The Fantasy Sports Channel

By: Ralph Mancini
NFLDraftBible.com

DAVID CARR (NYG-QB): Eli Manning owners be warned. The Big Blue signal caller’s plantar fasciitis has worsened, and may eventually develop into a season-ending stress fracture. Whether or not the younger Manning plays next Sunday is up in the air, making Carr a must-add. The one-time Texan has a big arm, good weapons to throw to, as well as excellent mobility to extend plays. Carr has never had a great pocket presence, but over the short-term he has the skills to help fantasy teams.

CHRIS REDMAN (ATL-QB): Matt Ryan’s toe injury forced Redman into action and the long-time backup delivered. He led the Falcon offense downfield by throwing short, accurate passes, and avoiding turnovers. The 32-year-old triggerman has shown the ability to make stick throws in crucial moments. It’s way too early to speculate whether Ryan will be ready to suit up and play next week.

KYLE BOLLER (STL-QB): Boller is clearly the man in St. Louis after Marc Bulger’s knee fracture, which may keep him out for the remainder of the season. In this week’s loss to Seattle, the much-maligned Boller spread the wealth among his targets and ran hard when he had to. The ex-Raven was a bit off with his deeper throws, but he definitely has the arm to take full advantage of his young wide outs in favorable matchups. Next week’s contest versus Chicago certainly qualifies as the type of game where Boller has a good chance to flourish.

LARRY JOHNSON (CIN-RB): L.J. looked like his old self in a Cincinnati uniform by running with vision and conviction versus Cleveland. Johnson ended the game with 107 yards on 22 carries, and has the opportunity to improve upon those numbers next week against a poor Detroit defense should Cedric Benson require additional rest.

DONNIE AVERY (STL-WR): With three touchdowns in his last three games, Avery is beginning to gain steam. The second-year speed merchant can beat just about any cornerback deep, but also has the running skills to take short throws and turn them into long gainers.

JOSH MORGAN (SF-WR): The benching of Isaac Bruce has led to the emergence of the Virginia Tech product, who’s done a super job lately of getting open with his physical route-running. Morgan caught a season-high six receptions versus Jacksonville and has another inviting matchup upcoming with a porous Seattle secondary.

MARCEDES LEWIS (JAX-TE): No, Lewis isn’t the most exciting tight end option out there, but he’s been good for anywhere between 40 to 70-receiving yards over the past three weeks. The former UCLA Bruin has big, soft hands, along with being faster and more mobile than he appears.

Ones to Watch

KEITH NULL (STL-QB): The tall Texan may eventually get some play as St. Louis’ disappointing season comes to a close. Null is known as a smart passer capable of reading his progressions and putting good touch on his throws. It remains to be seen if his accuracy has improved.

FRED TAYLOR (NE-RB): According to various news sources, Taylor is walking around without a limp and may be soon be ready to return from his ankle injury. When healthy, the 33-year-old back is New England’s most skilled back. His vision and burst make him a big-play threat. It’s unknown how he’ll be used if and when he’s back in uniform. Stay tuned.

It’s the week of the walking wounded with Matt Ryan, DeSean Jackson, and Shaun Rogers all hobbling off the field with injuries that will result in missed time.

We’ve got it all here in the latest edition of the Infirmary Report, the first article to read for what happened on Sunday.

Make sure that you know all the big injuries and check us out every single week right here at FFInjuries.com!!!

Quarterbacks

QUESTIONABLE
Matt Ryan (Toe), Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan was sidelined early in the first quarter Sunday with a toe injury on his right foot. Trainers had re-taped Ryan in hopes of a return but he decided to head to the locker-room after trying to walk on it. Ryan played only one full series, as he suffered the injury on a drive-ending sack. He didn’t appear noticeably hobbled when walking off the field near the end of the first quarter but did not return to the game and watched the second half in warm-ups with a walking boot on his right foot. Back-up Chris Redman looked good in relief duty, passing for 243 yards and two TDs in the Falcons’ win. The complete extent of Ryan’s injury is unknown at this point but he’s likely be a game-time decision for week 13.

PROBABLE
Eli Manning (Foot), New York Giants
Even though the Giants last played on Thursday, it’s being reported Sunday that Eli Manning’s plantar fasciitis injury has developed into a stress reaction. Apparently the new aggravation resulted from Manning trying to overcompensate for his plantar fascia. The stress reaction in the cuboid bone reportedly makes him more susceptible to a season-ending stress fracture as a result. Though the team believes Manning doesn’t have plantar fasciitis anymore, Eli is now wearing a bone stimulator on the foot and lots of extra padding. The bottom line here is that Manning has struggled badly since suffering the injury and while it’s not likely to cause him to miss time, it’s still affecting his performance.

Running backs

DOUBTFUL
Michael Turner (Ankle), Atlanta Falcons
Michael Turner left Sunday’s game in the third quarter after re-injuring his right ankle. “The Burner” had his leg bent back awkwardly and it put too much pressure on his already sprained ankle. He crumpled to the turf and stayed down for a few minutes but was able to limp off gingerly under his own power. Turner was able to carry the ball 12 times for 33 yards before leaving the game but this re-injury is not a good sign for his week 13 availability. Jerious Norwood took over for Turner and looked good running the ball out of the backfield, as well as in the passing game with a 22-yard TD grab.

DOUBTFUL
Bernard Scott (Toe), Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals RB Bernard Scott was injured early in the 3rd quarter of Sunday’s game and it’s being reported that the injury is of the turf-toe variety. The rookie ran 18 times for 87 yards in the team’s win over the Browns and Scott said he suffered the injury in the first quarter, but his touches didn’t decrease until late in the third quarter. Meanwhile, Larry Johnson had 22 carries for 107 yards and got all the red zone carries. Should Cedric Benson be forced to sit out again next week, it’s LJ that has more upside than Scott, who occasionally had to rest on the sidelines while appearing winded. Scott said; “It’s not that bad. A couple days of rehab and I’ll be all right.” Expect him to miss practice time this week.

Wide Receivers

DOUBTFUL
DeSean Jackson (Concussion), Philadelphia Eagles
DeSean Jackson was taken to the Eagles locker room in the third quarter Sunday with an undisclosed injury. Jackson went over the middle and took a huge hit from Redskins’ middle linebacker London Fletcher-Baker. He stayed down for a few minutes and was rubbing his neck while being looked at trainers on the sideline. He did not return to the game and the team is now describing the injury as a concussion. Coach Andy Reid said Jackson did not lose consciousness but would need further evaluation. Considering the criticism surrounding Philadelphia’s handling of Brian Westbrook’s concussion and with the league seemingly imposing an unspoken mandatory rule of sitting out one game after a concussion, Jackson’s week 13 status against the Falcons is very much in doubt.

Tight End

QUESTIONABLE
Brent Celek (Hand), Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles TE Brent Celek revealed after Sunday’s game that he played through torn ligaments in his hand, which helps explain Celek’s multiple drops against the Redskins. He finished with just 33 yards on four catches but would have had a lot more if he could have held on to a few more passes. He also has a sprained thumb and may have to miss some practice time next week. The Eagles said X-rays were negative but Celek told teammate Jeremy Maclin about torn ligaments after the game. While passing Celek at his locker, Maclin asked; “you good?” and Celek replied; “No, I tore a few ligaments in my hand.” Celek finished the game out, so he’s likley to play the whole game this next week as well.

Defensive Lineman

OUT
Shaun Rogers (Ankle/Achilles), Cleveland Browns
Browns’ DT Shaun Rogers suffered a leg injury in the closing minutes of the team’s game against the Bengals and had to be carted off the field. The massive tackle was spotted hobbling out of the stadium on crutches after Sunday’s loss and will reportedly miss the rest of 2009 with an injury to his ankle or Achilles’ tendon. While the specifics of the injury aren’t known, there’s obviously significant enough damage to cost Rogers the final five games of the year. The Browns’ run defense was already terrible and now looks to be getting even worse with this loss.

Linebackers

QUESTIONABLE
Shawne Merriman (Knee), Green Bay Packers
Chargers LB Shawne Merriman left the team’s week 12 game with an apparent foot injury. Merriman, who was questionable for the game after missing practice time all week due to an injured foot, didn’t appear to be injured on any one specific play. There’s no word yet on whether Merriman aggravated his existing injury or suffered a separate injury but he was out for a majority of the game and his status for next week is in doubt.

Defensivebacks

DOUBTFUL
Charles Tillman (Concussion), Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears CB Charles Tillman suffered a head injury Week 12 and did not return to the game. He was being examined on the sidelines and was administered multiple concussion tests before being ruled out. Tillman spent the remainder of the game on the sideline with an icepack on his neck. It sounds like a concussion and his status for Week 13 is in doubt.

By: Ralph Mancini
NFLDraftBible.com

START

DAUNTE CULPEPPER (DET-QB): C-Pepp is a shaky option that should only be considered in an emergency situation. But even with all his flaws and penchant for turning the ball over, he should put up some yards in his Thanksgiving matchup versus a depleted Green Bay defense. Without starting corner Al Harris and OLB Aaron Kampmann, the team’s best pass rusher, the Packers are much more vulnerable against the pass than they normally are. But even before the injuries, The Green and Gold have recently allowed far-from-proven passers, Josh Freeman and Alex Smith, to each throw three touchdowns against them.

JASON SNELLING (ATL-RB): The big bruiser has a very inviting matchup versus a reeling Buccaneer defense this Sunday. Things are in such disarray with Raheem Morris’ defense that the head coach has decided to take over playing calling duties from coordinator Jim Bates and plans on going back to the Cover-2 scheme. Clearly, this change of philosophy is an act of desperation on the part of a man who’s out of answers. With Michael Turner still nursing a high ankle sprain, Snelling should power his way to another productive afternoon.

JUSTIN FORSETT (SEA-RB): The diminutive game-breaker found a way to be productive versus a powerhouse Minnesota defense last week, which gives you hope for Seattle’s upcoming matchup versus the lowly Rams. While lead runner Julius Jones is reportedly preparing to return from his rib/lung injury, Seattle’s coaching staff will probably err on the side of caution by letting him sit out another week. Forsett is an ultra-quick, shifty back that can do damage on the ground and has the hands to serve as an effective pass catcher.

FELIX JONES (DAL-RB): Dallas has finally begun giving the electrifying Jones more touches, and the former Razorback is the type of performer that doesn’t need a lot of looks to put up yardage. This week’s opponent, the Oakland Raiders, have given up a league-high 16 touchdowns on the ground, which makes Jones a nice reach flex play.

MICHAEL CRABTREE (SF-WR): The rookie shouldn’t have a big problem getting open on a number of shallow routes that he’ll look to covert into big plays versus a Jacksonville secondary allowing the likes of Ryan Fitzpatrick to complete 99-yard touchdown passes against them. In addition, Jack Del Rio’s bunch has no pass rush to speak of, which explains why opposing quarterbacks are completing over 66-percent of their throws versus the Jags.

DAVONE BESS (MIA-WR): Bess is slowly, but surely growing into Miami’s most reliable weapon at wide receiver. The slot receiver’s short-area quickness, agility, and vice-grip hands make him a steady safety valve for quarterback Chad Henne, who has no dependable tight end to throw to. An injury-ravaged Bills defense shouldn’t pose much of a challenge to Miami’s offense.

DAVE THOMAS (NO-TE): If Lance Moore misses his fourth straight game this week, Thomas could see a number of throws go his way once again. Thomas has sort of taken over as Drew Brees’ primary slot target over the past two games. Anticipate Brees putting the ball in the air early and often in what should be a Monday night shootout versus New England. Thomas, a former Patriot, has the ability to stretch the field.

SIT

JAY CUTLER (CHI-QB): The talented, but undisciplined triggerman is just simply lost right now and is difficult to recommend against just about any defense, let alone a menacing Minnesota unit. Cutler is having problems connecting with wide-open targets right now and should be kept on the shelf.

ROCK CARTWRIGHT (WASH-RB): This week’s waiver-wire wonder will have a rough go of it versus Philadelphia’s top-ten run defense that’s very stingy when it comes to allowing opposing backs to cross the goal line. Additionally, Cartwright isn’t used to being a feature back and the fact that he plays in an offense that doesn’t score many points makes his chances of helping your fantasy team very slim.

By: Ross Mandel
NFLDraftBible.com

Week eleven was simply crazy. A division considered one of the best in the league—the NFC North—saw all of its teams lose, with Pittsburgh and Cincy doing it in incomprehensible style. The Broncos blew a three-game division lead in a month…and it was the second time in less than a year that they’ve done it. A division—the NFC East—that was on the downturn flipped the script as each of its three playoff-contending teams won games they could have, and perhaps should have, lost. The number one overall pick in 2009 lit up the scoreboard and earned the everlasting respect of his teammates as the Lions…yes, the Lions earned a last-second win in a thriller. Oh, and the Chiefs and Raiders won on the same day for the fist time since 2007. And there was more!

The New York Giants won a game they had to win as Eli Manning had a career day at home—something he seldom does. That’s the short version. Manning threw for 384 yards and three touchdowns (two to Kevin Boss) and their young receivers put on a show in front of the home crowd. Mario Manningham, Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks combined for 15 receptions and 275 yards. That’s a passing attack, and it doesn’t even include the Big Boss Man’s five for 76 yards. So why was this game in overtime? One reason was the Giants’ inability to run the ball against Atlanta. Twenty-six carries for a measly 88 yards? Really? Against an Atlanta team ranked 24th in the league against the run? Against an Atlanta team which yielded 185 yards to Carolina on 34 totes (5.4 ypc) a week ago? The passing game bailed them out in this game…but will that passing game be as effective in the weeks ahead? I’m a bit skeptical considering the Giants will play half of their remaining games in potential bad weather locations in prime time. Cold, windy, not fun…that’s how’d I’d describe at Denver, Philly at home and at Washington for night games.

This Giants team is going nowhere if they aren’t able to run the ball…and we know they can. They’ve done it as recently as the Philadelphia loss. But the inconsistency of Manning is now matched by a similar lack of reliability in the rushing attack. Woe is the team who cannot perform with consistency on offense. Defensively, everyone knew what was coming in the fourth quarter, didn’t we? The Giants went up 31-17 when the adult film-named Madison Hedgecock hauled in a three-yard Manning pass…but the end was not near. In typical Giants fashion, the defense let the opposition right back into the game, giving up a touchdown on the ensuing Falcons’ drive. It can be argued that the home team’s D played a solid first half…what cannot be argued is this: In the second half, the Falcons had the ball four times and scored four times. That’s not a playoff defense and it’s certainly not what Giant fans expected against a Michael Turner-less Atlanta team which was forced to come from behind. Good—not even great—defenses tend to tee off on the opposition once their offense has established a lead. Not the Giants. They let Ryan throw all over them and allowed Turner’s understudy—the immortal Jason Snelling—to find the end zone twice.

I cannot tell you how relieved I was to see Atlanta kick that extra point to tie the score instead of going for two. Mike Smith should have rolled the dice. I know, I know—after the Belichick call on fourth down, no one wants to get into another debate, but think about it. The Falcons’ defense couldn’t stop Eli Manning. The Giants defense had given up four scores on four second-half possessions. The Big Blue D was melting. The Atlanta D was a no-show. Why not try to end the game there? Instead, Smith’s defenseless Birds lost the coin flip and the game was over right there. Coaches are afraid of risk taking, even when it makes sense…even when their gut tells them to do it. There’s no way Smith had any confidence in his defense at that point, but (unlike Belichick) he feared the second-guessers. As a result, he played it safe and his team will now have to rely on others to make the playoffs. The Giants won the game, and at this point in the season, that’s all that really matters. But the red flags still exist. With a short week and a Thanksgiving game against a reeling Denver team coming up, followed by home games against Dallas and Philly, their season will be determined over the next three games. In my mind, if they go 3-0 or even 2-1 they’ll make the playoffs. Anything less and they’ll be watching the post-season with the rest of us, wondering what happened to their 5-0 start.

Speaking of wondering about great starts, how about those New York Jetropolitans? They took it on the chin from an angry New England team and now sit at 4-6 after beginning their campaign 3-0 with a mouthy bullet. The boasting has been replaced by crying…literally, and Rex Ryan’s crew is watching their playoff aspirations fall by the side of the New Jersey Turnpike. This 31-14 beat down was quite the contrast from the teams’ week two meeting, one which saw the Jets emerge with a hard-fought 16-9 win over their division rivals. The differences in this return bout were glaring: Wes Welker destroyed the New Yorkers this time around, hauling in 15 receptions for 192 yards. I guess since he missed the first match-up he figured he had to put up two games’ worth of stats in this one. He was everywhere, and the Jets were too busy patting themselves on the back for holding Randy Moss in check…but what about the war?

Despite Welker, the Jets managed to stay in the game thanks to a blocked punt with less than a minute to go in the first half. That made it 24-7 and when Mark Sanchez hit Jerricho Cotchery for a 29-yard touchdown to open the second half to make it 24-14 there was, justifiably, some hope for the Jets. Hope that Mark Sanchez would realize that New England’s Leigh Bodden was in fact wearing a Patriots jersey. The defense made a stop on the ensuing series and New York got the ball back, down ten with plenty of time left. But Sanchez could not get anything going…could never find a rhythm of consistency. The teams exchanged punts and the Jets began the fourth quarter with the ball and a chance…which was snuffed out by Bodden, who must have some more pictures of Sanchez eating hot dogs or something; three picks in one game? Forget who made these interceptions; the distressing thing is that Sanchez threw them at all. He’s transformed from a confident player who was leading his team to victories to a quarterback with zero confidence, one who is leading his team into the loss column on a weekly basis.

The tiring Jet defense held Brady and company in check one more time following the turnover…but when they gave the ball back to Sanchez, the speechwriting signal caller refused to accept it. Instead, he threw his fourth interception of the afternoon. At this point, Jet fans had to be thinking, ‘At least it wasn’t to Bodden.’ New England took advantage—seriously, how many times do you turn it over against a solid team and expect to get away with it—in the form of a Laurence Maroney touchdown plunge to make the score 31-14. Sanchez added a fumble on the next Jet possession to complete his five turnover day. It was another awful performance from the man out of USC, and one that’s starting to become par for the course. That’s scary for the Jets who, after the team’s 3-0 start, thought they were all set at quarterback for years to come. Now they—and the rest of us—aren’t so sure. As I mentioned last week, this 4-6 record wouldn’t be so foul-tasting to Jet fans if they’d lost their first three and were slowly showing signs of improvement; if Sanchez started terribly but was now showing signs of “getting it”, the mood surrounding the team wouldn’t be as gloomy as it currently is.

But they didn’t, they haven’t, and it is. Look, no one should expect a rookie quarterback to do everything right. Once teams adjust to his strengths, it’s up to Sanchez to adjust in kind…but he can’t seem to do it and the game is now playing Sanchez instead of the reverse. This team is not without positives; Thomas Jones played well again, the defense played well in the second half, and the special teams made a huge play…but when your quarterback goes 8-21 for 136 and turns the ball over five times, it doesn’t matter what the rest of the team does. So what do you do if you’re the Jets? Do you sit Sanchez down for a game to let him catch his breath? No way. He must fight his way out of this on the field, not by watching someone with half of his talent flounder. There are six games left in the Jets’ season. Sanchez had that amount of time to reassure the coaching staff, his teammates, and the fans that he IS the right guy for this job. The only way to do that is to take care of the football. He knows it. He also knows that he helped contribute to what we can see now were unrealistic expectations for this Jet team. They were never as good as that 3-0 record…but are they as bad as the 1-6 record they’ve compiled since then? The next half dozen games will tell us, and will determine the mindset for the 2010 Jets.

Around the League…

Indianapolis remained unbeaten after beating the Ravens in Baltimore. The Ravens couldn’t have expected a different end result after settling for field goal after field goal against Peyton Manning and his offense. That they were in the game at all was a testimony to their defense, which held Manning to fewer than 300 yards and intercepted him twice while yielding just one touchdown pass. When you do that, and you score five times, you’ve gotta assume you’re winning that game. But the Ravens couldn’t put the ball in the end zone against the bend-but-don’t-break Colts defense. That defense is in the distant background because of Peyton Manning, and that’s the way of the NFL world. But that D deserves credit; the Colts have played (and won) a bunch of close games this season and the defense has come up with huge stops and turnovers in each of them. After five or six game-changing plays, can we stop thinking it’s all luck? Reputation is a tough thing to shake, and I know the Baltimore defense—which has done nothing but cave when games have been on the line all season—is happy about that…but the Colts D is going to get recognized sooner or later. Did you know that the Colts lead the league in points per game? Sorry, I should have been more specific—points ALLOWED per game? Yeah—they have the stingiest D in the league, but you’d never know it. None of their defensive players do commercials. They only do work. Six games left and they’re all winnable. I’m just saying.

Even the most loyal Jay Cutler fans have to be wondering what’s going on in Chicago. Both of those fans have to be sick and tired of the hangdog attitude, the overthrows, the poor decisions, the inaccuracy…and the losing. The Bears are now 4-6. That’s not what they were counting on when they dealt for Cutler, but it’s what many of us thought would happen. All credit to the Eagles—that was a solid road win. And there was even a Michael Vick sighting! But the story is Cutler. He’s got a world of talent, but that talent makes him believe that nothing else matters. Meanwhile, his teams collapse (see Denver, 2008) and disappoint on a regular basis. Is it a coincidence? Hardly. The light simply isn’t on upstairs for this guy. He didn’t throw an interception until the end of Sunday’s game, but his play was just as poor as it’s been all season. He picked his poison—instead of throwing interceptions, he chose to miss no less than three wide open receivers for touchdowns. He passed 43 times for 171 yards. That’s less than four yards per attempt. You can’t do that and expect to win against a team like the Eagles. The game isn’t as simple as “I’ll just go out there with my awesome arm and we’ll win.” The Bears offense isn’t simply failing to win games for the team; it’s causing the team to lose games. You can blame it on a lack of established receivers or a down season from Matt Forte…but the quarterback is the key and Culter is no Keymaster. He’s a sullen, whiny, head case with a quarterback rating of 74.5—that’s almost 12 points lower than Jason Campbell, which is frightening. He’s an “It’s never my fault” guy who has 18 interceptions on the season…which are two more than Mark Sanchez. Front-running is fun…when you’re winning.

Observation Deck…

The Steelers lost to the Chiefs. No, really. I’m sure the guys at Elias have some stat that would tell us teams’ records following a game-opening kickoff return for a touchdown. KC’s Jamaal Charles did the deed against the defending champs on Sunday and as soon as he did, the mood on the sideline changed from one of “I hope we don’t get blown out” to “Hey—we might be able to actually win this one if we get a couple of breaks.” Belief is a dangerous thing, if you’re a heavy favorite. Chris Chambers needs to be tested for…well, for everything. His re-rebirth in Kansas City is making me wonder what exactly the problem was in San Diego. One good game can be written off as a fluke, but Chambers has put up three pretty good ones out of absolutely nowhere. Strange. Almost as strange as the call Pittsburgh made in overtime: Third and two from the Chiefs’ 35, essentially on the cusp of field goal range. A toss to Mewelde Moore? What a terrible play call. It lost three yards, the Steelers had to punt and KC hit a big play to Chambers to secure the stunning win. Steel City Supporters know full well that they’ll be looking back to that one when the season is over…

…Especially since the Bengals somehow lost to the Raiders. Cedric Benson didn’t play, but that’s hardly an excuse. Cincy was up 14-0 and on their way to an easy win…until they got comfy and turned the ball over time after time. Granted, if JaMarcus Russell had been playing quarterback for Oakland it wouldn’t have mattered, but Bruce Gradkowski was under center and looked competent. That’s a huge improvement for Oakland. Even with all of the miscues and lackluster play, the division-leading Bengals were up by a touchdown with less than a minute left and the Raiders facing a fourth and ten from the Cincy 45. Gradkowski found Chazzzz Schilens for the first down, spiked the ball then hit Louis Murphy for a game-tying touchdown with 33 seconds left in regulation. Oakland was overjoyed at the prospect of overtime…until Bubba Caldwell fumbled the kickoff and handed the Raiders a win. The Bengals have now suffered two of the worst losses in the league this season, this one and the Broncos miracle in the opener. The Oakland loss makes the Pittsburgh win from a week ago a bit less sweet, but the Bengals know the bottom line is that they’re still on top in the AFC North. They were able to shrug off the tough Bronco loss…let’s see if they can do it again after this one.

Brett Favre keeps feeding me crow and I have no choice but to eat it. His Phil Simms-in-the-Super-Bowl performance on Sunday (22-25 for 213 and four TDs) was simply brilliant. He is spreading the ball all over the field and every decision he makes is a good one. His numbers warrant an MVP Award. His play says, “Get on my back and follow me to the Super Bowl”. I must kneel before Zod. The guy deserves all the credit he gets and if the Vikings win the Super Bowl, which is a distinct possibility, his 2009 campaign will go down as one of the greatest individual seasons in NFL history. I never thought I’d say something like that about Favre after watching him last season. Amazing.

Denver was slaughtered by San Diego 32-3 and has now blown two three-game leads to the Chargers in less than two seasons. Denver is now 6-4 after starting 6-0 and Chris Simms needed just three series to show us all why he’s been on 20 teams in his brief NFL career. If his last name was Smith, would he be in this league? He was dreadful…so bad that Denver had to put Kyle Orton into the game despite the fact that he was injured and hadn’t taken any reps all week. Denver needs to stop the bleeding on Thursday night against the Giants. Big time. San Diego, as usual, is coming from off the pace. They always start slowly and put together some crazy win streak to make the playoffs. Why does it take them so long? The Bolts’ D came up with some timely turnovers, while the offense used a balanced attack to capitalize on Denver’s lack of playmaking ability on that side of the ball. I still don’t trust San Diego’s defense in a big spot, but winning the AFC West isn’t going to be much of a problem unless Denver finds a quick fix to what ails them offensively.

When Terrell Owens has a 98-yard touchdown reception and you can’t win that game…it’s time for an overhaul. Jacksonville, meanwhile, has quietly emerged as a playoff contender. After an 0-2 start, the Jags are now 6-4. They’ve shown the ability to pull out close games and have a nice one-two punch with Maurice Jones-Drew and Mike Sims-Walker. The two last name thing is clearly working for them. Jack Del Rio is in the process of saving his job, and perhaps more—I wouldn’t want to play the Jags in the playoffs. They’re one of those annoying opponents that always keep games close, and that’s something that will scare whomever they play in the Wild Card and beyond.

Green Bay is also 6-4 and in the middle of the playoff chase after shooting out to a big lead and hanging on against the 49ers. Aaron Rodgers had 274 passing yards in the first half alone and the Packer offense has hit its stride. They’re controlling the clock (over 41 mins of possession vs. SF) and moving the sticks (26 first downs) behind Rodgers’ terrific decision making and a slew of effective receivers. Like Jacksonville, Green Bay will be a tough out for a home team come playoff time…though it must be said that long-term injuries to Al Harris and Aaron Kampman make the Packer defense pretty vulnerable. But in today’s NFL—have offense, will travel.

Arizona is cruising toward another division title, but they were rudely informed that without Kurt Warner, their offense is a well-oiled machine without an engine. Should Warner’s concussion-like symptoms linger, the Cards will use their cushion in the West to ensure he recovers by January. There’s no reason to risk him…even if the ever-shaky Matt Leinart is the alternative. With a healthy Warner, the Cardinals are not to be taken lightly, even by New Orleans and Minnesota.

Speaking of the Saints, they keep marching along. Drew Brees and company had another ho-hum day at the office, thrashing the Bucs 38-7 in a game that looked like a scrimmage. New England comes to the Dome next Monday night and will be up for the game to say the least. Think that one’s gonna get some ratings? “Pats try to end unbeaten Saints run”. No hype is necessary.

Who would have thought Ricky Williams could carry a team on his shoulders? The enigmatic running back had 22 carries for 119 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and added a receiving score. The Williams-led Fish got a big win against Carolina on Thursday night and are now in the playoff chase at 5-5. Carolina’s season is over…and the search for a new coach and new quarterback should start as soon as possible. Changes need to be made, so why wait? John Fox and Jake Delhomme have done well by this franchise, but everything ends eventually. It’s time to move on for the Panthers.

Dallas escaped against Washington, 7-6, in a game that the Skins had chance after chance to lock up. Like the Giants, Dallas’ performance raised a ton of red flags, but also like the Giants, the ‘Boys will take the win and say thank you very much. The NFC East is a barn-burner as always.

Tennessee won its fourth in a row with Vince Young as quarterback. It must be said that Young’s running ability brings something to the table for the Titans, but it’s the defense and Chris Johnson that has this team believing that it can actually overcome an 0-6 start and make the playoffs. I want to believe that, but I think they’ll come up a game short. Still, the rebound speaks volumes about Jeff Fisher’s ability to keep that team focused. After losing six games to start the season, that team could easily packed it in…and they looked like they were about to. But the QB change has shifted the mood. Credit must go to Young for the injection of enthusiasm.

How about young Matthew Stafford? What a performance against the Browns on Sunday. Yeah, it was the Browns and any one of us could throw a few TD passes against them, but I’m not even talking about the rookie’s numbers although they were impressive: 26-43 for 422 and five (count ‘em!) touchdowns. The last TD came with no time on the clock and won the game for the Lions, so you’d figure that would be the big story in Motown…after all, they don’t win games that often and to win one so dramatically? But no—the story here is the fact that on the second to last play of the game, Stafford was crushed by the Browns’ pass rush, damaging his non-throwing shoulder. The rook was in obvious pain—whether his shoulder was actually separated seems to be a point of debate—but managed to throw the winning pass with zeroes on the clock. Stafford is expected to miss the Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game, but the shoulder isn’t expected to be a long-term problem. On the contrary—it’s a long-term solution. To play through something like that has earned Stafford the team’s trust, respect, and will have them running through walls for him. The win was nice, but Stafford’s toughness is going to mean more to the Lions moving forward, and it should. Well done Mr. Top Pick Overall.

By: Ralph Mancini
NFLDraftBible.com

MATT LEINART (AZ-QB): The golden boy from Cali filled in for a battered Kurt Warner and played a half of mistake-free ball and occasionally even used his improvisational skills to get rid of the rock under pressure. It’s not known at this point if Warner left the game due to a concussion or a stinger. Whatever the case, Leinart should be added to most rosters because of the talent surrounding him. This isn’t the former Trojan’s first rodeo; he has a few starts under his belt and looks to have a reassuring calmness in the pocket.

BRUCE GRADKOWSKI (OAK-QB): He’s not the prettiest quarterback out there, but he’s both gutsy and fiery. Defenses will probably expose the limited quarterback as the weeks go on, but Gradkowski may be able to do the job as an emergency quarterback in the short term in deep leagues. Although his arm is nothing to fawn over, the scrappy Raider is a master at getting rid of the ball quickly and won’t typically get sacked under pressure. Gradkowski spearheaded Oakland’s shocking victory over Cincinnati by passing for 183 yards and two touchdowns.

CHARLIE BATCH (PIT-QB): Ben Roethlisberger concusion-like symptoms, which forced him to leave this week’s game, put him at very high risk of sitting out Pittsburgh’s upcoming contest versus Baltimore. The Black and Gold shouldn’t be in awful shape with Batch at the helm given his athleticism and grasp of the offense. The grizzled veteran is very injury prone, but has the arm and overall tools to be serviceable in the short term.

RYAN FITZPATRICK (BUF-QB): Fitzpatrick’s popgun arm doesn’t make him much of a fantasy option, but his receivers prefer him over Trent Edwards and the former Bengal has been fairly productive. The Harvard graduate is naturally a smart player who can audible his way into big plays, as he did on his 99-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens.

ROCK CARTWRIGHT (WASH-RB): The longtime backup was called into duty versus Dallas and performed admirably by grinding out 67 yards on the ground and recording seven receptions for 73 yards. The slow-footed Cartwright doesn’t possess any special running skills, but he’s a versatile player who runs hard and is a very sure-handed pass catcher. Look for him to get the start next week versus Philadelphia, as Ladell Betts recovers from a torn MCL and Clinton Portis will reportedly sit out one more week with a concussion.

MIKE BELL (NO-RB): Like Lazarus, Bell rose from the dead in Week 11 following a first-half knee injury and bounced back to gain 75 rushing yards and run for two goal-lines scores. The 225-pound thumper is a tough, take-no-prisoners inside back that should see several scoring opportunities going forward in New Orleans’ high-octane offense. Bell’s value does take a hit, though, if Reggie Bush is healthy enough to play next week.

CHANSI STUCKEY (CLE-WR): The former Jet enjoyed his best performance of the season by catching five receptions for 76 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown grab in which he took advantage of a William James misread in Cleveland’s shootout victory over Detroit. Expect Brady Quinn to target Stuckey with greater frequency as the signal caller grows as a starting NFL quarterback. The 6’0”wide out is at his best out of the slot, where he can make good use out of his short-area quickness.

DAVE THOMAS (NO-TE): Many Jeremy Shockey owners were undoubtedly disappointed by the fact that Dave Thomas was the only tight end Drew Brees had eyes for this week. The oft-injured former Patriot has soft hands and the ability to stretch the field. Thomas may just be the flavor of the week or a rising star. It won’t hurt you to pick him up in a deep league. The upside is considerable.

Ones to Watch

JAMES CASEY (HOU-TE): Here’s a shot-in-the-dark addition that may pay immediate dividends. Texans head coach Gary Kubiak has big plans for the rookie tight end, who’s finally healthy and will be needed to fill the hole left by original starter Owen Daniels. The 6’3” Casey is a big, agile target that can make people miss after the catch, but also has the toughness to break tackles.

BRIAN BROHM (BUF-QB): After a forgettable experience in Green Bay, Buffalo recently plucked the second-year triggerman off the Packer practice squad in hopes of developing Brohm into an eventual starter one day. Although the Louisville product has yet to catch up to the speed of the game, he has a solid arm, the ability to put touch on his throws, along being very capable passer outside the pocket. The raw tools are there.

KHALIL BELL (CHI-RB): Bell led the Bears with 81 yards on only four carries, including a 72-yard rumble through the heart of Philadelphia’s defense. While Matt Forte remains the leading man in the Windy City, Bell should be seeing more work if Chicago’s running game doesn’t show improvement and give Jay Cutler some much-needed support. The former practice squad back is up to speed with his team’s yearbook and has the strength to bounce off tacklers. Bell can also turn on the speed once he gets into the defense’s second level.

By David Ortega
NFLDraftBible.com

(Some of Sunday’s Busted, Bruised, and Broken; Updated Sunday Nov. 22nd)

Offensive Players

Ben Roethlisberger-QB (Steelers)
The Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a head injury in the team’s week 11 matchup with the Chiefs. Big Ben left the game and did not return.

Kurt Warner-QB (Cardinals)
The Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner suffered an apparent head injury at the end of the first half. Warner left the field for the locker room and did not return to the game. Late reports indicated he suffered a “mild” concussion.

Matt Stafford-QB (Lions)
The Lions rookie quarterback Matt Stafford suffered a shoulder injury late in Sunday’s game against the Browns. Stafford could be seen coming off the field in agonizing pain. Following the game X-rays did not reveal any fracture, but reports indicate he is “iffy” for Thursday.

Ladell Betts-RB (Redskins)
The Redskins runng back Ladell Betts left Sunday’s game early with a knee injury. Betts was checked by trainers on the sidelined, but did not return. Late reports indicated a torn MCL.

Brandon Jacobs-Rb (Giants)
The Giants running back Brandon Jacobs came out of Sunday’s game late with an apparent knee injury. It was announced Jacobs would return who did not, but it sounds like the injury won’t keep him out of Thursday’s game with Denver.

Ryan Grant-RB (Packers)
It was revealed following the Packers win on Sunday over the Niners that running back Ryan Grant suffered a mild stinger. Grant exited the game briefly, but was able to return. The injury does not appear serious, but on a short week it’s worth monitoring.

Defensive Players

Aaron Kampman-LB (Packers)
The Packers outside linebacker Aaron Kampman left Sunday’s game walking off the field with a limp. He was looked at by trainers then carted off to the locker room for X-rays.

Al Harris-DB (Packers)
The Packers cornerback Al Harris suffered an injury to his left knee and left Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter. He was carted off and taken to the locker room for X-rays.

Assante Samuel-DB (Eagles)
The Eagles cornerback Assante Samuel suffered a stinger in Sunday night’s matchup against the Bears. Samuel left the game in the third quarter following the injury and did not return.

Brian Dawkins-DB (Broncos)
The Broncos safety Brian Dawkins suffered a neck injury in the first half of Sunday’s matchup with the Chargers. He left the game and did not return.

Fabian Washington-DB (Ravens)
The Ravens defensive back Fabian Washington sprained his knee in Sunday’s contest against the Colts and is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.

Richard Seymour-DL (Raiders)
The Raiders defensive lineman Richard Seymour left Sunday’s game with a lower back injury and did not return to the game.

By: Joe Everett
FantasyFootball.com

Only a few more weeks until the playoffs folks!

It was one hell of a week 10 with all the injuries. Not only did we lose Ronnie Brown for the year, but Michael Turner, Cedric Benson, and Julius Jones all look to be missing significant time. On top of all that, Brian Westbrook suffered his 2nd concussion and looks to be done for the year with serious long term concerns. It’s vulture:30 this week, an opportune time to take advantage of these injuries, and a great week to stock up like a squirrel for the winter-esque playoffs ahead.

It’s now week 11 and most trade deadlines have passed, but if the injury bug bit you and you still need help, I’ll tell why the waiver is your savior. . . because The Fantasy 6-Pack has you covered neighbor.

I’m not going to include the fact that you need to pickup Ricky Williams, because he should already be rostered at this point.

QB Alex Smith – San Francisco 49ers

I know I was waiving the Shaun Hill flag high and clear for all to see early in the year but in my defense, it was because of the potential I saw in the receiving corps and the change in coaching. I like what Singletary and Jimmy Raye have done on offense and, believe it or not, there’s a lot of talent to work with here. RB goes without saying w/ Gore but Vernon Davis has really come into his own this year and Josh Morgan has also shown flashes of why the coaching staff was so high on him the whole off-season. There’s also the two-time Biletnikoff Award winner Michael Crabtree, who has looked exceptionally good and seems to have completely acclimated himself to the pro game in a very short amount of time. Enter Alex Smith. The guy hasn’t looked bad, he hasn’t looked good either but he’s proven to be capable and he certainly throws a better ball than “flailing duck” Hill. I really like the schedule here and this is a guy you can stash for an opportune playoff match-up should another injury hit or if it’s week 16 and Peyton Manning takes the week off. . . Alex Smith and the 9ers are playing Detroit by the way.

RB Larry Johnson – Cincinnati Bengals

I know this is a reach but he was dropped in a lot of leagues, with some folks thinking he was done for the year so that’s why he’s gotta be included. I’m really not a fan of this guy but it’s all about the scoreboard at the end of the day and I’m looking at the Bengals jumping on him first as an indicator on the severity of Cedric Benson’s injured hip. Even if Ced Ben’s hip isn’t a big issue, the Bengals offense has been riding on his back and if they want to make a serious run in the playoffs, they need another quality RB that can run between the tackles well. All due respect to Bernard Scott here but he’s more of a 3rd down back and I see the Bengals using Larry Johnson a lot to close out the season. Not only is the Bengals remaining schedule looking extremely tasty, their next three games are against Oakland, Cleveland, and Detroit which are all games the Bengals will look to work LJ into their system. There’s also that juicy match-up December 27th, where Johnson will have his first chance to put a beat down on his former team. Johnson couldn’t have landed in a better situation, so hopefully he can stay away form his twitter account long enough to put up some stats in the fantasy playoffs.

RB Justin Forsett – Seattle Seahawks

I know that it’s tough to get excited about any Seahawks player but they have been good for playing match-ups and while they’re going to more of a passing offense, they’ve been producing good numbers for the RB position. Julius Jones left the game early last week with a rib/chest injury and Justin Forsett proceeded to go off on the Cardinals defense for 149 all-purpose yards. Jones has been ruled out for week 11 but looks like he may miss even more time with the injury. The Seahags don’t have a great schedule but they do have some choice match-ups like week 12 against the Rams. Forsett isn’t going to win you a league but if you were counting on production from Julius Jones, he’s certainly a decent replacement and a good start as a flex RB play.

RB Jason Snelling – Atlanta Falcons

Once again, this isn’t a guy that will win you a league but Jason Snelling looks to be heavily involved in the offense already and will also be on the field more often than not on passing downs being the team’s best remaining pass blocker. He’s also averaging 2.8 receptions in his last five games played, so he’s of some use in PPR leagues. I know that it’s hard to get excited about a fullback but I think Turner has the dreaded “high ankle-sprain”, which puts him out at least 3 weeks. Atlanta plays the Giants next week, which isn’t a great match-up but next week’s game against the Buccaneers promises to be a delicious start for Snelling. Plus, just say it out loud for a second. . . “Snelling”. What a great football name!

WR Chris Chambers – Kansas City Chiefs

I know this guy is a bum and I know that “Nobody is Ever Going to Believe the Kid Brother to Eyeball Chambers” but Chris Chambers is back on the Six-Pack baby. Dwayne Bowe has been suspended by the league for testing positive for a banned substance and Chambers stands to see a significant increase in playing time as a result. The downside here is that while he looks to be one of the featured players in the offense, it’s an anemic passing attack to say the least. The Chiefs are 28th in the league and only average 166 passing yards a game but that doesn’t mean that Chambers can’t produce for you. He should be a very startable option going forward in PPR leagues especially. The bottom line is that somebody’s got to run those routes and point are points.

WR Daniel Gibson – St. Louis Rams

The Rams are finding out in a hurry what they got out of Brandon Gibson in the Will Witherspoon trade they made before the deadline. With Keenan Burton shredding his knee last week, Gibson stepped in and caught 7 passes for 93 yards against a leaky Saints secondary. The Rams are desperate for WR help after losing Laurent Robinson early in the season and they may have themselves a gem here form Washington State. He seemed to have instant chemistry with QB Marc Bulger and you can be sure that the Rams will be playing from behind in a lot of games. This could be that opening in the door that Gibson needs to showcase his abilities, so he is a decent option as a WR4 or flex play in deeper leagues.

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

By: David Ortega
NFLDraftBible.com

Players you should watch and some you might want to play now!

10 weeks down and there are still more fish to fry. With the second half push underway we are already seeing new faces and some old familiar ones set to make huge impacts down the back stretch. Keep your eyes open on Sunday when the gridiron diamonds shine most bright…

This Week’s Gems….

In Miami….

It’s really no surprise calling Dolphins running back Ricky Williams a gem, so far this season he has been a solid backup, but hardly worth starting in most cases. Well all that changed when starter Ronnie Brown went down and was placed on IR. Williams is now king of the jewels this week and facing a 25th ranked Panthers run defense that allows over four and half yards per carry can only mean big things this Thursday night. He’s going to be a waiver wire favorite this week in those leagues where he is still available.

In Cleveland….

It hasn’t been very often this season that the Browns offense (ranked 32nd) enjoys a favorable matchup being ranked as one of the worst, but that could be the case Sunday. The Browns will be playing at of all places Detroit, one of the leagues worst defenses ranked 31st. One of the areas the Lions struggle with the most is the pass and in particular the deep ball. Well the Browns have a talented kid in wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi. He leads the team with 358 receiving yards and nearly 18 yards per catch. He and Quinn will need to get on the same page if they are to take advantage of a Lions secondary that have allowed 20 passing touchdowns this season.

In Buffalo…

Considering there are a few tough matchups this week for some quarterbacks facing tough defenses, some owners may have to look elsewhere for relief. An unlikely candidate that could strike lightning this week is the Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick who was just named the starter for Sunday. This week he faces the leagues 26th ranked pass defense that has allowed 16 touchdowns and only sacked the quarterback eight times (last in the NFL). With time any quarterback in the NFL can be a star, but give them Lee Evans and Terrell Owens and good things may happen.

Worth watching for now….

Even coming off a huge week 10 performance, it may be a little too premature to sell the farm and jump on the Jason Avant bandwagon, but it’s not a bad idea to keep watch of this kid in Philly. The Eagles are loaded with weapons from Jackson to Celek, to Maclin, putting Avant near the bottom of the feeding chain. Despite all of this what will work heavily into his favor are a couple of things, he’s experienced, he familiar with the offense, and after last Sunday he’s clearly capable of having a big game. One reason to pull in the reigns for a moment; this was week 10 and the first time we had heard from Avant since week two. The biggest reason to keep your eye on Avant is the Eagles pass happy offense; 57 pass plays last week and without Westbrook this could become the trend