The Fantasy Football Sherpa

Another week with six teams having a bye, including the Chiefs.  Hopefully, Larry Johnson (the running back formerly known as @ToonIcon) will use his time off to consider the dark side of social networking.  Here are my recommendations for Week 8:

Houston at Buffalo - The Buffalo Bills are more than likely the first NFL team to replace a Stanford grad with a Harvard grad at quarterback.  Unfortunately for the Bills, Texans’ QB Matt Schaub (a Virginia grad), will more than outlikely outshine Bills’ QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in this matchup.  Texans to start include Schaub, RB Steve Slaton, TE Owen Daniels, WR Kevin Walter, and K Kris Brown.  Add WR Andre Johnson (Questionable-lung) to this list if he’s healthy enough to play.  Bills to start include RB Marshawn Lynch, WRs Lee Evans & Terrell Owens, and K Rian Lindell.  Fitzpatrick and RB Fred Jackson may also be started in deeper leagues.  Bills’ QB Trent Edwards remains out with a concussion.

New York Giants at Philadelphia - In case you haven’t heard, the starting time for this clash between NFC East rivals has been moved up from 4:15 pm to 1 pm due to another sporting event later that day across the street.  Giants who should be in starting lineups include RB Brandon Jacobs, WRs Steve Smith & Hakeem Nicks, and K Lawrence Tynes.  If you’re in a deeper league, QB Eli Manning, TE Kevin Boss, and WR Mario Manningham can also be started.  Add RB Ahmad Bradshaw (Questionable-ankle/foot) to the deeper league list if he’s able to play.  Eagles to start include RB LeSean McCoy, TE Brent Celek, and K David Akers.  Add QB Donovan McNabb and WRs DeSean Jackson (Questionable-foot) & Jeremy Maclin (Probable-foot) to the list if you’re in a deeper league.  I would leave RB Brian Westbrook (Questionable-concussion/knee) on the bench this week even if he’s able to start.  WR Kevin Curtis remains out with a knee problem.

Denver at Baltimore - Why is it that certain star wide receivers feel the need to constantly be in the limelight?  Following news that Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens are getting their own iPhone apps comes word that Broncos’ WR Brandon Marshall, who’s made news too many times in his career for the wrong reasons, is now getting a shot to host a television program.  Fresh off their bye week, the 6-0 Broncos figure to have a good day against an underwhelming Ravens’ pass defense.  Broncos to start include QB Kyle Orton, RB Knowshon Moreno, WRs Marshall & Eddie Royal, and K Matt Prater.  Add RB Correll Buckhalter and TE Tony Scheffler to the list if you’re in a deeper league.  Ravens to start include QB Joe Flacco (Probable-ankle), RB Ray Rice, TE Todd Heap, WR Derrick Mason, and K Steven Hauschka.  Those in deep leagues should also consider starting WR Mark Clayton.  Do not start RB Willis McGahee.

Miami at New York Jets - This week’s Dolphins-Jets game should be a lot more competitive than last week’s Jets-Raiders game was, so don’t look for Jets’ QB Mark Sanchez to be eating any hot dogs on the sidelines during the game.  Both teams have strong running games and questionable passing games, so look for lots of rushing yards from the running backs involved in this game.  Dolphins to start include RBs Ronnie Brown & Ricky Williams and the Defense.  Add TE Anthony Fasano to the list if you play in a deeper league.  Leave QB Chad Henne and WRs Ted Ginn & Davone Bess on the bench.  Jets to start include RB Thomas Jones, TE Dustin Keller, WR Braylon Edwards, and the Defense.  RB Shonn Greene can be started in deeper leagues.  QB Mark Sanchez and WRs Jerricho Cotchery (Questionable-hamstring) & David Clowney (Questionable-ankle) should not be started.

San Francisco at Indianapolis - Widely panned as a bust prior to leading an impressive comeback last week against the Texans, 49ers’ QB Alex Smith has been scooped off the waiver wire in nearly every fantasy football league in which he was still available.  Count me among the skeptics.  One of the reasons Smith has never been able to establish himself as the 49ers’ starting quarterback has been his maddening inconsistency.  One half does not a career make, and I’m guessing we’ll see the “Bad Alex” again soon, possibly this weekend.  Comparisons to former (and future?) Titans’ QB Vince Young are inevitable.  The only 49ers who should be in starting lineups this week are RB Frank Gore and TE Vernon Davis.  Leave Smith and WRs Michael Crabtree & Josh Morgan out of starting lineups.  Colts to start include QB Peyton Manning, TE Dallas Clark, WR Reggie Wayne (Questionable-groin), K Matt Stover, and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues should also consider starting RB Joseph Addai and WRs Austin Collie & Pierre Garcon.  Leave RB Donald Brown (Questionable-shoulder) and WR Anthony Gonzalez (Questionable-knee) on the bench.  K Adam Vinatieri (Out-knee) will miss another week. 

St. Louis at Detroit - If you can remember the last time the Lions were actually favored to win a game, you are either a die-hard Lions’ fan or a gambler with a serious problem.  Thanks to the presence of the Browns, Raiders, Bucs, and Chiefs, this game can’t even be described accurately as “Loser Bowl 2009″.  Scary thought.  Rams to start this week include RB Steven Jackson, TE Randy McMichael, WR Donnie Avery, and K Josh Brown.  QB Marc Bulger and WR Keenan Burton can also be started if you’re in a deeper league.  Lions to start include RB Kevin Smith, TE Brandon Bettigrew, and K Jason Hanson.  Add WR Calvin Johnson (Questionable-knee) to the list if he’s able to play.  QB Matthew Stafford (Questionable-knee) can be started in deeper leagues if he’s healthy enough to play; otherwise, QB Daunte Culpepper is also worth starting in deeper leagues against the atrocious Rams’ pass defense.  WR Bryant Johnson is also worth starting in deeper leagues; WR Dennis Northcutt is not.

Seattle at Dallas - Seahawks’ QB Matt Hasselbeck is one of the few NFL players who will publicly admit to playing fantasy football himself.  Memo to Matt:  assuming you (Questionable-ribs) are healthy enough to play, this would be a good week to start yourself, along with teammates TE John Carlson and WRs T.J. Houshmandzadeh & Nate Burleson.  Don’t start your backfield mate RB Julius Jones - undoubtedly, you know how that movie will end.  Cowboys to start this weekend include QB Tony Romo, RB Marion Barber (Probable-thumb), TE Jason Witten, WRs Roy Williams & Miles Austin, and K Nick Folk.  RBs Tashard Choice & Felix Jones may also be started in deeper leagues.

Cleveland at Chicago - Browns’ QB Derek Anderson made headlines this week for referring to his 2009 stats as “garbage”.  You’ve got to hand it to him - he has a penchant for the obvious.  Neither Anderson, nor RB Jamal Lewis (Probable-wrist), nor any of his other Browns’ teammates should be in your starting lineup this week for this contest, in which the Bears will likely take their frustrations out on Cleveland.  Bears to start include QB Jay Cutler, RB Matt Forte, TE Greg Olsen, K Robbie Gould, and the Defense.  I’m still unable to figure out the Bears’ three-headed monster at wide receiver from week to week, but WRs Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, & Johnny Knox can all be started by those in deeper leagues.

Oakland at San Diego - The good news:  Raiders’ Head Coach Tom Cable finally came to his senses last week and benched starting QB JaMarcus Russell.  The bad news:  that move was only temporary, and Russell will be starting again this weekend against the Chargers.  I’m certainly not arguing that Bruce Gradkowski is a better quarterback than Russell, but when a team is going as poorly as the Raiders are, sometimes change for the sake of change is necessary.  The best news the Raiders received all week is that Oklahoma Sooners’ QB Sam Bradford’s shoulder surgery went well, and he’s decided to forego his final year of eligibility for the 2010 NFL draft.  Back to the present - the only Raiders worth starting this week are RB Justin Fargas and TE Zach Miller.  RB Michael Bush can also be started in deeper leagues.  Leave Russell and WR Louis Murphy on the bench in the unlikely event they’re even on your roster.  RB Darren McFadden (Questionable-knee) and WR Chaz Schilens should also be left out of starting lineups even if they’re finally able to return to action this weekend.  Chargers to start include QB Philip Rivers, RBs LaDainian Tomlinson & Darren Sproles, TE Antonio Gates, WR Vincent Jackson, K Nate Kaeding, and the Defense.  Leave WRs Chris Chambers & Malcom Floyd out of starting lineups.

Jacksonville at Tennessee - Titans’ Head Coach Jeff Fisher has held off on naming a starting quarterback for this week, unlike his owner, Bud Adams, who has not been bashful about making his preference known.  This puts Fisher in a no-win situation:  if he sticks with QB Kerry Collins, he appears stubborn; if he goes with QB Vince Young, he looks like a puppet.  Either way, this contest will pit the two weakest pass defenses in the NFL, so regardless of who starts for the Titans, passing yards should be plentiful for both sides.  Jaguars to start include QB David Garrard, RB Marcus Jones-Drew, TE Marcedes Lewis, WRs Mike Sims-Walker & Torry Holt, and K Josh Scobee.  Titans to start include RB Chris Johnson and K Rob Bironas.  The Titans’ starting quarterback (I suspect it will be Young) and WRs Justin Gage & Kenny Britt can also be started in deeper leagues.  Leave RB LenDale White out of starting lineups since he’s not a big part of the Titans’ passing game.

Carolina at Arizona - JaMarcus Russell and Kerry Collins are not the only starting quarterbacks under fire.  Panthers’ QB Jake Delhomme has been awful this season, but Head Coach John Fox has already announced that Delhomme will start this week.  Fox stated that Delhomme still gives his team the best chance to win - that’s certainly debatable, but it’s a moot point (for at least the first series on Sunday).  Panthers to start this weekend include RB DeAngelo Williams, TE Jeff King, and WR Steve Smith.  Delhomme can also be started by those playing in deeper leagues and feeling lucky (or contrarian).  Leave RB Jonathan Stewart (Questionable-knee), TE Dante Rosario (Questionable-knee), and WR Muhsin Muhammed (Questionable-knee) on the bench.  Cardinals to start include QB Kurt Warner, RB Chris Wells (I refuse to call a grown man “Beanie”), WRs Larry Fitzgerald & Steve Breaston (Questionable-knee), K Neil Rackers, and the Defense.  Add RB Tim Hightower to the list in deeper leagues.  I would leave WR Anquan Boldin (Questionable-ankle) out of starting lineups this weekend even if he is able to play.

Minnesota at Green Bay - Mayor Jim Schmitt has been busy pulling out all the stops to welcome former Packers’ QB Brett Favre back to Green Bay on Sunday.  Note to Green Bay workers:  the Friday forecast calls for rain and a high of 60 degrees, so you may want to ignore the suggestion for that day.  Vikings to start this week include RB Adrian Peterson and TE Visanthe Shiancoe.  Favre (Questionable-hip) and WRs Sidney Rice & Percy Harvin can also be started by those in deeper leagues.  I’d leave RB Chester Taylor and WR Bernard Berrian (Questionable-hamstring) on the bench.  Packers to start include QB Aaron Rodgers (Questionable-foot), RB Ryan Grant, TE Donald Lee, WRs Greg Jennings & Donald Driver, and K Mason Crosby.  I’d leave TE Jermichael Finley (Questionable-knee) on the bench even in the unlikely event that he’s able to play.

Atlanta at New Orleans - The days of the Aints are now a distant memory in New Orleans, where the modern-day Saints are 6-0 and looking like one of the better teams in the NFL.  The Falcons are 4-2, but QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner have been somewhat disappointing so far this season after outperforming expectations in 2008.  If that doesn’t change this week, the Falcons will find themselves three games behind the Saints and looking at a wild card berth as their only likely path to this year’s playoffs.  Falcons to start this week include Turner, TE Tony Gonzalez, and WR Roddy White.  Ryan and WR Michael Jenkins can also be started in deeper leagues.  Leave RB Jerious Norwood (Questionable-hip) on the bench even if he is able to play.  Saints to start include QB Drew Brees, RB Pierre Thomas, TE Jeremy Shockey, WRs Jeremy Shockey & Lance Moore, and K John Carney.  RB Mike Bell and WRs Devery Henderson & Robert Meachem can also be started in deeper leagues.

Good luck to your teams this weekend! 

Until next time,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa’s fan page on Facebook

Lots of injuries and benchings to deal with this week, so let’s get right to it.  The six teams with a Week 8 bye are Cincinnati, Kansas City, New England, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Washington.  Players who were benched, injured, or have a bye week include

QB

• Matthew Stafford (inj)
• Daunte Culpepper (inj?)
• Trent Edwards (inj)
• JaMarcus Russell (benched?)
• Shaun Hill (benched)
• Carson Palmer (bye)
• Matt Cassel (bye)
• Tom Brady (bye)
• Ben Roethlisberger (bye)
• Josh Johnson (benched, bye)
• Jason Campbell (bye)

RB 

• Darren McFadden (inj) 
• Sammy Morris (bye, inj)
• LenDale White (inj)
• Cedric Benson (bye)
• Larry Johnson (bye)
• Laurence Maroney (bye)
• Rashard Mendenhall (bye)
• Cadillac Williams (bye)
• Clinton Portis (bye)

WR 

• Anquan Boldin (inj)
• Anthony Gonzalez (inj?)
• Jerricho Cotchery (inj?)
• Chad Ochocinco (bye)
• Laveranues Coles (bye)
• Dwayne Bowe (bye)
• Randy Moss (bye)
• Wes Welker (bye)
• Hines Ward (bye)
• Santonio Holmes (bye)
• Antonio Bryant (bye)
• Santana Moss (bye)

TE

• Chris Cooley (inj, bye)
• Ben Watson (bye)
• Heath Miller (bye)
• Kellen Winslow (bye)

K 

• Adam Vinatieri (inj)
• Shayne Graham (bye)
• Stephen Gostkowski (bye)
• Jeff Reed (bye) 

 DEF

• Cincinnati (bye)
• New England (bye)
• Pittsburgh (bye)
• Washington (bye)

So, who are some players at each position who should be on your radar screen if you need a replacement?  The following list contains players who may not be available in your league, depending on the number of teams in your league and your roster requirements.  LT indicates players who may have fantasy value for the rest of the season, while ST indicates players whose fantasy usefulness is likely to be limited to the amount of time it takes a player ahead of them on the depth chart to recover from an injury/return from a suspension.  SPEC indicates a player whose fantasy worth may not be obvious now, but may be worth speculating on for use later in the season.  An asterisk (*) indicates a player whose team has a bye this week.

Quarterbacks

Chad Henne (LT), Marc Bulger (LT), Alex Smith (LT), Ryan Fitzpatrick (ST), Jake Delhomme (SPEC), Derek Anderson (SPEC), Vince Young (SPEC), Shaun Hill (SPEC), A.J. Feeley (SPEC), Seneca Wallace (SPEC), Kevin Kolb (SPEC), Matt Leinart (SPEC), Jason Campbell (SPEC *), and Josh Freeman (SPEC *).

Running Backs

Justin Fargas (LT), Chris Wells (LT), LeSean McCoy (LT), Mike Bell (LT), Shonn Greene (LT), Jerome Harrison (SPEC), Justin Forsett (SPEC), Michael Bush (SPEC), Chester Taylor (SPEC), Rashad Jennings (SPEC), Maurice Morris (SPEC), Ryan Moats (SPEC), Aaron Brown (SPEC), Jamaal Charles (SPEC *), Derrick Ward (SPEC *), Kevin Faulk (SPEC *), Bernard Scott (SPEC *), and Marcus Mason (SPEC *).

Wide Receivers

Donnie Avery (LT), Ted Ginn (LT), Mark Clayton (LT), Anthony Gonzalez (SPEC), Kenny Britt (SPEC), Michael Jenkins (SPEC), Davone Bess (SPEC), Greg Camarillo (SPEC), Louis Murphy (SPEC), Mohamed Massaquoi (SPEC), Keenan Burton (SPEC), Earl Bennett (SPEC), Josh Morgan (SPEC), Brian Hartline (SPEC), Muhsin Muhammad (SPEC), Devery Henderson (SPEC), Deion Branch (SPEC), Chansi Stuckey (SPEC), David Clowney, Mike Furrey (SPEC), Kelley Washington (SPEC), Bryant Johnson (SPEC), Nate Washington (SPEC), Robert Meachem (SPEC), Jacoby Jones (SPEC), Joe Cribbs (SPEC), Bobby Wade (SPEC *), Mark Bradley (SPEC *), Andre Caldwell (SPEC *), Michael Clayton (SPEC *), Sammie Stroughter (SPEC *), Mike Wallace (SPEC *), .

Tight Ends

Fred Davis (LT *), Donald Lee (ST), Jeff King (ST), Marcedes Lewis (SPEC), Brandon Pettigrew (SPEC), Anthony Fasano (SPEC), Michael Gaines (SPEC), Jermichael Finley (inj, SPEC), Ben Watson (SPEC *), Randy McMichael (SPEC), Sean Ryan (SPEC *), and Chris Baker (SPEC *).

Kickers

Neil Rackers (LT), Jason Elam (LT), Matt Stover (ST), and Josh Scobee (ST).

Defenses

Miami (ST), and Arizona (ST).

I’ll post my analysis of the Week 8 games on Thursday.

Until then,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa fan page on Facebook

Hopefully, you have enough depth on your roster to withstand the two extra teams with byes this week (that’s also the case for the next two weeks).  Thankfully, the Broncos are one of the six teams with a bye this week - not sure I could have looked at their throwback jerseys for another week.  Here are my recommendations:

Chicago at Cincinnati - For those of you who’ve been complaining that Bengals’ WR Chad Ochocinco isn’t visible enough, take heart.  The Tweeter Formerly Known as Johnson now has his own iPhone app, courtesy of teammate Jordan Palmer (who will presumably make more from this business venture than he will from playing football or being the younger brother of Bengals’ starting QB Carson Palmer).   Hopefully, 85 remembers that he still has a game to play this weekend against the Bears.  Chicago will have a tough time running against the Bengals, but should have a fairly easy time moving the ball through the air.  Bears to start this weekend include QB Jay Cutler, RB Matt Forte (who figures to play a big role in the passing game), TE Garrett Olsen, K Robbie Gould, and the Defense.  Since their week-to-week targets vary so much, I’d avoid Bears’ WRs Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and Johnny Knox unless you’re psychic or play in a very deep league with most of your receivers on bye this week.  There are no Bengals I’d consider must-starts this week, although QB Carson Palmer and Ochocinco can be used if you lack other options.

New England at Tampa Bay - The Patriots’ loss to the Jets in Week 2 seems like a distant memory at this point.  Instead of wondering “What’s wrong with Mr. Bunchen Tom Brady?” (hopefully, last week’s 59-0 whitewash of the Titans put an end to that), reporters are now focused on more earth-shattering questions (e.g.- Why was LB Adalius Thomas inactive last weekend when recently-signed LB Junior Seau was active?).  I’m sure many of you are worried about the possibility of this week’s matchup with the winless Buccaneers being a proverbial “trap game” for the Patriots (if such a thing exists in London, where the game is being played).  Fear not - I’m here to assure you that New England will prevail in a “squeaker” (defined as anything less than last week’s 59-point margin of victory).  Patriots to start against Team Hapless include QB Tom Brady (Probable-there you go again, Belichickshoulder), RB Laurence Maroney, WRs Randy Moss (Probable-shoulder) & Wes Welker (Probable-knee), K Stephen Gostkowski, and the Defense.  TEs Ben Watson & Chris Baker can also be started if you’re in dire straits.  RB Sammy Morris (Out-Knee) will miss the game.  The only Bucs you should consider for your lineup are RB Cadillac Williams and TE Kellen Winslow.  Avoid starting QB Josh Johnson and WRs Antonio Bryant, Michael Clayton (Probable-hamstring), & Sammie Stroughter.

Minnesota at Pittsburgh - When you think of NFL players winding up on the police blotter, kickers don’t usually come to mind (well, except for Sebastien Janikowski).  Steelers’ K Jeff Reed is attempting to change that, getting arrested last weekend for the second time in the last 9 months.  That’s good news for the Steelers because this weekend’s game with the Vikings could easily come down to a late-game field goal.  Minnesota doesn’t figure to have much success running against the latest incarnation of the Steel Curtain, but QB Brett Favre, TE Visanthe Shiancoe, and WRs Bernard Berrian & Sidney Rice all warrant places in starting lineups.  RB Chester Taylor can also be started by those in deeper leagues, as he figures to be involved in the passing game.  For the second week in a row I would advise leaving RB Adrian Peterson (Questionable-ankle) on the bench if you have other RBs with more favorable matchups.  WR Percy Harvin (Questionable-shoulder) should also be left out of starting lineups.  Steelers to start include QB Ben Roethlisberger, TE Heath Miller, and WRs Hines Ward & Santonio Holmes.  Take a shot on WR Mike Wallace if you’re in a deep league.  Neither of the Steelers’ RBs, Rashard Mendenhall (Probable-knee) or Willie Parker should be started against the Vikings’ strong run defense.

Indianapolis at St. Louis - Tennessee Titans’ Head Coach Jeff Fisher came under fire earlier this week for wearing a Peyton Manning jersey at a charity event.  Fisher can be forgiven for wishing that he could send out Manning as his quarterback each week instead of having to choose between Kerry Collins and Vince Young.  Manning has a good shot to extend his string of five consecutive games with 300+ passing yards this weekend as he faces a weak Rams’ pass defense.  Colts to start include Manning, TE Dallas Clark, WR Reggie Wayne, K Matt Stover, and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues may also want to start RBs Joseph Addai & Donald Brown, as well as WRs Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie.  Leave WR Anthony Gonzalez (Questionable-knee) on the bench this weekend even if he is able to return.  RB Steven Jackson is the only Ram who needs to be in starting lineups, although TE Randy McMichael can also be started in deeper leagues.  Leave QB Marc Bulger and WRs Donnie Avery (Questionable-hip) & Keenan Burton on the bench.

San Francisco at Houston - 49ers’ rookie WR Michael Crabtree, known up until now for his nonsensical holdout, will finally get a chance to make a name for his exploits on the field.  The Texans are a great opponent for a rookie wide receiver making his debut, but I still expect the 49ers to attack primarily with their running game.  RB Frank Gore (Probable-ankle, foot) and TE Vernon Davis should be started, and QB Shaun Hill, WRs Isaac Bruce & Crabtree, and K Joe Nedney can be started in deeper leagues.  Leave RB Glen Coffee on the bench.  Texans to start include QB Matt Schaub, RB Steve Slaton, TE Owen Daniels, and WRs Andre Johnson & Kevin Walter.  WR Jacoby Jones and K Kris Brown (Probable-ankle) should also be considered in deeper leagues. 

San Diego at Kansas City - The thought that the Chargers were considered a preseason Super Bowl contender now seems like the biggest hoax this side of the Balloon Boy.  The Chargers get another chance to salvage their season this week as they play the lowly Chiefs, who finally had the good fortune to play the Redskins got their first win of the season last week.  Chargers to start include QB Philip Rivers, RBs LaDainian Tomlinson (Q-flu) & Darren Sproles, TE Antonio Gates, WRs Vincent Jackson & Chris Chambers, and K Nate Kaeding.  Chiefs to start include RBs Larry Johnson & Jamaal Charles, TE Sean Ryan, and WR Dwayne Bowe.  QB Matt Cassel can also be started in deeper leagues.

Green Bay at Cleveland - Cleveland Head Coach Eric Mangini is a big frequent target, but it’s shocking when even that bastion of football knowledge, Rolling Stone is piling on, comparing the embattled coach to Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Cue the Oompa Loompas.  Just about any Packer skill position player on your roster should be in your starting lineup, including QB Aaron Rodgers (Probable-foot), RB Ryan Grant, emerging TE Jermichael Finley, WRs Greg Jennings (Questionable-hip) & Donald Driver, K Mason Crosby, and the Defense.  RB Jamal Lewis is the only Brown worth starting this week; leave QB Derek Anderson (Questionable-ankle) and WR Mohamed Massaquoi on your bench.

New York Jets at Oakland - Finally, a week of good news for the faithful of Raider Nation.  First, the Raiders pull off a stunning upset over the Philadelphia Eagles.  Now comes word that Head Coach Tom Cable will not face assault charges for his alleged attack on former Raiders’ Assistant Coach Randy Hanson.  While not exactly the news that spurs spontaneous celebrations, hopefully the Raiders will be able to get back to the task at hand - losing football games.  This week’s beneficiaries of an extra bye week date with the Raiders are the New York Jets.  RBs Thomas Jones & Leon Washington, WR Braylon Edwards (Questionable-quad), K Jay Feely, and the Defense (even without Kris Jenkins) should all be started.  QB Mark Sanchez, TE Dustin Keller, and WR Jerricho Cotchery (Questionable-hamstring) can be added to the list in deeper leagues.  Oakland RB Justin Fargas and TE Zach Miller should both figure prominently in the Raiders’ offense, and both are worth starting.  RB Michael Bush is also a potential starter in deeper leagues.  For those two of you who have QB JaMarcus Russell on your roster, please cut him immediately don’t even think about starting him.  Ditto for WR Louis Murphy, who may be a very talented player, but will never get the chance to prove it so long as Russell remains the signal-caller.  Double ditto for WR Chaz Schilens (Probable-foot), who is likely to return this week.  RB Darren McFadden (Out-knee) remains sidelined.

Buffalo at Carolina - The Bills and the Panthers have two things in common:  two wins and a disgruntled wide receiver.  Carolina WR Steve Smith has been airing his frustrations publicly, while Buffalo WR Terrell Owens has resisted the urge to follow suit so far.  Both teams figure to rely more heavily on the run than the pass this week.  Bills to start include RBs Marshawn Lynch & Fred Jackson and the Defense.  Leave the Bills’ QB, whether it turns out to be Trent Edwards (Questionable-concussion) or Ryan Fitzpatrick, on the bench (or better yet, on waivers).  Ditto for WRs Owens & Lee Evans.  Panthers to start include RB DeAngelo Williams & Jonathan Stewart (Probable-Achilles’), Smith, and the Defense.  In the unlikely event they’re on your rosters, leave QB Jake Delhomme and WR Muhsin Muhammed out of your lineups.

New Orleans at Miami - With Dolphins’ RB Ricky Williams enjoying a career resurgence in Miami, it’s easy to forget that former Saints’ Head Coach Mike Ditka gave up an entire set of draft picks in order to select the Texas Toker Williams with the 5th pick of the 1999 draft.  That pick didn’t work out too well for the Saints, but they’ve long since forgotten, as they’ve arguably looked like the NFL’s best team through the first six weeks of the 2009 season.  Saints to start this week include QB Drew Brees, TE Jeremy Shockey (Questionable-shoulder), WRs Marques Colston & Lance Moore, and K John Carney.  If you’re in a deeper league, RBs Pierre Thomas & Mike Bell, WRs Devery Henderson & Robert Meachem, and the Defense can also be started.  Dolphins to start include QB Chad Henne, RBs Ronnie Brown & Williams, and WR Ted Ginn.  WR Davone Bess can also be started in deeper leagues.

Atlanta at Dallas - All is not well in Cowboy Country - WR Patrick Crayton was demoted this week in favor of record-setting teammate WR Miles Austin, and Crayton is not taking it well.  Crayton will not be the only unhappy Cowboy following this week’s shootout with the Falcons if, as I suspect, Atlanta prevails.  Falcons to start include QB Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner (Questionable-chest), TE Tony Gonzalez, WR Roddy White, and K Jason Elam.  WR Michael Jenkins can also be started in deeper leagues.  RB Jerious Norwood (Out-hip) will not play.  Cowboys to start include QB Tony Romo, RBs Marion Barber (Probable-thigh, thumb) & Tashard Choice, TE Jason Witten, WR Miles Austin, and K Nick Folk.  If WR Roy Williams (Probable-knee) plays, add him to the list.  If not, add Crayton to the list.  Leave RB Felix Jones (Probable-knee) on the bench.

Arizona at New York Giants - Imagine for a moment that Cardinals’ QB Kurt Warner and Giants’ QB Eli Manning could trade places.  Warner would have a running game and an offensive line good enough to keep the pressure on opposing defenses.  Manning would have a pair of All-Pro wideouts to throw to.  Even though the NFL equivalent of Wife Swap would undoubtedly make for scintillating television, it’s unlikely either Warner or Manning would agree to such an arrangement.  Cardinals to start include Warner and WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin (Questionable-ankle), & Steve Breaston (Questionable-knee).  Add RB Tim Hightower to the list in deeper leagues.  Do not start RB Chris Wells (Questionable-hip).  Giants to start include Manning (Probable-foot), RBs Brandon Jacobs & Ahmad Bradshaw (Questionable-ankle foot), TE Kevin Boss, WR Steve Smith, and K Lawrence Tynes.  Add WRs Mario Manningham (Probable-back) & Hakeem Nicks to the list in deeper leagues.

Philadelphia at Washington - The situation for Redskins’ Head Coach Jim Zorn keeps getting curiouser and curiouser.  Unfortunately for Zorn, there’s no rabbit hole he can use to disappear/escape from this mess.  In case you missed this week’s installment of As the Coach Twists, Zorn lost his offensive play-calling duties to Sherm Lewis.  Then came news that Redskins’ owner Daniel Snyder had offered Zorn’s current job to Mike Shanahan, who wisely declined.  Then came the equally distressing news that Zorn had considered walking out on his team in the middle of the season (did former Falcons’ Head Coach Bobby Petrino talk him out of it?).  Still, if the Redskins are embarrassed by the Eagles on Monday night on national television, look for the axe to fall.  I think there’s a better-than-even chance that happens.  Eagles to start include QB Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook (Probable-ankle), TE Brent Celek, WR DeSean Jackson, K David Akers, and the Defense.  RB LeSean McCoy and WR Jerry Maclin can also be started in deeper leagues.  WR Kevin Curtis (Out-knee) will miss yet another game.  The only Redskins worth starting are RB Clinton Portis (Questionable-ankle) and TE Chris Cooley.  Add WR Santana Moss to the list in deeper leagues.  If you tempt fate by starting QB Jason Campbell this week (or pretty much any week), you deserve what’s coming to you.

Good luck to your teams this weekend! 

Until next time,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa’s fan page on Facebook

If you actually enjoy all the roster manipulations that go with managing a fantasy football team through the bye weeks, then you will be very happy the next three weeks.  Instead of having just four teams with bye weeks, we’ll all be faced with 6 teams on bye.  Teams with a Week 7 bye are Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Seattle, and Tennessee.  Players with injuries or a bye week include

QB

• Matthew Stafford (bye, inj)
• Daunte Culpepper (bye, inj)
• Trent Edwards (inj)
• Joe Flacco (bye)
• Kyle Orton (bye)
• David Garrard (bye)
• Matt Hasselbeck (bye)

RB 

• Darren McFadden (inj) 
• Felix Jones (inj)
• Glen Coffee (inj)
• Frank Gore (inj)
• Sammy Morris (inj)
• LenDale White (bye, inj)
• Chris Johnson (bye)
• Ray Rice (bye)
• Willis McGahee (bye)
• Knowshon Moreno (bye)
• Correll Buckhalter (bye)
• Kevin Smith (bye)
• Maurice Jones-Drew (bye)

WR 

• Anquan Boldin (inj)
• Roy Williams (inj)
• Anthony Gonzalez (inj)
• Percy Harvin (inj)
• Jerricho Cotchery (inj)
• Derrick Mason (bye)
• Brandon Marshall (bye)
• Eddie Royal (bye) 
• Calvin Johnson (bye, inj) 
• Mike Sims-Walker (bye)
• Torry Holt (bye)
• T.J. Houshmandzadeh (bye)
• Nate Burleson (bye)

TE

• Todd Heap (bye)
• John Carlson (bye)

K 

• Adam Vinatieri (inj) 
• Matt Prater (bye)
• Jason Hanson (bye)
• Josh Scobee (bye)
• Olindo Mare (bye)
• Rob Bironas (bye)

 DEF

• Baltimore
• Denver
• Seattle

So, who are some players at each position who should be on your radar screen if you need a replacement?  The following list contains players who may not be available in your league, depending on the number of teams in your league and your roster requirements.  LT indicates players who may have fantasy value for the rest of the season, while ST indicates players whose fantasy usefulness is likely to be limited to the amount of time it takes a player ahead of them on the depth chart to recover from an injury/return from a suspension.  SPEC indicates a player whose fantasy worth may not be obvious now, but may be worth speculating on for use later in the season.  An asterisk (*) indicates a player whose team has a bye this week.

Quarterbacks

Shaun Hill (LT), Jake Delhomme (ST), Josh Johnson (ST), Marc Bulger (SPEC), Chad Henne (SPEC), Jason Campbell (SPEC), Derek Anderson (SPEC), Kevin Kolb (SPEC), Vince Young (SPEC *), Seneca Wallace (SPEC *), Josh Freeman (SPEC), and Matt Leinart (SPEC).

Running Backs

Laurence Maroney (LT), Justin Fargas (LT), Chris Wells (LT), Mike Bell (SPEC), Jerome Harrison (SPEC), Justin Forsett (SPEC), Michael Bush (SPEC), Jamaal Charles (SPEC), Chester Taylor (SPEC), Rashad Jennings (SPEC *), Maurice Morris (SPEC *), Ryan Moats (SPEC), Shonn Greene (SPEC), Bernard Scott (SPEC), Aaron Brown (SPEC), Marcus Mason (SPEC).

Wide Receivers

Lance Moore (LT), Donnie Avery (inj? LT), Mark Clayton (LT *), Kenny Britt (SPEC), Hakeem Nicks (SPEC), Andre Caldwell (SPEC), Michael Clayton (SPEC), Michael Jenkins (SPEC), Muhsin Muhammad (SPEC), Sammie Stroughter (SPEC), Mike Wallace (SPEC), Mohamed Massaquoi (SPEC), Deion Branch (SPEC *), Davone Bess (SPEC), Greg Camarillo (SPEC), Louis Murphy (SPEC), Chansi Stuckey (SPEC), Julian Edelman (SPEC), Earl Bennett (SPEC), Mike Furrey (SPEC), Kelley Washington (SPEC *), Bryant Johnson (SPEC *), Bobby Wade (SPEC), Mark Bradley (SPEC), Nate Washington (SPEC *), Robert Meachem (SPEC), Keenan Burton (SPEC), Jacoby Jones (SPEC), Joe Cribbs (SPEC).

Tight Ends

Jermichael Finley (LT), Zack Miller (SPEC), Sean Ryan (SPEC), Brandon Pettigrew (SPEC *), Marcedes Lewis (SPEC *), Ben Watson (SPEC), Randy McMichael (SPEC), Chris Baker (SPEC).

Kickers

John Carney (LT), Nick Folk (LT), Jason Elam (LT), Neil Rackers (LT), Robbie Gould (ST), John Kasay (ST), Jay Feely (ST), Rian Lindell (ST), Joe Nedney (ST).

Defenses

Indianapolis (ST), San Diego (ST), Carolina (ST).

I’ll post my analysis of the Week 7 games on Thursday.

Until then,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa fan page on Facebook

Thankfully, the Week 6 schedule features fewer obvious mismatches than Week 5 did.  Here are my recommendations:

Houston at Cincinnati - The Texans may have lost a heartbreaker last weekend in Arizona, but you certainly can’t blame WR Andre Johnson, who acquitted himself well in his personal battle with Cardinals’ WR Larry Fitzgerald for the unofficial title of “Best Wide Receiver in the NFL”.  Unfortunately for Houston, their road trip continues this week with a game against the Bengals’ vastly improved run defense, which has given up fewer than 100 rushing yards per game so far this season.  Combine that with the Texans’ inability to run the ball so far, and you can expect QB Matt Schaub to be putting the ball in the air 45-50 times.  Predictably, pinball-like scores may result.  Texans to start this week include Schaub, RB Steve Slaton (who figures to play a big part in the passing game), TE Owen Daniels, WRs Johnson & Kevin Walter, and K Kris Brown.  WR Jacoby Jones can also be started in deeper leagues.  Bengals to start against the Texans’ subpar defense include rejuvenated QB Carson Palmer, RB Cedric Benson, WR Chad Ochocinco, and K Shayne Graham.  WRs Laveranues Coles & Andre Caldwell can also be started in deeper leagues.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh - You had to wonder how focused the Browns were heading into their game last week against the Bills.  First, the Browns traded the troubled but talented Braylon Edwards midweek.  Then Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan made ill-advised comments about the Bengals’ game-winning overtime field goal the previous week (the outlandish gene must run in the family).  Surprisingly, the Browns were able to pull it together and defeat the equally inept Buffalo Bills 6-3.  The resurgent RB Jamal Lewis (Questionable-hamstring) and his teammates will try to build a winning streak against a Steelers’ defense that suffered another blow this week when DE Aaron Smith was lost for the rest of the season with a torn rotator cuff.  Still, I would recommend not starting Lewis or any other Browns this week.  If you play in a deep league and are truly desperate, then go ahead and take a chance on QB Derek “2 for 17″ Anderson and WR Mohamed Massaquoi, who probably wishes Edwards were still around to attract some of the defensive attention he’ll now be facing weekly.  Steelers to start include QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB Rashard Mendenhall, TE Heath Miller, WRs Hines Ward & Santonio Holmes, K Jeff Reed, and the Defense.  Do not start RB Willie Parker (Probable-toe).

St. Louis at Jacksonville - Speaking of bad teams facing distractions, it appears that talk show host Rush Limbaugh’s dream to become a part-owner of the Rams is DOA.  The good news for the Rams is that they’re facing a struggling Jaguars team that was shut out by the Seahawks last week.  Jacksonville has shown an inability to stop the pass this season, so count on Rams’ QB Marc Bulger to take to the air early and often.  Rams to start this week include Bulger, RB Steven Jackson, TE Randy McMichael, WR Donnie Avery, and K Josh Brown.  The Jaguars should find the Rams’ defense equally accommodating,  so make sure that QB David Garrard, RB Maurice Jones-Drew, TE Marcedes Lewis, WRs Mike Sims-Walker & Torry Holt, and K Josh Scobee are in starting lineups this week.

Kansas City at Washington - From the fun but useless information department comes this interesting tidbit:  the Redskins are the first team in NFL history to play their first six games against teams that were winless at the time.  Even if you’re not impressed by the fact that the Giants were winless going into their first game of the season, when you realize that the Redskins are just 2-3 in spite of this favorable schedule, it’s easy to see why many are down on Head Coach Jim Zorn.  At the risk of going out on a long limb, I predict the Redskins will get back to .500 by winning “the battle of the teams with politically incorrect Native American-related names”.  Chiefs to start include RB Larry Johnson and WR Dwayne Bowe.  Add QB Matt Cassel, RB Jamaal Charles, and TE Sean Ryan to the list if you’re in a deep league.  Redskins to start include QB Jason Campbell, RB Clinton Portis (Questionable-calf), TE Chris Cooley, WR Santana Moss, K Shaun Suisham, and the Defense.

Carolina at Tampa Bay - Panthers’ QB Jake Delhomme is suffering through a brutal season so far - the completion percentage isn’t bad, but the TD/INT (3/8) ratio is the opposite of what you’d want to see.  Still, Delhomme has proved in the past that he has a sense of humor, so hopefully he’s still optimistic about his chances to build on his team’s come-from-behind victory over the Redskins last week.  Panthers to start this week include Delhomme, RBs DeAngelo Williams & Jonathan Stewart (Questionable-Achilles’), WR Steve Smith, K John Kasay, and the Defense.  Add WR Muhsin Muhammed to the list if you’re in a deep league.  RB Cadillac Williams is the only Buccaneer I’d start this week, although if you’re in a deep league, QB Josh Johnson and RB Derrick Ward are also worth considering.  Do not start RB Earnest Graham (Probable-hamstring) or WR Antonio Bryant (Questionable-knee).

New York Giants at New Orleans - It’s hard to believe, but it’s already been four years since the last time the Giants were scheduled to play in New Orleans.  Sadly, Hurricane Katrina reminded us all of the relative insignificance of a football game.  Although the contest was moved to the Meadowlands, the Saints wore their home jerseys that night, and the Saints generally appreciated the outpouring of emotion directed their way (well, maybe not Joe Horn, perhaps because there weren’t any cellphones in the goalposts).  While these two undefeated teams both feature a number of offensive weapons, I expect the defenses to dominate in this game.  The Giants’ Defense should be started, but QB Eli Manning (Questionable-foot), RBs Brandon Jacobs & Ahmad Bradshaw (Questionable-ankle/foot), and WR Steve Smith should be started only by those without more favorable options this weekend.  The only Saints to start include RB Pierre Thomas (Questionable-hamstring), TE Jeremy Shockey, and the Defense.  That’s right - I’d leave QB Drew Brees, RB Reggie Bush, and WRs Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, & Robert Meachem on the bench this weekend unless you have no other options.

Baltimore at Minnesota - Hard as it may be to believe now, there was a time last winter when it appeared possible that Ravens’ LB Ray Lewis and Vikings’ QB Brett Favre would be teammates.  Instead, Lewis and his mates will spend Sunday afternoon trying to chase down the 40-year-old legend, who’s 5-0 for the first time in his illustrious career.  Fortunately for Lewis and the rest of the Ravens, second-year QB Joe Flacco has played at a high level this season and should be in lineups this weekend.  Other Ravens to start include RB Ray Rice, TE Todd Heap, and WRs Derrick Mason & Mark Clayton.  Leave RB William McGehee on your bench this weekend.  Vikings to start include Favre, TE Visanthe Shiancoe, and WR Bernard Berrian.  RB Chester Taylor and WRs Sidney Rice & Percy Harvin can also be started in deeper leagues.  No, you’re not missing anything - I would advise against starting All-Universe RB Adrian Peterson this weekend because I don’t think he’ll be successful running the ball against the Ravens’ defense (yes, I believe Cedric Benson’s performance against the same defense last weekend was a fluke).

Detroit at Green Bay - For a number of years the Lions have served as one of the NFL’s laughingstocks.  That seems to be changing in a hurry.  Two weeks ago they ended their 19-game losing streak.  Last week they gave the defending Super Bowl champions a competitive game.  QB Matthew Stafford (Questionable-knee), RB Kevin Smith, TE Brandon Pettigrew (Probable-hamstring), and WR Calvin Johnson (Questionable-thigh) form an exciting young core group of players.  If Stafford and Johnson are healthy enough to play this week, the Lions may also give the Packers a run for their money.  Lions to start this week include Smith, Pettigrew, Johnson, and K Jason Hanson.  If he plays, add Stafford to the list in deeper leagues, along with WR Brandon Johnson.  If Stafford isn’t able to play, substitute backup QB Daunte Culpepper’s name for Stafford’s in the previous sentence.  Packers worth starting include QB Aaron Rodgers, RB Ryan Grant, WRs Greg Jennings & Donald Driver, and K Mason Crosby.  Add TEs Jermichael Finley & Donald Lee to the list in deeper leagues.

Philadelphia at Oakland - Raiders’ QB JaMarcus Russell is often accused of being overweight, which gives him something in common with former Ralph Lauren model Filippa Hamilton.  The Raiders have looked like the worst team in the NFL so far this season, and that doesn’t figure to change this week.  Eagles to start include QB Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook, TE Brent Celek (Probable-knee), WR DeSean Jackson, K David Akers, and the Defense.  I would not recommend starting any Raiders this week, no matter how deep your league is.

Arizona at Seattle - Tim Hasselbeck is best known as a career backup QB, the co-host of ESPN’s Sunday morning fantasy football show, and the husband of The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck.  Older brother Matt Hasselbeck has put together an underappreciated career as the Seahawks quarterback.  Hasselbeck showed no signs of being affected by his broken ribs last week during Seattle’s whitewashing of Jacksonville, so this game figures to be an aerial shootout.  Cardinals to start include QB Kurt Warner, WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, & Steve Breaston (Questionable-knee), and K Neil Rackers.  RB Tim Hightower can be started in deeper leagues.  I would leave RB Chris Wells on the bench until Arizona gets him more involved in their running game.  Seahawks to start include Hasselbeck (Probable-ribs), TE John Carlson, WRs T.J. Houshmandzadeh & Nate Burleson (Questionable-back), and K Olindo Mare.

Tennessee at New England - Surprisingly, I haven’t seen anyone yet referring to the Titans as the best 0-5 team in NFL history.  Tennessee has officially crossed the point of no return for its 2009 season, and their struggles figure to continue this weekend against the Patriots.  Even if Head Coach Jeff Fisher were to switch quarterbacks this week, the only Titan I’d start this weekend is RB Chris Johnson.  The Patriots may not be able to run much against Tennessee, so don’t spend time trying to figure out whether RB Sammy Morris will continue to get more carries than RB Laurence Maroney - neither should be in your lineup this week.  However, there are a number of Patriots who should be started Sunday:  QB Tom Brady (Probable-shoulder really?!?), WRs Randy Moss & Wes Welker (Questionable-knee), K Stephen Gostkowski, and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues should also consider starting RB Kevin Faulk and TE Ben Watson.

Buffalo at New York Jets - Sign of the times:  you know an NFL coach is officially on the hot seat when a website with the URL “FireJohnDoe.com” springs up.  Bills’ Head Coach Dick Jauron, you are officially on the hot seat (no need to thank me - I do it as a public service).  There are no Bills I consider must-starts this week, although if you’re in a deeper league RBs Fred Jackson & Marshawn Lynch and the Defense can be started.  Jets worth starting include RBs Thomas Jones & Leon Washington, TE Dustin Keller, WR Braylon Edwards, and the Defense.  I would stay away from QB Mark Sanchez and WR Jericho Cotchery (Questionable-hamstring) in this matchup.

Chicago at Atlanta - If the football thing doesn’t work out for Falcons’ WR Roddy White, I’m sure Ringling Bros. would hire him as an acrobat.  White is also an arbiter of opponents’ celebrations, as he cut short a premature one in last week’s game by 49er Dre’ Bly.  I don’t think the Bears will be celebrating at the end of their Sunday night showdown with the Falcons, but they still have a number of start-worthy options this week:  QB Jay Cutler, RB Matt Forte, TE Garrett Olsen, and K Robbie Gould.  Those in deeper leagues can also try to sort through the Bears’ mess at wide receiver and start Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, or Earl Bennett.  Falcons to start include QB Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner, TE Tony Gonzalez, WR Roddy White, and K Jason Elam (Probable-hamstring).  RB Jerious Norwood and WR Michael Jenkins can also be started in deeper leagues.

Denver at San Diego - Some throwback jerseys are undeniably classy.  Then there are the monstrosities worn last weekend by the Broncos in their game last week against the Patriots.  Thankfully, unlike ice skating, there are no points deducted in the NFL for “presentation”.  In spite of the talented offensive players on both teams, I’m predicting this game will be a defensive struggle.  The only Broncos I’d start would be RB Knowshon Moreno and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues can also start QB Kyle Orton and WRs Brandon Marshall & Eddie Royal.  The only Chargers I’d start would be TE Antonio Gates and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues can also start QB Philip Rivers and WR Vincent Jackson.  I would avoid Charger RBs LaDainian Tomlinson & Darren Sproles.

Good luck to your teams this weekend! 

Until next time,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa’s fan page on Facebook

Thankfully, not too many serious injuries from Week 5, but we still have another bye week to deal with.  Teams with a Week 6 bye are Dallas, Indianapolis, Minnesota, and San Francisco.  Players with injuries or a bye week include

QB

• Matthew Stafford (inj?)
• Kyle Boller (inj)
• Tony Romo (bye)
• Peyton Manning (bye)

RB 

• Darren McFadden (inj) 
• Correll Buckhalter (inj) 
• Felix Jones (bye, inj)
• Glen Coffee (bye, inj)

WR 

• Calvin Johnson (inj?) 
• Johnny Knox (inj?)
• Devin Hester (inj?) 
• Roy Williams (bye, inj) 
• Reggie Wayne (bye)
• Pierre Garcon (bye)
• Ted Ginn (bye)

TE

• Kevin Boss (inj?)
• Jason Witten (bye)
• Dallas Clark (bye)
• Vernon Davis (bye)

K 

• Nick Folk (bye)
• Adam Vinatieri (bye, inj)

 DEF

• Dallas
• Indianapolis
• Miami
• San Francisco

So, who are some players at each position who should be on your radar screen if you need a replacement?  The following list contains players who may not be available in your league, depending on the number of teams in your league and your roster requirements.  LT indicates players who may have fantasy value for the rest of the season, while ST indicates players whose fantasy usefulness is likely to be limited to the amount of time it takes a player ahead of them on the depth chart to recover from an injury/return from a suspension.  SPEC indicates a player whose fantasy worth may not be obvious now, but may be worth speculating on for use later in the season.  An asterisk (*) indicates a player whose team has a bye this week.

Quarterbacks

Marc Bulger (LT), Shaun Hill (LT *), Jason Campbell (LT), Josh Johnson (SPEC), Chad Henne (SPEC *), Derek Anderson (SPEC), Kevin Kolb (SPEC), Vince Young (SPEC), Seneca Wallace (SPEC), Josh Freeman (SPEC), and Matt Leinart (SPEC).

Running Backs

Jamal Lewis (LT), Sammy Morris (SPEC), Chris Wells (SPEC), Michael Bush (SPEC), Jamaal Charles (SPEC), Jerome Harrison (SPEC), Jerious Norwood (SPEC), Chester Taylor (SPEC), Mike Bell (SPEC), Laurence Maroney (SPEC), Justin Fargas (SPEC), Justin Forsett (SPEC), Rashad Jennings (SPEC), Maurice Morris (SPEC), Ryan Moats (SPEC), Shonn Greene (SPEC), Bernard Scott (SPEC), Aaron Brown (SPEC), Marcus Mason (SPEC).

Wide Receivers

Miles Austin (LT *), Donnie Avery (LT), Sidney Rice (LT), Mark Clayton (LT), Jeremy Maclin (SPEC), Austin Collie (SPEC), Kenny Britt (SPEC), Hakeem Nicks (SPEC), Antoine Caldwell (SPEC), Michael Clayton (SPEC), Michael Jenkins (SPEC), Muhsin Muhammad (SPEC), Sammie Stroughter (SPEC), Mike Wallace (SPEC), Mohamed Massaquoi (SPEC), Deion Branch (SPEC), Davone Bess (SPEC *), Greg Camarillo (SPEC *), Josh Morgan (SPEC *), Louis Murphy (SPEC), Chansi Stuckey (SPEC), Julian Edelman (SPEC), Earl Bennett (SPEC), Mike Furrey (SPEC), Kelley Washington (SPEC), Bryant Johnson (SPEC), Bobby Wade (SPEC), Mark Bradley (SPEC), Nate Washington (SPEC), Robert Meachem (SPEC), Keenan Burton (SPEC).

Tight Ends

Zack Miller (SPEC), Sean Ryan (SPEC), Brandon Pettigrew (SPEC), Marcedes Lewis (SPEC), Ben Watson (SPEC), Randy McMichael (SPEC), Chris Baker (SPEC).

Kickers

Jason Elam (LT), Neil Rackers (LT), Jay Feely (LT), Robbie Gould (ST), Jason Hanson (ST), John Carney (ST).

Defenses

Carolina (ST), Jacksonville (ST), St. Louis (ST).

I’ll post my analysis of the Week 6 games on Thursday.

Until then,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa fan page on Facebook

Just wanted to let everyone in Sherpaville know that we’ve been quoted on Forbes.com in Zack O’Malley Greenburg’s piece on the NFL’s most difficult schedules and the related impact on fantasy football teams.  I argue against the popular “always start your studs” approach - I’d be curious to know what you think.  Enjoy!

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa fan page on Facebook

Week 3 of the NFL season is in the books, and we now have both injuries and the first of seven bye weeks to deal with.  Teams with a Week 4 bye are Arizona, Atlanta, Carolina, and Philadelphia.  Players with injuries or a bye week include

QB

• Matt Hasselbeck
• Chad Pennington (out for season?)
• Kurt Warner
• Matt Ryan
• Jake Delhomme
• Donovan McNabb

RB 

• Frank Gore
• Kevin Smith
• Marion Barber
• Mike Bell
• Jamal Lewis
• LaDainian Tomlinson
• Felix Jones
• Tim Hightower
• Chris Wells
• Michael Turner
• DeAngelo Williams
• Brian Westbrook

WR 

• Wes Welker
• Lance Moore
• Laurent Robinson (out for season)
• Larry Fitzgerald
• Anquan Boldin
• Steve Breaston
• Roddy White
• Steve Smith (Car)
• DeSean Jackson

TE

• Tony Gonzalez
• Brent Celek

K 

• Neil Rackers
• Jason Elam
• John Kasay
• David Akers

 DEF

• Atlanta
• Carolina
• Philadelphia

So, who are some players at each position who should be on your radar screen if you need a replacement?  The following list contains players who may not be available in your league, depending on the number of teams in your league and your roster requirements.  LT indicates players who may have fantasy value for the rest of the season, while ST indicates players whose fantasy usefulness is likely to be limited to the amount of time it takes a player ahead of them on the depth chart to recover from an injury/return from a suspension.  SPEC indicates a player whose fantasy worth may not be obvious now, but may be worth speculating on for use later in the season.

Quarterbacks

Mark Sanchez (LT), Matthew Stafford (LT), Seneca Wallace (ST), Kyle Boller (ST), Chad Henne (ST), Josh Johnson (ST), Kevin Kolb (SPEC), Derek Anderson (SPEC), Vince Young (SPEC), Josh Freeman (SPEC), Tyler Thigpen (SPEC), and Matt Leinart (SPEC).

Running Backs

Ahmad Bradshaw (LT), Ricky Williams (LT), Correll Buckhalter (LT), LeSean McCoy (LT), Michael Bush (LT), Glen Coffee (ST), Tashard Choice (ST), Maurice Morris (ST), Rashard Mendenhall (SPEC), Laurence Maroney (SPEC), Jamaal Charles (SPEC), Justin Forsett (SPEC), Bernard Scott (SPEC), Jerious Norwood (SPEC), Aaron Brown (SPEC), Jerome Harrison (SPEC).

Wide Receivers

Mike Sims-Walker (LT), Donnie Avery (LT), Pierre Garcon (LT), Louis Murphy (LT), Michael Jenkins (LT), Muhsin Muhammad (LT), Chansi Stuckey (LT), Julian Edelman (ST), Kenny Britt (SPEC), Davone Bess (SPEC)Earl Bennett (SPEC), Mike Furrey (SPEC), Kelley Washington (SPEC), Bryant Johnson (SPEC), Bobby Wade (SPEC), Mark Bradley (SPEC), Sammie Stroughter (SPEC), Nate Washington (SPEC), Sidney Rice (SPEC), Josh Morgan (SPEC), Andre Caldwell (SPEC), Robert Meachem (SPEC), Johnny Knox (SPEC), Jeremy Maclin (SPEC), Keenan Burton (SPEC).

Tight Ends

Vernon Davis (LT), Ben Watson (SPEC), Chris Baker (SPEC), Randy McMichael (SPEC), Brandon Pettigrew (SPEC), Jermichael Finley (SPEC), Marcedes Lewis (SPEC), Shawn Nelson (SPEC).

Kickers

Rian Lindell (ST), Jay Feely (ST), Matt Prater (ST), Joe Nedney (ST), Jason Hanson (ST).

Defenses

Washington (SPEC), San Francisco (SPEC), Cincinnati (SPEC), Buffalo (SPEC), Seattle (SPEC), Denver (SPEC).

I’ll post my analysis of the Week 4 games on Thursday.

Until then,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa fan page on Facebook

Hi everyone,

I recently did an interview about fantasy football for a local television station - I’m on between 27:00 and 35:00.

Enjoy!

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Fantasy Football Sherpa’s Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to let all of you out there in Sherpaville know that I’ll be holding a fantasy football seminar tonight at the Dugout Pub on Staten Island - the fun starts at 7:30pm!  I’ll be going over fantasy football strategies as well as player recommendations for the upcoming season.  There’ll also be some football trivia w/ some great giveaways as prizes!

Hope you’re able to attend - if not, please tell any friends you have in the area!

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter