SUNDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

VINNY TESTAVERDE UPDATE
Vinny Testaverde experienced back stiffness Saturday morning and has been added to the injury report as questionable, the Carolina Observer reports. David Carr is the fallback option if Testavderde can't go.

AHMAN GREEN UPDATE
Ahman Green will miss his fifth straight game on Sunday. However, the Texans don't need an extra player right now, so he won't head to injured reserve at this point, according to the Houston Chronicle. "We're in a position with our roster where we don't have to force our hand," he said. "Let's hope for the best, and hope he steps out here next week ready to play again."

REGGIE BUSH UPDATE
Reggie Bush took part in limited practices Wednesday and Thursday before skipping Friday's session due to his bruised shin and sore ankle. "I'm hopeful with the work Reggie has gotten, we'll have him," coach Sean Payton told the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

MICHAEL PITTMAN UPDATE
Michael Pittman hasn't practiced this week after aggravating his ailing ankle last week, according to the St. Petersburg Times.

JESSE CHATMAN UPDATE
The Dolphins consider Jesse Chatman to be questionable for Monday's game due to an injured right ankle. "We'll make that decision in a couple of days. We don't need to make it yet." coach Cam Cameron told the Miami Herald, "It can come a long way by [Saturday]. We have a significant practice [Saturday] and a walk-through on Sunday, so we've still got some time."

REGGIE WILLIAMS UPDATE
Reggie Williams was a late addition to the Jaguars' injury report on Friday. He's listed as questionable due to a back injury, according to the Florida Times-Union.

DJ HACKETT UPDATE
D.J. Hackett was held out of practice Wednesday and Thursday because of his sore knee. However, he was able to return to the mix for Friday's session, according to the Seattle Times.

TODD HEAP UPDATE
The Ravens are listing Todd Heap as doubtful for Sunday's game due to his ailing hamstring.

BUSTED BRUISED & BROKEN

David Kaye, FFI

AFC Injury Report
New England Patriots running back Sammy Morris (chest) was placed on injured reserve last week and will miss the remainder of the season.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Roscoe Parrish (thigh contusion) left Sunday’s victory over the woeful Bengals early and is listed as questionable for this week’s matchup against the winless Dolphins.

Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro wide receiver Chad Johnson (sprained neck) was carted off the field during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss and the severity of his injury is unknown at this point. While the CT scan administrated to Johnson after the game came back negative, it is still too early to question whether the electrifying wideout will be able to suit up for Sunday’s game against the division rival Ravens.

The reoccurring knee injuries for Houston Texans running back Ahman Green surfaced again in Sunday’s road victory at Oakland as he was forced to leave the game early. Green has missed three games this season and has transpired into a monumental disappointment for the coaching staff. He’s currently listed as probable for November 18th against the streaking Saints.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison (knee) has missed the previous two games and is questionable for Sunday night’s showdown against the Chargers.

Rookie Anthony Gonzalez (hand) sustained a broken bone and is also questionable for this weekend’s game.

Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson (foot sprain) was relegated to crutches following Sunday’s home loss to the Packers and it appears highly unlikely that he’ll be able to play this weekend against Denver.

Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (hamstring) is probable for Sunday’s game against the Broncos.

Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler (leg contusion) was badly hit in the lower leg by 340 pound defensive tackle Shaun Rogers during the second quarter of Sunday’s blowout loss to Detroit and his status for this weekend’s contest is still unknown. Initially, Cutler believed he suffered a hairline fracture in his leg, but an MRI confirmed that he had staved off a serious injury.

Running back Travis Henry (knee) is questionable for Sunday’s game at Kansas City after sitting out the forth quarter of Sunday’s 44-7 loss.

NFC Injury Report
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (concussion) was carted off the field during the second quarter of Sunday’s surprising 35-17 victory over the Chargers and is listed as questionable for this weekend’s game at Green Bay.

Carolina Panthers multi-versatile wide receiver Steve Smith (hip contusion) is currently probable for Sunday’s game against the Falcons.

Quarterback David Carr (concussion) is questionable for Sunday’s matchup with Atlanta after being hit by defensive tackle Tony Brown in the fourth quarter. Carr was sacked seven times in Sunday’s 20-7 loss to the Titans.

Atlanta Falcons running back Jerious Norwood (right ankle) is questionable for Sunday’s game at Carolina after injuring his ankle twice against the 49ers.

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (back) is expected to suit up against the Saints as his team searches for their first victory of the season.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Deion Branch (knee) has missed the past three games and has not been in the lineup since week five at Pittsburgh. He’s questionable for Monday night’s game against San Francisco.

WAIVER WIRE HELP

SEARCHING THE SCRAP HEAP
QUINN GRAY (QB-JAX)- Far from a finished product, Gray has been making strides since an embarrassing Monday night performance versus Indianapolis two weeks ago. Against the Saints, the career-backup showed his big-play ability by completing an 80-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Williams. On the day, Gray connected on 20 of 33 pass attempts for 354 yards and two touchdowns. While his three interceptions may be a bit disconcerting, there’s no doubt that this former NFL Europa championship winner has the physical tools to be a competent passer. Gray will have to put the ball in the air in next week’s matchup with a Tennessee Titans defense ranked first in rushing yards allowed to the opposition.

KELLEN CLEMENS (QB-NYJ)- Previously featured in Ones to Watch, the 24-year-old Clemens is clear upgrade over the ragged-armed Chad Pennington. In Sunday’s overtime loss to the Redskins, Clemens was out of sync with his receivers on some plays, but did an excellent job of delivering most of his throws on a rope in completing 23 of 42 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown. The second-year signal caller will have no choice but to air it out 35 to 40 times a game this season on a defensively-challenged New York Jets squad that will be hard pressed to stop anyone from scoring big points.

J.P. LOSMAN (QB-BUF)- Losman did his job, and then some, versus an ineffective Bengals defense by unleashing his cannon arm to the tune of 295 yards and a touchdown along with gaining 21 yards on the ground. The erratic quarterback was in control for most of he game with the exception of a woefully-underthrown strike to Lee Evans which landed in the hands of cornerback Leon Hall. Losman is a definite start in next week’s game against the Dolphins provided that Trent Edwards sits out another week with his wrist ailment.

PRIEST HOLMES (RB-KC)- The diagnosis on Larry Johnson’s lower-leg injury could make the 34-year-old Holmes the free agent pickup of the week. Holmes isn’t the player he once was, but a larger workload should enable him to be a productive runner even if his old highlight-reel plays may be a thing of the past. The former star is still a quality receiver out of the backfield.

REGGIE WILLIAMS (WR-JAX)- The 6’4” Williams may not be the most dynamic receiver around, but he does know how to score. The University of Washington product finally flashed some big ability on a 80-yard touchdown reception versus the Saints---his fourth of the season. The 24-year-old wide out is still young enough to significantly improve and shed the bust tag that many have labled him with.

D.J. HACKETT (WR-SEA)- Billed as everyone’s fantasy sleeper prior to the start of the season, Hackett has fallen off the radar screen ever since going down with a high ankle sprain. In his return to action versus Cleveland, the young receiver scored a 6-yard touchdown on a inside slant play. In total, Hackett recorded 6 receptions for 58 yards. The 6’2” wide out is a strong player with good downfield speed, who plays with exceptional determination.

VERNON DAVIS (TE-SF)- There’s really no way Vernon Davis should be available in anyone’s league, but in the off chance he is---claim him right now! Back healthy after a sprained MCL injury earlier in the year, Davis has been the one bright spot on an anemic 49ers offense the past two weeks. In San Francisco’s week 9 loss to the Falcons, Davis caught seven passes for 79 yards and was stopped one yard short of hitting pay dirt. This physical freak is poised for a huge second half.

ONES TO WATCH
KEVIN KOLB (QB-PHI)- Can the Kevin Kolb era be too far away with another uninspiring performance by Donovan McNabb, who seemed obsessed (as he has all year) with throwing dump-off passes to running back Brian Westbrook in Philadelphia’s embarrassing 38-17 loss at home. By all indications, McNabb will not be resigned at the end of the season leaving Kolb as the heir apparent to lead the Eagle offense in 2008. At 6’3” 218 pounds, Kolb is a big quarterback armed with a quick release, mobility, arm strength and good decision-making skills.

MAURICE HICKS (RB-SF)- Hicks and Michael Robinson filled in for a hobbled Frank Gore versus Atlanta in week nine. While Robinson received most of the carries, Hicks displayed better big-play ability by rushing for 49 yards on only seven carries, including a nine-yard touchdown run.

MICHAEL ROBINSON (RB-SF)- In filling in for the injured Frank Gore, Robinson gained a workmanlike 67 yards on 17 carries. While fellow back Maurice Hicks is the more explosive player, Robinson is the bigger man (6’1” 218 pounds) who’ll be better equipped to take on the majority of the carries if Gore sits out for an extended period of time.

T.J. DUCKETT (RB-DET)- Previously highlighted in Ones to Watch during the preseason, Duckett has reappeared on the scene by gaining 48 yards on only five carries, including a three yard touchdown run versus the Broncos in week nine. In the coming weeks, Detroit may be looking to save lead runner Kevin Jones from taking too much punishment and make the 250-pounder their primary option on short-yardage and goal-line plays.

TIM DWIGHT (WR-OAK)- This journeyman may have some value on a Raiders squad plagued with a dearth of downfield threats. Dwight was on the receiving end of a 28-yard touchdown pass from Josh McCown in Oakland’s 24-17 loss at the hands of the Houston Texans. The one-time Atlanta Falcon is a smallish wide out with superior run-after-catch skills.

BILLY MILLER (TE-NO)- It was Miller time in New Orleans this Sunday as backup tight end Billy Miller posted a season-high 75 yards on three catches, including a 57-yard reception. The eight-year professional may be getting some more looks in the coming weeks behind a injury-prone Eric Johnson. Playing with a red-hot Drew Brees is also a plus.

SCOTT SUISHAM (K-WASH)- Suisham was the difference maker in Washington’s 23-20 overtime-win over the lowly New York Jets by connecting on four field goals---three of which came from 40 yards and beyond. The native Canadian displayed remarkable accuracy on all his kicks with all four of them splitting the uprights. Suisham could be an intriguing fantasy option in weeks 11 and 12, as the Redskins travel to warm-weather sites in their games versus the Cowboys and Buccaneers respectively.

NFL DAILY DOSE

PATRICK RAMSEY ENTERS FOR JAY CUTLER
Denver Broncos QB Patrick Ramsey completed 29-of-46 passes for 262 yards, one touchdown, one interception and one fumble lost in the team's Week 9 game. Jay Cutler (leg) injured his lower leg during the team's Week 9 game. He said he will undergo an MRI and hopes it is only a bruise.

KELLEN CLEMENS: NOT GOOD, NOT BAD
New York Jets QB Kellen Clemens was 23-for-42 for 226 yards with one touchdown Week 9 against the Washington Redskins. He gained another 48 rushing yards on seven carries.

DAVID CARR DOES THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
Tennessee Titans sacked Carolina Panthers QB David Carr seven times during their Week 9 game. DT Albert Haynesworth finished the game with three sacks. It was the first time since Oct. 9, 2005, that the team was able to sack the quarterback this much.

JP LOSMAN RISES TO OCCASION
Buffalo Bills QB J.P. Losman completed 24-of-34 passes for 295 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the team's Week 9 game.

ADRIAN PETERSON HAS RECORD DAY
After a global search, the Vikings have found the secret to winning: Hand the ball to Adrian Peterson and wait for him to reach 200 yards. Sunday, they rode Peterson's NFL-record 296-yard performance to a 35-17 victory over San Diego.

TRAVIS HENRY SUFFERS ANOTHER INJURY
Denver Broncos RB Travis Henry (knee) injured his left knee during the team's Week 9 game. He sat out the entire fourth quarter. He said he will be fine after the game

EARNEST GRAHAM THE WORKHORSE
Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Earnest Graham carried the ball 34 times for 124 yards with one touchdown Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals.

JUSTIN FARGAS STEALING JOB
Oakland Raiders RB Justin Fargas ran for 104 yards off of 23 carries with one touchdown Week 9.

THE DAYNE TRAIN RUNS EXPRESS
Houston Texans RB Ron Dayne carried the ball 21 times for 122 yards with one touchdown Week 9.

CHAD JOHNSON OK
Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson made the team's charter flight Sunday night at 7 p.m. after being hospitalized briefly. He had been taken by ambulance to a Buffalo hospital from Ralph Wilson Stadium after suffering a neck injury late in the Bengals' 33-21 loss Sunday to the Buffalo Bills."

ANTHONY GONZALEZ INJURED
Indianapolis Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez (finger) suffered a finger injury in the first half of the team's Week 9 game.

BRANDON LLYOD LEFT HOME
In another incident that could hasten his departure from the Washington Redskins, wide receiver Brandon Lloyd missed a recent meeting and was prohibited from accompanying the team to yesterday's game, a 23-20 victory in overtime over the New York Jets at Giants Stadium.

KELLEN WINSLOW HAS BIG DAY
Cleveland Browns TE Kellen Winslow caught 11 passes for 125 yards during the team's Week 9 game.

PATRIOTS WIN A NAIL-BITER
Along with eight blowouts, the Pats have added a nail-biter to the their 9-0 record, as they were forced to come from behind to take out the Indianapolis Colts, 24-20, yesterday at the RCA Dome.

NFL DAILY DOSE

FANTASY ALERT: MAURICE HICKS
Frank Gore was listed as questionable on Friday's injury report because of a lingering ankle sprain. Although his playing status against the Falcons will be a game-time decision, neither coach Mike Nolan nor the player sounded optimistic about Gore's chances.

SHAUN ALEXANDER UPDATE
Shaun Alexander will wear a cast over his broken wrist again this weekend. "Everybody has injuries, and mine is just a bummer," Alexander said, according to the Seattle Times.

RUDI JOHNSON TO BE LIMITED
Rudi Johnson is expected to return to action on Sunday, though it's not clear if he or Kenny Watson will start, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

TEXANS RB UPDATE
Ahman Green is expected to be active Sunday after missing last week's game with a knee injury. "Ahman has had a good week of practice," coach Gary Kubiak said, according to the Houston Chronicle. "He's ready to go." Adimchinobe Echemandu should be able to play through his sore hamstring on Sunday. "Adimchinobi looks fine, has looked fine," coach Gary Kubiak told the Houston Chronicle.

ANDRE JOHNSON UPDATE
The Texans have decided against bringing Andre Johnson back for this weekend's game against the Raiders. Instead, the club expects him to return after their Week 10 bye, according to the Houston Chronicle.

TROY WILLIAMSON TO ATTEND FUNERAL
The Vikings will play Sunday without Troy Williamson in the mix. He's going to be away from the team to plan and attend his grandmother's funeral, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

ROD SMITH CAREER OVER?
The Broncos ruled Rod Smith out for the rest of the season on Wednesday, according to the Denver Post.

WEEK NINE FANTASY PREVIEW

Dan Lewis, Fantasy Football Insiders

San Diego @ Minnesota
San Diego’s blowout over the Texans last week didn’t really tell me much about the Chargers. Chris Chambers owners were glad to see he got 5 of 6 targets to WRs in the game, and that he caught a TD. Chambers maintained his high-target, low-reception ratio that he’s used to from the Dolphins, so he seems at home in San Diego. Minny’s Adrian Peterson came back to reality and was held in check by the Eagles. Bad matchup for him and Chester Taylor this week: the Chargers have allowed only 2 rushing TDs to date. Tarvaris Jackson will be back in this week after Kelly Holcomb was injured. Who cares?

Arizona @ Tampa Bay
Kurt Warner will be starting again for the Cardinals, so keep an eye on what sort of kooky injury he will suffer in this one. The Cardinals have a pretty bad defense, so start Earnest Graham, who is clearly still favored by Gruden over Michael Bennett. Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard are both strong plays in this one.

Carolina @ Tennessee
If anyone is still starting Vince Young, you need to stop. Now. LenDale White is making a strong move to become the featured back in Tennessee, but rookie Chris Henry is keeping up with him. White gets the bulk of the carries, and gets goal line carries, so he remains the stronger option. Carolina’s pointless offense remains pointless. It says something about David Carr when you read that he is forced back into the lineup because Vinny Testaverde is injured. David Carr is bad… DeShaun Foster is a sit against the Titans.

Green Bay @ Kansas City
Ryan Grant did what no other Packer runner could: gain 100 yards rushing. Granted, it was against the porous Broncos, but this was the first time this season that the Packers really committed to the run game. Kansas City is decent against the run, but isn’t great. Coach Mike McCarthy was apparently beaming when talking about Grant after the game, so I’d start him as a flex if you need him. The Packers’ defense is good, but not good enough to bench your Chiefs. Despite an iffy matchup, get Dwayne Bowe in there.

Washington @ New York Jets
Here’s a matchup between two teams that looked kinda pathetic last week. Kellen Clemens is finally replacing my beloved Penningnoodlearm at QB, but his matchup is bad this week, so look elsewhere for your desperate QB needs. Thomas Jones also has a poor matchup against this tough D. Laveranues Coles may not play this week, and if he sits, Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith will see more looks, though the Skins are tough. Leon Washington will have chances to bust a big run, and his kick returns are a bonus. Start all your Redskins, including Santana Moss, who unbenched himself last week and caught 6 passes.

Denver @ Detroit
I see a lot of points scored in this game. Denver has Champ Bailey and Dre’ Bly at CB, but the Lions are deep at receiver and have put up good points in all but one game this season. I see another good game for Kevin Jones here: if the Packers could run for over 100 on the Broncos, then anyone can. Detroit can’t stop anyone. The only question will be Travis Henry’s health, and Mike Shanahan’s dastardliness and cunning. This may be a game-time decision, so have Selvin Young ready to insert if need be.

San Francisco @ Atlanta
Frank Gore was ineffective last week, and hurt his ankle. If he plays this week, though, he’ll have a great matchup against Atlanta. If he can’t go, Michael Robinson is likely to start in his place, making him a sneaky sleeper play. Vernon Davis had maybe his best game last week, so his talent and high draft position make him alluring again. If he continues to play well he could become a solid play the rest of the year. The 49ers allow over 100 on the ground, although I cringe even thinking about starting a RB on the Falcons. Jerious Norwood is explosive, but I can’t recommend starting him or Warrick Dunn. Roddy White has been a nice surprise, but he’ll have Nate Clements on him most likely, which is tough.

Cincinnati @ Buffalo
The Bengals have been frustrating lately. Carson Palmer’s production is way down, and they’ve been pounding Kenny Watson. Rudi Johnson looks like he’ll be back this week, just in time for Watson to be out with a concussion. Watson may still play, though, but Buffalo usually allows plenty of yards for 2 backs to share. Monitor the injuries, but both are solid if they play. Ugh. J.P. Losman back at QB. I don’t know what it is, but I just hate this guy. He looks like a dummy in every headshot I’ve seen of him, and he never appears in control on the field. He just throws it as far as he can to Lee Evans. These two have done a nice job of using each other to convince an unsuspecting public of their talents. Unfortunately for us fantasy players, we have to use these idiots. Use Evans, but not Losman.

Jacksonville @ New Orleans
The scientist in me loves watching Quinn Gray out there for the Jaguars: he is so bad at passing that he creates a situation in which everyone on the field knows that they are going to run, and that if they don’t, the Visor** will throw the ball 5 yards wide of his target. We don’t see many controlled experiments like these in the NFL. Even though the Saints have been pretty good against the run lately, don’t expect Visor to be throwing much, cuz he can’t. If the Saints stop Fred Taylor and MJD, then the Jags lose. Marques Colston finally broke out last week, and David Patten had another productive game. The Jags are a tough defense, but the Saints seem to have figured things out again.

**The Visor refers to Quinn Gray. Did anyone else notice that when he first came into the game against the Colts he had a dark, LaDainian-style visor on his helmet, which he later removed? Why was it on there in the first place if he wasn’t going to play with it? I like to think he didn’t know he was a quarterback until he went into the game…

Seattle @ Cleveland
Cleveland has been surprisingly prolific this year, putting up points against almost everyone they’ve played (Pittsburgh held them to 7 in Week 1). Seattle will present a challenge for them, but Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow have been very explosive lately, and are unsittable. Shaun Alexander has a great matchup against Cleveland, but he has been stopping himself lately. I’ve always gotten a weird impression from him, like he isn’t committed and doesn’t care. He’s running hesitantly this season, and has lost all explosiveness. If he can’t do anything against the Browns, I’m pronouncing him dead.

Houston @ Oakland
It looks like the Sage Rosenfels show this weekend for the Texans. Kevin Walter is his favorite target, so get him in there. The question going into the game will be which Texan RB will start. Joe Echemandu looked good last week, but left with a hammy. Ahman is dinged, and Ron Dayne is a little dinged and hasn’t been effective. You’re going to need to monitor this all week and see what they say on Sunday, but whoever starts should run very well against the Raiders. Justin Fargas has been outperforming LaMont Jordan for Oakland, and he is a decent play this week. I don’t trust the Raider receivers much because Daunte Culpepper spreads the ball and runs it himself a lot; the Texans stop opposing WRs fairly well anyway.

New England @ Indianapolis
What can I say here? You never sit anyone on either of these teams, so don’t sit anyone on either of these teams. Except Laurence Maroney, who couldn’t even score with the Patriots up 38-0. There are a few possible explanations for the Patriots’ play calling this season. Maybe Bill Belichick is a degenerate gambler who thinks he gets extra when he doubles the point spread. Maybe he has Tom Brady on his fantasy team. Maybe his opponent every week has Laurence Maroney. Maybe he’s just a big fat arrogant smug meanie. Whatever the reason, they’re unstoppable, he knows it, and he’s making sure everyone else knows it. The Kenton Keith story didn’t last too long, as he got far fewer carries last week. Joseph Addai is back to his stud fantasy form.

Dallas @ Philadelphia
Forgotten this week will be this classic divisional battle. Reggie Brown may finally be forgetting that he’s a mediocre, inconsistent receiver, which bodes well for his owners. He outperformed Kevin Curtis across the board last week, and is becoming McNabb’s favorite target. He’s got a good matchup against Dallas, too. I’d sit Julius Jones against Philly’s stout run D, but start Marion Barber, who gets all the goal line carries.

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh
The Ravens are getting McNair and Heap back this week, just in time to face Pittsburgh, who will crush them. If you have McGahee, Heap, or Derrick Mason, you’re probably starting them, but none has a good matchup here. Baltimore has been great against the run this year, but just average against the pass. Look for Roethlisberger, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes to be active in this one. Ward’s return has hurt Heath Miller’s red zone production, but he’s still a solid play.