Hiccups and Pickups: Week 8

FALLING DOWN

Felix Jones. Jon Kitna went as Tony Romo for Halloween. He dropped back 45+ times, threw for 375+ yards, turned it over more than three times, and lost at home. He's sure to be good pill hunting today after his first start in two years, but the loss is not his fault. Two of his picks were on drops, and he never should've been asked to do that much, which brings us to Jones. The Cowboys' are a throw-first offense and can't stop anyone on defense, making Felix a non-factor by halftime most weeks. He has no touchdowns on the year and has only hit double-digit fantasy points twice. Treat this week's loss vs. the Jaguars as a bellwether game and conclude that if Dallas goes down big early at home to Jacksonville, that's just who they are.

Randy Moss. In an unprecedented move, the Minnesota Vikings have hired special assistant Dr. Emmett Lathrop "Doc" Brown to help with the passing game. Unconfirmed sources are reporting that he and Brett Favre are working on something "big." Brown's $10 million dollar fee may seem high, but you can't put a price on 2-5 and a share of last place. Moss quitting on a ball after a pass interference call and his lengthy embrace with Bill Belichick, coupled with the trainer having to re-attach Favre's head was a series of smacks to the face for team owner Zygi Wilf, whose Vikings' record (and personal finances) would be better without Favre and Moss this year.

Chad Ochocinco. When the sum of your name changes and television shows is greater than your touchdowns, it's time to drop yourself from your own fantasy team. Chad, if you're reading, Steve Johnson may still be available.

Ronnie Brown. Remember when the Dolphins were so savvy and took Ronnie Brown instead of Cadillac Williams? They were right, but not by much. Brown has been the more productive of the two, but both have been disappointing at the pro level and are again this year. To Miami's credit, 2005 was loaded with first-round busts, semi-busts and wastes-of-time (Alex Smith, Adam Jones, Cadillac, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams, Shawne Merriman, Braylon Edwards) and at least Ronnie is still wearing teal.

MERCURY RISING

Matthew Stafford. Stafford-to-Johnson was a peach of a connection on Sunday, as the best QB in UGA history hit the best wideout in Georgia Tech history for 101 yards and three scores. Matthew threw another to Pettigrew, and threw himself into the mix of quarterbacks to consider for bye Weeks 9 and 10.

Michael Crabtree. Crabtree heads into the bye a wideout with breakout potential in the second half. Mike has had three fantasy games in his last four, the 49ers may be without Vernon Davis, and their schedule is favorable the rest of the way.

LeGarrette Blount. LeGarrette Blount will be LeMost added fantasy player this week, and he's definitely worth a shot as the lead ballcarrier in Tampa Bay. 120 yards and two TDs on 22 carries looks slightly better than it is, (nearly half his points came on a 48-yard run late in the game), but it's more than enough to trade in the Cadillac for him.

Mike Sims-Walker. Welcome to Jacksonville, home of the hyphen and the most-frustrating players in fantasy. While Jones-Drew owners are still waiting for that monster game (or two?), many Sims-Walker owners had already bailed before his Week 8 breakout. Currently owned in 65% of Yahoo! leagues, Mike caught 8 for 153 and a score in Dallas and has shown he can get it going with Garrard.

Keiland Williams. Washington running backs have been going down faster than a lead zeppelin. Okay. That should cure them, right? Curse, go out from this place! There you go. Now grab Keiland Williams.

Hiccups and Pickups: Week 7

FALLING DOWN

DeAngelo Williams. Drafted as high as 8th overall, Williams is the biggest bust this fantasy season, even with 2nd-rounder Ryan Grant going out for the season. By going on IR, Grant actually did his owners a favor-- he freed up a roster spot immediately. Williams has cost his owners a productive spot in all six games he's played, averaging just 60 yards per contest and reaching the end zone just once. A foot injury on the last play of the game (in which he rushed for 44 yards) makes him a must-bench this week at St. Louis, and makes Jonathan Stewart the primary back in Carolina. The Daily Show should be decent this week at St. Louis, and even better Week 9 hosting the Saints.

Miles Austin. Never play cards with a guy who's name is a city. Maybe we should extend this rule to fantasy, as Miles Austin, Dallas Clark and Austin Collie's fantasy value took a major hit in Week 7. Jon Kitna at quarterback denies Miles the arm strength and escapability he needs to get down the field, but he's still a threat to take any short pass to the house.

Wes Welker. Welker has shown that he's healthy, if not explosive through the Pats' first six games. He's averaging 6 catches a game which puts him on pace for 96, so an increase in looks will be necessary to cross 100 a fourth straight year. Still, that he's healthy and Randy Moss is wearing purple are both positive signs for owners who knew it would take time for Wes to get all the way back.

MERCURY RISING

Kenny Britt. Britt is a fighter. Coach Jeff Fisher suspended Kenny for the start of Sunday's game, and was glad to see the lightning fast wideout land blow after blow against the Eagles after hearing his opening bell. Britt has now scored seven touchdowns in his last five games, scoring in all five, and it doesn't seem to matter if it's Vince Young or Kerry Collins under center. Opposing teams' focus on Chris Johnson will keep Kenny in single coverage, so continue to keep him in your lineup.

Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick has been a bright spot for the winless Bills, making the Trent Edwards Era feel like a distant memory. Ryan has thrown at least two TDs in each game he's started, providing a spark to a Bills team that came up just short vs. New England and Baltimore. His 374-yard/4 TD performance at Baltimore makes Fitzpatrick a fantasy commodity and a strong start three of the next four weeks (@ KC, CHI, DET, @ CIN).

Steve Johnson. No, he's not your kid's science teacher and he didn't try to sell you term life insurance over the phone. The Bills' number one wideout has an every-man quality that has left him virtually unowned until this week. A 5-158-1 performance in Baltimore is anything but common, and that it's the most recent in a 4-game touchdown streak is encouraging as well. Steve should lead the Bills in targets the rest of the season, and Fitzpatrick will continue to average more than 30 throws per game.

Brandon Pettigrew. Season-ending injuries to Dallas Clark and Jermichael Finley vault Brandon into the top tier of tight ends for the second half. Antonio Gates' owners got a scare as well, and will be looking to add a TE for his Week 10 bye. Pettigrew has huge upside and a big game this week will give him trade value as well. Add him.

Owen Daniels. Daniels has been slowly working his way back. 5 catches for 79 in Week 6 marked his best game of the season, and the bye should have him close to full speed. He's a solid start at Indy this week, as Houston will undoubtedly get him more involved than in Week 1, when he had just one reception.

Blair White. Just in time for Halloween, the Blair White Project becomes a viable fantasy option. In a stroke of geographical witchcraft, the power went out in Dallas and Austin just as the lights went on in Pierre and Blair. An ailing Colts' backfield is even more cause to add White, as Peyton will have to throw a ton to make the playoffs this year.

Hiccups and Pickups: Week 6

FALLING DOWN

Michael Turner. Through six games, Turner has only two fantasy performances, neither of them monsters. He's averaging 78 yards per game, has just one touchdown and has topped 20 carries once. Turner makes a neat buy-relatively-low candidate, (no player taken in the top ten can be had for nothing) with a home game vs. Cincinnati, a bye, and then an easier-looking second half schedule.

Miles Austin. Two duds in his last three games is frustrating for Austin, whose unbelievably high ceiling makes him unbenchable. Despite 20 yards Week 3 at Houston and 12 yards Week 6 at Minnesota, Austin gets the sell-high tag thanks to his still-stellar numbers, but Dez Bryant is emerging and Roy Williams is stealing touchdowns.

Mike Tolbert. Tolbert filled in somewhat admirably during Ryan Mathews' absence, but certainly wasn't spectacular and showed difficulty holding onto the football. Following Mathews' return to a full load on Sunday, Tolbert found himself the short-yardage ballcarrier, netting just three yards and a TD on three carries. Expect similar output from Tolbert while the Chargers have all of their backs healthy, with Mathews the workhorse, Tolbert the plow, and Sproles the change-of-pace/receiving threat. All three should see increased work if Malcom Floyd and Antonio Gates are sidelined, making Mathews a nice-looking start (NE, TEN, @ HOU) for the next three weeks before the Bolts' bye.

Danny Amendola. Following his career-best 12/95 @ DET in Week 5, Amendola had many convinced that without Mark Clayton, he was the wideout to own in St. Louis. Undrafted out of Texas Tech, the 5'11" wideout/returner draws instant Wes Welker comparisons, but the emergence of Danario Alexander will return him to his early season role. Treat the one game in which he got an astounding 18 looks as an aberration, and expect more of the 5/50 games he put up with Clayton in the mix.

Kevin Walter. Walter fell short of 10 points for the third straight week, this time getting completely shut out by the Chiefs. The Texans' shift to a more balanced attack has turned Kevin Walter's looks into Arian Foster's carries, so like Amendola, throw out his 11-catch game. With Walter on the bye this week, you can safely drop him for a one-week rental, then re-acquire him if you like the @ Indy start Week 8. If you do, remember that you'd be starting the third/fourth receiving option in Houston (Johnson, Daniels, Jones) in a run-first system.

Michael Bush. Darren McFadden's expected return seals Bush's departure from fantasy lineups, though 47 yards on 20 carries against the 49ers may have done that on its own.

MERCURY RISING

Chris Ivory. The undrafted rookie was targeted by fantasy owners as a big add for Week 5, but fumbled and lost carries to Ladell Betts. Then Chris looked like Chris Johnson Week 6, as he shredded the Bucs for 158 yards on just 15 carries. Pierre Thomas doesn't seem quite ready to return, and even if he does, hasn't shown the kind of explosiveness Ivory showed last week. With a big performance vs. Cleveland, Ivory's per-game average will be a pure 99.44.

Deion Branch. When Tom Brady said that if the Pats brought back Deion Branch he'd pick him up at the airport, that was fantasy code for, "And I'll throw him a touchdown." Brady did better than that, targeting Branch 12 times and connecting on 9/98 and the first-quarter score. Randy's new address means plenty more looks for Deion, including this week at San Diego.

Pierre Garcon. This site's lack of a cedilla frustrates me almost as much as Pierre frustrated Reggie Wayne owners on Sunday night. While Reggie got 71 yards, he fell short for a lot of his owners in need of the 57-yard TD catch and 100-yard day that went to Garcon. Big play potential and his proximity to Peyton Manning make Pierre a fantasy starter after the Colts' bye this week.

Mike Williams. The 40-Year Old Virgin of the NFL, Mike Williams is actually 26, but finally seems to be getting his career started in Seattle. After tallying just 11 catches in his first four games, Mike grabbed 10 for 123 at Chicago and home vs. Arizona this week looks pretty good. In Tampa, Mike Williams keeps running hard routes all game and remains the only fantasy option worth considering for the Bucs.

Patrick Crayton. Malcom Floyd's hamstring injury may keep him out this week vs. New England, and Antonio Gates (toe, ankle) could be limited as well. This should steer the Chargers toward the running game, but will also free up looks in the passing game by default. Floyd's targets will go to Crayton and Buster Davis, and after Crayton's 100-yard performance at St. Louis, Patrick is the hot hand. Grab him if you're bye'd out at wideout this week (Wayne, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon, Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes) but if your league charges money for moves, don't pay to 'Cray.

Danario Alexander. Aren't NFL GMs great? Alexander led the nation with 113 receptions for 1,781 yards at Missouri last season, yet 32 teams passed on him even in the final rounds of the draft. Perhaps Buffalo Bills GM Buddy Nix forgot that it's risk/reward, not just risk, but the Bills have no need for a 6'5" number one wideout and they don't draft injured players (Willis McGahee), so the point is moot. The Rams took that risk by signing Alexander, whose knee is now fully healed from the Senior Bowl injury that damned his status as a prospect, and got rewarded with a 38-yard touchdown catch, among 72 yards on the day. Danario was on the field for about a third of the offensive snaps having just been elevated from the practice squad to the first team, but his role and production will grow in weeks to come if he can stay on the field.

Danny Woodhead. "Now that we've met our bigs, it's time to meet the littles!" The pint-sized Patriot gave the New England ground game "Sturdy Wings" on Sunday, as Danny has been a useful fantasy start in three straight. After scoring in wins over the Bills and Dolphins, Woodhead topped 110 yards from scrimmage on 11 carries for 63 and 5 catches for 52. Over 82,000 Yahoo! owners have added Danny today, so if you're thinking of taking a shot on the small wonder at San Diego, you're not alone.

NFL Preview: Week 6

Cowboys @ Vikings. Fresh off their byes, the 1-3 Cowboys visit the 1-3 Vikings, in a game that can be most inaccurately described as, "exactly what Jerry Jones and Zygi Wilf were expecting." The Vikes are an absolute sideshow right now, with Brad "Chilly" Childress just chillin' and pretty much serving as a sight gag. The revelation of Brett Favre's pennis (sic) and the acquisition of Randy Moss only make their one win look even smaller, and if they lose at home to the Cowboys, it should be the end for the Bald Ego. Dallas has all the talent a team should need to earn a playoff spot but must fire Wade Phillips. Jerry Jones should've taken a closer look at his own operation instead of Ari Gold's this offseason and made the move to Jason Garrett. Fantasy starts (in order): Adrian Peterson, Miles Austin, Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Felix Jones, Percy Harvin, Dez Bryant, Visanthe Shiancoe, Brett Favre.

Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland. The Steelers welcome back the biggest head on Earth. Big Ben and his cabesa hit the ground running vs. the Browns, making him, Rashard Mendenhall, Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, and even Heath Miller fantasy plays this week. For Cleveland, Peyton Hillis' game at Baltimore gives faith that he can get it going vs. a tough run defense, but he's a borderline start this week, and the only one worth considering on the Browns roster.

Falcons @ Eagles. Heads up. The Falcons are 4-1 without looking that good thus far. This week they visit the Eagles, who are 3-2 despite their instability at quarterback and their 0-2 home record. With Kolb back under center (for now) for Andy Reid's bunch, treat Brent Celek and LeSean McCoy as must-starts, and DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin as quality starts that you'll probably take during a bye week. For Atlanta, Michael Turner, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez, and Matt Ryan are all starts.

Ravens @ Patriots. Bill Belichick gets to debut his new-look offense at home, but not against the oppenent he'd choose. Baltimore visits New England, which is now minus one 6'4" model citizen, and will look to Wes Welker and rookies Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Tate to fill the stat sheet. The Ravens got Ray Rice rolling with 27 carries and will give the Pats defense a heavy dose again this week, as they try to keep the ball away from Tom Brady. Brady now goes back to his pre-Moss status as the best distributor-cap quarterback in the league, making any Patriots receiver a potential stud on a given week. For this week, start Brady, Welker and Hernandez, and consider the Law Firm as a decent flex play. For Baltimore, take Rice, Boldin and Flacco as you normally would, and Derrick Mason, Heap and Houshmandzadeh only if you need them, in that order.

Jets @ Denver. Finally. A Jets game that's just a football game with no Outside the Lines episode or a 30 in 30 dedicated to it. In their first game this season that's not against a fellow SuperBowl contender or a division rival, we'll find out if they need the drama. LaDanian has earned the starting job and has had monster games in Denver. Start him and Dustin Keller, consider Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes as good flex options. For the Broncos, Kyle Orton has completely transformed himself from caretaker of a below-average run-first offense in Chicago to the spark of a big air attack. With Revis still struggling with the hamstring he pulled carrying his money, Kyle should get it going again to Brandon Lloyd, Eddie Royal and Jabar Gaffney. Don't start Knowshon Moreno in his first game back vs. the Jets front seven.

Colts @ Redskins. "There's nothing more pathetic than an aging hipster." Dr. Evil was spot-on, but he didn't know about Niners/Raiders. Expect a nice performance from both quarterbacks, but give the edge to Ryan Torain over Joseph Addai in this one, as the 'Skins will want to keep the ball away from Peyton. Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Austin Collie should all crack your lineup, and Santana Moss and Chris Cooley are Redskins worth using.

49ers vs. Raiders. This should be it for Mike Singletary. If the Niners, who have suffered no significant injuries, lose at home to the Raiders and fall to 0-6, they'll have make a change. Won't they? Start: Frank Gore, Michael Bush, Zach Miller, Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree.

Dolphins @ Packers. The Dolphins got healthy in Week 5 while the Packers got hurt. A preseason favorite in the NFC, Green Bay's Super-hopes dwindled a bit more when they lost leading receiver Jermichael Finley for the season. This is good news for Greg Jennings and Donald Driver owners, but bad news for the Pack, who are now down to one dimension of their already one-dimensional offense. Start: Aaron Rodgers, Brandon Marshall, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Brandon Jackson, Davone Bess, Chad Henne.

Saints @ Bucs. Three awful teams on the bye (Buffalo, Carolina, Cincinnati) continues to result in great matchups Week 6. After losing at Arizona, the defending champs are 3-2 and face division rival Tampa Bay, who have Carolina and the state of Ohio to thank for their 3-1 start. Still, the Bucs have been playing tough, and the Saints need a solid road win to get back into the conversation about the NFC's elite. Take Drew Brees and all of his receivers, and Mike Williams for the Bucs.

Titans @ Jaguars. The NFL's version of Tennessee vs. Florida. Not quite the salt of the college rivalry, but both teams come in with 3-2 records, top-tier running backs, mobile quarterbacks and solid receiving targets. The difference is the defense; the Titans have one. Start: Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Marcedes Lewis, and take a shot on Mike Sims-Walker and Kenny Britt on Monday Night.

Hiccups and Pickups: Week 4

FALLING DOWN

Matt Forte. After a monster receiving day Week 1 and a touchdown Week 2, Forte has been weak, putting up consecutive stinkers. With Jay Cutler out this week, the Panthers will load up on the run and short passing game and force Todd Collins to look downfield. Just a few fantasy backs are on the bye Week 5 (Brown/Williams, Green-Ellis, Mendenhall) so hopefully you can bench Forte until Chicago and Cutler have it working again.

DeSean Jackson. New Rule. So goes Mike Vick, so goes DeSean Jackson. For the speedster, his success with McNabb and Vick dictate that a mobile quarterback gives him time to execute double-moves and burn defenders deep. Until Vick gets back, view DeSean as a flex play that might break one, but would also be a threat to score on a run or punt return.

Darren McFadden. McFadden and Ahmad Bradshaw are a couple of semi-surprises rounding out the NFL's top 5 rushers through the first month, behind Foster, Mendenhall and Peterson. McFadden's 554 yards from scrimmage through 4 games will be stalled by a hamstring injury that has jeopardized his status for this week vs. San Diego.

Malcom Floyd. There are a few reasons Malcom makes this list, despite being the clear #1 wideout in San Diego. Antonio Gates will always be Philip Rivers' first option, he'll be facing shutdown corner Nnamdi Asomugha this week, the Bolts have Mathews and Tolbert going well, and there is a chance that Vincent Jackson just might want to play football this year. His strong play thus far and a potential Jackson return in Week 7 make Malcom a nice sell-high candidate for teams with WR depth.

Clinton Portis. "That popping sound you're hearing is actually Clinton Portis' groin." While CP isn't an alien (as far as we know) bench this citizen of The District until week 9.

MERCURY RISING

Maurice Jones-Drew. Fantasy owners got their MoJo back in Week 4. Pocket Hercules crossed the century mark for the first time since last December (also against Indy), and just the second time in his last 11 games. He'll get two in a row as the Jags visit Buffalo, who may as well start the Jills on defense after their performance vs. LT and the Jets made the Griswold's house on Christmas look dim.

Ricky Williams. The first bye week helped Ricky find some lineups in time for his first fantasy game of the season, gaining 56 rushing yards and adding 45 and a score through the air. Ricky's 7.0 per-carry average (10 yards per touch) will put him heavily in the mix during the Dolphins' bye-week practices and will make him useful, if not essential, as the season progresses.

Marshawn Lynch. Despite topping 1,000 yards in his first two seasons, Lynch fell out of favor in Buffalo after a disappointing 2009 on and off the field. A trade anywhere represents an upgrade for Marshawn, who brings his career 4.0 per-carry average to Seattle. We'll take it. Buffalo's Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller get a bump into the fantasy universe this week with Marshawn gone, but only because they're hosting the Jags.

Ryan Torain. The door was already opening when an injury to Dollar Bill's groin busted it down. Five years and 1,800 carries younger than the eccentric workhorse, Ryan should eat up plenty of terrain as the starter in upcoming weeks, as the Redskins have games against the Colts and Lions among their next four.

Brandon Tate. Whispers about a possible trade for Vincent Jackson should be taken with a big bag of rock salt. New England and San Diego are probably the two most hard-headed teams in the NFL who would both rather teach their players a lesson than swap holdouts pre-deadline, so it's a safe bet that VJ won't be brought in mid-stream to replace Randy Moss. That leaves the speedster Tate, who should benefit with Tom Brady again being allowed to do what he does best, throw to the receiver who's open. Weapons Welker, Hernandez and Tate will not complain when they don't get the ball, leaving Brady to feel relaxed and unobliged to force throws, as he did when the Pats were winning SuperBowls.

Dexter McCluster. In Yahoo! leagues, McCluster qualifies as an RB, making him a sneaky play this week at Indy and for the rest of the season. The speed merchant went undrafted in many leagues and a lot of owners dropped him after a successful, yet unspectacular (fantasy-wise) first three games. The Chiefs' schedule is light, their bye is behind them, and their offense lends itself to big plays. Dexter's 69 yards and a TD in Week 3 is an encouraging sign that the player that could only be described as absolutely explosive while at Ole Miss will hit the highlight reels soon. Depending on their roster's makeup and especially in PPR leagues, some owners might consider starting McCluster at RB2, and going 4-wide.

Hiccups and Pickups: Week 3

FALLING DOWN

Ray Rice. Ray Rice hosting the Browns looked like the second-best RB start in Week 3. While Adrian Peterson delivered the monster game we expected, Rice totaled just 80 rushing yards and 16 receiving and was again held out of the endzone. Rice has scored just one touchdown in his last ten games, is averaging 70 yards rushing and 22 receiving through three this year, and suffered a knee injury late in the game. Owners that opted for a QB with their early-to-mid first rounder should buy themselves a beer, and Rice should sit out the Pittsburgh game this week.

Steven Jackson. Another elite back off to a ho-hum start that made things even worse for his owners by getting hurt Week 3. Initial word is that S-Jax didn't tear his groin, but the ailment should be enough to keep him out this week vs. the Seahawks, and should certainly deem him unworthy of starting lineups barring great news on Sunday morning. Backup RB Kenneth Darby makes only a decent play vs. the Seahawks' run defense, but with five RBs on the bye this week (Peterson, Charles/Jones, Barber/Jones) Jackson owners may drop one in the Wishing Well.

Steve Smith. Will we ever know just how good this guy is? Nothing new for the real Steve Smith, who traded Jake Delhomme's bum elbow for Matt Moore's, and now gets to risk his life going up for Jimmy Clausen ducks. If he had a consistent quarterback over the past decade, Steve would never have to hear people even think about thinking about who the better wideout is.

Jason Witten. Jason Witten edges out Brett Favre for the "Thank God my Bye is Week 4" Award. He'll get to rest that cabesa and heal up a little bit, and will have to work hard to keep Martellus Bennett from gaining the edge in looks Week 5.

Marques Colston. Tough couple weeks for Reggie Bush-- sending the Heisman back broke his heart, then the 49ers broke his leg. With Bush out, the opportunity was there for Marques Colston to reestablish himself as Brees' go-to option and a PPR player's dream. Instead, Colston was covered again, limited to just 25 yards on the day. While Marques has been a reliable target, he had just two 100-yard games last season, three the year before that, and hasn't been the truly explosive fantasy player he was in his first two seasons from 2006-07.

Clinton Portis. Deja vu? It took about seven years for Clinton to get old in Washington, and Redskins fans are hoping it's not a repeat. If your name is LaDainian Tomlinson, congratulations. You're the only back that was better than Portis in the '00s. If not, you probably have a lot less mileage on you than Portis. An average of 46 yards per game vs. DAL, HOU and STL isn't getting it done, and his owners should target Keiland Williams as insurance.

MERCURY RISING

Lance Moore. Lance Moore came back to fantasy with the biggest game of his career. 6/149/2 vs. ATL in Week 3 (and his '08 season of 79/928/10) is enough to take a chance on Lance in Drew Brees' offense. He'll compete with Devery Henderson for the deep looks, but with Marques drawing the most attention and Pierre running well, sustained production is not beyond the realm.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Is there anything better than Dick Enberg saying this guy's name? It's like a four-act opera in which you never knew the word Green could have that many syllables. Laurence Maroney to Denver, Kevin Faulk to IR, Fred Taylor has 2,500 lifetime carries and Sammy Morris is a spot guy. You don't have to go to Harvard to figure out that you should join the Law Firm outside Boston.

Peyton Hillis. Can this man remove Peyton from first-name status? In fantasy circles, he just might. That Hillis' career-best 144 rush yards came at Baltimore is very encouraging, and coach Mangini will have no choice but to stay with Hillis, who also grabbed 7 for 36 yards.

Dustin Keller. Two monster games in a row for Keller, who followed his 7/115/1 day vs. New England with an even bigger 6/98/2 night in Miami. Throw out his first game vs. Baltimore as an extremely tough matchup and you have a tight end that has shown the ability to take a game over. If he's your backup, you might consider trading your number one TE and giving DK the big job.

Aaron Hernandez. Listed at 6'1"/245, Hernandez is more like a huge wideout than a true tight end. Use this to your advantage and get the fastest TE-eligible player we've seen since Marques Colston rookied. Kevin Faulk's season-ending injury opens up 6-7 looks in the pass game and solidifies that the trio of Welker, Moss and Hernandez will get most of Brady's attention. Grab him as a bye-week replacement, or even just to keep him away from the rest of your league.

Hiccups and Pickups: Week 2

FALLING DOWN

Maurice Jones-Drew. Pocket Hercules got struck by the Lightning on Sunday, gaining just 31 yards on the ground and catching one ball for 17 yards. MJD will be looking for his best Best impression this week, as the Jags host the defensively offensive Lions.

Jamaal Charles. Chiefs fans will take it, but Jamaal's owners will not. Thomas Jones got twice Jamaal's carries in Week 2, as the biggest home-run threat in the AFC West was kept in the park...by Cleveland. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis will look to get Charles more involved in the coming weeks, but at 2-0, can't exactly be criticized either.

Ryan Mathews. Ryan's ankle injury seemed like deja vu after Ryan Grant went down on opening weekend, but that he begged to get back in the game offers Mathews owners some hope. Still, Mike Tolbert looked really good and should eat into Mathews' workload once he's ready to return.

Shonn Greene. A statistical improvement over his Week 1 effort, Greene's 52 rushing yards vs. the Patriots may not have been enough to keep his starting job. LaDainian was the more effective back on Sunday, and to this point in the season has been the more prepared, reliable performer.

Greg Jennings. A game that fantasy owners salivate over often results in a stinker for the team's number one air option. The Bills were able to do one thing successfully on Sunday, which was keep Jennings off the scoreboard. He'll easily improve on his 3/31 outing this week, but Jennings is the type of team-first player that would take that statline in a winning effort every time.

MERCURY RISING

Jahvid Best. Jahvid may have had his best career game in just his second. Owners who had him benched vs. the highly rated Philly D will be chasing this effort all year long, and though he won't top 40 points with regularity, he's worth a weekly start until further notice.

Jason Snelling. Mike Turner's injury gave Snelling the Chance, and now Atlanta fans are beating their Community Chest about their loaded backfield. Though Turner seems to be fine, Snelling is his unquestioned understudy and absolutely worth picking up, especially given Turner's propensity for getting nicked up.

LeSean McCoy. LeSean was able to Run Away from the Lions all game on Sunday, to the tune of 120 yards and three touchdowns. Best guess is The Real McCoy will be in Jim Schwartz's head while he sleeps for at least a few weeks..."Another night, another dream, but always you."

DeSean Jackson. DeSean likes Michael Vick, he just doesn't like it when he calls him "dog." Either way, Jackson's game was unleashed with Vick under center, and calls for Kevin Kolb are fainter than that kid at the spelling bee.

Demaryius Thomas. Georgia Tech recruited Demaryius to replace Calvin Johnson. He did. The Broncos drafted Demaryius to replace Brandon Marshall. He will. If you need to fill a WR or a WR/RB slot, realize that GT and Denver have a lot more riding on their success than you.

Kevin Walter. There's plenty to go around when your QB throws for 497 yards. It won't be that abundant for Walter every week, but that his 11-catch performance came in a monster game for Andre is encouraging. Until Owen Daniels shows that he's a fantasy threat again, view Kevin as the number two receiving option in Houston, which is certainly worth rostering.

Brandon Pettigrew. Opening week starter Matthew Stafford seemed to prefer Tony Scheffler, but that trend reversed completely in Week 2, as replacement Shaun Hill found Pettigrew 7 times for 108 yards against the Eagles. Pettigrew is a nice guy to add if he has a different bye week than the tight end you drafted, or if you went with Jason Witten or Brent Celek and want some insurance.

NFL Preview: Week 2

Steelers @ Titans. Chris Johnson's streak of 12 straight 100-yard games will be put to the test on Sunday against a Pittsburgh D that limited Michael Turner in Week 1. But Johnson is a different breed of back and he will be relied upon heavily, so the century mark is certainly within reach. All the Titans' other offensive players get slightly downgraded for this matchup, except Rob Bironas. For the Steelers, until Big Ben gets back, just Mendenhall and Hines Ward are must-starts every week. Mike Wallace and Heath Miller are on the fringe until that time. Take the Titans in a field-goals game.

Ravens @ Bengals. Baltimore's offense should rebound from their poor showing in Week 1. The Bengals are far less stingy on D than the Jets, which should signal breakouts for Ray Rice and Joe Flacco, and simultaneous sighs of relief from their owners. Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson, T.O. and C.O. will pose more of a threat to the Ravens D than the Jets, but against this hard-hitting unit, they could all be in for a long day. Baltimore wins this roadie and moves to an earned 2-0. Their Week 6 visit to New England might just determine home-field advantage in the AFC.

Vikings vs. Dolphins. Adrian Peterson will get on track in Week 2 vs. the Dolphins. The void left by Sidney Rice was a cavernous one, as evidenced by Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin's inability to make plays. The Vikings will have to go back to basics for some time until they either acquire Vincent Jackson, have Sidney Rice back from his hip injury, or both. Until then, Visanthe Shiancoe seems to be Favre's most reliable target, and if that's true, they'll be leaning heavily on AP. Take Peterson and the Minny O-line over Ronnie and Ricky.

Colts vs. Giants. This is a pride game for Peyton and a house-money game for Eli. The Texans found the formula vs. Indy last week, and the Giants will want to get Bradshaw and Jacobs going, which will take even more pressure off of lil' bro. There is no doubt that Peyton has been stewing over the Colts' Week 1 defeat, and will do whatever he can to stave off 0-2. Take Indy in another high-scoring tilt.

Patriots @ Jets. This game will be played at 4:15pm Sunday in northern New Jersey, but may as well be played on New Year's Eve at midnight...on the moon. The Jets will be desperate to not open their new building 0-2, but Tom and Randy will be juiced up just boarding the bus to Soprano-ville. The Pats win this one handily, and at 2-0, are extremely tough to move from atop the AFC East.

Chargers vs. Jaguars. The Jags look to be AFC West slayers, having dispatched the Broncos in Week 1 and taking aim at the Chargers this Sunday. The Chargers are out to prove that rain, Arrowhead and special teams were the reasons they fell to KC, and will certainly improve in two of those areas this week. Rivers, Gates, Mathews, Floyd and I am Legedu are all starts this week; for the Jags, use MJD, and only activate Garrard, Sims-Walker and Lewis if you have to.

Bears @ Cowboys. The Bears got gifted their 1-0 start and the Cowboys gifted theirs away. The significance of Tashard Choice's fumble that got returned for Washington's lone TD is twofold. First, if Dallas just took a knee they would have won 7-6. Second, the catch was one of 7 touches in the game for Choice, while Felix and MB3 only received 8 carries apiece. Tashard is useful in either back's absence, but shouldn't two lead running backs be enough to spell each other? Increased workload helps any runner get into a rhythm, and Dallas' attempts to get three guys going in one game may cost them many. For Bears fans, Jay Cutler's 372 yards in his first regular season game under offensive coordinator Mike Martz was almost as big an exhale as the one let out at the end of regulation.

Chiefs @ Browns. This is Patriots-Jets Lite. Ex-Jet Mangini's dogs host ex-Pats Scott Pioli, Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel and Matt Cassel in Week 2. There's way less salt to this matchup than the real deal, but these teams, specifically their executives and coaches, know each other well. The Chiefs will make the Chargers' inevitable uphill climb even tougher, beating out the Browns and starting out 2-0.

Texans @ Redskins. A matchup of surprising 1-0 teams, few expected Houston to top Peyton and Shanny to beat the Eagles in their openers. But here they are, Arian Foster for President and McNabb undefeated in DC. Schaub gets rolling in Week 2 and Foster provides a balanced attack that will be enough to lower Donovan's winning percentage by 500 points.

Hiccups and Pickups: Week 1

FALLING DOWN

Calvin Johnson. Megatron lost a TD, the game, and his quarterback for up to six weeks. The upside is that the ill-fated booth review may put a chip on CJ's shoulder, and the loss of some stability under center means the Lions should be down even more, and throw it deep even more.

Andre Johnson. Andre turned in a 3-catch, 30-yard performance in Week 1 vs. the Colts in a game that looked to be a shootout between Manning and Schaub. Instead, we got the official coming-out party of Arian Foster, and a "wait 'til Week 2" memo from AJ.

Frank Gore. The Seahawks stunned everyone and shut down Gore and the entire 49ers offense in Pete Carroll's debut. Gore managed just 38 yards on 17 carries, but did get looks out of the backfield, resulting in a 6/45 receiving line. The Saints are up next, and after doing a really nice job containing Adrian Peterson, Gore's breakout week may be put on hold again.

Michael Turner. Another consensus top-six running back with a dud performance in Week 1. Pittsburgh's home opener was a tough assignment for any running back, but 2.2 yards per carry must improve for owners to feel confident that Turner can be their flagbearer at tailback this season. The good news is he caught a ball.

DeSean Jackson. A tough matchup vs. the Green Bay D and losing Kevin Kolb cost Jackson a solid season debut. Michael Vick's play in Kolb's absence is reason to believe in Jackson, however, and the combination of Vick's arm strength and DeSean's speed is reason for excitement.

Matt Schaub. In NFL terms, Matt Schaub is 1-0. Don't tell that to his fantasy owners. Arian Foster's monster performance, specifically his continued ability to gain big yards throughout the game while keeping the ball away from Peyton Manning, forced the Texans to continue to pound the pavement all four quarters. In the long term, Foster's presence and demand for attention from opposing defenses will actually help Johnson get open.

Shonn Greene. The Jets missed an opportunity to motivate Greene by handing him the starting job before Hard Knocks even began filming. Instead, they should have either had an open competition, or named LaDainian the Opening Day starter at tailback. LaDainian has all the motivation he needs to play well in 2010, and showed it vs. the Ravens. Shonn Greene is a second-year player who has been given the job over one of the best all-time at the position, with nowhere near the track record. Had he started camp behind LT on the depth chart, he would have worked that much harder, and looked that much better Monday night.

MERCURY RISING

Brandon Jackson. Ryan Grant's ankle sprain opened the door for Jackson, and the erstwhile understudy was able to gain 63 yards on 18 carries vs. the stingy Philly defense. He makes a great play at Buffalo in Week 2 and an option as long as Grant is sidelined.

Legedu Naanee. The 4th-year speedster out of Boise State was Phil Rivers' most consistent target, totaling 110 yards and a TD at a rain-soaked Arrowhead on Monday night. The Chargers appear willing to never dress Vincent Jackson again, and Naanee's 2010 debut will only solidify that stance. I am Legedu. Have you picked me up yet?

Michael Vick. Michael Vick is finally at the helm of something other than a dogfighting ring or prison gang. It's the Philly offense, it's lightning fast, and you'll have to be faster than that to get him in non-waiver leagues.

Eddie Royal. In the same year that LeBron lost his crown, Eddie Royal may just regain his regal status. Brandon Marshall's departure hinted that Royal would be Kyle Orton's comfort zone this season, and Eddie's 8-catch 98-yard performance is a harbinger of the Return of the King.

Mark Clayton. Somebody has to catch the ball for St. Louis. The Rams will be down in games, and if Sam Bradford can keep himself upright, there will be yards to be had through the air. Why not Clayton?

Tony Moeake. Jamaal Charles draws a lot of attention. Thomas Jones must have an eye kept on him. Dwayne Bowe can beat teams deep and Chris Chambers is still a reliable target. Kansas City has weapons on offense, and Moeake should benefit from the most open space. The Iowa grad isn't Dallas Clark, but head Chief Scott Pioli didn't spend his third-round pick on Moeake for him to be uninvolved in the attack.

Fantasy Football Mock: Defenses

10. Chargers. The Chargers should be very solid on both sides of the ball in 2010. They are going undrafted in some leagues, so at this point you can certainly take Dallas, Miami or Chicago and expect similar results.

9. Bengals. With the Panthers, Bucs, and Bills on the schedule, and two games against the Browns (including Week 15), Marvin Lewis' D is one to draft this year.

8. Steelers. Pittsburgh always brings it on the defensive side of the football. Offensive instability at the outset puts them at 8th, but Big Ben's return should signal the Steelers' return to the ranks of the defensive elite.

7. Saints. The Saints' combination of great offense and good defense make them a solid selection. They will get into more shootouts than the Ravens and Packers, but this is a defense that will score points.

6. Packers. The Packers' offense is better than their D, but not by much. Green Bay is gearing up for a SuperBowl year. Get on board.

5. Ravens. The Ravens' blooming offense may be the best reason to draft a defense with a strong track record over the past decade. Baltimore will be up in games, which will result in sacks and picks. They should be fine in Ed Reed's absence and dominant when he gets back.

4. Jets. Revis and Cromartie can shut down any wideout duo in the league. If the Jets can stop the run, they'll earn this spot.

3. Vikings. With a better offense than the Jets, the Vikings get the edge, as they should find themselves up in games and able to tee off on opposing quarterbacks.

2. Eagles. Philly is fast on both sides of the ball. Their defense will produce some low-scoring games and big plays in 2010.

1. 49ers. The best defensive team in the worst division in football. And they have Patrick Willis.

Fantasy Football Mock: Keepers and Sleepers

Mohamed Massaquoi, WR - CLE. Massaquoi is the unquestioned number one wideout in Cleveland, and bringing in Jake Delhomme and Colt McCoy adds a degree of depth and stability to the quarterback position for a Browns team that will be down in games.

Vincent Jackson, WR - SD. He's suspended for as many as six games, and when that suspension is up there's no guarantee he'll play for the Chargers. The upside is he may have his suspension reduced, he may get dealt, and he may just want to play football this year. In Keeper Leagues where holdovers begin in the mid-late rounds, he makes an outstanding pick.

Dexter McCluster, WR/RB - KC. Kansas City will provide a lot of fantasy points this year. By playoff time, Cassel, McCluster, Chambers, Bowe, Jones and Charles may all occupy starting slots.

Kareem Huggins, RB - TB. As the primary backup behind Cadillac Williams in Tampa, Huggins has the opportunity. After a strong training camp, he appears ready to prove he also has the talent.

Javon Ringer, RB - TEN. Chris Johnson's huge workload last year and the team's desire to get him to 2000 yards limited Ringer's involvement in the Tennessee attack in 2009. Expect Jeff Fisher to go away from CJ more this year in hopes of keeping him fresh, but if they're unable to keep him healthy, Javon and his value both explode.

Donald Brown, RB - IND. Even if Joseph Addai plays the entire year, Brown still has value in 2010. He should be more involved for a Colts offense that failed on the ground last season, and makes an even better choice in Keeper Leagues, as this is likely Addai's last year in Indy.

Golden Tate, WR - SEA. He's not a video game, but Golden T. played like he was in one while at Notre Dame. At 5'10" he's not the biggest target the Seahawks have, but he has the best ball skills of any wideout taken in this year's draft, enough to make Jimmy Clausen's college numbers look good.

Mike Williams, WR - SEA. At 26, Mike Williams gets another shot. After dumping T.J. Houshmandzadeh's salary, Pete Carroll is betting on Mike as his number one wideout. Don't do that, but consider Mike a decent project. He should get a ton of looks.

Mike Williams, WR - TB. At this point in your draft you could take a second or third option like Devery Henderson or Johnny Knox, but why not take a number one? We may be looking at another Steve Smith scenario, where the Mike Williams' location and not their talent is how they are differentiated.

Malcom Floyd, WR - SD. Vincent Jackson's absence equates to opportunity for Floyd, who will start the year as the Chargers top wideout. Antionio Gates and Ryan Mathews are the main attractions in San Diego, but don't forget about Floyd when other owners are sniffing for Aromashidu.

Fantasy Football Mock: Round 8

80. Sidney Rice, WR - MIN. If you're feeling good at this point in your draft, you may want to start looking a little down the road. Sidney Rice is an absolute beast when playing, so if he is indeed back at the midway point in the season, he could provide a real boost to teams in playoff contention.

79. Kevin Kolb, QB - PHI. At this point in his career, I'll give the slight edge to Eli Manning. Kolb finds himself in a quality system with talent all around him. He'll have every opportunity to succeed, and given the Eagles' player mix, much of that success will be through the air.

78. Eli Manning, QB - NYG. The Giants are all about the run, but their best weapons are their passcatchers this year. Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks make a great possession/deep threat combo and along with Kevin Boss, all have great RAC ability. Eli could be a starter in fantasy this year.

77. Bernard Berrian, WR - MIN. Between Sidney Rice's hip and Percy Harvin's migraines, Bernard might be the purple Donald Driver this year.

76. Jeremy Maclin, WR - PHI. The fantasy fate of all of Philly's players hinges on the success of Kolb. If he performs, LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek and Maclin will be fantasy starters.

75. LaDanian Tomlinson, RB - NYJ. Ladainian falls 70 spots from where he was drafted last year, and he may produce more. He's looked good in camp for the Jets so far, and with Shonn Greene taking most of the pounding could put up a useful fantasy year. The Jets may also look to help LT add to his already monstrous career touchdown total.

74. Reggie Bush, RB - NO. Reggie edges out LT based on youth and that we haven't seen his ceiling at the pro level. Yet. This may be the year that Bush makes good on his potential as the more explosive Brian Westbrook-type of back we all expected, but don't bet more than your 8th Rounder on it.

73. Ahmad Bradshaw, RB - NYG. With oft-injured Brandon Jacobs the lead tailback in New York, Bradshaw has a decent chance of being handed the whole show at some point this season. Even if neither get hurt, Bradshaw may still find himself the number one guy by the midpoint of the year.

72. Justin Forsett, RB - SEA. In the two games that Forsett got 15 or more carries last year, he had 120+ yards. Draft him as your third running back that could become your second.

71. Clinton Portis, RB - WAS. Portis is going to slip a long way this year. His limited carries last season may mean he's charged up for the golden years of his career. Look for a bounceback, and if he's available in your 8th Round take a shot at Bo Sweets.

Fantasy Football Mock: Round 7

70. Joseph Addai, RB - IND. Addai just barely crossed 1,000 yards in his first two seasons, and just barely crossed that number in the past two seasons combined. His saving grace should be his receiving skills, but it was his 10 TD not his 336 receiving yards that saved his owners from a total bust last year. Donald Brown isn't Ray Rice, but he's a more conventional back than Addai and should be more involved in the offense, including at the stripe. Hopefully Addai has been drafted by this point.

69. Pierre Garcon, WR - IND. Even though teammates Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Joseph Addai get taken well ahead of him, Pierre has the most game-breaking ability on the Colts. Pierre should slot in as the Colts #2 wideout, making him Peyton's #3 target with a chance for some really big plays.

68. Mike Wallace, WR - PIT. The guy plays 60 minutes. He's the speed threat in Pittsburgh's attack, and they're not as run-first as they used to be in the Steel City.

67. Matt Ryan, QB - ATL. The last of the sure-bet QBs. After Ryan goes off the board, you're looking at Palmer, Kolb, and Eli in the next tier. Matt is a cut above.

66. Dez Bryant, WR - DAL. The rookie should join Witten and Austin as another of Romo's favorite targets. The Cowboys will bring a big air attack again this year, and if Dez plays anywhere near his potential he'll be a rookie worth owning.

65. Michael Crabtree, WR - SF. Even with Frank Gore firmly entrenched as coach Singletary's number one option and Vernon Davis established as Alex Smith's number one, Crabtree will still have fantasy value this year.

64. Donald Driver, WR - GB. A graduate of Hines Ward U, Driver has been the NFC's Mr. Consistency. He's put up six straight 1,000+ seasons, has Aaron Rodgers throwing to him, and has attention-getters Jennings and Finley out there with him. Don't take Donald too early, but if you're shopping wideouts at this point, feel free to go to the well one more time.

63. Pierre Thomas, RB - NO. Thomas had one 100-yard game last year, reached the endzone six times, and owners are taking him with their fifth round pick. Let them do that, or take him if he slips and hope he's not trapped between the 20's again this season.

62. Chad Ochocinco, WR - CIN. Imagine being Carson Palmer and having to keep Chad and T.O. happy. It's too bad they can't throw two passes per play. Or can they??

61. Marion Barber, RB - DAL. MB3 hasn't been the fantasy stud he looked like a few years ago, but he has the potential to get into double-digit touchdowns while tallying 900+ yards along the way. As with almost every other backfield, Marion's value is hampered by his running mate, but gets a megaboost should Felix go down.

Fantasy Football Mock: Round 6

60. Percy Harvin, WR - MIN. When he's not having migraine headaches, Percy is the only wideout in the league capable of beating DeSean Jackson in the 100-yard dash. Sidney Rice's hip injury makes him Favre's number one receiver to start the season, and cements Harvin as the first Minnesota receiver to draft.

59. Hines Ward, WR - PIT. If you're not a risk-taker, draft Hines Ward. Over the past decade Hines has averaged 1,000 receiving yards and 7 TD. A quarterback in college, Hines has an extremely high football IQ. He's an exceptional routerunner, has always had great hands, and is still very tough to bring down. He plays hurt and still produces. He's done it as the #2 and he's done it as the #1. He's done it with Kordell Stewart. He's done it with Tommy Maddox. He's done it with Ben Roethlisberger. He's done it with Charlie Batch. He'll do it with Dennis Dixon or Byron Leftwich until Ben gets back.

58. Mike Sims-Walker, WR - JAX. Mike Sims-Walker followed in his teammate's footsteps and came from virtually out of nowhere to make two names for himself in Jacksonville. In reality, Sims-Walker was a feast-or-famine wideout who produced 7 fantasy games and 9 non-fantasy games, including 7 duds. The lack of other aerial weapons will make him a focus for secondaries in 2010, just like he was in his disappointing second half last year. A repeat is possible, but a step forward is unlikely.

57. Steve Smith, WR - NYG. Steve was the darling of New York last September, and went on to amass a Giants record 107 receptions to go with 1,220 and 7 TD. To expect a repeat of his rookie effort is unfair; it's more likely that Hakeem Nicks has the bigger year.

56. Hakeem Nicks, WR - NYG. The highest-rated Giant, Nicks' placement here says all that needs to be said of my fantasy faith in the Big Blue backfield. Eli will have to huck it up there a lot this year, and Hakeem is his biggest, most talented receiver.

55. Dwayne Bowe, WR - KC. GM Scott Pioli has created PatsWEST in KC by bringing in Charlie Weis to run the offense and Romeo Crennel to run the defense. That's two awfully big men with an awful lot to prove, and it may be Bowe that benefits most. Ex-Pat Matt Cassel all of a sudden has Bowe, Chambers, Jamaal Charles and Dexter McCluster to throw to, and Thomas Jones to protect him. Bowe is in line for a career season.

54. Brent Celek, TE - PHI. If new quarterbacks love their tight ends, Kevin Kolb may face stalking charges before this year is over. The Eagles' standout will have room to roam the middle with speed merchants Jackson and Maclin spreading the field deep. He's the last tight end worth a mid-round selection.

53. Vernon Davis, TE - SF. Vernon tied Antonio Gates' record of 13 TDs in 2010, but he's also put up three non-fantasy seasons in his four-year career. His demonstrated ability to take over a game is reason enough to gamble on Davis here.

52. Joe Flacco, QB, BAL. Flacco took huge strides in his second year, throwing 3,600 yards, 21 TD and 12 picks. With the addition of RAC-master Anquan Boldin, he should go even farther in 2010.

51. C.J. Spiller, RB - BUF. Buffalo's version of Jahvid Best comes in slightly below Detroit's rookie, but not because of his own ability. Detroit has a better quarterback in Matthew Stafford, a better down-the-field threat in Calvin Johnson and a better tight end in Brandon Pettigrew. Incumbents Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson are not the most imposing threats to Spiller's involvement, but they will get carries and help keep the rookie fresh. The Bills' head man Chan Gailey is a college coach at heart, and will try to find inventive ways of getting C.J. the ball.

Fantasy Football Mock: Round 5

50. Wes Welker, WR - NE. Coming off surgery on his torn left ACL/MCL, Welker is seeking his fourth straight 100+ catch season in four years in New England. His recovery seems ridiculously fast, and his 39-yard grab vs. St. Louis on Aug. 26th has me thinking he'll be ready to go by Sept. 12th. He may not be at full speed by Week 1, and may fall short of 100 receptions, but if he progresses steadily, could be a fantasy force in the second half.

49. Jahvid Best, RB - DET. Kevin Smith's slow return from knee surgery vaults Best's stock even higher. Oddly, the concern about Jahvid isn't his address, but his history of getting nicked up. At 5'10"/200, he's a load for a guy with his speed and elusiveness. He should be the main event in the Lions' ground game, and if he stays healthy could make a very rewarding fifth-round pick.

48. Felix Jones, RB - DAL. Felix is the gamebreaker in the Cowboys' running attack, and while he'll yield goalline carries to MB3, he has the ability to score on any play, and should be drafted for his upside.

47. Ronnie Brown, RB - MIA. Brown has had an injury-marred career, and is now coming back off a Lisfranc fracture to his foot. It's a platoon in Miami, and I'm betting on Ricky Williams putting together the more consistent season.

46. Beanie Wells, RB - AZ. Beanie was a beast down the stretch last year, and the Cards will need to run the ball with D.A. at QB. He's a big back with speed who will lose catches but not goalline carries to Tim Hightower.

45. Arian Foster, RB - HOU. Thanks to an injury to Ben Tate and Steve Slaton's stalled progress, Foster has been able to parley two strong games at the end of last season into the starting gig in Houston. Sometimes in fantasy opportunity outweighs talent, Foster is out to prove he has both.

44. Ricky Williams, RB - MIA. The more productive of Miami's two-headed monster carried owners down the stretch last year. While he's less likely to throw a touchdown than running mate Ronnie Brown, he's a better bet to stay healthy, and rack up more yardage and touchdowns again this year.

43. Tony Gonzalez, TE - ATL. Until further notice, Tony Gonzalez is still a top-tier tight end. T-Gon represents the last chance for owners who really want to differentiate themselves at the position.

42. Jermichael Finley, TE, GB. Coming into 2010 as the Packers' starting tight end has Jermike rated 4th at his position, and ahead of walking hall-of-famer Tony Gonzalez. Rodgers is accurate and can stay on his feet, which will give his biggest target time to work down the field even more this year.

41. Jason Witten, TE - DAL. After Dallas and Antonio have gone, there are only a few more options to get a draft-pick-worthy tight end. Witten is the third-best option at the position this year, is consistent and can be counted on to deliver some monster weeks. Take Romo's roomie and don't look back.

Fantasy Football Mock: Round 4

40. Matt Forte, RB - CHI. Forte went as high as 5th overall last season. Mike Martz and the offensive optimism he brings to Chicago is enough for me to gamble on Matt.

39. Knowshon Moreno, RB - DEN. A preseason off is nothing new for Knowshon, and should be no concern for fantasy owners. The most talented of Denver's tailbacks has the upside to be the highest pointgetter taken this round.

38. Dallas Clark, TE - IND. If you're in a PPR, take Dallas ahead of Gates. 100 catches by a TE last year was not something he's likely to repeat in 2010, but his games of 183 yards, 14 receptions and 3 TDs carried his owners on three different weeks last year, in addition to being extremely consistent the rest of the year. He's Peyton Manning's outlet, inlet, islet and piglet. Draft with confidence.

37. Antonio Gates, TE - SD. Totally healthy heading into 2010, and with one fewer target for Phil Rivers, Gates is one of the few tight ends that will produce like a wideout this season. Antonio has played nicked up for the better part of two seasons and has still managed to stay in fantasy lineups. Reap the benefits of a charged up Gates.

36. Jonathan Stewart, RB - CAR. The Daily Show was on in prime time last season. DeAngelo's stunt double was huge for fantasy owners gaining 200 yards and two scores Week 16 at the Giants, and his totals for the season basically match up with Williams. In the run-first Carolina system, there is room for both backs to reach single-back statlines.

35. DeSean Jackson, WR - PHI. DeSean may be the fastest player in the league. As a speed guy he'll be relying on his QB's accuracy more than some of the bigger receivers taken earlier, but if Kevin Kolb's aim is true he'll have monster games and score with the big boys.

34. Matt Schaub, QB - HOU. After Rodgers, Brees, Peyton, Brady, Rivers and Romo, there is Schaub. Throwing to Andre Johnson, he can score with any of them. If you are the type of owner that likes to feel absolutely comfortable with your QB every week, Schaub respresents one of your last chances to get one.

33. Anquan Boldin, WR - BAL. Boldin will be a dream come true for Joe Flacco. And vice-versa. With Anquan in the mix, everyone in Baltimore instantly gets more room to operate. This is an offense to get a piece of this year.

32. Steve Smith, WR - CAR. Jake Delhomme's poor performances early and his own broken arm late cost Smith his fifth straight 1000-yard year. That's remarkable consistency for a player as explosive as Smith both on and off the field. He clicked with Matt Moore last season and is the primary target in the Panthers' passing game.

31. LeSean McCoy, RB - PHI. Will LeSean and Kevin fit into Brian and Donovan's shoes? If you don't have a running back at this point, draft McCoy and get the better of the two heir apparents in Philly.

Fantasy Football Mock: Round 3

30. Shonn Greene, RB - NYJ. LT will take carries away, maybe even at the stripe. Mark Sanchez will continue to go through growing pains. Santonio Holmes is suspended four games. Revis may not be around to hand the ball back to the offense. Hard Knocks is putting a bullseye on the Jets' back. Draft Greene 30th anyway. He's that good.

29. Tony Romo, QB - DAL. Tony earns the spot below Rivers for being the anti-Rivers. He's a sign-of-the-times QB who's more likely to look up to the pressbox for approval from his girlfriend who used to be on The OC, than from his OC. Pop tarts and heinous headware aside, Romo can flat-out sling it, and has plenty of receivers to throw to.

28. Philip Rivers, QB - SD. With Rivers, it's not about the stats he'll put up for you as much as it is the stat's he won't put up. He's a quarterback you can trust implicitly, and no, he's not phased by not having Vincent Jackson. He puts up 215 and 2 TDs on his so-so weeks and should cross 300 points again this year.

27. Miles Austin, WR - DAL. Austin exploded onto the fantasy scene with a ridiculous 10/250/2 in his first career start. He kept it going, making the Pro Bowl with 1,300+ yards and 11 TDs. Dez Bryant is the future in Dallas, but Miles Austin is the right now. Look sharp; he's the blur on your TV screen.

26. Greg Jennings, WR - GB. Greg Jennings has proven himself to be one of the most consistent fantasy performers over the past three seasons and should find the endzone more in 2010. His track record earns him the spot above "Stunning" Miles Austin.

25. Marques Colston, WR - NO. You can't teach speed. You can't teach height, either. You also can't teach being 27 years old, having Drew Brees as your quarterback, other weapons drawing attention and offensive genius Sean Payton coaching you. A 7th Round pick that every NFL team passed on, no one needs to teach Marques motivation either.

24. Cedric Benson, RB - CIN. The last of the solo-act running backs' touchdown potential makes him a worthwhile pick early in the third, ahead of second-tier QBs Romo and Rivers and WRs Boldin and Colston.

23. Roddy White, WR - ATL. Matt Ryan's main man has had three straight seasons over 80 catches and 1100 yards. Roddy is one of the game's true speed demons and a legit number one wideout.

22. Jamaal Charles, RB - KC. The biggest knock on Charles is that Thomas Jones has been extremely durable over his career. Jamaal will have one of the best per-carry averages in the league again this year, and Jones' presence may mean less touches but more explosiveness.

21. Reggie Wayne, WR - IND. Coming off a 100-catch season, and with Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon, Joseph Addai and Austin Collie there to spread the field, all signs point to another stellar fantasy year for Peyton's favorite target.

Fantasy Football Mock: Round 2

20. Randy Moss, WR - NE. No Revis (so far) is good news for Moss, who is entering his 12th NFL season. At 34, Welker's presence and a fully healthy Brady will help the veteran flourish in New England once again.

19. DeAngelo Williams, RB - CAR. DeAngelo is being taken as high as 10th in a lot of leagues, and his magical 2008 is certainly evidence that he can prove worthy of that high a selection. Jonathan Stewart's presence in Carolina limits DeAngelo's value at the same time that it makes him a safe pick late in the second round. He'll have less yards and TD's, but will also take fewer hits and should therefore come in at around 1,100 yards and 10 TDs again this year.

18. Rashard Mendenhall, RB - PIT. Mendenhall is the last of the feature backs to be taken, and is a steal if he's still available at 18th overall. The lasting image of Ray Lewis breaking Mendenhall's shoulder on one of his first NFL carries in 2008 is the reason he still feels like a risk, but his 1,100+ yard performance last year has me believing enough to take him late in Round 2.

17. Tom Brady, QB - NE. Brady could be the top pointgetter in all of fantasy this year. Wes Welker has made a ridiculously fast recovery from ACL surgery and he's just two years removed from a 50 TD season. I'd take Tom and the TD's he throws to the entire Pats receiving corps over Randy Moss.

16. Brandon Marshall, WR - MIA. Brandon's 101-catch 2009 season with Kyle Orton proves that he can produce huge games regardless of who is at the helm. He may not get as many grabs in Miami's run-oriented system, but that should create big play opportunities down the field. Every team passed on "The Beast" three times when he was finally drafted by Denver 119th overall in 2006. After battling with management, he was traded for 2nd Round picks in 2010 and 2011. For a guy with a big chip on his shoulder since day one, he has even more to prove this season.

15. Calvin Johnson, WR - DET. Calvin enters his fourth year looking to take that big leap forward and it finally seems possible. With Matthew Stafford leading the Lions' youngsters Jahvid Best, Kevin Smith and Brandon Pettigrew, their offense should be much improved.

14. Ryan Grant, RB - GB. Grant has been extremely productive in his 3 years as the lead back in Green Bay. Not bad for a player who went undrafted out of Notre Dame. Take the sturdy back as a sure bet to be in on a lot of offense this year.

13. Steven Jackson, RB - STL. Steven Jackson might be the best running back in the league. It's a shame he's in St. Louis, where the Rams are forced to throw way too early way too often.

12. Ryan Mathews, RB - SD. OK, I'll bite. Some rankings have the Fresno State product as high as #8 overall. While I'm not ready to take the rookie ahead of sure bets Rodgers, Brees and Manning, his feature-back status in San Diego, and the incredible immediate success of small-school studs Marshall Faulk and LT has me believing.

11. Larry Fitzgerald, WR - AZ. With D.A. now officially the "A-number one hotshot" in the desert, Fitzy is looking at "heavy wehk." But he is up to it. He's a go-up-and-get-it guy. He's the best of 'em.

Fantasy Football Mock: Round 1

10. Peyton Manning, QB - IND. Peyton's place at number ten has as much to do with his consistency as it does with the inconsistency and unpredictability of other options taken in this spot. DeAngelo Williams' value is depleted by Jonathan Stewart, the Packers' pass-happy offense makes Ryan Grant slightly less attractive, Steven Jackson is on a team with no other threats, and chasing another 20+ TD season for Randy Moss can wait until Round 2.

9. Drew Brees, QB - NO. Brees replaced Peyton Manning as the QB to own in fantasy, then Aaron Rodgers came along. Approaching 400 points in traditional formats last year, he surpassed even Brees, who is still as safe a bet as anyone in football to score 350 this year. At pick number nine, grab Brees and get your RB1 or WR1 with your next selection at twelve (or 16 in 12-team formats).

8. Aaron Rodgers, QB - GB. With the top-tier backs and the one truly elite receiver off the board, grab the best QB. Brees or Rodgers is basically a coin-flip in most drafts this season, but I give the edge to Rodgers for his ability to run and his more consistent set of weapons.

7. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB - JAX. Aren't smokescreens great? In an era when essentially no backs of any worth are used in the preseason, talk of MoJo's "balky knee" have understandably scared some owners off. Jack Del Rio has insisted that his miniature hoss is ready to go, and based on his track record and his ability to tote the football after the catch, you have to take MJD inside the top 7. Still, any talk of injury, especially a knee, is enough to move Gore and Turner ahead of Jones-Drew.

6. Michael Turner, RB - ATL. Gore edges out Turner because of his pass-catching ability out of the backfield, and because he's further removed from a serious injury. Both are risks, but both are high-reward studs that can't be passed up.

5. Frank Gore, RB - SF. Regardless of how the top four shake out in your league, Gore will go fifth. If you have the fifth spot, take him. If you have the sixth spot and he's still on the board, rejoice, then take him. At age 27, Gore should churn up 2,000+ yards from scrimmage.

4. Andre Johnson, WR - HOU. Andre's selection at #4 is not taken lightly. The three elite backs to have this year are AP, CJ and Rice without any doubt. After those three are off the board, and with more pointgetters at QB than at WR, I put it to you, are you willing to hand your season to Frank Gore's knees or Michael Turner's ankles? In PPR's where AJ's 100 catches get you an additional 100 points, this is an easy call. Based on whispers about MoJo's left knee and with Larry Fitzgerald's QB on the couch, I'll take the wideout in the best possible scenario to score every week.

3. Ray Rice, RB - BAL. Baltimore's version of "Pocket Hercules" surpasses MJD himself in 2010 thanks in large part to the addition of Anquan Boldin, another weapon on a team whose defense should provide Rice plenty of Red Zone carries. In PPR leagues he's a no-brainer, and I'm taking him third in traditional leagues as well.

2. Chris Johnson, RB - TEN. Tennessee's stud is going #1 in the majority of leagues, and for good reason. His upside is unmatched, but with defenses now fully focused on him and after an extremely heavy workload in his monster 2009 campaign, select Johnson at number two and no lower.

1. Adrian Peterson, RB - MIN. Picking number one usually means your next pick will be at around #20, meaning the player you select better be one to hang your hat on all season. That said, I'm taking A-Pete first overall if that's my draft position, as the write-it-down RB that will play to his resume in 2010.