What a game it was to see the Saints’ stomp all over the Patriots in all phases of the game. Drew Brees headlined a monumental victory that has now officially landed New Orleans on the map of true elite football teams.

As for Tom Brady and the Patriots, I haven’t given up hope for them to make a playoff run but the defense needs to step it up.

Below we have a short right up on the top ten teams on our power rankings for this season. These teams are important to know as they are playing well and should continue to help fantasy teams.

Furthermore, pay attention to the worst teams on the list as they are the teams you want to have your players going against down the stretch.

1. Saints (11-0)

After a huge decisive win against the New England Patriots the Saints are now a top our NFL Power Rankings once again. Drew Brees probably won the MVP award after he blasted the Patriots’ defense for five touchdowns and 371 yards passing on only 23 pass attempts!

This was an amazing performance and is one of those games that will be looked back on for a long time when people mention Brees and the Saints from this era. Look for New Orleans to roll over the Redskins next week and move to twelve and zero.

2. Colts (11-0)

The Colts haven’t won games in a pretty fashion the last month or so but they have won all their games. The Saints were this way until they stomped on the Patriots in a big time national televised game.

This up coming week the Colts will host the Titans in a big time clash of two strong teams. Look for the Colts to find a way to pull out another close victory.

3. Vikings (10-1)

It’s almost hard to remember the Steelers actually beating this team because the Vikings have played so well since that game. I actually had to look back at the schedule just to remember who actually beat this great team from Minnesota.

The Steelers had a few lucky turnovers and won the game in the fourth quarter, and I would suspect that is the only way a team can beat this squad. The Vikings are firing on all cylinders and are taking no prisoner’s.

Expect them to beat the Cardinals in Arizona this weekend by a decent margin.

4. Chargers (8-3)

This is a team I truly thought would never reach the top five teams in the NFL power rankings after the first month of play. Since losing to the Broncos in week six the Chargers haven’t lost a game and are winning in convincing fashion.

I fully expect them to smash the Browns next week in Cleveland. Get your fantasy football players in for that game.

5. Bengals (8-3)

After a quick dip to the Raiders two weeks ago the Bengals polished off the Browns at home. With Cedric Benson out the team turned to Bernard Scott and Larry Johnson to put the game away.

Both running backs had strong games and Johnson ran for over 100 yards. This week Benson is back and Scott has turf toe, so expect the Bengals to run Johnson and Benson together. There is no reason they shouldn’t beat the Lions this weekend.

6. Cowboys (8-3)

The Cowboys need to beat the Giants this weekend if they are going to win their division. Dallas has already lost to the Giants this year, and if they lose this game, they will only be one win better than the Giants.

That means if the Giants should mount a comeback and have the same record as Dallas than they will win the division. Look for the Cowboys to run the football and control the clock on the road.

7. Patriots (7-4)

Watching the Patriots get rolled over by the Saints only goes to show you that this team does not have the defense to be a Super Bowl team right now. I will never put it past this organization to put a run together in the playoffs but right now they are not a top five team in the NFL power rankings.

8. Cardinals (7-4)

The Cardinals lost a heart breaker to the Titans without Kurt Warner on the field. This weekend they may be without Warner again as they take on the Vikings at home. If the Cardinals lose this week and the 49ers win, than next week will be a huge game between the two in San Francisco.

It’s still a long shot for the 49ers to win the division, but if they do beat the Cardinals next week they will have the season sweep against them. If both teams comedown to a tie in record at the end than the 49ers would win the division in that scenario.

9. Eagles (7-4)

The Eagles pulled out a win against the lonely Redskins, but they had to do it in comeback fashion. In that game DeSean Jackson suffered a concussion and may miss this weeks tilt against the Falcons in Atlanta.

Even if Jackson is out I expect the Eagles to win the game with Matt Ryan and Michael Turner likely out.

10. Broncos (7-4)

The Broncos were able to stop their four game skid on Thanksgiving against Giants and won in convincing fashion. It looks like quarterback Kyle Orton is back and healthy as he had no problems finding his receivers all game long.

Expect the Broncos to make quick work of the Chiefs this weekend in Kansas City.

• 11. Packers (7-4)
• 12. Ravens (6-5)
• 13. Steelers (6-5)
• 14. Titans (5-6)
• 15. Giants (6-5)
• 16. Jaguars (6-5)
• 17. Falcons (6-5)
• 18. Texans (5-6)
• 19. 49ers (5-6)
• 20. Dolphins (5-6)
• 21. Jets (5-6)
• 22. Seahawks (5-6)
• 23. Panthers (4-7)
• 24. Bears (4-7)
• 25. Bills (4-7)
• 26. Chiefs (3-8)
• 27. Redskins (3-8)
• 28. Raiders (2-9)
• 29. Lions (2-9)
• 30. Buccaneers (1-10)
• 31. Browns (1-10)
• 32. Rams (1-10)

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

This week Falcons running back Jason Snelling will make for a sneaky play in survivor fantasy if Michael Turner is still out with his ankle injury. Another solid player should be Chiefs wide receiver Chris Chambers, and he returns to San Deigo and plays the Chargers.

Finding fantasy football players that aren’t house hold names for productivity can help you win in all fantasy football formats.

Below we have our survivor pool rankings split into three sections, and they are studs, mid range and poor plays. We hope these survivor pool rankings help you choose those stud players you need this week for a successful start to the 2009 survivor fantasy season.

Quarterbacks

Studs

• Tom Brady @ Saints
• Drew Brees vs Patriots
• Peyton Manning @ Texans
• Aaron Rodgers @ Lions
• Brett Favre vs Bears
• Matt Ryan vs Buccaneers

Mid Range

• Eli Manning @ Broncos
• Donovan McNabb vs Redskins
• Matt Hasselbeck @ Rams
• Carson Palmer vs Browns

Poor Plays

• Vince Young vs Cardinals
• Kurt Warner @ Titans
• Ben Roethlisberger @ Ravens

Running Backs

Studs

• Adrian Peterson vs Bears
• Chris Johnson vs Cardinals
• Maurice Jones-Drew @ 49ers
• Ryan Grant @ Lions
• Steven Jackson vs Seahawks
• Jason Snelling vs Buccaneers

Mid Range

• Joseph Addai @ Texans
• LaDainian Tomlinson vs Chiefs
• Marion Barber vs Raiders
• Justin Forsett @ Rams
• Bernard Scott vs Browns (If Benson is Out)
• LeSean McCoy vs Redskins

Poor Plays

• Matt Forte @ Vikings
• Beanie Wells @ Titans

Wide Receivers

Studs

• Randy Moss @ Saints
• Andre Johnson vs Colts
• Reggie Wayne @ Texans
• Vincent Jackson vs Chiefs
• DeSean Jackson vs Redskins
• Wes Welker @ Saints
• Chad Ochocinco vs Browns
• Roddy White vs Buccaneers
• Sidney Rice vs Bears

Mid Range

• Donald Driver @ Lions
• Greg Jennings @ Lions
• Chris Chambers @ Chargers
• T.J. Houshmandzadeh @ Rams
• Terrell Owens vs Dolphins (Playing Well of Late)
• Mike Sims-Walker @ 49ers
• Michael Crabtree vs Jaguars

Poor Plays

• Miles Austin vs Raiders (Starting to Fade)
• Steve Smith (Car) @ Jets
• Santonio Holmes @ Ravens

Tight Ends

Studs

• Dallas Clark @ Texans
• Tony Gonzalez vs Buccaneers
• Vernon Davis vs Jaguars
• Antonio Gates vs Chiefs

Mid Range

• Greg Olsen @ Vikings
• Brent Celek vs Redskins
• Visanthe Shaincoe vs Bears
• Jason Witten vs Raiders

Poor Plays

• Todd Heap vs Steelers
• James Casey vs Colts
• Kevin Boss @ Broncos

Kickers

Studs

• Rob Bironas vs Cardinals
• Dave Akers vs Redskins
• Stephen Gostkowski @ Saints
• Nate Kaeding vs Chiefs

Mid Range

• Shayne Graham vs Browns
• Robbie Gould @ Vikings
• Billy Cundiff vs Steelers
• Mason Crosby @ Lions

Poor Plays

• Kris Brown vs Colts

Defense/ ST

Studs

• Eagles vs Redskins
• Cowboys vs Raiders
• Packers @ Lions

Mid Range

• Chargers vs Chiefs
• Ravens vs Steelers
• Bengals vs Browns
• Steelers @ Ravens

Poor Plays

• Saints vs Patriots
• Patriots @ Saints
• Broncos vs Giants

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

Week 12 in the NFL is all about the Monday night contest between the Saints and Patriots. No doubt we should see a shootout that should rival the Patriots vs Colts’ game we saw a few week’s ago.

This week we have our weekly section on wounded warriors, as well as our top rankings for top position players. We have the top 16 ranked QB, TE, K and D/ST ranked. We also have the top 30 RB’s and top 35 WR’s as well.

Wounded Warriors

Quarterbacks

Lions- Matthew Stafford- Unfortunately, Matthew Stafford injured his collar bone in the Lions come from behind victory against the Browns. Even more disappointing for Stafford is that he was just starting to find his grove with over 400 yards passing and five touchdowns in that game.

It looks like Stafford will miss this week’s early contest on Thanksgiving, but he will hopefully be back for week 13.

Broncos- Kyle Orton- The Broncos starting quarterback Kyle Orton didn’t start the game against the Chargers, but it did finish it. On Monday Orton practiced with the team and should play on Thanksgiving against the Giants.

Steelers- Ben Roethlisberger- The Steelers star quarterback suffered a concussion in over time against the Chiefs. So far, signs look good for Ben Roethlisberger’s odds of playing this week at Baltimore.

If he is unable to go than Dennis Dixon will get the start because Charlie Batch is out for the next six weeks.

Cardinals- Kurt Warner- The Cardinals lost Kurt Warner to a mild concussion against the Rams in the first half. It looks like Warner should play against the Titans, but if he is unable to go than Matt Leinart would start.

Rams- Marc Bulger- Just as the Rams were starting to play some solid football, they lose their starting quarterback for three to six weeks with a fractured tibia. This will probably end Marc Bulger’s season as the team will look to Kyle Boller the rest of the way.

Running Backs

Falcons- Michael Turner- The Falcons are still playing mind games about Michael Turner’s status. At this time, I would say he won’t be a go, unless he can practice in full at some point this week. The likely hood of him playing or practicing this week is not strong.

Look for Turner to probably not play as Jason Snelling will have a great start this week against the Buccaneers.

Bengals- Cedric Benson- It’s unknown if Cedric Benson will play this week against division rival Cleveland Browns. Just like Michael Turner’s situation, I believe we will need to see Benson practice in order for him to play.

If Benson doesn’t play this week than Bernard Scott should have another productive day against the Browns.

Seahawks- Julius Jones- The news on Monday from Seattle is that Julius Jones is supposed to come back to practice this week. Being able to practice and handling contact are two separate things for Jones in his situation.

Against the Cardinals, he injured his ribs and had been bleeding in his lung.

Look for Jones to practice but don’t be surprised if he doesn’t play this weekend. If he does suit up this week I would be very surprised if he starts over Justin Forsett.

Bills- Marshawn Lynch- The Bills lost their starting running back in the middle of last week’s game against the Jaguars. For now, the Bills are saying that Marshawn Lynch is day to day with a shoulder injury.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Lynch plays this week against the Dolphins but check his status before their early game on Sunday.

Wide Receivers

Lions- Calvin Johnson- This is probably the most unfortunate injury of the week as Calvin Johnson was just getting his grove back. In Johnson’s great performance against the Browns, he injured his hand and knee again.

Right now, it is believed that he is very doubtful to play in the Lions early Thursday game on Thanksgiving. Hopefully, the Lions and fantasy football owners will get Johnson back for week 13.

Quarterbacks

• Tom Brady @ Saints
• Drew Brees vs Patriots
• Aaron Rodgers @ Lions
• Peyton Manning @ Texans
• Matt Schaub vs Colts
• Philip Rivers vs Chiefs
• Donovan McNabb vs Redskins
• Brett Favre vs Bears
• Eli Manning @ Broncos
• Kurt Warner @ Titans (Assuming He Plays)
• Ben Roethlisberger @ Ravens (Assuming He Plays)
• Matt Ryan vs Buccaneers
• Carson Palmer vs Browns
• Matt Hasselbeck @ Rams
• Tony Romo vs Raiders
• Vince Young vs Cardinals

Running Backs

• Adrian Peterson vs Bears
• Chris Johnson vs Cardinals
• Maurice Jones-Drew @ 49ers
• Steven Jackson vs Seahawks
• Frank Gore vs Jaguars
• DeAngelo Williams @ Jets
• Ray Rice vs Steelers
• Ricky Williams @ Bills
• Thomas Jones vs Panthers
• Ryan Grant @ Lions
• Jason Snelling vs Buccaneers (Don’t Use if Turner Plays)
• LeSean McCoy vs Redskins
• LaDainian Tomlinson vs Chiefs
• Justin Forsett @ Rams (Should Start Even if Jones Plays)
• Marion Barber vs Raiders
• Pierre Thomas vs Patriots
• Joseph Addai @ Texans
• Steve Slaton vs Colts (He’s Back)
• Bernard Scott vs Browns (Don’t Start if Benson Plays)
• Knowshon Moreno vs Giants
• Kevin Smith vs Packers
• Rashard Mendenhall @ Ravens
• Brandon Jacobs @ Broncos
• Jonathan Stewart @ Jets
• Matt Forte @ Vikings
• Laurence Maroney @ Saints
• Beanie Wells @ Titans
• Marshawn Lynch vs Dolphins (Banged Up)
• Jamaal Charles @ Chargers
• Carnell Williams @ Falcons

Wide Receivers

• Randy Moss @ Saints
• Andre Johnson vs Colts
• Reggie Wayne @ Texans
• Vincent Jackson vs Chiefs
• Larry Fitzgerald @ Titans
• DeSean Jackson vs Redskins
• Mike Sims-Walker @ 49ers
• Sidney Rice vs Bears
• Chad Ochocinco vs Browns
• Wes Welker @ Saints
• Marcus Colston vs Patriots
• Roddy White vs Buccaneers
• Donald Driver @ Lions
• Anquan Boldin @ Titans
• Steve Smith (NY) @ Broncos
• Hines Ward @ Ravens
• Greg Jennings @ Lions
• Santonio Holmes @ Ravens
• Chris Chambers @ Chargers
• Miles Austin vs Raiders (What Have You Done Lately?)
• T.J. Houshmandzadeh @ Rams
• Mario Manningham @ Broncos
• Terrell Owens vs Dolphins (Turning Things Around)
• Brandon Marshall vs Giants
• Devin Hester @ Vikings
• Percy Harvin vs Bears
• Steve Smith (Car) @ Jets
• Jerricho Cotchery vs Panthers
• Lee Evans vs Dolphins
• Donnie Avery vs Seahawks
• Kenny Britt vs Cardinals
• Derrick Mason vs Steelers
• Mohamed Massaquoi @ Bengals
• Roy Williams vs Raiders
• Robert Meachum vs Patriots (All He Does is Catch Touchdowns)

Tight Ends

• Dallas Clark @ Texans
• Vernon Davis vs Jaguars
• Antonio Gates vs Chiefs
• Tony Gonzalez vs Buccaneers
• Brent Celek vs Redskins
• Visanthe Shaincoe vs Bears
• Jason Witten vs Raiders
• Greg Olsen @ Vikings
• Heath Miller @ Ravens
• Dustin Keller vs Panthers
• Jermichael Finley @ Lions
• John Carlson @ Rams
• Jeremy Shockey vs Patriots
• Todd Heap vs Steelers
• James Casey vs Colts
• Kevin Boss @ Broncos

Kickers

• Dave Akers vs Redskins
• Stephen Gostkowski @ Saints
• Nate Kaeding vs Chiefs
• Mason Crosby @ Lions
• Rob Bironas vs Cardinals
• Robbie Gould @ Vikings
• Shayne Graham vs Browns
• Kris Brown vs Colts
• Billy Cundiff vs Steelers
• Nick Folk vs Raiders
• Josh Brown vs Seahawks
• Josh Scobee @ 49ers
• Joe Nedney vs Jaguars
• Ryan Succop @ Chargers
• John Kasey @ Jets
• Niel Rackers @ Titans

Defense/ ST

• Eagles vs Redskins
• Cowboys vs Raiders
• Packers @ Lions
• Vikings vs Bears
• Ravens vs Steelers
• Chargers vs Chiefs
• Steelers @ Ravens (No.3 defense if Roethlisberger is Out)
• Bengals @ Browns
• Jets vs Panthers
• Jaguars @ 49ers
• Falcons vs Buccaneers
• Seahawks @ Rams
• 49ers vs Jaguars
• Giants @ Broncos
• Broncos vs Giants
• Patriots @ Saints

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

Injuries are starting to set in over the past few weeks and fantasy football owners are challenged to find key players to help them win games. Making that crucial start or waiver pickup can make the difference between not reaching the playoffs and winning a championship.

Not to toot my own horn, but I was reminded of this just this past week when I lost Cedric Benson and Michael Turner. I needed some running backs and picked up Justin Forsett and Bernard Scott.

At first I wanted to start Forsett over Scott but later realized that Scott was the better play for my private league because of his matchup. If I would have started Forsett, I would have tied in starter points against my opponent and lost on bench points. Starting Scott was the difference for victory.

Hopefully, your team won’t come down to decisions like that but every once in awhile your challenged with making those kinds of decisions. Thankfully, for my team that decision worked out.

Below we have our top border line players at different positions that are worth starting and worth sitting for the 12th week of the NFL fantasy football season.

Start’Em

Quarterbacks

• Donovan McNabb vs Redskins
• Brett Favre vs Bears
• Matt Ryan vs Buccaneers

Running Backs

• Jason Snelling vs Buccaneers (If Turner is Out)
• Justin Forsett @ Rams (If Jones is Out or Limited)
• Bernard Scott vs Browns (If Benson is Out)
• Jamaal Charles @ Chargers
• Steve Slaton vs Colts
• Laurence Maroney @ Saints
• Kevin Smith vs Packers
• Knowshon Moreno vs Giants(Fumbles are Concerning but keep starting him)

Wide Receivers

• Greg Jennings @ Lions
• Terrell Owens vs Dolphins
• Chris Chambers @ Chargers
• Devin Hester @ Vikings (Cutler still throws the ball his way a lot)
• Michael Crabtree vs Jaguars

Tight Ends

Start as you normally would

Kickers

• Billy Cundiff vs Steelers
• Rob Bironas vs Cardinals
• Nick Folk vs Raiders (If he doesn’t turn it around this week bench him)
• Niel Rackers @ Titans (If Warner is Out)
• Shayne Graham vs Browns
• Robbie Gould @ Vikings

Defense/ ST

• Eagles vs Redskins
• Cowboys vs Raiders

Sit’Em

Quarterbacks

• Jay Cutler @ Vikings
• Matthew Stafford vs Packers (Great Game Last Week but Don’t Start Yet)
• Ben Roethlisberger @ Ravens (May Not Play)
• Tony Romo vs Raiders (Where’s the Offense?)

Running Backs

• Shonne Greene vs Panthers (Needs More Touches)
• Tim Hightower @ Titans (Losing Goal Line TD’s to Wells)

Wide Receivers

• Malcom Floyd vs Chiefs (Naanee is better than Floyd)
• Eddie Royal vs Giants (Not Enough Looks)
• Pierre Garcon vs Texans (Needs More Catches)

Defenses/ ST

• Patriots @ Saints
• Saints vs Patriots
• Colts @ Texans
• Broncos vs Giants
• Titans vs Cardinals

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

Let’s face it, unless Michael Turner’s ankle has a miraculous recovery this weekend he will be out of action against the Giants. Turner’s loss is a major blow to fantasy football owners that drafted him as he was a top five selection on draft day.

With Turner out the Falcons will turn to fullback- running back Jason Snelling to carry the load. Snelling filled in for Turner after he left the game last week against the Panthers.

Against the Panthers, Snelling carried the football 18 times for 61 yards rushing and a touchdown run. When you match his numbers against Turner’s in the same game (nine carries for 111 yards) it is clear to see that Snelling isn’t an explosive runner.

This running back’s assets are his size and strength, which allows him to carry the football twenty plus times a game and get goal line work.

How Long Will Turner Be Out of Action?

The Falcons and Turner are refusing to put a timetable on when fantasy football owners can expect their stud running back in their lineups again. At this time, it looks like Turner will probably miss this week and next week.

This is unfortunate as we are in the final weeks of the regular season for fantasy, but at least it looks like he will be back for the playoffs. When you consider that some fantasy owners (hopefully you don’t have both) just lost Ronnie Brown for the season, this injury doesn’t look so bad.

With Turner out and Jerious Norwood still limited in his return from a hip problem, Snelling will get plenty of work.

This week Snelling has a decent matchup against the Giants but next week he has a gem against the Buccaneers. Assuming Turner or Norewood don’t make miraculous recoveries and play next week, Snelling is a must start in that game.

Fantasy Football Outlook

If and when Turner can comeback and play for the Falcons, it would be a good idea to hold onto Snelling if he plays effectively. The Falcons won’t use him as much as Turner but if their star running goes down to injury they would use him again.

Beyond that I would definitely get him in your lineups next week against the Buccaneers defense. That is a perfect game for a fantasy running back to give you solid production.

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

This past week should have been titled, “Black Sunday” because there were a tone of injuries around the league. If you happened to lose a key running back like Ronnie Brown, Michael Turner or Cedric Benson you are no doubt scrambling to the waiver wire.

Below we have the top players you might want to pay attention to, for waiver pickups. Even if you don’t select a waiver (or have already done so) it’s good to keep these names in mind for the future weeks.

Running Backs

Seahawks- Justin Forsett

Justin Forsett finally got his chance to be the starting running back when Julius Jones went down early in the Seahawks contest against the Cardinals. Forsett broke out and rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown.

Not only did Forsett do a good job in the running game, but he flashed his receiving skills with five receptions for 26 yards.

Since Jones broke his ribs it is highly unlikely that he will play this coming weekend against the Vikings. Unfortunately, this matchup isn’t a great one but Forsett is worth holding onto for the future.

Falcons- Jason Snelling

The Falcons will have to lean on running back Jason Snelling this coming weekend against the New York Giants. Michael Turner has a high ankle sprain and should be out for at least one game.

Look for Snelling to get the vast majority of the carries in the backfield and the goal line carries.

Bengals- Bernard Scott

The Bengals and Cedric Benson both say that Benson will be able to play this weekend against the Raiders. Benson suffered a hip injury against the Steelers and it was thought he might miss time because of the injury.

Look for the Bengals to rest Benson, and we will find out more on his true availability on Friday.

If Benson can’t play than expect the Bengals to lean on rookie running back Bernard Scott.

Wide Receivers

Cowboys- Roy Williams

Many fantasy football owners cut bait on Roy Williams weeks ago but in the past few weeks Williams has started to show life. This past week against the Packers, Williams had five receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Now that Miles Austin is starting to see more attention from opposing defenses it is leaving Williams open on single coverage.

If Williams can stay focused and stop blaming others for his faults than maybe he can be a good receiver for your fantasy football team going forward.

Kickers

Titans- Rob Bironas

If someone in your league happened to give up on Rob Bironas early in the season it would be a good idea to get him now. Bironas struggled for production early on because his team had a horrible start.

Now, the Titans have clearly pulled it together and are starting to play good football again. Look for Bironas to have a solid second half of the fantasy season.

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

The Falcons were expected to win this game but found themselves in a bad position when Michael Turner left the game in the first half. In the end, the Panthers put the game away with a 45-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Stewart.

Michael Turner Suffers High Ankle Sprain

This game was very promising for Turner as the Panthers have struggled to stop the run this season. Turner started the game off with a bang with nine carries for 111 yards on the ground.

Unfortunately, in the process of Turner’s dominant first half he had his ankle rolled up on and suffered a game ending injury. This was clearly a game changer for both teams as the Falcons had to play on without their stud.

From a fantasy football perspective, this was a killer blow for fantasy owners this week. Beyond losing a potential dominant performance Turner may be out for a few week’s with the injury.

We will know more about the ankle come Monday so stay tuned for updates on our weekly Starter Help column on Monday.

Jonathan Stewart Scores Twice

Both Stewart and Steve Smith scored twice for the Panthers to help them win the game. Stewart’s final touchdown put the team up for good as they had a 28 to 19 lead with little time left.

This was a big win for the Panthers as it keeps them in the playoff hunt for at least a few more weeks.

Next week they will play an early game on Thursday night against the Dolphins. Ronnie Brown was injured this week against the Buccaneers, and we will see if he can play on short rest.

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

Before the eighth week of the fantasy football season if you told me Michael Turner was a bust I would’ve agreed. Even though Turner had seven touchdowns in his first six games of the year he wasn’t running worth a darn.

Not only did Turner have a very low yard per carry average, but he didn’t seem to have the burst that gave him the nickname Burner.

When I watched the Falcons play the Cowboys and third running back Jason Snelling looked faster than Turner, I started to think his workload from a year ago hurt him bad.

The Turn Around

Week eight the Falcons played the Saints and Turner ripped into their defense for 151 yards rushing on twenty carries and had a touchdown. This performance was a complete 180 from the runner I saw just eight days before.

In this game Turner showed the power and speed from a year ago as he punished the Saints continually.

Last week against the Redskins Turner put the Burners back on and smoked Washington for 166 yards on eighteen carries and scored two long touchdowns.

The final exclamation point to me that showed Turner was back was one his last touchdown run of the game. On that 58-yard touchdown scamper Turner burst through the hole and went head on with Redskins safety Laron Landry.

Landry just dropped to the ground hoping that he would slow down Turner. This safety truly wanted nothing to do with Turner coming straight at him. Turner meet Landry’s pathetic attempt for a tackle and jumped over him and ran the rest of the way for the score.

Not only has Turner shown his burst of speed, but he’s also striking fear in the hearts of safety’s and corners that are coming his way.

It All Starts Up Front

Any NFL fan has heard the saying, “it all starts up front.” Those words may be over used at times, but they are so very true.

If your front line on offense or defense isn’t strong than the rest of the squad will play below their abilities.

A big part of Turner’s turnaround is that his offensive line is doing a great job in run blocking. This couldn’t be said in the weeks leading up to this surge of production.

All of a sudden, offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey decided to try a few different things in the run blocking scheme and man has it worked.

The o-line is blowing holes open for Turner on a regular basis and if this continues Turner will be a monster down the stretch.

Fantasy Football Ranking for Michael Turner

It’s about time to crown Turner as one of the top five running backs in fantasy football. Sure, Turner was the second to fifth pick in just about all fantasy drafts this year, but he didn’t play that way early on.

Now Turner has the burst of speed back and should be a great help for fantasy owners to make it to the playoffs and win championships.

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

As we move into week ten for the NFL football season there are still two teams that are undefeated and atop the NFL power rankings. Outside of the Colts and Saints fabulous starters we still have other teams like the Vikings, Patriots, Steelers and even Bengals that are closing in the rankings.

Below we have a short right up on the top ten teams on our power rankings for this season. These teams are important to know as they are playing well and should continue to help fantasy teams.

Furthermore, pay attention to the worst teams on the list as they are the teams you want to have your players going against down the stretch.

1. Saints (8-0)

Drew Brees and the Saints are still winning ball games but the last three weeks they’ve been close to losing.

Looking past this teams recent struggles it is easy to see they are vastly improved from last year. The big turnaround for this team is when they picked up defensive coordinator Greg Williams.

His impact on the defense has given them respectability on that side of the football. Not to mention fantasy football relevance.

2. Colts (8-0)

Peyton Manning and the Colts’ offense have slowed down in touchdown production the past two weeks. If they have any shot of staying undefeated this week against the Patriots, they will need to turn up the point scoring once again.

3. Vikings (7-1)

Brett Favre has made a major impact on this team as they now have balance on offense and as a team. With Favre at the helm forgotten receivers like Sidney Rice have come out of the wood work and become fantasy starting players.

As long as Favre continues to stay healthy this team will continue to roll and could be atop the NFL power rankings soon.

4. Patriots (6-2)

The Patriots’ offense has come on strong in the past three games and Tom Brady is looking better all the time. If the Colts continue their struggles in scoring offense than I fully expect the Patriots to win this weekend.

Going forward I wouldn’t be surprised if the Patriots’ defense gets stronger and the end up in the Super Bowl.

5. Steelers (6-2)

Sure the Bengals are 6 and 2 and have beaten the Steelers this year, but I’m still going with the champs. The Steelers proved on Monday night against the Broncos why they are still one of the best teams in football.

With the emergence of Rashard Mendenhall in the running game the Steelers can now lean on the running game when they need to. I expect them to win this weekend against the Bengals.

6. Bengals (6-2)

This season has been a pleasant surprise for the Bengals. With Cedric Benson doing his best Rudi Johnson impersonation and the defense emerging this team is ready for the playoffs.

Cincinnati has already beaten the Ravens twice this season and beat the Steelers. This week they play the Steelers in Pittsburgh, and I expect the Bengals to lose. If the Bengals do, in fact, win, they will be the clear favorite to win the AFC North.

7. Broncos (6-2)

The past two weeks have been tough for the once undefeated Denver Broncos. This weekend they should get healthy with a blowout win against the Redskins.

From a fantasy perspective, we need to see this team go down the field more often. Doing so with help fantasy football values of Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler.

8. Cowboys (6-2)

If the Cowboys can put two road wins together this weekend against the Packers I will truly believe in their turnaround. As it stands right now Dallas is the favorite to win the NFC East as they are in first place.

Miles Austin has made a major impact on this team and will be a top 15 fantasy receiver coming into next year.

9. Falcons (5-3)

Having the Falcons ranked this high is very debatable, but I just believe they are the more balanced team of all the 5 and 3 teams. With Matt Ryan’s steady play in the passing game and Michael Turner’s re-emergence, this team is rolling.

10. Cardinals (5-3)

I would have the Eagles above the Cardinals if they prove to me, they can win without the big play in the air. For a team like the Eagles to drop a game to the Raiders is just not worthy of being in the top ten teams right now.

While the Cardinals haven’t run the ball great they have proven they can win on the road this season. Because of their undefeated record on the road and solid run defense, I’m willing to give them a pass for their loss to the Panthers.

• 11. Eagles (5-3)
• 12. Chargers (5-3)
• 13. Texans (5-4)
• 14. Giants (5-4)
• 15. Ravens (4-4)
• 16. Jets ( 4-4)
• 17. Packers (4-4)
• 18. 49ers (3-5)
• 19. Dolphins (3-5)
• 20. Bears (4-4)
• 21. Jaguars (4-4)
• 22. Titans (2-6)
• 23. Seahawks (3-5)
• 24. Panthers (3-5)
• 25. Bills (3-5)
• 26. Raiders (2-6)
• 27. Chiefs (1-7)
• 28. Buccaneers (1-7)
• 29. Lions (1-7)
• 30. Redskins (2-6) Has this team given up?
• 31. Rams (1-7)
• 32. Browns (1-7)

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

Standing atop the highlights for week nine in fantasy football has to be the reemergence of stud running back Michael Turner. In the past two weeks Turner has a yards per carry of over eight yards.

Not to mention that he has racked up over 300 yards rushing in those games and has three touchdowns.

Before this surge, it looked like Turner was going to be a bust for as high as fantasy football owners drafted him. Now, he looks like his old self and is ready to have a very strong second half of the season.

Below I have some observations from the ninth week of the regular season and how I see those points of interest playing out from a fantasy perspective.

2009 NFL Regular Season Week Nine

• Falcons vs Redskins
• Cardinals vs Bears
• Bengals vs Ravens
• Colts vs Texans
• Patriots vs Dolphins
• Buccaneers vs Packers
• Chargers vs Giants
• Titans vs 49ers
• Cowboys vs Eagles
• Steelers vs Broncos

Regular Season First Eight Weeks

• Week One
• Week Two
• Week Three
• Week Four
• Week Five
• Week Six
• Week Seven
• Week Eight
  

Fantasy Football Regular Season Week Nine Notes:

Failure to Launch

The stats for Peyton Manning don’t look that bad as he did have 50 passing attempts for 318 yards and a touchdown score.

However, Manning has lost the killer instinct that he had early in the season as he’s now only thrown one touchdown pass in that past two weeks.

For the game Manning found his star tight end Dallas Clark up and down the field for 14 catches and 119 yards. While this was a great effort from Clark, fantasy owners want to see Clark stick one or two of those into the end zone.

Hopefully, the Colts will get back to their stellar play next week when the New England Patriots come to town.

Cedric Benson Runs Hard

This season has been a great one for fantasy football owners with Cedric Benson on their team(s).

The last time Benson played the Ravens, he posted the first 100 yard rushing game against their defense in years. This time around one had to believe that the Ravens would be ready for Benson and not allow him to go over the century mark twice.

By games end Benson posted 34 carries for 117 yards rushing and a touchdown run. The Bengals road Benson for their second win against the Ravens and their 4th win in the division.

The Bengals are still atop the division as they get ready for the Steelers next week . If they can win that game, they will have swept the Steelers and Ravens for the season.

Randy Moss Big Down the Stretch

In the middle of the third quarter both teams were tied 17 all but that was until Tom Brady found Moss.

Close to the end of the quarter Moss caught a pass and put a stiff arm on a defender and took the play to the house. The touchdown went for 71 yards and helped the Patriots take control of the game.

For the game Moss had six catches for 147 yards and the score.

Next week the Patriots will go to Indianapolis and will play against he rival Colts on Sunday night football. Get for fantasy players in for this one as it should be a great game.

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com