NEWS & NOTES

After practicing on Friday, it seems like the consensus in Dallas that Terrell Owens will play on Sunday.

It's possible that Bengals WR Chris Henry will not be on the roster for Sunday's game as a result of his involvement in Odell Thurman's arrest.

Donte' Stallworth feels a lot a better and is confident he will play Monday night. He remains questionable.

Reggie Wayne says he will play this Sunday, and he remains a good start against the Jets.

Adam Vinitieri practiced on Friday, and after kicking well it looks like he will start on Sunday. However, he remains a gametime decision.

Brian Westbrook again missed a part of his team's practice. He is questionable for Monday's game but should play. The Villanova grad plays this song and dance every week.

The Texans plan to give the same number of carries to Ron Dayne and Samkon Gado, and because of this, neither is a reliable start.

Frank Gore was upgraded from questionable to probable and looks good to go on Sunday.

Once again Laverneus Coles missed part of Jets practice on Friday. Although he is supposed to play, make sure to look at the inactives.

Reuben Droughns practiced all week and is a fantastic start against the weak Raiders rush defense.

Ahman Green has many nagging injuries and although he will play, he's not a very good start against Philadelphia.

Desmond Clark will be a gametime decision for the Bears on Sunday. Since he plays in the night game look for other options.

STOCK TIPS: BUY LOW OR SELL HIGH

Before we get into this week's stock tips I'd like to sadly point to the end of an era in football. Clinton Portis, our favorite impressionist, has put an end to his long string of colorful characters such as Bro Sweetz, Sheriff Gonna Getcha, and Coach Janky Spanky. The memories will last a lifetime, and we thank you Southeast Jerome.

BUY LOW

Chad Johnson- Right now Chad is at the lowest value possible. This may be the only week where you will be able to pry him from his owners. He has started off slow, but he's one of the few players in the league who rarely get hurt and put up consistent stats year to year. If you can get him now, expect 1100 yards and 8 or 9 TD's the rest of the way.

Ronnie Brown- This first round fantasy pick has been the biggest non-health related bust so far. Brown's schedule eases up in the coming weeks and should be an elite fantasy RB the rest of the way. Try to get him before his game with Houston and acquire by trading an overacheiver thus far.

Tom Brady- His stats aren't bad so far, but they are not what you would expect from a top 5 QB. His lack of TD's can be attributed to loss of his two biggest WR's. It seems like he is beginning to trust his young receivers, and as the season roles on the chemistry will build and the statistics will too.

Joey Galloway- Everyone around your league probably has lost faith in every Tampa Bay offensive player following the injury to Chris Simms. Number one wide receiver Joey Galloway is probably be severely undervalued as a result. He's still a good WR 2 or 3 and will most likely be Bruce Gradokowski's safe blanket for the rest of the season. You can probably get him real cheap.

SELL HIGH

Marques Colston- Honestly, I don't advise trading Colston at all if he is your TE, but if you have a better starter (Gates, Gonzalez, Shockey), see what you can get for Colston. He's become so valuable that someone will most likely overpay for him and help you in another area of need.

Frank Gore- The draft sleeper has been a gift to most fantasy owners. Now be happy with what he's done for you and use him to grab a bigger fish. Gore has several issues that are eventually going to hurt him. He's very susceptible to injury so it's only a matter of time before he gets hurt. He's already lost his goal-line carries to Michael Robinson. He has severe fumbling issues. If you're not convinced, Gore will almost definitely burn you later in the year.

Chris Henry- Someone in your league is probably desperate for receiver help, and Henry could start for their team. He's a good guy to trade because he plays with a great QB which boosts his value. However, his off the field issues and being a 3rd WR make him a risky play each week.

DAUNTING DECISIONS

So let's recap this week. First, the Saints win in one of the most emotional games in NFL history. Second, the Madden Curse strikes again and Shaun Alexander is out 4-6 weeks with a broken foot. Third, T.O. tries to commit suicide. Fourth, well actually he didn't. Finally, Alexander is no longer hurt because of prayer. I could spend days on this, but instead I'll just tell you what to do with some players this week.

Michael Vick- Coming off an awful performance in the Superdome, Vick should have a nice bounce back week against the Cardinals at home. Look for Vick to throw and run well again and have a multiple TD game.

Terrell Owens- Any Owens owner has to be scared out of their mind with the injury and suicide talk. There's really no clear cut sit/start advice at this point in the week, but with a great matchup against Tennessee make sure to find out his status for Sunday. However, it may difficult because there's so little coverage about T.O. these days.

Shaun Alexander/Maurice Morris- It seems very unlikely that Alexander will actually play this Sunday, so Morris will be the guy. However, fantasy leagues' hottest pickup shouldn't perform too well against Chicago defense. Don't play him this week, but keep him around because he should produce in the future if Alexander remains out.

LaDainian Tomlinson- Facing the Baltimore defense will be a tough challenge for Phillip Rivers, so LT should get plenty of touches. The bad news is that the Ravens are also aware of this. Sunday should be one of Tomlinson's lowest scoring weeks, and although it's impossible to sit him, don't expect much.

Reuben Droughns- This is the bust out week that Droughns owners have been waiting for facing a very weak Oakland defense. Definitely get him into your lineup because he'll likely go for plus 100 yards and a TD. After this week try to trade Droughns while his value is high because he most likely will not have many weeks like this all year.

Ronnie Brown- Another slow starter this has been second year RB Ronnie Brown. This should be a big week for the Auburn grad because he'll face a Houston defense that almost gave up 100 yards rushing to two RBs (Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts). Similar to Droughns, this should be one of Brown's most productive games all season.

T.O. UPDATE

Take the last paragraph of my last post and throw it out the window. This man is actually insane and deserves no pity at all. In case you missed his eventful press conference, here's basic summary of an odd array of facts.

Ownes states that he did not take 35 pills, but instead decided he need to separate the pills from a bottle by putting them in a drawer instead. He left the empty bottle on the counter.

After seeing this empty bottle on the counter, his publicist, Kim Etheredge, asks T.O. if he took all the pills, but T.O. is unresponsive because of an apparent allergic reaction to a few of these pills.

Owens says he does not remember most of the night because he was incoherent and never even remembers the police being there. Therefore he says his suicide admission was false.

Etheredge then states that it was a long night and she forgot many of the details. She also says she was mistaken about the whole thing and got up and left. Before she leaves though, she gives us the comment, "Terrell has 25 million reasons to be alive."

The most entertaining press conference of the day was coach Bill Parcells'. To sum it up most simply, reporters asked him questions while he yelled to them he doesn't know anything.

The whole story sounds a bit sketchy, but there's no reason not to take Owens word for it. The whole suicide attempt does seem unlikely for a player of his stature. T.O. will be looking forward to a week five matchup in Philadelphia where he will be greeted by flying pill bottles and signs that say, "Dallas Sux, T.O. Swallows.....Pills." Good Luck.

T.O. ATTEMPTS SUICIDE

Yesterday, Cowboys WR Terrell Owens was rushed to the hospital after attempting to commit suicide. A friend called the hospital after learning that Owens had taken several painkillers from a bottle of pills. After the police arrived, he took another two pills. When asked by emergency units whether he was trying to kill himself, Owens replied, "Yes." Apparently, one of the NFL's most boisterous stars is suffering from a severe case of depression.

Terrell Owens massive talent coupled with eccentric personality has turned him into one of the most tragic figures in sports history. At this point in his life, we should be more concerned with his health and mental state than his cocky behavior. Owens obviously has disturbing issues beneath the surface that causes these antics. It will be easy to mock and taunt him for what he has done up to this date, but now we must look upon him with pity. He's fallen into the same category with Mike Tyson, Darryl Strawberry, and Doc Gooden. Football is now an afterthought for the Dallas star, and we here wish him the best. Good luck in your return to Philadelphia. Something tells me you'll need it more than ever before.

MONDAY NIGHT WRAPUP

In one of the more emotional spectacles in the history of the NFL, the Saints returned to New Orleans barely a year after the Superdome was a decrepit shelter for evacuees following Hurricane Katrina. In one of the few instances in recent memory, a game with so much hype and emotion lived up to it's billing. The game was kicked off by a riveting concert by U2 and Greenday, including stirring renditions of House of the Rising Sun and The Saints Come Marching In.

Although the majority of sports fans felt that the Falcons were the far superior team, few people could root against the Saints on this night. After a forced three and out by the Saints defense, the Falcons lined up to punt. Daylight between the long snapper and guard, the defender comes through, smacks the ball. The roar of the crowd. The cornerback picking up the ball. Touchdown Saints. Deafening noise. A city reborn. 23-3 Saints.

FANTASY IMPLICATIONS

Before we get into the fantasy importance of the game I need to divulge to you my fantasy situation last night. After starting out 0-2, I was desperate for a win. With Portis finally coming back and Parker putting up big numbers, I had 94 points going into the Monday night game. However, because of Brian Westbrook and John "Gruden Hates This Guy" Kasay, I was staring at a 101-94 deficit. However I felt confident with Marques Colston and Atlanta D that I would win. Well despite a pathetic performance from Atlanta D, Yahoo Stattracker informed me at 12:05 AM I had won 102-101. This morning when I go to look at my team I see that now the score is 101-101. Clearly being infuriated, I write a long e-mail demanding an explanation. We'll see what transpires. Thanks for letting me vent, now here's some analysis......

Marques Colston- He could quite possibly be the Fantasy's Gods gift to man. A WR who puts up big numbers that's eligible at TE. He looked unstoppable last night and can be counted on for production every week. You can place him with Gates and Gonzalez among the game's elites TE's.

Saints D- despite this unstoppable performance, this young defense with few playmakers cannot be relied on every week. They look vastly improved but cannot be a starting option quite yet.

Reggie Bush- He's simply just not a dominating fantasy player at this point of his career. He'll get very few TD's and will be very inconsistent in yardage, especially against disciplined defenses. He's a very risky weekly play.

Michael Vick- Although Vick is also very inconsistent, he seems to be much improved and a better start than normal. He should put up about 150 passing 50 rushing and at least a TD every week. This "option play" seems to have been stopped, but he will continue to play well.

BREAKING NEWS: MADDEN CURSE STRIKES AGAIN!!

Well, it didn't take long but the inevitable has happened: Shaun Alexander has been hurt. No it wasn't with a lemon and a wiener dog, but instead Alexander will be sidelined indefinately with a broken foot. Every year since 2001 the Madden Cover man has been injured. For more details on the newest epidemic sweeping the nation visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madden_curse. He will be out 4-6 weeks, and Maurice Morris will take all the carries and be very valuable in fantasy leagues. He should be owned in all leagues.

SUNDAY RECAP

Plaxico Burress- The Giants best WR looked lethargic and is on the verge of clear issues. He needs to learn to carry the ball securely after catches following his second fumble in two weeks. He also dropped an easy catch that was turned into an INT. Coughlin benched him for the second half, and his relationship with Coughlin is a situation to watch for the rest of the season.

Clinton Portis- Finally Portis owners felt rewarded for their pick of the man of multiple personalities. Portis tore up the Texans defense all day. It was also a good sign that Portis left with a shoulder injury and was able to return and be productive.

Mark Brunell- You are probably aware that somehow the Redskins QB set an NFL record for consecutive completions in a game. This is odd considering I wouldn't believe he completed 22 passes consecutively in a one on one catch before the game. Needless to say, Brunell's value will never be higher. Trade him if you can.

Jon Kitna- As predicted on this website, Kitna dominated this Sunday. He will continue his strong play with a very weak schedule sitting in front of him. With absolutely no running game, look for big stats the rest of the year.

Rex Grossman- The Bears QB took a step back into reality on Sunday and kudos to all of you who were able to trade the former Gator before the week. However, Grossman looks like a decent QB 2 for the rest of the season.

Chris Simms- In one of the scarier stories all year, Simms was rushed to a hospital after the game to have his spleen removed. The Bucs are done on all accounts this year as Simms will miss the season most likely. Bruce Gradokowski is the new Bucs QB and is worth owning in deep leagues.

Jake Delhomme/Steve Smith/Keyshawn Johnson- Well if the return of Steve Smith didn't save the Panthers season, I don't know what will. Smith showed his huge impact on his affect on several players. Delhomme had his best game all year and will only get better. Keyshawn Johnson faced less coverage and was able to get two TD's. Even Deshaun Foster was more productive on the ground. Meanwhile Smith topped 100 yards despite being 100%. The Panthers are back.

Kurt Warner- Start the call for Matt Leinart. Warner had three INTs and a very costly fumble at the end of the game. Dennis Green was enraged by the loss and with his tendency to switch QB's weekly, expect Leinart to get a start soon if Warner continues to struggle.

Shaun Alexander- The reigning MVP was relatively unproductive again on Sunday. The Seahawks were up 35-0 in the blink of the eye so Alexander did not get many second half carries. Still it would be nice to see Alexander back at his MVP form. Perhaps he suffered an injury with a lemon and a wiener dog.

Frank Gore/Michael Robinson- The sleeper success Frank Gore left Sunday's game with an injury but appears like he will play in week 4. More importantly form Penn State QB Michael Robinson stole two goal-line carries from Gore and was able to convert on both attempts. If Gore continues to lose short yardage carries, his value will take a hit.

Vernon Davis- Super-freak Vernon Davis will be sidelined for a month with a cracked leg. That's correct a cracked leg, only out for four weeks. Davis will not be very productive this year it seems, so he may only be an option in keeper leagues.

Marc Bulger- Bulger had his best performance of the year on Sunday throwing for 300 yards 1 TD and 0 INT. It seemed like Bulger had a lot more rhythm then his previous two starts. With matchups against the Pop Warner defenses of the Lions and Packers the next two weeks, he's a very good play.

Tom Brady- As shocking as it sound Brady is just a middle of the road fantasy QB at this point in the season. However, it would be wise to try to acquire him now for a reduced rate. One he establishes a good relationship with his WR's he'll be a fantasy stud later this season.

Daunte Culpeppper- There's no other way to say it. Daunte Culpepper is a bad QB currently. Although he could improve, he has showed no signs indicating that things will get any better than this. Tennessee's defense was as bad as they come, and he was very unproductive. Look for other options immediately.

Willie Parker- The Steelers RB had a fantastic day on the ground topping 100 yards and scoring two TD's. Most importantly Parker got every goal-line carry for Pittsburgh on Sunday which enhances his value. This fact also kills any value Najeh Davenport has.

Chris Henry- Finally a Chris Henry report that doesn't involved the word "arrested". Henry has become a solid fantasy WR 3. He received several looks from Palmer, and with great WRs around him, he should continue to get open. Grab him if you can.

Peyton Manning- The Colts have no running game right now, and Peyton will continue to have multiple TD games every week. He's the most reliable player in fantasy, and he's even started to get goal-line carries! Speaking of the Colts running game.....

Dominic Rhodes/Joseph Addai- To put it bluntly, Dominic Rhodes is awful. He's the Colts version of Kevan Barlow, a RB who stinks but still gets carries for some reason. It's just a matter of time before Addai seizes the starting role and gets the bulk of the carries.

David Carr- Lost in the mess known as the Houston Texans is the tremendous start by QB David Carr. He has a QB rating of 113.6 and has a 6 to 1 TD to INT ratio. Carr is still not a week to week option, but it promising to see that he has started to reach his potential. Now if only they had Reggie Bush.....

Ron Dayne/The Rest of the RB Mess- Dayne owners were happy to see Dayne got all but one of the carries for Texans RBs this week. His numbers are decent (14 carries for 58 yards; 4.1 a carry) but the Texans seem to have no confidence in the running game. Gado got 1 carry for 0 yards. Lundy saw no action. Dayne is worth owning on your bench if you have room while Gado and Lundy are basically worthless.

Tatum Bell/Mike Bell- Unless Mike Shanahan plans on screwing with all our minds again (which is apparently his hobby), Tatum Bell seems like he is the guy in Denver. Tatum had 27 carries for 123 yards while Mile had 4 carries for 12 yards. It's safe to start Tatum as a RB 2 but don't be too shocked if Shanahan completely messes with us again.

Jake Plummer/Javon Walker- The Snake snapped out of his funk against the Patriots throwing for 256 yards and 2 scores. Walker appears to be all the way back as he caught those two scores on deep balls. It appears that Walker will rise to the #1 WR, and this will only improve Plummer's play.

COUNTDOWN TO GAMETIME

With a little less than two hours from kickoff here are some fantasy hints to get you prepared for the day.

Don't start Todd Heap. He is now questionable and will likely be a game-time decision. With a 4 PM start, he is not an option.

Laverneus Coles looks like he will play limited snaps today. I'd advise on looking elsewhere for a WR.

Four big name QB's are struggling early this season: Jake Plummer, Daunte Culpepper, Marc Bulger, and Jake Delhomme. However, only Plummer and Culpepper have capable backups behind them so Bulger and Delhomme are better QB's to have right now.

ESPN's Chris Mortenson has reported that it's no lock at all that Steve Smith will actually play today, and even if he does he may be very unproductive.

It appears that Ahman Green will play today, but he should not be too productive with that injury to his hamstring.

ESPN's Chris Mortenson is also reporting that Vince Young could be the Titans starting QB next week if Collisn struggles again.

Rex Grossman is not for real. If he plays well again today, find some with QB issues and make them pay an unreasonable price and laugh about it weeks later.

Deion Branch will be active today, and I'm sticking to my guns by saying he'll score a TD.

NEWS & NOTES

Brian Westbrook returned to practice yesterday and will be a decent play against the Niners this week.

After practicing on Friday, Steve Smith is a game-time decision. Look closely for updates Sunday morning, but he should play and will be a decent WR 2 or 3 start.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh will come off the bench Sunday for his first action of the year. He's a risky play against the Steelers and if you have other options, use them.

Terrell Owens says he will definately be back for his week 5 matchup with the Eagles, and it would not be a surpise to see him back for week 4.

Jamal Lewis was upgraded to probable and will get almost all the snaps on Sunday with Musa Smith out.

Reuben Droughns remains questionable for the game on Sunday. The Browns are being very coy about the situation, and we probably won't know his status until Sunday. With a matchup against Baltimore try to avoid starting Droughns.

After injuring his hamstring practice, Ahman Green sat out on Friday. His status does not look promising and if he does not play, Vernand Morency would start.

Adam Vinatieri will most likely not play with a groin injury. The Colts signed Martin Gramatica who is 16 years younger than Morten Andersen.

Laverneus Coles missed another practice Friday and looks like a game-time desicion for their game on Sunday.

Clinton Portis practiced every day this week and will start against Houston on Sunday.

After missing practice again on Friday, it appears that Matt Jones will miss the Jaguars game against the Colts.

Orlando Pace and Johnathan Ogden are game-time desicions for the Rams and Ravens this Sunday. Their status should affect everyone on offense.

With Chris Brown injured, Travis Henry and LenDale White will have increased roles.

Caddilac Williams denied all reports that he has herniated discs in his back.

Chris Chambers attributed his early season struggles to an injured thumb that is "almost healed".

BUY LOW/SELL HIGH
With many players struggling early in the season, many fantasy owners are tempted to give up on their players after three poor weeks. It is important to watch the following players this weekend, and if they continue the poor play, you will be able to get them for a reduced rate. Also there are several players out there who are performing so well, they will almost certainty come down to earth.

BUY LOW

Jon Kitna/Roy Williams- I'd actually recommend trying to get either of both of these players before they play this weekend. Both players had high expectations when coming into this season, however they struggled mightily in the first two weeks. However, after playing Seattle and Chicago, the Lions will not face two games as grueling for the rest of the year. Get them while you can.

Jake Delhomme- Delhomme's shortcomings are clearly a result of the loss of Steve Smith. With Smith coming back this week, Delhomme's number should take an immediate boost. Carolina is traditionally a second half team, so Delhomme will help when it most matters. Remember, the Panthers were a a very popular Super Bowl pick, and it is foolish to give up on their QB after just a few weeks.

Marc Bulger- Bulger has been hurt by the poor offensive line play, but with a really weak schedule (playing the NFC North and AFC West) he should turn things around soon. This is one of the best offenses in the NFC and if Linehan can get productive numbers out of Frerotte, he can do the same with Bulger.

Jake Plummer- Okay, I've never been a very big Plummer enthusiast, but Denver's offense is too good for him to suffer all year. Like Mike Shanahan said, Plummer did start off poorly last year as well, and because Shanahan said Plummer will play all year unless he implodes it is not a stretch to assume he'll turn things around.

SELL HIGH

Brian Westbrook- The Eagles hate running the ball and only do it when they want to blow a 24-7 lead. Westbrook is banged up again with what seems to be an injury that will never go away, and since he has put up a nice numbers so far it would a smart decision to make a deal after his matchup with the Niners.

Rex Grossman- The following statements are true. The Bears played the Packers and Lions in the first two weeks. Dan Marino is not wearing a Rex Grossman jersey and playing for the Bears. Grossman's value will never be higher than it is currently which means get as much as you can for him right now.

Reggie Bush- The Heisman winner is the most overrated player in fantasy. He will have about 50 yards rushing and and 40 yards receiving every week which is good for about 5-7 fantasy points in most leagues. However, his performances will be overhyped every week by ESPN. Some one in your league has fallen in love with Bush because of his spectacular jukes. Find that person and make him overpay.

Fred Taylor- Anyone who has played fantasy football the last five years knows that one of the few reliable truths is that Fred Taylor will suffer a season-ending injury. With back-to-back solid performances it may be time to trade him now while he's healthy. He's going to produce while he is active, but if you chance it every week, you will inevitably get burned.

Several big name players coming back from injuries and holdouts are planning on screwing over your fantasy team this week. Luckily, I'm here to tell you what to do with them before this happens.

Steve Smith- Don't play this man. The most important reason for this is that regardless of what he says he is not 100%. This would be a good week to keep him on your bench, watch what he does and then play him next week deepening on what you saw. Tampa Bay's defense will be looking to make a statement this week after the team was embarrassed the first two weeks.

Clinton Portis- Ride your horse here. Portis owners have been waiting all year for their stud to come back and with a trip to Houston this week Bro Sweetz will make sure you get your dollah billz (If you don't understand the references please check out his press conference from last year, they won't disappoint). Expect Portis to have a big day as the Redskins look to win their first game.

Deion Branch- Play him or he'll holdout. Branch is an excellent play this week for three reasons. First, the Seahawks have Wes Heller at TE which will mean all passes will go to WRs. Second, Shaun Alexander is a little banged up so Seattle will look to throw a bit more. Third, one may forget how awful the Giants secondary looked in the first three quarters. Branch will definitely get open this week.

Brian Westbrook- Stay away from the former Wildcat. Sure Westbrook is playing the 49ers this week and at first glance this seems to be a smart play. However, Brian is dealing with several nagging injuries and if the Eagles get up big like they should (bigger than 24-7), they'll look to get Ryan Moats and Correll Buckhalter more work. The Eagles will throw deep most of the day and Westbrook will mostly likely have a disappointing day.

Carson Palmer- Don't hesitate, play him. Several things working against him here. Chad Johnson is recovering from a concussion. The Steelers defense has been excellent this year. That being said, play Carson Palmer! This is the ultimate revenge game for Palmer. He has already stated how much he wants to win, and he will put up outstanding numbers as he knocks down the Steelers to 1-2.

Frank Gore- Gore will play poor this week. I'm a huge Gore fan. I had him pegged last year as a future stud. When deciding to play him this week it's important to note that the Eagles defense this year has been outstanding this year shutting down both Tiki Barber and whoever the Texans pulled out of the stands to run the ball. The loss of Kearse will hurt, but if the Eagles defense plays like they did in the first half last week, Gore will not score and have very few attempts in the second half.