Breaking News

Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson will play today against the Seahawks.

Reggie Wayne is expected to start, despite a sore groin.

Brian Westbrook will likely sit out tonight's game against the Cowboys.

Roddy White is expected to play.

Anquan Boldin is inactive today.

Source: Rob Tringali/Sportschrome/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images

Bye Week

Let's not jump to conclusions here, but is there any way that the NFL intentionally scheduled one week of football with four of their worst teams not playing? Sort of like when a little league coach tells the three fat kids on the team that practice is cancelled one day just so he can go an hour without saying "No, it's ok Johnny - the run to first base can get exhausting."

Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards, Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, Lee Evans and Terrel Owens get the week off to contemplate whether or not football is really for them.

Cleveland Browns - Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Jamal Lewis, Jerome Harrison and Mohamed Massaquoi won't be able to help any of their six remaining fantasy owners.

Oakland Raiders - JaMarcus Russell probably won't throw an interception this week, while Darren McFadden, Zach Miller, Louis Murphy, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush rest up before flushing the rest of their season down the toilet.

St. Louis Rams - Look it's more players you're probably not starting anyways. Marc Bulger, Donnie Avery, Randy McMichael will have a week off, as Steven Jackson figures out the best way to demand a trade.

Minnesota Vikings - Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian and Visanthe Shiancoe get a week to celebrate a big win over the Packers.

New York Jets - Braylon Edwards, Mark Sanchez, Thomas Jones, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller round off the bye week sits.

Sunday, November 8

Washington Redskins at Atlanta Falcons

Start – Michael Turner is finally becoming the dominant running back we assumed he’d be. He has touchdowns in six straight games, a 151-yard Monday night performance, and looks like the Turner from 2008. Great news, considering that he’s facing a below-average Redskins’ rush defense that has surrendered big plays all season. Turner, along with Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez will carry the Falcons to victory over a Redskins team that is now counting a 9-7 win over the Rams as a season highlight. The only Redskin worth starting here is Santana Moss in the flex spot. He’s an erratic player, but against the Falcons’ 31st ranked pass defense he’s bound to have at least one long reception.

Sit - Fox doesn’t do a bang up job with its NFL coverage, but its “Jim Zorn looks like he’s about to cry” camera shot is incredible. Every time Jason Campbell throws an interception, the folks at the network who brought you Temptation Island and Who Wants to Marry a Place Kicker (Fall 2010) already have the camera locked on Zorn while he thinks “If I were calling the plays…” Heading into week nine, Campbell has just one 200-yard game in his past four starts and is coming off of a mild ankle sprain two weeks ago. Now that Chris Cooley is out for the year, his options at receiver are even more limited, but Fred Davis is worth a look for anybody who needs a tight end for a bye. And speaking of injuries to underperforming players, Clinton Portis is hurt (not injured), which means it may be difficult for him to bank his second 100-yard rushing game this season. For Atlanta, this is the week to give Matt Ryan a rest. He threw three interceptions against the Saints, is coming off of a short week and will be playing the number two pass defense in the NFL. Logically speaking, the Falcons will stick to the run in this one. His top receiver may get him a touchdown, but the big points aren’t coming Ryan’s way this week. So sit Michael Jenkins too, if you’re unfortunate enough to have to play him.

Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears

Start – At the beginning of this season, if any of the nine rational Chicago sports fans had said “at the half-way point, the Denver Broncos will be 6-1 and Jay Cutler will have failed to throw a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns in week eight,” what do you think the response would have been in the local sports bars? Cutler has looked pretty mediocre thus far, but will have a chance to redeem himself against the league’s fourth worst pass defense. He and Greg Olsen should do well against a Cardinals’ team that is not great against opposing tight ends. Johnny Knox may also be worth a start if Devin Hester sits (he’s listed as questionable). For the Cardinals, Larry Fitzgerald is still banking double digit fantasy points every week, and is a must-start. And now that Tim Hightower has become a goal line threat (touchdowns in his last four games) and averaging nearly five receptions per contest over that time, he has become a poor man’s LaDanian Tomlinson (a very, very poor one) and worth a start here. At this point in the week it doesn’t look as though Anquan Boldin will be in the lineup, which means Steve Breaston is worth starting as a third receiver or in a flex role.

Sit - How little faith do the Arizona Cardinals have in Matt Leinart? After five Kurt Warner interceptions last week, they still didn’t even let him put a helmet on. Does he even get a seat on the bus, or does he just ride with the players’ wives? Warner was awful last week, and is clearly struggling as teams begin game planning against the pass. Honestly, it’s remarkable that it’s taken this long for somebody to say “you know, why don’t we try and let Beanie Wells beat us?” Opposing defenses are preventing the deep ball and starting to keep the Cardinals from banking any big plays. The Bears’ top 12 pass defense should be a problem for Warner as he tries to bounce back in this one with a shaky offensive line. Matt Forte has been wildly inconsistent all year and will face one of the NFL’s best rush defenses. Forte and Earl Bennett are risky plays here.

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals

Start – Joe Flacco is becoming a great game manager in Baltimore. Sure, it’s pretty much the most insulting thing you can call a quarterback without using the words “Cleveland,” “clipboard,” or “Delhomme,” but in this case it’s actually not that bad. Flacco is a very methodical passer and waits for his opportunities to capitalize – a strategy that should fare well against the Bengals 30th ranked pass defense. Derrick Mason (despite laying a goose egg against Cincinnati last month) is still Flacco’s top receiver and worth a start. Ray Rice is coming off of a 23-carry game in which he rushed for 83 yards and a late touchdown. It’s becoming very evident that he’s the feature back for the Ravens and will get plenty of touches this week. The other quarterback in this one, Carson Palmer, threw five touchdown passes in his last game and will be looking to add a couple more to his total against a very mediocre Ravens’ pass defense. Palmer, Chad Ochocinco (three straight 15-plus point fantasy days) and Laveranues Coles (touchdowns in two straight games) are nice starts along with Cedric Benson (121 yards and a touchdown last time these two played).

Sit - Willis McGahee was the toast of the fantasy world earlier in the year with his quick, five touchdown start. Two months later, however, and he’s coming off of a game where he touched the ball three times with a longest run of one yard. McGahee, Kelly Washington and Mark Clayton just don’t have the fantasy juice to warrant a start this week. For the Bengals, give Andre Caldwell and Chris Henry a seat – or maybe a hug. Henry has been through a lot. Todd Heap remains a consistent threat at tight end (double digit points against the Bengals earlier this season), but is listed as questionable.