Joseph Addai, RB, IND – Inactive

Chris Cooley, TE, WAS - Active

Tim Hightower, RB, WAS - Active

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Love

Michael Turner, RB, ATL – The Falcons need to prove that they are a Super Bowl contender this year and Turner has been their most consistent performer. Cam Newton has been a play maker and has been finding a way to put up numbers against EVERYONE he has played. With the Falcons’ defense not playing up to expectations either, I think a heavy dose of Turner is the best way for the Falcons to avoid an upset at home.

Miles Austin, WR, DAL – Austin is coming off an injury and I would expect him to have a slow start, but the Patriots score a ton of points and struggle to stop opposing QBs.  I don’t think Dallas wins this game, but Austin and Bryant should be in for big statistical performances as they will play from behind and have little trouble passing the ball.

Cedric Benson, RB, CIN – Last week was a bit of a let-down for Benson owners, but he ran well and was far from a dud. This week he goes against the Colts who have not been able to stop anyone on the ground all season. Benson sees a lot of carries and Cinci tries to run first to take pressure off Andy Dalton, who will hear the footsteps of Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney all day.

Jake Ballard, TE, NYG – Buffalo struggles to defend opposing tight ends. Ballard has TD’s in two straight games and this is not something you can expect to continue after this week, but the numbers say that Ballard is likely to make it three games in a row this week against the Bills. He is still outside my top 10, but if you have to fill a gap for your bye week, Ballard has a pretty good shot at a nice statistical performance.

Daniel Thomas, RB, MIA – He hasn’t been active much, but he looks like a punishing runner when he is. Thomas goes against the Jets this week who have just had a terrible run game as of late and with Matt Moore at QB, Thomas will be the focal point if he is able to go.

Torrey Smith, WR, BAL – Smith had a breakout game in week 3 and then people kind of seemed to forget about him.  He did put up a goose-egg against the Jets the following week, but Flacco looked for him a fair few times and on one play specifically he beat Revis deep. The throw was just a hair too far, but if it had connected we would be talking about him like a top 20 guy right now. He has only had just one game with fantasy points so I don’t think he is a really smart start but with bye weeks upon us, if your digging deep for a flex play… don’t just look past Smith.

Hate

Eli Manning, QB, NYG – I see a lot of people have Eli inside their top 10 QB’s and that is crazy to me. The Bills’ secondary has been playing great as of late and Eli has been known to struggle with turnovers.  Buffalo leads the NFL with 12 INTs on the season and three consecutive games with a pick 6. Eli will keep his receivers’ stats up there, but I think that interceptions will keep him from crossing the 20 point mark this week.

Tim Hightower, RB, WAS – It’s not about his talent and it’s not about the match up. We just simply don’t know how the carries will be divided. I expect Hightower to be the third down back and Torain to see the most work. But I would NEVER bet on how Shanahan will use his running backs. Hightower is a flex play at best this week.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, OAK – Playing with a Raiders receiver is a lot like playing Russian roulette for fantasy owners. Heyward-Bey has seen a lot of targets as of late, but I am not going to think that the emotional performances from Sunday are likely to repeat themselves. I have written about Darrius before as well as Jacoby Ford, Chaz Schillens and Denarius Moore over the past few season and not one of them were able to do anything consistently. Jacoby Ford is the receiver I want to start from this team if I need one and it is because they use him in the running game.

Isaac Redman, RB, PIT – Redman is the best bet to see the goal line carries even if Mendenhall was active, but he is not too likely to see much more work no matter who is inactive. Dwyer was just a better runner last week and if Mendenhall doesn’t go, I would rather start Dwyer over Redman.

James Jones, WR, GB – Don’t let one big game cause you to bring a guy from free agency straight into your lineup.  Any receiver can have a big game with Aaron Rodgers at QB and last week was Jones’ turn.  Odds are it’ll be a few games before he manages to make such an impact again.  Jennings, Finley and Nelson are all going to see more targets.

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Studs

Cam Newton, QB, CAR – That’s it, I am done fighting it. Cam Newton is now to be treated as the top 5 QB that he has been playing like so far for fantasy owners. Only Tom Brady and Drew Brees has passed for more yards so far on the season and one of Newton’s games was in a monsoon. Ron Rivera and the Panthers coaching staff have done a great job of game planning to help him feel more comfortable. This has meant employing a spread-style offense and letting Cam play from the shot gun.  I had my reservations about Cam this week against the Bears but he blew me away and he has maneuvered his way to being an elite, must-start QB every week from here on out.

Matt Forte, RB, CHI – Last week the Bears seemed afraid to try and run the ball, this week Forte got 25 carries and racked up a staggering 205 yards on the ground with a TD just for good measure. I don’t know how long Mike Martz can keep this rushing attack going, but it is the only chance the Bears have of overcoming their O-line issues. Either way Forte is a top 10 back with his involvement in the passing game, but if they continue to run he might be a top 5 back.

Ravens, D/ST, BAL – In my Key Matchups article on Thursday, I stated that I thought the Ravens would keep Sanchez in check and force turnovers to win the game. I didn’t expect quite this dominating of a performance but I think we may have found the best fantasy-defense of 2011. The Ravens finished this week as the #2 scoring “player” in standard leagues with a whopping 32 points.

Beanie Wells, RB, ARI – We just didn’t see this coming as Wells returned from an injury that kept him out in Week 3. When healthy, expect big games from Beanie as he has had a TD in every game he has played as well as at least 90 yards each time as well. You can’t ask for more from a RB2 in my opinion.

Pierre Garcon, WR, IND – This was a fluke, I wouldn’t even go pick up Garcon just yet. It is hard to call 146 yards and two scores a fluke, but I did it anyways. Garcon only caught two passes and each was a big scoring play, but he also dropped some very catch-able balls and at best I see Garcon back to a frustrating player that is bound to have some serious consistency issues.

Arian Foster, RB, HOU – Foster looked like a beast this week against Pittsburgh. Tate was a quality back in his absence and I was never too sold on Foster for this season after he got banged up. I saw Tate splitting time with Foster, but I now think I was wrong. Foster was a punishing physical runner and showed his break away speed on a long TD run late to seal the game. Consider him back to being a top 5 back.

Calvin Johnson, WR, DET – Megatron is just hands down the fantasy football MVP of the first quarter of the season. He is on pace for a mind-blowing THIRTY TWO touchdown passes this season.  It is not likely that he can keep hauling in two TD passes per game the rest of the way, but he will no-doubt finish strong and have a career year.

Duds

Mario Manningham, WR, NYG – The Cardinals secondary is full of holes and after the Giants torched the Eagles in Week 3, I expected a big day from Manningham. It didn’t quite happen, but both Nicks and Victor Cruz DID have good games. I am not worried about Manningham yet, but Cruz is clearly going to be a long-term factor in the passing game and might eat into Manningham’s targets a little bit.

Tim Hightower, RB, WAS – I touched on this a bit yesterday, but Hightower saw limited work as he banged up his shoulder against the Rams in week 3.  The Bye week is well-timed for putting this behind him but with Torain running so well, it’ll be VERY difficult to trust any of the Redskins’ RBs come week 6.

Mark Sanchez, QB, NYJ – I really just don’t see Sanchez as a viable starting QB for fantasy owners. If you saw this game, you probably have little trouble agreeing with me. No matter how good the opposing defense is, a QB should NEVER have negative fantasy points and I would have no trouble dropping Sanchez if i had him as my backup. Rex Grossman, Colt McCoy and Andy Dalton are all guys I would rather use a bench spot on.

Rob Gronkowski, TE, NE – The Patriots spent an absurd amount of time in two tight end formations before Hernandez went down with an injury.  Now they only have one on the active roster and he did almost nothing against the Raiders.  Treat this as a fluke, because he is such a great red zone target for Brady. You just can’t afford to bench him.

Devery Henderson, WR, NO – The Saints receivers are getting back to healthy and Henderson and Meachem are back to the “too risky” category for me.  Someone will have a big game each week, but I think it is just too big a headache to try and guess who it will be each week.

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Question 1: Asked by @Magnific_ANT_1

I wake up this morning and I’ve been offered Julio Jones for Tim Hightower. What about the Helu factor. That’s has been a reason for me wanting deal Hightower.

Answer

I would not do this deal. Helu is likely to stay in his change of pace roll as long as Hightower is able to keep up this production. I do not think Julio Jones is going to be overly productive this season.  I would have liked to see him have a big scoring play already and think his progress will be a little too slow to be a big fantasy-factor this season.

Question 2: Asked by @aglikas

Crazy thought, putting in a waiver claim for Ochocinco and dropping Hines Ward. Are you in favor of this?

Answer

I think it is a very smart move. Ward is old and his production has dipped too far with the Pittsburgh offensive line playing so terribly. Chad might not be playing well right now but the Patriot offense is a machine and I didn’t expect very much from him early on. Ward has no chance to break out, but Chad still has time to get his act together and become a valuable target for Brady.

Question 3: Asked by @jersymikejr

Cam Newton, Matt Ryan or Kevin Kolb?

Answer

This is a two man race between Ryan and Newton in my eyes and it is REALLY close. I don’t discredit Cam for last week’s game in a monsoon… he did get the win after all and posted decent fantasy points.  Ryan has a safe match up here and I have to give him the nod against a bad Seahawks team. Newton has potential for a bigger game this week, but I think Ryan will get you over 15 points for certain and the rookie is always more likely to implode and do nothing.

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Studs

Michael Vick, QB, PHI – After being pretty well shut down for the first three quarters of the game, Vick picked the Eagles up and carried them to an amazing comeback victory that many are calling the Miracle at The New Meadowlands. Vick was personally responsible for 372 of the Eagles’ 418 yards.  He made one hell of a convincing argument for the NFL MVP and earned the top spot in my rankings for next week.

Ray Rice, RB, BAL – Rice had by far his best game of the season, with 31 carries for 153 yards and a TD, as well as 5 receptions for 80 yards and a second touchdown.  With the Browns as opponents next week, Rice is sure to have another solid performance and just in time for your super bowl.  Colt McCoy does provide stability and efficiency for the Browns offense, so don’t expect a repeat performance.

Vincent Jackson, WR, SD – He only caught five passes on 7 targets, but racked up 112 yards with THREE scores.  This is exactly why people drafted him in the late rounds, knowing it would take until at least half of the season for him to touch the field.  He is a top 10 WR as far as talent is concerned and with one of the best and most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL throwing to him, he is a must start this week against the Bengals’ injured secondary.

Rex Grossman, QB, WAS – This is by far the best performance of Week 15 that NO ONE got the points for.  There have been many opportunities for Grossman to prove that he can be a starting QB in the NFL and he has never before managed to sustain success.  I will be assuming that this was a fluke, but regardless of how average his talent may be, the Jaguars do not have a very good secondary.  I am much more intrigued with Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong, but Rex should be able to get you double digit points if you are desperate for a QB2 in your super bowl.

Cedric Benson, RB, CIN – Finally, the Bengals used Benson as their work horse and he saw over 30 carries in this game.  It looked oddly reminiscent of last season, when they were a winning football team.  With the Chargers coming into town there is little reason to assume the Bengals will be able to run the ball for long.  They should be down by a sizable margin by halftime and unable to provide the number of carries that Benson will need to be this productive again.

Mario Manningham, WR, NYG – This is the perfect scenario for Manningham to be productive.  I do not think he is good enough to be the top receiver and he is not able to maximize his potential as the slot receiver.  By being 2nd on the depth chart he avoids double teams and is on the field enough to really get into a rhythm with Manning.  He managed 8 catches for 113 yards and 2 TDs in his new role and I like Manningham as a low-end WR2 or great flex play in your super bowl.

Bears, D/ST, CHI – The Bears’ D outscored Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Jamaal Charles and Chris Johnson… this is no easy accomplishment!  If they had Webb leading the Vikings offense all game, there would have been more turnovers (though they did force an INT from Favre on a nice tipped pass at the line of scrimmage).  They were able to disguise their blitzes in order to confuse Webb all throughout the second half.  They should have a good game against the Jets inconsistent offense, in what should be a low scoring affair.

Jason Witten, TE, DAL – This makes 4 great fantasy-performances in a row under Jason Garrett and there is little reason to think it will stop with a game against the Cardinals coming up. It will be either Witten or Vernon Davis at the top of my TE rankings this week but i’m pretty sure you don’t own them both so don’t over think it, Witten is a must start for your Super Bowl match up.

Duds

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL – I am almost lost for words about how disappointing his level of production and consistency has been in his new offense.  Whether you like it or not, Derrick Mason is the top receiver on the Ravens offense and Boldin cannot be trusted for your super bowl this week.

Brandon Jacobs, RB, NYG – Jacobs was only able to muster 3 fantasy points after stringing together some very nice outings over the past few weeks.  This is primarily because they were not able to close out the game against the Eagles.  With Vick controlling the ball for the vast majority of the 4th quarter, Jacobs was on the bench during the part of the game where he normally excels.

Reggie Wayne, WR, JAC – The reason for this week’s 3 point game is pretty simple, Collie did a great job in the first half and stole the show.  In the 2nd half, Donald Brown was able to efficiently close out the game with the best performance of his short career. Wayne is still a top 5 wide receiver and should be in your lineup when the Colts play the Raiders next week.

Jahvid Best, RB, DET – Another hugely disappointing game with just 1 point for his fantasy owners.  Meanwhile, Maurice Morris was able to get 17 points.  Leave Best on your bench and if you have no better options than Morris, go ahead and use him!

Vernon Davis, TE, SF – To say that the 49er offense had troubles on Thursday is putting it mildly.  Their struggles should not be blamed on Alex Smith, who played a decent game.  He got no help from any of his receivers and all he needed was someone to step up and make a play.  That person should have been Davis, but the play calling of their newest offensive coordinator did not make an effort to get the ball into his hands.   You have to keep playing him, because hopefully they will realize how important he is to the synergy of their Frank Gore-less offense.

Tim Hightower, RB, ARI – After a big week 14, Hightower let his fantasy-owners down against the Panthers of all teams.  I did not expect him to top 100 yards, but I certainly thought he would manage more than two points!

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Question 1: Asked by @NYLivinCAMind

Can’t believe im asking but: pick 3 NON-PPR: Arrelious Benn, Sidney Rice, Joe Webb(no joke), Greg Jennings or Larry Fitzgerald.

Answer

Well KJ, being playoff time… it is not a good idea to take a big risk on this decision.  It looks more and more like Rodgers is not going to be able to go in this game, so I will assume he does not for this answer.  I would start Sidney Rice, Greg Jennings and Larry Fitzgerald.  I have seen a lot of chatter about using Joe Webb in leagues that allow him to be started as a WR.  I want to caution everyone about this: DON’T DO IT! It seems like a really good idea, but mostly because it feels like you are cheating the system.  It’s just not worth it worth the risk. In last week’s game Webb was 2 for 5 with just 8 yards passing, despite adding a 16 yard scramble we did not see enough good to think he can be a valuable fantasy-option and the playoffs is the worst time to get “cute” and make a mistake.  Same thing with Arrelious Benn, despite a big game he just hasn’t proven he can provide value on a consistent basis… maybe after this week if he does well he will be worth the risk.

Question 2: Asked by @Beave623

RB help..I have Turner, Hillis, Foster & DMac…can play 3…heard Foster having hip issue. Advice?

Answer

To my other readers, me and Clyde talked some on twitter about his lineup.  He also has Andre Johnson and Roddy White! I made a comment about trading one of these stud RBs for a WR.  In most cases, this is the right decision.  It is very difficult to make the right call when trying to decide between 3 of 4 running backs all ranked in the top 5 and trading one for a WR will help you spread out your talent to the other positions you may be weaker.  Clyde however has elite talent at every position and has no need for a trade, so on to the tough decision! I would sit Hillis here and I will be updating my rankings to show this later today or tomorrow morning.  The reason is, with Colt McCoy at QB the Browns have extra options for their offense.  McCoy was a very smart game-manager in his previous starts and I expect him to play at a high level again.  The Bengals are their opponents for the week and their secondary is what is ailing at this time and through the air is how I expect the Browns to challenge them.

Question 3: Asked by Chevis420

What 2 should I start out of these 4: Benson, Goodson, Hightower, PT. Really torn between benson and goodson…

Answer

Well, I actually like Hightower here!  It is tough to make a gutsy call and shy away from someone that got you this far, but the Panthers have the 25th ranked rush defense and are allowing 132 yards per game.  After such a dominant performance last week, I think it is reasonable to expect something in the area of 80 yards and a TD.  Wells clearly is not the x-factor that I thought he would be this season.  It has become clear that Hightower is the guy they trust the most as people try and save their jobs. You can see my answer and the answers of others on Fandemic.

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Darren McFadden, RB, OAK – If last week was not enough to convince you that DMC is back and playing at an elite level, then hopefully the 123 yards rushing, 86 yards receiving and 3 TDs are enough to confirm in your mind that this guy is a huge part of your playoff hopes.   Don’t get caught with him on your bench as there are still only two games that he started where he did not exceed 100 yards from scrimmage… and one of those was against the Steelers.

DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI – Jackson’s big-play ability and break away speed are unmatched at this time in the NFL.  These skills were on display this week, as Jackson was able to haul in 4 catches for 210 yards and a TD.  Is 52.5 yards per catch good enough for you?  He may not be the most consistent performer, but if you drafted him then you have to start him… wouldn’t want to miss one of these monster performances that can happen any week.

Michael Turner, RB, ATL – What impresses me most about this Falcons team is their versatility on offense.  They have a very balanced attack with Pro Bowl talent at WR, QB and RB.  The passing game never seems to run on all cylinders while on the road, but this week Turner carried the team on his back to a victory against the inept Panthers.  Turner racked up 28 carries with 112 yards and 3 rushing TDs.  He is fulfilling the dream he destroyed for fantasy owners last year when injuring himself just in time for the fantasy football playoffs.  Turner owners this year should get Jason Snelling on their team now in case there is a repeat of last season.

Andre Johnson, WR, HOU – There is something about this Texans team that likes to rally late in games, but unfortunately they are not able to finish games after closing the gap and they lost a heart breaker in OT late last night on a Matt Schaub INT that was run back for a touchdown. Andre Johnson was a beast in their late-game resurgence.  He started with a 42 yard TD grab to finish the first half and added another 8 catches to total 140 yards receiving and 2 scores. Games like this are why AJ was drafted in the first round as the top receiver… but they have been hard to come by this season and it is re-assuring to see it at the start of the playoffs.

Tim Hightower, RB, ARI – We did know that the Broncos were a bad run defense, but we did not know that Hightower would be able to grind out 148 yards and 2 TDs on 18 carries!  With the Panthers 25th ranked rush defense coming up next week and this clear indication that Wells is not going to be seeing extensive work… I think Tim would be an excellent flex play next week and should be in the top 25 at the RB position.

Deion Branch, WR, NE – No matter how good the opponent is, Tom Brady has been tearing them to shreds as of late.  It is a great time to own a Patriot in your fantasy football league as there are tons of catches to go around.  Welker also had a great game, topping 100 yards… but Branch had 151 yards and a TD making him the best receiver from New England this week.  I will still give Welker the edge in my rankings, but Branch is acclimating nicely into his old offense and will move up considerably as long as Brady and the Pats can keep this up.

Pierre Garcon, WR, IND – We finally saw shades of the talent that made me so excited about this guy in the preseason.  It is too little, too late for most of the fantasy owners who drafted Garcon, but if you were able to replace him and make it into the playoffs… then you’ve gotta start him next week against the Jaguars, who have not been able to cover WRs all season long (they are allowing just over 23 fantasy points per game to opposing WRs).

Jason Witten, TE, DAL – Witten has been among the best and most consistent TEs in the NFL over the past three weeks and with a 69 yard, 2 TD performance this week, he provides a much needed consistency at an injury-riddled position for fantasy owners this season.  Consider him a must-start and feel free to drop any other TEs you may have have on your bench as you need not look any farther to find your starter throughout the playoffs.

Ryan Torain, RB, WAS – Torain saw 24 carries and made the most of them by totaling 172 rushing yards.  Most of this came in the first half, when the Skins were not losing by enough to abandon the running game.  Usually you see a week of mediocre production after sitting out as long as Torain did due to his injury… but at least now we know who the starter will be in Washington for the rest of the way.  Torain should be considered for your flex spot with good, not great, match ups over the next two weeks.

Brandon Jacobs, RB, NYG – What happened here? Consider the combo of Jacobs and Bradshaw as the best in the league as both are essentially must-starts going into the fantasy-playoffs.  Jacobs broke off the longest single rush of his career with a 73 yarder to help push the Giants past their nightmarish experience of trying to play their scheduled game this week.  Both teams looked out of sync after the 30 hour delay and I think it is reasonable to expect this type of performance (probably a little worse, given the match ups) for the rest of the season.

Duds

Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN – Let me tell you a little story about how bad AP killed his fantasy owners this week.  I played my brother this week and going into Monday’s games, he had a 3 point lead with AP still to play… I had Andre Johnson.  The game ended with me as a clear victor, but I thought for sure I would lose.  2 points from the 2nd overall draft pick is simply not enough.  The bad performance can likely be written off as a precaution by the Vikings after AP and Jackson collided on a handoff and both players were banged up on the play.  Anyways, thanks a bunch Adrian!

Michael Crabtree, WR, SF – What is truly surprising about the complete lack of production from Crabtree was how well Alex Smith played in this game.  You would expect Crabtree to be productive when he gets such good play from the signal-caller… but all the catches went to Westbrook,  Morgan and Davis.  Don’t expect him to get shut down like this again, however these inconsistencies are exactly what keep me from raising Crabtree to a starter in my rankings.

Kyle Orton, QB, DEN - The rebuilding process should begin in a hurry after only 166 yards and FOUR TURNOVERS from Orton this week.  He may have been a great post-draft pickup, but he also probably just ended your season early with that performance.  If you benched him, had a bye week, or weren’t in the playoffs yet… don’t get caught dead with Orton in your lineup next week after getting destroyed by the Arizona Cardinals.  Tim Tebow anyone?

Jay Cutler, QB, CHI - After watching the Patriots dismantle yet another playoff team in the Bears this week, I am willing to excuse this performance from Cutler.  This is a shining example of why he is not an elite QB though.  The Patriots have a young and easily manipulated secondary and he couldn’t get the job done.  I expected an upset by the Bears in this game, but no one beats Tom Brady when the weather outside is frightful…

Benjamin Watson, TE, CLE – This poor game is inexcusable against Buffalo, who has not effectively been able to stop the opposing TE all year.  I place most of the blame on Jake Delhomme, but Watson is getting downgraded after this performance… even if McCoy is back in time for next week.

Davone Bess, WR, MIA - The Dolphins offense struggled as a whole this week in a tough divisional victory over the Jets.  Bess isn’t a huge factor in standard leagues, but in PPR formats he has been a beast.  You can keep using him given the quality of defense that shut him down.

Terrell Owens, WR, CIN - The Steelers shut down Owens this week with their zone blitzing scheme forcing some poor decision-making out of Carson Palmer.  He will remain in my top 20, but with the whole Bengals team floundering… you shouldn’t consider TO a top 10 guy any longer.

Jeremy Maclin, WR, PHI - One catch on three targets for 11 yards.  The worst game of the season for Maclin came at a terrible time for his fantasy-owners.  Don’t worry too much about playing him next week (if you’re still alive), you have to trust the guys that got you this far… and he sure helped quite a bit I am sure.

Mike Williams, WR, TB - The Redskins defense is pretty bad, especially against the pass and Williams was not a dynamic play maker in this game.  The big plays were made by Arrelious Benn, but don’t worry… you can still start Williams with confidence, it was only one bad game so don’t panic.

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Week 14 was a disaster for many fantasy owners as most of the elite talent in the league fell victim to bad weather, QB injuries, dropped passes and just plain getting shut down by opposing defenses. Out of these mediocre performances a few waiver wire gems appear, and here they are:

Pickups

Tim Hightower, RB, ARI - 18 carries for 148 yards and 2 TDs is like a dream for Hightower owners who were hoping for a third of that production from him this week.  Skelton at QB is not something that should scare us anymore as he has been the only guy to march the Cards down the field and balance out their mediocre offense.  If you’re still alive on your league, then look for Hightower to have another good performance next week against the Panthers inept rush defense.

Anthony Dixon, RB, SF - Dixon was by far the 49ers most productive runner in what was essentially a playoff game for the 49ers.  He saw the most carries (14) and racked up 60 yards, while Westbrook primarily contributed in the passing game with 6 grabs for 87 yards and a score.  Westbrook will remain the top ranked RB in San Fran due to his pass catching ability, but Dixon is startable in the flex position in Weeks 16 and 17 against the Rams and Cardinals.

Ryan Torain, RB, WAS – It appears as though we have found the Redskins RB for the rest of the season as Torain had 24 carries for 172 yards.  He didn’t find the endzone, but the Skins are bad and if he is able to produce like this right after coming back from an injury… then I see no reason he can’t be a flex starter the rest of the playoffs.  He won’t likely rise above that level any time soon, because you can’t trust Shanahan to follow common sense with his RBs.

Josh Morgan, WR, SF – After Crabtree was a non-factor in what was a great game for Alex Smith, there is little trust to be had in any of the 9ers receivers… but if you are in a deep format there is plenty of upside for a team looking to stay productive after losing Frank Gore.

Arrelious Benn, WR, TB – Another deep league guy, especially considering Mike Williams is clearly the bigger threat on the Buccaneers offense… but Benn was the guy that I liked in the preseason (until we found out Williams was going to be the starter anyways) and he demonstrated why with 4 catches for 122 yards.  You can ignore him in standard leagues, but he makes an interesting choice for Williams owners in those deeper formats where the options are minimal.

Rashad Jennings, RB, JAC - Jennings took just 5 carries and racked up 109 yards and a score this week against a soft Raiders run defense.  Rashad is the best handcuff you could possibly have and if you own MJD, then he should have been on your team for a couple weeks now.

Toby Gerhart, RB, MIN - Another one of them handcuffs, Adrian Peterson owners should not wait until he gets hurt to try and scoop him up… do it now!

Dump List

Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ – The playoffs is not really the time to play a guy who has been a disappointment and is a part of a team that is collapsing.  While he could end up being a big part of any resurgence that the Jets may have in coming up, he has to earn a starting job and go on a hot streak… and do it all inside the next two weeks.  Since that isn’t going to happen feel free to drop Greene if there are any good options left.

Johnny Knox, WR, CHI - You probably can’t find better on free agency or waivers… but with Earl Bennett emerging as Cutler’s new favorite weapon, Knox falls under the category of people you wouldn’t want to start… so go get Bennett or someone with more upside that could provide a better value if he does well.

Steve Smith, WR, CAR - Well, you probably don’t still have him and you definitely aren’t starting him… but with no signs of life coming from the Panthers now that Clausen is back, you can safely drop Smith and not be worried about anyone using him against you.  They truly are the worst team in the league and I do not expect that to change in the remaining few weeks of the season.

Braylon Edwards, WR, NYJ – There are some very serious issues that the Jets offense has to over come and since you really can’t count on him for the next couple weeks… go ahead and drop him.

Kyle Orton, QB, DEN - Oh how quickly the mighty have fallen… Studesville was chosen to be the interim because he will not be the new Head Coach next season.  After 6 years in Buffalo, I think the Broncos want to keep him as a part of their staff and since he is the only guy where this is the case, he was the logical choice.  I wouldn’t trust anyone but Knowshon Moreno now that the running back coach is in charge and don’t be surprised to see Tebow start or two to end the season.

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Pickups

LeGarrette Blount, RB, TB – Blount had a big game this week with a soft match up against the Cardinals.  The Cards made a change at QB midway through the game and they were actually able to achieve some offensive production.  I liked Blount a lot in this game considering how inept the Cardinals offense has been over the past few weeks.  This game ended up being close, but by adding a dynamic running game to the mix, the Buccs were able to get a well-deserved win.  Look for Blount to stay the feature back for Tampa Bay and develop into a great RB 2 option.

Kevin Smith, RB, DET – Jahvid Best burst onto the scene at the very beginning of the regular season and since week 2 he has been average at best.  This past week Smith and Best split carries evenly (12 a piece)  Smith’s stock is rising.  Due to his increased involvement in the passing game and break away speed, I would rather own Best than Smith… but that will change soon given how long it has been since Best has found the end zone.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, OAK – The Raiders have been a surprise team this year so far.  Their biggest area of concern is at the WR position.  They really need someone to step up and prove to be a consistent threat (other than Zach Miller).  We can’t just assume Heyward-Bey is that guy after one game, but given his ability to make plays in a variety of ways (including a 30 yard run) he is the only WR on that team worth owning… just in case.

Nate Washington, WR, TEN – It is not yet known if Britt will miss any time yet, but since non-contact injuries have a tendency to cause a player to miss a few weeks (see Malcom Floyd) someone will need to pick up the slack at the WR position in Tennessee. This is def a double-edged sword though with Vince Young also leaving the game with an ankle injury, but Kerry Collins is one of the best backup QBs in the NFL and will keep the Titans offense afloat.

Mike Sims-Walker, WR, JAC - I wouldn’t go get him, but with how well David Garrard played this week… if you are in a deep format or are just simply a believer in Garrard, MSW and the Jaguars… then holding this receiver on your bench for a couple weeks to see if he rebounds isn’t a terrible idea.

Keiland Williams, RB, WAS – This is a very deep league suggestion only, given that Portis will be back before long and the RB situation in Washington will be a complete mess.  Williams is slowly finding his way into the Skins’ offense and is getting touches that we all thought where reserved for Torain.  Given how seemingly random the carries get shared under Mike Shanahan all three guys are own-able (in 14+ team leagues) until one of the backs in Washington wins over the coach.  My guess is Portis though.

Brandon Tate, WR, NE – After the emergence of Deion Branch in his first game back with the Patriots, it is very likely that whoever grabbed Tate bailed and re-released him.  This was a mistake!  If this happened in your league go grab him.  He has a gorgeous long TD catch this past week where he extended his route down the field and got open for Brady, who was under pressure.  Plays like this make a QB fall in love with their WR pretty quickly and the Pats need a deep threat.

Dump List

Tim Hightower, RB, ARI – With the Cardinals able to move the ball effectively this week and putting up 35 points, it was surprising to see Hightower get only two total touches.  LaRod Stephens-Howling was a surprise to take the 2nd most touches… but since it was only four you can’t add him yet.

Marion Barber, RB, DAL - With the Cowboys running game being entirely ineffective so far this season and Felix Jones being a dynamic player, I see no reason to hold onto Barber any longer.  He will be at best a goal line back the rest of the year and with Kitna at QB his chances from the one will be limited.

Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR – He has been really disappointing in his #2 role so far this year.  With DeAngelo Williams missing last week due to injury it was expected that Stewart would perform admirably in his absence… but that was incorrect.  He had 14 carries and only 30 yards rushing in a very disappointing outing. If he can’t produce as a lead back against the Rams… why would you bother to trust him when he returns to his #2 spot on the depth chart? Once we know Williams is back you can drop Stewart.

Patrick Crayton, WR, SF - He had a bad day this week in a good win for the Chargers who are trying to claw their way back into playoff contention.  With Vincent Jackson coming back soon and Malcom Floyd and Legadu Naanee coming back from injury soon, just bail on Crayton now.

Chris Ivory, RB, NO - Thomas and Bush are due to return this week, barring any setbacks in their recovery.  After a bad game statistically, in a tough win last night, Ivory is not worth a roster spot any more.

Ladell Betts, RB, NO - See Chris Ivory.

Eddie Royal, WR, DEN – Fantasy owners might not realize this given the numbers that Orton and Lloyd have been putting up… but the Broncos suck. After dropping to the 9ers in England this week the Broncos are now 2-6.  With the yearly Chargers resurgence in November and December the Broncos have eliminated themselves from the playoff race already and it is only a matter of time before the young-guns are allowed to take over.  Enter Tim Tebow and Demaryius Thomas.

Roy Williams, WR, DAL – Did you guys hear? Roy Williams isn’t that good!  After being one of the receivers that let a pass deflect off his hands and get intercepted this past week, it is apparent that he won’t be developing any trust with Kitna soon.  While Kitna may be an adequate back up… he will not be able to keep three receivers alive for fantasy owners.

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Pickups

Ryan Torain, RB, WAS – Portis was beaten up all game and Torain was left to pick up the slack.  Averaging 3.89 yards per carry on 13 carries he was able to find the end zone and come up big for any fantasy owners who were digging deep enough to use him.  Shanahan is well known for utilizing his unknown running backs to the best of their ability.  As an interesting side note, Portis was the most successful of Mike Shanahan’s discoveries and one of the only to have a long career.

Mark Sanchez, QB, NYJ – You still won’t be able to start Sanchez in anything but a deep format, but if you are being riddled by injuries and/or bye weeks then Sanchez is proving to be a very realistic option.  The offense is soon to get Santonio Holmes back and Sanchez should actually see an increase in production once they are able to stretch the field.  Oh, he hasn’t thrown an INT yet on the season either. The Jets will be able to make it to the Super Bowl if Sanchez can keep up this safe yet efficient play style.

John Kuhn, RB, GB – The RB position is a mess in Green Bay but with bye weeks upon us such a productive goal line back on one of the leagues best offenses deserves a spot on someone’s team in every league.  Here is hoping you have some of your FAAB (Free Agent Acquisition Budget) left after grabbing Jackson earlier.

Jason Avant, WR, PHI – Avant was a decent flex play late last season but in the Mike Vick offense he disappeared.  Once Kolb entered the game Avant was the only receiver he was able to work into the mix and could help you out as a bye week plug-in over the next couple weeks.

Tony Moeaki, TE, KC – He was just on his bye week and if you have an underachiever with his bye coming up, this guy is the real deal.  He fits in well with the Chiefs offense since Cassel doesn’t have the arm strength to throw the deep ball consistently.

Michael Bush, RB, OAK - I don’t know exactly how the situation between Bush and McFadden will flesh out, but for now at least it looks like both of them will be able to be fantasy relevant.  Bush should only be used as a flex play until this proves to be a regular occurrence.

Javon Ringer, RB, TEN - He has ability to be a big play threat and while he is not start-able while CJ is playing he is looking to be one of the best hand-cuff options out there.

Dump List

James Jones, WR, GB - He couldn’t get the job done against the Lions, so even if he does have a few good games this season it is unlikely you would be starting him anyways.

Tim Hightower, RB, ARI - The Cardinals offense is inept and Hightower will be losing more and more touches over the course of the season to Beanie Wells.  If I owned him I would just bail out now before it gets any worse.  There must be someone out there with upside.  You can ignore all of this if your in a PPR league.

Laurence Maroney, RB, DEN - Moreno can’t come back fast enough.  The Broncos are a pass-first offense in what is proving to be a very competitive division.  I expect them to stick with what is working for as long as Orton is red hot.  Maroney has done nothing with his two starts so get rid of him now instead of two weeks from now.

Darren Sproles, RB, SD – This was the second week that Mathews was inactive or limited by injury and Sproles has yet to be a factor in the offense.  No reason to hang on to him with Tolbert the obvious number two.

Lee Evans, WR, BUF – While Fitzpatrick has provided a spark for the Bills offense the past two weeks Evans has been unable to have any substantial production.  I know he was up against the Jets, but there was lots of junk time in that game and Evans couldn’t even get open against a prevent defense.

Mohamed Massaquoi, WR, CLE - Delhomme will give him some value, but it will be VERY hit or miss and I couldn’t trust him even if I was in bye week hell.

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