All our week 7 content

Week 7 Upgrades, Downgrades, and Waiver Wire Wonders

Quarterback

1. QB Tom Brady, NE
2. QB Matt Schaub, HOU
3. QB Ben Roethlisberger, PIT
4. QB Aaron Rodgers, GB
5. QB Brett Favre, MIN
6. QB Joe Flacco, BAL
7. QB Jay Cutler, CHI
8. QB Matt Ryan, ATL
9. QB David Garrard, JAX
10. QB Marc Bulger, STL *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***
11. QB Vince Young, TEN *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***
12. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, BUF

Downgrade

1. QB Kerry Collins, TEN
2. QB Mark Sanchez, NYJ
3. QB Derek Anderson, CLE
4. QB Trent Edwards, BUF
5. QB Donovan McNabb, PHI
6. QB Matt Hasselbeck, SEA
7. QB Carson Palmer, CIN
8. QB Jake Delhomme, CAR

Holding steady

1. QB Jason Campbell, WAS
2. QB Eli Manning, NYG
3. QB Drew Stanton, DET
4. QB Daunte Culpepper, DET
5. QB Kurt Warner, ARI

Running Back

1. RB Laurence Maroney, NE
2. RB Ray Rice, BAL
3. RB Thomas Jones, NYJ
4. RB DeAngelo Williams, CAR
5. RB Mike Bell, NO *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***
6. RB Steven Jackson, STL
7. RB Jonathan Stewart, CAR
8. RB Steve Slaton, HOU
9. RB Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX
10. RB Correll Buckhalter, DEN
11. RB Adrian Peterson, MIN
12. RB Leon Washington, NYJ
13. RB Cadillac Williams, TB
14. RB Larry Johnson, KC
15. RB Justin Fargas, OAK
16. RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, NE *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***
17. RB Jason Snelling, ATL *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***

Downgrade

1. RB Jerious Norwood, ATL
2. RB Sammy Morris, NE
3. RB Willis McGahee, BAL
4. RB LeSean McCoy, PHI
5. RB Michael Bush, OAK
6. RB Darren Sproles, SD
7. RB Julius Jones, SEA
8. RB Pierre Thomas, NO
9. RB Reggie Bush, NO
10. RB Knowshon Moreno, DEN
11. RB Cedric Benson, CIN
12. RB Jamal Lewis, CLE
13. RB LeRon McClain, BAL

Holding steady

1. RB Michael Turner, ATL
2. RB Matt Forte, CHI
3. RB Chester Taylor, MIN
4. RB LenDale White, TEN
5. RB Rashard Mendenhall, PIT
6. RB Brian Westbrook, PHI
7. RB Brandon Jacobs, NYG
8. RB Kevin Smith, DET
9. RB LaDainian Tomlinson, SD

Wide Receiver

1. WR Randy Moss, NE
2. WR Wes Welker, NE
3. WR Johnny Knox, CHI
4. WR Devin Hester, CHI
5. WR Sidney Rice, MIN
6. WR Derrick Mason, BAL
7. WR Steve Breaston, ARI
8. WR Hines Ward, PIT
9. WR Santonio Holmes, PIT
10. WR Mike Sims-Walker, JAX
11. WR Donald Driver, GB
12. WR Lance Moore, NO *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***
13. WR Mario Manningham, NYG
14. WR Hakeem Nicks, NYG
15. WR Robert Meachem, NO *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***
16. WR Sammie Stroughter, TB *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***
17. WR Josh Cribbs, CLE *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***
18. WR Torry Holt, JAX
19. WR Mike Thomas, JAX *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***
20. WR Lee Evans, BUF

Downgrade

1. WR Anquan Boldin, ARI
2. WR Jeremy Maclin, PHI
3. WR Terrell Owens, BUF
4. WR Steve Smith, CAR
5. WR Santana Moss, WAS
6. WR Antonio Bryant, TB
7. WR Mike Furrey, CLE
8. WR Percy Harvin, MIN

Holding steady

1. WR Andre Johnson, HOU
2. WR Chad Ochocinco, CIN
3. WR Roddy White, ATL
4. WR Bernard Berrian, MIN
5. WR Mark Clayton, BAL
6. WR Kelley Washington, BAL
7. WR Mohamed Massaquoi, CLE
8. WR DeSean Jackson, PHI
9. WR Steve Smith, NYG
10. WR Calvin Johnson, DET
11. WR Jordy Nelson, GB
12. WR Larry Fitzgerald, ARI
13. WR Vincent Jackson, SD
14. WR Eddie Royal, DEN

Tight End

1. TE Tony Gonzalez, ATL
2. TE Greg Olsen, CHI
3. TE Heath Miller, PIT
4. TE Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN
5. TE Owen Daniels, HOU
6. TE Zach Miller, OAK
7. TE Tony Scheffler, DEN *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***

Downgrade

1. TE Dustin Keller, NYJ
2. TE John Carlson, SEA
3. TE Kellen Winslow, TB

Holding steady

1. TE Jeremy Shockey, NO
2. TE Brent Celek, PHI
3. TE Todd Heap, BAL

Kicker

1. PK Matt Stover, IND
2. PK Jay Feely, NYJ

Downgrade

1. PK Adam Vinatieri, IND
2. PK Jason Elam, ATL
3. PK Jason Hanson, DET

Holding steady

Team Defense

1. TD New Orleans Saints, NO
2. TD Green Bay Packers, GB
3. TD Buffalo Bills, BUF *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM ***

Downgrade

1. TD New York Jets, NYJ
2. TD Minnesota Vikings, MIN

Holding steady

Quarterback

QB Tom Brady, NE - Any questions about Tom Brady returning to 2007 form should be put to rest at this point. Brady was phenomenal against an overmatched Titans defense in the snow of Foxboro on Sunday, completing 29 of 34 passes for 380 yards and 6 touchdowns in only 35 minutes of work. Brady hit on 19 of his first 20 passes and tossed an NFL record 5 touchdowns in the 2nd quarter alone. In true Brady form, he spread the ball all over the field, leading to 100+ yard/multi-touchdown games for both Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Brady should perform as a top-3 or 4 quarterback for the rest of the season.

QB Marc Bulger, STL - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Bulger completed over 60% of his passes including an early touchdown to Donnie Avery then continued to put up respectable numbers (22-34-213-1-1) despite Avery falling to injury before halftime. Bulger is a capable fantasy backup quarterback and could be a spot starter if a fantasy team is in a big pinch, but he has far more value in two quarterback leagues. He faces a tougher matchup next week against the Colts, but Bulger does have some nice matchups later this year.

QB Jay Cutler, CHI - Cutler threw 43 passes against Atlanta and was fairly efficient, especially early on en route to his first 300 yard passing game with the Bears. Pressure, untimely mistakes and blunders by the team in general led to a loss to the Falcons. On several occasions in the game, Cutler was hurried, but he managed to throw passes right on the money, despite the duress. The TD pass to Johnny Knox was one of those instances. Cutler recognized Knox had a step on his defender in single coverage and he threw a great pass down the sideline that fell right in for a 23-yard TD. Cutler threw two INTs, including one in the Red Zone early on that wound up being very costly. The running game was not productive, which resulted in Cutler attempting 43 passes. Had it not been for the Red Zone INT or the lost fumble by Matt Forte on the goal line, Chicago could easily have won the game. Cutler had three different receivers who had five catches or more in the game (Hester, Forte, and Olsen). He is starting to gel with his receivers, which is resulting in big production. He has four consecutive 20+ FP games, each with multiple TD passes. As a result, Cutler remains a solid fantasy start going forward.

QB Brett Favre, MIN - Favre had another typical week of carving up the opposing defense, making good throws and good decisions and leading his team to victory. The difference this time is that it was probably his toughest opponent to date. Favre was rock solid. He started the game completing seven of his first eight passes, leading his team to two quick TDS and putting the Ravens on their heels right out of the gate. He continued to make smart decisions, hitting Sidney Rice on crossing routes, rolling out to create more space and throwing on the run and even took a sack and threw the ball out of bounds a couple times rather than make a bad decision. He was in control the entire time and even when the Ravens stormed back with 21 points in the fourth quarter to take the lead, Favre came out and lead his team down the field to take it back. The best part of it all was he was smiling and clearly having fun the entire time. He finished with 278 yards passing and 3 TDS, and is definitely worth starting if you have him on your fantasy roster.

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, BUF - Trent Edwards left the game early in the second quarter with a concussion, which created an opportunity for Fitzpatrick who saw almost a full game's worth of action as the game went late into overtime. Although it was certainly not an impressive performance overall, Fitzpatrick did enough to help the team win and came up with the one big play the Bills needed when he connected with Lee Evans on a short pass that he turned into a 37-yard touchdown. Fitzpatrick did not take many chances throwing downfield and had a lot of difficulty delivering the ball accurately, finishing with just 10 completions on 25 attempts for 116 yards. He did show good mobility at times with 20 yards on 7 rush attempts and also managed to avoid any sacks by getting rid of the ball quickly. Fitzpatrick saw extensive action with the Bengals last year and could be a serviceable fill-in if Edwards is out for any extended period of time.

QB Joe Flacco, BAL - Anyone who doubts that Joe Flacco is a stud NFL QB in his second season should watch a replay of this game sometime. 'Joe Cool' as the team calls him was under tremendous pressure the entire game. He was hit, sacked, knocked around and even stepped on several times. Yet despite a constant barrage of pain, Flacco put his team in position to win the game after being down by 17 points with only 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Flacco mixed in short, accurate passes with long bombs down the sidelines to keep the defense guessing the whole time. He frequently checked down to Ray Rice when nothing was open down field, taking the six and seven yard gains rather than trying to force the ball in to coverage. Even on the final drive with less than two minutes to go and no timeouts, Flacco worked the soft underbelly of the defense, making short accurate passes and moving the ball deep into Viking territory to give his kicker a good chance to win the game.

QB David Garrard, JAX - David Garrard worked the middle of the field all day long against the St. Louis Rams, moving the ball consistently in Week 6. Garrard racked up 30 completions and 335 yards with two receivers topping 100 yards, plus Garrard added 31 yards rushing. The only downside to his day was his lack of a touchdown and two interceptions, but after his Week 7 bye he gets to face both Tennessee in Week 8 and Kansas City in Week 9.

QB Aaron Rodgers, GB - Rodgers turned in a very good individual performance against the Lions on Sunday. He was nearly perfect in the first half, and completed passes of at least 25 yards to four different receivers. He threw for 358 yards and two touchdowns on the day, and really should have thrown for a couple more touchdowns, but the Packers' drives kept stalling in the red zone, generally due to breakdowns by the offensive line. That offensive line is a worry. Rodgers was sacked five times by the Lions and faced pressure all day. Things may not improve immediately, as left tackle Chad Clifton re-injured the ankle that kept him out of the previous two games. A timetable for Clifton's return has not been set, but the injury looked serious when it happened. Despite the poor play by his offensive line, however, Rodgers gets an upgrade because he and his deep group of talented WRs keep making big plays.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, PIT - Roethlisberger repeatedly found his wide receivers streaking into open space in the Cleveland secondary. He was accurate on deep passes and quick slants and his usual elusive self in the pocket on the relatively few times the Browns got pressure on him. His yardage numbers were buoyed by lax coverage and poor tackling from the Cleveland back seven, but Roethlisberger's variety of weapons make him a high upside QB1 despite the upcoming tough defensive matchups against Minnesota and Denver.

QB Matt Ryan, ATL - Ryan started off inaccurate going 4 of 9 for 22 yards. He made some adjustments, including adding several quick dump off passes to the game plan to counter the Bears who were stacking the line to stop Turner and the running game. Ryan showed the ability to adapt to what the defense was giving him. He read the defense well and exploited their weaknesses. On the TD pass to Tony Gonzalez at the end of the half, he audibled the FB to go in motion to leave just one LB in coverage on Gonzalez. A quick fake left and strike right to Gonzalez resulted in his second TD pass in the half. Ryan did not have to make many down field throws at all, in fact he rarely did. He managed the game well and was successful when he needed to be. The decision to use a no-huddle approach to keep the Bears from getting set was the difference in Ryan finding success against a tough defense.

QB Matt Schaub, HOU - Schaub threw four touchdown passes for the second time this season, using strong pass protection and effective play-action fakes to generate big plays. When Andre Johnson wasn't open, Schaub frequently found both Owen Daniels and Steve Slaton underneath. Schaub would benefit from a more consistent run game, but should remain very effective with San Francisco and Buffalo on the upcoming schedule.

QB Vince Young, TEN - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - It's rare that a quarterback who throws two passes -- one an incompletion and one an interception -- is worthy of an upgrade but such is the case with Young. Starter Kerry Collins is likely to lose his job sooner then later as the Titans try to determine if Young is truly their quarterback of the future. Young has significantly better skill-players around him then the last time he started for the Titans, so it wouldn't be a complete surprise to see him perform moderately well as he fights for his future in Tennessee.

Downgrade

QB Derek Anderson, CLE - Anderson suffered through another difficult week. Though not as thoroughly frustrating as last week's game against Buffalo, Anderson's receivers again frequently dropped passes when open. Anderson had flashes of good play, but was inaccurate himself at times and struggled to shake free of the Pittsburgh pressure defense and make plays. Also concerning is the high number of Wildcat snaps in which the Browns aligned, which had Anderson bristling after the game. Anderson seems to be safely ahead of Brady Quinn for now, but inconsistent accuracy and wide receiver play and the possibility of more Wildcat snaps make him a very suspect fantasy option in future weeks.

QB Kerry Collins, TEN - Collins was awful on Sunday in the snow, completing two passes for negative 7 yards. He also managed three turnovers (one fumble and two interceptions) in what was easily the worst NFL game by a starting quarterback in some time. His first quarter completion to Ahmard Hall for 15 yards was his lone highlight as the combination of the snow and the Patriots defense had Collins spraying the ball all over the field. And with the Titans at 0-6, it is hard to imagine that Vince Young won't take over for Collins as the Titans begin planning for 2010.

QB Jake Delhomme, CAR - The nightmare season for Delhomme continues. Although he didn't throw 4 interceptions in this game like he did in the opener, he set a career-low with just 65 passing yards in the game. With the Panthers running game working so well, the coaches seemed to take the ball out of Delhomme's hands. Despite the conservative approach and the fact he was playing with a lead for most of the game, Delhomme still managed to throw a key interception that was picked off and returned for a touchdown. That play allowed Tampa to tie up the game in the fourth quarter and from that point forward, Carolina ran the ball on 15 of the next 16 plays. Given how well the running game worked in this game, it seems like the team will try to rely on Delhomme as little as possible until he can start playing with more consistency.

QB Trent Edwards, BUF - Edwards got off to a great start in the game, leading the Bills on a 10-play, 62-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. He completed all 5 pass attempts that he had for 43 yards, but suffered a concussion during a sack early in the second quarter that knocked him out of the game. Edwards was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick and the difference in the accuracy of the two quarterbacks was readily apparent. There was no early report as to the severity of the concussion, but the Bills will likely want to be careful with him given how poorly the offensive line has been playing of late.

QB Matt Hasselbeck, SEA - Just a week after throwing four touchdown passes in his return from broken ribs, Hasselbeck completed just 10 of 29 throws (34%) for 112 yards Sunday. The Seahawks' offensive line was missing three injured starters, and Hasselbeck was pressured constantly as a result. He was sacked five times and also committed two turnovers. Once the Seahawks were down 14-0 before taking their first offensive snap, the Cardinals' defense turned its front seven loose to rush the passer. (Even though the Cardinals' defense was keying on the pass, the Seahawks got no help from their running game: they got just 14 yards on 11 carries.) The Seahawks are down to Plan D at left tackle. With Walter Jones unable to return from offseason knee surgery, Sean Locklear became the starter until suffering a high ankle sprain, then Brandon Frye until landing on IR with an injured neck, and now Kyle Williams, just signed off the practice squad. Until Seattle can get its offensive line problems fixed, Hasselbeck remains a risky fantasy play.

QB Donovan McNabb, PHI - Donovan McNabb struggled against Oakland in Week 6 both to complete passes and also stay upright. McNabb was under constant pressure and sacked six times, and on the few occasions that he was able to elude would-be tacklers his accuracy was off a good deal. McNabb had next to no time in the pocket all after losing one of his linemen (Jason Peters) midway through the first quarter. With three games next on the schedule against the NFC East, the Eagles and McNabb need to figure out a way to buy more time to throw and fast.

QB Carson Palmer, CIN - While there wasn't much to be concerned about with Palmer's play, he is still dependent on the play of his teammates. Palmer was very good in the first half, but couldn't overcome dropped passes, poor run blocking and turnovers after good gains in the second half. The Bengals have a number of tough defenses on the upcoming schedule and Palmer will need all his moving parts working well to become more than an inconsistent QB2.

QB Mark Sanchez, NYJ - The luster seems to be wearing off quickly for Mark Sanchez and the Jets. After three straight wins to open the season, they have now lost three games in a row and at least two of them were due to some terrible play from the rookie signal caller. Sanchez came into the game with 5 TD passes and 5 interceptions, but he left this week's overtime loss to the Bills with 5 more interceptions. The game was played in some cold, windy conditions and Sanchez just never seemed to get comfortable. The Jets offense had over 300 yards of rushing in the game and the offensive line generally gave Sanchez plenty of time in the pocket, but he just could not find a consistent rhythm and kept trying to force throws to covered receivers. He finished the game with just 10 completions on 29 pass attempts for a very pedestrian 119 yards and practically gave the game away with three interceptions in the second half and another in overtime. If the Jets are going to make a run at the playoffs, they will probably need to rely more heavily on their running game and that could limit Sanchez's production going forward. He'll need to figure out a way to play better when the weather conditions are less than ideal.

Holding steady

QB Jason Campbell, WAS - For some reason head coach Jim Zorn decided that it would be a good idea to bench Jason Campbell at halftime against the Kansas City Chiefs. This was despite Campbell not being the problem on offense, as he completed 60% of his passes before throwing a desperation toss to the end zone that was intercepted on the last play of the half. Backup Todd Collins did even worse with the offense, so hold tight here and expect Campbell to start next week on Monday Night Football against Philadelphia.

QB Daunte Culpepper, DET - Culpepper had a miserable first half before leaving the game early in the third quarter with a tweaked hamstring. He finished 6-for-14 for 48 yards and an interception, giving him a passer rating of 22.3. The hamstring injury does not appear to be serious, so Culpepper should be available in week 8 after this week's bye. A definite timetable has not been set for Matthew Stafford's return. There have been some rumors that his partially dislocated knee cap will require surgery to fix, and that his season may therefore be in jeopardy -- but those rumors have gone unconfirmed, and may be baseless. If Stafford does not return, then Culpepper will have at least minimal fantasy potential as long as Calvin Johnson is on the field. But he is not currently worth a roster spot in most leagues.

QB Eli Manning, NYG - The New Orleans Saints kept Eli Manning from having a nice return to New Orleans, keeping him under consistent pressure and his receivers under good coverage. Manning did have some chances but his accuracy let him down, overthrowing a wide open Steve Smith for a touchdown. Manning has good receiving options at wide receiver and he should be able to bounce back against Arizona as they bring a weak pass defense to the Meadowlands next week.

QB Drew Stanton, DET - With starter Matthew Stafford sitting out with a knee injury and backup Daunte Culpepper having tweaked his hamstring at the beginning of the third quarter, third-string QB Drew Stanton played most of the second half on Sunday. He did not play well, however. His first pass attempt probably would have been picked off had the defender gone for the ball instead of for the big hit. Stanton did end up throwing two interceptions on the day (compared to just five completions), one of them in the end zone to seal the Packers' shut-out of the Lions. Culpepper should be ready to play after their bye in Week 7, and Stafford may be as well, so the Lions hope that Stanton has seen his last action for the year.

QB Kurt Warner, ARI - Kurt Warner was deadly accurate on Sunday, completing 32 of 41 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns. He spread the ball around to seven different receivers. He got out to a fast start, completing all nine of his pass attempts on the Cardinals' opening drive, culminating in a two-yard TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald. After the Cardinals recovered a pooch kickoff, Warner completed his only pass attempt on their second drive, putting the team up 14-0 before the Seahawks took an offensive snap. Warner began the day 12-for-12 before finally throwing an incompletion in the second quarter. Warner had an up-and-down start to the season, struggling in week one and week three against the 49ers and Colts, respectively. But after the week four bye, Warner has now had two solid games in a row in which he's shown the kind accuracy he was known for while racking up MVP awards with the Rams. He's got a very talented trio of WRs, and should be considered a strong every-week starter going forward.

Running Back

RB Mike Bell, NO - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Rumors circulated that Mike Bell might be seeing more chances once he was healthy enough, and now they will continue all of this week due to his touchdown run against the New York Giants in Week 6. Most of his work did come in garbage time, but Bell did come in to steal Pierre Thomas' touchdown chance on fourth down inside of the two yard line. Bell has more upside in touchdown leagues.

RB Correll Buckhalter, DEN - Buckhalter missed week five with an ankle injury suffered the previous week, and some observers believed his absence would mark the transition to a lesser role in the offense for Buckhalter as Moreno took over as featured back. But based on how the work was shared upon Buckhalter's return in week six, Buckhalter should not yet be written off. Buckhalter's 14 touches on Monday night are in line with -- in fact, slightly above -- the 11.25 touches per game Buckhalter had averaged before his injury. Expect Buckhalter to continue to get about 10 rushes a 2-3 receptions a game, as the Broncos need not try to fix what isn't broken. Especially since Buckhalter has been so effective with his opportunities this season, averaging nearly three yards more per rush and nearly three yards more per reception than Moreno.

RB Justin Fargas, OAK - Justin Fargas ran with strong force, power and speed despite not starting in Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Fargas came in to replace an ineffective Michael Bush and started to really move the ball, picking up 14 or more yards on four occasions. Fargas showed good burst as he got to the second level with good speed and power, and he kept Bush on the bench most of the game as he dominated touches, so look for him to be the second back for Oakland on the depth chart and expect him to start if Darren McFadden remains unable to go.

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, NE - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Green-Ellis posted an excellent game Sunday against the Titans, carrying the ball 7 times for 67 yards to go along with 2 catches for 11 yards. His best run was a 29 yard scamper off-tackle in the 4th quarter where he eluded the Titans defense until safety Chris Hope could finally bring him down. Green-Ellis showed good vision in running the ball between the tackles, running "downhill" on each of his carries with more power then he has shown in the past. He also caught two passes on outlet screens (and was targeted twice more). In the Patriots potent passing game, he could see many more receptions before the season ends. If Green-Ellis somehow establishes himself as the power complement to Maroney or Faulk, he could provide quality depth as the season goes on.

RB Steven Jackson, STL - The leading rusher and Mr. Offense for the Rams showed up once again for St. Louis in Week 6, putting up128 total yards with most of that coming as a receiver. His biggest highlight came on a 38-yard catch and run through over half of the Jaguar defenders, eluding and pushing them downfield as he ran for more and more yardage. Jackson remains the top threat on that team yet he cannot be denied. Jackson will look to find another 100+ yard game and possibly the end zone next week as he faces a tougher challenge at home against he Indianapolis Colts.

RB Larry Johnson, KC - Larry Johnson ran the best he has all year, looking strong and running quickly to the hole -- when it was there. Kansas City's offense is still struggling, but when they did make opportunities for Johnson against Washington in Week 6 he was there to make the most of it. Johnson is clearly the starting tailback for the Chiefs and he is getting work on all three downs, making him the most valuable ball carrier on the team by quite a wide margin. Johnson is productive enough to contribute as a fantasy RB2 or flex player and has some favorable matchups coming soon, starting with his trip to San Diego next week.

RB Thomas Jones, NYJ - Although Jones got off to a bit of a slow start with 11 yards on his first 5 carries, he exploded for a career-high 64 yard run on his 6th carry and then followed that up with an even better 71-yard touchdown run on his next carry. The Bills defense has been vulnerable to giving up big running plays lately and the Jets were certainly able to take advantage. Jones finished the game with an impressive 210 yards on just 22 carries for an average of 9.5 yards per rush. Given how well he was running early on, it seemed like the Jets probably should have ran the ball more in the third quarter but they came out throwing the ball and a couple of interceptions helped let the Bills get back into the game. Overall, it was a very strong game for Jones and the running game as they finished with over 300 rushing yards, and the Jets will probably learn from this and rely more heavily on the running game going forward.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX - So how does a Top 3 running back get an upgrade? Scoring three touchdowns is a good start. Maurice Jones-Drew complained all week about the Jaguar offense and he was rewarded with a big workload, touching the ball 38 times for 178 total yards to go along with his three scoring runs. All three scores came from inside the five, so MJD is also anchored in as the goal line back. Jones-Drew goes on a bye before games against Tennessee and Kansas City, so the potential for Weeks 8 and 9 is enormous.

RB Laurence Maroney, NE - After Sammy Morris was injured early in Week 6, Laurence Maroney received the lion's share of the carries for the Patriots on Sunday and managed to get off to a quick start thanks to a 45 yard touchdown run up the middle where he eluded a Titans' defense that seemed unable to run with any speed in the snowy conditions. Maroney was successful running the ball up the middle with a full head of steam and impressively showed good one-cut ability in the open field and around the edges. Maroney finished the game with 123 yards on just 16 carries (along with 3 receptions for 10 yards). Maroney has been fighting for playing time in recent weeks but if Sunday is any indication, he should perform well as a spot-starter going forward.

RB Adrian Peterson, MIN - Anyone who thought that Peterson's production would decline against tougher defenses like Baltimore should think again. From the opening run that Peterson took off tackle for 26 yards to ignite his team to the 58 yard break away late in the fourth quarter, Peterson was a danger every time he touched the ball. When he wasn't busting off long gains, he ground out the 4 and 5 yard plunges that you expect from the leagues best RB, keeping his team moving and setting up the passing game. He even had a few screen passes and check-down receptions thrown his way, giving him an extra 23 yards on four receptions. Although he didn't reach the end zone, he was a key playmaker for the Vikings and proved why he's still the best RB in the league.

RB Ray Rice, BAL - The Ravens are loaded at RB this season, and although Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain will get their opportunities later this season, Ray Rice is the clear 'go to' back now. The Ravens as a whole were shut down in the first half running the ball, finishing with 10 carries for 13 yards as a team. However, Rice took over in the second half and nearly won the game by himself in the fourth quarter. Rice was a big part of the passing game as well, taking multiple check-down passes for seven and eight yards on the final drive of the second quarter and finished the game as the team leader in receptions and receiving yards. On the TD run to take the lead in the fourth quarter, Rice took an inside hand off for 33 yards untouched for the score. He ran hard the entire game and frequently broke arm tackles and needed two and three guys to bring him down. Neither McClain nor McGahee were effective when they were in the game, and Rice proved that he's a legitimate fantasy RB1.

RB Steve Slaton, HOU - The yards per carry average is a concern and Slaton struggled to find running room between the tackles at times. However, his on-field play was more impressive than the numbers suggest. The Texans worked hard to get Slaton into space by splitting him outside and targeting him on a number of screen passes. Slaton looked quick and showed his breakaway speed in space and had a couple of long runs called back on holding calls after he had already broken plays outside. Chris Brown wasn't a factor until the game was in hand late and the Texans were running clock. Expect Slaton and the Texan offense to get plenty of opportunity in coming weeks.

RB Jason Snelling, ATL - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Snelling replaced Jerious Norwood in the second half, who left with a hip flexor injury. If Norwood misses any time, expect the Snelling to be the one benefiting in his absence. Snelling proved he can be a factor in the passing game catching quick strike passes. He is not a quick as Norwood, but his strength is in his power attack. He is not considered to be a good fantasy start, but his role could increase if Norwood misses time.

RB Jonathan Stewart, CAR - Stewart was a large disappointment for fantasy owners through the first month of the season as he tried to overcome an Achilles injury. He looked like he was back to full strength this week against the Bucs though as he provided an excellent change of pace to DeAngelo Williams and ran for 110 yards on 17 carries for an average of 6.5 yards per rush. Stewart's best play of the game was a 26-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that gave the Panthers a two touchdown lead. After Tampa fought back to tie it midway through the fourth quarter, the Panthers offensive line and running game took over with a game-winning drive in which they ran the ball on 15 of 16 plays. Williams capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown but Stewart ran the ball 7 times for 43 yards and proved that he's ready to reclaim the support role he had a year ago. The Panthers only passed for 65 yards in this game and given the way that Jake Delhomme is struggling, look for them to rely heavily on the running game again next week against the Bills.

RB Leon Washington, NYJ - Leon Washington has yet to score a touchdown this year after scoring 8 of them a year ago, but he had his best game of the season this week against a struggling Bills defense. He ran the ball very well, finishing with 99 yards on 15 carries for an impressive average of 6.6 yards per rush. His biggest play of the game came early in overtime as he broke a 33-yard run to the right that helped put the Jets in field goal position. Washington also finished the game as the Jets leading receiver with 46 yards on 3 catches. He was targeted 8 times in the game, but Mark Sanchez had a rough game and missed him on most of those attempts. Overall, Washington finished with 145 yards from scrimmage on 18 touches. The overtime period certainly helped pad those stats, but given the way Sanchez struggled there is a good chance that the Jets will start to rely more heavily on their running game going forward.

RB Cadillac Williams, TB - Williams has had a very up and down season so far but Sunday was one of his up days. He got off to a great start when he broke free for a 20-yard touchdown on just his third carry of the game. Tampa's passing game struggled for much of the game so Cadillac only wound up with 16 carries, but he was effective and churned out 77 yards for a very nice average of 4.8 yards per carry. Cadillac wasn't involved in the passing game this week like he had been in previous games, but it's a positive sign that he was the workhorse back as Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham combined for just 1 rush and 2 receptions in the game.

RB DeAngelo Williams, CAR - This is the DeAngelo Williams that we saw last year. Tampa Bay was able to keep the game close thanks to some big plays from their defense and special teams but Williams and the Panther running game just kept churning out yards throughout the entire game. Williams carried the ball 30 times for the first time in his career and he was just as effective late in the game as he was in the beginning. He broke free for a 20-yard touchdown run early in the game and followed that up with a 1-yard touchdown run in the final minute to give the Panthers a much-needed victory. Jonathan Stewart provided an excellent change of pace in the game, but it was Williams who put the team on his back. He got off to a similar slow start a year ago before exploding during the second half of the season. Next week, he faces off against the Bills who just gave up 300 yards rushing to the Jets.

Downgrade

RB Cedric Benson, CIN - Benson ran hard, but wasn't as successful breaking through small creases between the tackles this week. Benson was just starting to find a rhythm as the first half ended, but could get only four carries in the second as the Bengals went three and out often, then fell behind and were forced to throw. On the bright side, despite Brian Leonard's injury, Bernard Scott saw no offensive snaps and remains no threat to Benson's workload. With the Bears and Ravens on deck, Benson may have to prove himself a consistent RB1 all over again.

RB Michael Bush, OAK - Despite starting in Week 6 for Oakland, Michael Bush could not get off the bench once Justin Fargas started to get touches against the Eagles. Bush finished the game with only six carries and one short catch out of the backfield as Fargas had 24 touches against Philadelphia. Fargas looked much stronger and hit the hole harder than Bush, who has likely slipped back down the depth chart to third in the Oakland backfield.

RB Reggie Bush, NO - Reggie Bush may have scored in Week 6 against the Giants, but his touches went way down with the return of both Mike Bell and also WR Lance Moore. Moore ate into Bush's short passing routes, while Bell and Pierre Thomas both dominated the carries for New Orleans. Bush has home run potential every time he touches the ball, but those chances are dwindling.

RB Julius Jones, SEA - The Seahawks' running game was just as ineffective as their passing game on Sunday. Jones led the team in rushing, gaining five yards on five carries. (Edgerrin James rushed for 3 yards on 3 carries. Justin Forsett added four yards on two carries.) The offensive line, missing three injured starters and down to their fourth option at left tackle, could not run-block or pass-block. The Seahawks gained just 128 yards on offense. Eight of their twelve drives spanned just three plays or less. There is nowhere to go but up; but until the Seahawks solve their offensive line woes, Julius Jones should be on your fantasy bench.

RB Jamal Lewis, CLE - Lewis found no running room out of the base offense or Wildcat formation. Unless he gets a running start and can get up to speed, he's not effective. With the Cleveland offensive line struggling and games against the solid rush defenses of Green Bay and Chicago (both allowing 3.7 YPC or fewer) on the upcoming schedule, Lewis is a risky fantasy starter at best.

RB LeRon McClain, BAL - McClain was involved in two plays late in the first quarter and was stuffed on both of them. He is the #3 option for the Ravens now.

RB LeSean McCoy, PHI - LeSean McCoy did not contribute much in Week 6 as the Eagles lost a winnable game in Oakland. McCoy was benched in favor of Brian Westbrook most of the second half, and that could be the way things go until the Eagle offense starts to click again. McCoy is still in the mix to spell Westbrook but for now his value is more as a handcuff than as a consistent contributor.

RB Willis McGahee, BAL - McGahee had seven carries for just three yards. He was stuffed every time he touched the ball and couldn't find anyway to make things happen against a tough Viking defense. The Ravens tried to get him involved at the start of the second half and he was stuffed for losses on his first two carries. He was a non-factor in this game.

RB Knowshon Moreno, DEN - Moreno got a smaller fraction of the workload than we were expecting on Monday night (he had 19 touches to Buckhalter's 14 -- not all that much better than a 50-50 split), and he was less effective than we were expecting with the touches he did get. The Chargers defense has often been generous to opposing running backs this season, but Moreno averaged just 2.4 yards per carry on the night. In leagues that start 2 RBs, Moreno should be in the starting lineup more often than not, but not without regard to matchups. Buckhalter has been too effective to keep off the field, and a shared workload has been working quite well for the Broncos, so expect the pattern to continue.

RB Sammy Morris, NE - Morris was injured on his only touch Sunday. With Lawrence Maroney having such a good game, it looks like Morris' role in the offense may decrease as the season progresses.

RB Jerious Norwood, ATL - Norwood started off looking very quick on his feet. He was an explosive change of pace for a running game that was getting little or no pressure against a strong front seven that completely neutralized the run. Norwood also received some quick receptions to counter the Bears run defense. His efforts helped make the field wider, which made it difficult for Chicago to handle. As a result, the Falcons moved the ball better, which led to a go-ahead score at the half. Norwood left the field before the half with a hip flexor injury after a hard tackle. He did not return. Jason Snelling took his place and the Falcons barely skipped a beat. It is unknown if Norwood will play next week.

RB Darren Sproles, SD - Over the last two games, with Tomlinson back in the lineup, Darren Sproles has touched the ball just three times on offense -- not per game, but total. While still an electrifying kick returner and a big-play threat when he does touch the ball on offense, Sproles will not get enough touches going forward to meaningfully contribute to fantasy teams in standard leagues. He still has value as a handcuff to Tomlinson, but only as a handcuff.

RB Pierre Thomas, NO - Despite Pierre Thomas' role as feature rusher for the high-powered New Orleans Saints, Thomas was removed from the goal line on short yardage plays in favor of Michael Bell, who "vultured" Thomas' touchdown chances. Thomas did get a shot down inside the five but was stopped by the Giants, so his scoring opportunities may start to go down and he may lose some carries to Bell.

Holding steady

RB Matt Forte, CHI - Forte was relatively quiet in the game, with the exception of his five catches for 37 yards. Forte was responsible for a lost scoring chance due to two consecutive goal line fumbles. The second fumble was recovered by the defense, thus ending a Bears drive that would've tied the game. Forte will see better games in the future from a rushing stand point, but it's good to see him involved in the passing game, even if the running game falters. Atlanta's run defense concentrated on plugging the gaps and they had the speed on the outside to keep Forte from turning the corner. Even though the game was never out of reach, Cutler and the Bears often passed to beat the defense and the running game was virtually forgotten.

RB Brandon Jacobs, NYG - Jacobs ran strong early, racking up over four yards a carry and breaking through the defensive front for several yards at a clip in the first half. The Giants fell way too far back on the scoreboard early against the Saints, so they pulled away from the ground game and that kept Jacobs' numbers down. Hang tight with Jacobs who should bounce back next week against the Cardinals.

RB Rashard Mendenhall, PIT - Mendenhall was limited late last week in practice with an illness and had difficulty finding room to run between the tackles with Cleveland's Shaun Rogers clogging the middle in the first half. Mendenhall looked better in the second half, but a late fumble got him benched for most of the fourth quarter. Mendenhall did get two series to Willie Parker's one throughout the game, however, and was effective enough that he should continue in that role in future weeks.

RB Kevin Smith, DET - The Lions' running game was severely handicapped by their lack of a passing game. With Calvin Johnson out of the lineup, the Packers used single-coverage on the outside for most of the game, and walked a safety up to concentrate on stopping the run. Despite that, Kevin Smith broke off 19- and 20-yard runs, averaging 4.1 yards per carry on the day as the Lions' best player on offense. The Lions ran only 48 offensive plays, so Smith's opportunities were limited. But when Calvin Johnson (and possibly Matthew Stafford) returns after the bye, Smith will continue to be a very strong fantasy RB2 in twelve-team leagues.

RB Chester Taylor, MIN - Chester Taylor came in several times in relief of Adrian Peterson, and was used on the second and long and third and long passing downs. However, he was not nearly as effective as Peterson was at running the ball and did not get involved in the passing game like he usually does. This was more due to the downfield opportunities that Brett Favre was looking to exploit rather than a knock on Taylor himself. Despite disappointing numbers this week, look for Taylor to be more involved in the coming weeks as the Vikings have a tough schedule with Pittsburgh and Green Bay.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson, SD - Through six weeks, the Chargers have the worst rushing attack in the league, but it's hard to blame it on LaDainian Tomlinson. Tomlinson has been hit before reaching the line of scrimmage on an inordinate number of carries this season, yet he is averaging more than half a yard per carry more than Michael Bennett and more than a full yard per carry more than Darren Sproles. The problem has been the offensive line, which has only rarely opened any semblance of a running lane. Nonetheless, while poor run-blocking will likely hinder Tomlinson's production all season, he rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries against the Broncos, and should enjoy greater success against lesser defenses. The schedule gets weaker in the coming weeks, with games against the Chiefs and Raiders next up.

RB Michael Turner, ATL - Turner and the Falcons running game in general, had a difficult time running the ball. The Bears often stacked the line to stymie the run and forced Matt Ryan to beat them through the air on short passes. As a result, Turner was only able to muster 30 yards rushing on 13 carries. The most success he had was on delayed draw plays, one of which his lead blocker was TE Tony Gonzalez. He was fortunate enough to score a goal line TD in the fourth quarter on 2nd and goal, which happened to be the game winner. Turner should enjoy much better success in games to come, but if other teams employ the same defensive game plan, it will be difficult for him to find the same success he had in games from last year.

RB Brian Westbrook, PHI - Brian Westbrook looked good as a runner and as a receiver, with his combined yards totaling over 141 for the day. The Eagles struggled on offense as a whole be Westbrook looked healthy enough and contributed in both phases of the offense to the extent that LeSean McCoy was minimized in the second half. Philadelphia will find ways to continue to get the ball in his hands starting next Monday against the Redskins.

RB LenDale White, TEN - With everyone but Chris Johnson having an awful day against New England, it would be reasonable to downgrade White. He finished the day with 6 carries for 15 yards and a fumble, regularly losing his footing on runs between the tackles. That said, if/when Vince Young emerges as the team's starter, the Titans are likely to run the ball even more then they do at present. White should see an uptick in touches as the season goes on.

Wide Receiver

WR Steve Breaston, ARI - We don't expect Breaston to end up with 77 yards and a TD every week. He played a larger role in the offense against Seattle than he customarily will this season because of an ankle injury to Anquan Boldin. Nonetheless, Breaston gets an upgrade because he appeared to be 100% for the first time this season. He missed the season opener with a knee injury, and while he has generally played well since then, he showed some explosiveness Sunday (on both receptions and kick returns) that had been lacking earlier this season. His knee is now fully healed, and Breaston is primed to have some big games if Boldin's ankle sprain lingers. Even as the Cardinals' third WR, Breaston is a solid fantasy WR3 as long as Kurt Warner keeps attempting 40 passes a game (his average thus far).

WR Josh Cribbs, CLE - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Cribbs may not be usable as more than a flex option, especially until he earns more targets in the passing game, but the Browns expanded use of the Wildcat formation should put him back on the radar in deeper leagues. Cribbs ran 13 snaps from the Wildcat formation, rushing six times for 45 yards and throwing two passes (one incompletion and one INT). Cribbs needs more weapons and better run blocking to run the Wildcat effectively, but it bears watching in future weeks.

WR Donald Driver, GB - Driver had a big day against the Lions, converting 8 targets into 7 receptions for 107 yards. After week one, Driver has had more receptions and scored more fantasy points than fellow WR Greg Jennings in every single game. We still expect Jennings to outperform Driver from this point forward, but it's a lot closer than we thought it would be before the start of the season. Driver's most impressive catch on Sunday was a 37-yarder he pulled in with one hand while being interfered with. It was the kind of catch that causes onlookers to stare in disbelief -- Driver's second catch of that sort this season. (He had another amazing one-handed catch against the Rams earlier this season.) Driver looks like a sure thing at this point to pleasantly outperform his average draft position this season.

WR Lee Evans, BUF - Evans has been having a miserable season with just 12 receptions and 1 touchdown in his first five games, but the change at quarterback this week seemed to turn things around for him. With Terrell Owens matched up with Darrell Revis on one side of the field, Evans was left with the more favorable matchup against Lito Sheppard. While Trent Edwards appeared to favor Owens early on, Ryan Fitzpatrick seemed to lock onto Evans once he entered the game. Evans finished the game with a team-high 11 targets, although many of them were thrown poorly so he was only able to convert 4 of them into receptions for 68 yards. Evans was responsible for the biggest play of the game when he converted a short slant pass into a 37-yard touchdown pass late in the 3rd quarter that tied the game and eventually sent it to overtime. The Bills offensive line remains a major question mark, but the Bills only allowed 1 sack in the game and it looks like any missed time for Edwards might actually help out Evans slightly.

WR Devin Hester, CHI - Hester was impressive against the Falcons, catching six passes on ten targets -- his first game with ten targets since week 14 of last year. He was one of Jay Cutler's favorite targets on the night. One of Hester's many talents is his ability to catch the ball and immediately make a cut up field for more yardage. If he can catch the ball in open space, he has the chance to score from anywhere on the field. His receiving skills have improved tenfold since last year. Part of that is due to having a capable QB who can stretch the field and make difficult throws, but Hester himself has improved greatly. He made catches against the Falcons that he struggled to make last season. In one instance, he showed great hands catching a Cutler zip pass 15 yards down field that was thrown over his head. He was the target of an End Zone pass on fade pattern, but the pass was thrown too high. Hester deserves an upgrade, because he is quickly becoming Cutler's go-to receiver on short and intermediate routes, especially crossing patterns. Expect more 5-6 catch games from Hester in the games to come.

WR Santonio Holmes, PIT - Holmes broke out of a mini-slump against Cleveland. His eight targets were his most since Week 2 and he topped the 100 yard receiving mark for just the second time this season. Holmes was effective on quick hitting routes and deep and often gained big yards after the catch. The Steelers are flush with receiving options, but this week is a reminder of what Holmes can do with a good number of targets and open space.

WR Torry Holt, JAX - Torry Holt took advantage of his chance to enact some revenge on his former team as the Rams visited in Week 6. Holt topped 100 yards receiving for the first time since he was a Ram, catching five balls and working a great corner route for a big 41-yard gain in the first quarter. With Mike Sims-Walker drawing attention on the other side, Holt beat single coverage and worked the Rams defense well to get his best day of the season. With Jacksonville facing Tennessee and Kansas City after the Week 7 bye, Holt should continue to produce well for the next two contests.

WR Johnny Knox, CHI - Knox was often targeted when he was in single coverage on the outer side of the hash marks. If the safety concentrated on the middle or other side of the field, it often left Knox in single coverage and Cutler took advantage of it. Knox caught a TD in this situation. On the play, Cutler, under heavy pressure, recognized that Knox had a step on his single coverage and threw what looked like a desperation pass, but it landed perfectly over Knox's shoulder for a 23-yard TD. Knox was targeted on other deep throws, but never was able to connect, either due to an overthrow or good coverage. Knox has three TDs this year and appears to be one of Cutler's main targets on deep passes, due to his speed. Consider Knox as a questionable start as WR4 or flex option going forward. His ability to score TDs keeps him as a potential starter for your team.

WR Mario Manningham, NYG - The Giants will not find themselves in many blowouts this season, but Manningham showed that he can step up and be an effective target for Eli Manning. Manningham grabbed four of his team-high nine targets and found the end zone, but he had even more scoring chances with several of his targets coming in the red zone. Arizona comes to visit the Giants next week which should give Manningham more big play chances in Week 7.

WR Derrick Mason, BAL - Derrick Mason still has gas in the tank. Although Ray Rice led the team in receptions, many of his receptions were check downs and screens. Mason was the 'go to' option down the field. Late in the first quarter, he was wide open down the left sideline but the pass was just overthrown and the Ravens eventually punted. Had Mason come up with the ball, it would have been an easy TD and the game would have been much closer from the start. He had two more 20+ yard receptions later in the second quarter on deep balls thrown down the field. On his TD catch, Mason caught a quick outside pass and Mason had a nice run after the catch to get into the end zone for the score. He was the deep threat for the Ravens the entire game.

WR Robert Meachem, NO - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - A bit of a longshot here, but if you are in a league where you are desperate for wide receiver talent or if big plays produce great fantasy numbers, take a long look at Robert Meachem. Meachem was a pre-season favorite of the Saints and now he had a strong performance with two 30+ yard receptions including a 36-yard touchdown despite just three targets. Meachem does not start for the Saints but he could be a great option to stash on your bench in case injuries do come to one of the best offenses in the league.

WR Lance Moore, NO - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Welcome back, Mr. Moore. Lance Moore, a favorite target for Drew Brees last season, returned to the lineup with a vengeance, racking up short catch after short catch as he plays the Wes Welker role for New Orleans. Moore showed that he can be a PPR dominant force like he was last season when he is healthy, and Moore looked to be at full strength with his six catches, 78 yards and touchdown against the Giants. Expect Moore to get even more work going forward, starting with a trip to Miami next week.

WR Randy Moss, NE - Any concerns about Randy Moss producing for the rest of the season should be gone at this point. Moss had a stellar game against Tennessee and despite a variety of man coverages, zones, and double and triple teams, he still managed to get loose for a staggering 8 catches for 129 yards and three touchdowns. His first touchdown came on a 40 yard flea-flicker where Moss streaked from the right side to the center of the field, catching Brady's pass in stride 3 yards beyond multiple defenders. Moss added two shorter touchdowns before resting in the 4th quarter. Moss also showed strong blocking ability on rushes by Lawrence Maroney and BenJarvus Green-Ellis on sweeps, helping spring them for 6 and 7 yard gains as the Patriots moved the ball at will. As long as Tom Brady stays healthy, Moss can be counted on to have a number of big games before the season ends.

WR Hakeem Nicks, NYG - Hakeem Nicks is not quite ready to start for the Giants, but the rookie is certainly showing the big play ability that made him a first day draft pick in April. Nicks topped 100 yards receiving thanks mostly to two big catches of 58 and 37 yards later in the game. With Arizona heading to visit the Giants next week, that favorable matchup could give Nicks nice upside as the third WR for New York.

WR Sidney Rice, MIN - Sidney Rice was on fire for the Vikings this game. On the opening drive, Favre hit Rice on a nice slant for a solid gain. Rice made a great adjustment to the ball that was thrown behind him and hauled it in for 14 yard gain. He and Favre connected on several crossing routes, including the one early in the third quarter that he broke for a 63 yard gain. While he never reached the end zone, Rice blew up for 176 yards receiving and was a huge part of the Viking passing attack.

WR Mike Sims-Walker, JAX - Mike Sims-Walker returned to the Jaguars, and boy did he ever step up and deliver. Sims-Walker worked the middle of the field, racking up the team high for targets (11), catches (9) and receiving yards with 120. His big play potential and his ability to break a short pass for a long gain stretched the Rams' defense and opened up the entire offense. With Jacksonville facing Tennessee and Kansas City after the Week 7 bye, Jacksonville and Sims-Walker should continue to be very productive.

WR Sammie Stroughter, TB - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Working primarily as the third WR, Stroughter was Tampa's best receiving weapon in this game. He tied with Kellen Winslow for the team-lead in targets with just 4 but he was able to convert them into 3 receptions for 65 yards. Carolina had no answer for Stroughter in the game and on the one target that wasn't converted for a catch, he was wide open but QB Josh Johnson just missed him. The Tampa offense had trouble moving the ball for much of the game, but Stroughter helped lead a comeback late in the third quarter with a team-record 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

WR Mike Thomas, JAX - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - While it may be questionable to say that the Jacksonville passing game can support three wideouts, it cannot be denied that slot WR and third wideout Mike Thomas has been productive. Thomas worked the middle of the field for seven short gainers highlighted by a 17-yarder down the seam in overtime. Thomas also produces as a kick returner, but even as just a wideout he has good value in deep leagues.

WR Hines Ward, PIT - The Browns' secondary couldn't cover anyone last week and Ward was one of four receiving options running free before and after the catch for long gains. The Steelers continue to find ways to get Ward open over the middle and deep and Ward is as quick and physical as ever with the ball. Still a favorite target of Ben Roethlisberger's, Ward will be a strong WR2 play with upside in most weeks.

WR Wes Welker, NE - Like Tom Brady, Wes Welker returned to 2007 form against the Titans, catching 10 balls for a career high 150 yards to go with two touchdowns. Welker's first touchdown came on a 30 yard toss by Brady when Randy Moss had drawn coverage on the other side of the field, springing Welker for an easy score. Less then two minutes later, Brady found Welker on a 5 yard pass for his second score of the day. Welker was primarily targeted on shorter throws when the Titans linebackers began dropping back in to coverage to defend against the deep-pass. Brady found Welker between the hash marks on crossing routes and quick slants and the Patriots are not shy about getting him the ball when the defense is keying in on Moss. With the Patriots' offense finally working in sync, Welker should rack up huge reception totals as the season goes on.

Downgrade

WR Anquan Boldin, ARI - Boldin's stat line from Sunday's game was not overly impressive -- he was third on the team with 6 catches for 54 yards. But that's because he tweaked his ankle in the first half and didn't play much after halftime. He was off to a strong start, catching 3 passes for 35 yards on the team's opening drive. But what looked like it was going to be a big day was cut short by an ankle injury. The injury is reportedly the dreaded high ankle sprain, so it could linger. Boldin said he expects to play next week against the Giants, but we fear that he may not be 100% for a few weeks. Hence the temporary downgrade.

WR Antonio Bryant, TB - After showing some signs of life the past couple weeks, Bryant was a non-factor against Carolina this week. He only had 3 passes thrown his way, which he converted into two catches for 37 yards. Josh Johnson has shown some flashes as a passer and as a runner, but he's still very inconsistent and sometimes too quick to pull the ball down and run. Unless the QB play improves, it will be difficult for Bryant to emerge as a reliable starter.

WR Mike Furrey, CLE - Targeted only once last week in Buffalo, Furrey had no targets against Pittsburgh and wasn't on the field in three wide receiver sets. He has no fantasy value until the Browns put him back in their offensive packages.

WR Percy Harvin, MIN - Harvin started the game off with a hard kick return, proving that his injured shoulder was not going to limit him. Early in the second quarter he caught a short pass on 3rd and 10. It took five guys to bring him down, he took multiple hard shots, and even lost his helmet, but he gained eight of the hardest yards for the entire game. Unfortunately late in the fourth he took a similar shot and it took four guys to bring him down, but he landed hard on his bad shoulder, left the game and did not return. He was in a sling after the game and the extent of his injury is not currently known.

WR Jeremy Maclin, PHI - Jeremy Maclin cannot be trusted as a fantasy starter until the Eagles start to look in his direction consistently and until they start to create enough protection for Donovan McNabb. Maclin is the fourth option at best in the passing game (Brian Westbrook, Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson), so do not expect strong numbers on a weekly basis for the rookie.

WR Santana Moss, WAS - The Washington Redskins offense is struggling mightily, and with quarterbacks getting inexplicably yanked at halftime it is hard to like any wideout for that offense, even if it is the top option. WR Santana Moss had just one catch on a deep pass from Todd Collins, and while Moss is a solid deep threat the lack of consistent catches makes him a very hit-or-miss type of wideout. As the Redskins start to play teams that actually have wins this week beginning with Philadelphia on Monday Night, do not expect much from Moss right now.

WR Terrell Owens, BUF - Owens was primarily matched up with Darrell Revis for the game and had some early success against him. He caught 3 passes in the first half and drew a couple of penalties from Revis, but he only managed to gain 13 yards on those receptions. He added a 9-yard run in the second half but Fitzpatrick never seemed to look in his direction as he focused on Lee Evans and the running backs. With just 1 touchdown through the first 6 games, this year is certainly not going the way the Bills or Terrell Owens hoped it would, and if Edwards winds up missing any time it looks like Owens could see his numbers fall off even more.

WR Steve Smith, CAR - The Carolina rushing game got back on track this week but it was another miserable game for Steve Smith as he managed just 1 catch for 4 yards on the 5 targets that were thrown his way. He served primarily as a decoy to help open things up for the running game as the Panthers employed a conservative game plan that took very few shots downfield. As long as Jake Delhomme continues to struggle, Smith is going to have a very hard time living up to the high preseason expectations that most fantasy owners had for him this year.

Holding steady

WR Bernard Berrian, MIN - Berrian had a quiet game for the Vikings this week. He was minimally involved in the passing game, but caught key passes when his name was called. On the TD reception, he was wide open because Percy Harvin ran a pick on the DB. Early in the fourth, he took a quick pass, made a guy miss and gained eight yards. Aside from that, he was a minimal factor in the game.

WR Mark Clayton, BAL - Clayton finished with only three receptions, but he made the most of them, including the 32 yard TD strike in the fourth quarter to start the Raven comeback. Flacco was under pressure and threw a perfect rainbow pass down the sideline. It was a little short and Clayton made a great adjustment to make the catch and get into the end zone. Clayton had a couple other targets in the game but he was well defended. He is the #2 receiving option behind Mason.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, ARI - Fitzgerald tied his career high with 13 receptions on Sunday, and had his first 100-yard game of the season. And he did it in impressive fashion, catching nearly everything thrown his way (13 receptions on 15 targets), including a nifty first-quarter catch made while lying on the ground after tripping. His 19-yard catch in the third quarter, going high in the air in traffic, was another spectacular play. Fitzgerald and Boldin have alternated leading the Cardinals in weekly targets so far this season, but it's Fitzgerald who has gotten the huge majority of the red zone looks, and he has now scored 5 TDs in 5 games this season. We would give Fitzgerald an upgrade if we hadn't already ranked him as a top three fantasy WR coming into Sunday's game. There's not much room for him to move up, but he is reaffirming his fantasy stud status by consistently making plays when his number is called.

WR DeSean Jackson, PHI - The Philadelphia Eagle offense struggled mightily with great pass pressure applied from the Oakland Raiders in Week 6. Wideout DeSean Jackson tried to stretch the field and get open for Donovan McNabb but the two were just off on each attempt to go deep. Jackson still has good value going forward as he is the leading target and big play wideout for the Eagles, so hold tight in listing Jackson as a fantasy WR2 going forward. Philadelphia travels to Washington for a Monday Night Football game next week and the Redskins allowed Dwayne Bowe his first 100-yard game of the season, so Jackson could turn things around in Week 7.

WR Vincent Jackson, SD - While Jackson's first-quarter touchdown salvaged his fantasy performance, his 46 receiving yards on Monday night were the fewest he's earned this season. His legitimate excuse, though, is that the Broncos' defense is for real. Jackson was covered by Champ Bailey for much of the night, and was not open often. QB Philip Rivers also faced constant pressure, sometimes being hit as he threw, and several of the eight targets directed at Jackson were not catchable. Under the circumstances, Jackson's 4 catches for 46 yards are about all that could have been reasonably expected. The Chargers face a weak Kansas City pass defense in week seven, and Jackson should enjoy more success then.

WR Andre Johnson, HOU - Johnson broke the Cincinnati string of holding the opposing team's WR1 to limited numbers. After a 59 yard run after catch on a bubble screen on the first play of the game, Johnson continued to gain separation regardless of whom he was lined up against. Johnson did nothing to threaten his position as one the league's elite fantasy WR options.

WR Calvin Johnson, DET - Johnson was inactive Sunday with a knee injury suffered in the first quarter of the previous week's game against the Steelers. He will likely return after the Lions' week 7 bye, and could have a big game against the struggling St. Louis Rams in week 8.

WR Mohamed Massaquoi, CLE - Massaquoi dropped multiple passes again this week, but was targeted on almost 40% of the team's passes this week. Should the Browns improve on offense, Massaquoi is likely to be the biggest beneficiary of the longer drives and red zone opportunities.

WR Jordy Nelson, GB - Nelson was shut out on Sunday, but that's because he bruised his knee in the first quarter and did not return after that. The injury is not believed to be serious however, and Nelson, should continue to work his way into the Packers' third WR role upon his return. James Jones has been a mild disappointment this season, and his 47-yard TD against the Lions was on a badly blown coverage. We still like Nelson's potential better than James' this season, although neither one is worth owning except in very deep leagues.

WR Chad Ochocinco, CIN - Ochocinco had another productive day, consistently getting open against the Texans' secondary. He was targeted deep more frequently this week and continues to be reliable on timing routes underneath. However, until the Bengals reliably move the football for four quarters, however, Ochocinco will have trouble joining the elite group of fantasy wide receivers.

WR Eddie Royal, DEN - Eddie Royal was very quiet early in the season before coming to life with 10 catches against the Patriots in week five. In week six against the Chargers, he had a strange game. He was shut out on offense, but his two TDs in the return game were essential to the Broncos' win. On his returns, Royal showed the speed and open-field run skills that made him such a dangerous receiver as a rookie. But why aren't the Broncos taking better advantage of those skills on offense? We think they will, albeit perhaps sporadically. We view Royal as a borderline WR3-WR4 who will take turns frustrating his fantasy owners and rewarding them.

WR Steve Smith, NYG - The Giants certainly tried to move the ball with their top pass-catcher, who had four solid grabs despite tough coverage all day from the Saints in Week 6. Smith nearly had a 31-yard touchdown but was just overthrown despite beating coverage as Eli Manning just overthrew his outstretched hands. Smith should rebound and be more productive next week as Arizona's suspect pass defense visits the Giants.

WR Kelley Washington, BAL - Washington had a quiet game for the Ravens, given that they had 385 yards passing as a team. He's a big threat on passing downs and is not afraid to go over the middle. His one big play was early in the fourth quarter where he hauled in a deep pass down the middle. He took a hard but clean shot and was shaken up on the play. He returned on the final series and had a nice 13 yard reception to help set up the winning FG attempt. He's the #3 option at WR but always manages to come up with a few receptions a game.

WR Roddy White, ATL - Great blocks by Brian Finneran and Tony Gonzalez sprung White for a TD in the 2nd quarter. It was a quick strike to the side line, where Atlanta had three receivers lined up. The Bears didn't have enough coverage to accommodate all three, so Ryan saw the blown coverage and two good blocks later, White was in the end zone with a 40-yard TD catch and run. The defense the Bears used forced Ryan to make short, quick passes. He rarely passed down field at all, but White still managed to be a contributor in the game and save face for his owners. This is White's second game in a row with a TD. He now has four this season in just five games.

Tight End

TE Owen Daniels, HOU - Daniels got open frequently against Cincinnati. The Texans used misdirection and play fakes with great success and Daniels used his speed to gain separation from the Bengals' linebackers. He also showed great hands, particularly on a one-handed, diving catch for his second touchdown. Averaging eight targets and over five catches a week, Daniels is a strong every week TE1.

TE Tony Gonzalez, ATL - Gonzalez was targeted often in the game and was Ryan's primary receiver. The Falcons had several plays designed specifically for him, including a TD pass to him in the red zone. The play was set up when Ryan audibled the RB to go into motion, thus leaving only one LB left to cover Gonzalez. A nice fake to the outside, froze the LB who was in coverage and Gonzalez made a quick cut in to the post where Ryan immediately fired a perfect pass. Gonzalez lined up wide, in the slot, next to the tackle. He even lined up in the backfield and was the lead block on a running play. Prior to the game, he didn't have a TD since week two, but now he has a total of three in five games.

TE Heath Miller, PIT - Miller made himself open for Ben Roethlisberger all afternoon as the Cleveland linebackers couldn't keep up with him. Miller was targeted seven times, many in high leverage situations. He has four scores in his last three games and has had fewer than five catches only once this season. He's established himself as a strong every-week TE1 option.

TE Zach Miller, OAK - Zach Miller had the offensive highlight of the day for the Oakland Raiders, catching a short pass over the middle on a 10-yard in route and he kept on running behind great downfield blocks from WR Louis Murphy all the way to the end zone for a huge 86-yard touchdown. Miller ended the game as the top receiver in targets, catches and yards for Oakland, but the key was that big scoring play. Miller is a good fantasy TE with nice upside but he is a tough weekly start with the Raiders passing game just too unpredictable on a weekly basis.

TE Greg Olsen, CHI - Olsen is starting to see more involvement on offense for the Bears, especially in the red zone and goal line plays, which increases his chances of scoring a TD on any given week. That itself is reason enough to start Olsen as your fantasy TE. Against Atlanta, he had three short catches followed by deep catch that helped set up the game tying TD with six minutes to play in the game, also caught by Olsen. He now has three TDs this year, including each of his last three games. If he can become more of a consistent threat in the Bears passing game, he could very easily compete for a Top 5 spot among fantasy TEs. Right now, he's making plays and gaining Cutler's confidence, but he needs to continue to see more five and six reception games for him to be a difference maker in your lineup. He's definitely climbing up the charts, but he's probably not at the point where you thought he would be when you drafted him.

TE Tony Scheffler, DEN - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - Scheffler had a career-high 101 receiving yards on Monday night as he had his way with the Chargers' safeties. He beat Eric Weddle on a 19-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, his 52-yard catch-and-run set up the TD to Brandon Stokley that put the game out of reach. Week six was Scheffler's first decent fantasy game this season, so he is on the waiver wire in many leagues. He showed his athleticism and potential as a receiver against the Chargers, however, reminding people why he's been a starting-caliber fantasy TE for the past two seasons. Scheffler may continue to be inconsistent this season as the Broncos' continue to find their identity in the passing game. (Eddie Royal owners will share in this frustration as well.) But his upside potential makes him worth a roster spot if you have room.

TE Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN - Brett Favre looked to his favorite Red Zone target twice in this game, and Shiancoe delivered both times. In the first quarter, Shiancoe split the defense and ran straight up the middle for the opening TD strike. Early in the fourth quarter, after Peterson was stuffed twice from inside the two yard line, Favre executed a perfect play fake and hit a wide open Shiancoe for his second TD reception of the game. Favre looks to him down the middle of the field and designed screens after play fakes to Peterson. Shiancoe has five TDS in his first six games and at this pace, should be a shoe-in for a top five fantasy TE finish.

Downgrade

TE John Carlson, SEA - Carlson was the only Seahawks player to gain more than 40 yards from scrimmage on Sunday. His 55 yards receiving look decent -- until you realize that 42 of those yards came on a fake punt. That kind of enhancement to his production -- he otherwise had 1 catch for 13 yards on the day -- cannot be relied on every week. While Carlson had a serviceable stat line thanks to catching a pass from his punter, he gets a downgrade for the same reason as Matt Hasselbeck and Julius Jones. With the Seahawks' offensive line unable to sustain any of their blocks, the whole offense will suffer. If you have another option at TE, John Carlson should probably be on your bench with the rest of the Seahawks until the Seattle offensive line can fix its ineptitude.

TE Dustin Keller, NYJ - Keller's sophomore slump continues. After being shut out a week ago against the Dolphins, Mark Sanchez and the Jets tried to get Keller more involved this week. He led all Jets receivers with 10 targets in the game but only finished with 2 catches for 16 yards. Two of the passes intended for him were picked off by the Bills and many others were poorly thrown balls that he had little chance to catch. Jerricho Cotchery missed this game so it should have been an ideal opportunity for Keller to emerge as a reliable possession receiver for Sanchez. The addition of Braylon Edwards could help open things up inside, but given how Sanchez has been playing it looks like the Jets are going to need to become more of a run-oriented offense. That doesn't bode well for Keller's fantasy prospects this year.

TE Kellen Winslow, TB - Winslow's up and down season continues as he followed up a huge game last week with another clunker this week. He was targeted just 4 times in the game and failed to make any big plays. He now has finished with no more than 30 yards or 3 receptions in 3 of his last four games. As long as Josh Johnson continues to struggle, it will be risky to rely on Winslow as a reliable starter.

Holding steady

TE Brent Celek, PHI - Despite a tough day passing for Philadelphia in Week 6 against Oakland, tight end Brent Celek put up decent receiving numbers. He moved the ball well over the middle, breaking tackles after catching a ball and plowing forward for 42 yards in the fourth quarter. Celek is a favored target of Donovan McNabb, who likes the big tight end over the middle to move the chains. Look for the Eagles to continue to get him the ball next week against the Redskins.

TE Todd Heap, BAL - Heap was minimally involved in the passing game. He caught a nice dump off late in the second quarter and ran for 22 yards and a big first down. He also had a big 23 yard catch down the middle of the field to set up Ray Rice's first score late in the third quarter. He was only targeted three times, but came up with the reception each time.

TE Jeremy Shockey, NO - Shockey took full advantage of his chances against his former team in Week 6, scoring on one of his four catches against the New York Giants. Hang tight with his upside though as there are a ton of options in the Saints' offense and it was clear that this was a revenge opportunity for Shockey. He is still a TE1 for fantasy purposes, but do not go crazy in trying to trade for him as his production will be moderate going forward, especially since WR Lance Moore is back.

Kicker

PK Jay Feely, NYJ - Despite the avalanche of interceptions thrown by Mark Sanchez, Jay Feely is scoring at a very high rate lately. Over the last five games, he is 11th in scoring with just a single miss on 10 FG attempts and nine PATs.

PK Matt Stover, IND - Adam Vinatieri underwent surgery on October 14th to remove a piece of cartilage from his right knee and will be out 4 to 8 weeks. In his place, Matt Stover will kick for a high-powered offense. His consistent leg makes him a great waiver wire target.

Downgrade

PK Jason Elam, ATL - Over the last five weeks, Jason Elam has been a disappointing fantasy option. He has only one game where he scored more than four fantasy points and has kicked only two FGs in that span.

PK Jason Hanson, DET - Anytime you put up the goose egg, you find this list.

PK Adam Vinatieri, IND - Adam Vinatieri underwent surgery on October 14th to remove a piece of cartilage from his right knee and will be out 4 to 8 weeks. While the current plan is for him to regain his job when healthy, it wouldn't be a shock for Vinatieri's replacement, Matt Stover, to be perfect for two months and keep the job all season.

Holding steady

Team Defense

TD Buffalo Bills, BUF - *** POTENTIAL WAIVER WIRE GEM *** - You can't trust this group every week, but they consumed Mark Sanchez and picked him off six times in Week 6. They have 13 sacks over the last five weeks, and are a nice option against poor offenses. With the Panthers up next, the Bills should turn in another good showing in Week 7.

TD Green Bay Packers, GB - Sure, it was against a mediocre Lions offense that was without Calvin Johnson, but Green Bay's defense was outstanding in Week 6. They allowed only 149 total yards and forced three turnovers while keeping the ball for almost 41 minutes. This group has forced nine turnovers and accumulated eight sacks in their last four games. They are excellent against inferior competition. Speaking of which, they visit the Browns in Week 7 and should be an excellent fantasy option.

TD New Orleans Saints, NO - Once again, the Saints defense turned in a great effort against a very good offense. In Week 6, New Orleans sacked Eli Manning twice, forced a pair of turnovers, and allowed only 325 total yards. Over the last four games, the Saints have forced 12 turnovers and made 12 sacks. This is truly a high-scoring fantasy unit.

Downgrade

TD New York Jets, NYJ - Talk about a freefall. The Jets defense isn't forcing many turnovers (only eight in the last five week) and can't get to the quarterback (only three sacks in five games). Even worse, New York was unable to overwhelm Buffalo. Even worse, they have lost DT Kris Jenkins for the year due to injury. While they have a great matchup in Week 7 against Oakland, they are not even close to an every-week starting fantasy defense.

TD Minnesota Vikings, MIN - Even though they are undefeated, the Vikings defense has been far too porous this season. In the last five weeks, they have allowed 1,311 passing yards (third-worst behind Cleveland and Tennessee) and have been decidedly mediocre defending the run (13th in the league). These stats make them a low-level fantasy starter in some scoring systems. Of course, if you league doesn't deduct for yards allowed, then the Vikings are still a fantastic option.

Holding steady