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

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, monday qb, ryan mathews, chris johnson, steve smith, tony gonzalez, michael vick

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
After a dismal 2010 campaign, much of which can be accredited to having Jimmy Clausen at quarterback, Steve Smith re-emerged as an elite fantasy wideout last season. He tallied 100 receiving yards and/or a touchdown in 10 of his 16 starts. The fact he played in 16 games was a feat in itself, Smith has played in at least 14 games in each of the last seven seasons. As the year progressed teams began to double and triple team him. With improved surrounding weapons, Smith should be able to find enough openings to make him a top 10 WR again this season.

SCHEDULE
The Panthers play seven teams that finished in the top 16 in terms of fantasy points allowed to running backs in 2011 which spells good news for the team’s ground weapons. Three of the team’s first four games come against divisional foes. The bye week comes in Week 6 and Carolina currently has two games schedule for prime time with at Thursday night tilt vs. the Giants and a Monday night affair at the Eagles on tap. Four of the team’s last four games are on the road. The playoff matchups against the Falcons, at the Chargers, and home with the Raiders are manageable.

STUD
Cam Newton was disregarded by most owners leading up to his rookie season, but after just one short year he’s risen to the top of fantasy football rankings across the web. Newton starts the preseason at No. 2 on the GSI Cheat Sheet on the heels of a season which he threw for 4,051 yards and 21 touchdowns and garnered another 706 yards and 14 scores on the ground. While it’s reasonable to expect a dip in the rushing totals, an increase in the passing stats and a cut down on the 24 turnovers is also likely.

DUD
Despite proven to be a productive fantasy commodity at times in San Diego, Mike Tolbert could be hard pressed for opportunities in his new uniform. With Newton being a vulture of touches at the goalline and a crowded backfield it remains to be seen where Tolbert will fit in the Panthers’ offense. However, the team signed him for a purpose so he’s worth keeping your eyes on. Some will stretch for him based off name recognition, but he’s nothing more than a late-round stab in deeper formats in our eyes.

SLEEPER
A breakout season could be on tap for third-year wide receiver Brandon LaFell. With the Legedu Naanee experiment officially over in Carolina, LaFell will slide into a starting spot opposite of Steve Smith in the Panthers’ offense. Even if a limited role a year ago, LaFell managed 613 yards and three touchdowns receiving. Targets may be tough to come by, but even if he’s plagued with inconsistency 65 catches for 900 yards and 5 touchdowns are modest projections. View him as a WR4 or WR5 with some nice upside.

NEW ADDITION
Not yet comfortable with its depth at receiver, the Panthers traded for Louis Murphy just before the start of training camp. The former Raider has always had the potential, but had a problem staying on the field. It’s going to take his some time to work into the mix with Carolina, so his draft value is extremely low. However, during the course of the season and beyond he could develop into a worthy option for the Panthers and fantasy owners alike.

POSITION BATTLE
The Carolina backfield has been a head scratcher for the past couple of seasons for fantasy owners as both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have shown flashes of brilliance at times while being non-factors on occasion as well. Williams had more touches last year, but Stewart became more a factor in the passing game as he caught 47 balls. If Williams stays healthy he’s the back to grab, but he’s high-end WR3 at best. Stewart value rises if Williams goes down, but still could be a RB3 in his own right. With Tolbert and Newton taking short-yardage touches, but players will post modest scoring numbers.

BENCH BUILDER
Owners can do much worse than Greg Olsen as a TE2 option. His debut season in Carolina wasn’t spectacular as he finished with 45 catches for 540 yards and five touchdowns. However, with Jeremy Shockey no longer in the equation is reasonable to expect an increase in numbers. Olsen has always had the tools and now needs to just find a bit more consistency to become a more viable fantasy option.

Fantasy Football, NFL 2012 nfl preview, carolina panthers, steve smith, cam newton, mike tolbert, brandon lafell, louis murphy, deangelo williams, jonathan stewart, greg olsen

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Sam Bradford is entering his third season in the NFL and will have his third different offensive coordinator. After a promising rookie season that saw him throw for 3,512 yards and 18 touchdowns, Bradford took a step back during his sophomore campaign as he limited by injuries. In his 10 starts a year ago Bradford threw as many interceptions (6) as he did touchdowns (6).  During his two-year career and his 26 starts the Rams’ signal caller has eclipsed the 300-yard mark in just three games.

SCHEDULE
St. Louis’ slate is an easy one, but it remains to be seen if they can take advantage of it. Nine of their 16 contests come indoors and they only have one true cold-weather game on tap. Only five of their 16 games are against teams that finished with 10 or more wins a year ago. They only have one prime time game as they host Arizona on Thursday night in Week 5. The fantasy playoff matchups at Buffalo, Vikings and at Tampa Bay in Weeks 14-16 are extremely favorable.

STUD
The most consistent fantasy performer on the Rams is hands down Steven Jackson. The running back has cranked out seven consecutive 1000-yard seasons and has caught at least 40 balls out of the backfield in each of the past four years. He’ll be 29 by time the season gets underway which raises some area of concern, but he will continue to be the focal point of the Rams’ offense. Jackson is a low-end RB1 and is likely to slip to the end of Round 2 into Round 3 on draft day.

DUD
Despite showing great flashes since his days at Missouri, wide receiver Danario Alexander has been unable to shake the injury bug.  His blazing speed and 6-foot-5 frame has made him a favorite sleeper for fantasy owners the past two seasons, but the fact he’s only played in 18 games during that span makes him hard to count on. The team added plenty of depth at the position in the offseason and that coupled with the durability concerns has caused Alexander to no longer be fantasy worthy.

SLEEPER
With Josh McDaniels no longer calling the plays, tight end Lance Kendricks is expected to be a much larger factor in the Rams’ passing attack.  He caught 28 balls for 352 yards during his rookie season, but he is still searching for his first career touchdown. Look for big strides in year two for the young tight end, but with so much depth at the position entering this season fantasy owners are better off to monitor his progress early in the season as a potential waiver wire grab rather than drafting him.

NEW ADDITIONS
Head coach Jeff Fisher has arrived in St. Louis and he brings offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer with him. The duo is expected to change things up and that should lead to the Rams grinding it out more frequently. Despite posting a 142-120 record during his 17-year reign in Tennessee, Fisher led teams only finished as a top 10 scoring offense twice during his tenure.

POSITION BATTLE
The organization completely overhauled its receiver corps during the offseason. Big things are expected from second-round pick Brian Quick, who could quickly emerge as the team team’s top option in the passing game.  Fourth-round pick Chris Givens slid in the draft and could start opposite of Quick with a good camp. Veteran Steve Smith was added and his experience could help him land the starting job early on.  Danny Amendola is a great slot player, but needs to prove he’s 100 percent. The battle for targets is going to be important to watch early on.

BENCH BUILDER
The Rams added Isaiah Pead to serve as Jackson’s primary backup in the running game. Pead has the ability to be a capable passing game weapon and should be the primary kick returner out of the gate. With the team hoping to keep Jackson fresh, expect him to get touches. If Jackson goes down with an injury, Pead would immediately become a fantasy commodity. Jackson owners should be sure to add him as insurance, but any owner could benefit from the depth, especially in PPR formats.

Fantasy Football, NFL 2012 nfl preview, st. louis rams, sam bradford, steven jackson, danario alexander, lance kendricks, jeff fisher, brian quick, chris givens, steve smith, isaiah pead

QB Game Ball - Tim Tebow, Denver - 13/27, 161 yards, 2 TD, 8 carries, 65 yards
After getting off to a shaky start against the Dolphins, Tebow eventually justified what many Bronco fans had been screaming about. The rookie QB threw two TDs in the fourth quarter including one with just over two minutes to play that tied the game. And while it certainly doesn't compare to 'The Drive' by a previous Denver quarterback, it certainly marked the beginning of a new era for the Broncos.

QB Honorable Mention - Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay - 24/30, 335 yards, 3 TD (now placed in the Game Ball Hall of Fame.)

RB Game Ball - DeMarco Murray, Dallas - 25 carries, 253 yards, 1 TD
Nothing like starting out the day with a 91 yard touchdown run. The Cowboys rookie back filled in nicely for Felix Jones against the Rams. And while it could be argued that Tony Dorsett, who is now 57, could have had a good game running against the Rams on Sunday, putting up 253 yards in your first start is pretty impressive. It's hard to say what will happen now in the Dallas backfield when Jones returns, but Murray has certainly made his case.

RB Honorable Mention - Arian Foster, Houston - 25 carries, 115 yards, 2 TD, 5 catches, 119 yards, 1 TD (healthy and studly.)

WR Game Ball - Steve Smith, Carolina - 7 catches, 143 yards
Things probably did not look too rosy for Smith before the season started. He was an aging wide receiver on a team rebuilding with a rookie QB who likes to run. But he may have been just what Cam Newton need - the veteran he can count on. Smith is having a great season and posted his fourth 100+ yard performance on Sunday. And more importanly for the Panthers, they are starting to win.

WR Honorable Mention - Marques Colston, New Orleans - 7 catches, 98 yards, 2 TD (clearly the best receiver on a team with a bunch of them.)

GAME-USED SOCK AWARD
Carson Palmer, QB, Oakland - 8/21, 116 yards, 0 TD, 3 Int
This Stinky Sock was a little too easy to give out this week. So let's give Palmer a little break. He has only been with the Raiders less than a week and he hasn't practiced or played with a team since last season. Of course, that was because he was holding out for a trade. But then again, he got his trade and still stunk it up. Yeah, he deserves to wear the rotten smelling sock this week.

Stinky Sock Honorable Mention - Any fans that watched the Browns beat the Seahawks 6 to 3.

Fantasy Football, NFL game balls, top performers, week 7, carson palmer, tim tebow, steve smith

QB
Jay Cutler (concussion) - did not return to game
Michael Vick (ribs, chest) - x-rays negative, but could miss time

RB
Clinton Portis (groin) - status unclear
Darren McFadden (hamstring) - forced from game
Ryan Mathews (elbow) - ankle looks good, elbow kept him out

WR
Steve Smith-CAR (ankle) - high ankle sprain could prove costly
Jordan Shipley (concussion) - cheap shot to the head

COMPLETE INJURY REPORT (KFFL.com)

Fantasy Football, NFL nfl injuries, week 4, jay cutler, michael vick, darren mcfadden, ryan matthews, steve smith

Winning NFL picks, odds and power rankings all from our friends at Doc's Sports Service.

****

I already posted some of my QB and RB candidates to be busts this year. Here are a couple wide receivers who might disappoint fantasy owners:

Steve Smith (CAR) – While the New York Giants version flourished and has a great outlook for 2010, the Carolina version has been in a freefall and has several things working against him. He's coming off a broken arm which he injured against little kids in his youth camp (this is an omen). Matt Moore is his quarterback, which might be an upgrade over the aging Jake Delhomme, but is still not enough of a positive for Smith, whose streak of 1,000 yard seasons ended last year. The Panthers are a run-first team which means Smith won't be a big factor and when he is, he's likely to get double coverage. The time has passed when Steve Smith is a WR1 for any fantasy team, and with all these factors, he might not even be a WR2. When you draft a Steve Smith this year, make sure it's the one from the New York Giants.

Vincent Jackson (SD) – You would think that a #1 receiver on a championship-caliber team would make a player a top tier selection. But, VJax (yeah, I'll stop that) is going to serve a three-game suspension to start the year. You could live with that and plan accordingly, but Jackson is also in the middle of an ugly contract dispute, having refused to sign his one-year tender. He's threatening to sit out the year, and while I doubt that will happen, Jackson simply cannot be counted as an elite WR. Now, he could fall in the bargain bin in your draft and would still be worthy of a WR2-level selection.

Wes Welker (NE) – Normally Welker can be counted on as a top 10 receiver. In PPR leagues, he's an absolute stud. However, he's coming off a Week 17 ACL tear which really hurt the Patriots in the playoffs. Welker has already started practicing in training camp and vows to play in Week 1. But, I'm not convinced. This is all Patriot games. I think, in the end, Welker will start the year on the PUP list. And, even if he doesn't, he won't have the speed and burst necessary to perform at a high level. For this reason, I'm passing on Welker. Unless he proves to be the bionic man, he can't be the receiver he was last year and therefore can't be counted on as a stud fantasy WR.

Follow me on Twitter at dafantasygeek or find me on Facebook.

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, fantasy busts, 2010 wide receiver busts, steve smith, vincent jackson, wes welker

One overwhelming trend that most fantasy gurus spout out is that most wide receivers don't come into their own until their third season in the league. I am not sure that I buy into as much as others, but the numbers are there to back it up. There are always exceptions though so don't buy into the trend too much. However, overlooking it altogether may prove costly. Here is a list of some of this year's candidates:

ALREADY BROKE OUT
Calvin Johnson - DET

BREAKOUT COMING
Dwayne Bowe - KC
Steve Breaston - ARI
Ted Ginn Jr. - MIA
Anthony Gonzalez - IND

STILL WAITING
Jacoby Jones - HOU
Robert Meachem - NO
Sidney Rice - MIN
Steve Smith - NYG
Chansi Stuckley - NYJ

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, third-year receivers, dwayne bowe, steve breaston, ted ginn jr., anthony gonzalez.calvin johnson, jacoby jones, robert meachem, sidney rice, steve smith, chansi stuckley

Okay, Round Three is where things start to get interesting...

RECAPS: Round One | Round Two

ROUND THREE
25. HUMBERT - WR R. White (ATL)
26. FISCHER - WR M. Colston (NO)
27. CLASGENS - WR S. Smith (CAR)
28. ANSELMO - RB P. Thomas (NO)
29. MURDICO - WR D. Bowe (KC)
30. SIMS - RB R. Grant (GB)
31. SCHMITT - QB K. Warner (ARI)
32. WETZEL - WR T. Owens  (BUF)
33. BRYANT - WR T. Houshmandzadeh (SEA)
34. DINSMORE - RB J. Addai (IND)
35. SIMON - RB M. Lynch (BUF)
36. BROERING - WR C. Ochocinco (CIN)

POSITION BREAKDOWN: WR (7), RB (4), QB (1)

MY PICK: After taking a RB and QB, I had no choice but to wideout. I was hoping to grab one of my top 5 wideouts, but I couldn't pass on the Tier 1 quarterback (Peyton Manning) in Round Two. Still, Steve Smith is nice value here. People forget  when they look at his numbers that he missed two games due to a suspension last season. Smith has only played in all 16 games twice in his career, but the durability wrap is misleading. His numbers were down a bit last year as the Panthers ran early and often. They scored 21 rushing touchdowns over the last eight games. Still, Smith averaged over 5 catches per game and broke the 100-yard mark eight times in 14 tries. Carolina is a run first team, but I expect Smith to find the end zone a few more times in '09. Smith is a low-end WR1 with significant upside.

BEST VALUE PICK: If you read this blog regularly you know I already feel strongly about Pierre Thomas' upside. With that in mind, I peg Joseph Addai as my best value pick of the round. After scoring 15 TD's in '07, last season was a bit rough for the Colts' running back. He started strong by scoring four times in the first four games, but missed four games and parts of two others with injuries after that. The guy was a top 5 pick a year ago and plays in one of the league's best offenses. Getting him 34th overall is great value. The team drafted Donald Brown and he will push for time, but perhaps that will have a good impact on Addai and push him to do better (i.e. Jonathan Stewart's affect on DeAngelo Williams).

MOST LIKELY TO DISAPPOINT: Marshawn Lynch at this point is the worst pick of the draft so far. Not only is he losing the first three games (most fantasy leagues only play 13 weeks) due to a suspension, but he was outperformed most of last season by Fred Jackson. Expect Lynch to still be the featured back upon his return, but Jackson and the newly acquired Dominic Rhodes are going to get their crack at carries. I have at least eight RB's still available rated higher than him on my latest Cheat Sheet. Lynch could prove worthy, but he could have drafted a round or two from now most likely.

FINAL TAKE: Round Three is where fantasy championships start to get formed. It's hard to mess up the top two picks, but the decisions made between Rounds 3-7 are the ones that seperate pretenders from contenders. One thing is clear so far though, running back depth is much better than that at wide receiver this season.

Fantasy Football gsi mock draft, mock fantasy football draft, mock draft, roddy white, marques colston, steve smith, pierre thomas, dwayne bowe, ryan grant, kurt warner, terrell owens, tj houshmandzadeh, joseph addai, marshawn lynch, chad ochocinco

Man each week the NFL season draws closer to an end, and each week the depression kicks in a little more. Still, there are some great games on tap this weekend and I am going to try to enjoy them to the fullest. Let's take a look each game as I tell you how I see things unfolding and give you my picks.

BALTIMORE (12-5) at TENNESSEE (13-3) - Titans favored by 3
Outlook: The Titans won the Week 5 meeting 13-10 in Baltimore and this one promises to be another slugfest. Baltimore comes into the game off an impressive opening-round victory and seem to be clicking on all cylinders. In the Week 5 meeting the Ravens controlled the clock and limited Tennessee to 47 yards rushing. Tennessee will need more effective running the ball this time around. Ravens' QB Joe Flacco threw two picks in the first meeting, but hasn't been turning the ball over as much of late. The two teams are extremely similar statisically in PaYd per game, RuYd per game, points scored, points allowed, give-aways, and take-aways. The game could easily come down to which team can put points on the board with their defense of special teams.

My Pick: Ravens 20, Titans 16...The one underdog I like to win straight up this week.

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Chris Johnson, LeRon McClain, Derrick Mason, Bo Scaife, Rob Bironas, Matt Stover, Ravens DEF, Titans DEF; DON'T PLAY - Joe Flacco, Kerry Collins, LenDale White, Any Titans' WR, Todd Heap.

ARIZONA (10-7) at CAROLINA (12-4) - Panthers favored by 10
Outlook: Talk about two teams that are completely different, the Cardinals and Panthers have gotten to this point in completely different manners. The Panthers have a top-notched running game and an above average defense. The Cardinals boast the league's most prolific passing attack, but struggle to move the ball on the ground and has played inconsistent this year on defense. The game is in Carolina and that could be the difference. Arizona is just 3-5 away from the friendly confines of the desert and and the Panthers are a perfect 8-0 at Bank of America Stadium. Kurt Warner has passed for twice as many TD's as Jake Delhomme (30:15), but Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower collectively were nearly outproduced by the Panthers' No. 2 running back Jonathan Stewart on the ground (913 yards to 836 yards). DeAngelo Williams finished thrid in the NFL in rushing with 1515 yards.

My Pick: Carolina 31, Arizona 20...The Cards will have some success on offense, but will not be able to stop the run this week.

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Jake Delhomme, Kurt Warner, DeAngelo Williams, Edgerrin James, Jonathan Stewart, Steve Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, Anquan Boldin (game-time decision), Mushin Muhammad, John Kasay, Neil Rackers; DON'T PLAY - Tim Hightower, Stephen Spach, Donte Rosario, Panthers DEF, Cardinals DEF.

PHILADELPHIA (10-6-1) at NY GIANTS (13-3) - Giants favored by 4.5
Outlook: I am still trying to figure out the Eagles even got this point. It wasn't too long ago I went and watched them tie the Bengals. Much has happened since then and the Eagles have won 4 of their last 5 games to get to this point. The Giants are the defending champs and come into the game well rested. While the Eagles finished the season red hot, the Giants were a bit sluggish down the stretch as they dealt with problems on and off the field. The two teams split in their head-to-head match-ups with Philly, winning 20-14 in Week 14 at the Meadowlands. Eli Manning has looked rough down the stretch (only averaging 153 PaYd per game w/out Plaxico). The G-Men will enjoy a healthy return of Brandon Jacobs.

My Pick: Giants 20, Eagles 14...the rubber match should be a good one, but I still like the champs coming off two weeks of rest.

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Domenik Hixon, Kevin Boss, Brent Celek, Eagles DEF, David Akers, John Carney; DON'T PLAY - Eli Manning, Correll Buckhalter, Amani Toomer, Giants DEF.

SAN DIEGO (9-8) at PITTSBURGH (12-4) - Steelers favored by 6
Outlook: A little over a month ago I pegged the Chargers as the most overrated team and declared Norv Turner one of the worst coaches in the league. It's amazing what five straight wins can do for job somebody's job security. Behind the Pro Bowl caliber play of Phillip Rivers and the speedy Darren Sproles San Diego has caught a bolt of lightning. Pittsburgh's defense is as good as ever and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger continues to find ways to win. The Steelers' ground attack has been disappointing, but it hasn't matter much as they've continue to beat good team after good team. They have the best homefield advantage of any team in the playoffs and that could make the difference here. San Diego lost at Pittsburhg in Week 11 in the first 11-10 game in NFL history.

My Pick: Pittsburgh 21, Chargers 14...as much as I hate them the Steelers are my Super Bowl pick right now and I am sticking with it!

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, Heath Miller, Steelers; DON'T PLAY - Phillip Rivers, Darren Sproles (fear the Steelers' D), LaDainian Tomlinson (hurt), Chris Chambers, Chargers DEF, Nate Kaeding, Jeff Reed.

Fantasy Football, NFL nfl playoffs, ravens, titans, cardinals, panthers, eagles, giants, chargers, steelers, chris johnson, leron mcclain, derrick mason, bo scaife, rob bironas, matt stover, ravens def, titans def, joe flacco, kerry collins, lendale white, todd heap, jake delhomme, kurt warner, deangelo williams, edgerrin james, jonathan stewart, steve smith, larry fitzgerald, steve breaston, anquan boldin, mushin muhammad, john kasay, neil rackers, tim hightowerstephen spach, donte rosario, panthers def, cardinals def, donovan mcnabb, brian westbrook, brandon jacobs, derrick ward, desean jackson, kevin curtis, domenik hixon, kevin boss, brent celek, eagles def, david akers, john carney, eli manning, correll buckhalter, amani toomer, giants def, ben roethlisberger, willie parker, hines ward, santonio holmes, vincent jackson, antonio gates, heath miller, steelers, phillip rivers, darren sproles, ladainian tomlinson, chris chambers, chargers def, nate kaeding, jeff reed

Andre Johnson, WR, Houston - 11 catches, 207 yards, 1 TD
Johnson has been a top receiver all season and took his game to a higher level against the Titans on Sunday. His big game help the Texans give Tennessee just its second loss of the year. Matt Schaub finished with 284 yards and Steve Slaton had 100 on the ground. The Houston defense stymied the Titans who were held to just four field goals. While the game may not have an affect on the post-season it could go along way to help the confidence of a good, young Texans squad.

Tavaris Jackson, QB, Minnesota - 11/17, 163 yards, 4 TD
Okay, so Adrian Peterson had 165 yards on 28 carries - he's supposed to do that. The real story for the Vikings was Jackson. Not only did he throw four touchdown passes, he did not turn the ball over. Each of his four scores went to different players and none of them were Peterson. If this team makes the post-season it will be because of its running game and solid defense. But today Jackson showed he can manage the game when he needs to.

Phillip Rivers, QB, San Diego - 34/48, 346 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int
The Chargers squeaked out a win in Kansas City and kept their playoff hopes alive thanks to a late charge led by Rivers. Both his touchdown passes came in the fourth quarter and really for most of the game the Chargers did not look good. LaDainian Tomlinson ran for just 39 yards and the defense looked porous once again. But the Chargers can still win their division thanks to the win and a Broncos loss.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Buffalo - 21 carries, 127 yards
While the Bills woes continue, Lynch continues to put up solid numbers. He was not expected to do much against a tough Jets defense but they weren't exactly on their game on Sunday. Other than Lynch, few players did well in this one. The quarterbacks combined for just 355 yards and five interceptions. Yet there were 58 points scored. Either way Lynch is a stud and should continue to produce for a long time in Buffalo.

Dallas Clark, TE, Indianapolis - 12 catches, 142 yards, 1 TD
The Colts kept on rolling in Detroit thanks to a big day from just about everybody. Peyton Manning finished with 318 yards and the one score to Clark. Reggie Wayne seven passes for 104 yards. And in place of an injured Josepg Addai, Dominic Rhodes ran for 86 yards and two touchdowns. The defense may have been suspect, giving up 21 points to the winless Lions. But still, few teams will want to face the Colts in the post-season.

Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta - 32 carries, 152 yards, 1 TD
Turner and the Falcons took advantage of a Buccaneers defense that suddenly looks like a sieve. (It has a lot of holes and things go through it easily.) Tampa's post-season hopes are beginning to fade as the Atlanta's are getting brighter. Matt Ryan was not as sharp as he has been, finishing with just 206 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. But with a running game of Turner and Jerius Norwood who needs to throw the ball?

Matt Cassel, QB, New England - 18/30, 218 yards, 4 TD, 1 Int
The Patriots scored seven touchdowns against the hapless Raiders. And while Cassel deserves plenty of credit, it is important to note that the Pats ran for 277 yards. Sammy Morris had 117, LaMont Jordan 97, Kevin Faulk 45 and Cassel 18. All of those running backs scored and so did Wes Welker and Randy Moss, twice. And while the Raiders mounted a comeback this game looked a lot like the ones the 2007 Patriots played.

Steve Smith, WR, Carolina - 9 catches, 165 yards, 1 TD
The Panthers may be the best team in the NFL. First, there's Smith who continues to put up monster numbers. His game helps Jake Delhomme look good. he finished with 253 yards and the score to Smith. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 140 rushing yards and each scored. And the defense held the high-powered Broncos to just 10 points. So they can throw, they can run and they can stop the other team. Yeah, they're good.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh - 22/40, 246 yards, 1 TD
Big Ben threw for 85 yards in the Steelers final drive to pick up a big win in Baltimore. He hooked up with Santonio Holmes with just 43 seconds left to give Pittsburgh the win and the AFC North crown. Hines Ward also had a huge day with 107 yards on eight catches. And the defense did their job, holding the Ravens to just three field goals. If the Panthers aren't the best team in football then it's only because the Steelers are.


The Game Used Sock Award
Clinton Portis, RB, Washington - 25 carries, 77 yards
It was not that long ago that Portis was leading the league in rushing and the Redskins were thinking 'playoffs'. Well, a lot has changed in a few weeks. His 77 yards against the Bengals was the most he had in three games and the second highest total for him in six games. And Washington has lost all but one of those. To top it off, Portis has not scored since October 19. Heck, Ryan Fitzpatrick had a rushing touchdown against his team on Sunday! I, for one, am happy to have traded Portis in one of my leagues a few weeks ago. Sure, I missed the playoffs in that league but at least I'm not sharing a dirty sock with Portis today. (I put mine on a month ago.)

Fantasy Football, NFL game balls, week 15, andre johnson, matt chaub, steve slaton, tavaris jackson, adrian peterson, phillip rivers, ladainian tomlinson, marshawn lynch, dallas clark, peyton manning, reggie wayne, dominic rhodes, michael turner, matt ryan, matt cassel, sammy morris, lamont jordan, kevin faulk, wes welker, randy moss, steve smith, jake delhomme, deangelo williams, jonathan stewart, ben roehtlisberger, hines ward, clinton portis ryan fitzpatrick