Sunday morning updates - Week 13

Good morning, Fools, and happy Sunday. For most of us, this is the last weekend of the fantasy regular season. I hope all Fools are either set for the postseason or in the hunt for a playoff berth.

For me, a Week 14 bye is at stake in one league, and seeding in the other three. It's all about putting up massive points today. Fortunately, I have Vick and Foster in one league, Shady in two others, and Vick in one more. Thursday was bery, bery good to me...

OK, enough about me. Let's see what's in store for our favorite players today:


All eyes will be on the Vikings' inactives report in less than an hour, when we'll know AP's status. Again, if you own Peterson and don't have Toby Gerhart ready to roll just in case, you've made a huge mistake. One of those guys -- possibly even both -- are in for a big day against the Bills' pathetic run defense.

Big Ben's foot is still acting up, but you can bet he'll start tonight. I don't expect much from him, though. As mentioned in Friday's Starters & Benchwarmers column, he hasn't thrown for more than 1 TD in a game against the Ravens since 2007.

Shaun Hill is out (again), and Matt Stafford is also on the shelves, so the Drew Stanton Experiment returns to Detroit today. Megatron's owners can take some solace in knowing that Stanton connected with him for an 87-yard TD back in Week 6 against the Giants.

For the second straight year, Bruce Gradkowski will end the season on injured reserve, leaving Jason Campbell firmly entrenched as the starting QB in Oakland. Fortunately for those hoping for more glad tidings from Jacoby Ford, the speedster has shown that he can excel with either passer at the controls.

In what is surely one of the most unremarkable "good news" announcements I've heard in some time, Kerry Collins is expected to return to Tennessee's starting lineup today. While this piques my interest in Nate Washington, I wouldn't let Randy Moss anywhere near my starting lineup until he shows up for at least one game as a Titan.

Brian Westbrook practiced Friday after sitting out Wed and Thurs. No worries, he'll start. But how well -- and how much -- will he play against the Packers' run defense? I picked him up in one league, but won't be starting him. Just not expecting big things out of him or the 49ers overall today.

Looks like Tolbert and Mathews will split carries for the Chargers today. If I had to choose between the two, I'd stick with Tolbert, who has been a reliable scorer. And Mathews has an unfortunate knack for disappearing soon after re-appearing.

Addai won't play (for the 6th consecutive week), but Mike Hart is back. Look for him to share carries with Donald Brown, which is bad news for both. Javarris James likely goes back to the sidelines, with Hart more likely to see the goal-line carries.

As I said in Friday's Sporting News column, if you believe Pierre Thomas will be active this week, I've got a pool of subprime mortgages I'd love to sell you...

Jahvid Best is expected to get some carries today, but not as many as Maurice Morris. I don't like either's chances much against the Bears' tough D, but Best's turf toes, in particular, should be nowhere near your starting lineup.

Brandon Marshall is expected to be full-go today; but beware: Hamstrings have a way of acting up in their first game action after an extended absence. You probably have to start Marshall if you own him, but be prepared for him to be limited, or even exit early.

Malcom Floyd will be active today, but Antonio Gates is a huge question mark (some early reports said he was ruled out, but those were apparently erroneous, or at least premature), and V-Jax and Crayton are out. I still think we might see another big game from Seyi Ajirotutu, and possibly even Legedu Naanee. But I wouldn't start either flier over more established wideouts. It's just a hunch; nothing more.

Fret not, Greg Jennings owners. X-rays on his swollen foot were negative, and he will be good to go today. Donald Driver, on the other hand, is still nursing a quad injury and isn't a good fantasy bet regardless of his playing status.

Mike Sims-Walker has already been ruled out of today's matchup.

Jeremy Shockey is no longer on the Saints' injury report, signaling his return to action today.

Jason Hanson has been placed on injured reserve, meaning Dave Rayner will finish the season as the Lions' kicker.

Jeff Reed has been signed by the 49ers and is expected to kick this weekend while Joe Nedney continues to rehab his knee. Shane Andrus has been released.

Kris Brown was brought in for an audition by the Jets but wasn't signed. Nick Folk has officially been placed on notice, as have you.

That's it for now. Make sure you're following my tweets (@ladd_biro) for the inactives and other late-breaking news. Good luck today, Fools!

Week 10 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Peyton Manning and Arian Foster, or bench Chad Henne and David Gettis? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for real help with your starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 10 of the 2010 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Shaun Hill, QB, Lions at Bills. Before breaking his forearm in Week 6, Hill was one of the hottest passers in the league. Now that he’s returning in Matt Stafford’s place, and facing a delicious matchup in Buffalo (17 passing TDs surrendered vs. a league-low one INT), he should pick up where he left off. In a week when three top fantasy QBs are on bye, Hill offers great upside.

Ronnie Brown, RB, Dolphins vs. Titans. With Chad Pennington back at the controls, Miami’s running game must shoulder the load. Brown scored his second rushing TD of the season last week against the Ravens, and he should have more success against Tennessee’s average-at-best rush defense.

Jahvid Best, RB, Lions at Bills. For the time being, at least, Kevin Smith has receded into the background, leaving Best alone atop Detroit’s RB pecking order. That’s excellent news since he’ll be facing the league’s worst run defense on Sunday.

Mike Thomas, WR, Jaguars vs. Texans. The diminutive wideout reached the end zone against Dallas in Week 8, and now faces a secondary that’s arguably even worse. David Garrard should have another outstanding outing, along with both of his starting WRs.

Mario Manningham, WR, Giants vs. Cowboys. Steve Smith injured his pectoral muscle in Thursday’s practice and is expected to miss one or two games as a result. With Dallas’ sieve-like secondary on tap, Manningham should have an outstanding game as Eli Manning’s No. 2 wideout. Obviously, Hakeem Nicks is golden with or without Smith.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Garrard, Matt Schaub, Eli Manning, Mike Vick, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kyle Orton, Ben Roethlisberger; RBs Jamaal Charles, Thomas Jones, Ahmad Bradshaw, Cedric Benson, Donald Brown, LeGarrette Blount, Peyton Hillis; WRs Mike Sims-Walker, Pierre Garcon, Jacoby Jones, Jeremy Maclin, Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Steve Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston.

Roll ‘em back

Tom Brady, QB, Patriots at Steelers. Brady’s owners know he has been fairly mediocre fantasy-wise since Randy Moss left town. Now he’s dealing with a sprained foot, though it won’t keep him off the field against Pittsburgh. But with Wes Welker still less than 100 percent, Brady is a shaky start at best against a defense that’s given up just eight passing TDs in as many games.

Mike Goodson, RB, Panthers at Buccaneers. The second-year back will start in place of the injured DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. But if those two couldn’t produce behind Carolina’s weak offensive line, what are the third-stringer’s chances? With Jimmy Clausen back under center, nobody in a Carolina uniform should be within sniffing distance of your lineup.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Jets at Browns. He has slowed down from his torrid early-season pace, while Cleveland (one rushing TD to date) has played formidable defense against some of the best teams in the league. With Shonn Greene’s share of the workload steadily increasing, LT is no longer a sure-fire fantasy starter in tough matchups, like Sunday’s.

Santana Moss, WR, Redskins vs. Eagles. He was blanked in the first meeting between these teams, and Donovan McNabb wasn’t much better against his old club. Both players are risky starts against Philly’s high-pressure defense.

Randy Moss, WR, Titans at Dolphins. He is unlikely to see a full workload in his first game as a Titan, and head coach Jeff Fisher has suggested he won’t even play on third downs. Regardless of which QB is under center, Moss has taken a big step down from Brady and Brett Favre.

More thumbs down: QBs Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer, Jon Kitna, Chad Pennington; RBs Beanie Wells, Ricky Williams, Matt Forte, Felix Jones, Marion Barber, BenJarvis Green-Ellis; WRs Michael Crabtree, Brandon Tate, Deion Branch, Steve Smith (CAR), Roy Williams, Mike Williams (SEA).

TAKING A FLIER

Buccaneers defense vs. Panthers. Jimmy Clausen will start this game for Carolina, but he may not finish it. Meanwhile, the Panthers are down to their third running back, and they were arguably the NFL’s worst offense when their starters were healthy. Look for sacks and turnovers galore for the Bucs’ defense, along with a possible shutout.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…lets Sidney Rice remain a free agent any longer. Rice is on track to play limited snaps in Week 10, which should make him a hot commodity on next week’s waiver wire. Grab him now (he’s still available in most leagues), and sock him away for the stretch run. Rice will be playing for a new contract, and with Moss in Tennessee and Percy Harvin better suited to the slot, the big-play receiver could resume his role as Favre’s go-to target as soon as Week 11.

Sunday morning updates - Week 9

Good morning, Fools! It's another beautiful day in Fantasyland. I hope you're ready to dominate your competition today. I know I am.

Did you remember to "fall back?"

First things first...Six teams are on bye this week: Broncos, Jaguars, 49ers, Rams, Titans and Redskins.

Here are a few updates from around the league before we get to the game-day inactives (starting at noon ET).

Both Joseph Addai and Mike Hart stayed home yesterday and will not play vs. Philly. Donald Brown has a chance to redeem himself for those (like me) who were counting on him last week.

DeAngelo Williams is out again; Jonathan Stewart will try to rebound from an awful start last week.

Beanie Wells is active and will start. He has a tough matchup with the Vikes, but their rush defense hasn't been as tough as advertised lately.

Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush are both inactive (again). Look for more sharing in the Saints backfield between Chris Ivory, Julius Jones and Ladell Betts.

No surprise here: The Colts put oft-injured Anthony Gonazalez on IR, ending his season prematurely yet again.

DeSean Jackson (concussion) is fully expected to return to the field today, and will be catching passes from Michael Vick against the Colts. Get him back in your lineup.

Donald Driver is out today.

Colt McCoy will start again for the Browns, while Delhomme and Wallace continue to sit.

Percy Harvin will play today, as will Favre (duh). That said, Harvin has looked "tentative" in pre-game warmups, according to reports.

Donte Stallworth will suit up for the Ravens for the first time today. He will take some snaps away from Houshmandzadeh, but not likely from Boldin or Mason.

Antonio Gates will NOT play today (already ruled inactive). Randy McMichael, whom you'll remember from St. Louis and Miami, will start in his absence. Given the fact that the Bolts won't have Floyd, Naanee or Vincent Jackson either, you could do worse than take a flier on McMichael if you're a Gates owner.

Texans TE Owen Daniels is also inactive.

Oakland TE Zach Miller is very doubtful for the later games.

Nate Kaeding is sidelined for the third straight game; Kris Brown will kick for the Chargers.

OK, it's time to shift to Twitter for the inactive reports (follow me @ladd_biro). Good luck to all Fools!

Week 9 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Aaron Rodgers and Adrian Peterson, or bench Matt Moore and Jerome Harrison? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for real help with your starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 9 of the 2010 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Michael Vick, QB, Eagles vs. Colts. You’ve held onto Vick
throughout his extended rehab for a reason. Now get him back in your starting lineup against an Indy defense that is vulnerable to mobile quarterbacks. All signs point to DeSean Jackson (concussion) re-joining him in the huddle as well, so we could be in for an old-fashioned shootout in the Indy-Philly contest.

Brandon Jackson, RB, Packers vs. Cowboys. Over the last several games, Jackson has distanced himself from John Kuhn as the primary ball-carrier in Green Bay’s offense, while Dallas’ defense has imploded. Jackson offers a nice change-of-pace for the Packers’ high-octane passing attack, and he should reach the end zone at least once.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Patriots at Browns. He has scored six TDs over the past five games, including two last week against the vaunted Vikings run defense. Though Cleveland has allowed only a single rushing score all season, Green-Ellis could double that, especially if New England’s passing attack continues to struggle.

Mike Williams, WR, Buccaneers at Falcons. Atlanta has surrendered three passing scores apiece in their last two games. That’s great news for Josh Freeman and his favorite target, who just notched the first 100-yard game of his rookie season.

Davone Bess, WR, Dolphins at Ravens. Bess has produced consistently, if unspectacularly, over the past five games (33 receptions for 335 yards and 3 TDs during that span). Miami’s running game is struggling, so look for its No. 2 wideout to be a major part of the game plan against a Ravens secondary that coughed up four passing scores to the Bills prior to the bye.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger, Jay Cutler; RBs LaDainian Tomlinson, LeSean McCoy, Fred Jackson, Matt Forte, Darren McFadden, Jamaal Charles, Thomas Jones, Peyton Hillis; WRs Greg Jennings, Patrick Crayton, Johnny Knox, Wes Welker, Steve Smith (NYG), Mike Wallace, Pierre Garcon, Steve Johnson.

Roll ‘em back


Matt Schaub, QB, Texans vs. Chargers. He has thrown for one or fewer TDs, and 201 or fewer yards, in four of seven games to date. Now Schaub faces the league’s top-ranked pass defense, which has also amassed 25 sacks (2nd most in the NFL).

Jahvid Best, RB, Lions vs. Jets. Kevin Smith and Best split carries evenly last week, despite assurances from the rookie that his turf toe had fully healed. Now Smith is dealing with soreness in the same knee that knocked him out of action last season, so Best should again get the lion’s share (get it?) of the carries this week. Still, in a shared backfield against one of the league’s stingiest run defenses, Best could be in for another rough outing.

Seahawks RBs vs. Giants. Both Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett were awful in Oakland last week, and neither is likely to penetrate a Giants run defense that has been playing lights-out recently. Don’t be surprised if Seattle is shut out completely in this contest.

Steve Smith, WR, Panthers vs. Saints. He shouldered the blame for Carolina’s loss to the Rams in Week 8, but it won’t be his fault this time around. New Orleans’ pass rush will smother Matt Moore, while its ball-hawking secondary blankets his best receiver all afternoon.

Braylon Edwards, WR, Jets at Lions. Detroit’s pass defense is a lot better than you think, while New York is coming off an embarrassing shutout by Green Bay. Edwards caught just one pass last week, and he should continue his struggles Sunday as the Jets focus on pounding the Lions with their running game.

More thumbs down: QBs Carson Palmer, Brett Favre, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Stafford, Jon Kitna, Mark Sanchez, Jason Campbell; RBs Ronnie Brown, Cedric Benson, Beanie Wells, Jonathan Stewart, Felix Jones, Marion Barber, Chris Ivory; WRs Roy Williams, Mike Williams (SEA), Jerricho Cotchery, Jacoby Jones, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Lee Evans, Darrius Heyward-Bey.

TAKING A FLIER

James Jones, WR, Packers vs. Cowboys. With Donald Driver declared out due to his injured quad, Jones will start opposite Greg Jennings against a Dallas secondary that has surrendered 15 passing TDs to date (third most in the NFL) and was just torched by David Garrard for four TD passes. Heck, Jordy Nelson is a decent bet to excel Sunday night, too.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…benches Philip Rivers just because his receivers are dropping like flies. Even if Antonio Gates (plantar fasciitis) joins Malcom Floyd, Legedu Naanee and Vincent Jackson on the sidelines, the NFL’s leading passer will find someone (Patrick Crayton, Darren Sproles, even Seji Ajirotutu) with whom to torch the Texans’ atrocious pass defense.

Sunday morning updates - Week 8

Good morning, Fools, and welcome to the midway point of the fantasy season. I hope you're in good position in your league's standings and poised to dominate in the second half.

Let's go around the league to see what's up before we get to the early inactives (which I'll be tweeting shortly; make sure you're following me @ladd_biro).

At this point, it looks like Favre will start today, though anything can happen. He hasn't played well of late, but the Patriots' secondary offers a favorable matchup. I wouldn't want to risk it, especially given the late start of the MIN-NE game, but with six teams on bye, some of you may have little choice.

It also looks like Vince Young, David Garrard and Jason Campbell will start for their respective clubs today.

Donald Brown has been getting his practice reps over the last couple of days, and appears on track to start Monday night for Addai (shoulder). Mike Hart will also get his carries, but Brown projects as the better fantasy option at this point.

DeAngelo Williams did not fly with the team to St. Louis, so make sure he's on your bench. (He should be anyway, given his poor play lately.) Jonathan Stewart is a decent start with DeAngelo out, even though the Rams have only surrendered two rushing TDs all season.

Those betting on Rams WR Danario Alexander to catch passes from Sam Bradford today need to look elsewhere. He hurt his knee in practice Saturday and will be out 2-4 weeks.

Dexter McCluster also won't play with a high ankle sprain (though he has yet to be officially declared inactive).

Louis Murphy (lung) is out; Jacoby Ford will take his starting spot in the Raiders' lineup.

BTW, Vincent Jackson has signed his tender and will be available to suit up for San Diego after serving a 3-game suspension. If you're hurting at WR and need someone for your playoff run, you could do much worse than V-Jax.

Owen Daniels, my flier of the week, is questionable but has been practicing the last couple of days. He'll play tomorrow night, and I still think he can perform well if you're in a pinch at tight end. He's not a great play, though, which is why I'm calling him a flier.

Nick Kaeding is out again this week, leaving the Chargers' kicking duties to Kris Brown.

OK, stay tuned for the inactive reports coming in a bit. And good luck to all Fools today!

Wake me up when Week 7 gets here

I had the craziest dream last night.

I dreamt that an Oakland running back who deemed himself “70 percent” healthy was the leading rusher in Week 7, with 196 combined yards and four touchdowns. That’s ridiculous, since Michael Bush was expected to remain the starter while Darren McFadden eased back into action slowly so as not to re-aggravate his troublesome hamstring.


And I suppose you expect me to believe the Raiders put up 59 points on the Broncos, too.

I could have sworn I saw a boneheaded receiver – who was benched at the beginning of the game for getting in an early-morning bar fight two days before – torching the Eagles for the best receiving performance in the NFL all season. Yeah, right. As if Kerry Collins could ever pass for 225 yards and three touchdowns in one game, much less all to Kenny Britt.

Surely I was hallucinating when I watched Drew Brees pass for 94 yards and two scoring strikes to David Bowens. That’s absurd, of course, because Bowens is a linebacker and he doesn’t even play for the Saints.

In the same game, the Browns punter was one yard shy of leading both teams in rushing. As if.

Somebody needs to pinch me, because Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick allegedly lit up the mighty Ravens defense for 374 yards and four TDs, three of which went to Lee Evans. And I didn’t even drink last night.

I thought I heard that Jay Cutler’s leading receiver on Sunday was DeAngelo Hall, who reeled in four passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. But isn’t Hall a Redskin?

Some guy named David Gettis caught eight passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers. Now that’s just silly.

The voices in my head told me Packers tight end Andrew Quarless was awarded a touchdown that wasn’t, and Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was robbed of a touchdown that was, both in the same Sunday night game. You can’t make this stuff up.

I even imagined that my beloved Dolphins got hosed by the officials after Ben Roethlisberger fumbled on his way into the end zone. Even though replays showed multiple Miami defenders covering the fumble and a Dolphin emerging from the scrum with the ball. Puh-leeze…

Okay, I’m awake now. Let me know when the real Week 7 games are going to be played.


FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, you need to start with a good draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents can also make a big difference. Here’s a look at a few players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else’s line-up.

Catch ‘em while you can

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Bills. Since being installed as Buffalo’s starter, Fitzpatrick has amassed 969 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and just four interceptions. And he’s not doing it against scrubs, either. With six teams on bye each of the next two weekends, Fitzpatrick and his top receivers (Lee Evans and Steve Johnson) are suddenly prime waiver-wire candidates.

Matt Stafford, QB, Lions. Before Shaun Hill went down with a broken forearm in Week 6, he was the sixth-best quarterback in Fantasyland. Now that Stafford is headed back from the shoulder injury he suffered in the opener, he’ll find himself at the controls of a surprisingly potent offense. He, too, offers a solution to your bye-week conundrums.

Kenny Britt, WR, Titans. When you post the best receiving game of the 2010 season against a solid Eagles secondary, you deserve some love. Britt should continue to benefit from the attention lavished on Chris Johnson by opposing defenses. Best of all, he’s available in more than a third of all fantasy leagues.

Owen Daniels, TE, Texans. Before he blew out his knee in Week 8 of the 2009 season, Daniels was the most prolific tight end in the business. Coming off the Texans’ bye, Daniels should again be at or near full-strength, and poised to dominate down the stretch. Overlooked or forgotten in half of all leagues, Daniels could be an invaluable acquisition for fantasy owners looking to shore up a position that has been decimated by injuries.

Don’t be fooled

LeGarrette Blount, RB, Buccaneers. One week removed from the game-day inactive list, the undrafted rookie was Tampa Bay’s leading rusher with 76 yards, 46 of which came on one play. In Week 5, Earnest Graham was the team’s top back, with 65 yards. Cadillac Williams led the way in Week 6 with a whopping 18 rushing yards. Get the picture? Even if you could predict who’ll get the most carries in any given week, this is not a backfield worth messing with.

Jordan Shipley, WR, Bengals. Carson Palmer has stepped up his game recently, but there still aren’t enough passes to go around in Cincinnati to warrant picking up Shipley. Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens aren’t known for sharing, and they certainly won’t cheerfully surrender targets to a rookie.

David Gettis, WR, Panthers. I’m not sure what was going on in Carolina Sunday, but I’m fairly certain it’s not going to happen again. There may not be a worse passing offense in the league, so expecting consistency from this rookie wideout is like asking Paris Hilton to skip a photo op. Let someone else waste a waiver claim on Gettis. Ditto Brandon LaFell.

Week 5 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

Eli Manning, QB, Giants – His 297-yard, 3-TD performance was offset a bit by 2 INTs.
Shaun Hill, QB, Lions – Torched the Rams for 227 yards and a TD hat trick.
Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers – Passed for 431 yards and 2 TDs, but lost 2 fumbles and the game.
Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys – His personal-best 406-yard, 3-TD game was spoiled by 3 INTs.
Alex Smith, QB, 49ers – It was ugly, but his 309-yard, 3-TD, 2-INT performance, with 16 rushing yards added for good measure, worked for his fantasy owners.
Brett Favre, QB, Vikings – Overcame an awful start to pass for 264 yards and 3 TDs, but 3 turnovers hurt.

Ray Rice, RB, Ravens – Scored twice while rushing for 133 yards and adding 26 yards on 4 receptions.
Matt Forte, RB, Bears – Blitzed the Panthers for 166 rushing yards and 2 TDs, plus a pair of catches for 22 yards.
Chris Johnson, RB, Titans – Ran for 131 yards and 2 short TDs.

Hakeem Nicks, WR, Giants – Schooled the Texans with a dozen catches for 130 yards and 2 TDs.
Brandon Lloyd, WR, Broncos – Continued his stellar season with 5 catches for 135 yards and 2 TDs.
Malcom Floyd, WR, Chargers – Produced 213 yards and a TD on 8 catches.
Steve Johnson, WR, Bills – Reeled in 5 passes for 46 yards and a pair of TDs.
Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings – Caught 5 balls for 97 yards and 2 TDs.
Miles Austin, WR, Cowboys – Collected 9 passes for 166 yards and an electrifying score.

Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jaguars – Posted his second 2-TD game of the season on 4 receptions for 54 yards.

Nick Folk, K, Jets – Knocked in 5 field goals (including a 53-yarder) plus 2 extra points.

Raiders defense/special teams – Scored a safety and TD on 2 blocked punts, scored another TD on a 64-yard fumble return, recovered 3 fumbles and notched 3 sacks.

This was a great week to play against…

Peyton Manning, QB, Colts – Held without a TD while passing for a mediocre 244 yards and an INT.
Matt Schaub, QB, Texans – Failed to throw a TD pass while collecting just 196 yards and coughing up 2 turnovers.
Bruce Gradkowski, QB, Raiders – So bad, he was replaced after passing for an awful 14 yards.
Sam Bradford, QB, Rams – Threw for 215 yards, 2 picks and no TDs against the suddenly dominating Lions.

Thomas Jones, RB, Chiefs – Only 19 rushing yards against the Colts.
Arian Foster, RB, Texans – Tanked with just 25 rushing yards and 2 short receptions.
Cadillac Williams, RB, Buccaneers – His 33-yard rushing performance could be a sign of committee days to come.
Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals – Still can’t get on track with just 35 rushing yards and a 5-yard reception. Tim Hightower was even worse, ending with only 6 yards on the day.
DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers – Managed only 51 rushing yards and 8 receiving yards on 3 catches. Jonathan Stewart (30 rushing, 4 receiving) was worse than that.

Mario Manningham, WR, Giants – Posted his second consecutive goose egg.
Legedu Naanee, WR, Chargers – Held catchless before leaving with a hamstring injury.
Mark Clayton, WR, Rams – After his lone 6-yard reception, left with a season-ending injury.
Anquan Boldin, WR, Ravens – Held to a single, 8-yard catch.
Lance Moore, WR, Saints – Ditto.
Bears WRs – Johnny Knox led with a 14-yard catch, while Devin Hester went nowhere on his 2 receptions.
Chad Ochocinco, WR, Bengals – Upstaged by TO again, with just 3 receptions for 20 yards.
Greg Jennings, WR, Packers – Limited to a pair of receptions for 22 yards.
Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys – Same for the rookie.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Ravens – Just 2 catches for 24 yards.
Kevin Walter, WR, Texans – Him too.
DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles – Followed the same trend.
Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs – His 2 catches resulted in 33 yards.

Jermichael Finley, TE, Packers – Injured before catching a single pass.
Dustin Keller, TE, Jets – Limited to 2 receptions for 14 yards.
Visanthe Shiancoe, TE, Vikings – Only 2 catches for 28 yards.
Dallas Clark, TE, Colts – Just 20 yards on 3 receptions.

I didn’t see that coming…

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Bills – Passed for 220 yards and 3 TDs without a turnover.

Lions defense/special teams – Scored on a kickoff return and a 42-yard INT return, posted 1 sack, and collected 3 turnovers, while holding the Rams to a pair of field goals.