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Yesterday's matchup featured two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Playing against one another for the 16th time, the game was largely one-sided. In control from essentially the very beginning, the Patriots defeated the Broncos 43-21 yesterday night.

Much like the game against the Bears, the Patriots outplayed the Broncos in practically every phase of the game. Just like in last year's regular season showdown, Tom Brady out-dueled Peyton Manning. Brady had 4 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a passer rating of 97.4; Manning, on the other hand, had a passer rating of just 80.9, along with 2 passing touchdowns and 2 interceptions. While Manning did accumulate 438 passing yards in this game, many of those yards came when the game was largely out of hand. The Broncos offense was limited to just 21 points in the game, and their run game was practically non-existent. One of the main surprises from the game was that the Patriots were able to largely shut down the Broncos' star tight end Julius Thomas, as he was limited to just 2 receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown. 

The Patriots head into their bye week on an extremely high note, as their offense has averaged more than 40 points over the past 5 games. The schedule after the bye doesn't get any easier, though, as the Patriots face six teams with winning records in their seven remaining games of the regular season (Colts, Packers, Lions, Chargers, Bills, and Dolphins). Nevertheless, their victory against the Broncos was a statement win for a team that many people had lost confidence in through the first four weeks of the regular season. 

Here are the main studs and duds from Sunday's game: 

STUDS:

1. Tom Brady 

The Patriots quarterback put together his fifth straight great performance. In addition to throwing 4 passing touchdowns and having a passer rating of 97.4, Brady had 333 passing yards and completed passes to 6 different receivers. The future Hall of Famer has been fantastic for the past five weeks, having thrown 18 touchdowns and just 1 interception in that span. 

2. Julian Edelman 

While he was his usual dominant self in the passing game (he finished the game with 9 receptions for 89 yards and 1 touchdown), his contributions as a punt returner made his performance even greater. His 84-yard punt return for a touchdown occurred roughly midway through the second quarter, and proved to be a major game-changer for the Patriots. It was Edelman's fourth punt return for a touchdown since he became a Patriot. 

3. Rob Gronkowski 

Gronkowski's performance in this game brought back many memories of the 2011 regular season, where the tight end was practically unstoppable. He was often too much for Broncos defenders to handle, as even star linebacker Von Miller couldn't prevent him from scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Right before that play, Gronkowski made a phenomenal one-handed catch with several Broncos defenders around him. This game was clear proof that when Gronkowski is fully healthy, the Patriots offense is extremely hard to defend. 

4. Patrick Chung 

Initially thought to serve as safety depth and contribute on special teams, Chung has surprisingly played very well for the Patriots so far this season. His strong season continued yesterday night, as he had 3 pass deflections and surrendered just four completions on 9 pass attempts for 52 yards and one touchdown (according to Pro Football Focus). Chung was also awarded a grade of +4.9 by Pro Football Focus. 

5. Run Defense 

Heading into this game, stopping the run had been a major issue for the Patriots defense. However, the run defense was fantastic versus Denver, as they limited the Broncos to just 43 rushing yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. 

6. Rob Ninkovich 

Once again showing his knack for big plays in big moments, Ninkovich intercepted an errant throw from Peyton Manning in the first half that proved to be a big momentum-changer. Showing great awareness on that play, Ninkovich's interception provided the Patriots' offense with a short field to work with, and they ended up scoring a touchdown just five plays later. 

DUDS: 

1. Running Game

Much like the Broncos' running game, the Patriots' running game was largely non-existent yesterday. While a lot of credit should go to the Broncos' stingy run defense, the Patriots' running still looked very flat, as the unit only mustered 66 rushing yards on 25 carries.  

2. Penalties 

A theme far too common in the first few games of this season, the Patriots committed an astounding 9 penalties in this game (3 of which came from cornerback Brandon Browner alone). The Patriots need to fix this issue during their bye week before they undergo the final stretch of the regular season. 

Yesterday's matchup featured two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Playing against one another for the 16th time, the game was largely one-sided. In control from essentially the very beginning, the Patriots defeated the Broncos 43-21 yesterday night.

Much like the game against the Bears, the Patriots outplayed the Broncos in practically every phase of the game. Just like in last year's regular season showdown, Tom Brady out-dueled Peyton Manning. Brady had 4 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a passer rating of 97.4; Manning, on the other hand, had a passer rating of just 80.9, along with 2 passing touchdowns and 2 interceptions. While Manning did accumulate 438 passing yards in this game, many of those yards came when the game was largely out of hand. The Broncos offense was limited to just 21 points in the game, and their run game was practically non-existent. One of the main surprises from the game was that the Patriots were able to largely shut down the Broncos' star tight end Julius Thomas, as he was limited to just 2 receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown. 

The Patriots head into their bye week on an extremely high note, as their offense has averaged more than 40 points over the past 5 games. The schedule after the bye doesn't get any easier, though, as the Patriots face six teams with winning records in their seven remaining games of the regular season (Colts, Packers, Lions, Chargers, Bills, and Dolphins). Nevertheless, their victory against the Broncos was a statement win for a team that many people had lost confidence in through the first four weeks of the regular season. 

Here are the main studs and duds from Sunday's game: 

STUDS:

1. Tom Brady 

The Patriots quarterback put together his fifth straight great performance. In addition to throwing 4 passing touchdowns and having a passer rating of 97.4, Brady had 333 passing yards and completed passes to 6 different receivers. The future Hall of Famer has been fantastic for the past five weeks, having thrown 18 touchdowns and just 1 interception in that span. 

2. Julian Edelman 

While he was his usual dominant self in the passing game (he finished the game with 9 receptions for 89 yards and 1 touchdown), his contributions as a punt returner made his performance even greater. His 84-yard punt return for a touchdown occurred roughly midway through the second quarter, and proved to be a major game-changer for the Patriots. It was Edelman's fourth punt return for a touchdown since he became a Patriot. 

3. Rob Gronkowski 

Gronkowski's performance in this game brought back many memories of the 2011 regular season, where the tight end was practically unstoppable. He was often too much for Broncos defenders to handle, as even star linebacker Von Miller couldn't prevent him from scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Right before that play, Gronkowski made a phenomenal one-handed catch with several Broncos defenders around him. This game was clear proof that when Gronkowski is fully healthy, the Patriots offense is extremely hard to defend. 

4. Patrick Chung 

Initially thought to serve as safety depth and contribute on special teams, Chung has surprisingly played very well for the Patriots so far this season. His strong season continued yesterday night, as he had 3 pass deflections and surrendered just four completions on 9 pass attempts for 52 yards and one touchdown (according to Pro Football Focus). Chung was also awarded a grade of +4.9 by Pro Football Focus. 

5. Run Defense 

Heading into this game, stopping the run had been a major issue for the Patriots defense. However, the run defense was fantastic versus Denver, as they limited the Broncos to just 43 rushing yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. 

6. Rob Ninkovich 

Once again showing his knack for big plays in big moments, Ninkovich intercepted an errant throw from Peyton Manning in the first half that proved to be a big momentum-changer. Showing great awareness on that play, Ninkovich's interception provided the Patriots' offense with a short field to work with, and they ended up scoring a touchdown just five plays later. 

DUDS: 

1. Running Game

Much like the Broncos' running game, the Patriots' running game was largely non-existent yesterday. While a lot of credit should go to the Broncos' stingy run defense, the Patriots' running still looked very flat, as the unit only mustered 66 rushing yards on 25 carries.  

2. Penalties 

A theme far too common in the first few games of this season, the Patriots committed an astounding 9 penalties in this game (3 of which came from cornerback Brandon Browner alone). The Patriots need to fix this issue during their bye week before they undergo the final stretch of the regular season. 

If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related. A couple notes to begin with.

-A.J. Green hinted that he may play more snaps this Thursday against the Browns.

-Giovani Bernard is questionable at best for Thursday, but my guess would be he sits out. Hill still a borderline RB1 if he sits out. It becomes much more tricky if Bernard plays depending on usage as I believe they won't rush him out there.

-Reggie Bush should be good to go after missing the last game in London and resting this bye week. Early reports on Calvin Johnson look good too.

-Charles Sims should be active next week which makes Rainey a risky roll of the dice. Sims is risky too until we know more about the situation.

-There is nothing to worry about with Philip Rivers. He has a bye week and should be good to go; he was taken out because of the score.

Quarterbacks:

Nick Foles, QB, PHI

• Injury: Collarbone
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Mark Sanchez
• News: Nick Foles left the game against the Texans after starting off pretty well and did not return. Further testing revealed he has a broken collarbone and will be out for quite some time if not all season.
• Fantasy ramification: Sanchez didn't look too bad filling in for Foles so I think he's worth a shot in really deep leagues or two quarterback leagues. He'll be a matchup-based starter at best until we see more out of him, but in Chip Kelly's high powered offense there is some upside here. Keep an eye on this one.

Running Backs:

Arian Foster, RB, HOU

• Injury: Groin
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Alfred Blue
• News: Foster left the game against the Eagles and was visibly frustratd, but did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: This is quite the interesting one. If you are an Arian Foster owner, I would definitely put in a claim for Alfred Blue right now. The Texans have a bye next week so Foster will have two weeks to heal. If you're not a Foster owner, it just depends on your need at this point. The waiver claim could end up going to waste, but we also do know Foster's injury history so worth a shot. Alfred Blue will definitely be the workhorse if Foster misses any time. Further testing may be done so we could get word on Foster's injury severity as early as Monday afternoon.

Lamar Miller, RB, MIA

• Injury: Shoulder
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Damien Williams and Daniel Thomas
• News: Lamar Miller exited the game against the Chargers with a shoulder injury and did not return. It was reported that he even struggled to put a shirt on after the game. He will undergo an MRI Monday morning.
• Fantasy ramification: Lamar Miller's status isn't looking good for Week 10 at this point. MRI should reveal more, but for now Damien Williams and Daniel Thomas will handle duties at the running-back position if Miller misses any time. The problem here is I see Joe Philbin holding a RBBC if Miller misses any time as he did all last season with Miller and Thomas. If I was going to bet on one of them, it would be Daniel Thomas. Note: I wouldn't be betting very much.

Wide Receivers:

Wes Welker, WR, DEN

• Injury: Back
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Cody Latimer
• News: Welker left the game late against the Patriots and did not return, but might have if the game wasn't out of hand.
• Fantasy ramification: Wes Welker wasn't producing much for our fantasy teams to start off with. Even if he does miss time, I don't see any value in Cody Latimer just yet unless you're in a deeper league. Even if Welker does play, he still hasn't show to be much of a factor in any of the Broncos' games after returning.

If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related. A couple notes to begin with.

-A.J. Green hinted that he may play more snaps this Thursday against the Browns.

-Giovani Bernard is questionable at best for Thursday, but my guess would be he sits out. Hill still a borderline RB1 if he sits out. It becomes much more tricky if Bernard plays depending on usage as I believe they won't rush him out there.

-Reggie Bush should be good to go after missing the last game in London and resting this bye week. Early reports on Calvin Johnson look good too.

-Charles Sims should be active next week which makes Rainey a risky roll of the dice. Sims is risky too until we know more about the situation.

-There is nothing to worry about with Philip Rivers. He has a bye week and should be good to go; he was taken out because of the score.

Quarterbacks:

Nick Foles, QB, PHI

• Injury: Collarbone
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Mark Sanchez
• News: Nick Foles left the game against the Texans after starting off pretty well and did not return. Further testing revealed he has a broken collarbone and will be out for quite some time if not all season.
• Fantasy ramification: Sanchez didn't look too bad filling in for Foles so I think he's worth a shot in really deep leagues or two quarterback leagues. He'll be a matchup-based starter at best until we see more out of him, but in Chip Kelly's high powered offense there is some upside here. Keep an eye on this one.

Running Backs:

Arian Foster, RB, HOU

• Injury: Groin
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Alfred Blue
• News: Foster left the game against the Eagles and was visibly frustratd, but did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: This is quite the interesting one. If you are an Arian Foster owner, I would definitely put in a claim for Alfred Blue right now. The Texans have a bye next week so Foster will have two weeks to heal. If you're not a Foster owner, it just depends on your need at this point. The waiver claim could end up going to waste, but we also do know Foster's injury history so worth a shot. Alfred Blue will definitely be the workhorse if Foster misses any time. Further testing may be done so we could get word on Foster's injury severity as early as Monday afternoon.

Lamar Miller, RB, MIA

• Injury: Shoulder
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Damien Williams and Daniel Thomas
• News: Lamar Miller exited the game against the Chargers with a shoulder injury and did not return. It was reported that he even struggled to put a shirt on after the game. He will undergo an MRI Monday morning.
• Fantasy ramification: Lamar Miller's status isn't looking good for Week 10 at this point. MRI should reveal more, but for now Damien Williams and Daniel Thomas will handle duties at the running-back position if Miller misses any time. The problem here is I see Joe Philbin holding a RBBC if Miller misses any time as he did all last season with Miller and Thomas. If I was going to bet on one of them, it would be Daniel Thomas. Note: I wouldn't be betting very much.

Wide Receivers:

Wes Welker, WR, DEN

• Injury: Back
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Cody Latimer
• News: Welker left the game late against the Patriots and did not return, but might have if the game wasn't out of hand.
• Fantasy ramification: Wes Welker wasn't producing much for our fantasy teams to start off with. Even if he does miss time, I don't see any value in Cody Latimer just yet unless you're in a deeper league. Even if Welker does play, he still hasn't show to be much of a factor in any of the Broncos' games after returning.

An intriguing NFL season is already heading into its ninth week. By now, some of you are fighting for your fantasy football life while others of you are sitting pretty at the top of your league. That probably has a lot to do with whether you have any of these guys on your team.

Studs

1. DeMarco Murray (RB, Dallas Cowboys)

DeMarco Murray has looked like the fantasy MVP so far this season. He has been a workhorse who is on pace for well over 400 touches. He has been a dominant back while averaging 21.3 points per game. The Cowboys seem dedicated to give the ball to Murray over and over again but you have to wonder if this will eventually take a toll. He has eight straight games with over 100 yards rushing. If he can remain healthy, he will continue to be arguably the top RB play each week for fantasy purposes.

2. Peyton Manning (QB, Denver Broncos)

Peyton Manning is firmly in the discussion to repeat as MVP this season of the NFL. He has been lights out in fantasy this year. In seven games this season, Manning is averaging 24.7 points per game. If your fantasy team has any receiver on the Broncos roster, they are a virtual must-start each week with Peyton Manning dishing the ball out. If you have No. 18 as the QB for your fantasy team, you are probably contending for the top spot in your league this year.

3. Rob Gronkowski (TE, New England Patriots)

Gronk struggled with injuries in the 2013 season and fell out of the fantasy spotlight as tight ends Julius Thomas and Jimmy Graham had breakout seasons. He is averaging 12.2 points per game but that number will continue to rise as the Patriots are beginning to click on all cylinders once again. This Sunday against the Chicago Bears, Gronk caught three TD passes as he dominated the porous secondary. He is way to difficult of a matchup for teams to cover him. No. 87 is a must start, top three fantasy TE every week.

4. Matt Forte (RB, Chicago Bears)

Forte has been the only bright spot of this Chicago offense so far this year. He is averaging 17.7 points per game and is a top three RB play each week. Forte has six touchdowns this year. He is doing a lot of his damage in the passing game as he has 70 targets so far this season. Forte is on pace for 2,104 all purpose yards.

5. Sammy Watkins (WR, Buffalo Bills)

The rookie fourth overall draft pick out of Clemson has been dynamite for the Bills this season. Amidst a quarterback change, Watkins has provided stability at the wide receiver position. He has elevated himself to the No. 1 option for the Bills. Watkins is averaging 11.1 points per game but has found the endzone five times this season. His overall production will go up as his targets are beginning to increase. With a more consistent Kyle Orton dishing the rock, look for Sammy Watkins to emerge as a borderline WR1 in the coming weeks.

Duds

1. Jordan Cameron (TE, Cleveland Browns)

Jordan Cameron was expected to have a monstrous 2014 campaign. He was arguably a top five fantasy TE coming into the season. Cameron's numbers have been a repercussion of inconsistent quarterback play from Brian Hoyer, but really he is just not getting it done so far. He is averaging a measly 5.2 points per game and has only found pay dirt once this season. Now it looks like he will be dealing with the injury bug once again as he left Sunday's game against Oakland with a concussion. Yes he has great upside but there are more trustworthy options out there at the TE spot. Even once he gets healthy, Cameron is nothing more than a low end TE2.

2. Cam Newton (QB, Carolina Panthers)

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers have been disappointing so far this season. The Panthers are 3-4-1 and lack the grit that the team had last year as they reached the playoffs. Yes Cam Newton is averaging 17.9 points per game but he has only thrown eight touchdown passes and ran for just one. He has also lost three fumbles and thrown 4 INTs this season. Cam has averaged over 20.4 points in each season of his career and should easily be producing at least that number every week as he is one of the best dual threat quarterbacks in the league. If you have Cam Newton you're going to continue to start him as long as he is healthy because of his tremendous upside but don’t be surprised if he throws up a dud every game or so.

3. Chris Johnson (RB, New York Jets)

CJ2K was acquired by the Jets in the offseason and was supposed to bring a weapon to the Jets offense that was anemic in 2013. But in a crowded backfield and with the emergence of Chris Ivory as the feature back, Johnson is averaging just 5.8 points per game. He has found the endzone only once this season. Johnson is droppable in all 10-12 team leagues.

4. Vincent Jackson (WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

I have to start by saying that this may be a little unfair to V-Jax as his stats are a product of a shaky quarterback situation once again. He has continually been put in bad situations throughout his career. Because of this, he is just not a consistently productive WR in fantasy right now. A top 15 fantasy play at WR coming into the season, Jackson is averaging just 5.8 points per game. He has found the endzone only twice this season. Jackson has plenty of upside each week but is nothing more than a WR3 with upside going forward.

5. Adrian Peterson (RB, Minnesota Vikings)

Off the field issues finally found a way to affect your fantasy team. If you were like me, you had a top three pick in your fantasy draft and passed up on studs like Matt Forte and DeMarco Murray in favor of AP. Adrian Peterson played just one game before being indicted on child abuse charges. He will be a non-factor for the rest of the fantasy season and if you've buried him on your roster in hopes of a return, it may be time to finally let him go.

**Stats reflect points in standard scoring leagues

An intriguing NFL season is already heading into its ninth week. By now, some of you are fighting for your fantasy football life while others of you are sitting pretty at the top of your league. That probably has a lot to do with whether you have any of these guys on your team.

Studs

1. DeMarco Murray (RB, Dallas Cowboys)

DeMarco Murray has looked like the fantasy MVP so far this season. He has been a workhorse who is on pace for well over 400 touches. He has been a dominant back while averaging 21.3 points per game. The Cowboys seem dedicated to give the ball to Murray over and over again but you have to wonder if this will eventually take a toll. He has eight straight games with over 100 yards rushing. If he can remain healthy, he will continue to be arguably the top RB play each week for fantasy purposes.

2. Peyton Manning (QB, Denver Broncos)

Peyton Manning is firmly in the discussion to repeat as MVP this season of the NFL. He has been lights out in fantasy this year. In seven games this season, Manning is averaging 24.7 points per game. If your fantasy team has any receiver on the Broncos roster, they are a virtual must-start each week with Peyton Manning dishing the ball out. If you have No. 18 as the QB for your fantasy team, you are probably contending for the top spot in your league this year.

3. Rob Gronkowski (TE, New England Patriots)

Gronk struggled with injuries in the 2013 season and fell out of the fantasy spotlight as tight ends Julius Thomas and Jimmy Graham had breakout seasons. He is averaging 12.2 points per game but that number will continue to rise as the Patriots are beginning to click on all cylinders once again. This Sunday against the Chicago Bears, Gronk caught three TD passes as he dominated the porous secondary. He is way to difficult of a matchup for teams to cover him. No. 87 is a must start, top three fantasy TE every week.

4. Matt Forte (RB, Chicago Bears)

Forte has been the only bright spot of this Chicago offense so far this year. He is averaging 17.7 points per game and is a top three RB play each week. Forte has six touchdowns this year. He is doing a lot of his damage in the passing game as he has 70 targets so far this season. Forte is on pace for 2,104 all purpose yards.

5. Sammy Watkins (WR, Buffalo Bills)

The rookie fourth overall draft pick out of Clemson has been dynamite for the Bills this season. Amidst a quarterback change, Watkins has provided stability at the wide receiver position. He has elevated himself to the No. 1 option for the Bills. Watkins is averaging 11.1 points per game but has found the endzone five times this season. His overall production will go up as his targets are beginning to increase. With a more consistent Kyle Orton dishing the rock, look for Sammy Watkins to emerge as a borderline WR1 in the coming weeks.

Duds

1. Jordan Cameron (TE, Cleveland Browns)

Jordan Cameron was expected to have a monstrous 2014 campaign. He was arguably a top five fantasy TE coming into the season. Cameron's numbers have been a repercussion of inconsistent quarterback play from Brian Hoyer, but really he is just not getting it done so far. He is averaging a measly 5.2 points per game and has only found pay dirt once this season. Now it looks like he will be dealing with the injury bug once again as he left Sunday's game against Oakland with a concussion. Yes he has great upside but there are more trustworthy options out there at the TE spot. Even once he gets healthy, Cameron is nothing more than a low end TE2.

2. Cam Newton (QB, Carolina Panthers)

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers have been disappointing so far this season. The Panthers are 3-4-1 and lack the grit that the team had last year as they reached the playoffs. Yes Cam Newton is averaging 17.9 points per game but he has only thrown eight touchdown passes and ran for just one. He has also lost three fumbles and thrown 4 INTs this season. Cam has averaged over 20.4 points in each season of his career and should easily be producing at least that number every week as he is one of the best dual threat quarterbacks in the league. If you have Cam Newton you're going to continue to start him as long as he is healthy because of his tremendous upside but don’t be surprised if he throws up a dud every game or so.

3. Chris Johnson (RB, New York Jets)

CJ2K was acquired by the Jets in the offseason and was supposed to bring a weapon to the Jets offense that was anemic in 2013. But in a crowded backfield and with the emergence of Chris Ivory as the feature back, Johnson is averaging just 5.8 points per game. He has found the endzone only once this season. Johnson is droppable in all 10-12 team leagues.

4. Vincent Jackson (WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

I have to start by saying that this may be a little unfair to V-Jax as his stats are a product of a shaky quarterback situation once again. He has continually been put in bad situations throughout his career. Because of this, he is just not a consistently productive WR in fantasy right now. A top 15 fantasy play at WR coming into the season, Jackson is averaging just 5.8 points per game. He has found the endzone only twice this season. Jackson has plenty of upside each week but is nothing more than a WR3 with upside going forward.

5. Adrian Peterson (RB, Minnesota Vikings)

Off the field issues finally found a way to affect your fantasy team. If you were like me, you had a top three pick in your fantasy draft and passed up on studs like Matt Forte and DeMarco Murray in favor of AP. Adrian Peterson played just one game before being indicted on child abuse charges. He will be a non-factor for the rest of the fantasy season and if you've buried him on your roster in hopes of a return, it may be time to finally let him go.

**Stats reflect points in standard scoring leagues

If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related. First, a couple notes on a few players here and there. Rob Gronkowski did leave the game after his 40+ yard touchdown scamper, but said it was due to dehydration. It was a blowout game and there was no need for him to re-enter, so he will be fine. In addition, Jeremy Maclin and Torrey Smith both went to the locker room during their respective games and returned to the game so no fear there.

Tight Ends:

Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Probable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Matt Flynn
• News: Rodgers looked like he tweaked his hamstring after a scramble in the second half of the game against the Saints. He did stay in the game, even in a blowout.
• Fantasy ramification: Rodgers said after the game that he will be fine and will not miss any time due to this injury so fantasy owners can relax. If he did miss any time, Matt Flynn would not be a recommended option.

Running Backs:

Doug Martin, RB, TB

• Injury: Ankle
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Bobby Rainey, Charles Sims
• News: Doug Martin left the game against the Vikings on Sunday with an ankle injury in the 3rd quarter and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Doug Martin had another unimpressive effort this past week and is almost borderline droppable in fantasy leagues. Charles Sims is getting ready to finally play a game in his rookie year and should see some touches, but I still view him as a change of pace back due to how most coaches treat rookies these days; especially running-backs. Doug Martin is looking to miss some time and Bobby Rainey is the guy to have as he has looked 10 times as better than Doug Martin. Even when Martin returns, Rainey should be the starter.

Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN

• Injury: Hip
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Jeremy Hill
• News: Bernard exited the game against the Ravens left the game in the fourth quarter and did not return with a hip injury.
• Fantasy ramification: Neither Giovani Bernard or the Bengals' head coach seemed concerned about his injury so he has a solid shot at suiting up next week. Nonetheless, if Jeremy Hill is available in your league, PICK HIM UP. Even if Bernard doesn't miss any time, Hill should be owned in all leagues due to the injury risk Giovani Bernard carries. Not only that, the Bengals should be looking to reduce Bernard's workload after getting banged up the last few weeks so Hill could be a bye-week filler.

Wide Receivers:

Brian Quick, WR, STL

• Injury: Left Arm
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Kenny Britt and Stedman Bailey
• News: Quick went down early in the game against the Chiefs with an injury and did not return,
• Fantasy ramification: Nether Quick nor head coach Jeff Fisher gave an update on Brian Quick after the game so let's consider him questionable at best and not a good bet to play next week. Either way, he has come back down to earth after a few good games early on, getting bottled up in his last couple games. There's not much value for any receivers on the Rams at this point. In deeper leagues, Britt might be worth a flier.

Nate Washington, WR, TEN

• Injury: AC Joint
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Slot Receiver
• Back-up: Kris Durham
• News: Nate Washington sprained his AC Joint and may miss some time.
• Fantasy ramification: Washington was not a fantasy option in a unreliable Titans offense and neither he or anyone behind him will be. Justin Hunter and Kendall Wright are still the guys to start who are every week dicey WR3 plays. You just got to hope they score touchdowns because they aren't doing much else for you right now.

Tight Ends:

Jordan Cameron, TE, CLE

• Injury: Concussion
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Gary Barnidge
• News: Cameron left the gamea and did not return wtih a concussion.
• Fantasy ramification: Barnidge is in no way a fantasy option as Jordan Cameron barely has been this season anyways. Cameron has a history with concussion so it is a bit worrisome, but it's not like he was producing. If he does play though, he probably plays for your fantasy team with the lack of depth at the tight end position.

If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related. First, a couple notes on a few players here and there. Rob Gronkowski did leave the game after his 40+ yard touchdown scamper, but said it was due to dehydration. It was a blowout game and there was no need for him to re-enter, so he will be fine. In addition, Jeremy Maclin and Torrey Smith both went to the locker room during their respective games and returned to the game so no fear there.

Tight Ends:

Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Probable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Matt Flynn
• News: Rodgers looked like he tweaked his hamstring after a scramble in the second half of the game against the Saints. He did stay in the game, even in a blowout.
• Fantasy ramification: Rodgers said after the game that he will be fine and will not miss any time due to this injury so fantasy owners can relax. If he did miss any time, Matt Flynn would not be a recommended option.

Running Backs:

Doug Martin, RB, TB

• Injury: Ankle
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Bobby Rainey, Charles Sims
• News: Doug Martin left the game against the Vikings on Sunday with an ankle injury in the 3rd quarter and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Doug Martin had another unimpressive effort this past week and is almost borderline droppable in fantasy leagues. Charles Sims is getting ready to finally play a game in his rookie year and should see some touches, but I still view him as a change of pace back due to how most coaches treat rookies these days; especially running-backs. Doug Martin is looking to miss some time and Bobby Rainey is the guy to have as he has looked 10 times as better than Doug Martin. Even when Martin returns, Rainey should be the starter.

Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN

• Injury: Hip
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Jeremy Hill
• News: Bernard exited the game against the Ravens left the game in the fourth quarter and did not return with a hip injury.
• Fantasy ramification: Neither Giovani Bernard or the Bengals' head coach seemed concerned about his injury so he has a solid shot at suiting up next week. Nonetheless, if Jeremy Hill is available in your league, PICK HIM UP. Even if Bernard doesn't miss any time, Hill should be owned in all leagues due to the injury risk Giovani Bernard carries. Not only that, the Bengals should be looking to reduce Bernard's workload after getting banged up the last few weeks so Hill could be a bye-week filler.

Wide Receivers:

Brian Quick, WR, STL

• Injury: Left Arm
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Kenny Britt and Stedman Bailey
• News: Quick went down early in the game against the Chiefs with an injury and did not return,
• Fantasy ramification: Nether Quick nor head coach Jeff Fisher gave an update on Brian Quick after the game so let's consider him questionable at best and not a good bet to play next week. Either way, he has come back down to earth after a few good games early on, getting bottled up in his last couple games. There's not much value for any receivers on the Rams at this point. In deeper leagues, Britt might be worth a flier.

Nate Washington, WR, TEN

• Injury: AC Joint
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Slot Receiver
• Back-up: Kris Durham
• News: Nate Washington sprained his AC Joint and may miss some time.
• Fantasy ramification: Washington was not a fantasy option in a unreliable Titans offense and neither he or anyone behind him will be. Justin Hunter and Kendall Wright are still the guys to start who are every week dicey WR3 plays. You just got to hope they score touchdowns because they aren't doing much else for you right now.

Tight Ends:

Jordan Cameron, TE, CLE

• Injury: Concussion
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Gary Barnidge
• News: Cameron left the gamea and did not return wtih a concussion.
• Fantasy ramification: Barnidge is in no way a fantasy option as Jordan Cameron barely has been this season anyways. Cameron has a history with concussion so it is a bit worrisome, but it's not like he was producing. If he does play though, he probably plays for your fantasy team with the lack of depth at the tight end position.

If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related. Most of the injuries we saw on Sunday came from the running-back position so here we go.

Running Backs:

Fred Jackson , RB, BUF

• Injury: Groin
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Anthony Dixon, Bryce Brown
• News: Fred Jackson left the game against the Vikings early with a groin injury and it's not looking good for him to suit up next week.
• Fantasy ramification: Early reports on Fred Jackson are that he will almost certainly miss a few fames, but it is not expected to be season ending. With Spiller and Jackson out, Anthony Dixon came in and ran well, finishing with 51 yards on 13 carries and catching three passes for 15 yards..  Bryce Brown is also someone to keep an eye on. Brown showed flashes with the Eagles when McCoy went down a few years ago so he's more than capable of succeeding.

C.J. Spiller , RB, BUF

• Injury: Collarbone
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Anthony Dixon,  Bryce Brown
• News: Spiller, like Fred Jackson, had a nasty injury after a 50+ yard run which was tough to watch. He will be out for season with a broken collarbone according to early reports.
• Fantasy ramification: Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon are the guys to have. For more on them, see above. (Fred Jackson)

Trent Richardson, RB, IND

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Ahmad Bradshaw
• News: Trent Richardson left the game against the Bengals in the 3rd quarter with a hamstring injury.
• Fantasy ramification: Trent Richardson actually looked pretty good early on against the Bengals in this one. He totaled over 100 yards for the first time all year, but unfortunately got hurt late in the game. If he is to miss any time, the only person that gets a fantasy boost is Ahmad Bradshaw who's been one of the top waiver wire pick-ups of the year. Trent is still hard to trust in fantasy and Bradshaw is the guy to have.

James Starks,  RB, GB

• Injury: Ankle
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up
• Back-up: DuJuan Harris
• News: James Starks left the game against the Panthers, but it looked to be precautionary since it was a blowout from the get-go.
• Fantasy ramification: The Packers clearly are giving Starks more time each and every week, but Starks is still more of a change of pace guy and will never be that feature type of 'back. It's unknown how severe his injury is, but if he is to miss any time; I'd bet on Lacy's stock rising more than anyone elses. He isn't startable in fantasy at this point if he does play. He is a touchdown-dependet RB3.

Pierre Thomas,  RB, NO

• Injury: Shoulder
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Committee
• Back-up: Mark Ingram / Khiry Robinson
• News: Pierre Thomas hurt his shoulder early in the game against the Lions, but returned. He got hurt again later in the game and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Pierre Thomas has his moments as a fantasy running-back, but isn't reliable whatsoever. He's a touchdown dependent RB3 for the most part and if he misses time, I see Cadet getting some more reps so no one's value suddenly rises in this RBBC in New Orleans.

If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related. Most of the injuries we saw on Sunday came from the running-back position so here we go.

Running Backs:

Fred Jackson , RB, BUF

• Injury: Groin
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Anthony Dixon, Bryce Brown
• News: Fred Jackson left the game against the Vikings early with a groin injury and it's not looking good for him to suit up next week.
• Fantasy ramification: Early reports on Fred Jackson are that he will almost certainly miss a few fames, but it is not expected to be season ending. With Spiller and Jackson out, Anthony Dixon came in and ran well, finishing with 51 yards on 13 carries and catching three passes for 15 yards..  Bryce Brown is also someone to keep an eye on. Brown showed flashes with the Eagles when McCoy went down a few years ago so he's more than capable of succeeding.

C.J. Spiller , RB, BUF

• Injury: Collarbone
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Anthony Dixon,  Bryce Brown
• News: Spiller, like Fred Jackson, had a nasty injury after a 50+ yard run which was tough to watch. He will be out for season with a broken collarbone according to early reports.
• Fantasy ramification: Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon are the guys to have. For more on them, see above. (Fred Jackson)

Trent Richardson, RB, IND

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Ahmad Bradshaw
• News: Trent Richardson left the game against the Bengals in the 3rd quarter with a hamstring injury.
• Fantasy ramification: Trent Richardson actually looked pretty good early on against the Bengals in this one. He totaled over 100 yards for the first time all year, but unfortunately got hurt late in the game. If he is to miss any time, the only person that gets a fantasy boost is Ahmad Bradshaw who's been one of the top waiver wire pick-ups of the year. Trent is still hard to trust in fantasy and Bradshaw is the guy to have.

James Starks,  RB, GB

• Injury: Ankle
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up
• Back-up: DuJuan Harris
• News: James Starks left the game against the Panthers, but it looked to be precautionary since it was a blowout from the get-go.
• Fantasy ramification: The Packers clearly are giving Starks more time each and every week, but Starks is still more of a change of pace guy and will never be that feature type of 'back. It's unknown how severe his injury is, but if he is to miss any time; I'd bet on Lacy's stock rising more than anyone elses. He isn't startable in fantasy at this point if he does play. He is a touchdown-dependet RB3.

Pierre Thomas,  RB, NO

• Injury: Shoulder
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Committee
• Back-up: Mark Ingram / Khiry Robinson
• News: Pierre Thomas hurt his shoulder early in the game against the Lions, but returned. He got hurt again later in the game and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Pierre Thomas has his moments as a fantasy running-back, but isn't reliable whatsoever. He's a touchdown dependent RB3 for the most part and if he misses time, I see Cadet getting some more reps so no one's value suddenly rises in this RBBC in New Orleans.

If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related. Most of the injuries we saw on Sunday came from the running-back position so here we go.

Running Backs:

Fred Jackson , RB, BUF

• Injury: Groin
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Anthony Dixon, Bryce Brown
• News: Fred Jackson left the game against the Vikings early with a groin injury and it's not looking good for him to suit up next week.
• Fantasy ramification: Early reports on Fred Jackson are that he will almost certainly miss a few fames, but it is not expected to be season ending. With Spiller and Jackson out, Anthony Dixon came in and ran well, finishing with 51 yards on 13 carries and catching three passes for 15 yards..  Bryce Brown is also someone to keep an eye on. Brown showed flashes with the Eagles when McCoy went down a few years ago so he's more than capable of succeeding.

C.J. Spiller , RB, BUF

• Injury: Collarbone
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Anthony Dixon,  Bryce Brown
• News: Spiller, like Fred Jackson, had a nasty injury after a 50+ yard run which was tough to watch. He will be out for season with a broken collarbone according to early reports.
• Fantasy ramification: Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon are the guys to have. For more on them, see above. (Fred Jackson)

Trent Richardson, RB, IND

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Ahmad Bradshaw
• News: Trent Richardson left the game against the Bengals in the 3rd quarter with a hamstring injury.
• Fantasy ramification: Trent Richardson actually looked pretty good early on against the Bengals in this one. He totaled over 100 yards for the first time all year, but unfortunately got hurt late in the game. If he is to miss any time, the only person that gets a fantasy boost is Ahmad Bradshaw who's been one of the top waiver wire pick-ups of the year. Trent is still hard to trust in fantasy and Bradshaw is the guy to have.

James Starks,  RB, GB

• Injury: Ankle
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up
• Back-up: DuJuan Harris
• News: James Starks left the game against the Panthers, but it looked to be precautionary since it was a blowout from the get-go.
• Fantasy ramification: The Packers clearly are giving Starks more time each and every week, but Starks is still more of a change of pace guy and will never be that feature type of 'back. It's unknown how severe his injury is, but if he is to miss any time; I'd bet on Lacy's stock rising more than anyone elses. He isn't startable in fantasy at this point if he does play. He is a touchdown-dependet RB3.

Pierre Thomas,  RB, NO

• Injury: Shoulder
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Committee
• Back-up: Mark Ingram / Khiry Robinson
• News: Pierre Thomas hurt his shoulder early in the game against the Lions, but returned. He got hurt again later in the game and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Pierre Thomas has his moments as a fantasy running-back, but isn't reliable whatsoever. He's a touchdown dependent RB3 for the most part and if he misses time, I see Cadet getting some more reps so no one's value suddenly rises in this RBBC in New Orleans.

If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related. Most of the injuries we saw on Sunday came from the running-back position so here we go.

Running Backs:

Fred Jackson , RB, BUF

• Injury: Groin
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Anthony Dixon, Bryce Brown
• News: Fred Jackson left the game against the Vikings early with a groin injury and it's not looking good for him to suit up next week.
• Fantasy ramification: Early reports on Fred Jackson are that he will almost certainly miss a few fames, but it is not expected to be season ending. With Spiller and Jackson out, Anthony Dixon came in and ran well, finishing with 51 yards on 13 carries and catching three passes for 15 yards..  Bryce Brown is also someone to keep an eye on. Brown showed flashes with the Eagles when McCoy went down a few years ago so he's more than capable of succeeding.

C.J. Spiller , RB, BUF

• Injury: Collarbone
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Anthony Dixon,  Bryce Brown
• News: Spiller, like Fred Jackson, had a nasty injury after a 50+ yard run which was tough to watch. He will be out for season with a broken collarbone according to early reports.
• Fantasy ramification: Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon are the guys to have. For more on them, see above. (Fred Jackson)

Trent Richardson, RB, IND

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Ahmad Bradshaw
• News: Trent Richardson left the game against the Bengals in the 3rd quarter with a hamstring injury.
• Fantasy ramification: Trent Richardson actually looked pretty good early on against the Bengals in this one. He totaled over 100 yards for the first time all year, but unfortunately got hurt late in the game. If he is to miss any time, the only person that gets a fantasy boost is Ahmad Bradshaw who's been one of the top waiver wire pick-ups of the year. Trent is still hard to trust in fantasy and Bradshaw is the guy to have.

James Starks,  RB, GB

• Injury: Ankle
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up
• Back-up: DuJuan Harris
• News: James Starks left the game against the Panthers, but it looked to be precautionary since it was a blowout from the get-go.
• Fantasy ramification: The Packers clearly are giving Starks more time each and every week, but Starks is still more of a change of pace guy and will never be that feature type of 'back. It's unknown how severe his injury is, but if he is to miss any time; I'd bet on Lacy's stock rising more than anyone elses. He isn't startable in fantasy at this point if he does play. He is a touchdown-dependet RB3.

Pierre Thomas,  RB, NO

• Injury: Shoulder
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Committee
• Back-up: Mark Ingram / Khiry Robinson
• News: Pierre Thomas hurt his shoulder early in the game against the Lions, but returned. He got hurt again later in the game and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Pierre Thomas has his moments as a fantasy running-back, but isn't reliable whatsoever. He's a touchdown dependent RB3 for the most part and if he misses time, I see Cadet getting some more reps so no one's value suddenly rises in this RBBC in New Orleans.

It was a relatively quiet week on the injury front on Sunday and hopefully it continues like this, but here are some of the notable injuries that will affect your fantasy football team. If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related.

Quarterbacks:

Tony Romo, QB, DAL

• Injury: Ribs
• Status: Probable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Brandon Weeden
• News: Romo took a huge shot early in the game against the Seahawks. He was slow to get up, but stayed in the game and looked fine.
• Fantasy ramification: Although Tony Romo finished off the game, he's going to get his ribs checked out early this week. He shouldn't miss anytime and should be good to go as he has played through a rib injury before. Nonetheless, if he does miss any time, Weeden is not a fantasy option.

Running Backs:

Darren Sproles, RB, PHI

• Injury: Knee
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up / Change of pace back
• Back-up: Trey Burton
• News: Sproles had another nice game, but left the game in the third quarter and did not return. He did walk off the field on his own power.
• Fantasy ramification: Darren Sproles may miss an extended period of time. According to reports, the team doctor fears the stability of his ACL & MCL which means Sproles will undergo further testing. It's a wait and see moment, but there is no fantasy ramification at this point because they really do not have any healthy backs except for McCoy and Trey Burton.

Stevan Ridley, RB, NE

• Injury: Knee/ACL
• Status: Doubtful
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Shane Vereen / Brandon Bolden
• News: Ridley exited the game against the Bills and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: It's initially feared as a torn ACL, but further tests will be done on Monday to confirm. Vereen has been a non-factor for most of the year and this all but boosts his value. Bolden is worth the pick-up in deeper leagues, but not really sure about ten man leagues at this points. Keep in mind, though, this is Belichick we are talking about. Bolden might score four touchdowns for all we know.

Theo Riddick,  RB, DET

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up
• Back-up: Reggie Bush / Joique Bell
• News: Theo Riddick re-aggravated a previous injury and did not return to the game against the Vikings.
• Fantasy ramification: Riddick was playing a solid game, but Joique Bell also did really well. Reggie Bush, in addition, said he will definitely play against the Saints in the upcoming week so Riddick has no fantasy value anymore. Bush and Bell are both in the RB2 conversation.

Fozzy Whittaker,  RB, CAR

• Injury: Quad
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Committee
• Back-up: Darren Reaves
• News: Whittaker left the game against the Bengals and did not return, but didn't seem too concerned with the injury afterwards.
• Fantasy ramification: You really don't want any of the Panther running backs at this point. None seem to be doing too much and I should note that Stewart has a solid chance of coming back this upcoming week. Stewart may be worth a plug-and-play shot if you're in need.

Wide Receivers:

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG

• Injury: Torn patellar tendon
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Rueben Randle / Odell Beckham JR.
• News: Victor Cruz did not return to the game after tearing his patellar tendon on a non-contact injury. He will be out for the season, most likely.
• Fantasy ramification: Well, first and foremost, it was sad to see Cruz go off like that. But in the fantasy world, we have to move on and talk about replacements. Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham are now MUST haves in the fantasy world. I know they struggled Sunday night, but they should turn it around and have a nice season. Rueben Randle also gets a ton of red-zone looks. I prefer Randle over Beckham Jr. at this point in time.

Eddie Royal, WR, SD

• Injury: Ribs
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Slot Receiver
• Back-up: Malcom Floyd / Seyi Ajirotutu
• News: Royal left the game against the Raiders and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Royal was actuall having a pretty solid season thus far and was a solid WR3, but it's now a wait-and-see moment here in seeing how he heals. In the meantime, Ajirotutu will replace him who isn't a fantasy option at all. Floyd, Allen, and Gates all get a slight boost.

It was a relatively quiet week on the injury front on Sunday and hopefully it continues like this, but here are some of the notable injuries that will affect your fantasy football team. If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related.

Quarterbacks:

Tony Romo, QB, DAL

• Injury: Ribs
• Status: Probable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Brandon Weeden
• News: Romo took a huge shot early in the game against the Seahawks. He was slow to get up, but stayed in the game and looked fine.
• Fantasy ramification: Although Tony Romo finished off the game, he's going to get his ribs checked out early this week. He shouldn't miss anytime and should be good to go as he has played through a rib injury before. Nonetheless, if he does miss any time, Weeden is not a fantasy option.

Running Backs:

Darren Sproles, RB, PHI

• Injury: Knee
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up / Change of pace back
• Back-up: Trey Burton
• News: Sproles had another nice game, but left the game in the third quarter and did not return. He did walk off the field on his own power.
• Fantasy ramification: Darren Sproles may miss an extended period of time. According to reports, the team doctor fears the stability of his ACL & MCL which means Sproles will undergo further testing. It's a wait and see moment, but there is no fantasy ramification at this point because they really do not have any healthy backs except for McCoy and Trey Burton.

Stevan Ridley, RB, NE

• Injury: Knee/ACL
• Status: Doubtful
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Shane Vereen / Brandon Bolden
• News: Ridley exited the game against the Bills and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: It's initially feared as a torn ACL, but further tests will be done on Monday to confirm. Vereen has been a non-factor for most of the year and this all but boosts his value. Bolden is worth the pick-up in deeper leagues, but not really sure about ten man leagues at this points. Keep in mind, though, this is Belichick we are talking about. Bolden might score four touchdowns for all we know.

Theo Riddick,  RB, DET

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up
• Back-up: Reggie Bush / Joique Bell
• News: Theo Riddick re-aggravated a previous injury and did not return to the game against the Vikings.
• Fantasy ramification: Riddick was playing a solid game, but Joique Bell also did really well. Reggie Bush, in addition, said he will definitely play against the Saints in the upcoming week so Riddick has no fantasy value anymore. Bush and Bell are both in the RB2 conversation.

Fozzy Whittaker,  RB, CAR

• Injury: Quad
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Committee
• Back-up: Darren Reaves
• News: Whittaker left the game against the Bengals and did not return, but didn't seem too concerned with the injury afterwards.
• Fantasy ramification: You really don't want any of the Panther running backs at this point. None seem to be doing too much and I should note that Stewart has a solid chance of coming back this upcoming week. Stewart may be worth a plug-and-play shot if you're in need.

Wide Receivers:

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG

• Injury: Torn patellar tendon
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Rueben Randle / Odell Beckham JR.
• News: Victor Cruz did not return to the game after tearing his patellar tendon on a non-contact injury. He will be out for the season, most likely.
• Fantasy ramification: Well, first and foremost, it was sad to see Cruz go off like that. But in the fantasy world, we have to move on and talk about replacements. Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham are now MUST haves in the fantasy world. I know they struggled Sunday night, but they should turn it around and have a nice season. Rueben Randle also gets a ton of red-zone looks. I prefer Randle over Beckham Jr. at this point in time.

Eddie Royal, WR, SD

• Injury: Ribs
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Slot Receiver
• Back-up: Malcom Floyd / Seyi Ajirotutu
• News: Royal left the game against the Raiders and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Royal was actuall having a pretty solid season thus far and was a solid WR3, but it's now a wait-and-see moment here in seeing how he heals. In the meantime, Ajirotutu will replace him who isn't a fantasy option at all. Floyd, Allen, and Gates all get a slight boost.

It was a relatively quiet week on the injury front on Sunday and hopefully it continues like this, but here are some of the notable injuries that will affect your fantasy football team. If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related.

Quarterbacks:

Tony Romo, QB, DAL

• Injury: Ribs
• Status: Probable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Brandon Weeden
• News: Romo took a huge shot early in the game against the Seahawks. He was slow to get up, but stayed in the game and looked fine.
• Fantasy ramification: Although Tony Romo finished off the game, he's going to get his ribs checked out early this week. He shouldn't miss anytime and should be good to go as he has played through a rib injury before. Nonetheless, if he does miss any time, Weeden is not a fantasy option.

Running Backs:

Darren Sproles, RB, PHI

• Injury: Knee
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up / Change of pace back
• Back-up: Trey Burton
• News: Sproles had another nice game, but left the game in the third quarter and did not return. He did walk off the field on his own power.
• Fantasy ramification: Darren Sproles may miss an extended period of time. According to reports, the team doctor fears the stability of his ACL & MCL which means Sproles will undergo further testing. It's a wait and see moment, but there is no fantasy ramification at this point because they really do not have any healthy backs except for McCoy and Trey Burton.

Stevan Ridley, RB, NE

• Injury: Knee/ACL
• Status: Doubtful
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Shane Vereen / Brandon Bolden
• News: Ridley exited the game against the Bills and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: It's initially feared as a torn ACL, but further tests will be done on Monday to confirm. Vereen has been a non-factor for most of the year and this all but boosts his value. Bolden is worth the pick-up in deeper leagues, but not really sure about ten man leagues at this points. Keep in mind, though, this is Belichick we are talking about. Bolden might score four touchdowns for all we know.

Theo Riddick,  RB, DET

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up
• Back-up: Reggie Bush / Joique Bell
• News: Theo Riddick re-aggravated a previous injury and did not return to the game against the Vikings.
• Fantasy ramification: Riddick was playing a solid game, but Joique Bell also did really well. Reggie Bush, in addition, said he will definitely play against the Saints in the upcoming week so Riddick has no fantasy value anymore. Bush and Bell are both in the RB2 conversation.

Fozzy Whittaker,  RB, CAR

• Injury: Quad
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Committee
• Back-up: Darren Reaves
• News: Whittaker left the game against the Bengals and did not return, but didn't seem too concerned with the injury afterwards.
• Fantasy ramification: You really don't want any of the Panther running backs at this point. None seem to be doing too much and I should note that Stewart has a solid chance of coming back this upcoming week. Stewart may be worth a plug-and-play shot if you're in need.

Wide Receivers:

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG

• Injury: Torn patellar tendon
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Rueben Randle / Odell Beckham JR.
• News: Victor Cruz did not return to the game after tearing his patellar tendon on a non-contact injury. He will be out for the season, most likely.
• Fantasy ramification: Well, first and foremost, it was sad to see Cruz go off like that. But in the fantasy world, we have to move on and talk about replacements. Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham are now MUST haves in the fantasy world. I know they struggled Sunday night, but they should turn it around and have a nice season. Rueben Randle also gets a ton of red-zone looks. I prefer Randle over Beckham Jr. at this point in time.

Eddie Royal, WR, SD

• Injury: Ribs
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Slot Receiver
• Back-up: Malcom Floyd / Seyi Ajirotutu
• News: Royal left the game against the Raiders and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Royal was actuall having a pretty solid season thus far and was a solid WR3, but it's now a wait-and-see moment here in seeing how he heals. In the meantime, Ajirotutu will replace him who isn't a fantasy option at all. Floyd, Allen, and Gates all get a slight boost.

It was a relatively quiet week on the injury front on Sunday and hopefully it continues like this, but here are some of the notable injuries that will affect your fantasy football team. If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related.

Quarterbacks:

Tony Romo, QB, DAL

• Injury: Ribs
• Status: Probable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Brandon Weeden
• News: Romo took a huge shot early in the game against the Seahawks. He was slow to get up, but stayed in the game and looked fine.
• Fantasy ramification: Although Tony Romo finished off the game, he's going to get his ribs checked out early this week. He shouldn't miss anytime and should be good to go as he has played through a rib injury before. Nonetheless, if he does miss any time, Weeden is not a fantasy option.

Running Backs:

Darren Sproles, RB, PHI

• Injury: Knee
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up / Change of pace back
• Back-up: Trey Burton
• News: Sproles had another nice game, but left the game in the third quarter and did not return. He did walk off the field on his own power.
• Fantasy ramification: Darren Sproles may miss an extended period of time. According to reports, the team doctor fears the stability of his ACL & MCL which means Sproles will undergo further testing. It's a wait and see moment, but there is no fantasy ramification at this point because they really do not have any healthy backs except for McCoy and Trey Burton.

Stevan Ridley, RB, NE

• Injury: Knee/ACL
• Status: Doubtful
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Shane Vereen / Brandon Bolden
• News: Ridley exited the game against the Bills and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: It's initially feared as a torn ACL, but further tests will be done on Monday to confirm. Vereen has been a non-factor for most of the year and this all but boosts his value. Bolden is worth the pick-up in deeper leagues, but not really sure about ten man leagues at this points. Keep in mind, though, this is Belichick we are talking about. Bolden might score four touchdowns for all we know.

Theo Riddick,  RB, DET

• Injury: Hamstring
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Back-up
• Back-up: Reggie Bush / Joique Bell
• News: Theo Riddick re-aggravated a previous injury and did not return to the game against the Vikings.
• Fantasy ramification: Riddick was playing a solid game, but Joique Bell also did really well. Reggie Bush, in addition, said he will definitely play against the Saints in the upcoming week so Riddick has no fantasy value anymore. Bush and Bell are both in the RB2 conversation.

Fozzy Whittaker,  RB, CAR

• Injury: Quad
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Committee
• Back-up: Darren Reaves
• News: Whittaker left the game against the Bengals and did not return, but didn't seem too concerned with the injury afterwards.
• Fantasy ramification: You really don't want any of the Panther running backs at this point. None seem to be doing too much and I should note that Stewart has a solid chance of coming back this upcoming week. Stewart may be worth a plug-and-play shot if you're in need.

Wide Receivers:

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG

• Injury: Torn patellar tendon
• Status: Out
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Rueben Randle / Odell Beckham JR.
• News: Victor Cruz did not return to the game after tearing his patellar tendon on a non-contact injury. He will be out for the season, most likely.
• Fantasy ramification: Well, first and foremost, it was sad to see Cruz go off like that. But in the fantasy world, we have to move on and talk about replacements. Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham are now MUST haves in the fantasy world. I know they struggled Sunday night, but they should turn it around and have a nice season. Rueben Randle also gets a ton of red-zone looks. I prefer Randle over Beckham Jr. at this point in time.

Eddie Royal, WR, SD

• Injury: Ribs
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Slot Receiver
• Back-up: Malcom Floyd / Seyi Ajirotutu
• News: Royal left the game against the Raiders and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Royal was actuall having a pretty solid season thus far and was a solid WR3, but it's now a wait-and-see moment here in seeing how he heals. In the meantime, Ajirotutu will replace him who isn't a fantasy option at all. Floyd, Allen, and Gates all get a slight boost.

If you enjoy this post, follow @HarutNFL_FFBall for more information, advice, and much more fantasy football related.

Quarterbacks:

Drew Stanton, QB, ARI

• Injury: Concussion
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Logan Thomas
• News: Drew Stanton was knocked out of the game against Denver after taking a shot to the head and was later diagnosed with a concussion.
• Fantasy ramification: The fantasy appeal here is low. Logan Thomas looked decent in relief and until proven otherwise, neither of these guys are fantasy options. The player to watch in Arizona is how Carson Palmer is progressing because it is hurting everyone's value out in Arizona at this point.

Jake Locker, QB, TEN

• Injury: Thumb
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Charle Whitehurst
• News: Jake Locker got hurt yet again against the Browns this week and did not return to the game. He had x-rays on his thumb which came back clean and is slated for an MRI on Monday.
• Fantasy ramification: Locker was never a fantasy option and neither will Whitehurst be. I don't think either of the quarterbacks starting affect any of the fantasy appeal around them. Nothing to see here from a fantasy standpoint.

Running Backs:

Reggie Bush, RB, DET

• Injury: Ankle
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Joique Bell / George Winn
• News: Reggie Bush suffered an ankle injury against the Bills and downplayed it afterwards, but did say he'll take a wait and see approach so his status is in question.
• Fantasy ramification: There may be quite a bit of shifting going around in this backfield. If Bush can't go, Joique Bell will be the primary back, assuming he goes. Bell was cleared for activities late in the week, but was inactive; most likely due to missed practice time. He should be good to go, but if neither of these backs are good to go, George Winn will probably be the guy. Bell will be an RB2 if Bush can't go.

Rashad Jennings, RB, NYG

• Injury: Knee
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Andre Williams
• News: Rashad Jennings exited the matchup with the Falcons with a knee injury and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Andre Williams looked great in relief of Rashad Jennings which doesn't please Jennings owners at this point. Jennings had a great matchup with the Falcons and unfortunately got a bit banged up. He will have an MRI on Monday to see if there is any further damage. It's a wait and see game here, but Andre Williams is definitely worth the add at this point as we await news. They may start using him some more as well.

Montee Ball,  RB, DEN

• Injury: Groin
• Status: Doubtful
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Ronnie Hillman / C.J. Anderson
• News: Montee Ball left the game against the Cardinals after not doing much and did not return. Early reports are that he will be out "for a while" which certainly isn't good news.
• Fantasy ramification: Ronnie Hillman has to be the top waiver wire pick-up of the week now. Ball's chances aren't looking good and he hasn't done much to prove he'll assume the starting role when/if he does come back. Hillman is the better add, but Anderson is a player to own as well. Hillman was working as the change of pace back with Ball healthy and should assume most of the work in the backfield as it stands.

Donald Brown,  RB, SD

• Injury: Concussion
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Branden Oliver
• News: Donald Brown left the game against the Jets with a concussion injury after taking a hit to the head.
• Fantasy ramification: The UDFA made his name known on Sunday even when Brown was still in. Oliver is a strong add in all leagues at this point as he was clearly the better back on Sunday. Even if Donald Brown plays, Oliver should get quite some work. He's a small, but strong back that had over 150 total yards and two touchdowns against a tough Jets defense.

Zac Stacy,  RB, STL

• Injury: Calf
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Benny Cunningham
• News: Stacy left the game against the Eagles with a calf injury and it appeared serious as he was quickly ruled out of the game.
• Fantasy ramification: The Rams like both their running-backs and this is awful news for both Zac Stacy and his fantasy owners. Cunningham will be a hot waiver wire pick-up as well as we wait and see what happesn with Stacy. Stacy was having a pretty nice game, but shortly after his exit, Cunningham scored a touchdown for the Rams and we may be seeing more of that soon. Like Montee Ball, Stacy could lose his job if he is to miss an extended amount of time.

Fred Jackson,  RB, BUF

• Injury: Sprained Ankle
• Status: Probable
• Depth Chart: Timeshare with C.J. Spiller
• Back-up: C.J. Spiller
• News: Fred Jackson apparently sprained his ankle late in the game against the Lions, but finished the game.
• Fantasy ramification: If Fred Jackson misses any time, Spiller is an automatic RB2 with upside, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Fred Jackson should be fine as he finished the game and is a strong RB2 in PPR formats and a RB2/Flex in standard formats.

Wide Receivers:

Calvin Johnson, WR, DET

• Injury: Ankle
• Status: Questionable At Best
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Golden Tate / Jeremy Ross
• News: Calvin Johnson looked like a decoy yet again and on his lone catchgot hurt bad and did not return.
• Fantasy ramification: Calvin Johnson hasn't done his fantasy owners any favors after his huge week one outing and it's not looking good for him to suit up next week against the Vikings. Golden Tate automatically becomes a WR3 with upside. The severity of his ankle injury is not known yet, but don't count on him for the time being as he hasn't done much these past few weeks although he's been active. Jeremy Ross would be an interesting add if Calvin misses some time, but he isn't a reccommended fantasy option at this point.

Danny Amendola, WR, NE

• Injury: Head
• Status: Probable
• Depth Chart: Slot Receiver
• Back-up: Aaron Dobson
• News: Cecil Shorts left the game against the Chargers with another hamstring injury.
• Fantasy ramification: Danny Amendola left the game briefly and was being evaluated for a possible concussion, but passed all his tests and was cleared to return. No fantasy appeal here either way. The Patriots just haven't used him enough or looked at him at all in the first five weeks.

Malcom Floyd, WR, SD

• Injury: Calf
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Eddie Royal
• News: Malcom Floyd left the game against the Jets after a calf injury and didn't return.
• Fantasy ramification: Eddie Royal's value, despite having an off game, seems to have just gone up if Floyd misses some time. Either way, Royal has been playing more and more snaps each week. People will point to his fluky couple of games last year, but this year may be different. Hang onto Royal if you have him, and pick him up if you don't. He's a WR4 with upside and a WR3 if Floyd misses time.

Tight Ends:

Jimmy Graham, TE, NO

• Injury: Shoulder
• Status: Questionable
• Depth Chart: Starter
• Back-up: Benjamin Watson
• News: Jimmy Graham got hurt early against the Buccaneers and returned for a couple of plays, but couldn't handle the pain and left for good.
• Fantasy ramification: The good news is Jimmy Graham will have the bye week to get healthier. Early reports suggest that the injury isn't believed to be too serious which is also good news. If he does miss time, Benjamin Watson could be a streamer option at an extremely weak tight end position.

Heading into this Saturday's list of games, potential for upsets and revised rankings was sure to be a list of topic's placed near the backburner-not only in the world of college football but for the Irish as well.

Not many expected teams like OU or UCLA to lose games this past Saturday.

Alabama was a favorite and Texas A&M was on a path to the Final 4 at seasons end.

Notre Dame was not concerned with being the underdog on a cold and wet day, nor their slotted rank afterwords.

Their focused on each Saturday and their play dictates that thought. Adversity struck a blow before the Rice game, penalty and turnover plagued games have come and gone and injuries have healed.

Most teams would focus on off-field issues and attempt to overcome adversity and contend with projected rankings.

It's clear the Irish have moved past rankings and suspensions-but the cloud still remains.

The lingering case regarding it's 5 suspended players continues, with all 5 having finished with the hearing phase of things on Friday.

What also is transpiring is a closer look and evaluation of the entire process and the fact that so much time has elapsed with a decision yet to be made where penalties-if any-are concerned.

"If it is determined that student-athletes would have been ineligible during past competition, Notre Dame will voluntarily impose appropriate sanctions, report our findings to the NCAA, and await its independent review," Paul J. Browne, vice president for public affairs and communications, said in the release.

"Due to the complexity of cases involving multiple disciplines, comprehensive honesty committees were impaneled to review memoranda and extensive exhibits compiled in connection with the general counsel's initial inquiry, interview witnesses and the subjects of the hearings, and potentially impose sanctions subject to appeal," Browne said in the release. "A faculty reporter was also appointed to review voluminous material collected during the general counsel's investigation to identify cases for the comprehensive committees' review."

On the field, it's very clear that Notre Dame has turned the page on it's defense-which has climbed into the top 10- and Golson is a leader and player that will win games on his own.

Golson threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Ben Koyack in the corner of the end zone with 61 seconds left to give Notre Dame it's 5th win in 2014.

The top ranked defense of Stanford gave up 370 yards of offense, while the Irish defense yielded only 205 total yards.

205 total yards, only 1.5 yards per rushing attempt and a modest 4.4 yards per pass completion and only 14 first downs on the day.

Ty Montgomery for Stanford was a primary focus heading into the game, but was of little factor at the end of the day, which is primarily the handy work of Cole Luke and Jaylon Smith. Montgomery finished the afternoon with only 26 yards and Luke ended the day for the Irish with 2 interceptions.

Heading into Saturday, one favorable matchup Stanford was looking forward to was the size gap between the larger receivers for the Cardinal and the alleged smaller unit for the Irish on defense. Luke proved the theory is meaningless.

To end the game, Elijah Shumate sacked quarterback Kevin Hogan who was also flagged for intentional grounding on the play, which cleared the remaining 10 seconds off the game clock.

Shadowing 2012 and the performance the defense put on that year may be closer to reality, and the Irish continue on this path without it's top backend player-KeiVarae Russell.

And to stamp the rankings of both defenses combined, on the day the punters totaled 492 yards.

Another major positive for Notre Dame on this day was the sole penalty for 10 yards, along with only 2 turnovers.

Against the nation's top ranked defense, Notre Dame had little trouble establishing it's passing attack. Golson was 20 of 43 on the wet day, with a 17 yard touchdown to Chris Brown and the eventual game winner to Koyack late.

The Irish receivers averaged over 12 yards per reception.

In the aftermath, the Irish vaulted into the top 5 and the dredded 'Heisman' talk again has surfaced for an Irish player with Golson.

The Irish are focused on one thing and that's winning each game, one at a time.

Golson may end up on stage alongside Todd Gurley and others, but again- it's not the goal.

The Irish are doing things this season unlike what many expected.

Several pundits had the Irish losing to Michigan and Stanford at this point.

The defense was to be but a shell of any previous unit that took the field.

Golson was questioned if he would morph into the player of 2012.

Clearly the Irish have 2 favorable areas that can win alot of games and take a team into the playoffs at seasons end:

They have stamped the position of quarterback with the resurgence of the play and leadership through Golson. He will win games if needed and he will rack up stats when the window presents itself.

And the defense, in all it's youth- is not losing games as projected. The play of freshmen Drew Tranquill and Andrew Trumbetti has enhanced a frontline that is now becoming a force offenses may not have anticipated weeks ago.

Notre Dame must now prepare for North Carolina and not do the unthinkable of looking forward to Florida State.

"Upset Weekend" has passed with the magnitude not seen in year's.

But it can happen again, even if for only one game.

Currently, 'upset' is pinned to next Saturday's game in South Bend down in Chapel Hill.