We're back. It's "Run, Ricky, Run!" Week here at Fantasy FanHouse, as we witnessed Ricky Williams thrust himself into the ranks of other must-start running backs. First, Ronnie Brown went down for the season, next Ricky provided fantasy owners with a three-touchdown monster performance. Tom Herrera and Matt Snyder discuss much more, though. We talk about possible gifts for those who have been underachieving in fantasy (akin to the positive pregnancy test that seemed to have jump-started LaDainian Tomlinson), major injury fallout and, of course, our Starting Six Pack for the week. Take a listen after the jump.
With nine games in the books, Ricky Williams -- despite being behind Ronnie Brown on the Dolphins' depth chart -- sits at 13th in fantasy points among running backs. Brown is ninth, so the Dolphins have themselves a pretty dynamic duo. For Week 11, they get to feast on the Carolina Panthers' 25th-ranked run defense Thursday night.
And Ricky's left alone in the backfield. With Brown nursing a foot injury, Williams will shoulder the bulk of the Miami offense. He's quite capable, as we've seen in spurts this season. He had 20 carries for over 100 yards last week. This week, he's gonna get the ball more often and run wild. Only the new "big three" are better options.
The best NFL news on Wednesday was that Brian Westbrook will not play this week. He may be your starting running back in your fantasy league, but the Philadelphia Eagles' all-time leader from scrimmage with 9,711 yards also is a man who is recuperating from two concussions in 20 days.
Right now, Westbrook is not just an NFL star. He is a medical patient.
Thankfully, everyone realizes it's time to focus on Westbrook's health and future well-being, and not how he can help move the chains for the Eagles' offense.
Fantasy FanHouse's "Bust a Move" segment provides quick-hitting insight on the most popular adds and drops across Fleaflicker fantasy leagues between Tuesday and Wednesday of each week. Knowing who is on the move during this 24-hour period often provides a valuable edge with regard to outperforming or underperforming players, injuries and depth chart shifts. So do as the man says, "Don't just stand there..."
The Adds
Justin Forsett (RB, Seahawks, 2,952 adds) - I'm a bit surprised to see Justin Forsett ahead of Jason Snelling here given the news that Julius Jones only suffered a bruised lung as opposed to what was previously thought to be a broken rib, but he'll get at least one week of a guaranteed full load and most likely a couple more than that.
Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.
Making the most of an opportunity is crucial for any athlete, no matter the sport. As Week 11 games approach, bumps and bruises have turned into full-blown, shut-down injuries -- thrusting backup players into starting roles. There are a few of these situations at the running back position this week. These can have major fantasy football implications. Just as in real sports, you need to take advantage of these opportunities to help your fantasy team.
Fed up with one of your players? Eyeballing a player on the wire, but don't know who to drop? So Long, Suckers examines a few widely-owned players that probably shouldn't be.
Last week we suggested owners in shallow leagues dump Brian Westbrook. This week, after suffering another concussion, it's safe for teams in all but the deepest of leagues (i.e., leagues where this week's waiver wire darlings Justin Forsett and Jason Snelling were owned heading into Week 10) to cut the Philly back.
Absolutely best case for Westbrook in my mind is to miss two weeks, play sparingly in Week 13, and start against the Giants, 49ers and Broncos during your fantasy playoffs. Would you really rely on him at that point? I know I wouldn't.
Who else deserves a pink slip this week? All the following players are owned in 60 percent of Fleaflicker leagues.
Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.
Maurice Jones-Drew owes me six points. In fact, he owes a whole lot of fantasy football owners a touchdown after kneeling on the one-yard line instead of scoring a go-ahead touchdown against the New York Jets.
With under two minutes left in the game, the Jets had no timeouts, a one-point lead and the Jacksonville Jaguars driving in the red zone. The Jets decided to let Jones-Drew score so they would have plenty of time for a game-winning drive of their own. Toni Monkovic of The New York Times gives Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio a ton of credit for foiling that plan.
Did the injury bug hit your fantasy football team like it was a car windshield moving at 100 MPH? If so, it may be time to do some Damage Control.
Quarterback
• Kyle Orton, Broncos - Orton sat out the second half on Sunday with an ankle injury. He'll be tested early this week and Chris Simms will take a lot of snaps with the first team as we wait to see how severe Orton's injury is.
Running Back
• Ronnie Brown, Dolphins - Brown limped off of the field during the third quarter of Sunday's game. X-rays were negative, but the MRI results have not yet been seen. Brown is believed to have a severe ankle sprain, and unfortunately for the Dolphins, he may not be ready to play in Thursday's Week 11 game. Look for a large dose of Ricky Williams.
• Brian Westbrook, Eagles - Westbrook was knocked out of the game on Sunday in the fourth quarter with another concussion. His season may be in jeopardy.
SAN DIEGO -- Brian Westbrook's Oct. 26 concussion was so troubling for the Philadelphia Eagles running back, he openly discussed the touchy subject of NFL head trauma and how concerned he was for his long-term health because of it.
Three weeks later, Westbrook sustained another concussion, one that took him out of the Eagles' 31-23 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium. And now it's almost a certainty that the running back's season will be cut short.
Sunday Evening Wrap checks out players who increased or decreased their value during the Sunday afternoon games.
Riser of the Week: With the help of Brett Favre's arm, Sidney Rice is becoming a star in the NFL. Favre's affinity for Rice isn't really difficult to figure, either. At 6-foot-4 and blessed with incredible athleticism, Rice is the rare breed of receiver that can play as both a deep threat and possession receiver, which has made him Favre's favorite target. With a 7-catch, 201-yard effort Sunday, Rice now has compiled 27 catches and 553 yards in the past four games. He still needs to score more touchdowns -- he only has two this season -- but he's gathering enough yardage to make up for it in the meantime. The Vikings' remaining schedule isn't especially tough, either, so don't even think about benching Rice.