Every week I’ll address some topics that have my head spinning after Sunday’s action:

Eli Manning
The season hit a low point for Manning in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals, his third straight game without a TD pass. He’s now gone five straight weeks without a multi-TD pass game while averaging just 212 yards in that span. It’s a far cry from his three two-plus TD days and 315 yards per game average output he displayed in the season’s first five weeks. Hopefully, the bye will help his “tired arm” and give the Giants a chance to regroup on offense. With a remaining schedule ahead that includes GB, @WAS, NO, @ATL, and @BAL I am optimistic he finishes strong.

Michael Vick
Any hopes of owners holding out hope for a turnaround from Vick this season may have been dashed in Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys. Not only did the Eagles’ quarterback look awful once again, but he was knocked from the game it was being reported as a “serious concussion”. With the team already leaning towards turning to rookie Nick Foles after a dismal month plus by Vick, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Vick not take another snap this year. It may be a bit premature to write him off, but dumping for a more appealing option makes sense.

Chris Johnson
After being so critical of Johnson through most of the first half of the season, it seems only fitting to toss him a bone while things are going well. Following his 126-yard, one-TD effort on Sunday against the Dolphins, the Titans’ running back has now scored four times in his past three games and has averaged 116 yards per game on the ground over his past. Add in the 15 receptions he’s had during that same span and Johnson has emerged as a legitimate RB1, especially in PPR formats, once again. He has a bye in Week 11, but should be started with confidence going forward.

Chris Ivory
My hunch play in Week 10 was Ivory. Despite the muddled backfield in New Orleans, Ivory seems to run with a purpose. His 56-yard TD scamper showed off the best of his abilities. Still, he finished with just seven carries in the team’s win over previously undefeated Atlanta. In the two games since Sproles went down the once-forgotten running back has carried the ball 17 times for 120 yards and a TD in each game. Interim coach Joe Vitt hinted on Monday that Ivory deserves more looks and we agree. If he gets them Ivory could be a nice boost in the backfield for any fantasy team looking to make a playoff drive.

Calvin Johnson
It only took until Week 10 to do so but Calvin Johnson finally pulled in a Matthew Stafford pass for a TD. His only other touchdown this season came on a Shaun Hill pass. Johnson may have had some health issues linger over the past month or so, but his performance of late has been impressive. Johnson season highs in catches (12) and yards (207) in Week 12 and now has 19 receptions for 336 yards over his past two games and has reemerged as one of the top receivers in fantasy football.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
--Tony Romo, Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Lloyd, Vernon Davis
 
BIGGEST SURPRISES
-- Joe Flacco, Steven Jackson, Danny Woodhead, Danario Alexander, Donald Jones, Dennis Pitta

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With your fantasy season hanging in the balance and probably only about 5-6 weeks of games left until the postseason, you have to look at your team and decide what you are. Are you a buyer or a seller? If you’re a buyer, it’s time to make moves. And this includes waiver moves that could help you down the stretch. If you’re a seller, and in a keeper league, it’s time to go prospecting. Here are some options for both scenarios.

QB
Jake Locker, TEN – He is probably on your waiver wire due to a recent injury, and some sub-par performances. But, if you’re looking for a longer term project, then pick up Locker. He is probably not the right type of acquisition for those playing for this season however, as the Titans offense, other than Chris Johnson, looks lost.

Nick Foles, PHI – I touting him a few weeks ago, and I am still touting him now. I am not a subscriber to the theory that the Eagles should bench Mike Vick. But I am a subscriber to what my eyes see and that is that Vick is going to get hurt sooner than later with the horrendous offensive line play from Philly. When that happens, Foles steps in.

RB
Marcel Reese, OAK – In PPR formats, Reese is a must-grab player. He in fact is a much better option for the owner in the win-now mentality, as Reese will have very little long-term value. In non-PPR leagues, I would not bother with Reese, but maybe target his team mate Taiwan Jones.

Evan Royster, WAS – This is more of a gut call than anything. Royster could be a contributor late in your fantasy season. Mike Shanahan has not played too many games yet with his backfield, as Alfred Morris has been solid, but Royster did vulture a TD last week. Is this a sign of Shanahan’s Shenanigans going on in the near future? Only grab Royster if you have endless moves and the roster space for him. But he could be a nice stash.

WR
Golden Tate, SEA – Tate is the perfect pickup this week for any owner. He has great short-term and long-term value. He has five TDs this season and seems to be a nice red zone target for Russell Wilson. Tate is also a nice long-term keeper possibility too.

Laurent Robinson, JAX – Now that he’s back from an injury, Robinson received 9 targets last week, catching 6 balls for 49 yards. Not stellar numbers, but as Robinson starts to integrate himself into the playbook, he could get hot down the stretch as the Jags have an easy fantasy playoff schedule. Remember what Robinson did last year for the Cowboys last year in November and December?

TE
Dwayne Allen, IND – If you must start a tight end, Allen is a great one-week fill-in (with little long-term value). Allen had 7 targets last week and caught 6 passes for 75 yards. This week the Colts play Jacksonville on Thursday night. So, Allen could be a great bye-week fill-in or injury replacement.

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

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Every week I’ll address some topics that have my head spinning after Sunday’s action:

Ryan Mathews
Frustrated owners of the Chargers’ RB were rewarded for their patience on Sunday night as Mathews turned in his best game of the season with 18 total touches for 139 total yards and a touchdown. Jackie Battle started the game for San Diego as was a non-factor. The matchup was extremely friendly so the road ahead may be more challenging.  Battle could be a TD vulture at the goal line, but playing at 100 percent Mathews is a borderline top 5 option at running back in any fantasy format.

Chris Johnson
The thought things can get any worse for Johnson owners can no longer be a given. The Titans’ offense is a wreck and it showed again on Sunday.  Johnson had 15 carries and one catch in the game, but only netted 29 total yards and fumbled the ball. It appears that his 157-yard performance in Week 4 was simply a mirage. He has the look of a player that simply doesn’t care and with Tennessee’s schedule being the 8th toughest for a fantasy running back over the next five weeks things are unlikely to change anytime soon.

Tony Gonzalez
Gonzalez has emerged as fantasy football’s top tight end after five weeks of play. He continued his stellar 2012 campaign on Sunday by catching 13 of his 14 targets for 123 yards and a touchdown. It marked the third time in five weeks that Gonzo had double-digit targets. He has five more targets than Jimmy Graham and 13 more targets than Rob Gronkowksi, both who were drafted several rounds earlier this summer, to this point of the season.  The Falcons have the third toughest schedule for tight ends over the next five weeks, but expect the future Hall of Famer to continue to produce at an elite rate.

Steve Smith
After turning in back-to-back 100-yard performances in the first two weeks of the season, the Panthers’ top passing option has failed to hit the mark over the last three games and is still waiting to make his first trip to the endzone this year. Sunday was his worst game yet as he pulled in only four of his 13 targets for 40 yards. Part of the problem stems for the struggles Cam Newton is having during his sophomore season, but Smith himself has failed to make plays at time. View him as decent WR2 option moving forward, but his stock is dropping.

Michael Vick
Each week it becomes more evident that Vick isn’t going to recapture his 2010 form that had him as one of fantasy football’s top producers. He fumbled the ball four times on Sunday vs. Pittsburgh and even though he threw for a pair of touchdowns he only passed for 175 yards. The Eagles’ signal caller remains an option each week at quarterback, but he’s no longer an automatic start and currently sits outside of our top players at the position until further notice.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
--Ben Roethlisberger, Maurice Jones-Drew, Darren Sproles, Pierre Garcon, Dennis Pitta

BIGGEST SURPRISES
--Andrew Luck, Ahmad Bradshaw, Josh Gordon, Robert Meachem, Dwayne Allen

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Through the season's first four weeks which of these fantasy passers have disappointed owners the most?

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Week 3 was wild and crazy, up is down and down is up. Hopefully your fantasy teams are weathering the storm. Here's our Apex Awards Game Balls for Week 3...

QB Game Ball - Ben Roethlisberger, PIT, 384 yards, 4 TDs
Big Ben was the only shining player for the black and gold in a loss to the Raiders. With no running game, Roethlisberger had no choice but to throw the entire game. He completed 36 of 49 passes without an INT.

QB Honorable mention - Matt Schaub, HOU, 290 yards, 4 TDs, Schaub is quietly putting together another stellar season hitting open targets, thanks to a fantastic running game taking pressure off of him.

RB Game Ball - Jamaal Charles, KC, 233 rushing yards, 6 rec 55 yards, 1 rush TD
Kansas City finally figured out that Charles is their best weapon and used him all day. He racked up 288 all purpose yards including 6 catches. Charles is a top fantasy RB at this point and a must start from here on out. Just hope the Chiefs don't screw up his touches.

RB Honorable mention - Mikel Leshoure, DET, 100 rushing yards 1 rush TD, Back from suspension, Leshoure flashed the talent many thought he had. He silenced Kevin Smith, who's now a junk fantasy player. Leshoure adds some dimension to the Lions and is a flex play and fringe starter for most fantasy owners.

TE Game Ball - Heath Miller, PIT, 8 catches, 2 TDs
HEATH!!! That obnoxious chant from Steeler nation when the tight end touches the ball was heard a lot this week. Miller had 8 catches for 60 yards and 2 TDs. He might still be on your waiver wire, if so, go grab him now.

TE Honorable mention - Kyle Rudolph, MIN, 5 catches 36 yards, 2 TDs, I've been singing Rudolph's praises all year, and he didn't let me down this week, with two big red zone targets and conversions.

WR Game Ball - AJ Green, CIN, 9 catches, 183 yards, 1 TD
The day started off great for Green catching a 73-yard TD on the first play from scrimmage. Green exerted his will on the Redskins secondary the rest of the game grabbing balls from the air and making catch after catch. He looked every bit the superstar this week.

WR Honorable mention - Torrey Smith, BAL, 6 catches 127 yards, 2 TDs, everyone knows about the loss he suffered this week. He came out and gutted out a great performance for his fantasy owners and for his brother who had just died. A true pro!

GAME USED SOCK AWARD - Michael Vick, PHI 217 passing yard, 28 rushing yards
Vick got hit all day long and looked confused and flustered by the Arizona Cardinals defense. The Philly fans are already calling for Foles to take over at QB, and if Vick doesn't right the ship, that could happen (but probably not). This is a blip on the radar for Vick, and while he deserves the game used sock, he won't hold onto it all year.

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GSI.com's Dan Clasgens discuss all of the hot topics in fantasy football entering Week 2:

WATCH VIDEO

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Every week I’ll address five topics that have my head spinning after Sunday’s action:

RGIII
The Redskins pulled off the upset of the day by knocking off the Saints at the Superdome and the rookie was a big reason why. RGIII started the game by completing eight straight passes, including an 88-yard connection for a TD to Pierre Garcon. He was the first rookie in the history of the league to have a perfect first-half QB rating (minimum 10 pass attempts).  The final numbers were staggering – 19/26 for 320 yards and 2 PaTD along with 10 carries for 42 yards.  I had RGIII at No. 13 entering the season as the top fantasy QB2. After another take he could have top six potential. It will be hard to keep him out of the lineup in Week 2 vs. St. Louis.

CJ Spiller
There weren’t many bright spots for the Bills on Sunday as they got smoked by the Jets and watched starting running back Fred Jackson forced from the game with a sprained LCL.  That resulted in Spiller getting his chance to shine. He amassed 169 yards and a score on just 14 carries and a touchdown while adding three catches for 25 yards. Spiller’s role was perplexing coming into the season, but as long as Jackson is out of action he’s a viable fantasy force as he proved down the stretch last year. At this point, even if Jackson returns the team could start leaning on Spiller more.

Michael Vick
Few players looked worst to me yesterday than Vick. The Eagles’ quarterback turned the ball over four times and appeared to be out of sync all day long. He only completed 29 of 56 passes and didn’t look good on many of them.  While durability concerns caused me to temper my expectations on him heading into the season, this performance has soured me a bit more. I am willing to give him another shot next week, but in the end I am worried.

Adrian Peterson
We figured Peterson would be limited and expected 10-15 touches. It was closer to 20 for him as he finished with 84 yards and touchdown on 17 carries. Peterson fell in many drafts because of the concern over his recovering from an ACL injury that ended his 2011 season prematurely. He pushed many of them concerns aside. While I expect the Vikings to mix Toby Gerhart in to the equation to keep AP fresh, owners can now view him a legit RB1 option moving forward with top 3 potential.

Stevan Ridley
The Patriots may have found their running back in the second-year back. Ridley was running with force all day long and took full advantage of Shane Vereen being out and the increased workload. He finished the win over the Titans with 125 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. I still have a tough time trusting Bill Belichick won’t pull him the first time he fumbles, but with each performance like this his leash is going to get longer. He’s a rock solid RB2 option with upside until further notice.

Peyton Manning
The only thing that looked weird to me with Peyton Manning was the fact he was in a Broncos’ uniform. He was 19-of-26 for 256 yards and a pair of touchdowns and let the Broncos to four straight scoring drives. I still don’t consider him an elite fantasy QB anymore, but he’s definitely a decent QB 1 that if he stays healthy could easily lead the Broncos and fantasy owners alike to the playoffs this season.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
--Cam Newton, Michael Vick Chris Johnson, DeAngelo Williams, Wes Welker, and Larry Fitzgerald.

BIGGEST SURPRISES
--Mark Sanchez, CJ Spiller, Frank Gore, Michael Bush, Kevin Ogletree (WED), and Stephen Hill.

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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
13 is a big number. That’s the number of games Michael Vick played last year. He had injured ribs that kept him out of three games, and sustained another rib injury in the preseason (UGH!). The other number for Vick is 1, the loneliest number. That’s the number of rushing TDs Vick had last year compared to 9 in 2010. That number has to go up to about 5 in order to make Vick a top 10 QB in fantasy. There’s no reason think that he won’t get back to more rushing TDs. And yes, assume that Vick will miss a few games due to injuries. The other number to take note of is 3,303. That’s the number of passing yards Vick had last year, a career high for him, in only 13 games. So, if you want a big payoff for a guy whose fantasy stock has fallen, grab Vick over the likes of Phillip Rivers or Big Ben, hold your breath, and watch it pay off.

SCHEDULE
The Eagles have a tough road to go. They have the 7th most difficult in the NFL. After a friendly week 1 matchup against the Browns, their schedule gets tough until their bye in Week 7. Down the stretch, during fantasy playoff time, the Eagles schedule lightens up a little, but prepared to play matchups for those Eagles you draft.

STUD
Lesean McCoy is considered one of the top three fantasy players in the draft, and rightfully so. He had 17 rushing touchdowns, and 3 more receiving TDs. He rushed for 1,300 yards, and a caught 48 passes. He was relentless in fantasy and likely vaulted his owners to the playoffs. Now, McCoy will probably see a drop in those 17 TDs if Vick gets more than the 1 rushing TD he had last year, but even without those TDs, Shady is a guy who can carry your fantasy squad and justifies, safely, his top of the draft selection.

DUD
Now that he’s gotten his paycheck, perhaps Desean Jackson shouldn’t be listed here as a dud, but after only 58 catches and 4 TDs last year, Jackson let a lot of his owners down. DJax openly said that because of his contract dispute, he didn’t give it his all. That speaks volumes about him, and should give pause to owners. You need consistency and effort from your fantasy players. Now, Jackson is still a guy who can be huge for your squad, so definitely still consider him for your squad, but look to him as your WR2, not as the WR1 that will carry your squad.

SLEEPER
If you draft Vick, it might be wise to snag Nick Foles, who won the  backup quarterback job. Foles impressed in the preseason. Stash him on your bench so that when that inevitable Vick injury shows up, you’re ready to put him into the lineup. Foles is more of a pocket passer so won’t give the rushing yards that Vick does. If you’re in a league that is really deep or a keeper format, Foles makes for a nice late-round sleeper, even if you don’t draft Vick.
 
NEW ADDITIONS
Last year, the Eagles were one of the most active teams in the offseason, assembling a “dream team”, that more or less, disappointed. So the Eagles were much more subdued in their activity this year. They acquired LB Demeco Ryans from the Houston Texans. He’ll anchor the middle of the field for the Eagles defense. In preseason, this defense looked impressive; great scheming, aggressive interior line and mobile linebackers. The fantasy impact of this is an Eagles defense that is worthy of being one of the first D/ST drafted.

POSITION BATTLE
There are few impactful position battles going on. The only one of interest is who will backup McCoy at running back. Dion Lewis and rookie Chris Polk fought it out in the preseason, and not much has been decided. Polk looked good in the preseason, and would be the one to select from a fantasy perspective. Polk really shouldn’t be drafted, unless you have a deep bench, and then only in dynasty/keeper formats.

BENCH BUILDER
Brent Celek is a tight end who’s climbed up draft boards this season. He had 62 catches for 811 yards and five TDs. Those are pretty solid numbers from the tight end position. However, Celek’s role in the Eagles offense is primarily as a blocker, and Vick doesn’t throw the TD nearly enough to warrant making Celek your starting fantasy tight end. He’s a solid backup in leagues where tight ends must be taken, and he’s a guy who can fill in on bye weeks. But, since the tight end spot is deep with talent, let others take Celek early.

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QUARTERBACKS
Michael Vick (PHI) – Suffered a broken right hand; his status for Week 4 unclear
Kerry Collins (IND) – Forced from game with concussion; Days as starter could be over

RUNNING BACKS
Frank Gore (SF) – Limited by sprained ankle; severity of injury unclear
Darren McFadden (OAK) – Aggravated his hamstring, but didn’t appear to be major issue

WIDE RECEIVERS
Kenny Britt (SF) – Carted off with knee injury; could be an ACL – MRI on Monday
Jerry Maclin (PHI) – left loss to Giants with hamstring issue and did not return to game

TIGHT ENDS
Antonio Gates (SD) – Problems have resurfaced with plantar fascia that sidelined him last year

MORE PLAYER NEWS (KFFL.com)

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FANTASY 101

--Desperation Breeds Opportunity: With many owners sitting at 0-2, now is the time to test their patience.

SETTING YOUR LINEUP

START 'EM
WR Anquan Boldin (@STL) – After a dismal three-catch effort last week versus the Titans, expect the Ravens’ wideout to bounce back on Sunday in St. Louis where he faces a Rams’ secondary that allowed  a league-high13 touchdowns to opposing WR1’s in 2010 and already has ceded a pair of TD’s to top receivers this year.

TE Vernon Davis (@CIN) – With the 49er’s receiving corps decimated by injuries look for even more action for Vernon Davis in the team’s passing game. He gets to face a Bengals’ defense that has struggled to stop over time. Davis could get double-digit targets on Sunday and that makes him a must start.

SIT 'EM
QB Josh Freeman (vs. ATL) – After watching the Bucs’ quarterback toss just two touchdowns over his first two games, I’m not crazy about his matchup with the Falcons. In two matchups against Atlanta during his breakout 2010 campaign Freeman was held to less than 200 yards passing each time and only totaled three touchdowns to go along with three picks.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – The loss of Jamal Charles for the season to an ACL injury put the nail in the coffin to the Chiefs’ season after just two weeks. Matt Cassel has looked terrible and should be cut in most leagues. I am not excited about either of the team’s running backs left, Thomas Jones and Dexter McCluster, and am going to sit Dwayne Bowe until further notice.

FANTASY INFIRMARY
DALLAS COWBOYS – Tony Romo (ribs/lung), Felix Jones (shoulder), and Dez Bryant (thigh) are all questionable for against Washington and Miles Austin (hamstring) is likely out. With the game on Monday night it’s going to be very tough for owners to risk waiting around for playing decisions. I avoid all Cowboys aside from Jason Witten in Week 3.

QB Michael Vick (concussion) – Vick was a full participant at practice on Thursday and all signs are starting to point to him playing this week versus the Giants barring any setbacks. Owners will want to stay tuned to this situation leading up to game day, but this is clearly good news.

RB Arian Foster (hamstring) – Foster’s hammy continues to be a fantasy headache entering Week 3 of the season. His status is up in the air for this week, but with head coach Gary Kubiak hinting that the team will continue to lean on Ben Tate until Foster is 100 percent healthy Foster’s value is limited.

WR Kenny Britt (hamstring) – Britt, who has been a top five fantasy wideout through two weeks this season, left practice early on Wednesday due to a quad injury. The move is believed to have been cautionary but one that owners will certainly want to stay abreast to the situation on.

BUY LOW CANDIDATES
QB Matt Schaub (HOU) – With Texans running rapid, Schaub’s numbers are down through two weeks as he has yet to eclipsed 230 yards passing and has only three TD’s and two picks. While he may not be amongst the elite fantasy quarterbacks any more, Schaub is still a low-end QB1 capable of big games. 

RB Chris Johnson (TEN) – No high-end player has brought more disappointment to this point than Johnson has to his owners. He’s averaging just 2.1 yards per carry and 4.1 yards per catch through the first two weeks. Still with a favorable schedule ahead and an immense amount of talent I’m still confident that Johnson will finish as a solid fantasy RB1 with huge upside.

WR Reggie Wayne (IND) – There’s no doubt that Wayne, along with the rest of the Colts, has seen a big drop in his fantasy value with Peyton Manning sidelined. However, his value has fallen as far as many think. Wayne has 11 targets and a score already and is going to continue to get looks. Consider him an OK option as a WR2, even without his stud quarterback.

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