It would be helpful if you could let me know what is available in the league that you are searching for a “D”. I could give you a list, but chances are they are not available for you. Let me know what your deciding on and I will help you as best I can.

I know the Cowboys D has been a real disappointment, but the team is full of playmakers. Demarcus Ware is a sack machine, sooner or later those sacks will result in turnovers and possible defensive scores. They are just giving up too many points and big plays, which is killing them. Their special teams have not been special, and the loss of Adam Jones just destroyed them in that department. I view the Eagles D in the same light as the Cowboys, but I don’t think that they will week in and week out serve up the points that the Cowboys D has, plus the Eagles Offense will do a better job of securing the ball, giving their defense some time to rest in between series. They both play in a brutal division. It sounds like you only need a reserve defense if the Pats offense can continue to click. The Pats D is designed to play while sustaining a lead, not the other way around. If the Patriots are ahead, they are a great fantasy D, if the roles are reversed, they could really cost you. What other options are available?

I got the Titans D in one league…which is nice. Set it and forget it.

What are some of the “under the radar” defenses (like Cleveland, perhaps…who thought we’d say that!) that have good matchups for the upcoming weeks?

That is by far the hardest fantasy question I have had year to date. Chris Johnson gets more carries and has more yardage. White has 2 1/2 times as many touchdowns and a longer touchdown run of 80 yards, versus Johnson’s 66 yard run. I will say this, without one, the other will tremendously suffer. These two together appear to be the perfect compliment to each other. They took what the Jags did last year with Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew and perfected it. Usually only one of those two had stellar games, but the Titans are doing it week in and week out. Only because of injuries with White, and the Titans lack of committment to White in the past, I would choose Johnson, but I believe they both need each other to continue thier domination. I can’t wait to see what a devastating run defense can do to these two. Without them, I do not think that Kerry Collins can carry this team with an arial assault.

I can’t wait for the playoffs this year already…just to see who actually makes it. Save for the Bengals and Chiefs, pretty much everyone is still legitimately alive.

Kurt, here’s a question for you, and feel free to save it for the fantasy column later this week: If you could only have one for the rest of the season, who are you taking, Chris Johnson or LenDale White?

I couldn’t agree with you more regarding Chris Johnson and the Titans backfield, they are so on fire FDNY could not put them out. I was saving that for this weeks fantasy focus as your stealing my thunder. You are also right about the game being crazy, it definately is. I would like to take this time to gloat a bit about my advise to start your Patriots this week. Sammy Morris and Matt Cassell carried my team through a 38 point deficit going into the Monday Night game and produced a win for me. It’s just sad to see Morris leave after the half. When the Pats were up he could have piled on 200 to 250 yards of offense himself. Congrats to the Pats offense for pulling a Cleveland for a week and removing their heads from their arse!

What I really want to see is more touches for Jerome Harrison: draws, screen passes, and even a series or two to spell Jamal Lewis. And we need to pound the ball. I never feel like Jamal can really pound away at the offense because the coaches are convinced that we are a passing team. If DA is going 4-16, and Braylon is going to drop everything, then get more creative with Jamal, Jerome, and Jason Wright in the backfield.

Most of Winslow’s NFL success is is due to being mismatched with linebackers. If we move him to the slot he will be covered (and double covered) by defensive backs, with will drastically reduce him as a threat. What we really need to do if figure out where there staph infections are coming from (Pittsburgh), and get back a healthy Joe Jurevicious.

I only called you crazy because you thought that Clevelands Offense week 6 was a fluke and The Colts was not. You were half right, because apparently they were both a fluke.
From a fantasy standpoint, in my league Derek Anderson outscored Peyton Manning, & Braylon Edwards outscored Reggie Wayne. Both offenses did, however look like ass-garbage. Cleveland’s Defense also outperformed that of the Colts.

In addition, MSU should have probably been on ICE. They never had a chance.

I will argue you with you on the Saints though. Perhaps it is more a matter of semantics than anything, but I think it’s foolish to say they are on fire when their most dynamic playmaker is out for at least 2-4 weeks. I think they’ll be okay, because Drew Brees is awesome, this past weekend notwithstanding…but they are not as explosive now as they were with Bush. He was the one player on their offense with the ability to take it to the house every time he touched the ball. You cannot remove that element from an offense, whether specifically or as a decoy, and still be as good all-around. I’d rate the Saints O as lukewarm…but definitely not on fire.

And I can see sitting your Browns — hell I’d like to drop Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards right now, though I won’t give into emotion — but sit your Colts? Please. I think the real Colts O is closer to what we saw two weekends ago as opposed to this past weekend against Green Bay. They are struggling to find a consistent rhythm but it’s Peyton, Reggie, and Marvin. I think they’ll be good more often than they’ll be bad. I wish I could say the same about the Browns offensive stars, but they are making it hard to do.

As for on fire, how about Dominic Rhodes with Addai out? Not sure how long Addai is gone, but don’t you think Rhodes gets more carries ever when Addai gets back? Glad I don’t have Addai this year (oh yeah, I have LT…finally…and he stinks!)

I’ll submit another player for consideration of ON FIRE: Chris Johnson of the Titans. He’s making me look like a fantasy genius this year, as I took him late in a lot of my leagues. Who would have thought that on the team where I have LT, Chris Johnson, Willie Parker, and Steve Slaton that Johnson and Slaton would be my most consistent scorers.

What a crazy, ridiculous, random, unbelievably fun and addicting game.