Tannehill, Ryan (QB, MIA) - Tannehill threw for 290 yards and a touchdown last week against the Colts. It was a solid performance from him. He has been outstanding at home. Luckily, the Titans have allowed the third most points against quarterbacks making Tannehill a good start in Week 10.

Fitzpatrick, Ryan (QB, BUF) - Tom Brady and the patriot offense is going to exploit the weak Buffalo defense likely putting the Bills in a early hole. Fitzpatrick will have to throw the ball a lot on Sunday which will give him an opportunity to put up a lot of fantasy points.

Ballard, Vick (RB, IND) - Ballard carried for 16 times for 60 yards and caught three passes for 38 yards last week. Donald Brown was active but didn't receive a carry, which could change this week. However, Ballard should be productive against the Jaguars defense that has allowed third most points against running backs.

Reece, Marcel (RB, OAK) - Reece caught eight passes for 95 yards with a touchdown last week. Both McFadden and Goodson seem questionable to play this week, so Reece could be a starting running back. The Ravens running defense has been struggling, so if Reece gets majority of carries, he should be productive.

Wells, Beanie (RB, ARI) - Great news for Wells! He is targeting to come back on the field in Week 12 against the Rams and is likely to take over the starting running back role. He should fill in fine for any fantasy owners who need the help at running back.

Richardson, Daryl (RB, STL) ­- Not a great matchup this week against the 49ers, however, Richardson has been more productive than Steven Jackson. Unfortunately Jackson wasn't dealt, so Richardson's work is limited.

Amendola, Danny (WR, STL) - Amendola is close to come back to the field this week. Once he is healthy, he will get Sam Bradford's attention. Amendola should be a good boost for wide receiver position for many fantasy owners.

Hilton, T.Y. (WR, IND) - Hilton caught six passes for 102 yards with a touchdown. As the Colts offense focus more on passing, Hilton's fantasy value increases. He led the team with 11 targets last week. Keep an eye on Hilton.

Gresham, Jermaine (TE, CIN) - Gresham caught six passes for 108 yards and was targeted eight times. The Bengals have been focusing on passing heavily as of late which is likely to continue against the Giants this week.

Chandler, Scott (TE, BUF) - When the Bills played the Patriots earlier this season; Chandler caught four passes for 62 yards with two touchdowns. This game is likely to feature a lot of passing which bodes well for Chandler.

Keller, Dustin (TE, NYJ) - Keller has been involved in a big part of the Jets offense in the past two games (14 receptions for 160 yards with a touchdown) and this is likely to continue.

New England Patriots D/ST - The Patriots defense has been decent this season and particularly better at home. The Bills are not the easiest opponent, but the Patriots should be alright.

Just like other weeks, unexpected performances by non-recognizable players and underperformances from big name players cause excitement and disappointment for owners. Here is the list of players who could help fantasy teams get in better shape.

Freeman, Josh (QB, TB) - For three weeks in a row Freeman has thrown three touchdown passes, putting him on fantasy owners' radar. Although the three teams that he had a poor defense, Freeman seems unstoppable at the moment.

Wilson, Russell (QB, SEA) - Wilson has been good at home. The last time at home against the Patriots, he threw 293 yards with three touchdowns. Wilson should be alright against the Vikings' defense.

Palmer, Carson (QB, OAK) - Palmer has been strong at home even against good defenses like the Chargers and the Steelers. Now, Palmer is facing the Buccaneers who have trouble in their secondary.

Thomas, Daniel (RB, MIA) - Thomas carried 15 times for 42 yards with a touchdown and caught a pass for three yards last week. Many of his carries came in garbage time, but Thomas scored early in the game, showing that he is the Dolphins' goal-line carrier. The Colts defense has not been too challenging this year, so Thomas could make a similar impact.

Jennings, Rashard (RB, JAC) - Jennings filled in well for injured Maurice Jones-Drew by rushing 17 times for 59 yards and catching six passes for 56 yards. He fumbled and lost the ball, but it was an impressive performance by Jennings. The home game against the Lions shouldn't be too difficult at this point.

Brown, Donald (RB, IND) - Brown carried 14 times for 80 yards last week. Although Brown and Ballard shared carries, both did a fine job against the weak Titans defense. Brown should get more carries this week against the Dolphins.

Richardson, Daryl (RB, STL) - Richardson carried seven times for 53 yards and caught four passes for -3 yards. He seems more reliable than Steven Jackson who carried the same amount but only rushed for 23 yards. The Rams aren't going to ignore Richardson's performance and he should be involved in more and more of the offense moving forward.

Stephens-Howling, LaRod (RB, ARI) - Stephens-Howling carried eight times for 6 yards and caught three passes for 32 yards. The brutal 49ers defense limited his ability last week, but the Packers defense should be less challenging in Week 9.

Young, Titus (WR, DET) - Young caught nine passes for 100 yards with two touchdowns last week. He had the best game of the season against the Seahawks at home and faces the paper-thin Jaguars secondary this week. Young should be decent again.

Shorts, Cecil (WR, JAC) - Shorts caught four passes for 79 yards with a touchdown and was targeted a team-high ten times last week. The Jaguars' offense isn't that impressive in general since Jones-Drew has been out for awhile, but two straight decent performances puts Shorts under fantasy owners' radar.

Gresham, Jermaine (TE, CIN) - Coming off of a bye week, Gresham faces a favorable matchup against the Broncos that have allowed the third most fantasy points to tight ends.

San Diego Chargers D/ST ­- When the San Diego Chargers played the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this season the Chargers' defense dominated. In Week 4 the San Diego's defense recorded two sacks, three interceptions and a defensive touchdown. The Chargers should be great again against a team that hasn't figured out their offense yet.

Washington Redskins D/ST - The Redskins have been decent at home and they should do alright in Week 9 against the Panthers. The Redskins' defense should be able to get some pressure on Cam Newton forcing him to commit turnovers.

Time to buy-low

1. McFadden, Darren (RB, OAK) - McFadden carried 19 times for 53 yards and caught four passes for 28 yards last week. He hasn't been as great as people expected so far, but McFadden has a favorable matchup for the rest of the season except for the week 10 against the Ravens. Based on the matchups, he could be a top 5 running back by the end of the season.

2. Turner, Michael (RB, ATL) - Turner didn't do so well in Week 6 thanks to Matt Ryan and his 3 interceptions. The Falcons have an easy schedule for the rest of the season and Turner should be productive.

3. Nicks, Hakeem (WR, NYG) - Nicks has been on the sideline due to an injury, but he is still a top-notch wide receiver. He hasn't done much so far except for Week 2 against the Buccaneers, but Nicks should be great as moving forward.

4. Britt, Kenny (WR, TEN) - Britt only caught four passes for 30 yards. The Titans were more into the running game last week. There is no way Johnson will be as productive for the rest of the season, keeping the passing game alive. Britt should be a decent option.

5. Newton, Cam (QB, CAR) - Newton is facing the touch Bears defense this week and he isn't likely going to do well, but after that, the panthers have easier matchups. Time to buy Newton this week or next week before he puts up a huge number!

6. Lloyd, Brandon (WR, NE) - Lloyd disappeared last week; he caught one pass for 6 yards but was targeted as much as Gronkowski and Welker. Lloyd should bounce back this week.

Time to sell

1. Ridley, Steavan (RB, NE) - Ridley hasn't done much since Week 5 because the New England offense has been passing more of late. Ridley's value isn't going to get better than this as the Patriots focusing on a passing game.

2. Spiller, CJ and Jackson, Fred (RB, BUF) - The Bills don't have a tough matchup except for the week 9 against the Texans, but still it is hard to trust a running back who shares carries.

3. Johnson, Calvin (WR, DET) - Johnson is great. He is still going to be productive, but not as much as his name value suggests. Stafford and the Lions' offense haven't been efficient and this affects Johnson's value.

Would rather not start this week if better options are available

1. Newton, Cam (QB, CAR) - The Bears defense has been too amazing. It is hard to start Newton even though he is a great quarterback.

2. Richardson, Trent (RB, CLE) - He is still suffering from a rib injury and is questionable against the Chargers. It is too risky even though the Chargers defense isn't outstanding.

3. Fitzgerald, Larry (WR, ARI) - The 49ers passing defense is too good. Fitzgerald is still going to catch some, but don't expect too much from him, at least for this week.

The football season is almost the half way over along with the fantasy football season. There are still plenty of good replacements out there who might perform better than many of fantasy owners' starting lineup. Here is the list of players who has potential to make fantasy owners happy.

Bye Week: Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills

1.Palmer, Carson (QB, OAK) - Palmer threw 298 yards with a touchdown (and one interception) and rushed six times for 14 yards with a touchdown last week. He fumbled twice and lost one. The Chiefs have allowed the 7th most points against quarterbacks this season.

1. Bradford, Sam (QB, STL) - Bradford threw 255 yards with a touchdown (and one interception) against the Packers last week. Bradford is not elite, but he should be okay against the Patriots defense who has allowed the 5th most points against fantasy quarterbacks.

2. Hasselbeck, Matt (QB, TEN) - The Titans last week were all about Chris Johnson who ran 195 yards with two touchdowns. When the running game is going well, the passing game should go well also especially against the weak Colts defense. Both Johnson and Hasselbeck could do well this week.

3. Freeman, Josh (QB, TB) - Freeman threw 420 yards with three touchdowns and rushed twice for 9 yards last week against New Orleans. The Saints' defense isn't good, but still Freeman's performance was outstanding. The Vikings' defense should be more challenging, but Freeman should be decent again.

4. Green, Alex (RB, GB) - Green rushed 20 times for 35 yards and caught four passes for 29 yards last week. Not an impressive day, but that was because Rodgers did all the work last week. The Jaguars' running defense is the third worst in NFL and Green should be productive this week.

5. Ballard, Vick (RB, IND) - Ballard rushed 20 times for 84 yards and caught one pass for 19 yards last week. The Colts are facing the Titans in Week 8. Tennessee has allowed the 4th most points against the running backs. Ballard should be decent.

6. Jennings, Rashard (RB, JAC) - Jennings carried 21 times for 44 yards with a touchdown and caught seven passes for 58 yards last week. He was utilized in both the rushing and passing game. Jennings now has a lot of value with Maurice Jones-Drew out for a while.

7. Stephens-Howling, LaRod (RB, ARI) - Stephens-Howling had an unexpected performance last week (104 rushing yards with a touchdown and 45 receiving yards). After a poor performance against the Bills, Stephens-Howling was a stud against the Vikings. However, now the Cardinals are facing the 49ers.... It is a touch matchup, but he is startable if the need is there.

8. Richardson, Daryl (RB, STL) - Although Steven Jackson scored last week, while Richardson didn't, Richardson should get attention from fantasy owners. He rushed for 36 yards (decent 4.5 yards per carry) and caught three passes for 43 yards. Even if he doesn't score, he puts up an okay number.

9. Avery, Donnie (WR, IND) - Avery caught four passes for 46 yards and was targeted six times last week. Avery keeps showing potential, but he isn't quite a stud yet. The Colts have a favorable matchup against the weak Titans passing defense, and Avery should be good to go.

10. Cobb, Randall (WR, GB) - Cobb caught eight passes for 89 yards with two touchdowns. While Greg Jennings is out, Cobb has been outstanding. He is going to be fine against the Jaguars this week.

11. Gordon, Josh (WR, CLE) - Gordon caught two passes for 59 yards with a touchdown last week and was targeted a team-high ten times. He has scored in three straight weeks and should be decent against the Chargers this week.

12. Miller, Heath (TE, PIT) - Miller caught six passes for 53 yards with a touchdown and was targeted eight times last week. The Redskins have allowed the second most points against tight ends, so Miller is likely to score again this week.

13. Keller, Dustin (TE, NYJ) - Keller caught seven passes for 93 yards with a touchdown last week. The quarterback Mark Sanchez threw enough to make Keller outstanding. Now, the Jets are hosting the Dolphins at home and Keller could score again.

14. San Diego Chargers D/ST - Against Cleveland Browns with questionable Trent Richardson. No more explanation is needed.

15. Detroit Lions D/ST - The Lions have done okay at home and the Seahawks' offense isn't that great.

16. New York Jets D/ST - The Jets' performance at home has been outstanding except for Week 4 against the 49ers. Besides that, they have done great against the Bills, the Texans, and the Colts. The Jets' D/ST should be top 5 this week.

More than one-third of the NFL season is over. That means there just 12 games left end up on top in your fantasy league. Fantasy football is just about to get more exciting. There are six teams that have a bye week, so the need of free agent pickup is more than usual. Hopefully, the players on the list help with fantasy owners!

Bye Week: Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Buccaneers

1. Fitzpatrick, Ryan (QB, Buf) - Fitzpatrick has been great in the Bills' two home games this season. Buffalo will take on Tennessee in Week 7. The Titans have allowed the third most points against the oppossing quarterbacks, so Fitzpatrick should be good to go.

2. Palmer, Carson (QB, Oak) - Just like Fitzpatrick, Palmer has been decent at home (even against the Chargers and the Steelers). The Jaguars should be easier for Palmer compared to the Falcons last week.

3. Green, Alex (RB, GB) - Green carried 22 times for 65 yards and caught a pass for eight yards. It looks like Green is the number one back. He should be productive against the Rams defense, which is definitely worse than the Texans defense Green faced last week.

4. Ballard, Vick (RB, Ind) - Ballard carried eight times for 25 yards and caught two passes for 17 yards last week. Not an impressive performance against the Jets, but he and the angry Colts should be better at home against the worst team in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns.

5. Jones, Felix (RB, Dal) - Murray is unlikely to play this week against the Panthers, so Jones has a chance to shine. Jones carried 18 times for 92 yards with a touchdown and caught a pass for 13 yards. The Panthers have allowed the fifth most points against the oppossing running back giving Jones a chance to be productive again.

6. Richardson, Daryl (RB, Stl) - Not necessarily for this week, but Richardson has potential to be a fantasy star in the near future. He carried 11 times for 76 yards and caught two passes for 23 yards last week. Even though Steven Jackson is healthy, Richardson carried as much as Jackson. This shows that Richardson might replace inefficient Jackson sometime soon.

7. Powell, William (RB, Ari) - LaRod Stephens-Howling started in Week 6, but struggled. Powell stepped in and carried 13 times for 70 yards. He also caught a pass for eight yards. The Vikings have a much better running defense than the Bills. They will pose a challenge for Powell this week, but he should be alright to fill in for a running back on a bye.

8. Williams, Mike (WR, TB) - Williams caught four passes for 113 yards with a touchdown last week against the Chiefs. This is two straight 100+ yards games for Williams. The Saints have allowed the third most points for wide receivers giving Williams another chance to shine this week.

9. Avery, Donnie (WR, IND) - Avery was targeted a team-high 12 times last week and had four receptions for 60 yards. He was targeted more than Wayne in Week 6. This isn't likely to happen again, but it does show that Avery is a big part of the Colts' offense. The good news is that the Browns have allowed the second most points to wide receivers and Avery should be good to go.

10. Gibson, Brandon (WR, Stl) - Gibson was targeted a team-high nine times and caught 7 passes for 91 yards against Miami. The old Packers are back now and the Rams are likely to throw a ball if they find themselves in a big hole early. Gibson might surprise fantasy owners this week.

11. Chandler, Scott (TE, Buf) - Chandler has been quiet since Week 4. However, the Titans have allowed the most points against tight ends. Chandler should find a red zone this week.

12. Fleener, Coby (TE, IND) - Fleener has been mediocre so far catching four passes for 42 yards last week. The Browns have been tough against tight ends, but Fleener should fill in fine for bye-week tight ends.

13. Graham, Shayne (K, Hou) - Kickers do matter in fantasy football. The Texans' offense has been great, so Graham has had a chance to kick more. He should be decent as long as the Texans' offense continues to click.

14. New England Patriots D/ST - At home against Sanchez. Forget about Shonne Greene who had a great game last week. He will never be that productive again this season!

15. Indianapolis Colts D/ST - At home against Brandon Weeden and the Cleveland Browns. It is going to take awhile for the Browns to achieve the second win of the season. The Colts defense should be able to hold down the Browns' offensive attack

The injury of star players always opens up a door for backups. Just like any other week, there were some star players who either underperformed or were injured. The players on this list should help fantasy teams in need of help.

Teams that have bye in Week 6 -Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New Orleans Saints.

1. Freeman, Josh (QB, TB) - After having a bye last week, the Buccaneers should be in a better shape, especially against the weak Chiefs defense. Freeman isn't an outstanding option, but he should be good enough to start for one week for those who are looking for a quarterback in free agency.

2. Kolb, Kevin (QB, ARI) - Kolb didn't perform well against the Rams last week. He threw for 289 yards and rushed once for two yards. It was a very disappointing performance from Kolb since he had scored 15+ fantasy points in three straight games. The Cardinals' running game isn't likely to improve this week since Ryan Williams and Beanie Wells are injured. This will give Kolb opportunities to throw as much as he did last week against the worst passing defense Bills in Week 6.

3. Stephens-Howling, LaRod (RB, ARI) - First Beanie Wells and now Ryan Williams is on Injury Reserve. Now Stephens-Howling has a chance to be a starting running back for the Cardinals. It is tempting to start him against the second worst running defense, the Bills, in Week 6.

4. Green, Alex (RB, GB) - Cedric Benson is out against the Texans in Week 6 and for the near future, so Green has a chance to be the primary back. The Texans' running defense is decent and Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers is likely going to do most of the work, but Green might snag a touchdown this week.

5. Best, Jahvid (RB, DET) - It is still questionable whether Best comes back soon, but it is worth noting a man who is capable of being a fantasy stud. Depending on how Mikel Leshoure performs while Best is gone, Best will be either a fantasy star or a big name bench guy.

6. Avery, Donnie (WR, IND) - Avery hasn't done much since Week 2. However, he still averages about nine targets per game (Thanks to Andrew Luck who throws average 44 times). Luck is likely to throw as much as he can, and Avery will be okay moving forward.

7. Kerley, Jeremy (WR, NYJ) - With Santonio Holmes is on injury reserve Kerley received a team-high nine targets last week. The Jets' passing offense isn't necessarily great and it is hard to predict how many targets Kerley gets from now on, but if he keeps up the targets, he should be okay.

8. Gibson, Brandon (WR, STL) -Amendola is out and somebody has to step up to be the Rams' number one receiver. Gibson is second on the team in targets after Amendola and has potential to be okay. It is tough not to start him in Week 6 against the Dolphins who have the tenth worst passing defense.

9. Williams, Mike (WR, TB) - Behind Vincent Jackson, Williams is clearly the number two receiver for the Buccaneers. As Freeman figures out the offense, Williams could be a decent option. He once had 964 receiving yards with 11 touchdowns just two years ago.

10. Wright, Kendall (WR, TEN) - Wright caught nine passes for 66 yards last week. He was targeted a team-high 11 times. The Titans offense (both passing and rushing) has been weak lately, but Wright has been doing what he is supposed to. The Steelers' passing defense isn't easy, but he is a more reliable option in the Titans offense.

11. Chandler, Scott (TE, BUF) - Last week was just embarrassing for the Bills, but Chandler still managed to catch four balls for 40 yards. The Bills were facing the 49ers, the team that can make any offense look like a high school team. The Cardinals' defense should be less challenging and Chandler is likely to grab a touchdown.

12. Cincinnati Bengals D/ST - It is hard to play bad against the worst NFL team. Yes, the Browns have Trent Richardson, but that is about it. The Browns fans are hoping to achieve the first win at home, but it seems questionable.

13. Miami Dolphins D/ST - Now, that the Rams' best receiver (Amendola) is out the offense is seriously lacking in weapons. The Rams' running back Steven Jackson hasn't been dominant and other offense besides Amendola has been quiet so far. The Dolphins should be fine at home in Week 6.

Surprising performances by unexpected players or disappointed play by early round picks are what makes fantasy football more interesting and unpredictable. Just like any other week, Week 4 produced fantasy stars and fantasy busts. The studs in Week 4 could be amazing for the rest of the season or it could only last a week i.e., Andre Brown. Here is a list of players who should be considered to be either sell-high or buy-low and who might not perform in their Week 5 matchup.

Time to buy-low before they get pricy

1. Williams, Ryan (RB, ARI) - Williams carried 13 times for only 26 yards last week against the Dolphins. Kevin Kolb threw 42 times against the Dolphins which took carries away from Cardinals running backs. Kolb probably won't throw 42 times again against the Rams giving more opportunities to the back field. Also, with Beanie Wells on the injured reserve with a toe injury Williams will see a lot of carries in the coming weeks. Now is a good time to pick him up for trade for him before he has a big game.

2. Lloyd, Brandon (WR, NE) - Lloyd has not been too bad in his first four weeks as a Patriot racking up 287 receiving yards and a touchdown. The most encouraging thing for Lloyd owners is that he continues to lead the team in targets with 40. Also, Tom Brady wasn't the Brady of old for in the three weeks of the season, but he seemed get back on track in Week 4. From now on it is the Brady show which is good news for Lloyd, Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski.

3. Hartline, Brian (WR, MIA) - Hartline has the most receiving yards in the NFL and has the third most targets in the league. Despite these numbers many fantasy owners aren't confident on him at the moment even after his huge performance in Week 4 (12 receptions for 253 yards with a touchdown). This is the time to buy Hartline before he people realize his value.

4. Witten, Jason (TE, DAL) - Witten has the second most targets among Tight Ends right after Jimmy Graham. He hadn't been a fantasy factor until last week (13 receptions for 112 yards with a touchdown). He isn't in Graham's or Gronkowski's level, but he should have value moving forward.

Time to sell-high before anything happens

1. Ridley, Stevan (RB, NE) - Ridley has been mentioned in articles many times right now. He is talented but plays for the New England Patriots. This team throws more than runs except for the last week and never sticks to just one running back. Now, Tom Bray is playing well and he isn't going to stop throwing now, especially against Peyton Manning in Week 5.

2. Bush, Reggie (RB, MIA) - Bush has potential. When he is healthy, he is dominant on the field, but when he is not 100%, his projection number frustrates fantasy owners. He was decent in Week 4 with 17 carries for 67 yards. Ryan Tannehill has been playing better as of late. As Tannehill feels more confident to throw, Bush might not be as productive.

3. Mathews, Ryan (RB, SD) - Mathews' season debut wasn't bad. He carried 14 times for 61 yards and caught two passes for 21 yards. He outperformed Jackie Battle in terms of yards per carry (4.4 vs. 2.6), but Battle performed better overall with 15 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown and 4 receptions for 42 yards with a touchdown. The Chargers aren't going to give Mathews a heavy workload right now due to his health and this could affect his fantasy value.

4. Spiller, CJ and Jackson, Fred (RB, BUF) - Both Spiller and Jackson are back on the field. This is not good for either of them. Just like the Panthers running backs (at least, the quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn't run), neither gets many carries.

Don't expect too much from them in Week 5

1. Colston, Marques (WR, NO) - Colston caught nine passes for 153 yards with a touchdown last week. He was absolutely amazing, so why is he in this list? Colston usually doesn't have two amazing weeks in a row. Also, the Chargers passing defense is the eighth best against opponents' wide receivers so far.

2. White, Roddy (WR, ATL) - White caught eight passes for 169 yards with two touchdowns. When White does great, Julio Jones does poorly. White should be okay because he is talented, but Jones is going to step up in Week 5.

Watch out! Might be off in Week 5

1. Jones, Julio (WR, ATL) - Forget about the Week 4. Jones is too talented to have two down weeks in a row. He will have 100+ yards and a touchdown, at least. Fun fact: the Redskins have given up the most points against opponents' wide receivers. He is one of the most dangerous wide receivers in Week 5.

2. Johnson, Andre (WR, HOU) - Johnson caught three passes for 56 yards in Week 4, nothing to be ecstatic about. He has been inconsistent for fantasy owners because the Texans have been so dominant that they do not need to throw the ball late in games. The Jets' defense is good enough that Johnson should be productive in Week 5.

With Week 4 in the books, fantasy football leagues are now near a quarter complete. There may be a select few owners who are sitting pretty right now but most are frustrated with an under performing team or at least need to make a few adjustments in their lineup. While the free agent market is slimming down, there are still players on waiver wire who could potentially give a team the boost it needs. Here is a list of players that should be helpful as moving forward.

Teams that have bye in Week 5 - Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1. Kolb, Kevin (QB, ARI) - As Larry Fitzgerald gets involved in the Cardinals' offense, now Kolb gets attention by fantasy owners. He threw 324 yards with three touchdowns (and two interceptions) against the Dolphins last week and is facing the Rams in Week 5. He isn't going to be amazing but will be productive enough to be considered as a starter.

2. Bolden, Brandon (RB, NE) - Bolden carried 16 times for 137 yards with a touchdown and caught one pass for 11 yards. He isn't likely to be this productive next week, but it is worth it to consider him for a bench spot in case the starting running back, Stevan Ridley, gets hurt.

3. Mendenhall, Rashard (RB, PIT) - Mendenhall is currently probable for Week 5 against the Eagles. His workload will be managed and he won't be too productive, but he is likely to be the starting running back in the near future. He is still available in many leagues and should be a solid option.

4. Battle, Jackie (RB, SD) - Against his old team, the Chiefs, Battle rushed 15 times for 39 yards with a touchdown and caught four passes for 42 yards with another touchdown. Although Ryan Mathews was more productive in terms of yards per carry, being involved in both rushing and passing is promising. He should be decent against the weak Saints' defense in Week 5.

5. Blount, LeGarrette (RB, TB) - Blount carried six times for 17 yards with a touchdown while Doug Martin carried eight times for 33 yards. Blount was a goal-line carrier and scored a touchdown. If Blount keeps scoring and has a big play in a game, his role should be increasing as moving forward.

6. Roberts, Andre (WR, ARI) - Roberts had six receptions for 118 yards with two touchdowns. He has been targeted 25 times in the past four games and his role in the Cardinals' passing game has been increasing. The opponent is going to primarily focus on Larry Fitzgerald, so Roberts will continue to be open.

7. Hawkins, Andrew (WR, CIN) - Hawkins caught three passes for 39 yards last week. He is not a fantasy star, but the Bengals are facing the Dolphins who have given up the eighth most points against opponents' wide receivers. A.J. Green will get the most targets, but Hawkins should be considered for Week 5.

8. Little, Greg (WR, CLE) - The Browns usually don't have many fantasy stars due to their weak offense, but Little should be considered for Week 5. He was targeted a team-high 10 times and caught four passes for 77 yards. He leads the team in targets and yards. Quarterback Brandon Weeden seems to throw more and more as the season goes on which adds value to Little. He should be fine against a Giants defense that has given up the seventh most points against the opponents' wide receivers this season.

9. Avery, Donnie (WR, IND) - Avery caught two passes for 28 yards in Week 3. Now the Colts are facing the Packers after their Bye Week. Avery has been targeted an average nine times per game and should be productive against a Packers defense that has given up the 13th most points against opposing wide receivers.

10. Pitta, Dennis (TE, BAL) - Pitta was absolutely disastrous for fantasy owners last week; he no catches and was targeted only twice. However, he still has the fourth most targets among tight ends and should be good against a weak Kansas City defense.

11. Minnesota Vikings D/ST - The Vikings are facing the Titans at home in Week 5. If the Vikings' defense continues to perform like it did against the Lions last week and the 49ers in Week 3 it will definitely have fantasy value.

12. New York Giants D/ST - The Giants are facing the Browns at home in Week 5. Cleveland Browns! As long as running back Trent Richardson is stopped, the Giants defense could be a fantasy stud in Week 5.

13. Cincinnati Bengals D/ST - The Bengals are facing the Dolphins in Week 5. The Dolphins running back Reggie Bush isn't 100% healthy, so the Dolphins are likely going to pass more. The Bengals should be alright

The Colts and the Steelers have byes in Week 4 leaving fantasy owners in need of replacements from free agency or the bench. Also potentially in need are owners of Week 3 injury victims Reggie Bush, CJ Spiller, Willis McGahee, and Beanie Wells. Their injuries don't seem too severe, but this definitely opens up room for backups. Here are recommended pickups for the upcoming week.

1. Thomas, Daniel (RB, MIA) - Reggie Bush suffered from a knee injury in Week 3, leaving Thomas free to carry 19 times for 69 yards with a touchdown, adding one reception for 11 yards. Bush might be active in week 4, but based on his injury history, Thomas shouldn't be a bad option for the future.

2. Choice, Tashard (RB, BUF) - C.J. Spiller suffered from a left shoulder injury in Week 3 opening the way for Choice who carried 20 times for 91 yards and caught two passes for eight yards. Since both Jackson and Spiller are likely out, Choice can be a decent option to fill in the running back spot for Week 4 at least, if not necessarily beyond.

3. Williams, Ryan (RB, ARI) - Beanie Wells suffered from a toe injury in Week 3 and is listed as questionable for Week 4. Williams carried 13 times for 83 yards and caught a pass for 12 more in Week 4. Wells hasn't been productive in the past three weeks (29 carries for 76 yards), so Williams will be a great option moving forward even if Wells returns in the future.

4. Ball, Lance (RB, DEN) - McGahee left the game in Week 3 after a rib injury and is questionable for Week 4. Ball carried seven times for 16 yards and caught a pass for two yards meanwhile. Not necessarily great numbers, but since the Raiders have allowed the ninth most points against opponents' running back so far, Ball should be okay in Week 4 against weaker competition.

5. Brown, Andre (RB, NYG) - Brown was mentioned in the last article and he performed exceptionally as the replacement for Bradshaw - Carried 20 times for 113 yards with two touchdowns and caught three times for 17 yards. Bradshaw will start in Week 4 but Brown has played well enough to earn some carries. Brown should be a solid option for Week 4 against the Eagles.

6. Hartline, Brian (WR, MIA) - Hartline didn't fare so well in Week 3 (one reception for 41 yards), but he was targeted nine times. In the past three weeks, he was targeted a team-high 29 times, and one bad week is unlikely to change that focus.

7. Avery, Donnie (WR, IND) - Avery caught two passes for 28 yards but was targeted nine times in Week 3. With 40 targets, Wayne is the go-to for Andrew Luck, but Avery is definitely the number two wide receiver and a solid pick as moving forward.

8. Pitta, Dennis (TE, BAL) - Pitta caught five passes for 50 yards and a touchdown last week. He has been targeted 31 times in the past three weeks, the same amount of targets as Jimmy Graham. Since the Ravens' passing and rushing offense have been outstanding, Pitta should be a stud moving forward.

9. Rudolph, Kyle (TE, MIN) - Rudolph caught five passes for 36 yards and two touchdowns. He isn't likely to score twice again but has been targeted enough to be considered as a fantasy starter. He will be a decent option against a Detroit defense that has been allowed the second most points to opponents' tight ends.

10. Bennett, Martellus (TE, NYG) - Bennett has scored in three straight games. Since Giants quarterback Eli Manning seems to be throwing more and more as the season goes on, Bennett could be an elite tight end by the end of the season.

11. Locker, Jake (QB, TEN) - Locker threw for 378 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for 35 yards against the Lions last week. The two passes to Jared Cook and Nate Washington, worth 132 yards with two touchdowns combined, were the keys for Locker's success in Week 3. However, as the Titans earned their first victory and with Britt coming back, Locker should be okay. The upcoming matchup against the Texans isn't favorable, but having Britt back should be encouraging.

Drafting well in fantasy football is important. After the draft fantasy football is all about picking up free agents and matchups. For example, even if the 49ers' defense is one of the best in the league, starting them against the team with a good offense is risky. On the contrary, starting the Redskins' defense against the Browns is a wise choice.

However, it is difficult to predict players' performances from week to week once the season starts. It is always a good idea avoid players who have an injury-history or performed well in only one year - consistency is what fantasy owners need from their players. Even though draft sheets made by sports experts say that a certain player will do well, some early rounds players underperform while some undrafted players become the fantasy stars by the end of the season.

Yes, some players need to be traded as soon as possible while some others require patience. Since the future is unpredictable, patience could be a waste of time; however the waiting process could be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Time to let them go:

1. Stafford, Matt (QB, DET) - Stafford left the game last week after a strained right leg and is currently questionable in Week 4. He might come back but hasn't necessarily performed well so far averaging 287.7 yards per game with a 68.9 completion percentage. He is not a running quarterback like Newton and RG3, so when his passing yards and touchdowns decrease, his fantasy value also decreases.

2. Spiller, CJ (RB, BUF) - Spiller left the game in Week 3 with a left shoulder injury and is listed as doubtful in Week 4. He should get the majority of carries if Fred Jackson is still out, but Jackson is likely coming back in Week 4 or Week 5 at the latest. Spiller will get fewer carries and is an injury-risk even when he gets back on the field.

3. Forte, Matt (RB, CHI) - Forte left the game in Week 2 and is questionable in Week 4. His backup, Michael Bush, was decent - 18 rushes for 55 yards and a touchdown and had two receptions for 18 yards in Week 3. Even when Forte was healthy, Bush still scored twice and performed well. Forte should be an okay option, but having a potential injury-risk, he should be traded when his value is high.

4. Jackson, Steven (RB, STL) - In the past three weeks, Jackson carried 41 times for 140 yards and has six receptions for 36 yards. The problem with Jackson is that he is an injury-risk player and already scared fantasy owners last week with a groin injury.

5. Fitzgerald, Larry (WR, ARI) - Fitzgerald did great in Week 3; caught nine passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. He should be okay as moving forward since the Cardinals' rushing offense gets better. However, he is an inconsistent fantasy option as moving forward.

Time to buy-low:

1. Johnson, Chris (RB, TEN) - Probably has given the most frustration to fantasy owners so far. In the past three weeks, he carried 33 times for only 45 yards and caught nine passes for 63 yards. The bright side is that Locker seemed better with Kenny Britt back last week. With Locker posing more of a passing threat, the defense will not be able to put all of its concentration on stopping Johnson. He is talented and might not necessarily be great against the Texans in Week 4, but he should be fine moving forward.

2. Turner, Michael (RB, ATL) - He has scored in two straight games but is still projected to produce a low amount of points in most leagues. Many people are down on him, but he should be a solid option as moving forward since the Falcons don't face great defenses.

3. Nelson, Jordy (WR, GB) - Nelson has been somewhat underperforming as the Packers' passing offense has not been productive. But now Jennings is back which may help the Packers' offense get back into a rhythm. Nelson should be a top-notch wide receiver by the end of season.

Week 1 in the NFL was full of surprises and introduced many new potential fantasy superstars. At quarterback, Robert Griffin III suddenly becomes both a fantasy star and a NFL star with his debut against Saints, while fellow rookie quarterback and No.1 draft pick Andrew Luck didn't show as much promise as people were expecting.

At running back, Alfred Morris and CJ Spiller were studs in Week 1 causing Roy Helu and Fred Jackson to significantly lose fantasy value. So even if you lost in Week 1, don't give up yet. Fantasy football is all about finding a good free agent pickup. These are some players that shined in Week 1 who give teams a boost in Week 2.

Boh's recommended pickups for Week 2:

1. Rashard Mendenhall (Pit, RB): Mendenhall fully participated in practice Wednesday and he is currently 'probable' for Pittsburgh's game versus the New York Jets. Since both Redman and Dwyer didn't make a great impression in Week 1, the chance that Mendenhall becomes a starting running back for the Steelers in the near future is very possible. I wouldn't start him in Week 2, but this is definitely the time to pick him up while he is still available.

2. Danny Amendola (Stl, WR): Amendola was targeted a team-high nine times and racked up 70 yards with five catches. He also had one carry for two yards. The Rams now face the Redskins whose defense isn't as stingy as the Lions' secondary that Amendola faced last week so there is a great chance that Amendola can be a big fantasy factor this week.

3. Kevin Ogletree (Dal, WR): Yes, Ogletree caught eight passes for 114 yards with two touchdowns last week in the NFL opener at the Giants. No, he won't do that again in Week 2, but he might get five catches with 60+ yards and a touchdown. Seattle's defense will be busy covering Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, so Ogletree could produce 10+ points this week again.

4. Randall Cobb/James Jones (GB, WR): Both combined for 13 receptions with 158 yards and a touchdown (15 targets combined), while the number one and two targets Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings combined for ten receptions with 97 yards and no touchdowns (16 targets combined). Since Jennings is questionable for Thursday's game and the Packers lost their first game, Rodgers will throw quite a lot to make Cobb and Jones again possible candidates for 10+ points in Week 2.

5. Alfred Morris (Was, RB): Where did he come from? Morris rushed 28 times for 96 yards with two touchdowns against the Saints. Don't get too excited yet. Under Head Coach Mike Shanahan, Redskins' running backs can be a stud one week and become a non-factor the next. At least, he made a good impression and his value is high right now. I recommend picking him up and trading him high before Week 3.

6. Bengals Defense: The Bengals defense is a good pickup for someone who needs an emergency defense just for Week 2. The Bengals are facing the Browns ineffective offense at home. Last week, the Ravens offense made the Bengals Defense look like a high school team but the way Weeden and Richardson played in week one against Eagles makes me feel confident that the Bengals Defense has value this week.

Boh's time to trade list: (Alfred Morris belongs to this list also)

1. Shonne Greene (NYJ, RB): Greene had 27 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown against the Bills. He was definitely a stud in Week 1. So why should you trade him? Well the Bills' defense cannot be compared to that of the Steelers and don't forget about the presence of Tim Tebow. Tebow carried 5 times and for only 11 yards in week one. But, we all know what he is capable of doing. It will be too late to trade Greene when Tebow carries as much as Greene later in the season.

2. Fred Jackson (Buf, RB): He will be out for at least for weeks and there is a chance that he might not come back until week six or even later. If the Bills have no running backs who step up during Jackson's absence then Jackson can stay on your bench but the way Spiller played against the Jets' defense makes me think that Jackson might not be the starting running back for Bills any more.

3. Marshawn Lynch (Sea, RB): Lynch rushed 21 times for 85 yards and caught two passes for 12 yards. Not too bad, but he has back spasms at the moment and I am not sure he can repeat his beast mode that he showed last season again this year. Also, the new rookie QB Wilson tends to run taking away rushing opportunities, which could limit Lynch's value.

4. Greg Jennings (GB, WR): Jennings is currently suffering from groin injury and the Packers have plenty of talent at the wide receiver position. His status against Bears in week two is doubtful and I don't know how this injury will affect his performance. Yet, his name value is high, so I would quickly sell him before it gets too late.

5. Trent Richardson (Cle, RB): Richardson rushed 19 times for 39 yards and one reception for five yards last week. Quite different from the glorious days at Alabama. Since Cleveland's quaterback Weeden isn't efficient either at the moment, so the opponent's focus will be more on Richardson. Chris Johnson (Ten, RB) was in a similar situation in the past 2 years.

6. Stevan Ridley (NE, RB): Ridley had 21 rushes for 125 yards with a touchdown and two receptions for 27 yards. He was a top five running back in Week 1 so it shouldn't be too get rid of him. The thing I don't know like about New England runningbacks is that Brady is too good. He throws so often and effectively he often makes Patriot running backs a non-fantasy factor. I am afraid it will happen to Ridley in the future.

#ThumbsUp!

Carson Palmer (QB, Oakland Raiders) - Palmer and the Raiders get the pleasure of taking on the Minnesota Vikings this week, a team who just placed their top cornerback Antoine Winfield on the season-ending Injured Reserve list. It looks like Oakland will still be without star running back Darren McFadden, and even though Michael Bush has looked great the Raiders will still throw the ball a lot. Palmer has over 600 yards and five touchdowns in his past two games, and he'll keep the hot streak going in Minnesota this Sunday.

Christian Ponder (QB, Minnesota Vikings) - Believe it or not, I think both quarterbacks in the Raiders-Vikings game finish with good days from a fantasy perspective. Ponder looked decent in his first game against the Packers, and I expect a similar shootout against the Raiders this week.

Marshawn Lynch (RB, Seattle Seahawks) - Lynch has found the end zone in five straight games, and he has run wild the past two weeks against two great rushing defenses (Dallas, Baltimore). He gets a much more favorable matchup in week 11 as his Seahawks do battle with the Rams. St. Louis allows nearly 20 fantasy points per game to opposing rushers.

Reggie Bush (RB, Miami Dolphins) - Bush has been a dreadful fantasy running back for most of his NFL career, but he looks rejuvenated on this Dolphins squad. Over his past three games, Bush has put up 11, 20 and 16 fantasy points, including three touchdowns in his past two outings. This week the Dolphins play the Buffalo Bills, who have looked pretty bad after a hot start. I think the Dolphins win this game, and Bush scores another touchdown.

Brandon Marshall (WR, Miami Dolphins) - While I think Bush dominates the ground game, it will be Marshall who tears it up through the air for the Dolphins. Marshall is head and shoulders above the rest of Miami's receiving options, and he'll have a pre-Thanksgiving feast against Buffalo's sixth-worst pass defense.

Denarius Moore (WR, Oakland Raiders) - Speaking of bad pass defenses, the Vikings happen to have the third-worst, allowing an average of 273 yards per game. Moore looks like Palmer's favorite target after his first few games, so he makes for a good fantasy play this week.

Kellen Winslow, Jr. (TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - The Bucs are going to have to throw the ball if they want to keep up with the 9-0 Green Bay Packers. Green Bay has a great rushing defense but is terrible against the pass, so Josh Freeman will be dropping back for most of the afternoon. Mike Williams has been a huge disappointment this year, so Winslow will have to pick up the slack.

Dallas Cowboys defense - They've been really solid for the most part, and this week they a face division rival, the Washington Redskins. Regardless of which quarterback the 'Skins use, DeMarcus Ware and the rest of the Cowboys will make him look foolish. Dallas quietly has a top 10 fantasy defense this season, so grab them this week if you're in need.

#ThumbsDown

Vince Young (QB, Philadelphia Eagles) - Even if you're desperate for a quarterback play this week, don't you dare turn to VY. Say what you want about Eagles first stringer Michael Vick, but he is definitely a much more talented player than Young. Also, keep in mind that Young has one attempted pass as an Eagle, and it was intercepted. Stay far away from Young and everyone else in the Eagles' passing game as they travel to New York to play the Giants on Sunday night.

Beanie Wells (RB, Arizona Cardinals) - No running back playing against San Francisco has put up more than 13 fantasy points in a game this year. I don't expect Beanie to be the first. The Cardinals will try to keep the momentum going between John Skelton and Larry Fitzgerald, and that means there are better options than Wells this week.

A.J. Green (WR, Cincinnati Bengals) - As of this writing he hadn't been ruled out for the Bengals tilt with the Ravens. Even if he does end up playing, he won't be nearly as capable as he usually is after hyperextending his knee last week. Don't even risk it, keep him out of your lineup. With that said, I like his backup Jerome Simpson if you need a replacement wide receiver.

MVP by Position

Quarterback: Tom Brady (329 yards, 3 PaTD) 

Many people were scared off by the seemingly frightening matchup with Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and the rest of the Jets defense, so props to you if you kept him in your lineup. Even with Brady's favorite target Wes Welker shut down by Revis, the Pats' signal-caller was still able to shred the rest of the Jets' secondary and put New England in a great spot in the AFC East division race.

Running back: Michael Bush (242 yards, TD)

Bush continues to shine in Darren McFadden's absence. It would be a surprise if Oakland rushes 'Run DMC' back from his foot injury at this point. He broke some of Bo Jackson's old Raiders' records this week and looked a lot like the former on one particular 55-yard catch-and-run. Bush remains a great fantasy option as long as McFadden is sidelined.

Wide receiver: Larry Fitzgerald (146 yards, 2 TD)

Yikes, was I wrong about this one or what? I put Fitzgerald in #ThumbsDown on Friday because I assumed the combo of Nnamdi Asomugha and Asante Samuel would cause John Skelton problems. Well, Skelton went to him over and over, including one ridiculous play that left Fitzgerald one yard short of the end zone (that's correct, he almost had ANOTHER touchdown). Fitz is one of the most talented players in the league; with the only thing stopping him from putting up Calvin Johnson-type numbers this year is the Cardinals' quarterbacks.

Tightend: Rob Gronkowski (13 yards, 2 TD)

Gronk has been extremely consistent so far this season and Brady found him for two crucial scores in the Pats' big win over the Jets. The difference between Gronkowski and fellow Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez (41 yards) isn't that large, but it is worth noting that Gronkowski was targeted more than twice as much this week.

Defense/Special Teams: Chicago Bears (13 points allowed, 2 Sacks, 4 INT, 2 Fumbles Recovered, 3 TD)

This was the most impressive performance by a fantasy defense in a long time. The Bears got the ball rolling with yet another Devin Hester return touchdown, the 17th of his career. Then, in a span of about two minutes in the third quarter, the Bears returned two Matthew Stafford interceptions for touchdowns. It was all downhill from there for Stafford, besides one garbage time touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler.

Last Friday's Predictions

It was a great week for #ThumbsUp! this time around, as both Mark Sanchez and Matt Ryan finished among the top 10 quarterbacks, Chris Johnson and Ben Tate were within the 15 running backs, and the Jacksonville Jaguars defense hassled Curtis Painter on their way to being a top five fantasy defense. Even Antonio Brown served his purpose, racking up 86 yards as Big Ben Roethlisberger's new second favorite target.

I already mentioned how off I was on Larry Fitzgerald this week (sorry!), but the other two guys in #ThumbsDown were pretty terrible. Giants' running back Brandon Jacobs was stifled by the 49ers' defense, finishing with only 82 total yards and no scores. And quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick looked awful again this week, throwing three interceptions and less than 150 yards. The bloom has really come off the rose for Fitzpatrick, who now has five picks and just two touchdown passes in his past two outings.

Waiver Wire Pickups

John Skelton (QB, Arizona Cardinals) - At this point in time, there's no reason for the Cardinals to bring Kevin Kolb back as their quarterback unless he's completely healthy or if Skelton starts to put up stinkers. Skelton is obviously the type of guy who will throw a couple picks a game, but he can still put up big numbers to outweigh those negatives. He led the Cardinals on three scoring drives this week, good enough to beat the Eagles. If he continues to connect with Fitzgerald like he did this week, then he could earn the starting quarterback position for the rest of the year.

Kendall Hunter (RB, San Francisco 49ers) - We've seen this show before: 49ers' running back Frank Gore has had a great fantasy year so far, but now injuries are beginning to derail his train. Gore missed most of San Fran's week ten win over the New York Giants with a knee injury, and his history of leg problems dates back to college. Hunter has proven to be a solid backup in his stead and he's a must-have for Gore owners. If you don't own Gore but do have an empty spot on your roster, it might be worth the gamble to snag Hunter in case Gore misses time in the future.

Harry Douglas (WR, Atlanta Falcons) - I've already written about Denarius Moore, Laurent Robinson and Antonio Brown, so I won't put them in the pickups section again. Douglas was another guy who took advantage of an injury this week, this one to Falcons' second wide receiver Julio Jones. Jones has been in and out of the Falcons' lineup for a lot of this season and Douglas took full advantage this time. He led the team in catches, targets and yards (8, 14, 136) and looks like a good fantasy option since Jones' body is struggling with the transition to the NFL so far.

#ThumbsUp!

Mark Sanchez (QB, New York Jets) - Hopefully your quarterback situation isn’t bad since there aren’t any teams on bye this week, but if you had crappy options to begin with, then you could definitely do worse than Sanchez. The Jets take on the Patriots in East Rutherford, and Sanchez had one of his best games this year when the two faced off a month ago. A repeat performance should be in store as the Jets look to even the season series.

Matt Ryan (QB, Atlanta Falcons) - As everyone knows by now, Ryan is a much better player in home games. This week the Falcons host the Saints, and the game figures to be a shootout. If Ryan can continue to improve his connection with rookie wideout Julio Jones then the Falcons’ offense can become very dangerous.

Chris Johnson (RB, Tennessee Titans) - I put him here because he isn’t an automatic, no-brainer start at this point in the season. CJ has been downright awful so far, topping 65 rushing yards in just one of his eight games. He did show signs of life last week with 110 total yards on 18 touches, and his Titans take on the Panthers and their worst-ranked fantasy rushing defense in week 10. Watch Johnson rack up big points for your squad this week and then trade him away at his peak value.

Ben Tate (RB, Houston Texans) - Most people have probably cut him by now, but Tate has still got some sneaky-good rushing totals even after Arian Foster came back from injury. Tate’s season average of 5.7 yards per rush is tops in the league among guys with more than 80 carries, and he quietly put up over 100 yards in two of his past three games. Houston plays Tampa Bay this week, a team who has been destroyed by opposing running backs in their past two games (Chicago, New Orleans). Foster is still the guy you want for the Texans, but Tate is proving to be quite useful as well.

Antonio Brown (WR, Pittsburgh Steelers) - Brown has been top-notch ever since he effectively replaced Hines Ward as the Steelers’ number two receiver. He has double digit fantasy points in three straight games, including last week against Baltimore’s strong defensive group. This week Pittsburgh has a key AFC North matchup against Cincinnati, who has shutdown cornerback Leon Hall. The good news is that Hall should stick to speedster Mike Wallace, leaving Brown to pick apart the rest of the Bengals’ defense.

Any Packers’ Pass Catcher - At this point it’s obvious that Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley deserve to be started every week. But this Sunday, when the Packers do battle with the Vikings for the second time in four weeks, you can dig even deeper than that if you’re feeling desperate. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was a machine in week seven against the Vikes as he completed 80% of his passes, and you can expect much of the same this time around. So Jordy Nelson and James Jones make for decent flex plays, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Randall Cobb or Donald Driver struck end zone gold as well.

Greg Olsen (TE, Carolina Panthers) - Olsen is underrated to begin with, but this week he should take advantage of a great situation. The Panthers’ opponent for week 10 is the Tennessee Titans, who have given up five tight end touchdowns in their past five games.

Jacksonville Jaguars defense - Colts’ quarterback Curtis Painter has some serious flaws, and the most apparent one is his inability to handle pressure. In the games since he took over for the injured Kerry Collins, Painter has looked like a decent player against poor pass-rushing teams and a train wreck against teams that bring the heat. He faces the Jaguars this week, who are ninth in the league in sacks. Not only will the Jags add to their sack total, but they’ll also hurry some throws and contribute a few more interceptions as well.

　

#ThumbsDown

Josh Freeman (QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - Freeman has done a great “Jekyll and Hyde” impersonation this year, having four games with a QB rating over 90 but also three under 60. This week against the Texans looks like another bad game for him, as Houston allows roughly 10 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.

Brandon Jacobs (RB, New York Giants) - After the news came out that Giants’ starter Ahmad Bradshaw would be sidelined for the second week in a row, Jacobs looked like a good replacement option. He rumbled in for a 10-yard touchdown last week in New England, finished with 100 total yards and third-string running back D.J. Ware was practically invisible. So why does he find himself in #ThumbsDown this week? It’s because of the Giants’ matchup with the 49ers, who allow less than nine fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. The San Francisco defense, led by tackling-machines NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis, has yet to give up a rushing touchdown. I don’t like Jacobs’ odds this Sunday.

Larry Fitzgerald (WR, Arizona Cardinals) - The Eagles’ “dream team” obviously isn’t all it was made out to be, but there’s no denying that cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Asante Samuel are among the cream of the crop at their position. With Kevin Kolb already ruled out for this week, Fitz has to work with Cardinals’ backup John Skelton once again. The two did manage a fourth quarter touchdown against the Rams last week, but Skelton had a lot of trouble completing passes to Fitzgerald earlier in the game. If you have other decent options at wide receiver this week I would seriously mull them over.

QB: Philip Rivers: 385 yards, 4 PaTD, 3 INT - Rivers looked awful early in the game, as two of his first quarter passes were intercepted and returned for touchdowns. He really ratcheted up the intensity as the Chargers tried to mount a late comeback, throwing three touchdown passes in an 11 minute span during the second half. Rivers obviously isn't the fantasy superstar that he used to be and this great game came against a notoriously bad pass defense, but it was encouraging to see him put up some video game-type numbers this week.

RB: Willis McGahee: 163 yards, 2 TD - McGahee absolutely killed it as the Broncos tried to run out the clock, notching two touchdowns in the second half. His yards per carry was solid even without the 60-yard touchdown run, and I think he's a must-start against bad run defenses going forward.

WR: Vincent Jackson: 141 yards, 3 TD - Jackson narrowly beat out Falcons' rookie Julio Jones (164 yards, 2 TD) for this week's wide receiver MVP award. Most of Jackson's damage came in the fourth quarter when the Packers were playing very conservative defense, but his fantasy owners don't care. I actually think this gigantic game plus Jackson's injury history make him a perfect sell-high opportunity, so look around your league and extend some trade offers.

TE: Rob Gronkowski: 101 yards, TD - Both Gronk and fellow Patriots' tight end Aaron Hernandez found the end zone against the Giants as the duo are proving that their respective successes are not mutually exclusive. Gronkowski finished the day with 15 targets, or two higher than the highest wide receiver this week (Brandon Lloyd). Clearly New England quarterback Tom Brady likes having Gronkowski as a safety valve.

Defense/Special Teams: Arizona Cardinals: 13 points allowed, 4 Sacks, INT, ReTD - It took several minutes of extra time, but the Cardinals became the week's top scoring fantasy defense when rookie Patrick Peterson returned a Rams punt 99 yards to the house. Even before that game-winner, the Cardinals' normally atrocious secondary had put up decent numbers. This game showed us that contrary to their week eight domination of the Saints, the Rams' offense is actually pretty miserable. The team defense that plays them each week remains a good option for fantasy purposes.

Last Friday's Predictions

As always, there were some good recommendations (McGahee, Victor Cruz) along with some bad ones (Beanie Wells, Matt Cassel). But the most important thing to note was Darrius Heyward-Bey's total absence from the Raiders' game plan. I had put Heyward-Bey in the #ThumbsUp! section, as I expected his numbers to improve as he got used to new quarterback Carson Palmer. Boy, was I wrong. DHB didn't catch a single pass and was targeted only once. If Palmer is going to pass the way he did on Sunday (332 yards, 3 PaTD, 3 INT), then it's clear that at least one of the Raiders' wide receivers will have value. Selecting the correct receiver may be tough, but I have my money on Denarius Moore (as you'll find out in the Waiver Wire Pickups section).

Of the three players in #ThumbsDown, none had especially good days. Ryan Fitzpatrick (191 yards, PaTD, 2 INT) was the worst, as the Jets' defense seemed to have his number all afternoon. Until a garbage-time touchdown pass and two-point conversion with three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Fitzpatrick was stuck on three fantasy points, which is truly horrible for a quarterback. Fitzpatrick's favorite target Stevie Johnson (84 yards) escaped for one long catch, but was otherwise shut down by Jets' cornerback Darrelle Revis. Rashard Mendenhall (55 yards, TD) had a rough night against the Ravens front seven, but managed a short fourth quarter touchdown to salvage his fantasy value.

Waiver Wire Pickups

Roy Helu (RB, Washington Redskins) - I've included him in this section before, but he's still available in a lot of leagues. He was the owner of one of the most interesting week nine stats, with 17 targets from Redskins' quarterback John Beck. Those 17 looks were good enough to lead the NFL this week, and it's clear that the Redskins like him more than Ryan Torain in the passing game. Washington's offense has looked horrific the past few weeks, and I foresee a lot of losses in their near future. That means lots of passing, and it also means they'll continue to give their rookie back chances as they try to gauge his value.

Denarius Moore (WR, Oakland Raiders) - He only finished with four catches for 61 yards, but it's the high number of targets that make him a good pickup after week nine. The Raiders' new quarterback Carson Palmer threw the ball his way 12 times in Sunday's loss to the Broncos, twice as many as the next most-targeted player, Jacoby Ford. Obviously their rhythm isn't quite there yet, but Palmer and Moore have all year to get in sync. You should stash Moore on your bench before he blows up, then reap the benefits for the second half of the year.

Laurent Robinson (WR, Dallas Cowboys) - Robinson caught what was essentially the game-winning score for the Cowboys, and finished the day with five catches for 32 yards. Those numbers don't seem remarkable, but he makes a decent pickup after the news that Miles Austin's latest injury will sideline him for up to a month. Keep in mind that Robinson already has two 100-yard games this year.

#ThumbsUp!

Eli Manning (QB, New York Giants) - The Giants play the Patriots this week, and the youngest Manning brother has a habit of playing well in games he's not expected to win (but also playing poorly in games he should dominate). He has a QB rating of over 90 in each of his past six games, and the Pats are dead last in pass defense this year. Manning will help the Giants remain in striking distance for most of this game by keeping the Patriots defense on its heels. I wouldn't be shocked if he threw for over 400 yards this week, so make sure you get him in your lineup.

Matt Cassel (QB, Kansas City Chiefs) - Cassel and the Chiefs host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, and Cassel serves as a solid bye week fill-in if you have Matthew Stafford or Cam Newton on your team. The Dolphins allow the second most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, so Cassel should be able to spread the love among Chiefs' receivers Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston and Jon Baldwin fairly easily.

Beanie Wells (RB, Arizona Cardinals) - It came as a surprise that he even played last week after missing practices due to a knee injury, but Wells finished with 83 yards and a score against the vaunted Baltimore Ravens defense. This week the Cardinals host the Rams, who recently gave up almost 300 yards and two scores to DeMarco Murray and the Cowboys. This is a good game for Wells to shake off the rust from his injury.

Willis McGahee (RB, Denver Broncos) - He's just a week removed from hand surgery, but McGahee was already claiming on Tuesday that he would play against Oakland this weekend. If he truly is healthy, then he should regain his job as the featured runner in the Broncos backfield. He was quietly cruising along before he broke his hand, gaining 4.5 yards per carry.

Victor Cruz (WR, New York Giants) - News has come out this week that Ahmad Bradshaw's foot injury is worse than initially expected, and he is listed as "doubtful" for Sunday's game against the Patriots. Regardless of whether he plays or not, the Giants will be forced to the air to try to beat the Pats. Throw in Hakeem Nicks' injury and the fact that New England just cut cornerback Leigh Bodden, and it becomes quite clear why I like Cruz in this game.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR, Oakland Raiders) - DHB has come on strong as the Raiders' best wide receiver, even with the likes of Jason Campbell, Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer as his quarterback. After reports that Darren McFadden was walking around in a protective boot all week, it seems like the Raiders will rely more heavily on their passing game, meaning big things for Heyward-Bey.

Brent Celek (TE, Philadelphia Eagles) - I wrote about him after his big week eight game (94 yards, TD), but I think he deserves a look again this week. The Eagles take on the Bears on Monday night, and the Bears are the worst team in the league at covering the opponent's tight end. Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has realized that he can rely on Celek, so look for another productive week.

Dallas Cowboys defense - You're playing with fire if you start them, as the Cowboys are coming off a short week after being blown out by the Eagles on Monday night. But this week they do battle with either Tarvaris Jackson or Charlie Whitehurst, and Rob Ryan's crew must be salivating. The 'Boys will be angry and flying around the field on defense, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a shutout on Sunday.

#ThumbsDown

Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, Buffalo Bills) - Fitzpatrick has definitely cooled off after his stellar start to the year, and he should have another bad outing against the Jets. The Jets defense is good against the pass, but relatively bad against the run. Expect a large helping of Fred Jackson for the Bills this game, and thus fewer pass attempts than normal for Fitzpatrick. Read on to find out about how his primary target (Stevie Johnson) will be taken out of the game by the Jets defensive backs.

Stevie Johnson (WR, Buffalo Bills) - Johnson will match up against Jets' Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis, who is living up to his "Revis Island" hype again this year. The Jets were off in week eight, but Revis limited Chargers wideout Vincent Jackson to just one catch in their most recent game. Also, Johnson hasn't been nearly as productive lately, as he hasn't topped 60 yards receiving since the third week of the year. Revis will be all over him on Sunday, which means trouble for his fantasy owners.

Rashard Mendenhall (RB, Pittsburgh Steelers) - This game has "10 carries for 25 yards" written all over it for Mendenhall. When the Ravens drubbed the Steelers 35-7 in week one, Mendenhall finished with only 45 total yards. The two teams are trending in very different directions now, but the one constant is that the Ravens' D is a shutdown unit against opposing running backs.

MVP by Position

QB: Cam Newton: 290 yards, 3 PaTD - It was just the second game of his short career without a rushing touchdown, but he made up for it by throwing for three scores. Newton took advantage of a Vikings defense that was without a couple of important cornerbacks and he also ran for more than 50 yards (though with two fumbles). As usual his main target was veteran wide receiver Steve Smith, who is continuing to have an extraordinary year.

RB: Steven Jackson: 191 yards, 2 TD - Jackson has fought injuries and inconsistency all season, so it was nice to see him explode against the Saints this week. SJax hadn't had more than 13 fantasy points in a single game yet this year, but he topped 30 even with A.J. Feeley as his starting quarterback. I would try to trade Jackson this week if you can sucker someone in your league to give up a great player in exchange - there's no way he has another game like this in him.

WR: Calvin Johnson: 125 yards, TD - In a week that didn't see a single wide receiver score more than 18 fantasy points, the MVP award goes to the guy who just doesn't stop producing. Megatron nabbed his 11th touchdown catch after only eight games (a feat that has only been produced once before, by Randy Moss), and he remains a force to be reckoned with from both real-life and fantasy perspectives.

TE: Brent Celek: 94 yards, TD - This was a blast from the past, as Celek used to be among the fantasy elite at the thin tight end position. Quarterback Michael Vick targeted him nine times (for seven catches), and the receiving distribution in Philadelphia deserves to be monitored from here on out. If Celek can become one of Vick's go-to guys, he will once again return to fantasy prominence.

Defense/Special Teams: Detroit Lions - 7 Sacks, INT, 2 Fumbles Recovered, 2 TD, 10 points allowed - They befuddled Broncos' quarterback Tim Tebow all afternoon, giving up only a field goal before a touchdown late in the game. Tebow turnovers accounted for both of the defensive touchdowns as the Lions are now the top-scoring fantasy defense in the league.

Last Friday's Predictions

I struck fantasy gold by putting the hobbled Matthew Stafford (267 yards, 3 PaTD) in the #ThumbsUp! section. Unfortunately, the other recommendations produced very mediocre days, led by Chris Johnson's stinker against the Colts. I would hate to advise making a rash decision like cutting CJ entirely, but it's gotten to the point where you probably have better options on your team every single week. Until he shows some of his old flash, stash him on your bench. Better yet, try to trade him to someone who will pay for his name value alone.

LeSean McCoy ruined the #ThumbsDown section from last week by obliterating the previously first-ranked Dallas Cowboys run defense on Monday night. The Cowboys helped stifle another one of my picks, as they held McCoy's teammate DeSean Jackson to only 31 yards.

Waiver Wire Pickups

Chris Ogbonnaya (RB, Cleveland Browns) - With Peyton Hillis ruled out, it was expected that Montario Hardesty would follow up his 33-carry game in week seven with another heavy workload in week eight. But when Hardesty injured his hamstring after just two rushes for six yards, Ogbonnaya became fantasy relevant. I don't know much about his talent, but Cleveland has showed that they like to take the ball out of Colt McCoy's hands and give it to their running back. The situation is as good as it can be for Ogbonnaya, now let's see if he can capitalize.

Eric Decker (WR, Denver Broncos) - Tebow seemingly iced Decker out in his first two games, but this week Decker caught six balls (on 12 targets) for 71 yards and a score. The two players came into the NFL in the same draft class and I expect heavy doses of both Decker and Demaryius Thomas if Tebow continues to start for Denver.

Victor Cruz (WR, New York Giants) - Hakeem Nicks can't seem to stay healthy, so Cruz should be a startable fantasy receiver from here on out, even if Nicks is active. Cruz finished week eight with 99 yards and the game-winning score, which was good enough to be the fourth-best fantasy receiving performance of the week. He now has at least 98 yards in four of his last five games, with four touchdowns over that span. Definitely add him if he's available in your league.

#ThumbsUp!

Matthew Stafford (QB, Detroit Lions) - Stafford was seen limping around at the end of last week's loss to the Falcons, raising the inevitable talks about his injury history. Well, he was back in practice this week and should be good to go as the Lions take on the Broncos. Denver has been very easy to pass on this season, so Stafford should be able to distribute the ball at will.

Matt Hasselbeck (QB, Tennessee Titans) - If you need a bye-week replacement for a guy like Aaron Rodgers, look no further than Hasselbeck. He's had two terrible games in a row, but they came against Pittsburgh and Houston, two relatively good defenses. After Drew Brees hung a five touchdown, four incompletion game against Indianapolis last week, you have to think Hasselbeck will be licking his chops on Sunday.

Chris Johnson (RB, Tennessee Titans) - He certainly hasn't lived up to his new contract yet this year, but Johnson should get back on track this week against Indianapolis. This is the same Colts team that allowed three Saints running backs to top 95 total yards last Sunday, so Johnson should be able to do just about whatever he wants. If he puts up another poor batch of numbers against this beatable defense then it's time to admit something is seriously wrong with CJ.

Pierre Thomas (RB, New Orleans Saints) - Mark Ingram has already been ruled out for this week, so PT Cruiser should get a larger chunk of the Saints carries. He had over 100 yards last week in Indianapolis and he's more of a conventional running back than Darren Sproles. Look for somewhere around 20 touches this week for Thomas, which should be good for a lot of yards as the Saints take on the hapless Rams.

Vincent Jackson (WR, San Diego Chargers) - He's an elite talent at wide receiver, but his fantasy value has been shackled to Philip Rivers' sinking ship all year. The good news for Jackson is that the Chiefs have given up the third most touchdowns to opposing receivers, so he should find the end zone for at least one score.

Jabar Gaffney (WR, Washington Redskins) - Redskins number one receiver Santana Moss is out for the next five to seven weeks, and someone is going to have to fill his shoes. Washington should be losing this week against the Bills, so they will be forced to let John Beck sling the ball around. The only other receiving threat on the team is tight end Fred Davis. Look for both players to have solid days.

Jake Ballard (TE, New York Giants) - If you're in a pinch at tight end this week, why not give Ballard a shot? He's scored more than eight fantasy points in each of his past three games and Giants quarterback Eli Manning has showed a connection with his tight ends before (remember Jeremy Shockey and Kevin Boss?). I could see Ballard becoming a household name for fantasy players by the end of the year. Look for Ballard to feast off of the weak Miami Dolphins' secondary.

San Francisco 49ers defense - The Niners have the second highest fantasy points per game for team defenses. This week they get a tasty matchup against Colt McCoy and the Cleveland Browns. The Browns' offense matched the Seahawks' last week in one of the worst games ever played (the final score was 6-3, Cleveland), and San Francisco should take full advantage in week eight.

#ThumbsDown

Matt Schaub (QB, Houston Texans) - We saw what Jacksonville's defense is capable of last week against Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens. Andre Johnson has already been ruled out for his fourth straight game. The Texans will have to rely heavily on Arian Foster and the running game again, meaning another mediocre fantasy day for Schaub.

LeSean McCoy (RB, Philadelphia Eagles) - McCoy and the rest of the Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys and their first-ranked run defense in this weeks Sunday night matchup. While Michael Vick might scramble for big gains, I don't anticipate many rushing yards for McCoy in this NFC East showdown.

DeSean Jackson (WR, Philadelphia Eagles) - Jackson has been limited to under 50 yards in three of the Eagles' six games this year, most likely as a result of teams large respect of his long play potential. He has quite the history of big plays in nationally televised games, but his numbers will be relatively modest after the Cowboys had their bye week to prepare for him.

MVP by Position

QB: Drew Brees - 325 yards, 5 PaTD - As efficient as Aaron Rodgers was against the Vikings, Brees was better. To use a popular football cliché, he was like a surgeon - four incompletions on 35 pass attempts is unheard of. It was nice to see Brees bounce back after a few un-Brees-like games (eight interceptions in the last four games), and it just shows that you always need to believe in your studs.

RB: Arian Foster - 234 yards, 3 TD - The yardage was pretty evenly split between rushing and receiving thanks to a 78-yard catch-and-run, which makes this statline a little bit fluky. But Foster is definitely the real deal, and I think Andre Johnson’s return from injury as early as next week will actually help Foster’s fantasy value. Not only will the field be spread for him to pick apart the running lanes more easily, but he also won’t be asked to take as much of a physical beating, making him less of an injury-risk. I would rank him behind only Adrian Peterson after this week’s performance.

WR: Plaxico Burress - 25 yards, 3 TD - It’s nearly impossible to know when Plax is going to go off for fantasy purposes, but bravo if you had him in your lineup for this week. The Jets normally have Santonio Holmes or Dustin Keller as their leading receivers, but Burress was number one with a bullet for week seven. His three touchdowns were all less than five yards, so it seems as if Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez likes to target him in the red zone. That bodes well for his future, as long as he can stay on the field.

TE: Jimmy Graham - 54 yards, 2 TD - His streak of four straight 100-yard games ended at four, but he still put in those two scores. He has now taken the “best fantasy tight end” crown from guys like Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, and Jermichael Finley.

Defense/Special Teams: Kansas City Chiefs - 6 INT, Sack, 2 TD - The Raiders looked lost after Darren McFadden went down with a foot injury in the first quarter. Kansas City made both of Oakland’s quarterbacks, Kyle Boller and the newly acquired Carson Palmer, look silly by intercepting them three times each. The Chiefs aren’t generally known as a good fantasy defense, so it will be interesting to see the effect on opposing fantasy defenses if Run DMC is sidelined beyond the Raiders’ week eight bye.

Last Friday’s Predictions

Tim Tebow was strongly recommended in week seven’s #ThumbsUp!, and he certainly came through for his fantasy owners. His first half numbers were downright atrocious, but he picked up the pace with two fourth quarter touchdown drives to finish as the fifth-highest scoring fantasy quarterback of the week. Tebow wasn’t even the best player from the #ThumbsUp! section. That title goes to Dallas Cowboys rookie running back DeMarco Murray, who lit up the Rams for 253 yards and a long first quarter touchdown. Of these two guys, I buy into Tebow a lot more than Murray, whose numbers were a product of a great matchup. Murray is also much more injury prone.

It was a mixed bag for the #ThumbsDown predictions. San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers was even worse than normal, finishing with less than 200 yards and two picks. The poor stats can be partially attributed to the Jets secondary (contrary to Chargers tight end Randy McMichael’s statement), but Rivers has been underperforming all year. The Panthers’ Steve Smith was held out of the end zone again, but he did finish with almost 150 yards, which is a good fantasy day for a receiver. And Maurice Jones-Drew did top 100 yards rushing, but also lost a fumble. Not a great day for someone selected in the first round of most fantasy drafts.

Waiver Wire Pickups

Michael Bush (RB, Oakland Raiders) - The Raiders are on bye in week eight, but Bush would be the obvious choice to replace McFadden if he misses a game. Bush finished week seven with 111 yards even though the Raiders were being blown out for most of the game. He already has double digit fantasy points in three of his seven games as McFadden’s backup this season, so with most of the workload on his shoulders he should be able to put up some great numbers.

Roy Helu (RB, Washington Redskins) - I made the mistake of putting a Redskins running back in the #ThumbsUp! section last week and I got exactly what I deserved as Ryan Torain finished with a brutal two rushes for negative five yards. But now Tim Hightower has been ruled out for the rest of the year with a knee injury, so it comes down to Torain and Helu. Helu is averaging nearly five yards per rush this year and it would make sense for the Skins to see what their rookie talent can do with a bulk of the team’s total carries since they aren’t going to make the playoffs. Let’s just hope Mike Shanahan sees it the same way.

Demaryius Thomas (WR, Denver Broncos) - This was Thomas’ first game of the season, and he finished with three catches (on 10 targets) for 27 yards and a late fourth quarter touchdown. Denver traded former number one wide receiver Brandon Lloyd earlier in the week, so someone else is going to have to step up for the Broncos. Tebow looked Thomas’ way a lot more than the other candidate, Eric Decker (three targets), so expect Thomas to catch more balls as he and Tebow get on the same page.

#ThumbsUp!

Tim Tebow (QB, Denver Broncos) - I have completely bought into Tebow-mania, and he gets a very nice matchup for his first start of the 2011 season. The Broncos travel to Miami this week, which is about as perfect as a road environment could get for Tebow. First, the Dolphins have allowed a 10-2 touchdown-interception ratio to opposing quarterbacks this year, one of the worst in the league. Second, his Broncos teammates are well-rested and ready to go after their bye week. And third, the game will be played in Miami, which is about a six-hour drive from Gainesville, Florida, the site of Tebow's old stomping grounds at the University of Florida. I expect tons of Gator fans to come support Tebow in his first start of the year, and I doubt he'll disappoint them.

Matt Cassel (QB, Kansas City Chiefs) - He looked truly awful earlier in the season, but Cassel quietly has seven touchdowns and only one interception in his last three games. With an extra week of prep time due to the Chiefs' bye week, expect Cassel to do whatever he wants against the Nnamdi-depleted Raiders secondary.

DeMarco Murray (RB, Dallas Cowboys) - As I wrote in the pickups section of last week, I like Murray more than Choice for the Cowboys' Felix Jones replacement. Dallas hosts St. Louis this week, and the Rams have been run on fairly easily in all but one game this year, with the exception coming last week against the Packers.

Ryan Torain (RB, Washington Redskins) - I'm not quite ready to bail on Torain just yet, even though he looked dreadful last week. The good news was that Roy Helu didn't do well either and Tim Hightower didn't even play due to a shoulder injury. Head coach Mike Shanahan seemed to really like Torain in Washington's week four win against St. Louis, and they play a similarly-bad run defense this week in Carolina. Monitor the depth charts on Sunday morning, and expect Torain to have good numbers if he gets the start.

Lance Moore (WR, New Orleans Saints) - The Colts defense has given up a wide receiver touchdown in four straight games, including a whopping four scores in week five against the Chiefs. New Orleans is known as a pass-first team, so there's no doubt the Colts' TD-allowed streak will continue. The tricky part comes when trying to choose which of the Saints receivers will find the end zone. I think Indy will try to neutralize Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham as best they can, leaving the other receivers open for the Saints. Of the "other guys," Moore has led the team in wide receiver targets in every game he's played this year, so I like him to get the most fantasy points on Sunday.

Percy Harvin (WR, Minnesota Vikings) - The switch to Christian Ponder at quarterback can only help Harvin's numbers that were scuffling pretty badly before last week. You know what else will help him? The Vikings playing the Packers leaky secondary and being forced to pass because they're down by 20 points for most of the game.

Kellen Winslow, Jr. (TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - The Bucs take on the Bears in London for this year's edition of NFL Across the Pond, and the Bears just so happen to give up the most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. He'll be waging war against the Bears hard-hitting but slow linebackers, and we all know that Winslow is a soldier from his University of Miami days.

Dallas Cowboys defense - The Rams just traded for elite receiver Brandon Lloyd, which will eventually improve their wretched offense. The key word there is "eventually," as it will take a little bit of time for Lloyd to relearn Josh McDaniels' offense and get into rhythm with Sam Bradford and the rest of his new teammates. Bradford (ankle) will be hobbled before he even takes the field, and that bolsters my confidence in the 'Boys this week.

#ThumbsDown

Philip Rivers (QB, San Diego Chargers) - Rivers hasn't looked himself this year, and I don't think a matchup with Darrelle Revis and the rest of the Jets defense is what he needs to get back on track. The Chargers will use a very run-heavy playbook to feature Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert in this game, and that severely hurts Rivers' value.

Maurice Jones-Drew (RB, Jacksonville Jaguars) - It's a general rule that you never bench your first round pick based on matchups, but Jacksonville takes on the menacing Baltimore Ravens' defense this week. Bye weeks and injuries have certainly thinned the available running back crop for this week, but I'd look for a better running back option than MJD.

Steve Smith (WR, Carolina Panthers) - Cam Newton is slowly coming back to earth from a passing yardage standpoint, and Smith is the one who has the most to lose. Newton has two straight games with less than 240 yards and the Redskins pass defense is actually in the top third of the league. Throw in Smith's probable matchup with the equally-fast DeAngelo Hall and I wouldn't be surprised to see him held without a touchdown for the second week in a row.

MVP by Position

QB: Josh Freeman - 303 yards, 2 PaTD - Up and down, up and down, Freeman's fantasy points rise and fall like a roller coaster from week to week. He's had three weeks with fewer than 13 fantasy points, but he also has two weeks of 23 and 20. The most important thing to understand from this game with New Orleans was that Freeman is a great choice if the matchup is right. For example, look to start him in week nine when he travels to the Superdome for Round Two with the Saints.

RB: Ahmad Bradshaw - 130 yards, 3 TD - How can you choose anyone else to be the most valuable running back for week six? Bradshaw took full advantage of goal line running back Brandon Jacobs' injury by punching in three one-yard touchdowns. Bradshaw proved that he could be an elite fantasy player if the job is ever given to him outright, but I expect his workload to revert back to the way it was once Jacobs comes back.

WR: Devin Hester - 91 yards, TD, Kick Return TD - He had two long touchdowns against the Vikings in the Sunday night game, but it's very tough to feel confident starting Hester for fantasy purposes in future weeks. He led all receivers in fantasy points, but you won't find him as one of my favorite waiver wire adds this week. A lot of his value comes from his potential for return touchdowns, and that just isn't someone who is worth a roster spot on your fantasy team.

TE: Jimmy Graham - 124 yards - In a week when no tight end really stood out, the tight end MVP award goes to the guy who produces week in and week out. Graham has now tied a tight end record for most consecutive games with over 100 yards receiving with four, and I maintain that he's the second best at his position behind Jason Witten.

Defense/Special Teams: Cincinnati Bengals - 17 points allowed, INT, 2 Fumbles Recovered, Sack, Blocked Kick, TD - All they were missing this week was the partridge in a pear tree. This is the second straight week with a defensive touchdown, and they are quickly becoming a must-start defense if they have a favorable matchup.

Last Friday's Predictions

The #ThumbsUp! section included a lot of scoring this week. If you played A.J. Green, James Jones, or the aforementioned Bengals defense you were rewarded with a touchdown. Green would be a strong rookie of the year candidate if it weren't for Cam Newton's emergence as a box score-stuffing quarterback. My bye-week special at quarterback was Colt McCoy (215 yards, 2 PaTD, 16 rushing yards), who again finished as one of the top 10 at his position from a fantasy perspective. McCoy beat out guys like Newton, Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Schaub.

Schaub (220 yards, PaTD) found himself on the #ThumbsDown list for week six, and he certainly did put up mediocre numbers against the elite Baltimore Ravens defense. The other guys in this group were Jahvid Best (110 yards) and Reggie Wayne (58 yards), neither of whom had especially good games.

Waiver Wire Pickups

DeMarco Murray (RB, Dallas Cowboys) - With the news of Felix Jones' high ankle sprain, Murray looks like he'll be the go-to guy in Dallas for the next few weeks. The rookie didn't look fantastic on Sunday, but I think he'll get the nod over Tashard Choice, who had an early fumble against the Pats. If Murray impresses Jason Garrett over the next few weeks he could find himself with a substantial role even after Jones comes back.

Montario Hardesty (RB, Cleveland Browns) - There is something flat-out wrong with the Peyton Hillis situation in Cleveland. He got a lot of early work for the Browns in week six, but finished the game with six carries for 14 yards. At first the story was that Hillis was removed from the game due to a coach's decision, but now they claim he injured his hamstring. Either way I expect Hardesty to be named the starter sometime very soon, and he could be pretty good in fantasy. Colt McCoy throws an awful lot, and Hardesty is a better receiving back than Hillis.

Michael Crabtree (WR, San Francisco 49ers) - Crabtree's 15 targets led the entire NFL for week six, and you can expect more where that came from in the near future. The 49ers pass-catchers are dropping like flies, and Crabtree's only competition for targets in San Fran is tight end Vernon Davis.

#ThumbsUp!

Colt McCoy (QB, Cleveland Browns) - He keeps finding his way onto this list, and that's due to the high volume of pass attempts. McCoy and the Browns were on a bye in week five, but he threw the ball 61 times in week four against the Titans. His stats are never all that pretty, but he has yet to score less than 13 fantasy points in a game this year. The Browns take on the Raiders this week, which has a subpar secondary without Nnamdi Asomugha. McCoy will definitely be worthy of a start if you need a bye-week replacement.

Tony Romo (QB, Dallas Cowboys) - Sure, it's a very obvious name. Chances are if you drafted Romo you don't have any other great quarterback options anyway. But I think he goes off this week in what's shaping up to be a shootout against New England. I'm thinking over 350 yards and three touchdown passes, so make sure he's in your lineup.

Ryan Torain (RB, Washington Redskins) - I'm not confident that head coach Mike Shanahan will give Torain all of the carries for the Redskins, but I think he will get the most of the three-headed monster in that backfield. Washington's opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, have been run over all year, allowing the most fantasy points to opposing running backs. That means someone will have a big day for the Skins, and that player is Torain.

Earnest Graham (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - Graham's first game as LaGarette Blount's replacement is a perfect matchup, as the Bucs do battle with the Saints. In limited time as mainly a third down back, Graham has managed the fifth most receiving targets of all running backs. When the Bucs get down early in this game they'll be forced to throw, which benefits Graham.

A.J. Green (WR, Cincinnati Bengals) - He's climbing up the wide receiver ranks with the 13th most receiving yards this season, and he'll look to add to that against Indianapolis. The Colts are terrible against the pass, in particular against opposing teams' number one wide receivers. Green gets a lot of looks because there aren't many other good options in Cincy, and he'll find the end zone again on Sunday.

James Jones (WR, Green Bay Packers) - As everyone knows, the Packers have an explosive offense. The problem for fantasy owners is Aaron Rodgers likes to spread the love, completing passes to 12 different players last week alone. Jones has a score in two straight weeks, and he has a very good chance to make it three against the Rams putrid secondary in week six. If you're struggling to find a decent wide receiver due to the bye weeks, look no further than #89 for the Packers.

Heath Miller (TE, Pittsburgh Steelers) - Last week I picked on the Jaguars in the #ThumbsUp! tight end section, and I'm doing it again here. Jermaine Gresham scored the fourth tight end touchdown in five weeks against the Jags, and Miller should add to that number as the Steelers continue to find their groove.

Cincinnati Bengals defense - They consistently feast on bad teams, and the Curtis Painter-led Colts fit that description. Painter has shown so far that he doesn't handle pressure very well, and the Bengals defense is eighth in the league in sacks. They'll bring the heat on Sunday and cause a few errant throws in the process.

#ThumbsDown

Matt Schaub (QB, Houston Texans) - Schaub has been battling a shoulder injury all week, even missing practice on Wednesday. The Ravens defense is just about the worst remedy for that sore shoulder, but that's what Schaub gets on Sunday. With no Andre Johnson to throw to for the second straight week, Schaub will put up some very pedestrian numbers.

Jahvid Best (RB, Detroit Lions) - He had a great week six from a fantasy perspective, but a lot of his yardage came on an 88-yard touchdown run. He hasn't consistently shown the ability to have good fantasy games; his point totals by game this year are 11, 23, 8, 6, and 22. This week the undefeated Lions play the equally surprising 49ers, who allow the fourth fewest rushing yards per game in the league. Look for another single-digit fantasy performance by Best.

Reggie Wayne (WR, Indianapolis Colts) - Bengals cornerback Leon Hall will likely match up with Wayne on Sunday, and Hall tends to shut down opposing receivers. Though he doesn't get as much attention as Darrelle Revis or Asomugha, Hall has a similar effect on elite players. Curtis Painter has now targeted Pierre Garcon more than Wayne in three straight weeks, and I anticipate that trend to continuing in week six.

MVP by Position

QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - 228 yards, 5 PaTD, INT - Where was this the past few weeks? I guess all Roethlisberger needed was a sprained foot to realign his throwing motion, because he was pinpoint accurate in this game. Five touchdown passes is the most so far this year, and Big Ben picked the Titans secondary apart. I'm still hesitant to put my fantasy eggs in his basket (or follow him into a bar), but this was certainly a step in the right direction.

RB: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, New England Patriots - 149 yards, 2 TD - Patriots head coach Bill Belichick must love playing mind games with fantasy football players. One week Stevan Ridley looks like the heir apparent in the Pats running game, the next it's Green-Ellis tearing up the field. I'll never understand it, but props to you if you started him against the Jets this week.

WR: Pierre Garcon, Indianapolis Colts - 125 yards, 2 TD - That's 271 yards and four touchdowns in two weeks for the Painter-Garcon connection, and it seems pretty legitimate. In week four Garcon's two catches were both for long, strange touchdowns full of blown coverage and shoddy tackling. He had another one of those this week, but they also looked for him around the end zone with a nice six-yard bubble screen.

TE: Joel Dreessen, Houston Texans - 112 yards, TD - Is Dreessen going to be the main beneficiary of the Andre Johnson injury in Houston? Who knows for the long term, but he certainly was in week five. I wouldn't pick him up just yet, as he is probably the third best tight end on the team behind Owen Daniels and James Casey. It will take at least one more week of support before I buy into him.

Defense/Special Teams: San Francisco 49ers - 3 Points Allowed, 2 INT, Fumble Recovered, TD, 3 Sacks - The 49ers-Buccaneers game got ugly, and fast. The Bucs were playing on a short week due to their previous week's Monday night skirmish with the Colts. On top of that they travelled to the West Coast for the first time this year. Whatever the reason, they looked downright awful, and the 49ers capitalized on both sides of the ball.

Last Friday's Predictions

I obviously couldn't have been more wrong on Roethlisberger, as I put him in the #ThumbsDown section. I was generally pretty spot-on with the other players I told you to avoid, excluding the Panthers' option play that DeAngelo Williams took for a 69-yard score (fluke!). LaGarrette Blount, Jonathan Stewart and Nate Washington all finished with less than 70 yards and zero touchdowns.

For the guys that I recommended in #ThumbsUp! last week, tight end Jermaine Gresham and running back Mark Ingram both scored touchdowns. My best call was on the Cincinnati Bengals defense, who ended their game with the Jags by scoring a defensive touchdown. Other than that it was a pretty mediocre week of picks, no doubt due to the fact that bye weeks thinned the crop of guys to choose from.

Waiver Wire Pickups

Tim Tebow (QB, Denver Broncos) - The Broncos are on bye next week, so don't pick him up if you are without roster space or patience. If you have room though, grab Tebow and stash him on your bench now that he is officially the starter. He almost led a ridiculous comeback against the Chargers in week five, chipping in a rushing and passing touchdown along the way. That's roughly what you can expect from Tebow. It won't be pretty, but a typical Tebow line of 150 passing yards, 60 rushing yards, and one touchdown on the ground with another through the air adds up to quite a few fantasy points.

Delone Carter/Donald Brown (RBs, Indianapolis Colts) - If Addai's hamstring injury proves to be serious (MRI results should be out soon), these two are the replacements that you want on the Colts team. We've seen a couple superstars suffer from lingering hamstring injuries already this year (Arian Foster and Miles Austin), so you might want to grab one of these backups even if Addai returns for the Colts' week six game with the Bengals. Carter finished with 14 touches to Brown's eight, so it seems as though he is in favor with the coaches in Indy. He's also the guy I would grab first if I need to replace Addai.

Pierre Garcon (WR, Indianapolis Colts) - He was in this section last week, but I'm putting him back in because he's still available in some leagues. This is the second straight week with over 100 yards and two touchdowns, and this time at least one of his scores was completely legitimate. Colts quarterback Curtis Painter consistently targets Garcon more than any other receiver, and I'm tempted to start Garcon over teammate Reggie Wayne in future weeks.

Victor Cruz (WR, New York Giants) - He broke out several weeks ago when Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham were dinged up, but his week five performance (164 yards, TD, Fumble) came with both Giants receivers in the game. There's no doubt he has amazing skills, evidenced this week by a bobbling catch and run for a long score. The glaring issue with him is his lack of awareness, which is to be expected with someone who doesn't have much NFL experience. He lost a fumble in a key drive and was also responsible for the pick-six that really did the G-Men in. Hopefully quarterback Eli Manning keeps looking his way, because he has the potential to be a top 20 fantasy wide receiver.

#ThumbsUp!

Mark Sanchez (QB, New York Jets) - We've seen what opposing quarterbacks do to the New England Patriots defense. Week after week the Pats' secondary gets torched, and they provide a perfect bounce-back opportunity for Sanchez after last Sunday's abysmal statline against the Ravens.

Matt Ryan (QB, Atlanta Falcons) - Ryan has always performed much better at home than on the road throughout his career, sporting a QB rating almost 17 points higher in the Georgia Dome. Remember his last home game? It was week two, when he tossed four touchdown passes against Nnamdi Asomugha and the Philadelphia Eagles. This time he plays against the Green Bay Packers, who have already given up big days to Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Jay Cutler.

Mark Ingram (RB, New Orleans Saints) - Last week he was in the "Thumbs Down" section, but his week five matchup with the Panthers is just too good to pass up. Carolina is fresh off allowing Matt Forte to romp for 205 yards in week four, and Ingram is more of a true running back than Darren Sproles. Don't get me wrong, Sproles will finish with over 100 total yards, but I think Ingram finds the end zone with a healthy amount of yardage to go with it.

Joseph Addai (RB, Indianapolis Colts) - Addai and the Colts battle the Chiefs this week, and it figures to be a fairly competitive game between two dreadful teams. Addai only had 48 total yards last week, but that will change when he gets to run against a defense with hardly any playmakers. As an additional benefit, Addai might get some garbage time rushing yards if the Colts are in position to win near the end. This might be the last time you get to see that situation this season, so enjoy!

Julio Jones (WR, Atlanta Falcons) - Even though Roddy White is the star receiver on the Falcons, it's been Jones who has been carving out a spot for himself as the team's leading receiver. As opposing teams focus on locking down White with double teams, Jones quietly has over 100 yards in consecutive games. The rookie looks to take advantage of that decreased attention again this Sunday, as the Falcons host the Packers.

Michael Crabtree (WR, San Francisco 49ers) - Crabtree's reception and yardage totals have increased in each of the three games he's played this year. He's always had incredible talent, but injury problems and ego issues have held him back so far in his short NFL career. I think the 49ers are for real, and Crabtree is one of their top weapons when he's at full speed. If Alex Smith continues to look his way, Crabtree will definitely put up solid numbers against the Buccaneers on Sunday (similar to the way Pierre Garcon dominated them last week).

Jermaine Gresham (TE, Cincinnati Bengals) - The Jaguars allow the second most fantasy points to opposing tight ends, and Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is becoming more comfortable throwing to Gresham. Last week Gresham had a nifty one-handed catch in the end zone for a late touchdown, and I expect an even better outing this Sunday.

Cincinnati Bengals defense - Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert has yet to top 200 passing yards, and the Bengals have two ball-hawking cornerbacks in Leon Hall and Nate Clements. The Jaguars have scored 23 points TOTAL over the last three weeks, so you know the Bengals will get a nice fantasy bonus in the points allowed category.

#ThumbsDown

Ben Roethlisberger (QB, Pittsburgh Steelers) - I get it: he's a warrior, he won't let a broken foot stop him from playing, blah blah blah. The Steelers o-line constantly lets defensive players through, and it's been Roethlisberger's agility in the pocket that's helped him stay on the field and out of the locker room so far. Now that he has suffered a broken foot, he won't be quite as nimble. If he doesn't get knocked out of this game he'll be running for his life the whole time, and that will certainly contribute to some poor fantasy numbers.

DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart (RBs, Carolina Panthers) - It was encouraging to see each of them finish with 80+ yards last week, but don't get overconfident and start them this week against the Saints. Though Saints games usually result in a defense-optional shootout, the damage against them always comes through the air. New Orleans allows an average of only 13 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, and any production from the Panthers will be split between Williams and Stewart. If you have to start one, Stewart is a bigger receiving threat out of the backfield. I'd roll with him.

LaGarrette Blount (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - If you own Blount and are riding high after his superb week four performance, I'd advise you to reconsider starting him this week; the Bucs play against the 49ers, who are tops in the league in rushing defense. Led by All Pro linebacker Patrick Willis, they haven't allowed more than 74 rushing yards in a game yet this year, which is phenomenal. I know it might be difficult because of the six teams on bye this week, but try to find a replacement for Blount.

Nate Washington (WR, Tennessee Titans) - About the only thing the Steelers have done right this year is their pass defense. They allow an average of 84 yards to opposing receiving corps, which is obviously split among several different players. I expect a heavy dose of Chris Johnson for Tennessee in this game, so Washington and the rest of the Titans' pass-catchers won't be relied on too heavily.

MVP by Position 

QB: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers - 374 yards, PaTD, INT, 35 rushing yards, 2 RuTD - For the third time in four games, Newton put together a phenomenal day of fantasy numbers. He almost had another 400 yard passing game, but a lot of his damage came on the ground. His two rushing scores gave him four total for the year, and he looks tough enough to keep it up without sustaining a serious injury. Runner-Up: The player with the most fantasy points this week was Aaron Rodgers (408 yards, 4 PaTD, INT, 36 rushing yards, 2 RuTD). The only reason he didn't win the week's MVP for his six-touchdown performance is because he is a no-brainer, every-week start in fantasy football.

 RB: Arian Foster, Houston Texans - 166 yards, TD - Sure, there were guys with better statistical days, but if Foster's owners had the cajones to start him against Pittsburgh in his first game back from a hamstring injury, then they were rewarded greatly. This is the Foster we came to love last season, and this is also what I expect to see going forward for the rest of this year. Runner-Up: Beanie Wells (138 yards, 3 TD) was a monster for the Cardinals, pushing past his early-week injury concerns. 

WR: Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants - 162 yards, TD - The superstar wideout had two consecutive shaky outings while battling a knee injury, but finally came through big against the Cardinals soft secondary in week four. He still has top notch talent and as long as his health concerns are behind him he is in line for a huge season. Runner-Up: Calvin Johnson (96 yards, 2 TD) is the first player to have two receiving touchdowns in each of the first four weeks of a season. He's a freak of nature, and these outrageous numbers will continue as long as he and Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford stay injury-free.

 TE: Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints - 132 yards, TD - He's quickly developing into Drew Brees' favorite target, even with star receiver Marques Colston back from injury. Graham had ten catches in a game that the Saints won handily, and Brees looked his way very often (14 targets). In my book, Graham falls behind only Jason Witten as far as fantasy tight ends. 

Defense/Special Teams: Baltimore Ravens - 3 TD, 3 Fumbles Recovered, INT, 2 Sacks - They repeatedly made Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez look like a fool on Sunday night, causing turnover after turnover. They have the most fantasy points for any defense this season, so be thankful if they found their way onto your team.

Last Friday's Predictions From the "Thumbs Up" section, several players had successful fantasy days. The player I liked the most, Pierre Garcon, made me look like a genius by nabbing two long touchdown receptions on Monday night, one of 87 yards and another of 59 yards. 

LaGarrette Blount, Greg Olsen and Santana Moss also had touchdowns, and 49ers backup Kendall Hunter finished with 100 total yards. Even Jason Campbell (344 yards, PaTD, 2 INT, 29 rushing yards) had decent overall numbers at quarterback. 

However, I did predict big things for Rex Grossman and the Atlanta Falcons defense, both of which turned out to play very poorly. 

For "Thumbs Down," I was two-thirds right on the Saints running back trio (only Darren Sproles had a respectable day for fantasy, with 131 total yards). I was also correct on Shonn Greene (23 yards) and Joe Flacco (163 yards, INT), both of whom were major busts in the Sunday night game. Dez Bryant (37 yards, 2 TD) managed to turn just five targets into 15 fantasy points. I still don't think he will be a top 20 receiver for the rest of the year, especially with his injury history.

Waiver Wire Pickups 

Matt Hasselbeck (QB, Tennessee Titans) - Bye weeks start in week five, so why not snatch Hasselbeck off of waivers and store him on your bench until you need him? He is consistently putting up good fantasy numbers; he has an 8-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and he has already topped 300 yards passing twice. In week four (220 yards, 3 PaTD, INT) he showed that he doesn't need Kenny Britt to put up big numbers. 

Ryan Torain (RB, Washington Redskins) - 'Skins coach Mike Shanahan showed that he's up to his old tricks, this time giving Torain (135 yards, TD) the lion's share of the backfield carries. It's too bad for Tim Hightower owners, but you must have known what you were getting into when you picked him. Just as Hightower's term as the starting running back lasted about three weeks, don't get too used to Torain on your fantasy squad. Deploy him for the next few weeks and then cut him when Shanny changes his mind again.

Pierre Garcon (WR, Indianapolis Colts) - Curtis Painter looks his way a lot, as he led the Colts in receiver targets with eight. He only made two catches, but 146 yards and two touchdowns is a great fantasy day. I think he continues to have a lot of value as long as Kerry Collins stays on the sideline.

Eric Decker (WR, Denver Broncos) - The ex-Golden Gopher has scored in bunches so far, this time with two receiving touchdowns to go with 57 yards. I'm afraid that the Broncos will make the switch to Tim Tebow at quarterback fairly soon, but until then Decker has a lot of value. 

Steve Breaston (WR, Kansas City Chiefs) - Even with Dwayne Bowe (107 yards, TD) taking most of the receiving numbers for the Chiefs, Breaston still managed 91 yards on four catches. I don't necessarily like Breaston's skill set (he's never really put it together in the NFL), but the Chiefs will be losing in a lot of games this year, forcing them to pass very frequently. Bowe is obviously the number one guy, but Breaston could sneak in a few good games here and there.

Buy Low Opportunities 

Here's a list of guys I would look to trade for this week. I would strike now since their value is low, as I expect all of them to have better fantasy seasons than their week four numbers indicate: Chris Johnson, LeSean McCoy, Maurice Jones-Drew, Roddy White, Mike Wallace, Peyton Hillis, Stevie Johnson, Jeremy Maclin, Ed Dickson, Anquan Boldin, Jermichael Finley, Rob Gronkowski

Thumbs Up:

Jason Campbell (QB, Oakland Raiders) - As I wrote earlier this week, any player in a potential shootout needs to be started. Oakland has topped 30 points in each of the past two weeks, while New England scored 31 last week even with Tom Brady throwing four picks. The defenses are suspect and the offenses are explosive, so watch for another game in the 30-point range. Even though Oakland is a run-first team, Campbell will be forced to match New England's tempo and go with the quick-strike scores. I expect several passing plays of over 30 yards for the Raiders.

Rex Grossman (QB, Washington Redskins) - He looked like the old, pitiful Rex Grossman last week, but he'll bounce back against the hapless Rams. St. Louis gives up the fourth most fantasy points in the league to opposing quarterbacks, and Grossman will keep it going on Sunday.

Santana Moss (WR, Washington Redskins) - Quick, name a Rams defensive back! Sorry, time's up - and unless you're a diehard Rams fan, I'm going to assume you couldn't think of anyone. That's because none of them are any good. The veteran combo of Grossman and Moss will pick apart this defense come Sunday.

Pierre Garcon (WR, Indianapolis Colts) - This is my big sleeper of the week. In the week three recap, I wrote that Colts' backup-to-the-backup quarterback Curtis Painter looked in Garcon's direction over and over late in their game against the Steelers. Garcon finished with over 80 yards, and he could top 100 against the Buccaneers this week. If you're desperate for a third wide receiver this week, give Garcon a chance.

LaGarrette Blount (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - As much as I like Garcon, I still believe that the Bucs will win the game. What the Colts did last week against the Steelers was encouraging, but I firmly believe that Tampa Bay's offensive line is better than Pittsburgh's defensive front seven. Once the Bucs grab a sizable lead, it will be nothing but Blount for the rest of the game - hopefully quarterback Josh Freeman doesn't steal his rushing touchdown as he did last week.

Kendall Hunter (RB, San Francisco 49ers) - I know that Frank Gore has been practicing this week, but a sprained ankle is a very touchy injury. If he takes one wrong step he'll be yanked from the game, and Hunter will reap the benefits. He scored a touchdown last week, and it's clear that he is Gore's primary backup.

Greg Olsen (TE, Carolina Panthers) - Olsen returns to Chicago this week, the team that drafted him in 2007 and then traded him this offseason. As great as the Bears linebackers are, it is still very possible to pass against them. A speedy, talented tight end like Olsen should find the end zone at least once, especially if this game turns into another Cam Newton-highlight reel.

Atlanta Falcons defense - Any time you can start the defense playing against Tarvaris Jackson, you do it. Jackson is a turnover machine, and he will be forced to throw the ball once the Falcons' offense takes a big lead early in the game. With Jackson at the helm this means interceptions a plenty, and hopefully even a defensive touchdown for the dirty birds.

Thumbs Down:

Joe Flacco (QB, Baltimore Ravens) - He had the most points in week three, but that came against the atrocious Rams secondary. This week Flacco squares off against the Jets stout defense in the Sunday night game. Flacco will have to battle both the cold of the night and New York's defensive backs, most likely spelling disaster for the Ravens signal-caller. I predict at least two Flacco interceptions courtesy of Jets head coach Rex Ryan's defensive schemes.

Any Saints running back - If you have to start one it should probably be Darren Sproles, but I wouldn't feel anything special about that. The Saints match up with the Jaguars this week, who have held opposing running backs to roughly three yards per carry and only one total touchdown. Combine those numbers with the roulette wheel chances of choosing the right Saints running back (Sproles, Mark Ingram, and Pierre Thomas) and you see why it's wise to bench them all this week.

Shonn Greene (RB, New York Jets) - The Ravens linebackers might be long in the tooth, but they still make plays. Even in Baltimore's one loss this year (to Tennessee in week two), they limited Chris Johnson to only 53 rushing yards on 22 carries. There's no doubt CJ's output has slipped relative to previous years, but he still has more talent that Greene. With LaDainian Tomlinson still siphoning carries off Greene's total, I would look to find a better running back option for week four.

Dez Bryant (WR, Dallas Cowboys) - What we saw last Monday night was deceptively uninspiring. Bryant caught four passes for 63 yards, almost half of which came on the Cowboys final drive. The bad news for Bryant's owners is that quarterback Tony Romo only targeted him those four times total on the night. If the number one receiver on the team (Miles Austin) is out, wouldn't you expect more than four targets? The Cowboys play the Lions this week (the sixth-ranked pass defense in the league), and he'll need more than four targets to put up big fantasy points for your team. There's also the an injury issue, as Bryant's battle with a thigh bruise may not only affect his performance but shelve him in week four.

Going into the third week, the Patriots-Bills game was ripe with top-level fantasy players. The game included the league's leader in both passing yards (Tom Brady) and rushing yards (Fred Jackson), and two extremely leaky defenses to boot. It had all the makings of a good ol' fashioned shootout, and it certainly didn't disappoint.

65 points later the Bills sit alone atop the AFC East, and fantasy owners who started Buffalo or New England players are on top of their league standings as well. There was a ton of fantasy goodness to go around for both teams. The obvious names all played great: Jackson (161 yards, TD), Stevie Johnson (94 yards, TD) and Ryan Fitzpatrick (369, 2 PaTD, 2 INT) for the Bills as well as Brady (387 yards, 4 PaTD, 4 INT), Wes Welker (236 yards, 2 TD) and Rob Gronkowski (109 yards, 2 TD) for the Pats. A couple of Bills receivers even snuck in good fantasy lines as well, as Donald Jones (101 yards) and David Nelson (84 yards) were each solid.

The most impressive part of all of this is that Brady threw four picks (he had just two in his previous 225 attempts against Buffalo), but still managed to have an amazing fantasy day. Depending on your scoring, Tom Terrific put up well over 20 fantasy points. And that's including the eight points he lost for the four interceptions!

The lesson to be learned from this particular matchup is that if you smell a shootout, you need to throw anyone and everyone you own into your starting lineup for fantasy. Unless of course it's a Patriots running back, in which case you'll never get that one right ... blast you Belichick!

Game Recaps:

San Francisco 13, Cincinnati 8

49ers tight end Vernon Davis (112 yards) was the only player for either team worth starting in this game. Even Frank Gore (42 yards, fumble) and Cedric Benson (64 yards) had pretty poor outings. One name to watch for future weeks is Jermaine Gresham (51 yards). Especially when the bye weeks start playing a factor, the tight end position will be thin. Gresham seems to have caught quarterback Andy Dalton's eye, and he will have plenty of balls thrown his way if receiver Jerome Simpson misses time after his off-field problems.

Carolina 16, Jacksonville 10

Somehow the Panthers won the game despite only having one serviceable fantasy player, tight end Greg Olsen (57 yards, TD). I still wouldn't trust Olsen though, as quarterback Cam Newton seems to like his other options more. Speaking of Newton (158 yards, PaTD), he showed that he is human after all. Don't jump ship on him yet though; he's proven that he can rack up huge numbers against both good and bad teams and I still like him if the matchup is right. Jacksonville wide receiver Mike Thomas (55 yards, TD) had a nice day, including a Hail Mary-type touchdown. Blaine Gabbert (139 yards, PaTD, INT) certainly looked his way a lot, targeting Thomas eight times.

Detroit 26, Minnesota 23 (OT)

All the usual suspects had big fantasy days: Matthew Stafford (378 yards, 2 PaTD), Calvin Johnson (108 yards, 2 TD) and Adrian Peterson (97 yards, TD) all showed why you drafted them. Outside of those big names, I was very impressed by Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew's (112 yards) bounceback game. He didn't find his way into the end zone, but he did lead the team in targets (13) and yards. He's a guy to watch in future weeks, and he might be Stafford's new second favorite target behind Megatron. For Minnesota, receiver Michael Jenkins (88 yards) has carved out a nice spot as the number two receiver. He led the team with nine catches on eleven targets on Sunday.

Tennessee 17, Denver 14

I'm starting to get concerned about Chris Johnson (75 yards). He had 13 carries for only 21 yards, and that came against a very beatable Broncos run defense. Denver was missing defensive end Elvis Dumervil, so CJ2K should have run wild. He didn't. You probably don't have a better running back option than Johnson in the near future, but it might be time to grab a couple backups for your team just in case. Matt Hasselbeck (311, 2 PaTD) made up for his running game's miserable day even after star receiver Kenny Britt left the game with a knee injury. Hasselbeck has been good each week so far, and I'm grabbing him as my backup in every league I can. Britt will be out for the rest of the year, so grab Nate Washington (92 yards, TD) if you need a replacement.

Cleveland 17, Miami 16

Colt McCoy (210 yards, 2 PaTD, INT) won ugly, and he again completed less than half of his passes. He did show that if the matchup is right he can put up some decent fantasy numbers, which is good to know as byes and injuries start to take their tolls. Browns running back Peyton Hillis missed this game with strep throat, but he'll be back next week - don't go out and make a panic trade just yet. Miami rookie Daniel Thomas (122 yards, TD) looked great for the second week in a row. He's the guy you want from the Dolphins running game, and I'd have zero problem dropping Reggie Bush (36 yards, fumble) at this point.

New York Giants 29, Philadelphia 16

I was totally wrong on Eli Manning (254 yards, 4 PaTD). He picked apart the Eagles secondary, although Hakeem Nicks (25 yards) didn't really get involved. Manning remains a matchup play at best, even with this great game. His go-to guy was receiver Victor Cruz (110 yards, 2 TD), but Cruz was only relevant because of injuries to Mario Manningham and Domenik Hixon. Even with the Giants' domination, the biggest news came from the opposing sideline. Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick (176 yards, INT, 31 rushing yards), fresh off a concussion suffered last Sunday, may have broken his non-throwing hand in the fourth quarter. It doesn't sound fatal to Vick's season, but if these bumps and bruises keep adding up he might not be a good fantasy player, even if he makes it to the end of the year healthy.

New Orleans 40, Houston 33

Drew Brees (370 yards, 3 PaTD, 2 INT, 2 2PT) started slow, but really picked up the pace in the fourth quarter for the Saints. He spread the ball around as usual, allowing five guys to rack up 50 or more receiving yards. Tops on the list was tight end Jimmy Graham (100 yards, TD), who I'm really starting to like. I think Brees will continue to look for him even after injured receiver Marques Colston comes back. The Texans had an injury of their own to deal with, as Arian Foster (hamstring) sat out his second of three games this year. I still believe in Foster, and I'm actively trying to trade for him in all of my leagues. He will be a top 10 running back once he returns to action.

Baltimore 37, St. Louis 7

Whew, finally a call I totally nailed! Joe Flacco (389 yards, 3 PaTD) did most of his work in the first quarter as the Ravens ran up the score against the lowly Rams. Almost half of Flacco's yards went to Torrey Smith (152 yards, 3 TD). It was Smith's first NFL start (in place of the injured Lee Evans), and he definitely left an impression. It's hard to tell if his big day was just due to a lack of Rams scouting on him or if he truly has that kind of talent, but he will be one of the top waiver wire pickups for the week regardless. I need to see at least one more week before I buy it.

Oakland 34, New York Jets 24

The Raiders running game did something that neither the Cowboys nor the Jaguars could do in the first two weeks: they ran up and down and over and around the Jets defense. Darren McFadden (178, 2 TD) did most of the damage, but the Raiders also had two other rushing touchdowns (Denarius Moore, Michael Bush). The main takeaway from this game is that the Raiders are not the pushovers they once were. While their passing game isn't yet up to snuff for fantasy purposes, it's apparent that whoever the number one running back is will get plenty of yards no matter the opponent.

San Diego 20, Kansas City 17

The most interesting storyline for the Chiefs is who will replace Jamaal Charles. I expected Thomas Jones (33 yards) to get most of the touches, but he actually had the same number as Dexter McCluster (62 yards). Jones appears to be better suited for between-the-tackles running, but McCluster is obviously a much better receiving threat. Due to the fact that Kansas City will be looking to pass a lot this year (since they will be down by so many points), I'd actually rather have McCluster than the proven Jones. I hit on another one of my week three recommendations, as Chargers running back Ryan Mathews (149 yards, 2 TD) tore it up. San Diego wanted to give Mike Tolbert (43 yards) a chance to rest his injured calf against a bad opponent, and you can expect a more even split in future weeks.

Green Bay 27, Chicago 17

The primary running backs from both of these teams were simply dreadful. For the Bears, Matt Forte (82 yards) had only two rushing yards on nine carries! His day was at least partially salvaged by the 80 receiving yards, but the Packers did a great job of shutting him down in the ground game. I'm still not concerned about Forte though. Look for his weekly production will be closer to the first two weeks than week three. The Packers are another story. Just when it seemed like James Starks (14 yards, fumble) was solidifying his role as Green Bay's option at fantasy running back, he turned in a negative point day. And it's not like the Bears were unbeatable on Sunday, because Ryan Grant (92 yards) had a nice game. Stay away from both guys until the situation becomes clearer.

Seattle 13, Arizona 10

If you owned a Cardinals running back on Sunday you were probably panicking just before kickoff. Beanie Wells was questionable all week, and if you grabbed LaRod Stephens-Howling as his backup you were left hanging because both were ruled inactive just before kickoff. Chester Taylor (75 yards) and Alfonso Smith (32 yards) each saw action, but Wells remains the only Arizona running back you should feel okay starting. Kevin Kolb (252 yards, PaTD, 2 INT) had a very mediocre fantasy game in what should have been a favorable matchup, and it made me lose any confidence I had in starting him in future weeks. Sidney Rice (109 yards) returned from injury for the Seahawks and had a surprisingly good game. If he's the fourth or fifth best receiver on your fantasy team then you're in good shape.

Tampa Bay 16, Atlanta 13

The week of unexpectedly bad days for elite running backs continued with Michael Turner (20 yards). Sure he probably killed your team if you started him in week three, but he'll be fine in future weeks. I would look at this as a buy-low opportunity if you are trying to trade. Also for the Falcons, Julio Jones (106 yards) continued to look the part of a developing elite receiver.

Pittsburgh 23, Indianapolis 20

Rashard Mendenhall (46 yards) falls in the same boat as Turner for me and I think now is a good time to try to trade for him. He has a rough schedule for the first six games of the year, but the Steelers' matchups definitely look up as the season progresses. Colts quarterback Kerry Collins was hurt in the second half of this game, and Curtis Painter came in to replace him. I would never recommend starting Painter, but three of his five completions went to Pierre Garcon (82 yards). I wouldn't be surprised if Garcon's value spikes if Collins misses any time.

Thumbs Up:

Colt McCoy (QB, Cleveland Browns) - I normally wouldn't recommend McCoy even if there weren't any other quarterbacks available - he's always a threat to have negative fantasy points - but the Browns play the Dolphins this week. This is the most favorable matchup McCoy will have all year, so if you want to grab a backup in the case that Michael Vick or Tony Romo are inactive on Sunday morning, McCoy deserves a look for this week only.

Joe Flacco (QB, Baltimore Ravens) - He's coming off one of his worst games as an NFL quarterback, in which he threw for less than 200 yards and two interceptions. That was against the Tennessee Titans defense, which is very underrated. This week the Ravens travel to St. Louis to take on the Rams, who have given up good fantasy days to both the quarterbacks they have faced thus far. The game will be played indoors, so expect Flacco to right the ship on Sunday.

Ryan Mathews (RB, San Diego Chargers) - There's a long list of reasons as to why Mathews will succeed this week. San Diego plays against Kansas City. The Chiefs look paper thin on defense so far, and Lions running back Jahvid Best just tore them up in Week Two. On top of the great matchup, Mathews' backfield counterpart Mike Tolbert is dinged up. Tolbert's calf injury kept him out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and will probably be limited on Sunday. That means Mathews will most likely get a majority of the Chargers carries.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis (RB, New England Patriots) - The Patriots-Bills game on Sunday is a battle between two 2-0 teams with bad defenses. I fully expect a shootout similar to last week's Bills-Raiders game or week one's Patriots-Dolphins game. Either way, the Patriots will probably top 30 points on the day. Even with quarterback Tom Brady slinging the ball every which way, the Law Firm will find his way into the end zone for a score or two. Just make sure he finds his way into your fantasy lineup as well.

Mike Thomas (WR, Jacksonville Jaguars) - The Jags play against the 0-2 Carolina Panthers, who have given up the sixth most points through the first two weeks. Blaine Gabbert was named Jacksonville's starting quarterback earlier this week, and has looked smooth in limited action against the Jets in Week Two. At the very least Gabbert is an upgrade from Luke McCown, so Thomas will put up big numbers as the team's number one wide receiver.

Jesse Holley (WR, Dallas Cowboys) - Yes, most of his yardage in Week Two came on a 77-yard catch-and-run in overtime. But Tony Romo was seen talking to him on the sidelines before his big late-game catches, so that leads me to believe that Romo will look his way with star receivers Miles Austin and Dez Bryant likely out against the Redskins come Monday night.

San Diego defense - If for some crazy reason they are still available in your league, go grab them for this week's game against the Chiefs. Kansas City has made both the Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions look like the '85 Bears so far this year, and that trend should continue Sunday.

Thumbs Down:

Eli Manning/Hakeem Nicks (QB/WR, New York Giants) - The youngest Manning had a good game against the Rams this past Monday, but I doubt it carries over into week three. The Giants travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles, and that means throwing against Nnamdi Asomugha and the rest of Philly's elite secondary. Asomugha just held Falcons receiver Roddy White to three catches, and Nicks could be looking at a similar day. On top of the rough matchup, Nicks is still a little dinged up from his Week One knee injury. Stay away from both Giants if you can afford to.

Cam Newton (QB, Carolina Panthers) - I'm starting to believe in Scam - er, Cam. He's thrown for over 400 yards in both weeks, which is unprecedented for a quarterback in his first two games. He looks like an NFL quarterback and even has the added bonus of a rushing touchdown in each of his first two weeks. So why is he in the "Thumbs Down" section? Because I think people are overreacting to these great couple weeks. I've seen people start Newton over some of the elite fantasy quarterbacks, and that's just not the right decision. He will have an average fantasy year and maybe even a good week three, but you shouldn't even THINK about starting him over Rodgers, Vick, Brees, Brady, or Rivers, no matter the matchup.

DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart (RBs, Carolina Panthers) - Just in case last week's combined 11 carries for 18 yards didn't scare you off, realize that the Jaguars defense has shut down both Chris Johnson and Shonn Greene in consecutive weeks (less than three yards per carry combined).

Tim Hightower (RB, Washington Redskins) - He's been a good running back in fantasy so far, but the devilish Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has already shown his true colors in week two. What looked like a one-running-back team in week one suddenly became more of a timeshare, as Roy Helu cut into Hightower's carries last week. The Skins play the Cowboys on Monday night, who are relatively good against the run this year. Neither Shonn Greene in week one nor Frank Gore last week put much of a dent into the Cowboys front seven.

Ed Dickson (TE, Baltimore Ravens) - A popular pickup after his big Week One performance (5 catches, 59 yards, TD), his stock has definitely dropped after catching only two passes for 25 yards last week. The Ravens play the Rams in Week Three, who have allowed exactly two catches for 26 yards to opposing tight ends so far. For some reason St. Louis has shut down tight ends, and that doesn't bode well for Dickson.

After the first few weeks of every NFL season, certain players are overrated by fantasy owners. One or two big games doesn't necessarily mean anything, and fantasy football is about predicting the future as opposed to adding players with good games in the past.

This year is no different, as several "sleeper"-type players have exploded with great stats in one or both weeks. The tricky part is figuring out which players will help you later in the season, and which guys have played their best game.

The number one name on everyone's lips is "Cam Newton." The rookie quarterback now has 854 yards, three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in his first two games with the Carolina Panthers. He actually looks fairly NFL-ready, even though he's surrounded by players who went 2-14 last season. I'm very hesitant to buy into all of his hype though. The three picks today were bad, and pretty soon defenses will realize that they can focus all of their attention on the passing game because the Panthers running backs aren't succeeding. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 11 rushes and 18 yards on Sunday.

Another stud from the first two weeks is Saints wide receiver Devery Henderson. Henderson had at least 100 yards and a score in each game, and fantasy owners have rushed to pick him up as a replacement to the injured Marques Colston. Again, I really don't believe in Henderson and I'm confused as to why everyone else does. Most of his production in Week Two came from a 79 yard touchdown reception, and he only had two targets besides that. As long as quarterback Drew Brees spreads the love in New Orleans, I'm staying away from Henderson.

One guy I am buying into is Nate Burleson. The Lions receiver led his team with seven catches (on nine targets) for 93 yards last week, and he seems to have a strong connection with quarterback Matthew Stafford. The pair hooked up for a touchdown in each of the three preseason games they played together. As long as Stafford stays healthy, watch for Burleson to sneak into the top 30 fantasy wide receivers this year.

Game Recaps

New York Jets 32, Jacksonville 3

Even though the Jets totaled 32 points, there weren't too many offensive fireworks in their win against the Jaguars. Dustin Keller (101 yards, TD) and the Jets Defense (4 INTs) were both solid, but the stars of New York were relatively quiet. Both Santonio Holmes and Shonn Greene found the end zone, but each were held to less than 60 total yards. While I still believe in Holmes going forward, Greene scares me. After 49 yards on 16 carries in Week Two, he is still under three yards per carry for the year. As for the Jaguars, Maurice Jones-Drew (107 yards) is the only player you can start with confidence.

Detroit 48, Kansas City 3

Armageddon came on Sunday for some fantasy owners, as Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles was lost for the rest of the season due to a knee injury. I'd pick up Thomas Jones first if I was an owner who lost Charles. Kansas City appears to be the leader in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes after two weeks; unless they have a great matchup I wouldn't feel good about starting anyone on Kansas City in the future weeks. Dwayne Bowe (113 yards) did manage a decent day from a fantasy perspective, but defenses know that they can just key on him in passing downs. Matthew Stafford (294 yards, 4 PaTD, 1 INT) and Jahvid Best (123 yards, 2 TD) each had great days for the Lions.

New Orleans 30, Chicago 13

Brees (270 yards, 3 PaTD) continues to be a fantasy machine, but he makes it difficult to start any of the Saints wide receivers (none had more than four targets). For the Bears, running back Matt Forte (166 yards) has a bright, bright season ahead of him. Forte rushed for 4.9 yards per carry, but had more receiving yards than rushing yards for the second week in a row. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler continues to look for Forte more than anyone else, and Forte also led the team in targets with 20. I'm all in on Forte this year.

Cleveland 27, Indianapolis 19

I'm going to make this quick and I'm going to make it easy: the only players on either of these two teams you should EVER start are Peyton Hillis (117 yards, 2 TD), Reggie Wayne (66 yards), Dallas Clark (32 yards, TD) and Joseph Addai (101 yards). If you even consider starting someone else, your team is in trouble.

Tampa Bay 24, Minnesota 20

Why the Buccaneers coaches continue to limit LaGarrette Blount's (71 yards, 2 TD) carries absolutely baffles me. Against a D-Line that was missing two Pro Bowlers, Blount racked up 5.5 yards per rush on only 13 touches. Hopefully the play callers get it right soon, as Blount has the talent to be a premiere fantasy running back. For the Vikings, Adrian Peterson (144 yards, 2 TD) is the only player I feel completely comfortable starting. Percy Harvin (83 yards, 1 Fumble) is on the borderline, but I don't have enough confidence in quarterback Donovan McNabb yet.

Green Bay 30, Carolina 23

Steve Smith (156 yards, fumble) continues to impress, but he's the only Panther I'm willing to start right now. For the Packers, both Jordy Nelson (1 catch, 84 yards, TD) and Greg Jennings (2 catches, 55 yards, TD) were bailed out by grabbing long touchdowns. Both will continue to be decent fantasy options, as will Jermichael Finley (68 yards). In the running game, James Starks (115 yards) had three more touches than his counterpart Ryan Grant (39 yards), and Starks definitely produced better numbers. If I were forced into starting one of the two I'd probably choose Starks, but I would search very hard for other options.

Pittsburgh 24, Seattle 0

Ben Roethlisberger (298 yards, 1 PaTD) had a good day, but if I owned him I would try my hardest to trade him while his value is high. The Steelers offensive line does an awful job of keeping Big Ben from getting hit, and I would be very surprised if he didn't suffer an injury sometime soon. I know Marshawn Lynch (6 rushes, 11 yards) has had a couple of terrible weeks, but I wouldn't discard him as an option thus far.

Tennessee 26, Baltimore 13

This was a battle of two elite running backs, but neither performed at the elite level. Ray Rice (96 yards, TD) managed to find the end zone on a dump off from quarterback Joe Flacco, while Chris Johnson (65 yards) was held scoreless for the second straight week. Both are still every-week starts, don't panic and bench them any time soon. Kenny Britt (135 yards, TD) was a monster and look for him to continue his success after quarterback Matt Hasselback has targeted him more than any other Titans wideout.

Washington 22, Arizona 21

It wasn't all that pretty, but quarterbacks Rex Grossman (291 yards, 2PaTD, 2 INT) and Kevin Kolb (251 yards, 2 PaTD, INT) each had relatively good fantasy numbers. I believe that this will continue, and both will be start-worthy once bye weeks come around or if their matchups are favorable. The rushing distribution for the Redskins was certainly more representative of a Mike Shanahan offense than in the first week. Tim Hightower (106 yards) still had a majority of the carries (20), but Roy Helu (112 yards) also had 10 rushes and three catches. Watch for the touches to become more evenly split as the season progresses, which will give Helu more value. If you have a roster spot available, Helu is a guy you want to stash.

Buffalo 38, Oakland 35

This game was a real thriller, but I have my doubts about most of the big performances. Sure, Fred Jackson (140 yards, 2 TD) and Darren McFadden (143 yards, 2 TD) are great running backs and will continue to perform well. But Denarius Moore (171 yards, TD), David Nelson (83 yards, TD) and the rest of the guys with breakout games shouldn't be picked up unless you play in a very deep league. This game was a shootout like nothing these teams have seen for a long time (and probably won't see for a while). These big fantasy number games were a product of bad defenses more than anything else, so stray away from falling in love with either team's star players as fantasy options.

Dallas 27, San Francisco 24 (OT)

Tony Romo (345 yards, 2 PaTD) suffered a fractured rib, but came back to finish the game. Romo continues with a troubled history of injuries, which is cause for concern for his long-term value and staying power at quarterback. Other than securing a solid backup, I'm not sure what you can do besides hoping he stays healthy. Frank Gore (64 yards, TD) averaged 2.4 yards per carry against an average-at-best Cowboys defense. It seems that Gore's day as a premier running back may be coming to an end, especially with a questionable 49er passing attack allowing defenses to focus on Gore.

Denver 24, Cincinnati 22

No Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) meant good things for Willis McGahee (106 yards, TD). He is definitely worth a look if Moreno misses any more time this year. Brandon Lloyd (groin) also missed this game. Hopefully he is back next week or else Denver will have to put quarterback Tim Tebow in at wide receiver again. I like Eric Decker (113 yards, 2 TD) as the Broncos second receiver, but it's tough to start him when Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn and Tebow are the guys throwing him the ball.

New England 35, San Diego 21

Tom Brady (423 yards, 3 PaTD) and Philip Rivers (378 yards, 2 PaTD, 2 INT) showed why they should never be benched, and neither should their main wide receiver targets Wes Welker (81 yards) and Vincent Jackson (172 yards, 2 TD). Antonio Gates (0 catches) was completely locked down by the Patriots, but there's nothing you as a fantasy owner can do. He is a must-start every week, and he will get back on track soon.

Houston 23, Miami 13

Last year's leading rusher Arian Foster (40 yards) reinjured his hamstring, which seems like it might be a nagging injury for the rest of the year. We'll see if he misses time, but I still think he has a few gigantic games in him. For the Dolphins running game, rookie Daniel Thomas (117 yards, Fumble) was far better than Reggie Bush (21 yards). I don't feel good starting Bush for now, and I'd try to deal him to someone who is enamored by his highlight-capabilities.

Atlanta 35, Philadelphia 31

This was another game where everyone's numbers were inflated because of the back-and-forth, video game-style performance on offense. Roddy White (23 yards, TD) had a subpar game, but that's because Matt Ryan (195 yards, 4 PaTD, 2 INT) wanted to avoid throwing near Eagles shutdown corner back Nnamdi Asomugha. Ryan had to spread the ball around to his other receiving options, as he completed passes to seven different targets. Eagles fans and fantasy owners alike are very concerned about the injury status of Michael Vick (242 yards, 2 PaTD, INT, 2 Fumbles). It's been reported that he suffered a concussion, and even spit up blood at one point. However, this isn't the type of injury that Vick owners should be afraid of because it doesn't sound like it's season-ending.

Thumbs Up:

Matthew Stafford (QB, Detroit Lions): The Lions quietly have one of the most potent offenses in the NFL, and Stafford is the guy running the show. He was dominant last week against an average Bucs secondary, so imagine what he'll do this week against the Chiefs. Kansas City got torched by Buffalo in Week One and now they'll be playing without second-year safety Eric Berry, who was placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury sustained last week. Even if Stafford is your second or third quarterback, I would start him ahead of anyone besides Aaron Rodgers, Michael Vick, Drew Brees or Philip Rivers.

Rex Grossman/Santana Moss (QB/WR, Washington Redskins): If you plug in different quarterbacks each week, then Grossman is the guy you want for Week Two. The Redskins play against the Arizona Cardinals who just allowed a record-setting day from Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Moss has a similar skill set to Panthers receiver Steve Smith, who had 178 yards and two touchdowns last week. Watch for Moss to find the holes in the Cardinals secondary, just as Smith did last week.

Arian Foster (RB, Houston Texans): This is mostly just a reminder for anyone who thought Foster was still hurt. He's back in practice, and Texans coach Gary Kubiak has made it clear that he won't limit Foster's touches if he suits up on Sunday. He's a no-brainer, every-week start as long as he's healthy, so get him back in your lineup.

Ryan Grant/James Starks (RBs, Green Bay Packers): The Packers didn't go to the ground game very much in Week One, but that was because the Saints turned it into a quick strike, passing shootout. Green Bay is heavily favored in their matchup with the Panthers, so look for a lot of late-game rushes for these two running backs. Since the Panthers just lost star linebacker Jon Beason for the rest of the year, Grant and Starks should each get decent yardage and hopefully a score.

Peyton Hillis (RB, Cleveland Browns): He wasn't great last week, as the Bengals held him to 54 yards on 17 carries. Don't be scared if you own him, he's going to have a big year and it starts Sunday against the Colts. The Texans second and third string running backs ran up and down the field last week against Indianapolis, and you better believe Hillis will do the same. I see 150 total yards and at least one score in his future.

LaGarrette Blount (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Minnesota was staunch against the run last week in San Diego, allowing only 2.9 yards per carry. Even so, both Chargers running backs (Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert) had decent fantasy days. Tampa Bay will realize that they need to get Blount more involved in the game plan after they lost to the Lions (Blount had five carries), and he will surely produce with the added touches.

Mario Manningham (WR, New York Giants): Giants' number one receiver Hakeem Nicks is dinged up, so quarterback Eli Manning will look primarily toward Manningham. He might have a breakout game, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him put up 20 fantasy points on Monday night.

Dallas Cowboys defense: Their secondary seems to be made of fine china, but there are still some playmakers on the Cowboys defense. Plus, they play against Alex Smith and the San Francisco 49ers, who really didn't look that great in their win against Seattle last week. Smith will make his fair share of errors on Sunday, and the Cowboys will be sure to take advantage.

Thumbs Down:

Cam Newton (QB, Carolina Panthers): Every year someone has an amazing Week One fantasy line, causing fantasy owners to overreact and jump on their bandwagon. This year's version is Newton, who played a truly terrible Cardinals secondary. No one could hang with 32 year-old wideout Steve Smith, but that will change when they play the Packers this week.

Dwayne Bowe (WR, Kansas City Chiefs): Most teams probably don't have a better option than Bowe on their bench, but I'd be very cautious about starting anyone on the Chiefs besides Jamaal Charles until they prove themselves. Last week was just ugly, and the Detroit Lions have a better defense than the Chiefs previous opponent, the Buffalo Bills.

Percy Harvin (WR, Minnesota Vikings): This isn't a slight against Harvin's talent as much as it is against his quarterback. I mean, Donovan McNabb threw for 39 yards last week! That's an astoundingly low number, and it only gets worse for Harvin as he matches up with Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib this week. Unless he's bailed out by another kickoff return touchdown, Harvin won't be worthy of a start on your fantasy team.

Chad Ochocinco (WR, New England Patriots): As we witnessed on Monday night, the Patriots have an explosive passing game - and that's putting it modestly. Tom Brady threw for over 500 yards and yet "Eight-Five" only had one catch for 14 yards. The Pats love to run two wide receiver, two tight end sets so they can get both Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski on the field. That leaves Ochocinco, the third receiver on the depth chart, out of the mix. Until Brady and Ochocinco develop a better connection, leave Ocho on your bench.

Shonn Greene (RB, New York Jets): He was horrible last week against the Cowboys, totaling only 26 yards on 10 rushes. Both those numbers cause me to raise an eyebrow, as it seems like LaDainian Tomlinson's NFL career isn't quite over yet (Tomlinson stole five of the Jets carries). The Jets matchup this week is against the Jaguars, who are coming off a Week One victory over the Titans in which they effectively contained speedster Chris Johnson. If at all possible, hold off on starting Greene this week.