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FANTASY FOOTBALL TIP SHEET

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By LUKE EASTERLING, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2007

As we move into the second quarter of the season, some fantasy teams have mirrored the surprise output of their real-life NFL counterparts.

How many rounds did you draft Reggie Brown ahead of Brandon Marshall? Did you spend a fifth-rounder on Jerious Norwood? On the other hand, did your buddies laugh at you when you took Jon Kitna as your starting QB? Did you finally pull the trigger on Randy Moss, with the rest of the league heckling you about how he'll never be the same player he once was (maybe they're right ... was Moss ever this good)?

No matter which side of .500 you happen to be on in your league's standings, there's still time to start a playoff run. Here are some tips heading into Week 5:

MATCHUPS AND LINEUPS

Here are some favorable matchups you'll want to exploit this week if these players are on you roster:

Browns WR Joe Jurevicius: Joe has a nose for the end zone, and he is a dependable target in the red zone. Last week, the Pats' Asante Samuel held Chad Johnson relatively in check, while Cincy's No. 2 WR, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, racked up 10 catches for 100 yards and a score. With New England likely giving most of its attention to Braylon Edwards on Sunday, watch for Jurevicius to have a big day.

Broncos WR Brandon Marshall: It doesn't seem to matter whether Javon Walker is in the lineup or not; the ball just finds Marshall on a consistent basis every week. He's likely a starter in most three-WR and flex leagues, but this is for those of you who have Marshall on the bench behind an underperforming stud that you're praying will come out of hibernation at some point. Until some consistent numbers start showing up, I'd go with Marshall over a guy like Lee Evans.

INJURY REPORT

The injury bug has bitten some top fantasy receivers as of late. Hines Ward missed last week's game with a knee injury, and missed practice on Wednesday. He'll likely try to play on Sunday, but be prepared for him to sit out again. Andre Johnson will likely be out for at least a couple of more weeks with his sprained knee. Javon Walker, Plaxico Burress, and Anquan Boldin have all missed practice time during the week.

At running back, things don't look much better. Travis Henry and Laurence Maroney have both been limited in practice this week and will likely be listed as questionable. Brian Westbrook and LaMont Jordan, who are both on byes this week, are listed as day-to-day, but it's possible their injuries could be more serious. Rudi Johnson, who missed Monday night's loss to the Patriots, missed practice on Wednesday and might not be able to go on Sunday.

At QB, the biggest news is Marc Bulger being benched in favor of Gus Frerotte, in order to give Bulger's injured ribs a chance to heal. Bulger hasn't exactly played up to par this year, but most of that is due to the pounding he has taken behind an offensive line that's missing Orlando Pace for the remainder of the season.

WAIVER-WIRE WONDERS

A little thin at WR this week? Here are a couple of guys who might still be treading water in the free agent pool:

Broncos WR Brandon Stokley: Remember Stokley? He single-handedly won a few fantasy titles a few years back, catching 10 TDs as a slot receiver in Indy. He's definitely not a lock for numbers like that this year, but he's a solid play right now with Javon Walker still nursing an injury. Until Walker is back, defenses will be focusing their attention on Brandon Marshall, giving Stokley some room to put up some good numbers.

Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez: And now, for Stokley 2.0. The Colts brought in Gonzalez in hopes that he could soon duplicate Stokley's success in the slot, seeing as their skill sets are nearly identical. Marvin Harrison has been nursing a knee injury, and the Colts face a tough matchup against the Bucs defense this week. Even if Harrison stays healthy over the coming weeks, Gonzalez is worth a roster spot, especially in deeper leagues.

Patriots RB Sammy Morris: He's probably already gone is deeper leagues, but if you're in a 10-teamer and looking for a back to plug in, Morris may be the answer. There's no telling how much time Laurence Maroney will miss, and nagging injuries to a RB are never encouraging. Morris lit up the Bengals on Monday night to the tune of 132 total yards on 23 touches, including a TD run. If Maroney ends up missing any more time this season, Morris will be a hot commodity.

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