It’s too early to tell, but things may be unfolding perfectly for a Cadillac Williams comeback. The running back, who has resumed football activities after starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, is getting healthy, while starter Earnest Graham may be done for the season with an ankle injury. Head coach Jon Gruden told the St. Petersburg Times that Graham’s status is “very much in question right now.”

Unfortunate for Graham, who was a terrific story in emerging from journeyman to starter in rushing for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. The Bucs rewarded him with a contract extension in the off-season, then paired him with veteran Warrick Dunn to round out a formidable 1-2 punch in the backfield. Read more »

The entire country, or at least those with the NFL network in their cable package, tuned in to the beginning of Thursday Night Football this week to watch former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn make his first professional start. What they got was a front row seat to watch one of the most disappointing offenses in the league break out of its funk and light up the scoreboard.

The Denver Broncos came out of the gates hot to start 2008. They weren’t held to under 34 points until they suffered their first loss in Week 4 to the Chiefs. In their first five games Denver’s quarterback Jay Cutler eclipsed 300 yards passing on three occasions, including games of 350 and 361.

Rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal blew up in his pro debut by receiving for 146 yards and a touchdown. The next week, in his first game of 2008, wideout Brandon Marshall followed Royal’s example and hauled in 18 passes for 166 yards and a score against division rival San Diego. Sitting at 4-1 during an AFC power-shift, Mike Shanahan and company seemed poise to grab the reins and ride the wave of success to a playoff berth and then some. Read more »

While the unknown is an exciting, sometimes-fruitful adventure in fantasy football, it remains exactly that - unknown. Second-year quarterback Brady Quinn is no exception, even if he is talented and relatively prepared to make his debut, which will come Thursday against Denver, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Fantasy owners, especially those who used a fifth-round draft pick on Derek Anderson, may not quite understand this move. After all, Anderson had been productive in the previous four weeks, throwing six touchdown passes to just one interception. But, he failed where it counted and was booed off the field in Sunday’s 37-27 loss to Baltimore. Read more »

“Yikes” is the only thought that came to mind upon seeing Rex Grossman back under center for a professional football game. For fantasy owners with stake in Kyle Orton’s success, the reaction was probably riddled with more expletives after seeing him exit with a high ankle sprain.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Orton could miss up to a month with that ankle sprain, an injury that initially looked much worse. Grossman will likely lead the NFC North-leading Bears against Tennessee next weekend, which is a tough pill to swallow for both Bears fans and fantasy owners alike. Read more »

Fantasy owners don’t much care about the turmoil in Dallas. That locker room can be a carnival or soap opera, but if the results on the field are there, why should we care? We all know that hasn’t been the case in recent weeks, which begs the question, does the return of quarterback Tony Romo (broken pinkie) immediately solve the team’s problems?

In the last two games with Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger under center, running back Marion Barber has averaged just 2.8 yards per carry. For the season, Barber is averaging a career-worst 3.5 ypc. Read more »

Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Tim Hightower suddenly elevated from goal-line vulture to starting running back, to the surprise and delight of many. Veteran Edgerrin James took a backseat to the first-year back from Richmond and didn’t log a carry in Arizona’s 34-13 win over St. Louis.

This is a promotion that will stick for the rest of the season, and as James told the Arizona Republic, has been “brewing for a while.” Hightower is in, James is out. Read more »

Lots of commotion today from ESPN.com and Fox 31 TV in Denver, who are reporting that between “six to ten” players have violated the league’s steroids policy. Only two names have been released thus far - Saints DE Will Smith and RB Deuce McAllister.

Obviously, the name of consequence in fantasy is that of McAllister. He filled the vacancy of injured RB Reggie Bush for roughly five days, then tested positive for the diuretic Bumetanide, according to Fox 31. If reports are true and McAllister does not successfully appeal, league rules dictate a four-game suspension for his first positive test. Read more »

Fantasy owners can breathe a collective sigh of relief.

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson was diagnosed with a slightly strained thigh, according to the St. Louis-Dispatch. He expects to play Sunday after posting big numbers in a surprising 34-14 win over Dallas in Week 7. Jackson had easily his best game of the season, rushing 25 times for 160 yards and three touchdowns.

This was a moment Jackson owners have been waiting for since drafting him with a top-five pick in fantasy drafts. He had failed to deliver big results until Week 6 at Washington, but his early struggles should be discounted because of the state of the Rams franchise and the quality of run defenses he was facing. Read more »

Two of the most outspoken, flamboyant, and egotistical wide receivers will be on the same field this Sunday in Dallas. For Chad Ocho Cinco (formerly Chad Johnson) and Terrell Owens, Week 5’s Bengals at Cowboys matchup will be much more than just a regular season game.

The media in both Cincinnati and Dallas has feasted on the two loud-mouth receivers, who have offered up a mixed smorgasbord of both complaints and trash talk all this week.

The Bengals’ Ocho Cinco has promised to “kiss the Dallas star” on the field in Texas Stadium this Sunday, and has even asked for at least nine rows of seats for his family and friends to see the game. Read more »

Last week we told you to start players like Steve Slaton, Corell Buckhalter, Isaac Bruce and Roddy White in the flex position. Those players, among others, rewarded their fantasy owners with good results. Players that are hot, getting a chance because of injury, or at least assured touches are always useful for the flex spot and as bye-week or injury replacements.

Regardless, every week owners are put to the test with the critical decisions in the flex spot that can determine the outcome of your game. If you have guys like RB DeAngelo Williams going against a struggling Chiefs run defense or WR Amani Toomer, who is stepping up as New York’s primary receiver, feel comfortable putting them, among the eight others below, into the flex slot in Week 5.

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