This usually leaves them looking for castoffs from other teams that have had more success. Well, 2011 was a different story. San Francisco won 13 games and made a trip to the NFC Championship Game, Arizona finished the season with eight victories, winning seven of their last nine games and Seattle had seven wins.

You are going to see ample interest in players that are released from these teams this off-season. Each of the four NFC West teams do find themselves in a decent salary cap position, so you will not see any purges based solely on finances. It will mostly be due to out of whack contracts and under performing players.

San Francisco 49ers

CB- Shawntae Spencer: $4.2 million cap hit

Just one sign of how the 49ers improved during the 2011 season is the fact that Spencer was active for a total of nine games after starting all 32 games the previous season as the their default No. 1 corner. It is pretty clear that Spencer doesn’t have a future in San Francisco. This doesn’t mean his career is over. This is a player that played extremely well for the 49ers in 2009 and 2010. You can expect teams to vie for his services as a nickel corner.

LB- Parys Haralson: $4.0 million cap hit

San Francisco sits at about $30 million under the cap before these “purges.” So, they are not going to have to make pure financial decision based on the cap. This is what the front office has been building towards. With that said, they are going to look at retaining and acquiring the best talent. Haralson was okay rotational player for a marginal football team, but he wont cut it for a team looking to vie for a Super Bowl. He had just two sacks in 2011 and isn’t good in coverage. That $4 million cap figure can be best utilized elsewhere, so expect him to get the axe.

Arizona Cardinals

OT- Levi Brown: $18.0 million cap hit

A major bust, Arizona has been hoping for the best from Brown over the last couple seasons. It has now become apparent that he is never going to cut it as a top of the line offensive tackle. Arizona pass protection was pretty much the death of them in 2011 as their quarterbacks were sacked a total of 54 times. Additionally, Brown is set to count a whopping $18 million against the cap. He is as good as gone.

TE- Todd Heap: $3.4 million cap hit

The former Baltimore Raven’ was brought in for Kevin Kolb as a safety valve between the hashes. One of the most underrated fantasy tight ends over the last decade, Heap wasn’t able to get it done in 2011 due to age and injuries. He played in a total of just nine games starting four and acquiring a grand total of 24 receptions. Expect the Cardinals to go with Rob Housler, who I like a lot, and draft another tight end in April.

LB- Stewart Bradley:$6.0 million cap hit

Bradley just hasn’t been the same player since sustaining a complete tear of the ACL prior to the start of the 2009 season. This also makes you wonder why Arizona gave him a $30 million contract over five seasons when Philadelphia wasn’t making a play for him.  After recording 108 tackles in a breakout 2008 campaign, Bradley has recorded just 82 tackles in 28 games since coming back from the injury. You have to wonder if his career is over, but its clear Arizona will not be looking at retaining his services.

LB- Joey Porter: $7.3 million cap hit

Porter was a healthy inactive for ten games this season as it became apparent he was no longer able to contribute in a meaningful way. The former Pro Bowl linebacker might have actually played his last game in the NFL. Either way, the Cardinals are definitely not picking up that $7.3 million cap figure for 2012.

S- Kerry Rhodes: $5.0 million cap hit

Rhodes missed nine games during the middle of the season and didn’t seem his normal self after returning. Arizona also has an up-and-coming player in Rashad Johnson, which makes Rhodes expendable. He will latch on to another team because the talent is there and he is still only 29.

Seattle Seahawks

RB- Leon Washington: $3.4 million cap hit

This is more about the fact that the new kickoff rule has made special team players less valuable. Washington was second on Seattle in rushing and had over 1,500 combined return yards. With that said, they face the onus of having to pay Marshawn Lynch top five running back money and will be looking at a true complementary back in the NFL Draft. Washington has become less important to Seattle due to the myriad of young athletes they have that can return kicks. It is less about how good of a special teams player he is.

CB- Marcus Trufant: $5.6 million cap hit

Trufant is as good as gone from the pacific northwest. He has been injury plagued over the course of the last couple seasons and seems to have lost a couple steps. With the improved play of both Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, there really doesn’t seem to be much room on the roster for Trufant. Look for him to get play on the open market by a contending team hoping to fill a void in the slot.

St. Louis Rams

OT- Jason Smith: $10.0 million cap hit

One of the biggest busts in the NFL over the course of the last decade, Jason Smith is going to be released by the Rams unless he agrees to restructure that massive contract. Sam Bradford needs a reliable offensive tackle to protect his blindside, it is obvious that Smith will never be that guy. This is going to be a bitter pill to swallow for the Rams considering they spent the second overall pick on him just three years ago.

G- Jason Brown: $5.0 million cap hit

Another huge disappointment along the Rams offensive line, Jason Brown was signed from Baltimore three seasons ago, but has yet to play like they thought he would. Brown continues to struggle in pass protection and is a marginal run blocker. If the Rams hope to contend with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West they are going to have to replace these marginal players. Consider him as good as gone.

Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray takes a 91-yard carry to the end zone against the St. Louis Rams in Week 7.

Considering he was facing such a crap defense like the Rams, I had figured DeMarco Murray would make the most of his chance as the lead back in the Cowboys’ offense. Little did I know that he would go on to lead the league in rushing yards with 253. That stat was good enough, but him chipping in a 91 yard scamper for a touchdown was icing on the cake. Many will tell you that Murray looked good simply because the Rams are that bad. But going up against an Eagles Defense that gives up an average of 123.8 rushing yards a game along with a 4.8 yards a carry average to opposing running backs, it’s easy for me to consider Murray a low-end RB1 for Week 8. In my opinion, Murray isn’t a one-week wonder.

Because of so many injuries, from Saints RB Mark Ingram to Colts RB Joseph Addai, I will keep everyone updated daily once players start practicing Wednesday. The rankings could change as more news comes in.

And on that note, below are my running back rankings going into Week 8.

Byes: Falcons, Bears, Packers, Jets, Raiders, Buccaneers

TOP FIVE WEEK-EIGHT MATCHUPS (MUST START)

1. Arian Foster (HOU) vs. JAX: If you are in a PPR league and had Foster going against the Titans, he single-handedly won your league matchup for you. Tallying all the rushing yards (115), receiving yards (5/119) and total touchdowns (3), Foster netted owners 45 points in standard PPR leagues. Ray Rice had a brainfart against the Jaguars Monday night, but what do you expect when you only get 8 carries for the entire game? Don’t expect Foster to be held down by the Jags defense in Week 8.

2. LeSean McCoy (PHI) @ DAL: Even though the Cowboys are stout against the run, the Eagles always seem to put up big numbers coming out of a bye week. This weekend will be no different. In PPR and non-PPR leagues, McCoy should be huge in this NFC East matchup. McCoy is averaging around 115 total yards from scrimmage through the team’s first 6 games.

3. Ray Rice (BAL) vs. ARI: Down by 12-15 points with Rice going up against a mediocre Jags defense, you likely thought you had a win secure. Well, lets just say that Rice’s 63 total yards let down a lot of people Monday night. Don’t fret Rice owners. Your RB1 faces a fairly soft Arizona Defense in Week 8, making him a strong bounce-back candidate.

4. Adrian Peterson (MIN) @ CAR: With Christian Ponder under center against the Packers, AD found a bit more running room in Week 7, rushing for 175 yards and a touchdown. He was noticably limping with an ankle injury, but I have yet to hear that it will keep him out Week 8. The Panthers are one of the worst teams against the run, so Peterson should be in all lineups as usual.

5. Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX) @ HOU: I remember reading many articles and reports stating that after dealing with a knee injury for all of 2010, that MJD’s career was likely going to be cut short and he would never be the same player that we were used to seeing. Somebody should have told MJD this because he continues to be a hot fantasy commodity. Coming off 105 rushing yards against the Ravens, MJD should continue to be a major part of the offense going into Week 8 against the Texans. Some may consider this ranking a bit too high, but I have a feeling we will see a big day.

Saints RB Darren Sproles' value could go up if RB Mark Ingram winds up sitting against the Rams this weekend.

BEST OF THE REST:

I wish everyone the best of luck this week. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post below.

In case anyone had missed it, DeMarco Murray debuted on Sunday against the St. Louis Rams and utterly destroyed them, racking up 253 rushing yards and a single score, setting a Cowboys rushing record.

From Greg: If you had checked out last week’s edition of The Brass Knuckles Report, you would have caught my trumping of Murray during the middle of the week. Patting myself on the back ;).

Murray became a hot commodity earlier this week, but there was some definite lingering apprehension from a few owners as to either start him (if owned) or even pick him up in the first place, but after this drubbing—and a very poor Eagles rushing D on tap for Week 8—it is time to scoop up Murray, especially if you were one of the slew of owners who had their RB go down this week. Greg Brosh had written a sleeper article on Murray back in July. Looks like that prediction is coming to fruition.

Speaking of the fallen, let’s see who else is becoming waiver wire gold.

Chris Russell on Twitter has reported that Tim Hightower has suffered what could be a serious knee injury, paving the way for an interesting situation in Washington at RB.

The immediate grab for folks looking for RB help off the waivers is Ryan Torain but after one solid week back on October 2nd, the bruising back hasn’t done much else.

The other option here would be to consider grabbing Roy Helu if he is available, but the “hold for now” approach I would take on Torain, may curb that enthusiasm.

I like Helu’s long-term potential, however, and believe that it is only a matter of time that Torain himself goes down with an injury, so if you have some room, think about stashing Helu.

As a quick overview of injuries out of Washington, keep an eye on Anthony Armstrong as well, after the fractured hand injury to Santana Moss. He may not be worth anything now, but he certainly deserves space on your watch list.

Browns TE Ben Watson suffered a concussion in Sunday’s win over Seattle which could lend some significant upswing value for fellow TE Evan Moore,—albeit in a temporary way.

With only one viable TE option on the field for the interim, Moore could see some increased targets, and could be a solid bye-week fill for those in the market.

If the concussion to Watson is more serious than thought, Moore’s time would obviously increase to compensate.

Christian Ponder and Michael Jenkins made some noise this weekend, and could raise a  few eyebrows from waiver wire seekers, but who holds the real potential here?

In Ponder’s first start of his NFL career, he passed for 219 yards, two TDs and two INTs, which isn’t surprising in any way what-so-ever.

Ponder was bound to throw a pick with Charles Woodson running around, and he was bound to eclipse 200 passing yards against a weak Packers pass D.

Michael Jenkins was one of Ponder’s go to guys that night catching three balls for 111 yards and a single score.

While neither of these players are long-term options, one has to remember that the Vikings face Carolina before heading to the bye week, and then round two with the Packers at Lambeau.

The moral of the story is, if you are in a deeper league, and have a pressing issue at WR or QB for this week or two weeks down thew road, either player could be a nice spot fill.

Stay Tuned for Greg’s Mentions.

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QUARTERBACKS
John Beck – WAS: Beck nabbed most of his 279 passing yards in garbage time, but he still looked much better than Rex Grossman, showing the ability to scramble around in the pocket and extend plays. The bad news is that Santana Moss could be out for the next 3-4 weeks with a fractured left hand. But Beck could still be a decent QB2 in deeper leagues. He was able to find Fred Davis and Jabar Gaffney after Moss left the game against the Panthers. The Redskins could use more of a running offense until Moss comes back.

Tim Tebow – DEN: It’s not surprising to see Tebow still owned in only 64% of Yahoo leagues. Tebow had some strong games last year, but many owners were hesitant about adding him to their rosters for 2011. Some of that should fade after Tebow put up big scoring numbers in Week 7, which included two touchdown passes against the Dolphins. Tebow, as expected, didn’t put up much in the way of passing yardage (161), but he made up for it with his legs after rushing 8 times for 65 yards. Tebow’s name should continue to be on waiver-wire requests this week.

Matt Moore – MIA: Moore is a very poor waiver-wire option. But like I have said in the past, I have to include guys like him simply for the fact that he could be somewhat useful to those 16-team league owners who are hanging on by a thread with their current quarterbacks. Moore did throw a touchdown pass Sunday against the Broncos, but he is a very weak QB2 going forward. Having lost his first two games, the Dolphins may eventually look at Sage Rosenfels.

Jake Locker – TEN: Some might think that Locker will take over for Matt Hasselbeck, who was benched in the blowout loss to the Texans, but don’t hold your breath. The Titans pulled the veteran simply to keep him from getting injured in a game that meant nothing fast. Locker should continue to sit on dynasty-league rosters only. He completed only one pass for 12 yards.

Carson Palmer – OAK: The Raider went with Kyle Boller as their starter against the Chiefs, but almost everything regarding the Raiders’ offense went wrong. Boller was eventually pulled for Palmer after he threw 3 interceptions. But Palmer wasn’t any better, throwing another 3 picks. Having lost Darren McFadden to a foot injury early didn’t help matters. The Raiders have a Week-8 bye, but Palmer’s decision making seems to have spilled over from his Bengal days.

RUNNING BACKS
Delone Carter – IND: Despite the Colts falling flat on their faces in a 62-7 drubbing against the Saints, Carter was one of the lone bright spots, rushing for 89 yards and a touchdown. Joseph Addai wound up aggravating his hamstring injury in the first quarter and never returned. With the game out of hand so early, there really wasn’t much of a reason to bring him back in. Donald Brown was the third stringer, chipping in 47 rushing yards, but Carter is clearly the handcuff to have if you are an Addai owner. The problem is that the rushing yards are going to be hard to come by with Curtis Painter under center.

Monterio Hardesty – CLE: Subbing for an injured Peyton Hillis, Hardesty racked up 95 rushing yards in the win over the Seahawks. The bad news was it took him 33 carries to do so, which gave him a pathetic 2.9 ypc average. With the 49ers run defense coming up in Week 8, Hardesty looks like a pretty iffy flex option if Hillis’ hamstring isn’t fully healed.

Michael Bush – OAK: Bush was the lone bright spot on a Raiders offense that couldn’t get anything going in the loss to the Chiefs. After Darren McFadden was knocked out with a foot sprain early in the first quarter, Bush carried the ball 17 times for 99 yards. The Raiders have a Week-8 bye, which will help McFadden recover, but owners should know by now that Bush is the highest-rated handcuff in the league.

Mike Tolbert – SD: Just when I thought Tolbert’s value was dead, he went ahead and outplayed Ryan Mathews to the tune of 58 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Jets. Mathews, who had been getting more snaps at the goal-line recently, was also pulled for Tolbert. The problem with Tolbert is that this type of game hasn’t happened for weeks, leaving him as nothing more than a weak flex option going forward.

Marion Barber – CHI: After being MIA earlier in the season with a calf injury, Barber has scored a touchdown in 3 of the past 4 games. He doesn’t do a whole lot between the 20s, however. If you take out his 29-yard run against the Buccaneers, he would have ran for 10 yards off 5 carries. Touchdown-heavy league owners may consider Barber a flex option going forward, but he is nowhere near being a strong handcuff for Matt Forte owners.

Kregg Lumpkin  – TB: Earnest Graham fell to the ground untouched against the Bears, which wasn’t good news right from the start. What was initially considered only an ankle sprain turned out to be a torn Achilles’ tendon, which will knock Graham out for the year. The Bucs have a Week-8 bye. But if LeGarrette Blount (knee) can’t go Week 9, Lumpkin will be next in line. He wasn’t great on the ground, rushing 8 times for 15 yards, but he did catch 6 passes. There is also a chance that Tampa Bay will be on the hunt for a free agent upgrade if Blount shows he isn’t ready after the weekend.

Alfonso Smith – ARI: Once again, Beanie Wells owners may have to place Wells on the bench after he suffered a knee sprain against the Steelers. Smith managed 17 yards off 5 carries and also scored in the second quarter in relief. Ken Whisenhunt doesn’t know whether Wells will miss Week 8 or not, so Smith should be on the radar for all owners heading into the weekend’s game against the Ravens. Hopefully, we will know more by Monday afternoon or Tuesday at the earliest.

Knowshon Moreno – DEN: With Willis McGahee expected to visit a hand specialist on Monday regarding his (fractured hand), Moreno’s fantasy value gets another spike going into Week 8. Subbing in for McGahee on Sunday, Moreno rushed for 28 yards and also caught 2 passes for another 10. McGahee could miss multiple weeks.

Bernard Scott – CIN: After weeks and weeks of speculation, Cedric Benson is finally expected to serve his one-game suspension this week against the Seahawks. Benson owners and those looking for running back help should pick Scott up as a bye-week fillin. Just be aware that they are facing a very stout Seattle rushing defense that only gave up 2.9 yards a carry to Browns RB Monterio Hardesty Sunday.

WIDE RECEIVERS:
Antonio Brown – PIT: With Hines Ward dealing with an ankle injury, Brown racked up career highs in receptions and yards with 7 catches for 102 yards against the Cardinals. If Ward sits Week 8 against the Patriots, Brown is a must-have option in all leagues.

Demaryius Thomas – DEN: I talked about Thomas in-depth last week after he was expected to make his debut yesterday against the Dolphins, but he is still only owned in 9% of Yahoo leagues. Eric Decker and Eddie Royal got the start against the Dolphins, but Thomas proved to be Tim Tebow’s favorite target, leading the team with 10 targets (3 caught) for 27 yards and a touchdown. Thomas could wind up being the better receiver of the three between he, Royal and Decker.

Danario Alexander – STL: It shouldn’t come as a surprise that newly-acquired Brandon Lloyd was the main target in the passing game. But what was somewhat surprising was Brandon Gibson being a healthy scratch over Alexander against the Cowboys. Alexander finished with a measly 2 catch for 9 yards, but much of that can be attributed to the fact that AJ Feeley had to make the start over an injured Sam Bradford (ankle). Alexander could have some flex value if he stays in the starting lineup. He was targeted 6 times.

TIGHT ENDS
Visanthe Shiancoe – MIN: One of the greatest things about a quarterback change is that guys who have withered away to the fantasy wasteland have a good chance to come back to life. Ray mentioned Michael Jenkins above. But another guy who benefited from Christian Ponder under center was Shiancoe. A talented tight end is a rookie quarterback’s best friend. And that is exactly what Shiancoe was against the Packers after tying with Jenkins for a team-leading 8 targets for 4 catches, 45 receiving yards and a score. Shiancoe could be a pick up for those missing their starter on the Week-8 bye.

If I showed you the next page you would have seen the last of 11 week 3 match-ups which was a $9 win in a heads up expert only game. Expert only means you get less $$$ to play with. Expert get $55,000 - standard gets $60,000 and Beg. get $65,000

Here is what I do to find the excellent match ups headed into the week and rank them accordingly.

1. Get the top 10 or so fantasy points allowed by position (listed below)
2. Find the obvious studs with great match ups (high dollar value guys on fanduel)
3. Find the “flex starts” with great match ups that present high upside (low dollar value guys on fanduel)
4. TOP 10 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing QB’s this year.

You can use this method to determine who is a great weekly fantasy play based on match up, helpful for you guys without a backup for Antonio Gates, more on that later.

I’ll start at the Quarterback position.

Eli Manning comes to mind over the next several weeks, this week he face the Cardinals who allow the 8th most fantasy points to Quarterbacks.

TOP 10 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing QB’s this year.

1. New England Patriots vs. QB – 1,163 yards – 6 TD
2. Green Bay Packers vs. QB – 1,153 yards – 6 TD
3. Oakland Raiders vs. QB 937 yards 6 TD
4. Miami Dolphins vs. QB 957 yards 8 TD
5. St. Louis Rams vs. QB 799 yards 7 TD
6. Buffalo Bills vs. QB 829 yards 7 TD
7. New Orleans Saints vs. QB 929 yards 7 TD
8. Arizona Cardinals vs. QB 884 yards 4 TD
9. Kansas City Chiefs vs. QB 796 yards 8 TD
10. Minnesota Vikings vs. QB 956 yards 5 TD

QB Match-ups to exploit in week 4 are:

• Jason Campbell faces the New England Patriots who, as you see above, are allow a sever amount of fantasy stats to opposing QB’s.
• Rex Grossman AKA “Sexy Rexy” have a juicy match-up against St. Louis Rams who rank 5th in most fantasy points allowed.
• Andy Dalton should bounce back this week versus the Bills, who rank 6th in points allowed to opposing QB’s.
• Eli Manning comes to mind over the next several weeks, this week he face the Cardinals who allow the 8th most fantasy points to Quarterbacks. Excellent Value on Fanduel.

The obvious starter with exceptional match ups:

• Tom Brady obviously.. Oakland just sweetens the pot.
• Phillip Rivers is another no brain-er with a sweet match-up versus Miami who ranks 4th in most points allowed.

Here are are WEEK 4 Quarterback Rankings

Either Cedric Benson (if allowed to play) or Bernard Scott should have success this week versus Buffalo however, I'd only start Bernard Scott in PPR leagues as the Bengals will have to play from behind.

TOP 10 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing RB’s this year.

1. Philadelphia Eagles vs. RB 394 yards 2 TD, 15 Catches for 185 yards 3 TD
2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. RB 360 yards 5 TD, 16 Catches for 153 1 TD
3. Oakland Raiders vs. RB 305 yards 2 TD, 24 Catches for 283 2 TD
4. St. Louis Rams vs. RB 399 yards 2 TD, 19 Catches for 187 1 TD
5. Minnesota Vikings vs. RB 190 yards 3 TD, 27 Catches for 256 2 TD
6. New York Jets vs. RB 356 yards 4 TD, 15 Catches for 106 0 TD
7. Buffalo Bills vs. RB 292 yards 2 TD, 25 Catches for 152 2 TD
8. New England Patriots vs. RB 202 yards 2 TD, 30 Catches for 271 1 TD
9. Indianapolis Colts vs. RB 315 yards 4 TD, 11 Catches for 73 0 TD
10. Atlanta Falcons vs. RB 277 yards 2 TD, 18 Catches for 165 1 TD

RB Match-ups to exploit in week 4 are:

• Dexter McCluster faces the Vikings BUT WAIT they got back some players in Week 3 and picked up the run stuff. Only consider McCluster in PPR leagues as a strong FLEX.
• BenJarvus Green-Ellis / Stevan Ridley are both good flexes this week versus the porous Raiders. I like Ridley this week to get plenty of chances as New England burns the clock holding a lead.
• Frank Gore could easily bounce back this week against the Eagles who are allowing the most points to RB’s this year.
• Tim Hightower should toss the Rams salad this week, they rank 4th in points allowed.
• LeGarrette Blount should have a bounce back week against Indy, but don’t keep your hopes to high.
• Either Cedric Benson (if allowed to play) or Bernard Scott should have success this week versus Buffalo however, I’d only start Bernard Scott in PPR leagues as the Bengals will have to play from behind.

The obvious starter with exceptional match up:

• A. Peterson is an obvious start any week but this week is exceptional as he faces the Chief’s who can’t stop tumbleweed from blowing across the field.

Here are our Week 4 Running Back Rankings

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TOP 16 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing WR’s this year.

Denarius Moore is poised for a break out game.

1. New England Patriots vs. WR 48 catches for 794 yards and 4 TD
2. Green Bay Packers vs. WR 42 catches for 660 yards and 4 TD
3. St. Louis Rams vs. WR 34 catches for 535 yards and 6 TD
4. Miami Dolphins vs. WR 37 catches for 578 yards and 5 TD
5. New Orleans Saints vs. WR 39 catches for 525 yards and 3 TD
6. San Francisco 49ers vs. WR 36 catches for 514 yards and 5 TD
7. New York Giants vs. WR 41 catches for 606 yards and 3 TD
8. Baltimore Ravens vs. WR 50 catches for 600 yards and 3 TD
9. Arizona Cardinals vs. WR 41 catches for 581 yards and 3 TD
10. Houston Texans vs. WR 37 catches for 503 yards and 4 TD
11. Kansas City Chiefs vs. WR 37 catches for 484 yards and 4 TD
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. WR 44 catches for 582 yards and 2 TD
13. Oakland Raiders vs. WR 45 catches for 519 yards and 3 TD
14. Buffalo Bills vs. WR 36 catches for 517 yards and 3 TD
15. Denver Broncos vs. WR 42 catches for 517 yards and 3 TD
16. Carolina Panthers vs. WR 20 catches for 437 yards and 4 TD

WR Match-ups to exploit in week 4 are:

• Brandon Lloyd and Eric Decker should have a good day against Green Bay who allow the 2nd most fantasy points to WR so far this year.
• Oakland has some nice flex plays lined up for you this week but gamble at your own risk here, while someone in Oakland is going to have a great day it’s hard to predict. I expect the Pats to stack the box and force Campbell to pass, Denarius Moore is poised for a break out game.
• Santana Moss WILL have a big day versus the Rams. I don’t think the Rams will move the ball on offense and Washington will be able to air it out versus their weak secondary who ranks 3rd in points allowed.
• Minnesota has a possible deep sleeper in PPR formats, deep leagues only, Michael Jenkins is on the rise as a nice match-ups based flex starter and this week he gets the Chiefs who rank 11th in points allowed.

More obvious starters with great match-ups

• Larry Fitzgerald versus NYG
• Vincent Jackson, especially if Gates returns to the line-up. Miami allows the 4th most points to WR.
• Hakeem Nicks / Mario Manningham or Victor Cruz depending on Manninghams status – Arizona allows the 9th most fantasy points to WR.

Greg Olsen has a great match-up versus the Bears, nice flex play in your a Antonio Gates owner in a time of need.

TOP 10 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing TE’s this year.

1. Miami Dolphins vs. TE 25 catches for 315 yards and 3 TD
2. San Diego Chargers vs. TE 14 catches for 180 yards and 4 TD
3. Chicago Bears vs. TE 19 catches for 237 yards and 3 TD
4. New Orleans Saints vs. TE 14 catches for 259 yards and 2 TD
5. Kansas City Chiefs vs. TE 12 catches for 159 yards and 3 TD
6. Cincinnati Bengals vs. TE 17 catches for 217 yards and 2 TD
7. Dallas Cowboys vs. TE 15 catches for 214 yards and 2 TD
8. Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TE 21 catches for 207 yards and 2 TD
9. Green Bay Packers vs. TE 9 catches for 178 yards and 2 TD
10. Buffalo Bills vs. TE 13 catches for 164 yards and 2 TD

• Greg Olsen has a great match-up versus the Bears, nice flex play in your a Antonio Gates owner in a time of need.
• Marcedes Lewis is a deep sleeper in DEEP leagues – he faces the Saints who can’t cover TE and you can bank that the Saints will score a lot of points.
• Randy McMichael (If Antonio Gates sits out) has a DECENT match-up versus Miami, but they’re ranked number one in points allowed due to the thrashing they took in week 1 versus the Pats.
• Jermaine Gresham is another Antonio Gates weekly flex replacement – the Bungles will have to air it out versus the Bills who rank 10th in points allowed.

More obvious starters with great match-ups this week:

• Jimmy Graham get the Jags who have trouble with tall TE’s.
• Scott Chandler gets the Cincinnati Bengals and they can’t cover TE either, rankings 6th in points allowed. Chandler has a TD in every game this year, it won’t stop this week.

Bouns Round for Kickers – top 10 teams allowing the most Kicker Fantasy Points

1. Cleveland Browns vs. K 10.7 points allowed
2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. K 10.3 this week they face Ryan Longwell
3. Indianapolis Colts vs. K 10.0 points allowed
4. Atlanta Falcons vs. K 9.7 points allowed
5. New Orleans Saints vs. K 9.3 points allowed
6. Chicago Bears vs. K 9.0 points allowed
7. Green Bay Packers vs. K 8.7 points allowed
8. Denver Broncos vs. K 8.7 this week they facec Jason Hanson
9. Dallas Cowboys vs. K 8.3 points allowed
10. Seattle Seahawks vs. K 8.3 points allowed

Locks this week are:

Ryan Longwell and Jason Hanson – both kickers present favorable TOP 10 match-ups this week and they’re in the TOP 10 in regards to FG and XP attempts.

Risk aversion is always a common place in fantasy football, but it isn’t always the best approach because of what could be sacrificed.

The best way to deal with this is to look at individual situations, and other hidden aspects that many overlook; not just statistical projections and consensual analysis.

Let’s take a look at who’s who.

Jordy Nelson – Green Bay Packers – Week 8 Bye

Jordy Nelson is an intriguing player in the sense that some people feel him to be a risky venture while others feel him to be a solid mid-to-late round grab.

But to be honest there is no risk aversion with Nelson whatsoever, despite the return of Jermichael Finley and the resigning of James Jones—the bulk of the concern here.

Nelson played more snaps than Jones in 2010 (701 for Nelson – 649 for Jones) and that was as the Packers 4th receiver on the depth chart, and the presence of Finley will undoubtedly open up passing opportunities for Nelson and the Packers passing game—gold for fantasy owners.

Nelson is a prime WR3 candidate who will easily be drafted as a WR5 which is an unbeatable price is you ask me.

Mike Sims-Walker – St. Louis Rams – Week 5 Bye

MSW struggled in 2010 as he dealt with double coverage all year long, but fantasy owners only see the drop in numbers and nothing more.

The fact is, it was easy to double up on MSW because at the time, there was no other receiving threat in Jacksonville until Mike Thomas starting emerging, so it isn’t a fair assessment of what MSW can do—and he STILL caught 43 balls for 562 yards and 7 touchdowns.

MSW is in a one-year “prove it” deal with a far more explosive QB in Sam Bradford than David Garrard. But the real intriguing part is MSW is just one of five offensive weapons that the Rams will deploy this season, making it virtually impossible to double team him this year.

MSW is not only undervalued, but he is also primed for a breakout season and if you’re lucky enough to grab him as a WR4, you’re basically paying for the Hyundai, but getting the Benz.

Jacob Ford – Oakland Raiders – Week 8 Bye

There is still a consensus that Jacoby Ford isn’t going to do much this season for fantasy owners which is being reflected in real-time drafts and mock drafts, showing him to be severely undervalued.

A lot of this could be based on the hype surrounding Denarius Moore and the fact that Ford has missed 20 plus days of camp with a broken hand, but the Raiders still list Ford as the starting flanker on this team.

If that’s not enough, the team will also deploy Ford in the slot on their 3-wide sets, and he also carries a ton of value as a return man making him extra valuable for leagues that award return yardage for a WR.

You’re looking at one of the best value receivers in fantasy football this season. For a more formal write-up, check out my analysis on Jacoby Ford’s Sleeper Value.

Santana Moss – Washington Redskins – Week 5 Bye

I know, the Redskins seemingly stink, and they have a much undecided QB situation going on right now, but these types of situations often provide fantasy owners with unexpected production and supplemental fantasy points.

The Redskins are likely to play from behind in the majority of their contests which bodes well for their primary receiver no matter who is throwing the ball; an aspect that potentially increases Moss’ fantasy value.

If you are looking for a WR to fill out the back end of your team with a lot of potential upside, then Moss is definitely your man, as he will likely be passed on altogether.

Chad Ochocinco – New England Patriots – Week 7 Bye

When the Patriots scooped up Ochocinco, his fantasy stock significantly increased no doubt.

But many still feel as if Ochocinco will be nothing more than a role player, rather than the once great fantasy stud he was, which in my opinion, is inaccurate and devalues Ochocinco greatly.

The Patriots proved they can literally pass the ball to the Gatorade boy if they needed to last season, but opted to run a good portion of the passing game through double tight-end sets because they lacked a true deep-ball threat which is precisely why Ochocinco was brought in.

Ochocinco has the potential to not only lead this team in catches  and touchdowns, and if he is still around in the mid-rounds you’ll be drafting a guy with WR2/3 potential at a WR3/4 asking price.

Usually in a situation like this one, a one-year deal is an insurance contract for a team that requires the player in question to prove his worth, if the said player wants to stay. MSW will look to return his 2009 form in which he afforded fantasy football owners 869 receiving yards on 63 catches and 7 touchdowns.

Keep in mind, though, MSW did also catch 7 touchdowns last year on 43 balls in 14 games. A lot of that was the by-product of constantly seeing double team coverage which is unlikely to happen in St. Louis.

His fantasy value get a nice boost with this move.

John Boyle on Twitter is reporting that Tarvaris Jackson will enter camp as Seattle’s starting quarterback, which means absolutely nothing to fantasy owners going forward.

We all want to seriously believe that with Sidney Rice as a primary weapon, and with Jackson’s familiarity of Darrell Bevell’s offense, Jackson will suddenly rise to fantasy relevance, but the guy has never been the model of consistency in his entire career.

In addition to the aforementioned, keep in mind that a quarterback who ENTERS CAMP as the starter, still has to win the job as the regular season starter.

Unless we get “wowed” in preseason, it is looking more and more that Seattle’s passing game is one to avoid altogether in fantasy.

Quick Hits From Around the League

• It is being reported that the Eagles may put CB Asante Samuel on the trading block now that they have acquired Nnamdi Asomugha from the Oakland Raiders. The Eagles also have Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie which makes up one helluva triple defensive threat. Samuel is owed a lot of money and doesn’t fit well in most schemes, so the likelihood of Philadelphia dealing him this year is rather low. Tom Diggs goes into further detail with these guys, and explains what it all means for IDP leaguers.
• Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier now says that Donovan McNabb will start the season, despite a day ago saying he wouldn’t rule out Christian Ponder starting. McNabb will work in an entirely different system than what he is used to, requiring him to pass short and over over the middle—something he has never historically been accurate at. It is still a situation to monitor as preseason continues.
• Any lingering rumors of the possibility that Vincent Jackson goes elsewhere can officially be put to rest after Jackson not only signed his franchise tag deal worth $11 million dollars, but also due to the fact that he will show up to camp on time with no bad blood between he and the organization. Vincent Jackson is back!

Make sure to check back all next week, when all of my Quarterback rankings, Receiver rankings, and Tight End rankings become updated to reflect the 72 hour free agency window—scheduled to close Monday night.

A few days ago, I posted my rankings of the top 5 fantasy quarterbacks for 2011. Today, it’s time to rank the running backs.

The list is full of proven veterans, but youngster Arian Foster managed to crack the top 5 after a huge fantasy year in 2010.

Here’s my list of the top five fantasy running backs for 2011. And here’s a look at Fantasy Knuckleheads official top 40 running back rankings.

1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings – Peterson has been the most consistent fantasy running back of the past few years. Even though Arian Foster had a better year last year, Peterson is a lock to be a great RB this year too. And, now that the Vikings have a tentative agreement to acquire Donovan McNabb from the Washington Redskins, Peterson won’t have to carry the entire load offensively. He’ll have plenty of space to run.
2. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans – Johnson is in the same boat as Peterson. He’s proven that he’s not a one-year wonder, something that Foster will have to prove this year. And, the Titans recently shored up their QB spot as well, signing Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck will be an upgrade and will make the offense more potent, making Johnson more valuable.
3. Arian Foster, Houston Texans – Foster certainly has the potential to be the No. 1 fantasy running back again in 2011, but I’m not sold just yet. He’ll certainly have a very strong year, but he won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year. Let’s see how he does when defenses game plan for him. I’m not saying don’t draft him, I’m just saying don’t draft him No. 1 overall.
4. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams – Jackson is the do-it-all running back for the St. Louis Rams. He’s always a top 10 fantasy running back, but now that the Rams have a solid QB, he should be even better. If the Rams get a legitimate No. 1 receiver, that’ll be even better news for potential Jackson owners.
5. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars – MJD was awesome last season despite playing through an injury. Imagine how much better he should be this season if he’s at 100%. He’s always a threat to break a long run, and one long run could mean a good week for your fantasy team. If you are picking in the middle of the first round of your draft, grab MJD. You won’t regret it.