QB Matt Cassel, NE - Cassel had his first multiple-TD game of the season (and of his career) on Monday night, finding Randy Moss twice and Wes Welker once for scores. Moreover, although the Broncos' defense was making it look easy, Cassel managed the game well, finding open receivers in the short passing game. Cassel is still someone you don't want in your starting lineup, but with the talent he has surrounding him, he does have the potential to put up respectable fantasy numbers in a given week, as he did Monday night. While his workmanlike play against the Broncos may put to rest doubts about Cassel's job security as the starter this season in New England, he does still hold onto the ball too long and take too many sacks. The bottom line, though, is that Cassel gets an upgrade after tossing three TDs because at least now we know he can do it.

QB Trent Edwards, BUF - Edwards returned from the concussion he suffered two weeks ago and was brilliant in the Bills' win over the Chargers. He completed 25 of 30 pass attempts for 261 yards and a touchdown, and was in complete control of the game the entire time. He consistently found the open man and delivered the ball accurately and on time. Moreover, the Bills' offensive line was excellent in pass protection.

QB Joe Flacco, BAL - Flacco had arguably his best performance of the season in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins, completing over 75% of his throws and making solid decisions. He had good protection and pocket presence as he was able to connect on numerous short passes, but Flacco did put the ball where it needed to be for his receivers to be successful and also to get yards after the catch. Most of his completions went to his three different running backs, so the passing game is still limited. Flacco needs to protect the ball more as far as fumbles go, but he is definitely improving with each game.

QB Jeff Garcia, TB - Garcia has looked very sharp in back-to-back games now. Against the Seahawks, he completed 27 of 36 pass attempts for 310 yards and a touchdown. Garcia is moving in the pocket extremely well, and using is experience to improvise when necessary. His job as the Buccaneers' starting QB should be secure going forward, and Jon Gruden's offense is conducive to fantasy production from the QB position.

QB Shaun Hill, SF - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - There is growing speculation that J.T. O'Sullivan is close to seeing the bench. The 49ers' coaching staff will review O'Sullivan's performance this week and could move to Hill as early as Week 8. While San Francisco isn't exactly an offensive juggernaut, the starting QB for Mike Martz is a decent option in most fantasy leagues.

QB Dan Orlovsky, DET - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Orlovsky got off to a slow start against the Texans. The Lions had zero yards passing until nearly midway through the second quarter. Two big plays to WR Calvin Johnson (for 58 and 96 yards) helped boost Orlovsky's final stats, and he finished with 265 passing yards and a TD. Orlovsky is still not even strong fantasy backup material, but he gets an upgrade over where he was last week now that he has had his first career 200+ yard game.

QB Kyle Orton, CHI - Orton has again impressed with yet another big passing game. His 283 yards against the Vikings marks his third game with at least 280 yards passing in a row. In that span of three games, he has 903 yards passing with 5 TD passes. He has 8 TD passes in his last four games. Don't look now, but Kyle Orton is looking like a possible starting fantasy QB. He and the Bears have a bye next week, but his next game is week nine vs. Detroit, which is an excellent time to make him active in your starting lineup.

QB Brady Quinn, CLE - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Derek Anderson had a nice Week 6. That performance was likely needed to keep him behind center. However, he was pretty woeful in Week 7. While the team hasn't announced a switch, it's pretty easy to think that Anderson is back on the hotseat. If he struggles against the Jaguars, Quinn could be elevated.

QB Tony Romo, DAL - Romo gets the upgrade for two reasons: 1) Brad Johnson certainly won't make anyone in the Cowboys organization comfortable, and 2) Romo's pinkie is at least a week closer to being completely healed.

QB Matt Schaub, HOU - Schaub had his third strong fantasy outing in four weeks (he missed week five with a viral infection), completing 26 of 31 passes for 267 yards and 2 touchdowns. He played an almost flawless first half, leading the team on three 70+ yard scoring drives. The Texans' passing offense has been quite productive over the last month, and Schaub looks like a decent fantasy starter or very strong backup going forward.

QB Tyler Thigpen, KC - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Thigpen entered the Titan game after both Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard exited with injuries. The Huard injury is a situation to monitor as Thigpen looked lost at times. His passes floated, and the young quarterback just did not look good at all. He entered the game early in the fourth quarter and completed five of his 11 pass attempts for 76 yards and added 21 yards, with a score, on the ground. There were times where Thigpen looked like he was in way over his head. The game was too fast for him. But, Tyler Thigpen is the only healthy passer for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Downgrade

QB Derek Anderson, CLE - To say that Derek Anderson struggled against the Redskins in Week 7 would be an understatement. At one point in the second half, Anderson had completed just five passes on 22 attempts for only 40 total yards. Granted he was victimized by several dropped passes, mostly by Braylon Edwards, but that did not account for his missing of several open receivers and general inaccuracy. If Anderson does not get this corrected quickly, the Brady Quinn era could quickly be coming in Cleveland.

QB Drew Brees, NO - We got a glimpse of what a Reggie Bush-less Saints offense would look like, and it's not too pretty (Brees was only 13 for 26 after Bush left the game). While Brees has generally shown an ability to excel and elevate the play of his receivers, there is reason to worry about the talent around him right now. Losing Bush is a big blow, and there is a chance the Jeremy Shockey could shut things down again to get completely healthy. Factor in the incredible amount of rust that Marques Colston showed in Week 7, and things look a bit shaky for Brees. While he's still a very good every-week option, we have to back off from him being called the top fantasy QB right now.

QB Brodie Croyle, KC - Croyle injured his knee in the first half against the Titans. Albert Haynesworth was putting pressure from the outside and tackled Croyle awkwardly. The young passer is out for the season with an injury to his left knee. He had completed nine of ten passes for 63 yards before exiting the contest. The Chiefs will probably draft a quarterback in April, leaving Croyle to hold the clipboard.

QB Brad Johnson, DAL - Johnson showed his age against the Rams. He had no mobility in the pocket and his timing was off. The Rams were able to keep the pressure on and sack Johnson while rushing only four defenders. In addition, Johnson showed very limited arm strength. The passes were short and behind his receivers, especially on crossing routes. He just does not have the zip on the ball to get it to the receivers in stride. Johnson padded his stats on the two long pass plays on the last drive to a back up tight end (Bennett) for a total of 67 yards. For the game, he completed half of his 34 passes for 234 yards, one garbage touchdown and three interceptions. Dallas Cowboy fans were screaming for Romo to play in the first half. The team may urge Romo to play next week as they are 4-3 and need a win.

QB Peyton Manning, IND - Manning has not looked comfortable in the pocket this season. The Packers were able to frustrate the Colt offense with their strong defensive backs. His wide receivers only were able to total four receptions. Peyton Manning only completed half of his 42 passes for 229 yards and two interceptions. He did have one touchdown pass to Dallas Clark reversed, with Dominic Rhodes running it in the next play. On the season, Manning only has one game over 275 passing yards. With The Titans next on the schedule, week eight could be another rough game.

QB J.T. OSullivan, SF - O'Sullivan posted respectable fantasy numbers in Week 7, but he gets a downgrade due to his inability to protect the ball in Week 7's contest against the New York Giants. O'Sullivan had four fumbles and two interceptions, something that cannot be tolerated for a team that is looking to build an offense and put up some victories. Not all of the blame goes to him as his offensive line is just terrible, but O'Sullivan is not a pure victim either. Do not expect him to be benched next week, but Shaun Hill should now be on the radar.

Holding steady

QB Jay Cutler, DEN - Cutler banged his finger on a defensive lineman's helmet on the first play of the game. He missed only one series at the end of the first half, but the injured finger appeared to affect his ability to grip the ball all night, resulting in some uncharacteristically poor spirals and inaccurate throws from Cutler. He finished with just 168 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, his worst performance of the season. Cutler will bounce back and have plenty of good games this season, but he doesn't look like quite the stud he did when he opened the season with three consecutive 250+ yard, multiple-TD games. Nonetheless, we won't give him a downgrade based on a game he played with a bad finger; x-rays were negative and the finger is expected to be an issue going forward.

QB Gus Frerotte, MIN - Yes. Frerotte had another week where he almost reached the 300-yard mark, and he finally tossed two TDs. However, he needed 40 attempts to get those numbers (which are really only pretty good). Plus, he threw four INTs. Ugh. Regardless, that's not the type of game Minnesota wants to play. Still, Tarvaris Jackson isn't a threat to Frerotte.

Running Back

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RB Cedric Benson, CIN - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Cedric Benson got the start in Week 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He ran with limited success but did run hard and gave a good effort, but the Bengals are just not a good team. He averaged just fewer than four yards a carry (14-52) against a tough Steeler defense and should be the primary back for a struggling team in the coming weeks. Take note of the NFL schedule change due to the Houston / Baltimore postponement in Week 2, as now the Bengals play Houston next week and have their bye in Week 10.

RB Ryan Grant, GB - Grant was finally able to get to the endzone. After such a great 2007 season, he had disappointed for the first part of this season. The Packers were able to get the lead and grind out yards on the ground with Grant. They ran him a lot. Grant carried the ball 31 times for 105 yards and a touchdown. He also added two catches for 12 yards. Ryan Grant's average yards-per-carry is still bad, but it was good to see him get enough touches to have a productive fantasy game. The Packers looked to establish the run early on and Grant was the only halfback to get a carry.

RB Ahman Green, HOU - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Green played in his third straight game without being injured, and showed fine quickness and moves against the Lions. Green is averaging 4.6 yards per carry this season and will continue to see action in rotation with Steve Slaton as long as he can stay healthy.

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, NE - The rookie saw his first extensive action in an NFL game on Monday night after Laurence Maroney had been placed on IR, Lamont Jordon was held out of the game with a calf injury, and Sammy Morris rested in the second half with a knee injury after the Patriots had built a large lead. Green-Ellis found some running room, gaining 65 yards on 13 carries. Green-Ellis will get significant playing time in future games only if Sammy Morris and possibly Lamont Jordon are dinged, but he is worth a roster spot in deep fantasy leagues.

RB Steven Jackson, STL - Jackson had one of his best games of his career this week against the Dallas Cowboys. The week was the second three-touchdown game of his career. He looked awesome. Jackson ran hard and was able to get into the secondary several times, including a 56-yard touchdown around right end. The elite runner ran the ball 25 times for 160 yards and added another 16 through the air. The Ram offensive line was able to open big holes for Jackson. Keep an eye on a quadriceps injury that Jackson has said was "just a little tight". There will be a MRI so we should know in a couple of days, but the injury tempers our enthusiasm a bit.

RB Brandon Jacobs, NYG - Jacobs used his power and strength, running inside and behind his pads for three quarters to dominate the 49er defense in Week 7. Jacobs racked up two touchdowns, one from short yardage and one from 26 yards out to highlight his performance. He has now scored at least one touchdown for four straight games, but the schedule starts to get much more difficult as the Giants go to Pittsburgh before New York faces Dallas, Philadelphia and Baltimore in the next four games.

RB Chris Johnson, TEN - Johnson was a factor all game versus the Chiefs. Every time he touched the ball, it looked as though the rookie could make a big play. The Chief run defense is not good and they could not get consistent penetration. He scored on his last carry of the game from 66 yards away. This was just icing on the cake. Kansas City was the worst rush defense in the NFL coming into the game and that should stay static. Chris Johnson got most of the early carries, when the game was close. For the game, he totaled 168 yards on 18 carries and the long score. LenDale White vultured two short yardage touchdowns so the fantasy total for Johnson could have been even higher. The first-year player added four yards on a pair of receptions. The Colts and the Packers are next up on the schedule. Both yielded great production this week while facing one another - neither are great rushing defenses.

RB Thomas Jones, NYJ - Jones entered the game at Oakland coming off a three-TD effort against Cincinnati. After Jones notched 159 yards rushing against Oakland, It's safe to say that he has been rather hot over the last two weeks. Next week the Jets host the disappointing Kansas City Chiefs, who just gave up 317 yards rushing to the Titans duo of LenDale White and Chris Johnson. To say that Thomas Jones is a good play next week would be an understatement. By all accounts, start Thomas Jones in week eight.

RB Deuce McAllister, NO - The injury to Reggie Bush, who will be out of action for 3-4 weeks with a knee injury, opens the door for McAllister, which merits an upgrade. Don't be surprised though to see a committee approach led by McAllister, but also featuring Pierre Thomas and Aaron Stecker. McAllister has the pedigree and likely will be the player the Saints will count on when it counts, but let's not forget, New Orleans is a pass first team. It will be interesting to see how the Saints will call plays without Bush out there. A vast majority of their formations included Reggie Bush lining up in the backfield or motioning out of the backfield to the flanker or even lining up as a WR in the slot or spread out wide. Without Bush, how will they change their formations? Will they change? Who will benefit? McAllister figures to have an increased role in the offense, potentially getting 15-20 carries a game. The Saints next few games include SD (in London), bye, @ATL, @KC.

RB Willis McGahee, BAL - McGahee looks to be back to his elite form, running hard and hitting holes quickly all day long against the Miami Dolphins in Week 7. McGahee was certainly energized, partially by two other backs that have been competing for touches with him, partially by his return to his former collegiate town of Miami, and the rest by his return to full strength. Some of his longest plays came after a burst through good holes in the line and then utilized his quickness to make the first man miss on the next level. He also got the red zone touches over Le'Ron McClain, scoring on a nice individual effort from five yards out.

RB Mewelde Moore, PIT - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Moore played the part of a feature tailback for the Steelers in Week 7 against the Bengals, and he looked every bit of the role. He found the end zone three times and ran the ball hard both between the tackles and around the end, scoring well in the red zone on the ground twice. He also added a touchdown reception on short pass from Ben Roethlisberger, one of five catches for Moore on the day. Should Willie Parker miss more time, Moore's value will be extremely high, and even when Parker does return he could remain both a third down and a goal line threat.

RB Maurice Morris, SEA - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - While far from fantasy starting material, Morris gets an upgrade simply because it looks like he'll be splitting carries with Julius Jones instead of being used strictly as a backup. Morris has averaged 6.4 yards per carry in limited action so far this season, and now that he is back healthy he should have plenty of games with double-digit carries.

RB Sammy Morris, NE - Morris rushed for 138 yards on 16 carries in the first half before leaving the game with a knee injury. He had numerous impressive runs, showing good vision, excellent balance and power, and even some sharp open-field moves (that we don't remember seeing from him in his previous eight seasons in the league). The Patriots have not yet released any details regarding Morris' knee injury, and the injury was not apparent from watching the game. There was no play on which Morris appeared to have been hurt, he simply didn't play during the second half. It is possible that the Patriots held him out because of the lopsided score, but we'll keep an eye on the Patriots' injury reports this week. If Morris is healthy, it looks like he will be the full-time starter in New England now that Laurence Maroney has been placed on IR.

RB Adrian Peterson, MIN - The Vikings' feature-back Adrian Peterson managed to get back on pace as a top five RB. He now has two consecutive 100-yard rushing games with five rushing TDs this season. Surprisingly, Peterson has had good success against the strong Bears defense and it showed once again on Sunday. Peterson turned a good rushing day into an outstanding performance thanks to a 54-yard TD run in the third quarter, his second TD of the day. Peterson and the Vikings have a bye next week followed by home games against Houston and Green Bay.

RB Dominic Rhodes, IND - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Rhodes was able to find pay dirt twice against the Packers. He was not explosive but benefits because opposing defenses respect the Colt passing spread offense. Rhodes' longest carry was for only nine yards. He toted the rock twenty times for only 73 yards and the two scores. He added 41 yards on four catches. The good news is that Dominic Rhodes had all but two of the running back carries on the day. Joseph Addai should be out 1-3 more games. The one negative is that the Colts face the stout Tennessee Titans in week eight.

RB Jonathan Stewart, CAR - Slight upgrade here to Stewart. The duo of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams has been a fairly potent one-two punch this season. Going into the week seven game vs. New Orleans, Williams was ranked 21st and Stewart 28th among fantasy RBs. We anticipate Stewart catching up to Williams in fantasy points at some point this year. Perhaps his 68 yards rushing including an 18-yard second quarter TD run will spur his climb in the rankings. He now has five TDs in seven games with only three games without a score. On a side note, Carolina is 5-0 when they run the ball 20 times or more in a game this season as a team. The key for Carolina is running the ball and Jonathan Stewart will continue to play a big role going forward. Carolina has a favorable schedule coming up (ARI, BYE, @OAK, DET).

RB LenDale White, TEN - White scored three times against the porous Chief defense. The first two touchdown runs were from short yardage, but the last went for 80 yards. Yes, the big runner outran the Chief defense for 80 yards. He showed surprising speed as the defense was close to the line of scrimmage to stop the run, but he broke through and could not be caught from behind. White got most of his carries after the Titans had built the lead. The Titans used the big back to run out the clock. This has been his role while Johnson gets more touches early in the game. On the game, LenDale White carried the ball 17 times for 149 yards and the three scoring runs. He also grabbed a seven yard pass.

Downgrade

RB Reggie Bush, NO - Bush left the game at the tail end of first half on what looked like a routine punt return. He came up limping on the sidelines after being forced out of bounds on the last play of the half. Bush was evaluated in the locker room and was later determined that he re-aggravated a knee injury that kept him out of practice this past week. The Saints boarded a plane from Charlotte to London for next week's game against San Diego at London's famed Wembley Stadium, but Bush did not make the trip. Instead he will travel to Alabama to see knee specialist Dr. James Andrews and get his knee scoped. The early prognosis is that he has injured his meniscus to his left knee and will miss 3-4 weeks. The Saints luckily have a bye Week 9. If it's three weeks he'll be back Nov 16th at Kansas City. If it's four weeks, he'll come back in week 12 for a home game against the Packers.

RB Julius Jones, SEA - The entire Seahawks' offense was ineffective on Sunday night against the Bucs. The biggest concern for Julius Jones owners is that the RB workload was split pretty evenly between Jones and Maurice Morris. Morris has averaged more yards per carry than Jones this season, and it looks like the Seahawks will use a full-blown RBBC this season with Jones and Morris splitting carries between the twenties, and T.J. Duckett getting some of the goal line carries. Jones had a decent fantasy sting when Morris was out of the lineup with injury, but his value is severely limited by Morris' presence going forward.

RB Laurence Maroney, NE - It's rare that a player is downgraded before his team plays for the week, but Maroney found his way to the list. He has been placed on the injured reserve list due to his bum shoulder.

RB Laurence Maroney, NE - Maroney was placed on IR with a shoulder injury, ending his season.

RB LeRon McClain, BAL - With Willis McGahee's performance and some contributions from rookie Ray Rice, there is only so much work left for McClain. His touches are down, and he has not scored a touchdown since Week 5, but when given the ball he still can power through the line and follow his young but good offensive line. As long as McGahee performs well and gets goal line touches, McClain's upside will be limited.

RB Willie Parker, PIT - The brief story last week was that Parker was ready to play in Week 7 but stepped in a hole during Monday's practice and suffered a setback. We're worried that the injury was worse than the team let on and that Parker will miss a few more weeks.

RB Chris Perry, CIN - Chris Perry did not have a single touch in Week 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers after being demoted behind Cedrick Benson. Perry's fantasy value drops even further with the move on the depth chart.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson, SD - Tomlinson is still limited by his toe injury. The bye following next week's game may help in that regard, but it's no sure thing that Tomlinson will completely overcome the injury this season. Moreover, the Chargers' run-blocking has been horrendous over the last four weeks. Even a perfectly healthy Tomlinson wouldn't put up good fantasy numbers with the OL failing to open up any holes.

Holding steady

RB Ronnie Brown, MIA - Ronnie Brown had a very weak performance in Week 7 against Baltimore, but the Ravens are one of the best defensive units in the NFL. Brown led all rushers with 13 carries, over half of the Dolphins' attempts on the ground. Baltimore turned the Wildcat offense into the "Mild-cat", filling the running lanes and swarming Brown all day. He was also limited in attempts as Miami was down on the scoreboard and throwing throughout the second half. Brown faces a tough matchup again next week versus Buffalo.

RB Frank Gore, SF - Frank Gore was completely stifled by the Giants in Week 7, who focused on him and shut down the rushing attack. The offensive line continues to crumble in front of Gore, as he is getting hit in the backfield on first contact far too often. Mike Martz gave up on the run in the second half, leaving Gore as a one-dimensional receiver after halftime. Gore should rebound from this effort and get back on track starting next week as the 49ers face a soft Seattle team in Week 8.

RB Jamal Lewis, CLE - Jamal Lewis ran hard all game for the Browns in Week 7 against a good Redskin defense, accelerating hard to the hole and running hard all night. His only limitation came when Cleveland was near the goal line, as neither Lewis nor the Browns could come up with a path to a touchdown. As long as Cleveland struggles in both play calling and in the passing game, Lewis' upside will remain limited despite his strong rushing ability.

RB Darren McFadden, OAK - There was talk that the Raiders would open up more opportunities for McFadden this week to utilize his skills. He was finally healthy after having a bout with turf toe. While the Raiders didn't exactly open the flood gates on McFadden's talents (only 8 carries for 39 yards against the Jets), he did have three catches for 50 yards. Justin Fargas led the Raiders with 28 carries, compared to McFadden's 8. It appears as if the McFadden will play second fiddle as long as Justin Fargas is healthy and performing well, despite McFadden's 4.9 YPC vs. Fargas' 2.6 YPC. Even if McFadden is the second option rushing the ball, he should continue to see more passing plays and perhaps a few throws as well.

RB Steve Slaton, HOU - It appears that the Texans are seeking to avoid overworking the rookie RB, as they've kept Slaton under 20 carries in every game so far. With Ahman Green currently healthy and productive, it appears that the Texans will continue to limit Slaton's touches. While Slaton has played extremely well, he cannot be considered a Top 10 fantasy RB going forward if he's not being used as a workhorse.

RB Kevin Smith, DET - While Smith has been more effective than Rudi Johnson all season (4.9 YPC and 3 TDs to 3.7 YPC and 0 TDs), and got 10 carries on Sunday compared to just 6 for Johnson, the distribution of carries on the Lions remains unpredictable. Even including Sunday's game against the Texans, Rudi Johnson still has 18 more carries than Smith over the last four games.

Wide Receiver

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WR Donnie Avery, STL - The rookie was able to get deep early in the game for a 42-yard touchdown. This was his second straight game with at least 60 receiving yards. Now that the shifty receiver is healthy, he is quickly becoming a big threat opposite Holt. The Ram offense needed someone to emerge to keep defenses honest. Avery caught five of his seven pass targets for 65 yards and the long touchdown. The first-year wideout also had another touchdown called back. Bulger was looking to the rookie often for the big play. As teams look to shut down Holt, Avery will get his chances to be the playmaker the Rams expected when they drafted him out of Houston.

WR Bernard Berrian, MIN - In his last four games, Berrian has 22 receptions for 400 yards, plus three TDs in each of his last three games. The switch to Gus Frerotte at QB has really brought out the best in Berrian's game. He is making spending $42 million on him in the off season a wise investment. Berrian is playing like a top 20 WR, not a top 30 WR where he was projected at the beginning of the season. Berrian had 11 targets Sunday against Chicago. That marks his second game with 10+ targets, both of which occurred in the last three games.

WR Marty Booker, CHI - Booker may have had only three catches for 79 yards, most of which came on a 51-yard TD catch and run near the end of the third quarter, but he could've had so much more. He dropped two other passes that were sure TDs that would've made his good day a sensational day. Kyle Orton seems to have an interest in targeting Booker, which increases his value. Booker is a nice surprise and as long as Orton is having success, he'll have a chance at some good numbers as well. Consider using Booker as a WR4, flex option or bye week filler, but keep in mind, week eight is the Bears bye. Week nine is a great match up against Detroit.

WR Dwayne Bowe, KC - Bowe was able to get open against the stingy Titan defense. He had defenders draped over him all game long. No other wide receiver was able to get open with any regularity. The game was even more impressive considering the Chiefs played three different quarterbacks during the game. For the game, Bowe caught seven of his eight pass targets for 86 yards. The one drawback is that Tyler Thigpen might be the Chief quarterback for the near term.

WR Antonio Bryant, TB - Bryant has been inconsistent this season, but with better play from the QB position (with Garcia as the starter going forward) he has the ability to put up some big numbers. Bryant caught all six of his targets on Sunday for 115 yards and a touchdown, and showed his athleticism and versatility in doing so. He was successful on short routes and long routes, and looked strong holding onto the ball in traffic.

WR Greg Camarillo, MIA - Camarillo is the primary receiver for the Dolphins at this point and is the favorite target for QB Chad Pennington. Camarillo had 12 targets in Week 7 against Baltimore, including an end zone look which was defended well by the Ravens. Camarillo is a solid roster option and gets another bump in value in PPR leagues.

WR Malcom Floyd, SD - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - This upgrade is based on the chance that Chris Chambers could miss another game with his high ankle sprain. Floyd has had consecutive weeks with 65+ yards and a touchdown, but he's done it with both Chris Chambers and Buster Davis out of the lineup with injuries. While Floyd's play has likely earned him a bigger role in the offense even when Chambers and Davis return (and he may move ahead of Davis on the depth chart), he won't see enough targets to be a fantasy contributor once Chambers is back in the lineup.

WR Mike Furrey, DET - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - With Roy Williams now in Dallas, Furrey gets a substantial upgrade as he assumes the number two WR role in Detroit. Furrey was targeted a team-high eight times against the Texans, and finished with six receptions for 89 yards. Fellow WR Calvin Johnson drew frequent double-teams on Sunday, and Furrey was able to find the open area and make plays. He'll continue to be a big part of the offense going forward.

WR Andre Johnson, HOU - Johnson had his way with the Lions' pass defense on Sunday, finishing with 11 receptions for 141 yards, and often looking unstoppable. Johnson is leading the league with 71 targets on the season, and has seen double-digit targets in five out of the Texans' six games so far. He is a huge part of the Texans' offense, and should be considered a top-tier fantasy receiver going forward.

WR Derrick Mason, BAL - Mason remains the primary target for Joe Flacco on a weekly basis. He was the most targeted Raven once again, which is not too hard these days as Baltimore focuses mostly on the ground game. Mason had eight targets - a big number considering Flacco only threw 23 times. Mason also found the end zone for the first time all year to highlight his day.

WR Josh Morgan, SF - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Josh Morgan got the start in Week 7 for the 49ers against the Giants. Morgan stepped up his performance much the way he did when given the chance in the preseason, connecting with J.T. O'Sullivan for five catches, 86 yards and a score on a day where he led all San Francisco receivers with 10 targets. Expect Morgan to build upon this performance and he could be in for a big day against the Seahawks next week.

WR Santana Moss, WAS - Moss returned to his primary receiver status for the Redskins in Week 7 against the Cleveland Browns, leading his club in targets and using his quickness and speed on medium and short routes to get open and extend catches for longer gains with yards after the catch. Moss also found the end zone in Week 7 for the first time since Week 4 against the Cowboys. Look for Moss to continue to perform well next week against a great matchup with the Lions' secondary in Detroit.

WR Steve Smith, CAR - Smith has had a fairly quiet five-game season so far, but he is consistently moving up the ranks. His last five games (his only games) he has 70, 96, 96, 112 and 122 yards respectively, including two TDs and several TD opportunities. Luckily a missed TD grab here and there hasn't been that much of a disappointment. It's basically been the difference between a good game and a tremendous game. With his schedule coming up (ARI, BYE, @OAK, DET) he should have plenty more opportunities to excel. The Oakland game will feature some fireworks when he'll lock horns with former divisional rival, DeAngelo Hall. If Hall doesn't get the job of covering him, Nnamdi Asomugha, one of the league's better cover corners, will. It will definitely be a difficult match-up for Smith, but you can be sure he'll be up to the task.

WR Javon Walker, OAK - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Walker easily had his best game in quite some time, catching five passes for 75 yards and a TD against the Jets. While we aren't Gung Ho over Walker's accomplishment this past week, there may be a small light beginning to form at the end of a long tunnel. Before this week, his best game this season was two catches for 34 yards. Take his impressive game with a grain of salt but be smart enough to realize that he once was a star in this league. He has lived and performed in the spotlight before and perhaps finding himself in the limelight, amidst adverse situations, could spark a mental edge that he has lacked all year long. Perhaps that edge could bring some life to his game. Was this the first game of a streak of games that turns his season around? His confidence is growing by the day.

Downgrade

WR Mark Clayton, BAL - To give a concrete idea of how difficult it will be for Clayton to excel this season, let's examine Week 7. Joe Flacco had a nice game - going 17 for 23 for 232 yards and a TD. Clayton was thrown to twice. Flacco won't have game much better than that effort, so it's almost impossible for Clayton to be a viable fantasy option.

WR Patrick Crayton, DAL - Crayton is the big loser in the Roy Williams trade. He'll likely concentrate on returning punts and get an occasion catch.

WR Ronald Curry, OAK - Curry has lost his starting job to Chaz Schilens. If that's not a reason for a downgrade, then we don't know what is.

WR Braylon Edwards, CLE - Braylon Edwards struggled in Week 7, partly due to his numerous dropped passes and partly due to a very inaccurate Derek Anderson. Edwards did get open and had double-digit targets but was unable to come close to repeating his big night from last Monday night against the Giants. Edwards remains the top receiving option for Cleveland but could be pushing for a quarterback change as his numbers may suffer until Anderson improves or Brady Quinn gets his shot.

WR Bryant Johnson, SF - Bryant Johnson appears to be in the coach's doghouse and may have lost his starter role in San Francisco to rookie Josh Morgan. He has been working through a hamstring injury but the 49er coaching staff is unimpressed with his effort. Johnson was benched for Morgan in Week 7 against the Giants and saw no action.

WR Matt Jones, JAX - Jones has been suspended by the league for three games due to his arrest in the preseason.

WR Terrell Owens, DAL - Owens is struggling to get catches every week. The Cowboys tried to get him going early with two targets in the first three plays of the game, including a 19-yard catch. Opponents are making it difficult for the superstar receiver. Brad Johnson was not able to get the ball to Owens in spots he could make plays. He caught two of seven Brad Johnson passes for only 31 yards. Many of the targets were deep down the field trying to get a big play. This was his second straight poor game. If not for the five touchdowns on the season, Owens would be a very average fantasy WR3 with 25 catches for 398 yards through seven games. The entire Cowboy receiving corps takes a hit as long as Johnson is under center. Owens has only one game with at least six catches and no games with 90 or more receiving yards. In addition, this was the third game this season with fewer than forty receiving yards. Owens and his owners are getting frustrated.

Holding steady

WR Marques Colston, NO - The box score will show that Marques Colston didn't have a single stat in his return to the game against Carolina, which isn't wrong. He looked to be a bit sluggish and rusty not to mention handcuffed by the splint he was wearing on his surgically repaired thumb. Colston, who has not played since week one was ineffective and he perhaps returned a game too early. Next week the Saints will play San Diego (in London), which should provide plenty of opportunities for Colston, provided he shakes off the rust on the plane ride across the pond. It wasn't all Colston's fault. Drew Brees was pressured all game long by the Panthers pass rush which forced him to rush his throws. He and Colston never got into a rhythm. His second game back against a favorable pass defense should yield different results.

WR Calvin Johnson, DET - Johnson's stat line from Sunday's game looks great -- 154 yards and a touchdown -- but he was targeted only six times and caught only two passes while facing double teams for most of the day. His two big receptions (58 and 96 yards) made his fantasy owners happy last weekend, but QB Orlovsky will have to look Johnson's way more often in future weeks to keep them happy.

WR Nate Washington, PIT - Washington got a nice long touchdown late in the game against the Bengals in Week 7, but that was his main highlight on the day. The Steelers do not throw the ball enough for Washington to merit much fantasy value as their third receiver.

Tight End

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TE John Carlson, SEA - It is hard to upgrade anybody associated with the Seahawks' passing offense right now, but Carlson has been able to exploit mismatches when covered by a linebacker, and has become a security blanket for backup QBs Frye and Wallace over the last two weeks (and has scored a touchdown in each of those games). With the Seahawks' WR corps still ailing, Carlson will continue to get looks going forward and could end up with a top ten fantasy season at his position.

TE Dallas Clark, IND - Clark had a big game as the Packers focused on stopping the star receivers of the Colts. Manning targeted his favorite tight end ten times, completing 8 for 81 yards. Clark was open a lot underneath and always seems to know where to find the soft spots in the defense. Clark had a touchdown overturned or his production would have been even better.

TE Owen Daniels, HOU - Daniels continues to be an important part of the Texans' offense as he is averaging nearly 7 targets per game this season. He got his first two scores of the season on Sunday against the Lions. He is third in the NFL in receiving yards among TEs, and if he continues to get red zone looks going forward, could be a top three fantasy TE at year's end.

TE Tony Gonzalez, KC - Gonzalez had a big game for the Chiefs coming off a stress-filled bye week where the veteran asked to be traded, and almost got his wish. With three different quarterbacks under center, Gonzalez adjusted and was effective. He grabbed six of his eight pass targets for 97 yards. The Chiefs were making a concerted effort to get the veteran the ball, especially early in the game. The one concern is that Tyler Thigpen could be under center next week, depending on the thumb injury of Damon Huard.

TE Zach Miller, OAK - Miller had another good game, which gives him 12 receptions for 198 yards and a TD in the last three games. Miller continues to find open space, usually in the middle of the field and has become a key contributor for the Raiders passing game. Next week the Raiders will face a tough match up at Baltimore. Miller is quietly becoming a possible every-week fantasy starter, but temper your expectations against Baltimore.

TE Greg Olsen, CHI - Olsen has steadily been improving his play over the last few games. He has 16 receptions for 237 yards and 2 TDs in his last four games. He was the second most targeted receiver for the Bears on Sunday and was a key part of the offense. He should continue to see looks in a surprisingly impressive Bears passing game. The Bears have a bye next week, but then face Detroit in week nine, which is a favorable passing match up.

Downgrade

TE Jeremy Shockey, NO - Shockey returned to action, perhaps a bit too soon after having surgery to repair a sports hernia. "I had a fumble that hurt the team. I missed a backside cutoff block," Shockey said. "That's on me, 14 points I felt like I gave up today, not because of effort, but just because physically I'm not healthy." Shockey may have damaged himself further on the first play of the game. He did the splits and felt a twinge in his leg. It wasn't enough to sideline him, but it appeared to affect his play. A not quite 100% Shockey did manage to lead the Saints with 50 yards receiving, but right now it's not clear if he will play next week in London against the Chargers. More information regarding his status will come out this week, but prepare to possibly reserve Shockey for Week 8.

Holding steady

TE Kellen Winslow Jr, CLE - Kellen Winslow returned back to action for Cleveland in Week 7 but struggled along with the rest of his offense against the Redskins. He was the victim of multiple bad targets from an inaccurate Derek Anderson. Winslow hauled in just two balls, including one that ended just a yard short of a touchdown. With Anderson's regression in performance, all Browns receivers have lowered expectations.

Kicker

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PK Robbie Gould, CHI - He has six FGs (with just one miss) and 12 PATs in the last three games. The Bears are moving the ball efficiently with Orton behind center and their stingy defense gives the team plenty of chances in the kicking game.

PK John Kasay, CAR - He had three FGs and no misses yesterday. Carolina remains an above average offense now with Steve Smith in the fold at WR.

Downgrade

PK Nick Folk, DAL - The Dallas Cowboys are coming unraveled and it showed up on Sunday where they got whipped by the St. Louis Rams. Injuries have decimated their secondary making blowouts a thing of the past. Tony Romo was held out last week and even if he plays soon, he will not be 100%. Over the last three games, Folk has attempted just four FGs (making two). It's likely time to look elsewhere for your kicker.

PK Adam Vinatieri, IND - Over the last three games, he has just two FGs (and two misses). This team is very erratic right now and not helped by a defense that is struggling to stop the run. This translates to less time of possession for the Colts and fewer FG attempts.

Holding steady

Team Defense

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TD Tampa Bay Buccaneers, TB - They allowed just 176 total yards and 10 points in their impressive win against the Seahawks.

TD New York Giants, NYG - Despite losing Strahan to retirement and Osi to injury, they continue to pile up sacks. They got six more yesterday and held the 49ers to just 35 rushing yards. They also recorded two interceptions and a fumble recovery in the easy win.

TD Pittsburgh Steelers, PIT - They recorded seven sacks, one fumble recovery and allowed just 10 points in a divisional game against the Bengals this Sunday.

Downgrade

TD Kansas City Chiefs, KC - They allowed 332 rushing yards in the loss on Sunday. Even overweight LenDale White looked fast against this defense. For comparison, Minnesota has allowed 495 rushing yards in seven games.

TD Dallas Cowboys, DAL - The secondary (without Terrance Newman, Pacman, and Roy Williams) is simply a mess right now. They yielded 180 rushing yards and 34 points to the Rams. Enough said.

TD Minnesota Vikings, MIN - When you give up 48 points to the Bears, something is terribly wrong. They are still stout against the run, but remain one of the worst defending the pass in 2008.

Holding steady

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Week 8 Upgrades, Downgrades, and Waiver Wire Wonders

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