betts was still barely used.

2. Tarvaris Jackson hit a 60-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter of Minnesota's win. Other than that play, he completed 8-of-22 passes for 76 yards.

3. Sunday was a worst-case scenario for Rudi Johnson owners. If Rudi was only going to get four carries (for eight yards), why even make him active for Sunday's game? Johnson owners have to worry that Kenny Watson, who has nearly double Johnson's yards-per-carry on the season, is not going away.

4. Chad Pennington is only expected to get one more start to turn around his season or else he could lose his job. But the game is against the Bengals, so he'll probably play well.

[Hache Man]

For Real
They're real and they're spectacular

1. Derek Anderson isn't going away. I remember watching a sequence in the preseason where he butchered a clock management situation at the end of a half. He tried to run for a touchdown, came up short, and ran out time. Decisions like that gave Charlie Frye the starting job for a few quarters.

With the exact same scenario Sunday, Anderson passed up a decent chance at a touchdown and smartly threw the ball away. The Browns kicked a field goal. That play was indicative of Anderson's composed day.

He didn't take sacks, he managed the clock, and he threw aggressively when the plays were there. Brady Quinn is going to have to wait. The Browns have a playoff race to attend to.

2. Braylon Edwards scored three more times. Although he wasn't targeted much overall, he's turning into a Randy Moss-like red zone target. Edwards wasn't even that open for his scores, but few are better at mid-air acrobatics.

3. Kevin Walter put up 12 catches and 160 yards against the vaunted Jaguars secondary in a performance that probably did few fantasy owners any good.

Bad Beats

1. Jason Campbell watched his teammates drop six passes, including one that turned into an interception.

2. Brett Favre had two touchdowns taken away on bogus calls. A James Jones score was called back on a poor holding call. Bubba Franks was ruled out of bounds on one near-score, but appeared to be pushed out. Favre did have some luck, as the Redskins dropped a few more possible interceptions. Favre struggled badly to throw the ball deep all day; his wideouts combined for 58 yards.

An Ode to Consistency

1. Derrick Mason had his lowest reception total of the season: five! He gained 79 yards Sunday, meaning he's gained between 76-85 yards in every game but one this season.

2. Owen Daniels has at least 55 yards in every game since Week 2.

3. David Garrard has now thrown 136 passes this season without an interception.

4. Jeff Garcia has thrown 144 passes this season without an interception. His completion percentage has remained over 60 in all six of his starts.

5. Brian Westbrook has at least 130 total yards and five catches in every game this season.

6. Ronnie Brown has put up over 150 total yards in four straight games and leads the NFL in the category by 100 yards on the season.

Yeah, But….

Chris Chambers had a solid day statistically, but his effort was embarrassing on a couple long passes. Perhaps he was frustrated that Cleo Lemon overthrew him a few times, but it was shameful to see Chambers fail to outrun single coverage or dive for some close passes. The 0-6 Dolphins season is wearing on him.

Committee Time

1. Jason Wright got the touchdown and most of the carries for the Browns, but Jerome Harrison looked like the better player coming off the bench. The third-down back showed great speed with 72 total yards on nine touches. If Jamal Lewis can't get healthy during Cleveland's bye, Harrison may cut into Wright's workload.

2. The biggest surprise in the Jaguars game? Jacksonville only called 20 runs in a 37-17 rout.

For the first time in a long time, Fred Taylor wound up with fewer carries than Maurice Jones-Drew. It took Taylor's groin tightening for MoJo to double Taylor's carries, but perhaps Drew's 184 total yards and two scores will make Jack Del Rio think twice about returning him to a bench. After a slow start, Drew is back to 5.7 yards-per-carry on the season and 5.67 for his career. Imagine if they just gave him the ball more.

Wrong Year to invest in Rams

On one poorly constructed team, I drafted Steven Jackson, Marc Bulger, and Torry Holt. If only I had known that six short weeks later, the following players would lead the team in the key fantasy positions.

Passing: Gus Frerotte: 208 yards, five interceptions
Rushing: Travis Minor: 40 yards
Receiving: Marques Hagans: 74 yards

The Greatest Show on Turf!

Ugly Numbers

1. Brian Griese hasn't looked pretty and he hasn't won, but he knows how to fill up a box score. In three starts, he's put up 881 yards, seven scores, six picks, been sacked nine times, and fumbled three more. Add it all up, and you have a Bears team with no identity and a lot of surprisingly happy Griese owners.

2. Cleo Lemon was unsettled early in his first start of the year, barely completing a pass while the Browns built a 24-3 lead. But with a huge assist from Ronnie Brown, Lemon led Miami to 28 points in the final 31 minutes, including four touchdowns (two running, two throwing). He may only get a few more starts until John Beck takes over, but he's competent.

The Replacements

1. Gus Frerotte threw five interceptions against Baltimore and missed his receivers deep when they are open. Expect Marc Bulger to return to the lineup next week.

2. Earnest Graham has been Tampa's primary rusher the last seven quarters and has 42 rushing yards to show for it. There's a reason why he never got a chance to play in four seasons. Look for Tampa to make a trade Tuesday.

Injury Ward

As always, Brian Flood has all the details in our Season Pass Injury Crunch column. We'll be tracking the following players on the news all week…

Kurt Warner
Vince Young
Todd Heap
Sammy Morris
Alex Smith (TB)
Brian Leonard
Chris Brown
Samie Parker

In the interest of space and time, the ridiculously early MVP Watch and ridiculously early Bust Watch will be over at Pancake Blocks, where I'll also take a look at the late games. Thanks for stopping by.

[Hache Man]

Starting Over
Late last night, while you were tucked safely in bed, the Chiefs traded RB Michael Bennett to Tampa Bay. What Kansas City got in return was unknown at the time of writing, but hopefully Tampa didn't part with too much considering Bennett lacks instincts and is injury-prone. Those qualities also make Bennett undesirable for fantasy purposes, but he now finds himself on a team where he has a chance to be an equal part of a committee with Earnest Graham. His contribution should be minimal at first, but slowly increase as he learns the Bucs' offense. The question is, will Bennett stay healthy long enough to learn Tampa's playbook? Desperate owners in deeper leagues should gamble that he will.

Bennett isn't the only player whose fantasy value is affected by this deal. Kolby Smith should now be targeted as a handcuff for Larry Johnson owners, and while he certainly shouldn't be owned, this trade could be evidence that Priest Holmes is close to playing again. The one-time single-season touchdown record holder is worth monitoring but shouldn't be considered until he actually suits up.

In the meantime, here are some more possible free agents to consider:

Quarterback:

Brian Griese – Griese has thrown seven touchdowns in three games since taking over for Rex Grossman. The Bears' running game is on life support, and as a result Griese has twice thrown more than 45 passes in two of his games. He faces a tough Week 7 match-up in Philly, but Tony Romo owners should definitely be considering Griese to fill-in during Week 8.

Recommendation: Worth owning in 12-team leagues

Kyle Boller – Steve McNair will not be ready to return against Buffalo's suspect pass defense in Week 7, making Boller a serviceable bye week replacement. The Ravens refuse to acknowledge there's a quarterback controversy in Baltimore, but if McNair struggles in his Week 9 return against the Steelers, Boller could take over and would have good match-ups against Cincinnati and Cleveland in Weeks 10 and 11.

Recommendation: Great bye week fill-in.

"Mister" Cleo Lemon – Lemon made quite an impact in his first week as a starter, accounting for four touchdowns against the Browns. The key words in that last sentence were "against the Browns." Lemon faces the Patriots this week, and hopefully you are not so desperate that you have to start him. He is worth monitoring, though, as the Giants present a favorable Week 8 opponent. Then comes a bye, and a possible change to John Beck at quarterback.

Recommendation: Watch him against New England to determine if he'll make a good Week 8 fill-in.

Kellen Clemens – Chad Pennington was terrible in Week 6, but coach Eric Mangini insists that he hasn't lost his job yet. The Jets have solid match-ups against the Bengals and the Bills, so Clemens' time probably won't come for a few more weeks.

Recommendation: Only worth a look in 2QB leagues until he has the job

Vinny Testaverde – Vinny put together a truly amazing Week 6 performance considering he had only been with the Panthers for days. Carolina has a bye this week followed by a tough match-up at Indianapolis in Week 8. Vinny hasn't even secured the starting job, so he isn't the answer to your quarterback woes at this point.

Recommendation: Not worth consideration at this point.

Tim Rattay – Seems like a nice guy, but God forbid you have Tim Rattay on your fantasy team.

Recommendation: Don't even think about it.

Running Backs

Jerious Norwood – In the off-season, Norwood was a favorite to start over Warrick Dunn. A slow start resulted in many impatient owners dropping him, as he is now available in almost half of all fantasy leagues. Norwood flashed a bit of his insane speed on Monday night, scampering 64 yards for a touchdown, and is poised to start taking carries away from Old Man Dunn. Norwood should be owned in all leagues, with a doubt.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Kenny Watson – Rudi Johnson is banged up, and with four rushes for eight yards in Week 6, is not contributing to the Bengals' offense. As his backup, Watson has averaged 4.7 yards a rush over the past two weeks.

It was rumored that Johnson re-injured his hamstring in Week 6, but he denies it. Still, the injury could linger and the Bengals might limit his workload to keep him healthy. Watson has emerged as his primary backup, and is still available in 50% of leagues. He shouldn't be as long as Johnson's health is in question.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Kevin Faulk – Laurence Maroney was inactive for a third consecutive game in Week 6, and Sammy Morris left the game with a chest injury. Maroney seemed very close to returning on Sunday, but there's no guarantee that he or Morris will be ready for Week 7.

Faulk could conceivably get a start against Miami, and should see significant playing time even if only Morris ends up inactive. The problem is, you won't know it until Sunday at gametime. He is nothing more than a speculative pickup in deep leagues; we'd only grab him if you need help in Week 7.

Recommendation: Worth a gamble for owners in deeper leagues.

Andre Hall – If Travis Henry is suspended for the rest of the season, there's a strong chance that Hall would take his place and Selvin Young would continue as a change-of-pace back. Any running back in Denver bears consideration, so Hall makes an attractive gamble for owners with the roster space to wait for the mess in Denver to be sorted out.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deep leagues

Leonard Weaver – Shaun Alexander continues to struggle in Seattle, and Leonard Weaver looked solid in Week 6, gaining 93 yards on just seven touches. Maurice Morris carried the ball just once, and the 'Hawks looked Weaver's way when the game was on the line. If nothing else, Weaver showed he is capable of being Seattle's third-down back. Expect him to have a bigger role in Seattle's offense going forward, but he will still take a back seat to Alexander.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deep leagues, especially for Alexander owners.

Chris Perry – Perry is eligible to come off the PUP list this week, and with Rudi Johnson ailing, he has a chance to become involved immediately. He has likely fallen behind Kenny Watson on the depth chart, but should become more involved as he returns to full health. Unfortunately, that isn't a given with Perry, making him a risky long-term investment.

Recommendation: Keep an eye on.

Reuben Droughns – Rueben Droughns rushed 14 times for 90 yards and a touchdown in Week 6, although most of his touches came in garbaged time. Droughns' playing time was mostly a result of both Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward being banged up. Still, Droughns got a goal-line carry in the first half, and Rotoworld's own Evan Silva speculates that Droughns was possibly being showcased for a trade. We'll find out soon enough. Ward was able to return to the game and preliminary reports are that Jacobs' injury is not serious, meaning Droughns can't be counted on to contribute in Week 7.

Recommendation: Not worth owning

Jerome Harrison – Harrison turned nine touches into 72 yards in Week 6, providing a noticeable spark off the bench. Jamal Lewis has a foot injury, and isn't a sure thing to return after Cleveland's Week 7 bye. Harrison may have earned himself a more even split with Jason Wright if Lewis can't go. A week 7 bye makes Harrison less attractive for now.

Recommendation: Only worth consideration in the deepest leagues.

Mewelde Moore – Moore is one of the hottest names being mentioned as we approach the always-titillating NFL trade deadline. Don't count on a move, but Moore could end up with decent value if he lands in a place where could start as a third-down pack with the potential to earn Moore carries. Do you see what I did there? Do you?

Recommendation: Not worth consideration unless he's actually moved.

Travis Minor – Brian Leonard bruised his ribs on Sunday, and Minor briefly filled in and picked up 43 yards. Leonard will be fine for Week 7, and Travis' role should once again be Minor. How about that one? You like that?

Recommendation: Stay away.

Pierre Thomas – Thomas scored a touchdown in Week 6, but it came on the recovery of a blocked punt in the endzone. He was not otherwise involved in the Saints' offense. With Aaron Stecker injured, though, Thomas could step into a backup role to Reggie Bush starting next week. Keep an eye on Stecker. If he's hurt, Thomas is a fun pickup in deep leagues with a decent ceiling.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deep leagues

[Hache Man]

Path Cleared for Priest?
Rumored to be interested in seemingly every veteran third-string running back in the entire league after losing both Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman to serious injuries, the Bucs have reportedly settled on Michael Bennett as Earnest Graham's new backfield partner. According to the Kansas City Star, the Bucs will send an undisclosed draft pick to the Chiefs for Bennett, who totaled 99 yards through six games while backing up Larry Johnson.

It's unclear what type of role Bennett will have in Tampa Bay, but at worst he figures to see third-down work and steal a chunk of Graham's carries. He's worth grabbing in most leagues, although any potential payoff likely won't come for a couple weeks as he works his way into the team's plans. Perhaps more intriguing is what the trade of Bennett means for Priest Holmes, who suddenly appears to have a clear path to rejoining the team.

Holmes is eligible to return from the PUP list this week and could see the practice field as soon as Wednesday. When asked Monday about Holmes' status, coach Herm Edwards said that he'd "like to see him practice first" before making any plans. The Chiefs will have three weeks to active Holmes or lose him for the season, so they'll be forced into a decision soon enough. In the meantime, rookie Kolby Smith figures to serve as Johnson's backup.

Holmes is obviously a huge name and the prospect of his return will no doubt get fantasy owners excited, but the chances of him emerging with a role big enough to produce a fantasy impact are slim. Even if Holmes proves himself fit enough for the active roster after two years off, there are few backup jobs in football that involve less of a workload than coming on in relief of Johnson. Holmes is worth a flier in deep leagues, but don't go making any big plans for him quite yet.

While we wait to see if any more significant moves take place before today's 4:00 p.m. EST trading deadline, here are some other notes from around football …

* After sitting out three straight games with a hip injury, Anquan Boldin is expected to return in Week 7 against the Redskins. Unfortunately the Cardinals have seen both Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner go down with injuries since the last time Boldin was on the field, so he'll have Tim Rattay trying to get him the ball Sunday. Rattay's presence, along with Washington's excellent pass defense, downgrades Boldin to a WR2 option in his first game back.

There remains some concern that the torn ligament in Warner's non-throwing elbow will sideline him for a significant length of time, but John Clayton of ESPN reported Monday that he's expected to return following the Cardinals' bye in Week 8, which would mean just one missed start. Given Rattay's three-interception relief appearance Sunday and his likely struggles against the Redskins, a speedy return from Warner is key for the value of Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.

* Coach Scott Linehan said Monday that Marc Bulger will return to the starting lineup in Week 7 after sitting out back-to-back games with broken ribs. Bulger's return might be too little too late for the Rams, but he figures to be a low-level QB1 for his fantasy owners assuming that the ribs are truly healed. If instead he comes back at less than full strength and shies away from contact again, then Bulger is no better than an iffy QB2 who presents a big implosion risk every week.

It sounds like Bulger may have Isaac Bruce to throw to after Linehan said Monday that he's "real optimistic" about his odds of suiting up following two missed games. Bruce's return will be crucial if the Rams are without Drew Bennett, who left Sunday's game with a hamstring injury and is questionable for Week 7. Unfortunately, Steven Jackson likely won't be returning alongside Bulger and Bruce, with Linehan classifying his chances of playing Sunday as "very outside."

* Vince Young spent most of the second half on the sidelines Sunday after injuring his quadriceps on a scramble, with Kerry Collins coming on in relief as the Titans lost on a last-second field goal. Early speculation was that the injury could sideline Young for multiple games, but coach Jeff Fisher said Monday that he's "day-to-day" with what the team is calling a strain. "He has a quad strain and he's going to have to work through it," Fisher said. "He's been a quick healer."

Note: I'll be hosting my weekly "live chat" today at 2:00 p.m. EST, so feel free to stop by and ask questions about the trading deadline, suggested waiver-wire moves, injury updates, or random things that have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with football. Click here for details.

Two-Minute Drill: After thriving again Monday night despite ongoing ankle problems that keep him from practicing, Plaxico Burress has at least one touchdown in all six games and is on pace for 1,350 yards … Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the Jets are shopping Chad Pennington, but coach Eric Mangini said Monday that those rumors are "ludicrous" and he's not considering replacing Pennington with Kellen Clemens … Tatum Bell confirmed Monday that he's requested a trade, but the Lions reportedly have no plans to deal him despite Kevin Jones reclaiming the starting job … Coach Dick Jauron isn't expected to officially name a starting quarterback until Wednesday, with Trent Edwards and J.P. Losman splitting reps during Monday's practice … The Vikings reportedly continue to shop Mewelde Moore, dropping their asking price to a fourth-round pick after the Bucs turned to down their earlier offer of a third rounder … Expect to hear more complaints about the Falcons' offense from Alge Crumpler after he was held to a single nine-yard catch while dropping several other passes Monday night.

Red Zone: According to the Baltimore Sun, Todd Heap "probably won't" play Sunday after aggravating his hamstring injury in Week 6 … Alex Smith (shoulder) reportedly experienced forearm soreness after throwing 100 passes over the weekend, but remains expected to return in Week 7 … Chris Brown is likely to be limited in practice this week after leaving Sunday's game with an ankle injury, potentially giving LenDale White a big value boost in Week 7 … Javon Walker (knee) took part in some of Monday's practice and said afterward that he expects to play in Week 7 … Adam Schefter of NFL Network reported Monday that Trent Green (concussion) intends to play again this season, but at 0-6 the Dolphins are better off figuring out what they have in Cleo Lemon and John Beck … Joseph Addai (shoulder) and Marvin Harrison (knee) both returned to practice Monday following the Colts' bye … Brandon Jones is expected to miss 2-3 weeks after undergoing knee surgery Monday, giving Roydell Williams a value boost … Calvin Johnson (back) returned to practice Monday following the Lions' bye.

[Hache Man]

Forget me nots
With fantasy season fatigue setting in, now is the time to scour the waiver wire for top-end talent. Players coming back from injury or suspension can often slip through the cracks because they don't top most free agent scoring lists. Here are a couple names I was surprised to see available in my leagues.

* D.J. Hackett was a supersleeper WR3 heading into the season and is almost ready to return.

* Vernon Davis was the next great thing at tight end until a knee injury.

* Chris Henry is the best third receiver in the league.

These three players are floating around in many leagues because owners couldn't afford to use a roster spot on inactive players. Now's the time to get them back; it's like adding a free mid-to-late round draft pick.

Note: Patrick Dahl took care of the heavy hitting this week with his look at quarterbacks and running backs. Here are the pass catchers …

D.J. Hackett, Seahawks

Remember him? Hackett had a chance to be Seattle's number one receiver to before suffering a high ankle sprain in the season opener. Most owners understandably cut bait (Hackett is available in 86% of leagues), but it's time to pick him up.

Seattle faces St. Louis this week, and there's an outside chance Hackett will play. With Deion Branch out, Hackett would immediately be a big contributor. Seattle has a Week 8 bye, but Hackett's talent is worth stashing before someone else does. He has similar talent and value to Ronald Curry of the Raiders, but is playing for a better team. Expect WR3 stats for the second half of the season.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Chris Henry, Bengals

So the Bengals are imploding. The locker room is a mess and there are accusations of selfishness everywhere. Sounds like a great time to add Chris Henry to the mix!

Henry should be the best third receiver in the NFL when he returns. That will make him a borderline fantasy asset, but one worth using in the right matchup. The Bengals are racking up yards, but Carson Palmer is not having a great year. His ineffective tackles and lack of a third receiver are the main reasons why. Henry will solve one of those problems.

Recommendation: Worth owning in 12-team leagues

Koren Robinson, Packers

Koren Robinson's ninth life is right around the corner. While we're pulling for the guy, it's hard to imagine any fantasy value here. The Green Bay passing game has shown signs of slowdown the past few weeks, and Robinson would have to displace James Jones just to be a third receiver.

Recommendation: Stay away

Kevin Walter, Texans

The second best white wide receiver in the league named Kevin is on fire. His 160-outing against the jaguars matched his production for all of last year. As long as Andre Johnson stays out and Andre Davis draws number one receiver attention, Walter is a decent WR3 for a few weeks.

While doing some rare research for this column, I looked at the leading wide receivers over the last three weeks. The list is a good reminder that reality is far wackier than the boldest projections.

1. Larry Fitzgerald – 356 yards
2. Kevin Walter – 304 yards
3. Patrick Crayton – 303 yards
4. Dwayne Bowe – 280 yards
5. Braylon Edwards – 274 yards
6. Donte Stallworth – 250 yards

Recommendation: Worth owning in 12-team leagues

Reggie Williams, Jaguars

All those rumors about Williams getting cut in training camp are a distant memory now. Williams is settling into the second receiver role in Jacksonville with Ernest Wilford failing to top two targets in a game since Week 1. With Matt Jones also in the mix, I'd still stay away from the whole group.

Recommendation: Stay away

Reggie Brown, Eagles - I'd rather own Kevin Curtis, but Brown is still a WR4/5 in fantasy leagues despite the slow start. Grab him if someone got impatient in your league.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Jeff Webb, Chiefs - He'd been an option if the Chiefs play Cincinnati every week. That's unlikely to happen.

Recommendation: Stay away

Ike Hilliard, Bucs - The new Dennis Northcutt of the NFC, and we mean that in the best way possible. If you are looking for five catches and 50 yards for your PPR WR3 spot in a bye week, Ike is your man. He has more yards this season than Laveranues Coles, Ronald Curry, and Vincent Jackson. Long live Jon Gruden's home for wayward veterans.

Recommendation: Should be owned in deep leagues

Lance Moore and David Patten, Saints - A lot of owners will see David Patten's big game and pick him up, but the Saints offense would need to be all the way back for him to maintain value. Let's see them do it for a few weeks. We'd still rather take Moore over the course of the season. Both of these guys are WR6/7 types for deep leagues.

Recommendation: Moore is worth a shot in deep leagues

Ben Obomanu, Seahawks - With D.J. Hackett returning soon, Obomanu's value will probably wane. We'd still take Nate Burleson for Week 8 if we had to choose.

Recommendation: Keep an eye on

Tight Ends

Vernon Davis, 49ers - Dropped in nearly half of all fantasy leagues because of his injury, Davis still possesses top-ten tight end upside. San Francisco just doesn't have another threat that run like Davis after the catch and they will get him the ball. He has a good shot to return this week.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Greg Olsen, Bears - Adapting to the league faster than we expected. Few tight ends have better big-play potential.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Donald Lee, Packers - His consistent season should only improve with Bubba Franks hurt.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

[Hache Man]

Standing Pat
The fantasy world finally slowed down a little bit last week and some of the results we saw actually made a some modicum of sense.

The names of running backs playing well were no surprise: LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook, even Reggie Bush. Tom Brady, Tony Romo and Carson Palmer did well at quarterback with Steve Smith and T.J. Houshmandzadeh filling their customary spots as star wide receivers.

It's as if the first five weeks of hand-wringing poor performances had never happened. And if you had just dropped into the fantasy season this week, you might have thought this had been of the rosiest seasons ever.

It was only one week. And not everything made sense of course. Derek Anderson remains one of the top-producing quarterbacks. For the most part, pulses slowed down and, outside of an expected Kurt Warner injury, we also mostly made it through the week without any more major losses.

So if you ever wanted to sit back and not fret over your entire roster, this is the first such week of the season. If you rolled up the points, you probably have a legitimately good team. That running back duo of L.T. and Maurice Jones-Drew finally paid the big dividends you have been waiting for.

The problem would be if you didn't do as well as you had hoped. Even if squeaked through to a 5-0 record to start the season, if you got squashed last week for reasons other than having all of your guys on byes, your team really might not be that good. Now that you'll be going up against Larry Johnson, Bush and other players who are producing like they should, coming across lucky victories will be tougher.

That said, a bunch of good players were off in Week 6 so you might have been playing without Reggie Wayne and Willie Parker. So it is the rare time when you can let real NFL teams take center stage with their trades and other player movement.

An advice column about not doing anything seems a little counterintuitive but you probably know that not making moves is sometimes your best move. The reason to shake up your roster is if you still haven't gained any traction from players you expected to be good. The fantasy world is about as it should be, for now. It will, of course, not stay that way.

Even if I would not advocate big changes this week to most people, that does not mean there is not some player value movement going on. Here are some players rising and falling, although in keeping with the week's theme, none of them likely will be season-makers:

MOVING UP

David Garrard. I never have been a big Garrard fan, but after a while, you can't ignore the obvious. And Garrard has been putting up simple, solid, consistent stats. He will not wow you, but you don't have to worry about a Gus Frerotte-esque six-turnover game either. The Jaguars did drop 37 points last week and Garrard threw more than one TD pass for the first time. If that continues, he will have some real value.

DeAngelo Williams. The Panthers can have their supposed quarterback controversy during their week off, but the real movement ought to come at running back. DeAngelo Williams continues to show more potential than the pedestrian Deshaun Foster and after last week's 121-yard game, including a 75-yard run, Williams should emerge as the nominal starter. Foster also needed replay to overturn what would have been his fifth fumble and the Panthers can not afford that type of turnover risk.

Reggie Brown. Finally, life! Brown had six catches for 89 yards in by far the best game of what was supposed to be a breakout season. The Eagles' offense is still shaky -- they scored only one TD against the soft Jets last week -- and Kevin Curtis has four of the team's six TD catches. We'll take anything out of Brown at this point, even if the future remains murky. Against the Bears this week (see below), Brown is as good of a play as he has been since the start of the season.

Kevin Faulk. Make sure this guy is not available in your league. Sammy Morris is sidelined, possibly for several weeks. And while Laurence Maroney ought to be able to play, Maroney's durability always is in question. Faulk will have a significant role every week and in a game such as this week's against a bad run defense in Miami, he might be better than a lot of other third running backs out there.

D.J. Hackett. The Seahawks seem strangely confident that Hackett will be able to play after being sidelined since the season opener because of a severely sprained ankle. Given that Hackett barely has practiced since then, assuming he could walk right back into the lineup seems like a stretch. Still, the Seahawks had high hopes for him before the season, No. 1 receiver Deion Branch is injured and Hackett likely is available in many leagues. If the Seahawks were smart, however, they'd sit him another week and give him the off week to rest as well.

Ashley Lelie. Hard to upgrade a guy with zero catches? It also will be hard for the 49ers not to improve their offense heading into this week's game against the Giants. QB Alex Smith sounds like he has a good chance of returning and the 49ers spent most of their week off trying to find ways to improve the league's worst offense in yards gained and second-worst in scoring. And the 49ers sound like they want to play Lelie more. He is the team's only player who can stretch the field and simply popping a big play or two should open more room underneath for Frank Gore and others to work.

MOVING DOWN

Cleo Lemon. Sure, he accounted for four total TDs last week against the Browns, but he can not help but go down in value. I wouldn't play him in a difficult spot this week against the Patriots, plus he lost his most dynamic wide receiver in Chris Chambers. The Chambers' trade also hints that the Dolphins already are thinking hard about next year -- and that means John Beck. If Lemon can't beat the Patriots or Giants the next two weeks (good luck, Cleo), it might be time for a Beck.

Vincent Jackson. He can't help but be hurt by the addition of Chambers, even if it helps the team. Jackson has not lived up to the hype as a possible No. 1 receiver, with just two TDs in six games and still being plagued by inconsistent play. Jackson should hit career-highs for catches and yards in the next few weeks, but Chambers will grab more of the team's scoring chances. If you already were tied of waiting for Jackson to come around, this will not help.

Earnest Graham. Getting some serious competition obviously is not good news for Graham, even though he could remain close to a goal-line back. He averaged just 2.4 yards a carry on 36 attempts over the past three weeks and does not appear to have every-down talent. But newcomer Michael Bennett is not exactly an ox. I would feel good about Graham's TD chances this week against Detroit and if Tampa Bay's offense becomes more consistent, he still could land as a regular scoring threat.

Bears defense. Depending on your league, it might be time to sit the Bears defense. If you also get special teams points, that means Devin Hester and that means they stay in your lineup. Hester already has three more return TDs this season. But if it's just defense, sit the Bears down for a while. They have allowed at least 34 points in three of their past four and their two games before their off week are against the potentially explosive Eagles and the Lions, who already scored 37 on Chicago.

Chris Brown. Things have not gone Brown's way since he opened the season with 175 yards. He has just 125 yards in four games since with only one TD to LenDale White's three. Now he is nursing an ankle injury and the Titans are talking about activating rookie Chris Henry for the first time. Henry might have be one of the worst second-round picks, but if he is getting an opportunity, that means Brown isn't.

Giants running backs. All three of the Giants' runners had decent games against the Falcons, but the top two -- Derrick Ward and Brandon Jacobs -- can't seem to get or stay healthy. Ward keeps having problems with a sprained ankle and Jacobs has a sore ankle and shoulder, on top of his knee injury earlier this season. Both guys should be able to play this week, but I worry about their long-term durability.

[Hache Man]

Chambers Heading to San Diego
Because the NFL typically doesn't feature a whole lot of in-season trading (or offseason trading, for that matter), it seemed likely that the Bucs acquiring Michael Bennett from the Chiefs would be the biggest swap before Tuesday's trading deadline. Instead, the Chargers sent a 2008 second-round pick to the Dolphins for Chris Chambers, which easily qualifies as one of the biggest deadline deals in recent memory.

A 2001 second-round pick, Chambers' production has never matched his raw talent. His lone 1,000-yard season came in 2005 and despite a reputation for being a great red-zone threat he has a total of just five touchdowns in 21 games since then, including zero scores this year. On paper Chambers is a potential superstar and he gets paid as such, but on the field he drops far too many passes and has averaged a modest 52 yards per game since the career-year in 2005.

The Dolphins' already weak passing game takes a hit without Chambers, but they weren't going to win this season anyway and getting his salary off the books while picking up a second rounder is a fantastic, no-brainer move. With Chambers gone, Marty Booker becomes Miami's default go-to guy, although he's little more than a potential low-end WR2 option. Ted Ginn and Derek Hagan will also take on bigger roles, but neither figures to have a consistent fantasy impact for now.

For the Chargers, Chambers' arrival means that Vincent Jackson is no longer the clear-cut No. 1 receiver. Of course, that label never meant a ton given that San Diego's passing game revolves around tight end Antonio Gates. Jackson will likely see slightly fewer targets overall and Gates could see a small reduction in his goal-line looks, but Chambers certainly isn't going to keep him from being the league's most productive tight end.

At first glance Chambers might be in for a value boost, because going from Daunte Culpepper, Trent Green, Joey Harrington, and Cleo Lemon to Rivers is obviously an upgrade. However, his looks are almost guaranteed to decline after being targeted 150 times last season and 66 times through six games this year. Chambers' horrible hands kept him from putting up big numbers on 10 targets per game, so I have a hard time believing that he'll turn 6-8 looks into WR2 status.

While the Chargers choose to give up a second-round pick for Chambers rather than perhaps get a second-round pick for Michael Turner, here are some other notes from around football …

* Sammy Morris put together back-to-back 100-yard games in his first two starts in place of an injured Laurence Maroney, but struggled Sunday before leaving in the third quarter with a chest injury that's expected to sideline him for as long as a month. Morris reportedly damaged the bone connecting the sternum to the clavicle, which of course sounds horrific for those of us who have absolutely zero medical knowledge.

Maroney is likely to be a game-time decision again this week, as was the case for each of three games he's missed, and the Boston Herald reported Wednesday that the Patriots will continue "to take things slow with Maroney" despite Morris' injury leaving them with little backfield depth (so little that they worked out Kevan Barlow). If Maroney can't suit up, Kevin Faulk will get the start and the versatile long-time backup would be a solid RB2 option with added value in PPR leagues.

* Bobby Petrino is getting plenty of criticism in his first year, but one area where he's not getting nearly enough heat is his handing of the Falcons' backfield. At 32 years old Warrick Dunn has been ineffective all season, averaging a putrid 3.2 yards on 82 carries and an equally horrendous 4.5 yards on 17 catches (while dropping a surprising number of passes). Meanwhile, 24-year-old Jerious Norwood is showing that his rookie average of 6.4 yards per carry was no fluke.

After breaking off a 64-yard run Monday night as Dunn totaled 15 yards on eight carries, Norwood is up to 5.7 yards per rush. He's also gained an average of 10.1 yards on 14 catches after rarely being used as a receiver last year. In other words, he's been far superior to Dunn is every way and their ages suggest that the gap is only going to widen, yet Norwood hasn't gotten double-digit carries in any of the Falcons' six games and been out-touched by Dunn 99 to 55 overall.

* On Monday night Plaxico Burress joined Jerry Rice as the only receivers since 1970 to catch at least one touchdown in the first six games of a season. However, Burress also aggravated his lingering ankle injury, saying afterward that it was sore enough for him to worry about his Week 7 status. Burress has played through the injury for much of the season, so he seems unlikely to miss time now, but at some point you've got to think that his outstanding production will suffer.

Two-Minute Drill: Through 20 career games Reggie Bush failed to gain more than 18 yards on a carry, but broke off three different runs of at least 19 yards in the first half Sunday night … Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported Tuesday that the Bills will go with rookie Trent Edwards as their Week 7 starter, essentially ending the J.P. Losman era in Buffalo … With the Panthers on their bye this week, coach John Fox refused to answer whether David Carr or Vinny Testaverde will be the Week 8 starter when asked Tuesday … Thomas Jones has the league's second-longest streak of carries without a touchdown at 139, while Jerricho Cotchery's 485 yards rank first among receivers who have zero touchdowns … As if the coffin housing his NFL career needed another nail pounded through it, David Boston was arrested over the weekend on charges of "felony false imprisonment" and "misdemeanor domestic battery" … The 65th overall pick in April's draft, Quentin Moses has already been released by two teams after the Cardinals cut him loose Tuesday to create room on the roster for Tim "Elisabeth's husband and Matt's brother" Hasselbeck, whom I'd love everyone to refer to as simply "The View."

Red Zone: Coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday that Vince Young (quadriceps) may not be able to practice this week, but "still wouldn't rule him out" for Week 7 … An MRI confirmed that Kurt Warner has a torn ligament in his non-throwing elbow, but he won't require surgery and reportedly could practice as soon as Wednesday … Coach Gary Kubiak said Tuesday that he's "very, very hopeful" about Andre Johnson's (knee) chances of playing this week, adding that he's "progressing well" … Santonio Holmes (hamstring) and Hines Ward (knee) are expected to return in Week 7, but face tough matchups against Champ Bailey and Dre Bly … Ben "All He Does Is Catch Touchdowns" Watson (ankle) reportedly could miss at least two weeks, but backup Kyle Brady likely isn't enough of a receiving threat to have strong fantasy value in his place … After acquiring Chambers the Chargers placed Eric Parker (toe) on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday, snapping his streak of 650-yard seasons at three … Out since Week 3 with a torn MCL, Daily Dose favorite Vernon Davis is expected to play Sunday and has a nice return matchup against the Giants.

[Hache Man]

Like Father, Like Son
We're only in Week 7 and this column has already been filled with several seasons worth of Roy Williams coverage, so I'll keep the latest version short: Orch Dork delivered pizzas for Pizza Hut earlier this week after making headlines for saying several weeks ago that he never tipped the pizza-delivery guy. When he wasn't busy supplying the good people of Detroit with rubbery, mass-produced pizzas, Williams also found time to criticize Jeff Garcia during a radio interview.

Asked why Garcia struggled during his lone season in Detroit, Williams responded that Garcia "blamed everybody but himself" when things went badly. "I respected the man," Williams said. "I just didn't like the fact that it would be our fault and never his fault. It's always the receivers' fault." Then, asked why Garcia has since thrived in Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, Williams said: "My son can run the West Coast offense and he's only two."

While the Vikings put in a call to see if Williams' two-year-old son is available for a tryout, here are some other notes from around football …

* Just two weeks after all kinds of glowing, shortsighted stories about his so-called amazing comeback season were published, Joey Harrington is out as the Falcons' quarterback. The team announced Wednesday that Byron Leftwich will take over as the starter and coach Bobby Petrino said that the move is permanent. Petrino is apparently now satisfied with Leftwich's grasp of the offense despite his being with the team for exactly one month.

The switch to Leftwich will likely help the Falcons' lowly offense and he gets a juicy first matchup against the Saints' horrendous pass defense. He's much more capable than Harrington when it comes to throwing a solid home-run ball, which could help deep threat Roddy White, and Alge Crumpler's production really can't go anywhere but up at this point. You'll want to play the week-to-week matchups with Leftwich, but used in the right spots he can be a decent QB2.

* Adrian Peterson remains far more calm and levelheaded than me when it comes to coach Brad Childress refusing to give him a full workload, which is remarkable given that his salary this season will largely be determined by playing time. As part of his incentive-laden rookie contract that includes a base salary of just $285,000 this year, Peterson can earn a $2.45 million bonus if he rushes for 701 yards and participates in 45 percent of the Vikings' offensive snaps.

Purple Jesus is already at 607 yards through five games, so he's one good quarter away from 701 yards, but playing half of the team's snaps could prove more difficult. Peterson saw limited action in the first couple games of the season and has been essentially splitting time with Chester Taylor recently. His snap count figures to rise in the second half, but unless Childress comes to his senses even a one-game injury could make it very tough for Peterson to get paid.

* As expected, the Lions announced Wednesday that Kevin Jones has reclaimed his starting job from Tatum Bell. Coach Rod Marinelli indicated that Jones will get the bulk of the Lions' carries going forward, although their pass-heavy offense might provide him with only 12-15 rushes per game. Of course, a big part of Jones thriving last year prior to his season-ending foot injury was the damage he did as a receiver and that figures to continue. For now, consider him a solid RB2.

* With Sammy Morris sidelined the Patriots could really use Laurence Maroney back after three straight missed games, and various reports Wednesday had him running well in practice and likely to suit up in Week 7 against the Dolphins. Of course, there were times during the past three weeks when Maroney also seemed set to play and we all know how that turned out. If Maroney plays, he's a RB2 option. If Maroney sits, Kevin Faulk is likely an equally solid RB2 play.

* With 52 fewer carries and 256 fewer yards than he had through six games last year, Julius Jones complained Wednesday that splitting time with Marion Barber has kept him from finding a rhythm. It's true that Barber's role has increased—he has 21 more carries and 166 more yards than he did at this stage last season—but another factor in Jones' decreased workload is that Dallas is simply running less overall. The Cowboys handed off a total of just 14 times in Week 6.

* Sunday's loss to the Patriots officially completed Tony Romo's first full season as an NFL starter and during the Super Bowl era only Kurt Warner managed more passing yards through 16 starts. Since taking over for Drew Bledsoe on October 29, 2006, Romo has thrown for 4,348 yards and 31 touchdowns while being picked off 19 times. That's obviously huge production and the Cowboys have also gone 11-5 with Romo at the helm.

* Speaking of Warner, coach Ken Whisenhunt said Wednesday that he could play in Week 7 even if he doesn't start. The ligament tear in Warner's left elbow has reportedly made it tough for him to hand the ball off, but the Cardinals could potentially use him in the same no-huddle, pass-heavy role that he filled in relief of Matt Leinart early in the season. As Whisenhunt put it: "We're going to see how much Kurt can do, see if there's something he can do for us in the game."

Two-Minute Drill: After denying rumors earlier this week that he was planning to do so, pending free agent Bernard Berrian switched agents Wednesday and is now represented by Drew Rosenhaus … Coach Bill Belichick once called Ronnie Brown the best running back to enter the NFL since LaDainian Tomlinson and reiterated his feelings Wednesday in preparation for a Week 7 matchup against the Dolphins, saying that Brown is the best offensive player the Patriots have faced this season … In an odd move that essentially guarantees a quarterback controversy, general manager Marv Levy indicated Wednesday that Trent Edwards replacing J.P. Losman at quarterback may not be permanent … Koren Robinson was reinstated Wednesday following a one-year suspension for multiple violations of the league's substance abuse policy and could play for the Packers shortly … In addition to being a far superior receiver, offensive coordinator Ron Turner said Wednesday that Adrian Peterson plays over Cedric Benson in the Bears' two-minute package because he's better in pass protection.

Red Zone: Anquan Boldin (hip) practiced fully Wednesday and will return in Week 7 after missing three straight games … As expected, Marc Bulger (ribs) practiced fully Wednesday and will start Sunday against the Seahawks … Meanwhile, Steven Jackson (groin) took part in non-contact drills Wednesday, with the St. Louis Post Dispatch suggesting that he's targeting a Week 8 return … Andre Johnson (knee) reportedly did some cutting and running during Wednesday's practice, but his status for Week 7 remains uncertain … Javon Walker (knee) was limited in practice Wednesday, but remains optimistic about his chances of playing this week … Santana Moss (hamstring) pulled himself from Sunday's game due to poor play and cramping, but was a full go Wednesday and looks set to play in Week 7 … Chris Brown (ankle) sat out Wednesday's practice, meaning that rookie Chris Henry has a strong chance to back up LenDale White this week … Chris Perry (ankle) sat out practice Wednesday, but coach Marvin Lewis said afterward that he could be activated from the PUP list "in short order" if a setback is avoided … Priest Holmes (neck) came off the PUP list Wednesday, with coach Herm Edwards saying that "he's got fresh legs and he was bouncing around."

[Hache Man]

Finally, stars are shining
And during the sixth week, the fantasy world calmed down again.

Maybe we just needed five games of absurd hijinks and injury-strewn lineups, five weeks of LaMont Jordan being better than LaDainian Tomlinson and five weeks of the New Orleans Saints making the Atlanta Falcons look good on offense out of the way to finally get a handle on what is happening around the league.

For one week at least, most things made sense. And that gives us hope that we might be at the point in the season when we are starting to understand what is coming next.

The onslaught of injuries slowed for a change. If our biggest problem is wondering how the Arizona Cardinals can deal with their latest setback, at least we're used to them having such problems. We can handle that.

Sure, we've learned some things that will be themes for the rest of the season. You don't want to bench the Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson anytime soon. The New York Jets mostly will struggle offensively, the Miami Dolphins will be in a bunch of shootouts and we should accept that Jason Campbell is a good start, especially against bad defenses.

It was the incomprehensible, though, that had driven longtime fantasy players to their wit's end. But now that we are in the meat of the season, logic has returned.

Tomlinson is producing four-touchdown runs again. Maurice Jones-Drew is breaking off big plays as a dynamic runner. Larry Johnson still is a powerful back. Drew Brees and Reggie Bush can post attractive stats in an aggressive offense.

And the usual bad news resurfaced, too. Kurt Warner was injured again. Brett Favre threw two interceptions and had no TDs. The most valuable Baltimore Raven once more is kicker Matt Stover.

Not even close to all of our preseason expectations are matched, but we're six weeks into the season. The weather is starting to turn, teams are establishing their identities and, while there will be plenty of week-to-week surprises, wholesale changes are tougher to find without dramatic developments.

Carson Palmer still might throw plenty of TD passes even if the Cincinnati Bengals lose, and the Philadelphia Eagles offense is still trying to hit a regular groove. And if the St. Louis Rams got Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson back and started putting up 28 points a game, all really would make sense — though that might be asking for a little much.

If your struggling starters include guys such as Shaun Alexander, Donovan McNabb or Willis McGahee, accept them for what they are because reality has finally set in for good.

Around the league:

One of the few big injuries last weekend was Vince Young leaving the Tennessee Titans' loss because of a strained thigh. He should not have been starting for many people in that matchup, and the real impact is going forward. The offense is built around Young's running style, not the strong-armed Kerry Collins, so the Titans could hit a rough spot. You have to pick your spots with him anyhow, but two good ones are coming up against the Texans and Oakland Raiders. Those would be opportunities for a healthy Young to live up to the hype that he has failed to produce thus far.

The panic over a potential Travis Henry suspension has passed, as has the rush to pick up Selvin Young. But if you're a Henry owner who has relaxed a little bit, do not get too comfortable. One of the problems with the legal and appeals process is that much of it is done behind closed doors. We could wake up any day with some type of permanent resolution, and the last thing you want is to get caught out of sorts when it happens.

[Hache Man]

Sticking with Benson
No time for love or intros, Doctor Jones. To the matchups!

Quarterback

The surprise package of the 2007 season defensively has to be the Titans. We've talked about this in previous weeks, but with each passing week, the excellent pass defense of the Titans proves itself to be less and less of a fluke. This week, that creates problems for the Texans, who have done an admirable job without Andre Johnson in the lineup, but will struggle to move the ball on the tight Titans defense. Leave Matt Schaub on the bench this week; something like 180 yards and a touchdown with a couple of picks feels like the right line to expect from Schaub this week.

You have to feel for Kurt Warner. The guy gets a chance at a starting gig and a resurrection (pun intended) of his starting career a la Jeff Garcia and…mutilates his arm his first game in. Warner's toughness and desire to play is exhibited by talk of him playing this week against Washington; unfortunately, the Redskins have the #2 pass defense in football, and regardless of whether Tim Rattay or Warner are the starting quarterback this week, don't count on either of them.

Daunte Culpepper hasn't been particularly effective as a Raiders quarterback so far. The giant that once combined grace and brawn seems to have left the former on the operating table and a lack of confidence in his ability to take a licking has limited the usage of the latter. Culpepper goes up against the resurgent Kansas City pass defense this week, and with Patrick Surtain playing at a Pro Bowl level, it's hard to see Ronald Curry or Jerry Porter getting open on a consistent basis. Leave Culpepper out.

A better matchup this week? Vince Young, who looks like he'll probably be able to make it on Sunday against Houston. The Texans' pass defense has not been particularly effective this year, and Young averaged over 20 fantasy points in his two games against the Texans last year. If Young makes it behind center, expect him to put up a very solid day.

Our DVOA metric has Jeff Garcia as the fourth-best quarterback on a per-play basis in football this year. Up against the Lions this week, he won't need to be that good. The Lions' 3-2 record is a bit of a mirage, and their 25th-ranked pass defense certainly isn't contributing much to the effort. We're looking at a nice day from the efficient Garcia; he's not likely to throw for 400 yards, but something like 250 yards and two touchdowns seems entirely plausible.

Running Back

This column might get repetitive sometimes, and I apologize for that, but the same matchup problems come into play each week. It's just with different names. Baltimore bludgeons all running backs they come up against. This week, that running back happens to be Marshawn Lynch. Splat. Go ahead! Leave him in your lineup and hope he scores a touchdown to go with his 40 yards. Good luck.

And now, for a little bit of controversy. As much as Baltimore flattens running backs, Minnesota stomps them even further. That normally makes opposing running backs almost a must-sit…but this week, Minnesota goes up against the Cowboys. Asking a fantasy owner to sit Julius Jones is no big deal, but asking them to sit Marion Barber III? That's a harder game to play. I'd definitely sit Jones, but the complicating thing for Barber is his propensity to get the ball in short yardage.

Make no mistake -- the Cowboys will move the ball through the air against the Vikings, not on the ground -- but it's entirely possible that the Cowboys could march 85 yards on five passing plays and then have Barber run in from the 1. I'm very skeptical about starting Barber this week, but if you don't have a similarly-talented option, leave him in. Don't say I didn't warn you when he rushes for 40 yards, too, but if 40 yards and a touchdown are worth it to you in your league, keep him in.

Remember when I was talking about the Chiefs' great pass defense earlier? Well, it came at the expense of the Chiefs' run defense, which has been dire this year. That means happy things for LaMont Jordan, who's expected to return this week following a back injury that kept him out in Week 6. Assuming there are no last-second reports about Jordan's help, return him to the lineup next week and expect a very respectable day.

It always feels like I'm either telling people to sit or start Cedric Benson; he either has a great matchup or an awful one. This week's one of the better ones -- he'll go up against a Philadelphia defense that was getting gashed by Thomas Jones and the Jets last week. The Eagles have spent first-round pick after first-round pick on defensive linemen, but the only lineman they have who appears to be an actual above-average NFL player on all downs is Trent Cole. Their front seven has holes in it, and while Benson's really not proven himself to be a particularly good running back this year, he might fall forward into 100 yards and a score this week. Keep him in there, true believers.

For those of you who drafted Larry Johnson, well, you can't say we didn't warn you. The Curse of 370 is real -- very real -- and Johnson's been feeling the effects all year. He hasn't gotten hurt, but the explosiveness that marked his runs in 2005 and 2006 isn't there; neither are the holes, as the hole Will Shields is creating now is in his couch. Oakland's rush defense has been shockingly bad this year, killing some of the "Rex Ryan for Head Coach" buzz that was going around after last season. Johnson will take advantage of that. He's a must-start this week.

Wide Receiver

When I say to bench the quarterbacks, I'm denigrating his receivers' chances as well. Since you're leaving Schaub on your bench, do the same for his wideouts: Leave behind Kevin Walter and Andre Davis this week. In Arizona, downgrade Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin some -- they might still be a start depending on what you have behind them, but in a borderline situation, go with the other guy. Well, unless he's Kevin Walter or Andre Davis.

There are some borderline guys I think will have fine weeks, though. Number one on that list is Cowboys #2 wideout Patrick Crayton, who ran his mouth off this week with all the newfound confidence that comes with being a starter. Crayton's an excellent player, probably the best third wideout in football based upon his 2005-2006 body of work. He's going up against a Vikings defense that's struggled against slot guys this year. He's going to put up big numbers this week.

Last week, we recommended you start Bobby Engram, and he had 120 yards. This week, against the leftovers of St. Louis, we recommend you start Engram again. 120 yards is probably a little too much to expect, but maybe he'll get in the endzone this week.

The ageless Joey Galloway somehow remains one of the most impressive players in football. The fact that he does so through deep routes using his still-superb speed is even more baffling and impressive. Galloway goes up against a Lions defense that's been decent against #1 receivers this year, but allowed free reign to #2 receivers.

That's a tricky one -- I'd still start Galloway this week, but give Ike Hilliard a shot too. In six games, Hilliard's 27 receptions are close to his 2005 and 2006 full-season totals of 35 and 34, respectively. What an example these young men set for the septuagenarians in Tampa! Or is it the other way around? Either way, I'm sure there are 70-year-old men shuffling eight-yard curls and falling over in the yards of their assisted living centers while their buddies run forty-yard corner patterns in about four minutes, just the way Hilliard and Galloway would like it.

Tight End

Start: Heath Miller (PIT), Robert Royal (BUF), and Randy McMichael (STL)
Bench: Owen Daniels (HOU) and both Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen (CHI). Sorry, Greg. Sometimes you take chickees to the seventh floor, and, well, sometimes the chickees take you.

[Hache Man]

Walker Goes Under the Knife
A couple days ago Javon Walker expressed optimism about returning to the lineup in Week 7, but coach Mike Shanahan announced Thursday that he'll undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and miss "a few weeks." Shanahan said that he had "no idea" when asked if Walker could potentially miss the remainder of the season and with Rod Smith still trying to make his way off the PUP list by Week 10 the Broncos' receiver depth is suddenly in rough shape.

Brandon Stokley moves into the starting lineup in place of Walker alongside Brandon Marshall and is worth grabbing in most leagues, with the Rocky Mountain News speculating Friday that the Broncos may increase tight end Tony Scheffler's role in the passing game and give running back Selvin Young some action at receiver. Jay Cutler has been very inconsistent in his first full year as a starter and the road to a strong season just got a lot tougher.
indianapoliscolts.com
Perhaps the only positive from Walker's injury is that Marshall now gets an extended chance to establish himself as a No. 1 receiver. The former fourth-round pick out of Central Florida flashed his incredible raw talent while totaling 309 yards on 20 catches as a rookie and has turned in four strong games in five chances this season. He's on pace for 1,150 yards on 85 catches and there's now a clear path for him to get double-digit targets every week.

While Shanahan and the Broncos try to salvage their season by leaning heavily on Travis Henry and their famous running game, here are some other notes from around football …

* After the Lions announced earlier this week that he's reclaimed the starting job, Kevin Jones said Thursday that he's ready to carry the ball 20-25 times despite not expecting to be 100 percent healthy at any point this season. "I just want to go out there and carry the load and play," Jones said. The Lions' style offensively makes 20-25 carries wishful thinking, but Jones could end up with 20-plus touches thanks to his strong receiving skills. He's a solid RB2 option.

* Despite Alex Smith saying that he's able to return from his shoulder injury this week, the 49ers announced Thursday that Trent Dilfer will make another start. It looked briefly like the team's passing game would get a huge boost with both Smith and Vernon Davis returning in Week 7, but instead Davis isn't much of a fantasy play with Dilfer trying to get him the ball and Frank Gore looks likely to see 20-plus touches against the Giants. Smith is now aiming to return next week.
greenbaypackers.com
* Steven Jackson hasn't been ruled out Week 7 and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Thursday that he "is making a spirited run at playing Sunday," but that seems unlikely given that he's been sidelined since September 23 with a torn groin and was only able to participate in limited drills Thursday. Jackson's progress is good to see, but don't count on him being in the lineup until at least Week 8 and the Rams may hold him out through their Week 9 bye.

* Todd Heap started Sunday despite ongoing hamstring problems, but exited after aggravating the injury in the second quarter. He's yet to practice this week and coach Brian Billick said Thursday that Heap is unlikely to play in Week 7. With backup Daniel Wilcox also out, the Ravens will start Quinn Sypniewski against the Bills. It's a good opportunity for Sypniewski and Heap's many targets need to go somewhere new, but his pass-catching ability is very limited.

* When Kurt Warner left Sunday's game with a torn ligament in his non-throwing elbow, initial speculation was that he could miss 6-8 weeks. The timetable then changed to Warner potentially returning in Week 9 following the Cardinals' bye. And now reports indicate that Warner might play Sunday. Whether it says more about Warner's toughness or the team's desire to avoid using Tim Rattay, there's a good chance that he'll see some action this week even if he doesn't start.

Two-Minute Drill: Clearly playing at less than 100 percent physically, Clinton Portis hasn't topped 100 rushing yards in any of his last 11 games … Chris Chambers said Thursday that he's comfortable with the Chargers' playbook and "can pretty much step into the huddle and play a game" following the team's bye … Meanwhile, with Chambers in San Diego, Derek Hagan is expected to take over as Miami's starting flanker opposite Marty Booker … Offensive coordinator Mike Martz said Thursday that Calvin Johnson is "100 percent" physically and will likely see his role in the offense increase going forward … Priest Holmes hasn't been promoted to the active roster yet, but has now put in back-to-back full practices … Despite his recent lack of production, Mark Clayton said Thursday that he's healthier than he's been all season … Stuck at the bottom of the running-back depth chart, the Dolphins reportedly may convert Lorenzo Booker to wide receiver … Already sporting a full red beard, Matt Jones said Thursday that he won't shave until he scores a touchdown, which he hasn't done since Week 16 of last season.

Red Zone: Joseph Addai (shoulder) practiced fully Thursday, but Marvin Harrison (knee) was listed as being limited leading up to Monday night's game … Drew Bennett (hamstring) looks unlikely to play in Week 7, but the Rams figure to have both Torry Holt (knee) and Isaac Bruce (hamstring) in the lineup … According to the Miami Herald, the Dolphins have no plans to let Trent Green (concussion) play for them again … Both Fred Taylor (groin) and Maurice Jones-Drew (thigh) were limited in practice Thursday, but figure to suit up Monday night … Sammy Morris (chest) is now expected to be sidelined through at least Week 10 … Ahman Green (knee) is expected to start this week after practicing fully Thursday … Both Brandon Jacobs (ankle) and Derrick Ward (ankle) were limited in practice Thursday, but the Giants indicated that Ward's injury is more of a concern … Offensive coordinator Gil Haskell indicated Thursday that he doesn't expected to have D.J. Hackett (ankle) at his disposal in Week 7 … Michael Pittman said Thursday that his injured ankle is "80 percent" healthy and he expects to be back in about two weeks, severely limiting Michael Bennett's potential value.

[Hache Man]

Week 7 Rankings Update

Note: These rankings were updated Friday Night. The notes are written Wednesday and Thursday.



Buried beneath the Adrian Peterson headlines was the sorry, confused state of his opponent last week: the Chicago Bears. In the span of six games, the Chicago Bears have transformed from the best young unit in the league to a group that is consistently poor across the board.

Chicago can't stop the pass (29th in YPA allowed), can't stop the run (28th in yards allowed), and have given up 34 points or more three times in four games. Fantasy owners of Chicago's defense don't mind because of Devin Hester (You are ridiculous!), but this is suddenly a squad that opposing teams should be eager to see on the schedule.

The Eagles take a crack this week. I watched Good Donovan have a mostly accurate afternoon against the Jets, spitting darts like it was 2006. His protection was much improved, and the Eagles focused on the running game like late last season. Reggie Brown looked relevant and Brian Westbrook looked like an MVP candidate. Expect more fireworks this week against the Bears.

Week 7 Quarterbacks

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Tony Romo	vs. MIN	-
2	Carson Palmer	vs. NYJ	-
3	Tom Brady	at MIA
4	Peyton Manning	at JAC	-
5	Jeff Garcia	at DET	-
6	Donovan McNabb	vs. CHI	-
7	Matt Hasselbeck	vs. STL	-
8	Eli Manning	vs. SF	-
9	Drew Brees	vs. ATL	-
10	Chad Pennington	at CIN	Questionable(ankle)
11	Jon Kitna	vs. TB	-
12	Marc Bulger	at SEA	Probable(ribs)
13	Jason Campbell	vs. ARZ	-
14	Kyle Boller	at BUF	-
15	David Garrard	vs. IND	-
16	Brian Griese	at PHI	-
17	Matt Schaub	vs. TEN	-
18	Ben Roethlisberger	at DEN	-
19	Byron Leftwich	at NO	-
20	Jay Cutler	vs. PIT	-
21	Kurt Warner	at WAS	Game-time Decision
22	Daunte Culpepper	vs. KC	-
23	Vince Young	at HOU	Game-time Decision
24	Damon Huard	at OAK	-
25	Cleo Lemon	vs. NE	-
26	Trent Dilfer	at NYG	-
27	Tarvaris Jackson	at DAL	Probable(groin)
28	Trent Edwards	vs. BAL	-
29	Tim Rattay	at WAS	-

Note: For projections of all players ranked here, check out Season Pass package.

QB Notes: I hate changing quarterbacks just for the sake of it, but Chad Pennington is fighting himself at this point. His performance against the Eagles included uncharacteristic accuracy problems and he's making mental errors. The Bengals defense, however, is so bad that I would still use Pennington this week in his effort to save his job. … Vince Young will be motivated to destroy the Texans if he plays, but it's hard to imagine using him in fantasy leagues at less than 100%. Young actually has a much-improved completion percentage this year, but the Titans just can't stretch the field. Losing Brandon Jones doesn't help. Kerry Collins looked like his old self when he played last week – he rifles the ball when given time, and crumbles when pressure is on him. I'm reading The GM by Tom Callaghan currently (recommended), and Ernie Accorsi uses the word "fragile" to describe Collins in the nicest way possible. Collins may actually improve the Tennessee passing yardage, but he won't help them win.

Jeff Garcia is getting surprisingly good protection, and his mobility helps buy him extra time in the pocket. Donald Penn is winning raves at left tackle and might be an upgrade on Luke Petitgout in the passing game. Garcia still throws pop flies sometimes when he tries to go deep, but they work. Joey Galloway adjusts, while defenders often overrun the plays. I had my doubts, but Garcia is having a Pro Bowl season under Jon Gruden. He's a great play this week.

Carson Palmer is playing worse than 2006, when he was freshly returning from an ACL injury. The offensive talent just isn't as good in Cincy as people think. The starting wideouts are great, but there is no depth. They don't have a receiving tight end, their running game is stagnant, and the starting tackles are hurt or benched. RT Levi Jones' collapse is a huge factor. Palmer is still my top quarterback this week because the Bengals should be able to pick on New York's struggling secondary. Look for a lot of points in that game. … I'd hate to use Marc Bulger in his first week back, but there just aren't that many safe options at quarterback. You could do worse. … Drew Brees' game against the Seahawks was encouraging. The Saints will continue to throw the ball so much that he's bound to put up 200+ yards a game. … Kyle Boller is a decent bye week solution, but his young offensive line is struggling. Look for Baltimore to focus on the running game.

Week 7 Running Backs

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Brian Westbrook	vs. CHI	Probable(abdomen)
2	Willie Parker	at DEN	-
3	Larry Johnson	at OAK	-
4	Joseph Addai	at JAC	-
5	Willis McGahee	at BUF	Probable(knee)
6	Frank Gore	at NYG	-
7	Adrian Peterson	at DAL	-
8	Ronnie Brown	vs. NE	Probable(foot)
9	Reggie Bush	vs. ATL	-
10	LaMont Jordan	vs. KC	Practiced all week
11	Clinton Portis	vs. ARZ	-
12	Thomas Jones	at CIN	-
13	Travis Henry	vs. PIT	-
14	Maurice Jones-Drew	vs. IND	Probable(thigh)
15	Laurence Maroney	at MIA	Questionable(groin)
16	Shaun Alexander	vs. STL	Probable(wrist)
17	Kenny Watson	vs. NYJ	Expected to carry load
18	Edgerrin James	at WAS	-
19	LenDale White	at HOU	-
20	Brandon Jacobs	vs. SF	Questionable(ankle)
21	Kevin Jones	vs. TB	-
22	Cedric Benson	at PHI	-
23	Brian Leonard	at SEA	-
24	Marion Barber	vs. MIN	-
25	Fred Taylor	vs. IND	Probable(groin)
26	Marshawn Lynch	vs. BAL	-
27	Ahman Green	vs. TEN	Probable(knee)
28	Chester Taylor	at DAL	-
29	Jerious Norwood	at NO	-
30	Derrick Ward	vs. SF	Questionable(ankle)
31	Warrick Dunn	at NO	-
32	Julius Jones	vs. MIN	-
33	Earnest Graham	at DET	-
34	Rudi Johnson	vs. NYJ	Doubtful(hamstring)
35	Ladell Betts	vs. ARZ	-
36	Michael Bennett	at DET	-
37	Leon Washington	at CIN	-
38	Kevin Faulk	at MIA	-
39	Chris Brown	at HOU	Not likely to play
40	Najeh Davenport	at DEN	-
41	Justin Fargas	vs. KC	-
42	Correll Buckhalter	vs. CHI	-
43	Tatum Bell	vs. TB	-
44	Adrian Peterson	at PHI	-
45	Leonard Weaver	vs. STL	-
46	Kenton Keith	at JAC	-
47	Musa Smith	at BUF	-
48	Reuben Droughns	vs. SF	-
49	Selvin Young	vs. PIT	-
50	Samkon Gado	vs. TEN	-
51	Greg Jones	vs. IND	-
52	Chris Henry	at HOU	-

RB Notes: As one of LenDale White's biggest supporters this offseason, I'm underwhelmed when I watch him on tape. He's easily outdistanced his Average Draft Position in fantasy leagues, but he's running heavier than last season. He works well in short-yardage and will score, but he's one-dimensional until he loses some pounds. With Chris Brown possibly out this week, White gets another chance to carry the load against a sagging Houston rush defense. Let's see if he can finally top 70 rushing yards. Incidentally, the Titans ran some sets last week with White as a fullback for Brown. It tells you what they think of White's blocking, which is fierce on passing downs. … The bye week did Brian Westbrook and the Eagles coaching staff some good. Westbrook was the focus of a more balanced offensive approach, similar to what they did down the stretch last season. He's a top-five back moving forward.

Thomas Jones ran with aggression against the Eagles, darting and weaving through traffic. The Jones revival tour should continue this week at Cincinnati, then against Buffalo. He could be a sell high candidate then because the schedule gets much tougher. … This week in bowing to Ronnie Brown's greatness: He's 19-for-23 in converting short-yardage situations this year. Other impressive players include Joseph Addai (16-fo-18) and Reggie Bush (11-for-13)

There's a reason why Earnest Graham was buried on the depth chart for three years. He has no burst in a small area. The Bucs tried their best to run last week, but Graham can't make anyone miss and holes close fast around him. 64% of his runs have gone for three yards or less. Look for Michael Bennett to split the workload quickly, then take the lead spot until Michael Pittman is healthy. … It's hard to predict what the Bengals will do with Rudi Johnson, but they have to keep Kenny Watson involved. The Jets are a great matchup, so both runners make for good flex options, but mediocre RB2 plays.

With Rob Morris out for the year and Bob Sanders at less than 100%, the Colts run defense is weakened. Fred Taylor broke a long run against them last year, and the possibility of it this time around makes him a better play than usual. … We won't know Laurence Maroney's status until Sunday morning. If he's out, Kevin Faulk would move into the top-25 at running back. Also keep an eye on the Giants, with Derrick Ward and Brandon Jacobs somewhat iffy for this week.

Week 7 Wide Receivers

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	T.J. Houshmandzadeh	vs. NYJ	-
2	Randy Moss	at MIA	-
3	Chad Johnson	vs. NYJ	Probable(ankle)
4	Terrell Owens	vs. MIN	-
5	Plaxico Burress	vs. SF
6	Roy Williams	vs. TB	-
7	Marvin Harrison	at JAC	Questionable(knee)
8	Reggie Wayne	at JAC	-
9	Laveranues Coles	at CIN
10	Jerricho Cotchery	at CIN	-
11	Torry Holt	at SEA	Probable(knee)
12	Joey Galloway	at DET	-
13	Larry Fitzgerald	at WAS	Move down five spots if Rattay starts
14	Anquan Boldin	at WAS	Move down five spots if Rattay starts
15	Kevin Curtis	vs. CHI	-
16	Patrick Crayton	vs. MIN	-
17	Brandon Marshall	vs. PIT	-
18	Santana Moss	vs. ARZ	Probable(hamstring)
19	Bernard Berrian	at PHI
20	Roddy White	at NO	-
21	Derrick Mason	at BUF	Probable(knee)
22	Wes Welker	at MIA	-
23	Marques Colston	vs. ATL	Probable(arm)
24	Dwayne Bowe	at OAK	-
25	Ronald Curry	vs. KC	-
26	Santonio Holmes	at DEN	-
27	Hines Ward	at DEN	-
28	Donte' Stallworth	at MIA
29	Reggie Brown	vs. CHI	-
30	Bobby Engram	vs. STL	-
31	Nate Burleson	vs. STL	-
32	Marty Booker	vs. NE	-
33	Ike Hilliard	at DET
34	Lee Evans	vs. BAL	-
35	Calvin Johnson	vs. TB	-
36	Mike Furrey	vs. TB	-
37	Shaun McDonald	vs. TB	-
38	Isaac Bruce	at SEA	Expected to start
39	Darrell Jackson	at NYG	-
40	Andre' Davis	vs. TEN	-
41	Kevin Walter	vs. TEN	-
42	Amani Toomer	vs. SF	-
43	Dennis Northcutt	vs. IND	-
44	Muhsin Muhammad	at PHI	-
45	Antwaan Randle El	vs. ARZ	Questionable(hamstring)
46	Demetrius Williams	at BUF	Probable(knee)
47	Mark Clayton	at BUF	-
48	Derek Hagan	vs. NE	-
49	Brandon Stokley	vs. PIT	-
50	Roydell Williams	at HOU	-
51	Lance Moore	vs. ATL	-
52	Jerry Porter	vs. KC	-

WR Notes: The Eagles said they would get Reggie Brown more involved in the offense, and they did against the Jets. I'm willing to close my eyes to the first month and play him as a WR3 against Chicago. Kevin Curtis is still the better big play threat. … Jerricho Cotchery has been far more efficient than Laveranues Coles this season. They get identical target numbers, but Cotchery has 157 more yards on the season. Coles remains one of the toughest pass-catchers around, but he doesn't break plays after the catch. … I keep expecting Ike Hilliard to slow down, but it hasn't happened. He's been a WR3 in PPR leagues without scoring a single touchdown. And while he's lost a step, he's still four years younger than Marvin Harrison and knows where to find the holes in zone defenses. If you were ever going to use him, this is the week against Detroit. Joey Galloway is also a must start. He's inconsistent, but adjusts to Jeff Garcia's pop flies in the air very well.

I expect Derek Hagan to have a lot more fantasy value than Ted Ginn this season. Hagan is more likely to fill Chris Chambers' old role, while Ginn works in as a slot receiver. I'd still take Marty Booker over Hagan, which makes the second-year player a WR6 type in deep leagues. … The Patriots love to help their players exact revenge on their former teams. Don't be surprised if Wes Welker gets a few red zone targets in his return to Miami. … Santana Moss was miserable last week, but I'd still use him against the Cardinals. He'll be motivated to put the Packers game behind him and Antwaan Randle El isn't 100%.

Roddy White benefits from the switch to Byron Leftwich because the team should go vertical more often. He's got a perfect matchup this week against the Saints, who give up a lot of big plays. … Not sure who the Raiders will assign Nmandi Asamugha to this week. It's possible the stalwart cornerback will cover Tony Gonzalez, but Dwayne Bowe will be in for a long day if not. … Daunte Culpepper's struggles in the passing game will limit Ronald Curry's ceiling this season. … For now, we're ranking the Seahawks as if D.J. Hackett won't play. … Tennessee has four receivers this season between 122-172 yards. That's what happens when you only have number three receivers on the roster.

Week 7 Tight Ends

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Jason Witten	vs. MIN	-
2	Tony Gonzalez	at OAK	-
3	Dallas Clark	at JAC	-
4	Chris Cooley	vs. ARZ	-
5	Jeremy Shockey	vs. SF	-
6	Owen Daniels	vs. TEN	-
7	Vernon Davis	at NYG	Probable(knee)
8	Heath Miller	at DEN	-
9	Greg Olsen	at PHI	-
10	Desmond Clark	at PHI	-
11	Eric Johnson	vs. ATL	-
12	Marcedes Lewis	vs. IND	-
13	Chris Baker	at CIN	Questionable(back)
14	Randy McMichael	at SEA	-
15	Quinn Sypniewski	at BUF	-
16	Daniel Graham	vs. PIT	-
17	David Martin	vs. NE	Questionable(ankle)
18	Bo Scaife	at HOU	-
19	Tony Scheffler	vs. PIT	-
20	Marcus Pollard	vs. STL	Questionable(knee)
21	Alex Smith	at DET	Questionable(ankle)
22	Visanthe Shiancoe	at DAL	-
23	Zach Miller	vs. KC	-

TE Notes: For what it's worth, Bo Scaife was suddenly targeted a lot once Kerry Collins got in to the game last week. He's quietly had a terrible season, but Scaife makes for a reasonable bye week fill-in this week. … The trade of Chris Chambers can't hurt David Martin's value in Miami. He made two tough touchdown grabs last week, but hasn't produced much otherwise this season.

Week 7 Team Defense

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Ravens Def/Spec Team	at BUF	-
2	Patriots Def/Spec Team	at MIA	-
3	Steelers Def/Spec Team	at DEN	-
4	Buccaneers Def/Spec Team	at DET	-
5	Bears Def/Spec Team	at PHI	-
6	Cowboys Def/Spec Team	vs. MIN	-
7	Titans Def/Spec Team	at HOU	-
8	Redskins Def/Spec Team	vs. ARZ	-
9	Texans Def/Spec Team	vs. TEN	-
10	Giants Def/Spec Team	vs. SF	-
11	Eagles Def/Spec Team	vs. CHI	-
12	Chiefs Def/Spec Team	at OAK	-
13	Colts Def/Spec Team	at JAC	-
14	Lions Def/Spec Team	vs. TB	-
15	Seahawks Def/Spec Team	vs. STL	-
16	Vikings Def/Spec Team	at DAL	-
17	Bills Def/Spec Team	vs. BAL	-
18	Raiders Def/Spec Team	vs. KC	-
19	Jaguars Def/Spec Team	vs. IND	-
20	Fortyniners Def/Spec Team	at NYG	-
21	Cardinals Def/Spec Team	at WAS	-
22	Saints Def/Spec Team	vs. ATL	-
23	Bengals Def/Spec Team	vs. NYJ	-
24	Falcons Def/Spec Team	at NO	-
25	Rams Def/Spec Team	at SEA	-
26	Broncos Def/Spec Team	vs. PIT	-
27	Jets Def/Spec Team	at CIN	-
28	Dolphins Def/Spec Team	vs. NE	-

Week 7 Kickers

Rank	Player Name	Opponent	Notes
1	Stephen Gostkowski	at MIA	-
2	Adam Vinatieri	at JAC	-
3	Shayne Graham	vs. NYJ	-
4	Nick Folk	vs. MIN	-
5	Matt Stover	at BUF	-
6	Neil Rackers	at WAS	-
7	David Akers	vs. CHI	-
8	Josh Brown	vs. STL	-
9	Jason Hanson	vs. TB	-
10	Kris Brown	vs. TEN
11	Robbie Gould	at PHI	-
12	Matt Bryant	at DET	-
13	Jeff Reed	at DEN	-
14	Jay Feely	vs. NE
15	Ryan Longwell	at DAL	-
16	Mike Nugent	at CIN	-
17	Olindo Mare	vs. ATL
18	Jason Elam	vs. PIT	-
19	Rob Bironas	at HOU	-
20	Lawrence Tynes	vs. SF	-
21	Jeff Wilkins	at SEA	-
22	John Carney	vs. IND	-
23	Shaun Suisham	vs. ARZ	-
24	Dave Rayner	at OAK	-
25	Sebastian Janikowski	vs. KC	-
26	Rian Lindell	vs. BAL	-
27	Joe Nedney	at NYG	-

[Hache Man]

It's Elementary with Watson
Rudi Johnson was a model of consistency coming into this season with three straight years of 12 touchdowns and 1300+ yards. The Bengals' offense seemed bound to improve with Carson Palmer a full year removed from ACL surgery and a healthy, young, and deep offensive line ready to open bigger holes than ever.

But the Bengals' mindset on offense has changed. No longer is the team concerned with power running. Rather, coordinator Bob Bratkowski is week in, week out forced to formulate ways to get his unit back into games. Cincinnati's defense is so bad that the Bengals are caught playing catch up early every single Sunday.

Palmer's play is frantic because the Bengals can't set the tone.

His hamstring injury aside, Rudi simply doesn't work in the offense anymore. Bratkowski's scheme now requires a running back with pass-catching ability and the capacity to explode on the rare occasion he gets to carry the football. Johnson is a mediocre receiver at best and hardly possesses the quickness to create for himself. Kenny Watson may be far from a long-term answer, but he fits the criteria above. With no improvement imminent from head coach Marvin Lewis' side of the ball, there is a good chance Watson will continue to be the Bengals' lead back for the rest of the season.

Week 7 Game-Time Decisions

Arms
Kurt Warner – Could play some, but appearing less likely to start Sunday.
Vince Young – Don't bet against him starting, but check early inactives.
Chad Pennington – Will start despite missing parts of practice all week.
Alex Smith – Trent Dilfer to start; 9ers think Smith will start in Week 8.
Steve McNair – Kyle Boller will start, McNair could be his active backup.
Tarvaris Jackson – Will start against Dallas after practicing fully Friday.
J.P. Losman – Is available for backup duty but Trent Edwards starting.

Wides
Chad Johnson – Rested Thursday but will play in great matchup v. Jets.
Marvin Harrison – Colts expect him to start on Monday night at Jaguars.
Plaxico Burress – Despite not practicing all week, is highly likely to start.
Torry Holt – Probable and will start, gets help with Marc Bulger's return.
Laveranues Coles – Not sure why he's on the injury report; he'll start.
Marques Colston – Listed as probable but back injury a growing concern.
Derrick Mason – Probable; PPR machine is a must play against Buffalo.
Donte' Stallworth – Should start despite going through limited work week.
Isaac Bruce – Expected to play; can be reinserted into fantasy lineups.
D.J. Hackett – Offensive coordinator Gil Haskell doesn't expect him to play.
Drew Bennett – Probably won't return to third receiver role at Seahawks.
Demetrius Williams – Third receiver is probable and likely to be active.
Joe Horn – Missed practice Friday; he's worth dropping if you own him.
Steve Smith (Giants) – Rookie could return to third receiver role Sunday.

Backs
LaMont Jordan – Probable, but still worth checking on Sunday afternoon.
Willis McGahee – Would be a shocker if he sits out against former team.
Derrick Ward/Brandon Jacobs – Both expected to be active against 9ers.
Ahman Green – Scheduled to start against NFL's top-rated rush defense.
Rudi Johnson – Listed as doubtful; Kenny Watson set to get bulk of load.
Laurence Maroney – Appears set to start after missing last three contests.
Maurice Jones-Drew/Fred Taylor – Both probable, virtually certain to play.
Chris Brown – It doesn't look like he'll be active; upgrade LenDale White.

Ends
Todd Heap – Expected to sit out game, come out of Week 8 bye healthy.
Ben Watson – Reportedly has high ankle sprain; Kyle Brady to start @ MIA.
Alge Crumpler – Couldn't practice all week and called doubtful for Sunday.
Alex Smith – Didn't practice at all this week; Jerramy Stevens likely to start.
Chris Baker – Status uncertain; Jets rarely have used Baker this season.
L.J. Smith – Considered doubtful and won't be usable even if he starts.
David Martin – Limited with toe injury; would be bad fantasy play anyways.
Marcus Pollard – 35-year-old with knee troubles far from a fantasy option.
Reggie Kelly – Likely to play; Bengals need to upgrade at TE next season.

Legs
Kris Brown – Probable; foot injury hasn't adversely affected hot placekicker.

Already Ruled Out for Week 7

Arms
Matt Leinart – Broken collarbone landed him on I.R. earlier in October.
Jake Delhomme – Went on injured reserve following Tommy John surgery.
Trent Green – Hard to imagine seeing 37-year-old Green in the NFL again.
Josh McCown – Doubtful but Daunte Culepper will get start against Chiefs.

Wides
Andre Johnson – Still not practicing, Andre may be sidelined until Week 11.
Javon Walker – Slated to miss six weeks; may be back for fantasy playoffs.
Deion Branch – He's expected to return after the Seahawks' Week 8 bye.
Terry Glenn – Still seems multiple weeks from playing on game days again.
Brandon Jones – Recovering from knee surgery; Roydell Williams starting.
Eddie Kennison – Re-injured hamstring, Samie Parker starting in meantime.
Chris Henry – Eligible for reinstatement in Week 8; should be owned by now.
Eric Parker – Season was over before it started; Parker will be back in '08.
Peerless Price – Went on injured reserve Friday; Roscoe Parrish now starting.
David Givens – On PUP list, Titans not counting on him to play in second half.
Rod Smith – Broncos hoping he can make an impact, but that seems unlikely.
Dante Hall – Brandon Williams has over as St. Louis' primary punt return man.
Antonio Chatman – Extremely injury prone WR again battling hamstring injury.

Backs
Steven Jackson – Sunday @ Seattle may be Brian Leonard's final start of year.
Sammy Morris – Doubtful but will not play; may be out until mid-November.
Michael Pittman – Says he'll return to playing field within the next two weeks.
Chris Perry – Still on PUP list, but seems likely to be activated by Week 10.
Priest Holmes – Also on PUP; Kolby Smith set to back up L.J. against Raiders.
Ricky Williams – No word yet on whether he has a chance to be reinstated.
Michael Bush – May need an injury in front of him to be activated off PUP.
Kenny Irons – Bengals could use injured second-round pick right about now.

Ends
Daniel Wilcox – Ankle/foot still bugging Wilcox; Quinn Sypniewski will start
Stephen Alexander – Went on I.R. Thursday; says his career is likely over.

Legs
Josh Scobee – John Carney still starting; Scobee due back in a few weeks.

Week 7 Matchups to Exploit/Avoid

Titans @ Texans
Game Time: 12:00 CT/1:00 ET

Chris Brown is expected to be inactive Sunday due to an ankle problem. The initial belief was that second-round rookie Chris Henry would be activated Sunday to back up LenDale White, but the Nashville Tennessean reported Saturday morning that the Titans might instead go with fullback hybrid Quinton Ganther, who has been on the practice squad all season. Not only is that an indictment of Henry's development, it is encouraging news for White's fantasy owners. Ganther would be unlikely to see many touches against the Texans, meaning LenDale would get a full workload. With Houston MLB DeMeco Ryans missing practice of late due to a foot injury and RE Mario Williams struggling in run defense for the porous Texans, White could post RB1-caliber numbers. If LenDale makes it to the second level, expect him to bulldoze Texans 5-8/180-pound free safety Von Hutchins…

…On the other side, talk is already surfacing about Ahman Green's status with the Texans beyond this year. Green has been injured and ineffective in his first season with the team, and seeing as the contract he signed this past March is year-to-year, there is a growing possibility that he could be released in the 2008 offseason. Making matters worse, Green will go against the NFL's top-rated run defense Sunday. He shouldn't be in fantasy lineups and any long-term expectations for the declining runner should be limited.

Bucs @ Lions
Game Time: 12:00 CT/1:00 ET

Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz confirmed during the week that Calvin Johnson is back at 100 percent. Johnson has been removed from the injury report and will play against Tampa. Also working in Calvin's favor this Sunday will be the absence of Bucs RCB Brian Kelly from the starting lineup. While Phillip Buchanon is playing well in Kelly's absence, Tampa Bay doesn't have the troops to keep up with Detroit's constant four-receiver sets. After reliable LCB Ronde Barber, attempting to match up with Mike Furrey, Johnson, Shaun McDonald, and Roy Williams will be special teamer Torrie Cox and former first-round megabust Sammy Davis. Calvin is safe to return to fantasy lineups for confident use as a WR3…

…On the other side, Bucs TE Alex Smith was unable to practice all week due to an ankle injury he sustained in Week 6. It doesn't look like Smith will be active against the Lions, and even if he is, could be limited in the game. Jerramy Stevens will probably be suspended by the NFL shortly for violation of the league's substance abuse and conduct policies, but is likely to start Sunday. If your starter is on a bye, Stevens makes for a respectable pickup and play against Detroit.

Vikings @ Cowboys
Game Time: 3:15 CT/4:15 ET

The Vikings will be without free safety Dwight Smith in this one, allowing Tank Williams to get the start. The lumbering 6-3/230-pound Williams is naturally an in-the-box DB who thrives near the line of scrimmage, but will be asked to man center field against Dallas. Because their front six is so effective, the Vikings use nickel alignments often. In those, struggling rookie Marcus McCauley plays left corner opposite Cedric Griffin, and Antoine Winfield becomes the slot defender. McCauley figures to see Terrell Owens in frequent man coverage Sunday and his help (Williams) will be weaker than normal. When Dallas goes three wide, Sam Hurd sets up outside with Patrick Crayton in the slot. While it'd be tough to sit any Cowboys pass catcher Sunday, know that Crayton will mostly be covered by Minnesota's best corner and Owens will go against one of the Vikings' most beatable…

…On the other side, it's become clear that Tarvaris Jackson is making slow progress as a passer. Jackson is fully recovered from a previous groin injury, but continues to struggle mightily with his accuracy and isn't the scrambling threat you'd expect. Brad Childress' decision making as the Vikings' head coach has been suspect to say the least. Pinning his hopes on the raw and errant Jackson to be a starter, investing in Bobby Wade to be a go-to receiver, and failing to give star rookie Adrian Peterson the bulk of the backfield touches are three reasons Childress may not have his job beyond this year.

[Hache Man]

Recapping Week 7
They're real and they're spectacular

1. Owners have unfairly complained about Marshawn Lynch this season. He's been the best player on a terrible offense, holding up well despite a brutal rookie year schedule. Sunday's 98-total yard, one-score effort against the Ravens doesn't leap off the page, but he earned every one of those yards. He's scored four of Buffalo's five offensive touchdowns on the year. He's no Adrian Peterson, but he's going to be around a long time.

2. I thought Bill Simmons was showing his Patriots homer side in the preseason when he pegged Wes Welker as his favorite fantasy sleeper, but he's turned out to be right. Of course he also pinned his sleeper team hopes on Joey Harrington.

As the Patriots seem headed to go after passing records, Welker can maintain his every-week starter status. Welker is on his way towards replacing Brandon Stokley's 2004 season as the best fantasy campaign ever from a third receiver.

3. There are surprises, and there is Kevin Walter putting up 257 yards and a touchdown in two games against the best pass defenses in the league. Going into Week 4, Walter had a total of 490 yards and a touchdown in his five-year career. Walter and Andre' Davis continue to carve out value in the absence of Andre Johnson.

Bad Beats

1. Roddy White had another great game with 110 yards and a score, but he carelessly stepped out of bounds at the seven-yard line on one long pass or it would have been a two-score day.

2. Apologies should go out to everyone who lost a fantasy game on Chad Pennington's meaningless Hail Mary touchdown to Jerricho Cotchery Sunday.

An Ode to Consistency

I'm going to include Derrick Mason here every week until he stops. Mason gained 78 yards Sunday, meaning he's gained between 76-85 yards in every game but one this season. Mason mocks your yards after the catch.

The Experience

Long-time readers might remember my former obsession with the Sage Rosenfels Experience. So I can't let his four-touchdown, 29-point fourth quarter explosion in Houston go unmentioned here. The Experience has a knack for these things; he led Miami to a 21-point comeback in 2005 off the bench, another relief comeback win a few weeks later, and threw three scores in a relief effort last year. Perhaps Gary Kubiak should use Sage as a closer.

Committee Time

1. New week, same story in Atlanta. Jerious Norwood outplayed Warrick Dunn, but got half the touches. For the season, Dunn has 370 total yards on 113 touches. Norwood has on 64 touches.

2. The Bucs dominated total yardage and time of possession in their game, mostly because of Earnest Graham's career day. The 92 rushing yards were surprising, but the 99 receiving yards on 13 catches (and 18 targets) was a shocker. Michael Bennett was barely used because Graham ran for yards after contact every play.

3. Adrian Peterson's big day against Chicago didn't win him any more touches. Chester Taylor and Peterson both had 13 productive touches. If Tarvaris Jackson approached awful, they might have something.

Ugly Numbers

God bless Jeff Fisher; he stays committed to the running game no matter the results. LenDale White topped 100 yards for the first time in his career with 31 touches. White continues to struggle on a per-carry basis, but he's currently the RB16 on the season because of his increasing workload and four touchdowns.

The Replacements

1. Kyle Boller is a very good backup, but his middling play the last few weeks hurts any chance for a starting gig next year in Baltimore. Or in two weeks when the Ravens return from their bye.

2. Byron Leftwich looked rather sharp against the Saints before suffering yet another injury. Now the Falcons are stuck with Joey Harrington again, but it's somehow worse after he got benched.

3. Handcuffs are great to own for insurance, but they don't always help fantasy teams win. Brian Leonard is stuck on a terrible offense, but he's only topped 60 total yards once in four starts. Steven Jackson has a good chance to return this week.

4. Kerry Collins isn't going to hurt Tennessee's passing game numbers. He throw for 280 yards Sunday, 31 yards more than Vince Young's career high. Roydell Williams and Bo Scaife are reasonable fantasy pickups in the short term.

Overuse Alert

Edgerrin James is averaging 25 carries a game over the last three outings. He's on pace for over 350 for the season. His yards-per-carry has slowed down considerably after a fast start (3.2 over the last four games), so one hopes the heavy workload doesn't wear him down.

Injury Ward

As always, Brian Flood has all the details in our Season Pass Injury Crunch column. We'll be tracking the following players on the news all week…

Brandon Jacobs
Frank Gore
Ronnie Brown
Matt Schaub
Matt Hasselbeck
Michael Clayton

[Hache Man]

Turning over a New Leaf?
Mike Martz wasn't himself Sunday. His Lions opened the game featuring the run, and stuck with it. When Jon Kitna went back to pass, he got rid of the ball quickly to slow Tampa's pass rush. The conservative game plan led to an efficient (albeit lucky) win and a strong game by Kevin Jones. Owners of Lions wideouts not named Megatron were disappointed – Calvin Johnson defies the laws of fantasy football by scoring every five touches – and no Lion receiver had more than three targets.

Martz's strategy was intelligent, but could have a profound affect on fantasy leaguers. Jon Kitna was a season-ending surgery waiting to happen because of Detroit's offensive line, so the buttoned-up approach could help him stay healthy. Kevin Jones could be better than he was in 2006 as a top-ten fantasy option. But with four wideouts splitting up a smaller pie, Roy Williams and the flying Furreys might be inconsistent.

During the offseason, Kitna raised eyebrows with a pair of bold predictions:

1. The Lions would win ten games
2. Kitna could throw for 5,000 yards

For Kitna to keep Detroit on track with the first prediction, he has to give up on the second.

Stepping Off the Ledge

1. There is still hope for Lee Evans. For the second time in three Trent Edwards starts, Evans put up a solid afternoon with five catches and 98 yards. Evans was once a big play specialist, but his 54-yard grab was his first over 25 yards all season. Owners may not get the top-15 wideout they hoped for, but he could still be a solid WR3.

2. Anquan Boldin owners suffered through three missed games, but were treated to a gloriously odd return: eight catches, 29 yards, two touchdowns. That's PPR magic. Who needs yards when you can put up 22 fantasy points without them?

Don't Panic

1. Derrick Ward isn't going to be much of a flex option on weeks that Brandon Jacobs starts. But Jacobs' inability to stay healthy keeps Ward as a valuable reserve to stash on your bench.

2. One thing I've learned repeatedly on this job: owners (and analysts) should stick with the talent they truly believe in. Eventually, it will rise. And despite the awful fantasy day, I still believe Laurence Maroney will help teams this year. The Patriots, being the Patriots, choose to work Maroney into the mix slowly with only seven first-half snaps. That will increase in coming weeks.

Some Panic is Acceptable

1. After weeks of progress, the Washington passing game made the Cardinals look like the '85 Bears Sunday. Jason Campbell crumbled under the weight of a leaky offensive line, and Santana Moss has negative fantasy points over the last two weeks. He has fewer fantasy points this season than Jerheme Urban. A trip to New England this week won't solve things.

2. Shaun Alexander is mining new lows. When he can't crack 50 yards in back-to-back home games against New Orleans and St. Louis, it's hard to imagine him starting at running back in 2008 – in fantasy and reality.

3. Marc Bulger owners hoped that the two-week layoff would solve his problems, but he looked worse than ever. Three fumbles, three interceptions, and a propensity for holding on the ball way too long. The Rams didn't reach the red zone once, and Torry Holt dropped Bulger's only chance for a score.

4. I possess the maximum legal amount of Brandon Jacobs love, but the guy's inability to finish a single game healthy is a tease. He's been a force since returning from his knee injury in Week 5, but his status looks uncertain once again next week. The Giants might be smart to leave him behind on their trip to London. Both he and Ronnie Brown could get two weeks off to recover from injuries with a bye coming up.

5. Frank Gore's 111 total-yard effort against the G-Men was one of the gutsiest efforts I've seen all year. Gore could barely walk in the second half, yet averaged 6.5 yards-per-touch for the game. It's a bad sign that Gore has to play lights out to have an average fantasy day. Call it the Trent Dilfer effect.

[Hache Man]

Turning over a New Leaf?
Mike Martz wasn't himself Sunday. His Lions opened the game featuring the run, and stuck with it. When Jon Kitna went back to pass, he got rid of the ball quickly to slow Tampa's pass rush. The conservative game plan led to an efficient (albeit lucky) win and a strong game by Kevin Jones. Owners of Lions wideouts not named Megatron were disappointed – Calvin Johnson defies the laws of fantasy football by scoring every five touches – and no Lion receiver had more than three targets.

Martz's strategy was intelligent, but could have a profound affect on fantasy leaguers. Jon Kitna was a season-ending surgery waiting to happen because of Detroit's offensive line, so the buttoned-up approach could help him stay healthy. Kevin Jones could be better than he was in 2006 as a top-ten fantasy option. But with four wideouts splitting up a smaller pie, Roy Williams and the flying Furreys might be inconsistent.

During the offseason, Kitna raised eyebrows with a pair of bold predictions:

1. The Lions would win ten games
2. Kitna could throw for 5,000 yards

For Kitna to keep Detroit on track with the first prediction, he has to give up on the second.

Stepping Off the Ledge

1. There is still hope for Lee Evans. For the second time in three Trent Edwards starts, Evans put up a solid afternoon with five catches and 98 yards. Evans was once a big play specialist, but his 54-yard grab was his first over 25 yards all season. Owners may not get the top-15 wideout they hoped for, but he could still be a solid WR3.

2. Anquan Boldin owners suffered through three missed games, but were treated to a gloriously odd return: eight catches, 29 yards, two touchdowns. That's PPR magic. Who needs yards when you can put up 22 fantasy points without them?

Don't Panic

1. Derrick Ward isn't going to be much of a flex option on weeks that Brandon Jacobs starts. But Jacobs' inability to stay healthy keeps Ward as a valuable reserve to stash on your bench.

2. One thing I've learned repeatedly on this job: owners (and analysts) should stick with the talent they truly believe in. Eventually, it will rise. And despite the awful fantasy day, I still believe Laurence Maroney will help teams this year. The Patriots, being the Patriots, choose to work Maroney into the mix slowly with only seven first-half snaps. That will increase in coming weeks.

Some Panic is Acceptable

1. After weeks of progress, the Washington passing game made the Cardinals look like the '85 Bears Sunday. Jason Campbell crumbled under the weight of a leaky offensive line, and Santana Moss has negative fantasy points over the last two weeks. He has fewer fantasy points this season than Jerheme Urban. A trip to New England this week won't solve things.

2. Shaun Alexander is mining new lows. When he can't crack 50 yards in back-to-back home games against New Orleans and St. Louis, it's hard to imagine him starting at running back in 2008 – in fantasy and reality.

3. Marc Bulger owners hoped that the two-week layoff would solve his problems, but he looked worse than ever. Three fumbles, three interceptions, and a propensity for holding on the ball way too long. The Rams didn't reach the red zone once, and Torry Holt dropped Bulger's only chance for a score.

4. I possess the maximum legal amount of Brandon Jacobs love, but the guy's inability to finish a single game healthy is a tease. He's been a force since returning from his knee injury in Week 5, but his status looks uncertain once again next week. The Giants might be smart to leave him behind on their trip to London. Both he and Ronnie Brown could get two weeks off to recover from injuries with a bye coming up.

5. Frank Gore's 111 total-yard effort against the G-Men was one of the gutsiest performances I've seen all year. Gore could barely walk in the second half, yet averaged 6.5 yards-per-touch for the game. It's a bad sign that Gore has to play lights out to have an average fantasy day. Call it the Trent Dilfer effect.

6. Stick a fork in Darrell Jackson this season. His quarterbacks aren't helping, but Jackson is getting outplayed by Arnaz Battle and has 12 combined yards over the last two weeks. He's a system wideout in a bad system. The Seahawks knew what they were doing when they dumped him.

7. In a season of disappointing veteran runners, Ahman Green's struggles are getting overlooked. His 71 total-yard (39 on the ground) effort was his best since Week 2. Yawn.

8. Nate Burleson has quietly been criticized in Seattle for failing to pick up the offense and not finishing his routes. On Sunday, he caught one of six targets headed his way. With D.J. Hackett on his way back, Burleson can be dropped in fantasy leagues.

[Hache Man]

Dol-finished: Losing Ronnie

Writing the Waiver Wired column is a lot easier when the week's top pick-up isn't the guy who is replacing your injured RB1. I compare it to getting kicked in the crotch and then having to write a thank you card to the offender. Yes, I owned Ronnie Brown, and am now filled with a sense of dread about the rest of my fantasy season. miamidolphins.com

The worst part of it all is that I am number two in my league's waiver priority, so I will not be able to grab Jesse Chatman, who should now be owned in every league. Chatman finished the game off for the Dolphins and looked good, making spin moves and darting up the field. He can be counted on as a solid flex play as part of Miami's sputtering offense, but has the potential upside of an RB2 going forward.

Here are some more waiver options for owners with that wonderful "I just got kicked in the nuts" feeling after Week 7:

Running Back



Jesse Chatman - See above!

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Adrian Peterson – There isn't much that Cedric Benson does better than Adrian Peterson. Peterson blocks better, catches passes better, averages more yards per rush and looks like Whoopi Goldberg better than Benson. Benson continues to get the majority of carries, but Peterson should eventually earn a bigger role in the Bears' offense. Peterson remains available in most leagues, and his value is only going to rise. minnesotavikings.com

Recommendation: Worth owning in 12-team leagues.

Michael Robinson – Frank Gore is currently being called day-to-day with an ankle injury. If Franklin misses the Niners' Week 8 contest, Robinson seems like the favorite to replace him. The Saints have a solid rush defense, making Robinson little more than a flex play. Still, Gore's owners should consider Robinson as insurance.

Recommendation: Bye week fill-in.

Jason Wright – Jamal Lewis didn't participate in a "light" practice on Monday after the Browns returned from a Week 7 bye. Northwestern's own Jason Wright was an adequate fill-in when Lewis missed Week 6, and should be able to put up solid numbers against St. Louis. There is some risk involved with Wright, as Jerome Harrison also put up solid numbers in Lewis' absence, but there is also the potential that Lewis could miss 1-2 more games over the course of the season.

Recommendation: Worth owning in 12-team leagues.

Chris Henry – Chris Brown was inactive for Week 7, and Henry managed 69 yards and a touchdown while backing up LenDale White. Henry looked good, but probably won't overtake White anytime soon. That being said, Henry may have earned a spot as Tennessee's No. 2 back. Considering his role in Week 7, Henry would make a decent fill-in for desperate owners in deep leagues. Dynasty owners should definitely keep an eye on the promising rookie.

Recommendation: Desperate owners in deep leagues should only consider him if Brown misses more time.

Pierre Thomas – Thomas had just two carries on Sunday, but one of them happened to go 24 yards for a touchdown. Saints coach Sean Payton said that the team will "continue to get him more touches," making Thomas someone to follow going forward. He could eventually move ahead of Aaron Stecker. It's about time a French guy wore the Fleur-de-lis in New Orleans. Pierre is French, right?

Recommendation: Worth a look in deep leagues.

Patrick Cobbs – Cobbs, who has always looked solid when given a chance, is now the backup running back in Miami. He should only see limited action as long as Jesse Chatman is healthy, and his only value at the moment is as a handcuff.

Recommendation: Not worth owning at this point.

Leonard Weaver – There is not a more uncomfortable football commercial on TV than the one where Joey Fatone teaches Shaun Alexander how to dance. Alexander is a shell of his former self, and a shouting match with Mike Holmgren could hasten Maurice Morris and Leonard Weaver's rise in Seattle's offense. Weaver gained 48 yards on just six touches on Sunday, and could see increased work after Seattle's Week 8 bye.

Recommendation: Flier material in very deep leagues.


Wide Receivers



Mark Clayton – Mark Clayton battled injuries all throughout training camp, and then strained his Achilles' tendon around the fourth week of the season. He finally seems to be getting healthy, and impatient owners in your league may have dropped him. If he's available on your waiver wire, snag him and expect his performance to prove with his health. baltimoreravens.com

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.

D.J. Hackett – Hackett hasn't played since Week 1, but is on the verge of returning to the Seahawks' lineup. He could be back after Seattle's Week 8 bye. Hackett had a chance at being Seattle's most productive receiver before getting injured, and if he isn't owned in your league, you should grab him before someone else does.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.

Muhsin Muhammad – Moose has benefited more than any other Bear since Brian Griese took over, scoring in three of his four starts. Muhammad runs great routes and has developed solid hands, making him a perfect target for Brian Griese's short passes.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.

Brandon Stokley – In the last week, Stokley has avoided surgery and an early morning DUI. With Javon Walker to be out until the fantasy playoffs (at least), Stokley should be the No. 2 target behind Brandon "Monday Fun Day" Marshall in Denver. He caught five passes for 70 yards in his first week in the role. He should be owned in most leagues, but he can't be counted on to stay healthy or consistently produce. Against the right match-up, though, Stokley makes a solid play.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.

Ike Hilliard – For Halloween, I think I might be an Ike Hilliard zombie. Hilliard has seemingly risen from the dead and is currently on pace for over 1000 yards. He also has 28 catches over the last four games, making him a PPR monster. By the way, my Hilliard costume would go perfectly with my fiancé's, as she's going as a slutty Jon Gruden. Tampabaybuccaneers.com

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.

Amani Toomer – The inconsistent Toomer is on a bit of a roll, scoring in both of his last two games. His upcoming schedule features Miami, Dallas, Detroit and Minnesota, which is a nice streak of four solid match-ups. He should put up good enough numbers to be used in most leagues.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.

Ted Ginn Jr./Derek Hagan – This match-up is still too close to call after one week without Chris Chambers. Ginn got the start and was targeted more often throughout the game, but Hagan put up good numbers in garbage time. At this point I'd rather own Ginn, but neither makes a particularly strong fantasy option at this point. miamidolphins.com

Recommendation: Worth a look in deep leagues.

Roydell Williams – Brandon Jones was out in Week 7, and Roydell Williams responded by catching five passes for 125 yards. Jones could return this week, but he may not immediately regain his starting role or a spot on the active roster just one week after surgery. If Williams gets another start, he could put up solid flex numbers against Oakland in Week 8.

Recommendation: Bye week fill-in.
buffalobills.com
Devin Hester – The Bears are working to increase Hester's role in the offense, and he has caught four passes over the past two weeks. Still, most of Hesters yardage and his touchdown have come on desperation last-minute drives. He can't be counted on for consistent contributions at this point.

Recommendation: Not worth owning at this point.

[Hache Man]

Ronnie Brown Done for Season
As a Ronnie Brown keeper-league owner, Brown saying after Sunday's game that he "didn't feel anything pop" and "just got it twisted up" gave me some hope that his knee injury was merely a sprain. Instead, an MRI revealed Monday that Brown will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. After a disappointing 2006 season and a slow start this year, Brown put together a four-game stretch that saw him rack up 211, 207, 153, and 170 total yards with five touchdowns.

The former No. 2 overall pick was well on his way to a fifth straight big game Sunday afternoon, totaling 109 yards against the Patriots before his knee gave out while he tried to make a tackle following a third-quarter interception. Losing Brown for the season does little more than improve the Dolphins' odds of running the table at 0-16, but it's a huge blow for all the fantasy teams that he'd been carrying for the past month.

With Brown out, the Dolphins will turn to Jesse Chatman as their new starter. Not so long ago there were questions about Chatman potentially stealing a big chunk of Brown's touches and in fact they essentially split snaps in the season opener. Brown's monster stretch made that a distant memory, with Chatman getting a grand total of three touches during those four games that Brown dominated, but clearly coach Cam Cameron likes Chatman a lot.

Chatman has averaged 5.9 yards on 20 carries this season, with most of that coming in garbage time Sunday against the Patriots. His only previous extended action came with Cameron as his offensive coordinator for the Chargers in 2004, when Chatman produced an average of 6.0 yards on 65 carries as LaDainian Tomlinson's backup. With only Patrick Cobbs and Lorenzo Booker behind him on the depth chart, Chatman could take on the same workhorse role that Brown had.

He's more a physical, bruising runner than Brown and isn't as smooth as a receiver, but Chatman has an all-around game capable of putting up big numbers if given 20-plus touches each week. Brown has been arguably the best running back in football this season—fantasy or real life—so duplicating his numbers is wishful thinking, but Chatman could definitely emerge as a solid RB2 option and is at worst a nice RB3/Flex play immediately.

While the Dolphins wonder if their season can get any worse and many of Brown's owners rightfully kick themselves for not handcuffing him to Chatman, here are some other notes from around football …

* Coach Gary Kubiak said that he was "very, very hopeful" about Andre Johnson's chances of playing in Week 7, but Johnson sat out his fifth straight game and is reportedly now expected to miss Week 8 as well. The past month has been filled with widely varying and constantly changing reports on Johnson's return timetable, but the Houston Chronicle has been fairly consistent in suggesting that he shouldn't be counted on until after the Texans' bye in Week 10.

Kubiak hasn't gone quite that far, but did say at his press conference Monday that "it would still be a leap to say he's going to be back this week." In other words, count on Kevin Walter and Andre Davis retaining their newfound fantasy value for a while longer. Meanwhile, Kubiak also said that he likely rushed Jacoby Jones back too soon following a separated shoulder, which is especially noteworthy given that the Texans threw to Jones on their first two plays Sunday.

* As for who'll be doing the throwing in Houston, it sounds like Matt Schaub somehow avoided a serious injury despite twice leaving Sunday's game hobbled. Schaub looked to be in rough shape when Albert Haynesworth essentially belly-flopped onto him in the second quarter, but he's considered day-to-day with a bruised hip and sore left leg. Kubiak called it a "real bad bruise" and said he's "moving around very, very slowly," but for now Sage Rosenfels' encore will wait.

* An active Vince Young watched the Titans' wild 38-36 win over the Texans from the sidelines Sunday, but appears set to return this week. Young is expected to practice fully Wednesday and will start against the Raiders barring a setback with his quadriceps injury. Unfortunately for Roydell Williams and the Titans' receivers, they'll go back to dinking and dunking with Young after Kerry Collins stretched the field quite a bit. Plus, the Raiders' pass defense is very good.

Note: I'll be hosting my weekly "live chat" today at 2:00 p.m. EST, so feel free to stop by and ask questions about potential trades, suggested waiver-wire moves, injury updates, or random things that have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with football (the latter is preferred, actually). Click here for details.

Two-Minute Drill: After torching the Dolphins for six touchdowns Sunday, Tom Brady remained in Miami while making the most of Monday's off day … Despite Brown's season-ending knee injury, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the Dolphins aren't interested in bringing back Ricky Williams … Brandon Marshall was arrested Monday and charged with suspicion of DUI … Coach Eric Mangini declined to name a starting quarterback at his Monday press conference, but a decision on Chad Pennington's fate is expected to come Tuesday … Wildfires in California could potentially threaten the Chargers' scheduled home game against the Texans this week … Coming off a bye, Vinny Testaverde said Monday that he expects to back up David Carr in Week 8 … Matt Jones said early last week that he won't shave his full beard until he catches a touchdown, but spent Sunday on the Jaguars' inactive list … Koren Robinson practiced Monday for the first time since being reinstated by the league and is reportedly likely to play in Week 8 … Marvin Harrison saw limited action in his return from a bruised knee Monday night because he was on what coach Tony Dungy called a "play count."

Red Zone: Coach Scott Linehan said Monday that there's "a good chance, a really good chance" that Steven Jackson (groin) will return in Week 8 after sitting out four games … Coach Mike Nolan said Monday that Frank Gore is "day-to-day" with a sprained ankle and Alex Smith (shoulder) is expected to return this week … Jamal Lewis (foot) missed practice Monday despite coming off a bye, which is a bad sign for his chances of playing this week … Despite missing the fourth quarter Sunday night, coach Mike Shanahan said Monday that Travis Henry likely doesn't have broken ribs … Coach Marvin Lewis said Monday that Rudi Johnson (hamstring) could play this week, but at best he'll be splitting snaps following Kenny Watson's 157-yard, three-score performance in Week 7 … Despite being just a week removed from knee surgery, coach Jeff Fisher said Monday that Brandon Jones could return Sunday … Tarvaris Jackson played much of Sunday's game with a fractured right index finger, which gives the Vikings a convenient excuse to bench him … Chris Brown (ankle) looks likely to return this week and will reportedly reclaim the backup job despite rookie Chris Henry's impressive Week 7 showing.

[Hache Man]

Quarterback Carousel

Sometime around Quinn Gray's second interception Monday night, Jack Del Rio probably found himself missing Byron Leftwich. Quinn was a disaster against the Colts, throwing for 56 yards on 24 attempts, with three turnovers and a safety thrown in.

Quinn has been with the Jaguars since 2003, and he sparked the Jaguars in Week 17 last season with a playoff spot on the line after David Garrard was benched. Now Gray gets a primed Tampa defense before a tasty date against the Saints in Week 9. Based on Monday night's effort, he's not a player you want to add in fantasy leagues. We'd tell you to bench all Jacksonville receivers, but hopefully you weren't counting on them anyway.

Since Pat Dahl knocked out the running backs and wideouts this week, let's take a quick look at the rest of the waiver options.

Quarterbacks

Trent Edwards, Bills - There is plenty to like about Edwards, but it's hard to imagine rolling with a rookie quarterback on a bad offense in fantasy leagues. Edwards gets his best matchup yet this week against the Jets, so he's a one-week option for the needy.

Recommendation: Only in 2QB leagues

Kurt Warner, Cardinals - Fantasy hype is a fickle temptress. Two weeks ago, Kurt Warner was the hot flavor of the week. After dire reports about his elbow injury spread, Warner was cut loose in many leagues.

Now he's back in the starting lineup for the Cardinals and should be owned in all leagues. Considering his elbow injury and the difficult matchup last week (Washington), Warner had an impressive game. He's not a top-ten fantasy quarterback, but he's not far off. Just don't expect him to stay healthy all year.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Kellen Clemens, Jets - Clemens is set up for success when he takes over for Chad Pennington, which I suspect will happen this week, although nothing has been announced yet. Clemens has two quality wide receivers, a system with some proven success, and a good-looking matchup this week against the Bills.

Clemens' extra year of experience gives him a big edge over Trent Edwards for the rest of the season. With all the injuries at quarterback, Clemens makes for a decent QB2 with the potential for more. He gets Cleveland in the first week of the fantasy playoffs.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deep leagues

Brian Griese, Bears - He's still out there in two many leagues. With Chicago focusing on the passing game, Griese could top 300 yards again this week against the Lions.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Kerry Collins, Titans - Vince Young is returning, so Collins isn't an option this week. But we just wanted to send kudos to the forgotten man for that dart to Roydell Williams to win the game on Sunday. Collins needs to be protected better than Drew Bledsoe, but there aren't many quarterbacks who make that throw.

Recommendation: Not an option

Sage Rosenfels, Texans - It sounds like The Experience has a better chance to start than originally believed. While Rosenfels specializes in late-game comebacks, he probably would play respectably against a struggling San Diego pass defense.

Houston is third in the league in YPA, and it's not all Matt Schaub. The system is working. Rosenfels would make for a fine bye week pickup.

Recommendation: Bye week fill-in

Tight Ends

Donald Lee, Packers - Meet the TE12 this season! His consistent production is only going to improve with Bubba Franks out of the mix.

Recommendation: Should be owned in deep leagues

Tony Scheffler - Denver came out of their bye week with an apparent mandate to get Scheffler the ball again. With Javon Walker out, Scheffler could become Denver's third receiver and play in the slot frequently. He has the skills to be Denver's Vernon Davis, you just worry about the targets. You could do a lot worse for a TE2.

Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues

Bo Scaife, Titans - Scaife had more catches (nine) in six quarters with Kerry Collins than he did in 18 quarters with Vince Young. With Young returning and a matchup against a rejuvenated Oakland pass defense Scaife isn't as exciting a pickup.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deep leagues

Kyle Brady, Patriots - I will not give in and recommend Kyle freaking Brady. Brady made me look bad after I insisted on Fantasy Fix Live that he was a lame pickup. Of course he scored a touchdown seconds later. Still, Brady has 75 yards in the last two seasons combined! He should be in the mix for a Pro Bowl appearance for his ridiculous blocking, but the odds on him catching another score this week are long.

Recommended: Let someone else get him

[Hache Man]

When to Worry
I usually can determine the mood of the fantasy football world by the volume of my email. That's volume, as in both quantity and the tenor of the voices in those emails.

And lots of people certainly seem antsy this week. Hey, I understand. Any time you miss those high-flying Cleveland Browns for a week, it makes you feel uncomfortable. Add a season-ending injury to a star such as Ronnie Brown and looking ahead to the second of these six-team bye weeks, then you can see why there is so much concern.

But there also is concern about offenses all around the league: Denver's running game, the Jets' offense, Frank Gore's production, Santana Moss's continuing lack of production and the Lions' sudden transformation into a running team, to name a few.

More often than at any other point this year, fantasy football has turned into a week-by-week proposition. Just a week ago, Laurence Maroney's impending return to the Patriots' lineup was a much-awaited development for all those people who spent a high pick on him. Now? You're wondering if he'll crack double digits in carries any time soon.

Here are a few things that should keep you up at night and a few not to lose sleep over.

Full of worry

Minnesota's quarterbacks. Even if the Vikings take the bait and use Tarvaris Jackson's finger injury to sit him again, it's not like Kelly Holcomb is a huge upgrade. At least Holcomb threw only one pick in his two games and cracked triple digits in yards both times. Anything to complete a few more passes and convert a few more third downs will just give Adrian Peterson more chances. But it's not like Peterson is getting a whole lot of support right now. buffalobills.com

Where are the Redskins wide receivers? I'm a couple of weeks late to this party, but Washington is getting virtually nothing from Santana Moss and Antwan Randle El. Randle El leads the team with 70.3 receiving yards per game but has 54 or fewer yards in four of the six games. Santana Moss missed one game to injury and has two catches for 8 yards in his past two. No wide receiver has caught a TD pass and no receiver other than Randle El and Moss has more than four receptions. Quarterback Jason Campbell's life would be a lot easier if some of his receivers would help.
minnesotavikings.com
The Patriots run game. Somebody will figure out a way to shut down Tom Brady and Randy Moss one of these days, but until that happens, Maroney is a risky play, as is Kevin Faulk and whomever else rolls out between Kyle Eckel, Heath Evans or somebody else you've never heard of. None of them is an obvious starter until the Patriots show some sort of commitment to running. And with Brady and Moss, why would they do that?

The Patriots run defense. Hey, the Patriots have to have a weakness, right? They've allowed more than 6 yards a carry in the past two games and you know the Redskins will give Clinton Portis plenty of chances this week. The recent struggles could be an anomaly related to New England's huge leads, but it bears watching. A running back facing the Patriots is not an automatic sit right now.

No worries here

Colts running game. The idea of the Colts turning into a running back-by-committee was brought up after Kenton Keith stole a TD from Joseph Addai on Monday. But the reality is that both backs were banged up during the game and the Colts had a big lead. Yes, they are comfortable spelling Addai with Keith. Addai, though, is the star and will remain one as long as he is healthy.
oaklandraiders.com
The Lions' running resurgence. They stayed on the ground with more rushing plays than passing attempts against the Bucs last week, but Detroit still has an imbalance. The Lions have attempted 211 passes and ran only 121 times. They are seventh in average passing yards and 27th in average rushing yards per game. Don't make the mistake of thinking coordinator Mike Martz has gone soft. He was smart enough to adjust in one specific game, but this is an airborne system.

Jesse Chatman's chances. It's not clear how good Chatman actually is, but he will get every opportunity to succeed. Ronnie Brown created a decent running game for such a bad team, and the Dolphins have to make an effort to stay on the ground now. I'm not looking for four 100-yard games in a row, but I do expect Chatman to regularly get 20 carries and score 5-6 TDs the rest of the season.

Owen Daniels' production. Anybody who picked up Daniels as a bye-week fill-in was disappointed by his two catches for 20 yards last week, his worst game since Week 1. He had at least five catches and 56 yards in each of the five interim games and will get back to that level. His problem against Tennessee was the Texans getting behind and abandoning their regular offense. The only uncertainty is what might happen if Sage Rosenfels has to start for Matt Schaub. Daniels, though, is a vital part of the offense.

Still not sure

Browns staying power. Cleveland's fourth-ranked scoring offense (27.8 points/game) has been one of this season's big surprises, considering the Browns traded their starting quarterback after Week 1. But will Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow keep rolling? Weather, more than the schedule, probably will be the bigger second-half concern. Plus, Anderson has never produced like this over the long term. Now is a good sell-high time; if you're buying, consider the lack of a track record before overpaying.

If Shaun Alexander will do anything. At least you can stick him on the bench this week because of the week off. I have been about as big of an Alexander supporter out there, but he obviously looks slow and uninspired. Sure, the blocking might not be great, but the Alexander of three years ago would not have been bothered. The schedule remains very easy with his next four games against run defenses ranked 23rd or worse. That has not helped to date, but something has to change. Right?

When Selvin Young will take over. He figures to get more time this week with Travis Henry battling a rib injury, but the potential drug suspension has been pushed at least into November. It's not like the Broncos are rolling on the ground, however. Henry has hit 20 carries and 100 yards in just one of his past four games. So don't feel like you have to play Young against the Packers' 11th-ranked run defense or rush out to acquire him.

If Rudi Johnson ever comes back. OK, I strongly suspect he will come back. But will he be any good? Kenny Watson sparked a flurry of activity by rushing for 130 yards and three TDs against the Jets' 28th-ranked run defense. The Bengals need a productive Johnson against the Steelers' third-ranked rush defense, but Johnson has missed most of three games because of a hamstring injury and averaged only 3.1 yards a carry in the other three. A lingering hamstring problem will not put to rest doubt that his better days are behind him.

What happens when Kellen Clemens starts. Maybe it's this week, maybe two weeks from now, but have no doubt that Clemens will take over for Chad Pennington. The Clemens difference could be striking. Chad Pennington completed his first pass play of over 30 yards last week. Clemens had two such plays to Jerricho Cotchery against Baltimore in his only start. Clemens also will not lock in on good buddy Laveranues Coles as Pennington does sometime. So get ready to knock Coles down a peg and move Cotchery up when the inevitable happens.

[Hache Man]

Deja Vu for Joseph Addai?
Coach Tony Dungy confirmed the worst fears of Joseph Addai owners Tuesday when he hinted that Addai and Kenton Keith could split carries going forward. Addai rushed 16 times for 85 yards Monday night, with Keith managing 56 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries after totaling 158 yards and two scores starting in Addai's place in Week 6. "Kenton's played well and we want to get him in there," Dungy said. "I think we're developing more and more confidence in him."

It's worth noting Addai was returning after missing one game with a shoulder injury, so the Colts likely wanted to limit his workload somewhat to begin with. However, Dungy implied Tuesday that Addai's immediate health status wasn't the main factor. "Joseph missing the week before may have had a little something to do with it," Dungy said. "But more and more I think having those guys go and keeping those guys fresh is going to be good for our running game."

It seems unlikely that the Colts will employ a true carry split, but Keith stealing even 8-10 touches per game would be a big hit to Addai's fantasy value. He averaged 17 touches per game last season, but came into this year looking like a top-three fantasy stud and lived up to the hype with an average of 24 touches through the first four games. If Keith continues to play a big role, Addai would likely go from being an elite, MVP-caliber RB1 to a regular, star-caliber RB1.

In other words, don't panic too much because it's certainly not the end of the world. Remember that Addai came off the bench for the entire regular season last year as Dominic Rhodes started each game and reached double-digit carries 10 times. Despite that, Addai racked up 1,406 total yards and eight touchdowns. When the worst-case scenario is a repeat of his fantastic rookie season—Addai certainly hasn't seen his actual play decline any—it's really not too bad.

While the Colts make enemies of fantasy owners everywhere by managing the workloads of Addai and Marvin Harrison with an eye towards January, here are some other notes from around football …

* Despite not yet having the results of his MRI, coach Jack Del Rio indicated Tuesday that David Garrard will miss at least one game after injuring his ankle Monday night. Quinn Gray will get the start in Garrard's place against the Bucs after looking completely lost while going 9-of-24 with two interceptions and a safety in relief work against the Colts. Both picks came on poor throws, and the Jaguars' passing game consisted of dump-offs and short routes with Gray under center.

He'll no doubt look a little less overwhelmed with a week of first-team reps and facing Tampa Bay's defense isn't the nightmare matchup that is once was, but Gray is someone to stay clear of for fantasy purposes. If he somehow manages to look decent against the Bucs, the Week 9 matchup against the Saints is an extremely favorable one. Despite that, expect the Jaguars to lean very heavily on their running game until Garrard returns.

All of which would be fine with Fred Taylor, who the Florida Times Union reports "didn't seem happy about his limited role" Monday night. Taylor gained 55 yards on 11 carries against the Colts, while Maurice Jones-Drew rushed 13 times for 52 yards. "I don't get paid to make those decisions," Taylor said. "I'm a pawn." While "Fragile Fred" has been a pretty good nickname for Taylor, I'm thinking that "The Pawn" might be even better. We'll see if it catches on.

* With the NFL's ruling on Travis Henry's status expected to come in mid-November, the Denver Post reports that Selvin Young and Andre Hall would split carries if Henry is suspended. Young has served as Henry's backup thus far, out-carrying Hall 18-to-0, but that's largely because coach Mike Shanahan views Young as a better third-down option when paired alongside Henry. I'd still bet on Young getting the majority of the touches if Henry is out, but it's far from a sure thing.

Of course, Henry being handed a suspension is apparently also less than certain, with the newspaper suggesting Tuesday that "there is some optimism" in Broncos camp that he'll avoid a suspension. Whatever the case, Henry figures to have at least three more weeks as Denver's workhorse and has quietly been a solid RB1 with an average of 100 total yards on 21 touches through six games.

* After all the injury concerns and speculation about splitting carries, it looks like Brandon Jacobs could be in for a full workload in Week 8 against the Dolphins. Jacobs practiced fully Tuesday and coach Tom Coughlin left his name off a list of banged-up Giants, so it sounds like he'll be at close to full strength Sunday in London. Meanwhile, backup Derrick Ward didn't practice Tuesday, with Coughlin saying that he's "more nicked than he has been in previous weeks."

Two-Minute Drill: Coach Dick Jauron officially named rookie Trent Edwards the starter Tuesday, with speculation that the move away from J.P. Losman is permanent … John Clayton of ESPN reported Tuesday that Ricky Williams will be reinstated by the league within two weeks, but the Dolphins have indicated that they're likely to cut or trade him … Coach Herm Edwards said Tuesday that Priest Holmes "basically has taken Michael Bennett's spot" behind Larry Johnson, which suggests that his role may not be especially big … Adrian Peterson leads the NFL with 670 rushing yards despite having about two-thirds as many carries (108) as his closest competitors, Willis McGahee (146) and Edgerrin James (156) … Jerome Harrison saw his first action of the season Sunday, rushing for 57 yards on eight carries, with coach Romeo Crennel saying Tuesday that he'll "get spotted in" alongside Jason Wright if Jamal Lewis (foot) is sidelined again … After signing Tuesday with the Dolphins, Quentin Moses is already on his third team since being a third-round pick back in April.

Red Zone: Byron Leftwich has decided to undergo ankle surgery, with the Falcons reportedly hoping to have him back in about two weeks … Frank Gore (ankle) is said to be "walking around a lot better" and seems likely to play through the injury Sunday against the Saints … As usual, Plaxico Burress (ankle) remains likely to play this week despite sitting out Tuesday's practice … DeShawn Wynn sat out Tuesday's practice because of neck spasms, but is not expected to miss Week 8 … Meanwhile, it was Ryan Grant, not Brandon Jackson or Vernand Morency, who took reps with the first-team offense while Wynn sat Tuesday … Alge Crumpler reportedly will not need further surgery on the left knee that he had scoped during the offseason, but his Week 8 status remains uncertain … Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Hines Ward (knee) avoided a setback in his return to the lineup Sunday … Michael Clayton is expected to miss several weeks after being diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain Tuesday … Coach Andy Reid said Tuesday that there's "a chance" of L.J. Smith (groin) practicing at some point this week, making it unlikely that he'll play Sunday.