Week 6 Upgrades/Downgrades

Upgrades

QB Marc Bulger, STL - Through 5 games, Bulger has yet to throw an interception. He is putting up big numbers despite an offensive plan that has the Rams running as much as they are throwing. Through 5 weeks, Bulger has 1,259 passing yards and 7 TDs and has the team thinking playoffs after a 4-1 start.

QB Bruce Gradkowski, TB - He had an outstanding debut finishing with 225 passing yards and 2 TDs while throwing no interceptions. He looked poised throwing the deep ball. Rookie QBs generally struggle, but he appeared at ease behind center. The Bucs play Cincinnati and Philadelphia next which should force Gradkowski to throw often.

QB Rex Grossman, CHI - He already has 10 TDs on the season. The Bears lead all teams with long pass plays and that trend looks like it should continue. The Bears defense continues to give the offense the short field to work with. And this offense is clicking on all cylinders. The Bears play Arizona this Monday, get a bye and then play San Francisco at home in week 8. I like Grossman’s chances at continuing this hot streak.

QB Joey Harrington, MIA - He has officially been named the starter for the Dolphins. If you are desperate at QB, he is at least somebody that will take the field each week (or until Culpepper shows he has more mobility).

QB Damon Huard, KC - With Damon playing well, there is no need to rush back Trent Green. Huard posted 288 yards and 2 scores as the Chiefs improved to 2-2.

QB Byron Leftwich, JAX - He did not have a stellar game and has a bye coming up, but gets an upgrade because his schedule gets a lot easier starting in week 7. The Jaguars play Houston, Tennessee and Houston in weeks seven, nine and ten. Trade for Leftwich now while his stock is low.

QB Matt Leinart, ARI - He loses a valuable receiver in Larry Fitzgerald for 2-5 weeks, but still slung the ball like a veteran. He finished with 253 yards and 2 TDs and completed over 60% of his passes. He had one interception and no fumbles. HC Denny Green was very pleased with his play meaning that Kurt Warner won’t be seeing action anytime soon. Leinart led the Cardinals to a late 4th quarter drive, but Neil Rackers missed a game-tying field goal to push the contest into overtime.

QB Donovan McNabb, PHI - He is clearly the league’s MVP after 5 weeks. After 5 weeks, he has 1,602 passing yards. No other QB has 1,300. He leads all QBs with 14 TDs (11 passing, 3 rushing) while no other QB has over 10. Play him every week. He is on a mission this year.

QB Philip Rivers, SD - Against a tough Pittsburgh defense, Rivers looked outstanding Sunday night. His jump ball thrown to Malcolm Floyd in the corner of the endzone was a perfect pass. He consistently side-stepped the pass rush, and his accuracy was very sharp. He finished the day with 242 yards passing and 2 TDs. He added another 24 yards on 6 rushes.

QB Tony Romo, DAL - It’s not over until Parcells says it’s over, but Drew Bledsoe’s leash just got a lot shorter. There are a lot of people wanting a change to the more mobile Tony Romo. Bledsoe was sacked 7 times and threw 3 picks in the loss at Philadelphia.

QB Alex Smith, SF - Alex Smith threw 1 TD and 11 interceptions in 165 attempts last year. In 152 attempts this year he has 6 TDs and just 3 interceptions. He had his first 3 TD day as a pro yesterday guiding the 49ers to a route against their cross-town rival Oakland Raiders. He finished the day going 15 for 19 for 165 yards and 3 TDs.

QB Vince Young, TEN - He only threw for 63 yards, but did manage 43 yards and a score on the ground on 4 carries. He still looks lost under center, but with the team 0-5, we don’t see him getting benched. And he only gets better.

RB Cedric Benson, CHI - He got touches in this blowout and scored 2 TDs. His YPC is still a concern, but at least he is seeing the field. We still do not believe he will overtake Thomas Jones this season, but Benson remains one of the better backup RBs.

RB Reggie Bush, NO - In point per reception leagues, Bush was a monster yesterday catching 11 passes. He still has not broken off a long rushing or receiving TD, but his electric skills were on display on his game-winning punt return TD.

RB Justin Fargas, OAK - Fargas ran hard with his limited carries. He finished with 63 yards on 8 carries and provided a spark when he was on the field. As Oakland’s losses mount, Fargas could see more action.

RB DeShaun Foster, CAR - DeAngelo Williams ankle injury is Foster’s gain. Foster was already getting the bulk of the carries, but now he doesn’t have to worry about DeAngelo cutting into his reps. Foster finished with 106 rushing yards on 24 carries. He did not score.

RB Frank Gore, SF - He finished with 172 combined yards on 30 touches while his competition (Michael Robinson) struggled gained only 21 yards on 12 carries. Gore continues to run with a mean streak looking to run through defenders every chance he can. So far, it’s been a successful formula.

RB Noah Herron, GB - Just when the world was convinced that Vernand Morency was the backup to an injured Ahman Green, Noah Herron has a huge game. He finished the day with 106 rushing yards, a rushing TD and 20 receiving yards. Vernand Morency was the change of pace and third down back. Ahman Green continues to battle a nagging hamstring injury.

RB Thomas Jones, CHI - When your team is up by 30 at halftime, there will be plenty of opportunities to run the ball. This Chicago team looks like it will be protecting a lot of leads. The Bears next opponents (Arizona and SF with a bye in between) should keep Jones producing at a high level. He finished with 109 rushing yards on 22 carries.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX - He has locked up the change of pace and goal line roles for the Jaguars. He had another solid day finishing with 59 yards and 2 TDs on 13 carries. Fred Taylor will continue to get the carries between the 20s, but Jones-Drew should get enough carries and TDs to be used in the deepest of leagues.

RB Deuce McAllister, NO - We were skeptical that McAllister would return to form after ACL surgery. Drafting Bush also looked like it could have a negative effect. But both things seems like they challenged McAllister. He is running as hard as ever. He finished the day with 123 yards and a TD on the ground with just 15 carries against a tough Tampa Bay defense. With teams worrying about Bush and Brees, McAllister is shredding defenses running north and south.

RB Chester Taylor, MIN - This offensive line is arguably the best at run blocking in the league. And Chester Taylor is the guy benefiting because of it. He had another big day gaining 123 yards on the ground and another 31 through the air. All of the other Minnesota RBs combined for just 3 rushes.

RB Fred Taylor, JAX - The time to trade for Fred Taylor is now. After the week 6 bye, the Jaguars play Houston, Tennessee and Houston in a four-week span. That’s as good a schedule as any RB will face all season. Yesterday, the Jaguars rode Taylor to 143 combined yards and a TD on just 22 touches.

RB Michael Turner, SD - He is never going to overtake LaDainian Tomlinson, but he is very involved in the game plan. He finished with 56 yards on 11 carries against a tough Pittsburgh defense. The Chargers plan to use Turner to hold onto leads in the 4th quarter of games to keep Tomlinson fresh. Turner runs with an attitude not seen from many backs. With every carry he appears to be punishing anyone contemplating tackling him.

RB Leon Washington, NYJ - Barlow was ineffective so Washington got the carries in this blowout loss. The rookie responded with 101 yards on 23 carries while Barlow negative 1 yards on 4 attempts. Washington will likely be the starting RB soon with the Jets.

RB LenDale White, TEN - He looks better every week. He finished with 6 yards per carry on 8 carries this week). As the losses mount for the Titans, look for White to get a lot more action each week.

RB Cadillac Williams, TB - He finally had a nice game gaining 111 yards on 20 carries. With Gradkowski connecting on the long ball, we actually think Williams should improve down the stretch (as long as his back holds ups).

WR Arnaz Battle, SF - Battle made the most of his four targets on Sunday and caught all four passes and scored twice. The noise that Antonio Bryant made to open the season was not lost on opposing defense. Bryant is getting more attention, so Battle is left to face one-on-one coverage. While he won’t become a TD machine, it is nice to see him become a part of the offense.

WR Anquan Boldin, ARI - We were worried about Boldin’s prospects with a rookie signal caller, but Matt Leinart seems to be at least adequate. We really liked seeing Boldin catch his first TD of the season, and for him to do it against a good defense was especially encouraging. Arizona has another tough game this week against the Bears, but it looks like Boldin will be fine with Leinart behind center. Another unfortunate plus for Boldin is the loss of Larry Fitzgerald. With Fitzgerald out for two to five weeks, Boldin should see a few more targets.

WR Ronald Curry, OAK - While the prospect isn’t overly exciting, it appears that Curry is the #2 WR in Oakland (over Alvis Whitted). With Aaron Brooks likely returning in the next week or two, Curry’s prospects look a little better.

WR Joey Galloway, TB - Life for the Buccaneers’ offense may not be too tough with Bruce Gradkowski at the helm. Galloway was easily the most targeted receiver in Tampa Bay, and he hauled in four balls for 110 yards and a TD (the second straight game with a score). While Galloway has shown a propensity to lay an occasional egg, he should be a viable fantasy WR the rest of the way.

WR Greg Jennings, GB - Don’t look, but it’s possible that Jennings will be Green Bay’s top fantasy WR at season’s end. While Donald Driver has more catches (26 to 20), Jennings has more yards (364 to 343) and TDs (three to one). Jennings also has more 100-yard games than Driver (two to one).

WR Bryant Johnson, ARI - Johnson excelled against the Chiefs when starting WR Larry Fitzgerald went down with an injury. Rookie Matt Leinart looked at Johnson nine times and completed six for 82 yards. With Fitzgerald out for up to five weeks, Johnson immediately becomes a hot commodity.

WR Brandon Jones, TEN - With David Givens inactive with a thumb injury and Drew Bennett on the sidelines with a foot ailment, Jones was the team’s most active WR. On six targets, Jones had three receptions for 40 yards. If Bennett misses time, this team will be very desperate for WR help. Jones will have to fill the void.

WR Randy Moss, OAK - It’s not the Randy Moss the whole world is used to seeing, but he is getting TDs. With a score in two straight games, things are looking a little better for Moss. Aaron Brooks should return soon, and the schedule will ease a bit.

WR Wes Welker, MIA - Welker saw an amazing 12 targets and caught nine balls for 77 yards against the Patriots. Marty Booker had his left arm in a sling after Sunday’s game. If he misses much time, Welker will be the beneficiary.

TE Alge Crumpler, ATL - Crumpler has been a bit of a disappointment this season, but things should perk up for him over the next four weeks. The Falcons will face the Giants, Steelers, Bengals and Lions. All but the Steelers rank among the NFL’s worst when defending the TE.

TE Antonio Gates, SD - Gates has been a disappointment this season because expectations were so high, but things are looking up a bit for him. He caught his second TD of the season against the Steelers; Philip Rivers has been unleashed a bit (a season high in passing attempts, passing yards and TD passes in week five); and the 49ers are next up on the schedule.

TE Todd Heap, BAL - Heap has been playing well this season (on pace for almost 80 catches and 12 TDs), but there is reason to like him even more over the next four weeks. Over that span, he faces Carolina, New Orleans and Cincinnati. These teams are among the worst in the league in defending the TE.

TE Randy McMichael, MIA - McMichael has put together a couple of decent games over the last couple of weeks (10 total catches for 138 total yards). While we would like to see him in the endzone, it’s nice to see him at least catching the ball. It’s worth noting that his best game of the season was with Joey Harrington at the helm, and Harrington has already been named the starter for week six.

TE Alex Smith, TB - It is commonly thought that a young QB will rely more heavily upon his RBs and TEs than would a more experienced signal caller. That appears to be the case with Bruce Gradkowski. The rookie looked for Alex Smith six times (Smith’s most active game of the season) against the Saints. Smith caught five balls for a mere 16 yards and a TD. While the yardage totals are meager, it amplifies the notion that Smith was safety valve for Gradkowski. In PPR leagues, safety valves can have great value.

TE Jerramy Stevens, SEA - Stevens has missed the entire season so far. In his absence, the Seahawks have gotten almost no production at TE. Stevens is slated to return this week, so his uptick is obvious.

PK Jay Feely, NYG - It’s always nice to see your PK’s team stall in the redzone. Feely’s Giants did just that against the Redskins and allowed him to line up for five FG attempts. While he only made four of them, his 13-point outing was fantastic.

PK Robbie Gould, CHI - OK. This is Gould’s last upgrade as he really can’t get any better. He is the top scorer in the league (with 66 points) this year and has totaled 29 points in the last two weeks.

PK Lawrence Tynes, KC - Tynes has been very good since his week three bye. In each of the last two weeks, Tynes has scored 11 points and hasn’t missed a kick since week one.

PK Jeff Wilkins, STL - So far this season, Wilkins is second in scoring with 61 points. He has scored in double digits in four of five games.

TD Chicago Bears, CHI - The Bears defense is simply destroying everything in its path this season. Against the Bills, Chicago recovered two fumbles, intercepted three passes and accumulated three sacks. This was on top of allowing a mere 145 total yards.

TD Philadelphia Eagles, PHI - The Eagles defense was ready for Terrell Owens and the Dallas offense. They harassed Drew Bledsoe all game long and forced him into three INTs and three fumbles (one of which was recovered by Philadelphia). They generally created turmoil for the Dallas offense and capped off the day with a 102-yard INT return for a TD by Lito Sheppard.

TD New York Giants, NYG - After facing a murderer’s row of offenses to open the season (Indianapolis, Philadelphia and Seattle), the Giants defense was almost left for dead. However, against a mediocre Washington offense, the Giants looked very good. They allowed only 164 yards of offense, three points and accumulated three sacks. We would have preferred seeing some turnovers, but a team playing solid defense will eventually get to the ball.

TD Jacksonville Jaguars, JAX - While they did allow Leon Washington to go over the 100-yard mark, the Jaguars defense turned in a very good day against the Jets. Jacksonville posted a shutout, allowed only 177 total yards (101 by Washington), intercepted Chad Pennington three times, recovered a fumble and accumulated five sacks. In some scoring systems, they carried a fantasy team this week.

Downgrades

QB Mark Brunell, WAS - It took 22 pass attempts to gain 109 yards in the air against a defense (Giants) that every team has been able to throw against. Brunell rarely throws mid to long pass plays making it pretty easy to defend the passing game by stacking the box. As a copycat league, look for other teams to review what the Giants were able to do to slow the Redskins down.

QB Daunte Culpepper, MIA - He was benched in favor of Joey Harrington this week. And despite Harrington not looking great, he played better than Culpepper has been playing. HC Saban has named Harrington the starter again for this week. Culpepper just does not look right. His mobility is a fraction of what it used to be and his confidence is clearly shaken. Although we think Culpepper will likely be the QB again later this year, his value is minimal in all but the largest leagues.

QB Jon Kitna, DET - Three interceptions and a fumble did his team in on Sunday despite a huge lead. This is still his team, but I doubt the coaching staff will tolerate too many more games like this.

QB Chad Pennington, NYJ - Jacksonville figured out Pennington in this contest. Although Chad won’t play many defenses as tough as Jacksonville, this game show-cased the gameplan to limit his effectiveness. He finished the day with just 71 yards and 3 interceptions.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, PIT - Through 3 games, he has no TDs and 7 interceptions. It’s doubtful that the Super Bowl winning QB is going to get benched, but he should be on your fantasy bench going forward. The Steelers have issues both with the offensive line and with Ward’s hamstring. Ben clearly is slower in his reads. He is going to need to show us a break-through game before we recommend starting him anytime soon. He finished the game with 220 yards, but scored no TDs while throwing 3 picks.

QB Kurt Warner, ARI - With Leinart throwing well in his debut, Warner’s stock just took another hit.

RB Kevan Barlow, NYJ - For a few weeks, there has been much talk that the rookie Leon Washington was being primed to take over the role of primary RB. Against the Jaguars, Barlow had four carries for -1 yards and one catch for -1 yards. In the same game, Washington toted the rock 23 times for 101 yards and caught one ball for eight yards. While the whole game could be considered as garbage time, that kind of disparity is huge. At best for Barlow, Washington will continue to see significant action and eat into the veteran’s touches.

RB Chris Brown, TEN - There really isn’t a rhyme or reason to the RB rotation in Tennessee - a week after the Titans left a healthy Travis Henry on the sidelines, we saw a healthy Chris Brown on the sidelines against the Colts. The only constant is that the rookie LenDale White gets some carries. As the Titans continue to lose, it’s a safe bet that White will soon receive the majority of the touches. Either way, Brown is certainly not a back that you can count on.

RB Ahman Green, GB - Green has now missed two straight games due to hamstring injuries. He’s still the starter when healthy, but it would not be a surprise to see the hamstring hamper him for much of the season.

RB Larry Johnson, KC - Yes, Johnson was huge in the passing game in week five, but that’s not enough to keep him off the downgrades list. He’s here because the ground game is in shambles. The once mighty Kansas City offensive line simply is not creating holes like they did in prior years.

RB Kevin Jones, DET - Jones suffered a concussion against the Vikings, but that’s not the big reason he’s listed among the downgrades. The problem with Jones is that he simply does not get enough carries. Detroit led 17-3 after three quarters, so one would think a ground game would be utilized. Instead, Jones finished the game with 10 carries. Yes he was involved in the passing game, but Jones needs 15-22 carries every week.

RB Laurence Maroney, NE - While he had more touches than Corey Dillon, Maroney disappointed in week five because he had several short (or even negative) carries against the Dolphins. Another game like that, and we’ll likely see a more even split in carries.

RB Vernand Morency, GB - Morency was a hot commodity after a nice game against the Eagles. Against the Rams, however, Morency had six carries for 15 yards and a fumble while Noah Herron rushed 20 times for 106 yards, a TD and no fumbles. Ahman Green will miss only so many games, so Morency needed to capitalize on every opportunity. He did not and is now likely third on the depth chart.

RB Michael Robinson, SF - Robinson got a dozen carries against the Raiders, but it is clear that a healthy Frank Gore has much more talent. Robinson may have a nose for the goal line, but there are many times he looks like nothing more than a former QB playing RB.

RB DeAngelo Williams, CAR - Williams suffered an ankle injury in Sunday’s game. His status isn’t fully known, but it looked significant Monday morning. He wasn’t getting very many carries while healthy, so the injury makes him an even less viable option.

WR Drew Bennett, TEN - Bennett is certainly not feeling it with Vince Young. Bennett’s only target against the Colts was at the end of the first half. To punctuate how bad things are for Bennett right now, he was injured on the play.

WR Laveranues Coles, NYJ - The entire Jets offense (except for Leon Washington) stunk up the joint against the Jaguars. Coles caught only three passes for 19 yards and spent a good deal of time on the bench (which he later complained about). We aren’t jumping ship just yet, but one has to wonder if Peyton Manning’s game-winning sneak broke the will of these Jets.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, ARI - The word is that Fitzgerald’s hamstring will keep him out for two to five weeks. Even when he comes back, there is a concern that the hamstring will bother him for a while longer.

WR Doug Gabriel, NE - While we didn’t expect Gabriel to catch a TD every week in New England, we don’t expect a viable WR to have more than two catches for seven yards. That’s just pitiful.

WR Muhsin Muhammad, CHI - We obviously love the Bears’ offense, but Muhammad is not the only option in town anymore. Last season, Muhammad played 15 games. In those games, he was the most targeted receiver 14 times. In five games this season, Muhammad has been the most targeted receiver only twice. He is certainly not the top fantasy WR as he is way behind Bernard Berrian’s TD production (four to one).

WR Koren Robinson, GB - While the NFL maintains that Robinson has not yet been suspended for his off-the-field mishaps, it is coming soon. He will be able to play until his appeal is heard, but at best he has only a few games left before getting the boot for the year.

WR Roy Williams, DET - A knock on Williams is his propensity for injury, and he got nicked up against the Vikings. The severity of his shoulder injury is not fully known, but we worry about things like that.

WR Troy Williamson, MIN - Williamson is called the WR1 for the Vikings, but he certainly doesn’t play like it. You have to go back to week three to see a game where he caught more than four balls. You have to go back to that same week to see a game where he surpassed the 100-yard mark. You have to back to week four of last season to see a game where he found the endzone. That is not inspiring.

TE Heath Miller, PIT - Miller has a couple of things going against him right now. The entire Pittsburgh offense has been struggling all season. With Kansas City and Atlanta next up, it will be tough for Miller and company to bounce back soon.

TE Jeremy Shockey, NYG - Shockey is listed here because he can’t seem to finish a game. Once again, Shockey’s ankle sent him to the sideline against the Redskins. This is especially worrisome because it came after a bye week. If he can’t get healthy during a bye, he could be hobbled all season.

TE Ben Watson, NE - Watson has been a big disappointment this season for a couple of reasons: 1) He is the focal point of opposing pass defenses, and 2) New England has been content to grind away on the ground.

PK Olindo Mare, MIA - Mare doesn’t get a ton of opportunities, so he can’t afford to miss too often. Against the Patriots, he was one for three and totaled only four points. That’s just not going to get it done. He is simply not a viable fantasy option.

PK Mike Nugent, NYJ - Nugent has made only two FGs all season and was completely shutout in week five against the Jaguars. That’s unacceptable.

PK Adam Vinatieri, IND - Vinatieri hasn’t kicked since week two due to an injured groin. The worst part about him missing games is that for the last two weeks, the Colts weren’t sure if he’d be able to kick. Many fantasy players prefer to carry only a single PK, so this situation is costing them a roster spot.

TD Indianapolis Colts, IND - The Colts defense seems to do just enough to win. While that can work on the NFL scoreboard, it’s not the stuff of fantasy championships. The Colts obviously miss Corey Simon and are incredibly soft against the run. Against a raw Vince Young, they forced only a single turnover and did not tally a sack.

TD New York Jets, NYJ - The Jets have looked very soft at times this year, but things really fell apart in week five. Against Jacksonville, the Jets defense allowed 41 points, forced zero turnovers and sacked the QB once. While they could look good in coming weeks (against Miami, Detroit and Cleveland), this unit is very unappealing right now.

TD Washington Redskins, WAS - This is not the Washington defense we expected to see. The Giants were allowed to accumulate over 400 yards of offense, and the Redskins failed to get a sack or force a turnover.