After five weeks of action, there remain just three undefeated teams left. After the Bears upset the Packers Sunday night, the Cowboys, Colts and Patriots remains the only squads without a blemish, and Dallas and New England will face off next Sunday in Texas.
Chutes ‘n’ Ladders will recap the past week’s major stories, including the latest injury situations and some big free agent options off the waiver wire. Several teams will be making some personnel changes as we head into Week 6 and we’ll try to break it all down for you now.
Quarterbacks
Matt Leinart owners have been very disappointed with how the Cardinals have been splitting their QB duties with Kurt Warner in recent weeks. If they thought they were upset before, they must be infuriated now as Leinart is out indefinitely with a broken collarbone. Arizona announced they expect the USC legend to miss at least 6-8 weeks with the devastating injury and there’s a major possibility he could miss the remainder of the season. Warner will take over as the full-time starter and instantly becomes a hot waiver wire addition in all leagues because of the Cards talented offensive weapons. Anquan Boldin (hip) missed the past couple weeks, but will very likely return to active duty. With Larry Fitzgerald ranking fifth in the NFL with 448 yards receiving and Edgerrin James enjoying a rejuvenated year (442 rushing yards, 8th overall), Warner is a bona fide No. 1 QB once again. If you can, make sure you put in a bid to acquire the two-time MVP to at least serve as your backup QB.
There’s a quarterback controversy brewing with the Green Machine as Chad Pennington’s days as the starting field general could be numbered. His arm strength is just not up to par to do the job with the Jets offense, so it sounds like it’s just a matter of time before Kellen Clemens takes over. The Jets fell to 1-4 with their loss to the in-state rival Giants this week and New York’s a.m. radio sports talk shows are calling for a change behind center. Clemens threw for 176 of his 260 yards in the fourth quarter of his lone start against Baltimore in Week 2. Although he showed some flashes of brilliance, he still has a lot to learn. However, if New York continues to lose, it would be wise to give Clemens a chance. In Atlanta, Joey Harrington will continue to start at QB, but it seems very likely Byron Leftwich will be getting a crack sometime in the near future as the Falcons struggle. The former Jag replaced Harrington in the fourth quarter last week, so expect a change very soon.
Free Agent Possibilities
Gus Frerotte, STL 24-for-43, 262 yards, three TD, three INT
Jason Campbell, WAS 23-for-29, 248 yards, two TD
Brian Griese, CHI 15-for-25, 214 yards, two TD, INT
Jeff Garcia, TB 18-for-23, 143 yards, two TD
Steve McNair, BAL 29-for-43, 214 yards, 10 yards rushing
Derek Anderson, CLE 22-for-43, 287 yards, two TD, three INT
Kurt Warner, ARI 14-for-28, 190 yards, TD, INT
David Garrard, JAC 20-for-27, 218 yards, TD
Chad Pennington, NYJ 21-for-36, 229 yards, TD, three INT
Trent Dilfer, SF 12-for-19, 126 yards, TD, INT
David Carr, CAR 10-for-17, 119 yards, TD, INT
Brodie Croyle, KC 6-for-13, 83 yards, TD
Cleo Lemon, MIA 15-for-27, 151 yards, INT
Major Offensive Injuries
The Panthers announced that Jake Delhomme will undergo Tommy John elbow replacement surgery and will miss the rest of the 2007 season. David Carr – if healthy – will continue to start in his stead and the team is reportedly seeking to sign another veteran field general in a backup role. It typically takes about a calendar year for pitchers to return from this surgery and then another year to get back into form; this news obviously puts Delhomme’s career in doubt. On Monday, the Panthers announced that Carr is dealing with a bad back, so it’s conceivable that rookie Matt Moore might get the nod.
The Dolphins will be without starting quarterback Trent Green for several weeks, possibly the remainder of the season, after he suffered a Grade 3 concussion this week. Cleo Lemon will take over the starting job for the winless Dolphins until rookie John Beck is ready. At 0-5, some expect Miami to give 2006’s second-round draft selection, Beck, a serious opportunity to compete with Lemon for the job. … The Chiefs will also make a switch at quarterback this upcoming week as Damon Huard (shoulder) has already been deemed out for Week 6. Therefore, second-year QB Brodie Croyle will make his first career start against an awful Cincinnati secondary that ranks No. 28 against the pass. The Bengals are surrendering 251 passing yards per contest with 11 TDs through the air, so Croyle is an intriguing short-term substitute if you’re hurting at the quarterback position.
The Niners are planning on having QB Alex Smith (shoulder) active for Week 7 against the Giants. He was expected to miss “at least 3-4 weeks” with the injury, but it appears he’s recovering much faster than initially expected. They haven’t actually said he’d be able to start, so it’s possible he could just be backing up surrogate starter Trent Dilfer. … St. Louis remains undecided on whether Marc Bulger (shoulder, ribs) will be able to return in Week 6 versus the Ravens. Frerotte appears likely to make another start behind center unless Bulger makes significant progress this week. … After racking up five TDs in Week 4, Daunte Culpepper will start Week 6 against San Diego, who are averaging 234.6 passing YPG. Josh McCown (finger, feet) still isn’t ready to return. In leagues that start two QBs, he’s definitely worth rolling the dice on. … Tarvaris Jackson (groin) returned to practice Monday after the Vikings Week 5 bye and he’s expected to start vs Chicago this Sunday. He threw for 163 and 166 yards in each of his two starts this year, so don’t even consider starting him. The Vikings plan on winning with the rushing game and stifling defense.
Running Backs
Kenton Keith broke on to the fantasy scene in a big way this weekend against the Buccaneers, rushing for 121 yards and two touchdowns as he filled in for the injured Joseph Addai. He also added five receptions for 37 yards, proving he is capable of carrying the load if needed. He’s averaging a cool 5.0 YPC through five weeks, but is likely headed back to his reserve role following the Colts Week 6 bye. Addai (shoulder) is expected to return in Week 7 against Jacksonville after a few weeks rest and will once again shoulder the brunt of the load in the backfield. Coach Tony Dungy announced that Addai could have played if it was a must-win game, but decided to be cautious and give him some rest. Consider Keith a must-own in all fantasy leagues because of his upside, especially for Addai owners; however, he’ll likely be stashed away on your bench until possibly the final few regular season weeks if Indy clinches early like usual.
Free Agent Possibilities
Najeh Davenport, PIT seven rushes, 58 yards, two TD, four receptions, 38 yards
Michael Turner, SD 10 rushes, 147 yards, TD
Ron Dayne, HOU 16 rushes, 40 yards, TD, reception, five yards
Mike Sellers, WAS five rushes, 24 yards, TD, three receptions, 36 yards, TD
DeShawn Wynn, GB 13 rushes, 78 yards, TD, reception, 13 yards
Brian Leonard, STL 18 rushes, 102 yards, five receptions, 33 yards
Vernand Morency, GB nine rushes, 43 yards, seven receptions, 48 yards
Jason Wright, CLE 15 rushes, 59 yards, four receptions, 43 yards
Artose Pinner, ATL one rush, 49 yards
Major Offensive Injuries
The Bucs expect to be without Michael Pittman for about 6-8 weeks after he severely sprained his ankle. With Mike Alstott and Carnell Williams already out for the season, Tampa Bay will be forced to turn the running back responsibilities to Earnest Graham more. Kenneth Darby is currently his backup, but the Bucs will likely sign another RB in the near future.
Jamal Lewis left Sunday’s debacle vs New England with a foot injury and was unable to return. He finished with a meager 11 yards before giving way to Jason Wright in the Browns backfield. Lewis was scheduled for an MRI on Monday and remains iffy for this weekend’s tilt against the lowly Fins.
Brian Westbrook (abdomen) was able to return to the Eagles practice on Monday and is fully expected to be the starting RB in Week 6. Correll Buckhalter will return to his back-up status and Westbrook is once again a must-start in all fantasy formats. … The Rams announced that Steven Jackson (groin) will miss Week 6, so Leonard will get a chance to work on his first career 100-yard rushing effort. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a great matchup facing the mighty Baltimore defense. There remains no timetable for Jackson’s return. … LaMont Jordan (back) remains questionable on the injury report. According to reports, he did not practice on Monday. Dominic Rhodes and Justin Fargas would likely split the backfield duties if he cannot suit up. … As a possible one-year suspension looms over his head, Broncos RB Travis Henry plans on taking a polygraph test sometime this week to try and prove he did not recently smoke marijuana. He reportedly could also allow some hairs to be tested to try to prove his innocence. Sources say this appeal could take around a month before a decision is made. If he is found guilty, Selvin Young would become a RB1 overnight – he’s still a must-own handcuff for Henry owners.
Wide Receivers
Antwaan Randle El blew up in Week 5 against a lousy Lions defense, racking up 100 yards in the first half. Unfortunately though, his monster game was cut short due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the first half. The speedy wide receiver was forced to leave at halftime and was unable to return for the second half. He’ll undergo some tests early this week and will likely be on the Skins injury report because of his uncertainty. After Washington’s victory, Randle El did say he expects to play in Week 6 against Green Bay, who is allowing 226.4 passing yards/game. Teammate WR Santana Moss could also return for the contest, so don’t count on Randle El posting these kinds of numbers regularly. He should be considered a WR3/flex option at best.
Free Agent Possibilities
Dennis Northcut, JAC four receptions, 73 yards, TD
Tim Carter, CLE three receptions, 50 yards, TD
Donte Stallworth, NE four receptions, 73 yards, TD
Brad Smith, NYJ three receptions, 44 yards, TD
Arnaz Battle, SF three receptions, 36 yards, TD
Drew Bennett, STL two receptions, 32 yards, TD
Antwaan Randle El, WAS seven receptions, 100 yards
Anthony Gonzalez, IND seven receptions, 71 yards
Cedrick Wilson, PIT five receptions, 69 yards
Devery Henderson, NO four receptions, 101 yards
Bryant Johnson, ARI six receptions, 80 yards
Ike Hilliard, TB eight receptions, 58 yards
Kevin Walter, HOU five receptions, 67 yards
Glenn Martinez, DEN six receptions, 70 yards
Major Offensive Injuries
Deion Branch will miss two games after sustaining a mid-foot sprain this weekend against Pittsburgh. Seattle hopes to have their top receiver after their Week 8 bye. Fellow Seahawks receiver D.J. Hackett (ankle) will also sit out the contest. Therefore, Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson – along with Ben Obomanu and Courtney Taylor – will take over the receiver duties.
Plaxico Burress continues to be bothered by his sprained ankle, but the Giants still plan on having him available for game action this weekend. Despite being slowed by the ailment, he still ranks No. 9 in receiving yards (410) and tied for first in TDs (seven). He probably won’t practice all week though. … The Colts have a bye in Week 6 so Marvin Harrison (knee) will have a couple more weeks to get healthy. Book on him returning in Week 7 on Monday Night Football against the Jags. … Calvin Johnson left late in Sunday’s loss to the Lions after his back stiffened up. He’ll have a bye this week to rest his lower back and is expected to be available for Week 7 vs the Bucs.
Vincent Jackson suffered a shoulder injury and the extent of the injury remains uncertain. More info should come out by midweek. … Joe Jurevicius (knee) left midway through Week 5’s contest vs the Pats and didn’t return. He’ll undergo some test this week and is questionable for this weekend. … Santana Moss (groin) missed Washington’s blowout win over Detroit, but is hopeful he’ll be back in action in Week 6 vs the Pack Attack. Monitor his health throughout the week; he’s the Skins most reliable WR when healthy. … After sitting out the first four games with a hamstring injury, Eddie Kennison was forced to depart Week 5 early on after he aggravated the ailment. He did not return is scheduled for some tests this week – he’ll probably be sidelined once again.
Tight Ends
Free Agent Possibilities
Alex Smith, TB two receptions, six yards, two TD
Desmond Clark, CHI three receptions, 62 yards, TD
Randy McMichael, STL three receptions, 45 yards, TD
Owen Daniels, HOU six receptions, 96 yards
Chris Baker, NYJ three receptions, 52 yards
Donald Lee, GB three receptions, 23 yards
Major Offensive Injuries
Todd Heap (hamstring) remains questionable on the Ravens injury list, but coach Brian Billick expressed some optimism that he’ll be able to return next week. … L.J. Smith (groin) returned to practice Monday after Philly’s bye and is expected to return to the lineup in Week 6 vs the Jets.
Week 6 Schedule
Sunday, October 14 1:00pm ET
Miami @ Cleveland
Minnesota @ Chicago
Washington @ Green Bay
Philadelphia @ New York Jets
St. Louis @ Baltimore
Tennessee @ Tampa Bay
Cincinnati @ Kansas City
Houston @ Jacksonville
Sunday, October 14 4:05/15pm ET
Carolina @ Arizona
New England @ Dallas
Oakland @ San Diego
Sunday, October 14 8:15pm ET
New Orleans @ Seattle
Monday, October 15 8:30pm ET
New York Giants @ Atlanta
Byes
PIT, DET, DEN, IND, SF, BUF