As part of the effort to continually improve our product here at the Fantasy Football Whiz, we’re making some changes to consolidate the previous “Gamebreakers” and “Who’s Hot, Or Dropping, And Trends (WHODAT)” articles. Much of the material in the two articles was similar, and this new format will hopefully allow you to get the information sooner, and in a more focused and, hopefully, entertaining manner.

So with that in mind, we present you with our own take on “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”: The W.H.I.Z. List!

The Wild -- The best of the best, the amazing and jaw-dropping performances of the past week.

The Hot – Those players who exceeded expectations or put up notable stats.

The Ineffective – Players who didn’t meet expectations, underperformed, or are raising concerns.

The Zeros – The lowest of the low, the horrible performances that led to a benching, fantasy stars that have been choking, or players who have suffered serious injuries.

Week four of the 2007 NFL season was a week of new records: Brett Favre getting TD passes 421 and 422 to break Dan Marino’s career TD record; The Giants sacking Donovan McNabb a record-tying 12 times in a single game, with Michael Strahan getting one to take the Giants all-time sack record, breaking Lawrence Taylor’s previous mark; Tony Gonzalez tying Sterling Sharpe’s TE career TD reception record with his 62nd TD; The Lions scoring an NFL-record 34 fourth-quarter points to beat the Bears.  This was a great week to submit this new Whiz article format, because we know this will be the best W.H.I.Z. List article on record, ever!  

At least until next week…

The Wild:

QB Brett Favre (GBP): Favre became the all-time NFL leader in touchdown passes in week four, taking yet another record from Dan Marino(who tried his best to show he didn’t mind, but we know better). Favre completed both TD passes 421 and 422 in a win against the Vikings, and moved the Packers to an undefeated 4-0. With very little running game, Favre has attempted 45 passes in each of the last two games, and threw for well over 300 yards in both. In week four against Minnesota, he was 32 of 45 (71.1%) for 344 yards, two TDs, and no interceptions. In the last three weeks, Favre has an impressive 8-to-1 TD-to-Interception ratio, and appears to have little reason to stop airing it out with no relief from the running game in sight.

QB Tony Romo (DAL): As part of the Cowboys’ 507 total yards in their dominating 35-7 win over the Rams, Romo completed 21 of 33 passes (63.6%) for 339 yards, three TDs, and one interception. Romo also had 24 yards rushing and a TD – although he ran for a lot more than that if you count his scramble after a wild hike from center that covered 33 yards, 29 of it back to the original line of scrimmage. Romo has frequently been compared to our other “Wild” QB, Brett Favre, and both QB’s are leading their undefeated teams with a gunslinger attitude and impressive stats so far this season.

RB Justin Fargas (OAK): Fargas came in for an injured Lamont Jordan and proceeded to rack up a career-high and week-leading 178 yards on 22 carries as the Raiders beat the Dolphins. He managed a jaw-dropping 8.1 yards-per-carry average, but he wasn’t able to find the end-zone even on some break-away runs. Fargas may never achieve these kinds of results again, but the son of Baretta’s ‘Huggy Bear’ (Antonio Fargas) had a phenomenal game in week four.

RB Ronnie Brown (MIA): On the losing side of the Raiders-Dolphins game, Ronnie Brown was also having a great day. He carried 15 times for 134 yards (8.9 avg) and a TD. He also added 73 receiving yards off of 6 receptions. Brown has had two very strong back-to-back performances and appears to be becoming the top echelon back we all thought he could be.

WR Patrick Crayton (DAL): Crayton was picture perfect in week four, catching 7 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns. He had several long receptions including his two TD catches, and more importantly – no drops. Prior to the game against the Rams, Crayton had only a total of 6 catches for 78 yards and no TDs for the year. The bad news is that the Cowboys don’t get to play the Rams every week.

WR Dwayne Bowe (KCC): Rookie Dwayne Bowe has been improving on a consistent basis and used week four to put an exclamation point on his claim for a starting role in the Kansas City offense. He made impressive moves to regularly break tackles and make defenders miss as part of 8 receptions for 164 yards and a TD. At this point, Bowe appears to be emerging as the best rookie receiver in the league.

WR Randy Moss (NEP): Moss added his fourth game in a row with over 100 yards receiving Monday night against the Bengals, with 9 catches for 102 yards and 2 TDs. Through four weeks, Moss has amassed a monstrous total of 31 receptions for 505 yards and 7 TDs – he has scored twice every week except the first one. No other free agent receiver in NFL history has had four 100-yard receiving games in a row in their first starts with their new team. He is quickly laying claim to the #1 WR title in football again. It must be something in the New England water.

TE Dallas Clark (IND): While Marvin Harrison was nursing an injury during the game against the Broncos in week 4, Dallas Clark stepped up and caught 6 passes for 76 yards and two TDs. For the season, Clark now has 19 catches for 251 yards and 4 TDs.

TE Tony Gonzalez (KCC): Gonzalez became the all-time leader in career TD receptions for a TE on Sunday, breaking Sterling Sharp’s record with a TD catch for his 62nd, in the Chiefs’ victory over the Chargers. He ended the game with 5 catches for 71 yards and that record-setting TD, upping his totals for the year to 21 catches for 238 yards, and the one TD.

PK Morten Andersen (ATL): There’s some gas left in the old tank yet. In week 4’s win over the Texans, the NFL’s oldest player made four field goals (28, 22, 36, and 46 yards) out of five attempts (missing from 42) and kicked two extra points to lead all kickers with 14 points.

DE Osi Umenyiora (NYG): Until week four, Umenyiora had only managed one sack, but exploded in the game against the Eagles with a Giants-record of 6 sacks along with 6 tackles and 2 forced fumbles. He was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts. Umenyiora lined up at many spots during the game, including linebacker, in an obviously successful attempt to confuse the Philly offense, and he delivered a single-person defensive highlight reel.

DE Jared Devries (DET): Devries came out of nowhere in relief of injured Kalimba Edwards and scored his first fantasy points of the year with an impressive 5 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles as part of the win of the Lions over the Bears. All three of his sacks came in the final minute-and-a-half of the game as Griese and the Bears struggled from behind.

LB Omar Gaither (PHI): Gaither was one of the few Eagles highlights in their loss to the Giants in week four – he amassed seven tackles, 3 assists, one pass defended, and an interception returned for 49 yards. This was the type of game many envisioned from him when he was named the starter at MLB.

LB Julian Peterson (SEA): Peterson racked up four tackles and 2 forced fumbles in the Seahawks’s victory over the 49ers in week four, and also accounted for half of the 6 sacks notched against San Francisco.

LB Ernie Sims (DET): Against the Bears, Sims was one of the centerpieces of a surprisingly tough Lions defensive showing. He scored 8 tackles, 3 assists, a forced fumble, a pass defended, and an interception.

LB Patrick Willis (SFO): Rookie Willis has become one of the top IDP scorers in his first year in the league, and is a candidate for defensive Rookie of the Year. Against the Seahawks in week four, he added 10 tackles and 2 assists to his four-week totals of 29 tackles, 9 assists, a forced fumble, and 2 passes defended.

S Jarrad Page (KCC): Page had a stellar game in week four against the Chargers. He collected 9 tackles, an assist, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and 2 passes defended as part of a dominating IDP performance. The sad part is that a lot of fantasy owners probably didn’t start him.

CB Marlin Jackson (IND): In spite of being listed as “Questionable” with a quadriceps injury prior to week four’s game against the Broncos, Jackson played and collected 6 tackles, an assist, a pass defended, a fumble recovery, and an interception. Through four weeks, he now has 31 tackles and 9 assists.

The Hot:

QB Daunte Culpepper (OAK): Culpepper started week four over an injured Josh McNown (broken toe) and led the underdog Raiders to a strong 35-17 win over the Dolphins, taking the Raiders to 2-2 and leaving Miami as one of only three winless teams. It seems odd that Culpepper’s completing 5 of only 12 attempts for a 41.7% completion percentage and only 75 passing yards would be enough to make the “Hot” category, but he threw two TDs and no interceptions as part of those 12 attempts. Plus, he also had seven rushes for 28 yards and another three TDs, giving him five TDs for the game against the team that had cut him loose three short months ago. You have to think he was doing the snoopy happy dance in the locker room after the game.

QB Peyton Manning (IND): FLASH! Peyton makes a “Hot” category again… <Yawn>  In the battle of the horses (Colts vs Broncos), Manning completed 20 of 27 passes (74.1%) for only 193 yards, but threw 2 TDs and no interceptions to give Indianapolis their fourth win. Manning also added a one-yard TD run to cap the opening drive of the second half.

QB Jon Kitna (DET): In an upset win over the Chicago Bears, Kitna connected on 20 of 24 passes (83.3%) for 247 yards and 2 TDs with no interceptions, much of it coming as the Lions scored a record-setting 34 fourth-quarter points. Kitna still had to endure another six sacks in the game, and he lost a fumble in the process, but he has proved to be a tough-as-nails spark for the Lions, who have earned as many wins in four weeks this year as it took them all of last season to get.

QB Trent Edwards (BUF): Starting for an injured J.P. Losman, rookie Trent Edwards did something that twelve other rookie QBs hadn’t been able to do since Drew Henson last did it in 2004: Get a win in his first NFL start. Edwards connected on 22 of his 28 passes (78.6%) for 234 yards, one TD, and one interception in a tightly-fought Bills 17-14 win over the Jets. The common adage in the NFL is that starters don’t lose their roles to injury, but if Edwards continues to play at this level, Losman may find himself on the bench, injured or not.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson (SDC): Even though it was in a losing effort, Tomlinson finally managed to break 100 yards on the ground for the first time this season in week 4 against the Chiefs. He carried 20 times for 132 yards (6.6 avg) including a TD, and also hauled in 5 passes for 22 yards. The concern is that virtually all of LT’s production came in the first half – he only collected 18 yards in the second half. In addition, by the end of the game he seemed to have a noticeable limp, and was obviously despondent in his post-game interviews. The Chargers are developing some serious issues this season, and if things don’t improve soon, Tomlinson may need to have his shoe laces and belt confiscated…

RB Joseph Addai (IND): Before bruising his shoulder late and watching the remainder from the sidelines, Addai carried 19 times for 136 yards (7.2 avg) and a TD. It appears that he could have returned to the game if needed, but the Colts had taken a lead of more than two TDs by then. Addai now has 407 yards though four games, and has scored at least one TD in each of them.

RB Sammy Morris (NEP): Morris filled in admirably for injured Laurence Maroney Monday night in Cincinnati. He ran 21 times for 117 yards (5.6 avg) and a TD against a much-injured Bengals defense that was focusing on stopping Brady’s passing (that didn’t work either – Brady passed for 231 yards and 3 TDs). No word yet on if Maroney will be back in week five, but if not, Morris makes for a solid RB option against the Browns.

WR Santonio Holmes (PIT): Holmes had a breakout game in week four, catching 6 passes for 128 yards and two TDs. He’d not had more than three catches in any of the first three weeks, and had been averaging just about 50 yards. Although the game resulted in a loss for the Steelers, Holmes seems ready to claim the role of the go-to guy for Roethlisberger.

WR Larry Fitzgerald (ARI): Although Fitzgerald has yet to make a TD catch this year, he was the main focus of the Cardinals passing attack in their victory over the Steelers. He pulled in 11 passes for 123 yards, and was the primary target for both quarterbacks Leinart and Warner. But one concern besides the lack of end-zone visits was that for the second week in a row, he coughed up a fumble lost to the other team.

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (CIN): Houshmandzadeh had a big game against the Patriots on Monday night – too bad it was in a losing effort. He had 10 receptions for 100 yards and a TD, and now has four weeks in a row where he has scored at least one TD. However, he can be guaranteed of having a non-productive week five – the Bengals will be on a bye.

TE Kellen Winslow (CLE): Winslow had been listed as questionable all week with a dislocated shoulder, but ended up playing in week four’s upset of Baltimore. He only caught four passes in the game, but they went for 96 yards. He now has a total of 20 receptions for 367 yards for the season with one TD and remains a top-level TE despite his many, many, many injuries.

TE Jason Witten (DAL): Witten caught another 6 passes in week four, this time for 71 yards and a TD. He is averaging 5 receptions for 76 yards each week and is an integral part of the passing game in Dallas.

TE Desmond Clark (CHI): Even with rookie ‘stud-to-be’ Greg Olsen in Chicago, Desmond Clark has still remained a key part of the offense. In week 4’s loss to the Lions, Clark pulled in 7 catches for 44 yards and his first TD catch of the year – Olsen didn’t have a catch all game. Clark seems to still have a slight edge over Olsen, even in close-yardage red zone packages.

PK Dave Rayner (KCC): Rayner played his part in a Chiefs win, batting 1.000 for the day with 3 of 3 field goals (21, 25, and 41 yards) and 3 of 3 extra points.

DT Darnell Dockett (ARI): Dockett was a big part of the reason Roethlisberger and Willie Parker struggled against the Cardinals. He racked up 5 tackles, an assist, three sacks, and a forced fumble during the game.

DE Justin Tuck (NYG): Tuck was another Giant defender who took part in the sack-fest of Eagles QB McNabb, collecting 2 sacks in addition to 6 tackles and an assist. Tuck has been the only consistent player on the Giants D-line.

DE Marques Douglas (SFO): With 8 tackles, an assist, and a sack, Douglas was part of a Forty-Niners defense that was on the field too long in a 23-3 loss to the Seahawks.

LB Mathias Kiwanuka (NYG): Against the Eagles, Kiwanuka scored 5 tackles, 2 assists, and SURPRISE! – 3 sacks of QB Donovan McNabb. McNabb has since had a restraining order put out against the Giants defense. They are not to get within 50 feet of him.

LB D.J. Williams (DEN): Williams was one of the leader tacklers of week four, getting 11 solos and 2 assists in a losing effort against the Colts. Bet’cha he felt like a kitten chasing a ball of yarn all day.

LB Paris Lenon (DET): Along with Ernie Sims, Lenon helped anchor an unexpectedly strong outing by the Detroit Lions in week four against the Bears. Sims racked up 8 tackles, 2 assists, and a sack in the game. He also swears that he doesn’t have a sex tape.

CB Marcus Trufant (SEA): Against the 49ers, Trufant racked up 3 tackles, 4 passes defended, and 2 interceptions with 54 return yards. Trufant was a big part of why San Francisco did not make it to the end-zone in their 23-3 loss to the Seahawks.

CB Keith Smith (DET): Smith helped the Lions score an NFL-record 34 points in their come-from-behind victory over Chicago in week four by intercepting a pass and returning it 64 yards for a touchdown. Fellow Lions CB Fernando Bryant also contributed to the Lions defense with 6 tackles, 2 assists, 3 passes defended, and an interception.

CB Leigh Bodden (CLE): In a victory over the Ravens, Bodden added 7 tackles, 2 passes defended, and an interception.

The Ineffective:

QB Alex Smith (SFO): Smith was sacked by Rocky Bernard and injured his shoulder on the third play of the game. Depending on the severity of the shoulder separation, he may be gone for the rest of the season should it require surgery. Smith was thought by many to be ready to take his game to a higher level this year, but so far he has under-performed expectations, and now with an injury that will likely cause him to miss some significant time, Smith is bench material for the foreseeable future.

QB Phillip Rivers (SDC): After throwing for over 300 yards and two TDs in week three, Rivers managed to complete only 21 of 42 passes (50.0%) for 211 yards and no TDs in week 4. But he did throw two interceptions and also lost a fumble which was returned for a touchdown to give Kansas City their final score. Rivers was consistently pressured by a persistent pass rush and was off-target on many of his passes as San Diego let the Chiefs come from behind to take a 30-16 victory over the floundering 1-3 Chargers. River’s final incomplete passes were even thrown to the crowd chanting “Mar-ty! Mar-ty!” looking for fired ex-coach Marty Schottenheimer to come back and restore order to this struggling franchise.

QB Matt Leinart (ARI): For the second week in a row, Leinart took part in a QBBC with Kurt Warner in week four as the Cardinals managed an unexpected 21-14 win over the Steelers. Leinart got the start, but was pulled for Warner in the second quarter. Yet Leinart returned to the game again in the fourth quarter once the Cardinals were in the lead. For the day, Leinart was only 7 of 14 for 93 yards and no TDs or interceptions. Even though the Cardinals won and it appears Leinart will remain the “starting” QB, Warner can step into the game at any point and continue to take reps away from Leinart. With this in mind, it is hard to consider Leinart a reliable fantasy starter any longer, and I would go even further and say that Warner may be a better option at this point.

RB Willie Parker (PIT): Fast Willie basically came to a grinding stop in week four. He had rushed for over 100 yards in each of the previous three weeks, but managed only 37 yards on 19 carries (1.9 avg) and no TDs against the Cardinals in a loss. Parker was frequently dealing with defenders in the backfield and never established a rhythm. Parker will surely rebound, but his fantasy owners suffered a big let-down this week.

RB Brian Leonard (STL): With Steven Jackson out with an injury, highly heralded rookie Brian Leonard was given the start in week 4 and his owners hoped for a solid showing. But against the Cowboys, Leonard only got 16 carries in a lopsided loss, and managed only 58 yards (3.6 avg) and no TDs with the few touches he got. Jackson himself had been struggling in St. Louis, and Leonard seems destined to do the same as long as the O-line continues it’s very sloppy play.

RB Thomas Jones (NYJ): Jones had carried for 110 yards in week 3 against the Dolphins, and fantasy owners were hoping for a good game against the Bills in spite of persistent injury concerns. But Jones only collected 35 yards on 12 carries (2.9 avg) and then watched Leon Washington get the bulk of the work as the primary passing-down option in the second half. Washington caught 8 passes and only rushed 4 times, but he did have the only Jets rushing TD of the game.

WR Chris Chambers (MIA): Chambers had averaged 7 receptions for over 100 yards in his first three games. In a week four loss to the Raiders, he pulled in only 2 passes for 21 yards. He should bounce back from this down week, but one concern remaining is that in four weeks he has yet to find the end-zone.

WR Dwayne Jarrett (CAR): While the other rookie “Dwayne” had a stellar game for the Chiefs (8 catches for 164 yards and a TD), Dwayne Jarrett also had his best performance of the year for the Panthers: He actually caught a pass -- his first of the year – for 6 whole yards. Rookies are always a crap-shoot, but Jarrett was still expected to have a much larger role. But a catch is a catch, and he can only improve from this meager NFL debut.

WR Joey Galloway (TBB): Galloway must have either ticked off QB Jeff Garcia or Head Coach John Gruden, since it appeared he was the ‘forgotten man’ in week four. He wasn’t even targeted on a pass attempt until the fourth quarter, and finished the day with only one reception for all of 7 yards. Garcia spent his efforts on the other side of the field, where Ike Hilliard had seven receptions for 114 yards, all in the first half. Galloway has a tendency to have 0-fer’s at times during the season, but tends to bounce back right after.

TE Zach Miller (OAK): Rookie TE Miller has been working slowly into Oakland’s offense. Through three weeks, he had at least one catch in each game. With Daunte Culpepper starting for the Raiders in week four, it was thought that Miller might see a bit more action. It didn’t happen. Miller was held completely without a catch in week four. He has the skills to develop into a top-notch TE, but so far it looks like it’s going to be a slow process.

TE Jeremy Shockey (NYG): Shockey had caught five passes each game through the first three weeks, and had been steadily improving in yardage (41, 60, and then 79 yards). It came to a screeching halt in week 4 against the Eagles – he caught only one pass for 17 yards. No reason for panic – TE’s often have off weeks. But knowing that it can happen doesn’t make it any easier to take when it does.

PK Matt Stover (BAL): As part of a generally under-performing Ravens team, Stover made only two of his four field goal attempts of the game, leading the week in missed field goals.

DE Jared Allen (KCC): After a monster performance in week 3 following his two-week suspension (8 tackles, a forced fumble, 2 sacks, and 2 passes defended), Allen came up very quiet in the game against the Chargers. He recorded only one tackle, an assist, and 2 passes defended – not a great performance in the week most owners started him.

DE Kevin Carter (TBB): Carter followed a week of 6 tackles, an assist, and a half- sack with only 1 assist in week four at the Panthers. Carter may not have been picked up or started in many leagues, but if someone had taken a long-shot on him, they missed badly.

DE Trent Cole (PHI): In the game against the Lions in week three, Cole had 5 tackles and 3 sacks. In week 4 against the Giants, he only managed one tackle and one assist.

LB James Farrior (PIT): Farrior followed three weeks of respectable IDP scoring with an under-performing one tackle and 2 assists in Pittsburgh’s week four’s loss to the Cardinals.

LB Gary Brackett (IND): Brackett found his way onto many starting IDP rosters after a dominating performance against the Texans in week three (7 tackles, 2 assists, a forced fumble, a pass defended, and an interception), but suffered a let-down in week four against the Broncos. He only managed one tackle and four assists in the game.

LB Cato June (TBB): June had managed to get at least three tackles in each of the first three games, and had also racked up several assists, a pass defended, and an interception. But in week four against the Panthers, he didn’t record any defensive stats other than a defended pass, and that only because the pass hit him in the helmet…ok well maybe not, but it sure seemed like it. Fellow Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks also had a big drop-off in week four. He had been averaging over 7 tackles and an assist through the first three weeks, but managed only 3 tackles against the Panthers.

CB Richard Marshall (CAR): After a strong week three IDP performance against the Falcons (7 tackles and an assist), Marshall only managed to notch one tackle in week four’s game against the Buccaneers.

S James Butler (NYG): Butler had managed at least 5 tackles in each of the first three weeks, but ended week four against the Eagles with only 2 assists. We think he was tasked with keeping track of the sacks.

CB Anthony Henry (DAL): Henry has played at a very high level so far this season and had 8 tackles, 3 assists, 7 passes defended, and 4 interceptions through three weeks. But he suffered an ankle injury in the game against the Rams in week 4, and left with only 1 tackle and a pass defended. At this point it looks like he will be out for at least a few weeks.

S Sean Jones (CLE): Jones had scored at least 5 tackles, an assist, and a pass defended in each game leading up to week four against the Ravens, but only scored 2 tackles in that game. Just another IDP stud letting down his fantasy owners, as has been the norm so far this season. They say it’s a thin line between Stud and Dud.

The Zeros:

QB Trent Dilfer (SFO): In spite of how much Alex Smith has struggled behind center in San Francisco, Dilfer made him look like Joe Montana in comparison. Given basically the entire game following Smith’s very early exit via shoulder injury, Dilfer came in and was just pathetic. He couldn’t generate any spark against his old team the Seahawks, and completed only 12 of 33 passes (36.4%) for 128 yards, no TDs, and two interceptions. Dilfer also lost two fumbles, and was sacked five times in a lop-sided 23-3 loss.

QB Marc Bulger (STL): Bulger has been playing with broken ribs, and has now had two dismal games in a row, certainly due in part to his injuries. He had thrown TDs in each of the first two games, and hasn’t found the end-zone since. Bulger had also managed to avoid an interception prior to the injury, but has thrown four in the last two weeks. In week four against the Cowboys, Bulger went only 11 of 24 (45.8%) for 114 yards and an interception, in a thrashing by the Cowboys. He was then pulled for Gus Frerotte in the third quarter when the Rams were down by 28. Bulger is struggling, the Rams are struggling, and things may get worse before they get better.

QB Donovan McNabb (PHI): McNabb was highlight-reel great in week three against the Lions, throwing 21 of 26 passes (80.8%) for 381 yards and 4 TDs. But without RB Brian Westbrook and, more importantly, LT William Thomas in week four against the Giants, McNabb was excruciating to watch. He somehow still managed to complete 15 of his 31 pass attempts (48.4%) for 138 yards amid continuous harassment, but he also suffered through 12 sacks to tie a single-game NFL record. McNabb failed to complete a TD pass, but amazingly, given how often he was pressured, also avoided throwing any interceptions (although he did lose a fumble). As a team, the Eagles were penalty and mistake-riddled and at 1-3, are dropping rapidly in the NFL East. McNabb has the ability and talent to excel almost any week, but he also seems to be standing at the helm of a sinking ship and their week-5 bye comes not a moment too soon.

RB Carnell ‘Cadillac’ Williams (TBB): Williams suffered a season-ending torn knee tendon during the game with the Panthers, and there is now talk that it may even be “career-threatening.”  At any rate, it appears serious enough that the Bucs may look for other options even into 2008, if only to cover their bases. Williams had been less than elite so far this season (54 carries for 208 yards – a 3.85 avg), and has struggled against frequent injuries. Expect Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham to carry the load for the remainder of 2007, with some rookie Kenneth Darby thrown in. But 2008 may see a very different group of backs in Tampa Bay uniforms.

RB DeShawn Wynn (GBP): Although Wynn was a hot waiver-wire commodity a few weeks ago, he has done little since. He was the ‘starter’ for the Packers in week 4 against the Vikings, but the Packers only ran 15 running plays all game. Wynn got the lion’s share, but did little with the opportunity: 10 carries for only 20 yards and no TDs (2.0 avg). With Morency returning from injury and the Packers intent on winning with Brett’s arm, there seems nowhere for Wynn to go but onto the bench and eventually back into the waiver pool.

RB Cedric Benson (CHI): Benson seems determined to do all he can to get Bears fans to hate him and their coaches to deeply regret making him the uncontested sole RB this season. He has looked unsure and lost at times, and was benched for the last part of the first half of the game against the Lions after fumbling yet again (3 in four games). He finished with only 50 yards on 15 carries (3.3 avg) and no TDs. It may be time for him to go back to being butler for Governor Gatling.

WR Isaac Bruce (STL): Bruce strained his hamstring during week 4 and left the game after only one catch for 24 yards. The good news is that the 24 yards still tops the 14 yards he had off of three catches in week three, and the 20 yards he had from three receptions in week one. He had a huge game week two with 8 catches for 145 yards, but that one seems to be the aberration so far this year. At this point he is still listed as questionable for week 5, but it’s become obvious that Bruce is simply not a reliable fantasy option even if healthy.

WR Ashley Lelie (SFO): So far, Lelie has been nothing but a huge zero as a free-agent signing for the Forty-Niners. He has yet to even catch a pass in a regular season game. He was somewhat productive in preseason, and has seemed to be injury-free, but has barely even seen the field in the first four weeks. It seems unlikely that he will have a sudden rebirth this far into the season, so he can probably be written off as an official bust at this point.

WR Taylor Jacobs (ex-SFO): Jacobs had two catches for 26 yards and the only 49ers receiving TD of the season during week three’s game against Pittsburgh. He followed that with a single catch for 14 yards against the Seahawks in week four. But while he was more productive than Lelie, he also had a number of dropped passes, and he was waived by San Francisco on Tuesday. The 49ers then re-signed WR Bryan Gilmore.

WR Domenik Hixon (ex-DEN): Hixon was thought to perhaps have a chance to develop into a productive receiver in Denver. But so far this season, he’d been primarily working as a return specialist, and had 110 kick-off return yards week four against the Colts. However, the Broncos released him this week. While he may land elsewhere, it may be time for fantasy owners to also think about cutting him from their bench.
 
TE Tony Scheffler (DEN): Scheffler earned his first fantasy points of the year in week four – for a tackle. In four weeks, Scheffler still hasn’t caught a single pass. How much of it is due to his still recovering from off-season foot surgery, and how much of it due to Shanahan, Cutler, or something else? Fantasy owners looking to build off of last year’s stats are getting impatient and might want to consider other options for their TE backups.

DE Robert Mathis (IND): After a very strong week one (4 tackles, 1 assist, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a sack), Mathis has been virtually off the IDP scoring radar the last three weeks. In week four against the Broncos, he managed only one tackle all game, giving him a three week total of 4 tackles and 1 sack – less than his output in week one alone. For a top IDP DL pick, Mathis has been woefully underperforming.

LB Lemar Marshall (CIN): Marshall became another one of the battered Bengal linebackers on Monday night, leaving the game with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon. He had been playing reasonably well for an older veteran, but has now been placed on Injured Reserve, ending his season and possibly his career.

LB Rob Morris (IND): After missing two games with an abdomen injury, Morris played in week four against the Broncos, but unfortunately suffered a torn ACL in his left knee after making 4 tackles and an assist. He is now expected to miss the rest of the year and to be placed on Injured Reserve at some point this week. At 32, it may be hard for Morris to recover from this injury enough to regain a starting role, or perhaps to ever return to the field.

CB DeAngelo Hall (ATL): Hall has made a point of drawing attention to himself this season for all the wrong reasons. He has been boastful and then beaten in coverage, struggled with injuries, and drew a $100,000 fine and a first-quarter team suspension during week four following a week-three tantrum against the Panthers which included a pass interference and two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. He has implied that Falcons coach Petrino is “made for college,” not the NFL, and doesn’t deserve respect. This week the news is that he has approached the team seeking a trade. Missing in all of this is actual game production. Through four weeks he has only 8 tackles (6 of which came in week two), only one interception, and two passes defended.

S Kevin Payne (CHI): With the extent of injuries in the Chicago defensive backfield, rookie Kevin Payne started at free safety as Danieal Manning moved to CB for week 4 against the Lions. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken arm in the game and left without a single defensive stat. He has now been placed on Injured Reserve and will be out the remainder of the season. With Mike Brown on IR, and safety Adam Archuletta, CB Nathan Vasher, and CB Charles Tillman still uncertain as to their availability for week 5, the Bears secondary is in dire straits as they get ready to take on Brett Favre and the undefeated Packers.