START 'EM

Bears: RB Matt Forte, K Robbie Gould, defense and special teams

Dolphins: WR Brandon Marshall, K Dan Carpenter, defense and special teams

Quick slants: Forte has rushed for only 159 yards and been held out of the end zone in his last three games, but he has six TDs overall and is an asset in PPR leagues (30 receptions for 324 yards and three scores). ... Gould has 59 points in nine games, but scored nine last week and should have a few field-goal attempts in what could be a low-scoring game. ... The Bears' defense ranks fourth in total yards (301.9 per game), second in points (16.2) and second against the run (82.3 yards per game). ... Marshall, as we pointed out yesterday, hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 3. He has 18 catches for 185 yards in his last four games and has been limited to 71 yards or fewer in eight of nine contests with Miami. He's due (we can only hope). ... The Dolphins' defense ranks eighth in total yards (314.1 per game), 13th in points allowed (21.3) and sixth against the pass (204). ... Carpenter, with 80 points in nine games, is fantasy's best kicker. Not counting bonuses for field goals of 40 yards or more, he has scored 11 or more points in four of his last five games and has 58 points in that span.

SIT 'EM

Bears: QB Jay Cutler, RB Chester Taylor, WR Johnny Knox, WR Devin Hester, TE Greg Olsen

Dolphins: QB Tyler Thigpen, RB Ronnie Brown, RB Ricky Williams, WR Davone Bess, WR Brian Hartline, TE Anthony Fasano

Quick slants: Cutler has five touchdowns in his last two games, but had as many interceptions (seven) as touchdown passes in his first six contests. ... Taylor has a combined 21 carries the last two weeks, but has 306 total yards and one TD on the season. ... Knox has 32 receptions for 617 yards, but he's scored only one TD and has had four or fewer receptions in six of nine games. ... Hester, with 24 catches for 243 yards and two TDs, continues to prove he's much better as a returner than receiver. ... Olsen has a TD in two consecutive games, but has had 43 yards or fewer in all but one game and has nine receptions in his last five. ... Thigpen, who is making his first start since 2008 because of injuries to Chad Henne and Chad Pennington, was pretty good two years ago with the Chiefs (2,608 yards passing, 18 TDs, 386 yards rushing, three TDs), but I wouldn't play him against a Bears defense that has 14 interceptions and has allowed just six TD tosses. ... Brown has a score in two straight, but he has three TDs on the season and has rushed for 65 yards or fewer in seven of nine games. ... Williams, with 452 total yards on 36 fewer touches than Brown (137 to 101), has been more effective than his backfield mate, but you can't play him until he gets more opportunities. ... Bess has 48 catches, but has had 53 receiving yards or fewer in six of nine games and is averaging 44 yards with zero TDs in his last three. ... Hartline had five catches for 98 yards last week, but you don't want to take a chance on a No. 3 receiver who hasn't had a TD since Week 2 -- even if he is a former Buckeye. ... Fasano had a big Week 10 (five catches for 107 yards and one TD), but had a combined nine catches for 111 yards and zero scores in the three games prior to that.

We'll get to Tony Romo's possible season-ending injury later this week, but first let's take a quick look around the NFL from a fantasy standpoint after a Week 7 that was more high-scoring than an old-school Golden State Warriors game.

Start 'em

-- Dwayne Bowe, we'll give you the benefit of the doubt after catching nine passes for 189 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games. But like colleague Mark Podolski, I don't trust you, not after you had nine catches for 152 yards and one TD in the Chiefs' first four games.

-- Brandon Jackson, RB, Packers: He has 35 carries for 226 yards (6.5 average) and one TD in his last three games. He's only receiving about 15 touches per game, but he has made them count of late. In point-per-reception leagues, Jackson has been valuable the last few weeks (he has 11 catches for 100 yards in the three-game span).

-- Mike Williams, WR, Seahawks: He has 21 catches for 210 yards in his last two games. Maybe Pete Carroll knows what he's doing. Or was it Matt Millen?

Sit 'em

Jay Cutler, QB, Bears: I give up. Cutler has thrown one TD pass and been picked off five times in his last three games. He had the reverse (five TDs and one pick) in his first two contests. He just got sacked while you read those two sentences.

-- Brent Celek, TE, Eagles: He was very productive last season (76 catches, 971 yards and eight TDs), but apparently Donovan McNabb took Celek's value with him to Washington. Celek has scored twice, and both passes were from Kevin Kolb, who will be benched in favor of Michael Vick when the Eagles return from their Week 8 bye. Celek has 229 yards in seven games.

Stock down

-- Tony Gonzalez, TE, Falcons: Roddy White is so excellent Gonzalez is an afterthought. The game's most productive tight end ever has 29 catches for 292 yards and three TDs in seven games. He is on pace for 667 yards, which would be his fewest since 1998, his second NFL season. I wouldn't bench Gonzalez, but I would be concerned.

Player to watch

-- David Gettis, WR, Panthers: The rookie had eight catches for 125 yards and two TDs last week, and Carolina plays at St. Louis on Sunday. I wouldn't start Gettis, but he's worth monitoring with Matt Moore back as the starting QB.

Free-agent picks

Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson is somehow owned in only 14.1 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com, and he should be considered an every-week starter while Ryan Fitzpatrick is piling up numbers. Johnson has a touchdown in four straight games, capped by an eight-catch, 158-yard, one-TD performance Sunday at Baltimore.

Fitzpatrick has thrown for 594 yards and seven TDs in Buffalo's last two games. If you're desperate for a QB (Romo and Brett Favre owners?), he's worth a look, depending on the matchup.

Quick slants

-- Nice to have you back, Darren McFadden, but next time you plan on scoring four touchdowns, can you do us all a favor and make it look like you're going to be a big part of the game plan during the week?

-- That's seven TDs in five weeks for Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt, after he had five catches for 41 yards and no scores in his first two contests. I'd say he has a fighting chance of having a productive season. Thanks. I'll be here all week.

-- You can't bench him, but Ray Rice has only two TDs overall, and he has 24 catches for 139 yards on the year. The Ravens running back caught 78 passes for 702 yards last season.

Stats of the week

5: That's McNabb's number, and it's the reason Santana Moss seems to be rejuvenated. The Redskins receiver has 42 receptions for 548 yards and two TDs in seven games. He's on pace for 96 catches for 1,253 yards.

Moss has had only one 1,200-yard season -- a 1,483-yard career year in 2005. That is the only year in which he has had more than 79 catches (he had 84).

Before we watch Chris Johnson and Maurice Jones-Drew go head-to-head tonight, and see whether Good Mike Sims-Walker (Weeks 2 and 4) or awful MSW (Weeks 1, 3 and 5) shows up under the watchful eyes of Jon "I Love Everyone" Gruden, let's get to some quick takes from the sixth Sunday of the NFL season.

-- Again, take your time, Clinton Portis. Those of us lucky enough to acquire Ryan Torain a few weeks ago are reaping the benefits. The Redskins running back had 20 carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns Sunday night, and he has 210 yards and three TDs on the ground in his last three games. He's a No. 2 back in any format.

-- Welcome back, Dwayne Bowe (six receptions, 108 yards and two TDs), but I still don't trust you. The Chiefs receiver had nine receptions and one TD in his first four contests.

Start 'em

-- Colts receiver Pierre Garcon, who has 10 receptions for 160 yards and one TD the last two weeks. Viewed as a top-20 receiver entering the season, Garcon was upstaged by Austin Collie in Weeks 1 and 2 (the former Mount Union standout had a combined four catches for 54 yards in the two games), then sat the next two contests because of a hamstring injury. He seems healthy now, and Peyton Manning continues to prove he can keep everyone happy -- Collie, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark each had at least six catches Sunday night.

-- Patriots receiver Deion Branch, who had nine receptions for 98 yards and a TD in his first game back with Tom Brady. The Pats spread the ball around as much as the Colts, but Branch seems to be the safest wide receiver option other than PPR machine Wes Welker. The latter had seven catches in his first game post-Moss.

-- Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb, as long as Andy Reid keeps starting him, of course. In two games with Michael Vick out with a rib injury, Kolb has completed 73.3 percent of his passes (44 of 60) for 579 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception. Now healthy (Kolb suffered a concussion in Week 1, which led to Vick's resurgence), he seems to be a top-10 fantasy QB when in Philly's lineup.

-- If Dolphins receiver Davone Bess is still available in your league (he's somehow owned in fewer than 19 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com), pick him up and play him every week in PPR formats. Bess has 19 receptions for 219 yards and two TDs in his last three games.

Sit 'em

-- Broncos receiver Eddie Royal, who suffered a hamstring injury in Week 6 and has seven catches for 68 yards and zero TDs the last two games. Royal had a promising first four weeks (25 receptions for 299 yards and two TDs), but now seems to be the No. 3 option behind Brandon Lloyd and Jabar Gaffney.

-- Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown, if you have the roster flexibility. Brown hasn't scored since Week 1, hasn't rushed for more than 80 yards in a game, and he has only 10 catches for 53 yards on the season. As a Brown owner, I also don't feel good about Ricky Williams' numbers the last two contests: 21 carries for 120 yards (5.7 average), five receptions for 44 yards and an average of 6.3 yards per touch.

Stock up

-- Seahawks receiver Mike Williams, who had 10 catches for 123 yards in his first game since Branch was traded to the Patriots. I wouldn't consider him an every-week starter (he had 11 receptions in his first four games), but Williams is the best fantasy receiving option on the Seahawks.

-- Lions receiver Nate Burleson, who has a touchdown in consecutive weeks and has 10 catches in that span. He is a No. 3 fantasy wideout.

Stock down

-- Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who has zero touchdowns and one interception in his last two games. If you have two quality quarterbacks -- say Kolb, Kyle Orton or Ben Roethlisberger -- I'd start any of the three over Cutler.

Stat of the week

43: Cowboys running back Felix Jones' touches in his last two games. Jones had 10 receptions in Week 6 and clearly is Dallas' top back, and Wade Phillips finally realized it -- or he was told that was the case by Lord Jerry Jones, Ruler Of The Annual Underachievers.

Kevin Kolb was impressive in place of Michael Vick last Sunday night, completing 21 of 31 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown in a 27-24 win at San Francisco.

Vick hasn't been ruled out this week, but it seems likely he'll sit for another game because of a rib injury. If that's the case, I'd consider Kolb a starter only in 14-team leagues.

The Falcons, Philly's opponent Sunday, have twice as many interceptions (10) as touchdown passes allowed (five) this season.

Let's take a quick look at some more notable injury predicaments owners are facing this weekend:

-- Raiders running back Darren McFadden is expected to return this week from a hamstring injury, but will be in a limited role. Sunday's opponent, the 49ers, haven't been great against the run -- San Francisco ranks 18th at 111.4 rushing yards allowed per game. McFadden had 392 rushing yards, 16 receptions for 162 yards and two total TDs in Oakland's first four games, but I wouldn't play him this week.

Michael Bush rushed for 104 yards and a TD on 26 carries in McFadden's absence last week, and he caught three passes for 31 yards. He is the better play of the two this week, but should still be considered a flex option at best.

-- Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno hasn't played the last three weeks because of a hamstring injury, and he doesn't seem likely to play Sunday. Until he returns, there isn't a Denver back worth starting. Correll Buckhalter has rushed for 62 yards on 32 carries (1.9 average) this season, and Laurence Maroney continues to disappoint (29 carries for 56 yards, 1.9 average in three games since he was acquired from the Patriots).

-- Saints running back Pierre Thomas likely will sit for the third consecutive game because of an ankle injury, again leaving the rushing chores to Chris Ivory and Ladell Betts. If you have to play one -- and it's better if you don't, obviously -- Betts is the more productive option because of his receiving ability. Ivory has rushed for 106 yards on 22 carries the last two weeks, and Betts has 23 carries for 91 yards and nine catches for 49 yards in that span. Neither has scored a touchdown this season.

-- The news is more favorable for the Colts' top rusher, Joseph Addai. He was limited in practice by a neck injury Wednesday and sat Thursday, but he said he expects to play Sunday night at Washington. The 8:30 start complicates the situation, but the Redskins are a decent matchup for opposing running backs (Washington ranks 19th against the run). If you have Addai and an available roster spot, pick up Mike Hart (who is available in more than 98 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com) as a backup plan in case Addai is inactive Sunday night. Backup Donald Brown has been hampered by a hamstring injury, and Hart had 11 carries for 50 yards and a TD last week.

-- Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is expected to return from a concussion Sunday. He was awful in Week 4 before he was knocked out of the game by the Giants, but he threw for 870 yards and six touchdowns in Chicago's first three contests. I'd start him at home against the Seahawks, who rank 31st vs. the pass and are allowing 302 passing yards per game.

-- Lions receiver Calvin Johnson probably will be a game-time decision because of a shoulder injury. Detroit plays at 1 p.m. Sunday, so it's an easy fix if he's deactivated an hour before the game. I would recommend teammate Nate Burleson as a replacement, but he, too, is hindered by an injury. Burleson has been a limited participant in practice the last two days because of an ankle injury.

-- Peyton Hillis has been surprisingly prolific in his first five games with the Browns, but the combination of a leg injury and Sunday's matchup at Pittsburgh should put him on your bench this week. The Steelers' opponents have rushed 95 times for 249 yards (a 2.6 average) this season. Pittsburgh ranks No. 1 against the run.

-- On a non-injury note, the only winner, if there is such a thing in this case, in the Jerome Harrison-Mike Bell trade between the Browns and Eagles is Bell. Harrison might be the better player, but the reason Bell has done nothing this season is LeSean McCoy (365 yards rushing, five TDs, 28 receptions for 218 yards) has been the No. 1 running back in many PPR formats. Harrison likely will only be a factor if McCoy has a setback with his rib injury.

Bell was effective at times in 2006 with the Broncos (677 yards, eight TDs) and 2009 with the Saints (654 yards, five TDs). He figures to get more chances this season than Harrison.

Expect a lot of scoring tonight -- the 49ers' defense ranks 24th against the pass, and the Bears have been very susceptible vs. the run (No. 21 in the league, seven rushing TDs allowed).

START

Bears: QB Jay Cutler, RB Matt Forte, WR Devin Hester, TE Greg Olsen, K Robbie Gould

49ers: RB Frank Gore, WR Michael Crabtree, TE Vernon Davis, K Joe Nedney

Quick slants: Forte has been disappointing, but there is hope. The consensus top-five fantasy pick has rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns and caught eight passes for 105 yards in his last two games. He has posted more than 100 total yards in back-to-back games for only the second time all season. ... Hester has 27 catches for 359 yards and a TD in his last four games. In that span, he's had at least six receptions and 81 yards in each contest. ... Cutler is coming off his best fantasy day as a Bear, a 369-yard, three-TD effort against the Cardinals. ... Olsen had only 10 catches for 94 yards and two scores in his first four games, but has 17 catches, 192 yards and four TDs in his last four. He matched his TD total for the season by scoring three times last week. ... Gore has erased any worries about his ankle injury in the last two games, during which he's rushed 28 times for 174 yards (6.2) and two TDs, and caught 12 passes for 118 yards. ... Look for Crabtree to score his first NFL touchdown against a beat-up Bears secondary. ... Davis, who has been one of this year's best draft-day bargains, has 35 receptions and seven TDs in his last six games.

SIT

Bears: WR Earl Bennett, WR Johnny Knox, defense and special teams

49ers: QB Alex Smith, WR Josh Morgan, WR Isaac Bruce, defense and special teams

Quick slants: Bennett is worth a look only in deep PPR leagues. He had seven catches for 93 yards last week, but has yet to reach the end zone. ... Knox, who had three TDs in Chicago's first five games, has only 116 yards and zero TDs in the last three games. ... Smith could be useful in deeper leagues. He's thrown for 690 yards and six scores, with five interceptions, in three games.

Let's get to the usual round of injury updates, led again this week by the wideouts:

-- Anquan Boldin and Devin Hester both have sprained ankles, and both are expected to play. I'd consider Boldin a No. 2 receiver this week against the Bears, and Hester a No. 3 against the Cards' No. 20 pass defense.

-- Calvin Johnson is expected to return from a knee injury, and Mario Manningham should play through a shoulder ailment. Johnson is a low-end No. 2, high-end No. 3 wide receiver this week, and I wouldn't play Manningham unless I was desperate because of injury or bye-week issues.

-- Bucs receiver Antonio Bryant (knee) will be a game-time decision, but the combination of his 2009 struggles and the first start for rookie QB Josh Freeman should prevent you from playing the '08 fantasy surprise.

-- Lions running back Kevin Smith (shoulder) likely will play in pain again, but isn't a quality option against the Seahawks (see below).

On to the start-and-sit lists, and a reminder that if you have a lineup question, e-mail me at the address above instead of posting a comment at the end of the blog.

Five to start

This week’s look at part-time starters and fantasy backups who should benefit from a favorable matchup:

-- Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens, at Bengals: His touchdown totals in his last five games: 1-2-1-2-1. Even more reason to like Flacco’s chances of throwing for at least a pair of scores against the Bengals’ No. 30 pass defense.

-- Donovan McNabb, QB, Eagles, vs. Cowboys: He’s barely throwing for more than 200 yards per game, but he does have nine TDs and only one interception in five contests. Expect McNabb to have a big game vs. Dallas, which ranks 22st defending the pass.

-- Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs, at Jaguars: The suspended Larry Johnson won’t play this week (and maybe not again for the Chiefs), leaving the bulk of the carries to Charles. The second-year back has been impressive in limited duty, and he should produce vs. the Jags, who rank 25th vs. the run.

-- Julius Jones, RB, Seahawks, vs. Lions: After a productive start to the season, Jones has been held to 120 yards rushing in his last four games. The guess here is he’ll break out against the Lions (No. 21 vs. the run).

-- Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers, vs. Titans: He has 13 receptions in two games since ending his holdout, and the rookie should score his first touchdown against the league’s worst pass defense, one that has allowed a league-high 19 TD tosses.

More matchups I like:

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons, vs. Redskins; Mike Bell, RB, Saints, vs. Panthers; Hakeem Nicks, WR, Giants, vs. Chargers; Steve Breaston, WR, Cardinals, at Bears

Three to sit

If you have a decent backup, these starters should take a seat for a week:

-- Jay Cutler, QB, Bears, vs. Cardinals: He has thrown six interceptions in his last three games, four (with only one touchdown pass) in his last two and has as many picks (11) as TD tosses (11) on the season.

-- Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos, vs. Steelers: There aren’t many backs who are quality plays against the Steelers’ top-ranked run defense, one that has allowed only two rushing TDs and has given up 76.6 yards per game on the ground. Moreno has rushed for only 83 yards in Denver’s last two games.

-- Kevin Smith, RB, Lions, at Seahawks: He’s battling a shoulder injury, and Seattle has been surprisingly decent (No. 10) against the run. Smith hasn’t scored in his last three games.

More matchups I don’t like:

Eli Manning, QB, Giants, vs. Chargers; Ricky Williams, RB, Dolphins, at Patriots; Laurence Maroney, RB, Patriots, vs. Dolphins; Steve Slaton, RB, Texans, at Colts

Last week

The start list had two standouts in Matt Forte (90 yards rushing, two touchdowns and two catches for 31 yards) and LaDainian Tomlinson (56 yards rushing and two TDs). Devin Hester (seven catches for 81 yards) was decent, and the two Jaguars on the list — David Garrard (139 yards passing, 22 yards rushing, two interceptions) and Torry Holt (two catches for 17 yards) — were busts.

The sit list had two good calls in Joe Flacco (175 yards passing and one TD) and Ahmad Bradshaw (21 yards rushing, one TD) and one bad one in Donovan McNabb (240 yards passing, three touchdowns and 14 yards rushing).

Playlist

QUARTERBACKS
1. Peyton Manning, Colts, vs. Texans (No. 14 vs. the pass)
2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers, at Buccaneers (No. 15)
3. Tom Brady, Patriots, vs. Dolphins (No. 21)
4. Drew Brees, Saints, vs. Panthers (No. 1)
5. Joe Flacco, Ravens, at Bengals (No. 30)
6. Donovan McNabb, Eagles, vs. Cowboys (No. 22)
7. Philip Rivers, Chargers, at Giants (No. 3)
8. Matt Schaub, Texans, at Colts (No. 7)
9. Matt Ryan, Falcons, vs. Redskins (No. 2)
10. Kurt Warner, Cardinals, at Bears (No. 12)
11. Tony Romo, Cowboys, at Eagles (No. 10)
12. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers, at Broncos (No. 8)
13. Carson Palmer, Bengals, vs. Ravens (No. 19)
14. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks, vs. Lions (No. 27)
15. Jay Cutler, Bears, vs. Cardinals (No. 20)
16. Eli Manning, Giants, vs. Chargers (No. 6)
17. Kyle Orton, Broncos, vs. Steelers (No. 16)
18. Matt Cassel, Patriots, at Jaguars (No. 26)
19. David Garrard, Jaguars, vs. Chiefs (tied for No. 28)
20. Alex Smith, 49ers, vs. Titans (No. 32)

RUNNING BACKS
1. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars, vs. Chiefs (No. 26 vs. the run)
2. Michael Turner, Falcons, vs. Redskins (No. 22)
3. Ray Rice, Ravens, at Bengals (No. 5)
4. Frank Gore, 49ers, vs. Titans (No. 18)
5. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers, at Saints (No. 11)
6. Chris Johnson, Titans, at 49ers (No. 2)
7. Ryan Grant, Packers, at Buccaneers (No. 30
8. Cedric Benson, Bengals, vs. Ravens (No. 4)
9. Pierre Thomas, Saints, vs. Panthers (No. 24)
10. Joseph Addai, Colts, vs. Texans (No. 20
11. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins, at Patriots (No. 15)
12. Brandon Jacobs, Giants, vs. Chargers (No. 27)
13. Marion Barber, Cowboys, at Eagles (No. 12)
14. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers, at Broncos (No. 3)
15. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers, at Giants (No. 19)
16. Clinton Portis, Redskins, at Falcons (No. 23)
17. Brian Westbrook, Eagles, vs. Cowboys (No. 13)
18. Matt Forte, Bears, vs. Cardinals (No. 8)
19. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs, at Jaguars (No. 25)
20. Julius Jones, Seahawks, vs. Lions (No. 21)
21. Mike Bell, Saints, vs. Panthers (No. 24)
22. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers, at Saints (No. 11)
23. Ryan Moats, Texans, at Colts (No. 17)
24. Tim Hightower, Cardinals, at Bears (No. 16)

WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Randy Moss, Patriots, vs. Dolphins (No. 21 vs. the pass)
2. Reggie Wayne, Colts, vs. Texans (No. 14)
3. Greg Jennings, Packers, at Buccaneers (No. 15)
4. Marques Colston, Saints, vs. Panthers (No. 1)
5. Wes Welker, Patriots, vs. Dolphins (No. 21)
6. Andre Johnson, Texans, at Colts (No. 7)
7. Roddy White, Falcons, vs. Redskins (No. 2)
8. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals, at Bears (No. 12)
9. Chad Ochocinco, Bengals, vs. Ravens (No. 19)
10. Vincent Jackson, Chargers, at Giants (No. 3)
11. DeSean Jackson, Eagles, vs. Cowboys (No. 22)
12. Donald Driver, Packers, at Buccaneers (No. 15)
13. Derrick Mason, Ravens, at Bengals (No. 30)
14. Miles Austin, Cowboys, at Eagles (No. 10)
15. Steve Smith, Panthers, at Saints (No. 17)
16. Hines Ward, Steelers, at Broncos (No. 8)
17. Brandon Marshall, Broncos, vs. Steelers (No. 16)
18. Steve Smith, Giants, vs. Chargers (No. 6)
19. Michael Crabtree, 49ers, at Titans (No. 32)
20. Nate Burleson, Seahawks, vs. Lions (No. 27)
21. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks, vs. Lions (No. 27)
22. Mike Sims-Walker, Jaguars, vs. Chiefs (tied for No. 28)
23. Anquan Boldin, Cardinals, at Bears (No. 12)
24. Santonio Holmes, Steelers, at Broncos (No. 8)
25. Calvin Johnson, Lions, at Seahawks (No. 18)
26. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs, at Jaguars (No. 26)
27. Santana Moss, Redskins, at Falcons (No. 31)
28. Devin Hester, Bears, vs. Cardinals (No. 20)
29. Austin Collie, Colts, vs. Texans (No. 14)
30. Steve Breaston, Cardinals, at Bears (No. 12)
31. Hakeem Nicks, Giants, vs. Chargers (No. 6)
32. Torry Holt, Jaguars, vs. Chiefs (tied for No. 28)
33. Roy Williams, Cowboys, at Eagles (No. 10)
34. Kevin Walter, Texans, at Colts (No. 7)
35. Johnny Knox, Bears, vs. Cardinals (No. 20)
36. Nate Washington, Titans, at 49ers (tied for No. 28)

MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL: For a breakdown of five players to trade and five players to acquire as we begin the second half of the fantasy season, click here. The link also includes this week’s audiocast.

When us fantasy freaks think of things we need more of in the NFL, running-back committees rank far below DIRECTV's Sunday Ticket and slightly above more high-definition closeups of an annoyed Eric Mangini.

Well, buckle up, boys and girls, we've got another committee, thanks to one of this year's biggest busts, Steve Slaton.

Slaton was fantastic as a rookie last season, when he ran for 1,282 yards, averaged 4.8 yards per carry, scored 10 touchdowns and caught 50 passes for 377 yards. This year, not so much.

The Texans running back was benched early last week after losing his fifth fumble of the season. In his place, Ryan Moats -- who had 56 yards in Houston's first seven games -- ran for 126 yards and three TDs on 23 carries and had two receptions for 25 yards.

That has led to speculation this week that Moats, who has 623 career rushing yards in limited duty since 2005, will take over as the Texans' featured back. Coach Gary Kubiak, however, has refused to name a starter, but did say Slaton, Moats and Chris Brown all will play.

Thanks, Coach. I'm sure this week's opponent, the Colts, are every bit as nervous as Slaton owners.

In Houston's first seven games, Slaton had 109 rushing attempts, Brown 36 and Moats 15. So what was a one-man attack is now a two-headed monster -- but not of the Saints variety (the productive Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell combo). Instead, it's more of a don't-play-either-unless-you-have-to-because-of-bye-weeks-situation.

Of the two, Moats has more value this week, since he should at least start. If he gets the majority of the carries, he could be a decent No. 2 running back going forward, when the Texans face the Titans (Week 11, No. 18 vs. the run), Jaguars (Week 13, No. 25 vs. the run) and Rams (Week 15, No. 28).

But at this point, you can't trust Slaton or Moats. Because six teams are off this week, Moats is a low-level No. 2 running back. Slaton is a reserve.

And committees continue to remind us of the evil doings of Mike Shanahan.

Replacement players

If you were among the unfortunate owners who lost standout tight ends Chris Cooley (who will miss at least another few weeks because of a broken ankle) and/or Owen Daniels (who will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury), let's look at five players who are available in the majority of the leagues on ESPN.com. We'll do so in descending order to build the drama:

5. Kevin Boss, Giants (owned in 39.5 percent of the ESPN leagues): He was impressive last season (33 catches for 384 yards and six touchdowns) and anything but in the Giants' first five games this year (11 receptions for 161 yards and zero scores). Boss had three catches for 70 yards and a TD last week, and he has six receptions in his last two games. The bad news: He's been limited this week by a sprained ankle (but he is expected to play). Week 9 opponent: Chargers (No. 6 vs. the pass).

4. Benjamin Watson, Patriots (30.2 percent): He has four touchdowns on the season, but six of his 15 catches and 77 of his 222 yards were in the Patriots' season opener (as were two of his TDs). Week 9 opponent: Dolphins(No. 21 vs. the pass).

3. Spencer Havner, Packers (1.6 percent): This seems like a reach, until you consider Havner has three touchdowns in the Pack's last two games. He's not going to be much of an asset in point-per-reception leagues, but with Jermichael Finley likely out again this week because of a knee injury, Havner could at least get you six points the old-fashioned, non-PPR way. Week 9 opponent: at Buccaneers (No. 15 vs. the pass).

2. Todd Heap, Ravens (41.8 percent): He's had three or more catches in five consecutive games, but he hasn't had a TD in that span after scoring twice in the first two weeks. Week 9 opponent: at Bengals (No. 30 vs. the pass).

1. Fred Davis, Redskins (3.1 percent): When Cooley was injured in Week 7 against the Eagles, Davis, a second-round pick in 2008, was targeted 10 times and caught eight passes for 78 yards and a TD. Considering Cooley has averaged 4.6 receptions per game since 2007, Davis figures to get plenty of opportunities to produce for a struggling offense. Week 9 opponent: at Falcons (No. 31 vs. the pass).

Start 'em

-- Matt Forte, RB, Bears: How much were his 90 yards rushing and two TDs a product of how awful the Browns have been? Likely quite a bit, but I would at least see how the 2008 rookie stud and '09 disappointment performs in tough matchups this week against the Cardinals (No. 8 vs. the run) and in Week 10 at the 49ers (No. 2).

-- Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers: With 11 catches and 15 targets in two games since ending his holdout, I'd consider the rookie an every-week starter in PPR leagues.

Sit 'em

-- Jay Cutler, QB, Bears: He's thrown as many interceptions (11) as touchdown passes, and there are too many productive quarterbacks this season to continue starting him every week.

-- Eli Manning, QB, Giants: He hasn't thrown for more than 243 yards since Week 4, and he has twice as many picks (six) as TD tosses (three) in his last three games.

Drop 'em

-- Roy Williams, WR, Cowboys: Remember him? Whether Williams wants to admit it or not, and apparently he doesn't, Austin Miles is Dallas' top receiver. Williams has one TD since Week 1 and has had 35 receiving yards or fewer in four of his last five games. If you need the roster space and have a few productive receivers, he is a candidate to hit the waiver wire.

-- Eddie Royal, WR, Broncos: Another game, another shutout. It's amazing that a player who caught 91 passes as a rookie in 2008 has a total of 10 catches for 68 yards in six of Denver's seven games (Royal had 10 catches for 90 yards in the other, a Week 5 win over the Patriots). Royal has yet to reach the end zone, and it's hard to argue with letting him go at this point.

Closing numbers

Cardinals running back Tim Hightower -- who has struggled mightily on the ground (3.3 yards per carry this season and 2.9 in his two-year career) -- has four more catches (39) than teammate Anquan Boldin.

Hightower had 34 receptions in 16 games as a rookie last season. Boldin, who has battled injuries but played in all seven games this year, had 89 catches in 12 games in 2008. Hightower also has five TDs to Boldin's one in 2009.

As Donovan McNabb owners, we knew our starting quarterback would get hurt.

We just didn't think said inevitable injury would occur in the third quarter of the first game.

With McNabb -- who played 16 games last season, after missing a combined 15 the previous three years -- out Sunday with a fractured rib, there might be more than a few decent alternatives available on the waiver wire in your league. And Kevin Kolb is not one of them.

Here are four who are available in more than 40 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com:

-- 1. Shaun Hill, 49ers (available in 89.1 percent of the ESPN leagues): In 10 games played since the start of the 2008 season, he has thrown for 2,255 yards and 14 touchdowns, with eight interceptions and two rushing TDs. Sunday, he'll face a Seahawks defense that was the NFL's worst against the pass last year.

-- 2. Trent Edwards, Bills (available in 42.7 percent of the ESPN leagues): He was impressive against the Patriots on Monday night (212 yards and two TDs), and Sunday the Bills host the Bucs, who allowed 462 total yards to Dallas in Week 1.

-- 3. Byron Leftwich, Buccaneers (available in 95.1 percent of the ESPN leagues): He threw for 276 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys, and the Bills' defense nearly allowed 400 yards through the air on Monday.

-- 4. Jason Campbell, Redskins (available in 78.1 percent of the ESPN leagues): He certainly isn't much help in the scoring department (26 TD passes in 30 games since 2007), but even he should produce in a home game against the Rams.

-- Four likely backups who have favorable matchups this week: Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks, at 49ers; Kyle Orton, Broncos, vs. Browns; Joe Flacco, Ravens, at the Chargers; David Garrard, Jaguars, vs. the Cardinals.

Linked in: Before we get to the start-and-sit lists, here are a few links. This is the column I wrote for Saturday's print editions about Anthony Gonzalez's knee injury, along with some buy-and-sell performances from Week 1. Here is a recap of the live chat we held Thursday (we'll have another this Thursday at 4 p.m. on the homepage of News-Herald.com), and here is a blog I wrote Thursday regarding LaDainian Tomlinson's injury.

Five to start

Our weekly look at part-time starters and fantasy backups who should benefit from a favorable matchup:

-- Brett Favre, QB, Vikings, vs. Lions: If there is ever a week to start the indecisive one, this is it. The Lions ranked 27th against the pass last season and were quite generous to Drew Brees in Week 1.

-- Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers, at Bears: The Steelers, even if they don't want to admit it, are morphing into a pass-first offense under Big Ben. The Bears ranked 30th vs. opposing QBs last season, and they will play the rest of 2009 without their best defensive player, Brian Urlacher.

-- Fred Jackson, RB, Bills, vs. Buccaneers: Marshawn Lynch better be in shape when he returns from his suspension, because Jackson showed Monday night he can the featured back. The Bucs ranked 19th against the run in 2008 and gave up 118 rushing yards to the Cowboys last week.

-- Nate Burleson, WR, Seahawks, at 49ers: He caught seven passes for 74 yards and a TD last week, and the 49ers ranked 20th vs. the pass in 2008.

-- Isaac Bruce, WR, 49ers, vs. Seahawks: The ageless one continues to produce, and as we mentioned previously, no defense was worse against the pass last season than Seattle.

-- More matchups I like: Larry Johnson, RB, Chiefs, vs. Raiders; Darren McFadden, RB, Raiders, at Chiefs; Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings, at Lions; Julius Jones, RB, Seahawks, at 49ers; Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seahawks, at 49ers; Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals, at Packers; Justin Gage, WR, Titans, vs. Texans.

Three to sit

If you have a quality backup, these starters should take a seat for a week:

-- Jay Cutler, QB, Bears, vs. Steelers: You already know about his debacle of a Bears debut in Green Bay, and it doesn't get any easier this week against the league's top defense, even with Troy Polamalu out of the lineup.

-- Matt Schaub, QB, Texans, at Titans: Andre Johnson owners were not happy with him in Week 1, and Schaub owners shouldn't rely on the QB this week, either. The Titans are still a top-10 defense without Albert Haynesworth.

-- Kevin Smith, RB, Lions, vs. Vikings: He faces the league's best run defense, and we're going to venture a guess that this game won't be close and Detroit will be throwing quite a bit.

-- More matchups I don't like: Eli Manning, QB, Giants, at Cowboys; Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers, vs. Ravens; Willie Parker, RB, Steelers, at Bears; any Saints running back at Eagles.

-- One matchup I don't dislike or like: Darren Sproles, RB, Chargers, vs. Ravens: I wouldn't have started L.T. in this one even if he would have attempted to play, but I wouldn't be surprised if Sproles has a productive game against Baltimore, especially in point-per-reception leagues. He's a decent flex play this week, but I wouldn't consider him a No. 2 back.

-- How we fared in Week 1: On the start list, Joe Flacco (307 yards, three TDs, one interception, 18 rushing yards), Matt Hasselbeck (279 yards, three TDs, two interceptions) and Cedric Benson (76 yards rushing, one TD, four receptions for 32 yards) were productive. Donnie Avery (six catches for 46 yards, 8 yards rushing) and Reggie Bush (14 yards rushing, five catches for 55 yards) were OK at best in PPR leagues and duds in other formats. The sit list of Santana Moss (two catches for 6 yards), Larry Johnson (20 yards rushing, one catch for 6 yards) and Darren McFadden (68 yards rushing, two receptions for 25 yards) was 3-for-3.

On to the expanded playlist ...

QUARTERBACKS

1. Tom Brady, Patriots, at Jets
2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers, vs. Bengals
3. Peyton Manning, Colts, at Dolphins
4. Drew Brees, Saints, at Eagles
5. Kurt Warner, Cardinals, at Jaguars
6. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks, at 49ers
7. Matt Ryan, Falcons, vs. Panthers
8. Tony Romo, Cowboys, vs. Giants
9. Brett Favre, Vikings, vs. Lions
10. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers, at Bears
11. Shaun Hill, 49ers, vs. Seahawks
12. Philip Rivers, Chargers, vs. Ravens
13. x-Matt Cassel, Chiefs, vs. Raiders
14. Carson Palmer, Bengals, at Packers
15. Kyle Orton, Broncos, vs. Browns
16. Jay Cutler, Bears, vs. Steelers
17. Joe Flacco, Ravens, at Chargers
18. David Garrard, Jaguars, vs. Cardinals
19. Matt Schaub, Texans, at Titans
20. Trent Edwards, Bills, vs. Buccaneers
x-Make sure Cassel, who is listed as questionable with a knee injury, plays.

RUNNING BACKS

1. Adrian Peterson, Vikings, at Lions
2. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars, vs. Cardinals
3. Chris Johnson, Titans, vs. Texans
4. Michael Turner, Falcons, vs. Panthers
5. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers, at Falcons
6. Frank Gore, 49ers, vs. Seahawks
7. Brian Westbrook, Eagles, vs. Saints
8. Clinton Portis, Redskins, vs. Rams
9. Ryan Grant, Packers, vs. Bengals
10. Steven Jackson, Rams, at Redskins
11. Matt Forte, Bears, vs. Steelers
12. Steve Slaton, Texans, at Titans
13. Marion Barber, Cowboys, vs. Giants
14. Brandon Jacobs, Giants, at Cowboys
15. Thomas Jones, Jets, vs. Patriots
16. Julius Jones, Seahawks, at 49ers
17. Derrick Ward, Buccaneers, at Bills
18. Larry Johnson, Chiefs, vs. Raiders
19. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins, vs. Colts
20. Cedric Benson, Bengals, at Packers
21. Fred Jackson, Bills, vs. Buccaneers
22. Ray Rice, Ravens, at Chargers
23. Darren McFadden, Raiders, at Chiefs
24. Joseph Addai, Colts, at Dolphins

WIDE RECEIVERS

1. Randy Moss, Patriots, at Jets
2. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals, at Jaguars
3. Greg Jennings, Packers, vs. Bengals
4. Reggie Wayne, Colts, at Dolphins
5. Roddy White, Falcons, vs. Panthers
6. Andre Johnson, Texans, at Titans
7. Wes Welker, Patriots, at Jets
8. Calvin Johnson, Lions, vs. Vikings
9. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks, at 49ers
10. Chad Ochocinco, Bengals, at Packers
11. Steve Smith, Panthers, at Falcons
12. Eddie Royal, Broncos, vs. Browns
13. Marques Colston, Saints, at Eagles
14. y-Anquan Boldin, Cardinals, at Jaguars
15. DeSean Jackson, Eagles, vs. Saints
16. Hines Ward, Steelers, at Bears
17. Terrell Owens, Bills, vs. Buccaneers
18. Derrick Mason, Ravens, at Chargers
19. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs, vs. Raiders
20. Santonio Holmes, Steelers, at Bears
21. Braylon Edwards, Browns, at Broncos
22. Brandon Marshall, Broncos, vs. Browns
23. Nate Burleson, Seahawks, at 49ers
24. Bernard Berrian, Vikings, at Lions
25. Donald Driver, Packers, vs. Bengals
26. Santana Moss, Redskins, vs. Rams
27. Justin Gage, Titans, vs. Texans
28. Isaac Bruce, 49ers, vs. Seahawks
29. Torry Holt, Jaguars, vs. Cardinals
30. Lee Evans, Bills, vs. Buccaneers
31. Steve Smith, Giants, at Cowboys
32. Devin Hester, Bears, vs. Steelers
33. Donnie Avery, Rams, at Redskins
34. Ted Ginn Jr., Dolphins, vs. Colts
35. Percy Harvin, Vikings, at Lions
36. Michael Clayton, Buccaneers, at Bills
y-Boldin (hamstring injury) is expected to play, but make sure he's active before kickoff.

We interrupt the non-stop baseball portion of this blog to address the non-stop soap opera of the NFL offseason.

Jay Cutler finally has a new home, and it's one almost none of saw coming.

The Broncos traded the 25-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback to the Bears on Thursday, getting two first-round picks, a third-round pick and Kyle Orton for Cutler and a fifth-round selection in this month's NFL draft.

Instead of Cutler in Cleveland, Tampa, New York or any other rumored destination, the strong-armed, seemingly thin-skinned QB is in the Windy City, forced to contemplate life with Devin Hester and Rashied Davis and his top wide receivers.

Rookie Broncos coach Josh McDaniels' reputation has taken a hit during this juvenile, back-and-forth, text-message-filled drama, but maybe not as big of a blow as the one Cutler's fantasy value just endured.

In January, I ranked Cutler third in a list of the top keeper-league candidates at quarterback, trailing only Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. Four months from now, fantasy owners will be considering whether to spend an early draft pick on a QB whose top receivers -- at the moment -- are a running back (Matt Forte), tight end (Greg Olsen) and Pro Bowl kick returner (Devin Hester, who led all Bears with 665 receiving yards last season).

Heading into next season, Cutler has to drop behind Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo, a seemingly healthy Tom Brady and a re-signed Kurt Warner, and don't be surprised if many owners prefer Matt Ryan, Matt Cassel (the guy who inadvertently started this whole mess because of McDaniels' preference of coaching him in New England), Donovan McNabb and even Ben Roethlisberger over Cutler.

Instead of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, Cutler is faced with a depth chart of Hester, Davis (35 catches for 445 yards and two TDs last season) and Vanderbilt product Earl Bennett (zero catches as a rookie in 2008) as his top three wide receivers. He does have a solid tight end in Olsen (54 receptions for 574 yards and five TDs last season) and a stud running back (Forte) who is a very good receiver (a team-high 63 grabs in 2008).

Conservatively, Cutler's new home plummets him from No. 3 at QB to No. 9 entering next season. The list starts with Manning, Brees, Rivers, Warner and Rodgers, and Brady, Romo and Ryan should also surpass Cutler. If you prefer McNabb or Cassel, the case could be made that Cutler has dropped from an upper-echelon fantasy QB to a low-end No. 1, and possibly a No. 2 in 10-team leagues.

The biggest beneficiaries of this deal figure to be Hester (who could score double-digit touchdowns next season with the strong-armed Cutler throwing to him), Forte (who might find more running room) and, yes, Orton.

The latter has been a punching bag for many during his career in Chicago, but he was pretty effective for much of last season, when he threw for 2,979 yards and 18 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions and three TDs on the ground. The bearded one now goes to a franchise with a young, gifted offensive mind calling the shots, and two young, productive receivers in Marshall and Royal.

Could Orton be a better fantasy option than Cutler next season? Will that be one of the crazier, ironic subplots of 2009?

I wouldn't rule it out. But I would rule out taking Cutler in the first few rounds next August.

He got his wish. And it's one he might be second-guessing sometime this fall.