FanHouse Andre Caldwell

Every Tuesday night, we'll give you an update on our FanHouse fantasy football league. Who hit on their sleepers? Who made the shrewd pickups? Who's practicing what they preach? In 'House Check, you'll find out.

In our highly competitive FanHouse league, which is comprised of three four-team divisions, we've exhibited how hard it is to beat up on each other. After three weeks of division play, every team stands at either 2-1 or 1-2. So after three weeks, we're proven nothing, except that no one is going to run away with the FanHouse title.

This week starts the first round of inter-divisional matchups, with my team taking on Will Brinson's team. Now without Laurent Robinson, and with Wes Welker and Lance Moore doing more cheerleading than competing, I'm going to have to hit the waiver wire hard yet again to try and find a way to improve to 3-1.

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Sunday Evening Wrap checks out players who increased or decreased their value during the Sunday afternoon games.

Riser of the Week: Pierre Thomas was the apple of many a fantasy owner's eye heading into the season, but he was hampered by a knee injury for the first two weeks. Sunday, he reintroduced himself to the fantasy football world -- so let's hope you held onto him if you drafted him. Thomas ran through the Buffalo defense for 126 yards on just 14 carries, scoring two touchdowns. The Saints do have two tough matchups coming (Jets and Giants), but, long-term, Pierre is going to be a solid RB2.

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Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

They don't allow you to take a mulligan in pro football. If they did, one has to believe the Cincinnati Bengals would take it for the whole 2008 season. An injured quarterback, problems on defense, and a controversial and somewhat unproductive wide receiver conspired to take Cincinnati down. After a 4-11-1 campaign, the Bengals are ready to (sort of) start over.

After saying that he and Carson Palmer "were like Brokeback Mountain," it only made sense that Chad Ochocinco would move in with the Bengals quarterback this summer. That was the plan (according to Mr. Ochocinco), anyway.

Palmer's wife -- and I'd assume Palmer, too -- had other ideas. The family just had twins, and even if they hadn't, I'm not sure they would be interested in introducing crazy into their home. Via the Dayton Daily News' Chick Ludwig:

Even Carson Palmer, the unassuming Opie Taylor-looking Bengals quarterback, has his limits. After spending most of the 2008 season on the sidelines with a bum elbow, the 2003 first-overall pick is healthy and participating in voluntary workouts. Which, like previous offseasons, isn't the case with Chad Javon Ochocinco.

He's reportedly working out in Los Angeles, and I don't doubt that -- Chad always seems prepared, at least physically, for the start of the NFL season -- but that's not really the point. Cincinnati won just four times last year, and hasn't had a winning record since 2005, also the last time they advanced to the playoffs. (Coincidentally, that was the other time Palmer suffered a significant injury. Thanks Kim von Oelhoeffen!)

On Monday, the Seahawks signed T.J. Houshmandzadeh to a five-year, $40 million deal. Great news for Seattle -- Matt Hasselbeck will finally have a legit pass-catching threat (a seldom-healthy Deion Branch doesn't count) -- but the Bengals were suddenly down to Chad Ocho Cinco in the reliable wide receiver department. (Yikes.)

Apparently, the thought of starting the season with Chris Henry, Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell was enough to motivate historically cheap Bengals owner Mike Brown into action, presumably at the behest of head coach Marvin Lewis. Whatever the impetus, Cincy has a new-old Houshmandzadeh: Laveranues Coles. Via NFL.com's Adam Schefter, Coles signed a four-year, $28 million contract.

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Lance Moore only caught 32 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns in 2007. In 2008, he caught 79 passes for 928 yards and 10 touchdowns. It came from out of nowhere, considering all the other receiving options in New Orleans, but that doesn't mean we can't start grasping at who could be the one who goes from relative fantasy obscurity to a great contributor in the time of one season.

Let's check it out those who will likely see an expanded role in their offense next season, in addition to growth as a playmaker. Please realize these are for deep keeper leagues. Do not even think about keeping any of these over an elite receiver.

Donnie Avery, Rams -- As I said in my top-10 picks post about Steven Jackson, the Rams can't get any worse. They'll figure some things out in the offseason and Mr. Avery is going to be an important part of the offense for any new administration due to his youth. We saw the flashes of talent this time around, and next season we'll see him grow into a real NFL receiver. Plus, it's not like his division is chock full of beastly defenses.

Chad Javon Ocho Cinco is back with the Bengals after being deactivated for Thursday night's Steelers contest because of a severe case of drowsiness. And while I'm sure Ryan Fitzpatrick will happily welcome his return, when you're staring at 1-9-1, it doesn't much matter who you trot out there for the next five weeks.

The real issue, however, is what will the organization do with Mr. Cinco after the season? Common sense might dictate running his ass out of town and getting whatever you can for him. Of course, the Bengals could've had a first-round pick (or two, depending on who you believe) from the Redskins last summer, but they weren't willing to deal. In retrospect, yeah, they probably should have.

But according to CBS' Charley Casserly, the plan -- as of right now, anyway -- is to keep Johnson in Cincy for 2009, too. It seems like an insane notion given all the trouble he's caused in recent seasons, but nobody's ever accused the Bengals of being smart.

FanHouse colleague Ryan Wilson stated that the Bengals are giving up on the season by shutting down quarterback Carson Palmer for the season. I think that is a great idea.

The Cincinnati Bengals are 0-7 and still have the Steelers, Eagles, Redskins, Ravens, Colts and Jaguars remaining on the schedule. Needless to say, this season looks like it has already been lost. Heck, fans are hoping they go 0-16 just to prove a point to owner Mike Brown.

There is no need for Palmer to try to play at any point this season. Lose the battle and win the war. Get your elbow fixed and ready to roll for the 2009 season. In sports, there is no honor in being stupid. Take the time to research the surgery, get the proper advice and information, and then do what you have to do to be ready for '09.

As for the Bengals organization, you'd be best served to use the rest of this season as a big job audition. Just like the consultants did in Office Space, have everyone re-apply for their job and weed out the weak.

Cincinnati: the NFL's halfway house. In news that should've surprised no one, the team re-signed chronic law breaker Chris Henry yesterday. At the time, the move was thought to be a combination of things: injuries to starters Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and less-than-expected progress by the two rookies, Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell.

And today, Bengals.com confirms as much: the team, faced with the possibility of going into the season without two of it's best players and nothing behind them, prompted the re-ushering in of the Chris Henry Era. Ah, good times, indeed.

The signing indicates that Chad Johnson's sprained shoulder is serious enough that the Bengals look to be preparing for the possibility that Johnson could be sidelined for several weeks, although Johnson insisted Monday night he'll be back for the opener.

But that's not the only injury that has clouded the receiver picture in the last 48 hours. There is also rookie receiver Andre Caldwell's sprained foot and T.J. Houshmandzadeh's hamstring. He's 50-50 at best to play in his first preseason game Saturday night against the Saints, and the Bengals could be forced to sign a receiver in addition to Henry.

But it gets better: according to Henry's agent, the gun-toting, jersey-wearing evil doer is broke, but has apparently "undergone a transformation in order to get his life back in order." Translation: "I'm broke and I need to quit acting like a jackass long enough to get paid."