Roundtable - Week 11

  Updated 11/18 by FBG Staff, Exclusive for Footballguys.com

Welcome to this edition of the 2009 Footballguys Roundtable. Feel free to eavesdrop as various staff members share their views on a range of topics in discussion format. This week, they touch on the following:

• Playoff races
• Dwayne Bowe suspension
• Vince Young
• Brandon Marshall with Chris Simms
• Seahawks & Redskins RBs
• NFL Players in Fantasy Football Leagues
• Jay Cutler
• Marques Colston
• Chris Johnson
• Matt Ryan
• WDIS
  

Playoff Races

We're just past the halfway point this season, and five out of eight division races are still up for grabs. (The Colts, Saints, and Vikings seem to be in the driver's seat in their respective divisions.)

How do you see the playoff picture unfolding? Who will win each division? What will be some surprise teams that sneak in and some surprise teams that are left out?

AFC East

JEFF TEFERTILLER: The Patriots are in the driver's seat without much pressure from the other three. The injury to Ron Brown could keep the Dolphins out of the playoffs.

MATT WALDMAN: I agree with Jeff. The Dolphins have a chance, but someone from the AFC North or AFC South has to implode for it to happen - and I think it will.

MARC LEVIN: I agree with Jeff as well.

JASON WOOD: The Patriots are the class of this division, and their two-game lead might as well be six games. If Ronnie Brown is out for more than a week, I expect the Dolphins to fall out of the wild card race.

ANTHONY BORBELY: The Patriots should win it easily. The other teams in this division are simply not that good.

AFC North

JEFF TEFERTILLER: The Bengals lack only a game against the Browns to sweep the division. Plus, the Steelers still have the Ravens twice left on the schedule. Pittsburgh is a gimme for a wildcard spot.

MATT WALDMAN: The Bengals and Steelers will fight for the division championship, with the Ravens still in the hunt for a wild card spot. The Ravens' offense needs to figure out what it's doing (stop trying to be cute and run the ball down their opposition's throat) to have a shot. If they can, they should have an edge over the Steelers in any tiebreakers for a wildcard spot.

MARC LEVIN: I will disagree with the notion that the Steelers are a gimmee for the wild card - those games against the Ravens combined with whatever Houston, Jacksonville, and Denver can generate going forward will determine that. However, I believe the Steelers are the strongest of the teams I listed. While it seems a foregone conclusion that Cincinnati will take the division, never underestimate the ability of the Bengals to fade away.

JASON WOOD: The Bengals are 5-0 in the division with sweeps of Baltimore and Pittsburgh; they are going to win the division. They're even in the driver's seat for a bye, although I expect the Patriots to overtake them for that. The Steelers are a much better team than either the Texans or Jaguars, but they need to finish strong to hold them off for a wild card slot.

ANTHONY BORBELY: The Bengals are for real and I think they are a legit contender to win the Super Bowl. The defense is playing physical and with a lot of confidence and Carson Palmer is playing winning football. The Steelers are suffering from Super Bowl hangover, but they are still a dangerous team. I don't know that anyone wants to face them in the playoffs. The Ravens are always in games because of their defense. I will not be surprised if both wild cards come from this division.

AFC South

JEFF TEFERTILLER: The Colts are easily the winners of this once-proud division. Houston could sneak into a wildcard position if the defense continues to play well and the running game stabilizes with the newfound committee.

MATT WALDMAN: The Colts win and get home field. I'm not a believer in the Texans. In fact, I think Tennessee will player spoiler in this division down the stretch and keep both the Jags and Texans out of contention, giving Miami a shot at the wild card.

MARC LEVIN: The Colts, of course, are a lock. I really like Houston to sneak into the wild card race simply because they have such an easy schedule going forward.

JASON WOOD: The Jaguars may be the worst .500+ team in a long time. They've been outscored by 39 points and yet have more wins than losses. Anyone who's watched the Jags play can't seriously argue that they're a good, playoff-caliber team. I don't see how the Texans are, either, but one of these teams could sneak in with a hot finish. The Colts aren't going to finish 16-0, but 13+ wins seems a mortal lock, as does the top seed in the AFC.

ANTHONY BORBELY: The Colts are dominating this division. Houston and the Jags are the worst 5-4 teams around. I don't expect either of them to make the playoffs. The Jags can't stop anyone and the Texans are too one-dimensional offensively to win consistently.

AFC West

JEFF TEFERTILLER: This is a tight one. I think San Diego wins this weekend and takes the division. The loser of the race has a shot at the wildcard.

MATT WALDMAN: San Diego wins the division because the team is gelling. Denver will get the wild card as long as Orton returns soon.

MARC LEVIN: I think San Diego is streaking right now and Denver is in for a bit of a dip with Orton out. If Orton returns quickly, they have a decent chance of taking the wild card and competing for the division. If he does not return in the next two weeks, they could be out of it completely. If Denver loses to all of the Chargers, Giants, Colts and Eagles, they will be out of the wild card race. Meanwhile, San Diego has a potential cakewalk going forward (@DEN, KC, @CLE, @DAL, CIN, @TEN, WAS). Outside of the game in Dallas, I give S.D. at least a 65% chance of winning each of those games - including Cincy at home.

JASON WOOD: This is probably the most interesting division. A lot of people, myself included, expected the Broncos to be a train wreck, and then they start 6-0. But three straight losses and a hurt QB will really test this team. Meanwhile the Chargers aren't as good as some thought, and LT is a shadow of his once great self, but they're 6-3 all of a sudden and seem poised to win the division.

ANTHONY BORBELY: The Chargers are playing solid football and Denver is coming back to earth. The Broncos play solid enough defense to keep themselves in games, but their offense leaves a lot to be desired and that could cost them a playoff spot. I think the Chargers win this division and Denver continues to fade.

AFC Wildcards

JEFF TEFERTILLER: In the AFC, Pittsburgh is in great position for a wildcard. The other should come down to Houston or Denver. I am not a believer in Jacksonville, and Baltimore has a very difficult schedule the rest of the way.

MATT WALDMAN: I think Miami and Baltimore are the wild cards, edging out Denver and Houston. I don't like the Steelers' chances to win any tiebreakers They have a losing record in their own division right now.

ANTHONY BORBELY: The Steelers will win one of the spots. The other one is close, but I'm going with the Ravens because I think Denver will struggle too much to put points on the board.

NFC East

JEFF TEFERTILLER: This is the toughest one for me. Dallas is probably the favorite, even after the poor showing against the Packers. The Westbrook injury hampers Philly and the lack of a strong running game puts the Giants behind the eight ball. In a once-strong division, the weaknesses of the top teams are glaring. The Eagles have a shot at the wildcard as long as the defense plays well.

MATT WALDMAN: I think the Giants will do what they typically do: put together a late-season run and win this division. Yes, the WRs are green. However, Tom Coughlin's staff is better at making adjustments than any staff in this division. I think Dallas implodes down the stretch and suffers losses to the Chargers, Saints, Giants, and Eagles. This team is not well-coached and they have lost their identity as a ground-and-pound team with solid passing when needed. Now they are always trying to throw and it will come back to bite them. The Eagles may throw all the time, but they have the leadership, experience, and slightly better schedule to get in. Dallas goes 9-7, Wade Phillips is put out to pasture, and welcome Mike Shanahan or Jeff Fisher.

MARC LEVIN: I will also disagree with Jeff's assessment. The Cowboys are way too inconsistent. The Eagles are more consistent, in my opinion, and the Giants will rebound. Dallas' schedule is brutal (WAS OAK @NYG SD @NO @WAS PHI). Mark my words here - the Redskins will give the Cowboys a game. That said, all three NFC east teams that are in the mix have really tough schedules down the stretch - and they play each other quite a bit. This will be the most interesting race to watch. A good team from this division will miss the playoffs - I think that team is the Cowboys. The Eagles will take the division and the Giants will earn an NFC wild card.

JASON WOOD: A war of attrition. I'm assuming Manning's plantar fasciitis is going to get better soon enough, in which case the Giants will reassert themselves a bit. I expect the NFC East to produce two playoff entrants. The Eagles should make the playoffs, but with injuries mounting I'm beginning to have my doubts. A lot of focus will be on Westbrook's concussions, but a far tougher situation is the loss of two important defensive backs (Hobbs and Hanson).

ANTHONY BORBELY: This is impossible to call, but whoever wins this division will be one and done in the playoffs. I'll go with Dallas because they seem to have the most consistent defense, and prior to the Green Bay game, the offense was playing better. If the RBs can get healthier, the offense could be even better down the stretch.

NFC North

JEFF TEFERTILLER: The Vikings have a firm grasp on the division with the Bears and Packers languishing.

MATT WALDMAN: Vikings get a home playoff game and the Packers go 5-2 down the stretch to get a playoff berth despite its pass protection issues.

MARC LEVIN: I agree that the Vikings have a stranglehold on the division. The Packers will be in the mix for a wild card only because there are so few contenders in the NFC. They own an important tiebreaker against Dallas, and games against San Francisco and Seattle should determine whether they pick up sufficient tiebreakers to compete for a wild card spot.

JASON WOOD: As has been said, the Vikings are going to duke it out with the Saints for the top seed, and my money is on the Vikes. They're a complete team. Great quarterbacking, great running game, solid offensive line, and a defense with a solid pass rush and run stoppers. What's missing?

ANTHONY BORBELY: The Vikings have it locked up. The Packers have been one of the biggest disappointments this year, but they could be a dangerous team if they make the playoffs.

NFC South

JEFF TEFERTILLER: The undefeated Saints are in control. Atlanta has little chance of catching up for the division title but is in great shape for a wildcard berth.

MATT WALDMAN: Saints get home field advantage and the Falcons will go 4-3, which might not be enough to get a wild card berth. The schedule is too tough and the team's weaknesses are getting exposed. Turner's injury compounds the situation. Carolina is looking better, but their schedule might be even tougher than Atlanta's.

MARC LEVIN: Agreed completely. Nothing to add except to confirm that the Bucs and Panthers are completely out of any postseason talk. The Falcons cannot stumble in games against Tampa Bay twice and the Bills, however.

JASON WOOD: The Saints obviously are going to run away with the division. The question is whether the Falcons can right the ship and reassert themselves. I thought the Falcons were the third best team in the NFC, but Matt Ryan has regressed over the past month and will need to right himself. There's no reason to think he's incapable of that, but it has to happen now.

ANTHONY BORBELY: The Saints are in cruise control for the division. The Falcons are in trouble if Turner misses a lot of time.

NFC West

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Arizona is in firm control. San Francisco is still a ways away in talent level and Seattle is on a downward slide.

MATT WALDMAN: I can see Arizona going 4-3 the rest of the way because I think they have been too up and down thus far. If Chris Wells can string a few big games together, then I think they win the division easily. The 49ers have five very winnable games and two more that I think they are capable of pulling out. I think this team could challenge for the division, and will otherwise pull out a wild card berth over Seattle.

MARC LEVIN: I that the Cardinals will coast to the division title. I could see the 49ers sneaking into the wild card race simply because their schedule is so darned easy.

JASON WOOD: I don't think anyone in the NFC West is particularly good, but it's hard to think the Cardinals won't handle their business. The 49ers got way too much praise early; they're an immensely flawed team.

ANTHONY BORBELY: The Cardinals are the class of this division and as Wells gets better, they will become much tougher to defend. Last year's experience can do nothing but help them down the stretch.

NFC Wildcards

JEFF TEFERTILLER: I expect Atlanta and the Eagles to be the wildcards, with the Giants on the outside looking in.

MATT WALDMAN: I think San Francisco and Philly are the wild cards and Dallas goes on a major slide unless they rediscover their running game.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I think the Packers will nail one of the spots. The other is pretty wide open, but I will give an edge to the Eagles. The Falcons are going to have problems without Turner and the Giants pass defense has been terrible since Kenny Phillips got hurt. It's hard to win when your defense can't stop anyone.

Dwayne Bowe Suspension

Bowe is suspended for four weeks.

During that period, does that make Chris Chambers a solid fantasy WR3? Possibly better than that? Does it help Lance Long's value?

Also, what effect will it have on the Chiefs' running game and overall offense?

MATT WALDMAN: It helps Lance Long and Mark Bradley because teams will eliminate Chambers with Bowe gone. The ground game will also be easier to stop because they are missing their top threat. Long is the greatest beneficiary because of his presence in the short game.

MARC LEVIN: I think the entire offense takes a nose dive. The trickle down effect will be tremendous. Especially given their schedule: PIT, @SD, DEN, BUF, CLE, @CIN, @DEN.

Outside of Buffalo, those are some very tough pass defenses. (Laugh all you want, but the Browns actually have a pretty good pass defense - at least good enough to handle the Chiefs.)

No Chiefs receiver will be a reliable fantasy starter. Every team will be able to single cover the receivers, play 8 in the box, and occasionally run blitz. Jamaal Charles may bust off a run or two against that kind of defense, but I would not rely on it.

Of course, the value of Bradley and Long go up, but that is like saying Isaac Bruce's and Josh Morgan's values went up while Michael Crabtree was unsigned. What's that saying about chicken salad? That's the Chiefs' offense sans Dwayne Bowe.

JASON WOOD: Chris Chambers couldn't capitalize on Philip Rivers under center with Vincent Jackson on the other side, so why will Matt Cassel behind a crappy O-line with no one opposite him be a good thing? I'm NOT a Chambers believer, and will eat plenty of crow if he proves me wrong. I picked Lance Long up in a number of deeper PPR leagues, but I wouldn't start him now unless you're DESPERATE. This is a no man's land fantasy offense.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I'm with Marc and Jason here. I think the entire offense falls off a cliff. Chambers doesn't scare anyone. The threat of Bowe opened things up for everyone else and that is now gone. The WRs are simply not good enough to do anything without Bowe to take coverage to his side of the field. The opposing defenses can sell out to stop the run and rush the passer and I don't think the Chiefs can do a thing about it.

Vince Young

Is Vince Young proving that he's a long-term answer at quarterback? How much credit should he get for the Titans' three-game win streak? Fantasy-wise, will the Titans pass enough down the stretch for Young to be a solid fantasy backup who can start a few games based on matchups?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: The Titans have responded to Young. He has played well. Getting the defensive backs healthy has helped, too. For fantasy purposes, Young does not pass often enough in many games to be startable this season. It is a different offense from the one in which he finished as QB12 as a rookie.

MATT WALDMAN: It is still debatable, because his three-game streak this season has come against poor defenses and the Titans got back Pro Bowl CB Cortland Finnegan and underrated CB Vincent Fuller, which bolstered the secondary and helped the pass rush. That said, I have been saying all year that people were too quick to judge Vince Young. There are numerous Hall of Fame caliber QBs who went through 3-5 horrific seasons before finally fulfilling their potential. We're an impatient society and we rush to judgment with half the answers. The true test will come in the next three weeks against the Texans, Colts, and Cardinals - quick defenses complemented by prolific offenses that will force Young to keep up for the Titans to win. Overall, Young gets some credit for not making mistakes despite playing a little more aggressive than Kerry Collins.

JASON WOOD: I'm not sure he's answered the bell completely yet, but you have to like the start he's off to. He's completing almost 66% of his passes, has an AY/A of nearly 7 and is adding a level of stability and ball control that Kerry Collins simply wasn't. He's seemed calm -- surprisingly so, considering all he's been through of late. I wouldn't consider him a viable fantasy commodity except in start 2-QB leagues and as an injury fill-in, but this is still a GREAT story. Imagine if he somehow leads them back to 7 or 8 wins? He'll be handed the keys to the kingdom, after seemingly being a guaranteed cut just a few months ago.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I am not convinced Young is the long-term answer at QB for the Titans. While he has played well in his starts this year, he has to show more over a longer period of time to convince me. His passing is still not that great and that is the main concern. I think Young's play has been a big reason for Tennessee's improvement. They are more energized and are playing with confidence, something they did not do when Collins was the QB.

Fantasy-wise, I would not want to count on Young. His passing is not good enough for me to feel comfortable starting him. I don't want to risk games where my QB has 120 yards passing. With Chris Johnson running and the lack of elite WRs, low passing yard games are a real possibility.

Brandon Marshall with Chris Simms

Brandon Marshall got off to a fast start against the Redskins, racking up 129 yards and two touchdowns in the first half with Kyle Orton at QB. With Chris Simms under center in the second half, however, Marshall caught just one pass for 5 yards. Would you give serious thought to benching Marshall this week if Orton is unable to play?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Yes, I would bench Marshall if Simms is the starter this week. He is not a NFL passer. Marshall's big numbers against Washington came on long passes. As much grief as Orton takes for not tossing it deep, he looks like Brett Favre compared to Simms.

MATT WALDMAN: No. I understand Jeff's point about Simms' lack of skills, but let's remember that Simms hasn't seen live action in quite a while and he was rusty. Odds are likely he'll target Marshall frequently enough for the talented WR to produce. Unless I had a much better match up available with a similar amount of targets, I would stick with Marshall.

JEFF TEFERTILLER: I hear you, Matt. My issue is that his last "real" game action was in the first part of the 2006 season. I agree that much depends on other options, but I would hate to depend on Simms in a tough division game. I watched a lot of Simms throughout college and in 2005 and 2006. This is the same guy that threw all of those ugly picks in early 2006. He started the season under center for the Bucs only to throw six interceptions and no touchdowns in the first two games. He could easily have progressed, but the odds are not strong. I see the higher likelihood of regression. The poor showing against the Redskins was not a good sign.

MATT WALDMAN: I definitely wouldn't start Simms - well maybe above Brady Quinn and JaMarcus Russell - but I was more focused on the question about sticking with Marshall. If Simms can complete 5-6 passes to Marshall that constitutes a decent fantasy outing for the WR. Not that I'm enthused about using Marshall paired with Simms, but I think the young QB will be able to hit the broad side of a barn with a week of practice. Marshall is almost that big as a receiver.

JASON WOOD: I'd absolutely consider sitting Marshall, assuming of course you have a viable option in the alternative. Simms gave us no reason to think he's going to match Orton's surprisingly strong play, and that means the Broncos' slide could, and probably will, continue.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Simms looked horrendous and it would be an easy decision to bench Marshall or any other Bronco unless I had no viable alternatives.

Seahawks & Redskins RBs

Are Ladell Betts and Justin Forsett better than Clinton Portis and Julius Jones, respectively?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Yes and Yes, at this stage of their respective careers. Betts is making big yardage with the same offensive line as Portis. His 100-yard game Sunday (in his first start) against a stout Bronco defense was only the second of the season for a Redskin back. For Seattle, Forsett may be a better "West Coast Offense" ball carrier and receiver. The Seahawks are still learning how to use his talents.

MATT WALDMAN: Forsett is better than Julius Jones. Coach Jim Mora, Jr. has been touting Jones' steady improvement that people couldn't see with the naked eye up to the point Jones got hurt. Then Forsett comes in and demonstrates that the naked eye can tell good from mediocre. Forsett runs with more energy, decisiveness, and balance. He's also a better receiver. We'll see if Mora, Jr. also inherited the staid, loyalty factor of his daddy or he shows some flexibility and keeps the ascending Forsett in the lineup. As for Betts, I think a healthy Portis is still a step up, but Portis hasn't been healthy all year and it seems like Portis hasn't been fully healthy for at least two seasons. Betts is a serviceable runner, but he's more along the line of an upper middle class Chester Taylor - good, but there will always be better around the corner.

JASON WOOD: Betts is clearly not a better running back than Clinton Portis, but Portis seems to be in no rush to return for a losing, moribund franchise. Some fantasy owners may not realize that Betts is 30 years old; he's a plodder who has been a good soldier, but little more. Forsett is a young guy with a lot of scouts singing his praises. And Jones was probably the worst starting RB in the league in terms of overall skills. I could see Forsett emerging as the lead back in SEA with a strong second half of 2009.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Yes. Portis looked done to me even before being injured. He could not hit a hole and there is little if any chance for big plays. Forsett looked a lot better than Jones and the playmaking ability is noticeable between the two. Basically, Betts and Forsett offer much more big play ability than Portis or Jones.

NFL Players in Fantasy Football Leagues

When Maurice Jones-Drew apologized to fantasy owners for kneeling at the one last week, he mentioned that he started himself in his own fantasy league. Will Roger Goodell crack down on allowing NFL players to participate in fantasy leagues so as to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest? We're talking about a commissioner who just fined Chad Ochocinco $20,000 for attempting to fake-bribe an official with a $1 bill. Many fantasy leagues boast prizes greater than $1. When NFL players publicly discuss their fantasy leagues, is it harmless fun, or should Goodell be concerned at all about the gambling aspect of the game?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: I think Goodell can put the Jones-Drew comment into perspective. He was following orders from his coach. I do think the Ochocinco fine was excessive (at least compared to Tommie Harris'). Goodell is worried about image and integrity of the league. I do not see players who make hundreds of thousand per game jeopardizing the income for their fantasy teams.

MATT WALDMAN: Conflict of interest? What are these NFL players' league fees that it would be a conflict of interest? Are they ponying up their game checks? There's no conflict of interest. If a player actually has the stupidity to participate in a high stakes league that would endanger his financial well-being and his career prospects, then he deserves to be thrown out. However you don't throw the baby out with the bath water. This is overblown. Goodell should be more concerned about concussions than fantasy football - which is also making the league money.

JASON WOOD: I've thought about this a lot, and wouldn't be surprised if Goodell banned it. While we all know that the reality of an NFL player having a fantasy team is hardly something to fret, we also know that the mere hint of impropriety is an unacceptable risk.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I don't think Goodell should be concerned about players playing in fantasy leagues. But what I think doesn't matter. I fully expect Goodell (in the spirit of the No Fun League) to ban players from playing in fantasy leagues.

I think the fine on Ochocinco was ridiculous. Intent should matter. It was clear to everyone that Chad was just having fun.

Jay Cutler

Over his last four games, Jay Cutler has thrown four touchdowns and ten interceptions as the Bears have gone 1-3. Will he turn things around this season, or will his poor OL and WRs (as well as his own poor decision-making) hold him back the rest of the way?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: This season will probably continue to be a mixed bag for Cutler. He is still young and should improve as the Bears upgrade their personnel. Cutler has always been erratic. The poor weapons and OL expose the flaws in his game.

MATT WALDMAN: If the matchup is right, he might have a chance to do better, but I think this is what you can expect from him and his line. Orlando Pace was once a great player, but his skills as a LT have eroded to the point that it is sad to watch him struggle. With a QB like Cutler, you never know what can happen because he can freelance his way to big plays, but he needs more help up front than he's getting. The WRs aren't great, but they would be good enough with a better line.

JASON WOOD: I wasn't high on Cutler when he came into the league. My criticism was that playing for a losing team with few weapons fostered a gunslinger mentality. So many scouts compared him to Brett Favre, but being compared to Favre is hardly a compliment. Favre is the exception to the rule when it comes to NFL QBs. His mechanics are erratic and he takes big chances, but he's that ONE guy that can be great in that situation. Now Cutler had started to turn me around in Denver, as I thought he was maturing quickly. And I expected a solid first season in Chicago. But as the O-line gets him hit and the receivers don't make plays, Cutler is trying to win games single-handedly and he's gotten way too aggressive with the ball. This whole thing has a chance of going off the rails now, with Lovie Smith possibly losing his job. I suspect Jerry Angelo (the GM) will pour massive money and draft effort into building up a great offensive line for next year, but this year Cutler's prospects are hard to get excited about from here on out.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Cutler looks lost right now. While the line and receivers aren't great, the problem is his decision making and poor throws. Even when receivers are open he doesn't seem to hit them.

I think the Bears should be nervous about Cutler for the long-term.

Marques Colston

Marques Colston has just three receptions in the last two weeks. Drew Brees has spread the ball around to lots of different receivers; getting the ball to Colston doesn't seem to be a priority. Is Colston still on the unbenchable list with Moss, Wayne, Fitzgerald, A.Johnson, V.Jackson, and perhaps a few others, or should fantasy owners with other solid options consider sitting him until he gets back into a groove?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Colston is unbenchable, in my opinion. He can have a monster game at any time when healthy.

MATT WALDMAN: In three- and four-WR leagues, I think Colston remains unbenchable. In two-WR leagues, I'd send him to the pine for a better match up because the available pool of receivers is greatly expanded to find an optimal situation.

JASON WOOD: Few NFL players have star performances each and every week. Brees has thrown 7 INTs to 6 TDs over the last month, yet few are complaining because his strong early start still makes his full year numbers look great. Colston, by virtue of their deep offensive cast, is going to have days fantasy owners would like for forget, but so long as he's healthy, getting targets and Brees is under center, he's a guy that should be in your lineup. It's not like we start one wideout each week, even if you worry he's not an every week WR1, he's certainly a top 25 WR every week.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Colston cannot be considered a must start WR The main reason is how much Brees spreads the ball around. The other top fantasy WRs do not have situations like Colston's. But I would have to have a solid option to consider benching him.

Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson is currently on pace for 1,940 rushing yards this season, and his last three games (since Vince Young took over) have been among his four best of the season. What are the odds he'll rush for 2,000 yards this season?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: The odds of Johnson hitting the 2,000-mark are remote. It only takes one poor rushing game to make the goal look out of reach.

MATT WALDMAN: I'm no forecaster of odds, but I'll hazard to say he has a 25-30 percent chance to do it. In other words, not likely but it's by no means impossible with the balance we've seen with the offense. The problem is that Johnson is probably accounting for 50 percent or more of that balance. Eventually, he's either going to put up a clunker (I hope not) or he's limited either as a rusher or receiver.

JASON WOOD: Long odds because I don't believe the Titans defense can maintain its recent hot streak. Rod Hood, a street free agent, isn't going to continue to intercept balls every game, for example. But more likely, and no less impressive in my book, is the fact Johnson looks poised to go WELL over 2,000 yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving) and is currently on pace to finish with 2,405 yards, which would be second all time behind Marshall Faulk's dream season.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I think the odds are about 30% that Johnson hits 2000 yards. He's hot right now, but it's really hard to keep that up every week for a whole season.

Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan is forcing passes into coverage and generally doesn't look as good as he did last season. Was his rookie year a bit of a fluke? Or is he really better than he looks right now but is just being held back by forces out of his control?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Ryan is still a young quarterback. The opposing defenses are learning how to play him. He has a bright future. How bright depends on how he develops and improves. I do not think his ceiling is as high as most do (for fantasy). He should be a good quarterback in the QB8-12 range.

MATT WALDMAN: His rookie year was by no means a fluke, but the expectations for year two were far too unrealistic. I watch this guy every week for the Waiver Wire Gems report and one of the greatest problems with Ryan is his ability to adjust to pressure. One week he is trying to break the pocket up the middle when under pressure and the only escape route is to the outside and the next week he's trying to get to the perimeter when he just needs to make a minor adjustment in the pocket. He is also dropping his eyes from the coverage when he feels pressure. He is simply overreacting to the pressure and because of the fact he's trying two opposite approaches to adjust in consecutive weeks, I'm thinking he's getting coaching on the issue but hasn't internalized what he needs to learn to make his adjustments instinctive. In other words, he's over-thinking when under pressure and it's affecting his performance. I believe he'll get better, but the opposition has figured out about four weeks ago that Ryan is not dealing well with a pocket closing around him.

JASON WOOD: Of course his rookie season wasn't a fluke. He's struggling this year to adjust to larger expectations. He's got an immensely bright future and I can only hope his subpar 2009 leads to his being drafted way too late in 2010 drafts. What an awesome chance to grab a young star as your QB2 on the cheap.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Ryan is still only in his second year, so I am not at all concerned about him. He was just so good last year that expectations are raised higher than maybe they should be. I also think defenses are more prepared for him this year.

WDIS

For each pair of players, state whom you'd start this week in a standard league (12 teams, non-PPR, start 1/2/3/1/1/1.)

Ben Roethlisberger at Kansas City, or Brett Favre vs. Seattle?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: This is a tough one, but I would go with Roethlisberger. I expect to see Peterson have the big game against Seattle. KC has a young secondary and the team will struggle to muster a pass rush.

MATT WALDMAN: Favre by a whisker because the weather is expected to be rough in KC and Seattle can keep pace offensively to force the game to remain on Favre's arm.

JASON WOOD: Both great options but I would lean a bit toward Favre given the weather conditions expected in KC.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I have to go with Ben here. The Chiefs are poor at rushing the passer and anytime Ben has time to throw he is very hard to stop.

Matt Schaub vs. Tennessee, or Kurt Warner at St. Louis?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Warner over his former team. They played Brees well last week but I want to see them do it again. Schaub is catching the Titans with some of their DBs back healthy. Tennessee has a legitimate chance to control the game ... and win.

MATT WALDMAN: I'll take Warner. I'm expecting Tennessee to give Schaub a harder time than expected and win their fourth straight game. The Titans are a different team; they are playing with more discipline and they are healthy again.

JASON WOOD: Warner. The loss of Daniels in Houston is going to hurt, and Warner looked sharp last week. Playing STL makes average QBs look good, so it should make Warner one of the week's top fantasy stars.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I'll go with Warner. The Titans have played much better lately and the loss of Daniels hurts the passing game numbers for the Texans. I don't see the Rams stopping Warner.

Jamaal Charles vs. Pittsburgh, or Ladell Betts at Dallas?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Charles will struggle with the game out of hand early on. Betts will not have easy sledding, either, but could put up 70+ rushing yards and a few receptions. I'll go with Betts.

MATT WALDMAN: Betts, because Pittsburgh's defense in bad weather will be a terror for anyone.

JASON WOOD: Charles, because he's going to HAVE to be involved in the Chiefs passing game.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I'll go with Betts. With Bowe being suspended and no weapons at WR, the Steelers should easily be able to stop Charles.

LeSean McCoy at Chicago, or Chris Wells at St. Louis?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: McCoy considering what he did against the Giants and Cowboys. Wells could have another big game, but Hightower will split carries.

MATT WALDMAN: Chris Wells. In recent weeks he has made the adjustment to the NFL faster than McCoy, who is still coping with indecisiveness at the point of attack as an inside runner. Wells is looking monstrous at times and is gaining confidence.

JASON WOOD: Wells. Again, he's playing St. Louis and is also doing more of late than McCoy when given chances.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Wells by a mile. McCoy has not done much with his recent opportunities and Wells has gotten better every week.

LaDainian Tomlinson at Denver, or Marion Barber vs. Washington?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Barber is still not healthy so I will go with Tomlinson in a tough division matchup. San Diego should learn from Betts' success last week.

MATT WALDMAN: Tough. Barber should be the pick, but Bum Phillips needs to take his son Wade to the woodshed for not using the run game more. I have to go with LT and the streaking Chargers against a Denver defense that gave up 100 to a slightly above average Ladell Betts.

JASON WOOD: I can't see loving Barber because of the way Dallas is using RBBC. Give me Tomlinson, but I don't love having to start either of these guys.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Tomlinson because he doesn't share carries and Barber does.

Roy Williams vs. Washington, or Jeremy Maclin at Chicago?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Maclin has been hot. I'm not a huge Williams fan, so I will go with the rookie.

MATT WALDMAN: Williams is getting more targets and doing something with them despite some miscues last week. McNabb spreads the ball around a bit more and is less predictable. I'll take Williams.

JASON WOOD: Maclin. I haven't trusted Williams from jump street and won't start now.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I'll go with Roy. He has been more involved as defenses have paid more attention to Austin. Maclin has been a typical rookie; inconsistent.

Sidney Rice vs. Seattle, or Greg Jennings vs. San Francisco?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Jennings has been nicked up of late and Rice has been on fire. I will take Rice, trying to put up two monster games in a row.

MATT WALDMAN: Jennings. I think Seattle forces Favre to beat them with Berrian and Harvin after Rice went off against Detroit.

JASON WOOD: Rice has become a monster receiver, while Jennings is having a really disappointing year thanks to balanced play by Driver and Jones. I'll go with Rice.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Jennings faces one of the worst pass defenses in the league and Seattle's pass defense is much better now since Trufant returned. Jennings has the edge.

Calvin Johnson vs. Cleveland, or Braylon Edwards at New England?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Calvin should be able to dominate the poor Cleveland secondary. Edwards does not get enough targets to be a start over Johnson.

MATT WALDMAN: Edwards. Cleveland's defense is pretty good in the red zone and aggressive against young QBs, it's the offense that kills them.

JASON WOOD: If Megatron practices all week, he gets the nod obviously.

ANTHONY BORBELY: I'll go with Calvin. The Lions made it a point to get him more involved last week and that should continue. I also expect the Patriots to make Sanchez look like the rookie that he is.

Randy Moss vs. Darrelle Revis, or Andre Johnson vs. Courtney Finnegan?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Both receivers could still have big games. I will go with Johnson coming off the bye week. With Daniels out of the lineup, I expect Houston to force-feed Johnson the ball.

MATT WALDMAN: Moss. He's playing like he's healthier, as is Brady.

JASON WOOD: Randy Moss. The Patriots offense is clicking again, and Moss is the best WR in the game again.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Moss is playing lights out right now and there is no way I could sit him.

Kellen Winslow vs. New Orleans, or Vernon Davis at Green Bay?

JEFF TEFERTILLER: Davis should bounce back with a nice game. The Saint defense will look to contain the only option in the Buccaneer passing game. Give me Davis.

MATT WALDMAN: Winslow is playing well and is better at route adjustments and Davis thus far. I also like Freeman's mobility more than Smith's.

JASON WOOD: Winslow. He's getting it done no matter who plays QB for Tampa Bay.

ANTHONY BORBELY: Davis has been a beast and Winslow has a rookie QB. Pretty easy choice to me.

That will do it for this edition of the Roundtable. Enjoy the games this weekend, and we'll see you back here next week!