Great Dayne?

-This isn't easy for me as a Giants fan, but I'm recommending Ron Dayne this week. Not one of my favorite players, and his record as a pro is pretty spotty. That being said, the guy's on a considerable roll right now (at least 87 rushing yards in his last three games, plus three TDs in that span) and it comes at the perfect time - he faces the Colts on Sunday, and you know all about their run defense. Just recognize the risk involved (it's Ron Dayne after all, and he is a Texan). It's a gamble worth taking if you're lacking a solid No. 2 back.

-A stronger bet is Ladell Betts, who's making his case to be part of a platoon with Clinton Portis next season. Four straight 100-yard efforts make him almost a no-brainer against the Rams this week. That Skins backfield situation will be really interesting next season. And at the start of this year, who could have guessed we'd be considering Betts a better fantasy option than Shaun Alexander?

-As if you needed any more incentive to start Maurice Jones-Drew, Fred Taylor has been ruled out this week. Get him in that lineup.

-Is Tim Rattay actually a legit fantasy start? Well, the Bucs' offense finally stopped its Weekend at Bernie's impression last week in a surprisingly competitive game with the Bears, and most of that was due to Rattay (268 yards, three TDs). Unlike most of the other late-season replacement QBs around the league this year, Rattay actually has some NFL seasoning, and he's got a great matchup against the Browns. If you've got a void at QB, you could do worse. Just be a little wary of these late-season games that pit two bottom-feeders (see Thursday's Packers-Vikings game, last week's Packers-Lions game) - facing a poor defense isn't always a cure-all for a bad offense.

-Speaking of the Bucs, Cadillac Williams is out this week - too bad, because he misses out on the Brownies, a rare team he might have been able to run against. Michael Pittman will get most of the work, with a little Mike Alstott mixed in, but I don't think I'd be willing to risk my playoff life on either of those guys unless I'm in a super-deep league or I can time-warp to 2001.

-I'd ride the Mike Vick rollercoaster again this week. You never really know what you're going to get out of the guy, but he's got a tantalizing matchup at home against a Carolina's bruised bodies and bruised egos. His groin seems to be OK, and the last time he was coming off a four-TD game he followed it up with three scores (waiting another week to fizzle against the Lions and Browns and give his owners the finger).

-Gotta have a little Laveranues Coles in your stocking this Christmas (get it?) against the Dolphins ... he's had a couple huge games this year (last week included), and although his dealing with some back issues, the dude never misses games, and he always comes up big against Miami.

-Speaking of the Jets, this photo offers some insight on mastermind coach Eric Mangini's offensive gameplanning meetings. I think the furry red guy might be Brian Schottenheimer.

-Vernon Davis has scored in three of his first five games as a pro. If not for that broken leg he'd be near the top of all these discussions of the Great Rookie Class of '06. Start him against Arizona and keep him on your 2007 watch list. He'll be next year's Kellen Winslow.

-I like Buffalo's defense against Tennessee. Vince Young may be the greatest QB in the history of football, but I think the Bills will force the rook to make some mistakes up at the Ralph and maybe even score another TD.

-Willie Parker's been great, but he might have a tough time against the Ravens, who stuffed him in their first meeting (22 yards). Unless you're really deep at RB you might have to suck it up and start him, though. Hines Ward is an easier choice, as Ben Roethlisberger will be testing that hurting Baltimore secondary - as long as Big Ben can stay upright this time.

-I'd probably stay away from Donte' Stallworth this week. Last week's five-yard showing brought an end to a lot of fantasy seasons, and Stallworth's totals have been a mixed bag since Jeff Garcia took over as Eagles QB. Don't let your fate rest on this guy.

Damn you Mannings!

Plenty of playoff matchups were decided by Monday night's Colts-Bengals showdown, my own included. I had a decent-sized lead on my opponent entering that game, but that lucky S.O.B. had both Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison in his lineup. I knew I'd have to hold my breath and pray for a miracle.

After the first Manning-to-Harrison TD I was dismayed but still hanging on to hope. After the duo's second TD connection, I was fuming. Stupid Bengals defense! How about a little more time studying film and a little less lawbreaking? By the third Manning-Marvin hookup, I think I switched over to some mid-90s world billiards championship on the Deuce. And with that, another season was in the books.

Sure, it was a disappointing end. Not only was I burned by Peyton, I started Eli Manning and he did diddly squat against the Eagles. Double-damn those Manning brothers (I got no beef with Cooper though).

It also didn't help that I didn't even sniff the postseason in my other main league thanks to an ill-fated roster that included LaMont Jordan, Clinton Portis, Chris Chambers, Mike Vanderjagt, Kurt Warner, Eli and the Bucs defense. Talk about ugly! But those are the breaks in fantasy land. It looked good on paper back in August.

I'm sure plenty of you have your own horror stories and heartbreaking tales from the 2006 season. And I bet a lucky few are still alive this week, perhaps thanks to that awesome display by Peyton and Co. I'll have some lineup advice for you later in the week, and as always, post your questions/comments right here or send them via e-mail to jbartolone@semosportsweb.com.

Playoffs??!!?

Many apologies for my recent slacking on the blog updates. I spent last weekend in my home state of New Jersey with my fiancee for a combined bachelor party/wedding shower, plus a trip to NYC, so I only got to sneak in a little bit of football watching. I'll let you guess which was greater: total beers consumed by yours truly, or number of spatulas we received as gifts. But anyway, I'm totallly focused on this weekend's crucial playoff matchups, and I'd like to make it up to you with some advice for Week 15:

-Arlen Harris seems like a quick fix for anyone suffering a code-red emergency at RB, particularly those who had Kevin Jones. Facing the Green Bay Packers might make just about anyone a semi-attractive fantasy option. But think carefully about what you're doing: Do you really want your playoff fate riding on Arlen Harris?

-While I'm not a big fan of Harris this week, I like just about everybody else in the Lions-Packers showdown: Donald Driver, Ahman Green, Roy Williams, Mike Furrey, Brett Favre, heck, even Jon Kitna. On paper, this game should be a fantasy points bonanza.

-Speaking of which, Monday night's Colts-Bengals tilt shouldn't be half-bad either if it comes anywhere close to last season's shootout. Rudi Johnson owners are salivating, and rightfully so against that sorry run defense of Indy's. Cincinnati's pass D isn't that much better, so Peyton Manning and Co. seem in line for their usual aerial success. With Dallas Clark and Brandon Stokley out, Bryan Fletcher, Ben Utecht or even Ricky Proehl (yup, he's back!) might get in on the action, but you know none of those guys is a sure thing. As for the Bengals, the studs should get their numbers - even Chris Henry, assuming he's not incarcerated in the next few days.

-I like Cedric Benson a lot against the defense formerly known as the Buccaneers. Benson was already seeing a steady increase in carries before Thomas Jones tweaked his ankle. Jones is listed as questionable.

-If you really need help, give Justin Fargas a try. He's auditioning for a starting role and a new contract in 2007, and while he's been mediocre so far since with the Raiders, the Rams' run defense might offer the big breakthrough he's been looking for.

-Flash-in-the-pan Saints FB Mike Karney is not the solution, three TDs be damned. Didn't the Marcel Shipp saga teach you anything? Karney goes back to being Deuce McAllister's personal plow this week. Stick with the rest of the Saints' skill players instead - except Joe Horn, who's shut down for the rest of the regular season.

-How fun is Sunday night's LT vs. LJ matchup going to be for fantasy players? This could actually be the first time where the networks' hyping of individual players actually means more than the game itself. Between the Chiefs-Chargers on Sunday and the Colts-Bengals on Monday night, there could be some record ratings in store thanks to the fantasy playoffs. Enjoy, and good luck.

WEEK 13 - Sunday Recap

-There were a number of huge performances this week from guys who were probably on most owners' benches. Start with Reggie Bush, who had that USC-esque game we've been waiting for (four TDs), but given his track record so far, I can't blame you for not starting him. And he's probably too risky to start next Sunday night at Dallas except as a flex player.

-And how about Marcel Shipp? Talk about a blast from the past ... dude hasn't scored a TD since 2002, then out of nowhere he busts out THREE against the Rams. Please don't be the guy who goes and picks up Shipp today off the waiver wire .... Edgerrin James even cracked 100 yards against St. Louis' sorry run defense - couldn't he have at least taken one of those TDs, if only so Edge owners could say they at least got one good game out of their first-rounder?

-Corey Dillon also joined Week 13's three-TD club. Not a huge surprise since it came against the Lions - but he did have only 25 yards on nine carries, and Laurence Maroney (four for 14 yards) was even worse.

-Cedric Houston ground out 105 yards and two scores as the Jets pounded the Packers. Hey, I thought Leon Washington was going to get most of the carries ... what gives? I guess Eric Mangini is the new Mike Shanahan ....

-You probably figured the Chiefs would just pound the ball with Larry Johnson against the Browns. And of course the ever-reliable L.J. got his 100 yards, but Trent Green goes nuts for 297 yards and four TDs.

-The winds of change are blowing in Chicago, and it doesn't involve Rex Grossman (the Bears are still sticking with him, but hopefully you punted him weeks ago) ... Cedric Benson has been steadily cutting into Thomas Jones' workload these past couple weeks, and he's got a TD in his last two games. If you need help the next couple weeks, think about starting Benson against the Rams and/or Bucs since he's getting about 10 carries a game and is a good bet for a score.

-LaDainian Tomlinson: 178 yards, two TDs. That's it? Come on, man. Step it up.

-How far has former USC stud Mike Williams fallen? Well, besides watching Mike Furrey become a fantasy force for the Lions, Josh McCown is getting more snaps at WR than him. Yeah, THAT Josh McCown, the backup QB. Let's hope Dwayne Jarrett fares better.

WEEK 12 - Sunday Recap

-OK, so I was a little off on my "sit Willis McGahee" advice .... but seriously, who could have predicted two TDs? ... between the broken ribs, the splitting of carries with Anthony Thomas, the Jags' supposed run-stopping abilities and the fact that McGahee had one TD entering the game .... I guess that's why they play the games.

-What's going on with Torry Holt? The dude was on fire earlier in the year, scoring a TD every week in a five-game stretch that culminated with a 154-yard, three-TD showing in Week 8 against Seattle. Then came the bye, and he hasn't scored or cracked 73 receiving yards since. The tough part is he's been so good and so consistent for so long, it's almost impossible to imagine benching him. He could break out at any time - especially this week against Arizona.

-Looks like Shaun Alexander's foot is juuuuust fine. He should benefit from having fresh legs down the stretch. Getting 40 carries a game won't hurt either.

-LaDainian Tomlinson has been incredible (three more TDs last week - including another one passing!), but you almost wish he'd save some of these scores for the fantasy playoffs when we REALLY need them. Here's hoping he can keep up this amazing run.

-So much for Mike Vanderjagt being a top fantasy option this year. Damn Idiot Kicker. See what I mean about kickers and defenses being unpredictable? I'm not sure Martin Gramatica will be any better though.

-You have to love what Drew Brees and the Saints are doing right now. WR Devery Henderson (154 yards, TD vs. Atlanta) is a must-own, and Terrance Copper should get a shot too as long as Marques Colston's hand is still a problem. And as I expected, Deuce McAllister (74 yards, two TDs) is a much better option than Reggie Bush (45 total yards), who doesn't really even deserve a roster spot at this point except in really deep leagues.

-You might not guess it on the surface, but if you've got Chester Taylor as one of your top two backs, you might be playing with fire. Sure, he's scored three times in the last two games and just gashed the Cardinals, but up next are the Bears, who are capable (although not always consistently) of shutting down the run and held Taylor to 74 yards and no TDs in their first meeting this season. After that, things get considerably easier for Taylor and the Vikes (Lions, Jets, Packers, Rams), but Taylor has been dealing with "body soreness" in his first full season as a featured back. Those look like appealing matchups, but I'd have a backup plan just in case he hits a wall in the near future.

-It's time to think about benching Eli Manning if you haven't already. I have to admit I had much higher hopes for young Elisha, both as a Giants fan and as a fantasy player with Manning on two of my teams. I was even so bold as to predict he'd finish with slightly better numbers than Peyton a few weeks ago, back when the G-Men actually looked like a playoff team. But if Eli couldn't break out of it against the Titans, then it's hard to imagine things getting much better the rest of the way. I'm not saying he should be benched in real life, nor should you go cutting him and picking up Bruce Gradkowski or something, because the potential is still there for Eli ... but if you've got another proven QB on your roster or a nice matchup, by all means, go for it.

-I thought Leon Washington was just starting to become a valuable commodity a few weeks ago, but the Jets' backfield has been a mysterious mess, and they couldn't even do anything against the Texans. Washington's stock has plummeted the past few weeks, while the value of his rookie trading card has skyrocketed ("East siiiide!"). You need to start thinking about a possible upgrade if you've got Leon or any of the Jets' runners as a third or fourth RB.

-Sunday was a day to forget for Willie Parker (10 carries, 22 yards) and the rest of the reigning Super Bowl champs. They were flat-out steamrolled by the Ravens in a shutout loss, though it was easy to imagine going in that Parker might not have much room to run and the Steelers would be playing from behind. Fast Willie hasn't exactly been consistent, but he's had his share of big games, and I'd expect two more in the coming weeks against the Bucs and Browns.

-That reminds me, it might be easy to forget about the weekly Thursday game now, especially if you don't have the NFL Network, but you'll want to get your Bengals and Ravens in your starting lineup ASAP.

-And by the way, It looks like the NFL is losing its battle with the major cable companies so far. It seems their hard-line stance hasn't worked out the way they had expected by now. Here's hoping the league will give in and lower its price so all of us can enjoy these Thursday games - without extra charges on our cable bill.

-It seems like ages ago but we should touch on the Thanksgiving games too:

Joey Harrington was predictably good against a bad Lions defense, though it would be great if Chris Chambers could have gotten just a little piece of the action. ...

Tony Romo was surprisingly great against the Bucs. You should basically start all your offensive players against the Bucs' D because they've inexplicably fallen off the face of the Earth and can't stop anybody - just don't expect five passing TDs all the time. ...

And Larry Johnson turned in another fine performance. I probably don't need to say this, but never bench him. I don't think anyone is sorry they drafted him, and if it wasn't for LT's otherworldly production the past few weeks LJ would be getting a lot more pub.

-And finally, for those of you who are also college football fans, or just readers of blogs in general, check out my friend Rick Burchfield's college football blog.

Cutler gets the call

There's a report out there that the Broncos are going to hand over the starting QB reins to rookie Jay Cutler after watching Jake Plummer struggle all season. Cutler is intriguing from a fantasy perspective, as he's been considered by some to be the most NFL-ready QB in this year's rookie class. He also takes over control of a team thought to be a playoff contender, and ESPN's John Clayton says the change is expected to be permanent. It's probably safe to dump Plummer at this point - and let's face it, he probably wasn't helping too many teams out there anyway - and Cutler is worth a shot if you're looking for QB help.

Some other things you need to know:

-Saints rookie sensation Marques Colston will be a game-time decision with his high ankle sprain, which means you should probably look elsewhere if you have options. Hopefully the guy will be back soon to solidify that offensive rookie of the year award.

-The Bills are optimistic Willis McGahee will make his return against Jacksonville today. If he does, I'd imagine he'd split some carries with Anthony Thomas at least for one week and have a hard time against the Jags' run defense. Sit him for another week if you can.

-Matt Hasselbeck is expected to start Monday against Green Bay, and after seeing what Tom Brady and the Pats did to the Packers last week, this should be a great opportunity for Hasselbeck to shake off that rust.

WEEK 11 - Sunday Recap

It was a pretty exciting football weekend from start to finish, with lots of huge performances and big injuries to talk about. So let's do this.

-We'll start with Donovan McNabb. Mr. Chunky Soup himself was shaping up to be 2006 Fantasy MVP, but now he's gone for the season (again), this time with a torn ACL. This is a crushing blow, and I don't think Jeff Garcia is going to be of much use as a backup plan. You may want to see if somebody like Tony Romo or Steve McNair is still up for grabs. Good luck with that.

-LaDainian Tomlinson ... four TDs ... we're not worthy! To quote one of my old high school football teammates, "I'M A MACHINE!!!!!"

-Lee Evans gave us a sneak preview of that new Denzel Washington movie Deja Vu with not one but two 83-yard TD catches in the same quarter against Houston. Evans has had some clunkers this season, but the deep threat was a good option against the Texans, and he rewarded owners with a 265-yard showing, the most put up by a WR this season. He's the kind of guy you've got to roll the dice on each week unless you've got two studs ahead of him on your depth chart.

-Chad Johnson had another sick game (190 yards, three TDs), even with a sore hamstring. I think that early season slump is pretty much over, don't you?

-Lost in all the commotion was Drew Brees' 500 (yes, 500) yards passing in a loss to Cincy. He's flinging the ball around like he was in the Arena League (TDs to Joe Horn and Terrance Copper this time), although he did lose rookie sensation Marques Colston to an ankle sprain, plus he was picked off three times (twice in the end zone). The Saints' defensive problems are only helping Brees, as he's had to play catch-up lately. I'd expect him to air it out again next Sunday against Atlanta.

-Tom Brady had a predictably fine day (four TDs) against a pathetic Packers passing defense, but Brett Favre didn't hold up his end of the bargain in what should have been a shootout. The Pats' secondary was missing three starters, and Favre - who's been playing well and not turning it over, plus he was playing at home, in good weather - couldn't get anything (and I mean anything) done before leaving with an injured arm. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see him start next Monday at Seattle - there's no way in hell wily ol' Brett is gonna let that Aaron Rodgers kid stay on the field, future of the franchise be damned!

-Frank Gore had another ridiculous game (212 yards). He's got the kind of young legs that can help carry you through the playoffs, plus a very favorable schedule (St. Louis, New Orleans, Green Bay, Seattle, Arizona, Denver), so you may want to think about acquiring him if someone attempts to sell high after this performance. The only cause for concern is an early-season fumbling problem that popped up again Sunday.

-Shaun Alexander was just ... eh in his much-awaited return to the lineup (17 carries for 37 yards). Not exactly what we had in mind, but I understand it might take him a while to get his rhythm back. I'd expect a little more against the Packers on Monday.

-I love the suit look from Niners coach Mike Nolan. Very classy move by the anti-Bill Belichick - I didn't even see any ketchup stains!

-The Cowboys' upset of the previously undefeated Colts was due in large part to their commitment to the running game. Once again that was a bittersweet pill for Julius Jones owners, however, as he rushed 22 times for 79 yards but yielded two short-yardage TDs to Marion Barber III. Jones was even brought down at the 1-yard line on one run. It's gotten to the point that Barber is a better fantasy option than Jones. Sad but true.

-Another injury note: Kevin Jones left with an ankle sprain after managing eight yards on four carries. No word on the extent yet, but it might be asking a lot for him to be back and ready to go on Turkey Day against Miami.

-Edgerrin James actually cracked the 90-yard mark for the first time this season. You may want to consider dealing him if you can find a gullible trading partner since Edge has put up three straight above-average rush totals.

-Braylon Edwards' big game (137 yards, TD) against the Steelers could have been even bigger. He had two desperation end-zone heaves - one just before halftime and one at the end of the game - bounce off his hands. But the real story is he's looking fully recovered from that knee surgery, and I like him a lot next week against a Bengals D that was just lit up by Brees.

-Is there a less surprising headline than "LaMont Jordan likely done for year with torn MCL?" Most owners might have guessed he actually tore it weeks ago but didn't tell anyone. Anyway, the real news is Justin Fargas, who was already chipping away at Jordan's carries, is going to get a lot of work the rest of the way. I wouldn't expect much on the road against San Diego next week, but Week 13 against Houston seems like as good a day as any for a breakout game.

-Trent Green didn't do a whole lot in his return from a concussion, as you would expect - especially with Tony Gonzalez (separated shoulder) out. Green's main job was to hand off to Larry Johnson (31 carries, 154 yards, two TDs), and rightfully so. Look for more of the same on Thanksgving against Denver - only if you get the NFL Network, that is.

-The Broncos' RB situation is kind of like the NFL's version of The OC, only with a lot fewer skinny white chicks. There's lots of drama, shocking revelations and gossip on a weekly basis. Tatum Bell stars as the stud with personal problems (fumbling, turf toe). Mike Bell plays the young newcomer who doesn't always get along with his hardass dad (Mike Shanahan). Damien Nash is the new kid in town. Cedric Cobbs' character was killed off weeks ago in a freak chemical explosion.

Seriously though ... Mike Bell thinks his deactivation in Week 10 was a message from the coaching staff, and he responded with 90 yards and two TDs against the Chargers. Nash also made some big plays, garnering 56 rushing yards and 36 receiving yards after basically doing nothing all season. But it could all be a moot point as Denver was reportedly resting Tatum's toes in anticipation of getting the most out of him Thursday against the Chiefs. We've known since preseason this situation would be hard to read, but this is taking it to new extremes. Be thankful if you don't have to deal with it on a weekly basis.

-I almost forgot to mention the Rams, but there really wasn't much to see here. In another column this week I mentioned that outside of LT and LJ, Steven Jackson was the one highly-regarded RB from the preseason who hasn't been disappointing in any way this year - and then he gets just 27 yards on the ground and 30 through the air in St. Louis' stinker against Carolina. Don't press the panic button though after one bad game. Patience, grasshopper.

-Speaking of disappointments, Cadillac Williams actually cracked the century mark for the second time this year. Just don't hold your breath for it to happen Thursday at Dallas.

-There are a few somewhat misleading point totals worth mentioning. Jamal Lewis had a career-high three TDs in the second half against Atlanta, but even Lewis admitted the Ravens running game took advantage of a tired Falcons D late in the game. I'm not ready to declare him a must-start from here on out. The same goes for Chester Taylor, who finished with 80 yards and two TDs but was also stopped on the goal line, fumbled twice and averaged 2.9 yards a carry. You'll have to consider the matchup carefully before inserting Taylor in your lineup now that he's without fine fullback and lead blocker Tony Richardson (arm).

-Jason Campbell was OK in his first start, but I don't expect a PS3-style mad rush to go out and get him off the waiver wire. It is a good sign, however, that he recognizes TE Chris Cooley (five catches, 58 yards, TE) is a weapon.

-There were 10 defensive/special teams TDs scored Sunday, including two each by Cleveland, Miami and Cincinnati, but none by the Ravens or Bears. Go figure. Once again this proves defenses are extremely hard to predict.

WEEK 10 - Sunday Recap

-Steven Jackson had another workmanlike day (93 yards, TD) for the Rams, but Marc Bulger didn't get much done (zero TDs, one INT) in St. Louis' fourth straight loss. The loss of LT Orlando Pace is certainly not going to help this offense down the stretch.

-Chalk up another 100-yard effort for Maurice Morris ... the Shaun Alexander Foot Watch continues .....

-The Chiefs' O came to a screeching halt in Miami, although Larry Johnson did put together an 75-yard, one-TD effort.

-Chris Chambers came up just short (literally) of another nice day. He had 66 receiving yards, with 45 of those coming on a deep flea flicker that left him just shy of the goal line. Ronnie Brown punched it in from the 1-yard line after that. Chambers also lost a crucial fumble late in the game one on of those reverses the Dolphins seem to use him on once a week.

-Once again this week's game ball goes to LaDainian Tomlinson. Four TDs. Unreal. He even managed to outdo monster performances by Philip Rivers (337, three TDs), Carson Palmer (440, three TDs) and Chad Johnson (260 yards, two TDs), who had the most receiving yards in a game since Terrell Owens (283) in 2000.

-Speaking of T.O., he caught a 51-yard TD strike from Tony Romo in the Cowboys' win over Arizona. Romo had a really solid day (308 yards, two TDs), but that's to be expected against the Cards. On the other side of the ball, Larry Fitzgerald returned from his hamstring injury and caught six balls for 80 yards, but he also left the game late, reportedly after reaggravating the hammy. Bummer ... keep an eye on this of course.

-Another bummer: The Redskins have lost Clinton Portis to a broken hand. Looks like he'll need surgery, and there are conflicting reports as to whether he'll return this season. Portis owners should run to the free agent list and look for Ladell Betts' name.

-Welcome back, Donte' Stallworth. The oft-injured Eagles WR had his best day since Week 1 (139 yards, TD) against the Skins. If you didn't already lose your patience with him, he's got a good matchup against Tennessee next week, plus a rematch with Washington a few weeks after that.

-Eli Manning was pretty horrendous (121 yards, no TDs, two INTs) against the Bears in the big NFC showdown on NBC. It was his first touchdownless (is that a word? sure.) game since Week 13 of last season against Dallas.

-Usual story for the Giants' backfield: Tiki Barber (144 yards) moved the chains, Brandon Jacobs (two TDs) got the glory. It will be interesting to see if Big Brandon (the guy needs a nickname - any suggestions?) can run as strongly inside the 20s next year, assuming Tiki sticks to his word and retires. Oh, and Barber sprained a thumb, as if the G-Men couldn't get any more banged-up. LT Luke Petitgout also broke a leg, which isn't going to help the skill players much.

-Not only did the Bears' D force three turnovers, it also lucked out with a special-teams TD when Devin Hester caught the Giants asleep and ran back a missed FG for a record 108-yard TD. It was the NFL's longest play since teammate Nathan Vasher did the same thing last year against San Fran.

-Try to figure Michael Vick out. I challenge you. Two monster games against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Two turnover-plagued stinkers against Detroit and Cleveland. Sure, he wasn't helped by some dropped passes (as usual), but if there's one thing fantasy owners want out of their players it's consistency, and Mr. Vick can't give you that.

-That's a TD in two straight games for Braylon Edwards. Nice to see the Browns utilizing him. And don't forget the Browns have got Tampa Bay and Houston in Weeks 16 and 17.

-Buffalo RB Anthony Thomas did pretty much what I expected against Indy (28 carries, 109 yards) in his first start replacing Willis McGahee. A TD would have been nice, but I guess he was just doing his best McGahee imitation. If Thomas is still available, get him before the secret's out - he faces Houston next week.

-The Niners' Frank Gore set a franchise record with a huge first half (149 yards, plus a TD) against Detroit. Unfortunately, he missed much of the second half with a "mild" concussion, but hopefully it's nothing too serious. He's been putting together a nice year.

-Willie Parker was also a beast Sunday. He racked up 213 yards for the Steelers and added two short TD runs. He talked the talk last week, calling out his team for being complacent, and then he walked the walk. Fast Willie should have a huge day next week against the Browns, who he'll face for a second time three weeks after that.

-Steve McNair had a predictably big game (373 yards, three TDs) against his former team in Tennessee, although much of it came on a furious comeback attempt. Air McNair spread the ball around, tossing TDs to both Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason, plus an RB named Ovie Mughelli, a four-year veteran who now has seven career receptions and zero rushes.

-Congrats to the New York Jets for finally beating the Patriots and handing New England its first back-to-back losses in 57 games. That Bill Belichick-Eric Mangini relationship is just heartwarming, isn't it?

- Tom Brady had a subpar outing (255 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) - definitely not what Brady owners expected a week after a dismal outing against the Colts. Things will get brighter for him, though - maybe next week against the Packers, or perhaps against the Lions, Texans or Titans. Hey, who made up this schedule anyway?

-Brett Favre had a pretty good game (347 yards, two TDs) with the help of Donald Driver (career-high 191 yards, TD). He's been valuable this year as a No. 2 QB, but I'm not sure I'd want to start him next week against the aforementioned Pats, who will be angry.

-The Broncos were pretty pitiful offensively, but luckily for them, they were playing Oakland, the most pitiful team out there. I'm not sure why I even bother to mention these guys, but it's good for a laugh: LaMont Jordan had 12 yards on 10 carries. That's 1.2 yards a carry for the math majors out there. He did score a TD though. And Randy Moss - that's five-time Pro Bowler Randy Moss - had one catch for eight yards. What do you think he and Andrew Walter talk about in the locker room? I'm sure they're best buds. You think they go clubbing together?

-Figure this one out: Mike Bell goes from 136 yards and two TDs (Week 8) to 28 yards (Week 9) to healthy scratch (Week 10). On the other hand, Tatum Bell sputtered for only 37 yards on 14 carries against the Raiders, so maybe Mike will get another shot. Or not. Told you this was going to be frustrating.

WEEK 9 - Sunday Recap

-The Chiefs won the Show-Me State Showdown thanks to their stars. Larry Johnson (172 yards, TD) is playing at an MVP level right now, and Tony Gonzalez (two TDs) is steadily making his case as fantasy's top TE. St. Louis' Steven Jackson showed a little Marshall Faulk flair with his 219 total yards and a TD to boot, but it wasn't enough to negate the Rams' four turnovers.

-Javon Walker was a very pleasant surprise, catching two TDs and running in for another score on a reverse against Pittsburgh. He's been a pretty steady option, and as long as Jake Plummer keeps his head on straight, Walker should keep getting a lot of looks.

-Mike Bell didn't look quite as hot this week subbing for Tatum Bell. Granted, he had a tough assignment against the Steelers, but with 28 yards on 17 carries, he'll probably be back to fantasy irrelevance as soon as Tatum's toes are OK.

-Hoping for a miracle from LaDainian Tomlinson late in the afternoon? Apparently the Bolts were too, and LT2 didn't disappoint. After two quarters of warming up, Tomlinson smacked the Browns with three TDs and finished with 172 rushing yards. What more can you say about the guy? With him on your roster, you can never count yourself out.

-This is why you never bench a healthy Peyton Manning, ever: some might have thought he'd struggle against the Pats in Foxborough (last year's playoff breakthrough notwithstanding), but Big P used his "laser rocket arm" to put up over 300 yards and two TDs. Meanwhile, his counterpart Tom Brady stunk it up a week after his MNF outburst by chucking four INTs.

-I'm about to grab a baseball bat and head over to John Cougar Mellencamp's house in my Chevy pickup truck to take care of business. Now that's an idea that I can stand behind. Who's with me? After all, this is our country ...

-Checking the two RBBCs in the Sunday night game: As we suspected, Joseph Addai was the go-to guy in the Colts backfield, getting 18 carries to Dominic Rhodes' four and adding a TD. Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney split carries right down the middle, 13 to 13, but it was the wise old veteran who got the red-zone work and crossed the goal line twice.

-Told you things would get brighter soon for Tiki Barber. He cracked 100 yards, of course, against the Texans, but more importantly he found the end zone for the first time in 2006. And for those who were expecting a little more out of the Giants' skill players against the Texans: Eli Manning did hit Jeremy Shockey for a very late TD pass, but other than that the Giants' offense was predicatbly flat in a what could have easily been a trap game. It didn't help that Plaxico Burress (back) was on the shelf ... keep an eye on him, but my gut tells me he'll want to play under the Sunday night lights against Chicago.

-Ronnie Brown had his best day as a pro on the ground (157 yards) in the Dolphins' big upset win over the Bears. Raise your hand if you started him.

-Michael Vick came back to Earth in a hurry. A TD pass to his BFF, Alge Crumpler, was nice, and so were the 80 rushing yards, but we were expecting a little more against the Lions, Mike. All of a sudden the guy isn't such a must-start against Cleveland next week. Maddening, but I'd still take a chance.

-Meanwhile, Jon Kitna (321 yards, TD) continues to put up acceptable fantasy numbers in anonymity, and Kevin Jones (110 yards, TD on season-high 26 carries) and Roy Williams (138 yards, TD) both keep looking good. Did I mention the Lions play the Niners, Cards and Dolphins the next three weeks?

-If you started a Jaguars skill player and glanced at the score Sunday, you're ecstatic. Then you realize David Garrard's in at QB, and he threw three TDs to Ernest Wilford (twice) and George Wrighster. And the defense - even though it was awesome and scored a TD on a pick-six - lost its shutout late in the fourth quarter. Kind of a bummer.

-Terrell Owens and Clinton Portis each scored a TD in that wacky Cowboys-Redskins tilt, but they both could have doubled their fun. Portis got stopped on a 4th-and-goal at the 1, and T.O. dropped a long bomb that probably would have gone for a score and possibly would have sealed a win for the 'Boys.

-Joey Galloway (97 yards, two TDs) has been incredibly hit or miss this year. His yardage totals by game: 0, 161, 8, 110, 67, 0, 32, 97. Too bad he can't play the Saints every week. By this logic, expect nothing against the Panthers next Monday night and then a huge effort against the Redskins.

-As for Cadillac Williams (39 yards), he seems like a lost cause, at least for this year until that Bucs offensive line "gels," whatever that means. The decent performances have been way too sparse for you to count on him. I'd shelve him unless you're desperate.

-I'm not even touching the field goal festival between Minnesota and San Fran. Nothing to see there. Move along.

-Ahman Green is running strong again - 122 yards against Buffalo, his third straight game topping the century mark. Green's got a tough draw with Minnesota, New England and Seattle up next, but these last three efforts bode well.

-Willis McGahee left with a rib injury - which means Anthony Thomas is suddenly a good sleeper candidate with the run-soft Colts and Texans coming up the next two weeks on the Bills' schedule. But just in case you're skeptical, Thomas did manage 95 yards and a TD when he got the call against Green Bay.

-Another clunker from Chad Johnson (4 catches, 39 yards), just when we thought the SI cover boy was getting hot. But it was against the Ravens after all, who seemingly have some offense to go with that D now that Certified Genius Brian Billick is calling the plays. Only good things can happen when Jamal Lewis gets more than 20 carries a game - congratulate yourself for scooping him up in the middle rounds.

WEEK 8 - Sunday Recap

-LaDainian Tomlinson is still running .... another three-TD special from LDT, and 183 rushing yards to boot.

-The Rams-Chargers game had just about everything you could want from a fantasy perspective ... except for Shaun McDonald and Kevin Curtis scoring TDs instead of Torry Holt. But that's just me.

-Larry Johnson did his best to keep pace with Tomlinson, scoring thrice against the Seahawks. The Big Three are finally starting to pay dividends on a weekly basis ... hopefully Shaun Alexander will keep up his end of the deal soon, as he is expected to return next Monday night against the Raiders.

-Speaking of Oakland ... 132 total yards compared to Pittsburgh's 390, and they still beat the defending Super Bowl champs! Once again the Raiders' skill players were basically untouchable... Willie Parker put together a pretty nice day (83 rushing yards and a receiving TD) for the Stillers.

-Colts-Broncos was another exciting matchup with lots of fantasy implications. Peyton Manning was his typical awesome self, with Reggie Wayne (three TD catches) being the prime recipient.

-The most intriguing aspect might have been the RB situations. Tatum Bell's turf toe problem flared up, and he was held to just 27 yards on 13 carries. That led to Mike Bell finally exploding for 136 yards and two TDs. Keep in mind that Indy entered the game ranked next-to-last in rushing defense, but Mike's outburst and Tatum's injury can't be ignored. Mike is an obvious handcuff for Tatum owners as insurance, and he's a good pickup for anyone looking to catch lightning in a bottle.

-On the other side of the ball, the Colts' backfield was tossed into chaos. Dominic Rhodes had ZERO yards on three carries, while rookie Joseph Addai rumbled for 93 on 17 carries (against a very tough Broncos D, mind you) and added 37 receiving yards for good measure. These two had been splitting carries pretty much down the line up to this point, but Addai had been steadily knocking on the door for the bulk of the work. For better or worse, this is the clarity fantasy owners had been looking for. Addai looks like he's the guy to own in the second half.

-The Bears had another monster game, both offensively and defensively. The D couldn't hold onto an early shutout, which would have taken the cake, but it was again impressive against the poor Niners. Even more impressive was another offensive outburst from Rex Grossman (three TDs) and Co.

- Mike Vick (291 yards, three TDs, 55 yards rushing) has taken his game to a new level. I'm not saying it's going to be a permanent change ... but I'd sure as heck want him in my lineup the next two weeks against Detroit and Cleveland.

-The Browns may have had to sweat out their win over the Jets, but they can breathe easier about their offensive woes after finally showing some signs of life under new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson. Reuben Droughns got something going on the ground (125 yards, TD) for the first time in a long time - and all it took was a career-high 33 carries. I don't know that Droughns is a lock for your starting lineup now all of a sudden, but he deserves a roster spot in just about every league, if for no other reason than he faces Tampa Bay and Houston in Weeks 16 and 17.

-A week after his big breakout, Jets rookie RB Leon Washington didn't exactly distinguish himself against the Browns. He managed just 58 yards and had a costly fumble, but he got the majority of the carries by far (15 to Kevan Barlow's five) and will still have value down the stretch.

-The Bucs' offense was predictably poor in the swirling winds of the Meadowlands. If you own Joey Galloway or Cadillac Williams, there's not much you can do but shake your head. Same goes for Tiki Barber owners, as he surprisingly ran for just 68 yards and not so surprisingly gave way to Brandon Jacobs on the goal line and late in the game. Cheer up though: Barber's playing the Texans next week.

-As for Houston, its game against Tennessee was a bit of a head scratcher. Start with a Sage Rosenfels sighting: the QB replaced Texans starter David Carr (three turnovers) and threw three TDs, two to breakout TE star Owen Daniels toward the end of the game. Rosenfels isn't a fantasy option, as coach Gary Kubiak said after the game he's sticking with Carr as his starter. Daniels, on the other hand, is about as good an option as you can find on the waiver wire for TEs, as the rookie now has five TD catches on the year.

-The RB situations were also worth noting in this clunker. A week removed from back-to-back 100-yard rushing efforts, Travis Henry fizzled for only 29 yards on 15 carries. LenDale White (seven for 35) got some looks, meaning Henry isn't quite the fantasy lock some thought he was. And for the Texans, rookie Wali Lundy (116 yards) had another strong effort, but he conceded the goal-line work to Ron Dayne. If Lundy can get it done on the road against the Giants and/or Jaguars the next two weeks, then I'll really be sold.

-Another underwhelming day for Edgerrin James, although his 84 yards (on 24 carries) and a TD look OK on paper. The Cardinals' passing game was even worse, and if Matt Leinart, Anquan Boldin and Co. couldn't get it done against the Packers - ranked last in the NFL in pass defense - there's not much hope for this offense.

-Green Bay, on the other hand, was surprisingly run-heavy against Arizona. Ahman Green and Vernand Morency both topped 100 yards on the ground, with Green throwing in two TDs. Green owners can sleep peacefully: the hamstring issues weren't a concern, he's getting the touches in the red zone, and Morency left the game late with a back injury that has coach Mike McCarthy concerned.

-Anyone else surprised by the amount of points put up in the Ravens-Saints game? Everything went right for Baltimore's offense with Brian Billick calling the plays; Steve McNair had three TDs (one rushing), and Jamal Lewis (remember him) broke the 100-yard barrier for the first time since Week 15 of 2005. If this is what we can expect with Billick running the offense from here on out - and keep in mind this was on the road against a tough Saints defense - we might have to move the Ravens' skill players up a peg.

-The Ravens were even better on defense, returning two INTs for scores and taking Reggie Bush (21 yards from scrimmage) and Deuce McAllister (19 total yards) - literally, in the case of Bush, who exited with an ankle injury but should be OK - out of the game. Drew Brees did rack up a ton of yardage and offset his three INTs with three TD passes, two to fantasy sensation Marques Colston in garbage time.

-Both QBs had games to forget in the Eagles-Jags tilt. David Garrard didn't do much (10 for 17, 87 yards, zero TDs, zero INTs, 36 rushing yards) in his call to duty and will probably yield the starter's spot to Byron Leftwich as soon as possible. More shocking was Donovan McNabb's performance - 18 for 34, 161 yards, zero TDs, zero INTs, 37 rushing yards. He was hurt by a bunch of dropped passes -three by Reggie Brown, two straight by Brian Westbrook. Give McNabb the bye week to clear his head, and he should be back on his MVP pace against the Redskins and Titans in Weeks 10 and 11.

-See what I meant about Tony Romo? Not a bad line Sunday: 270 yards, one TD, one pick. He didn't set the world on fire, but he got the job done, and you could do worse for a QB2. Expect more OK numbers when he's on the road against Washington and Arizona the next two weeks.

- If you've got Terrell Owens or Jason Witten, you've got to be a Romo fan so far. T.O. had his best day with the 'Boys (nine catches, 107 yards), and Witten's had his two best games of the year with Romo under center.

-As always, share your comments or questions at jbartolone@semosportsweb.com or post them right here on this blog.

Romo for real?

Is Tony Romo a viable fantasy option? Well, I guess so, if you're desperate. I don't think he's going to step right in and be an every-week fantasy starter. But the Dallas Cowboys' new QB is an OK option, particularly if you had Drew Bledsoe, who you can now safely dump. I'd expect Romo's numbers to be comparable to Bledsoe's so far, actually - he's got a nice receiving corps, but he's essentially a rookie, so expect an even balance of TDs and INTs, kind of like we saw on Monday night. If Damon Huard and/or Alex Smith aren't available, Romo should make for a decent backup.

WEEK 7 - Sunday Recap

-As if LaMont Jordan wasn't already in fantasy owners' doghouses, then he goes and pulls this ... for those even bothering to put Jordan in their lineups nowadays, they might have been expecting a decent outing against the Cardinals on Sunday. He did have some back issues at practice late in the week, but he was listed as probable, and all indications were he was going to be fine. Then Jordan goes and "tweaks" his back in the pregame warmup and doesn't play a down. Unbelievable. Considering how lousy he had already been this season, this is the kind of thing that can get you cut from fantasy rosters. In fact, I'm considering it right now.

-OK, how many of you started Mike Vick against the Steelers? My guess is the majority didn't, but those who did were certainly rewarded with his four TD passes. Alge Crumpler was the recipient of three, demonstrating once again you've got to start those proven, stud TEs who are important pieces of their offense (Jeremy Shockey, Todd Heap etc.).

-Hines Ward's three TDs were a career high and some long overdue signs of life. Even more encouraging was the fact he caught two of them from Charlie Batch, who might see some more playing time after Ben Roethlisberger's concussion.

-What the heck happened to Jacksonville? I know Byron Leftwich was hobbled by a sore ankle, and their defense was also banged up, but still ... a loss to the Texans? Wali Lundy went for 93 yards and a TD after no Houston RB had gained even 60 yards in a game. Lundy looks like he'll get more work in the near future, and you can pretty much stick a fork in Ron Dayne for fantasy purposes. I'm still not sold on Lundy yet unless you're desperate. ... as for the Jags' backfield, Fred Taylor (84 yards) and Maurice Jones-Drew (68 total yards, rushing TD) were decent, but neither had the huge game we expected against the sorry Texans.

-Larry Johnson exceeded expectations (132, two TDs) against a tough Chargers D. Tony Gonzalez also had his best game of the year (138 yards), again making my point about stud TEs. And for San Diego, LaDainian Tomlinson patched together another big day (138 total yards, one receving TD) and threw in one of his patented trick-play passing TDs ... you gotta love those.

-In a game that figured to be an aerial shootout, the story of the Jets-Lions showdown was Leon Washington's coming-out party on the ground. The Gang Green rookie had a career-high 129 rushing yards and two TDs on 20 carries, finally giving us a somewhat clearer picture of the Jets' backfield situation. Kevan Barlow is still in the mix obviously as a change-of-pace/short-yardage back, but Washington is the guy to start right now against questionable defenses (Cleveland, Week 8, hint, hint).

-More bad luck for the Seahawks, as Matt Hasselbeck went down with a leg injury and could miss some significant time. The timing couldn't be worse for fantasy owners, as the new Chunky Soup Guy was just heating up (three TDs the week prior), Shaun Alexander was supposed to be on his way back, and the upcoming schedule was as easy as pie (Kansas City, Oakland, St. Louis, San Francisco, Oakland). Seneca Wallace is probably not a great option.

-Chester Taylor turned an average day into a great one with his 95-yard TD scamper in the third quarter against Seattle. He's putting together a really nice season so far and is the league's leading rusher (pending Tiki Barber's output tonight).

-How is that Tatum Bell vs. Mike Bell situation working out? Tatum bullied his way to 115 yards and a score against Cleveland, his third 100-yard output and his second straight game with a TD. Mike's last four rushing totals: 12, 0, 2, 25.

-It's gotten to the point that you've got to consider sitting your marginal players against Denver's defense. The Broncos are allowing a miniscule 7.3 points a game. But don't make the mistake of sitting your top studs against them - Peyton Manning's got to be in your lineup next week no matter what.

-Clinton Portis had a real bummer of a game against a soft Colts defense. He managed only 43 rushing yards and 21 receiving yards. He was also hit in the crotch by someone's helmet when the Skins were in the red zone, and he was also in and out of the game later with a "lower leg injury." Keep an eye on this.

-Chad Johnson (101 yards) and Steve Smith (126 yards) were equally good in a matchup of two of the league's premier receivers. Johnson had a crucial fourth-down catch late in the game that led to the winning TD for the Bengals. The most remarkable thing about these two guys is they both once played on the same junior college team. I can't even imagine them both being on the same FANTASY team.

-Brian Westbrook owners can breathe easy for another week. The knee held up once again, and Westbrook topped 100 yards rushing, 100 yards receiving and tossed in a receiving TD for good measure.

-The Buccaneers defense finally showed some life, as far as fantasy purposes go, thanks to Ronde Barber's two INT returns for TDs. Frankly, it's about time for what had been considered a top-five D.

-As I expected, Joey Harrington was pretty good (at least in a fantasy sense) against Green Bay's sorry pass defense. He had 414 passing yards and two TDs, but his three picks didn't help in leagues that penalize for INTs.

-Ahman Green also looked pretty swell against Miami, rushing for 118 yards and his first TD on the ground. He's not a terrible play against the Raiders next week.

The Bears are who we thought they were ...

This pretty much sums up the feelings of anybody who was winning their fantasy matchup after Sunday's games, only to realize their opponent had the Bears' D on Monday night.

There is nothing worse - or sweeter, depending on your perspective - than the Monday night smackdown. I'll never forget the shutout, six-turnover, three-TD performance by the Seahawks' defense against the Eagles in Week 13 last year that gave me a miracle fantasy win and a division title. And I bet this past Monday's Bears-Cardinals game will be equally as unforgettable for a lot of you out there. As I said at the time, that's what we live for, and it's why we play the game.

WEEK 6 - Sunday Recap

-Torry Holt is the bomb. Fantasy's most reliable WR added 154 receiving yards and three TDs to his resume. Unfotunately it wasn't enough to save the Rams from a Josh Brown FG and a Seattle victory.

-Despite three-TD efforts from Holt against the Seahawks and Terrell Owens against Houston, the fantasy game ball from Week 6 goes to the amazing LaDainian Tomlinson. Sure, he rushed for just 71 yards against San Fran, but he added another 64 through the air ... and oh yeah, he had FOUR FREAKIN TOUCHDOWNS on the ground, a personal best. If you've got LT2 on your team, you can never count yourself out.

-As for another stud RB ... Larry Johnson managed only 26 yards on the ground against Pittsburgh but salvaged a decent day with another TD. However, there wasn't much going on in the passing game this week (six receiving yards), and LJ faces a tough San Diego D next week. Hey, at least he's healthy.

-Tiki Barber had a big day (185 yards rushing, plus another 45 receiving), but it could have been a MONSTER day. He had a TD called back when it was ruled he stepped out of bounds on a replay, and the G-Men opted to go to Jeremy Shockey and vulture extraordinaire Brandon Jacobs on two goal-line possessions. I guess that's the trade-off for owning Tiki.

-Barber's counterpart, Atlanta's Warrick Dunn, wasn't looking so hot until he busted loose with a franchise-record, 90-yard scoring run. Trust me, if you had him in your lineup Sunday it was a thing of beauty.

-Hank Baskett, Week 5: three catches, 112 yards, TD. Hank Baskett, Week 6: zero catches, zero yards, zero TDs. That's why you don't just jump on a hot WR who comes out of nowhere to put up a big game, no matter how cool his name is.

-Baskett's QB, Donovan McNabb, continues to spread the ball around for Philly. This week it was Reggie Brown (six catches, 121 yards, TD) and L.J. Smith (four catches, 48 yards, TD) getting slices of the pie against New Orleans as Donte Stallworth was inactive (again) against his former team. Brian Westbrook compiled 72 yards on the ground but surprisingly was a non-factor in the passing game. Not waht we had in mind against the Saints' D. The good news for Westbrook owners is his knee is still intact for another week.

-There was also a Joe Horn sighting in New Orleans as he cracked the 100-yard receiving mark and scored a TD. It was the first time he had done either since Week 2 of last year (the infamous "home" game at Giants Stadium). Break out the cell phone!

-I was wrong about Kevin Jones this week. Really wrong. He had 127 yards and a score. This despite the Lions missing three-fifths of their starting OL against Buffalo. Jones was good. I still don't like the guy though ... and yeah, it's kind of personal. Ask another Penn State fan and you'll know why.

-Roy Williams looked just fine (161, TD) despite last week's neck stinger. Meanwhile, teammate Mike Williams has dropped behind dudes named Devale Ellis and Shaun Bodiford on the Lions' WR depth chart. The next stop is the practice squad. What happened to this guy?

-Laveranues Coles' two scores Sunday give him nine TDs in 10 career games against the Dolphins, and at least one TD in four straight against the Fins. The Jets are at Miami in Week 16. Circle your calendar.

-Kyle Boller threw three TD passes Sunday. Yup, THAT Kyle Boller. Steve McNair left after getting his bell rung, and Boller hit Mark Clayton twice (once on a tipped pass intended for Derrick Mason, who had no receptions by the way) and the ever-reliable Todd Heap once. The McNair injury doesn't appear serious right now, and he's got a bye next weekend to rest up, meaning Boller will probably be back on the bench.

-Carolina's DeShaun Foster didn't get much done (58 yards, fumble) with DeAngelo Williams out of the picture this week, but he was going against Baltimore. Plus, with Steve Smith (189 yards, TD) looking like his old self, Foster didn't have to do much. He did get 26 carries, however, and if Williams can't go again in Week 7, Foster's in line for a nice game against Cincinnati. Second-year man Eric Shelton (one yard on first NFL carry) is not a threat at this point, no matter what anyone tells you, Peter King included.

-Rookie Bruce Gradkowski worked his magic again. Bruce Almighty utilized talented TE Alex Smith again (second straight game with a TD), and he even hit Michael Clayton (yup, THAT Michael Clayton) for what proved to be the game-winning TD as the Bucs got their first W. Cadillac Williams even came close to 100 rushing yards. Jon Gruden has an even bigger man-crush on Gradkowski now. Does anyone else thing Chris Simms just got Wally Pipp-ed?

-Chad Johnson was pretty good for the Bengals (six catches 99 yards), but he still hasn't topped the century mark and has just one TD all year. His numbers this week were slanted by a 51-yard catch. T.J. Houshmandzadeh (10, 102, TD) has been getting all the love lately for Cincy.

-Julius Jones cracked 100 yards against Houston, but Marion Barber III stole another TD. Drats.

-I'm no John Madden, but I don't think it's a good thing when David Carr leads your team in rushing, and he rushes for 15 yards.

-Travis Henry (178 yards, TD) was a pleasant surprise for the second straight week. An even bigger surprise: the Titans beat the Redskins. Henry's got a good matchup against the Texans after this week's bye, so hang on to him for now. Things get considerably tougher after that, though.

-That means there's only one winless team left in the NFL ... Surprise, it's Oakland. Checking in on the only two Raiders worth owning: Randy Moss had arguably his best game this year (five for 82) but didn't score. I wouldn't mind playing him against Arizona next week. As for LaMont Jordan, he was predictably mediocre, gaining 60 yards on 23 carries and fumbling against a fired-up Denver defense. At least Justin Fargas won't be stealing carries for the time being, as he left the game after injuring his arm and had it in a sling.

-Deion Branch had the game we've been waiting for, finding the end zone twice. He's got a sweet schedule coming up and will see more action with Bobby Engram battling a thyroid condition. ... Meanwhile, Seattle TE Jerramy Stevens (knee) was supposed to play for the first time this year but didn't suit up. He's still worth grabbing if he's available, but you'll have to play it by ear.

-San Francisco's Alex Smith did manage two TD passes to two different receivers Sunday against San Diego. Their names? Bryan Gilmore and Moran Norris. Those aren't misprints.


-As always, if you have any fantasy questions, want advice on trades or just need to vent, you can e-mail me at jbartolone@semosportsweb.com or post a message right here at the end of this blog.

Role reversal

Here's a change of pace, I just completed a trade in one of my leagues and I want to know what some of the readers out there think.

I dealt Brian Westbrook and Santana Moss and got Shaun Alexander and Braylon Edwards in return. My other RB is LaDainian Tomlinson and my other WRs are Torry Holt, Donald Driver and Laveranues Coles. I'm having some second thoughts, I'm gambling that Alexander will be healthy soon and Westbrook won't. And if you told me before this year's draft that I'd have Tomlinson AND Alexander in the same backfield I'd be freakin' elated.

Any thoughts?

WEEK 5 - Sunday Recap

-The Rams' Jeff Wilkins continues his bid as fantasy's top kicker, booting three straight in Sunday's win over Green Bay. He's got competition from Chicago's Robbie Gould, who's hit a remarkable 17 straight to begin the season.

-Larry Johnson put together another big day (36 rushing yards, 106 receiving yards and a TD), but there was a scare when he was pulled down by the facemask at the end of a 78-yard run. Word is he suffered a neck strain and eventually looked OK, but keep an eye on him.

-Matt Leinart showed what he can do in his first pro start, hitting two early TD passes before making some rookie mistakes. Again, don't even think about starting him next week against Chicago, but he could be worth plugging in Weeks 7 and 8 (Oakland, Green Bay).

-Good to see Reggie Bush get his first pro touchdown. Too bad it was on a punt return - unless you've got the Saints defense, that is.

-Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald went down with what appears to be a serious hamstring injury. You'd be adviced to grab teammate Bryant Johnson, who led Arizona with 82 receiving yards Sunday.

-The Redskins' offense really came up lame against what had been a questionable Giants defense. Mark Brunell barely managed 100 passing yards, which meant Santana Moss' three-TD game of a week ago became a distant memory. The G-Men held Clinton Portis (a.k.a. Dolemite Jenkins) to just 78 yards on the ground, and the Skins managed only a field goal. They'll have better days - like Week 6 against Tennessee, perhaps.

-Michael Robinson got the goal-line carries for San Francisco as expected, but he couldn't hit paydirt three straight times. Starter Frank Gore had a career-high 134 yards on the ground against Oakland and didn't fumble for the first time this season. It's unclear if M-Rob blew his chance, so I can't recommend putting him in your lineup next week against San Diego, but he's worth hanging on to if you can spare the roster spot.

-Andrew Walter hit Randy Moss for a TD for the second straight game, but Walter ended up getting pulled for Marques Tuiasosopo in Oakland's loss to San Fran. Moss also dropped a Walter pass in the end zone and was seen laughing on the sidelines a few plays later. LaMont Jordan managed only 71 yards on the ground, dropped a lateral and didn't even attempt to recover it as the Niners' Melvin Oliver ran it in for a score. If these guys don't even care, why should you? Look elsewhere.

-Bruce Gradkowski wasn't half bad against the Saints (two TDs, no INTs) in his starting debut, and he actually made the Bucs offense produce. Gradkowski might be an OK spot starter from here on out, and Jon Gruden is enamored with him, but we don't have much of a sample size to go on. I'd be more excited about Joey Galloway, Cadillac Williams and even talented TE Alex Smith finally showing some signs of life under Gradkowski's guidance.

-The Chargers finally took the shackles off Philip Rivers (two TDs), who looked pretty good against a supposedly tough Steelers defense. Unfortunately, LaDainian Tomlinson didn't have one of his patented monster games (70 total yards). Don't drop him, though.

-The early front-runner for Fantasy MVP: Donovan McNabb. He's been a touchdown machine this year (one rushing, two passing in Week 5) and surprisingly getting it done with guys like Reggie Brown and Hank Baskett catching passes ... with most of the so-called "stud" RBs not being so studly this season and the QB ranks constantly in flux, McNabb is separating himself from the pack.

-Brian Westbrook is driving owners batty this year. We knew he was an injury risk entering the season, but this inflammation business in his knee is really getting old. It seems like it's going to be a constant problem this season, which means a lot of the dreaded "game-time decision" tags attached to his name for the foreseeable future. There are even rumors he could need surgery at the end of the year - or sooner. The guy could easily be a top-10 back if he were a little more reliable, but you might want to have a backup plan in place if you don't already.

-Speaking of injured RBs, Ahman Green was a late scratch for the second straight week with sore hammies. And if you started backup Vernand Morency in a pinch, you got burned when Morency fumbled twice in the first quarter against St. Louis. Third-stringer Noah Herron of Northwestern capitalized, gaining 106 yards and a TD.

-Daunte Culpepper was a surprise scratch as the Dolphins went with Joey Harrington at QB. Joey Ballgame didn't fare much better (no TDs, two INTs), and the stocks of Ronnie Brown (a TD but only 39 rushing yards) and Chris Chambers (47 total yards) continue to plummet. Cut Culpepper if you haven't already, and steer clear of Harrington.

-The Bears looked damn impressive on both sides of the ball in destroying the Bills. Too bad Thomas Jones was the workhorse again (22 carries, 109 yards) but Cedric Benson got two cheap TDs from the 1-yard line. You've gotta think about starting Rex Grossman and/or Bernard Berrian in matchups against Arizona, San Francisco and Miami in three of the next four weeks.

-The Jaguars' offense absolutely went off on the Jets, with Byron Leftwich (two TDs), Fred Taylor (111 yards, TD), Maurice Jones-Drew (two TDs) and Reggie Williams (TD) all getting in on the action. You'll want your Jags skill players in the lineup with two games against Houston and one against Tennessee coming up over the next four weeks.

-The only small positive for the J-E-T-S was rookie Leon Washington, who ran for 101 yards on 23 carries and further mucked up New York's RB situation. Kevin Barlow, previously the main guy, managed -1 yard on four carries. Who knows what next week will bring, but it's become clear Derrick Blaylock (zero carries) and Cedric Houston (shoulder injury) are out of the mix.

-The Titans' Chris Brown was healthy but inactive in Week 5, which means you can safely dump him (if you haven't already) in all but the deepest of leagues. Travis Henry busted out a 123-yard game against the Colts, while rookie LenDale White had eight carries for 48 yards.

-As for the Colts' RB platoon of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai: Rhodes got the edge in touches (25 to 15) and total yards (110 to 77) this week. Obviously both are productive, but neither are consistent options, especially against a tough stretch of opponents (Washington, Denver, New England, Dallas, Philly) after a Week 6 bye.

-DeAngelo Williams lost out on a big day when he suffered a sprained ankle on his first carry of the game against Cleveland. DeShaun Foster owners everywhere rejoiced ... but then realized Carolina faces Baltimore next week.

-Rough game for Lions skill players: Roy Williams left with a shoulder stinger after making just one catch, Kevin Jones left with a concussion after 10 carries for eight yards, and Jon Kitna had three INTs and a costly fumble that was returned for a Minnesota touchdown. And if you thought Mike Williams might finally have an opportunity to do something, he dropped the only pass thrown to him and was promptly benched. I wouldn't touch any of these guys next week, even if they're healthy, against a Buffalo defense that just got embarrassed by the Bears.

WEEK 4 - Sundy Recap

- The Rams-Lions shootout was a fantasy player's dream. Just about everybody got in on the action in Mike Martz's return to St. Louis, even old Isaac Bruce. Marc Bulger put together the kind of 300-yard, three-TD performance we've been waiting for, Steven Jackson was solid, Kevin Jones busted through for two TDs, and Detroit WR Mike Furrey put his name on the fantasy map with two scores (anyone seen Mike Williams lately?).

- The Chiefs discovered some offense, with QB Damon Huard doing his best Trent Green impression and Larry Johnson finally coming through with a 101-yard, two-TD game.

- Frank Gore owners beware: he's lost a fumble in four straight games. If he keeps it up he's going to start losing touches pretty soon.

- Well, looks like you can stick a fork in Kurt Warner. He got a vote of confidence this week but didn't last four quarters in Sunday's game against Atlanta, and Matt Leinart has been announced as the Week 5 starter against Kansas City. Don't think I'd start Leinart next week unless you're desperate, but he's worth putting on your bench in preparation for Week 7 (at Oakland) and 8 (at Green Bay).

- Should Warrick Dunn owners be sweating? He followed a 44-yard game against New Orleans with a 55-yard effort against Arizona, while young backup Jerious Norwood torched the Cards with 106 yards and a TD. But look closer: Dunn got 19 carries to Norwood's five, and Norwood scored on a 78-yard scamper.

- T.O. was OK (five catches for 88 yards, just missed out on a TD catch) against Tennessee while Terry Glenn (two TDs) got the glory. But trust me, you'll want Owens in your lineup next week against Philly.

- DeShaun Foster held off DeAngelo Williams for another week with his 105-yard, one-TD game.

- It's official: New Orleans WR/TE Marques Colston (105 yards, TD) is legit.

- The Dolphins' offense looked awful. Daunte Culpepper was less-than-stellar again. Only ONE TD against the Texans? And it came in the last couple minutes to Chris Chambers, who had just three catches. Ronnie Brown is getting some receptions but he still hasn't cracked 100 yards on the ground. And why is he throwing a pass on a trick play when the Dolphins needed a two-point conversion at the end of the game?? Unbelievable. The Dolphins are killing a lot of fantasy teams right now. Bench Culpepper until further notice. David Carr is a better option at QB. Seriously.

- Is Peyton Manning becoming a running QB? No, but he does have two rushing TDs in two games after not running for any scores in the last four years. We'll take it.

- Laurence Maroney put Corey Dillon owners on notice with his 125 rushing yards and two TDs against Cincinnati. But Dillon still snuck in for a score against his old team.

- Chad Johnson hasn't lived up to the hype this year. One TD so far in '06 and no 100-yard games. Definitely not what we expected.

- Reuben Droughns and LaMont Jordan both finally showed signs of life by cracking the century mark. Jordan owners have to be especially happy, as they can now start him against the Niners next week with confidence.

- As for Randy Moss ... well, he had only one catch, but it was a TD. His QB, Andrew Walter, managed just 68 passing yards. What's a Moss owner to do? Nobody's gonna take him in a trade right now, so you've just gotta keep trotting him out there as your WR2 or WR3.

- Charlie Frye, fantasy starter? Why not? He's good for 1-2 scores a game in the air or on the ground, he's got a couple targets (Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow), and he spreads the ball around. He even threw a TD this week to someone named Darnell Dinkins (wasn't he the former mayor of NYC?). You could do worse than Frye as a bye-week fill-in.

- Jaguars-Redskins was surprisingly offensive, with Byron Leftwich and Mark Brunell each tossing three TDs (all three of Brunell's to Santana Moss). The Jags' Reggie Williams scored twice and is becoming a pretty solid fantasy option this year, along with Leftwich, especially with a really appealing stretch (Jets, at Houston, at Philly, Tennessee, Houston, Giants) coming up on the schedule.

- Maybe it's time to start taking the Bears' offense seriously. Bernard Berrian looks legit (three catches, 108 yards, TD vs. Seattle), Rex Grossman (two TDs) is competent, and Thomas Jones (98 yards, two TDs) is the top option in the backfield.

- Got questions about your lineup for Week 5? Think I'm an idiot? E-mail me at jbartolone@semosportsweb.com or post a comment here.

Never a dull moment

Whether you've owned Terrell Owens in the past, or this is your first season experiencing the adventures of T.O., you've learned that it's kind of like making a deal with the devil. The whole "suicide" fiasco is just the latest dip on the T.O. rollercoaster. So what's an owner to do?

Well, if you saw his press conference Wednesday, it seems like he's in good spirits, and he has high hopes to play against the Titans this Sunday. That's definitely an appealing matchup, and we've seen how Owens can bounce back from injury and rise to the occasion (see Super Bowl XXXIX). If you need him, and we get some positive reports this week from Cowboys camp, I wouldn't hesitate to start him over some lower-tier WRs. And he's definitely got to be in your lineup against Philadelphia in a couple weeks.

The Matt Leinart Era? Already?

So remember what I said about the Cardinals not replacing Kurt Warner with Matt Leinart at QB just yet? Well, according to this ESPN report, Leinart will start Sunday at Atlanta. It hadn't been confirmed as of Monday night.

I can't say I blame Dennis Green for possibly wanting to bench Warner after his disastrous turnovers .... sometimes Warner treats the football like a hot potato. But is Leinart really ready to play? He does have the luxury of Edgerrin James, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald around him, which automatically makes him intriguing from a fantasy perspective. But keep in mind he's a rookie QB ... if you're in a really deep leauge that allows three QBs, he's worth taking a flyer on, but otherwise I can't recommend him right now over veterans like Chad Pennington or Byron Leftwich or even David Carr who might be available as free agents.

And if you own Kurt Warner, well, I wouldn't dump him outright just now if you have another solid QB and weren't counting on the old guy. Even if Leinart does indeed take over the starting job, it's very early in the season, and there's no guarantee he'll play well enough to keep it. The Cards had designs on a playoff berth this season, so I don't think they're conceding the entire year just yet, and if Leinart gets that deer-in-the-headlights look in his first start, Warner will be back in the mix. Keep in mind a lot of people, myself included, had Warner down as a top-10 fantasy QB this year based on those offensive weapons around him. Maybe we goofed, but we'll just have to wait and see.

The Madden Curse LIVES!

So apparently Shaun Alexander has a broken bone in his foot and will miss a few weeks. Is anybody surprised by this? He wasn't exactly setting the world on fire the first few games of the season, he was already slowed by a bone bruise in his foot, and now all the sudden we find out about this injury ....

Nobody can be shocked by this when you consider Alexander was the cover boy on Madden 2007. It might not be as disastrous as, say Donovan McNabb last season or Barry Sanders the year he abruptly retired, but still, it's devastating for those who made Alexander the centerpiece of their team. And yet you couldn't blame anybody for taking him with one of the first three picks of their draft, even knowing he was on the cover. Think about it: he NEVER misses games, he was the freakin' MVP last year, and his team, the Super Bowl runner-up last year, is arguably BETTER this season. It was a no-brainer. And yet you had to have some nightmare scenario in the back of your mind because of that damn cover, and now it's coming true.

Again, it's not a total disaster yet - Seattle coach Mike Holmgren seemed to indicate it's not a very serious injury - but Alexander's not exactly easy to replace, and Maurice Morris is probably not the answer fantasy owners want to hear, especially with the Bears up next. Still, he might be the best option available out there barring a trade.

And another thing about the cover jinx, how come nothing bad ever happens to John Madden? He's been on the cover more than anyone, and yet you never hear about a serious Maddencruiser accident, a mishap on the set of an Ace hardware commercial, a nasty bout of food poisoning from the turducken, nothing. What gives?

WEEK 3 - Sunday Recap

- The Rams got the best of old pal Kurt Warner and the Cardinals, thanks to his FOUR turnovers. Does that mean Matt Leinart should start warming up? Not yet, but it will just be more evidence for Dennis Green when he eventually makes the switch.

- Another nice outing for Mr. Torry Holt (120 yards, TD). He's as steady as they come.

- Here's why you can't always just go by the injury report: Brian Westbrook was questionable with a sore knee. He didn't practice Friday. But he's one of your stud guys, your first or second pick. He's got an enticing matchup against the Niners. Unless you're in some ridiculous league where you've got another stud on the bench, you've got to start him if he's cleared to play. All he did was rush for 117 yards and two TDs, then tack on 47 receiving yards - and another score! When you're setting your lineup, sometimes you've just gotta go with your heart.

- It was a similar story with Ahman Green. He was questionable with a hamstring issue. But I had to start him out of necessity because of the bye week. ESPN even put up a graphic sometime around 12:15 on Sunday saying he was "OUT," just to fool me, but Chris Berman later corrected it to say Green would play. What a nice fellow, that Boomer. Anyway, Green was good (68 rushing yards, 63 receiving yards and a TD), even though he had a costly fumble, but that's been a problem with him for years. The lesson: if a banged-up guy is cleared to play, and you would have started him anyway if it weren't for his injury, you should probably still start him.

- Need WR help? Get Green Bay rookie Greg Jennings while you still can.

- Hear that huge whoosing sound off in the distance Sunday? That was Clinton Portis owners everywhere taking a huge sigh of relief. The big guy had 164 total yards and two TDs, giving sweet satisfaction to those who took a gamble on him after two weeks of frustration. Granted, he was playing the Texans, who managed to make even Mark Brunell look good, but Portis should be cool from here on out.

- Another happy return: Steve Smith finally took the field and looked pretty good (seven catches, 112 yards) against the Bucs as he eased himself back into action. Welcome back!

- San Francisco TE Vernon Davis cracked a bone in his leg and could miss four weeks. If you need a replacement, look no further that his teammate, Eric Johnson, who caught seven passes and a TD on Sunday in Davis' absence. The Ivy Leaguer fell off the radar last year when he missed the season with a foot injury, but he led the Niners in receptions (82) the year before. He should have a bigger role in the offense the next few weeks.

- Another Niner whose stock has risen: WR/RB Michael Robinson. The former Penn State quarterback rushed for 29 yards and two TDs against Philly, and with starter Frank Gore suffering a strained abdomen already being questionable for next week, M-Rob could be getting some more touches. At the very least he may have earned himself a spot as the short-yardage back. He's got two key characteristics for that role: a big heart, and an even bigger cranium.

- Hope you weren't counting on Chris Simms at QB, but if you were, he's out indefinitely after suffering a ruptured spleen. As if the pirate ship wasn't already sinking in Tampa Bay, rookie Bruce Gradkowski now gets the call. He might have a future in the NFL, but the future is not now.

- Another pedestrian outing from Daunte Culpepper: 17 for 26, 168 yards, one TD rushing, no TDs passing, no INTs and a fumble. Not a total disaster (the Dolphins did win), but certainly not the breakout game we expected against the lowly Titans. It doesn't look like he's going to be a major fantasy force anytime soon.

- Welcome to fantasy football, Maurice Jones-Drew: 103 rushing yards and a TD catch against the Colts will make the Jacksonville rookie a hot pickup, especially when he outdid veteran Fred Taylor (74 yards).

- More RBBC (running back by committee) aggravation: Dominic Rhodes (14 carries, 48 yards) vs. Joseph Addai (three carries, 15 yards); Laurence Maroney (12 carries, 18 yards) vs. Corey Dillon (five carries, 16 yards, left with arm injury); Tatum Bell (27 carries, 123 yards) vs. Mike Bell (four carries, 12 yards); Kevan Barlow (12 carries, 31 yards, TD) vs. Cedric Houston (two carries, 10 yards, TD) vs. Leon Washington (seven carries, 25 yards; two carries, 52 yards). Maroney gets an obvious upgrade if Dillon is hurt; Tatum is separating himself; Barlow is the Jets' main guy but the other guys will steal touches; and in Indy it's anybody's guess.

- To those who added Rex Grossman and expected another four-TD day: that's not how it works, guys.

- Lots of yards for Willis McGahee (150) again, but does the dude have a fear of the end zone? Browns QB Charlie Frye now has three rushing TDs, while McGahee has zero.

- Carson Palmer throws four TDs, and not one to Chad Johnson. In fact, Chad had only one catch for 11 yards. What the heck is up with that??

- Almost thought Eli Manning wasn't gonna come through this week as the Giants got spanked by the Seahawks, but three late TD passes salvaged a nice game. Is there anything sweeter than garbage time?

WEEK 2 - Sunday Recap

- The Rams lose their third straight to the 49ers? Unacceptable. I know they're still getting used to this whole wacky "balanced" offense thing, but they'll eventually need to find the end zone. Owners of Steven Jackson (112 yards a game) and Jeff Wilkins (eight FGs) aren't complaining, but Marc Bulger hasn't exactly lived up to expectations. Of course, six sacks allowed only complicated things, and Orlando Pace's concussion didn't help either.

- The Larry Johnson crisis mode can be put to rest. Some TDs would be nice, but 167 total yards in a game is fine by me. Herm Edwards has his flaws (like an inability to tell time, for one), but he's no dummy.

- Clinton Portis, please hurry back. Some of us were counting on you.

- Philip Rivers has actually looked OK, but keep in mind playing the Raiders and Titans could make anyone look good. And it helps if your defense allows three points per game. I'm not sold on him as for fantasy purposes.

- Aaron Brooks was awful again, fumbling twice before leaving with a sprained rotator cuff. He might not have a job when the Raiders return from next week's bye, even though Andrew Walter wasn't that great against the Ravens D in relief. For the love of everything holy, avoid this situation at all costs. And if you own LaMont Jordan, I feel your pain.

- Warrick Dunn doesn't get the fantasy respect he deserves. He's an every-week starter now that the Falcons are running wild. And maybe that Michael Vick is OK after all.

- Hope Atlanta's Michael Koenen isn't your fantasy kicker. Because he might have just become your fantasy punter.

- Chad Pennington is looking more and more like a solid fantasy backup and spot starter. Two TDs and 306 passing yards against the Pats is nothing to sniff at, and the Jets can't run the ball.

- Tough break (literally) for T.O. owners. Think about Chicago's Bernard Berrian (five catches, 89 yards, TD vs. Detroit), the Jets' Jerico Cotchery (six catches, 121 yards, TD vs. New England), or New Orleans' Marques Colston (four catches, 58 yards, TD vs. Green Bay) as fill-ins.

- Will there be a run on Bears TEs after breakout games for John Gilmore (two TDs) and Desmond Clark (TD)? Not likely ... but Rex Grossman showed he's no Kyle Orton and deserves a little fantasy consideration, at least when he's up against suspect Ds.

- What's up with Joey Galloway? No catches one week, nine for 161 yards the next. Chris Simms and the Bucs need to get their act together quickly. Maybe Cadillac Williams will be able to crack the 40-yard mark against a suddenly run-soft Carolina D in Week 3.

- Nice game by David Carr! Three TDs, 22-for-26 for 219 yards ... did you start him? Of course you didn't.

- Eli Manning is coming of age. After seeing what he's done against the Colts and Eagles, I wouldn't hesitate to start him against the Seahawks on Sunday.

- Reuben Droughns hasn't looked so hot, and he gets to face the Ravens next week. I tabbed him as a bust in '05, but maybe I was a year early.

- Brett Favre put up some nice numbers (340 yards, three TDs) against the Saints. That can happen when you attempt 55 passes in a game. He's still serviceable as a fantasy QB against soft defenses, and you might consider starting him against the Lions after seeing Grossman carve them up on Sunday.

- Hey Roy Williams: Shut up and play.

- Start Daunte Culpepper the next two weeks. Don't laugh. If he can't get it done against the Titans and Texans, he's finished.

- A quick thought from the college ranks .... Note to teams playing at Louisville: Stop stomping on the Cardinals' midfield logo. Rutgers did it last year and lost 56-5. Miami did it this year and lost 31-7. Respect Papa John's Stadium.