Teams on bye: WashingtonAFC East
Buffalo Bills — Don’t start RB Travis Henry this week against the
Patriots unless you absolutely must. Henry has been disappointing thus far this year,
averaging 3.2 yards per carry and scoring only twice. While the Patriots’ run defense
has been up and down lately, Henry may not be worth the risk, especially with Patriots DT
Richard Seymour improving and stuffing the middle well.
Indianapolis Colts — The nerve-wracking wait continues, as RB Edgerrin James
looks to be a 50-50 decision for the Colts. If you have to turn in your lineup early and
have another solid option at running back, you might be better off starting that option.
But if you can wait until gametime, then wait and see what James’ status is then.
Another possibility for some is to start both James and backup Dominic Rhodes, who
proved to be more than capable of carrying the load last week.
Miami Dolphins — Until QB Jay Fiedler cuts down on his turnovers, he will
be nothing more than a fantasy backup at best. His turnovers also should be considered if
you have any Dolphins receivers. … RB Lamar Smith’s rushing woes have not
been anything he’s doing wrong. Most of the blame should fall on his offensive line,
which has struggled. If the line play improves, Smith should be a very worthy starter, but
until then, he’ll be a borderline starter for many owners. … WR Dedric Ward
should return to action this week, but isn’t a major fantasy threat unless you play
in a very big league.
New England Patriots — RB Antowain Smith had his first 100-yard game last
week against the Falcons and could see similar success against his former team, the Bills,
who had shown improvement against the run until last week, when the Colts gained 144 yards
on the ground against them. … While QB Tom Brady bounced back last week from a
four-interception performance two weeks ago, he did it against the Falcons’ defense,
which is one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Start Brady with caution this week
against an up-and-coming Bills secondary.
N.Y. Jets — WR Santana Moss is probably another week away from returning to
action, so if he’s available in your league and you’re looking for a wide
receiver, he might be worth a chance. Snap him up before your fellow owners read about
him. … The Jets’ defense has been a turnover machine and is among the top
teams in the league in takeaways. The Jets had been a liability in leagues that penalize
defenses for yards allowed, but the unit is starting to click and has had a few good
showings lately, especially along the defensive line. DEs John Abraham and Shaun
Ellis have responded to head coach Herman Edwards’ challenge to get better
pressure on the quarterback, and Abraham has seven sacks now. Don’t give up on the
Jets’ defense yet in yardage leagues.
AFC Central
Baltimore —QB Elvis Grbac (ribs) has been throwing effectively in practice
and says he should be ready to start vs. the Titans. … As far as RB Terry Allen
(ankle) goes, while he will benefit from an extra day of rest because the game at
Tennessee is a Monday nighter, he remains questionable and will probably not start, if he
plays at all. That means Jason Brookins, who had a tough game vs. Pittsburgh (as
did the entire Ravens offense), is a good bet to get his third straight start. … The
focus will definitely be on TE Shannon Sharpe, who needs just three catches to pass
Ravens VP Ozzie Newsome for the most receptions by a tight end in NFL history. Sharpe, who
leads the Ravens with 41 catches, loves the limelight. Look for a spirited effort from him
on the national Monday-night stage.
Cleveland Browns — At this point, there are only two viable fantasy weapons on the
Browns — QB Tim Couch and WR Kevin Johnson. While those two are in a
total groove, the Browns aren’t getting much production out of the running game or
the No. 2 WR spot — which has alternated between Quincy Morgan and Dennis
Northcutt. If you can get both Couch (10 touchdown passes) and Johnson (five
touchdowns, one 100-yard game), it might make for a nice tandem.
Jacksonville Jaguars — Fred Taylor’s slow rehab to return from his
groin injury continues. He’s been upgraded to questionable on the injury report, but
we strongly suggest you don’t play him this week against Cincinnati. We hear the team
is pointing to Week 10 for his return, when the Jaguars travel to Pittsburgh. While he had
a huge game against the Steelers last year, he might not be in game shape by that point,
which could limit his production.
Pittsburgh Steelers — Jerome Bettis owners should root for the emergence of
WR Plaxico Burress to continue, as it should help Bettis see more open field. No
Steelers receiver has been double-teamed in a long time, and if Burress becomes the weapon
Pittsburgh hopes, teams won’t be able to stack the box against Bettis because
they’ll have to account for Burress as well. … RB Amos Zereoue returns to
action this week after sitting out last week’s game with a shoulder injury. Zereoue
has a good amount of potential as a fantasy player, but his "change-of-pace"
status with the Steelers hurts his fantasy value.
Tennessee — TE Frank Wycheck should see a lot of action Monday night vs.
the Ravens, for he’s the only healthy tight end on the roster. Shad Meier had surgery
on his injured thumb this week, and Erron Kinney is nursing a calf injury. Wycheck
has performed well of late, score twice in the last three weeks and recording the first
100-yard receiving game of his career.
AFC West
Denver Broncos — RB Terrell Davis showed no ill-effects (swelling, pain)
after getting back into action last week vs. Oakland. He rushed 17 times for 70 yards, and
that total would have been higher had he not dropped a pitch for an eight-yard loss. He
showed the same old burst the Broncos had grown accustomed to and should be considered a
starter. The Chargers’ run defense dropped from third in the NFL to 10th
after the Chiefs abused them for 208 rushing yards in Week Eight. … Backup RB Olandis
Gary was deactivated for the Raiders game, mostly because of the fact he isn’t a
good special-teams contributor. However, with Davis’ shaky healthy history, Gary
should only be dropped if you have plenty of depth at the position.
Kansas City Chiefs — RB Priest Holmes has made believers out of many this
season, and his 18- rushing yards vs. a strong run defense in San Diego served notice to
many around the league. The Chiefs have not shied away from running Holmes even when they
are trailing in the second half, which has helped him pad his numbers vs. defenses
protecting against the pass. FB Tony Richardson’s return to the lineup has
also helped Holmes immensely. Despite holding Ricky Williams to 58 yards last week,
the Jets’ run defense is still ranked last in the league. … Despite a possible
return to the lineup following another bout with injuries, it may be wise to wait on WR Derrick
Alexander, as he has had little practice time in the past month.
Oakland Raiders — Even though there’s a chance he may return to the lineup
following a three-game absence because of a sprained knee, it’s doubtful RB Tyrone
Wheatley will be much of a factor vs. the Seahawks. … If you’re really
strapped for a running back, Zack Crockett could be a possibility because of his
ability to find the endzone from his role as the Raiders’ short-yardage specialist.
San Diego Chargers — While we wouldn’t suggest benching him, the Chargers are
worried a bit about LaDainian Tomlinson’s recent slide. L.T. rushed for 100
yards in three of his first four games and was the talk of football, but since then, his
production has dropped way off — 74, 58 and 76 yards the past three weeks. While
defenses are gearing up to stop him now, he is also being bothered by several nagging
injuries, and the coaching staff wants to make sure he doesn’t get frustrated.
Seattle Seahawks — Koren Robinson is the only rookie receiver picked in the
first round who has yet to have a real breakout game. Week Three’s five-catch,
78-yard performance has been his best to date, he has failed to score this season and was
shut out last week vs. Washington.
NFC East
Arizona Cardinals — It may be time to give up on Michael Pittman and
Thomas Jones, neither of whom has blossomed the way the Cardinals had been hoping.
Despite having one of the largest offensive lines in the league, the Cardinals have not
been able to generate a consistent rushing attack. Even if you decide not to purge either
running back from your roster, this is not a good week to play them, as the Giants have
one of the top run defenses in the NFL. In eight games this season, the Giants have
allowed the opposing team to top 100 yards rushing only twice.
Dallas Cowboys — This could be a good week to play Joey Galloway or
Raghib Ismail. They are going against a Falcons’ secondary that has been very
spotty this season. Furthermore, Ryan Leaf gets his first start at quarterback as a
Cowboy. He’s shown a decent grasp of the offense and clearly has the arm strength to
go deep to either of his speedy receivers. … The Cowboys are hoping to increase the
production of TE Jackie Harris. … RB Emmitt Smith will likely miss his
second straight game with a knee injury. In fact, we hear that he could even miss the Week
10 game unless the knee shows significant signs of improvement.
New York Giants — It’s hard to get a firm grasp on the Giants receivers. Amani
Toomer, Joe Jurevicius and Ike Hilliard have all had their
moments this season. All three have three touchdown catches apiece this year. This would
be a good week to play any of the three, considering they are facing a Cardinals team that
is really beat up and inexperienced in the secondary.
Philadelphia Eagles — If you are scratching your head wondering why you are
aren’t getting more production out of Duce Staley now that he is healthy, you
aren’t alone. While Staley is having to share some of the carries with rookie Correll
Buckhalter, the main problem is the fact that the Eagles just aren’t running the
ball very much. Andy Reid has said that he knows that they have to be more committed to
the ground game, but he has said that before without actually doing anything about it.
This is a case of "we’ll believe it when we see it." So it might be time to
start someone other than Staley until Reid shows that he will try to grind it out on the
ground.
Washington Redskins — The Redskins are on bye this week.
NFC Central
Chicago Bears — Jim Miller will start at quarterback for the Bears this
week, with Shane Matthews returning to his No. 2 spot. Miller (hip pointer)
participated fully in Wednesday’s practice and is not mentioned on the team’s
injury report. Despite soreness, Miller said he "felt accurate (Wednesday) and put
more zip on the ball. It’s just the nature of the injury that it takes time. But this
is Packers week … " Two of Miller’s linemen, OLT Blake Brockermeyer (knee)
and ORG Chris Villarrial (hip), missed some practice time but returned for Friday’s
session and should play Sunday.
Detroit Lions — Despite maintaining that Charlie Batch is the team’s
No. 1 quarterback, Lions head coach Marty Morhinweg likely will give Mike McMahon
more playing time in the weeks ahead as a means of developing the rookie signalcaller.
McMahon was inserted in last week’s game at San Francisco and completed 2-of-4 passes
for 16 yards. All things considering (injuries at wide receiver and running back, constant
change on the offensive line), Batch has performed well since returning to the starting
lineup. But there will be games in which McMahon replaces Batch for two series.
Green Bay Packers — Just because he’s listed as probable on the Packers’
injury report, it doesn’t mean WR Bill Schroeder (sprained ankle) will play
Sunday vs. the Bears. Remember, Schroeder was probable last week before the Buccaneers
game, and he was held out. Schroeder practiced fully Thursday for the first time since
suffering his injury Oct. 14 vs. Baltimore. However, he didn’t appear to test his
ankle fully. Offensive coodinator Tom Rossley said Schroeder still had "a little gimp
to his run." If Schroeder can’t go, Corey Bradford would start.
Minnesota Vikings — RB Michael Bennett (ankle) has returned to practice
this week and will split time with RB Doug Chapman in the Vikings’ backfield.
Bennett looks ready after missing two games, and the team hopes he and Chapman have ample
opportunity to carry the ball this week vs. the Eagles. With so much attention being paid
to WRs Cris Carter and Randy Moss, and being that the game is in
Philadelphia, the Vikings will do their best to establish the run early. "It sets the
tempo for road games where you can try to get the crowd out of the game if you’re
successful," Vikings TE Byron Chamberlain said.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers — RB Warrick Dunn continued his recovery this week
from an injured hamstring, but his sore big toe might be a problem for the rest of the
season. "I’m almost back," Dunn said. "I have a little pain
that’s probably going to be there with me until the end of the season just because of
the type of injury that I have. It’s just something that I have to overcome, but
I’ll be fine." Expect FB Mike Alstott to continue to play a key role in
the running game. … After missing practice Thursday, WR Jacquez Green (groin)
was downgraded to doubtful.
NFC West
Atlanta Falcons — QB Chris Chandler, who was forced out of the game vs. New
England last Sunday with bruised ribs, was "much improved" in Thursday’s
practice according to head coach Dan Reeves. But it is still possible rookie Michael
Vick might get his first NFL start Sunday against Dallas. Look for a down-to-the-wire
decision on Atlanta’s starting signalcaller. … Reeves has indicated WR Tony
Martin, who played in a reserve role last Sunday after missing four straight games
with a broken collarbone, will probably start at split end in place of Shawn Jefferson,
if Martin is healthy enough. Jefferson, though, still figures to be a key offensive
factor. He is Atlanta’s leading receiver with 21 catches, one of which resulted in
the Falcons’ only TD (19 yards) in their loss to the Patriots.
Carolina Panthers — While Carolina coaches claim he’s making progress,
there’s no telling right now whether rookie QB Chris Weinke, who sprained his
right shoulder in the loss to the Dolphins last Sunday, will be able to play this Sunday
vs. the Rams. The odds are strong that third-string QB Matt Lytle will be making
his first pro start after taking the large majority of reps with the first-team offense
this week. Veteran pickup Jim Harbaugh also got a limited number of reps, but
it’s unlikely he would start vs. the Rams, even though he’s said to be grasping
the offense very quickly. … With just two receptions vs. the Rams, TE Wesley Walls
will become one of only 17 tight ends in NFL history with 400 career catches. Walls, who
leads the Panthers in TD passes with four, has a TD in three straight games vs. the Rams
and five of the last six. … WR Muhsin Muhammad has 15 catches for 208 yards in
the last two meetings vs. St. Louis. … Even though it’s likely to be missing
first-round pick Dan Morgan, you might consider the Panthers’ defense against
the Rams’ high-risk offense. Carolina’s "D" has forced 20 turnovers,
fourth-best in the NFL, and scored two TDs in the last three games.
New Orleans Saints — Coming off a season-low 246-yard offensive output in their
loss to the Jets, the Saints will try to get their act back together vs. the Niners’
steadily improving young defense (ranked 9th). San Francisco’s nickel defense could
be vulnerable with starting nickel back Anthony Parker out for the season. … Saints
WR Joe Horn had 15 catches for 285 yards and a TD in the games vs. the 49ers last
year … PK John Carney continues to be a steady fantasy force, leading the NFC
with 17 field goals. Saints head coach Jim Haslett said TE Cam Cleeland’s
ankle sprain has not improved and that Cleeland won’t be making the trip to San
Francisco.
San Francisco 49ers — QB Jeff Garcia’s sprained right knee is feeling
a lot better, but word is he’ll be wearing a brace for at least one more game. …
Tempestuous WR Terrell Owens, who is coming off a stellar outing vs. Detroit, had
226 yards vs. the Saints last year. Owens has 32 catches for 486 yards and seven TDs in
his last six games. … Keep an eye on 49ers TE Eric Johnson, an emerging force
who scored his first pro TD last week vs. the Lions.
St. Louis Rams — Coming off a bye week, the typically high-powered Rams (No. 1 in
total offense, passing offense, points and third-down conversions) are healthy and
well-rested. That includes RB Marshall Faulk, who missed the last two games with a
bruised right knee but still leads the Rams in rushing (361 yards) and receiving (36
catches). Faulk has 462 yards from scrimmage in his last three games vs. Carolina. …
WR Az-Zahir Hakim had a career-high eight catches and 147 yards in the game at
Carolina last year. |
