Another week, another exciting matchup for your fantasy football team. We are nearing the regular season halfway point in many leagues and most teams are still jockeying for position, much like they are in the NFL. Your fantasy team may resemble the Saints at the moment...high powered offense that seems to be getting tripped up on matchups they should win, leading to questions and overall panic. Some of your teams are performing like the Chiefs...a young, talented group that is overachieving and looking well on your way to a playoff spot. And yet some of you are probably like the 49ers...no matter what you do, you can't seem to buy a win. There were some huge performances in Week 7, from Kenny Britt's 225 yards and 3 TD's to Darren McFadden's 4 TD return to the lineup. Let's take a closer look.

Quarterbacks

Josh Freeman hasn't done anything overly impressive...yet.  The Bucs have a young squad full of emerging talents still a season or two from big time offensive explosiveness.  Their video game QB Freeman is going to be the leader of a ridiculously good offensive unit, and his growth is evident with each passing week.  Freeman is attempting approximately 35 passes per week, and has surpassed the 40 attempt mark each of the last two weeks.  Dynasty owners must overlook the fact he is still throwing a substantial number of interceptions, and look to the positives. He has all the intangibles and a dominating presence on the field similar to Ben Roethlisberger.  We love the come-from-behind victories that seem to a staple for the youngster.  A cast of young talented receivers (Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn) and an RB (LeGarrette Blount) that is looking as though he may be the #1 back in Tampa by seasons end serves for a nice fantasy situation.  Freeman currrently only serves as a bye week filler, but should be a high priority trade target before his value gets any higher with a favorable remaining schedule in 2010.

Like Josh Freeman, Matt Ryan is a BeastOrBust favorite.  Unlike Freeman however, Ryan entered 2010 as one of the top Breakout QB candidates, and a huge fantasy season was expected.  While his talent is no secret, his fantasy season has been considered by some as a bit of a letdown.  The preseason Matt Ryan hype train can be used at this very moment to make a move on a player that is quietly putting together a very nice fantasy season.  Matt Ryan has the upside of a Tom Brady, and the Dynasty owner that was counting on a 2010 MVP season from Matty Ice, may be very frustrated right now.  Ryan is still developing and also throws too many INT's, but his weekly improvement is evident.  His mistakes will diminish and his passing totals should increase as Mike Turner reaches his decline, ascending Ryan into a weekly QB1. His time is coming soon and the chance to acquire him is ticking away quickly.

Ben Roethlisberger is back and is still ridiculously good.  Big Ben is still working out a few kinks, but it is clear that Steelers are going to have a difficult time sticking to a hard core rushing attack with Ben back under center.  The loss of Santonio Holmes is clearly having no effect on the Steelers receving game as Hines Ward is still productive, and Mike Wallace is starting to look like a bigger bodied version of DeSean Jackson.  Not many catches but big time plays and he is a threat to score on any play.  Big Ben has a very big arm and the speed of Wallace is a really nice big play combination.  There is no question regarding how good Ben is, but the rumor that the Steelers would stick with the heavy rush attack upon his return from suspension already looks to be a fallacy.  Look for more passing as the season progresses and bigger fantasy numbers from Big Ben.  Rashard Mendenhall's value shouldn't change much as the passing game should open some running lanes, and less carries isn't necessarily a bad thing for his longevity.

----------------------

Running Backs

It seems as if Darren McFadden’s injury does not bother him anymore. He was already off to a career best season before his injury in Week 4, and proved his worth as he pounded out 4 TD and 197 total yards. His ability to catch the ball too makes him one of the Raiders best receiving threats too. McFadden already eclipsed his previous season high for rushing yards of 499 last season, to his now 557 rushing yards. He has recorded double-digit fantasy points in every game he has played so far making him a #1/#2 RB this year, and he is a great Dynasty value being that he is only 23 years old. He might still share carries with Michael Bush which will hurt his stock a bit, but is has not affected him yet as he is making the most of every touch he gets. Continue to roll with McFadden as he keeps contributing each time he gets the ball by rushing and receiving...until he gets hurt again.

LeGarrette Blount has been through a lot the past year - from his notorious punch he threw to being suspended at Oregon, to being undrafted and cut by the Titans. It seems he has found a home in Tampa Bay, one of the most exciting up and coming offensive units in the NFL. He carried the load Sunday for Tampa with Earnest Graham injured and Cadillac Williams ineffective in the running game, finishing with 11 carries and 72 yards. He proved himself to be a worthy starting RB, it is just a matter of time. He has not established himself in the receiving game yet, but he profiles well as a goal line beast. The buy in for Blount should be low and he is one too keep an eye on to see if he can improve in the coming weeks and earn more carries.

The Best RB committee in football so far this season belongs to the Chiefs. Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles have both been productive, but have also both been hurt by each other's presence as well. Jones had his second consecutive 100 plus yard and TD game, and has not shown any signs of slowing down at age 32.  He was brought in to the Chiefs to mentor Charles and help the Chiefs running game, which has worked out so far. As fantasy owners, it is tough to see Jones and Charles split carries each week because they seem to alternate production. On a positive note, Jones is setting up Charles for success, which is good news for Dynasty owners who roster him. Charles also scored this week, and his rushing average is at an outstanding 6.3 YPC. He has yet to get over the 100-yard mark, but has been very close. Ideally, Charles will get about 5-8 more touches, further increasing his fantasy production and also keeping his legs fresh. If you can, trade Jones for the right value as his stock is as high as it might be all season. Start with the Charles owner in your league. If you own Charles, sit tight and be patient.

-----------------------

Wide Receivers

Three Carolina Panthers to talk about in our Week 7 article after their offense finally showed signs of life this week.  Matt Moore got another chance to start under center and out of nowhere, posted a career game.  Moore is still the same guy that lost his starting job to Jimmy Clausen (albeit due to injury), but isn't the long term answer in Carolina.  The return of Steve Smith from injury may change the look of this offense however, and Week 7 served as evidence of the potential this has (despite the running game remained quiet) to get some production out of Carolina players this season.  Remember heading into the 2010 preseason when Steve Smith said he doesn't want to be the #1 WR in Carolina anymore?  Steve Smith looks to finally have some support in the receiving game lining up opposite two impressive rookies who had their breakout games in Week 7.  David Gettis burst on the scene with 8 catches and 125 yards and 2 TD's.  Gettis (2010 Panthers 6th Round Selection) has been putting together consistent production in his rookie year catching 2-3 balls per week in an inept offense.  He is a big body player with great hands and a potential to grow in this offense - take a shot on him as he already serves as the #2 WR in this offense and will benefit by the double coverage on Steve Smith.  Brandon Lafell (2010 Panthers 3rd Round Selection) also had 6 catches for 91 yards doubling his 2010 production in a single game.  If the offense starts showing improvement, LaFell is a player we think could eventually emerge into a nice possession receiver.  Lets temper our expectations some with these three players, but in small doses of 2010 Production, the Dynasty arrow will continue to point up.

Coming into Sunday, Kenny Britt had scored a TD in 4 straight games but lackluster yardage totals had him as merely a FLEX option in most leagues. Throw in the fact that he would not be starting the game because of his involvement in a bar fight on Friday, and Britt was a risky start to say the least. But that is how he rolls, high risk, high reward. In only 3 Quarters in Week 7, Kenny Britt posted a stat line that likely made a difference for owners that were willing to roll the dice on the emerging Beast.  Despite the flashy yardage totals (225), the scores aren't a shocker as he is quickly becoming the most reliable big play receiver on the Titans roster. Britt has scored at least one touchdown in each of the past five games. He is not going to be a reliable fantasy option each week because he plays on a run first offense with at times shaky QB play, but after what we saw on Sunday, you can't possibly bench him right now. Britt clearly has tremendous upside, but he also is a bit of a knucklehead.

Which WR has the most targets over the past two weeks? The answer might surprise you...Mike Williams of the Seahawks has seen an impressive 31 targets during Weeks 6 and 7. His resurgence with his old college coach has been impressive, especially considering the fact that he has been out of the league for 3 years. He has come down with 10+ catches in both the games, and the trend looks as though it will continue as he is clearly Matt Hasselbeck’s favorite target.  While Big Mike Williams will provide immediate value in 2010, his long term value is a bit unclear.  If you can move BMW for some nice value, now may be the time while his value is skyrocketing. However, at only 26 and in a situation where his current (and former) coach is feeding him the ball consistently, Williams is well worth a weekly WR3 spot on your fantasy roster.

--------------------------

Tight Ends

Scoring 2 TD’s on Sunday, Todd Heap has given Joe Flacco another receiving option to go to in the clutch.  Heap was battling an injury during the game, but he played through it and performed well once again. Now having caught 3 TD’s in the last two games on an offense that is coming into it's own, Heap is on pace for his best statiscal season since 2006. He does not have as much of Dynasty value right now outside of this season as a backup TE or replacement for Dallas Clark or Jermichael Finley. At 30 years old and having never been truly elite, Heap makes a great sell high candidate. He still produces to a level to be considered a top 15 TE in the league and that should be valuable to an owner in your league. Keep an eye on the two young options in Baltimore, Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. Both players have solid upside and could see time if

Brent  Celek had an off game with Kevin Kolb under center this past Sunday and has generally struggled throughout this season. He gets more looks his way than when Vick plays, but his status as a TE1 this season is up in the air. Which is good news if you are trying to acquire him in a Dynasty league. The young TE had a breakout season last year with 971 yards and 8 TD’s, but through 7 games he only has 229 receiving yards and 2 TD’s. He has not had more than four catches this year, nor has he topped 47 yards. Celek has great upside and has the potential to be a top 5 TE year in and year out. If you can afford to, bench him until he gets into a rhythm with Vick. He is too valuable of a Dynasty prospect to trade or give up on at this point unless you are getting an elite return.

The Raiders finally have good options to go to on offense and the primary receiving option is Zach Miller, who is emerging as a top TE in the league. For some reason, though, he is still flying under the radar in many leagues. He added a TD this week to go with his 65 yards, which is just another day at the office for the consistent Miller. Even with the QB issues they have had in Oakland, he has perservered through it and been fantasy relevant all season. Use his situation within the bipolar Oakland offense as a buying point in your Dynasty league, but it might already be too late. If you do not make a move soon, he may become untouchable. Miller is in the top 5 in receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns for TE’s and that should continue for the rest of the season.