“Wide right” is the cruelest phrase a person can utter in western New York.

Brady Quinn and the Browns used it to their advantage and escaped Buffalo with a narrow 29-27 win on Monday night. The victory moves Cleveland to 4-6 on the season and keeps its razor-thin-playoff hopes alive, while Buffalo’s setback drops them to 5-5 and last place in the AFC East. 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 »

NFL quarterbacks are dropping faster than bad guys in a cheesy Sly Stallone movie. Only, instead of bringing disgrace to the box office, these walking wounded are exiting games early, being scratched from starts late, and piling up losses for fantasy owners.

The Big 3 have been at the front of the line, obviously highlighted by Tom Brady’s season-ending knee injury in Week 1. Peyton Manning is only now himself after two offseason knee surgeries contributed to an uncharacteristic slow start, and Tony Romo is on the shelf for the next month with a broken pinkie finger. Read more »

Those that missed Monday night’s game between the Giants and Browns again missed out on another primetime delight.

It was underdog Cleveland that handed New York its first loss this year, a 35-14 statement that not only knocked out the champs but also hopes to kick-start the Browns season.

In an unexpected finish, it was a strange reversal of roles between the two teams. The Giants looked flat on both sides of the ball, much like the Browns in their first four games. Meanwhile, Cleveland resembled the 2008 Giants with an explosive offense and a stiff defense that held its own against tough teams.

The case was similar individually for both quarterbacks: Eli Manning put up Derek Anderson-like numbers while Anderson himself looked much like New York’s Super Bowl MVP. Read more »

Last week we told you to expect big things from RBs Steve Slaton, Michael Turner and Matt Forte. They all delivered. We also told you not to start RBs Julius Jones, Rudi Johnson, WR Anthony Gonzalez and QB Matt Hasselbeck. You guessed it, they all floundered in Week 5. How did we know this? Playing the matchups.

Here is a look at some of the most intriguing Week 6 matchups. It’s all about starting quality players when they have a favorable matchup, and the most savvy owners know when it’s time to take a chance on lesser players facing softer defenses. Take the first step here – in the fifth edition of The Good, Bad and Ugly.
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To accompany Imaginary Gridiron’s list of sleeper candidates for 2008, here is a list of 15 potential bust players who are being given star treatment in preseason drafting.

As teams open their camps through July and August the names on this list will undoubtedly shift and change, and while it is difficult to call someone a “bust” without having seen them play yet, enthusiastic owners have placed some players on pedestals that are frankly too high. Read more »