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Fantasy Football Week 10 Start em, Sit em Projections and Lineup Advice Q&A

Remember in the movie Men In Black how they had that little device that could wipe someone’s memory clean? After last week, I wouldn’t mind someone doing that to me.

Though I did a good job answering specific questions with all relevant lineup/league info (as I feel I usually do), Week 9 was certainly less than stellar with respect to the top-line picks.

While I nailed Eli Manning as a start and Seattle’s D as a sit…that was pretty much it. See below. The carnage was ugly.

But you know me. Bad weeks only motivate me more to dig deeper into the numbers and trends. I am committed to making Week 10 a much more accurate week over all…as much for your teams as for my own.

I am writing this while watching Monday Night Football. I need a 20 point night from Mike Wallace to pull out a win in the P&G-sponsored Blogger Fantasy Football League*, and with the Steelers up 17-7 and Wallace not having a TD yet, that seems unlikely. If I lose, I’ll be 5-4 and in pretty serious need of a winning streak to ensure I at least make the playoffs.

Remember, the stakes are the Super Bowl, so you know I’m overturning every stone in an effort to win – like my last minute of pick up of Seyi Atirotutu on Sunday (see, it wasn’t all bad!). The upshot is that I regurgitate all of this research into these columns, hopefully helping you out in the process.

Before we delve into the Week 10 start ‘em, sit ‘em picks, here are two quick notes and then a quick recap of how I did in Week 9 (ugh) with the top-line picks:

1. Make sure you use your correct email address when commenting below. A random commenter will be chosen for a free P&G gift pack. Last week’s winner was commenter nik. Who will win this week?
2. Don’t forget to check out the Text It To The House promotion. It’s the fun, easy weekly game I told you about a couple weeks back. You pick the five players who will have longest plays from scrimmage this week

Week 9 recap:

• Start ‘em hits: Eli Manning,
• Start ‘em misses: Matt Forte, Calvin Johnson, Todd Heap, New England D
• Sit ‘em hits: Seattle Seahawks D
• Sit ‘em misses: Matthew Stafford, Steve Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew, Cedric Benson

Fantasy Football Week 10 Start em, Sit em Projections and Q&A

Note: the following teams are on bye in Week 10:

• San Diego Chargers
• Oakland Raiders
• New Orleans Saints
• Green Bay Packers
  

Remember when reading this post that everything is relative. Just because I say “sit Player X” doesn’t mean I’d sit him in all cases. It just means that, in comparison to the general opinion of that player, who likely is not a consensus must-start (because that is who I try to pick for these columns, so that they are useful), I either like him or dislike him more than others.

If you want specific player-to-player comparisons, I’ll be posting my rankings later in this week, which will give you a more clear indication of how I view one guy versus another. This post is meant to provide general guidance on borderline starters and whether I think, generally, they should be in lineups or not.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Start ‘em QB: David Garrard, Jacksonville (v Houston)

If you read this week’s waiver wire sleepers column, you know that David Garrard is my “gold star pickup of the week.” Why? Well look no further than the Houston Texans pass defense. This porous unit has given up 20 TDs in 8 games this year, and is one of the most targetable defensive units I can remember in my history playing fantasy football.

Also, Garrard has not been a slouch this year, despite his shoddy reputation. Sure, he’s been inconsistent, but that’s who he is. David Garrard is inconsistent. It’s a tenet of fantasy football.

But he has thrown for at least two TDs in four of his seven starts this year, and the games he struggled in were against the solid pass defenses of Tennessee, Philly, and San Diego. Against more suspect pass defenses like Dallas and Buffalo, Garrard has taken advantage. And suspect would be a kind way of describing Houston’s pass D.

Worth noting as well: Garrard has historically been much better at home than away. He is absolutely a must start this week. He’ll be in my top 10, the question is will he be top 5?

David Garrard fantasy football Week 10 projection: 250 yards passing, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Other start ‘em QBs for Week 10:

• Michael Vick against Washington’s generous pass defense is an obvious play.
• Ryan Fitzpatrick actually had a decent showing against a very tough Bears defense. He faces the much more forgiving Detroit secondary in Week 10.
• Whoever starts for the Lions – Matthew Stafford or Shaun Hill (but not Drew Stanton, I don’t trust him) – is a solid start against the Buffalo Bills.
• Eli Manning is a very good start at home against Dallas. He torched them a few weeks ago and the Giants are red hot right now. The Cowboys are the opposite of red hot.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Sit ‘em QB: Brett Favre, Minnesota (at Chicago)

I know that you Brett Favre owners probably had the old man on your bench in Week 9 (a wise move, despite the result) and had to watch him put up two TDs and 446 passing yards. You are probably itching to get him in your lineup this week, especially if you have Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, or Aaron Rodgers.

Unfortunately for you (or perhaps fortunately), I am here to throw some cold water on you with the following realities:

• The Bears have allowed only five passing touchdowns all season
• Favre continues to start and finish most games, but he gets older and more dinged up each week. Don’t you think the physical Bears will try everything they can to smack their old nemesis around? Favre staying healthy is a major risk each week for the rest of the season.
• The numbers Brett put up last week were against a very weak Cardinals pass D. Sidney Rice is not expected to be back at full strength by next Sunday (though he should play) meaning Favre will have to go against the Bears’ secondary with Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian, and Greg Camarillo again.

I absolutely think Favre needs to be the starter for the Vikings, and I think he has a shot to put up more consistent numbers once Sidney Rice gets back to full strength, but with so many good “second tier” QB options like Garrard and Fitzpatrick out there, why risk playing Favre when he is throwing so many INTs and so banged up? I just don’t like the risk/return here.

Brett Favre fantasy football Week 10 projection: 275 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs

Other sit ‘em QBs for Week 10:

• I would like to apologize to everyone for having Chad Henne ranked so highly last week. I’m done with him. He sucks.
• Carson Palmer against the Indy pass D? No thanks. At least, not top 10. He did have another solid game against Pittsburgh, I just don’t totally trust him yet.
• Don’t get cute and think you should start Colt McCoy because he’s playing well in real life. The Browns’ offense does not produce passing TDs, and the Jets have lots of talent in their secondary.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Start ‘em RB: Marshawn Lynch, Seattle (at Arizona)

You probably think I’m crazy. Why would I tell you to start a running back who has 57 yards on 20 carries with no touchdowns the last two weeks? Well, to be honest, it’s all about the matchup.

The Seahawks face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. The Cardinals give up in the neighborhood of 130 rushing yards per game. They have also given up nine rushing TDs this season (and it should be 10 if the Vikings would have given Adrian Peterson one more goalline try in the 4th quarter…but I digress.)

So while Lynch has been a major disappointment the last couple of weeks, and will continue to be up and down, this is one of the “up” weeks. Hopefully Matt Hasselbeck will be back too, which should help the Seattle offense provide more scoring opportunities for its running backs.

Marshawn Lynch fantasy football Week 10 projection: 95 yards rushing, 1 TD

Other start ‘em RBs for Week 10:

• I’m not a huge fan of the matchup versus the Jets, but Peyton Hillis is officially a must start now. How can he not be?
• I didn’t like Cedric Benson last week against Pittsburgh, but I do like him this week against Indy.
• Fred Jackson is a sneaky-good start against the relatively forgiving Lions’ D this week, and CJ Spiller is even worth a flyer in deeper leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Sit ‘em RB: LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene, New York Jets (at Cleveland)

Yes, that’s right. I’m telling you to sit the running backs from a 6-2 team against the Cleveland Browns. Here’s why:

• Surprisingly, the Browns have only given up one rushing TD this season. That is the best in the NFL. Granted, the Browns D isn’t better than the Steelers or Jets (which have given multiple ground TDs this season), but they only give up around 100 yards per game rushing.
• Against the Patriots in Week 9, the Browns stuffed a good goalline running game numerous times. That’s a good sign, and shows that the 1 TD rushing isn’t just a fluke.
• LT has just 101 yards over the last two weeks on 33 carries. He hasn’t scored. That’s about what he was doing last year for the Chargers when everyone said he was washed up. (Hmm…just saying.) He has caught 11 passes over the last two weeks though, so you probably DO want to play LT in PPR leagues.
• Greene has just 25 carries over the last three weeks. Even though his yard per carry average is better than LT’s, he simply isn’t getting the touches.
• The Jets produced through the air in Week 9, which is how you beat this Browns’ D. They consistently give up multiple TDs to opposing QBs; the running backs just don’t get involved in the action.

Now watch LT scored two TDs and Greene score one. Wouldn’t that just be appropriate!

Still, I think the stats and trends point to this being a tough matchup for LT and Greene. Plan accordingly.

LaDainian Tomlinson fantasy football Week 10 projection: 50 yards rushing, 5 receptions, 30 yards receiving, 0 TDs

Shonn Green fantasy football Week 10 projection: 50 yards rushing

Other sit ‘em RBs for Week 10:

• The Minnesota Vikings have been pretty good against the run this year, giving up less than 100 yards per game and only 6 TDs. With Matt Forte’s dismal performance against Buffalo’s awful run D, and Chester Taylor starting to steal opportunities, it’s time to consider alternate options if you have them.
• The Chiefs are also giving up around 100 yards rushing per game. While the Raiders scored two TDs on the ground against them in Week 9, one was by the QB and they did a pretty good job of containing Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. That doesn’t bode well for Knowshon Moreno in Week 10.
• In Week 8 I sat BenJarvus Green-Ellis and he went off. In Week 9 I started him and he sucked. Guess what? It’s an easy choice in Week 10: he faces Pittsburgh. Sit him!

Fantasy Football Week 10 Start ‘em WR: Steve Johnson, Buffalo (v Detroit)

Look, I know that I can be stubborn sometimes, especially when it comes to proven veterans and rookies, but I’m not so stubborn that I’ll ignore six straight weeks of fantasy worthiness. And that’s exactly what Steve Johnson has done:

• Week 3: 3 catches, 66 yards, 1 TD
• Week 4: 3 catches, 31 yards, 1 TD
• Week 5: 5 catches, 46 yards, 2 TDs
• Week 6: bye
• Week 7: 8 catches, 158 yards, 1 TD
• Week 8: 5 catches, 37 yards, 1 TD
• Week 9: 11 catches, 145 yards, 0 TD

What is interesting to note is that I had Johnson as my sit ‘em WR for Week 9, based on the probability that he wouldn’t score a TD for a sixth straight week against a very good Bears pass D. Well, he didn’t score a TD, but he did set a career high in catches and had his second 140+ yard receiving game in his last three outings. That’s impressive.

Do I totally trust Johnson? No, I don’t. So I put him here somewhat begrudgingly. But his numbers speak for themselves, and Chan Gailey offenses love to throw the ball. Also, the Lions give up 235+ passing yards per game and have allowed 13 passing TDs this season. You can’t sit Johnson now.

Steve Johnson fantasy football Week 10 projection: 6 catches, 85 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em WRs for Week 10:

• Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas v Houston. Duh.
• Kansas City is better against the run than the pass. Brandon Lloyd has 100+ yards in 5 of his 8 starts this year. He plays.
• Dwayne Bowe just keeps scoring TDs. Facing a Denver that has given up 12 TDs in 8 games is a tasty matchup.
• Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards have to be considered decent start options this week. Both bounced back in Week 9, and the way to beat Cleveland is through the air.
• I know that Steve Smith (CAR) was shutout in Week 9, and that his team has huge QB issues. Well, I’d sit him at your own risk. Tampa Bay has given up a lot of passing TDs this year, and Smith is a prideful athlete with a lot of skins on the wall. I’m going against the stats and trends and saying that you want him in your lineup this week, even if John Fox takes snaps at QB.
• Speaking of Tampa Bay, Mike Williams has now become a weekly start. I can’t hold out any longer.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Sit ‘em WR: Brandon Marshall, Miami (v Tennessee)

Understand a few things here:

• I’m a Dolphins fan, so I hope I’m horribly wrong with this pick (and I am, at least in part, strategically placing Marshall in hopes of reverse-jinxing him into a huge day).
• I have Brandon Marshall as my #1 WR in the P&G-sponsored Blogger Fantasy Football League*, and I will be starting him because I don’t have a good enough alternative.

That said, I’m really starting to get worried. I have overrated Marshall for many weeks now because I’ve though he would break out. While his 10-catch, 127-yard performance against Green Bay in Week 6 was encouraging, Marshall has just 15 catches for 170 yards since. And the most important number? Zero touchdowns over that span. For the season, Marshall has just one TD.

It’s no coincidence that as I’ve overrated Marshall, I’ve also overrated Chad Henne. Well, after watching Henne not look very good for two straight weeks, and with some other stinker performances sprinkled in this season, I’m done counting on these two to get it going. If they are going to, I’ll wait for the proof on the field and then bump them back up my rankings.

Remember, just because Marshall is listed here doesn’t mean I’d sit him no matter what. He’s still good for a minimum of 5-6 catches per game, and still is one of the more talented wide receivers in the game. I place him here more to make the point (to myself as much as you, dear reader) that you need to start tempering your expectations for Marshall.

If you are blessed with a stable of good WRs, I give you my blessing to bench Marshall. Who would have thought playing Steve Johnson over Brandon Marshall, with both healthy, would be a good play? Well, that’s the move I would make this week.

Brandon Marshall fantasy football Week 10 projection: 6 receptions 70 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em WRs for Week 10:

• I’m not big on T.O. or Ochocinco this week against Indy. But T.O. scored twice again in Week 9, so you pretty much have to play him unless you’re ridiculously stacked. Ocho? I wouldn’t play him over Jordan Shipley at this point.
• Mike Williams (SEA) laid another egg in Week 9. Don’t even consider him if Hasselbeck is out. Even if Hasselbeck is in, understand the huge risk and minimal reward (few TDs) Williams brings.
• Miami didn’t give up much to the Baltimore WRs in Week 9. I’d be a little nervous about using any Tennessee WRs – including Randy Moss, if you have options – in Week 10.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Start ‘em TE: Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville (v Houston)

Yeah, I know…this is low hanging fruit. Lewis has 7 TD catches on the season and Houston’s pass D gave up two TDs to Randy McMichael – Randy McMichael – in Week 9. This is a no brainer. But after the week I had last week with the top-line picks, I need to feel a little better about myself. After Lewis proves to be one of the best tight ends in Week 10, I’ll feel a bit better.

Marcedes Lewis fantasy football Week 10 projection: 5 receptions, 60 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em TEs for Week 10:

• I don’t need to tell you to start Jacob Tamme, do I?
• Aaron Hernandez caught his first two TD passes of the season in Week 9. Now that he’s popped his TD cherry, I think there could be more to come.
• The Panthers gave up two TDs to tight ends in Week 9. Perhaps Kellen Winslow can get his first TD against them this week. He continues to get a decent amount of targets and catches, so he’s not a terrible option.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Sit ‘em TE: Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati (at Indianapolis)

Brent Celek did not register a catch against the Colts in Week 9. This isn’t a fluke, as the Colts shut down Owen Daniels the week before, and have typically been good against tight ends. While Greshman has plenty of talent, his numbers are actually dwindling as this season progresses. There is no reason to start him this week.

Jermaine Gresham fantasy football Week 10 projection: 4 receptions, 30 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em TEs for Week 10:

• Kevin Boss caught a TD in Week 9, but he only had 2 catches for 15 yards, and it was in a terribly easy game against Seattle. Don’t get excited.
• John Carlson put up another disappointing line in Week 9. You can’t trust him.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Start ‘em Defense: Minnesota Vikings (at Chicago)

I know that the Vikings gave up 24 points to a Derek Anderson-led Cardinals team in Week 9. While that isn’t impressive, the fact that they sacked Anderson six times is impressive. With the easily sackable Jay Cutler on the schedule for Week 10, I expect another big sack game, as well as the potential for a few INTs.

Minnesota Vikings fantasy football Week 10 projection: 21 or fewer points, 6 sacks, 2 INTs

Other start ‘em Defenses for Week 10:

• Tampa Bay’s D doesn’t get many sacks or force a lot of turnovers, but they are playing Carolina. That makes them a decent play.
• Just as the Vikings are a good start against the Bears, the Bears D is a decent start against a QB in Brett Favre who will throw INTs.
• St. Louis’ defense has been very good at home this year. With a Troy Smith-led 49ers team coming to town in Week 10, they are a solid option.

Update: Thanks to the astute commenter who noted that St. Louis is not playing at home this weekend. They are AT San Francisco. The Rams have not been nearly as good on the road as they’ve been at home this year, so I’m not quite as high on them. They aren’t a terrible play, because they are facing SF after all, but not an automatic start.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Sit ‘em Defense: Baltimore Ravens (at Atlanta)

The Ravens did a nice job of bottling up the Dolphins in Week 9, but they have to go into the unfriendly confines of the Georgia Dome in Week 10. Matt Ryan and the Falcons play excellent football, especially offensively, when they are at home. I don’t expect the Ravens D – which isn’t what its reputation suggests – to have a great outing in Week 10.

Baltimore Ravens fantasy football Week 10 projection: 24 or more points, 2 sacks, 1 TO

Other sit ‘em Defenses for Week 10:

• After New England got torched by the one-dimensional Browns in Week 9, I’m not too excited about them against a good Pittsburgh offense.
• Seattle’s defense is done as a playable unit. Done. They suck.

The comment section is yours. Have at it. We’ll be here answering all week.

**********

* – The P&G Blogger Fantasy League (BFL) is a group of 12 digital sports influencers competing on the NFL.com fantasy platform for the chance to win P&G product, a donation to a local charity, and a trip to Super Bowl XLV, all furnished by P&G. The NFL Entities have not offered or sponsored the sweepstakes in any way.

Fantasy Football Week 9 Friday Injury Updates: Gates, DeSean, Harvin, and more

For yet another week, Antonio Gates is the most important name on the injury report. And with Houston on the schedule, Gates owners should be licking their chops. Unfortunately, not only does Gates have turf toe but he is also dealing with an injured plantar fascia.

The latest injury update on Gates is that he is officially questionable right now, he has not been practicing, and Norv Turner said he doesn’t know if Gates will play. My guess? He plays, because Gates always plays. Luckily San Diego plays an early game, so you’ll know if he’s active or inactive. Make sure you have a replacement ready just in case.

Malcom Floyd will miss another game because of his hamstring issue. Teammate Legedu Naanee also is not expected to play. Seyi Ajirotutu is a name to know. He will start opposite Patrick Crayton.

Another big name on the Week 9 injury report is Percy Harvin, who continues to deal with an ankle injury. He has not practiced this week and there is a chance he might not play. Have a replacement ready. I he plays, his QB will of course be the hobble Iron Man Brett Favre.

The Colts have a ton of guys on the injury report…again, all the usual suspects. Here we go:

• Joseph Addai still has not been practicing because of his neck. He likely won’t play.
• Mike Hart still hasn’t practicing either this week and is likely to be a game-time decision.
• Donald Brown is the healthiest of all the Colts backs and should see an increase in workload this weekend. He is the one to start if you’re going to start any.
• Austin Collie has been practicing this week, but whether he plays Sunday is another story. He’ll be a game-time decision.
• Anthony Gonzalez shocked no one by getting dinged up in Week 8, and he is questionable for Week 9.

In Philadelphia, the big name is DeSean Jackson, who is attempting to return from his concussion. He is back practicing full time and has been cleared to play. He’ll have Michael Vick tossing him the pigskin.

In Detroit, Kevin Smith did not practice Thursday because of a knee issue. There is no word on whether he will play or not, but the matchup isn’t good anyway (Jets). Jahvid Best and Calvin Johnson are both on the injury report, but both have been practicing fully and will play.

Todd Heap is still recovering from being banged up, but he has played well recently and has been practicing coming off the Ravens’ bye. He’s fine.

Derrick Mason had to have surgery on his finger during Baltimore’s bye week, but he says it won’t affect him. His new teammate Donte Stallworth is also expected to play in Week 9, but he is not worth starting or owning.

In New England, Deion Branch has been limited in practice because of a hamstring issue. He is, however, expected to play against Cleveland.

Fred Taylor still has not been practicing because of his toe injury. He is unlikely to play this weekend, which is good news for BenJarvus Green-Ellis owners.

Peyton Hillis owners can rejoice because the Browns RB is not on the injury report. Where the Browns have issues is at QB. Seneca Wallace has not been practicing because of his ankle injury, and neither has Jake Delhomme. Expect Colt McCoy to get another start this weekend.

Texans WR Andre Johnson was hobbling around at the end of the Texans’ Monday loss to Indy. He is apparently fine, however, and expected to play this weekend.

Steve Breaston has not practiced much this week, but that seems more precautionary than anything. He had 8 catches for 147 yards last week, so he seems to be back from the knee injury that hobbled him earlier in the year. Teammate Early Doucet is also practicing on a limited basis but should play.

Perpetual injury report name Beanie Wells is officially questionable for Sunday, but he says the practice he missed was due to an allergic reaction to an injection. He’s expected to play and start Sunday.

Kellen Winslow is another name you often see on the injury report. He plays most weeks though and is expected to play this week.

In New Orleans there have been conflicting reports about whether or not Drew Brees is injured. He’s not on the injury report and Sean Payton says he’s not. We’ll go with that. Regardless, he’s playing.

Pierre Thomas remains out this week. He’s still in a walking boot and crutches. New Orleans has a bye next week so the extra rest makes sense. Reggie Bush has been able to practice some this week and may play Sunday. I wouldn’t start even if he does play, and look for New Orleans to probably rest him until after the bye week as well.

Marques Colston is on the injury report, but have no ear, he’ll start and play well. The same is true for Chris Ivory.

Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams continues to be hobbled and is not expected to play in Week 9.

In Seattle, Matt Hasselbeck is dealing with the effects of a concussion and will not play. Charlie Whitehurst will start at QB if you’re desperate. Mike Williams has not been practicing but is expected to play.

Dexter McCluster will be a game-time decision for Kansas City.

In Oakland, Jason Campbell will start again this week as Bruce Gradkowski continues to deal with a shoulder injury. Unfortunately for Campbell, he goes into the Week 9 matchup against KC with a banged up receiving corps:

• Zach Miller has not been practicing with a foot injury, although he is expected to play.
• Louis Murphy has not been practicing and likely won’t play in Week 9.
• Likewise, Chaz Schilens is not expected to play in Week 9.
• Darrius Heyward-Bey, who finally had a good game last week, has not been practicing because of a shoulder injury. He is questionable and probably a game-time decision.

Honestly, with Campbell at QB and the Chiefs’ D playing really well this year, I’d stay away from Oakland pass catchers.

In Dallas, Felix Jones was back practicing Thursday. What that means is that he was probably back taking handoffs and then doing nothing with them. Because he sucks, healthy or not. And yes, I’m bitter about it.

Donald Driver is unlikely play to Week 9 for the Packers.

Sources: Official NFL Injury Report and CBS Sports player pages.

Friday Injury Updates: Antonio Gates, Malcom Floyd, Steve Smith, and more

You don’t usually expect the bye week to be filled with injury news for a team, but that’s exactly what the Indianapolis Colts have had to deal with this week.

First we got news that Dallas Clark and Joseph Addai would be out indefinitely, and then seemingly out of nowhere we were hit with the news that Austin Collie had surgery on his hand and will miss a few weeks.

At least for Week 7, this news isn’t devastating because you weren’t planning on using these guys anyway. But keep a close eye on them heading into next week. These are the kinds of injuries you’re planning for when you save a top waiver position for late in the season.

Okay, now let’s run down all the fantasy-relevant injuries for Week 7:

Antonio Gates is dealing with a toe injury and will most likely be a game-time decision. The bad part is that the Chargers play in the 4:00 game. If you can get Aaron Hernandez, Zach Miller, or Kevin Boss, all of whom play in later games or primetime, you’ll be able to adjust if Gates is indeed out.

Malcom Floyd still has not practiced this week as he recovers from a hamstring injury. He is not expected to play in Week 7. Potential replacement Buster Davis has been sidelined this week with a rib injury and Legedu Naanee has a hurt hammy that has kept him out of practice too. Patrick Crayton just keeps looking better and better.

Steve Smith will be back for the Panthers this week. His ankle is healed up enough for him to go and he’s been practicing fully. He also has Matt Moore back at QB, who he clicked so well with at the end of last season.

Vince Young still is not practicing as he deals with a knee issue. Jeff Fisher says he could play, but he’ll want Young to practice Friday. Check the injury reports today and see if he’s out there. Bo Scaife is dinged up also, and you’ll want to check the injury reports on him leading up to kickoff.

Surprise, surprise! Percy Harvin has been added to the Vikings injury report. He has a hamstring injury but was able to practice on a limited basis Thursday. He’s officially questionable for Thursday. He’s expected to play, but it’s Harvin, so you never know. And the Vikings play Sunday night so you’ll need to track this one and see what you can learn before kickoffs of the early games Sunday.

Brett Favre is on the injury report with a hurt ankle, wounded pride, and damaged marketability. He is expected to play Sunday night against his former team.

Derrick Mason was on the injury report but practiced fully. He’s good to go against Buffalo. The same is true for Ray Rice, who should have a big game.

Todd Heap is still dealing with the effects of the infamous Brandon Merriweather hit from Week 6. He practiced on a limited basis Thursday and will most likely be a game-time decision.

David Garrard and Trent Edwards are both dealing with injuries and neither practiced Thursday. Garrard has yet to be cleared by a doctor, and does it really matter if Edwards is healthy enough to play? Edwards, Todd Bouman, who cares? Surely you weren’t planning on using either one.

Chris Chambers was back practicing and is ready to go this week. However, his whopping 7 catches on the season should be on your waiver wire.

Peyton Hillis is still on the injury report with a thigh injury, and he’s only practicing on a limited basis this week, but he is expected to play.

Both Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace have missed practice all week and will not play. Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi have not practiced this week. You’ll have to see if either practices Friday to know whether there is a shot of them playing this weekend.

Pierre Thomas still has not practiced this week and his return in Week 7 appears unlikely. Reggie Bush also is not yet practicing as he tries to return from his broken fibula. Jeremy Shockey was limited in practice Thursday due to illness, but he should be fine for Sunday.

Chris Cooley is still dealing with the after effects of a concussion he suffered last week. He was back practicing yesterday though and reportedly felt fine. He appears safe to play.

Vernon Davis scared owners by going in for an MRI on his knee Monday. He’s fine.

Kellen Winslow is always on the injury report. He practiced fully on Thursday though, so he’s safe to play.

DeSean Jackson remains out as he deals with a concussion. Both LeSean McCoy and Michael Vick were full practice participants yesterday. McCoy will start, but Vick will backup Kevin Kolb.

Steve Breaston and Early Doucet were both limited practice participants on Thursday and both are expected to play Sunday.

The Raiders QB situation is a mess. Just stay away from it and all Oakland WRs. Bruce Gradkowski is the guy if healthy, but he hasn’t had a full practice yet. Jason Campbell would be next, but he’s still dealing with a bum knee. Kyle Boller starts if they can’t go. Altogether now: Ugh.

Darren McFadden has been practicing this week and should split carries with Michael Bush Sunday.

Eddie Royal did not practice Thursday as he deals with a groin injury. Considering the wealth of WR options at Kyle Orton‘s disposal, and the fact that he has a healthy Knowshon Moreno back, Royal is probably one to avoid this week.

Donald Driver has been dealing with a quad injury, but he says he’ll play Sunday night.

Dez Bryant is becoming a perpetual injury report name. This week it’s an ankle that is keeping him out of practice. See if he practices today. The Cowboys play Monday night and Bryant is their #4 option in the passing game, so I’d sit him if I had any decent alternatives.

Source for player updates: NFL.com injury report and CBS Sports player pages

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start em, Sit em Projections and Lineup Q&A

Now that we are five weeks into the season, I think it’s time to start reassessing the conventional wisdom.

Regular readers know that I always trust established track records over small sample sizes, and I try best never to overreact, but it is important to remember that each NFL season is its own unique being. Thus, while I’m not ready to jump off the Matt Schaub bandwagon yet, I think it’s okay to not consider him a must start anymore. The same is true for DeAngelo Williams, who has seen the awful Carolina offense torpedo his value.

Week 6 is also important because every is back from suspension. We got to see the impact of Brian Cushing (minimal) and Santanio Holmes (not huge, but flashes of potential), and this week we get to see Ben Roethlisberger back under center for Pittsburgh. And as a Mike Wallace owner, let me just exalt…Halalujah!

Does Big Ben show up in this week’s start/sit? Let’s take a quick look back at last week’s hits and misses, then find out.

• Start ‘em hits: Eli Manning, Brandon Pettigrew, Chicago Bears D
• Start ‘em misses: Jamaal Charles & Thomas Jones,
• Sit ‘em hits: Carson Palmer, Dwayne Bowe, LaDainian Tomlinson
• Sit ‘em misses: Washington D, Jason Witten

* – Mark Clayton was my start ‘em WR but was injured early in the Rams’ loss to Detroit.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start em Sit Em Projections

Note: The Cardinals, Bills, Panthers, and Bengals are off this week.

Remember: Everything is relative. Just because I say “start” Big Ben, doesn’t mean I’d play him over Peyton Manning. It just means that, in general, I think he is worth starting this week more than the conventional wisdom might suggest.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh (vs Cleveland)

Wait, what?

But Jerod, how can you recommend Ben Roethlisberger? Not only do you hate him, it goes against your tenet of wanting to let a player coming off a layoff play a week before trusting him. What gives?

Here’s what gives:

• 187 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
• 371 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT
• 262 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT
• 182 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

Those are the last four games against the Cleveland Browns. Based on that, you can reasonably expect 200+ yards and 2 TDs from Big Ben. I also like the fact that the game is in Pittsburgh and that Ben had the bye week to get himself re-acclimated. Remember, the Steelers threw the ball all around the field last year. Mike Wallace and Hines Ward have to be licking their chops to have a guy under center who can deliver the ball consistently.

I don’t think Roethlisberger sets the world on fire, but I think he’ll be solid. Considering some of the matchups some of the elite QBs have (see below), Roethlisberger might not be a bad option for many of you.

Ben Roethlisberger fantasy football Week 5 projection: 225 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT

Other start ‘em QBs for Week 5:

• Start Peyton Manning. Always. There’s been a lot of panic this season about different guys and Peyton struggled a bit last week, so I don’t want to see anyone do anything irrational like starting Shaun Hill over either of these guys. Don’t me myopic folks.
• Keep Eli Manning in your lineup. Yes, he’ll throw INTs, but he usually takes advantage of decent matchups. He threw 3 TDs last week and I think he’ll throw 2-3 more this week against the Lions.
• Tony Romo has thrown at least one TD pass in every week since Week 4 of last year. That’s consistency. Plus, the Cowboys will have to throw against a pretty solid Minnesota run D.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em QB: Tom Brady, New England (vs Baltimore)

I still like Tom Brady long-term this season. Really, I do. I’m just very nervous about starting him this week if you have a decent alternative.

First off, Brady is without Randy Moss. While I think the Patriots can adjust to this and still succeed as a team without Randy, I simply cannot devise an argument to say that it will do anything but hurt Brady’s fantasy value. Brady has 9 TD passes on the season and 3 of them are to Moss, and there is no telling how much Moss’ presence contributed to the other six.

Secondly, Brady has a tough matchup. Baltimore has been the best team against the pass all season (with most of Denver’s aerial work last week coming with the game already decided). Remember what happened in the playoffs last year? New England, with Moss, got throttled by the Ravens. Not that much has changed since then except that Moss is no longer there.

Add it all up, and this screams “sit” to me. Considering the matchup, I’d feel much more comfortable being able to sit Brady for a week and watch their new-look offense plays out.

Tom Brady fantasy football Week 5 projection: 230 yards passing, 1 TD, 1 INT

Other sit ‘em QBs for Week 5:

• It’s probably time to slow down the Sam Bradford train just a bit. I still like him, but losing Mark Clayton hurts and the offensive struggles against Detroit are a red flag. Playing against San Diego isn’t a great matchup
• I know that Chad Henne has thrown for a lot of the yards the last couple of weeks, but I expect the Dolphins to start running the ball more. Miami plays Green Bay next week, which isn’t an awful matchup, but consider this more of a lack of faith in Henne right now.
• Kansas City has been great defensively this season, most recently frustrating the hell out of the great Peyton Manning. After Houston dropped a turn against New York, my faith in Matt Schaub is a bit shaken. In most cases I’d still start him, but think twice about it if you have a really good alternative.
• I know the Matt Cassel is going up against Houston’s secondary, which means he could have a decent game, but I still don’t trust him. Don’t try to get too smart here. Cassel has been terrible. He’s not a good start unless you’re desperate (in which case he’s an okay option simply because of the potential the opposing defense provides with its suckiness).

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em RB: Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (vs Detroit)

Bradshaw plays Detroit, which held St. Louis’ improved offense to six points in Week 5. Don’t be fooled. The Rams were still able to run the ball on the Lions, with Steven Jackson racking up 114 yards. The Rams just couldn’t score and didn’t have a good enough passing game to balance out the offense.

Bradshaw won’t have to worry about that as Eli Manning got into sync with both Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith last week. And Bradshaw ran well himself, despite not getting into the end zone. He had 67 yards on 16 carries and also caught 3 balls for 22 more yards. That’s solid. I expect he can add a TD to that kind of production in Week 6.

Ahmad Bradshaw fantasy football Week 6 projection: 85 yards rushing, 35 yards receiving, 1 TD

Other start ‘em RBs for Week 6:

• Way too many people continue to treat Michael Turner like he’s not an automatic start. He is. Start him. Start whoever is playing RB for the Falcons.
• Ray Rice is back. I like him against New England next week too. But you don’t need me to tell you that…
• Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams get Green Bay’s injury-depleted defense in Week 6. Sure, the Packers shut down Ryan Torain last week, but I think Miami goes back to the run after two straight losses. And they can run on anyone when they commit to it. Get both of these guys back in your lineup.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em RB: Peyton Hillis, Cleveland (at Pittsburgh)

Peyton Hillis has been outstanding this year. He really has. In fact, he’s been a revelation and is the kind of guy that wins you fantasy leagues because you didn’t have to draft him to get his production.

That said, I don’t like him at all against the Steelers.

Not only will Pittsburgh be buoyed by the return of Ben Roethlisberger, but they are at home, coming off the bye, ranked #1 in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (62.2), and the Browns have no passing offense to take pressure off of Hillis. Oh, and Colt McCoy is probably going to be starting at QB for Cleveland.

Ouch. That’s a lot of negative indicators.

Now look, don’t sit Hillis for someone who will only get 10-12 touches, but I’d sit him for most starting running backs. It’s just not a good matchup at all.

Peyton Hillis fantasy football Week 6 projection: 45 yards rushing, 25 yards receiving, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em RBs for Week 6:

• Thomas Jones had a great Week 5 matchup against Indy…and responded with 19 yards on 8 carries. In Week 6 he faces the stiff Houston run defense. I’m not a big fan of that matchup.
• I’m not high on any Cowboys’ running backs, as you know. I’m definitely not high on them against the Vikings. I’ve been burned by Felix Jones too many times to trust one game of 15+ carries as the start of a trend. Talk to me when it happens two weeks in a row.
• The Bears held a really strong Panthers running game in check in Week 5. Seattle rarely plays well on the road, so I don’t think the Marshawn Lynch-Justin Forsett combo gets off to a great start.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em WR: Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh (vs Cleveland)

Boy oh boy, if Cleveland ends up shutting out the Steelers, I sure am going to look like a fool huh? I’m going all in, naming Big Ben my start ‘em QB and now naming Wallace my start ‘em WR. It just seems to me like everything points to this being the right call.

Wallace really came into his own last year as a rookie with Roethlisberger airing the ball out to him. And the Browns have been prone to giving up big plays in the passing game this year. Wallace is the Steelers’ deep threat and you just know that Ben will want to air it out in his first game back.

Wallace is always going to be a hit or miss type guy. He’ll rarely catch more than 3-4 passes so he needs to get into the end zone to make it count. I’m going to be bold and say he gets into the end zone twice in Week 6.

(Full disclosure: Wallace had 4 catches for 61 yards in two games against Cleveland last year. I know that. I understand that. I also say it doesn’t matter in Week 6. The Browns were much better against the pass last year than they’ve been this year.)

Mike Wallace fantasy football Week 5 projections: 4 catches 90 yards, 2 TDs

Other start ‘em WRs for Week 6:

• Mike Williams just keeps getting it done for Tampa Bay. I can only hold out for so long. A matchup against New Orleans isn’t bad. It’s time to start finding a place for this guy in your lineups.
• Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith are always in my top 20 WRs and should be in your starting lineups most weeks. This is especially true against the Lions.
• Roy Williams caught another touchdown in Week 5. That makes three on the year. I think Dallas has to throw the ball to beat Minnesota, and Tony Romo always throws at least one TD. If it doesn’t go to Miles Austin, chances are it’s Williams’.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em WR: Brandon Tate, New England (vs Baltimore)

I am going for symmetry with this week’s picks. I paired up a QB and a WR for the start ‘em picks, and not I’m doing it with the sit ‘em picks.

Brandon Tate is a hot name right now as the expected heir apparent for Randy Moss in New England. And while I think Tate certainly has some value, he is still a guy who has not caught an NFL TD, who averages only 12.3 yards per catch, and who has never had more than 4 catches or 39 yards in a game.

Considering that he and the Patriots are facing Baltimore’s D, I’d much prefer to wait a week and see how the Patriots’ passing game looks before trusting one of my spots to a guy with a hot name but very little production to back it up.

Brandon Tate fantasy football Week 5 projection: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em WRs for Week 6:

• I’m worried about the Denver receivers, especially Brandon Lloyd. He’s been so good every week this year, and something tells me that the Jets will do everything in their power to take him out of the game. Call it a hunch. And remember, my hunch was that you should start him last week against Baltimore’s #1 ranked pass D…and he did great.
• All Chicago and Carolina wide receivers are sits until further notice. Once Jay Cutler gets back, you can consider Bears WRs again. For now, sit, sit, sit.
• I’ve been high on Louis Murphy, but that’s two bad weeks in a row. I think it’s time to sit him until further notice and he proves he’s healthy and that the Raiders’ passing game can produce again.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em TE: Chris Cooley, Washington (vs Indianapolis)

Chris Cooley has clearly become a favorite of Donovan McNabb. He has two TDs through the season’s first five games and has only been below 50 yards receiving once. Cooley won’t give you Gates/Clark explosiveness, but he makes up for it with consistency.

Indianapolis gave up 4 receptions for 50 yards to Tony Moeaki in Week 5, and Kansas City doesn’t have what anyone would call a good offense. McNabb may not be throwing a lot of TDs, but they are chucking it around the field pretty well. I assume the Redskins will be down, and that means McNabb will need to throw. Cooley should be the beneficiary.

Chris Cooley fantasy football Week 6 projection: 6 receptions, 75 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em TEs for Week 6:

• Brandon Pettigrew had another solid outing in Week 5. Keep him in your lineups.
• Marcedes Lewis scored another TD in Week 5. He continues to produce, and even though it was against Buffalo, I can’t keep telling you to sit someone with 5 TDs in 5 weeks. Maybe Lewis is finally coming into his own this season.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em TE: Todd Heap, Baltimore (at New England)

People still think Todd Heap circa 2010 is Todd Heap circa 2007. Unfortunately he’s not. Heap had just one catch in Week 5 and only has one week in which he’s been over 50 yards receiving this year. He also doesn’t have a TD.

I think the Baltimore passing offense will be able to have a decent day against New England, but I don’t have much faith in Heap in being able to end his TD drought. And if he’s not scoring TDs, he doesn’t rack up enough catches or yards to have as much value as another option.

Todd Heap fantasy football Week 6 projection: 3 receptions, 35 yards, 0 TD

Other sit ‘em TEs for Week 6:

• I’m still keeping Owen Daniels on the bench. Don’t get impatient. Let him do something productive first.
• Jason Witten finally scored a TD last week, but that’s only 7 TDs in his last 40 games. The odds are he won’t do it two straight weeks and Minnesota did a pretty good job of bottling up the red hot Dustin Keller in Week 5.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em D/ST: Chicago Bears (vs Seattle)

Chicago has one of the best defenses in football this year. A healthy Brian Urlacher will do that to your defense. And this week the Bears get the Seahawks at Soldier Field. If there is one thing we know about Seattle, it’s that they are nowhere near as good on the road as they are at home. I expect Julius Peppers and Urlacher to take full advantage.

Chicago Bears fantasy football Week 6 projection: 13 or less points, 3 or more sacks, 2 or more TOs

Other start ‘em D/ST units for Week 6:

• The Steelers against the Browns. Hopefully you didn’t need me to tell you that.
• The Giants’ pass rush is back to being its ferocious self. A week after holding down Houston’s offense, I think they are a good play against Detroit.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em D/ST: New England Patriots (vs Baltimore)

Don’t let the Patriots’ Week 4 performance fool you. While they were able to kill the Dolphins on special teams, this still is not a great defense. Baltimore sliced them and diced them in the playoffs last year, and I think they can do it against this year.

The Ravens will not be taken by surprise on special teams this week. They’ll have an answer for whatever the Pats did to the Dolphins last week. Remember that John Harbaugh was a special teams coach before he was a head coach.

New England Patriots fantasy football Week 6 projection: 21 or more points, 2 or fewer sacks, 1 or fewer TOs, no special teams TDs

Other sit ‘em D/ST units for Week 6:

• Philadelphia faces Atlanta’s consistent offense. You can find better options.
• Tennessee’s D did not look particularly good against the Cowboys and has been prone to some big plays this year. They go on the road to Jacksonville next week, where the Jags play their best football.

As always, the comment section sits patiently below for you to ask any and all start/sit questions. I get to them as fast as I’m able. Good luck in Week 6 everyone! Crunch time is getting close, so don’t take these middle weeks for granted.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Friday Injury Updates: McFadden, McCoy, Bradshaw, PT, and more

We do it every Friday: run down all of the fantasy-relevant injuries that you need to be paying attention to as Sunday approaches. So let’s jump right in with this week’s injury updates.

Darren McFadden is still dealing with an injured hamstring and it now appears that he will not be able to play. Michael Bush will step in and assume the carries against San Diego.

In positive Raider injury news, Louis Murphy is not on the injury report and should be ready for a strong game. His favorite QB, Bruce Gradkowski, is on the injury report but also expected to play.

Eagles RB LeSean McCoy has not been practicing this week because of a rib injury. He appears to be a game time decision, which sucks because the Eagles play Sunday night. That means you need to either make your decision to sit McCoy early in the day or Sunday, or have Mike Bell or someone from the Monday night game to deploy in case McCoy is a late scratch.

In Cleveland, running back revelation Peyton Hillis has a thigh issue that has limited him in practice. As of right now, all signs point to him playing, but monitor this situation. Jerome Harrison would be a solid start candidate if Hillis can’t play.

At QB for the Browns, Jake Delhomme is slowly working his way back into the lineup and will start over Seneca Wallace if he’s feeling good enough. Keep tabs on this if your team is in such dire straits that you have to start Cleveland’s QB. (Actually, if that’s the case, just quit. You’re done.)

Ahmad Bradshaw, who is quietly compiling nice numbers this year, missed practice on Thursday. He is dealing with an ankle issue. Check to see if he practices today. Houston is pretty strong against the run, but Bradshaw should still have scoring opportunities if he plays.

For the Texans, both Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones are game-time decisions. Not much more I can say other than that. At least Johnson practiced on a limited basis Thursday. Jones missed it completely. (Moral of the story: get Kevin Walter ready to start.)

In New Orleans, it looks like half their damn team is on the injury report. Pierre Thomas is the main player fantasy owners are worried about, and he has missed practice again this week. It looks like he’ll miss Sunday’s plum matchup versus Arizona. Ladell Betts and Chris Ivory are the two backs you want, and both have value, as we saw last week when both Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert scored against the Cardinals.  Jeremy Shockey missed practice Thursday with a knee issue. He’s expected to play, and it’s a great matchup if he does.

Maurice Jones-Drew is on the injury report with an ankle. He also participated fully in Thursday’s practice and is a horse; he’s fine.

Knowshon Moreno did not practice Thursday because of his hamstring issue. Baltimore has been giving up rushing yards, so he’s a decent play if he’s active Sunday, but I’m not holding my breath. Have an alternative ready.

Ray Rice has been practicing all week and will be ready to bust loose on Sunday.

Austin Collie did not practice on Thursday because of the football injury that’s been ailing him. He played last week with the injury, so I assume he’ll do the same this week and have a good week. Pierre Garcon is also back practicing fully, so keep an eye on him and see how many targets he gets in his first week back.

Clinton Portis is out for 4-6 weeks with a groin injury. Get Ryan Torain ready to go.

Steven Jackson has been limited in practice because of a lingering groin issue, but he played pretty well with it last week. Detroit offers a nice matchup so have Jackson in your lineups.

Matthew Stafford remains out for at least one more week.

Jahvid Best is dealing with a toe injury that has forced him to be limited in practice this week. Still, he is expected to play on Sunday.

Jay Cutler is dealing with the effects of a concussion suffered last Sunday. He won’t play this weekend. Todd Collins will start in his place.

Steve Smith is still in a walking boot and will most likely miss this weekend’s game against the Bears. He should return after the Panthers’ Week 6 bye. Smith’s teammate DeAngelo Williams missed practice earlier this week because of an illness. He’ll be fine for Sunday.

Jordan Shipley is still dealing with a concussion and did not practice Thursday.

Steve Breaston remains out for the Cardinals. Early Doucet also is not practicing.

Justin Gage has a hamstring injury that is forcing him to miss practice. He’s supposed to play, but it looks like a game time decision.

Dez Bryant appears fully healed from his rib injury and should play Sunday against Tennessee.

Visanthe Shiancoe is limited in practice. Check his status Sunday.

Make sure to check the official NFL injury report to see how does and does not practice today and what their status is for Sunday.

Friday Injury Updates: Andre Johnson, Ray Rice, SJax, and more

I have to budget more and more time with each successive week for the Friday injury updates. Through the first two or three weeks, the fantasy-relevant injuries are usually pretty limited. But as the weeks go on, more and more top players start getting dinged up.

So sit back, relax, and strap it down as I go through every single injury that will affect your fantasy football week 4 lineup decisions.

One of the biggest injury stories of the week has been Andre Johnson.

The consensus #1 receiver coming into the season has gotten off to a slow start and now has a gimpy wheel. Johnson is dealing with an ankle injury that limited him last week and is causing him to miss practice this week too. Unfortunately, Johnson has been quoted as saying that the ankle is even more sore this week than it was last week.

You’re just going to have to check out the Friday practice reports and then watch this one up until kickoff on Sunday. It’s a late game so you may have to make a start/sit decision without knowing whether he’ll be active or inactive…but such is the frustration of fantasy football.

If he does play, Johnson will be matched up against Nnamdi Asomouga, which means he’ll have a tough go of it even if the ankle is feeling better. You don’t sit him because of that, but it does mean you should temper expectations.

In other Texans’ injury news, Owen Daniels is on the injury report with a hamstring problem that has kept him out of practice. He did practice Wednesday, so see what happens today before making an judgments here.

One of the other biggest injury stories of the week has been Ray Rice.

The Ravens’ running back has been limited in practice this week while dealing with a knee injury. He has a bruised right knee and the latest injury update on Rice is that he claims he will be ready to play against the Steelers on Sunday. He did have an MRI, which revealed no ligament or cartilage damage, both good signs.

Keep in mind though that the Rice and the Ravens are facing the Steelers’ outstanding run defense. Rice played well against the Steelers last year, but that was with no Troy Polamalu running around in the secondary. Rice should play, but temper your expectations.

In other Baltimore-Pittsburgh injury news, Todd Heap is on the injury report with some type of shoulder malady, but he practiced fully Thursday.

Another important running back injury to keep an eye on is Pierre Thomas in New Orleans. He did not practice on Thursday as he deals with an injured ankle. Thomas is expected to play on Sunday IF the ankle is feeling better, despite missing practice, but he will most likely be a game-time decision. Chris Ivory is the name to know if you’re a Thomas owner.

Steven Jackson did not practice on Thursday as he tries to recover from a groin injury. The latest injury update on SJax is that he is expected to test out the groin today in practice, at which time we should know more about his expected availability for Sunday. We’ve seen Jackson have nagging injuries and still play, and play well, so perhaps that will happen here. Keep your eye on today’s reports and grab Kenneth Darby if you haven’t already.

Cedric Benson has a knee issue, but practiced fully on Thursday and should be fine for Sunday’s matchup against Cleveland. I like him to have a solid day. Teammate Jordan Shipley was limited in practice Thursday with a shoulder injury. He should play Sunday, though probably not at full strength.

For the Browns, Joshua Cribbs was limited in practice Thursday, as were Jerome Harrison and Jake Delhomme. Cribbs should play, though he has never really done much against Baltimore. Whether Harrison or Delhomme play isn’t really all that relevant. Delhomme sucks and Harrison lost his chance to be the #1 back, at least for the foreseeable future, to Peyton Hillis.

Knowshon Moreno still isn’t practicing because of the hamstring injury he suffered late last week. He is not expected to play in Week 4.

The Lions are full of injured players, most notably Matthew Stafford, who remains unable to practice because of the shoulder injury he suffered in Week 1. He should start throwing and practicing again in the coming weeks though.

Lions rookie RB Jahvid Best has also been out of practice this week while dealing with a turf toe injury. The latest injury update on Best is that he is, however, expected to practice today and thinks he’ll be able to play Sunday. Watch the reports from practice today, but temper expectations if he does play. The Lions face Green Bay, a team very adept at stopping the run.

In Indianapolis, Donald Brown has an injured hamstring and did not practice Thursday. Likewise, Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez did not practice either. None of these three guys is an especially strong play even they suit up on Sunday. Joseph Addai is a bit dinged up too (no surprise there) but practiced fully on Thursday and should be a solid start against Jacksonville.

Continuing with the Colts, WR revelation Austin Collie has a heel injury that has limited him in practice. He should be fine and is expected to play, but double-check today’s practice reports and make sure. You can never be to sure with these things and NFL teams aren’t exactly forthright all the time when it comes to injuries.

Louis Murphy is a popular sleeper for Sunday, with Oakland facing the terrible Texans’ pass D. Murphy has an injured collarbone that his limited his practice time this week, but he is expected to play. Watch this one though. RB Michael Bush is back healthy, but he’s a risky start until he starts stealing carries away from Darren McFadden.

Clinton Portis has been practicing fully despite the wrist injury. He’ll be a risky play all year though because his coach is the notoriously fickle Mike Shanahan and Portis just isn’t nearly as good as he once was.

In Philadelphia, Jeremy Maclin is on the injury report with a back issue, but he practiced fully and is good to go for Sunday.

Steve Breaston is out for a while in Arizona after undergoing surgery this week. Fellow WR Early Doucet is also out. The good news for the Cardinals is that Beanie Wells is back and practicing fully after looking good in last week’s game.

Mario Manningham practiced yesterday despite being on the injury report with a concussion.

Fred Taylor has missed practice this week as he deals with a foot injury. There is a long time between now and Monday night, but the expectation is that he won’t play, making BenJarvus Green-Ellis the running back to own in New England…for now.

Darrelle Revis will not play for the Jets against Buffalo. His hamstring still hurts and is another reminder of why going to training camp is important. Otherwise, the Bills-Jets game is pretty clean.

Fantasy Football 3-2-1: Five Names to Know As Bye Weeks Begin

Week 4 marks the first week affected by the bye weeks, with the Cowboys, Chiefs, Vikings, and Buccaneers all off this week. This means that a number of you are probably dealing with lineup crunches due to players not playing or being injured.

Have no fear, I’m here to help.

In this episode of Fantasy Football 3-2-1, I highlighted three players who could have big days in Week 4 and be solid fill-ins (Bruce Gradkowski, Peyton Hillis, and Aaron Hernandez) and also provide two names of guys who are not playing this week that I wouldn’t feel bad about dropping (Bernard Berrian, Felix Jones).

Finally, I offer my one piece of advice on whether RB depth or WR depth is more important moving forward.

Good luck this week everyone. And remember: if you have questions about your Week 4 rosters, go to this week’s start ‘em, sit ‘em and Q&A post:

http://fantasy.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/09/fantasy-football-week-4-start-sit-roster-advice-best-moss-ryan-hillis/

Other fantasy advice for Week 4:

• Week 4 Rankings
• Week 4 Waiver Wire Targets

Fantasy Football 3-2-1: Five Names to Know As Bye Weeks Begin

Week 4 marks the first week affected by the bye weeks, with the Cowboys, Chiefs, Vikings, and Buccaneers all off this week. This means that a number of you are probably dealing with lineup crunches due to players not playing or being injured.

Have no fear, I’m here to help.

In this episode of Fantasy Football 3-2-1, I highlighted three players who could have big days in Week 4 and be solid fill-ins (Bruce Gradkowski, Peyton Hillis, and Aaron Hernandez) and also provide two names of guys who are not playing this week that I wouldn’t feel bad about dropping (Bernard Berrian, Felix Jones).

Finally, I offer my one piece of advice on whether RB depth or WR depth is more important moving forward.

Good luck this week everyone. And remember: if you have questions about your Week 4 rosters, go to this week’s start ‘em, sit ‘em and Q&A post:

http://fantasy.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/09/fantasy-football-week-4-start-sit-roster-advice-best-moss-ryan-hillis/

Other fantasy advice for Week 4:

• Week 4 Rankings
• Week 4 Waiver Wire Targets

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