QB Jake Delhomme, CAR - Jake Delhomme has two TD passes in four of his last five games and has led the Panthers to six wins in their first eight games. Next week is Carolina's bye, followed by a road game at Oakland and then a home game vs. Detroit. Delhomme can be streaky at times and he rarely has a solid full 60 minutes, but when he's on, he's on. Sometimes, all it takes is a strong quarter for Delhomme to have good fantasy numbers. If he puts it all together, he could become an every week fantasy starter. His next two games after the bye are against weaker opponents, so consider starting him, especially against Detroit in week 11.

QB Trent Edwards, BUF - Slight upgrade here to Trent Edwards mainly because of his soft remaining schedule that favors the passing game. The Bills second year QB has been an impressive surprise this season, leading Buffalo to a 5-2 record to begin the season. As a fantasy QB he has been a bit less impressive, but still serviceable. The Bills have a very soft schedule the rest of the way with games vs NYJ, @NE, CLE, @KC, SF, MIA, @NYJ, @DEN and then home vs. NE in week 17. What really sticks out to us is Buffalo's week 14, 15 and 16 schedule (bold). Edwards has attempted at least 30 passes in each of his last two games and most recently against Miami, he completed passes to eight different receivers. Consider starting Edwards as your starting fantasy QB next week at home vs. the Jets who just allowed the Chiefs Tyler Thigpen to pass for 280 yards and 2 TDs. Next week's game could be the start of a strong second half for Trent Edwards that elevates his fantasy production.

QB Joe Flacco, BAL - Joe Flacco will not be putting up big numbers like his fellow rookie Matt Ryan, but he is a more than capable fantasy QB2 and spot starter. The Ravens used his talents as much as they could, calling his number as both a rusher and a receiver in Week 8 against Oakland. Flacco caught a 43-yard pass from Troy Smith and added four carries that included a touchdown to compliment his modest passing, which was highlighted by a long 70-yard touchdown to WR Demetrius Williams. Flacco has a nice matchup next week in Cleveland and is a good bye week spot starter.

QB David Garrard, JAX - David Garrard has four consecutive games of 200 yards passing or more with at least one TD passes in each of those games. He is averaging 23.1 FP per game in that span and faces the Bengals and Lions in his next two games. We think Garrard is a good start next week at Cincinnati, despite possibly not having the team's leading WR Matt Jones, who likely will begin serving his three-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy this week. Garrard does a great job of spreading the ball around, plus he may have Mike Walker returning after injuring his knee in week five. Jacksonville's schedule points to a positive match up for Garrard. If you've got him on your roster as your QB2, consider starting him next week.

QB Shaun Hill, SF - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Hill came on in relief of JT O'Sullivan in Week 8 against the Seattle Seahawks, trailing 20-3. He came in and played well, showing the major difference between himself and O'Sullivan lies in both his quick release and fast decisions with his throws. Hill was effective (15 of 23, 173 yards, 1 TD) in just 30 minutes of work, spreading the wealth between his receivers and Frank Gore. Hill has to be the favorite to start for San Francisco in Week 10 following the 49ers bye week.

QB Chad Pennington, MIA - We mentioned after Week 6 that Chad Pennington was starting to really turn it on. Week 7 against Baltimore, we weren't that high on him, but he proceeded to pass for 295 yards with a TD pass against the strong Ravens defense. This past week against the Bills strong defense, he passed for 314 yards with a TD pass. He now has three games in a row with at least 284 yards passing, including four TD passes in those three games. Miami's schedule going forward is very friendly, especially next week at Denver, who will be without their prime stopper Champ Bailey in the secondary. Starting Chad Pennington as your fantasy QB sounds like a mistake, but you can't argue his recent success. We welcome the start next week in what could be the start of a strong second half of the season for Miami and Pennington. Looking ahead, Miami's remaining schedule is @DEN, SEA, OAK, NE, @STL, @BUF, SF, @KC, and @NYJ.

QB Philip Rivers, SD - Rivers is currently number two behind Drew Brees in total fantasy points this season (FBG scoring), and with Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson both looking healthy for the first time this season, and with Chris Chambers having returned to the lineup and expected to be completely healthy after next week's bye, the Chargers' offense should continue to put up points over the second half of the season. Through eight games, Rivers has thrown a league-leading 19 touchdown passes, and with a slew of big red zone targets to throw to, he should continue to find receivers in the end zone.

QB Matt Ryan, ATL - Rookie Matt Ryan keeps making a strong case for the NFL Rookie of the Year award, which is impressive as 2008 is a solid class of first year players. Ryan played with confidence against the Eagles, sticking it out in the pocket and returning to play the entire game despite a hard tackle from Trent Cole that appeared to hurt his back. He spread the ball around well and showed good pocket presence despite consistently being pressured and blitzed by the Eagles.

QB Matt Schaub, HOU - Schaub was effective and efficient against the Bengals in Week 8. Cincinnati was only yielding only 162 passing yards on average, but Schaub threw for 280 yards on 24 of 28 passing. Schaub tossed three scores as Houston dominated the game through the air. He has now put consecutive strong games together and is playing well. The Schaub to Andre Johnson combination is the hottest in the NFL. This should continue with Texans traveling to Minnesota in Week 9.

QB Tyler Thigpen, KC - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Thigpen entered the Jet game as the top Kansas City passer with both Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard on injured reserve. He was very efficient against the Jets and started with a strong first half. In the first two quarters, Thigpen completed 15 of his 20 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns, with one of the misses a spike to stop the clock. His 11-yard touchdown pass to new Chief Mark Bradley with ten seconds left in the first half evened the score at 14 at halftime. The Chiefs ran some "no huddle" offense with Thigpen in the shotgun, and it was effective. Thigpen ended the game completing 25 of 36 passes for 280 yards and the two first half touchdowns with no picks. The completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns were the tops among Chief passers all season. The Jets made some adjustments that limited the second half production, but Thigpen showed he can produce against a decent defense. He plays in a division that is poor against the pass so he has some juicy matchups on the horizon. The only concern will be if Daunte Culpepper signs with Kansas City this week. If so, it might be Week 10 or 11 before becoming a threat to Thigpen.

QB Kurt Warner, ARI - Consider these numbers, 30, 24, 30, 57, 42, 30 and 49. Those are the number of pass attempts Kurt Warner has in games this year. That's a 37.4 average. Warner and the Cardinals have embraced the passing game this year and it's showing in his numbers. Warner dinked and dunked, used crossing routes and passed deep all game long against the Panthers. His top three WRs all had at least seven catches against a very good Carolina pass defense. Warner has at least two TD passes in each of his last six games and remains a top flight fantasy QB. His next three games have favorable passing match ups @STL, SF, @SEA. Warner should be started in all formats going forward. He is on the fast track to a top 3 fantasy ranking, if he stays healthy.

Downgrade

QB Brad Johnson, DAL - Johnson was not able to get on the same page as his receivers, and this is not a new phenomena. The Buccaneer defense did not respect his arm. They did not think he could throw it over their head. For the game, the veteran completed 19 of 33 passes for 122 yards and one score. Yes, that is correct. Johnson averaged less than four yards per pass attempt. Opposing teams do not respect Johnson and commit more players to defending Marion Barber. Losing Witten did not help matters either.

QB Peyton Manning, IND - Manning did throw two touchdown passes against the Titans, but it is apparent that the Colts' passing attack is simply not as efficient as it has been in years' past, and we no longer consider Manning to be a top three fantasy QB. While Manning has attempted the second-most passes of any QB this season (behind only Drew Brees), he is currently the #12 fantasy quarterback. While we project him to pick up the pace over the second half of the season, Manning should no longer be considered an elite fantasy QB.

QB J.T. OSullivan, SF - O'Sullivan was benched after two fumbles and a "pick six" interception against Seattle at halftime in Week 8. The 49er offense struggled under O'Sullivan, who did manage to scramble often and buy time behind a suspect offensive line but his slower release and lack of security of the ball was his ultimate downfall. No word as to who the starter would be after the Week 9 bye, but the smart money would be on Shaun Hill given that he would have two weeks to prepare.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, PIT - Roethlisberger just isn't getting any help from his offensive line. On 29 pass attempts on Sunday, he completed just 13 passes and threw four interceptions. (Only one interception was really bad -- one came on a pass dropped by Nate Washington, and two came on fourth down plays when Roethlisberger was understandably trying to make something happen.) Roethlisberger was sacked five times, and was under pressure all day -- not an unusual occurrence for him this season, unfortunately.

Holding steady

Running Back

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RB Joseph Addai, IND - Addai missed his second consecutive game with an injured hamstring, but gets an upgrade because he is a week closer to returning. He lobbied unsuccesfully to play two weeks ago against the Packers, and then was listed as questionable last week against the Titans but was ultimately held out. We suspect he will play this week against the Patriots, and will keep you updated on his status throughout the week. In the meantime, the Colts' run-blocking against the Titans last week looked promising; after struggling to open any holes for much of the season, the OL had a good game against one of the better defensive fronts in the league.

RB Cedric Benson, CIN - Benson had 13 of the Bengals' 14 running back carries against the Texans. He totaled 49 rushing yards on the day and added 20 more yards on two receptions. The Texans were up from the start so the Bengals were forced to throw a lot trying to reduce the deficit. It was a good sign to see the new Bengal get such a big portion of the carries. Benson could be a decent flex option in the coming weeks.

RB Mewelde Moore, PIT - Moore has played quite well in Willie Parker's absence. Over the past three weeks, Moore has averaged over 100 rushing yards per game and a touchdown. With news that Willie Parker suffered a setback with his injured knee last week in practice, Moore could get at least one more week in as the Steelers' starting RB.

RB Jerious Norwood, ATL - The Falcons' primary tailback remains Michael Turner, but Norwood is a good option in PPR leagues. Turner had no catches while Norwood had five, a testament to his third down and passing down usage. Norwood's main value comes in backing up Turner, but he is a nice plug-in guy in PPR leagues to cover byes or injuries.

RB Antonio Pittman, STL - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Antonio Pittman started in place of the injured Steven Jackson against the New England Patriots in Week 8. He carried the ball four straight times to start the game and had six carries on the first drive. The second-year pro carried the ball 19 times for 83 yards for the game. He added 22 yards on three receptions. Many questioned who would get the carries if Jackson missed time. Well, he had all but four of the carries by Ram running backs. Fantasy owners need to keep a close eye on the quadriceps injury of Jackson. Pittman is a good spot starter off of the waiver wire.

RB Ray Rice, BAL - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Ray Rice is not going to be stealing touches from Willis McGahee, but the Ravens are in love with the ground game this year. The Baltimore game plan involves lots of running plays and strong defense, which is good news for Rice, who had 11 touches on the day and over 100 combined yards against Oakland in Week 8. Rice has younger, fresher legs than McGahee and is much better in space and receiving, so he makes for a nice compliment to McGahee. The Ravens recognize this and are using their rookie running back more and more in their conservative offense, so expect 10 or more touches again for Rice next week in Cleveland.

RB Kolby Smith, KC - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - With Larry Johnson facing a league suspension and Jamaal Charles ailing with a high ankle sprain, Smith suddenly finds almost no competition for carries (Dantrell Savage is currently the only other RB on the roster). While the Chiefs aren't exactly an offensive juggernaut, having a starting RB is tough to pass up in fantasy football.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson, SD - For the first time since week one, LaDainian Tomlinson looked perfectly healthy against the Saints on Sunday. He said before the game that his toe was no longer an issue, and he backed that statement up on the field, gaining 170 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 24 touches. Tomlinson showed strength and balance he'd been lacking this season, and made some of the cleanest cuts he's made since last season. Tomlinson will get a bye this week, then return for the final eight games in what looks to be full health. His remaining schedule after the bye (Kansas City, at Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Oakland, at Kansas City, at Tampa Bay and Denver) is very attractive.

RB Brian Westbrook, PHI - Westbrook returned to the Eagles lineup and showed no signs of injury to his ribs or ankle. The FOX coverage team made mention that his ankle sprain was likely still bothering him, but his performance was truly of elite caliber for an NFL or fantasy tailback. Westbrook showed quickness around the edges and hit the holes hard behind a strong offensive line that opened up the Falcons' defense all day. He is once again a must start on a weekly basis in all fantasy formats.

RB LenDale White, TEN - White continues to get the goal line carries in Tennessee, and continues to score touchdowns. He has now rushed for 10 touchdowns in 7 games, scoring at least one touchdown in all but one game. White is not a huge part of the offense between the twenties, and will never be a fantasy RB1 as long as Chris Johnson stays healthy; but he is scoring consistently enough to be a passable RB2 in a pinch, or a very solid RB3/flex.

RB DeAngelo Williams, CAR - Williams appears to have officially taken over the Panthers primary RB role. He has 46 carries compared to 31 carries for Jonathan Stewart in the last three games. Both backs have been impressive and productive, but Williams has taken a step ahead of Stewart that likely will continue when the Panthers return to action following their Week 9 bye. Williams was a critical player in the Panthers come from behind victory against Arizona. The Panthers held the ball for the last 5:57 of the game much in part to Williams converting a key 3rd and 13 to keep the drive alive. His efforts kept the clock moving that resulted in kneel downs to end the game instead of punting the ball to a very capable Kurt Warner-led offense that was only down four points.

Downgrade

RB Marion Barber, DAL - The conservative attack with Brad Johnson at the helm certainly has dampened Barber's potential. He'll surely struggle against the Giants in Week 9 and will be on a bye in Week 10. Those two weeks necessitate the downgrade.

RB Ronnie Brown, MIA - From Week 2 through Week 6, Brown rushed for 313 yards and scored seven TDs in four games. Since then, he has been a huge disappointment in averaging only 35 rushing yards per game with no TDs. Plus, with Ricky Williams still with a role, Brown has had more than 18 touches in only one game this season.

RB Jamaal Charles, KC - Charles played pretty well against a stout Jet defense. But, the rookie left the game with an ankle sprain. The severity of the injury is not yet known. For the game, he finished with 45 rushing yards on five carries, including a 30 yard run where it looked like he could score. He added a four-yard reception. The Chiefs will want to see what they have in the rookie as the season progresses.

RB Warrick Dunn, TB - Dunn played sparingly in the Week 8 matchup against the Cowboys. He was struggling with an ankle injury and a pinched nerve in his back. For the game, Dunn only had three touches, a rush for no yards, a five-yard grab and a three-yard reception. This was disappointing considering the strong season the veteran had enjoyed coming into the game. With the bye week looming in Week 10, his touches might be limited again this coming game.

RB Steven Jackson, STL - Jackson missed the Week 8 game against the Patriots with a quadriceps injury. This is disappointing after the monster game against the Cowboys in Week 7. He warmed up, but the right thigh would not loosen up. It was also disappointing because earlier in the week, the Rams coaching staff said they expected Jackson to be able to play.

RB Edgerrin James, ARI - James has not rushed for more than 60 yards in each of his last four games. In three of those four games, he has failed to reach ten carries. The Cardinals offense is focused on the pass and James is suffering as a result. To put salt in the wound, the Cardinals have leaned on rookie Tim Hightower for goal line carries. This past week against Carolina, James fumbled the ball in the third quarter that aided in Carolina's comeback to victory. He is quickly losing fantasy steam and if you haven't benched him already, you may want to consider that going forward.

RB Larry Johnson, KC - Johnson is about as far into a dog house as someone can get. He has missed the last two games due to team suspension and will meet with commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday with a possible league suspension looming. After being formally charged with simple assault (he allegedly spit in a woman's face while at a nightclub), conventional wisdom would expect Goodell to send another message by suspending Johnson for multiple games.

RB Julius Jones, SEA - Julius Jones was supposed to be the featured tailback in Week 8 for the Seahawks, at least according to him, but he did not get the job done. He averaged less than two yards a carry and looked extremely unimpressive, part of which was due to poor blocking from his offensive line and part was due to an ineffective passing attack, but some of it has to go back on Jones. To be fair, his replacement (Maurice Morris) did not fair much better, so all rushing options for Seattle should be avoided.

RB Darren McFadden, OAK - In a season that has had plenty of rookie production, Darren McFadden remains a footnote to that list of players. Once again he was a no-show in Week 8 against Baltimore as the Raiders deactivated him due to a toe injury. Oakland has a decent matchup against Atlanta next week, but McFadden needs to get active in practice for the Raiders to even consider getting him in the mix for Week 9.

RB Willie Parker, PIT - Parker was originally expected to return last week to face the Giants, but after practicing on Wednesday and Thursday, had a setback that caused him to miss Friday's practice and his fourth consecutive regular season game. The setback may be serious enough to keep him out of this week's game as well. We'll have an updated status report on Parker later in the week, but for now it looks like his MCL is more problematic than was originally expected, and could pose further problems going forward. Hence the downgrade.

RB Chris Perry, CIN - Perry was held without a carry or passing target against the Houston Texans. The Bengals were down big early on and most would have thought Perry's receiving skills could have been an asset as the team played catch up. Cedric Benson seems to be entrenched as the primary ball carrier in Cincinnati.

RB Dominic Rhodes, IND - Rhodes had a productive outing against the Titans, rushing for 70 yards on 17 carries, and adding 8 receptions for 39 yards. He gets a downgrade here because, with Joseph Addai expected to return this week, Rhodes' days as the featured RB in Indianapolis are likely over. Addai will resume his starting role when he returns, and Rhodes will be relegated to backup duty (although he may play a larger role in the offense than he did before Addai's injury).

Holding steady

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, NE - The undrafted rookie started the game with Sammy Morris and Lamont Jordan out with injury. He split carries with Kevin Faulk on the first drive and saw less action as the game progressed. Green-Ellis scored on the first drive of the game and got the two short yardage carries on the drive. For the game, Green-Ellis totaled 16 yards on nine rushes. He did lose his footing on a fourth down and short in the third quarter. The rookie is only a viable option if Morris and Jordan miss time going forward.

RB Deuce McAllister, NO - McAllister got the lion's share of the workload in the Saints' running game on Sunday. With Reggie Bush out of the lineup, McAllister got 18 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown, and also had four receptions for 30 yards. (The Saints' next leading rusher was Pierre Thomas with 3 carries.) We cannot upgrade McAllister, however, when his immediate future has been made cloudy by reports of a positive test for a masking agent that is on the NFL's list of banned substances. McAllister could face a four-game suspension that could kill his value during the time that Reggie Bush is sidelined.

RB Michael Turner, ATL - Turner had a few good runs against the Eagles, but he was often the victim of first contact behind his line. Turner had 17 carries but only managed to gain four yards or more three times, including a 22-yarder that boosted his total of 58 yards significantly. Turner also had zero catches, but the Eagles were clearly keying on Turner to force rookie Matt Ryan to beat them. Hang tight with Turner, as he has two good matchups coming in Week 9 (Oakland) and Week 11 (Denver).

RB Leonard Weaver, SEA - Do not be fooled by the stats Weaver put up in Week 8 against San Francisco. He caught two short passes that he ran in for long touchdowns for a combined 103 yards, most of his production for the game. Weaver will remain the fourth option in the Seattle backfield behind Julius Jones, Maurice Morris and even TJ Duckett, so it is quite unlikely for him to come close to repeating this great performance again this year.

Wide Receiver

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WR Donnie Avery, STL - The rookie was able to get deep again in Week 8. He had five catches for 119 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown in just the first half alone. Avery only had one reception in the second half, but it went for 44 yards. For the game, the rookie caught six of the eleven pass targets for 163 yards and the big score in the first half. He is the sole deep threat on the Rams, and they try to get him deep a few times every game.

WR Anquan Boldin, ARI - Boldin is a must start fantasy WR, but there was some concern about how productive he would be coming off an injury to his face and head that kept him sidelined for three weeks. Boldin answered the bell with nine catches for 63 yards and two TDs, including a 30-yard run. We'd say he's good to go. Start Boldin with confidence. He is using a mouthpiece for the first time, but it appears as if he is the same player, mouthpiece or not.

WR Dwayne Bowe, KC - Bowe was able to get open against the Jet defense all game long. Bowe did not see a pass target in the first quarter, but was huge in the second. In just the second quarter, he tallied 63 receiving yards in just three catches. Bowe had ten targets on the day, with seven in the second half. He ended the game with six catches for 102 yards. Bowe came out this past week with his support for Tyler Thigpen. It showed today as Thigpen had little difficulty getting the ball to both Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez.

WR Steve Breaston, ARI - Breaston has really emerged while teammate Anquan Boldin was out of the lineup for three weeks with an injury. There was some concern how the Cardinals would utilize Breaston now that Boldin is healthy enough to play. Breaston appears to be a mainstay in the Cardinals passing game as the team's WR3. In his last four games, Breaston has 9, 7, 8 and 9 receptions for 122, 77, 102 and 91 yards. He only has one TD this season, which is the only reason why he is not in WR top 20. Breaston is turning into a very solid WR3 or flex start going forward. If he finds the end zone, he'll be even more valuable. Keep in mind, he is the team's third receiver, but you can't argue the attention he's getting on a very potent Arizona offense.

WR Chris Chambers, SD - Chambers played in Sunday's game against the Saints after missing two games with a high ankle sprain. He may not have been completely healthy, but he led the team with 9 targets (catching 5 of them for 47 yards) and figures to be a prominent part of the receiving game after the bye. He has two weeks to return to full health, and then should resume his role in the offense going forward. (Chambers was the #12 fantasy receiver through the first five weeks until he was injured, although that was due to an atypically high ratio of touchdowns to receptions, so we don't project him to match that production in the future.)

WR Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ - Cotchery was not expected to be a big part of the offense after doing little in Week 7. It was reported that Cotchery suffered a shoulder injury that limited him last week. He played and played well this week, even with the shoulder injury that kept him out of practice the last few days. Cotchery had 5 catches for 59 yards in the first half alone. The Jets targeted Cotchery a lot, starting with the first drive. He had 13 pass targets in the game, with three coming on the first drive of the game. Cotchery grabbed nine balls for 102 yards. He was open all day against the rookie cornerbacks of Kansas City.

WR Kevin Curtis, PHI - Curtis returned to the starting lineup for the Eagles in Week 8 against Atlanta but was held catchless until the second half. Curtis got six looks throughout the game, snagging half of them for short and medium gains. He did not stretch the field nor get the yards after the catch that made him a 1,000-yard receiver last year, but that should come soon, quite possibly next week with the Eagles getting a nice matchup in Seattle.

WR Lee Evans, BUF - Evans entered Week 8 with three consecutive games with a TD. He didn't score a TD against Miami, but he did have his third 100-yard game, catching seven passes for 116 yards. He will most likely keep his top 10 ranking and deservedly so. The Bills have a very soft schedule the rest of the way with games vs NYJ, @NE, CLE, @KC, SF, MIA, @NYJ, @DEN and then home vs. NE in week 17. What really sticks out to us is Buffalo's week 14, 15 and 16 schedule (bold). It should be fairly smooth sailing for Buffalo's passing offense going forward.

WR Joey Galloway, TB - Galloway was finally back from the foot injury that had sidelined the aging veteran for most of the season. Against Dallas, he caught half of his six pass targets for 38 yards. Galloway was able to get open and looked to be at full strength.

WR Ted Ginn, MIA - Those who drafted Ginn hoping he would be a productive WR this season were disappointed - or at least prior to Week 8 they were. The emergence of Chad Pennington and the Miami passing game (284+ yards passing in each of their last three games) has opened up opportunities for Dolphins WRs. Greg Camarillo had been the main WR worthy of starting, but this past week Ted Ginn exploded for 175 yards that included gains of 46 and 64 yards. We don't expect Ginn to reach those numbers again anytime soon, but he has steadily emerged as a threat in the Dolphins surprisingly potent passing game. Consider starting Ginn, especially in PPR leagues next week at Denver, who will be without Champ Bailey.

WR Andre Johnson, HOU - Johnson had another huge game. Matt Schaub targeted Johnson six times in each half. He has now been targeted at least 11 times in all but one game this season. In Week 8, Johnson caught 11 balls for 143 yards. Johnson was held without a score but was open all game long. This big game marked the fifth time in seven games that the big wideout exceeded 110 receiving yards in a game. Matt Schaub looks to Johnson when he needs a big play.

WR Lance Moore, NO - Moore has more than twice as many receptions as the Saints' next leading WR so far this season, and even with Marques Colston back in the lineup, it looks like Moore will continue to play a major role in the offense. Moore was targeted 10 times on Sunday, hauling in 6 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Colston has been back for two games now, but Moore still has the most targets and receptions over that period.

WR Randy Moss, NE - Moss is finally getting a good number of pass targets, and he is not disappointing. Matt Cassel was looking for the big play receiver often. He caught seven of the 11 Cassel targets for 102 yards. Many of the targets were short crossing routes and on the left side of the field. The Patriots were looking for Moss to break the short passes for big gains. This is the third game of the last four that Moss eclipsed 10 fantasy points. Also, of note, Randy Moss caught his 800th career reception in the first quarter.

WR Chaz Schilens, OAK - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Schilens had a nice performance in Week 8 against Baltimore. He converted five targets for three catches and 76 yards, most of which came on a deep 60-yard strike from JaMarcus Russell where he made a very nice leaping catch. With Javon Walker and other receivers disappointing in Oakland this season, Schilens should continue to get plenty of work and is worth a bench spot in deep leagues.

WR Steve Smith, CAR - Steve Smith is capable of taking a game over and that's exactly what he did in Week 8 against Arizona. Smith scored the go-ahead TD for Carolina in the third quarter that turned out to be the game winner. Smith caught a pass on third down for about 7-8 yards, broke a tackle, turned the corner and stayed in bounds all the way to the end zone on a 65-yard play that eventually sealed the victory for Carolina. How good has Smith been this year? His last five games he has 96, 96, 112, 122 and 117 yards. He is now starting to find the end zone and has three of his four TDs in his last two games. Smith has a bye next week, but then he faces his arch nemesis DeAngelo Hall, who has had some success against Smith in games prior as a member of the Falcons. Look for Smith to show up prepared and ready to play - HARD against Hall and the Raiders in Week 10.

WR Mike Walker, JAX - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Mike Walker was on the fast track to being a WR the Jaguars could count on, but then he hurt his knee. Walker originally suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee, but he was hospitalized due to an infection in his knee. He has since been released from the hospital and appears to be coming back just in time for Matt Jones impending three-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Walker could be a sneaky fantasy start given the emergence of the Jaguars passing game and his ability to make plays. Consider starting Walker once he is deemed healthy enough to play, which could be as early as next week at Cincinnati. The Jags have two favorable road passing matchups against Cincinnati and Detroit coming up in the next two weeks.

WR Roddy White, ATL - Roddy White is the clear primary guy for Matt Ryan in Atlanta. He was the main target all day against a good Philadelphia secondary in Week 8, yet he still got open and put up great numbers. While some of his numbers came later with the Falcons trailing by two scores, he was active all game long and is a definite fantasy WR2 with WR1 potential. White has favorable matchups in all but two remaining games (Oakland in Week 9, Carolina Week 12), but should be in most fantasy lineups every week.

Downgrade

WR Marques Colston, NO - Based on his stellar 2006 and 2007 seasons, expectations for Colston were high this year. He was injured in the first week, however, and sat out until week seven. He was expected to be a big part of the Saints' offense upon his return, but so far he's been quiet. Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, and Billy Miller have all been targeted more often than Colston in each of the last two games. We do expect Colston to be the primary target in the Saints' offense over the second half of the season, but it looks like the Saints other receivers, who have enjoyed success in Colston's absence, are going to remain important cogs in the offense as well. The presence of Moore and Henderson will likely detract from Colston's targets to a greater extent than we had previously projected.

WR Marvin Harrison, IND - Marvin Harrison is not showing the speed or quickness he did earlier in his career, and is struggling to get open. With the Colts' passing offense struggling this year, and with Harrison often appearing to be at best the third option in the passing game (behind at least Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark -- and also competing with Anthony Gonzalez and the RBs), Harrison's fantasy value has taken a hit this season, and appears headed further downward.

WR Torry Holt, STL - Holt had another disappointing game, watching rookie Donnie Avery play like the superstar receiver. Holt caught three of his seven pass targets for a mere 28 yards. He has only exceeded 51 receiving yards twice this season, and has only one touchdown on the year. Holt is having difficulty getting separation from defenders, and is showing signs of age. This game was especially disappointing as Marc Bulger threw for over 300 passing yards.

WR Matt Jones, JAX - Matt Jones was notified by the league last week that he has been suspended three games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He appealed the suspension, which bought him some time, before he officially cannot practice with the team or play any games for three straight weeks. If the suspension occurs this week, he will miss games against Cincinnati, Detroit and Tennessee.

WR Josh Morgan, SF - Josh Morgan was supposed to have passed by Bryant Johnson as the starter for San Francisco. So much for that theory as he had just two targets in Week 8 against Seattle and zero catches. Until the 49ers resolve their depth chart and their quarterback issues, avoid putting Morgan in your fantasy lineup.

WR Terrell Owens, DAL - Owens struggled once again in Week 8. This made the third game in a row that Owens had 36 or fewer receiving yards and ZERO touchdowns. As long as Brad Johnson is under center, Owens is difficult to insert into fantasy lineups. Romo is expected to miss Week 9 and be back in Week 11 after the bye. This means that fantasy owners with Terrell Owens on their roster have to wait two more weeks until there is a sliver of hope. Against Tampa Bay, Owens grabbed five of his nine passes for a whopping 33 yards. Owens was able to draw a penalty in the first half that led to a touchdown. So, he is still helping the Cowboys, but is not aiding fantasy owners.

WR Javon Walker, OAK - Walker had a nice game last week, but he fell back to Earth in Week 8 against a tougher Baltimore defense. Walker is not a consistent producer on a weekly basis and is limited by his young quarterback in JaMarcus Russell, who is not developing fast enough for the Raiders. Walker still belongs on fantasy rosters, but is only worth a bench spot until he starts to produce on a consistent basis.

Holding steady

WR Reggie Brown, PHI - Reggie Brown was deactivated for Week 8's game between the Eagles and the Falcons. With Kevin Curtis back in the lineup and rookie DeSean Jackson showing no signs of slowing down, Brown is the third receiver (and fourth after Westbrook) in the Philadelphia offense -- when healthy. Still, he is very close to returning, so he still holds a little value at this point in the season.

WR Plaxico Burress, NYG - Burress sat out the first quarter of the game as a disciplinary measure after he missed a physical treatment session late last week for his neck and shoulder. He did not figure heavily into the Giants' gameplan, and was essentially a non-factor all day. He should be able to put last week behind him and assume his customary role in the offense going forward.

WR Santonio Holmes, PIT - Holmes was deactivated for Sunday's game after being charged with marijuana possession on Thursday. Although the possibility remains that he will miss additional games, the most likely scenario is that he will return to the lineup next week against the Redskins and resume his normal role in the offense.

WR Calvin Johnson, DET - Is there any other WR in the league that is making the most of his opportunities? Calvin Johnson has not had more than four receptions in a game since week two, yet he is the 5th ranked fantasy WR. We're not sure what to expect out of Calvin Johnson going forward, because he simply is not getting the same amount of targets like other elite WRs are getting. Johnson has 55 targets this year, while his close competition has targets in the mid 60's and 70's. The Lions are trying to get Johnson the ball, but defenses are making it their goal to prevent that from happening. Despite all the attention he's getting from defensive coordinators, he's still coming through in the clutch, putting up respectable numbers, including a TD catch in each of his last three games. We think a down game or two could be coming in the future. The likely difference between a good game and a down game is whether or not he reaches the end zone. Three catches for 59 yards with a TD is MUCH better than three catches for 59 yards without a TD. Roll the dice and continue to start Johnson, because he's too talented to bench.

WR Derrick Mason, BAL - Do not jump off of the Derrick Mason bandwagon just yet. He only had one catch in Week 8 against the Oakland Raiders, but he did have six targets and lost a 32-yard catch that was called back due to a penalty. While he remains very unlikely to have a big game in any given week, he does remain the top WR in Baltimore and should fare much better next week against the Browns.

WR Santana Moss, WAS - In case you're wondering, Santana Moss is the number one ranked fantasy WR this season. He appears to be back on track after having two down games in weeks five and six. He is clearly the leading receiver for the Redskins and the life blood of the team with his contributions on special teams. Moss was expected to perform well against Detroit and he did not disappoint. Not only did he catch clutch passes, including the go-ahead 25-yard TD catch in the third quarter, but he also returned a punt 80 yards for a TD to seal the victory for Washington. The Redskins schedule definitely gets more difficult the rest of the way, but the tough games are all at home (PIT, DAL, NYG and PHI). His fantasy ranking is currently spiked because the Redskins have yet to have their bye week (week 10). He is still a top 10 WR going forward and should be started in all formats.

WR Muhsin Muhammad, CAR - Muhammad hasn't scored a TD in three games, but he continues to get passes from QB Jake Delhomme. This past week against Arizona, Muhammad dropped a pass in the end zone with nobody around him. He may have only had five catches for 38 yards, but he remains a key player in Carolina's passing game going forward. Muhammad has not had a game this year where he hasn't caught less than three passes. Continue to start him as your WR4 or flex option going forward.

Tight End

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TE Martellus Bennett, DAL - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Bennett played well with Witten sidelined due to a rib injury. He bruised the ribs early in the game. Bennett caught a touchdown pass last week and was productive again in Week 8. The rookie caught all three of his targets for 21 yards. If Witten misses any time, Bennett could be a viable option off the waiver wire.

TE Antonio Gates, SD - Sitting at the halfway point in the season, Antonio Gates leads all TEs in fantasy points so far, and he's been playing hurt until now (toe injury to start the year, hip injury suffered early in the season). For the first time this season, he looked completely healthy on Sunday against the Saints. He was able to get downfield several times for receptions, and QB Philip Rivers looked his way a number of times on important third-down plays (and one fourth-down play). If Gates is back at full health, he should maintain his #1 TE status over the second half of the season.

TE Tony Gonzalez, KC - Gonzalez had a big game for the Chiefs. He seemed to be in synch with Tyler Thigpen starting early in the game. The veteran tight end grabbed four passes for 59 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone. He was targeted six times on the game. Gonzalez caught all six for 79 yards and the first have score. He benefited from the vast improvement by Tyler Thigpen. Next week against the Vikings should be another good matchup.

TE Billy Miller, NO - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Playing ahead of Jeremy Shockey, Billy Miller led the Saints with 11 targets on Sunday against the Chargers, hauling in 7 catches for 82 yards. Brees looked to Miller on a number of important third- and fourth-down plays, and Miller played well enough to ensure that he'll continue to get significant looks even with a healthy Shockey around. He appears to be worth a fantasy roster spot.

TE Bo Scaife, TEN - Kerry Collins is looking underneath to the TEs quite frequently in the passing game, and Bo Scaife leads all Titans in targets so far this year. He caught 5 passes for 44 yards against the Colts on Monday night, and has become a consistent enough part of the Titans' offense to be considered a passable fantasy starter, or excellent backup.

Downgrade

TE John Carlson, SEA - The Seattle passing game is in shambles, right along with their offense. Carlson had just one catch on two chances in Week 8 against the 49ers, a poor showing for any receiver. Carlson's value was much higher when Matt Hasselbeck was the starting quarterback for Seattle. Until he returns, Carlson and all Seahawk receivers should be avoided.

TE Vernon Davis, SF - Forget the numbers and the stats for Vernon Davis in Week 8 against Seattle. Davis and his bad attitude got himself kicked off the sideline by new head coach Mike Singletary in the fourth quarter. In his post-game press conference, Singletary said that he "wanted winners" and that Davis would "do a better job for us right now taking a shower and coming back and watching the game." Hardly a vote of confidence. Look for Davis to struggle to keep his starting job in San Francisco as the 49ers have two week for Singletary and Mike Martz to come up with another choice (likely TE Delanie Walker) following their Week 9 bye.

TE Jeremy Shockey, NO - Since returning from injury two weeks ago, Shockey split time with Billy Miller in week 7 and then played as Miller's backup in week 8. Miller has performed very well as the Saints' primary receiving threat from the TE position, and it doesn't look like he's going away anytime soon. Shockey cannot currently be considered a starting fantasy TE.

TE L.J. Smith, PHI - Smith was active in Week 8 against Atlanta, catching two passes including a nice 21-yard tap dance along the sideline for a long gain on first and 20, but he was forced from the game with an apparent concussion after a vicious hit from safety Lawyer Milloy. Expect more word later in the week as to his condition and availability for the Week 9 contest in Seattle.

TE Jason Witten, DAL - Witten left the game with a rib injury. He took a painkilling injection and tried to play, but could not go. He caught his only pass target for eight yards. Witten's loss would be huge for the Cowboys. The X-Rays were negative and a CT Scan will be performed early this week.

Holding steady

TE Dallas Clark, IND - Clark led the Colts with 12 targets on Monday against the Titans - his second consecutive game with double-digit targets after getting 10 the previous week against the Packers. The Packers and the Titans have something in common: two very solid cover cornerbacks who were able to blanket the Colts' receivers on the outside. QB Manning ended up spending much of the night looking over the middle to his TE or checking down to his RB. Other teams will not be able to match up with the Colts' receivers the same way that the Packers and Titans did, and Clark's double-digit targets in each of the last two weeks will likely to prove to be aberrant. While Clark is still a solid starting fantasy TE, we hesitate to move him up into the upper echelon of TEs after what we consider to be two unusual games.

Kicker

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PK Josh Brown, STL - Brown has been fantastic over the last three weeks. He has kicked only six PATs in that time, but is an amazing nine for ten on FGs. As long as the Rams continue to sputter on offense (which should be all season long), Brown is an excellent kicker.

PK John Carney, NYG - It was widely expected that a healthy Lawrence Tynes would reassume the kicking duties for the Giants. However, HC Tom Coughlin is sticking with the red hot Carney. As long as he continues to kick well, Carney is a nice fantasy option.

PK Rian Lindell, BUF - Lindell has had a couple of excellent weeks since coming off his team's bye week. In Week 7 and Week 8, Lindell was perfect on three PATs and connected on six of seven FG attempts.

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PK Matt Prater, DEN - Prater and the Broncos started the season on fire, but they all struggled a good deal before their bye. While it's certainly possible that they turn things around beginning in Week 9, we'd be remiss if we didn't drop Prater as he has kicked only one FG and three PATs in his last two games.

PK Lawrence Tynes, NYG - Despite hinting that Tynes would soon take over for John Carney, the Giants have continued to keep a healthy Tynes inactive. They are content to ride the hot foot of Carney, so Tynes has little value at this time.

Holding steady

Team Defense

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TD New York Giants, NYG - The Giants have been excellent over the last two weeks. Since getting embarrassed by the Browns in Week 6, the Giants have accumulated six INTs, one fumble recovery, and an impressive 11 sacks. This group seems unstoppable right now.

TD St. Louis Rams, STL - The Rams have been a surprise over the last three weeks. If your league does not deduct fantasy points for yards and points allowed, then they are a nice option (especially as an occasional fill-in). In the last three weeks, they have amassed nine turnovers, ten sacks, and even scored a TD. In some scoring systems, they are the top scoring defense in that timeframe.

Downgrade

TD San Diego Chargers, SD - The Chargers have now failed to sack opposing quarterbacks on their last 88 pass attempts. And without generating any pressure on opposing QBs, their INT numbers are way down from last year as well. And they continue to give up yards in big chunks. In pretty much any scoring system, the Chargers have been a fantasy flop this year, and we can't find much reason for optimism going forward.

TD Oakland Raiders, OAK - Oakland isn't on many fantasy rosters, but they shouldn't be on any. Over their last three games, they have generated only four turnovers and four sacks. Plus, if your league deducts fantasy points for yards and points allowed, they are giving up over 400 yards and over 25 points per game. This is simply a poor unit.

Holding steady