James Morris hails from Rio Rancho, NM and has been playing fantasy sports for well over a decade. Not only does he write the Bengals fantasy section, but he also does the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers fantasy sections, as well as the Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz fantasy basketball sections in the NBA. Last season James finished with an 82 percent accuracy rating for fantasy predictions and will be here to answer any questions you may have about your specific team. Just send him an email and he will reply back the same day with your answer.
The NFL trade deadline came and went without much noise, but the good news is that the fantasy trade deadline is much later in the season so there is still time to make a move if you need to. Because of the vast amount of emails I get with trade questions I get I cannot go down each and every person you should look to trade away or trade for, but I will give you three guys to deal and three to deal for.
Carson Palmer: Outside of the Vikings in Week 14, Palmer has a very nice schedule from Week 11 until the fantasy finals. The Raiders, Browns, Lions, Chargers and Chiefs should make Palmer a must start right when the playoffs get going.
Rashard Mendenhall: I told you about Mendenhall about three weeks ago, one week before the rest of the sites started pumping him up. Now, he has the starting job all to himself and will be a top 10 play every week as the season hits the second half.
Miles Austin: I had Austin as one of my preseason sleepers. Why don't people listen to me more? Maybe you can find the guy that owns Austin and see if he thinks his big week was a one-hit wonder. Dallas needs a receiver to step up and take some attention from Roy Williams and Jason Witten, and Austin has the chance to come up big.
Mark Sanchez: I knew Sanchez would struggle because all rookie QBs struggle. Braylon Edwards should help, but a rookie is a rookie and if you can find someone willing to take him, I would gladly let someone else deal with the headache.
Willie Parker: Parker has lost his job in the NFL and should be looked at as nothing more than a handcuff to Mendenhall owners. If you have him still, find the Mendenhall owner and convince him to take him as a handcuff.
Bernard Berrian: It is time to move on from Berrian. Favre doesn't like him because he isn't getting the looks and fantasy owners are the only ones suffering. With just 234 yards in six games, I doubt you will find many takers. But, if you do, send him packing.
Eli Manning: From the bench to the front of the line this Manning brother has gone. This week the Giants face the Cardinals and their 31st-ranked passing defense. I look for both Manning brothers to have a great weekend, but it will be Eli that has the bounceback game.
Ben Roethlisberger: I normally will never tell you to start Big Ben because he has always been the classic scenario of NFL value not being equal to fantasy value. But, I am starting to believe in him this season and the Vikings give up 248.3 YPG in the air and are tied for sixth in the NFL for most passing touchdowns allowed with nine. This is a week where I play Roethlisberger.
DeAngelo Williams: Another player that you have never seen on my start list is Williams. But, this week the helpless Panthers offense gets to play the league's worst run defenders in the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have managed to allow 181.8 rushing YPG and the third-most rushing TDs at eight. The Panthers may try to get Steve Smith involved some more this week, but Williams and perhaps even Jonathan Stewart are must starts at RB and the flex, respectively.
Frank Gore: The Texans are 24th in the NFL against the run but Gore has missed the team's last 2 7/8 games with an ankle injury (he had just one carry for four yards in Week 3, so that is the 7/8). So why do I say to start him? Because the 49ers are a running team and Gore will shred them up like a starving man with a Thanksgiving turkey!
Wes Welker: A lot of people think that Brady's Week 6 performance could mean a Week 7 letdown, but that isn't the case here. New England faces off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and they are ripe for the picking. The Patriots are a pass-oriented team, so Welker is a must start this weekend as high as a WR1 in most cases.
Miles Austin: Not that he is EVER going to get you 250 yards receiving again, but Austin is someone I think will have a great game in Week 7 against the Falcons. Atlanta gives up 241 yards in the air and Tony Romo is just chomping at the bit to get all the haters off his back. Play Austin as a solid WR2.
Vernon Davis: Davis will benefit from Michael Crabtree more than Crabtree will help the team. Meaning that Davis won't be covered as much with Crabtree on the field and he can get open when the Niners decide to throw the ball. If there were anyone I would say will benefit from the play of Crabtree, it would be Davis. FYI: Don't be one of the people who pick up Crabtree, not worth the roster spot yet.
Indianapolis Colts: The Colts were on the waiver wire in about half my leagues, and with them facing the St. Louis Rams this weekend they shouldn't be. I snatched them up and so should you. I mean the Rams average just 277.8 total YPG.
Donovan McNabb: This week the Eagles face the Washington Redskins' third-ranked pass defense. McNabb looked noticeably off last week against the Raiders as he failed to throw a touchdown and took an astounding six sacks. I'd find a different option this week.
Shaun Hill: So many people are going crazy over Michael Crabtree that they are actually considering starting Shaun Hill over guys like Carson Palmer or even Matt Cassell. Don't be one of the people chasing this fool's gold. Hill isn't worth owning, let alone starting.
Pierre Thomas: Miami is holding opposing teams to just 76.4 YPG on the ground, so Thomas isn't a great option. I have a problem putting him in here because if the Saints passing game shreds Miami then the team will run it late and Thomas could snag a late garbage TD. But, I still think the odds are against Thomas and he should be sat on most benches this weekend.
Matt Forte: Forte has quickly become one of the leading candidates for fantasy bust of the year. The Bears have no identity on offense and even though my friend Chris (diehard Bears fan) thinks that makes them more dangerous, I wonder who they are a danger to exactly, the other team or themselves? Sit Forte until you have a reason not to.
Roy Williams: With the emergence of Miles Austin, Roy Williams and all his shortcomings are starting to show. I'd play Austin over Williams this week even though it should be a high scoring game indoors at home.
Santana Moss: I wanted to put Crabtree or Josh Morgan here, but there are only so many times I can tell you someone isn't worth owning or playing. The Redskins have problems from ownership to the players and everywhere in between. Jason Campbell isn't doing Moss any favors, so see if you can trade Moss based on his one good game this season.
Chris Cooley: Cooley is one of those guys that is truly all or nothing. One week he will get you 60 yards and a TD, then the next week he goes catchless or racks up a hollow 38 yards. I'd sit him this week against the Eagles because I don't think Campbell can get the job done anymore and the owner is starting to catch on.
Miami Dolphins: Miami has one of the better fantasy defenses, but so did the Giants and the Saints just decimated them last week. I wouldn't come near Miami's defense this week even if my Def1 has a bye and there are no other defenses on the waiver wire. Just take the 0 and move on.
Q: I have both Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh on my fantasy team, and I want to get Derrick Mason from free agency. So, my first question is who should I drop to pick up Derrick Mason? Second question is if I should pick up Anthony Gonzalez, and cut Nate Burleson knowing that nobody in my league will pick up Burleson this week. I want Gonzalez, but I fear if I wait too long, someone will pick him up before me.
--Ryan Nearhood, Clyde, OH*
A: The problem with Burleson and Housh is they have split 54-53 looks respectively this season, so both are getting the same amount of looks. Then they have the 59 percent - 58 percent catch percentage.
Burleson has slightly more yards and one more TD, but I think you are going to be making a mistake cutting either one for Mason. Flacco's numbers have been erratic and the Ravens have a running game to fall back on when he struggles, Seattle has no running game to speak of. If you just feel like you HAVE to get Mason, Housh has been the less productive receiver, but just by a hair.
Not yet on Gonzalez. Gonzalez is out this week and there is no word on his return date exactly. Burleson is going to be hit and miss with the horrible Seahawks team, but he is better than someone that isn't even with the team right now. I'd wait to see when his expected return date is before taking him on. If he comes back after Week 7, at what percentage is he?
