My Matt Forte Blog

With preseason games underway and some injuries to muddle things, let's take a look at the latest fantasy football rankings in one expert's mind.

1. Chris Johnson
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Maurice Jones-Drew
4. Ray Rice
5. Frank Gore
6. Steven Jackson
7. Michael Turner
8. Ryan Grant
9. DeAngelo Williams
10. Rashard Mendenhall
11. Ryan Matthews
12. Knowshon Moreno
13. Jonathan Stewart
14. Beanie Wells
15. Jamaal Charles
16. LeSean McCoy
17. Shonn Greene
18. Matt Forte
19. Cedric Benson
20. Ronnie Brown
21. Pierre Thomas
22. Arian Foster
23. Joseph Addai
24. Clinton Portis
25. Felix Jones
26. CJ Spiller
27. Jahvid Best
28. Marion Barber
29. Justin Forsett
30. Cadillac Williams
31. Ahmad Bradshaw
32. Jerome Harrison
33. Brandon Jacobs
34. Fred Jackson
35. Ricky Williams

-The top four remain the same in standard leagues but I wouldn't argue if someone took Jones-Drew over Peterson in PPR.

-The biggest mover since my first installment was LeSean McCoy up to number 16. This kid has a ton of talent and will be one of the more exciting players in football this year. The TD's may be light due to the presence of Mike Bell and Leonard Weaver but the catches and yards that go with it will more than make up for it.

-I have seen Ryan Matthews ranked as high as number 7 which is crazy to me. The man has yet to play a down in the NFL and I would never take him as a RB 1. Matthews is in a great setting as the main back in a decent offense but dont forget the presence of Darren Sproles who will supplant him on third down, thus cutting down his opportunities.

-I still have DeAngelo Williams ranked over Jonathan Stewart but thats only because he makes more of an impact in the passing game. I still love Stewart and think he is a top RB 2.

-Jamaal Charles took a big dip to number 15 due to the news that Thomas Jones will be the starter once the season gets going. I am a big fan of Charles as I took him as my RB 1 in my money league (with Jonathan Stewart and Matt Forte my 2nd and 3rd backs) and I still think he will haev a big year but maybe not the year we all expected.

-CJ Spiller has passed Fred Jackson in the rankings due to the latter's broken hand but it is possible that Jackson gets back before the opener. If thats the case, than he will be the bPetter player to target.

-Arian Foster moves up to number 22 now that the backfield there looks less muddled with the season ending injurt to Ben Tate. I am in the dark about what Foster can really do but the playing time will be there.

-Keep an eye on Justin Forsett who can make as huge move up the board due to the fact he should get the majority of work in Seattle. Adept at catching the ball, Forsett could be a real find. I nabbed him late in my draft.

-Pierre Thomas is down to 21 with the news that the Saints are actively trying to find a goal line back. That means more TD's stolen from Thomas and thus a drop in his numbers.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more rankings.

FOUNDER OF http://fantasysportsboss.blogspot.com/ Which details all the fantasy sports news in football and baseball. Updated multiple times a day.

Every team in the NFL has played at least 4 games, which makes this the unofficial end to the first quarter of the football season. Now's the best time to get your hands on a new jersey to support your favorite team or player. Sure, it's cool to be the first one on your block with a jersey from a rookie drafted in April, but what do you think all those Chargers fans are doing with old Ryan Leaf jerseys? Instead of taking a chance on a rookie, use the facts from the first quarter of the season to help sway your decision. Here's the hottest jerseys so far:

-Brett Favre, New York Jets

-Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

-Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

-Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons,

-LaMarr Woodley, Pittsburgh Steelers

A lot of people jumped the gun on the Brett Favre bandwagon and bought his New York Jets jersey the day it was available. So far it seems like a good investment. Favre threw six touchdown passes in week 4, and has the New York faithful excited about the possibility of another playoff appearance. Next up are two rookies who have seen a great deal of playing time. Matt Ryan has hooked up with Roddy White to become one of the league's most potent pass-catch combinations. Meanwhile, Matt Forte is doing everything the Bears have asked of him. He's running, blocking and catching the ball out of the backfield, and he has the Bears in first place. Matt Ryan's teammate, Michael Turner, the pride of Northern Illinois University, has caught fire thus far, rushing for more than 540 yards through his first five games, and has become the best friend of many fantasy football owners. Finally, on the defensive side of the ball, LaMarr Woodley is tied for third in the league with 5.5 sacks, and already has a forced fumble and an interception. Steelers fans love a smash-mouth defense, and Woodley is definitely leading the way to this point.

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The Chicago Bears will play their 89th regular season in 2008 and attempt to improve upon their 7-9 finish in 2007. Obviously, heading into the new season the Bears had to address many issues, mainly their weak offense. Statistically speaking, the team's running game ranked last place in most categories. The team also had their share of injuries and poor game play from their aging offensive line. What will it take to turn the bears around and turn them into the 2006 team that finished the season playing Super Bowl winner the Indianapolis Colts?

The draft is a good indication of where the team is going in 2008. In addition to their six other regular picks, the team got to choose an extra third-round draft pick after trading with the San Diego Chargers. They also traded third-round picks with the San Francisco 49ers and got their fifth round pick after negotiating with Lance Briggs's agent. The NFL also let the Bears choose three compensatory picks, giving the team a total of 12 draft picks. As many experts predicted, the Bears wisely used their first three draft picks for choosing offensive players. These were offensive tackle Chris Williams from Vanderbilt University, running back Matt Forte from Tulane and wide receiver Earl Bennett.

The next rounds brought the team some defensive players as well as offensive players, including Arkansas' Marcus Harrison as a defensive tackle, safety Craig Steltz from Louisiana State University, cornerback Zack Bowman from Nebraska, tight end Kellen Davis and defensive end Ervin Baldwin from Michigan State. Rounding out the list were offensive guard Chester Adams from Georgia, linebacker Joey LaRocque from Oregon State, offensive tackle Kirk Barton from Ohio State and wide receiver Marcus Monk from Arkansas.

How did the press react to the Chicago Bears of 2008? There was some criticism as regards the quarterback situation as well as players like Cedric Benson. Just as the team was trying to rebuild their offensive line they also lose Bernard Berrian. Fans and experts noticed that the Bears went after offensive players like Chris Williams. Williams has received some scrutiny because of his short arms, nevertheless most fans believe he is a smart athlete and one that can easily become a top pass blocker in the big leagues. Cedric Benson probably felt the heat when running back Matt Forte was chosen, possibly as his replacement if Benson doesn't start living up to his promises. Forte is seen as a bit of an in-between for running back and full back position, though his MVP showing at the Senior Bowl did help. Earl Bennett also won high marks for his size and bulk and most importantly his pass catching average.

What is the overall reception for the Bears 2008 draft? They scored well, receiving quantity as well as quality. Some experts questioned why the team didn't opt for a quarterback. It seems likely that the Bears may be in for a longer wait for success as they rebuild their offense. However, it does appear as if they are heading in the right direction. Sometimes building legendary Super Bowl winners just takes time-as Chicago's most loyal fans know.

This game was televised on National TV, Sunday Night Football, for a reason; it was expected to be a very close hard fought battle. It did not disappoint. This game started as a defensive battle with zero points scored in the first quarter. The Falcons could not get anything going offensively. The Bears took their first drive of the game down the field and looked poised for a touchdown when Cutler threw an interception at the 12 yard line.

The Bears scored a touchdown to start the second quarter when Cutler threw a 21 yard touchdown pass to Johnny Knox, the rookie out of Abilene Christian. He has emerged as a solid deep ball threat for the Bears. He is not worth owning as a fantasy player though. A couple possessions later Cutler through another pick at around midfield. This set the Falcons up for their first scoring drive. On the third play of the drive Matt Ryan connected with R. White for a 40 yard touchdown pass. These two have been a great connection this year. Matt Ryan is having anything but a sophomore slump. Both of these guys are every week starters. The Falcons got the ball back with 5 minutes left in the half and drove down the field for another score. This one was a Ryan 10 yard pass to the off season acquisition, Tony Gonzalez. He has really helped Ryan come into his own. Tony G is getting holder but Atlanta has really seemed to give him some extra life. He is a must start tight end every week as well. Ryan has really helped his production.

The Bears had a great chance for a score near the end of the third quarter but failed because of back to back fumbles by Matt Forte. Matt Forte has not a good season thus far. Most people will say it is due to the lack of offensive line and I would have to agree. He was a top 5 draft pick in most leagues but if owners have a better option I would not look pass benching him. The Bears were able to score on a drive that came off of a Matt Ryan pick. Cutler threw a 2 yard touchdown to Greg Olsen, who hasn't been up to par this year as well. On the next drive the Michael Turner had a 5 yard touchdown run, which would turn out to be the game winner. The Bears had a shot at the end of regulation to tie the game but Cutler could not convert a 4th and 6 in the red zone.

This was a well played game by both teams except for the stupid penalties that hurt the Bears on their last drive. The Falcons are clearly contenders. If the Bears want to be considered for the playoffs they need to tighten up ship and get the running game going as well.

Matt Messel

During Sunday afternoon's Bears-Falcons game, Matt Ryan showed Atlanta fans why he was such a great pick for the franchise in the 2008 NFL Draft. Kicker Jason Elam also showed how valuable his acquisition during the offseason was.

Ryan went 22-of-30, for 301 yards, with a touchdown and no interceptions in the Falcons thrilling, 22-20 win over the Chicago Bears. However, the bigger story was that of kicker Jason Elam, who converted on 5-of-6 field goals, including a 48-yarder as time expired which gave Atlanta their fourth win in six games this season.

Both teams had to rely on their kickers as each side was held out of the end zone for the entire 1st half. Elam kicked a total of three field goals for Atlanta while the Falcons defense held Chicago to just three points in the 1st half (a 36-yard field goal by Robbie Gould with 4:02 remaining in the 2nd quarter).

The score was 9-3, in favor of the Falcons, heading into halftime.

The Bears scored the first touchdown of the game with 2:24 remaining in the 3rd quarter on a 3-yard run by Matt Forte, making the score 12-10 in favor of Atlanta. The Falcons ensuing drive, which carried over into the 4th quarter, resulted in a 3-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White from Matt Ryan, making the score 19-10.

Neither team made too much progress on any drive after that touchdown until the Bears were able to convert on a 32-yard field goal attempt, again by Robbie Gould, with 4:00 minutes remaining in the 4th.

The Bears retained possession after Atlanta's drive late in the 4th quarter failed as Jason Elam, who appeared to be the goat, hooked a 33-yard field goal attempt wide left with less than 3:00 minutes remaining in the game. Bears quarterback Kyle Orton completed a total of seven passes on Chicago's next drive, including a 17-yard touchdown throw to wide receiver Rashied Davis with 0:11 seconds remaining in the game to tie the score at 19-19. The Bears' PAT attempt by Gould was good, giving Chicago the lead 20-19.

Following the score, Gould pooched the Chicago kickoff to Harry Douglas of the Falcons, who managed to return the kick 10 yards to set up Atlanta at their own 44-yard line. The clock showed that 0:07 seconds remained in the game and fans seemed to give up hope as many of them exited the packed Georgia Dome. Then, with the poise of a 10-year veteran, Matt Ryan calmly threw a pass to receiver Michael Jenkins for a 26-yard gain along the left sideline. Jenkins caught the pass in front of safety Mike Brown, got both feet down and tumbled out of bounds with just 0:01 second remaining on the clock. Matt Ryan, once again, showed the Falcons faithful why the organization took him with the third overall pick in the draft, and also, why the team has labeled him as "the new face of the franchise."

The play set up a 48-yard field goal attempt for kicker Jason Elam. The attempt spelled redemption for the long-time leg of the Denver Broncos, whom the Falcons picked up in a free agent deal during the offseason. His missed field goal earlier in the 4th quarter was his first in 31 attempts, and it nearly sealed his fate as the scapegoat of the game. After a short delay to confirm that Jenkins' reception was good, Elam lined up for the kick. The snap was good, and Elam, with the swift flick of his right leg, blasted the kick high into the air as the clock ticked to 0:00. The ball sailed through the uprights and the referees raised their arms, signaling that the kick was good. Elam had redeemed himself as the Falcons stunned the Bears with their surprising, and thrilling, fourth win of the season.

The Falcons erupted in a playoff-like celebration near the middle of the field after the kick. Head coach Mike Smith lifted his rookie quarterback into the air while Elam was swarmed by his teammates, having atoned for the miss with his fifth field goal of the game, equaling his career high.

The Falcons can gain much good out of their 22-20 win over the Bears. The defense showed that it is a resilient force to deal with, Elam proved how reliable his leg still is, and Matt Ryan showed that he is an up-and-coming star after another successful week. Ryan is a player who will soon be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, just as soon as he reaches his prime.

Six games into what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, the Falcons have already matched their win total from a forgettable 2007 season.

Suddenly, the playoffs don't appear to be out of the question.

Go Falcons!

-Chris Barfield

Visit http://www.barfieldsports.com for weekly sports news articles as well as for headlines from major sports news providers around the globe.

My name is Chris Barfield (cbarfield1789@yahoo.com) and I am a 19 year old who is extremely passionate about sports. I have just begun writing a blog entitled BARFIELD SPORTS along with my good friend and fellow author, Martin Lewis (lewismartinp@gmail.com). At BARFIELD SPORTS you can get weekly news on the top stories from all of the major sports. We also feature each day's headlines from both Sports Illustrated and, the worldwide leader in sports, ESPN. In the recent future, the blog will begin to be used to write product reviews for various advertisers, but the sports articles will continue to be written and, probably, at an even higher frequency than they are being written right now. At BARFIELD SPORTS, we also offer a Google Search bar, a YouTube Video Search bar (with featured videos updated daily), and even a variety of feature minigames that are updated weekly. This week's (October 5th through 11th) minigames include both Pacman and Minigolf, two classics I'm sure you'll enjoy.

Visit http://www.barfieldsports.com today!

The year 2008 saw yours truly capture his 2nd league championship in 10 years using a 12 team head to head format. My starters were as follows: Peyton Manning, Chris Johnson, Larry Johnson, Matt Forte, Calvin Johnson, Jericho Cotchery, Jason Witten, John Casey, and the Eagles defense. In my estimation there are many fantasy owners in denial regarding certain changes that have come full circle the last few years. Being a lifelong Raider fan I know full well what happens when you have individuals who are incapable of adjusting to change. I am obviously referring to Al Davis here. Mr. Davis is without question one of the true pioneers when it comes to not only the NFL but to the entire history of professional football dating back to his early AFL years and even before that. However, Mr. Davis as any true Raider fan will attest to is stuck in the '70's and '80's when it comes to his football philosophies and fails to realize that most of the X's and O's from era's gone by are no longer as effective as they once were. Joe Gibbs also struggled mightily with this and countless numbers of fantasy owners are following suit. Based upon what I can see from my draft and also the number of mock drafts I did last summer I realize that there are loads of stick in the mud fantasy owners who are STILL dead set on taking RB's with their first 2 and sometimes first 3 picks and who in my opinion greatly over exaggerate the value of the position when drafting. A prime example of this lies with an owner in my league we call Tuna Eyes for reasons we won't get into here. Anyways, Tuna Eyes always goes RB, RB, and RB with his first 3 picks and not coincidentally has failed to reach the playoffs each of the last 3 years.

Now, before everyone starts ridiculing me and calling me friendly names listen to my argument. I am NOT saying that RB's are not important. Quite the contrary, if one doesn't have a good stable of RB's their odds of winning his/her league are slim at best. However, times have changed people and my whole point is that with how the NFL is played these days (i.e. running back by committee) there are ample ball carriers that can be had later in the draft that produce similar or greater numbers that high profile backs selected ahead of them. Those owners who fail to adapt to the changing times (i.e. Tuna Eyes) will be left in the dust and not be as successful as their counterparts who are more open minded towards how they are going to draft come late August.

To be truthful I DID take Larry Johnson in the 2nd round of my draft this past summer. I had the 5th pick where I selected Peyton Manning and I thought LJ coming back around in the 2nd was a great value. Needless to say I was wrong. All LJ did last year was slap some woman around at various Kansas City nightclubs while at the same time providing little or no help to owners such as myself who were sucked in by his past accomplishments. Several other backs had similar fates. Well, similar except for the punching woman in Kansas City nightclubs part. In contrast, the 2 backs who I DID ride to the title were:

Chris Johnson (Rookie drafted in the 14th round out of 17 rounds)

Matt Forte (Rookie. I traded Aaron Rogers for Forte who I had drafted in the 16th round)

So, the power backs on my team came from the 14th and 16th rounds respectively. Both of them in addition to several others including DeAngelo Williams, Steve Slaton, Michael Turner, and Lendale White vastly outperformed the likes of LT, Steven Jackson, LJ, Brian Westbrook, Marshawn Lynch, Frank Gore, and Joseph Addai. You cannot make a mistake with your first couple picks and with that being said is is far better to go for a franchise QB and a big play WR like Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald with your first 2 picks and then stockpile RB's later in the draft. They put up more points and are much less prone to injury. Furthermore, RB's are much easier to predict breakout games against poor defenses than WR's and thus playing RB's based on match ups is simpler than other positions. It just makes sense. Ask yourself, how many teams use a one back system now? Hardly any if any at all. Maybe St. Louis bu Jackson is hurt all the time anyways. Moreover, these tandems are getting more evenly distributed each and every year. The "main" guy will get 20 carries and the "backup" will see between 12-15 OR the main guy will get the carries and the yards but then the vulcher will come in and steal all of the TD's. Bottom line is that this is simple math folks. There are FAR more RB's producing quality fantasy points nowadays than there were 5 years ago because all teams now implement multiple back systems in order to preserve their "feature" back from taking an inordinate amount of punishment.

This year will be no different and someone will undoubtedly draft D. Williams in the top 5. A couple of questions pertaining to Williams heading into 2009. (1) Do you REALLY think that he will rush for 1700 yds and 20 TD's this season? (2) How many other good seasons has Williams had? (3) What was the name of that guy Carolina just drafted? Oh yeah, Jonathan Stewart who I also had on my bench last season by the way. Ask me right now who I would rather have this year Williams or Calvin Johnson and I take Megatron again no questions asked. Now, I will say that if I secure the number 1 selection in this years draft I will be using it on AP. Peterson is the new LT as long as he stays healthy. I also think that MJD is going to have a breakout year as well with Fred Taylor gone. Those are the ONLY 2 top rated backs that I am completely sold on coming into 2009 and if my number 1 pick is not either one of them my first pick will not be a RB and if I do get one of them my 2nd pick will absolutely not be a RB. In summary try something new on draft day this summer for a change. Obviously what you are doing is not working. Till next time.

Cheers and Beers

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of [http://Gothicfootball.com] an Oakland Raider/fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Visit today at: [http://www.gothicfootball.com]

Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.

#51 - Kansas Jayhawks 7-5 SU; 6-5 ATS

Fargo's Take Kansas finished 2005 with the most wins since 1995 and expectations are even higher in 2006. On paper, things look very dicey. The Jayhawks will be relying on a freshman quarterback to run the offense while the best defense in the Big XII last season needs to replace eight starters. However, there is not a lot of concern with these issues and coaches are confident that this team will be better that last year's Fort Worth Bowl champs. Freshman quarterback Kerry Meier, brother of Kansas St.'s Dylan, is an exciting player that possesses both a strong arm and running ability and he will benefit from the return of 4/5 of the offensive line. The Jayhawks had the third best rushing defense in the country last season and the run stuffing should be the strength of the unit once again. The Kansas schedule is the best in the Big XII which will help in trying to get to a bowl game for the third time in four years.

Returning Starters on Offense - 7 The emergence of Meier in the spring has everyone in Lawrence buzzing since the quarterback position was a big weakness last year. He is an incredible athlete and once he gets comfortable with the offense, great things could happen. The offensive line is strong and that not only helps Meier but also the running game that struggled again last year. Running back Jon Cornish was a backup last season but ended up leading the team in rushing and the JUCO transfer is ready for a breakout season. He averaged a solid 5.8 ypc in his junior season. The receiving corps can be considered the weakness as there are no superstars but there is plenty of experience to make up for that. The offensive production came down slightly last year from 2004 but it will be better this season.

Returning Starters on Defense - 3 This defense was one of the best in the country a season ago and with only three starters coming back, a significant dropoff would be expected. However, the defense should be quicker this year and there is some great experience all over the place. Replacing Charlton Keith on the defensive line will be difficult but the three newcomers are all seniors and all are primed to repeat the solid rushing defense from last year. The linebackers are young but extremely quick and could be even better than last season's unit. The secondary is the weakness but that might not be a big concern in the Big XII. The Jayhawks allowed 22 ppg last year, 28th in the country but taking out the one game against Texas and that average drops to 18 ppg which would have put them at 14th in the nation. The unit might not be that good but there will not be a huge dropoff like many are expecting.

Schedule This is where Kansas caught a huge break and the favorable schedule helps in many areas. A soft non-conference slate early in the season will help Meier get comfortable in the offense prior to conference action. Three home games against Northwestern St., La-Monroe and South Florida are all wins while a game at Toledo is the only big challenge. Three of the Jayhawks five Big XII North games are on the road but none of them are so overwhelming that they cannot be won. Nebraska. Iowa St. and Missouri are all ranked in front of Kansas but not so much that upsets cannot occur. The biggest break on the schedule is that the Jayhawks miss Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech, the top three teams from the South Division.

You can bet on... Kansas has an opportunity to either equal or surpass last year's win total but it will be up to Meier to take control of the offense. The easy schedule at the beginning of the season is a blessing for that to happen before a run at the wide open Big XII South commences. Memorial Stadium has turned into a mini Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence as the Jayhawks are 9-3 ATS at home over the last two seasons including a 5-1 mark against the number as home underdogs. Kansas has seven home games this year, six of which will be lined and we could see some excellent value based on the fact that many see a decline from Kansas. It could be just the opposite if everyone plays their roles.

Matt Fargo is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at [http://www.procappers.com/Matt_Fargo.htm]

What a wild fantasy football season it's been so far. Who would have predicted that guys like Matt Schaub, Kyle Orton, Joe Flacco, and Cedric Benson would all be fantasy studs? I didn't, and there's a good chance that you didn't either. On the other side of the equation, there have been a large handful of fantasy football busts and it's important that we recognize them too. Here are a few guys driving GMs crazy through the first few weeks of the 2009 fantasy season.

1. Matt Forte. With only one touchdown through the first five weeks of the football season, you have to wonder what's up with Matt Forte. This is a guy who went third or fourth overall in most fantasy football drafts, and he's sure not playing like someone who deserved such respect.

2. LaDanian Tomlinson. Sure, he's been somewhat injured, but he's still been pretty unimpressive even when he's played. With just 70 yards and only one TD all year, Tomlinson has disappointed many fantasy football owners with his poor play thus far. This is a guy who was drafted top 10 (and earlier) in most drafts, so owners can't be happy with what he's done so far.

3. Steve Smith (CAR). Little did anyone know that Steve Smith on the Giants would be the big name through the first 5 weeks of football. Steve Smith on the Panthers, the perennial Pro Bowl QB, has been horrible so far, with just 255 yards through 5 games and no TDs.

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The Bears and the Packers are two of the few teams left with 2-0 records. With two high-powered offenses run by Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler respectively, Monday night at Soldier Field has the makings of a classic NFC North shootout.

Packers on Offense

After the Packers saw Ryan Grant go down for the year in their season opener, they knew their balanced attack would suffer a blow. So while Green Bay's backfield barely made a dent against the Bills last week (65 total yds between Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn), Aaron Rodgers took matters into his own hands and threw for 255 yds and 2 TDs. This week could be similar for Rodgers and his receivers, especially after Chicago's run defense made the Cowboys's 3-headed ground game dwindle like Wade Phillips's job security. Rodgers will step into Soldier Field's hostile environment calm and collected. He'll look to pick on CB Charles Tillman, who seems to get beat often these days. But Green Bay's most valuable receiver on Monday might not be Donald Driver or Greg Jennings, but Jermichael Finley. The young beast of a TE is a mismatch nightmare down the middle; too fast for a LB, too big for a safety. The Bears will use their speed to exploit Green Bay's O-line and get to Rodgers. They'll try to get a spark from their big playmakers like Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers.

Bears on Offense

In this day and age, Martzism takes the form of the Chicago Bears's new run 'n gun offense. Mike Martz has found the man to channel his revolution- the often questionable, unconventional Jay Cutler. Cutler and Martz have seemed to breathe new life into the Bears's attack. Matt Forte has been able to hurdle his sophomore slump with two dynamic back-to-back games. What's more impressive has been Cutler's ability to spread the ball get production out of a seemingly weak receiving corps. Cutler will look to keep up the momentum at Soldier Field with his cannon of an arm- the Bears had 3 plays through the air for 38 yds or more last week. Chicago's receivers will use their speed to get behind the Packers's secondary. But while Cutler tries to thread the needle to Johnny Knox and Devin Hester, he should be wary of FS Nick Collins and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson. Another guy he has to watch out for is Clay Matthews, who seems to be dishing out concussions like the Cowboys have been handing out wins. This is where his midrange weapons come in for quick releases, namely Matt Forte and Greg Olsen.

Monday night's matchup will be an explosive high-risk/high-reward shootout. Unfortunately for the Bears, their signal-caller is a bit riskier than Green Bay's.

SuperPrediction

Green Bay 30

Chicago 24

Asaf Winer is a sports journalist who freelances for sports predictions websites. He is considered a sports expert in football predictions and posts his free NFL predictions in many online forums. You can also see his weekly NFL picks at Superpredictors.com, where last year he was ranked the top predictor for the 2009-2010 NFL Season.

2008 represented a tremendous year for rookies in terms of fantasy football. I know because I rode 2 of them (Chris Johnson and Matt Forte) to a league championship. What will the draft class of 2009 have in store for fantasy owners come this fall? Personally, I don't believe that this years class is talented as last years but time will tell. The following represent my preliminary takes regarding the 2009 draft class:

--Matthew Stafford QB (DET)

What kind of pro QB will Stafford be? Will he be like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco or will his fate be more similar to Tim Couch or Joey Harrington? Fantasy owners likely won't have a chance to find out next season. Although Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he will keep an open mind in the battle for the top spot on the depth chart, more than likely Daunte Culpepper will be the starting QB for Detroit when they open the season against the Saints in the Superdome September, 13th. That scenario doesn't allow Stafford much of a chance to make an impact in fantasy circles. Moreover, it's hard to envision a scenario where he comes out and has any value as a rookie. Ryan and Flacco were both fifth-year seniors coming out of college and possessed much more maturity heading into the NFL than the underclassman Stafford does. Stafford's value will be limited to keeper and dynasty leagues on fantasy Draft Day.

--Knowshon Moreno RB (DEN)

Searching for 2009's top fantasy rookie? Well, look no further than Moreno. Moreno is by far the most talented running back in the 2009 class and I expect him to come right in and become the starter for the Broncos. Although, the Broncos did add several veteran RB's this past off season none of them have nearly the same talent as Moreno. I see Moreno as a No. 3 fantasy runner in 2009 with potential for more. However, because of the depth the Broncos have at the position, the former Bulldog is more likely to be seen as a viable flex starter in most drafts. Obviously, he's also a tremendous option in keeper and dynasty leagues.

--Chris "Beanie" Wells RB (AZ)

The Arizona Cardinals took the Ohio State power back with their first round selection, setting up an interesting depth chart battle this summer. Most pundits believe that Wells is the 2nd best RB prospect in the draft behind Moreno. Furthermore, Wells is a definite upgrade over Tim Hightower and I expect Wells to emerge atop the team's depth chart as a rookie leaving Hightower to serve as third-down back for the defending NFC champions. Whoever gets the goal line carries will obviously hold more fantasy value than the other but right now I see Wells as the better option in seasonal and keeper leagues. Both Wells and Moreno will have difficulty reaching the standards set by Johnson, Forte and Slaton from a year ago.

--Michael Crabtree WR (SF)

The Raiders loss is the 49ers gain. After the Raiders passed on Crabtree you know SF would eat him right up and they did. Crabtree was hailed as the top wideout in the draft, and he will undoubtedly have a chance to start as a rookie under coach Mike Singletary. The Niners are looking to be will a run-first team this year, however, so fantasy owners need to keep that in mind heading into 2009. Still, he'll still be worth a middle- to late-round pick in seasonal fantasy drafts and is quite capable of putting up some nice stats as a rookie.

--Percy Harvin WR/KR (MIN)

Percy Harvin still landed in the first round despite some "character" issues and will become a serious play maker for the Minnesota Vikings. Can you imagine the Vikings lining up Harvin and Peterson in the Wildcat? Harvin has immense speed and skills as a runner and receiver and I fully expect him to compete with Sidney Rice for the number 2 WR alongside Bernard Berrian. Due to his immense potential and explosiveness, Harvin will warrant a late-round flier in most fantasy drafts and surely will do some damage at some point for the Vikings. Moreover, Harvin instantly makes the Vikings DST even better than they were last year.

--Jeremy Maclin WR (PHI)

The Eagles finally gave Donovan McNabb some weapons. Maclin has immense speed and can stretch defenses in the vertical pass attack. Furthermore, he was an absolute steal where the Eagles got him. After watching an Eagle rookie WR make an impact last year there is nothing to say Maclin cannot do the same. Look for Maclin to be a late round pick this summer and I fully expect him to make some big plays for McNabb and the Eagles this fall.

--Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton OT (JAX)

Sure, offensive linemen aren't drafted in fantasy football, but that doesn't make them any less important to your team's success. Injuries absolutely decimated the Jaguars offensive line last season and was the predominant reason the team failed to make the playoffs after a very successful 2007 season. The Jags want to get back to Jag football so it was no surprise to see the team land both OT Eugene Monroe in Round 1 AND Eben Britton in round 2. The acquisition of both Monroe and Britton will only make Maurice Jones Drew more attractive in fantasy drafts. Look for MJD to be a top 5 pick this summer.

--Jason Smith OT (STL)

The addition Smith is a real positive for the value of RB Steven Jackson. Now it is up to Jackson to stay healthy and produce the numbers that fantasy owners have been yearning from him for years. With a new defensive minded head coach the Rams want to run the ball and feature Jackson in their backfield, and Smith's presence will be huge in making the ground attack effective. Furthermore, the Rams also added FB Mike Karney this off season. As I mentioned it is now all up to Jackson to achieve his potential. He will surely go in the first round again this year. Time will tell if he is worth it.

--Mark Sanchez QB (NYJ)

Mark Sanchez was the hottest name in the 2009 class in the days before the draft and after the Jets pursuit of Brett Favre last year it was no surprise that the Jets traded two draft picks and three players to move up and select him. Alth0ugh Sanchez has started a mere 16 games at the collegiate level, he could very well wind up starting for new coach Rex Ryan when the Jets open their season. In fact, Ryan has told the media that Sanchez will in fact compete for the top spot with Kellen Clemens. Personally, I don't see Sanchez making any noise this year as a rookie and would avoid him on draft day except in keeper and dynasty leagues.

--Kenny Britt WR (TN)

The Titans have been desperate for WR's in recent years and hope they have found their number 1 with Kenny Britt out of Rutgers. Coach Jeff Fisher told the media that he wants to get Britt onto the field as soon as possible, so don't be shocked to see him starting on opening day. The Titans also signed former Steeler Nate Washington this off season so it could be difficult for Britt to make a significant fantasy impact in what will remain a run-based offense with Chris Johnson and Lendale White. He is definitely a player to watch in the preseason, but more than likely won't have more than late-round value in seasonal formats.

--Darius Heyward-Bey WR (OAK)

Being a huge Raider fan I was upset but not at all shocked at this move. It is clear at this point that Al Davis values pure speed more than any other attribute. Was Jerry Rice fast? Is Larry Fitzgerald a burner? The answer to both of these questions is no but one was the best there ever was and one is the best presently. However, with no clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver on the Raiders roster, Heyward-Bey will warrant late-round consideration in seasonal fantasy drafts and will have ample balls thrown to him this fall. Time will tell how this all works out and Heyward-Bey and Crabtree will be forever linked.

--Donald Brown RB (IND)

Donald Brown will immediately be thrown into the mix with the Colts and that spells good news for fantasy owners who draft him this summer. I have never really been sold on Joseph Addai and I don't think the Colts are either. Although, new Head Coach Jim Caldwell told the media that Addai will remain the team's No. 1 back, owners should definitely expect a committee situation to evolve in Indy. Addai should receive more carries, but any kind of platoon hurts his value in both seasonal and keeper leagues. Addai is no more than a No. 2 back in fantasy circles. As for Brown, he'll be worth a middle- to late-round selection and is a must for anyone drafting Addai.

In summary, it will be interesting to see what kind of impact these and the entire 2009 rookie class will have on the 2009 NFL season. They have large shoes to fill on account of last year.

Cheers and Beers

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of Gothicfootball.com: A Oakland Raider/fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Visit today at: [http://www.gothicfootball.com]

Just when you think you have this whole fantasy football thing figured out, last week happens. How else do you explain Tom Brady going from playing at a Super Bowl level to playing at a Pop Warner level, or Vincent Jackson breaking the hearts of every fantasy enthusiast who put him in their lineups? Alas, we are still here to do our part to help you put together the best lineup possible.

Quarterbacks 1

1) Peyton Manning (vs. Tennessee): Manning has a great match-up this week against the Titans, who he beat for 36 completions, 309 yards and three touchdowns back in Week 5, and who are second to last in pass defense and passing scores allowed. And yes, we know they've won their past five games, but in that time they've faced three teams currently in the bottom half of the league in passing offense and one team playing with a backup quarterback.

2) Tom Brady (@ Miami): A total of 237 passing yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions last week are shocking totals for Brady, especially considering that he was in the midst of a string of five consecutive 300-yard passing games. But a bounce back this week is very possible against a Miami pass defense that is 23rd in the league, and one that he threw for 310 yards and one score against in Week 9.

3) Drew Brees (@ Washington): Although no one can be blamed for using Brees this week, match-ups matter, and Washington has the No. 1 pass defense in the NFL. Only three opposing quarterbacks have thrown for 200 yards against the Redskins this season, and it's happened just once over their last eight games. And it's not as if Brees is immune to quality pass defenses - three times this season he's been held to fewer than 200 passing yards.

4) Matt Schaub (@ Jacksonville): Schaub is a great choice in any fantasy football scoring format, but considering the amount of completions he racks up, he's an especially good option in this one. He's third in the league in overall completions, and has at least 25 in each of his last four games. Jacksonville is 26th in the league in pass defense, and only six teams have allowed more touchdown passes than they have. In his last meeting with the Jags, back in Week 3, Schaub threw for 300 yards with three scores.

5) Philip Rivers (@ Cleveland): Rivers is quietly putting together a very good season, and has an impressive three-game stretch going where he hasn't thrown an interception and has completed at least 75 percent of his passes. Cleveland's horrible pass defense shouldn't offer him a great challenge.

6) Kurt Warner (vs. Minnesota): Though there's optimism surrounding his chances to play this week (concussion), and his match-up is a solid one, there's always a chance he doesn't play at all or gets knocked out of the competition.

Quarterbacks 2

1) Brett Favre (@ Arizona): Favre has been nothing short of remarkable this season, with an unheard of 8:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (24 touchdown throws, three interceptions). Over his last four games, he has thrown 12 touchdowns and hasn't thrown an interception. Against the Cardinals, he should be golden; only three teams allow more passing yards per game than they do.

2) Aaron Rodgers (vs. Baltimore): Rodgers has thrown 14 touchdowns over his last six games, and just three interceptions, and all of those picks came in one contest. In his last two contests he's thrown for over 340 yards in each, and he's completed at least 25 passes in each of his last three games. Baltimore is in the top half of the league in pass defense, but they're not so imposing that you shouldn't consider using Rodgers.

3) Donovan McNabb (@ Atlanta): McNabb has had some very ordinary games of late, and over his last five contests, he's thrown six touchdowns and five interceptions. Though McNabb could very likely be without top receiver DeSean Jackson, he's still a solid option this week because his opponent, Atlanta, is putrid against the pass, ranking 27th in the league in that category and 22nd in passing touchdowns given up.

4) Carson Palmer (vs. Detroit): Palmer isn't putting up numbers like we've seen him do in the past, and in fact hasn't completed more than 20 passes in his last five games, but he's playing Detroit this week. The same Detroit that is dead last in pass defense, and who has allowed more touchdown passes than any team in the NFL.

5) Tony Romo (@ NY Giants): Romo has had a solid season overall, and is seventh in the league in passing yards, ahead of the likes of Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. Yet he hasn't completed more than 20 passes in either of his last two games, and the last time he faced the Giants, he threw for a season-low 127 yards with three interceptions and one score.

6) Ben Roethlisberger (vs. Oakland): Big Ben will suit up this week after sitting out last week's contest against the Ravens with concussion symptoms. This led to some controversy, at least within the Steelers' locker room, but that has since died down. Roethlisberger does have a tough individual match-up this week against Oakland, however; only four teams have allowed fewer touchdown passes than they have.

Quarterbacks 3

1) Joe Flacco (@ Green Bay): IFlacco seemed to have been mired in a slump in Weeks 8-11. He threw for over 200 yards just once in those games, and tossed just one touchdown and three interceptions. But he rallied last week, throwing for nearly 300 yards with one score and no picks, and though his opponent this week, the Packers, are sixth in the NFL in pass defense, only three teams have allowed more touchdown passes than they have.

2) Jay Cutler (vs. St. Louis): Since interceptions aren't a worry in this scoring format, Cutler's transgressions in that area needn't play a role in deciding whether to put him in your lineup, especially against a soft pass defense like the Rams possess. But his confidence does seem to be wavering, and he hasn't thrown for even 175 yards in either of his past two games, and in his past three games he's thrown a total of two touchdowns and eight picks.

3) Vince Young (@ Indianapolis): Young was simply spectacular last week, but don't let that cloud your judgment for his game at Indy this week. He was facing an atrocious pass defense in the Cardinals last week, and the Colts are a much more formidable foe, especially with Young playing on the road. Also, only the Jets have given up fewer touchdown passes than they have.

4) Matt Cassel (vs. Denver): After a truly mediocre start, Cassel seems to have found his footing a bit. He's thrown for 215 or more yards in three of his last four contests, along with five touchdowns and two interceptions during that time. It should also be noted that he'll give you at least a few points running the ball - he's had at least four rushing attempts in seven of his 10 games this year.

5) Matt Hasselbeck (vs. San Francisco): Fantasy football players are justifiably baffled by Hasselbeck, who went from throwing for 315 yards against Arizona three weeks ago to accumulating just 102 passing yards last week against the Rams. He's at home against the 49ers this week, and San Francisco is just 28th in the NFL in pass defense, but it's too difficult to trust Hasselbeck.

6) David Garrard (vs. Houston): Garrard simply doesn't thrown enough touchdowns to be a viable fantasy football option; among the 24 NFL quarterbacks with at least 280 pass attempts, he is tied with Jake Delhomme for the fewest touchdown passes, having thrown only eight.

Quarterbacks 4

1) Kyle Orton (@ Kansas City): Orton's season has been solid, if unspectacular. He's thrown for more than 250 yards just once this season, and over his last five games has just three touchdown passes, but you can't ignore who his opponent is this week - only two other teams allow more passing yards per game than the Chiefs.

2) Alex Smith (@ Seattle): Smith's career has been resurrected this season, and fantasy football enthusiasts have taken note. They should again this week as he matches up with the Seahawks, a team that is 25th in the league in pass defense and 27th in passing scores allowed.

3) Eli Manning (vs. Dallas): The last time Manning went up against the Cowboys, he blistered them for 330 yards and two scores, though you should take into account that that game was played back in Week 2. Manning is highly inconsistent and is also playing on a bad foot, so while his match-up is solid, can you really count on him?

4) Jason Campbell (@ Philadelphia): Campbell hasn't been a great quarterback this season, but his numbers haven't been atrocious, either. He's thrown for at least one touchdown in all but three games this year, and the last time he faced Philly, he had a season-high 29 completions, along with 284 yards and two scores.

5) Josh Freeman (@ Carolina): Freeman is getting plenty of accolades, and he's performed admirably in a couple games, but you'll probably want to avoid him this week. The Panthers have the No. 3 pass defense in the league, and are ninth in passing scores allowed.

6) Brady Quinn (vs. San Diego): Simply ignore Quinn.

Running Backs 1

1) Chris Johnson (@ Indianapolis): Johnson has been on a run that's as remarkable as anything the NFL or fantasy football has seen in some time. In his last six games, he's averaged 155 rushing yards on 23 carries (6.7 ypc), just over one touchdown (he has seven total in that span), and close to three receptions and 30 receiving yards per game.

2) Adrian Peterson (@ Arizona): Despite having only three games with at least 100 rushing yards, Peterson is still playing very well. He has 12 touchdowns in 11 games, and has already established a career-high with 27 receptions. Arizona has been killed on the ground of late, giving up 115 or more yards to an individual runner in four of their past five games.

3) Maurice Jones-Drew (vs. Houston): MJD has scored three rushing touchdowns in a game on two occasions this season, and one of them happened to be against the Texans, back in Week 3. He also caught four passes in that contest, one of seven times he's had at least that many receptions in a game. He's always an excellent option.

4) Rashard Mendenhall (vs. Oakland): No team has allowed more rushing yards to opposing running backs than the Raiders have, and only two teams have allowed opposing backs to score more touchdowns.

5) Steven Jackson (@ Chicago): Like Philip Rivers at quarterback, Jackson is quietly having an excellent season, though you can hardly blame anyone for not noticing that Jackson is the NFL's second-leading rusher because he's on a team that has won just one game. Nonetheless, he's always valuable in this scoring format not only because of the yards he piles up, but because of the amount of touches he receives.

6) Frank Gore (@ Seattle): Gore is always solid, but compared to the rest of this group, he doesn't get enough touches. He's carried the ball more than 16 times just twice all season, and has just 92 rushing yards over his past two games.

Running Backs 2

1) DeAngelo Williams (vs. Tampa Bay): Before last week's 40-yard performance, Williams had been averaging 127 yards over his previous six games. But he should come back with aplomb this week against a Tampa team that is 30th in the league in run defense, and against whom Williams had 152 yards and two scores against in Week 6.

2) Ray Rice (@ Green Bay): Over his last eight games, Rice has run for at least 70 yards six times (with one 69-yard effort), and has caught fewer than five passes just once. With receptions being three points each, that kind of production is highly valuable.

3) Ricky Williams (vs. New England): Williams has at least 20 carries, 100 yards and one touchdown in each of his three games since taking over for the injured Ronnie Brown in Miami. New England is tied for fewest rushing scores allowed, having given up just three all season, but one of the backs who found the end zone against them happened to be Williams.

4) Knowshon Moreno (@ Kansas City): Moreno has run for at least 80 yards in each of his past three games, and has a fantastic match-up this week against the Chiefs, who are 27th against the run and 22nd in rushing scores allowed.

5) Cedric Benson (vs. Detroit): Benson has missed two contests with a hip injury, but he's supposed to be back in the starting lineup this week. But Larry Johnson did a solid job filling in last week, and they may not want to overdo it with Benson this week.

6) Joseph Addai (vs. Tennessee): Addai simply is not putting up the numbers the other backs in this group have been; he's only run for 70 or more yards once all season, and has not carried the ball more than 20 times in any game.

Running Backs 3

1) LaDainian Tomlinson (@ Cleveland): Tomlinson has scored five times in his last three games, making up for otherwise ordinary numbers. He's not catching the ball like he used to (three receptions over his last five games), and he's run for at least 75 yards just once this year. But only three teams have allowed more rushing yards than the Browns, and only two teams have given up more rushing scores to opposing running backs.

2) Matt Forte (vs. St. Louis): Only the Bills have allowed more rushing scores to opposing running backs than St. Louis has, and if this were last season, Forte would be No. 1 on this list. As it is, he's struggling mightily this year running the ball. One thing that should be considered in this scoring format - he has averaged over five receptions per game in his last four contests.

3) Laurence Maroney (@ Miami): Over his last six games, Maroney has scored eight times, accounting for all of his touchdowns this season. Unfortunately, he also has lost a fumble in three consecutive games, and any more could mean fewer carries for him.

4) Kevin Smith (@ Cincinnati): Smith hasn't gained 70 or more rushing yards in eight games, and the Bengals are the No. 3-ranked rush defense in the league. The only thing saving him from being ranked last on this list is his ability to catch the ball.

5) Ryan Grant (vs. Baltimore): No doubt Grant has had a solid year, but a lot of things are working against him - Baltimore is seventh in run defense and allows the fewest yards per carry in the league, he doesn't catch the ball with regularity, and he sat out a practice this week with a stinger.

6) Tim Hightower (vs. Minnesota): Not only is Hightower going to lose more and more playing time to Beanie Wells, but he's going up against the team that is second in the NFL in run defense, and the team that is tied in allowing the fewest rushing scores in the league.

Running Backs 4

1) LeSean McCoy (@ Atlanta): Brian Westbrook remains out, and DeSean Jackson is likely to be sidelined as well, leaving McCoy to be an even bigger piece of the puzzle this week. Atlanta's defense is sub-par in every area, and they are just 23rd in the league against the run. Something else to note - only one team has given up more receiving touchdowns to running backs than the Falcons have.

2) Jamaal Charles (vs. Denver): Charles has scored a rushing or receiving touchdown in each of his last three games since taking over after Larry Johnson was cut. He's an explosive player who makes things happen, and now that he's getting an opportunity, he's making the most of it.

3) Cadillac Williams (@ Carolina): The Caddy has a very good match-up against the 26th-ranked Panthers run defense, and it is one he gained 77 yards and scored a touchdown against back in Week 6, but he's also done very little since then. He hasn't rushed for even 60 yards in his past five games, or run for over 3.7 yards per carry.

4) Pierre Thomas (@ Washington): If only he were the clear-cut No. 1. As it is, he shares time with a couple other running backs, and though he's productive with the carries he does get, he really doesn't get enough looks to put up the big numbers he might be able to elsewhere.

5) Steve Slaton (@ Jacksonville): The Texans are still having trust issues with Slaton due to his previous fumbleitis, and he's dealing with a neck malady, so we'll have to see how many touches he gets, and until then, it's not safe to trust him.

6) Beanie Wells (vs. Minnesota): Leave Wells on the bench against one of the best run defenses in the NFL.

Wide Receivers 1

1) Wes Welker (@ Miami): With only six catches for 32 yards, Welker had his worst game of the season last week. He'll right the ship this week against a Miami team that he burned for nine catches and 84 yards in Week 9. Welker leads the NFL in catches, even though he missed two weeks, and with receptions at three points each, you can't go wrong using him.

2) Reggie Wayne (vs. Tennessee): The man with the second-most catches this season is Wayne, and his match-up is beautiful. No team has allowed opposing wideouts to catch more passes or score more touchdowns, and they've also allowed opposing receivers to accumulate the second-most receiving yards (by one yard). Wayne had six catches for 60 yards and one score against the Titans in Week 5.

3) Andre Johnson (@ Jacksonville): Only three teams have given up more receiving yards and receiving scores than the Jaguars have, and Johnson is the perfect person to exploit that weakness. He had four catches for 86 yards against them back in Week 3.

4) Randy Moss (@ Miami): Moss leads the league in receiving yards, but you wouldn't know that by the way he's played the last two weeks. He's accumulated only 101 yards combined in those two games, though a reprieve could very much be in the works this week - he blistered the Dolphins for 147 yards on six receptions (including one touchdown) when he first met them in Week 9.

5) Chad Ochocinco (vs. Detroit): The Ocho has stunk over his last five games, with no more than five receptions in any of them, and not one contest of even 70 receiving yards. Yet he plays the Lions this week, and he can easily fatten up on them - they're dead last in pass defense and have passing touchdowns allowed.

6) Larry Fitzgerald (vs. Minnesota): If Kurt Warner plays, Fitzgerald should be moved up in the rankings, but if noodle-armed Matt Leinart goes again, there are too many other receivers in this group to choose from who have Pro Bowl quarterbacks throwing to them.

Wide Receivers 2

1) Vincent Jackson (@ Cleveland): Jackson's disappearance over the last three games has been troubling. He hasn't scored since in that time, and he's accumulated a total of seven catches and 93 yards. But he has to bust out of it at some point, and it would be no shock if he did so against the terrifically awful Browns.

2) Mike Sims-Walker (vs. Houston): Three times in his past five games, Sims-Walker has accumulated fewer than 50 receiving yards, but he has scored three times in that span, easing the pain that was inflicted by his lack of yards. In his last game against the Texans, in Week 3, he had six catches for 81 yards.

3)Roddy White (vs. Philadelphia): White has not been as productive this season as he was last year in terms of yardage, and if he hadn't been scoring so many touchdowns, he would be a real disappointment. Yet he does have seven on the season, and he scored last week for the first time in three games.

4) Marques Colston (@ Washington): Colston caught one of Drew Brees' five touchdown passes last week, which was one of his four receptions and 121 yards. It was his first score in three weeks, but don't be too confident he can repeat that feat this week. The Redskins have allowed the second-fewest catches by opposing wide receivers.

5) Anquan Boldin (vs. Minnesota): Boldin is, surprisingly, not among the top-25 players in receiving yards, and possibly even more surprisingly, has just two touchdown catches this season. He was starting to play better before Kurt Warner went out, and if Warner does play this week, Boldin is a much more viable option than if the weak left arm of Matt Leinart has to play.

6) Steve Smith (CAR) (vs. Tampa Bay): He had one reception for five yards last week. Five yards! Jake Delhomme is likely out, and though that's probably a good thing in the long run, it means the Panthers will simply rely more on the running game than usual this week.

Wide Receivers 3

1) Brandon Marshall (@ Kansas City): Just four teams have allowed more yards to opposing wide receivers than the Chiefs have, and Marshall typically destroys soft defenses. In two games against the Chiefs last season, he had 18 catches for 168 yards and three touchdowns.

2) Steve Smith (NYG) (vs. Dallas): After a bit of a three-game lull, Smith is back to catching oodles of passes. He's amassed seven or more receptions in three of his last four games, and has 65 or more yards in four of his last five games. And the last time he faced Dallas, he went ballistic, scoring once on one of his 10 receptions for 134 yards.

3) Santonio Holmes (vs. Oakland): Holmes finally did something that his fantasy owners have been waiting for since Week 1 - he scored his second touchdown of the season last week! Holmes has actually been playing very well of late, and that finally paid off. He has had at least six receptions and 74 receiving yards in each of his last four games.

4) Pierre Garcon (vs. Tennessee): Garcon is clearly the No. 2 man behind Reggie Wayne on the wideout depth chart in Indy. He had five receptions for 63 yards and one touchdown last week, and has at least 50 receiving yards in each of his last five games.

5) Robert Meachem (@ Washington): What hurts Meachem in this scoring format are his lack of receptions. And he also has a tough match-up this week, going up against the No. 1-ranked pass defense of the Redskins.

6) T.J. Houshmandzadeh (vs. San Francisco): If he can't get it done against the Rams, who can he get it done against? He's been a fantasy football bust all season.

Wide Receivers 4

1) Sidney Rice (@ Arizona): Of the top 15 players in terms of receiving yards, only Miles Austin is averaging more yards per reception than Rice's 17.2, a number that has catapulted Rice to third in the league in receiving yards despite just 56 receptions.

2) Derrick Mason (@ Green Bay): Mason has now had three very productive games in a row after his seven-catch, 62-yard, one touchdown performance last week against the Steelers. His opponent this week, the Packers, are sixth in the league in pass defense, but have also allowed more touchdown passes than all but three other teams.

3) Nate Burleson (vs. San Francisco): Burleson came up very short last week against the Rams, a team he should have torched. He managed just four receptions for 46 yards against a bad pass defense, and he failed to score for the sixth straight game. Burleson has a solid match-up against the 49ers, who are 28th in the NFL in pass defense.

4) Hines Ward (vs. Oakland): Ward apologized after being critical of Ben Roethlisberger last week after Big Ben didn't play due to a concussion. He insists there are no lingering hard feelings among the two, which is good, because that means Ward can go back to being one of the most productive wideouts in the NFL.

5) Santana Moss (@ Philadelphia): He's far too unreliable. There are much better options in this group.

6) Braylon Edwards (@ Buffalo): Edwards should not be used.

Wide Receivers 5

1) Calvin Johnson (@ Cincinnati): If you're going to take a chance on Megatron, now is as good a time as ever. He only caught two passes for 10 yards last week, but he did score a touchdown for the second straight week, and also has at least five receptions in five of the nine games he's played this season.

2) Percy Harvin (@ Arizona): Harvin's best game as a pro came last week, as he caught a touchdown for the second week in a row while setting career-highs in receptions (six), receiving yards (101) and rushing yards (45). Against the Cardinals' 30th-ranked pass defense, more career-highs are possible.

3) Donald Driver (vs. Baltimore): Driver tore up the Lions on Thanksgiving and has had a nice layoff since then to rest his 34-year-old body. He's only caught fewer than four passes in a game just one time this season, and has scored in three of his last six contests.

4) Devin Hester (vs. St. Louis): Hester is in a big-time slump, and although the Rams can break any offensive player out of their malaise, his inconsistency should be worrisome. Hester has only 86 receiving yards in his last three games.

5) Donnie Avery (@ Chicago): Avery plays in an inconsistent offense with a quarterback that is named Kyle Boller. Probably best to avoid him.

6) Greg Jennings (vs. Baltimore): He's being outplayed by his teammate, the far more consistent Donald Driver.

Tight Ends 1

1) Tony Gonzalez (vs. Philadelphia): No team has allowed opposing tight ends to catch more passes than Philly has, and only one team has allowed more receiving yards and touchdowns to players at that position. Even with Matt Ryan sidelined, Gonzalez should not be penalized.

2) Dallas Clark (vs. Tennessee): Clark, who has caught a touchdown in two straight games, last played the Titans in Week 5, a game in which he caught nine passes for 77 yards. He's caught seven or more passes in seven of his 11 games this season, and that can add up to huge points in this scoring format.

3) Antonio Gates (@ Cleveland): Only six teams have allowed more touchdown passes to opposing tight ends then Cleveland, and Gates recently broke out of a funk last week against the Chiefs, catching seven balls for 118 yards and two scores.

4) Vernon Davis (@ Seattle): When Alex Smith made the transition to starting quarterback, he undoubtedly wanted to get his tight end involved. That's most certainly happened, as Davis has had at least one touchdown reception or 100 receiving yards (or both) in all but one of the six games the 49ers have played since Smith took over.

5) Jason Witten (@ NY Giants): Witten had his first 100-yard game of the season last week, and it was a long time coming for the preseason No. 1 fantasy football tight end. He has been consistent in catching the ball this season, catching exactly five passes in each of his last three games, and he doesn't have fewer than four receptions in any contest this year.

6) Visanthe Shiancoe (@ Arizona): Over his last eight games, Shiancoe has scored seven times. That's a great number, but within the context of this group of tight ends, he's not the top option on his team the way the other players here are.

Tight Ends 2

1) Brent Celek (@ Atlanta): Celek just signed a $33 million extension, and is certainly facing the right opponent in which to do prove he deserves that contract. Atlanta has allowed opposing tight ends to catch more passes than all but four other squads, and only three teams have allowed opposing tight ends to gain more receiving yards.

2) Greg Olsen (vs. St. Louis): Olsen is a solid play each week due to the fact that the Bears have a dearth of options at the receiver position, and the Rams have certainly been beaten by opposing tight ends before.

3) Kellen Winslow (@ Carolina): Winslow managed only 29 yards on three receptions the last time he squared off against the Panthers, but with rookie quarterback Josh Freeman at the helm, the situation is different this time around.

4) Zach Miller (Oakland Raiders): Bruce Gradkowski has really been beneficial to Miller - after little production over most of the season, he's combined for 10 receptions and 136 yards the last two weeks.

5) John Carlson (vs. San Francisco): With six catches for 46 yards in Week 2, one of Carlson's most productive games of the season came against San Francisco. That statistic alone should tell you how disappointing he's been this season.

6) Heath Miller (vs. Oakland): Despite how bad Oakland is, they completely shut down opposing tight ends - they are one of just two teams not to have allowed a touchdown reception by someone at that position.

You have to wonder about the Chicago Bears so far. Having made a very hyped up trade that sent the Denver Broncos' star quarterback, Jay Cutler, to the Bears in exchange for Kyle Orton, their own quarterback, the Bears were expected to have one of the best offenses in all of pro football in 2009. Cutler was a prolific quarterback in Chicago and the team had some other great pieces in place (Matt Forte, Greg Olsen, Devin Hester) that would make the offense a force to be reckoned with in 2009.

While the Bears are 3-1 through their first four games of football, much of the team's success can be attributed to its efficient defense.

Both Matt Forte and Greg Olsen, two of the best offensive players on the team last season, are struggling through their first four games of the season. Neither is putting up anything that resembles their stats from last season, which begs the question.

Were the Chicago Bears better off with Kyle Orton at quarterback? They had a winning record with Orton at the helm, and Orton has led the Broncos out to a 5-0 start in 2009.

While Orton always got a lot of criticism in Chicago, it's looking like he was never the problem based on his efficient performance in Denver so far.

The Bears still have a long season ahead, and they're fortunate to have a winning record at this point. Still, it remains to be seen whether they're truly a better offensive team than they were last year.

Aside from the Bears, Ken McCormick covers Biotene, and writes about it at http://biotenehub.com.

Jay Cutler the Savior?
When he came to Chicago he was considered a savior, but after 11 weeks of the 2009 NFL season, the tides of popular opinion are starting to change for Jay Cutler.

After a loss to the Eagles in week 11 (where there were at least three crucial overthrows of receivers), there are some major questions about whether trading for Jay Cutler was a good idea.

However, if you look at the facts, there are many contributions to the teams struggles outside of Cutler's performance.

The Offensive Line
Simply put, the offensive line has been ineffective. There have been no holes for Matt Forte to run through and Cutler has had to work harder to buy more time in the quickly shrinking pocket.

The off-season signing of an aging Orlando Pace was supposed to provide some stability but has proved to be an ineffective blocker.

The Running Game
Maybe more of a symptom of the offensive line's terrible play, but Matt Forte has not had a season that was expected of him. Not even close at all.

A favorite of ex-quarterback Kyle Orton, Forte has not been a favorite target of Cutler's this year. Coupled with the poor run blocking, it is easy to see that Forte just has not been able to create any momentum from game to game

Offensive Play Calling
Long a fixture of blame in Chicago, Ron Turner's playcalling has come in question again. With the running game continuing to struggle, Turner continues to run the same unsuccessful plays over and over again.

It will be interesting to see how the next couple games play out. If the offense continues to struggle, the anti-Turner sentiment will only get louder.

Where do the Bears go from there?
Only 7 teams have made the playoffs after starting 4-6 since 1990 according to the Elias Sports Bureau. So to say the odd's are stacked against the Bears would be an understatement.

However, at this point making the playoffs is not as important as some growth as the season winds down. Whether it is seeing the wide receivers improve as a group or see the defense playing with some cohesiveness, the Bear's need something to look forward to next season.

So maybe its Cutler's fault, maybe it isn't, but somebody needs to step up and show some improvement.

Is this one of the best rookie classes of all time? I can't say for sure, but I know this class of rookies definitely has the most Fantasy Football value that I can remember in a long time. We have a QB who is playing like a seasoned veteran, a running back who is #1 runner right now for fantasy, and a receiver who is 7th in the league in receptions. I will list some of the impact rookies and their fantasy value. The overall draft choice will be in parentheses.

QUATERTBACK:

Matt Ryan (3)- He has to be the leading candidate for R.O.Y. Atlanta drafted him with the third overall pick and he has been better than advertised. The best part is that because of him, no one thinks about Mike Vick anymore. After week 10, he is the eleventh overall QB for standard fantasy scoring. He would make a GREAT backup and I would not be hesitant to make him my starter, if needed. He has some very nice weapons with Turner and Roddy White and I look for him to continue to progress all season. Ryan is going to be a future stud.

Joe Flacco (18)- What a pleasant surprise he has been for Baltimore. A lot or Ravens players wanted Troy Smith to be the starter on opening day, but Baltimore went with the rookie. The Ravens actually traded up on draft day to take Flacco with the 18th overall pick, out of Delaware. They obviously saw something that they liked. And they have to be happy with the results so far. With Flacco at QB, Baltimore actually has a vertical passing game which they haven't had in years. (ever?) He is making nice decisions and is doing more than just managing the game. Derrick Mason is clearly benefiting from this and so with M. Clayton. Flacco is currently the 15th overall QB and is available on most waiver wires right now. Pick him for depth.

RUNNING BACK:

Matt Forte (44)- Forte is the # 1 running back in standard PPR scoring. The Bears got themselves a keeper in Forte. He was most likely drafted in the 6th round or later in fantasy football leagues. So, anyone who is lucky enough to own him got an absolute steal. He also has a great strength of schedule the rest of the way. So continue to start him in confidence. The Bears will continue to get him the rock. I would list him as a close 2nd to Ryan for R.O.Y.

Chris Johnson (24)- He and LenDale White have been a dynamic duo for Tennessee. Johnson is so explosive and can take it to the house at any time. Even though he is in a time share, Johnson is still the 7th overall running back for fantasy. It does seem like he can be a future superstar. The only question mark with him is if he can hold up being an every down back. That remains to be seen. But he will remain very solid for the remainder of this season based on the combination that Tennessee loves to run the ball and the high upside that he brings every week.

Steve Slayton (89)- Slayton was drafted with the 89th overall pick out of West Virginia. In most fantasy leagues, he was either undrafted or went very, very late. Both the Texans and whoever drafted him for fantasy, got great value. He was more than likely drafted as your 4th or 5th running back, so you should have great depth. Hopefully you traded one of your higher, underperforming running backs to upgrade at another position. He is worthy of starting as a RB2 or a great flex option. Slayton will continue to be productive in this potent Texans offense. He is the 14th overall back in PPR leagues. The only question mark with Slayton is if he will be able to hold up for an entire season. He is on the small side. We will see.

Tim Hightower (149)- Anyone who ended up drafting Edgerin James hopefully was smart enough to handcuff him with Hightower. The Cardinals have decided to roll with Hightower now and put Edge on the bench. They won't look back. Hightower has much more burst than Edge and that is what this potent offense needed in a running back. He also runs very hard, which is the reason Arizona decided to make him their goal-line back. Feel free to start him with confidence for the rest of the season. He makes a decent RB2 or a great flex player for most. He is the running back of the future for the Cardinals.

Felix Jones (22)- Dallas went after Jones in the draft and it looks like a wise move. Marion Barber has been the workhorse for the Cowboys, but Jones is a great change of pace back. He also has been very valuable to their return game. Jones looks to be returning from his injury soon, possibly even this week. Dallas could really use his speed. Jones is a must-handcuff if you own Barber and has some nice keeper value also. It looks like he will be a solid back down the road.

Jonathan Stewart (13)- He is another back that is in a serious time-share with Deangelo Williams. He does look to have a nice future though in the NFL. He has some nice speed and looks to be a complete back. Right now, the Panthers seem to be favoring the physical running of Williams more though. Stewart still has nice value though for fantasy. He is more of a fill-in/flex play right now, but that could change quickly if Williams were to stumble or get injured.

Darren McFadden (4), Rashard Mendenhall (23), Ryan Torain (139)- These three backs all have been plagued by injuries. McFadden had 1 good game all season (against the Chiefs) and Torain only played one half of a game all season. Torain did look rather good in that half and looked to be the back of choice for the Broncos. Overall the jury is still out on all 3 of them. I must say that McFadden has looked like somewhat of a bust. He doesn't have much speed and doesn't really look special, like a top 5 pick should. I would rather have most of the backs listed above over McFadden. I was very high on Torain and so were the Denver Broncos. They said that he could have won the starting job in the preseason before he got injured. Then when he comes back, he blew out his knee in the first game. Mendenhall looked good before his season ending surgery, minus his small case of the fumbles.

WIDE RECEIVER:

Eddie Royal (42)- Royal is the 10th overall wide receiver in PPR leagues. He has been clearly benefiting from all of the attention that Brandon Marshall demands, and he has been flourishing. Royal flashes a great combination of speed and good hands. He looks like he has what it takes to be a #1 receiver down the road. Royal went undrafted in a lot of fantasy leagues, or very late. He deserves to be starting for you now. He is a very solid #3 receiver, with the possibility of even more in PPR leagues.

DeSean Jackson (49)- Jackson has blazing speed and playmaking ability that the Eagles were lacking at wide receiver. He was great for them early in the season while the Eagles were minus their 2 top receivers. He continues to be a nice play as McNabb likes to spread the ball around. They also get him involved in reverses and punt returns. Jackson will remain to be a decent # 3 receiver or very good depth.

Donnie Avery (33)- Avery has been a very nice surprise for the Rams. He also is benefiting from the attention that Holt was demanding. It seems that he snuck up on some teams, but they are aware now. Avery has a very nice future in the NFL. He has great speed and is another playmaker. He is a nice fill-in or matchup player for your fantasy team. He can also fill in at the flex position.

If I had a vote for Rookie of the Year; this is how I would rank the top 5 as of right now:
1) Matt Ryan
2) Matt Forte
3) Chris Johnson
4) Joe Flacco
5) Eddie Royal

Honorable Mention: Slayton, Hightower, F. Jones

Please visit my website at http://www.footballisbetter.com/

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Chicken Parmesan. Philly cheese steak. Barbecue buffalo wings. While the mere mention of these three classic meat meals is enough to tantalize the taste buds of any meat lover, they have found an unexpected home in the culinary culture of New York City: the dining tables of vegan/vegetarian restaurants. Perhaps even more interesting than how chefs create pork from soy is how restaurant patrons react to their faux-meat concoctions.

At first glance, the menu at Red Bamboo Soul Café (with locations off the New York University campus on West 4th Street and Sixth Avenue and in Fort Greene, Brooklyn) would cause any vegan visitor to do a double-take. It's only after one reads the fine print under each dish's name that it becomes clear that all of the items are made from soy or wheat-based products. While ex-carnivores trying to kick their cravings may flock to such a restaurant lusting for soy pork chops or ocean-flavored soy fish cakes, some vegans shy away from anything reminiscent of meat.

Alexis Eaves, a native Brooklynite who has been working at the Red Bamboo on Dekalb Avenue in Fort Greene for two years, classifies the restaurant's customers into three categories: authentic vegans and vegetarians, recent converts, and "a lot of customers that are trying it out for the first time." While she has head complaints that the menu is too faux-meat-heavy, she points out that vegans and vegetarians still comprise their primary revenue base because "they like it as a treat."

Erik Sutch, a junior at New York University and veteran vegetarian and dedicated vegan of one year, has mixed feelings on "mock meat." "The reason I went vegan was to get away from greasy, unhealthy food," said Sutch. He feels that faux meat meals detract from a true vegan experience because they are often prepared in the same unwholesome ways meat can be cooked. For example, take Red Bamboo's trademark (literally) and most popular Soul Chicken sandwich, which is meant to imitate a fried chicken sandwich. A fried meat substitute, albeit a soy product, is still fried.

Vegans have three main options when it comes to meat substitutes: tofu, tempeh, and seitan. Anyone who has ever gone grocery shopping would recognize tofu as the squishy white blocks in veggie or dairy aisles. Tofu is a soybean curd with a cheese-like texture. Tempeh, another soy product, is fermented soybeans made in cake form. It often comes prepared with various seeds or grains, and is much firmer than tofu. Of all these substitutes, seitan is the most similar to actual meat (hence its nickname, "the wheat meat"). Although it is made from wheat, when it's prepared seitan takes on the look and feel of cooked meat. It is very high in protein, and it's the most versatile of the mock meats.

While Sutch himself avoids faux-meat (with the exception of Tofurky lunch meat), he sees the silver lining in red bamboo's seitan in disguise. "A lot of the reason they do that is to appeal to non-vegan eaters," said Sutch. "It's good in a sense because it will make veganism apply to non-vegan eaters." Because of its mainly faux-meat menu, Red Bamboo is a restaurant where he brings his meat-eating friends when they come to the city to visit, but he rarely goes there on his own.

For vegan restaurant-goers who prefer their soy not to look or taste like a duck, there are some purist options. Zen Palate, a vegan/vegetarian venue with locations in midtown and the financial district, has a menu with faux-meat-free options. Also, Angelica Kitchen on 11th street and Second Avenue serves up seitan as-is.

For some, faux-meat never even factors into the vegan equation. One of the greatest benefits of giving up meat and dairy products is ensuring a better future for the environment.

Caitlin E. O'Connell, freelance writer for One Earth, invites you to submit your knowledge of sustainability to the index on http://www.One-Earth.com. The index works like Wikipedia and it's free. By contributing to the index, you'll help people find ways of reducing their negative impact on the environment. You can also search and browse for ways to reduce you're negative impact on the environment. The index is organized by city and further broken down into categories, so it's very easy to find what you're looking for.