FanHouse Clinton Portis

It's Thanksgiving, and that means one thing for football fans everywhere: we're going to be subjected to the Lions on television either before, during or after gorging ourselves with turkey and the fixings. For once, the Lions' franchise has real hope on the horizon, but Thanksgiving 2009 is really, really bad timing for them to display their skills to the nation. Matt Snyder and Tom Herrera discuss this, play some musical backfields, give you the "Starting Six-Pack" and leave you with a parting shot. It's all here in the fantasy football podcast. Take a listen after the jump.

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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

• Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - Even though he was knocked out of the game during the overtime period with a concussion, Roethlisberger was cleared to fly home and early indications seem promising for a quick return.

• Marc Bulger, Rams - After the game, Bulger told the media that he had an injured groin and hamstring. It was a few shots to the head that has the Rams coaching staff worried. Bulger did not suffer a concussion but seemed woozy at times down the stretch. (Update: Bulger is out three to six weeks with a knee injury.)

With star running back Clinton Portis already sidelined as he deals with the aftereffects of a concussion, the Redskins were hoping backup running back Ladell Betts could shoulder the load. Instead, Betts left in the first quarter Sunday against Dallas with a knee injury. As it turns out, Betts has torn the medial collateral ligament in his knee and will probably miss at least a month. Portis will also reportedly miss next week's game as well, meaning Rock Cartwright will be the featured back for the Redskins against the stingy Eagles' run defense in Week 12.

Sunday, Cartwright filled in admirably for Betts (and Portis). He ran the ball 13 times for 67 yards (5.15 yards per carry), but was also greatly involved in the passing attack. He caught seven passes for 73 yards.

Hey, a win is a win. That's all that matters in the end. The Dallas Cowboys get to see a "7" in the win column of the standings after surviving 7-6 over the Washington Redskins Sunday. It wasn't pretty, but the Cowboys gutted out an old school victory.

Coming into the week, the Cowboys had been amassing a large percentage of their yardage via the air attack, behind the arm of Tony Romo. In Week 11, they seem to have decided to transform themselves. Romo attempted 27 passes, while the Cowboys ran the ball 33 times for 153 yards and counted on their defense to win the shortened game for them. It worked.

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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.

Whether it's torn, sprained, broken or just needs to be taped, Injuries to Watch will keep you up to date on injuries around the NFL and how they'll affect your fantasy football team.

Quarterback

• Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - Roethlisberger is not listed on the injury report, but he sat out parts of practice on Thursday with his elbow wrapped. He is expected to play on Sunday, but questions of a sore arm have definitely surfaced.

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.

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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.

Whether it's torn, sprained, broken or just needs to be taped, Injuries to Watch will keep you up to date on injuries around the NFL and how they'll affect your fantasy football team.

Quarterback

• Jason Campbell, Redskins - Campbell left the Redskins Week 9 game twice with injuries. His ankle injury caused him to only practice on Wednesday in a limited capacity.

• Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks - Hasslebeck was limited in practice on Wednesday with a host of injuries. The quarterback is just banged up due to poor pass protection. He'll play on Sunday.

For this week's edition of the FanHouse fantasy football podcast, Tom Herrera and Matt Snyder went through an edition of Sink or Swim. Each team has at least eight games in the books, so we can start drawing conclusions about 2010. Which big names that were drafted in the first few rounds will continue to fail to meet expectations? Can Greg Jennings, Dwayne Bowe and a bevy of others start living up to their draft slot? Also, we come with our weekly Starting Six Pack (Pierre Thomas, anyone?) and Albatross (hello, Clinton). In closing, Mr. Herrera has a few more things to say about his beloved T.O. Take a listen after the jump.