FanHouse Julius Jones

Value Machine checks out the overall perceived value of fantasy players. If you want to commit a fantasy felony, you'll sell high on the up arrow guys and buy low on the down arrow guys.

Hey, I'm with you. I want to scream today as I hear the name, "Lee Evans." He was in my active lineup on two different teams gathering a nice and plump goose-egg. What's funny about fantasy sports is how we end up hating guys about whom we normally wouldn't bat an eye, and most of the time it's not even their fault. Evans barely even got targeted last night because Trent Edwards was overly quick in checking down through his progressions. He was terrified to throw the ball downfield, which, I guess, is what throwing three picks early in the game will do to you.

Either way, I still don't want to give up on Evans. The Bills face the Chiefs, Niners, Dolphins, Jets, and Broncos for the rest of the fantasy season, and that's hardly a murderer's row of pass defenses. If the offensive line can get any sort of pass protection for Edwards -- and they should, considering the running game from last night should attract attention -- Evans will begin slipping through secondaries again.

Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds.

Here's Week 11 at a glance, where we point out the horses destined for the Kentucky Derby and jeer those headed to the glue factory.

Studs

Justin Gage, WR Tennessee (4 catches, 147 yards, 2 TDs) -- The biggest (and only, it appears) knock on the Tennessee Titans was that they cannot throw the ball because they have no wide receivers. After this outing by Gage, who caught some great balls thrown by Kerry Collins, maybe we can drop that for a week. This was the second straight game Gage snagged a ball in the end zone and his fourth touchdown of the year, moving the Titans to 10-0 and making people everywhere wonder if there is any way they can continue to win these scrappy contests. The pass-catch at the end of the game between Collins and Gage even got a reaction out of Vince Young, who I thought was pronounced dead a few weeks ago.

Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds.

Here's Week 9 at a glance, where we point out the horses destined for the Kentucky Derby and jeer those headed to the glue factory.

Studs

Tim Hightower, RB Arizona (22 rushes, 109 yards, 1 TD) -- Edgerrin James is a name that will be quickly forgotten in West Phoenix if Hightower continues these games. The rookie running back, in his first game as starter, averaged five yards per carry and made one of the worst rushing teams in the league relevant again on the ground. While James has pouted about his role in the offense, Hightower has quietly snagged carries, and Ken Whisenhunt took notice. Good news for Tim -- you have the 49ers and Seahawks the next two weeks. If Hightower is available in your fantasy league, you need to grab him and also get smarter friends.

It's almost Sunday and by now you already should know who you needed to scoop off the wire. However, I'm the beacon of light when it comes to letting you know which players are simply dead space. Yes, it's a tough task, but somebody's gotta do it. Besides, it's easier telling you who to add to a roster, but the hard part is telling you who to cut.

Let's face it, roster space is limited and now you've gotta prepare for the remaining bye weeks, get your roster aligned for the playoffs or make one last surge towards the playoffs. Well, let's not sugarcoat this anymore. It's another run of "sink or swim." On the hot seat today are a few RB's that started off with promise, but have since hit a a wall...so to speak.

Give a warm welcome to Rudi Johnson, Ray Rice and Julius Jones. And now let's decide if you should sink these guys or save them for a later date. Follow along...

If you watched Sunday night's game between Tampa Bay and Seattle, you might agree it was the most lopsided ten point game in the history of ten point games. At any point did you have the feeling Seattle was going to find a way to get itself back into the game? I mean, sure, they were close here and there, and just needed a break or two to make it an entirely different game, but the Seahawks couldn't get out of their own way offensively.

In the end, the Buccaneers won it 20-10, though it felt like so much more.

First, it's important to point out the Seahawks registered only seven first downs, and had only one in the first half -- which came on the games opening possession. Seneca Wallace, getting the start for Seattle, was bad. Very bad. He finished 12 of 23 for 73 yards and an interception, while struggling to complete four and five yard passes. Of course, it didn't help that Gaines Adams spent much of the evening running around the Seattle backfield causing all sorts of chaos.

Before some garbage-time yards at the end of the game, Wallace was in danger of having a higher passer rating than his total passing yards. As a team, the Seahawks were out-gained 402-176. Seriously, 176 yards of total offense. They had 170 on kickoff returns, including 140 from Josh Wilson.

Oh, and before I forget ... I wonder what Julius Jones thinks about the aging Buccaneers defense right about now?

Maybe this isn't a big deal. It's probably a very innocent, perhaps accurate, observation made by Seahawks running back Julius Jones. I probably wouldn't even bother to point it out had I not made a post earlier today giving some love to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers run defense. But here we go anyway.

This Sunday night, Jones and the Seahawks are traveling to Tampa Bay for a contest with the leaders of the NFC South. And Jones is looking forward to playing them because, you know, they're old. From Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune:

"They're smart players and what you have to do with those guys is kind of beat them athletically,'' Jones said. "I know a couple guys are up there in age and that's how we're going to try to get around those guys - beat them athletically.'' Isn't that another way of calling the Bucs defense old? Sure seems like it. Wonder if DeAngelo Williams thinks the Bucs are old. Kind doubt it.

Did you know that Matt Hasselbeck, once upon a time, backed up Brett Favre? It's true -- he drafted by Green Bay and learned under the Great One and Mike Holmgren for two years before heading to Seattle with his coach.

So there was something oddly bizarre about not seeing the 'Beck sit this one out, while his would-be successor for holding Favre's clipboard -- Aaron Rodgers -- fought through several injuries for the second straight week to attempt and lead the Packers to victory. Which, as you can see from the title, he did.

And it was one of those MUST WIN-wins (a phrase that needs to die, and quickly, unless we're speaking of elimination games), and Rodgers did what he needed to, "rushing" for a touchdown and throwing for two more. Both were Favre-like, in that they were, individually, a long bomb to Greg Jennings and a one yarder to John Kuhn. (Who? Exactly.)

Meanwhile, Charles Lester Frye wasn't much like anyone worthwhile, completing 12 passes for 83 yards, even though it included two touchdowns. Koren Robinson was his leading receiver with 23 yards and Keary Colbert pulled in a five yard catch in the end zone, his only of the day. So, yeah, you could say everything's coming up Seattle these days.

With attention spans dwindling, we forego full game-by-game previews to give you the essentials you need to know about every contest this glorious NFL weekend. Click here to go back in time.

The 1s

Tennessee (4-0) at Baltimore (2-1): Okay, fine, I'll agree, the Titans are a good football team. They're giving up just 11.5 points per game, best in the NFL, they have a competent quarterback that doesn't do anything flashy but also doesn't make a lot of mistakes (only one interception in four games) and a rookie running back in Chris Johnson that made every fantasy owner that didn't snag him do a collective head slap. Interesting little comparison here, last week Johnson had just 19 less yards than Adrian Peterson with one less carry and as many touchdowns. Also worth noting, the 4-0 Titans have just one nationally televised game the rest of the season, October 27 against the Colts, while the Browns still have four. Does Al Davis also dabble in national television scheduling? Cool.

Pick -- Tennessee

Value Machine checks out the overall perceived value of fantasy players. If you want to commit a fantasy felony, you'll sell high on the up arrow guys and buy low on the down arrow guys.

We caught a glimpse of vintage Willie Parker in week one, and have since seen a steady decline. The points -- we'll round and generalize, as many leagues use different scoring formats -- have gone from 30 to 10 to 2. And now he's hurt. He will not play in week four. He didn't score a TD in the past two weeks after putting a three-score hurtin' on the Houston Texans in week one. Even if he comes back, you have enough evidence to worry about durability and week one being fluky (for what it's worth, he did have a 100-yard game in week two ... but that was on less than four yards per carry).

In light of this, Willie Parker is your top this week.

On the flip side, your top in value is Rashard Mendenhall. Fast Willie received 53 carries in the first two weeks, so you know the Steelers like to run the football. Mewelde Moore becomes the de facto backup to Mendenhall, and he's nothing more than a third-down back. Expect Mendenhall to get 20-plus touches per game while Parker sits. Also, Mendenhall's value will never be higher, because people love the "new guy" starter ... and Mendenhall's likely to get stuffed all night against the Ravens this week.

Value Machine checks out the overall perceived value of fantasy players. If you want to commit a fantasy felony, you'll sell high on the up arrow guys and buy low on the down arrow guys.

We caught a glimpse of vintage Willie Parker in week one, and have since seen a steady decline. The points -- we'll round and generalize, as many leagues use different scoring formats -- have gone from 30 to 10 to 2. And now he's hurt. He will not play in week four. He didn't score a TD in the past two weeks after putting a three score hurtin' on the Houston Texans in week one. Even if he comes back, you have enough evidence to worry about durability and week one being fluky (for what it's worth, he did have a 100 yard game in week two ... but that was on less than four yards per carry).

In light of this, Willie Parker is your top this week.

On the flip-side, your top in value is Rashard Mendenhall. Fast Willie received 53 carries in the first two weeks, so you know the Steelers like to run the football. Mewelde Moore becomes the de facto backup to Mendenhall, and he's nothing more than a third down back. Expect Mendenhall to get 20+ touches per game while Parker sits. Also, Mendenhall's value will never be higher, because people love the "new guy" starter ... and Mendenhall's likely to get stuffed all night against the Ravens this week.