Players on the rise

Oct 08, 2009 at 07:23 AM

The only thing worse for fantasy owners than underperforming players are players not on the field because of their bye weeks. This week the Bears, Packers, Saints, and Chargers are all taking a break and that means there will be some studs you can't use. Good thing for you I give you players on the rise and fall so you know what others don't know.

On the rise

##### On the decline

Jake Delhomme:Delhomme is sporting a 59.3% mark in completions, 6.6 YPA, and just two TDs to 7 INTs this season. I had him on my do not draft list… did you?

Tony Romo:I am not saying to cut him, so calm down Romo lovers. But, why everyone anointed him a superstar is beyond me. He has as many interceptions as he does touchdowns and his value continues to plummet. Some may say buy low, I say bench him and hope he rebounds.

LaDainian Tomlinson:I am a HUGE LT fan, but I can't ignore the fact that he is on the wrong side of 30 and just isn't the player he used to be. Too many people took him too high in their drafts, and now they are paying for it. It is time to get out of that deal if you can.

Steve Smith (CAR):Where there is smoke, there is fire. In Carolina, Smith isn't the problem; Jake Delhomme is. With QB problems come WR problems, and Smith is learning that this season. Maybe the bye week helped solve some issues, but I doubt it. Smith is going to have a hard time regaining any value this season.

Anthony Fasano:Pennington is gone, Henne is in. Add to that the fact that all this team can run is the wildcat offense and you have a recipe for WR and TE disaster. TE has always been an all or nothing category, so players like Fasano are most likely not going to have any fantasy value now or in the second half of the season.

Start 'em

##### Sit 'em

Tom Brady:Yes, I said it… Tom Brady. The Broncos are 3rd in the league in passing yards against (162.5 YPG), they haven't allowed a passing TD (1st), they have six INTs as a team (T-3rd), and they are 2nd in sacks (15) and 2nd in passer rating against (56.0).

Seneca Wallace: Word is Matt Hasselbeck is splitting reps with Wallace this week in practice. With two week of 250+ yards and a TD, Wallace is getting some attention from the waiver wires. I wouldn't be so quick as the Seahawks wideouts aren't the best around and Wallace has been a bust so far in his career. Walter Jones (knee), Sean Locklear (ankle), and Rob Sims (ankle) are all out. I wouldn't play Wallace or Hasselbeck this weekend.

Cedric Benson: I love Benson this season, but not against the Ravens. Baltimore is just too good against the run (1st at 59.5 YPG). Not much more to it than that, really.

Michael Bush/Justin Fargas:With Darren McFadden out for 2-4 weeks, people are running to the waiver wire to pick up both Bush and Fargas. Over the next three weeks the Raiders play the Giants, Eagles, and Jets, so neither is worth picking up.

Mohamed Massaquoi: Those who couldn't get a Raiders RB settled for Massaquoi, and there is no reason to get excited yet. The Bills are 21st against the pass and the Browns are 26th in passing, so the numbers are on my side. He reminds me a lot of someone named Louis Murphy.

Roy E. Williams:Williams has suffered along with Romo this season, and this weekend shouldn't be any different. With just 11 receptions in four weeks, I am not going to hold my breath for a breakout weekend.

Zach Miller (OAK):I had high hopes for Miller heading into the preseason, but JaMarcus Russell is looking more and more like a bust and that is killing any value for a player wearing the silver and black.

Tennessee Titans defense:What a wasted pick this has been for anyone that reached to pick the Titans defense. The team is 0-4 and ranked 27th in points against (108), so facing Peyton Manning and all his toys this weekend is going to help.

Question of the week

Maurice Jones-Drew * Frank Gore * Cedric Benson * Rashard Mendenhall * Ronnie Brown

Vincent Jackson
DeSean Jackson
Steve Smith NYG
Randy Moss
Marques Colston

Gore is out 3 weeks... so he will come a little cheaper than he should; Benson is looked at as a sell high candidate but I think he is the real deal this year; Mendenhall is in the perfect system for a RB since the Steelers are a run-first team and he has some major skills to work with. Brown is all the Dolphins have for offense; Jackson and Jackson are just top dogs; Steve Smith is making people in New York say "Plaxico who?" Moss and Brady will figure it out and finish strong in the second half; Colston is playing on the greatest show on turf.

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