Get ready for the real insanity to start folks. We’ve made it to week 12 and if you’re still alive, congrats first off.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you secondly! We’ve got lot’s of fun planned for a Thanksgiving Special on T.F.E., so click that link to find out more. Football, turkey, beer, and Brandon Marshall playing the Giants. I ask you, what could be better?!?! A Special Holiday Edition of The Fantasy Exchange FF Podcast is WHAT!

The down-side is that thanks to the Holiday there will be 3 Thursday games to prepare for, all of your trade deadlines have likely passed, and if you suffer another injury you might just be a player or two short for your title run. I’ll give you a moment to let that sink in. . . GOOD! Now, it’s important to be ready for these things and the savvy FF Baller doesn’t get taken by surprise!

This isn’t another article about guys that are already on rosters, it’s for fantasy ballers that play in deep leagues. I’m warning you that this is not going to be pretty but adding solidity and depth is the way to be prepared for the run to the top. Constantly hitting the wire is our only defense when the big bad injury bug takes a bite out of crimeour fantasy roster.

On that note let’s crack open yet another Sixer and see if we can’t find a few more gems on the wire to replace those injured pills and cure your fantasy ills for week 12 on The Fanytasy 6-Pack!

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick – Buffalo Bills

I know WTF right! I’m 100% behind this guy and I think TO is going to actually be worth something going forward. There’s one simple reason I like Ryan Fitzpatrick and that’s his mental capacity, that’s right. . . I’m playing the Harvard card! I’ll take the Harvard grad over the Stanford alumn any day of the week. There’s already an aspect of the offense that Fitzpatrick has a decided advantage over Edwards and that’s the ability to process information on audibles and pre-snap reads. It’s already paid off, as observed in last week’s audible call at the line of scrimmage that resulted in a 98 yard bomb to Terrell Owens. I’m not saying this is going to happen on a regular basis because let’s be honest, they were playing the Jaguars joke of a secondary but there’s FINALLY up-side here and that simply could not be said of the situation previously. Doubt it all you want but I’ll leave it at this; “Smart like a Fox“!

RB Rock Cartwright – Washington Redskins

Welp! It’s about that time and Washington simply can’t keep a RB healthy long enough to finish a game, as they lost Ladell Betts for the year to a knee injury. Enter Rock Cartwright, last known descendant of Ben Cartwright, who gained 67 yards on 13 carries last week but he also chipped in 7 receptions for 73 yards. The bottom line here is he’s basically the last man standing and he’s going to get a bulk of the carries from here on out no matter who they bring in, especially if he’s going to be that effective in passing situations. There’s not a lot to get excited about in Washington’s offense but Catwright is a must-add in PPR leagues and he’s a very startable option in deeper leagues regardless of scoring. He’s going to get a lot of going forward, so he should be a solid addition to any roster.

RB Lex Hilliard – Miami Dolphins

This is more of a add for Ricky Williams owners but I’ve got to talk about Sexy Lexy! The guy saw only limited action in last week’s game but looked really good running the ball. Lex Hilliard had a running style and a nice low pad level. I can hear you thinking, why should we get excited about a backup RB who only had 31 total yards in a reserve roll? It was the way he got those 31 yards that showed Miami coaches why he’s the primary ball carrier after Ricky Williams. While on that topic, we are talking about a future massage therapist who hasn’t exactly been the role-model of consistent health. Once again, this guy is a must-add for Ricky Williams owners in my opinion with the skills he showed off Thhursday Night.

WR Julian Edelman – New England Patriots

Sure he’s behind to all-pro players and won’t see action right off but this kid has a bright future in the Patriots offense with his athletic ability. Julian Edelman isn’t your regular wide receiver either, we’re talking about an Option QB in High School and College that has double quick moves and is a very raw route runner at this point. What impresses the hell out of me, is that he’s just learning to refine his routes while being able to watch two of the best at the same time. I’m also of the opinion that Tom Brady can’t continue riding Wes Welker like a mule from game to game. The Patriots aren’t easy to figure out but we’re talking about depth players that are likely to have a late season impact and if you’re in a dynasty league, Edelman should already be rostered.

TE James Casey – Houston Texans

This is another guy that should already be rostered in a dynasty format and he’s in store for some good games coming up. I think James Casey got off to a nice start as the new TE in Houston when you consider that he’s only seen action in two total games. He’ll get more involved in the passing offense and while I don’t like his match-up against Indianapolis’ defense, he’s got a ton of upside coming from a passing offense in College(Rice). He’s also a former minor league baseball player, so the guy is definitely a pro. Now it’s a matter of developing the chemistry w/ Matt Schaub and earning his trust on gamedays. I’m thinking this fella will start seeing a lot more targets in the last six games of the year w/ the Texans trying to remain in the playoff race.

TE Bo Scaife – Tennessee Titans

Now that Vince YoungUncle Rico is back under center, he’s going to start looking for his Longhorn brethren Mr Bo Scaife. The TE is healthy and still a big part of the offense but the best part here is that Vince Young will look to the short passing game when his running lanes are full. He’s always looked for Bo Scaife in passing situations and I don’t think this time around will be any different. He’s got a decent match-up against the Cardinals coming up, so we’ll see if VY’s still in his Rose Bowl form and takes advantage of Scaife over the middle. You could do a lot worse is my thinking.

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

Only a few more weeks until the playoffs folks!

It was one hell of a week 10 with all the injuries. Not only did we lose Ronnie Brown for the year, but Michael Turner, Cedric Benson, and Julius Jones all look to be missing significant time. On top of all that, Brian Westbrook suffered his 2nd concussion and looks to be done for the year with serious long term concerns. It’s vulture:30 this week, an opportune time to take advantage of these injuries, and a great week to stock up like a squirrel for the winter-esque playoffs ahead.

It’s now week 11 and most trade deadlines have passed, but if the injury bug bit you and you still need help, I’ll tell why the waiver is your savior. . . because The Fantasy 6-Pack has you covered neighbor.

I’m not going to include the fact that you need to pickup Ricky Williams, because he should already be rostered at this point.

QB Alex Smith – San Francisco 49ers

I know I was waiving the Shaun Hill flag high and clear for all to see early in the year but in my defense, it was because of the potential I saw in the receiving corps and the change in coaching. I like what Singletary and Jimmy Raye have done on offense and, believe it or not, there’s a lot of talent to work with here. RB goes without saying w/ Gore but Vernon Davis has really come into his own this year and Josh Morgan has also shown flashes of why the coaching staff was so high on him the whole off-season. There’s also the two-time Biletnikoff Award winner Michael Crabtree, who has looked exceptionally good and seems to have completely acclimated himself to the pro game in a very short amount of time. Enter Alex Smith. The guy hasn’t looked bad, he hasn’t looked good either but he’s proven to be capable and he certainly throws a better ball than “flailing duck” Hill. I really like the schedule here and this is a guy you can stash for an opportune playoff match-up should another injury hit or if it’s week 16 and Peyton Manning takes the week off. . . Alex Smith and the 9ers are playing Detroit by the way.

RB Larry Johnson – Kansas City Chiefs

I know this is a reach but he was dropped in a lot of leagues, with some folks thinking he was done for the year so that’s why he’s gotta be included. I’m really not a fan of this guy but it’s all about the scoreboard at the end of the day and I’m looking at the Bengals jumping on him first as an indicator on the severity of Cedric Benson’s injured hip. Even if Ced Ben’s hip isn’t a big issue, the Bengals offense has been riding on his back and if they want to make a serious run in the playoffs, they need another quality RB that can run between the tackles well. All due respect to Bernard Scott here but he’s more of a 3rd down back and I see the Bengals using Larry Johnson a lot to close out the season. Not only is the Bengals remaining schedule looking extremely tasty, their next three games are against Oakland, Cleveland, and Detroit which are all games the Bengals will look to work LJ into their system. There’s also that juicy match-up December 27th, where Johnson will have his first chance to put a beat down on his former team. Johnson couldn’t have landed in a better situation, so hopefully he can stay away form his Twitter Account long enough to put up some stats in the fantasy playoffs.

RB Justin Forsett – Seattle Seahawks

I know that it’s tough to get excited about any Seahawks player but they have been good for playing match-ups and while they’re going to more of a passing offense, they’ve been producing good numbers for the RB position. Julius Jones left the game early last week with a rib/chest injury and Justin Forsett proceeded to go off on the Cardinals defense for 149 all-purpose yards. Jones has been ruled out for week 11 but looks like he may miss even more time with the injury. The Seahags don’t have a great schedule but they do have some choice match-ups like week 12 against the Rams. Forsett isn’t going to win you a league but if you were counting on production from Julius Jones, he’s certainly a decent replacement and a good start as a flex RB play.

RB Jason Snelling – Atlanta Falcons

Once again, this isn’t a guy that will win you a league but Jason Snelling looks to be heavily involved in the offense already and will also be on the field more often than not on passing downs being the team’s best remaining pass blocker. He’s also averaging 2.8 receptions in his last five games played, so he’s of some use in PPR leagues. I know that it’s hard to get excited about a fullback but I think Turner has the dreaded “high ankle-sprain”, which puts him out at least 3 weeks. Atlanta plays the Giants next week, which isn’t a great match-up but next week’s game against the Buccaneers promises to be a delicious start for Snelling. Plus, just say it out loud for a second. . . “Snelling”. What a great football name!

WR Chris Chambers – Kansas City Chiefs

I know this guy is a bum and I know that “Nobody is Ever Going to Believe the Kid Brother to Eyeball Chambers” but Chris Chambers is back on the Six-Pack baby. Dwayne Bowe has been suspended by the league for testing positive for a banned substance and Chambers stands to see a significant increase in playing time as a result. The downside here is that while he looks to be one of the featured players in the offense, it’s an anemic passing attack to say the least. The Chiefs are 28th in the league and only average 166 passing yards a game but that doesn’t mean that Chambers can’t produce for you. He should be a very startable option going forward in PPR leagues especially. The bottom line is that somebody’s got to run those routes and point are points.

WR Daniel Gibson – St. Louis Rams

The Rams are finding out in a hurry what they got out of Brandon Gibson in the Will Witherspoon trade they made before the deadline. With Keenan Burton shredding his knee last week, Gibson stepped in and caught 7 passes for 93 yards against a leaky Saints secondary. The Rams are desperate for WR help after losing Laurent Robinson early in the season and they may have themselves a gem here form Washington State. He seemed to have instant chemistry with QB Marc Bulger and you can be sure that the Rams will be playing from behind in a lot of games. This could be that opening in the door that Gibson needs to showcase his abilities, so he is a decent option as a WR4 or flex play in deeper leagues.

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

It’s week 10, so I think it’s a good time for an update on the Momonoski vs Greg Kellogg – Jay Cutler vs Kyle Orton bet. It really has turned out to be one of the more heated debates for many BTR hosts, listeners, chatters, and callers. . . “Who’s the better fantasy QB; Kyle Orton or Jay Cutler?”

Not to say that last week told the tale but it certainly seemed like the two quarterbacks had a bit of a role reversal in week 9 with Jay Cutler only throwing one interception on 47 attempts, while Kyle Orton threw 3 interceptions on his 38 attempts. Orton does have an excuse and that’s the fact that he had to play Pittsburgh with a healthy Troy Polomalu but his lack of a quality deep ball is killing the Broncos offense.

I can’t give Cutler that much credit for last week either when you factor in how far behind the Bears were playing from. They simply had to air it out but it is nice to see Cutler forcing the issue with TE Greg Olsen and throwing 3 TDs his way. Cutler looks to have no problem putting up yardage against any team because he simply has a better arm than most NFL quarterbacks but it’s his ability to limit his mistakes that will win Momo this competition.

Here’s how it’s gone thus far and what the total point count is at:

(Scoring System: 4pt for passing TDs, 6pt for rushing/receiving TDs, .05pts for every yard passing, .10pts for every 1 yard rushing/receiving, 2pts for 2pt conversion, -1pt per INT, and -2pts for fumbles lost)

Things certainly are looking better for Cutler but I doubt Orton continues making mistakes all season long, plus this part of the Denver schedule was expected to be brutal. They lost against Baltimore and Pittsburgh, both defenses known to terrorize QBs. It’s still anybody’s bet at this point, so let’s enjoy the rest of the season!

Thanks for reading folks and we will be covering this all through the fantasy season, so if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints you want to get on the show please bang them out below or you can also send ‘em our way via e-mail to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

It’s already week 10 but that means Thursday games are about to get fired up, there are no more stupid baseball games, and it’s time to get set-up for your fantasy football playoffs!

If you’ve made it this far, Congratulations! You don’t suck at fantasy football but now it’s time to make sure you aren’t hung out to dry come playoff time. You’ve more than likely got a few studs lined up for the stretch run but it’s always crucial to continue surrounding your stars w/ depth. Let’s just face, there aren’t a lot of fantasy football seasons that you’ll experience that will be injury free. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever had the luck like that but that’s why we’re here to get you prepared for the worst and, more importantly, primed for success in your fantasy league.

Well, it is week 10, so that means Steve Slaton can spend the entire week thinking about how not to fumble. Larry Johnson can sit on his couch and tweet to his tweeples, while the Giants’ secondary can try to remember how to play man-coverage. To hell with them though, because it’s time to get you a “W” and I’ve got a hankering for another Fantasy 6-Pack!

Josh Freeman – Tamp Bay Buccaneers

I know I’m putting a rookie QB up on the board but Josh Freeman has a distinct advantage over the other QBs on your waiver wire and it’s the fact that he has yet to have his ass completely kicked into submission. I have to admit that I read a ton of scouting reports about “this kid from K-State that was a legit Roethlisberger clone” and of course I immediately dismissed that thinking like so many others but after watching a little film on him last week, there’s a lot more to that Big Ben comparison than I originally thought. Not only is Freeman huge at 6′6″-250 but he’s just tough to get a handle on with his great feet and size combo. It’s not that he’s got a lot of speed, he’s just got a natural ability to evade the pass rush on toughness and quickness more than anything. I’m not expecting blow up stats but with Tampa Bay playing a lot of games from behind, Freeman is going to put up plenty of passes going forward. He’s definitely a great add if you’re in a deep league and you need more depth at QB because the Freeman Era Has Begun and it’s not stopping anytime soon.

Ladell Betts – Washington Redskins

Once again, this isn’t somebody that will save your season, but Ladell Betts stands to see a significant increase in touches with Clinton Portis concussed and virtually ineffective. Betts is going to be a terrific value in PPR leagues and is a great add for depth with the league paying a lot more attention to concussions this year than ever before. I doubt Clinton Portis misses a ton of time here but Betts should definitely be a nice start against a Denver defense that just got exposed by Rashard Mendenhall and the Steelers Monday Night to the tune of 155 rushing yards. I doubt Betts gets that but he should provide great depth in almost all league formats for the next few weeks and he’s a good option this week as well. This week off should give Portis plenty of time to come up with some costume ideas that are hopefully a little better than Dolemite Jenkins.

Kevin Faulk – New England Patriots

I know I know, BORING! This guy isn’t going to get a bulk of the carries unless Maroney or BenJarvus Green-Ellis gets hurt but he IS always going to be involved in the passing game and last time I checked, Maroney hasn’t proven to be the perfect picture of health thus far in his career by any stretch. The one thing that you can always count on in New England is Kevin Faulk catching passes until they’re done playing games. Belichick loves the veteran from LSU and he always seems to have the ability to stay healthy enough to last into the playoffs. I’m seriously thinking that if some plague hit the world, the only things left alive would be cockroaches and Kevin Faulk. The bottom line here that I’m trying to stress is that if you’re in a deep PPR league, this guy is always worth rostering and the Patriots also have a nice run of three games against the Panthers, Bills, and Jaguars right during the fantasy playoffs. You could do a lot worse if you get hit by the injury bug at the wrong time, so go ahead and add him if you need some depth.

Antoine Caldwell – Cincinnati Bengals

I know that I’ve already put it out there that I love this guy but I’m seeing too many questions and scenarios out there that he’s still available in. He’s got to be picked up now with Chris Henry out, so if you have yet to do so, go get Antoine Caldwell on your rosters now before you finish reading this. . . I’m glad you’re back. Palmer loves this kid and he’s fitting in nicely with what the Bengals want to do in the short passing game. Coles has proven to be very inconsistent throughout the season and the Bengals want to get Caldwell the ball more in space with the extra moves he can make in the open field. He’s going to be even better next season but I expect more targets for Reche’s little brother Bubba.

Lance Long – Kansas City Chiefs

He’s just barely good enough to get trade value out of in Miami, he can’t keep his job in San Diego, but Chris Chambers can just blow up for 2 TDs with a terrible team. Seriously though folks, all the little brother of Eyeball Chambers did was distract people from the real gem in Kansas City’s passing game and that’s Lance Long with his 8 receptions for 74 yards last week. Sure, the Chiefs were playing the Jaguars but Long is bringing a nice skill set to the table for Kansas City’s offense. He’s a crafty route runner, who is explosive in space and he just might provide Mr Matt Cassel with a Welker-esque relief outlet in the passing game. Once again, I’m looking at this from a deeper league perspective but this is a guy who might be used a lot more going forward and he’s a very intriguing PPR league prospect.

Jason Hill – San Francisco 49ers

I thought he fell down in the old abandoned well outside of 49ers headquarters but it turns out he’s actually claimed a role in the passing game regardless of Michael Crabtree’s presence. It was rumored that Josh Morgan had the starting role over Jason Hill but they are apparently in a rotation and more than anything, the 49ers are running a few more spread formations with Alex Smith in the lineup. The idea is to keep Smith in the shotgun more often but the bottom line is that Jason Hill looks to be seeing more of the field, so he’s another nice add for depth at the position. He might not win you the league but I’ve got to look at some nice match-ups coming up against Chicago, Green Bay, and Jacksonville that make Hill worth a look in deeper leagues.

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

Before we break into week 10 and the new Thursday games that await us, it’s a great time to do some power rankings to see exactly how all the NFL teams stack up.

Glad we don’t have to count on the Packers being for real. Way to let the Bucs get their first win in the cream-sickle unis Green Bay. Offensive Tackle might be a high priority in the draft next season for the Pack I’m thinking. . . just wanted to venture a guess.

As usual, you’re always welcome to give us hell for this on the show. . .

1. Indianapolis Colts (8-0) It’s time to kick the tires and light the fires this Sunday. Patriots/Colts, Brady/Manning, in the timeless battle that never stops. Injuries Shminjuries, Peyton Manning can flat-out score on anybody.

2. New England Patriots (6-2) Sure I may be repetitive but this coming Sunday night is going to be ####ing epic. The Power of the Bundchen going up against The Pedigree of the Manning. Straight butter!

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) The Samoan and his mullet of disaster are simply too much for opposing offenses to rival. He seems to be everywhere on the field at once or maybe it’s just the hair.

4. New Orleans Saints (8-0) I know Saints fans hate me but what are they doing letting sub-par teams build leads on them? Don’t say trying to keep things interesting either. They don’t have me fooled.

5. Minnesota Vikings (7-1) It goes without saying that Jared Allen has the 2nd most-viscous mullet in professional sports behind Polomalu. Combined w/ the Silver Fox, the Vikings have a lot going for them.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) It’s not too late. There’s still room on the Bounce Back Bengals Band Wagon. Carson, Esteban OchcoCinco, and now Ced Ben is the centerpiece. Where the heck are my Estrada sun-glasses?

7. Arizona Cardinals (5-3) Which Cardinals team shows up on Sunday is the real question but I’m liking this defense and IF they ever get all of their top-flight WRs healthy, we’re talking about one of the best offenses in the business.

8. Dallas Cowboys (6-2) Another case of which team will show up but with the Cowboys and Tony Romo, it’s more of a “Which Team Will Show Up in the Playoffs?” kind of question. Has my Miles Austin T-Shirt arrived in the mail yet?

9. Atlanta Falcons (5-3) I know they’re way too up-&-down but Matty Ice is still young and with a running game like that, they’ll always be in games. DeAngelo Hall seriously needs to turn off the haters, you were a bust dude.

10. Houston Texans (5-4) The Owen Daniels’ injury hurts the offense but this is still a very strong team w/ the defense finally coming to form. Schaub still has Andre the Giant, so expect them to make a wild-card.

11. Denver Broncos (6-2) It was good while it lasted but this defense has a weakness and that’s not being able to stop the no-huddle. McCheese, Orton, and his neck beard are wearing out their welcome.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3) Not sure when the real Eagles will show up but this is a playoff team with a lot of talent if they can get their act together. They need to get DeSean Jackson more involved on offense.

13. New York Giants (5-4) Sloppy football in both phases of the game is what knocked the G-Men out of the top-10 for me. Their secondary is atrocious and their play-calling on offense isn’t much better.

14. San Diego Chargers (5-3) Phillip Rivers will continue to keep them in games but the defense is starting to show signs of life. If they could get the same out of Tomlinson, this team could be a contender in the playoffs.

15. Baltimore Ravens (4-4) I’m guessing they got up too high for the Broncos game and couldn’t sustain it? They’ve got to be the best .500% team in the league but they still need more from their WR corps.

16. New York Jets (4-4) Talk about another team that’s better than its record. Maybe if their coach was as good as he is loud, they’d have more wins but I still love the way they run the ball. There’s still hope here.

17. Chicago Bears (4-4) The defense isn’t what it used to be but at least the offense is starting to pickup the pace a little. Cutler and the boys are still developing chemistry but it won’t matter if they miss the playoffs.

18. Miami Dolphins (3-5) I’m placing this team away in the 2010 file, as I expect big things next season. Chad Henne is still finding his way and while he’s got a bright future, Miami just isn’t there yet.

19. Green Bay Packers (4-4) Tampa Bay? WTF? Things can’t get much worse for Green Bay, so expect them to bounce back with a big game with the coach’s job dangling from a string at this point.

20. San Francisco 49ers (3-5) I expected a lot better from these guys when considering their running game, talent level, and coaching. They should not be under .500% but this group is somehow managing to underachieve.

21. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4) Perhaps pocket Hercules is enough to help get a team to the playoffs. While he is a fantasy football super-star, MJD can’t play defense and the Jaguars still can’t stop the pass.

22. Carolina Panthers (3-5) Somehow Noodle Arm is still an active QB and much to the dismay of Panther fans, he’s going to continue starting because Carolina simply doesn’t have a better option. Biscuit Justice WTF?

23. Seattle Seahawks (3-5) The up-&-down season of Seattle continues w/ the erratic passing of Matt Hasselcrap and a patch-work offensive line. The Seahags aren’t going anywhere this season.

24. Buffalo Bills (3-5) I really like what they’ve been doing on defense despite all of their injuries but having no offensive line is hindering their ability to stay in games. Maybe they stayed at a Holiday Inn Express during the bye week?

25. Tennessee Titans (2-6) The best doggone 2-6 team out there. I’m now convinvced that they took the time machine back to ‘82 w/ Uncle Rico to find Vince Young’s missing mojo that was lost after the ‘06 Rose Bowl.

26. Washington Redskins (2-6) Sure they are a joke of a franchise but their defense is actually showing signs of like. If they can manage to sustain a few drives, they might win another few games.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7) Wow! A quarterback is born. The rookie out of K-State has a legit arm and he’s decent scrambler. The Bucs caught a lot of flak for the pick but now look to prove the doubters wrong.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) The mighty Matt Cassel with his band of rag-tags and krusty rejects are looking better by the week but that won’t be translating into wins anytime soon. Good riddance to bad rubbish w/ LJ.

29. Oakland Raiders (2-6) Psycho coach, psycho owner, and psycho fans. Why isn’t this working again? It doesn’t look to get much better for Raider Fans, outside of their soon to be top-5 draft pick in April.

30. Detroit Lions (1-7) They are no longer the worst team in the league but not by much. The Lions actually jumped out to a 17 pt lead on the Seahags but failed to capitalize. It is getting better. . . marginally better.

31. St. Louis Rams (1-7) I love owning James Laurinaitis in my IDP leagues because with the Rams being so terrible on offense, their defense is on the field all day long. Get ready for another spanking courtesy of the Saints.

32. Cleveland Browns (1-7) It isn’t easy for Mangenius to swallow these losses but it’s gotta be better than getting fired. Maybe he should punch one of Labron’s friends and get traded out of town for good.

I hate Gary Kubiak so much that it stings.

I own Steve Slaton in 5 leagues, so seeing his stat line all through Sunday Afternoon was painful and it didn’t get any better having to watch Ryan Moats highlights all Sunday night. Not only that but thanks to Jason “Shankopotamus” Elam, I lost two more games which culminated in one of the worst Sundays in recent memory. The only bright spot is owning Reggie Wayne and having at least one player who doesn’t completely suck at their job.

While there were some phenomenal performances week 8, Brandon Marshall and the entire Broncos offense sputtered their way to the team’s first loss with the Ravens’ Joe Flacco looking very impressive in the win. After being ridiculed by the Miami media for most of the week, Ted Ginn basically won the game for the Dolphins with two huge kickoff returns and Vince Young took his time machine back to the ‘06 Rode Bowl with a solid performance against the Jaguars. Oh yeah, that Favre guy is pretty good to.

Well, it is week 9 and that means it’s the last 6 team bye week, so let’s find some gems off the wire and crack open another Fantasy 6-Pack!

Ryan Moats – Houston Texans

Let’s be honest here, I could probably have run for at least 80 yards against Buffalo on Sunday but head coach Gary Kubiak decided that he’d had enough of Steve Slaton’s fumbling problems and put him on the bench in favor of backup Ryan Moats. With that move, he single handedly crushed the dreams of all Slaton owners expecting a big game against one of the worst rushing defenses in the league. I guess it’s just nice to know Moats for something else other than his unfortunate run-in with a racist police officer this last summer. The guy did look great with a nice body lean and a very low pad level. He’s got good hands out of the backfield and Gary “I’m trying to be Mike Shanahan” Kubiak has already gone on the record that he’ll use “Three runningbacks from here on out.” As much as I hate to say it, Moats has value in deeper leagues playing in such a good offense.

Leonard Weaver – Philadelphia Eagles

Come on man, who actually rosters a fullback? You do when he’s as good as Leonard Weaver and especially when he’s the best inside runner remaining on a banged up Eagles backfield. With Brian Westbrook still nursing a concussion and rookie LeSean McCoy suffering from a nasty flu this week, we can expect Weaver to get even more touches against the Cowboys. Weaver is a great fit for Andy Reid’s offense because he’s also a tremendous pass catcher for a bigger back, as evidence of his 59 receptions the last two seasons in Seattle. If McCoy misses more practice time this week, expect Weaver to get at least 15 touches this weekend. He’s only to be considered in deeper leagues but he’s a nice option if one of your stars is out this week.

Kevin Walter – Houston Texans

Kevin Walter is a guy that should already be rostered in larger PPR leagues but regardless of format, I expect Walters numbers to improve going forward now that all-pro TE Owen Daniels is out for the year with a torn ACL. Yes, I know that Walter does not play TE, but he does bring a lot of the same qualities to the table that Daniels does. He’s a terrific route runner, he’s got great size at 6′3″ 218lbs, and he’s got great chemistry with his QB. Walter can fill a number of different roles on the field but he’s now going to be that safety valve that Daniels provided early in the year. While Walter may not get the same kind of production, he’s certain to improve in targets, receptions, and yardage. If Walter is still on your wire, it’s time to snag this fella for the stretch run.

Michael Crabtree – San Francisco 49ers

Now I’ll be the first to admit when I was wrong and this is unfortunately one of those times. I didn’t think that Michael Crabtree would acclimate himself so quickly to the speed of the game after missing so much practice time and repetitions but the kid was as good as advertised. He’s got good size and decent quicks but he’s a natural hands catcher who can pluck the ball out of the air with precision. He showed an instant chemistry with Alex Smith that was simply amazing. The Texas Tech product is the real deal and he will provide this 49er offense with a brand new dynamic that it hasn’t had since the days of Terrel Owens. I know that is just plain blasphemous but let’s just be honest here. . . he’s got a ton of upside and he’s already showing that he belongs in this league. If he’s still out there, you’re extremely lucky!

Malcolm Floyd – San Diego Chargers

I think everybody has been tipped off on what a colossal bust Chris Chambers is and the Chargers finally caught up with the rest of us, releasing him this week. Not only will this result in more targets for Malcolm Floyd but he was already being involved more in the team’s passing game than Chambers had ever been. Floyd provides the team with a much deep threat and is starting to refine the other facets of his game. He’s especially valuable in leagues that reward longer TDs with his tremendous length and deep speed. He doesn’t have a ton of value in smaller leagues or PPR scoring formats but you can expect his numbers to increase as the year goes on and teams start to shut down Tomlinson and company. It also helps that Phillip Rivers loves Floyd’s size, making him a perfect compliment to Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates. Definitely worth a pickup in deep leagues.

Spencer Havner – Green Bay Packers

Wow! When you get 3 receiving TDs in two games, it’s not a fluke and it certainly appears that Spencer Havner is here to stay. Rodgers definitely loves looking his way in the redzone and while Havner only has three targets in the past two games, you can’t argue with his production. It’s very possible that he could be Green Bay’s version of Mike Vrabel, as the the former UCLA Bruin was a collegiate linebacker and is still LB elligable in some yahoo leagues. All jokes aside, you could do a lot worse for a bye week filler if you’ve got Dustin Keller, Visanthe Shiancoe, or even Zach Miller out on bye.

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com