Phil Brody's Commentary

Week Nine: Ever Tinker Chance





LAST WEEK: I’m flying eastward at 30,000 feet, returning from a business trip that took me from LA to Dallas to Orlando. I’m drinking a glass of Hindsight 20/20, snacking on bag of glum. I’m seething, recalling a 4-point loss, reliving a game I could have, should have won, a game in which I amassed triple digits, yet still got the L. Ugh.

I find myself contemplating, “How can I improve my fantasy football team v.2006?” I reflect, formulate, tinker.

I imagine this is how it is for real life GMs, waxing nostalgic on the last win, lamenting losses, always reflecting, formulating, tinkering, constantly infusing hope by filling holes within a franchise through free agency, the waiver wire and trades throughout the long and arduous season.

I know it’s just a fantasy team, but don’t we all wish it were real? Isn’t that part of the fun?

4 points…f*ck! This is supposed to fun, right? We’re having good time, right?

The flight attendant senses my plight, offers another drink in-flight. I tell her to make it a double.

To me, a fantasy team is never complete, until, of course, your final week when you either win it all or lose somewhere along the way.

Exactly where the latter happens is the crux of the game. The longer you can delay atrophy, the greater your chance for a trophy. You play the regular season, trying to win a division. That’s always the goal, it usually comes with a first round bye. If that goal cannot be attained, you revise plans, aim to achieve the playoffs. You strive to get in any way you can. In the playoffs, it’s sudden death. In the championship, it’s for all the marbles.

Along the way, every step of the way, you reflect, formulate, tinker. My belief is you can always improve. You trade, acquire and shuffle in an attempt to win as much as possible, attain, achieve, increase your odds.

If you aren’t doing this, you ain’t playing the game. And that’s a shame, because it’s a great game.

THIS WEEK: We’re eight weeks in. Only eight weeks until Champions are crowned.

Do you like your chances in the chase for that trophy? Are you satisfied with your team? If you are, in my opinion, that’s the first sign of atrophy.

Good luck with that.

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WHAT I’M WATCHING THIS WEEK: Colts, Bears, Cowboys, Panthers, Steelers, Dolphins, Carr vs. Rosenfels, Garrard vs. Leftwich, Bell vs. Bell, Addai vs. Rhodes, Tony Romo, Wali Lundy, Marques Colston, Owen Daniels, Bengals at Ravens, Colts at Patriots

Tuesday Morning Quarterback

Player of the Week: A monster, a beast, a BAMF...call him whatever you want, but San Diego's LaDanian Tomlinson is a super stud in both fantasy and reality. With 183 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, 57 receiving yards and a TD reception, LTD takes the honors this week. He alone, outrushed 22 of the other 26 teams this week. What more can you say? LTD = MVP!!!






You probably stuck it in your opponents hoo-haa if you started:

QB Michael Vick, ATL: 299 passing yards-3 TD, 55 rushing yards
QB Tom Brady, NE: 372 passing yards-4 TD, 1 INT
QB Peyton Manning, IND: 345 passing yards-3 TD
QB Rex Grossman, CHI: 252 passing yards-3 TD
QB Drew Brees, NO: 383 passing yards-3 TD, 3 INT
QB Marc Bulger, STL: 327 passing yards-2 TD
RB LaDanian Tomlinson, SD: 183 rushing yards-2 TD, 57 receiving yards-1 TD
RB Larry Johnson, KC: 155 rushing yards-3 TD, 26 receiving yards-1 TD
RB Ahman Green, GB: 106 rushing yards-2 TD, 27 receiving yards
WR Reggie Wayne, IND: 138 receiving yards-3 TD
WR Marques Colston, NO: 163 receiving yards-2 TD
WR Joe Horn, NO: 126 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Desmond Clark, CHI: 86 receiving yards-2 TD
TE Tony Gonzalez, KC: 116 receiving yards
TE Ben Watson, NE: 95 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Jason Witten, DAL: 80 receiving yards-1 TD
K Adam Vinatieri, IND: 4 FG, 2 XP
DEF Baltimore Ravens: 4 INT, 2 sacks, 1 DFR, 2 DTD

You probably got it stuck in your hoo-haa if you started:

QB David Carr, HOU: 113 passing yards, 1 INT
QB Jake Delhomme, CAR: 149 passing yards, 1 INT
QB Bruce Gradkowski, TB: 139 passing yards, 18 rushing yards
QB Brad Johnson, MIN: 185 passing yards, 3 INT, 9 rushing yards
RB Deuce McAllister, NO: 11 rushing yards, 6 receiving yards
RB Tatum Bell, DEN: 27 rushing yards (left game with injury)
RB Travis Henry, TEN: 29 rushing yards
RB Lamont Jordan, OAK: 21 rushing yards
RB Corey Dillon, NE: 5 rushing yards, 27 receiving yards
WR Keyshawn Johnson, CAR: 19 receiving yards
WR Reggie Brown, PHI: 13 receiving yards
WR Randy Moss, OAK: 20 receiving yards
WR Braylon Edwards, CLE: 21 receiving yards
WR Marvin Harrison, IND: 38 receiving yards
TE Heath Miller, PIT: 10 receiving yards
TE Jeremy Shockey, NYG: 15 receiving yards
DEF Denver Broncos: 437 total yards against, 34 pts. against

You're an evil fantasy genius if you started:

QB Sage Rosenfels, HOU: 186 passing yards-3 TD, 1 INT
RB Mike Bell, DEN: 136 rushing yards-2 TD
WR Chris Henry, CIN: 81 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Owen Daniels, HOU: 99 receiving yards-2 TD
DEF Tennessee Titans: 2 INT, 4 sacks, 3 DFR, 2 DTD
DEF Oakland Raiders: 4 INT, 5 sacks, 2 DTD

News & Notes

Talk about spreading the ball around...Terrific Tom Brady hit 10 different receivers as he racked up his 370+ passing yards and 4 TDs. I guess it's a pass first mentality for the Pats most of the time this year. Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney owners must've loved those whopping 11 rushing attempts. That's 11...combined.

For those of you joining me in lamenting the Jets loss and that missed Pennington to Baker TD, stop blaming hte refs on the blown call. It never should have come to that in the first place. Blame it on the fact that, try as we might, on any given Sunday, we can still be "the same ol' Jets".

Big fantasy points all over that SD/STL game on Sunday. LTD, Steven Jackson, Mark Bulger; but was that old man Isaac Bruce I saw racking up 100+ yards this week? Torry who?

Maybe some of you think I should have given the Player of the Week nod to Larry Johnson with his 4 TD performance this week? I went with the fact that LTD had a better yards per carry average (7.3 to 4.0) and, well, he's just a more likeable guy.

Another win for Oaktown! First Arizona and now Pittsburgh. The defense was looking hot as they took advantage of the fact that Big Ben's bell was still ringing.

Just when you thought it was all about the QBs. Favre vs. Leinart? How about Ahman Green and Verrand Morrency each rushing for over 100 yards? Even Edge got inspired and had his best game of the season.

Turf toe for Tatum means more use for Mike. If you haven't learned by now that you shouldn't own one without the other, then I hope your opponent beats you next week using the Bell that will run for Denver in week 9.

And speaking of Denver...hey defense! Don't worry. Peyton makes everyone look stupid on the field.

If Michael Vick continues to prove the experts wrong about his passing skills, then Alge Crumpler and Michael Jenkins are going to be huge fantasy assets all year long.

After having sat through the whole thing, I have to say that, unless you're a Giants fan, watching that game vs. the Bucs was like watching paint dry...in the cold.

And what can I say about that SF/CHI game? Predicting that game was like predicting that water is going to be wet.

That weird sound you hear is Parcells snickering in the corner. The Romo Experiment is up and running and T.O. couldn't be happier getting the majority of the looks on Sunday. Could all be harmonious in Dallas this week?

I really don't think this is how the Eagles intended to go into their bye week. What's going on with Donovan and the boys? Tough to win when you're throwing low to a guy with stone hands. Fantasy killers 2 weeks in a row now. On a good note, you guys are knocking everyone else out of my King of the Hill pool.

And finally...

Welcome back to earth, Travis Henry owners. Hope you enjoyed the ride.

Happy Halloween!

A Closer Look at Week 8

Arizona @ Green Bay

A changing of the guard? Brett Favre passing the torch to Matt Leinart? Well, maybe not just yet. The Cardinals are in awful shape having dropped six straight and their coaching staff is just awful. This could in fact be Dennis Green's last game as the Arizona head coach. However, for fantasy purposes, it may not be so bad this week thanks to the woeful Green Bay defense. Leinart should rebound and have a solid day hitting Anquan Boldin (probable) and Bryant Johnson for most of the day. Unless he has a decent week, it might just be time to give up on Edgerrin James. For the Packers, the trio of Brett Favre, Donald Driver and Ahman Green should find success again this week despite the Cards D being unusually solid the past few weeks. I'm looking for a shootout here with the old guard showing it's still got it.

Atlanta @ Cincinnati

Probably another high scoring affair here as I think the winner will come down to defense. If the Bengals can keep Michael Vick in check then they should win this one. Vick is still a strong play as his ability to run the ball always keeps defenses on their toes, but as he showed last week, he is more than capable of taking it to the air. Michael Jenkins and the always dangerous Alge Crumpler should have solid weeks again. On offense for the Bengals, I really like Rudi Johnson this week. After being torched by Tiki Barber two weeks ago, the Falcons did a great job against the run last week. Unfortunately, they'll have their hands so full with Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh that it should allow Johnson and Chris Perry to light it up on the ground. The Johnson/DeAngelo Hall feud should be a fun one to watch this week.

Baltimore @ New Orleans

The Ravens have question marks all over the place this week with the exception of their defense. Brian Billick is now doing the play calling, Steve McNair is still banged up (but will start), and they can't seem put together a ground game to save their lives here. I don't see too much changing this week. With Billick calling the shots to save his coaching life, I expect McNair to look for Derrick Mason and Todd Heap quite a bit. Jamal Lewis should get a lot of early work, but if the Saints can break out early, the Ravens will probably abandon the run pretty quick. The Saints should have a tough time running the ball, but if they mix it up enough between Deuce McAllister up the middle and Reggie Bush to the outside, they might find some success. The key matchup in this game will be Joe Horn and Marques Colston vs the Ravens corners. If Drew Brees can find his wideouts, the Saints should win this one easily.

Houston @ Tennessee

The NFL snoozer of the week could turn into the fantasy barnburner of the week. The Titans notched their first win of the season two weeks ago and are well rested from the bye week. Travis Henry has been a monster in his last 2 games and Vince Young is still learning. His legs will be his savior as he continues to work on his passing game. Look for Young and Drew Bennett to hook up this week. For the Texans, it's a little bit of the same. A big upset of the Jaguars last week and the re-emergence of running back Wali Lundy have really sparked this team. Suddenly there's more to look at than just the David Carr to Andre Johnson weekly touchdown. A nice battle between top draft picks as Mario Williams will be chasing Vince around all day long.

Jacksonville @ Philadelphia

This is most definitely not what the doctor order for the Jaguars after their crushing loss to the Texans last week. The Jags banged up defense will really need to step it up if they're going to try and hold Donovan McNabb and Co. to under 60 points this week. With the return of Donte Stallworth this week, the Jags will have to deal with a multitude of offensive weapons, including Reggie Brown (5 TDs), Brian Westbrook (4), and L.J. Smith (2), all of whom work very well with McNabb. All of your Eagles should be starting this week. For the Jags, it couldn't be any worse. Byron Leftwich is not only hurt, but he's not even on speaking terms with head coach Jack Del Rio. David Garrard will take his place this week, and while a decent backup, he's probably not going to be able to do enough to keep his team in the game. Fred Taylor remains an average RB2 while Maurice Jones-Drew is a decent flex play at best. I don't even think I need to mention the wideouts as Ernest Wilford had negative fanatsy points last week and he was the best of the Jacksonville wideouts.

Seattle @ Kansas City

If it wasn't for the presence of Larry Johnson, there might not be a single guy worth noting inthis game this week. The Chiefs will lean on Johnson heavily this week as Damon Huard will be a game time decision. That mean we could get our first look at Brodie Croyle and for fantasy purposes, that's not a look we want. More of the same for the Seahawks as Seneca Wallace is the man behind the center. Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch notwithstanding, this does not look good. With Maurice Morris steadily showing that he couldn't hold Shaun Alexander's jock, let alone replace him, the Chiefs will protect the air and force a dismal day for the young Seattle QB. The only Seahawk I'm looking at for legit fantasy points this week is kicker Josh Brown.

San Francisco @ Chicago

With the point spread going further than 2 touchdowns, I think we all know what to expect here. For the Niners, a troubled day for Frank Gore, a big halftime deficit and maybe some garbage points for Joey Galloway and Alex Smith. The Bears onthe other hand have lots to crow about. Rex Grossman should find an easy time hitting Bernard Berrian and Mushin Muhammed while Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson plow through a relatively weak Niners defensive front. I'm actually calling for Benson to be a nice fantasy sleeper this week. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner already said that he wants Benson to get more touches this week, and if the Bears move out to a big lead, Benson will become a workhorse in the second half.

Tampa Bay @ NY Giants

Don't be fooled bythe Bucs' upset over the Eagles last week. Their offense looked atrocious and it'll be tough for Ronde Barber to put together another week like last week. Bruce Gradkowski will have trouble with the Giants' pass rush, so don't expect to see too much from him or Joey Galloway this week. Probably the only Buc worth starting this week is Carnell Williams, and that probably won't last long as Tampa is sure to fall behind early. For the Giants, Tiki Barber should breakout big against a weak Bucs run defense and maybe thethe media will start talking about his endzone dancing rather than his retirement announcement. With the run well established, Eli Manning should find favorites Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey in the endzone as well. Even Amani Toomer should get in on the action which should make for another high scoring week for Big Blue.

St. Louis @ San Diego

Another matchup that could have high scoring written all over it. The Shaun Merriman problems should distract and weaken the Chargers defense (even though he's going to play), giving Marc Bulger the opportunity to hit Torry Holt for some big time catches this week. Even Isaac Bruce could see some nice action, but he's become nothing more than possession receiver and has only found the endzone once this season. The key for the Rams will be how Steven Jackson A. matches up against the Charger run defense, and B. has the confidence of his coaches to get more touches in the passing game. For the Chargers, Phillip Rivers seems to be coming into his own and should hopefully find some other targets this week besides TE Antonio Gates. LaDanian Tomlinson continues to prove that he is a stud and that by owning him, you are envied throughout your league. He will not disappoint this week -- probably throw for another TD too.

Indianapolis @ Denver

This is a big matchup for Peyton Manning this week and his track record in Denver is limited to one game where he threw for less than 210 yards with 1 INT and no TDs. That coupled with the fact that the Broncos D is outstanding this season, could make for a tough week and possibly the first loss of the season for the Colts. Well, atleast that's what the "experts" are saying. I disagree. Maybe he doesn't throw for 400 yards and 4 TDs, but he'll have a solid enough game to help your fantasy team dominate while boosting the points totals again for Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Dallas Clark is a bulldog of a tight end and should give the Broncos linebackers some serious difficulties. But the reason I think the Colts stay undefeated is not their offense, but the offense of Denver...or lack there of. Indy undestands that they need to work on the ground game and they should concentrate on stopping the Bells, both Tatum and Mike. That should force Jake Plummer to the air and he's been nothing short of awful this season so far. I predict a Jay Cutler sighting in the second half whcih, at that point, may help the value of Javon Walker. Until then, Walker and veteran Rod Smith remain sketchy plays still.

NY Jets @ Cleveland

As a Jets fan, I can't help being nervous. The Jets look good with the solid running back tandem of Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow, and Chad Pennington loves to find Laveraneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery over the middle and down the sidelines. Against a weak Browns team, they could find huge success. For the Browns, it's about circling the wagons and finding themselves again. With Maurice Carthon out as offensive coordinator and being replaced by Jeff Davidson, the play calling could be unpredictable. You have to remember that Davidson was Eric Mangini's first choice for offensive coordinator of the Jets, but wasn't allowed to negotiate. If you're impressed with Mangini thus far, then you have to throw some credit Davidson's way as an innovative coach. Charlie Frye could find Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards quite often if the Jets let their guard down. And you also can't discount the Jets poor run defense. Browns RB Reuben Droughns could finally have his breakout game of the season.

Pittsburgh @ Oakland

About the best matchup Bill Cowher and the Steelers could hope for this week. Oakland notched their first victory of the season last week against the lowly Cardinals and are probably riding high still from the win. Unfortuantely, they're in for a big fall as the Steelers D should manhandle them all day long. Lamont Jordan is banged up and Justin Fargas just isn't going to cut it. Andrew Walter is going to be picking himself up off the ground all day which means that it'll be another tough week for Randy Moss. For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger is set to play, but at what level? The Raiders have a decent pass defense and Big Ben's head is probably a little foggy still. Look for Willie Parker to rebound from last week's debacle and set the tone early for Pittsburgh as they lean on him for most of the first half. And whether it's Big Ben or Charlie Batch throwing the ball, Hines Ward is always dangerous.

Dallas @ Carolina

Tuna scrutiny here from all over the place. All eyes will be on Tony Romo. We saw Drew Bledsoe flounder for the first 7 weeks running the Cowboys' offense. Can Romo turn it around? He better hope so or he'll be getting an earful from Terrell Owens on the sidelines. The Panthers have a decent run defense, so they won't be able to lean on Julius Jones or Marion Barber all day. The 'Boys are built for the air, so T.O and Terry Glenn need big weeks if they want to try and make a playoff run. For the Panthers, they really need to get a running game going soon. For how long can they survive with only Jake Delhomme hitting Steve Smith and running reverses to Keyshawn Johnson? They'll really need to get DeShaun Foster more active if they want to make a Super Bowl run this year. Still, I like all Panthers in your starting lineups this week.

New England @ Minnesota

Center stage for Tom Brady and Co. on Monday night and there's nothing more he likes than showing the world why he's called Tom Terriffic. With Doug Gabriel and Chad Jackson forming a solid WR tandem, Brady should find some decent success against a tough pass D from the Vikings. But the real sleeper in this game for the Pats has to be Laurence Maroney. This is like a homecoming for himas he made his college career running for the Minnesota Golden Gophers on this same Metrodome turf. He should have a big game this week. For the Vikings, they're going to need to be methodical if they want to beat Coach Bellichek. Establish a solid run game with Chester Taylor and then have Brad Johnson find guys like Marcus Robinson and Jermaine Wiggins. Troy Williamson (concussion) is a game time decision. I don't see it being a high scoring affair, but some worthy fanatsy guys just the same.

Week 8 Preview

With only 4 teams...and not a very good 4 teams....on a bye this week, we'll hopefully see more of this high scoring trend. Careful with playing the matchups. As you've seen, what with my Joe Horn disaster and such, overthinking your lineup and playing the matchups can come back to haunt you. Stick with your playmakers, whether they've had a bad week or not. You drafted them for a reason and all guys have their ups and downs. Here's a quick look at the games this week. Once again, please remember. These picks are just game assessments. They are not in conjunction with the point spreads.

Green Bay Packers over the Arizona Cardinals

Standouts: Brett Favre, Donald Driver, Ahman Green, Matt Leinart, Anquan Boldin

Cincinnati Bengals over the Atlanta Falcons

Standouts: Carson Palmer, Rudi Johnson, Chad Johnson, Michael Vick, Warrick Dunn, Alge Crumpler, Michael Jenkins

New Orleans Saints over the Baltimore Ravens

Standouts: Deuce McAllister, Drew Brees, Joe Horn, Marques Colston, Ravens Defense, Todd Heap

Tennessee Titans over the Houston Texans

Standouts: Vince Young, Travis Henry, Ben Troupe, David Carr, Andre Johnson

Philadelphia Eagles over the Jacksonville Jaguars

Standouts: Donovan McNabb, Donte Stallworth, Reggie Brown, Brian Westbrook, Maurice Jones-Drew, David Garrard

Kansas City Chiefs over the Seattle Seahawks

Standouts: Larry Johnson, Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs Defense, Josh Brown, Darrell Jackson

Chicago Bears over the San Francisco 49ers

Standouts: Rex Grossman, Bernard Berrian, Cedric Benson, Bears Defense, Alex Smith, Antonio Bryant

New York Giants over the Tampa Bay Bucaneers

Standouts: Tiki Barber, Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, Bruce Gradkowski, Joey Galloway, Alex Smith

San Diego Chargers over the St. Louis Rams

Standouts: LaDanian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Phillip Rivers, Marc Bulger, Torry Holt

Indianapolis Colts over the Denver Broncos

Standouts: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Joeseph Addai, Tatum Bell, Jason Elam

New York Jets over the Cleveland Browns

Standouts: Chad Pennington, Laveraneus Coles, Kevan Barlow, Leon Washington, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow

Pittsburgh Steelers over the Oakland Raiders

Standouts: Willie Parker, Heath Miller, Hines Ward, Steelers Defense, Randy Moss, Sebastian Janikowski

Carolina Panthers over the Dallas Cowboys

Standouts: Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith, Panthers Defense, Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn

New England Patriots over the Minnesota Vikings

Standouts: Tom Brady, Doug Gabriel, Laurence Maroney, Marcus Robinson, Jermaine Wiggins

Last Week: 7-6
Overall: 67-33

QB Rankings -- Week 8

Busy week over here....sorry for the delays. On the bye this week are Buffalo, Detroit, Miami and Washington. I'd say make your adjustments, but most of those QB's should be on the bench anyway. Here are the rankings for Week 8. All color schemes apply as usual.

1. Donovan McNabb, PHI -- vs. JAC
2. Peyton Manning, IND -- @ DEN
3. Marc Bulger, STL -- @ SD
4. Rex Grossman, CHI -- vs. SF
5. Eli Manning, NYG -- vs. TB
6. Carson Palmer, CIN -- vs. ATL
7. Tom Brady, NE -- @ MIN
8. Jake Delhomme, CAR -- vs. DAL
9. Michael Vick, ATL -- @ CIN
10. Phillip Rivers, SD -- vs. STL
11. David Carr, HOU -- @ TEN
12. Brett Favre, GB -- vs. ARI
13. Drew Brees, NO -- vs. BAL
14. Chad Pennington, NYJ -- @ CLE
15. Matt Leinart, ARI -- @ GB
16. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT -- @ OAK
17. Vince Young, TEN -- vs. HOU
18. Steve McNair, BAL -- @ NO
19. Bruce Gradkowski, TB -- @ NYG
20. Damon Huard, KC -- vs. SEA
21. Jake Plummer, DEN -- vs. IND
22. Alex Smith, SF -- @ CHI
23. Tony Romo, DAL -- @ CAR
24. Brad Johnson, MIN -- vs. NE
25. David Garrard, JAC -- @ PHI
26. Charlie Frye, CLE -- vs. NYJ
27. Andrew Walter, OAK -- vs. PIT
28. Seneca Wallace, SEA -- @ KC
29. Byron Leftwich, JAC -- @ PHI
30. Charlie Batch, PIT -- @ OAK
31. Brodie Croyle, KC -- vs. SEA

Tuesday Morning Quarterback

Player of the Week: Who says you can't go home again? Hines Ward returned to his native Atlanta this week and put up a crushing 171 receiving yards with 3 TDs, one of which went for 70 yards -- bonus points!! Too bad the effort was wasted by a shoddy Steelers pass defense as the Falcons went on the win 41-38 in overtime.







You hit the fantasy jackpot if you started:

QB Peyton Manning, IND: 342 passing yards-4 TD
QB Donovan McNabb, PHI: 302 passing yards-3 TD, 3 INT, 76 rushing yards
QB Michael Vick, ATL: 232 passing yards-4 TD, 2 INT, 40 rushing yards
RB Brian Westbrook, PHI: 101 rushing yards, 113 receiving yards-1 TD
RB Larry Johnson, KC: 132 rushing yards-2 TD, 29 receiving yards
RB Chester Taylor, MIN: 169 rushing yards-1 TD, 19 receiving yards
RB LaDanian Tomlinson, SD: 1 passing yard-1 TD, 66 rushing yards, 72 receiving yards-1 TD, FL
RB Ahman Green, GB: 118 rushing yards-1 TD
RB Tatum Bell, DEN: 115 rushing yards-1 TD, 11 receiving yards
WR Hines Ward, PIT: 171 receiving yards-3 TD
WR Darrell Jackson, SEA: 136 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Reggie Wayne, IND: 122 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Randy Moss, OAK: 129 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Marvin Harrison, IND: 73 receiving yards-2 TD
WR Andre Johnson, HOU: 106 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Alge Crumpler, ATL:117 receiving yards-3 TD
TE Tony Gonzalez, KC: 138 receiving yards
K Matt Bryant, TB: 3 FG, 2 XP (game winning 62 yarder!!!)

DEF Tampa Bay Bucaneers: 3 INT, 1 sack, 1 DFR, 2 DTD
DEF Minnesota Vikings: 2 INT, 4 sacks, 1 DFR, 1 DTD

You looked like a fantasy jackass if you started:


QB Matt Leinart, ARI: 203 passing yards, 2 INT
QB J.P. Losman, BUF: 193 passing yards, 1 INT
RB Laurence Maroney, NE: 29 rushing yards
RB Dominic Rhodes, IND: 26 rushing yards, 6 receiving yards
RB Willie Parker, PIT: 47 rushing yards, FL
RB Edgerrin James, ARI: 34 rushing yards, 4 receiving yards
WR Greg Jennings, GB: 14 receiving yards
WR Lee Evans, BUF: 11 receiving yards
WR Troy Williamson, MIN: 15 receiving yards
WR Chris Chambers, MIA: 29 receiving yards
WR Santana Moss, WAS: 20 receiving yards, left game with injury
TE Alex Smith, TB: 6 receiving yards
TE Kellen Winslow, CLE: 34 receiving yards
TE L.J. Smith, PHI: 38 receiving yards
K Phil Dawson, CLE: 1 XP
K Josh Scobee, JAC: 1 XP

Your amazing fantasy insights scare me if you started:

QB Joey Harrington, MIA: 414 passing yards-2 TD, 3 INT
RB Leon Washington, NYJ: 129 rushing yards-2 TD, 8 receiving yards
RB Wali Lundy, HOU: 93 rushing yards-1 TD, 15 receiving yards
WR Marty Booker, MIA: 110 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Mike Furrey, DET: 109 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Reggie Kelly, CIN: 34 receiving yards-1 TD
DEF Green Bay Packers: 3 INT, 4 sacks, 1 DTD

News & Notes

Big QB change in Big D? On MNF, Bill Parcells replaces Drew Bledsoe with Tony Romo at the half due to "too many mistakes." I don't know if Bill even watched the second half, but owners of T.O. and Terry Glenn should be awfully nervous.

Is it possible to lead the league in rushing and still be last in TDs scored? That would be quite the feat in a retirement year, huh Tiki?

Donovan McNabb already making that push for MVP. 3 INTs and he still puts up great numbers and stages a great comeback. Too bad Matt Bryant ripped his heart out with a 62 yarder at the end.

When Big Ben wakes up, tell him to take his time. Charlie Batch not only found the fountain of youth, but apparently there's a football camp there too.

"I'll show them, Alge. I can throw the ball too, you know." We know, Mike. We know.

So we finally had a Randy Moss sighting this weekend. He was the guy on the sideline acting like he just won the Super Bowl. 1 and 5 baby. 1 and 5. Don't you wish it was the Cardinals every time?

And if this was Dennis Green last week...imagine how he feels losing to Oaktown. I bet he treated his new offensive coordinator like a podium yesterday. Way to get that running game going.

Matt Leinart pulling the reverse Ronnie Miller. From hero to zero in just one week. Where's his PR guy, Tony Kornfluffer now?

Anyone know what happened in Seattle? Matt Hasselbeck out 2-4 weeks and Chester Taylor showing Maurice Morris what a Shaun Alexander impression really looks like. Ugh!

You know, at the rate they're going, LaDanian Tomlinson could have better QB numbers than Jake Plummer by the end of the year. Does anyone really stay awake during Broncos games?

You know, if you asked me how many passing yards there would be between Jake Delhomme and Carson Palmer this week, my answer would have been way higher than 478. Never mind the over/under for TD catches in the game.

There's the Peyton Manning we all know and love. You can stretch him around like Gumby all day long and he'll still kill you for 342 yards and 4 TDs.

As if Green Bay didn't worship Brett Favre enough. First Packer win in Miami since Super Bowl II in 1968. Makes the swan song that much sweeter, eh Brett?

Tough week for all you King of the Hill/Suicide pool folk. Houston? Oakland? Tampa over Philly? Minnesota over Seattle? Upset Central!! Let's just hope it's early enough for you to use that buyback option.

And lastly, my happiness for the Jets record and new found ground game makes all that Mike Furrey stuff hurt a little less. 4 and 3 with a road trip to Cleveland? Somebody pinch me.

The Furrey 9

So there I was, sitting on a 2-3 record going into my Week 6 matchup. My team was strong and my key starters (LaDanian Tomlinson, Willie Parker, Terry Glenn among them) had just finished through their bye weeks and tough defensive matchups. I was primed and ready to roll through the rest of the season with one tiny snag; Donte Stallworth's hamstring.

I had some decisions to make. I had Joe Horn, Nate Burleson, and some guy on the Lions named Mike Furrey. Who to start? Now I had been using Horn as my fill in since Stallworth had been out since Week 3, and he was devastatingly unproductive; 8 points here, 4 points there. Nothing you're looking for in a regular replacement. Do I stick with him or do I look elsewhere? I really could use the win and bring my record back to .500. Burleson's situation in Seattle was less than desirable as the Seahawks had just added Deion Branch to an already crowded passing game and it didn't look like he was getting the looks he should have gotten. Oh yeah, and of course there's the sore thumb -- a wonderful characteristic for a guy who makes his living using his hands. So that left me with the decision between an unproductive Horn and the young upstart Furrey.

Now I know what you're saying. Joe Horn...gotta go with Horn...he's a proven commodity. But I overthought the whole thing, studied the matchups and made the horrible decision to start Furrey. Now keep in mind that Furrey had taken over the #2 WR spot on Detroit and had a tremendous Week 4 with 82 yards and 2 TDs. The Lions were airing it out and they were playing a banged up Buffalo defense in Week 6. It was sure to be a shootout. Or so I thought. Horn on the other hand was going up against a strong Eagles squad and had seemingly been replaced as the go-to guy by Marques Colston. This was my rationale.

With Joe Horn sitting on my bench with 110 yards and 2 TDs (26 points in my league), I watched Mike Furrey go out and catch 3 balls for 39 total yards. No touchdown, 3 measley fantasy points. I lost my Week 6 matchup by 4 points.

Fast forward 1 week.

I'm now 2-4 and sitting in 3rd place in my division. I desperately need the win. Stallworth didn't make the trip to Tampa and Joe Horn's on a bye. I have Furrey, Burleson, but now I also have New England's Doug Gabriel, whom I picked up during the week's free agent frenzy. I'm staying away from Burleson still. I just can't get past the thumb and all of Matt Hasselbeck's other options. Which leaves me with Gabriel and Furrey.

Gabriel and the Pats are just coming off a bye and he's becoming a favorite target of Tom Brady's. He was flying under the radar in most leagues as he was an early in-season acquisition but was primed to succeed. He scored 12 and 11 points in weeks 3 and 4 respectively and although held to zero points in week 5, he was having great practice sessions during the off time. He looked like a great fill-in option, or at the least, a better option than Furrey had become lately.

With Roy Williams taking all the looks from Jon Kitna and with an upcoming matchup against my beloved New York Jets, I just couldn't stand the idea of rooting for Furrey to succeed. Besides, in the 2 weeks prior, he totaled a whopping 7 fantasy points. Decision made. Gabriel was getting the start.

So now here I sit in the midst of my critical Week 7 matchup. I'm down 26 points with only Terry Glenn to go. My opposition is done for the week. Gabriel grabbed 45 yards with a touchdown for a total of 10 points. Mike Furrey? The game of his life. Ugh!! 9 catches, 109 yards, 1 TD -- 19 fantasy points.

9 points that will haunt me.

9 points laughing at me from my bench.

9 points sending me to my worst fantasy football season in almost six years.

Would I feel better going into tonight's game down 15 rather than 26? Absolutely.

Do I think I can still win this week? Possibly. Doubtful, but possible.

Just goes to show you how arbitrary fantasy football can be.

We'll see what happens tonight. But something tells me I haven't escaped the clutches of the Furrey 9.

A Quick Peek into Week 7

Sorry for the delay here. Had some site difficulties late yesterday. Here's a quick glance into what could happen today to help you make those last minute lineup decisions.

Carolina @ Cincinnati

While the Panthers seem to be surging, the Bengals seem to be going the other way. Jake Delhomme has two bona fide targets these days and both Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Smith should see significant action against an average Bengals pass D. DeShaun Foster should see a lot of touches early, but the Panthers love the pass. On the other end, while Chad Johnson is still hurting (although he will play and you should have him active), T.J. Houshmandzadeh still looks like the #1 guy. He'll get plenty of looks from Carson Palmer early on. The Bengals will try to get Rudi Johnson going pretty early and now with Chris Perry back, they can add the short passes to the flat to keep the Panthers defense on its toes.

Detroit @ NY Jets

You immediately have to believe that Kevin Jones is going to be pretty busy from the onset. The Jets run defense is pathetic and after last week's performance, Jones has the confidence and swagger he's lacked thus far. Expect him to get things going early which will open up the passing game for Jon Kitna and Co. Roy Williams will get a significant number of looks and maybe Mike Furrey will get in on the action as well. For the Jets, there really is no rushing game. Kevan Barlow is the starting RB, but expect rookie Leon Washington to continue his increased work load. Laveraneus Coles should play and he and Jerricho Cotchery and TE Chris Baker should get significant attention from Chad Pennington throughout the second half.

Green Bay @ Miami

All your fantasy regulars should see decent action in this one. Even with Ahman Green back for the Packers, it's a pass first mentality for Brett Favre and the rest of the cheese heads. Still haven't seen much from Donald Driver yet, but Greg Jennings looks like a weekly favorite these days. I'd still start Driver as you all know what happened to me after benching Joe Horn last week. Can't count out those wily vets. For the Fins, Ronnie Brown should continue to find success this week and some people are saying that Joey Harrington is finally starting to get it. I'm still not sold, but you can probably consider Chris Chambers and Randy McMichael as viable options.

Jacksonville @ Houston

It's a big spread in this one and I'm not sure if it should be. The Jags are still pretty banged up even after a bye week and Byron Leftwich (ankle) is still feeling the pains. If you were looking at him for this week, I would check on your alternatives. We may see David Garrard at some point. Either way, Fred Taylor, Reggie Williams and Ernest Wilford should be solid options as the Texans D is pretty flimsy. As for their offense, it remains that David Carr and Andre Johnson are your mainoptions here. The Texans still don't have a rushing offense and with them constantly falling behind, you can expect significant passing in the second half.

New England @ Buffalo

I still don't think the Bills have recovered from that beating they took from Chicago a couple of weeks ago. They looked pretty average against the Lions last week and have their hands full with a well rested Patriots team. J.P. Losman will have to get it done in the air as Willis McGahee has been pretty abyssmal this season so far. Expect Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish to be the fantasy point getters for the Bills today. For the Pats, well, they have good balance. Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney will get decent touches and both probably put up solid numbers. Tom Brady, who likes to throw often, will have Chad Jackson and Doug Gabriel in favorable matchups for a lot of the afternoon. Expect solid Patriot fantasy numbers all around.

Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay

The Bucs may have a decent pass D, but it's not going to be much help against the Eagles this week. Donovan McNabb has looked great so far and has several targets that include Reggie Brown, L.J. Smith and possibly even Donte Stallworth (although there are some reports that he didn't even make the trip to Tampa). RB Brian Westbrook is supposedly ready to go, and he's always a threat on offense. For Tampa, it could be a long day for Carnell Williams. The Eagles are strong up front and could stack the box and force rookie Bruce Gradkowski to the air. Joey Galloway makes for a nice play and maybe even Alex Smith, but I wouldn't rely too heavily on either.

Pittsburgh @ Atlanta

The Falcons showed how beatable they could be last week when the Giants took them down and the Steelers won't make it any easier this week. Michael Vick has limited receiving options (Michael Jenkins and Alge Crumpler) so Pittsburgh will probably do what they can to force him to the air. Vick and Warrick Dunn should find the rushing yardage slightly harder to come by this week. I'm looking for a big week from Morten Anderson. For the Steelers, well, they got everything going last week and should do much of the same against the Falcons. Willie Parker should have a great day which will open it up more for Ben Roethlisberger to find Hines Ward, Nate Washington and Heath Miller in the endzone.

San Diego @ Kansas City

So the Damon Huard train got derailed last week and it'll be hard pressed to get back on track against a strong Chargers defense. The Chiefs will start it off will Larry Johnson again, but expect the Chargers to hold him in check for another week. It's a Herm Edwards led offense from there and that's never a good sign. San Diego, on the other hand, should have a solid day. LaDanian Tomlinson may not see his 100+ yards or his 4 TDs this week, but he should still put up great numbers. I'm guessing like 80 some odd yards with a pair of scores for him. Phillip Rivers is looking better and better each week and should find Antonio Gates again for some big plays down the middle. He could just use better receivers than Eric Parker, Vincent Jackson, Malcolm Floyd and Keenan McCardell. Someone get this guy a playmaking wideout soon!

Denver @ Cleveland

Another tough matchup for Charlie Frye and the Browns this week. The Broncos D is stifling and should be all over him this week. Reuben Droughns is starting, but I don't see him having much success. It looks like Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow will get the most looks come the second half as the Browns attempt to come back in the game. Not that it's going to be that big of a comeback if Jake Plummer doesn't get his ass in gear this week. He needs to step it up this week if he doesn't want to see rookie Jay Cutler eat into his playing time. I think he will against the Browns which will make Javon Walker and Rod Smith decent plays this week. Tatum Bell continues to be the primary guy running the ball and he may be a nice flex play this week if you have multiple RB options.

Arizona @ Oakland

Don't be fooled by the "strong" passing defense of the Raiders. They're only rated high because teams always jump out to a lead and then just run the ball on them in the second half. That means lots of touches for Edgerrin James. Let's hope that he can improve on his 2 yards per carry average. It also means not to worry about starting Matt Leinart. He should have great success today which will make his owners and the owners of Anquan Boldin and Bryant Johnson very happy. Owners of Raiders...not so much. Lamont Jordan continues to struggle and Andrew Walter has very limited options. Even Randy Moss continues to be a questionable play. The Cards D looks like a good sleeper this week.

Minnesota @ Seattle

It's a good thing the Seahawks passing game is so strong because their running game without Shaun Alexander is pretty weak. Maurice Morris isn't such a good replacement and he should continue his semi-average ways against an underrated Vikings D. It looks like Jerramy Stevens will play this week, so that just gives another option to Matt Hasselbeck who will be looking downfield for Deion Branch and Darrell Jackson all afternoon. Don't be surprised if Nate Burleson, recovering from a sore thumb, gets in on the action too. For the Vikes, a lot is going to depend on Chester Taylor. He'll have a tough time against a strong Seattle rushing D, but he could find some success. If not, then Brad Johnson will be forced to take it to the air, and that's never too good. Troy Williamson and Jermaine Wiggins could be solid options here.

Washington @ Indianapolis

With a severly banged up Skins secondary, Peyton Manning should have a field day today. Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and even Dallas Clark could all find their way into the endzone today. Coming off the bye week, the Colts are looking to show that explosiveness they had last year at this time. They should find that success which will allow for Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes to get a lot of second half carries and possibly some scores of their own. The Redskins will try to bang Clinton Portis between the tackles early on as the Colts do have a banged up defensive line. Losing Corey Simon is a huge deal for their rushing defense. Unfortunately, that probably won't be enough for Washington and we'll see Mark Brunnell airing it out to Santana Moss every chance he gets in the second half. Look for Chris Cooley to also get plenty of looks and possibly even a score of his own.

NY Giants @ Dallas

Always a big rivalry game and this week won't be any different. The Giants pass rush finally started to click last week which should make it a lot more difficult for Drew Bledsoe in the pocket this week. He'll still find some success with Terrell Owens (finally back on track), Terry Glenn, and Jason Witten against a weak Giants secondary, but he's going to have to act quickly and throw on the run. The O-line in Big D ain't that strong so expect to see a lot of blocking assignments for Marion Barber and Julius Jones. As for the Giants, they'll probably stick to what's been working best so far. Tiki Barber will get a lot of carries early on and should open it up for Eli Manning to find Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Jeremy Shockey downfield. I expect a pretty high scoring affair here, so if you own any of these receivers or tight ends, they should be in your starting lineup up.

Hope this helps! Good luck this week.

Week 7 Preview

Another crop of fantasy studs take a seat this week as the Bears, Rams, Saints, Niners, Ravens and Titans have this Sunday off. Double check those lineups and hopefully, the picks below will help you make some important lineup decisions. Remember, just straight picks...no spreads.


Cincinnati Bengals over the Carolina Panthers

Standouts: Carson Palmer, Rudi Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith

N.Y. Jets over the Detroit Lions

Standouts: Chad Pennington, Laveraneus Coles, Chris Baker, Kevin Jones, Roy Williams

Green Bay Packers over the Miami Dolphins

Standouts: Brett Favre, Greg Jennings, Bubba Franks, Ronnie Brown, Chris Chambers

Jacksonville Jaguars over the Houston Texans

Standouts: Byron Leftwich, Fred Taylor, Ernest Wilford, Jaguars Defense, David Carr, Andre Johnson

New England Patriots over the Buffalo Bills

Standouts: Tom Brady, Laurence Maroney, Doug Gabriel, J.P. Losman, Lee Evans

Philadelphia Eagles over the Tampa Bay Bucaneers

Standouts: Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Donte Stallworth (if he plays, if not then Reggie Brown), Bruce Gradkowski, Alex Smith, Joey Galloway

Pittsburgh Steelers over the Atlanta Falcons

Standouts: Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Michael Vick, Warrick Dunn

San Diego Chargers over the Kansas City Chiefs

Standouts: LaDanian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Phillip Rivers, Chargers Defense,Larry Johnson, Laurence Tynes

Denver Broncos over the Cleveland Browns

Standouts: Tatum Bell, Javon Walker, Jake Plummer, Kellen Winslow Jr., Phil Dawson

Arizona Cardinals over the Oakland Raiders

Standouts: Matt Leinart, Edgerrin James, Anquan Boldin, Lamont Jordan, Randy Moss

Seattle Seahawks over the Minnesota Vikings

Standouts: Matt Hasselbeck, Deion Branch, Darrell Jackson, Chester Taylor, Jermaine Wiggins

Indianapolis Colts over the Washington Redskins

Standouts: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai, Clinton Portis, Santana Moss, Chris Cooley

New York Giants over the Dallas Cowboys

Standouts: Eli Manning, Tiki Barber, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, Terry Glenn, Jason Witten

Last Week: 7-6
Overall: 60-27

QB Rankings -- Week 7

Time to get those lineups ready. Sitting out this week are Chicago, Baltimore, San Francisco, New Orleans, St. Louis and those woeful Titans from Tennessee. Some tight matchups this week, but there are a few that could be huge in the fantasy points department. Here's a look at the QB rankings for this week's games. As always, color coordination remains the same.

1. Peyton Manning, IND -- vs. WAS: Well rested from the bye week, Indy is looking for a return to its explosiveness. With Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai doing exactly, if not a little more, than what Edge did here last year for the running game, Manning and Co. should have a big afternoon exploiting a very banged up Skins secondary.

2. Donovan McNabb, PHI -- @ TB: Tampa did a great job holding the Bengals in check last week, but their hands will be quite full this week with the Eagles. Word out of Philly is that Donovan may have Donte Stallworth back this week to add to the arsenal.

3. Carson Palmer, CIN -- vs. CAR: It may be a tough matchup with the Panther D, but the Bengals won't be held down two weeks in a row. Palmer should find Chad and the Housh early and often this week.

4. Jake Delhomme, CAR -- @ CIN: Once Palmer starts airing it out, Jake won't be far behind. Last week's 365 yard effort is more like a return to form rather than an abberration. How can you not expect a big day out of a guy that has Steve Smith and Keyshawn to throw to?

5. Matt Hasselbeck, SEA -- vs. MIN: With the running game stuck in neutral still, the Seahwks will be airing it out all day. Hasselbeck has 3 great receiver options in Jackson, Branch and Burleson, and he might even get back tight end Jerramy Stevens this week.

and the rest...

6. Tom Brady, NE -- @ BUF
7. Eli Manning, NYG -- @DAL
8. Brett Favre, GB -- @ MIA
9. Drew Bledsoe, DAL -- vs. NYG
10. Matt Leinart, ARI -- @ OAK
11. Chad Pennington, NYJ -- vs. DET
12. Phillip Rivers, SD -- @ KC
13. Byron Leftwich, JAC -- @ HOU
14. Jon Kitna, DET -- @ NYJ
15. David Carr, HOU -- vs. JAC
16. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT -- @ ATL
17. Jake Plummer, DEN -- @ CLE
18. Michael Vick, ATL -- vs. PIT
19. Bruce Gradkowski, TB -- vs. PHI
20. Brad Johnson, MIN -- @ SEA
21. Mark Brunnell, WAS -- @ IND
22. J.P. Losman, BUF -- vs. NE
23. Joey Harrington, MIA -- vs. GB
24. Damon Huard, KC -- vs. SD
25. Andrew Walter, OAK -- vs. ARI
26. Charlie Frye, CLE -- vs. DEN
27. Tony Romo, DAL -- vs. NYG
28. Jason Campbell, WAS -- @ IND
29. Brad Smith, NYJ -- vs. DET
30. Trent Green, KC -- vs. SD
31. Aaron Brooks, OAK -- vs. ARI

The Bill Romanowski Award

You would think, after lying motionless on the ground for several minutes, that Larry Johnson would know better than to drag someone down by the head. But does he? No. This idiot goes and drags Steelers' d-back Troy Polamalu down by the hair to make a tackle on the sidelines. Now I know that it isn't against the rules here and Polamalu should know that these types of things will/can/should happen, but puh-leeeze. Even worse, was that Johnson did not let go immediately, which is, in fact, a penalty that was never called. Johnson knows the danger here and if he doesn't, he should give my old friend Dr. Khadavi a call. "I don't remember no one callin' prison rules!"

Congratulations Larry!

RotoBuzz is proud to present you with this week's Bill Romanowski Award!

Jackass.

Phil Brody's Commentary

Week Six: BAMF!


Choices. At every juncture in every fantasy season, we are faced with choices.

On draft day, we choose our players. We make a very important choice in the first round and even more important ones in the mid-rounds of that extensive recruitment. Most choose RBs early. Some choose a QB in the first round, some a WR. Some even choose to draft a third WR before a second RB. Some choose Edgerrin James over Rudi Johnson, DeAngelo Williams over Deuce McAllister. Some chose Rod Smith over Laveranues Coles, Derrick Mason over Andre Johnson. Kevin Jones over Julius Jones over Thomas Jones. Warner over Culpepper over Bledsoe over the undrafted Grossman, Kitna or Rivers.

Some choose to trade Frank Gore for Shaun Alexander, Joey Galloway for Anquan Boldin. Some choose to sit Hasselbeck in favor of Rex Grossman, Anquan Boldin in favor of Amani Toomer, Kevin Jones in favor of Maurice Morris.

So many choices. Some choices are smart, while others, mistakes.

Many said the overall first choice in the 2006 draft was a no-brainer. However, many made the wrong choice. The right choice wears #21 on his chest, should never be traded and should be in a starting line-up every single week, regardless of the match-up.

Some call him LT. Others, LTD. I dub him BAMF!

In Week Six, Mr. Tomlinson flexed his muscle, amassed 135 yards and scored 4 TDs (37 points). The sound you heard during his late afternoon romp through Monster Park (befitting name for Sunday’s performance, no?) was BAMF! Like the Doppler Effect, you see it before you hear it. You see him accelerate, cut, juke, accelerate some more, score. BAMF! Then he does it again. BAMF. Again. BAMF. And again. BAMF. Gradually, your jaw gets heavy, resulting in the Gawking Effect.

Know what BAMF means? Comedian Dane Cook coined the word, and you can appreciate its meaning here.

LT is BAMF. In my book, no one else in fantasy football makes that sound, gets called that. That distinction belongs to him and him alone. He’s risen far above humdrum supervillain status. He never, ever was merely a villain. Now he owns this, his very own moniker. Even if you don’t own LT, you have to appreciate, envy, gawk. You have to breathe a sigh of relief at these numbers, at this performance, as it brings some welcomed predictability to this topsy-turvy 2006 season.

I don’t own him, but find solace in what he did Sunday. BAMF. My hero.

Also, in this, the Year of the D [Week 6: Bears 23 points, Broncos 13 points, Steelers 18 points], we finally enjoyed a Week of the Receiver, as pass-catchers with familiar names returned to glory, or at least the numbers we expected when we targeted them, drafted them, traded for them and played them.

Bravo Steve, Torry, Joe, Roy, Laveranues, Mr. Owens. Thank you for joining the 2006 regular season, already in progress.

Before this week, there was a long list of unusual suspects catching our attention as they caught TD passes. Colston, Cotchery, Berrian, Jennings. While these guys have become valid options this season, it is nice to see some of the usual suspects back in the line-up of prime-time suspects.

Torry Holt, 8-154, 3 TD
Steve Smith, 8-189, TD
Joe Horn, 6-110, 2 TD
Terrell Owens, 5-45, 3 TD
Roy Williams, 10-161, 2 TD
Laveranues Coles 5-106, 2 TD

Glad to have you back, all of you. Now keep up the good work.

-----

What I’m Watching: LT, LJ, Tiki, Ronnie, Marc, Phillip, Jon, Drew, Marvin, Steve, Roy, Santana, Carolina at Cincinnati, Minnesota at Seattle, New York Giants at Dallas

Tuesday Morning Quarterback

Player of the Week: Closest call to make so far, but with 3 TDs and 154 receiving yards, WR Torry Holt gets the fantasy honors this week. Forget about the fact that the Rams blew the game which made Holt's 67 yarder at the end pretty much meaningless in reality; fantasy wise, he is a bona fide stud. (Getty Images)



You probably struck fantasy gold if you started:

QB Marc Bulger, STL: 360 passing yards-3 TD, 1 INT
QB Matt Hasselbeck, SEA: 268 passing yards-3 TD, 22 rushing yards
QB Phillip Rivers, SD: 334 passing yards-2 TD
QB Drew Brees, NO: 275 passing yards-3 TD, 2 INT
QB Jake Delhomme, CAR: 365 passing yards-2 TD, 2 INT
RB LaDanian Tomlinson, SD: 71 rushing yards-4 TD, 64 receiving yards
RB Warrick Dunn, ATL: 146 rushing yards-1 TD
RB Tiki Barber, NYG: 185 rushing yards, 42 receiving yards
RB Willie Parker, PIT: 109 rushing yards-2 TD, -11 receiving yards, FL
RB Kevin Jones, DET: 127 rushing yards-1 TD, 36 receiving yards
WR Torry Holt, STL: 154 receiving yards-3 TD
WR Reggie Brown, PHI: 15 rushing yards-1 TD, 121 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Steve Smith, CAR: 186 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Laveraneus Coles, NYJ: 106 receiving yards-2 TD
WR Joe Horn, NO: 110 receiving yards-2 TD
WR Roy Williams, DET: 161 receving yards-1 TD
TE Jeremy Shockey, NYG: 55 receiving yards-2 TD
TE Antonio Gates, SD: 78 receiving yards-1 TD
K Josh Brown, SEA: 3 FG, 3 XP
DEF Chicago Bears: 1 sack, 2 DFR, 3 DTD



You're probably in fantasy agony if you started:

QB David Carr, HOU: 128 passing yards, 2 INT
QB Steve McNair, BAL: 4 passing yards, 1 INT (left game with injury)
QB Damon Huard, KC: 162 passing yards, 1 INT
QB Rex Grossman, CHI: 148 passing yards, 4 INT, 2 FL
RB Jamal Lewis, BAL: 41 rushing yards
RB Rudi Johnson, CIN: 52 rushing yards
RB DeShaun Foster, CAR: 58 rushing yards, 12 receiving yards, FL
RB Thomas Jones, CHI: 39 rushing yards, 14 receiving yards
RB Edgerrin James, ARI: 55 rushing yards, FL
WR Keyshawn Johnson, CAR: 46 receiving yards
WR Terry Glenn, DAL: 47 receiving yards
WR Bernard Berrian, CHI: 31 receiving yards
WR Amani Toomer, NYG: 18 receiving yards
TE Heath Miller, PIT: 16 receiving yards
TE Tony Gonzalez, KC: 15 receiving yards

You have some insane football psychic powers if you started:

QB Kyle Boller, BAL: 226 passing yards-3 TD, 1 INT
RB Travis Henry, TEN: 178 rushing yards-1 TD
WR Mark Clayton, BAL: 101 receiving yards-2 TD


News and Notes

Whew!!! If you had the Bears in your King of the Hill Pool, man did you catch a break or what? I'm sure you've already sent flowers and candy to the entire Chicago defense by now.

And what kind of idiots do our new MNF announcers feel like now? As Leinart starts the final drive to bring the Cards downfield, all I hear are comparisons to Tom Brady and how "he's already done this before on the big stage in USC" and "this is the defining moment for his NFL career". The Cards go on to lose the game on a missed field goal and not one of these guys talks about how Dennis Green blew the game when he took the ball out of his QB's hands too far away and with too much time on the clock. They just sat there....gone from fluffing Leinart to fluffing the Bears D again. Great reporting guys.

And speaking of Dennis Green, here's a quick memo: Neil Rackers or not, no game winning field goal from 40 yards out is a gimme. And didn't he miss the game tying one last week too?

After Joe Horn's 110 yard-2 TD performance, Saints coach Sean Payton said, "We really should get him more involved in the offense early on." Um...duh! Someone get Captain Obvious his cape.

Sure it was San Francisco, but c'mon...that was ridiculous. With 4 breaks of the endzone plane, LaDanian easily showing why we refer to him as LTD.

Bill Cowher's pre-game speech to the team: "I'm gonna kill all your mothers if I have to watch one more ESPN/CBS/FOX gameday segment on why we suck!!!" At last, the rest of the team has caught up to Willie Parker.

And speaking of that debacle, it's like I told my allergist, Dr. Khadavi, the other day. The time to trade Larry Johnson has passed. His value is already on the decline. San Diego, Seattle and St. Louis up next. He may not crack 100 yards in any of them. The thought of him not being traded in fantasy leagues makes my arms itch.

That shootout I was expecting in the Buffalo/Detroit game? Yeah, sorry. I didn't know that Kevin Jones and Roy Williams were the only ones bringing their guns.

There's that T.O./Bledsoe connection we've been waiting for. Now if we can just find a way for them to play the Texans defense every week. Note to Parcells: This Romo thing you're doing is eating into Drew's fantasy numbers. Stop it.

Careful all you Kyle Boller waiver hounds...Mark "Look what I found -- twice!!!" Clayton isn't going to do that every week.

Steve Smith, on the other hand, will. Good morning Mr. Delhomme.

While rushing was the keyword of the day, what Michael Vick learned from Eli Manning was that you can also throw the ball in to the endzone. It works just as good...sometimes better.

The Pennington/Coles Revival is back!!! Detroit comes to town and then they bring the show to Cleveland. Buy your fantasy tickets here!!

Vince Young grittin' it out through injury, Travis Henry running like the proverbial supervillain, congratulations Tennesse on your first victory. King of the Hill Skins pickers are crying all over the world.

Oh yeah...and same for the Bengals pickers. For all you kids out in Cincy, it's spelled G-R-A-D-K-O-W-S-K-I. "Who dey?" Looked more like "Who duh!"

Another boring Denver win and another tragic loss for the Raiders. And not a single fantasy star shines amonst either team anymore.

And speaking of shining...Bulger to Holt, Bulger to Holt, Bulger to Holt. If he's got the arm, he's got the hands. If your playing agianst either, you better put up some serious fantasy points. Trust me. I speak from an embarrassing experience.

Fantasy Frustrations!!!!

The Agony of Defeat!!




I need to take this opportunity to vent a little here! Just when you think you've got it all going your way...BAM!!! Something incredibly stupid happens.

So right now, I'd like to personally thank all of those who helped me lose this week's crucial matchup...

Kevin Jones: You can't run your way out of a paper bag half the time, but this is the week you decide to bust out for a TD and ridiculous yardage?!?

Jon Kitna: Thanks for looking only for Roy Williams. You know...you've got other receivers out there, jackass.

Mike Furrey: For your powers of invisibility.

The NY Jets Defense: You own the Fins up and down the field all game long just so you can go into that patented crap prevent defense and give up a garbage TD to Chris Chambers. Idiots.

The Seattle Defense: A 67 yard TD for Torry Holt at the end of the game?!? What is that?!? Did some of you clowns have money on the spread? On the over? You knew they had to go deep. Morons.

Drew Bledsoe: Thanks for overthrowing Terry Glenn every chance you could get.

Terry Glenn: Thanks for being so short!

Bill Parcells: You couldn't just leave Bledsoe in the game there at the very end? If there's no QB controversy, then what's with this Tony Romo crap?!? You should have let Drew finish the game and get that last TD pass.

Bill Cowher: Did you not learn anything from Jerome Bettis' goal line fumble last year? Stick with who got you there. Willie Parker should have had that last TD carry. Leave Najeh Davenport on the bench where he belongs.

and finally...

Myself: Thanks for being an arrogant a-hole and thinking you were so smart for knowing that the Buffalo/Detroit game was going to be a shootout and deciding to bench the previously useless Joe Horn in favor of the currently invisible Mike Furrey. I was this close [::holds fingers a millimeter apart::] to giving myself the Romanowski Award this week. Way to waste a great week from Parker and LTD.

Thanks for nothing guys!!!

If you too need to bitch about this past week, by all means...this comments section is wide open!

Last Minute Looks for Week 6

Buffalo @ Detroit

After the beating they took last week, the Bills are looking for some major redemption. Willis McGahee should find some success early on against a pretty weak Lions rushing D which in turn will open it up for J.P. Losman to find Lee Evans and Peerless Price downfield. To counter, Mike Martz knows he has to take it to the air. The Lions offensive line is way too banged up to give much room for Kevin Jones to find. Roy Williams looks like he'll play, so expect to see Jon Kitna hit him and #2 receiver Mike Furrey to stay in the game. Expect a high scoring affair here.

Carolina @ Baltimore

A defensive battle that drives fantasy owners nuts. Your fantasy starters here look to be both team defenses, Matt Stover and John Kasay. Expect it to be a low scoring game. Jake Delhomme will be running for his life all day and will be hard pressed to get the ball to wideouts Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson. Those Ravens' corners are strong. On the other side, it's going to need to be all Steve McNair again as Jamal Lewis will find very little running room. Todd Heap and Derrick Mason may get some looks, but is it going to help your fantasy team when these guys finish a 9-6 game?

Cincinnati @ Tampa Bay

The Bengals are rested and are looking to get back on track this week. Tampa's D is usually tough, but for how long can they withstand the passing attack? Both teams will start with the run -- Rudi Johnson has been a workhorse and Carnell Williams is coming off his best game of the year to face a poor rushing defense in Cincy. But the 2nd half is where the fireworks will start. The trio of Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh will be too tough to keep down and they should combine for some serious points. Look for Bruce Gradkowski and Joey Galloway to try and keep up, but just falling short in the end.

Houston @ Dallas

This one's making me nuts. On a personal note, I have both Drew Bledsoe and Terry Glenn so I'm rooting for big points here. Am I going to get it? Not sure. I have more faith in Dallas using Glenn more than Terrell Owens, but you never know which Bledsoe is gonna show up. Julius Jones should also factor strongly against a weak Houston run defense, so they may not even need for Bledsoe to air it out at all. I hate relying on these guys right now. On the other side of the ball you know exactly what you're getting. Forget the running game for the Texans. It doesn't exist. It's all about David Carr playing catchup airing the ball out to Andre Johnson. It won't help them win the game, but the garbage time points will do wonders for your fantasy team.

NY Giants @ Atlanta

OK....so I'm taking a shot here pickign the Giants to win this one outright. Not because I'm a Giants fan (unfortuantely loyal to the Jets) but because I truly think that if you can stop the run against Atlanta you can win the game. The secondary for the Giants is their weakness and aside from Alge Crumpler, Michael Vick has very little to throw to. I think The Giants' D can have a big game forcing Vick to spend the afternoon in the air. Big Blue needs to come up big on offense which means that they need big games from Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, Tiki Barber, and Jeremy Shockey. I think they're able and a strong lead to start will keep Vick from beating them on the ground. John Abraham's presence isn't going to make that big an impact for the Falcons' D.

Philadelphia @ New Orleans

I see another high scoring affair here. Both offenses are loaded with weapons, although Philly still seems a little banged up. Donte Stallworth is out...again. And Brian Westbrook is still hurting. But it's Donovan McNabb's show out there. He has run this offense like...well, a supervillain, as Phil Brody puts it. If the Saints can contain him then they can win this game. The pass D needs to come up big. For the Saints on offense, well, Deuce McAllister owners are still walking tall. If anything, the presence of Reggie Bush has made him a better back. While defenses are concentrating on the speedy, elusive Bush, McAllister has done a great job between the hashmarks. Look for him to continue the trend. The Drew Brees/Joe Horn connection still hasn't been met and needs to if they want to continue their quest for the playoffs.

Seattle @ St. Louis

I like the Rams here. I think they should all be in your active lineup. Steven Jackson should see an increased workload over time, but for now, let the ball fly with Mark Bulger. He's looking great right now and he's had no trouble finding Torry Holt in the endzone week after week. Seattle's D can be tough, but not enough for them to hold the high scoring Rams down. For the Seahwaks it's a little different. Not that Shaun Alexander was tearing it up, but they are a much different team without him. Maurice Morris does not keep defenses honest. Expect to see the ball aired out by Matt Hasselbeck for a lot of the day. Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch should figure to have strong days and there's always the addition of TE Jerramy Stevens.

Tennessee @ Washington

The Titans are satill terrible and the Skins need a big bounce back game after losing to the Giants last week. Clinton Portis should break out big this week which will allow Mark Brunnell the chance the find Santana Moss and maybe even Chris Cooley throughout the game. For the Titans, Vince Young is developing, but not enough to start him just yet. He can rush for the TD right now, but he needs to work on his passing a little better. If he clicks with it this week and he and Drew Bennett can connect, then he could be a good play later on in the year. For now though, most...hell, all Titans...should be on your bench.

Kansas City @ Pittsburgh

The Steelers are in need of a win...big time. They just can't affors to drop this game. The banged up D should have it's hands full with Larry Johnson, but as we've seen in the first 2 or 3 weeks, he can be contained. After that, it's back in Damon Huard's hands. Someone's due for a letdown. The Steeler seconday is still tough to get through. On offense for Pitt, it's going to be a lot of Willie Parker. Ben Roethlisberger is still not 100% and Hines Ward is still hurting. This is just the kind of week Big Ben needs to hook up woith Heath Miller in the red zone.

Miami @ NY Jets

Either a confidence builder for the Jets or a desperation win for the Fins. One or the other, I suppose. The Jets are still using Kevan Barlow as their primary back and rightfully so. As flashy as Leon Washington can be, he's more of an open field runner and that's not going to do it the whole way. Expect another meek running game for the Jets and watch for Chad Pennington to avenge his poor performance against the Jags last week. Jerricho Cotchery and Laveraneus Coles should be solid plays here. For the Fins, Ronnie Brown should be starting for you. The Jets have one of the worst rushing defenses and can make any back look good. The Joey Harrington experiment is still in it's early stages, but I don't see it getting any better. The only way you're going to be able to start Chris Chambers is if he gets traded to another team.

San Diego @ San Francisco

If the cure for the Niners last week was a visit from the Raiders, then the cure for LaDanian Tomlinson this week is a trip to San Fran. He's gone through his bye week and back to back tough defenses and he's ready to break out this game. Expect him to crush in the first half and allow Phillip Rivers to take his time finding Antonio Gates later on. Michael Turner will certainly see extensive second half action if Alex Smith, Frank Gore and Antonio Bryant can't keep the 49ers in it. This might be a good week to sit Gore against a tough Charger D, but Smith and Bryant and even Eric Johnson look like good plays as the Niners play catch up the whole day.

Oakland @ Denver

Start your Broncos, sit your Raiders. This one could get ugly. The Broncos have one of the top defense, so you're not seeing much out of Lamont Jordan or Andrew Walter or Randy Moss. This team is just in shambles right now. Denver will take full advantage. Tatum Bell should have a solid game and Jake Plummer should have no problem finding Javon Walker all day long. Maybe Rod Smith can ride last week's momentum too, making him a decent WR3 option.

Chicago @ Arizona

This has to be a scary matchup for the Cardinals offensive line, which doesn't bode well for rookie QB Matt Leinart. Losing Larry Fitzgerald and backup Bryant Edwards falling out of favor won't help either. Edgerrin James should have a tough day as well, making Anquan Boldin probably your best Cardinal play of the day. Think Lee Evans from last week. For the Bears, well, it's just another day at the office. Rex Grossman should be a solid play, Bernard Berrian and Mushin Muhammed should fare well, and even Thomas Jones should be a solid start, despite Cedric Benson's TD poaching last week. And as if I even need to mention it, the Bears D should be a great point scoring machine...again.

Week 6 Preview

Six teams on a bye this week. That means a lot of fantasy subs are being used. If you're in the middle of the packs in your standings, winning games like these is important...vital if you want to make the playoffs. You need to take advantage of your opponents' weak lineups. Here's a quick glance at the upcoming games. Remember, these picks are straight up wins; nothing to do with the spreads.

Buffalo Bills over the Detroit Lions

Standouts: J.P. Losman, Willis McGahee, Lee Evans, Jon Kitna, Kevin Jones

Baltimore Ravens over the Carolina Panthers

Standouts: Steve McNair, Ravens Defense, Steve Smith, Panthers Defense

Cincinnati Bengals over the Tampa Bay Bucaneers

Standouts: Carson Palmer, Rudi Johnson, Chad Johnson, Carnell Williams, Joey Galloway

Dallas Cowboys over the Houston Texans

Standouts: Drew Bledsoe, Terry Glenn, Terrell Owens, David Carr, Andre Johnson

New York Giants over the Atlanta Falcons

Standouts: Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, Tiki Barber, Alge Crumpler, Michael Vick

Philadelphia Eagles over the New Orleans Saints

Standouts: Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, L.J. Smith, Drew Brees, Deuce McAllister

St. Louis Rams over the Seattle Seahawks

Standouts: Mark Bulger, Torry Holt, Jeff Wilkins, Matt Hasselbeck, Darrell Jackson

Washington Redskins over the Tennessee Titans

Standouts: Clinton Portis, Mark Brunnell, Santana Moss, Vince Young, Travis Henry

Pittsburgh Steelers over the Kansas City Chiefs

Standouts: Willie Parker, Heath Miller, Steelers Defense, Larry Johnson, Laurence Tynes

New York Jets over the Miami Dolphins

Standouts: Chad Pennington, Laveraneus Coles, Kevan Barlow, Ronnie Brown, Olindo Mare

San Diego Chargers over the San Francisco 49ers

Standouts: LaDanian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Nate Kaeding, Alex Smith, Eric Johnson

Denver Broncos over the Oakland Raiders

Standouts: Jake Plummer, Javon Walker, Tatum Bell, Broncos Defense, Sebastian Janikowski

Chicago Bears over the Arizona Cardinals

Standouts: Rex Grossman, Bernard Berrian, Thomas Jones, Bears Defense, Anquan Boldin

Last Week: 11-3
Overall: 53-21