Fantasy Football Studs & Duds

QB Reports: Fantasy Stud of the Week - In what has to be one of the worst fantasy weekends ever for quarterbacks, there were only two 300+ yard performance which came from Kurt Warner and Donovan McNabb in losing efforts and both only managed one touchdown. No quarterbacks had three or more touchdowns and only four of 26 teams managed to throw for two scores. Just as a sign that rushing the ball is all the rage now, we come off a weekend with a season high three rushing scores by quarterbacks.

Leftwich has a new starting Wideout to throw to and looks like he not looking at Jimmy Smith as much anymore. Palmer was steady if not boring for Cinci in a win over Baltimore, even Kordell Stewart played in this game??!! Hasselbeck was decent but didn't have to do anything with Alexander running all over the cards. He did have a 105.3 QB rating however. Eli got his first road win, Vick is starting to look like a West coast Quarterback instead of a downhill runner (great game by him), and McNabb looks like he'll be just fine without that moron named T.O.

Some fantasy suprises this week included Brooks Bollinger showing tremendous poise and touch in leading the failed comeback attempt against the Chargers. He threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns in relief of Vinny Testaverde, who left the game due to a strained right calf. Kurt Warner is a decent fantasy backup because Arizona throws so often. And in his return to the starter's role on Sunday, he aired it out 48 times, compiling 334 yards and a TD pass. But, he also threw three INTs and was sacked four times.

Running Backs Report: Stud of the Week (Tomlinson) - All LT did this weekend was hang up 150 total yards and 4 td's. Next, Shaun Alexander absolutely owns the Cardinals. They couldn't tackle him to save their lives. A couple of "oops I slipped" jobs, and a whole lot of attempted arm tackles. Alexander was laughing, even from the CAN at halftime where he apparently had "the Runs".

LJ came up huge in the last 20 seconds of the game versus the raiders with a great catch and run to the 1, and then, with 5 seconds remaining the Crybaby Vermeil told LJ to dive over right guard for a 1 yard plunge to win the game. Great Call Dick.

Stephen Davis did his usual - two touchdowns, Jacobs had his best game with two touchdowns on three yards rushing (oohh). New York and KC's backfields now are getting messier and crowded from a fantasy perspective. Speaking of messed up backfields, Michael Bennett landed back on the fantasy radar on Sunday, carrying 18 times (106 yards) to Mewelde Moore's 11 (49 yards). Bennett picked up seven of his carries and 40 rushing yards in the fourth quarter after Moore sprained his wrist.

Wideouts Report: MY vote for the first MVP wide receiver is for Steve Smith. Happiness is owning him in fantasy football isn't it?. Quite frankly you just know this guy will do something special every single week. Is there a DB that can cover him in the NFL? Maybe not even a scheme to defend him! Smith has a 40 percent stake in Carolina's pass completions, and this stat would rank as the best of all-time if it holds up. If you've watched Carolina this season, you'd probably be willing to lay money in Vegas that it will hold up. Delhomme searches out Smith like its going out of style.

Northcutt did his usual and had his 1 good game for the year, back to the bench now Dennis, as for Finneran well he's stepping up lately, and I think he'll continue to have big games in Atlanta. The Atlanta receiver was targeted 13 times by Michael Vick on Sunday, including three times in the red zone. Vick and Finneran, a nice red zone bull's eye at 6-feet-5 inches tall, connected on a one-yard scoring toss in the second quarter that was nullified by a holding call. On the ensuing play, the pair hooked up on an 11-yard scoring strike.

Other notables included another great game by Galloway, and Houston's top receiver made an impressive return after missing the past three games because of a calf injury. Andre Johnson shook off an early slump that preceded the injury to catch nine passes for 91 yards. Johnson still has to prove he can make the most of his big-play potential on a more regular basis before he should be considered anything more than just a "matchups" guy.

Tight Ends Report - Week 9 - Nothing special in this slot this week. Shockey rolled into the endzone on his TD, Kinney continues to get a ton of looks from McNair and this week he scored, and Pollard caught a nice grab versus Minnesota and should continue to have a stellar season.

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Fantasy Dud News: Dud Of the Week: Willie Parker, RB, Steelers: Fast Willie left the game in the third quarter with a sprained left ankle. Parker's departure led to the first carries of the season by Duce Staley, and he put the team on his back, running for 76 yards and a score on 15 carries. Further evaluation of Parker's injury will be done today, but expect Staley to split the load against Cleveland next week.

Other duds
QB
Charlie Batch, Steelers: 9-16, 65 yards, 1 INT
Brett Favre, Packers: 20-35, 214 yards, 1 INT, 1 lost fumble
Gus Frerotte, Dolphins: 13-22, 103 yards, 1 INT
Kyle Orton, Bears: 12-26, 137 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Cody Pickett, 49ers: 12-21, 102 yards, 1 INT

RB
Kevin Jones, Lions: 7 carries, 15 yards; 1 catch, 8 yards
Jamal Lewis, Ravens: 15 carries, 49 yards
Carnell Williams, Buccaneers: 11 carries, 29 yards; 3 catches, 25 yards; 1 lost fumble

WR/TE
Todd Heap, Ravens: 4 catches, 28 yards
Joe Horn, Saints: 2 catches, 27 yards
Hines Ward, Steelers: 1 catch, 12 yards
Bobby Engram, Seahawks: 3 catches, 37 yards

Reasons to watch the Monday Night Game:

Rarely has Monday Night Football gotten it so right. This is one of the most interesting games of the year and now we get to see if the new-age Colts with their rushing attack can finally take down the Patriots. On paper - no question the Colts enter the game with the tangibles for a solid win here but if any team can mess with the mind of Manning, it's the Patriots

By next week, the Indianapolis Colts will no longer have to wonder if they choke when they play the New England Patriots. They'll have the answer, for sure.

If the Colts beat New England on Monday night, they can continue to argue that their failures against their former AFC East rival have been due more to personnel than psyche. And should the Patriots win, it will be just as obvious that they simply have the Colts' number.

THIS is a Monday night game worth watching. Sure, we'll have to hear all the rehashing of 2004 but this is the game that the Colts bring brute force to go against Patriot magic. It's like a sword and sorcerer movie with helmets instead of armor. The new look Colts rumble into town while the Patriots hope to rekindle, once again, the fire that has burned Manning so many times before.

Fantasy Predictions: Brady - 250 yds 2 Td's; Manning 285 2 Td's; Edge 110 Yds Rushing; 5 catches 50 yards 1 Td; Dillon 75 yds and 1 Td; Branch 6 - 80 yds 1 Td; Watson 50 yds 1 TD; Harrison 100 yds 1 TD; Stokely 50 yds 1 TD; Wayne 75 yds;