POWERHOUSE Pick-Ups Week 9

The Pats and Colts are rolling, the Dolphins and Rams are reeling, and everyone else is somewhere in between. Week 8 is in the books, and thankfully we have no catastrophic injuries to report. Now on to this weeks pick-ups.


Quarterbacks

Kellen Clemens, NYJ- We were a bit premature on this guy last week. He has officially been named the J-E-T-S starting QB going forward. Now he did throw a couple of bad INTs on Sunday, but I remember a certain Dallas Cowboys QB who came on for an immobile and ineffective Drew Bledsoe and happened to throw 3 INTs of his own. You guessed it, the living legend, Tony Romo. Relax, I’m not saying that Kellen Clemens is the next Tony Romo or anything, but what I am saying is that I like the upside here. He has a big arm to cut through that northeast wind and quality wideouts. He makes for a nice QB #2.

JP Losman, Buffalo- He’s baaack…maybe, or maybe not. No one knows the extent of Trent Edwards’ wrist injury or whether he or Losman will start this week. What I do know is that Losman was able to rekindle some of that magic he had with Lee Evans from a year ago. I personally would like to see pasty white Dick Jauron go with Losman, but only because I am an Evans owner. He is a boom or bust type QB. So tell me, do you feel lucky???

Running Backs

Selvin Young, Denver- ALL ABOARD!!! The Selvin Young bandwagon is officially leaving the station. In case you missed it Travis Henry missed last nights game and will most likely be suspended for 1 year for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. Young made the most of his opportunity. He showed great up field burst, some toughness inside, and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He is a must add in all leagues.

Ryan Grant, Green Bay- Finally, the Packers got the ground game going. Grant rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries last night in Denver. Mike McCarthy has already named Grant his starter for week 9 @ KC. He makes for a solid addition in all leagues and a decent flex play this week.

Justin Fargas, Oakland- Since Lamont Jordan injured his back in week 4 against Miami he just hasn’t been the same. Fargas has been far more effective than Jordan in recent weeks. It’s a trend I look to continue as word out of Oakland says Lane Kiffin is going to get Fargas more carries. He is an absolute must hand-cuff for Jordan owners and makes for a nice guy to stash on your bench just in case Jordan misses any time.

Adimchinobe Echemandu, Houston- Lets be real here, Ahman Green and Ron Dayne are terrible. Someone has to run the ball in Houston and that someone could be Echemandu. If nothing else pick him up for his name.

Wide Receivers

Chris Henry, Cincinnati- Great talent, bad attitude. Henry will return from his 8 game suspension in week 10. He is an absolute nightmare to cover as a #3 receiver. Cincinnati’s defense is horrible so look for Carson Palmer throwing a lot while playing from behind. There should be enough balls to go around between Ocho Cinco, Housz, and Henry. He will make for a nice WR#3 going forward.

Kevin Walter, Houston- Andre Johnson is STILL out and likely wont be back until after Houston’s week 10 bye. Walter has been putting up solid numbers in his place and now with Owen Daniels and Andre Davis both going down this week Walter might be the only healthy body for Sage Rosenfels to throw to.

Brandon Stokely, Denver- Stokely hasn’t really been relevant in terms of fantasy since 2004. With Javon Walker out indefinately, Stokely has been starting opposite Brandon Marshall. Jay Cutler looked to Stokley on a few key passing downs on Monday night. I see Stokley being a solid yet unspectacular option until Walker returns.

Tight End

Tony Scheffler, Denver- Scheffler does not get a lot of looks, but the looks he does get are in the red zone. That’s a good thing for fantasy owners in need of a bye-week replacement.

That’s all I have for this week, good luck to all during week 9 especially the Colts. They’re going to need it.

Week 8 Fallout

Let's take a look inside the Week 8 NFL action as it pertains to Fantasy Football.

Steven Jackson returned to action and looked to be on his way to a big day with an excellent first quarter. Unfortunately, he only lasted for that one quarter.
Jackson left the game and has a bulging disk in his back, due to his overcompensation for his injured groin. The Rams are on a bye in Week 9 and S-Jax's status is uncertain for Week 10.

Speaking of Texans, Coach Kubiak has admitted that he is concerned about Ahman Green's knee and is uncertain if Green can go in Week 9. Adimchinobe Echemandu has hamstring issues, but could be a decent flex play if Green is out.

It is looking likely that the Raiders will start to employ a true RBBC. Look for them to utilize a time share between LaMont Jordan and Justin Fargas. Feel free to get rid of Dominic Rhodes if he is taking up space on your roster.

Rumor is that Ravens RB Mike Anderson could take over short yardage responsibilities. This would be a significant hit to Willis McGahee's value if it pans out.

Kenny Watson sustained a concussion during Week 8. His status for Week 9 is uncertain, but he has a very favorable match up against the Bills if he can go.

Ryan Grant made like every RB that faces them and carved up the Broncos' feeble rush defense on Monday Night Football. Expect him to start once again in Week 9. DeShawn Wynn made it through one entire carry before injuring his shoulder.

Matt Schaub started for the Texans in Week 8 and suffered a concussion for his efforts. We will likely see Sage Rosenfels under center in Week 9.

The Kellen Clemens Era begin in Week 9 for the Jets. Drop Chad Pennington if you have him. It is unlikely that Clemens will have Laveranues Coles available to throw to, however. Coles suffered a concussion in Week 8.

Marc Bulger continues to get battered. He now has a thumb injury to deal with in addition to his ribs.

Rumors are circulating that the Dolphins, who will be on a Week 9 bye, will start John Beck at QB in Week 10. Either way, you should have absolutely no interest in starting a rookie QB on the NFL's worst team. Feel free to cut Cleo Lemon loose.

Quinn Gray cashed in a decent performance against the Bucs in Week 8. Word is that he will start at least once more. If you're in a Week 9 QB crunch, you could do worse than Gray against the shaky Saints secondary. Still, don't expect the Jags to suddenly become pass-happy.
Still no definitive word on when David Garrard will return.

Nobody is sure yet who will start at QB in Week 9 for the Panthers. Neither Vinny Testaverde and his injured Achilles nor David Carr and his injured back make a suitable option for your fantasy team. This is also bad news for owners of Steve Smith.

Calvin Johnson re-aggravated his back injury after being pulled down from behind. No word yet on his Week 9 status.

Andre Johnson will likely practice more this week, but it would be a surprise to see him on the field until Week 11, after the Texans' Week 10 bye.

Texans TE Owen Daniels suffered a high ankle sprain and his status for Week 9 is uncertain. He is likely to sit with Houston's bye upcoming, and his status will also likely be questionable for Week 11 since high ankle sprains tend to take a while to heal.

Game Day Inactives - Week 8

Here is our Weekly look at who is inactive, and any major questionable stars that are active.

Be sure to check back before Kickoff for further updates.



Bengals: Rudi Johnson is inactive.

Broncos: Travis Henry is inactive, Selvin Young will start.

Browns: Jamal Lewis is ACTIVE. He will likely share carries, though.

Buccaneers: Alex Smith is inactive.

Colts: Marvin Harrison is inactive.

Dolphins: David Martin is inactive.

49ers: Frank Gore and Alex Smith are ACTIVE. Darrell Jackson is inactive.

Giants: Derrick Ward is inactive. Plaxico Burress is ACTIVE.

Jaguars: David Garrard is inactive. Maurice Jones-Drew is ACTIVE, although there is a good chance that Fred Taylor leads the team in touches.

Jets: Laveranues Coles is ACTIVE and will start.

Packers: Bubba Franks is inactive.

Panthers: David Carr is ACTIVE, but Vinny Testaverde will start. It is possible that both see time. DeShaun Foster is also ACTIVE.

Patriots: Ben Watson and Sammy Morris are inactive.

Texans: Andre Johnson is inactive. Ahman Green is inactive. Ron Dayne will be a surprise starter.

Titans: Brandon Jones is inactive.

Vikings: Tarvaris Jackson is inactive, Kelly Holcomb will start.

Beating the House--Week 8

Another mediocre week for me in the books...heartbreaker in Houston where I thought we'd steal one unti Bironas' 8th FG as time expired...also, the Skins barely showed up and I expected Rattay to start when making my selection...good call on the Bills winning outright and sticking with the Pats each and every time...for the trick-or-treat edition, let's try to scare up some winners (I'm listening to original "Halloween" music right now for inspiration)...


Cleveland (-3) at St. Louis--Brownies are road favorites? I should never be allowed to pick the Rams again...but I am obviously a glutton for punishment...Steven Jackson is back and that should provide some kind of stability to the offense...this promises to be a high-scoring affair and it could be Derek Anderson's turn to make me pay...pick: Rams.


Detroit (+5) at Chicago--These two played a great game in Detroit with the Lions roaring (nice pun) back in the fourth quarter to pull it out...Bears look competent with Griese at the helm as they stole one in Philly...Kitna needs to start slinging again to have a chance and they'll be forced to here...too many points...pick: Lions.


Indianapolis (-6.5) at Carolina--No MNF hangover here for the Colts...only real complaint will be from Joseph Addai owners as yet another team adopts the RBBC policy that is threatening to destroy fantasy football...Vinny T. and Panthers can't possibly keep up if Colts can avoid looking ahead to matchup with Pats next week...pick of the week: Colts.


New York Giants (-9.5) at Miami--Soccer hooligans abound at Wembley and may riot when they see just how bad the Dolphins are...hopefully the GMen can put on enough of a show to keep them at bay...only Coughlin himself stands in the way of a rout by Big Blue...pick: Giants.


Oakland (+7) at Tennessee--The defenses will dictate the tempo of this one and it should be a hard-fought, low-scoring battle...I think giving up a TD is a bit too much here so I'm taking the points and hoping that Raiders show a little more life than last week...fun fact: since joining Oakland, Lamont Jordan has not rushed for a TD on the road...I'd say he's due...pick: Raiders.


Philadelphia (-1) at Minnesota--Eagles have to still be smarting after giving away game to Griese last week at home...they'll need this one badly to keep pace in NFC East and McNabb will find a way to squeak out a W...AP is only legitimate threat for the Vikings...pick: Eagles.


Pittsburgh (-3.5) at Cincinnati--I smelled the trap in Denver last week and went against my instincts anyways...Bengals showed signs of life finally and should continue to score here in front of home crowd against these hated rivals...another shootout...pick: Bengals.


Buffalo (+3) at New York Jets--Chad Pennington continues to fight for his job and gets another opponent he can throw on...both teams should run wild but I'll give the edge to the home team who still remember their blown chance in waning seconds at Buffalo...pick: Jets.


Houston (+9) at San Diego--It shouldn't matter where this game is played as the Chargers should dominate...they get to stay home and will put on a show if the bye week didn't slow them down...wildfire evacuee LT should roll over Texans who struggle on run D...pick: Chargers.


Jacksonville (+3.5) at Tampa Bay--Bucs need the win at home and should be able to handle a Jags squad without Garrard and possibly MJD...their defense might keep them in it for awhile but Garcia will eventually pull his team away...pick: Buccaneers.


New Orleans (-2.5) at San Francisco--Saints are on a mini-roll...don't know if Alex Smith is back for the Niners and don't really care...as a former Frank Gore owner, I know expectations were through the roof for him...no chance with this offense ...pick: Saints.


Washington (+16) at New England--If you have taken the Pats and the over (total pts.) each week, you'd be rich by now...I'll say it yet again: I cannot go against the best team in football, even with double-digit spreads, until they let me down...Skins looked pathetic last week and won't hang around here...pick: Patriots.


Green Bay (+3) at Denver--Jay Cutler actually looked like a first-round pick last Sunday night...he should have a nice game again but I like Favre and the Packer D to keep them in it...this should be a field-goal game as the spread dictates...pick: Packers.


Last Week: 8-6 To Date: 54-42-7

Play Action - Week 8

For a few teams, Week 8 marks the midway point through the season.
Week 8 will mark the return of likely #2 overall Fantasy pick Steven Jackson.
Week 8 has 6 teams on bye.
Laurence Maroney is also expected to be unleashed this week.

Let's break down the Week 8 action.

BYE: Cardinals, Chiefs, Cowboys, Falcons, Ravens, Seahawks

1:00pm EST Games

Browns @ Rams - Dome
Brown Offense - Receiving: 255 (8), Rushing: 115.2 (14)
Ram Defense - Receiving: 212 (9), Rushing: 129.6 (24)

Ram Offense - Receiving: 212.7 (24), Rushing: 82.6 (28)
Brown Defense - Receiving: 269.3 (29), Rushing: 149.5 (30)

START: Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, Torry Holt
CONSIDER: Jamal Lewis (check), Isaac Bruce
BENCH: Jason Wright, Jerome Harrison, Drew Bennett

A collision of the Rams' terrible offense against the Browns' awful defense. If Bulger can't get on track this game, it's time to permanently affix him to your bench. If he can perform, Holt should benefit nicely.
A returning S-Jax should definitely be in your lineup here, it's a great match up for him. The Rams actually have a decent pass defense, but don't let that scare you away from the legal firm of Anderson & Edwards. The Browns love to sling it.
Jamal Lewis will be a game-time decision, if he goes and you're mired in bye week hell, you could probably do worse. If he doesn't go, rumor is that Wright and Harrison will be a RBBC.

Giants vs. Dolphins @ Wembley Stadium
Giant Offense - Receiving: 223.6 (19), Rushing: 130.4 (10)
Dolphin Defense - Receiving: 216.4 (12), Rushing: 156.4 (31)

Dolphin Offense - Receiving: 232.9 (14), Rushing: 115.1 (15)
Giant Defense - Receiving: 229.4 (17), Rushing: 97.4 (10)

START: Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, Giant Defense
CONSIDER: Amani Toomer
BENCH: Derrick Ward (check), Cleo Lemon, Jesse Chatman, Marty Booker, Ted Ginn Jr., David Martin (out)

The good people of London get treated to a Dolphin team that is starting their backup QB, traded away their only decent WR, will likely play their #2 TE, will be without their star MLB and starting SS, and just lost their stud RB for the season. Enjoy that! At least they've got Eli Manning in town in order to make Prince Charles look handsome.
Suffice it to say, the Dolphins are going to struggle to score points regardless of who they play, and this team has the best chance in a long, long time for a perfect 0-16 record. Chatman should be on your roster, simply due to the fact that any starting RB should be on a roster.
Start all of your Giants, hope that they can do something remotely similar to what the Patriots did to the Dolphins in Week 7. Amani Toomer isn't consistent enough to be anything more than a flex, however. Derrick Ward is expected to be inactive, so Jacobs should have a monster game.

Colts @ Panthers
Colt Offense - Receiving: 263 (7), Rushing: 141.8 (6)
Panther Defense - Receiving: 227.2 (15), Rushing: 110 (18)

Panther Offense - Receiving: 200.5 (25), Rushing: 132.5 (8)
Colt Defense - Receiving: 172.7 (1), Rushing: 107.3 (14)

START: Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Steve Smith
CONSIDER: Marvin Harrison (check), Kenton Keith, DeAngelo Williams
BENCH: Anthony Gonzalez, Colt Defense, David Carr(out), Vinny Testaverde, DeShaun Foster (check), Jeff King, Panther Defense

There is potential for this being a "trap game" for the Colts, but I believe they will pull it out.
Word on the street is that Kenton Keith will continue getting up to 15 touches per game. That seems awfully generous, but if it's true, he makes a good flex play. Marvin Harrison is looking increasingly likely to sit. If he does, look for an expanded role for Dallas Clark and a few looks for Anthony Gonzalez.
DeShaun Foster is struggling with turf toe, which should limit his productivity fairly substantially, but he should play. It comes at a bad time for him, since Williams has looked very good of late. Then again, we all knew Foster would suffer an injury sooner or later. Either way, as long as Foster is active, they will share carries. Steve Smith remains a must-start, and the presence of Testaverde may actually benefit him.

Lions @ Bears
Lion Offense - Receiving: 271.3 (6), Rushing: 85.5 (27)
Bear Defense - Receiving: 242.4 (24), Rushing: 132.6 (26)

Bear Offense - Receiving: 243.3 (10), Rushing: 81.1 (30)
Lion Defense - Receiving: 289.3 (31), Rushing: 116.5 (19)

START: Jon Kitna, Kevin Jones, Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Brian Griese, Cedric Benson, Bernard Berrian, Muhsin Muhammad
CONSIDER: Desmond Clark, Greg Olsen
BENCH: Tatum Bell, T.J. Duckett, Mike Furrey, Devin Hester, Bear Defense

The Lion offense has been slowed considerably the past 2 games. Fortunately for them, they now come up against a mediocre Bear D. (Who would have seen that one coming earlier this year?) The Lions are notorious for poor play on the road, on grass, though. Give them the benefit of the doubt and trot out your Lions. Tatum Bell is rumored to be inactive for this game, therefore, T.J. Duckett is the handcuff that Kevin Jones owners want.
The Lion D isn't much better than the Bears (again, who saw that coming?), and they are flat out terrible against the pass, so look for Brian Griese's improbable run to continue. The Lions also aren't very good against the run, so if you don't have superior options, Cedric Benson gets one more, hesitant, recommendation. The Chicago TE's take too much away from each other to really rely on either. Berrian has never met a pass that he couldn't drop, still, he remains a good deep threat against a team that is prone to giving up pass yardage. Muhammad has been reborn under Griese.

Steelers @ Bengals
Steeler Offense - Receiving: 217.2 (22), Rushing: 159 (2)
Bengal Defense - Receiving: 260.8 (28), Rushing: 135.5 (27)

Bengal Offense - Receiving: 286.2 (2), Rushing: 98 (21)
Steeler Defense - Receiving: 196 (3), Rushing: 75.5 (3)

START: Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh
CONSIDER: Steeler Defense
BENCH: Najeh Davenport, Rudi Johnson (check), Kenny Watson

The Bengals don't play defense, so all of your usual Steelers should be active and in store for an excellent day. As bad as they've been, the Bengals still put up serious numbers, so if you have an option that has a better option, you should use them at Defense.
Rumor is that Kenny Watson will be the Bengals' starting RB going forward, regardless of the health of Rudi Johnson, who will likely be inactive this week. Watson will find much, much tougher sledding against the Steelers than what was available against the feeble Jets D in Week 7. Palmer, Chad Johnson and Housh all face difficult assignments this week, but are far too good to consider benching. Look for the Bengals to be playing from behind and slinging it, just like every other week.

Eagles @ Vikings - Dome
Eagle Offense - Receiving: 241.2 (12), Rushing: 129.7 (12)
Viking Defense - Receiving: 300 (32), Rushing: 76.5 (4)

Viking Offense - Receiving: 165 (30), Rushing: 163.7 (1)
Eagle Defense - Receiving: 241 (23), Rushing: 88 (8)

START: Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis, Eagle Defense, Adrian Peterson
CONSIDER: Nobody
BENCH: L.J. Smith, Tarvaris Jackson (check), Kelly Holcomb (check Jackson), Chester Taylor, Viking Defense

Remember what McNabb did against the Lions D in Week 3? See how poor Minnesota's pass defense is? It'd be unrealistic to expect McNabb to repeat a performance like he had in Week 3, but it's not unrealistic to expect some very nice numbers. So much so that Reggie Brown is making an appearance in the "START" column. The Vikings are solid against the rush, but Brian Westbrook is so much a part of the Eagle offense that it would be ridiculous to consider benching him. The Vikings should struggle to put up points, relying on a home run from Peterson, so the Eagle defense makes a nice option. Only play L.J. Smith if you're in a complete fit of desperation.
Kelly Holcomb will likely start for the Vikings. While Holcomb probably isn't really a worse option that Jackson, the Vikings still have horrible WR's that should not be on any fantasy roster except in the very deepest of leagues. Adrian Peterson is positively on fire and word is that he has taken over the starter's role, although Chester Taylor will continue to get touches.

Raiders @ Titans
Raider Offense - Receiving: 190.7 (28), Rushing: 145.8 (4)
Titan Defense - Receiving: 240.5 (22), Rushing: 59.7 (1)

Titan Offense - Receiving: 188.3 (29), Rushing: 144 (5)
Raider Defense - Receiving: 216.2 (11), Rushing: 141.7 (29)

START: LenDale White, Titan Defense
CONSIDER: LaMont Jordan, Ronald Curry, Raider Defense
BENCH: Daunte Culpepper, Dominic Rhodes, Jerry Porter, Vince Young, Roydell Williams

This should be a low-scoring game.
Rumor is that Josh McCown would be the starting QB if he was fully healthy. McCown was playing WR last season. That doesn't bode well for the future of Daunte Culpepper. Maybe he'll be inspired this week, maybe not. LaMont Jordan is facing an awfully difficult match up, but he claims to feel better than he has all season. We'll see how he feels after the game. Ronald Curry has tons of talent, getting him the ball is the hitch. Earlier this week, a rumor broke that the Raiders were considering dumping Dominic Rhodes, so, it's safe to say he won't be much of a contributor.
Vince Young will likely be less mobile than usual this week, so, given his WR "talent", means that he should remain on your bench. Expect LenWhale to be fed the ball once again, and he should be in for another productive day against a shaky Raider rush defense. Be sure to play that Titan Defense, this is a fantastic match up for them.

4:00pm EST Games

Texans @ Chargers
Texan Offense - Receiving: 279 (5), Rushing: 75.6 (31)
Charger Defense - Receiving: 256.3 (27), Rushing: 84.5 (6)

Charger Offense - Receiving: 221.5 (20), Rushing: 125.8 (13)
Texan Defense - Receiving: 233.9 (19), Rushing: 122.3 (20)

START: Kevin Walter, Owen Daniels, LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates
CONSIDER: Philip Rivers, Chris Chambers, Charger Defense
BENCH: Matt Schaub (check), Sage Rosenfels (check), Ahman Green, Andre Johnson (out), Michael Turner, Vincent Jackson

This game will be played in San Diego at 4:05pm EST.
Matt Schaub will be a game-timne decision, and if he can go, he still may split time with Rosenfels. Nobody really wins with a QBBC. Kevin Walter has been on fire and is way too hot to bench at this point. It took a long time for Owen Daniels to get involved in Week 7 with Schaub out of the picture, but he should get more looks this week. Don't even consider starting Ahman Green against the tough Charger rush D.
LaDainian finally got it rolling before the bye week, look for him to build upon that. Chris Chambers makes his Charger debut, but is still behind LT and Gates as far as options go. Vincent Jackson should be a non-factor from here on out.

Jaguars @ Buccaneers
Jaguar Offense - Receiving: 199.5 (26), Rushing: 148.5 (3)
Buc Defense - Receiving: 199.7 (4), Rushing: 123.3 (21)

Buc Offense - Receiving: 219.3 (21), Rushing: 102.7 (19)
Jaguar Defense - Receiving: 229.8 (18), Rushing: 103.8 (13)

START: Maurice Jones-Drew (check), Earnest Graham, Joey Galloway, Tampa Bay Defense
CONSIDER: Fred Taylor, Jaguar Defense, Jeff Garcia
BENCH: Quinn Gray, David Garrard (out), Reggie Williams, Dennis Northcutt, Ike Hilliard, Alex Smith (out)

No Garrard will likely mean that MJD and Fragile Fred will see a lot of work, especially given how terrible Gray looked in Week 7. However, there's also a chance that MJD could miss the game, which would make Taylor a much more attractive option. There's really not much else to like about the Jag offense this week.
Earnest Graham had a monster game in Week 7. Granted, it was against a weak Lion Defense, but still expect him to put up nice numbers in this game. Joey Galloway basically defines the word "streaky", he's always a deep threat, and the only decent receiving option on the Bucs. Start the Buc D, as the Jag offense should be limited.

Bills @ Jets
Bill Offense - Receiving: 152.5 (32), Rushing: 99 (20)
Jet Defense - Receiving: 246.3 (25), Rushing: 138 (28)

Jet Offense - Receiving: 215.1 (23), Rushing: 89.6 (25)
Bill Defense - Receiving: 274.7 (30), Rushing: 132.5 (25)

START: Marshawn Lynch, Lee Evans, Thomas Jones, Laveranues Coles (check), Jerricho Cotchery
CONSIDER: Chad Pennington
BENCH: Trent Edwards, Kellen Clemens, Chris Baker

Phew, what a stinker. Look at those numbers.
Marshawn Lynch carried a huge load last week for a nice game against a much better Raven Defense. He should put up even better numbers this week. Lee Evans also emerged from the abyss last week and should be in line for another quality game here.
The Bill D is even slightly worse than the Jets', so look for good numbers from the usual suspects on the Jets offense, especially Coles and Cotchery. Normally, I would have recommended starting Pennington in this game, but Coach Mangini has announced that he will be on an extremely short leash, so he'd be an awfully risky play. Coles is listed as "questionable", but it'd be quite the surprise if he wasn't active.

Redskins @ Patriots
Redskin Offense - Receiving: 196.8 (27), Rushing: 114.7 (16)
Patriot Defense - Receiving: 205.4 (5), Rushing: 92.7 (9)

Patriot Offense - Receiving: 305.7 (1), Rushing: 133.4 (7)
Redskin Defense - Receiving: 211.3 (7), Rushing: 80.7 (5)

START: Chris Cooley, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Patriot Defense
CONSIDER: Laurence Maroney, Donte Stallworth
BENCH: Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Redskin Defense, Kevin Faulk, Ben Watson (check), Kyle Brady

This is my "trap game" pick for the week. It is by far the toughest test that the Patriot offense has encountered. Yes, Dallas, that includes you.
For the Redskins to win this game, they need their defense to come up huge. That doesn't mean that you should start them. Chris Cooley is the most likely candidate to score a TD, their entire offense is in for a tough test. Portis should see plenty of work, but he won't put up good numbers.
Your usual Patriots must be started every single week, but don't expect any Tecmo Bowl numbers this week. Allegedly Laurence Maroney will see a full workload this week, but he's facing a tough test. It would be an absolute shocker if "questionable" Ben Watson played. If he does, he'd likely be quite limited.
For the record, I still say New England pulls out the W here, based simply on them playing at home.

Saints @ 49ers
Saint Offense - Receiving: 232.3 (15), Rushing: 90 (24)
49er Defense - Receiving: 211.8 (8), Rushing: 126.8 (23)

49er Offense - Receiving: 154 (31), Rushing: 88.8 (26)
Saint Defense - Receiving: 252.3 (26), Rushing: 100.7 (12)

START: Reggie Bush, Frank Gore
CONSIDER: Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Eric Johnson, Vernon Davis
BENCH: Devery Henderson, Alex Smith, Darrell Jackson (check), Arnaz Battle

It looked like the Saints had righted the ship in Week 6, but then they struggled mightily against the Falcons in Week 7. It's clear that there is nothing to get very excited about in The Big Easy. Reggie Bush remains their only big time playmaking threat, so he should be active. Colston continues to disappoint. Eric Johnson is a nice sleeper option if you're in a TE crunch. The Niners have a surprisingly good pass defense, rendering Brees as a decent, but not exciting option.
Alex Smith returns for the 49ers, hopefully in time to revitalize Vernon Davis. If Davis doesn't perform this week, let him rot on your bench or drop him for a capable TE. Frank Gore hasn't accomplished much so far this season, but he's still the only decent option the 49ers have. If D-Jax can't go, there will be an Ashley Lelie sighting...stay away.

Monday Night Football

Packers @ Broncos
Packer Offense - Receiving: 285.8 (3), Rushing: 65.7 (32)
Bronco Defense - Receiving: 179.5 (2), Rushing: 176.2 (32)

Bronco Offense - Receiving: 234.3 (13), Rushing: 130.7 (9)
Packer Defense - Receiving: 237.2 (21), Rushing: 100.2 (11)

START: Brett Favre, Donald Driver, Brandon Marshall
CONSIDER: DeShawn Wynn, Donald Lee, Jay Cutler, Travis Henry (check), Selvin Young (check Henry), Tony Scheffler
BENCH: Greg Jennings, James Jones, Packer Defense, Bronco Defense

You never really want to bench Brett Favre when he's on Monday Night Football, despite the solid Bronco pass defense. The Broncos are horrible against the run, so DeShawn Wynn makes a decent flex play, although the Packers are equally horrible at running the ball. Favre will be looking for Driver often, so keep him in your lineup despite the tough match up. Champ Bailey is unlikely to play in the game, which is a HUGE plus for the Green Bay passing game.
Brandon Marshall is the most reliable Bronco offensive weapon, consistently putting up numbers all season. Jay Cutler looked good in Week 7, can he perform well in consecutive prime time performances? Travis Henry is recovering from bruised ribs and is facing a stingy rush D, he may come down to a game-time decision. Tony Scheffler should remain everybody's favorite sleeper TE.

I'd like to take a moment to welcome the newest member of Team Fantola, McSmacken. Everyone give him a warm welcome and check out his Powerhouse Pick-Ups.

Be sure to head over to Fantasy Chatter for some lively Fantasy Sports discussion and advice.

As always, we greatly appreciate any comments, questions or Diggs that you may throw our way.
Thank you for reading.
Please check back on Sunday for Game Day Inactives.

Kings Plays of the week!!! Week 8

POWERHOUSE Pick-Ups - Week 8

Draft day is crucial to the success of any fantasy football team, but as we all know injuries and busts are part of the game. Unless you supplement your roster with quality free agents, playoffs will not be in your future. Each an every Tuesday I will be highlighting players likely to be free agents in your league that can help your teams going forward.

Quarterbacks

Brian Griese, Chicago- So the Bears can move the ball through the air. Where was this guy during the Super Bowl, Lovie? Griese has been just what the doctor ordered for a struggling Bears offense. He makes for a nice QB #2 and has a great match up vs. the hapless Lions secondary this week. You could do a lot worse.

Kurt Warner, Arizona- He’s back again, and again, and again. Many owners decided to cut bait with Warner upon hearing news of a torn ligament in his non-throwing elbow. Warner surprised everyone by starting this past Sunday and throwing for 2 scores. With the weapons he has at his disposal he should make for a solid play just about every week.

Kellen Clemens, NYJ- Rumors out of New York are that Clemens took plenty of snaps with the 1st team offense in practice. Finally!! It seems that Mangini has grown tired of Chad Pennington’s majestic rainbow-like passes. There was no pot of gold at the end of those rainbows, just ravenous DBs licking their chops. Clemens showed flashes of brilliance in his week 2 start against Baltimore. He should put up decent #s when the match up is right.

Running Backs

Jesse Chatman, Miami- Just in case you hadn’t heard, Ronnie Brown’s season is officially over with a torn ACL. The lone bright spot of a dismal 0-7 start is gone, sorry Dol-phanz. Chatman will be the one to take his place. He had a nice preseason and is a Cam Cameron guy. While Chatman will not put up Ronnie Brown #s, he should be a solid play when the match up is favorable and makes for decent flex option most weeks.

Selvin Young, Denver- If by some miracle Selvin Young is available in your league now is the time to pounce on him. Travis Henry is nicked up yet again, this time with bruised or possibly broken ribs. Combine that with Henry’s impending appeals hearing on November 5th and Young’s time to shine could be sooner rather than later.

Wide Receivers

DJ Hackett, Seattle- DJ should return to the lineup in week 9 after the Seahawks bye. He should have nice value as a WR #3 or a match up guy. Some experts liked him as a #1 WR over Deion Branch to start the season. I personally don’t see it, but I do see a guy with good size and speed, and an excellent red zone target to boot. Seattle has been unable to get their ground game going so there should be enough balls to go around come week 9.

Ted Ginn Jr., Miami- 2 Dolphins as Powerhouse pick-up?? I know, it’s awful, but hear me out. With Chambers and Brown out of the picture someone has to catch the ball, and that someone is Ted Ginn. Dolphins brass wants to justify passing on Brady Quinn and they really don’t have anyone else to throw to. Is he going to win your league for you, no. But I see him having a few big games down the stretch. Remember he just missed a long TD pass from Cleo Lemon vs. the almighty Patriots this past week.

Tight Ends

Vernon Davis, San Francisco- How hyped was this guy coming into the year? VD is an absolute freak of a physical specimen with hands, speed, and an attitude. I even went so far as to rank him the #2 TE heading into the year. He got off to a slow start, and just when it looked like he had gotten it together he was injured. There is no good reason why this guy can’t put it up for the second half of the season, and there is a great chance he is available in your league. Get him before he blows up. Big-play TEs are hard to come by. He makes a great add for Crumpler and Watson owners.

Greg Olsen, Chicago- Olsen brings a Shockey-like skill set to the position, and is becoming more and more involved in the Bears passing attack each week. Look for Griese to be looking towards Olsen a lot down the stretch of this season.

Donald Lee, Green Bay- Who?? That’s right Donald Lee. You know he’s the guy you’ve seen near the top of your free agent TE list but have been too scared to pick up. Don’t be. With Bubba Franks out for at least a few weeks Lee should see plenty of looks from Brett Favre especially in the red zone.

That's all I have for this week. Be sure to check out POWERHOUSE Pick-ups, fantasy hoops edition, coming later this week.

Ronnie Brown - Out For The Season

The Miami Herald is reporting that RB Ronnie Brown will miss the remainder of the 2007 NFL season after suffering a knee injury in Sunday's loss to the Patriots. Allegedly the MRI that he underwent today confirmed it.

Jesse Chatman is a must-add.

The Herald brings up an interesting question of whether the Dolphins should bring back Ricky Williams. Personally, I can't see it, but it is an option.

This is easily the biggest injury so far in 2007, as Brown was the #1 RB in Fantasyland when the injury occurred and it devastates an already-reeling Dolphin franchise.

King SPECIAL EDITION!!!

Ronnie Frown - Injury News

Miami RB Ronnie Brown left his game against the Patriots in the third quarter and did not return.
He left the stadium in an air cast on his right leg, and at this time the Dolphins are calling it a sprained knee.
X-Rays allegedly came back negative, but more will be known after he gets a MRI on Monday.
Expect Jesse Chatman to be the hot waiver grab heading into Week 8.

Major Game Day Inactives - Week 7

This post will be updated as kickoff of Week 7 in the NFL approaches.

Patriots - Ben Watson and Sammy Morris are inactive. Laurence Maroney is ACTIVE. There is speculation that Kevin Faulk may be the primary back regardless. Use different options if available.

Rams - Steven Jackson and Drew Bennett are inactive. Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and Marc Bulger are ACTIVE.

Jets - Chris Baker is inactive.

49ers - Alex Smith is inactive. He will serve as the emergency QB, behind Trent Dilfer and Shaun Hill.

Buccaneers - Alex Smith is inactive.

Falcons - Alge Crumpler is inactive.

Texans - Andre Johnson is inactive.

Cardinals - Anquan Boldin is ACTIVE. * KURT WARNER IS STARTING *

Ravens - Todd Heap is inactive.

Titans - Brandon Jones and Chris Brown are inactive. Vince Young is ACTIVE, but Kerry Collins is expected to start.

Giants - Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward are both ACTIVE.

Bengals - Rudi Johnson is inactive.

Raiders - Josh McCown is inactive. LaMont Jordan is ACTIVE.

Seahawks - D.J. Hackett and Deion Branch are inactive.

Eagles - L.J. Smith is inactive.

Check back before kickoff for more information.

Play Action - Week 7

Rapidly approaching the midway point of the NFL season, the pretenders and the contenders of both the NFL world as well as the Fantasy world are starting to separate.

Another excellent video blog from The King is below this, if you haven't done so already, you owe it to yourself to watch, and to take a look at the Fantasy Chatter forums that are linked over to the right of this post.

Time to break down the Week 7 action, game-by-game.

Bye: Browns, Chargers, Packers, Panthers

1:00pm EST Games

49ers @ Giants
49er Offense - Receiving: 143 (32), Rushing: 86 (26)
Giant Defense - Receiving: 232.8 (19), Rushing: 96.5 (11)

Giant Offense - Receiving: 236.5 (12), Rushing: 128.8 (12)
49er Defense - Receiving: 225 (14), Rushing: 124.2 (22)

START: Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs (check), Derrick Ward (check), Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, Giant Defense
CONSIDER: Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Amani Toomer
BENCH: Trent Dilfer, Darrell Jackson, Arnaz Battle

Alex Smith may or may not be healthy enough to backup Dilfer this week, which means that he shouldn't be in your lineup. The 49er Offense will continue to struggle against what has turned into a good Giant Defense. With no threat of a vertical passing game, if you have better options than Frank Gore, they should be in your lineup. The Giants should continue to put up points in bunches. Jacobs is questionable, Wardshould be ready to go, start Ward only if Jacbos is unable to go. Burress' ankle continues to be a concern, but if he plays, which he will, then you play him. The Giants are also getting Shockey more looks.

Ravens @ Bills
Raven Offense - Receiving: 232.2 (16), Rushing: 107.2 (16)
Bill Defense - Receiving: 291.4 (31), Rushing: 133.6 (25)

Bill Offense - Receiving: 152.4 (31), Rushing: 98.2 (20)
Raven Defense - Receiving: 217.2 (9), Rushing: 66.7 (3)

START: Willis McGahee, Derrick Mason, Raven Defense
CONSIDER: Bill Defense
BENCH: Kyle Boller, Mark Clayton, Todd Heap (out), Trent Edwards, Marshawn Lynch, Lee Evans

This should be a very, very low-scoring game. The Raven D is a must start, and the Bill D is actually a decent option, despite the fact that they're awful. Boller is an upgrade over Steve McNair for the Raven offense, and Derrick Mason continues to lead the NFL in receptions, although he only has 1 TD. Thus the problem with the Ravens, they don't put points on the board. Look for the Ravens to feed McGahee the ball against his former team. The Bills very well may feed Lynch the ball as well, but he's facing a much tougher defense. Bench all of your Bills.

Patriots @ Dolphins
Patriot Offense - Receiving: 295.2 (3), Rushing: 141.7 (7)
Miami Defense - Receiving: 191 (4), Rushing: 168.5 (31)

Miami Offense - Receiving: 232.3 (15), Rushing: 104.5 (18)
Patriot Defense - Receiving: 200.3 (6), Rushing: 78.3 (5)

START: Tom Brady, Laurence Maroney (check), Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth (check), Wes Welker, Ben Watson (check), Patriot Defense, Ronnie Brown
CONSIDER: Kevin Faulk (check Maroney), Kyle Brady (check Watson)
BENCH: Sammy Morris (out), Cleo Lemon, Marty Booker, David Martin (check), Dolphin Defense

Some people are calling this a "trap game" for the Patriots...I just can't see it. The Dolphins no longer have Chris Chambers, which will further hinder their offense. Ronnie Brown is too hot to bench, so keep him in your lineup despite a tough match up, he'll put up decent numbers. There are conflicting reports everywhere pertaining to Laurence Maroney's status, so keep a close eye on those game day inactives. If Maroney doesn't go, Kevin Faulk makes an adequate, but not special fill-in against a terrible rush defense. Start all of your other Patriots, just like every other week they play. Ben Watson is very questionable, start him if he goes. If he doesn't, Kyle Brady is worthy of consideration due to the fact that the Patriots love to pass and love to spread out the ball.

Cardinals @ Redskins
Cardinal Offense - Receiving: 234.5 (14), Rushing: 106.7 (17)
Redskin Defense - Receiving: 197 (5), Rushing: 80 (7)

Redskin Offense - Receiving: 217.2 (21), Rushing: 123 (14)
Cardinal Defense - Receiving: 233.3 (20), Rushing: 114.3 (16)

START: Edgerrin James, Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Santana Moss, Chris Cooley
CONSIDER: Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis, Antwaan Randle El, Redskin Defense
BENCH: Kurt Warner (check), Bryant Johnson, Ladell Betts

Kurt Warner is a game-time decision. If he can go, it is a big boost to the values of Boldin and Fitzgerald. Even if he starts, you don't want Warner in your lineup, due to the uncertainty of whether or not he'll make it through the game. If he doesn't start, Tim Rattay will...you don't want any of that, but there's still a possibility that Warner could run the 2-minute offense. Clinton Portis is playing hard, but he seems to be injured. It is with great hesitation that I recommend Santana Moss, but he has something to prove after last week's abysmal showing. You have to keep Edge in your lineup, due exclusively to the huge workload he handles. The Cards face a very solid Redskin D, though.

Falcons @ Saints - Dome
Falcon Offense - Receiving: 217.8 (20), Rushing: 93.5 (21)
Saint Defense - Receiving: 248.2 (24), Rushing: 105.8 (14)

Saint Offense - Receiving: 235 (13), Rushing: 89.8 (24)
Falcon Defense - Receiving: 229.5 (18), Rushing: 132.3 (24)

START: Drew Brees, Reggie Bush
CONSIDER: Jerious Norwood, Roddy White, Marques Colston, Saint Defense
BENCH: Byron Leftwich, Warrick Dunn, Michael Jenkins, Alge Crumpler (out), Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, David Patten, Eric Johnson

The Byron Leftwich Era begins. It may or may not be much of an upgrade for the Falcons. Have the Saints finally righted the ship? They looked good in Week 6. Reggie Bush WAS the Saints gameplan for Week 6, look for the same in Week 7. Colston is nursing an injured back, and has looked more like a 7th round WR from Hofstra this season than the breakout superstar from 2006. Still, he makes a nice, big red zone target. The Saints seem to have a WRBC for their WR2, minimizing all of their fantasy values. Jerious Norwood should get a chance to take over as the primary back this week, after Week 6's impressive showing.

Titans @ Texans - Dome
Titan Offense - Receiving: 170 (30), Rushing: 141.8 (6)
Texan Defense - Receiving: 226.2 (16), Rushing: 116.8 (19)

Texan Offense - Receiving: 273.3 (6), Rushing: 81.7 (29)
Titan Defense - Receiving: 226 (15), Rushing: 63.8 (1)

START: LenDale White, Titan Defense, Kevin Walter, Owen Daniels
CONSIDER: Vince Young (check), Matt Schaub
BENCH: Kerry Collins (check Young), Roydell Williams, Bo Scaife, Andre Johnson (out), Ahman Green, Andre Davis

LenDale White makes a decent start exclusively due to his heft workload, since Chris Brown will likely be inactive. Even if Vince Young starts, he will likely be very limited when it comes to running the ball. If Young can't go, Kerry Collins will start...you wouldn't want him anywhere near your starting lineup. Owens Daniels continues to put up respectable numbers, especially given the absence of Andre Johnson. Ahman Green faces another very difficult match up. Kevin Walter is highly unlikely to approach Week 6's monster performance, but he's still a good option.

Buccaneers @ Lions - Dome
Buc Offense - Receiving: 203.2 (25), Rushing: 99.2 (19)
Lion Defense - Receiving: 284 (30), Rushing: 115 (17)

Lion Offense - Receiving: 296.2 (2), Rushing: 73.2 (31)
Buc Defense - Receiving: 208.5 (7), Rushing: 119.3 (21)

START: Jeff Garcia, Joey Galloway, Jon Kitna, Kevin Jones, Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson
CONSIDER: Earnest Graham, Ike Hilliard
BENCH: Michael Bennett, Alex Smith (check), Tatum Bell, Mike Furrey, Shaun McDonald

The Bucs' solid pass defense meets the Lions' relentless passing attack. The Lions can't defend the pass, so Jeff Garcia makes a nice option, along with Galloway's constant threat to break one deep. The Lions have struggled mightily against #2 WRs, so Ike Hilliard makes a rare appearance as a legitimate option. Michael Bennett isn't really ready to roll, so Earnest Graham should be the feature back, possibly for the last time outside of a true RBBC. Kevin Jones takes over as the Lions' feature back and makes a nice option, especially given his receiving ability. Megatron is finally 100% healthy, so get him back in your lineup along with Williams and Kitna. The Lion WRs beyong them should be benched, given Tampa's solid pass D.

4:00pm EST Games

Chiefs @ Raiders
Chief Offense - Receiving: 238.5 (11), Rushing: 74.8 (30)
Raider Defense - Receiving: 224 (11), Rushing: 144.8 (28)

Raider Offense - Receiving: 183.2 (29), Rushing: 164 (3)
Chief Defense - Receiving: 217.2 (9), Rushing: 117.7 (20)

START: Larry Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, Tony Gonzalez, LaMont Jordan (check), Ronald Curry
CONSIDER: Damon Huard, Chief Defense
BENCH: Daunte Culpepper, Dominic Rhodes, Justin Fargas, Jerry Porter

Is there a more surprising first place team than the Chiefs? Their offense actually looks fairly solid. Larry Johnson should see tons of touches again this week, and pile up yardage. All of the Chiefs worth owning are decent options this week, including their defense, the Raiders are just plain bad. LaMont Jordan should be good to go, but check to make sure. When the Raiders do need to pass, they will look Ronald Curry's way. The rest of your Raiders should be benched.

Jets @ Bengals
Jet Offense - Receiving: 205.7 (24), Rushing: 90.5 (23)
Bengal Defense - Receiving: 258.6 (28), Rushing: 145.8 (29)

Bengal Offense - Receiving: 298.2 (1), Rushing: 82.2 (28)
Jet Defense - Receiving: 249.7 (25), Rushing: 131.5 (23)

START: Thomas Jones, Laveranues Coles (check), Jerricho Cotchery, Carson Palmer, Kenny Watson, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh
CONSIDER: Chad Pennington
BENCH: Chris Baker (check), Rudi Johnson (check)

Two teams that can't do anything right. There should be plenty of scoring in this game, with 2 very weak defenses on the field. Thomas Jones should continue to build upon the momentum he worked up in Week 6. Chad Pennington is playing for his job, and if he can't perform against the awful Bengal defense, it is likely you'll see Kellen Clemens before the game is finished. Pennington should be highly motivated, making him a plausible option, and the Coles/Cotchery tandem should also put up some nice numbers. One thing that the Bengals do well is sling the ball. Palmer, 85 and T. J. Championship are must-starts every single week. Even if Rudi Johnson is a surprise active, he'll likely remain uninvolved, just like in Week 6. Kenny Watson is a decent play in his place.

Bears @ Eagles
Bear Offense - Receiving: 230.2 (18), Rushing: 82.7 (27)
Eagle Defense - Receiving: 224.8 (13), Rushing: 91.2 (9)

Eagle Offense - Receiving: 244.2 (10), Rushing: 131 (10)
Bear Defense - Receiving: 245.2 (23), Rushing: 134.2 (26)

START: Cedric Benson, Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Kevin Curtis, Reggie Brown
CONSIDER: Brian Griese, Bernard Berrian, Bear Defense, Eagle Defense
BENCH: Muhsin Muhammad, Desmond Clark, Greg Olsen

Benson makes a nice start given how Thomas Jones sliced through the Eagle run defense in Week 6, despite the Eagles having a good defense. The Bear Defense, on the other hand, just isn't anywhere near as good as advertised. If you start them, just hope that Devin Hester breaks a return. McNabb rediscovered Reggie Brown in Week 6, and it will be interesting to see if he can overtake Curtis for WR1 status on the team. McNabb being able to successfully utilize both of them is key to his success. Brian Westbrook should put up solid numbers, as usual, both rushing and receiving.

Rams @ Seahawks
Ram Offense - Receiving: 210.7 (23), Rushing: 87.5 (25)
Seahawk Defense - Receiving: 238.5 (22), Rushing: 116.5 (18)

Seahawk Offense - Receiving: 252.7 (9), Rushing: 91.3 (22)
Ram Defense - Receiving: 214.8 (8), Rushing: 134.5 (27)

START: Torry Holt, Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, Bobby Engram, Seahawk Defense
CONSIDER: Marc Bulger, Brian Leonard, Isaac Bruce
BENCH: Steven Jackson (out), Drew Bennett (check), Travis Taylor, Randy McMichael, Nate Burleson, D.J. Hackett (check), Courtney Taylor

The return of Bulger and the likely return of Bruce isn't going to magically transform the Ram Offense back into "The Greatest Show On Turf". Luckily for the owners of Holt and Bruce, their values will increase with Bulger's return, assuming Bulger's ribs are in better shape than when we last saw him. If Shaun Alexander has anything at all left in his tank, he will show it this week against a poor Ram rush D. Despite the Rams having a solid pass defense, look for the Seahawks to sling it, like they love to do. Brian Leonard is worth some thought this week. He was bad last week, but who isn't against the Ravens?

Vikings @ Cowboys
Viking Offense - Receiving: 183.6 (28), Rushing: 170.2 (1)
Cowboy Defense - Receiving: 251.3 (26), Rushing: 79.7 (6)

Cowboy Offense - Receiving: 284.5 (5), Rushing: 130.8 (11)
Viking Defense - Receiving: 304.6 (32), Rushing: 66.2 (2)

START: Adrian Peterson, Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Patrick Crayton, Jason Witten, Cowboy Defense
CONSIDER: Marion Barber III
BENCH: Tarvaris Jackson, Viking Defense, Julius Jones

You don't see any Viking WR's listed up there, because you shouldn't own any of them. The Vikings are rock solid against the run, so if you have more attractive options than MB3, you should go with them. MB3 has a knack for finding the end zone, though, making him tough to bench. The Vikings can't slow down the pass, which is great news for owners of Romo, TO and Crayton. After seeing him shred the Bears in Week 6, is there any doubt that Purple Jesus should be in your lineup every single week?

Sunday Night Football

Steelers @ Broncos
Steeler Offense - Receiving: 202.6 (26), Rushing: 167 (2)
Bronco Defense - Receiving: 157.4 (1), Rushing: 187.6 (32)

Bronco Offense - Receiving: 231.6 (17), Rushing: 138.8 (8)
Steeler Defense - Receiving: 185.6 (3), Rushing: 72.6 (4)

START: Willie Parker, Heath Miller, Steeler Defense
CONSIDER: Travis Henry, Brandon Marshall
BENCH: Ben Roethlisberger, Najeh Davenport, Hines Ward (check), Santonio Holmes (check), Jay Cutler, Selvin Young, Javon Walker (out), Brandon Stokley, Tony Scheffler, Bronco Defense

Look for a whole lot of Willie Parker this game. A WHOLE lot. The Broncos are great against the pass, but absolutely terrible against the run. Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes should both return this week, but they face a tough test. The value of the Bronco offensive players, especially Jay Cutler drops given that Javon Walker will be out from 6 weeks up to possibly the rest of the season. Still, defenses can't ignore Brandon Marshall. That should also remove a little bit of the pressure from Travis Henry. Word is that the Broncos may try lining up Selvin Young as a WR at times, but Brandon Stokley is now a starting WR. Look for the Broncos to struggle to put up points in this game.

Monday Night Football

Colts @ Jaguars
Colt Offense - Receiving: 263.8 (7), Rushing: 142 (5)
Jaguar Defense - Receiving: 224 (11), Rushing: 96.4 (10)

Jaguar Offense - Receiving: 213.8 (22), Rushing: 154.8 (4)
Colt Defense - Receiving: 181.6 (2), Rushing: 105.4 (13)

START: Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Marvin Harrison (check), Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Maurice Jones-Drew
CONSIDER: Fred Taylor
BENCH: Colt Defense, David Garrard, Dennis Northcutt, Reggie Williams, Marcedes Lewis, Jaguar Defense

Marvin Harrison isn't a lock to play, but it's looking like he'll be active. Still, if you have similar, safer option, perhaps you should go with them, given that this game is on Monday night. The tough Jags D will get all they can handle in this one, but don't completely count them out. Still, play it safe and bench both defenses. The Colts still struggle with poor tackling on the run, so keep MJD active. David Garrard doesn't turn the ball over, but this is a very unfavorable match up for him.

Beating the House--Week 7

I have to start off by saying that I neglected to make two changes last week due to time constraints...and being ridiculously hungover...came to my senses and reversed my Dolphins call to Cleveland covering and also made the Patriots my "pick of the week" as I forgot to plug that in...had a respectable showing that made up for the Week 5 disastro totale...for you fans of this site and FANTASY CHATTER (see sidebar--sign up!), please be assured that I covered King Ding Aling's markers when I got a knock on my door late last night...hey, he picked my four losers to play! Onward and upward...

Arizona (+8.5) at Washington--Whoever gets the start for the Cardinals gets rewarded by being run ragged by the stifling Skins D...the Wonder Duo of Fitzgerald (nice Irish kid) and Boldin will be contained so they don't stand a chance... this is my pick of the week: Redskins.

Atlanta (+9) at New Orleans--Nice of the Saints to finally show up for the 2007 NFL season...Falcons were predictably pathetic on MNF and, as I predicted, will now trot out Lefty at QB...shouldn't matter if Brees has truly found his mojo...pick: Saints.

Baltimore (-3) at Buffalo--Bills have had two weeks to stew over blown game to Cowboys on national TV...both offenses will sputter along and this won't be fun to watch...Bills keep it close if they don't win outright...pick: Bills.

Minnesota (+9) at Dallas--Vikes have the misfortune of playing the bully who finally got his ass kicked...you generally do NOT want to be the next kid going up against him...Romo will beat them through the air and defense will chip in...pick: Cowboys.

New England (-16) at Miami--Home dogs have covered 75% of the time so far this year...and Miami spells "I maim" backwards...trying to talk myself into taking huge points but also said I wouldn't go against Pats until they made me...they haven't yet and are still sending a message to the rest of the league...pick: Patriots.

San Francisco (+9) at New York Giants--The GMen have really played as well as anyone over the last four weeks and I don't see any team led by Trent Dilfer as being that much of a threat...Giants make it five in a row at home and keep Plax's TD streak alive as well...pick: Giants.

Tampa Bay (+2.5) at Detroit--Lions must be chomping at the bit to play again after utter embarrassment in DC two weeks ago...we all know that a Mike Martz offense can't play on grass...thank God they're home this time...pick: Lions.

Tennessee (-1.5) at Houston--Vince is a game-time decision...my pick won't be...Texans regroup at home and take care of business...Schaub is capable enough to generate a couple of scores against this tough Titans D...gotta love this home dog...pick: Texans.

Kansas City (+3) at Oakland--Who the hell wants to play in the Black Hole (I've been there, it's scary) so close to Halloween? Surely not the Chiefs...look for a letdown after last week's somewhat surprising home victory over Cincy...if Daunte keeps his mistakes to a minimum, Raiders win despite big game from LJ...pick: Raiders.

New York Jets (+6) at Cincinnati--Both teams are huge disappointments but this battle will be won by the Bungles...even if they can't stop anyone, they have too much firepower on offense...Pennigton and Coles are not right so Jets won't keep up...pick: Bengals.

Chicago (+5.5) at Philadelphia--Whatever swagger Bears regained in GB, they quickly lost it again after being run over by Purple Jesus last week at home...Griese has done a nice job at QB but will it be enough? Eagles are tough to figure as well as they should have demolished the Jets but just couldn't put them away...too many points here...pick: Bears.

St. Louis (+9) at Seattle--The return of Marc Bulger should give the Rams a bit of a lift offensively but this team is still a mess...Seahawks are regressing before our eyes and Shaun Alexander is a shadow of his former self...going to take another chance on Rams with the points but will probably regret it...again...pick: Rams.

Pittsburgh (-3.5) at Denver--FWP should be able to run wild and Big Ben gets his top two WRs back...defense is doing their best "Steel Curtain" impression...Broncos have that caged animal look to them which makes them dangerous at home...but I still can't buy into them at all...I see many bong hits for Travis Henry after this one...pick: Steelers.

Indianapolis (-3) at Jacksonville--Jags looked impressive for second week in a row and usually give Colts a good fight but can't take them here...Indy is healthy, rested and out to prove they are as good as Patriots...even if we all know they aren't...pick: Colts.

Last Week: 7-4-2 To Date: 46-36-7

Kings Plays of the Week!!! Week 7

More Surgery for Javon Walker

Denver WR Javon Walker will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee (the same one that was reconstructed in 2005) on Friday.
Mike Shanahan has stated that Walker will be out for "a few weeks."
The Denver Post reports that it will be four weeks.

This is bad news for the fantasy value of Jay Cutler.
It may or may not give Brandon Marshall a slight bump, although he should see more double-coverage.
Brandon Stokley will start opposite Marshall, and Glenn Martinez moves into the WR3 role.

Unleashing KJ

The Detroit Lions have officially confirmed that Kevin Jones will start in Week 7 over Tatum Bell.
Those of you that grabbed KJ late in drafts, or stole him off of waivers are about to be rewarded with a nice RB2. KJ is a constant threat to get injured, but he fits in nicely with Mike Martz's Detroit offense.

In Atlanta, it has been announced that Byron Leftwich will be the starting QB in Week 7 against the Saints. It does not bear well for Joey Harrington that he still gets benched while having his best statistical season. Leftwich is not someone that you want starting for your fantasy squad unless you're in a complete fit of desperation.

Marc Bulger should re-take the reigns from Gus Frerotte in Week 7. Torry Holt will likely be active, while Isaac Bruce and Drew Bennett are uncertain at this time.

In Seattle, Mike Holmgren has stated that he is uncertain who will start opposite Bobby Engram. Nate Burleson, D.J. Hackett and Courtney Taylor are all in the mix. If it is not Burleson, feel free to cut him loose.

Return of K-Rob

Koren Robinson has been reinstated by the NFL after a year-long substance abuse suspension.
He has been cleared to begin practicing with the Packers immediately.
While this story gets attention, K-Rob shouldn't have any fantasy impact, and you certainly should not drop anybody for him. He is firmly behind Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and James Jones on the WR depth chart in Green Bay. Plus, ya know, he hasn't actually played the game in over a year.
You remember Koren. Tall, fast, drops everything in sight. Former Seahawk, former Viking, seemingly impossible to find a picture of him in a Packer uniform, doesn't seem to exist according to nfl.com.
He's a decent kick returner, and he makes the Packers very deep at WR.
If you want a real-life WR4 on your team, knock yourself out.

In other news...
Kevin Faulk is suddenly a much more attractive option.
Laurence Maroney will allegedly once again be a game-time decision. We've seen how that's worked out the past few weeks. Even if he is active, he should lose some carries to Faulk.
Word on the street is that Sammy Morris will be out for a month with his chest injury.

Travis Taylor was signed by the Rams. Another former 1st Round WR that you should have absolutely no interest in.

Week 6 Fallout

Week 6 largely avoided major injuries. A first for 2007.
Let's take a look at what did happen.

Vince Young - QB - Tennessee Titans
Young left the game on Sunday with a quadriceps strain. Jeff Fisher is hopeful that Young can play in Week 7, and has stated that there is no need for any surgery. If he can't go, Kerry Collins will start.

Kurt Warner - QB - Arizona Cardinals
The first game after taking over as the primary QB, Warner goes down with a torn ligament in his non-throwing elbow. Speculation is that he may only miss 1 game (the Cards have a bye in Week 8). Tim Rattay should start in Week 7. Tim Hasselbeck has been signed as a backup. Yikes.

Brandon Jacobs - RB - New York Giants
Jacobs left MNF late with an ankle injury. It is not believed to be serious, and he should be good to go in Week 7. Still, there are concerns that he is struggling to much to stay on the field.

Sammy Morris - RB - New England Patriots
Everybody's favorite waiver grab now has a chest injury and word is that he'll be out a minimum of 2 games, possibly longer. Laurence Maroney should finally return in Week 7, although Kevin Faulk will also get some touches.

Ben Watson - TE - New England Patriots
Watson was pulled down from behind by Dallas' Roy Williams. Word is that he will be out at least 2 weeks. Kyle Brady takes over as interim starter.

Alex Smith - TE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Smith suffered an ankle injury on Sunday. He is questionably for Week 7, especially if it turns out to be a high ankle sprain.

Bubba Franks - TE - Green Bay Packers
Franks was carted off the field with a knee injury. It's a sprain, but this should firmly cement Donald Lee as The Pack's top TE option.

Lastly, this didn't happen in Week 6, but a semi-major trade has occurred.
The Dolphins have sent Chris Chambers to the Chargers for a 2nd round pick.
Chambers has always been a streaky player, and his effort is always in question.
Chambers will take over as San Diego's WR1, bumping Vincent Jackson and his "hands of stone" down, and probably bumping Eric Parker completely out of the picture.
Chambers will likely see fewer targets in San Diego than he saw in Miami, actually decreasing his value. If you're a Chambers owner, you should hype this trade up as much as possible and look to sell high on the hype. If you don't own him, do not buy. At best he's the #3 scoring option, behind LT and Gates.

Major Game Day Inactives - Week 6

Patriots - The Boston Herald has reported that Laurence Maroney will be inactive for Week 6. Make sure that Sammy Morris is in your lineup. So much for the "smart money". Maroney is confirmed inactive, Morris gets the start.

Browns - Jamal Lewis is out. Jason Wright will start in his place and is an option if you're desperate, since the Dolphins are terrible against the run.

Texans - You should already know that Andre Johnson is not playing this week. The big news here is that it is now being reported by the Houston Chronicle that Johnson may be out until Week 11.

Jaguars - Fred Taylor is ACTIVE. Still, Maurice Jones-Drew is a much better option.

Bengals - Rudi Johnson is also ACTIVE, but Kenny Watson will start. Watson will likely get more carries, but Rudi will likely be the goal-line back.

Redskins - Antwaan Randle El is surprisingly ACTIVE. He's an awfully risky play this week, but he is starting.

Ravens - Steve McNair is active. Kyle Boller will start and is actually an upgrade for the Raven offense.

Rams - Unsurprisingly, Isaac Bruce and Marc Bulger are both inactive. and Drew Bennett and Gus Frerotte are starting.

Cardinals - Anquan Boldin is out of the game today, Bryant Johnson gets another start.

Raiders - LaMont Jordan is ACTIVE, surprisingly enough. The Oakland backfield will likely be a true RBBC today, killing the fantasy value of everyone involved.

Stay tuned for more information.

Beating the House--Week 6

It seems that the picture I posted with last week's article was very fitting indeed...it showed me giving the choke sign during a Texas Hold 'Em game so naturally I proceeded to have a train wreck of a week with my picks...truly one of the worst showings I've ever had...the flip side is, there's nowhere to go but up so let's forge ahead to this week's slate of games...and, just in case, let's use a photo with a more positive vibe...yeah, that'll do nicely!

Cincinnati (-3) at Kansas City--The Chiefs struggled mightily last week against a solid defense but won't face one here...however, even if LJ gets going finally, I don't see them keeping up with the potent Bengals team that desperately needs a win...pick: Bengals.

Houston (+6) at Jacksonville--Texans swept Jags last year but will have a hard time winning here without Andre Johnson...if the Jags aren't caught looking ahead to next week's game against Indy, their defense should win this game for them...pick: Jaguars.

Miami (+4) at Cleveland--Miami lost a tough one last week but still covered the number...I see another close one here...it's essentially a field goal game between two terrible defenses...and a quarterback name Cleo...pick: Dolphins.

Minnesota (+5) at Chicago--I would like to say this is another FG game but the Bears got some of their swagger back at Lambeau last Sunday night...Griese is quietly efficient at QB even though he doesn't throw to his WRs...and I don't blame him...pick: Bears.

Philadelphia (-3.5) at New York Jets--Pennington has the short leash and knows it so I'm guessing he presses a bit and still manages to struggle against a banged-up Eagles secondary...At 1-3, Philly needs this one badly and Donovan won't let them lose...pick: Eagles.

St. Louis (+9.5) at Baltimore--This just in for those of you napping through the first five weeks of the season...Rams are scary bad...but they did put up a good fight against Cards and Frerotte seems to be clicking with his team...my condolences to anyone who has to watch the Ravens play on a weekly basis...pick: Rams.

Tennessee (+3) at Tampa Bay--In what should be a low-scoring affair, I like the Titans' running game better with LenDale and Vince...that should make the difference as I don't see a lot happening through the air...pick: Titans.

Washington (+3) at Green Bay--Tough game to call as Redskins are gaining steam and Jason Campbell's confidence grows...Pack gave their game away to the Bears but won't do it here...when in doubt, always go with Favre at home...pick: Packers.

Carolina (+4.5) at Arizona--I posted my pic with Kurt Warner two weeks ago and what happened...I go 9-5 and he eventually gets a starting gig again...no way I'm going against that kind of karma...pick: Cardinals.

New England (-5.5) at Dallas--Line is a bit inflated after Boys poor showing on MNF...once again, however, I see no reason to go against the Pats...ever...Belichick won't let them be distracted by all the "Battle of the Undefeated" talk and they will once again methodically take their opponent apart...wish it was a lower number but still...pick: Patriots.

Oakland (+9.5) at San Diego--I've seen a lot of people jumping on the points here as Bolts have struggled until last week...I think we see more of that team the rest of the way starting with a double-digit win at home over the Silver-and-Black...go LT go!...pick: Chargers.

New Orleans (+6.5) at Seattle--Seahawks were truly pathetic against Steelers that were missing many starters...Saints have been truly pathetic every time out...nod goes to the home team but Brees and Co. somehow manage to keep it close...pick: Saints.

New York Giants (-3.5) at Atlanta--GMen have been playing like they mean it and should continue to roll here...Harrington will be running for his life and maybe for the last time as a starter...Jacobs, Plax, Shockey and Eli pad their stats...pick: Giants.

Last Week: 4-9-1 To Date: 39-32-5