On the Rise, On the Fall - Week 8 Oct 27, 2008 | More

Welcome to Week 8 of “On the Rise, On the Fall.” Throughout the season, I will discuss players whose stock is rising and others who are not having the same luck. I will avoid naming the obvious studs – Andre Johnson, Clinton Portis, etc – and will keep to players whose performance was not as foreseeable.

On the Rise

Kurt Warner, QB, Cardinals : What an impressive game by the veteran on Sunday for a few reasons. Carolina’s pass defense is one of the best in the league, and Drew Brees was baffled by them last week on the road. Warner and his Cardinals came across the country and played the Panthers tough. Kurt also put up huge numbers since the run game could not get rolling. Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston continue to reap the benefits as they all had at least seven catches. As long as the old man stays healthy, Warner could battle Brees for the #1 QB spot.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers: He received 17 carries on Sunday compared to eight for Stewart. DeAngelo has turned into a weekly flex and possibly RB2 when the matchup is right. As long as both of these backs stay healthy, you may not ever know who will have the big game as the Panthers seem to ride with the hot hand. However, Williams showed you that his three-TD effort a few weeks back was no fluke.

Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers : Jackson has had a TD in each of his last three games and continues to be a big target for Philip Rivers. Chris Chambers played on Sunday, yet Jackson continued his success. The Chargers head into the bye at a disappointing 3-5, but still have many weapons from a fantasy perspective.

Donnie Avery, WR, Rams : You may be one week late to the show as there will likely be a rush to the waiver wire for this rookie from St. Louis. His receptions have increased over the past few weeks and he continues to be the deep threat for Marc Bulger. He had this big game even with the center of their offense, Steven Jackson, being out. Avery has some nice matchups coming up so he may be more than just an insurance pick up.

Stud of the Week

Brian Westbrook, RB, Eagles : Westbrook had a nice return to the lineup Sunday as he ran for 167 yards and two TDs, while adding six catches for 42 yards. It was a great fantasy day as he showed he is healthy in the process. The Eagles offense revolves around Westbrook and as he goes, they go.

On the Fall

J.T. O’Sullivan, QB, 49ers : Well, it appears the JTO ride is officially over. He was benched by new head coach, Mike Singletary, after his dismal first half against the Seahawks. There is no sense holding on to this guy any longer if you have him. Frank Gore is the only Niner you can trust in San Fran.

Terrell Owens, WR, Cowboys : Kind of obvious, but he is a borderline starter until Tony Romo gets back in the lineup. Dallas fans and fantasy owners hope that is just one more week. However, that week comes next week in the Meadowlands. I would advise you to bench TO next week if you at least another decent option. There are more weapons at WR in Big D and Brad Johnson is at QB. Both are negatives for TO’s value.

All Bengals, Cincinnati : Rumors are that Carson Palmer is done for the year, and if true, the stock of the Bengals would officially hit rock bottom. Chad Johnson has already been a huge bust and things can only get worse — yes, worse is possible. If you haven’t thought about it already and need the roster space, consider dropping #85. Hold on to Housh for now, though.

Dud of the Week

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars : MJD had the bye week to watch Clinton Portis run all over the Browns defense, but apparently he didn’t watch close enough. Jones-Drew had just 29 yards on 12 carries and caught three balls for 19 yards. Fred Taylor could not find much running room either, but more was expected from MJD coming off his big game in Denver.

One Week Wonder

Leon Washington, RB, Jets : The Jets really like Leon and he is a game changer, but it won’t equate to big fantasy numbers. However, the Chiefs will make any running back look like Barry Sanders. Leon had two TDs on Sunday, but don’t expect much of the same the rest of the season, especially with Brett Favre continuing to struggle in the Jet offense.

Monday Night Preview

The Colts find themselves in a must-win situation if they want to stay in contention in the division. However, a loss would just put them into the mix in the AFC. The Titans should run, run and run. A good amount of fantasy matchups should come down to MNF with Chris Johnson, LenDale White, Titans D, Rob Bironas, Peyton Manning, Dominic Rhodes, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Adam Vinatieri all being likely fantasy starters.

That’s all for this week’s edition. If you have any questions or comments, e-mail me at pags2122@yahoo.com. Thanks for all of your e-mails so far!