Fantasy Football: Week Six Hangover

Just when I write everyone in Cleveland off, they go and pull that against the Giants. I'm amazed more than anything. If you look at the numbers, it was possible for the Browns to put up those kind of numbers, but it just wasn't bloody likely. It's a funny game, that's for certain. It's why we wrap it all up with the Hangover. Let's get to it.

Fantasy Up

1. Steve Breaston - With Anquan Boldin sidelined, Breaston stepped in and produced a solid game opposite Larry Fitzgerald. The question will be how long Boldin remains out. The Cardinals have a bye this week, but no indication has been given regarding how they will move forward with him. If Boldin remains out, Breaston's value will remain high.
2. Maurice Jones-Drew - He's been very erratic this season, but runs well against defenses that he should run well against. Another guy with a bye next week, but comes back to three weeks of Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Detroit. Not a bad reason to keep him around.
3. Marvin Harrison - Marvin stepped in the way-back machine for that performance against the Ravens. With the inconsistent line play, and Joseph Addai's injury, Manning has had to force more passes than normal. Harrison was able to get separation this week, and will need to do that going forward to help take the pressure off of Clark and Gonzalez.
4. Braylon Edwards - I don't who said it or what they said, but that was the first time this season that Edwards has shown up. It's easy to get carried away with a one-week performance, but let's hope Edwards is able to build on this and keep it going. That's our story.
5. Vincent Jackson - Jackson had a more than solid game acting as the top receiver in the place of Chris Chambers. He gives Rivers another weapon to use in the offense. With Tomlinson hurting, Jackson should see enough looks to warrant him starts as a flex option in most formats.

Fantasy Down

1. Jason Campbell - Two bad weeks in a row made this one really an easy call. Campbell needed to torch a secondary that hadn't stopped anyone all season. Getting the win last week made it easier to handle than it did this week. The problem is, he's bringing down another guy on this list with him.
2. Brett Favre- We should come to expect this from Favre at this point. He can be amazing one game and look lost in the next. The Bengals have a tough pass defense, and that seems to have been the problem Favre has had in most of his sub-par games. He can't beat the good defenses. Look to him as a matchup play moving forward.
3. Terrell Owens - I know, how can we put this guy on the list? It mainly results from the fact that he's been blanketed in coverage and now has a guy throwing to him with an arm worse than Chad Pennington (Brad Johnson). Ready for an explosion?
4. Adrian Peterson- As we pointed out in the roundup yesterday, Peterson had his third week in a row of single-digit performances. Peterson is a product of the fact that teams are loading up on Minnesota against the run and making Frerotte pass. He's better at it than Jackson, but not so much that teams won't take the gamble.
5. Santana Moss - Another bad week for Moss as a product of another bad week for Campbell. You have to have faith that he's going to put up better numbers, but this is a loaded division. I'm calling a case of selling here. If he has a solid game this week, look to move him. He has too many opponents tough against the pass on the docket.

We could throw Jon Kitna in here as well, since it appears that regardless of the injury, he'll be headed to the IR. The Lions are ready to cut ties, so unless there's a trade, his value is negligible.

You Shouldn't Trust the Performance of...

...Steve Smith. Not the one on Carolina. I've been pegging Smith for weeks as a guy that owners should be looking at in the New York offense. Every week I list him, every week he disappears. I find it very hard to believe that what we saw last night is a factor of his ability to catch passes as much as it was a couple injuries and some rust on Burress.

He's not a regular add in any format. Owners should look to Smith as a bye-week fill-in in deeper leagues. Beyond that, his performances are going to be to hard to get a read on.

Obviously, you don't trust Patrick Cobbs and Malcolm Floyd quite yet. One big game does not a season make for these guys.

I'm Most Concerned About...

...the top drafted running backs, Peterson and Tomlinson. We just explained the reasoning on Peterson, but we're putting Tomlinson in on this one too. The fact is, he's not healthy. He's kept on the field because the threat he poses on every play, but that's been basically as a decoy the last two weeks. The toe injury is hurting his ability to cut quickly, and has rendered him ineffective when working in a receiver slot.

Obviously, not a guy you can give up on, but I'd start listening to trade offers on these guys more intently. You just need to make sure that you're getting value for them. Their schedules get more favorable, especially in the playoffs. Hopefully, by that point, Peterson and the Vikings will have figured it out and Tomlinson will be fully healthy. If there ever were a guy that needed a bye week, it's LDT.

Workin' the Wire

• Sammy Morris - I don't know about you, but I'm not very trusting when it comes to running backs that admit to having "issues." Morris got the bulk of the work thanks to Maroney's issues and Jordan's inactive status. Denver can be run on, and he could be a solid add for teams this week.
• Marcedes Lewis - While Jacksonville is on bye this week, tight ends are still going to be needed later in the year. Lewis has been solid as a guy to work the middle for Garrard. Given that there are plenty of issues with the health of their receivers, Lewis could be a big play guy moving forward.
• Steve Breaston- As discussed up top, Breaston is going to have value so long as Boldin is hurt. Even when Boldin returns, Breaston has proven that he can catch passes, and could still provide value in the flex spot in deeper leagues. Arizona is going to throw, so the multiple targets work in the team's favor.
• Dominic Rhodes - Until we know the full extent of Addai's injury, Rhodes is the healthiest back in Indy. He's been the feature back before, handling most of the work in Addai's rookie year. He's a value add, as well as a needed handcuff.
• Ricky Williams- Ok, Ronnie Brown is getting the hype, but the Wildcat offense is going to benefit this guy too. As Miami started to demonstrate, there are plenty of wrinkles that they'll add to the package. Williams scored his first touchdown of the season this week, and should be able to find the end zone more often going forward.