Let’s take a look at some of the biggest movers in free agency from a fantasy football perspective:

DONE DEALS
WR Greg Jennings (MIN) – The veteran wideout opted for a bigger payday rather than return to Green Bay as he inked a 5-year, $47.5 million deal with $18 million guaranteed with the Vikings. At 29, Jennings may have a good year or two left him and Minnesota clearly had a need.  Despite going from Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball to catching passes from Christian Ponder, Jennings may actually see a slight spike in his short-term fantasy value as he’s no longer competing so heavily for targets. I wasn’t that high on him before the move (29th in my March 1 rankings) and even if I bump him up a spot or two he still makes for a high-end WR3 in 2013.

RB Mike Goodson (NYJ) – Goodson has been buried on depth charts throughout most of his NFL career playing in Carolina then Oakland.  He brings a nice package of speed and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He will share time with Bilal Powell in New York. He has plenty of gas in his tank and could be poised to break out now that he finally will have a chance for a regular workload. He is worthy of mid-round selection with great upside, especially in PPR leagues.

RB Danny Woodhead (SD) – Another Patriot has left the nest. Woodhead agreed to a deal with the Chargers. The new regime in San Diego is clearly not sold on Mathews and could still add more running back depth in the draft. Woodhead averaged 4.8 yards per carry and is coming off a 40-catch campaign. He will be worth a look in PPR leagues as a backup. The team also resigned Ronnie Brown Friday adding questions. Mathews’ value drops a bit. The other player to be impacted here is Shane Vereen, who now elevates up the depth chart in New England.

TE Dustin Keller (MIA) – Realizing a soft market, Keller caved and signed a 1-year deal with Miami. He’s not much of blocking option so he won’t see everydown snaps, but expect him to fit into the team’s plans in the passing game as he replaces the departed Anthony Fasano. Consider Keller a mid-range TE2 heading into the coming season.

WR Brandon Gibson (MIA) – Add Gibson to the list of crazy moves made by the Dolphins throughout the week. He has the ability to make catches, but is terrible in producing yards after the catch (167th LY). With the newly signed Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline ahead of him, Gibson’s role in Miami is muddled. His arrival likely spells the end of Davone Bess’ tenure with the team. Gibson has little fantasy appeal entering the season ahead.

RB Justin Forsett (JAC) – Texans backup running back landed with an AFC South foe, signing a deal with the Jaguars. Given the state of Jacksonville’s backfield it would seem likely Forsett would earn a role. He will be player to monitor this summer in training camps, but unlikely to be recommended as a draft option outside the deepest of formats.

WR Arrelious Benn (PHI) – The Eagles sent a 6th round pick and a conditional 2014 pick to Tampa Bay for Benn and a seventh-round pick. Benn had a couple of decent outings a year ago, but more the most part has been a bust since entering the league a few years ago. Fantasy owners should avoid the situation until proven otherwise.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Emmanuel Sanders – The Patriots are talking with the restricted free agent wide receiver and could be poised to try to pry him away from the cash-strapped Steelers. New England would have to give up a third-round pick as compensation.

Brandon Lloyd – After a disappointing debut season in New England a year ago, the Patriots may be ready to part ways with the veteran receiver. He’s owed a $3 million roster bonus and unless he restructures a deal he will likely be dumped. If Sanders enters the mix it almost certainly will force a move.

Fantasy Football, NFL fantasy advice, 2013 nfl offseason, free agency, greg jennings, mike goodson, danny woodhead, dustin keller

With Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati and Houston all on bye this week, it poses some lineup problems. Compile that with the inevitable injuries, and you’ve gotta monitor the waiver wire closely. Here are some players to target this week.

QB
Brandon Weeden, CLE – Nobody was more critical of the Browns rookie QB than I was. And, I’m still not sold on him as a long-term starter. But, you can’t deny his numbers over the last few weeks. Quietly, Weeden has put up steady fantasy numbers throwing 2 TDs in three consecutive games. This week, the Browns play San Diego, so you can expect more of the same from Weeden who is a decent bye week fill-in.

RB
Larod Stephens-Howling, ARIZ – I was a week premature in calling for Stephens-Howling to show up. After his Week 6 bust, many owners dumped him already, but after his Week 7 100+ yard, 1 TD-performance, many owners will be back asking for his forgiveness. Grab LSH and start him this week.

Cedric Peerman, CIN – Yes, the Bengals are on a bye this week, but Peerman did find the end zone last week, and may be the best option in the anemic, and uninspiring Bengals backfield. If you’re a homer, or in desperate need, Peerman could be an option for you.

WR
Santana Moss, WAS – Moss was once an elitish wide receiver. And now, he’s on the waiver wire in 75% of leagues. After his 2-TD performance last week, he will be a top target this week. One caveat on Moss though, he is still not the top targeted player for the Redskins, but he’s certainly worthy of grabbing and stashing as he does get red zone targets.

Kevin Walter, HOU – Houston is on bye this week, which means many owners will overlook Walter. Grab him this week in preparation for the Texans Week 9 matchup against Buffalo where Walter should put up nice numbers. Always think ahead in fantasy football for true success.

TE
Dustin Keller, NYJ – Now that he appears to be healthy, Keller is a must grab. He’s a big, athletic tight end, that Sanchez looks to often. For leagues that require tight ends to be started, Keller is a must have, especially after his 7 catches for 94 yards this past week.

Chris Cooley, WAS – Wait, what? Didn’t he retire? Yes, but with Fred Davis out for the year, the Redskins are about to sign Cooley, who is supposedly in game shape, knows the system and could make an impact for your fantasy squad. Don’t start him this week, or even next. Wait and see how he does, but grab the savvy vet now.

Follow Jimmy Dinsmore, the Fantasy Geek, on Twitter @fantasy_geek

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, waiver wire, week 8, brandon weeden, larod stephens-howling, cedric peerman, santana moss, dustin keller, chris cooley

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Quarterback Mark Sanchez posted career highs by passing for 26 touchdowns and 3,474 yards. With his six rushing touchdowns added (second in NFL by QB), Sanchez finished 2011 as a top 10 fantasy producer at the position. While he did have nine multiple TD pass games and eclipsed 300 yards passing three times, the Jets’ signal caller also have eight games where he failed to throw for at least 200 yards and a couple of scoreless efforts. He was intercepted 18 times during in the season and at least once in all but four games.

SCHEDULE
The Jets have the 20th ranked schedule in the league and only six matchups out of 16 come against teams that finished 2011 with a winning record. The bye week don’t come until November which should give fantasy owners time to deal with lineup quandaries. The first half is favorable with a stretch of 4 out 5 games at home included. The December slate of games vs. Arizona, at Jacksonville, at Tennessee, and vs. San Diego (Weeks 12-16) is fantasy friendly down the stretch.

STUD
While Shonn Greene lacks the break-away speed to be viewed as an elite playmaker or fantasy running back, he will be a workhorse in the Jets’ attack in 2012. He rushed for a career-high 1,054 yards a year ago despite another slow start to the season and caught a surprising 30 balls out of the backfield. The arrival of new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano suggests an even bigger workload for Green in the season ahead. His 10 rushing touchdowns through three seasons of play is a minus, but he should be viewed as a solid RB2 in 2012.

DUD
After coming into 2011 as a top 20 fantasy wideout in nearly everyone’s rankings, Santonio Holmes produced career lows in receiving yards (654) and receiving average (12.8 ypc). Part of that could be blamed on the inconsistency at the quarterback position, but Holmes also needs to shoulder some of the blame. His off-the-field antics and locker room squabbles have been a huge distraction. He did catch eight touchdowns last season, but failed to have a single catch of over 40 yards after posting six such receptions in the previous two years.

SLEEPER
Joe McKnight is the odds-on-favorite to be the Jets’ No. 2 runner after LaDanian Tomlinson’s retirement. He’s athletic and has the ability to be a nice change-of-pace back in a Jets’ system that could yield him 8-10 touches per game. He has the potential to be a RB4 or RB5 on any roster and will see his value skyrocket should Greene go down with an injury or struggle mightily.

NEW ADDITION
The Jets desperately needed a vertical threat in their passing attack and got one when they drafted wide receiver Stephen Hill with their second-round pick in April’s draft. His 4.3 40-speed at the combine coupled with his 29.3 yards per catch as a senior at Georgia Tech made him a logical choice for the Jets. His 6-4 frame makes him logical replacement for Plaxico Burress in the red zone and he’s expected to start opposite of Holmes in the team’s passing game. He’s a bit raw so his production may be limited as a rookie, but the upside is definitely there long term.

POSITION BATTLE
The team gave up a fourth-round pick to acquire Tim Tebow from the Broncos after they signed Peyton Manning free agency. With Sparano, who was the first to implement the “Wildcat” offense while the head coach in Miami, now the team’s offensive coordinator Tebow likely couldn’t haven’t found a better fit. Sanchez is still the starter and will get the bulk of the snaps under center, yet Tebow is going to get on the field. If the team flourishes under Tebow and Sanchez struggles a controversy could quickly develop in the Big Apple.

BENCH BUILDER
Dustin Keller enjoyed career highs last season with 65 receptions for 815 yards and five touchdowns. However, for the second straight year he started off hot before sputtering down the stretch. The off-season additions made by the Jets did little to help his value.  The potential has always been there for Keller, but for the most part he’s been viewed as a disappointment by owners. Still, if you miss out on one of the big name tight ends early on in your draft, you can get a low-end TE1 for next to nothing later on that will offer production in Keller.

Fantasy Football, NFL 2012 nfl preview, new york jets, mark sanchez, tim tebow, shonn greene, santanio holmes, dustin keller, stephen hill, joe mcknight

It is getting to be slim pickings at this point, but don't kid yourself there is still value to be had:

RECAPS: Round One | Round Two | Round Three | Round Four | Round Five | Rounds 6-7

ROUND EIGHT 85. BROERING - WR J. Cotchery (NYJ) 86. SIMON - RB F. Jackson (BUF) 87. DINSMORE - WR D. Hester (CHI) 88. BRYANT - WR S. Breaston (ARI) 89. WETZEL - RB R. Rice (BAL) 90. SCHMITT - RB D. Brown (IND) 91. SIMS - RB J. Jones (SEA) 92. MURDICO - RB D. Sproles (SD) 93. ANSELMO - D/ST STEELERS (PIT) 94. CLASGENS - D/ST RAVENS (BAL) 95. FISCHER - D/ST GIANTS (NYG) 96. HUMBERT - RB L. Washington (NYJ)

ROUND NINE 97. HUMBERT - RB T. Hightower (ARI) 98. FISCHER - WR K. Walter (HOU) 99. CLASGENS - TE D. Keller (NYJ) 100. ANSELMO - TE B. Celek (PHI) 101. MURDICO - WR T. Holt (JCK) 102. SIMS - WR D. Avery (STL) 103. SCHMITT - WR J. Maclin (PHI) 104. WETZEL - RB A. Bradshaw (NYG) 105. BRYANT - WR D. Mason (BAL) 106. DINSMORE - RB R. Mendenhall (PIT) 107. SIMON -  WR M. Crabtree (SF) 108. BROERING - WR C. Henry (CIN)

MY PICKS: I know that many will shy away from defenses, but really it depends on your scoring system to determine how valuable one is to you. In most leagues now, you get points for points allowed and yards allowed, in addtion to turnovers, sacks, and touchdowns. The Ravens' defense is money in the bank on all fronts. Plus, there are so many backups I still have targeted it will work out. Dustin Keller is just another example of how deep the tight end crop is this year. Going after one early is not a bad move, but if you wait you will still find viable starting options.

BEST VALUE PICKS: Fred Jackson (value goes up w/Lynch out); Ray Rice (one of my sleepers); Steve Breaston (worth a look at WR3); Chris Henry (a ton of upside at pick 108)

MOST LIKELY TO DISAPPOINT: Darren Sproles (if LT is healthy he will see numbers drop); Jerricho Cotchery (no Coles/no Favre)

FINAL TAKE: In general some solid picks here once again. The trend of running back depth continues to hold true as many solid RB4 and RB5 options are out there.

Fantasy Football gsi mock draft, mock fantasy football draft, mock draft, ravens defense, dustin keller, fred jackson, ray rice, steve breaston, chris henry, darren sproles, jerricho cotchery

Fantasy Football week 16, lineup locks, matt cassel, shaun hill, matt schaub, phillip rivers, eli manning, tony romo, pierre thomas, kevin smith, brian westbrook, chris johnson, marion barber, tashard choice, tim hightower, randy moss, calvin johnson, antonio bryant, terrell owens, desean jackson, santonio holmes, john carlson, dustin keller, zach miller, antonio gates, chris cooley, heath miller

Did you miss this week's Fantasy Playbook as I go on with Lance McAlister on 1530 Homer the Sports Animal? Either way here's my notes from the show...

WHERE WILL THEY FALL? (Draft Outlook) – Some Intriguing Options In ’09?
Matt Ryan (ATL) – The rookie has impressed for sure. He has given owners multiple TD’s in 5 of his last 7, but he’ll need to get more consistent to join the elite. I will have somewhere between No. 8 and No. 12 on the Cheat Sheet which makes him next year’s Jay Cutler and somewhere around a late 4th to 5th round pick.

Pierre Thomas (NO) – The 23-year old has a bright future and has blown up with 6 touchdowns over the past 4 weeks and can take over the job in New Orleans if he finishes strong. The jury is still out, but if I were drafting today I wouldn’t be afraid to pull the trigger on him in Round 3.

Cadillac Williams (TB) – The Bucs’ system can produce fantasy success and his progress back to this point has been amazing. Williams has the potential to be a steal anywhere after the fourth round, particularly if the Bucs do little in the off-season to change the landscape of their backfield.

Braylon Edwards (CLE) – Coming off a season in which he made 17 trips to the end zone, Edwards has easily been one of the biggest busts in fantasy football this year. Still, I like his upside and the idea of Brady Quinn developing more chemistry with him. He could be a steal in the mid-rounds of the draft next year.

Dustin Keller (NYJ) – The rookie has gotten better as the season has progressed. Since week 9 Keller has 31 receptions for 346 yards. With a full season under his belt he could emerge as a top 5 player at the position in ’09, particularly if Brett Favre, who loves throwing to tight ends, returns to the Jets.

INJURIES TO WATCH
Clinton Portis (knee, hip, neck) – Amazingly Portis is not on the Redskins’ injury report and appears ready to run against the Bengals. The ‘Skins offensive line is hurting, but No. 26 is still a No. 1 option in Week 15 at RB.

Frank Gore (ankle) – Gore missed practice for the second straight day on Thursday and is a full-fledged game-time decision for Sunday’s 1:00 start at Miami. If he starts, he’s safe to play. If not, DeShaun Foster will try to shoulder the load for San Fran. I find a better option though if that happens.

Joseph Addai (IND) – the Colts’ running back could play, but with the Lions paying a trip to Indy why risk it? Look for Dominic Rhodes to see the bulk of the workload in this match-up.

Marion Barber (toe, calf) – making progress, but still not 100% and very much a game-time decision for Sunday night’s showdown in the Big D with the Giants. Tashard Choice will get the call again if Barber sits.

Brandon Jacobs (knee) – it’s looking more and more as if the Giants will take caution and sit Jacobs. The official word won’t come to later this weekend, but I am expecting Derrick Ward to get the call on Sunday night.

WEEK 15 VALUE PACK
QB – Tyler Thigpen (vs. SD) – He threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns in Week 10’s match-up with the Chargers and  9 TD passes over his last five games. Another good effort appears to be in order this time around.

RB – Maurice Morris (@StL) – Morris was given the bulk of the carries in Week 14 for the Seahawks and if that happens again in Week 15, the veteran makes for a sneaky flex play against a Rams’ defense that cedes 30.4 fantasy points per game to running backs. Don’t get crazy with him, but if you are in a pinch grab him.

WR – Davone Bess (vs. SF) - Over the past three games, Bess has caught 20 passes for a combined 245 yards, including a 9-catch performance in last week against the Bills. I like his chances as the Dolphins host a San Fran defense that has allowed 24.9 fantasy points per game to wideouts.

TE – Donald Lee (@Jax) – He has caught a touchdown in three of his last four games, including a 20-yard strike in Week 14. If you are looking for a waiver wire pickup to start look no further than the Packers’ tight end.

DEF – Redskins (@ Cin) – It’s not rocket science, but any defense match-up against an injury-plagued Bengals’ offense equals fantasy success. The Redskins should continue that trend in Week 15.

**CATCH THE SHOW ON 1530HOMER.COM - Click on Thursday's 4:00 hour (4:30 weekly)**

Fantasy Football 1530 homer, lance mcalister, fantasy playbook, fantasy advice, matt ryan, pierre thomas, cadillac williams, braylon edwards, dustin keller, clinton portis, frank gore, deshaun foster, joseph addai, dominic rhodes, tashard choice, brandon jacobs, derrick ward, tyler thigpen, maurice morris, davone bess, donald lee, week 15

Here is our Line-Up Locks for Week 14. It's either the last week of your regular season or you've made the playoffs. Making the playoffs is always good, but now, more than ever, is where you have to make the right choices, and unfortunately some of your fantasy stalwarts, maybe even the players who brought you this far cannot be counted on this week. Here's a quick look at those who has favorable matchups (LOCK IN) and those who deserve a spot on your bench this week (LOCK OUT):

QUARTERBACKS
Lock In:
--Matt Cassel @ Sea
My take: Perhaps you saw what Romo did to this awful Seahawk defense last week. Cassel has proven he can produce top tier numbers and this will be one of those weeks.

--Aaron Rodgers vs. Hou
My take: Rodgers, like Cassel is one of those guys who is best to start when the match up is right. Well, the match up is right this week.

--Tyler Thigpen @ Den
My take: Let the amateurs in your league laugh at you when you bench your regular for Thigpen in the playoffs. You'll be laughing last as this match up is too good to pass up for Thigpen.

Lock Out:
--Jake Delhomme vs. TB
My take: Here's some fantasy math for you. Bad match up + inconsistent QB=playoff loss.

--Tony Romo @ Pit
My take: Do you have the guts to bench your fantasy stud in the playoffs? If you have a better QB with a better match up, then you should.

--Matt Schaub @ GB
My take: Don't rush to get Schaub back in your lineup. Wait and see how he does and wait until the match up is better.


RUNNING BACKS
Lock In:
--Joseph Addai vs Cin
My take: I'm not sure the Bengals have enough healthy d-linemen to even field a team at this point and I'm not sure that even if they did, that it would matter. Get Addai in your lineup this week.

--Peyton Hillis vs. KC
My take: This guy is quickly becoming the waiver wire find of the year. Play him this week.

--Ronnie Brown @ Buf
My take: As the Dolphins have stumbled a little down the stretch, I think they go back to what got them this far – running the ball and trick plays. Brown will benefit from that.

Fantasy Football matt cassel, aaron rodgers, tyler thigpen, jake delhomme, tony romo, matt schaub, joseph addai, peyton hillis, ronnie brown, clinton portis, marion barber, willie parker, randy moss, greg jennings, roddy white, terrell owens, santana moss, braylon edwards, tony gonzalez, dustin keller, dallas clark, chris cooley, heath miller, john carlson

Here is our Line-Up Locks for Week 13. Three games on turkey day and they could all be turkeys, especially the afternoon games. This means that's there good match ups and good reason to watch football closely on Thanksgiving. Here's a quick look at those who has favorable matchups (LOCK IN) and those who deserve a spot on your bench this week (LOCK OUT):

QUARTERBACKS
Lock In:
--Tony Romo vs. Sea
My take: Romo will likely be munching on one of those freakish 8 leg turkeys Fox serves after the game. Romo will have a fantastic statline against a miserable Seahawk team.

--Brett Favre vs. Den
My take: The Jets are hot and are being led by Favre. Champ Bailey might play, but don't expect that to hinder Favre's numbers who will shred a terrible Bronco defense and connect for at least two TDs.

--Matt Ryan @ SD
My take: This just in, the Chargers cannot stop the pass. The strong Falcon's running game does hurt Ryan's statline, a little, but it also means less blitzing and more open receivers. Ryan will throw two TDs this week.

Lock Out:
--Matt Cassell vs. Pit
My take: Cassell has been an absolute stud the last two weeks. He makes for a tough choice of whether to start him or not, but this week it's such a tough match up that Cassell should take a seat on the bench this week.

--Donovan McNabb vs. Ari
My take: The late night Thanksgiving Day game could be a real turkey for the Eagles quarterback. He was benched last week after yet another terrible performance. He's desperate and angry and has an inept offense, that spells trouble.

--Tyler Thigpen @ Oak
My take: Thigpen has been pleasantly surprising, throwing for multiple TDs in multiple games. However, this week he goes against a very underrated Raider defense.


RUNNING BACKS
Lock In:
--Chris Johnson/Lendale White @ Det
My take: Football on Thanksgiving is a great tradition, but Titans versus the Lions is not good football, unless you own the Titan running backs. Lendale White only touched the ball three times in Sunday's loss, and he complained, look for the Titan TD machine to remedy the situation while Johnson will rack up the yardage.

--Ronnie Brown @ StL
My take: The Dolphins are still stinging from the beatdown the Patriots gave them. They will get well and Ronnie Brown will rack up the stats versus the Rams.

--Michael Turner @ SD
My take: Turner is a fantasy stud and has made the surprising Falcons a dangerous team. In this match up, you cannot sit Turner.

Fantasy Football tony romo, brett favre, matt ryan, matt cassell, donovan mcnabb, tyler thigpen, chris johnson, lendale white, ronnie brown, michael turner, reggie bush, willie parker, larry johnson, anquan boldin, larry fitzgerald, roddy white, derrick mason, tj houshmandzadeh, marques colston, plaxico burress, dustin keller, jason witten, dallas clark, kellen winslow, owen daniels, heath miller

Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota - 30 carries, 192 yards, 1 TD, 3 catches, 33 yards
The Vikings running back entered the game against the Packers trailing Clinton Portis by 172 rushing yards for the league lead. He finished the day on top as the first back to reach 1,000 yards this season. Peterson's biggest carry was his last as he ran for 29 yards to score the game winning touchdown. The win puts the Vikings in a tie with Chicago for the NFC North title and puts Peterson in the race for league MVP.

Thomas Jones, RB, NY Jets - 26 carries, 149 yards, 3 TD
Jones and the Jets took advantage of a very bad St. Louis defense on Sunday by scoring 40 points in the first half. Brett Favre did not need to do much with Jones' performance and threw for just 167 yards with a touchdown and no (that's right, zero) interceptions. Dustin Keller caught 107 yards on six passes and scored the touchdown. But the day truly belonged to Jones who now has nine touchdowns this season after scoring just once all of last year.

Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans - 7 catches, 140 yards
If you look just at the numbers then it would appear that if any member of the Saints got a game ball it would be Drew Brees. He threw for 422 yards and two scores. But he also had three interceptions and one of his touchdowns was a 32 yard 'Hail Mary' at the end of the game. Sure, it counts for a good fantasy score but New Orleans still got spanked by the Falcons and Brees should get his share of the blame. Regardless, it was nice to see Colston have a big game.

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville - 11 carries, 70 yards, 3 TD
After a couple of bad weeks the Jaguars finally put together their 'A' game to beat the Lions. Of course most teams don't need their 'A' to beat the Detroit but after losses to the Bengals and Browns, Jacksonville fans were really starting to worry. Nonetheless MJD made the most of his opportunities against a weak defense. Fred Taylor out-ran Jones-Drew by ten yards but never found the end-zone. David Garrard also had a good game with 238 passing yards and two scores.

Benjarvus Green-Ellis, RB, New England - 26 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD
The biggest surprise here isn't so much that Green-Ellis had a good game - he's a talented back. The real shock is that a single running back for the Patriots was actually given the ball 26 times. I haven't had time to do the full research, but it looks like the most carries for any one back this year was 16 by Sammy Morris. I don't think anyone carried the ball more than 26 times for the Pats since Corey Dillon. Times may be changing in New England without Tom Brady and BGE looks like the real thing. But don't be surprised if next week he's one of three guys who gets the ball eight times.

Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis - 6 catches, 114 yards, 1 TD
In one play against the Steelers, Wayne matched his receiving total from last week. In this one game he nearly matches his total from the previous three. To say that Wayne and the Colts offense has been struggling is an understatement. But they may just be getting started with a big win in the Steel City. Peyton Manning threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Seven different receivers caught a pass and three different guys scored. The running game did not do much but few have been able to get very far against the Steelers. The Colts aren't going to win their division but they are getting on track for the Wild Card. Look out.

Tyler Thigpen, QB, Kansas City - 27/41, 266 yards, 3 TD
So the Chiefs have only one win on the season - don't blame Tyler Thigpen. In his last three starts the young QB has thrown for 710 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions. On Sunday against the Chargers he drove his team in the fourth quarter only to lose the game on a missed 2-point conversion. He hooked up with Tony Gonzalez 10 times for 110 yards and two of those scores. Third year wide receiver Mark Bradley had the other score and finished with 81 yards on nine catches. If the Chiefs actually had a running back this team may be talking about a win streak instead of another close loss.

The Game Used Sock Award
Jake Delhomme, QB, Carolina - 7/27, 72 yards, 1 TD, 4 Int
If not for DeAngelo Williams the Panthers might have lost to the hapless Raiders on Sunday. Williams ran for 140 yards and a touchdown including a 69 yards run. He was the only offense. Delhomme did all he could to give away the game. Seriously, seven complete passes? Or, well, 11 if you count the picks. And his one touchdown was just a three yard pass to Muhsin Muhammad. Heck, that should have been a run by Williams! Sure, the Panthers still won the game and head back home leading the NFC South. But Delhomme should have to wear his rotten socks on the plane - and sit alone.

Fantasy Football, NFL adrian peterson, clinton portis, thomas jones, brett favre, dustin keller, marques colston, drew brees, maurice jones-drew, fred taylor, david garrard, benjarvus green-ellis, sammy morris, tom brady, corey dillon, reggie wayne, peyton manning, tyler thigpen, tony gonzalez, mark bradley, jake delhomme, deangelo williams, muhsin muhammad

Green Light, Yellow Light, Red Light – STOP!!! There are some appealing names each week on the waiver wire, I supply my weekly take on whether these players should be considered or not.

QUARTERBACKS
Trent Edwards – You could do much worse at quarterback, just ask the owners of Carson Palmer. The Bills’ young signal caller is delivering on his upside and is capable of putting up 20+ PaTD’s this season.

Brian Griese – Jeff Garcia is in Jon Gruden’s doghouse big time right now and that has left Griese with the starting job in his hands to lose. He didn’t overwhelm me against the Falcons though, and better step up soon or the plug may be pulled on him too.



RUNNING BACKS
Ahmad Bradshaw – Regular blog readers are probably sick of hearing me talk about this guy, but the numbers Sunday don’t lie (31-yard RuTD; 19-yard ReTD).  Bradshaw is frustrating from a consistency standpoint as the Giants have a stable of solid runners, but if he’s still out there in your league snatch him now and hope for an injury as his upside is huge.

Michael Bush – With both Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden banged up, Bush could be the starter this week vs. the Bills. He is at 100% following a trip to the I.R. last year and at 245 pounds, he seems to be a natural fit to be the short-yardage guy even when all three backs are healthy.

 

Darren Sproles – L.T. owners need to be concerned about the lingering toe injury and they better not hesitate to insure themselves with Sproles.  He only has fantasy value if Tomlinson stays dinged up and has a huge boost if Tomlinson were to get sidelined for a lengthy period.  He’s not worth cutting for a RB that has more a defined role though. For example, I am not cutting Edgerrin James (disappointing start) or a Willis McGahee (battling injury) to take a flyer on him.


WIDE RECEIVERS
Bryant Johnson – The 49ers’ passing attack has been surprising and Johnson appears as if he’s going to be a big part of it, particularly in the red zone. He followed up a slow first week of the season by grabbing 6 balls for 78 yards and a TD in Week 2.

Matt Jones – He has led the Jaguars in receptions in two straight weeks, but that is not saying much. Don’t get me, Jones has upside. However, you don’t need to carry away too much. He’s yet to proven he’s consistent, there are the off-the-field concerns to worry about, and I still think Jerry Porter (when healthy) is going to be the team’s top wideout.

TIGHT ENDS
John Carlson – With nearly every receiver on the Seahawks down with an injury, Carlson is the top option for Matt Hasselbeck to throw to. It showed on Sunday when he pulled in 6 catches for 78 yards.

Dustin Keller – He caught his first career catch, a 19-yard grab, in Sunday’s loss to the Patriots. There was plenty of hype leading up to the season and many owners know that Favre loves tight ends. However, with Chris Baker and Bubba Franks still in the mix it is uncertain how quickly the rookie will develop.



DEFENSE
Packers – Through two weeks of fantasy football the Green Bowl Packers are fantasy’s third-ranked defense. That may not stand true for the length of the season, but they have enough young talent and are fortunate to play some weak offenses ahead. That’s enough to make them a respectable starting fantasy option.

Fantasy Football trent edwards, brian griese, ahmad bradshaw, michael bush, darren sproles, bryant johnson, matt jones, john carlson, dustin keller, packers def