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Quarterbacks David Garrard (Jac) - Garrard came through in the clutch for the Jaguars hitting Jimmy Smith for a 36 yd TD strike in OT to beat the visiting Lions. He finished with 2 TDs on the day while throwing for 198 yards completing 19 passes in 36 attempts. It was good enough to rank him among this week's top 10 fantasy QBs. Keep in mind Garrard is a running QB and he tallied 42 yards on 7 carries this week. The next couple games are against Tennessee and Minnesota, both of which look like solid matchups on paper for Garrard to be a good spot-starter. Billy Volek (Ten) - It's doubtful he's still available - like Garrard - since the McNair owner in your league likely has claimed him several weeks ago. If not, Volek has played fairly well in McNair's place. He ranks among the top 10 fantasy QBs over the last three weeks and produced solid stats this week against the Bears. Volek threw for 334 yards with 2 TDs and 1 interception. McNair is going to be a game-time decision every week moving forward, so you'll need thick skin and free time every Sunday morning to deal with those last minute lineup calls. Over the next month the Titans schedule softens up against the pass with the following opponents ahead: @Jac, @Hou, @Ind, KC, @Oak. Those are all solid matchups that Volek or McNair should exploit for good fantasy production. Patrick Ramsey (Was) - It finally happened. Brunell was awful once again and Ramsey finally got his chance to enter the game this week. He didn't necessarily distance himself from Brunell with a great performance, but at least he's playing now and at the time of this writing I'm going to assume he's got the inside path at starting next week. Obviously, you'll want to confirm this assumption before grabbing Ramsey off waivers, but the way Brunell has played there really shouldn't be much doubt. Ramsey was just 18 for 37 for 210 yards with 1 TD and 2 interceptions. The Redskins play the Eagles twice in the next four weeks, so he'll be tested thoroughly by the aggressive, blitz-happy schemes of Jim Johnson. Outside of the Steelers in week 12, the rest of the slate looks promising with matchups against the Giants, 49ers, Cowboys and Vikings. Quincy Carter (NYJ) - Strictly a short-term play here. Chad Pennington will resume the QB duties from Carter when he returns from his shoulder injury. That could happen in 2 or 3 weeks. Carter didn't throw a TD pass but he was efficient for the most part completing 13 of 22 passes for 175 yards while rushing for 22 yards on 5 carries against the vaunted Ravens defense. Next on the schedule for Carter are games against Cleveland and Arizona on the road followed by the Texans at home in the Meadowlands. Beyond that it's hard to say if Carter will be on the field as Pennington should be back in the lineup. Josh McCown (Ari) - Another flop for McCown this week in what appeared to be a good matchup in lieu of the Giants recent rash of injuries on defense. It didn't play out that way though. McCown struggled all day completing just 50% of his 24 passes for just 90 yards. The next two games aren't particularly good matchups either against Carolina and NY Jets. After that the going gets a little easier as the Cardinals face Detroit, SF and St. Louis in weeks 13 through 15. If you have a tough stretch of matchups with your current QBs then consider adding McCown for insurance those weeks to strengthen your roster's depth heading into the playoffs. McCown is a gamble and he's certainly no sure thing, but we still expect the Cardinals offense to improve in 2nd half now that they have their WR corps healthy and Emmitt Smith running fairly well. Carson Palmer (Cin) - When evaluating young QBs it's good to think of Bill Murray's character in "What About Bob?"... Baby steps. It's all about baby steps. To that end, Palmer is improving and ranks among the top 12 fantasy QBs if you sample the past two weeks. Against the Redskins solid pass defense (32nd ranked fantasy matchup for QBs through 10 weeks) Palmer performed reasonably well. Not great, but not horrible either. He threw 2 interceptions but got into the end zone once and finished with 217 yards while completing 24 passes in 39 attempts. In his last four games, Palmer is averaging 218.5 passing yds with 3 TDs, 4 INTs and a 60% completion rate. He also ran in a TD. That puts him just below the middle of the pack for starting NFL quarterbacks. Now, this is where the reality of a young QB can hurt you. The next five games on the schedule are against teams who rank among the bottom 12 in terms of fantasy matchups (pts allowed per game). So it's nice to see improvement, but just a forewarning not to over-evaluate him moving forward. Kyle Boller (Bal) - Like Palmer, it's good to see Boller taking baby steps and showing some signs that he'll eventually turn into a solid QB. Ok, that's being nice, but he did play well this week. He still looks overly mechanical too me which is a nice way of saying he's stiff, despite all his athleticism. The good thing is the Ravens offense is getting healthier with Heap expected back soon and the WR corps coming together with Taylor back in the lineup and rookie Clarence Moore emerging as a solid threat in the red zone. Boller isn't about to leap into the top 10 fantasy QBs this year, but there are some decent spots in the schedule ahead where he might possibly be useful as a backup for insurance purposes. Specifically, look at week 11 vs Dallas, week 13 vs Cincy, week 14 vs NYG and week 15 at Indianapolis. Others to consider Drew Henson (Dal) - Sooner or later Henson is going to be ushered in as the Cowboys QB of the future and present. Testaverde isn't necessarily doing a terrible job, but the Cowboys don't seem to be heading in the right direction (playoffs). As they continue to slip out of the playoff picture Henson's window of opportunity draws near. The Cowboys have been productive passing the football, so if Henson is thrown into the fire there's an outside chance he could also be fairly productive. Keep in mind he's more mobile than Testaverde giving him a leg up as a fantasy QB also. Eli Manning (NYG) - Warner may be able to keep the critics at bay for now, but the Giants faithful and New York media are already clamoring for Eli Manning. Warner completed 19 of 30 passes for 193 yards in a losing effort to the Arizona Cardinals. He didn't turn the football over as he has in recent games. As the Giants slide continues from their early season perch, Warner will be on the hot seat. Warranted or not, Manning is obviously waiting in the wings. It's doubtful that Manning could make an impact as a rookie either way, but if he's named starter at any point, he may be worth a flyer just in case he pulls a Roethlisberger. Who is hot? This week Over the last 2 weeks (fantasy pts per
start) Over the last 3 weeks (fantasy pts per
start) Over the last 4 weeks (fantasy pts per
start) Not that it matters any, but.. Running Backs Derrick Blaylock (KC) - Blaylock exploded for the 2nd time this season. The good thing is this time we saw it coming with Priest Holmes hurt. The chances are slim that Blaylock is available in most competitive 12 team leagues, but those of you in Yahoo! leagues or 8, 10 team leagues might still be able to benefit from grabbing him. Blaylock shredded the Saints inept run defense for 186 yards on 33 carries, scoring once and catching 3 passes for 38 yards. In much the same way that some have discredited Terrell Davis for all his production with the Broncos, there's certainly prevailing opinions that believe the same can be said of the Chiefs and their RBs. Blaylock is proving to be handful when his number is called, but if/when Priest is healthy it's obviously still his job. At this point, it's hard to call either way, but Holmes might not ready to play in week 11 so get Blaylock if you can. Matchups don't always work out when dealing with the Chiefs. Their offensive line is so good that a lot of backs could be inserted into their offense and produce great results. You can send flowers to Larry Johnson if you wish. He didn't touch the pill even once this week. T.J. Duckett (Atl) - While Warrick Dunn remains the starter and better overall fantasy back, Duckett is working his way into the mix as a reliable goal line option. Whether he was used more against the Bucs because Tampa has struggled with bigger backs in the past could be part of the deal, too. Duckett carried the ball 12 times on Sunday for 53 yards scoring twice. The schedule ahead is extremely favorable to the Falcons, so if you can get Duckett you should do it. The schedule ahead looks like this: @NYG, NO, @TB, OAK, CAR, @NO, @SEA. That means three games against the two of the worst run defenses in the league (NO, CAR) and Oakland is a top ten matchup as well. Tyrone Wheatley (Oak) - Wheatley was idle this week as the Raiders were on the bye. He's back in the lineup after missing a few games with a shoulder injury and he's clearly the most valuable Raiders back at this point for fantasy purposes. That's not saying a lot, but a starting NFL RB is worth something in most leagues. The Raiders have a mix of good and bad matchups in the 2nd half of the season, but Wheatley is worth a look specifically against KC in week 13, vs Tennessee week 15 and then at KC in week 16. He could produce solid numbers in those weeks and be useful as a potential #2 RB in your lineup. Nick Goings and Brad Hoover (Car) - The Panthers backfield situation is a mess. Let's be straight. Brad Hoover, Nick Goings, Jamal Robertson, Brandon Bennett and Joey Harris are all in the mix. It looks a lot like the Dolphins backfield earlier this year. Someone different each week. This week it was Nick Goings who combined for 92 yards (8 carries for 42 yds, 3 catches for 50 yds). Brandon Bennett came in to a get a short TD but did little otherwise. Brad Hoover was a disappointment having been dubbed the starter, but only touching the ball 6 times for 16 yds. One of these guys has a decent chance to produce each week, but good luck playing the game of Russian Roulette with the Panthers coaching staff trying to read their mind and whatever might fall out any given Sunday. Right now, Hoover and Goings look like your best bets, but Bennett, Harris or Robertson could work their way more into the mix, too. LaBrandon Toefield (Jac) - Fred Taylor left the game briefly on Sunday and Toefield stepped in and filled his shoes, but it was merely a scare. Taylor was back in the game and appears to be just fine looking ahead towards next week. Toefield had a productive game against the Lions combining for 59 yards on 12 carries and 2 catches, one of which was a TD in the first half. Toefield appears to be the leading backup to Taylor though Greg Jones and Chris Fuamatu Ma'afala would almost certainly get some touches if Taylor is forced to miss any real action. Jones converted at the goal line this week as both he and Toefield scored TDs while Taylor did not. Toefield's still an insurance policy at this point, but it's also worth noting how Del Rio continues to divvy up the action giving Toefield and Jones more opportunities in the red zone and on 3rd downs at Taylor's expense. Steven Jackson (Stl) - Jackson continues to scratch the surface of his vast fantasy potential. Marshall Faulk also had a tremendous game against the Seahawks, but Jackson scored a TD while Faulk did not. Unless Faulk gets hurt, Jackson's value isn't likely to skyrocket. If Faulk went down, Jackson vaults into the top 10 or 15 depending on the matchup at hand. Ironically, Jackson's presence and spelling of Faulk are working against his own fantasy value because it's helping to keep Marshall fresh and healthy. If Faulk starts all 16 games it would mark the first time in a few seasons he's done so. Either way, Jackson is one of the most talented NFL backup RBs and if you can still land him (regardless of having Faulk) then do so if you have a roster spot worth using. Tony Fisher (GB) - Fisher got a good deal of work this week spelling Ahman Green, who was briefly hurt, and Najeh Davenport, who tweaked a hamstring in the first half. Davenport apparently has a perpetual hamstring injury. Either way, Fisher benefits as the main backup behind Green as long as Davenport isn't 100%. As such, Fisher would stand to gain the most right now if Green happens to go down for any reason. Of course, Ahman has dealt with some lingering injuries this year as his sore Achilles has been a problem in recent games. Fisher finished with a combined 67 yards (8 carries, 3 catches) with 1 TD. Though the refs blew that call as he fumbled before crossing the goal line. Hey, it doesn't matter as long as it counts in the box score. Others to consider Willie Parker (Pit) - Parker got his first extended playing time this week and did rather well with his opportunity. Parker finished with 44 yards on 8 carries flashing his speed and quickness after Bettis wore down the defense with his battering, bruising style. Duce Staley will probably be back next week and Verron Haynes will ultimately be back and supplant Parker as the change-of-pace and 3rd down option as well. So, Parker's value is strictly short-term and his shelf life will expire when these two backs are healthy. Until then, if neither one can go next week, Parker is once again a decent play in deeper leagues if you need a guy who will at least get some touches with a chance to produce something. Terry Jackson and Maurice Hicks (SF) - Barlow had a great opportunity to produce big numbers facing arguably the league's easiest run defense (in terms of fantasy matchups). Barlow produced 2 TDs but didn't do much in terms of yardage finishing with 47 yards on 21 carries. Eeuuww! Hicks got some touches late in the game after Barlow lost his cool and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Hicks took advantage and finished with 46 yards on 8 carries with 1 catch for 12 yards. Jackson was worked into the mix throughout the game as well spelling Barlow. Still, it's hard to lay too much blame on Barlow for not producing. Simply put, the 49ers offensive line is not creating any holes or playing well at all. Regardless, it's time to take note of Hicks and Jackson because Barlow has dealt with some lingering, pestering injuries all season and at least Hicks showed a burst and produced something note worthy in his window of opportunity. Moving forward, Hicks could earn a little bigger piece of the pie and be worth a waiver claim and roster spot - especially if you have Barlow and can stomach two roster spots for the 49ers backfield. Cedric Cobbs (NE) - He's not getting any playing time at the moment, but he's off the PUP list and has been activated the past couple weeks just in case something happens to Corey Dillon. Obviously, Kevin Faulk has hit foot in the door as a 3rd down back already, but if Dillon were to miss any length of time you can bet that Cobbs would have a bigger role. For now, he remains more of a back to stash and stow away for dynasty leagues, but I still believe he'd be worthwhile this year if Dillon doesn't hold up. Who is hot? This week Over the last 3 weeks (fantasy pts per
start) Over the last 4 weeks (fantasy pts per
start) Idle thought Wide Receivers Add immediately, impact potential Travis Taylor and Clarence Moore (Bal) - No relation to Herman Moore far as I know.. but Clarence is doing a good impersonation of Herman as he caught 2 TDs this week using his size to his advantage in the red zone. Moore also caught a 2 pt conversion a week ago and overtook Kevin Johnson two weeks ago in the lineup starting opposite Travis Taylor. Both Ravens WRs are worth a look at this point where the pickings are slim in most leagues. Taylor and Moore are getting the bulk of the targets for the Ravens with Moore obviously getting the more treasured looks around the goal line. With Jamal Lewis drawing defenses attention both of these WRs should continue to have solid opportunities to produce - assuming we have any trust what-so-evah in Kyle Boller. Eddie Kennison (KC) - Kennison continues to put up strong numbers since coming off injury as he caught 7 passes this week for 121 yds and a TD. He's managed to hang around the waiver wire in a couple of leagues I'm in so there's a decent chance you could still grab him, but he'll be long gone after the week he had against the Saints. Jerome Pathon (NO) - Pathon has moved into the starting lineup opposite Joe Horn, but only managed 2 catches for 33 yards in a great matchup against the Chiefs. Go figure. The Saints are a hard to team to finger and this isn't likely to change under Jim Haslet. For whatever reasons they just don't seem to produce consistently and Pathon seems to be falling squarely into the same category despite having produced better than Donte Stallworth when he wasn't in the lineup. Now that their roles are reversed it would only be New Orleans style karma for Stallworth to produce more than Pathon. For what it's worth, Stallworth was only good for 3 catches and 11 yards. It wouldn't be a surprise if Stallworth is available, but Pathon is likely the better option simply because he's starting. Neither one are what I'd call reliable at this point, but most players available on the wire this late in the game aren't reliable either. Bobby Wade (Chi) - You can also throw David Terrell's name into this hat. The Bears schedule is favorable for their passing game, but whether or not it will amount to anything with Craig Krenzel leading the charge remains to be seen. Wade had a solid game this week catching 4 passes for 63 yards and rushing 3 times for another 21 yards against the Titans. He's the most consistent threat and perhaps the team's best 3rd down option. Terrell, meanwhile, is plagued by dropped passes and inconsistency. He's arguably the better player with the higher upside any given week, but Wade is more consistent and will probably have more targets the rest of the way. Deion Branch (NE) - Branch is reportedly closer to returning to the lineup than he's been since getting hurt. His knee injury has taken much longer to heal than originally anticipated leaving the door wide open for David Givens to establish himself as Brady's go to guy this season. Branch was upgraded on this week's injury report but still was a game day inactive. At least he's heading in the right direction and when he does finally see game action he will be worth having on the roster, but then it will be a wait-n-see approach before actually getting the confidence to use him in the lineup. The point is you'll need to grab him now or if you wait a week or two longer he'll be gone if he's not already. Dennis Northcutt (Cle) - While Antonio Bryant more of the hype, Dennis Northcutt remains the more productive of the two and arguably the most consistent and productive Browns WR. He caught just 2 passes Sunday but they went for 69 yds. Look for Bryant, Northcutt and Andre Davis to all have reasonable if not insignificant value the rest of the way with each of them having good/bad games as you constantly try to guess which one will produce. T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Cin) - He's been up and down this year but with Peter Warrick on IR, he's got a starting job and could have some consistent if not solid value the rest of the way. He caught 7 passes for 59 yards this week and there will be a few decent matchups, but some tough ones too, on the upcoming schedule where you might get some value out of him. Bobby Engram (Sea) - Engram played this week after sitting out the past couple due to injury. If/when Koren Robinson gets suspended, Engram's role would be expanded much to the chagrin of Jerry Rice. That simple fact of the matter is that Engram is a better player right now than Jerry is. Engram is a great slot WR but could also have value playing on the outside. Even if Rice starts outside keeping Engram inside in the event of K-Rob missing 4 games, I would bet Engram would produce better numbers. Others to consider Kelley Washington (Cin) - The talented 2nd year WR caught 4 passes this week but produced just 23 yards. If he ever plays up to his talent and upside Washington could be a heckuva player, but right now he's merely a tease and with a schedule that features tough matchups and a couple decent situations, chances are his best games won't come until 2005 and beyond. Bernard Berrian (Chi) - The Bears have a soft schedule on the road ahead and Berrian continues to work himself into the lineup as a slot WR. Dynasty leaguers? He could be more valuable next year and in years to come, but for re-drafters he's simply a gamble as a slot WR knowing the Bears will be facing some questionable pass defenses in the 2nd half of the season. Rashaun Woods (SF) - His role is going to be growing in the 2nd half of the season, but for now his value is minimal. Woods is primarily a dynasty league option if he's available and another owner lost patience with him. Kevin Curtis (Stl) - Curtis caught a TD pass this week, but he remains the Rams 4th WR. He'll put up some decent numbers in some games, but more often than not he won't be worthwhile unless injury strikes Holt, Bruce or McDonald. This week Holt had a scare after getting rocked in the first half on a pass play. McDonald stepped in to fill his shoes which resulted in more opportunities for Curtis as well. Frisman Jackson (Cle) - Caught 5 passes for 61 yds this week but his value is strictly short-term while Andre Davis sits because of injury. If Davis sits again next week maybe Jackson is worth a look against the Jets. Who is hot? This week Over the last 3 weeks (fantasy pts per
start) Over the last 4 weeks (fantasy pts per
start) Tight Ends Ken Dilger (TB) - Ranks among the top 10 fantasy TEs in the last 4 weeks. He's caught 10 passes for 98 yds and 2 TDs in his last three games. I continue to rely on two factors which make Dilger an attractive waiver wire TE. #1 - Brian Griese is a TE friendly QB. #2 - The Bucs utilize their TEs frequently in the red zone. Chalk it up to Jon Gruden, the West Coast offense or whatever you want, but both of these factors have Dilger on the rise. Jerramy Stevens (Sea) - Stevens has been reasonably productive two weeks in a row. His value is on the rise, but be cautious because he's like a volatile stock and he could easily come tumbling down. Still, as far as TEs go we'll take 3 catches for 34 yards and you can't complain about that if he's available still in your league (or if his previous owner dumped him on the news that Holmgren would be benching him in week 9). Boo Williams (NO) - Boo could pull the same thing he did last year and have a fast finish. He was highly regarded as a starter caliber TE entering the season then disappeared ala Brandon Lloyd. Like Lloyd he is playing good now. Erron Kinney (Ten) - Back from injury, Kinney is a good bet to produce decent numbers the rest of the way despite the Titans likely playing all three of their TEs - Shad Meier and rookie Ben Troupe are also in the mix. Aaron Shea (Cle) - Shea is quietly putting together a nice season on the heels of Kellen Winslow missing almost the entire year. Over the last four weeks, Shea has 9 catches for 72 yards and 1 TD. Nothing fancy, nothing special, but he's a good backup who can jump up with a good game every few weeks.. which is about all you can ask for if you're fishing for a TE at this point in the season. Stephen Alexander (D) - With the Lions WR corps banged up with injuries Alexander's production is on the rise, even if it's scant. He's got 12 catches for 120 yds in the last 4 weeks but no TDs. Ironically, Alexander is the one who is usually hurt. For now, Alexander could be good for around 3 to 5 targets a game until Hakim, Streets and Williams all get back to 100%. Who is hot? This week Over the last 4 weeks (fantasy pts per
start) Kickers Who is hot? This week Over the last 4 weeks (fantasy pts per
start) Defense / Special Teams Who is hot? Lions and Bears are special? This week The Arizona Cardinals also had 6 sacks this week - 4 of them to Bertrand Berry, who is quickly becoming their best free agent signing in years. The Cardinals didn't force any turnovers though and remain a bubble team in terms of their fantasy potential moving forward. They do play the Panthers and the Lions on the road in the next three weeks, so maybe they'll have a couple other chances to produce solid results. Back to the Monsters of the Midway.. Well, let's not get carried away.. The Chicago Bears scored 2 TDs without their offense on the field this week. Michael Haynes intercepted a screen pass and took it to the house, and McQuarters was a demon on punt returns as mentioned above. Meanwhile, in overtime, Adewale Ogunleye gave the Bears some just rewards for trading Marty Booker by recovering a fumble caused by Alex Brown sacking Billy Volek in the end zone which resulted in a game-winning safety. Of the many ways to win a game, that has to be one of the better ones I've seen. Other defensive efforts worth noting include Cincinnati's 5 sacks against the helpless Redskins offensive line. Nothing new here. The Titans sacked Craig Krenzel 5 times. Carolina intercepted 4 Tim Rattay passes on the day while sacking him 4 times as well. It's been a down season for the Panthers defense so that was nice to see for a change. Top 25 Waiver Wire Pickups In loose order of relevance depending, of course, on your team's needs, the size of your league and most importantly... who is available. Your mileage may vary. RB Derrick Blaylock (KC) Good luck down the stretch to everyone. Feel
free to PM me in the FBG forum or email me if I
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