Six team byes have been scaled back down to four this week, so fewer players will be sitting out of your matchups, but it will still likely necessitate at least one or two touch decisions; decisions you shouldn’t take lightly, because while this may be the middle of the season for the players, our playoffs are right around the corner and crunch time is upon us.

Before I get to this week’s stock picks, I invite anyone to comment on this question because the answer eludes me: will Joe Flacco ever become an elite quarterback in the NFL?

His polarizing play has people worried, especially me, so let me know in the comments section.

Now we will let you know what is good in this week’s stock report.

Fantasy Football Week 9 Stock Report: Stocks Up

Matt Cassel

Lol isn’t usually a term acceptable for sports blogging, but that is the only word someone can come up with when trying to describe the Dolphins’ pass defense.  Even losing Jamaal Charles for the season, Cassel’s production hasn’t skyrocketed nor plummeted, and he puts up good enough numbers to fill in for Stafford if you need him.

Philip Rivers

I promise that Rivers will have high stock until, well, who knows.  There is no way that he can continue to play this poorly for the rest of the year.  He threw for over 350 yards last week even though some unlucky interceptions came forth, but one of these days he is going to impress…hopefully.

Beanie Wells

The only thing that seems to be stopping Wells from becoming a top flight fantasy running back are his injuries.  During games that the Cardinals are competitive in, he can score you 14 to 20+ points.  The only problem with playing Wells is that the 1-6 Cardinals are out of games so fast that the running game gets put on the back burner and his abilities can get lost in the fold.

Michael Bush

This is somewhat of an obvious decision with the loss of Darren McFadden for the week, but Bush has always been a decent play.  His size allows him to be a goal line threat any time the Raiders are inside the red zone.  Playing against Tim Tebow should allow for many opportunities in Oakland.

Brandon Jacobs

Who knows why Tom Coughlin doesn’t give his 6-3 250 running back the ball more often, but this week should show some change with Ahmad Bradshaw out.  Jacobs has only carried the ball 10 times in a game once this year, but this is the week his production should benefit and score you around 10 points. He’s a solid fill-in for owners stuck without All Day or MJD this week.

Julio Jones

Has Julio lived up to the hype that was created when the Falcons threw the kitchen sink at the Browns to snag the rookie this past April?  The jury is still out on that one, but this could be the week that we see the young man have a breakout game against a Colts team that is so bad that almost nobody can watch.

Antonio Brown

The proof is in the pudding and this man has been performing week in and week out.  Keep things clear with simple logic this week: the Ravens probably won’t be able to go into Pittsburgh and beat the Steelers on the road, and if Baltimore is going to shut someone down, it seems like Mike Wallace would be that guy.

Kellen Winslow

That first touchdown of the year can be tricky for tight ends but K2 got the job done.  The Bucs are going to have to keep up with the Saints if they want any success this week so plenty of targets could go to the veteran tight end.

Cardinals D/ST

30 point games have been the norm for Arizona, but playing against the Rams could be the perfect remedy.  Don’t think that the Rams can repeat their surprising Week 8 performance this week, so play the Cardinals’ defense with confidence.

Fantasy Football Week 9 Stock Report: Stocks Down

Matt Schaub

This week will tilt in the favor of Arian Foster when going against the Browns weak front seven.  Superstar in the making Joe Haden blanketing Kevin Walter or Jacoby Jones (filling in for a still-sore Andre Johnson) won’t bode well for the passing game, so pedestrian numbers are most likely to come for Schaub.

Joe Flacco

As much as I love FLACCO, his stock has to be down.  Two subpar games against poor defenses makes this game against the Steelers look like the matchup from hell.  Although it doesn’t look as if he is going to throw 3 interceptions with a few fumbles again, this game still just has problems written all over it.

Matt Hasselbeck

Most of his games have been productive this year, but it looks as if he might have hit the permanent wall.  Depending on the state of the Titans after this game, whether they win or lose we could see the end of Hasselbeck’s starting career and the beginning of the Jake Locker era.  The Cincinnati Bengals defense doesn’t play around with opposing quarterbacks so this could get ugly.

LeGarrette Blount

Blount has a low stock this week strictly because of circumstance.  The New Orleans Saints blitz the scoreboard no matter who they play against, so if the Bucs want to win, keeping up is the only option.  Blount doesn’t contribute much in the way of the passing game so don’t be surprised when he posts pedestrian numbers.

Ray Rice

We all know about the Pittsburgh run defense, so this matchup looks fairly predictable.  Actually the whole Ravens offense looks like they are in trouble this week.  Now we may get proven wrong, but until this unit as a whole steps up, the guys on defense are going to be the ones who win this team the majority of its games.

Brandon Marshall

Miami is hard to watch.  Regardless of the fact that Marshall is the best player on the field, he can’t like where this team is going.  Too many losses late can put a team’s focus in the dumps, and as history has shown, when Brandon Marshall doesn’t like the situation chances are he is going to do what it takes to get out of it.

Jordy Nelson

Aside from the big game every other week, Nelson just doesn’t seem to get enough looks on the offense.  2 catches for 104 yards and a touchdown is a productive week yes, but what happens when those 2 catches equal out to just 30 yards?  It’s big risk, big reward for Jordy owners, and this week’s matchup with the Chargers doesn’t grade out well.

San Diego D/ST

This is pretty much a no brainer here.  Look at the obvious reasons.  Aaron Rodgers is on the other side of the field and Phillip Rivers has had many recent struggles that give the opposing team a lot of opportunities to score. Play someone else.

Here are some last minute tips on some players who could disappoint this week, as well as some others who are set up for success to help your fantasy team in Week 8.

Fantasy Football Week 8: Stars Who Could Disappoint

Michael Vick

Vick and the Eagles are looking to turn their season around against Dallas on Sunday Night Football. The Eagles are coming off of a win against Washington in which Vick only had one touchdown along with an interception.

Interceptions are something that are a sure thing for Vick each week, as he has thrown at least one in his last five games, which includes four against Buffalo in Week 5. Vick will certainly throw at least one against Dallas, if not more.

The Eagles are going to have to try and establish the run game with LeSean McCoy, so don’t look for Vick to put up any impressive numbers.

Frank Gore

This is going out on a limb, but I do not believe Gore will continue at his current pace today against the Browns. He has rushed for at least 125 yards in his last three games, but in the previous three his high was 59 yards.

The Browns defense is one of the top ranked in the league, along with the other three teams in the AFC North, and have only allowed two players to rush for 100 yards on them this year. (Cedric Benson and Chris Johnson were the two, but Johnson barely made the mark with 101 yards).

Gore should be able to reach close to 100 yards, but his projection as the top running back on ESPN.com may be too high this week.

Wes Welker

Welker and the Patriots are going up against Pittsburgh, who has the second-ranked pass defense in the NFL with just under 172 pass yards per game. Before the bye week last week, Welker had a mediocre game against Dallas in which he only had 6 catches for 45 yards.

This week, the Steelers secondary will keep a close eye on Welker, and he will likely see several defenders in his area. He should still get some receptions, but don’t look for a 100 yard, multi-touchdown game.

Fantasy Football Week 8: Under-the-Radar Players to Consider

Matt Hasselbeck

The Titans are coming off of an embarrassing 41-7 loss against Houston. Hasselbeck only threw for 104 yards, and Jake Locker even saw some playing time at the end of the game.

Things will be different this week for the Titans, as they go up against the Colts. The Colts are becoming the joke of the NFL without Peyton Manning, especially after their 62-7 loss last Sunday night. Hasselbeck and Chris Johnson will both have big games, as any player going up against the Colts is a safe bet.

Ryan Torain

Torain and the Redskins are going up against the terrible Buffalo defense, who have the 30th ranked rush defense in the NFL. The offense continues to bail out the defense, but that does not matter in fantasy football.

Torain is the main running back in Washington, now that Tim Hightower is out for the year with a torn ACL. Going up against the Bills, Torain should be able to have at least 100 yards, considering the fact that John Beck struggled to connect on any big passes last week against Carolina.

Michael Jenkins

Jenkins had his best game of the season last week, with 117 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay. Now that Christian Ponder is the starter in Minnesota, things are looking better for Jenkins. Even with only three receptions, Jenkins had more receiving yards last game than he had in any other game all year.

The Vikings are going up against the Panthers today, who are average in terms of passing defense. Jenkins will be targeted by Ponder all game, and should catch at least one touchdown.

As soon as I opened up my big mouth and proclaimed that 2011 was going to be the most prolific fantasy year ever, scoring around the league plummets.  No worries.

At least I had a great week on the predictions front, as I was right on nearly 80% of my picks.

As always, here is a quick look back at last week before we move on to week 7.

Week Six Recap

• Grading Scale for Predictions regarding Best Player/Start Em/Other Guys I Liked - (Hits:  Top 12 for QBs/TEs and Top 30 for RBs/WRs)
• Grading Scale for Predictions regarding Worst Player/Sit Em/Other Guys I Didn’t Like - (Hits:  13th or worse for QBs/TEs and 31st or worse for RBs/WRs)
• Quick Note:  The following players got injured and have been removed from the grading scale for fairness:  Peyton Hillis, Julio Jones

Overall: 30 for 38 (79%)

Best Player Predictions: 4 for 4

• Hits: Tom Brady, Ray Rice, Calvin Johnson, Aaron Hernandez

• Misses: None

Start Em Predictions: 2 for 3

• Hits: Tony Romo, Dez Bryant

• Misses: Benjamin Watson

Other Guys I Liked Predictions: 13 for 15

• Hits: Josh Freeman, Michael Vick, Michael Turner, DeAngelo Williams, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Adrian Peterson, Mike Wallace, Wes Welker, Percy Harvin, Jeremy Maclin, Jimmy Graham, Dallas Clark, Jason Witten
• Misses: Ben Roethlisberger, Curtis Painter

Worst Player Predictions: 3 for 4

• Hits: Miami QB, Mike Thomas, Scott Chandler
• Misses: Jahvid Best

Sit Em Predictions: 2 for 4

• Hits: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jermichael Finley
• Misses: Arian Foster (although I was VERY close…), Steve Johnson

Other Guys I Didn’t Like Predictions: 6 for 8

• Hits: Matt Schaub, Alex Smith, Sam Bradford, Tim Hightower, Ted Ginn Jr., Randall Cobb
• Misses: Jonathan Stewart, Mark Ingram

#####

Fantasy Football Week 7 Start Em Sit Em

Once again, “Start Em” guys are QBs/TEs outside of the Top 12 and RBs/WRs outside of the Top 25. “Sit Em Guys” include QBs/TEs that are in the Top 12 and RBs/WRs that are in the Top 25.

Remember that the following teams are on bye in Week 7:

• Buffalo
• Cincinnati
• New England
• NY Giants
• Philadelphia
• San Francisco

Fantasy Football Week 7 Start Em, Sit em Quarterbacks

Projected Best Performer – Tony Romo

Dez Bryant and Miles Austin came back off of injury last week and played very well.  Unfortunately, none of them could get into the end zone against the Patriots’ defense.  Week seven should be a different story as the Cowboys host the hapless St. Louis Rams.  I feel VERY good about this pick – when you can seamlessly insert the word “hapless” into a sentence and nobody disagrees, you know you are in for a good week in fantasy.

Tony Romo Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 380 yards, 4 TDs

Start Em – Ben Roethlisberger

Big Ben got off to a great start last week before Rashard Mendenhall got rolling.  Look for Big Ben to have a big day against the very average Arizona secondary.

Ben Roethlisberger Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 295 yards, 3 TDs

Other Start ‘Em Picks at QB for Week Seven:

• Jay Cutler – First of all, he just DOMINATES. Secondly, haven’t you been more and more impressed with him every week?  Tampa Bay is good, but not against the pass (27th in the league), and Cutler has clearly proven that he is an elite QB.  If Mike Martz really HAS solved their offensive line problems with the heavier protection packages, look for Cutler to dominate yet again.
• Matthew Stafford – Atlanta has the sixth worst passing defense in the league…and Calvin Johnson won’t be happy about getting shut out for the first game all year.  Big day for Stafford and Co.
• Drew Brees – He’s amazing…and playing the Colts.
• Matt Hasselbeck – As long as he stays healthy, he should put up some good numbers.  Plus, he’s playing the Texans who are in the bottom half of the league at defending the pass.

Projected Worst Performer – Blaine Gabbert

Rookie…who may not be that good…playing on MNF…against Baltimore.  Yikes.

Blaine Gabbert Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 140 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs

Sit Em – Cam Newton

Coming off of his first rough game of the year, Cam Newton would like to be playing someone soft on the defensive side of the ball.  Unfortunately, he will be facing the Redskins, who are sixth in the league against the pass.  Look for Cam to still get his points (running the ball and maybe scoring a TD or two), but not come anywhere close to the production he had in weeks one through five.

Cam Newton Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 230 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs; 40 yards rushing.

Other Sit ‘Em Picks at QB for Week Seven:

• Mark Sanchez and Philip Rivers – San Diego and NY are ranked 1st and 4th against the pass respectively.  Don’t expect either team to really air it out in this one.
• Kevin Kolb – Isn’t it an amazing testament to Dick LeBeau that for years you couldn’t run on the Steelers, and as soon as the league turned pass-happy the Steelers became impossible to pass against?  So far, they are second in the league against the pass, allowing a paltry 5.9 yards per attempt.  Wow.

Jerod’s thoughts:

I agree that Tony Romo is a start this week against the Rams’ secondary, but it should be noted that I was VERY high on Romo last week against New England and he disappointed. I think there are some real confidence issues on the Dallas offense. Watch this game carefully. If Romo doesn’t have a big day with Dez and Miles, and Jason Garrett continues to be a conservative play caller, I’m going to start to worry about Romo’s fantasy potential for the rest of the season.

As for Gabbert, I think you’re over-shooting his potential. One TD against Baltimore? Only in extreme garbage time. (So I guess it’s possible…)

I don’t know if you opinions on Cutler and Cam will be popular, but I agree with them. Sound reasoning on both.

Fantasy Football Week 7 Start Em, Sit em Running Backs

Projected Best Performer – Ray Rice

Monday Night Football against the Jaguars.  Don’t get your hopes up if you have a ten point lead going into Monday if the other guy has Ray Rice.

Ray Rice Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 190 total yards, 2 TDs

Start Em – Ryan Torain

Torain got a lot of touches last week, and the Panthers are last in the league against the run.  Torain, and maybe even Roy Helu should have a very good game against the fighting Cam-Cams.

Ryan Torain Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 140 total yards, 1 TDs

Other Start ‘Em Picks at RB for Week Seven:

• Whoever is rushing for TB – Either way, he should have a good game against a poor Chicago front seven.
• Rashard Mendenhall – Back to back productive weeks for the Pittsburgh running game, and finally a good week for Mendenhall, who has been extremely disappointing this season.
• Michael Turner – Detroit’s outstanding defensive line is surprisingly lackluster against the run.  Plus, ATL is trying to get back to their old, conservative ways.  Big day for Michael Turner.

Projected Worst Performer – GB Running Backs

Green Bay’s running backs aren’t good…and Minnesota’s rush defense is really good…and it doesn’t matter because Aaron Rodgers and the Packers simply don’t need to run the ball.

Packers’ RBs Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 65 total yards

Sit Em – Willis McGahee

The Dolphins will be thinking one thing this week: “let’s see if Tim Tebow can beat us.”  They will be stacking the box to stuff the run, and they are already great against the run (third in the league).  This is especially staggering considering they have been so awful this year and have faced offenses that have been conserving leads late in games.  Look for McGahee and Moreno to have very quiet weeks as Miami and everyone else watches to see if Timmy can beat them.

Knowshon Moreno Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 45 total yards

Other Sit ‘Em Picks at RB for Week Seven:

• Adrian Peterson – Green Bay is great against the run…and might be up by 60 points in the first quarter.  Just think about it.
• Rams’ Running Backs – Dallas is #1 against the run…and could be playing with a lead for most of the game.
• Jonathan Stewart – Washington’s defense is solid all over, and Stewart will be left out of the mix this week.

Jerod’s thoughts:

First off, just so we’re clear: DO NOT SIT ADRIAN PETERSON. Okay? Under no circumstances does this guy ever come out of your lineup. Is Green Bay a potentially troublesome matchup from a touch perspective? Sure. And are they good against the run? Yes, they’re pretty good. But this is ADRIAN PETERSON. Start him. Always.

Moving on now…

I would never tell anyone to sit Ray Rice, and you shouldn’t. But I am not nearly as bullish as Jon is considering the matchup. Jacksonville is many things, and most of them bad, but their defense is actually pretty good. Rice will find the going tougher than many might think.

As for Torain, I trusted him in Week 6 and he failed me. I still like him going forward, especially with the matchup this week, but just know that whenever you start a running back for Mike Shanahan you are taking on the risk of that running back getting benched for the hot hand. It’s just how it is. Still, Torain is probably a low-top 20 option this week.

Fantasy Football Week 7 Start Em, Sit em Wide Receivers

Projected Best Performer – Megatron

He will be mad after being shut out last week for the first time.  Plus, Atlanta is ATROCIOUS defending the pass (29th in the league for receiving defense).

Calvin Johnson Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 120 receiving yards, 2 TDs

Start Em – Dwayne Bowe

He’s big, he’s strong, he’s rested, and he’s facing a terrible secondary.  Bowe won’t disappoint his owners in week 7.

Dwayne Bowe Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 130 receiving yards, 1 TD

Other Start ‘Em Picks at WR for Week Seven:

• Mike Wallace – He’s a big play machine.
• Greg Jennings – He was left out of the shuffle a little bit last week.  Rodgers will get him involved again.
• Devin Hester – If the Bears run more 7 and 8 man protection schemes, they will have to utilize Hester more because he is one of their only receivers that is explosive enough to beat his man one on one.  Plus, he’s money in the return game.
• Pierre Garcon – His speed and size create matchup problems for the Saints.  Despite a huge drop, he killed them in the Super Bowl and he will do it again this week.

Projected Worst Performer – Mike Thomas

I almost feel bad for the guy.  His team is terrible, his QB is young (and possibly terrible), and he will be facing a tough Baltimore defense on national television.

Mike Thomas Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 4 catches for 30 yards.

Sit Em – Vincent Jackson

A little bit overrated…and facing Darrelle Revis.  Not a good combination.

Vincent Jackson Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 3 catches for 40 yards 

Other Sit ‘Em Picks at WR for Week Seven:

• Larry Fitzgerald – Dick LeBeau will make it his personal mission to ensure that Kolb won’t even have enough time to throw the ball up to Larry.
• Santonio Holmes – Rough week for Sanchez, the Jets’ offensive line, and in consequence, Mr. Holmes.
• Brandon Lloyd – Receivers don’t do much when they switch teams mid-season.

Jerod’s thoughts:

Yes, Calvin Johnson and Dwayne Bowe should both off this week. Solid choices. However, I cannot tell people to sit Larry Fitzgerald. I know the matchup isn’t great and Kevin Kolb is a turd disguised as a franchise QB, but Fitzgerald remains one of the five most talented receivers in football. He can pop for two TDs any week. Play him.

I also am not a big fan of Brandon Lloyd for this week, but I do like him long-term. He is back with Josh McDaniels, and Sam Bradford has been yearning for a true #1 WR, a role that Lloyd can fill. Once Bradford gets healthy and the Rams’ schedule eases up, Lloyd could pay huge fantasy dividends. Buy low, and buy now.

Fantasy Football Week 7 Start Em, Sit em Tight Ends

Projected Best Performer – Jimmy Graham

He might go for 400 yards against the Colts’ defense.

Jimmy Graham Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 110 receiving yards, 2 TDs

Start Em – Fred Davis

Look for whoever is playing QB for Washington to check down often and look for Davis on safe, quick passes all day.

Fred Davis Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 8 catches for 95 receiving yards, 1 TD

Other Start ‘Em Picks at TE for Week Seven:

• Tony Gonzalez – Matt Ryan will look Tony’s way against the Detroit Defensive Line.
• Greg Olsen – Cam Newton loves him, and he will be one of the only guys that has a good game against the ‘Skins.

Projected Worst Performer – Visanthe Shiancoe

Not a good matchup against Green Bay’s linebackers.

Visanthe Shiancoe Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 2 catches for 20 yards

Sit Em – Dustin Keller

Once again, it’s very hard to choose a TE that will play poorly when most of them seem to be playing so well, but I think Keller and the rest of the Jets’ offense will have a rough game against San Diego.

Dustin Keller Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection – 4 catches for 50 yards.

Jerod’s thoughts:

It’s very hard to quibble with any of these picks. Jimmy Graham has a ridiculous four straight games with 100 yards receiving or more. That is insane. And despite injuring his coach in Week 6, I’m sure Drew Brees will continue targeting him incessantly this week and beyond. He’s the clear #1 tight end in football right now.

Fantasy Football Week 7 Start Em, Sit em D/ST

[Editor's note: As always, the D/ST picks are written by Jerod, not Jon.]

Start Em D/ST: Dallas Cowboys

Do you realize the Cowboys D is owned in only 47% of Yahoo leagues? Wow. When was the last time anything associated with the Cowboys was underrated? Folks, you can forget about the porous unit from last year. Rob Ryan has done wonders with this year’s Cowboys. Anchored by the spectacular Demarcus Ware and the emerging Sean Lee, the 2011 Cowboys D is solid. They also have a great matchup in Week 7 against St. Louis. Pick up and start.

Other start ‘em D/ST units for Week 7:

• The New Orleans Saints defense hasn’t been great this year, but I like a blitz-happy D against the Colts’ Curtis Painter.
• Tim Tebow makes his first start of the season in Week 7. Considering his throwing deficiencies, the Dolphins aren’t a terrible option if the bye week has you desperate.

Sit Em D/ST: Minnesota Vikings

I recommended the Vikings D to a few people last week, thinking they’d have a field day against the Bears’ terrible O-line, but I was proven horribly wrong. So let me state the obvious to make amends: you don’t want to start the Vikings’ D against Aaron Rodgers and the Pack.

Other sit ‘em D/ST units for Week 7:

• The Jets’ D has been shaky this year – don’t let their strong performance against Matt Moore and the Dolphins fool you. Facing Phil Rivers and the Chargers, who are coming off a bye and should have Antonio Gates back, could be trouble for Rex Ryan’s crew.

**********

That’s all we’ve got for you this week folks. Pose your questions in the comment section and we’ll be here all week to answer. Good luck in Week 7!

Don’t miss the rest of our Week 7 Fantasy Football coverage:

• Week 7 Waiver Wire Advice

Also, don’t forget that if your NFL fantasy team is struggling, or you’re just getting bored with the NFL, our friends over at Daily Joust over weekly college fantasy football games with real money prizes at stake. Check them out:

We don’t like them, but the players do need their rest.  With the rest periods starting now, there are some crucial decisions that need to be made regarding your roster.

Who is going to fill in for Ray Rice?  Issac Redman can’t carry the load for an injured Mendenhall…can he?  And so many more.

Now is the time that we want to highlight players who might be on your bench or floating around on waivers waiting to be picked up in hopes that he can provide that stopgap service.  Everyone knows that Jason Witten is good for your health but how about Brandon Pettigrew?

There are questions galore to be answered in the Week 5 stock report.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Stock Report: Stocks Up

Matt Hasselbeck

Going up against a Steelers defense is something that no quarterback wants to deal with.  Taking out Chris Johnson is a natural part of the game plan but what about the passing game?  Most people project the game to be close and even if it is, the Titans will have to throw the ball to keep it that way; but if it isn’t and Pittsburgh gets out to a big home lead, the ball could be thrown all over the place.

Mark Sanchez

Now before you hang, draw, and quarter this installment of the fantasy stock report, just give it a chance.  I did have Mark’s stock down last week and that horrid -4 point performance came along, but for some reason it is up this time.  The reason is that the New England defense is really bad right now in terms of fantasy, scoring a total of FOUR points for the entire year thus far.  The Jets need a spark on offense and if it is to come from anybody, it has to be Sanchez.

Michael Bush

Keep a few things in consideration.  There are a lot of teams that are on bye weeks that have major fantasy RBs and Bush almost always gets touches down around the goal-line.  Add to that the fact that the Raiders will be trying to use the running game to slow down that Houston offense, nd he could prove to be fairly valuable.

Isaac Redman-*

That is an asterisk for the simple fact that teammate Rashard Mendenhall may or may not play this week.  If Redman is the starter, he does possess the skills to help the Steelers offense remain respectable.

Jonathan Stewart

Carries between Stewart and Williams have been split pretty evenly this year, but the Panthers seem to involve Stewart in the passing game a little more.  It is very possible that the Saints will jump out to a 14-0 lead within the first 10 minutes of the game leaving the projection to pan out.

Eric Decker

If you haven’t been drinking the Kool-Aid, then the time to do so would be now.  Things are changing in Denver and fast.  Anybody who has a hot-streak going for them will be seeing some playing time.  Averaging five catches per game, Decker has been receiving a lot of attention from quarterback Kyle Orton which is proving to be well deserved.

Johnny Knox

Until the Bears give Jay Cutler some time to throw the ball, this passing game is going to be inconsistent at best.  Having said that, if there is one receiver that Chicago can, well actually has to rely on as a downfield threat, that would be Johnny Knox because the play of the other wide-outs on the roster is very weak.

Brandon Pettigrew

As the Detroit Lions attempt to prove that they have a balanced offense when teams decide to send the cavalry at Calvin Johnson in the red-zone, Pettigrew has already proven he can be reliable in the passing game, which should help him finally score a touchdown.

Bengals D/ST

It is very surprising as to why this defense doesn’t receive more attention than it already does.  This unit doesn’t intercept passes very often, but it will recover a couple fumbles and keep the opposing team from scoring a lot of points.  Another case for the underrated defense is the fact that they have rookie Blaine Gabbert on the schedule.  If you have the Ravens defense, these guys could serve as a decent one week option.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Stock Report: Stocks Down

Ryan Fitzpatrick

It’s no secret that the Eagles have been struggling as a team, but the pass defense can’t take all the blame when the unit doesn’t do a good job stopping the run.  As for Fitzpatrick, those first three games came against some poor defenses.  Once he went up a decent Bengals D, the numbers dropped a little.  Now the stock isn’t exactly in the dumps but a number in the neighborhood of 10-12 should be expected.

Josh Freeman

Freeman tends to stay solid regardless of the situation on the field, but this San Francisco defense is good, especially against teams that lack playmakers.  The Bucs are one of those teams.  Not that any respect should be taken away from Freeman but in the fantasy world, where individual stats matter, teammates are important as well.

Marshawn Lynch

Now who is guilty of drafting Lynch just because of the touchdown run against the Saints last year?  Well, he actually does have some value because he is the only guy in the Seattle backfield that has the ability to start week in and week out.  The problem is the two straight road games in the Eastern Time zone that west coast teams usually have a problem with.  Besides, the Seahawks have trouble moving the ball as a whole.  So if they don’t score, he won’t.

New York Jets RB’s

If the Jets want to have a remote chance at slowing down the Pats’ aerial assault, then the ground game is going to have to be clicking on all cylinders.  That’s the problem; it hasn’t all year.  Only averaging a dismal 71 yards a game, things look grim; and if Nick Mangold doesn’t play, the situation could be worse.

Denarius Moore

As a receiver Moore is most likely the best on the team, but after Heyward-Bey’s 115 yard game I can only think of one thing.  Al Davis to Jason Campbell, “throw him the damn ball!”  One must hope the play calling will do what is best for the team and throw to who can get open and actually CATCH the ball.

Marques Colston

Don’t take this an ax to his fantasy value, but expecting a lot of points this week could be wishful thinking.  The Saints have more than enough talent on the roster to work Colston in slowly and besides, even on the road the Panthers don’t look like a daunting matchup.

Falcons D/ST

This is the team that put a fair amount of eggs into the basket of one Ray Edwards to help boost a pass rush that was more than weak last year.  Did they forget that Edwards was a great compliment to Jared Allen, not literally Jared Allen?  Aside from that, Aaron Rodgers is coming to town and we all remember what he was able to do in the dome during the playoffs.

Jets D/ST

All the grumbling about whether or not the Jets are for real could be answered this week.  All of the defensive touchdowns scored by the Ravens can’t be blamed on the defense but the stat-line still reads, 64 points over the last two games.  Rex thinks he can slow down Tom Brady but that isn’t likely in New England.  Expect an old western shootout on

Six teams (Baltimore, Cleveland, Dallas, Miami, St. Louis, and Washington) have a bye in Week Five, so many fantasy owners will be hitting the waiver wire in search of one week rentals to fill out their rosters while others are trying to fill holes created by injuries or ineffectiveness.

As always, the players listed here are owned in less than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire Advice: Quarterback

Matt Hasselbeck (38%), Tennessee

At this point, Hasselbeck has become a fixture in this column, and his three-touchdown performance against Cleveland did nothing to change that.  He attempted just 20 passes thanks to a comfortable Tennessee lead, but he was still able to put up solid fantasy numbers.

Hasselbeck is now averaging 288 passing yards per game with eight touchdowns and a 66.7 completion rate.  Things get tougher with the Steelers up next on the schedule, but their pass defense numbers are inflated thanks to having faced the Colts and Seahawks.  Hasselbeck won’t light them up, but he won’t kill you either.

Donovan McNabb (24%), Minnesota

Yes, he has been abysmal so far this season, but so has Arizona’s pass defense.  They’ve allowed at least two passing TDs to three of the four QBs they’ve faced, with the aforementioned Tarvaris Jackson the only exception.  You’re obviously not starting him over any other established guys, but if you’re desperate, he’s an option based on the matchup assuming he can hold off Christian Ponder for one more week.

Alex Smith (9%), San Francisco

Speaking of desperate, here’s another guy to consider as a bye week fill-in.  Smith actually threw the ball down the field in San Fran’s comeback win over the Eagles, which apparently took the Eagles by surprise.  The 49ers face a Tampa Bay defense that has allowed two 300-yard passers in their first three games and has been fairly solid against the run.  Smith actually has some confidence, so now we get to see what he does with it.

Matt Moore (0%), Miami (bye)

The Dolphins are off this week, but for those in two-QB leagues, Moore is someone to look at after Chad Henne left Sunday’s game with a left shoulder injury.  Moore acquitted himself well, with his only interception coming on a forced throw late in the game.  Henne’s status for Week Six is unknown, but at this point, don’t the Dolphins know what he can (or can’t) do?

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire Advice: Running Back

Michael Bush (47%), Oakland

With Darren McFadden excelling, Bush is only seeing around 10 touches per contest, but he found the endzone for a third straight game on Sunday.  He has also become a bit more involved in the passing game with six receptions for 90 yards in the past two weeks.  Bush injured his ankle late in Sunday’s game, so keep an eye on his injury status before picking him up.

Kendall Hunter (29%), San Francisco

Even with Frank Gore active, Hunter started for the 49ers on Sunday and totaled 100 yards on 11 touches.  Gore finished with more carries and more yards, but Hunter has proven there is a place for him in this offense.  Gore isn’t exactly the picture of health, so Hunter’s role could increase as the season wears on.  For now, he’s worth owning just to see what happens.

Montario Hardesty (18%), Cleveland (bye)

The Browns gave Hardesty a healthy dose of snaps even with Peyton Hillis back at full strength.  Unfortunately, Hardesty dropped nearly as many passes (four) as he caught (five) and averaged just over three yards per carry.  Still, it’s encouraging news for Hardesty owners, and should Hillis’ reckless running style lead to an injury, Hardesty is poised to step in against a relatively easy upcoming schedule after the bye.

Ryan Torain (18%), Washington (bye)

Oh, Mike Shanahan, we should have seen this coming.  He hinted at nearly pulling Tim Hightower for Torain in Week Three, and sure enough Torain burst back onto the fantasy scene in Week Four with 135 yards and a score on 19 carries.

For now, it looks like Hightower is on the way out in favor of Torain, who has long been a Shanahan favorite.  He’s worth a pickup even with a bye for the Redskins next week, but Torain’s injury history is nearly as long as Shanahan’s reign of fantasy terror.  Don’t get too attached.

Stevan Ridley (11%), New England

I highlighted Ridley last week, and after another impressive performance, the line to pick him up just got a bit longer.  Ridley again outplayed BenJarvus Green-Ellis, rushing for 97 yards and a score on 10 carries.  The Pats aren’t going to turn into a grind-it-out team anytime soon, but their backfield has traditionally produced some solid fantasy performers.  For now at least, Ridley is the guy to own.

Isaac Redman (6%), Pittsburgh

With Rashard Mendenhall’s status in question due to a hamstring injury, Redman is poised to assume the starting role in the Pittsburgh backfield.  With their line in shambles and Ben Roethlisberger banged up, that might be less enticing than in years past, but Redman ran hard against the Texans and has impressed in limited action.  The Titans have been strong against the run after being carved up in Week One, but Redman would make a solid bye-week option if Mendenhall is out.

Brian Leonard (0%), Cincinnati

At this point no one knows when (or if) Cedric Benson will start serving his suspension, but Leonard was more effective than Bernard Scott on Sunday.  At minimum, the two backs would be part of a committee in Benson’s absence, with Leonard the goal line option.

Chris Ogbonnaya (0%), Houston

Apparently Texans running back is one of the most dangerous jobs in America.  Arian Foster’s injuries early on were well publicized, Derrick Ward has missed a couple games with a bum ankle, and now Ben Tate sustained a groin injury.  So while Foster looked terrific with a full workload on Sunday, Ogbonnaya is a name to remember in case his hammy flares up again.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire Advice: Wide Receiver

Michael Crabtree (40%), San Francisco

Crabtree and Alex Smith have never seemed to develop any chemistry (or even a tolerance for one another), but he saw a team-high nine targets, which he parlayed into five catches for 68 yards.  The upside is enough to consider picking him up to see if he can string together another solid performance or two.

Victor Cruz (33%), New York Giants

Most of Cruz’s headlines will be about him getting away with a fumble by “giving himself up,” which apparently is code for “tripping over your own feet.”  If that’s true, I have given myself up on the dance floor at a few wedding receptions.  Anyway, Cruz caught six passes for 98 yards and vastly outplayed Mario Manningham.  With Domenik Hixon out for the year and a couple good games under his belt, Cruz is worth a roster spot, particularly with Seattle up next on the schedule.

Antonio Brown (26%), Pittsburgh

This hinges largely on Roethlisberger’s status, but Brown has consistently been among the most targeted Steelers this season.  He led the team with 10 targets on Sunday, which he converted into five receptions for 67 yards.  Roethlisberger overthrew him on what would have been a touchdown, and he now has at least 67 receiving yards in three straight games.

Randall Cobb (20%), Green Bay

Outside of leagues that count return yardage, Cobb is an inconsistent fantasy option, but he does have a few things working in his favor.  First, Donald Driver is clearly slowing down, so the opportunity to earn more playing time is there.  Second, Cobb is still learning how to play the position after playing quarterback during much of his college career at Kentucky.  Third, the Packers have a lethal passing game, which means anyone involved in their aerial assault can emerge as a viable fantasy option.  The best is yet to come for Cobb, so stash him away now if you can.

Kevin Walter (5%), Houston

The good news is that Andre Johnson didn’t injury his knee, but a non-contact injury doesn’t bode well for his status over the next week or two.  That should mean more targets for Walter, who isn’t exactly a game changer, but somebody has to be on the receiving end of Matt Schaub’s passes.

Laurent Robinson (2%), Dallas (bye)

With Miles Austin injured, I expected Kevin Ogletree to step up.  As it turns out, Ogletree’s core competencies appear to be dropping passes and lining up in the wrong place on virtually every play.  That opened the door for Robinson to earn more playing time against Detroit, which he took advantage of to the tune of seven receptions and 116 yards.  He has shown flashes before but could never stay healthy long enough to establish himself.  Austin is expected back after Dallas’ bye this week, but Dez Bryant has also been hobbled, which means Robinson is an injury away from a starting role.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (1%), Oakland

Don’t do it.  I know he had 115 yards, but don’t do it.  You’re better than that.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire Advice: Tight End

Jared Cook (28%), Tennessee

The Cook bandwagon all but emptied after a slow start to the season, but as I mentioned last week, someone has to pick up the slack with Kenny Britt out.  Cook had a team-high six targets and tallied two receptions for 93 yards and a score.  He presents a real mismatch for opponents and should continue to see his role expand.  The Steelers have surrendered a couple double-digit fantasy point performances against opposing tight ends this season, making Cook an interesting bye week option.

Jermaine Gresham (26%), Cincinnati

Like Cook, I listed Gresham as a solid add last week, and he backed that up with 70 yards and a touchdown.  Next week the Bengals face a Jacksonville defense that has allowed 29 receptions, 330 yards, and three scores against opposing tight ends over the last three weeks.

James Casey (18%), Houston

As I mentioned above with Walter, someone will have to step up in the passing game for however many games Andre Johnson is out.  Owen Daniels seems the most likely candidate, but defenses will focus their efforts on taking him away.  So don’t rule out Casey, who had 126 yards and a score against New Orleans in Week Three.

Clay Harbor (0%), Philadelphia

This one is only for deeper leagues, but Brent Celek’s breakout season in 2009 is now a distant memory and apparently a complete aberration.  With Celek struggling, Harbor stepped in with three receptions for 55 yards and a score on Sunday.  The Bills, who have surrendered three TDs to opposing tight ends in the past two games, are up next on the schedule.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Houston (37%) vs. Oakland

Outside of a second half meltdown against the Saints, the Texans have been impressive defensively, allowing just 30 points over the other three games.  The Raiders have an improved offense, but they don’t have the kind of passing game that could really expose the Texans.

Tennessee (15%) at Pittsburgh

This hinges largely on Ben Roethlisberger’s status, but the Titans have been stingy defensively.  They have yet to allow an opponent to score over 16 points and have done a nice job creating turnovers.

Cincinnati (2%) at Jacksonville

Anyone who can slow down The Amish Rifle deserves some credit.  All kidding aside, the Cincinnati defense is underrated and faces a rookie quarterback and an offense that is averaging fewer than 10 points per game.

Have any questions or feedback?  Leave them in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter (@andybottoms).

I wish I knew…injuries have just killed me…and I’ve lost each week by an average of 1.2 points. Just heartbreaking.

Some of you are probably in the same boat as me. Even if you aren’t, it’s the time in the fantasy football season when leagues are won and lost. Now is when we have to start making the tough calls.

Image source: AOLNews.com

Maybe you chose to ride Chris Johnson through the first three weeks because you spent so much money on him and “he is just too good to keep failing.” You can’t be stubborn any longer. It’s time to cut your losses and start doing the unthinkable…it’s time to start other guys that are just having better years, or maybe even cut someone you felt good about going in.

Don’t be afraid to admit your mistakes. The worst thing you could ever do is hold onto a guy too long, or keep starting a guy every week, just because you want to prove that you were right at the beginning. You may be 0-3, but all you need to do is get into the playoffs…then, anything can happen.

Let’s quickly recap my picks from last week and then look ahead to Week 4. Once again, “Start Em” guys are QBs/TEs outside of the Top 12 and RBs/WRs outside of the Top 25. “Sit Em Guys” include QBs/TEs that are in the Top 12 and RBs/WRs that are in the Top 25.

Week Three Recap

Overall – 26 for 45 (58%)

Best Player Predictions: 3 for 4
Hits: Tom Brady, Maurice Jones-Drew, Rob Gronkowski
Misses: Brandon Marshall

Start Em Predictions: 2 for 4
Hits: Rex Grossman, Santana Moss,
Misses: Rashard Mendenhall, Brent Celek

Other Guys I Liked Predictions: 10 for 16
Hits: Matt Stafford, Matt Ryan, LeSean McCoy, Fred Jackson, Shonn Greene, Ray Rice, Larry Fitzgerald, Dustin Keller, Tony Gonzalez, Owen Daniels
Misses: Philip Rivers, Cam Newton, Reggie Wayne, AJ Green, Steve Smith, Jermaine Gresham

Worst Player Predictions: 3 for 4
Hits: Matt Cassell, Denarius Moore, Todd Heap
Misses: Colts’ RBs

Sit Em Predictions: 2 for 4
Hits: Jahvid Best, Dallas Clark,
Misses: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dwayne Bowe

Other Guys I Didn’t Like Predictions: 6 for 13
Hits: Donovan McNabb, Kerry Collins, Julio Jones, Jeremy Maclin, Santonio Holmes, Ben Watson
Misses: Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Darren McFadden, Packers’ Running Backs, Adrian Peterson, Scott Chandler, Jimmy Graham

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start Em, Sit Em Projections: Quarterbacks

Projected Best Performer: Matt Stafford
Stafford (as long as he stays healthy) will be a Top 5 Fantasy QB at the end of the year, and the Dallas secondary should provide little resistance. Expect a lot of points in this old-school battle of Thanksgiving Day football teams.

Matthew Stafford Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 375 yards, 4 TDs

Start Em QB: Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh’s appalling lack of commitment to the running game is one of the biggest surprises of this season. I’m not sure if their philosophy has changed (possible), if they have realized Mendenhall isn’t that good (very possible), if their offensive line has regressed yet again (probably), or if a combination of all three has happened (most likely). Either way, start Big Ben with confidence this week against the Texans.

Ben Roethlisberger Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 330 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Other Start ‘Em QBs for Week Four:

• Eli Manning – Lots of yards against Arizona’s porous secondary.
• Philip Rivers – Bounce back game after a lackluster game against the Chiefs
• Matt Hasselbeck – Expect him to play very well until the inevitable injury in week 8.
• Jay Cutler – Having a very solid season despite the storyline.

Projected Worst Performer: Kyle Orton
And you thought the Tebow chants were loud in week one? I almost feel bad for Orton at this point. A horrible game against Green Bay will about seal his fate and future with the Broncos.

Kyle Orton Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 180 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs

Sit Em QB: Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco has really come out with a huge season so far, and I actually expect it to continue. He has some very good weapons, and he appears to have made a “leap” of sorts. However, I just hate the matchup this week. The Jets will be angry and ready to prove to the world on Sunday Night Football that what happened in Oakland was a fluke.

Joe Flacco Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 225 Yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs

Other Sit ‘Em QBs for Week Four:

• Matt Cassel – Minnesota’s defense is underrated, and I think they will finally finish a game.
• Blaine Gabbert – Obvious reasons.
• Matt Schaub – Troy Polamalu looks really fast again…this is bad news for the rest of the league.
• Chad Henne – After a ho-hum win over Kansas City, San Diego’s entire team will rebound well this week.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start Em, Sit Em Projections: Running Backs

Projected Best Performer: Adrian Peterson
The best running back in the league is going against the worst team in the league…and his coach will probably ride him hard in order to not blow another huge lead.

Adrian Peterson Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 160 yards, 1 TD; 65 receiving yards, 1 TD

Start Em RB: BJGE – The Law Firm
I think the Pats’ passing attack is fantastic, but Coach Belichik also knows that they will eventually need to be able to run the ball once winter sets in. A lot of people will be expecting a lot of fast-paced drives and big plays in Oakland this week, but I think the Pats surprise a lot of people and start grinding it out a little more. Look for the Law Firm to have a big day.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 90 yards, 2 TDs; 65 receiving yards

Other Start ‘Em RBs for Week Four:

• Brandon Jacobs – He looked fresh on Sunday, and he’s also becoming more of a threat out of the backfield.
• Fred Jackson – Big day for Jackson against the Bengals.
• Jahvid Best – Massive day for Detroit players…yet again.
• Michael Turner – Playing the Seahawks…enough said.

Projected Worst Performer: Texans’ Running Backs
The Colts had a decent night running the ball because they had no other choice…and Pittsburgh wasn’t really prepared for it. The Texans, on the other hand, will try to establish their passing attack first, and if the Steelers shut it down, Houston will find itself trailing early. Add to that the fact that seemingly all of their running backs have nagging injuries, and I foresee a rough day for Houston RBs…no matter who is lined up in the backfield.

Ben Tate and Arian Foster Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 38 yards; 44 receiving yards

Sit Em RB: Ray Rice
I know I have been burned by doubting Ray Rice before, but I really hate their matchup this week against New York. I don’t expect the Ravens to get an early lead like they did against the Steelers, and I’m afraid that Rice will only get something like 11 carries and a few receptions this week. If that happens, Rice owners will be in for a long day.

Ray Rice Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 49 yards; 36 receiving yards

Other Sit ‘Em RBs for Week Four:

• Daniel Thomas – I need him to do it again against somebody legit.
• James Starks – I saw Ryan Grant in person this week…and he looks like he’s COMPLETELY back from injury. Look for the Packers to gradually stop splitting the load between the two backs.
• Denver Running Backs – Green Bay might have the best rushing defense in the league.
• Cowboys Running Backs – If Green Bay isn’t first, Detroit is.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start Em, Sit Em Projections: Wide Receivers

Projected Best Performer: Megatron
After last week’s performance, I’m penciling him into this spot until he blows out his knee in 4 places and even then…I will need to make sure he isn’t in the lineup.

Calvin Johnson Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 7 Catches for 145 yards and 2 TDs

Start Em WR: Plaxico Burress
Once again, Sanchez really loves him in the red zone, and I think he will get a lot of chances against Baltimore’s good, but smallish secondary.

Plaxico Burress Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 5 Catches for 75 yards and 2 TDs

Other Start ‘Em WRs for Week Four:

• Reggie Wayne – Painter is his guy…and he’s in the starting lineup.
• Roddy White – Finally the performance his owners have been waiting for.
• AJ Green – He’s good! I promise! Buffalo is also a good matchup for him.
• Wes Welker – As long as their TEs are banged up and Chad Ochocinco is an option, expect Welker to have monster days.

Projected Worst Performer: Sidney Rice
One of those games where nothing goes right for Seattle. You know, like all of their other games that don’t come against NFC West opponents.

Sidney Rice Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 3 catches for 25 yards

Sit Em WR: Dwayne Bowe
Minnesota’s secondary actually isn’t that bad. If you take out Megatron and one 60 yard reception by Best, Stafford actually had a pretty modest day against them. Well, Dwayne Bowe is not Megatron…and the Chiefs are awful. Bowe will be in for a long day against the Vikings.

Dwayne Bowe Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 4 catches for 38 yards.

Other Sit ‘Em WRs for Week Four:

• Chad Ochocinco – I just wanted to give myself an easy point for my record next week.
• Steve Smith 1.0 – Tough day for the Newtons.
• Jeremy Maclin – Just not the same player without Michael Vick, plus he’s injured and may not even play.
• Anquan Boldin – Revis Island.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start Em, Sit Em Projections: Tight Ends

Projected Best Performer: Rob Gronkowski
See above, Megatron.

Rob Gronkowski Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 12 catches for 120 yards and 1 TD.

Start Em TE: Greg Olsen
I witnessed, first hand, the worst safety in the league on Sunday: Craig Steltz for the Bears…and boy did he win that award easily. His biggest problem is covering tight ends, as evidenced by Jermichael Finley’s outstanding day. The Panthers won’t have a great day against the Bears, but expect big things from Olsen.

Greg Olsen Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 9 catches for 100 yards a 1 TD.

Other Start ‘Em TEs for Week Four:

• Jermichael Finley – He’s baaaa-aack.
• Jimmy Graham – He’s quickly becoming one of Brees’ favorite targets.
• Tony Gonzalez – Just a touchdown machine at this point. Even though I don’t like to chase touchdowns, Gonzo is almost good for one a game.
• Jermaine Gresham – Buffalo showed us last week that they have a hard time defending the pass, and especially tight ends.

Projected Worst Performer: Owen Daniels
Troy Polamalu is back to roving the middle of the field. This is bad news for Daniels.

Owen Daniels Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 3 catches for 15 yards.

Sit Em TE: Vernon Davis
Philly has done a very good job of defending tight ends this year. Besides Tony Gonzalez’s unbelievable catch on Monday Night Football, they have basically shut them down. Look for Davis to have a rough week this week against the Eagles.

Vernon Davis Fantasy Football Week 4 Projected Stats: 5 catches for 45 yards

Other Sit ‘Em TEs for Week Four:

• Heath Miller – Pitt’s WRs will get a lot more action this week.
• Ben Watson – I still don’t trust him.
• Kellen Winslow – Will be forced to help out with pass protection against Freeney and Mathis more than he wants.

Best of luck in Week 4! Pose your Week 4 questions below.

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Don’t miss the rest of our Fantasy Football Week 4 coverage:

• Week 4 Start Em, Sit Em Projections
• Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 4 Rankings

Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice: Quarterback

Matt Hasselbeck (29%), Tennessee

After another solid performance with 311 yards and two scores on Sunday, Hasselbeck has now completed nearly 70 percent of his passes this season while averaging 311 yards.  The loss of Kenny Britt is obviously huge, but he spread the ball around nicely once Britt went down, hitting 11 different receivers over the course of the game.

While his ceiling lowers without his go-to receiver, Hasselbeck still has some good matchups over the next few weeks, the Week Five tilt with Pittsburgh notwithstanding.

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Vince Young (3%), Philadelphia

While Michael Vick’s broken hand is not his throwing hand, I have a hard time thinking he will be able to receive snaps from center effectively enough to play next week.  [Update: The latest is that Vick's hand is not broken. More about his status will be known as the week goes on.] Given Mike Kafka’s struggles in limited action against the Giants, and the fact that Young’s injury hammy was healed enough for him to be available on Sunday, my money is on Young to get the nod against San Francisco next week.

Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg did a nice job of tailoring the offense to Vick’s strengths in the past, and they should be able to do the same for Young.  Given the matchup, he’s a decent fill-in option for at least a week.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice: Running Back

Montario Hardesty (21%), Cleveland

Peyton Hillis was a surprise scratch with strep throat, so the Browns got to give Hardesty a long look against Miami on Sunday.  While his numbers weren’t gaudy, they had to like what they saw with 67 yards on 14 carries to go with three receptions for 19 yards.

The Browns have made it no secret that they want to monitor Hillis’ workload to keep him fresh later in the season, and a performance like this from Hardesty makes that easier to do.  So even though Hillis’ ailment won’t cause him to miss additional games, Hardesty is worth a roster spot, particularly with some favorable matchups looming on the schedule.

Bernard Scott (12%), Cincinnati

This one depends solely on the outcome of Cedric Benson’s appeal of his three-game suspension, but assuming that is upheld, Scott will be the starter for the Bengals.  Scott performed well as Benson’s replacement for a couple games in 2009, and I am interested to see what he can do if given that opportunity again.

Cincinnati’s next three games are against Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis, which makes Scott a bit more enticing if he receives a relatively full workload.

Kendall Hunter (7%), San Francisco

Even before Frank Gore’s ankle injury, his performance was starting to make Hunter an intriguing pickup for those trying to stay a step or two ahead of their leaguemates.  Now that Gore’s status for next week is in question, Hunter becomes a must-add, particularly with Philly’s woeful run defense up next on the schedule.

Hunter had 38 total yards and a score in relief of Gore on Sunday and earned the nickname “Big Game Hunter” in college at Oklahoma State.  He has shown good burst and elusiveness and can also be an effective receiver in the passing game.

I like his chances to continue to earn more playing time, and he’s clearly ahead of Anthony Dixon, who didn’t touch the ball even with Gore hurting.

Stevan Ridley (3%), New England

It’s only one week, but Ridley was considerably more effective than BenJarvus Green-Ellis on Sunday.  While BJGE managed just 16 yards on nine carries and was stuffed at the goal line, Ridley rekindled shades of his preseason performance with 44 yards on seven carries.  At the very least, he’s earned himself a larger share of the backfield touches in the short-term with the potential to wrestle the job away for Green-Ellis for good.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice: Wide Receiver

David Nelson (49%), Buffalo

By the time you read this, Nelson may well have climbed over the 50 percent ownership mark.  I listed him after a breakout performance in Week Two, and he followed that up with a solid showing against the Patriots, catching six of his eight targets for 84 yards.

Nelson remains a strong PPR league option while catching passes from The Amish Rifle, and he has another good matchup against the Bengals next week.

Nate Washington (27%), Tennessee

I included Washington in this column last week, and his performance on Sunday, coupled with the injury to Kenny Britt, reaffirms his place here.  He caught eight passes on a team-high nine targets for 92 yards and a score.  Washington has at least six receptions in each game and has eclipsed the 90-yard mark the past two weeks.

The past has taught us that he is miscast as a number one receiver, but there aren’t exactly a ton of options in the Tennessee passing game at this point.  Look for consistent targets from here on out for Washington, who should see his ownership skyrocket this week.

Steve Smith (14%), Philadelphia

Lost amidst the injury news on Vick was the fact that Jeremy Maclin left the game with a hamstring injury.  Early indications are that he won’t play next week, and with Riley Cooper also banged up, Smith may be a starter by default.  The quarterback situation is up in the air, but the opportunity will be there alongside Desean Jackson.  Smith is still working his way back into shape, and his targets are on the rise.

Torrey Smith (9%), Baltimore

The Ravens drafted the speedy Smith to help them stretch the field, but when he struggled with drops in the preseason, the team went after Lee Evans instead.  With Evans sidelined, Smith stepped into the starting lineup and went off for five catches, 152 yards, and three touchdowns.

He is sure to be snatched up in most leagues this week (and rightfully so), but before you go overboard remember a couple things: one, he had zero catches the first two weeks; two, the knock on him has been his ability to consistently catch the ball; three, the Jets are up next on the schedule.  Again, not saying you can’t go after him, but temper your expectations.

Brandon Gibson (5%), St. Louis

There were very few bright spots for the Rams on Sunday, but Gibson did catch the team’s lone TD pass.  He now has at least 50 receiving yards in all three games this season, and the Rams will be forced to keep airing it out with Steven Jackson banged up and their defense in shambles.

Victor Cruz (4%), New York Giants

The only thing tougher to come by than a healthy Giants wideout is someone who actually wants to see Real Steel.  Cruz, who starred in the 2010 preseason, caught three passes for 110 yards and two scores against the vaunted Eagles secondary.  The first score, a 74-yard catch and run, was helped by some shoddy tackling, but he certainly showed he can be a viable receiving option for the Giants.

If Mario Manningham misses additional games (or maybe even if he doesn’t), Cruz has some value thanks to upcoming games against Arizona, Seattle, and Buffalo.

Michael Jenkins (2%), Minnesota

You might see the nine catches and 88 yards and be tempted to go pick him up.  Don’t.

Donald Jones (2%), Buffalo

With The Amish Rifle under center (yes, I love that nickname), there are intriguing options abound in the Buffalo passing games.  Jones tied Steve Johnson with a team-high 10 targets on Sunday, which he was able to parlay into five catches and 101 yards.  The aforementioned David Nelson will be the far more consistent of the two options, but Jones does have some big play ability for those in deeper leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice: Tight End

Jared Cook (30%), Tennessee

With Britt out, it’s now or never for Cook.  Tennessee coaches talked about getting him more involved in the offseason, but so far he has just five receptions for 56 yards.  Cook is an athletic freak and has the size to take over for Britt as a prime redzone target.  Based on that opportunity, he’s worth a prospective add to see if he can become a larger part of the gameplan.

Jermaine Gresham (26%), Cincinnati

Things have been up and down for Gresham this season, but he has three matchups coming up against teams who have been victimized by opposing tight ends in recent weeks.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Atlanta (44%) vs. Seattle

I honestly don’t know how the Cardinals allowed Seattle to get a touchdown and score 13 points, but the Falcons are better defensively and can’t afford to fall to 1-3.

Tennessee (16%) at Cleveland

The Titans have yet to allow more than 14 points to an opponent this season, and it’s not as if the Browns have been lighting up the scoreboard.

Tampa Bay (9%) vs. Indianapolis

It was a spirited performance by the Colts on Sunday night, but they are ripe for a letdown as they head down to Florida.  No matter who suits up a quarterback, turnovers are pretty much a given, which makes the Bucs a solid option after they played so well against Atlanta on Sunday.

Have any questions or feedback?  Leave them in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter (@andybottoms).

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Don’t miss the rest of our Fantasy Football Week 4 coverage:

• Week 4 Start Em, Sit Em Projections
• Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 4 Rankings

Now today our Week 3 fantasy football analysis continues.

I just posted the consensus Week 3 player rankings, and now I am going to highlight several sleepers hiding on the waiver wire or on your bench who you need to consider putting in your lineups for Week 3.

If you missed the $250 MSF Week 1 Freeroll Challenge at FanDuel, shame on you. But the good news is that we are doing another one in Week 3! Details here.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Sleeper Picks

QB Sleeper Pick: Matt Hasselbeck, Tennessee

Last week, Hasselbeck led the Titans to a trouncing of heavily favored Baltimore with a terrific day that included 358 passing yards a touchdown. This followed up an auspicious first start for the Titans in which he tossed two touchdowns in a loss to Jacksonville. The Titans next opponent is a Denver Broncos team that made rookie Andy Dalton look like Drew Brees (332 passing yards, 2 TDs).

So what’s not to like about Hasselbeck in Week 3?

Not only does Hasselbeck have one of the league’s most talented wideouts in Kenny Britt, he also has the proven Nate Washington on the other side, plus emerging tight end Jared Cook in the middle. Oh, and there is that guy in the backfield…Chris Johnson. He hasn’t even gotten going yet, but he already has nine receptions on the season, any of which he could take to the house once he’s back in the flow.

A lot of people have been asking about Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, Eli Manning, and Kevin Kolb this week. I’d start Hasselbeck over any of them in Week 3.

RB Sleeper Pick: Delone Carter, Indianapolis

Hear me out on this one, because as soon as you see that Carter is playing Pittsburgh you are going to feel like running for the hills; and that’s a good, astute knee-jerk reaction to have, so kudos. But there are reasons to like Carter as we move forward in 2011, and possibly even for this week if you’re desperate for RB help.

People have been speculating since the preseason that Carter would emerge as the go-to back in Indy this year, even before it was known that Peyton Manning would be out. Joseph Addai doesn’t really inspire confidence in anyone, Donald Brown may not even be in the league anymore, and Carter is the Colts’ last chance to address their moribund running game before going outside of their current roster. Not surprisingly, Carter’s workload has been increasing.

In Week 1, Carter carried 6 times for 25 yards. In Week 2, he carried 11 times for 46 yards. I think that Carter getting double-digit carries is a trend that will continue, especially as Indy’s season spirals further and further down the Peyton-less 2011 toilet. That spiral will continue Sunday night in what most people expect will be a blowout loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers. If that blowout does happen, it means the Colts will have an opportunity to put up some garbage time yards and perhaps even get a garbage score at the end of the game. Who better to take advantage than the young RB???

Unlikely conjecture notwithstanding, I’ll admit that the thought of starting Carter this week gives me little excitement, but I do think this is a guy who will have some value once the bye weeks roll around. If you can find a spot on your roster for him, I would.

WR Sleeper Pick: David Nelson, Buffalo

After a terrific Week 2 performance, a lot of people are talking about David Nelson this week; so if he’s a sleeper, then he is now sleeping very lightly. Still, after reading this article by Ken Daube for ESPN, I don’t think Nelson is getting enough attention for his Week 3 potential.

Here are a couple of stat lines I want you to pay attention to that are relevant to Nelson’s Week 3 matchup against the New England Patriots:

• 7 receptions, 139 yards, 6’4, 230 pounds
• 10 receptions, 172 yards, 6’5, 230 pounds

The first line is Brandon Marshall’s Week 1 performance against the Patriots, followed by his size and weight. The second line is Vincent Jackon’s Week 2 performance against the Patriots, followed by his size and weight.

David Nelson is 6’5, 215 pounds, and he is coming off a game in which he caught 10 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. Do you see a parallel here? I do. Add in the fact that he had 4 catches for 66 yards in Week 1 – showing that his Week 2 production wasn’t fluky – and we have all the makings of a guy who should have a strong day playing in a Week 3 game that has SHOOTOUT written all over it.

TE Sleeper Pick: Zach Miller, Seattle

I’m not particularly excited about recommending anyone from Seattle, but there is reason to believe that Zach Miller and his three total 2011 receptions could – could – offer some value this week; and that reason is the Arizona Cardinals defense. Currently the Cardinals are giving up 13 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. Sure, it’s only through two weeks, but they were in the bottom half of the league in this stat last year too. With Sidney Rice ailing and nary an offensive weapon elsewhere on this team, maybe this will be the week that TJack finally gets TEZack involved.

Remember, Zach Miller has caught at least 56 balls for three straight years, all in Oakland where his quarterbacking wasn’t much better than it is now. This guy can produce. Perhaps this will be the week he reminds us.

D/ST Sleeper Pick: Cincinnati Bengals

There are several reasons to like the Bengals’ defense this week if you are a D/ST streamer:

• The 49ers have to travel from the West Coast and play in the early game, which is often a recipe for sloppy offensive performances.
• The 49ers’ offense itself is a recipe for sloppy offensive performances.
• Alex Smith.
• Braylon Edwards is out and Michael Crabtree has been banged up, meaning that Vernon Davis is the only threat in the passing game who won’t be rusty.

The Bengals aren’t world-beaters on defense, but you at least know they won’t give up tons of points. If you can guarantee yourself 5-10 points from a streamed D/ST unit, with upside for more, that’s not too shabby. That’s what you have here.

Now you tell me:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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Stay caught up with all of our Week 3 fantasy football analysis:

• Week 3 Start em, Sit em Projections
• Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 3 Stats to Know
• Week 3 Fantasy Football Talk Start/Sit Podcast
• Week 3 Player Rankings at QB, RB, WR, TE, K, and D/ST
• Week 3 Sleeper Picks

Luckily, a number of options emerged on Sunday, so here is the Week 3 list of potential pickups that are owned in less than half of Yahoo! Leagues.

Update: Jon’s Week 3 Start Em, Sit Em projections are posted. Click here!

If you missed the $250 MSF Week 1 Freeroll Challenge at FanDuel, shame on you. But the good news is that we’ll be doing another one in Week 3! Details to come soon.

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Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice: Quarterback

Rex Grossman (21%), Washington

While a pair of first half interceptions hurt his fantasy output (although Anthony Armstrong should have caught one of them), Grossman still threw for close to 300 yards and two scores.  In the last five games, he now has 1,436 passing yards and 11 touchdowns.

Next up for Sexy Rexy are the Cowboys, who got lit up by Mark Sanchez in Week One and gave up two TDs to Alex Smith this week.

Matt Hasselbeck (17%)

I threw out Hasselbeck as a waiver option prior to the season opener, and he has done nothing to change my opinion.  He threw for a pair of TDs against the Jags and then completed better than 70 percent of his passes against Baltimore for 358 yards and a score on Sunday.

Defenses continue to focus on stopping Chris Johnson, and Hasselbeck is taking advantage with Kenny Britt as the main beneficiary.  The Titans face Denver and Cleveland the next couple weeks, making Hasselbeck a potential option if you’re in a pinch.

Andy Dalton (5%)

Obviously this is only for those in deep leagues, but I was impressed with Dalton on Sunday.  A poor Denver defense also played a role, but Dalton deserves credit for playing through a wrist injury and racking up 332 passing yards and two touchdowns.  Most importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over and made a number of nice plays.

What makes him more intriguing is the list of his next five opponents: San Francisco, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, and Seattle.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice: Running Back

Thomas Jones (34%)/Dexter McCluster (24%)/Le’Ron McClain (0%), Kansas City

With Jamaal Charles done for the season pending MRI results, owners will be rushing to pick up his replacement.  And while the Kansas City offense has done little to make said replacement all that desirable, I’m here to talk you through it.

Thomas Jones seems like the obvious choice, but his ceiling is incredibly low.  His skills are clearly on the decline, and he is barely averaging over 3.0 yards per carry.

McCluster, who qualifies at both running back and wide receiver in Yahoo! leagues, is the closest thing to Charles in terms of big play ability.  He has 93 rushing yards on just 12 carries (although most on reverses or misdirection plays as opposed to straight handoffs) along with nine receptions for 23 yards.  McCluster is a potential homerun hitter, but he also has lost a fumble in both games this season.  He’s definitely worth a look in PPR leagues with the Chiefs likely to be frequently playing from behind.

Don’t count out McClain, who ran for 902 yards and 10 TDs for the Ravens in 2008.  He ran for 15 yards on four carries against the Lions and added a pair of receptions.  In deep leagues, he’s worth a prospective add at this point with the hopes he wrestles the job away from Jones and gets the goal line work.

Roy Helu (21%), Washington

Tim Hightower hasn’t really done anything to lose the starting job for the Redskins, but he found himself on the sidelines toward the end of the game in favor of the rookie Helu, apparently because Hightower was “tired.”  Hightower still saw 20 carries, but Helu’s explosiveness helped ignite the Washington comeback.  He rushed for 74 yards on 10 carries and added three catches for 38 yards.

Helu is absolutely worth a roster spot to find out if he can build on this performance and eventually overtake Hightower.  Inserting Helu into the starting lineup certainly wouldn’t be the craziest decision Mike Shanahan ever made.

Delone Carter (17%), Indianapolis

Another guy I listed leading up to Week One, Carter had 11 carries for 46 yards in the Colts’ loss to Cleveland.  The game, while ugly, was close, so the fact that Carter got nearly as many carries as Joseph Addai is a good sign for the rookie runner.  Addai was still relatively effective, but in what is going to be a lost season for Indy, they owe it to themselves to see what they have in Carter.  He’s an extremely tough runner who is worth stashing on your bench.

DeMarco Murray (9%), Dallas

According to Chris Mortenson, Felix Jones separated his shoulder against San Francisco on Sunday.  While Jones reentered the game, Murray and Tashard Choice would see increased workloads if Jones winds up missing any games, which is not outside the realm of possibility.  Both guys had seven touches in relief of Jones, but Murray was more effective on the ground and has more upside.  The team remains committed to Jones, but his injury history is enough to make Murray relevant in fantasy leagues.

Isaac Redman (2%), Pittsburgh

While most of his value comes as a handcuff to Rashard Mendenhall, Redman showed this week that he has the potential to produce even when Mendenhall is healthy.  Redman ripped off a 20-yard touchdown run in the first half and finished with 49 yards in a blowout win over Seattle.  It’s also worth noting that Mendenhall got stuffed on a couple goal line carries before eventually converting one, so keep an eye on Redman’s use in those situations.  Regardless, with the Colts up next, Redman has a great opportunity to get double-digit touches in what should be another mismatch.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice: Wide Receiver

Jerome Simpson (20%), Cincinnati

After a strong finish to last season, Simpson had just 44 yards in Week One.  Thanks in large part to an 84-yard grab, he bounced back with four catches and 136 yards against Denver.  He did have nine targets for the second straight week, but after a 10-catch performance it’s clear A.J. Green is the go-to receiver for Andy Dalton.  Still, Simpson has big play ability and has a favorable schedule coming up.  Just don’t expect a lot of consistency, and you won’t be disappointed.

Eric Decker (12%), Denver

With Brandon Lloyd inactive and Eddie Royal dinged up, Decker was virtually the only option left for Kyle Orton.  Decker caught three balls for 53 yards in the opener before blowing up for 113 yards and two scores against the Bengals.  Things will only improve for him once Lloyd is back to draw coverage from opposing defenses.  Royal has been a disappointment since his rookie season, so look for Decker to hang onto the starting job even when Royal gets healthy.

Denarius Moore (11%), Oakland

Much like the Broncos, healthy receivers were pretty hard to come by for Oakland.  Moore earned rave reviews in the preseason but was used sparingly in the opener.  Jason Campbell looked his way early and often against the Bills, resulting in a five-catch, 146-yard day for the rookie wideout.  He caught a 50-yard bomb for a TD and nearly hauled in a Hail Mary on the final play of the game.  Moore added 25 yards on the ground, and the Raiders would need to institute tougher drug-testing for their coaches if Moore isn’t in the starting lineup even once Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jacoby Ford are healthy.

Nate Washington (9%), Tennessee

As I mentioned above with Hasselbeck, there are plenty of opportunities for the Tennessee receivers given how much defenses are focused on Chris Johnson.  And with Kenny Britt drawing the bulk of the attention in the secondary, Washington has put together a couple good games.  He saw 11 targets on Sunday and now has 13 receptions for 166 yards this season.  Again, the schedule is favorable in the coming weeks, making Washington a solid option as an injury fill-in.

David Nelson (4%), Buffalo

Nelson’s game-winning TD capped a career day where he caught 10 balls for 83 yards in what was the most entertaining game of the day.  Nelson also had 66 yards in the opener, and he took advantage of an ankle injury to Roscoe Parrish, who is expected to miss at least a few weeks.

At 6-foot-5, Nelson has great size for a slot receiver and will benefit from playing alongside Steve Johnson.  Keep in mind that Johnson has also been nursing an injury and limped off the field late in the game on Sunday.  The Bills will need to throw it a lot against New England next week, making Nelson an intriguing pickup, particularly in PPR leagues.

Brandon LaFell (2%), Carolina

If there was any doubt after Week One, there is not anymore: Cam Newton is the real deal.  While he continues to feed the ball to Steve Smith, LaFell racked up 70 receiving yards in the opener and had 49 more to go with a TD against the Packers.  For now, he’s only rosterable in deep leagues, but if Newton is going to keep up his current pace, someone has to be on the receiving end.

Kevin Ogletree (0%), Dallas

I mentioned Ogletree last week within the context of Dez Bryant’s injury.  With Bryant sidelined for Sunday’s game, Ogletree caught two passes for 50 yards.  The most notable development from that game was Miles Austin re-pulling his hamstring.  According to Chris Mortenson, the Cowboys fear Austin may be out until after Dallas’ Week Five bye, which means more of Ogletree in the starting lineup.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice: Tight End

Fred Davis (17%), Washington

I’m not quite lazy enough to just copy and paste what I wrote about Davis last week, but here are a few noteworthy points.  Davis has TDs in three of the last four games with Grossman as the QB.  He continues to see more targets than Chris Cooley and has shown the ability to be a consistent fantasy producer in the past.  On Sunday, he hauled in six of his seven targets for 86 yards and a score.

The Cowboys gave up solid fantasy numbers to Dustin Keller in Week One, so the matchup is decent next week as well.  He’s definitely an option for Aaron Hernandez owners since it sounds as if he will be out this week.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Arizona (19%)

They play against Seattle and Tarvaris Jackson next week.  That’s all you need to know.

Tennessee (6%)

The Titans have allowed 29 points in two weeks and have tallied five sacks and four turnovers as well.  Denver is next up on the schedule, and the Broncos’ offense has been injury-riddled and inconsistent so far.

Have any questions or feedback?  Leave them in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter (@andybottoms).

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Stay caught up with all of our Week 3 fantasy football analysis:

• Week 3 Start em, Sit em Projections
• Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 3 Stats to Know
• Week 3 Fantasy Football Talk Start/Sit Podcast
• Week 3 Player Rankings at QB, RB, WR, TE, K, and D/ST
• Week 3 Sleeper Picks

When those things go wrong – and from time to time they will – you’ll turn to the waiver wire in your moment of need.  And that’s why I’ll be here at the beginning of each week to highlight players owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.

If you haven’t signed up yet to participated in the $250 MSF Week 1 Freeroll Challenge at FanDuel, click here to do so now! (For more information click here.)

It’s free to enter, you get to compete against MSF writer and readers, and $250 in prizes will be awarded. What could be better than that?

As luck would have it, we just held our 14-team auction for many of the MSF writers, and since my strategy eventually morphed into a modified version of “stars and scrubs,” my bench is weak to put it kindly.  That means I’ll have a chance to practice what I preach here, as I troll the waiver wire right along with you.

Although the season hasn’t started yet, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be looking to improve your roster.  A handful of players on the wire are potential starting options this week, while others can be speculative pickups or simply guys to monitor early in the season.

Here are a few guys to check out heading into Week One:

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice for Week 1: Quarterback

Colt McCoy (38%), Cleveland

Putting too much stock in preseason stats can be dangerous, but McCoy was sharp in his first experience with Cleveland’s new offense, completing better than 60 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and one interception.

However, the real allure for McCoy is Cleveland’s early schedule.  The Browns start the season with games against Cincinnati, at Indianapolis, and home versus Miami and Tennessee before a Week Five bye.  It doesn’t get much tougher from there until four of the final five games coming against Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Still, in the wake of the latest Peyton Manning injury news, McCoy gives you a chance to get off to a hot start.  You can worry about the end of the season when you get there.

Matt Hasselbeck (16%), Tennessee

Sure, Hasselbeck didn’t throw for a touchdown in the preseason, but he also played just two series with Kenny Britt and didn’t have Chris Johnson in the backfield.  He also has a nice opening week matchup against a Jaguars secondary that was absolutely horrendous in the preseason.  That doesn’t mean he’s a great start outside of two-QB leagues quite yet, but he’s proven to be a reliable option in the past, which makes him worth watching as a backup.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice for Week 1: Running Back

Ben Tate (43%)/Derrick Ward (7%), Houston

Unless you’ve been incarcerated (see: Benson, Cedric) or otherwise deposed for the past week, you know all about Arian Foster’s balky hamstring and the myriad of opinions on how significantly it’s damaged.  As you can see from the ownership percentages, popular opinion has tipped the scales toward Ben Tate, but as Sigmund Bloom of Footballguys.com pointed out on Twitter last week, Ward is officially listed as the second-string running back.

Few would argue that Tate is the more talented of the two, but the fact remains that there are pass protection concerns with him.  So if you’re looking for help in the short-term, go for Ward.  If you’re prospecting for long-term gain, Tate is your guy, but don’t forget that he isn’t without injury risk after missing last season with a knee injury.

Roy Helu (34%), Washington

Tim Hightower has emerged as the starter in Washington, and for now, he’s the guy to own.  That said, he has a history of fumble problems, and the mere mention of Mike Shanahan’s name is enough to reduce some fantasy owners to tears.  Helu’s running style meshes well with the Redskins’ blocking scheme, which makes him worth a prospective pickup.

Jerome Harrison (22%), Detroit

If history has taught us anything, it’s that I have a better chance of riding a unicorn to work on Friday than Jahvid Best does of staying healthy for the bulk of the season.  Harrison racked up over 1,000 total yards for Cleveland in 2009 and was decent in spot duty for the Eagles last year, so he’s not exactly a stiff.

Delone Carter (21%), Indianapolis

I have yet to end up with Carter in any leagues, despite my strong belief that he is the guy to own in the Indy backfield.  Remove Donald Brown from the equation; he’s now an afterthought.  That leaves Joseph Addai, who the Colts brought back on a one-year deal, but his future in Indy is tenuous beyond that.  And with Peyton Manning’s situation getting worse with every report, the Colts may opt to lean more heavily on the run game in an attempt to minimize the damage Kerry Collins can do.  Carter is a solid goal line option as well and has a legit shot to become the feature back by the end of the year.

Bernard Scott (6%), Cincinnati

If history has taught us anything, it’s that I have a better chance of riding a unicorn to work on Friday than Cedric Benson does of staying out of trouble.  Too soon to use that again?  Regardless, Benson was grossly ineffective last season, and like Addai, he was only signed to a one-year deal.  Scott showed flashes in the preseason and brings another level of athleticism to the mix that fits better with the Bengals new offensive scheme.

Deji Karim (5%), Jacksonville

With Rashad Jennings out for the season, Karim is the guy to own if you don’t believe in the health of Maurice Jones-Drew’s knee.  And I don’t.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice for Week 1: Wide Receivers

Nate Burleson (44%), Detroit

The Lions have become a trendy pick after a solid stretch of preseason performances, and with Calvin Johnson as the focal point for opposing defenses, Burleson should see plenty of single coverage.  He parlayed that into three preseason touchdowns, which should have earned his way onto more rosters.  Burleson caught six TDs last season and has proven to be an effective receiver when healthy.  Get him before it’s too late.

Antonio Brown (28%), Pittsburgh

Few players made a bigger leap onto the fantasy landscape this preseason than Brown, who made the most of extra opportunities with Emmanuel Sanders sidelined following foot surgery.  Sanders is back now, but he’ll need to wrestle the number three receiver role away from Brown, who racked up 230 yards and three scores in the exhibition season.  Hines Ward is on the downside of his career, and Brown has clearly earned Ben Roethlisberger’s trust along with some glowing reviews throughout training camp.  The Steelers throw more than most people think, and Brown has speed to burn against nickel and dime corners.

Greg Little (21%), Cleveland

Even before missing all of last season at North Carolina, Little was a work in progress at receiver.  Despite being raw, he’s shown flashes for the Browns over the course of the preseason, and if anyone in that receiving corps has the potential to become a clear-cut top target, it’s Little.  As I mentioned above with Colt McCoy, the schedule is favorable, but you need to let Little sit on your bench or the waiver wire until we get a better idea of how involved in the offense he’ll be.

Denarius Moore (15%), Oakland

At least one Raiders beat writer said Moore was the best player on the field at times during training camp, and even though that’s like being named soberest guy at the infield of a NASCAR race, it has earned him a high post in the Oakland pecking order.  He’s certainly not a guy you can count on yet, but the upside is there.

Andre Roberts (7%), Arizona

If you’re skeptical that Beanie Wells can hold up as a feature back, that means you’ve actually followed his career and/or seen him play.  Either way, the Cardinals figure to throw a lot with Kevin Kolb in the mix, and Larry Fitzgerald will draw most of the defensive attention.  That leaves Roberts to compete with the oft-injured Early Doucet and the aging Todd Heap for targets, which makes him someone to keep an eye on.

Brandon Gibson (3%), St. Louis

To my surprise, Gibson caught at least three passes in nine straight games to end last season and finished with 620 receiving yards.  With the much-publicized addition of Josh McDaniels as Offensive Coordinator, Sam Bradford is expected to air out in his second season.  Gibson is listed as one of the team’s starting wideouts, and the opportunity is there to post solid, but likely unspectacular, numbers.

Dezmon Briscoe (1%), Tampa Bay

With Arrelious Benn still recovering from knee surgery, Briscoe seized the opportunity this preason.  He’s slated to start alongside Mike Williams and has developed a nice rapport with Josh Freeman.  Another guy to monitor as the season gets underway.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice for Week 1: Tight Ends

Lance Kendricks (30%), St. Louis

All this rookie from Wisconsin did was lead the Rams in receptions, yards, and touchdowns this preseason.  He was one of the nation’s top tight ends in college and looks to be a major part of the St. Louis passing game already.  Just another example of how deep tight end is this season.

Evan Moore (2%), Cleveland

He may be listed as the Browns’ backup tight end, but Moore is being used all over the field on offense in an effort to create mismatches.  In fact, the team’s official site recently predicted him as the team’s leading receiver.  That may be a long shot, but he caught a pair of TDs in the preseason and will be one of the team’s top targets in what is expected to be an improved passing game. 

Unfortunately, the eternal King of Pop is no longer with us (he would have turned 53 just a few days ago on August 29th), and he thus he will never be able to follow in the footsteps of Bruce Springsteen, The Who, John Mellencamp, and others who have taken to the Super Bowl stage as older musicians, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t weave the musical brilliance of Michael Jackson into a post about the National Football League.

So enjoy this homage to my favorite musician of all time, Michael Jackson, as we kick off our coverage of the 2011 NFL season. Here are all 32 Week One starting QBs in the NFL…as Michael Jackson songs.

AFC East

Tom Brady (NE) – “Blame It On The Boogie”

There are high hopes for the reigning NFL MVP heading into 2011. Coming off of the second best statistical season of his career, but yet another playoff loss, it feels like there is more urgency to capture Super Bowl #4 for he and Brilliant Bill. (How else do you explain bringing in a certified turd like Albert Haynesworth?)

However, if you are a Patriots fan, how much confidence can you have after seeing your quarterback dance like this during the offseason?

Is there any kind of historical precedent for a superstar NFL quarterback being videotaped dancing in such a sacless manner and then winning a Super Bowl? I can’t think of one.

So if things do not go as planned in New England this year – and let’s be honest, the plan is Super Bowl or Bust, as it always should be when you have Brady and Belichick – then Patriots fans can simply blame it on the (Brady) boogie.

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Mark Sanchez (NYJ) – “Mama’s Pearl”

Ever since Jets mama bear Rex Ryan named Mark Sanchez his Week 1 starter before Sanchez’s rookie season, the coach has joined Jets supporters across the nation in making excuse after excuse for Sanchez’s overall poor play. For his career, Sanchez has completed just 54.4% of his passes and has thrown four more INTs than he has thrown touchdowns.

Of course, the immediate counter-argument is that Sanchez has also played in his conference’s championship games the last two season, something no other QB in the NFL can say. And as long as the Jets keep on winning, even if Sanchez’s stats and overall play remain underwhelming, in the eyes of mother bear Rex his young QB will undoubtedly remain mama’s pearl.

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Chad Henne (MIA) – “Bad”

To say that Chad Henne has been a disappointment to Dolphins fans would be a gross understatement. His 27:33 career TD:INT ratio has been, in a word, bad. His inability to make good decisions in the red zone has been even worse.

But in Michael Jackson’s song “Bad” he is not singing about someone who sucks. MJ is singing about being a badass. And hey, despite being scrawny, certifiably kooky, and even at times somewhat effeminate, Michael Jackson was a badass.

But can Chad Henne come anything close to badass?

Chad Henne has two choices in 2011: he can either continue being bad in the literal sense of the word, or he can carry his impressive preseason play into the regular season and be bad. Like, say, Drew Brees bad (which actually means good, in this case). And there’s precedent, so says no less an authority than the great Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders and Grantland fame.

No pressure Chad; it’s only the entire Dolphins’ season riding on which “bad” you choose.

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Ryan Fitzpatrick (BUF) – “They Don’t Care About Us”

Ryan Fitzpatrick is still the quarterback in Buffalo, and he is actually more productive than most people give him credit for. However, I’ll reiterate: he plays in Buffalo, which is why many people don’t give him or any other Bills player much credit.

The Bills and their fans would not be wrong to say they don’t care about us in relation to the attention they receive from the national football media at large. But, of course, it’s hard to garner much attention when you don’t win games.

Sure, people cared about the Buffalo Bills at one time, back when they were running roughshod over the AFC on their way to four straight Super Bowls, when the “K-Gun” offense was the cat’s pajamas. But now? Like I said, other than residents of Buffalo and Toronto, no one really cares.

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AFC North

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) – “Ben” and “Dirty Diana”

Obviously young MJ’s classic song “Ben” is a perfect fit for the player NFL analysts refer to simply by his first name, Ben. So let’s just get that out of the way right now.

But stopping at “Ben” for Ben Roethlisberger would be a copout. And we’re not coupouters here at MSF, so we’ll provide a second song for Mr. Roethlisberger aka Bathroom Ben.

And really, what song other than “Dirty Diana” would be appropriate for someone whose idea of a good time is getting drunk with random dirty Dianas and engaging in relations in the bathroom of a bar?

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Joe Flacco (BAL) – “Beat It”

Do you realize that this Bert doppelganger has completed 62% of his passes and has a solid 60:34 TD:INT ratio for his three-year career? It’s quite possible, perhaps even probable, that Joe Flacco is the most underrated QB in the NFL.

But the stats are just a small part of it.

As we know, QBs are judged by wins and losses. Well, all Joe Flacco has done is beat it — the opposing team that it is — in two-thirds of the regular season games he has started. He has also won a playoff game in each of his three seasons in the NFL. Even the highly acclaimed Matt Ryan can’t beat that.

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Colt McCoy (CLE) – “Little Bitty Pretty One”

The second-year player for the Browns stands just 6’1, which is just an inch taller than noted shorty Drew Brees. The cherubic McCoy also holds the Super Bowl (heck, Wild Card) aspirations of a starving Browns fan base on his little bitty pretty shoulders, as a town desperate for a solid QB and a winning team hopes that McCoy is the answer to its collective prayers.

And yes, I know that the Jackson 5 version of “Little Bitty Pretty One” is a cover of a Frankie Lymon song, but seeing as how Browns fans would be ecstatic if McCoy simply ends up being a cover of their beloved Bernie Kosar, it seems appropriate.

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Andy Dalton (CIN) – “She’s Out of My Life”

In this case, it’s actually a he, not a she, that is out of Dalton and Bengals’ fans lives. And the he in question is Carson Palmer, who has chosen to retire rather than subject himself to anymore Bengals nonsense (assuming he doesn’t make a surprise 11th hour visit to camp).

Of course, while Bengals owner Mike Brown seems to be happily chirping He’s out of my life in reference to Palmer, other observers are criticizing Brown’s “damned indecision and cursed pride” seeing as how he could have traded Palmer and gotten something for him rather than wasting one of the team’s few valuable assets.

Now it’s up to the rookie Dalton to lead the Palmer-less and Ochocinco-less Bengals into 2011. For Bengals fans, it will probably just be another wicked season that “cuts like a knife”, and by Week 8 Bengals fans may be wishing the franchise, or at least the much-maligned Brown, was out of their life.

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AFC South

Peyton Manning (IND) – “Smooth Criminal”

Is anyone smoother at running an offense than Peyton Manning? It’s almost criminal the way he picks apart opposing defenses as if he’s stolen their signals or planted a bug in their huddle.

Regardless, the reason why “Smooth Criminal” is the MJ song perfect for Peyton in 2011 is because all you have to do is substitute one word in the song to make it an almost perfect reenactment of every time the Colts QB has met with the press this offseason.

Peyton Are You OK?
So, Peyton Are You OK
Are You OK, Peyton
Peyton Are You OK?
So, Peyton Are You OK
Are You OK, Peyton
Peyton Are You OK?
So, Peyton Are You OK?
Are You OK, Peyton?
Peyton Are You OK?
So, Peyton Are You Ok, Are You Ok, Peyton?

Well Peyton? Are you? ARE YOU? We’ll find out Week 1.

And if Peyton is okay, and doesn’t miss a start, then the true “smooth criminal” will be Kerry Collins for getting paid $4 million to do…what, exactly?

Matt Schaub (HOU) – “Can You Feel It”

It seems like every year is the Texans’ year.

“No really, this will be the season that Kubiak, Schaub, Johnson, Williams, et al, finally put it together and make the franchise’s first playoff appearance.”

“No, no, this will be the year. Seriously!”

With questions surrounding Peyton Manning’s health, and vultures sure to circle Lucas Oil Stadium should Peyton have to miss any time, this year really could be the year in Houston.

Seriously. For real. I can almost feel it; can you feel it? This year actually will be THE year for the Texans. I even predicted it!

———

Matt Hasselbeck (TEN) – “One More Chance”

Matt Hasselbeck took the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl appearance and gave Seattle, for the most part, above average play at the QB position on a consistent basis for the better part of a decade. Yet despite leading the Seahawks to an unexpected playoff berth and an even more unexpected playoff win last year, he was jettisoned so that Seattle could move on to the…Tarvarlie Jackhurst Era. Win forever!

Hasselbeck landed on his feet though, taking over for the departed Vincerry Youngins in Tennessee. Sure, he’s just keeping the seat warm for Jake Locker, and may not even last the whole season as the starter, but at least Hasselback gets one more chance to lead a team.

Good for him. He’s earned it.

———

David Garrard (JAC) – “Somebody’s Watching Me”

Poor David Garrard. No matter what this guy does, he just can never seem to earn himself any job security.

Last year, Garrard completed 64.5% of his passes, threw 23 touchdowns, and had a QB rating of 90.8, keeping the Jags in the playoff hunt until their pathetic defense collapsed during a three-game skid to end the season. And how was Garrard repaid for his solid season? Jacksonville went out and drafted Blaine Gabbert in the first round, meaning Garrard gets to spend yet another season looking over his shoulder with somebody watching him.

Ironically, Jacksonville is one of the worst NFL franchises when it comes to attendance and avoiding blackouts, so perhaps a song called “Nobody’s Watching Me” would have been more appropriate; but “Somebody’s Watching Me” works because it’s one of Michael Jackson’s more recognizable yet underappreciated vocal performances, and Garrard similarly falls into that underappreciated category.

This song won’t make any MJ Greatest Hits CDs (hell, it’s not even his song, it’s Berry Gordy’s son Rockwell’s) just like Garrard won’t ever make an All Pro team, but both have their moments of greatness and are better than most people given them credit for.

———

AFC West

Philip Rivers (SD) – “You Wanna Be Starting Something”

Few players start more somethings on the field than Philip Rivers. It seems like he’s always barking at someone on the opposing team, talking trash, and just generally trying to stir things up.

Yes, Philip Rivers always wanna be starting something.

Relatedly, how great of a beat does this song have? It’s slick, quick, and sweet (just like Philip Rivers’ release, coincidentally). Damn the Thriller album was awesome.

———

Jason Campbell (OAK) – “Man In the Mirror”

“Man In the Mirror” is a triumphant song about change, and no quarterback I can remember has gone through more change than Jason Campbell.

I’m pretty sure that either Campbell’s head coach or coordinator has been different for each of his seasons in the NFL. Contrast that with the stability that guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees have had, and it’s no wonder why the strong-armed Campbell has toiled in relative obscurity and frustrated his fan bases for the last half decade.

But when Campbell looks at the man in the mirror he’ll see a guy who has never had a season in which he’s thrown more picks than touchdowns and a guy who had improved his accuracy every season before dropping off last year. If the Raiders can develop a few receivers, maybe Campbell can make some change instead of just enduring it.

———

Kyle Orton (DEN) – “Human Nature”

It is to be expected that fans will want young first round picks who are upstanding citizens and who were Heisman Trophy-winning college football heroes to play over fully-formed veterans. Kyle Orton, a fully-formed veteran who has proven himself to be solid but unspectacular, needs to remind himself of that this year when, no matter what he does on the field, fans clamor for Tim Tebow to be given a shot as the starting QB.

Why? Why? Tell Kyle that it’s human nature…for fans anyway. Orton just needs to hope it’s not the nature of John Fox. (It’s not.)

———

Matt Cassel (KC) – “The Lost Children”

Matt Cassel was never the starting quarterback at USC. For the first several years of his NFL career, he was never the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. When it came to game experience, Cassel was among the few lost children who had none, but who had enough potential to continue advancing through the ranks.

Then Tom Brady got hurt, Cassel excelled, and he moved on to the Chiefs. After a rough first season he played well last year, taking advantage of a weak schedule and an absurd season by Dwayne Bowe, leading the Chiefs to the playoffs.

Hopes are high this year, but will Cassel be up to the task? If he’s not, he may go back to being a lost NFL child if the demanding Todd Haley and the Chiefs lose faith in his ability to be the franchise’s QB of the future.

———-

Okay, we’re through the AFC. Deep breath. Only 16 more QBs (actually 17; you’ll see…) and songs to go.

One song that did not make the cut, despite being one of my favorite Michael Jackson songs of all-time, is “Rock With You.” It just didn’t seem to fit with anyone.

But since you, dear reader, have continued rocking with me through this long but hopefully entertaining post, I dedicate this classic MJ diddy to you.

———-

NFC East

Tony Romo (DAL) – “The Girl Is Mine”

This is a pretty simple one: Jessica Simpson; this cute but non-famous blonde; Carrie Underwood; former MSF writer (and Chiefs fan!) and current Mrs. Romo Candice Crawford.

It seems like in Tony Romo’s world, he can always say the girl is mine.

Plus, Michael Jackson never wrote a song about fumbling a snap to lose a playoff game. So really, this was the only choice.

(Also, Paul McCartney has played at the new, immaculate Cowboys Stadium, so there is that too.)

———

Eli Manning (NYG) – “Scream”

Last year, no quarterback made his team’s fans scream, in both joy and agony, more than Eli Manning. He threw 31 TDs and surpassed 4,000 yards, but he also tossed 25 interceptions. ‘Nuff said.

Except that simply listing off some scream-worthy stats is not enough, because this song is appropriate in yet another way.

Has there ever been a more successful sibling QB tandem in NFL history than Peyton and Eli Manning? They both have Super Bowl rings, so no.

Likewise, has there ever been a more successful sibling pop music tandem in music history than Michael and Janet Jackson? No.

Add it all up and this one just may be the most appropriate song choice of all 32.

———

Michael Vick (PHI) – “Thriller”

Did I say that last song was the most appropriate song choice? It’s only one song later and I’m already re-thinking that bold and possibly foolish statement!

Michael Vick’s name is almost synonymous with the word thriller at this point. What more can I say on this one?

———

Jex Beckman (WAS) – “Who Is It?”

See, I told you the NFC would have 17 QBs rather than 16, and it’s all thanks to Mike Shanahan and the Jon Beck/Rex Grossman duo in Washington (shortened above to “Jex Beckman” because that’s so much more fun). Leave it to Daniel Snyder’s franchise to F it all up.

Despite everyone wondering who is it going to be, Mike Shanahan has not officially named a starting QB for Week 1 as of me writing this. And even when he does name a starter, does anyone think that guy will start all 16 games? Hell no.

As the old saying goes, if you have two quarterbacks you really have none. In the case of the Redskins, that most certainly is the case.

———

NFC North

Aaron Rodgers (GB) – “Billie Jean”

In my opinion, “Billie Jean” is Michael Jackson’s greatest song and Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the NFL (right now), so this really was a perfect song-player match; but the match goes deeper than just that simple association.

Remember when Michael Jackson moonwalked to Billie Jean in 1983 at the Motown 25th Anniversary celebration? It was his coming out party as a solo artist, removed the shadow cast by his brothers, and established him as the King of Pop.

Similarly, when Aaron Rodgers guided the wild card Packers to the Super Bowl last year while playing near-flawless football, it was his coming out party as a superstar QB, removed the shadow of Brett Favre, and established him as the best quarterback going right now.

It was his Billie Jean moment.

This song is so good, as is Rodgers (did you know he has the highest QB rating of all-time?), that it deserves two videos. So here is the official video for “Billie Jean.”

Let me know when you’re done singing, snapping your fingers, and moonwalking around your house or office so we can continue.

…

Okay, onward we proceed.

Matthew Stafford (DET) – Will You Be There?

For the first time since Barry Sanders, there is legitimate, unmockable playoff hope in Detroit. And apparently I’m drinking the silver and blue Kool-Aid, because I predicted that it will happen*.

* – So, for the record, I officially picked the Lions and Texans to make the playoffs in the same season. Had I thought about in those absurd terms when I was making my picks, I doubt I would have gone through with it.

The biggest question mark on the Lions’ roster is their quarterback. Unfortunately, the Lions and their fans have legitimate reason to ask Matthew Stafford every week will you be there on Sunday? Despite his remarkable talent and big contract, he’s only played 13 out of a possible 32 games during his two-year career thus far.

On the plus side, Stafford did have a QB rating of 91.3 and six TDs against only one interception before getting hurt last year. Plus he’s been dynamite this preseason. Simply put, Stafford has to stay healthy and be there on the field for Detroit to have a shot; if he does, he and the young Lions are talented enough to finally be a force to be reckoned with.

———

Jay Cutler (CHI) – “Leave Me Alone”

Jay Cutler is renowned for his rocket arm, but he is not so renowned for his disposition. Of course, as Tom Fornelli points out, who cares if Cutler can be a jerk? If he treats people with a leave me alone attitude and doesn’t always act all Tebow rah-rah on the sidelines, what does it matter if he’s playing in the NFC Championship Game, right?

Hmm…about that whole playing part…

Let’s just say that I bet Jay Cutler wishes people like Maurice Jones-Drew would have kept their mouths shut and left he and his injured knee alone.

———

Donovan McNabb (MIN) – “Remember The Time”

Hey, do you remember the time when Donovan McNabb was one of the best QBs in the NFL? When he was leading the Eagles to NFC Championship Games (and even a Super Bowl) on a regular basis? When he was a perennial Pro Bowler?

Yeah, those were good times. Times the Minnesota Vikings are hoping they can relive this season.

Remembering McNabb’s ill-fated and short-lived tenure in Washington does not inspire much confidence, but hey, Eddie Murphy and Magic Johnson probably thought the same thing when they were pitched the idea for this video, yet it turned out pretty well. Maybe the Vikings 2011 season will as well. (Count Drew among those who thinks it could!)

———

NFC South

Drew Brees (NO) – “Heal The World”

Is any face more synonymous with the rebuilding of New Orleans in the post-Katrina era than that of Drew Brees? I say no.

A quarterback can’t heal the world, but he certainly can help heal a city, especially when he gives his time and resources to help out in the community and raises civic pride by leading the long-suffering home team to a Super Bowl championship.

The best way I can sum up the greatness of Drew Brees is to do so in the spirit of those ubiquitous Dos Equis commercials: I don’t always root for Purdue grads, but when I do, I prefer that they be truly awesome guys on and off the field…like Drew Brees.

Josh Freeman (TB) – “Dangerous”

Pretty easy, obvious one here right? Not only is this guy young, he’s got a strong arm, wheels, and similarly young and talented weapons to grow up with.

If I’m a defensive coordinator in the NFC South, knowing I have to face this guy twice a year for the next decade, there isn’t much I consider more dangerous than Josh Freeman.

———

Matt Ryan (ATL) – “Butterflies”

Though Matt Ryan always gets mentioned before Joe Flacco when people list out the best quarterbacks in the NFL, Ryan has won fewer games, completed a lower percentage of his passes, and amassed a lower QB rating then his 2008 draft classmate.

Most importantly, Ryan is 0-2 in the playoffs while Flacco is 4-3. And even though Flacco’s playoff stats are actually more putrid than Ryan’s own putrid playoff stats, we all know that quarterbacks are judged by wins in December, January, and February. So far, Flacco has gotten them. Ryan hasn’t.

So even though people are anointing Matt Ryan as the Next Great NFL QB, he still has to prove he can shake the playoff butterflies, like Aaron Rodgers did last year, before he can truly enter such a discussion.

———

Cam Newton (CAR) – “PYT (Pretty Young Thing)”

Some of these were so easy.

“PYT” is a kinetic, upbeat, exciting song…much like Cam Newton is a kinetic, upbeat, exciting QB (who just happens to also have a kinetic, upbeat, exciting smile that will make him a marketing darling should he be able to produce at all on the field).

And is the term “pretty young thing” more appropriate for anything in the NFL than a young QB filled with potential? Nope.

Winning franchises are built around winning QBs, and Cam Newton is the latest #1 draft pick to be his franchise’s pretty young thing upon which it constructs its hopes and expectations of future success.

———

NFC West

Alex Smith (SF) – “Never Can Say Goodbye”

The San Francisco 49ers drafted Alex Smith first overall in the 2005 draft. Since then, he has compiled a paltry QB rating of 72.1, has thrown more picks than TDs, and has been yanked in and out of the lineup like a yo-yo. Most importantly, the team has barely sniffed the playoffs during Smith’s time with the franchise.

Yet the 49ers simply never can say goodbye to one of the most disastrous draft choices in franchise history.

With Smith a free agent after last season, the 49ers had a chance to cut the cord for good. They even drafted a potential QB of the future in Colin Kaepernick. But when push came to shove, Smith couldn’t do better than the 49ers and the 49ers couldn’t do better than Smith. So he’s back. Fans of San Fran are just hoping that the final verse of this classic Jackson 5 tune does not prove apropos for 2011:

Keep thinkin’ that our problems,
Soon are all gonna work out,
But there’s that same unhappy feeling,
And there’s that anguish, there’s that doubt…

49ers fans can’t take much more anguish and doubt, but can anything else be expected until, one day, they finally do say goodbye?

Smith has one final shot this year to turn it around. Otherwise it most certainly will mean goodbye, for good, before next year.

———

Sam Bradford (STL) – “Hold My Hand”

In college, Sam Bradford completed 67.6% of his passes. This remarkable skill for throwing a football accurately was the main reason he was chosen #1 overall in the 2010 draft. As a rookie, he completed an impressive 60% of his passes, even with top target Mark Clayton getting injured early in the season. He also threw for over 3,500 yards and tossed more TDs than INTs. As a rookie. This is why so many people are predicting a breakout season from Bradford in 2011.

Another reason people are predicting a Bradford breakout is that Josh McDaniels is now coordinating the Rams’ offense. Yes, the same Josh McDaniels who coordinated the Patriots’ record-setting offense during their 18-1 season, and the same Josh McDaniels who made Kyle Orton a fantasy stud during the first half of last season. The man may be an idiot when it comes to personnel decisions, but he can coordinate a passing game.

Despite their lack of familiarity together, if the offensively brilliant McDaniels just says hold my hand to the prodigiously talented Bradford, and if Bradford acquiesces, these two could make sweet music together…kinda like MJ and Akon did.

———

Kevin Kolb (ARI) – “You Are Not Alone”

Last year, Larry Fitzgerald must have felt like an NFL wide receiving orphan. He went from having a potential Hall of Famer (Kurt Warner) throwing him on-the-money lasers and playing in the Super Bowl to having a trio of quarterbacking dipshits (Derek Anderson, Max Hall, and John Skelton) tossing him inaccurate ducks while playing musical chairs behind center. Has an elite wide receiver ever felt more alone? That Fitzgerald still caught 90 balls and over 1,000 yards is a testament to his remarkable skills and further emboldened my belief that he’s the best wide receiver in football today.

Enter the unproven but seemingly solid Kevin Kolb, and Fitzgerald has reason to smile again.

The long-rumored acquisition of Kolb by the Cardinals finally happened once the lockout ended, and I’m sure that Kolb’s first words to his new #1 wide receiver were something along the lines of “You are not alone anymore, Larry.” Now all Kolb has to do is live up to the pressure of playing with the league’s best receiver while being paid like a franchise quarterback. Otherwise he’ll be the one feeling alone after the honeymoon period inevitably ends.

But can he?

In limited action, Kolb’s numbers are decidedly Alex Smith-like (73.2 rating, 60.8 completion percentage, 11:14 TD:INT ratio); and those numbers were all accumulated while playing in the passer-friendly system of Andy Reid. So Kolb is far from a slam dunk, but he can’t possibly be worse than Anderson, Hall, or Skelton, whose collective play last year, in comparison to the rest of the QBs in the league, was akin to the difference between the following awful video in comparison to the rest of Michael Jackson’s immaculate video catalog.

———

Tarvaris Jackson (SEA) – “Black or White”

No need for me to ramble on and on for this one like I did for Kevin Kolb.

It’s pretty simple: it don’t matter whether Seattle’s QB is black (TJack) or white (Charlie Whitehurst)…the Seahawks are going to suck.

**********

Well, that’s it. I hope you enjoyed this post. I certainly enjoyed writing it. In fact, I’d rank creating this post among the five most entertaining posts I’ve ever had the privilege to create here at MSF. What could be better than listening to an artist I love while doing what I love? Nothing. Nothing at all.

But that doesn’t mean that I got ‘em all right.

• Are there any QB-song matches you disagree with?
• Any you’d switch up?
• Any Michael Jackson classics that you’re pissed didn’t make it and just want to embed the video for all to enjoy?

The comment section awaits.

So get up off the wall and comment!

Here’s the quick rundown:

Recently, Antonio Cromartie said that both the NFL and the NFLPA were acting like assholes. Soon thereafter, Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck tweeted “Somebody ask Cromartie if he knows what CBA stands for” before quickly deleting it. Then this happened:

Link

Something tells me Cromartie won’t be deleting that one. The question is: will Matt Hasselbeck “be a man” and respond? So far, as of 2:31 CT on 1/27, I see nothing…

Update 2:54 CT: Hasselbeck responds! And I got a screenshot before he deletes it!

Link

Now, will Antonio Cromartie soften his stance? Will he reiterate his intentions to bash Hasselbeck’s face in? Will he father child #10 with Matt’s sister Elizabeth?

Stay tuned on the newest professional sports soap opera: The View - NFL Style.

(Actually, just follow along their Twitter accounts – @Hasselbeck and @A_Cromartie31 – as I’m not going to update this post with each response.)

The Bears surprised many this season by finishing 11-5 and winning the NFC North division. Seattle surprised many with last week’s defeat of the defending Super Bowl champs, and they are now the talk of the NFL playoffs.

Despite being a 10 point favorite, and facing a team with a losing record, Chicago, rejects the title of favorite and prefers to be called the underdog in hopes of stirring some chip-on-our-shoulder enthusiasm throughout the team.

That attitude might just be needed.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Despite being double-digit underdogs last week against New Orleans, Seattle came to play with a determined attitude, and for that you have to applaud them. It doesn’t matter what your record is in the regular season, but rather the skill and determination you exhibit once given the opportunity of playing in the playoffs.

Based on last week’s result, there might not be a doing it better right now than the Seahawks.

Both teams have something to prove Sunday. Seattle wants to prove its win last week wasn’t a fluke, while Chicago, appearing in the their first postseason since losing to the Colts in the Super Bowl in ’06, has to prove their midseason revival wasn’t a fluke.

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler will be playing in the first playoff game of his career. The team needs him to limit the turnovers. And speaking of limiting, the Bears will need to spend a good portion of their time to limiting Seahawks receiver Mike Williams, who had 10 catches for 123 yards in Week 6 against the Bears.

Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw 40 times in Week 6 but was not sacked once. He was also only sacked once against New Orleans. Whether the Bears can pressure Hasselbeck will go a long way towards determining a winner on Sunday. The Bears’ defensive line has played a lot better since Week 6 so their chances of getting at Hasselbeck are better this weekend, but if they fail to do so, they’ll have to rely on their offense to produce more, the exact opposite of the principle the Bears are founded on.

For the Seahawks, the strategy remains pretty clear: build on the hype and motivation you’ve just created.

Chicago Bears win 24-21

Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears

• Seahawks-Bears Date, Time, and TV: Sunday, January 16th at 1:00 on FOX
• Seahawks-Bears Announcers: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
• Seahawks-Bears Point Spread: Bears -10
• Seahawks-Bears Over-Under Odds: 40

The 7-9 Seattle Seahawks taking down the defending champion New Orleans Saints seems to be beyond imaginable. Seattle, being the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record, was considered by many to be the worst team to ever make their way into the playoffs.

Yesterday, the Seahawks proved it yet again: games are not played on paper.

After Seattle defeated the St. Louis Rams to capture the NFC West title in Pete Carroll’s first season as coach, most everyone (myself included) never gave them a prayer of defeating Sean Payton’s Saints. That was a sad mistake. If Seattle is playing at Qwest Field, they will always have a shot at winning, no matter how good or bad they are. The Qwest Field faithful definitely played a role on Saturday. Three New Orleans false starts can be attributed to their noise level, and at no point in the game did they let up.

Secondly, we underestimated the power of Matt Hasselbeck. Sure he’s had a rough couple of years, but he was looking at potentially his final game in a Seahawk uniform. He came out swinging and looked ready to go down in a blaze of glory. He was nearly perfect, and he cemented his status as a Seattle Seahawk legend.

Next, I don’t think any of us looked at the facts right in front of us. The New Orleans defense has been overrated this year, and Seattle’s offense exposed them. Plus, the Saints’ running game was very banged up and Drew Brees didn’t come anywhere close this year to duplicating his 2009 performance. Should they have still beaten Seattle? Yes. Are they still a very good team? Obviously. Are they quite as good as most of us thought they were? No.

Of course, one should never count out a Pete Carroll coached team either. He has proven time and time again that he will always have his team ready to play when it matters the most. The style he brings to the NFL is completely unique, and I love it. He brings a college football vibe to the NFL, and his players look like they really have fun when they play. This certainly helped the Seattle players in this game, as they didn’t look the least bit intimidated by the Saints. They were down 10-0 and 17-7 early, but they bounced back and took the lead. When New Orleans brought it back within four in the fourth quarter, it looked like it was too good to be true. Their offense wasn’t in sync at all at that point, and it looked like New Orleans would pull it off.

Not so fast. Enter Marshawn Lynch.

His 67-yard TD run in which he broke over a half-dozen tackles was jaw-dropping.

After he scored, the game was all but over.

Lastly, and most importantly, we assumed. By now we all should have learned to never, ever, ever, ever, ever assume anything in sports. The Miracle on Ice, Appalachian St. beating Michigan, and the Red Sox coming from three down in the ALCS to beat the Yankees. Everyone assumed those things would never happen in a million years, and we were dead wrong.

Do I think Seattle will make a deep playoff run? To be honest, no. The part about this I enjoy the most is that the people that honestly wanted the NFL to change the rule midseason so that a team with a losing record can’t make the playoffs will have to eat their words. That idea was awful to begin with, and now we’ll NEVER have to here that argument again.

This one was an upset for the ages, and it’s not one that I will soon forget.

This post and all of our weekly Chicago Bears previews are made possible by Brouwer Brothers Steamatic of Chicago, which proudly provides restoration, cleaning, and construction services to Chicago, Naperville and the surrounding areas.

Chicago: 312 386-7688 – South Suburbs: 708 396-1444 – West Suburbs: 630 243-4387 – NW Indiana: 219 210-4254

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In a huge game for both teams, the Seattle Seahawks (2-2) travel to the Windy City to play the Chicago Bears (4-1).

The Seahawks are looking to get a win right out of their bye week, while the Bears are hoping to get more confidence after a very weak offensive performance (passing wise) last week against the Panthers.

Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears Game Info

• Seahawks-Bears Date: Sunday, October 17
• Seahawks-Bears Kickoff Time: 1:00 pm
• Seahawks-Bears TV Network: FOX
• Seahawks-Bears Announcers: Chris Myers and Brian Billick
• Seahawks-Bears Point Spread: Bears -7
• Seahawks-Bears Over-Under Odds: 37.5

Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears Preview

Jay Cutler is expected to start Sunday, which is great news for the Bears. There are doubts as to how well he actually is recovered from his concussion, but Cutler himself said he is feeling great and that there should be no setbacks before Sunday. The Bears will need him. They’re not playing Carolina anymore, and four interceptions and a total of 32 passing yards will not get it done against the Seahawks.

Injuries are starting to become a factor for every team around the NFL. Bears guard Roberto Garza is not expected to play Sunday. Chris Williams will move over and take his place. A much bigger blow to the Bears is the potential loss of linebacker Lance Briggs. He is not expected to play Sunday, a huge blow to the Bears’ defense.

Seattle tight end, John Carlson and cornerback Marcus Trufant both did not participate in practice Thursday, leaving their status for Sunday a little uncertain. Carlson is currently the teams’  leader in receiving yards. Losing him would be a huge blow to the Seahawks’ offense, although though he’s expected to play Sunday.

I’ve been impressed with the Bears’ defense this year, much more than I thought I’d be, and that’s why I like the Bears in this game. Though they might lose Briggs, I think the Bears have an overall demeanor and scheme that could help them overcome that loss. If they can pass rush Hasselbeck and disrupt the passing game, the Bears will win.

Seattle, on the other hand, will have to play up to their utmost offensive ability, which they do not often do on the road. Seattle has a reputation of playing well against the Bears, and they could again if Hasselbeck has a good game. If the Seahawks limit the turnovers I can see them having a chance to win this game.

Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears Prediction

The Bears are the favorites going into the game, and given Hasselbeck’s 1-13 record in his last 14 road starts, I see the Bears sitting on top of the NFC North with a 5-1 record once Sunday is over.

Bears-Seahawks pick: Bears win 24-13