In this article KFFL breaks down the fantasy football sleepers of the week. We will avoid marquee names because players of that caliber are rarely benched, regardless of their matchup. Instead, we will focus on the players that make your fantasy lineup decisions stressful each week. Read on to learn which midrange to low-end players that you wouldn't necessarily consider that you need to get into your lineup.

Note: All statistics are from Week 7 to Week 10, unless otherwise noted.

Fantasy football busts: Running backs

Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers

Fantasy value: No. 2 or flex

• Knowshon may disappoint this week

  The Broncos leaned heavily on Moreno last week; he was utilized 23 times, his second most this season. He finished the game with 97 yards on 18 carries (5.4 yards per carry).
• San Diego has done a number on this position, limiting them to only 83.3 rushing yards and 0.25 rushing touchdowns per game. They've given up just 4.00 receptions and 28.5 receiving yards per game to this position, too.
• Quarterback Kyle Orton (ankle) missed practice Wednesday, Nov. 18, and it won't be known until later in the week if he plays. Regardless of who starts behind center, the Chargers probably will be able to key on the running game to shut down Denver's offense.

Fantasy value: Flex or bench

• Maroney has double-digit utilizations in all four of New England's games since Week 5. Last week the Indianapolis Colts held him to just 2.4 yards per carry (31 yards on 13 carries), and he fumbled once. He has scored in four straight games, though.
• Opposing running backs have averaged just 93.0 rushing yards and 0.33 rushing touchdowns per game against the Jets.
• Sammy Morris (knee) is expected to return this week. His return further clouds an already murky picture at the position for New England, especially given Maroney's fumble last week.

NEW - Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Fantasy value: Flex or bench

• McFadden's return in Week 10 didn't result in a huge workload; he carried the ball just four times for 11 yards and didn't catch a pass.
• The Bengals have allowed the fewest rushing yards per game to this position (48.3). They also have allowed just 0.33 rushing touchdowns per game. Cincy has faced some decent offenses, too: the Chicago Bears, the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Michael Bush and Justin Fargas received more work ... and did more with their carries. Sure, McFadden could be used in more creative ways, and he's a threat to score on any play (more so than Bush or Fargas), but he isn't as 'safe' the other two.

Fantasy football busts: DT - Week 11

In this article KFFL breaks down fantasy football busts of the week. Some high-level players will be included, because you need to know when is time to sit a player even though it may not seem appropriate. Primarily, however, we will address the midrange to low-end fantasy options that you rack your brain over each week. Read on to learn which of these players that you wouldn't want in your lineup.

Note: All statistics are from Week 7 to Week 10, unless otherwise noted.

Fantasy football busts: Defensive teams

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets

Fantasy value: Low-end No. 1

• The Pats haven't exactly been special on defense; in their past five games they have averaged 1.60 sacks, 1.60 interceptions and 0.80 fumble recoveries per outing. The 318.2 offensive yards per game they have allowed ranks as the 13th fewest in this time frame.
• Against the Jets in Week 2, New England managed only two sacks of Mark Sanchez and totaled one fumble recovery. Bill Belichick's defense didn't intercept the rookie passer, either.
• On a per-game basis in their last five, New York has thrown 1.60 interceptions while allowing Sanchez to be sacked 1.20 times each matchup. The Jets' average of 0.80 fumble recoveries per game matches what New England has recovered. New York's offense has averaged 374.0 yards per game, too, which ranks as the eighth most in this span.

Inactives Blog: Week 11

The following is a list of all the inactive players for Week 11. It will be updated continuously until the start of the games.

Thursday Game

Miami : OT Andrew Gardner, TE Anthony Fasano, LB Erik Walden, DL Lionel Dotson, OT Lydon Murtha, SS Nate Ness, DL Paul Soliai, QB Tyler Thigpen. [Full Story]

Injury Status: Week 11

Not sure about you, but I know I was hit hard by the rash of injuries last week. I'm sure several teams are in the same boat as me, trying to figure out the best options for some big-name players going down. It isn't fun, but part of the game.

So in one of my leagues that "count" (if you know what I mean), I had Michael Turner and Ronnie Brown as my starting backs. How do you replace two top-10 backs? Well, you don't. All you can do is just plug in your best options, work the waiver wire and hope you can catch lightning in the bottle. I'm just going to have to do my best to hold on and get into the playoffs. It is all you can do. Injuries happen. Good luck in getting through the next few weeks.

Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals . Benson left last week's game with an abductor strain, which is a hip injury. He isn't practicing yet this week, but isn't ruled out yet. Benson will be a game-time decision. If he is out, Bernard Scott gets the start with Larry Johnson likely in the mix a bit. We think Benson will do all he can to play, though. [Full Story]

Lineup Primer: Week 11

I heard an expression over the weekend that I thought fit well when it comes to fantasy football - don't get too cute . This is very fitting, especially at this time of year. Fantasy owners sometimes try to outthink things. I'm not saying ignore matchups, but you can't sit your studs at this point or try to start some obscure player because he has a good matchup. You have to go with what got you here, especially with playoff berths on the line.

Don't get too cute .

And the reason I bring this up is because I had a few questions last week, regarding sitting a couple of marquee players. One owner wasn't keen on Maurice Jones-Drew because he was facing the Jets, a top rush defense. But as I told this owner, you can't sit Jones-Drew no matter the matchup. He has produced all year and is arguably the top fantasy back in the game. I don't want that potential on my bench. (Plus, the Jets aren't the same rush defense without Kris Jenkins in the lineup.) Not trying to pick on this owner, though, because doing research and trying to put your best lineup out there is the right thing to do every week. [Full Story]

From The Trenches: Showdown out West

OK, before we get to the week's matchup, let's get one thing straight: Bill Belichick made the right decision. (And this is coming from one who despises all Patriots except Randy Moss and Paul Revere).

But, and I can't say this strongly enough, the only reason he made the right call was because of the person on the other side of the ball. Peyton Manning will perhaps go down as the greatest quarterback of all time, certainly he's already in the top five. You just KNEW he was going to win this game, whether he had to go 75 yards (approximately the distance had New England punted) or 29 yards.

Now, would you rather have him go 75 yards and chew up the entire clock, or go 29 yards and give you the ball back with more than a minute remaining, needing just 50-60 yards to be in line for a game-winning field-goal attempt? The one place where Belichick erred was not letting the Colts score more quickly after failing to convert the fourth-down attempt. It's tough to tell your defense to lie down and let the other team score. But it's also tough to ask a running back to take a knee on a sure touchdown. Tough doesn't mean impossible, though - ask Maurice Jones-Drew about that. [Full Story]

Studs and Duds: Week 10

Unfortunately, the story of Week 10 had to be the injuries. Well, that and a marquee back taking a knee at the one. But for the first time this season, we had several big-name players leave games this weekend with injuries. So Ronnie Brown, Michael Turner, Cedric Benson, Brian Westbrook, Julius Jones and Troy Polamalu all left their games with injury. Ouch. The first three backs listed were top 10 fantasy backs, which is a big hole to fill for fantasy teams. Hopefully, none of the injuries are going to be season ending, but nothing is certain with any of them at this point. As always, keep an eye on our player notes for the latest updates on all these dinged backs.

Now for the Maurice Jones-Drew kneel down. If you didn't see it, here is the recap. Jones-Drew had a clear path to the end zone for the go-ahead score with about a minute and a half left in the game. But instead of scoring, Jones-Drew took a knee at the one. The Jags had first and goal at the one. They proceeded to let the clock run down and let Josh Scobee kick the game-winning chip shot with time expiring. It was a great move for the Jags, keeping the Jets offense off the field but we are sure this move by Jones-Drew impacted fantasy teams - both good and bad.

But you can't hold too big of a grudge against Jones-Drew if he is on your team, he is having a huge season and is arguably the top fantasy back in the game right now. Jones-Drew did offer an apology to fantasy teams for his move. [Full Story]

Weekend Update: Week 10

Alright, time for a little rant. Not sure about any of you, but Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is killing me. He gets a great matchup against a struggling 49ers secondary in the Thursday night game. What does he do? He gets picked off five times and fails to score a touchdown. Thanks Jay. Guess that is why I put him on my bust list before the season. I'm just glad I listened to my own advice and avoided him in all my leagues (ha!). Great move, huh?

Cutler is just so erratic. He makes big plays, but forces too many throws and just makes some bad decisions. You would think he would play smarter at this stage of his career. I know he doesn't have the weapons at receiver, but that doesn't excuse some of his decisions. The good thing is Cutler remains capable of carrying a fantasy team any given week, which he has done this season. But the bad thing is he can play horrific at any time. Good thing I only have Cutler on a couple teams. I'm not sure my health could take his play much longer.

The Cardinals will get receiver Anquan Boldin back in the lineup this week. He has practiced in full the entire week and is just listed as probable on the Injury Report. His ankle sprain doesn't seem to be much of an issue anymore. [Full Story]

Inactives Blog: Week 10

The following is a list of all the inactive players for Week 1. It will be updated continuously until the start of the games.

Thursday Game

Chicago : SS Al Afalava, RB Garrett Wolfe, DL Jarron Gilbert, WR Juaquin Iglesias, SS Kevin Payne, OG Lance Louis, DL Matt Toeaina, LB Pisa Tinoisamoa. [Full Story]

Injury Status: Week 10

Here is my biggest regret this season. It doesn't have to do with any of my teams (although I do regret a few choices I made draft day), but it involves my preseason rankings. In my initial rankings on our site, I had LaDainian Tomlinson way down. He was in the mid 20s for running backs. I just felt his time as an elite back was over. His numbers still weren't bad last season but he was finally slowed by injury some and had persistent knee troubles late in the year, which was a big concern for me. Plus, he hit that magical age of 30 during the offseason. And we all know he has endured a huge workload through the years, which was another strike against Tomlinson.

Even with all that going against him, I caved and moved Tomlinson up a few weeks before the season started. He was having a strong camp, and seemed healthy and rejuvenated, saying he had something to prove this year. He had a chip on his shoulder, which I believed was a good thing for him to produce one last big season. And his touchdown totals have been as consistent as any back in the game the last several years. I figured even if his yardage numbers weren't great, he should at least get double-digit scores in that offense. Also, our site had him ranked lower than any other rankings I came across (this shouldn't influence my decision but gave me something to think about).

So I moved Tomlinson up to seven in my running back rankings. Good move, huh? I pretty much nailed it before making this wrong move. Tomlinson is about done as I initially thought. He lacks burst and big-play ability. His numbers are way down compared to previous years. Live and learn, right? Needless to say, I'm going with my first instinct next season. [Full Story]

Here is my big advice for the week. We have a Thursday night game. Don't forget to get your players involved in that game in your lineup. Riveting stuff, huh? Well, the Thursday night game can be a bit tricky for fantasy owners, especially if they have tough lineup choices because of game-time decisions. If you have a guy iffy to play on Sunday, but your top backup is playing Thursday, you have a tough decision to make. For me, I always error on the side of caution unless the player I'm holding out hope for is in the elite category.

So hopefully, you don't have any of these decisions looming this week. But get used to it because there are Thursday games pretty much the rest of the season. The good news is we get to watch football another day of the week. I know I'm excited about the game this week although it does overlap The Office . TiVo is a wonderful thing, though. Bring on the Thursday night games!

News and Notes : The Chiefs officially released running back Larry Johnson early this week. He wasn't claimed on waivers, so he is free to sign with any team at this point. We aren't sure there is much of a market for Johnson, but you never know. Meanwhile, Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith should get most of the work at running back for the Chiefs going forward. . . . .The Ravens are auditioning kickers, bringing in Mike Nugent and Billy Cundiff for tryouts. A move hasn't been made, but this is a clear sign the Ravens aren't too happy with current kicker Steven Hauschka , who has missed just three kicks all season but two were game-changing attempts. . . . .Cleveland has named Brady Quinn their starter at quarterback. Quinn began the year as starter, but was pulled for ineffective play. It will be interesting to see if he fairs any better his second time around. Don't count on it. [Full Story]

Studs and Duds: Week 9

Last week, I talked about how the running game took center stage for a change. Well, Week 9 saw the passing games come back in a big way. We had several big games by quarterbacks and receivers this week, leading to some high fantasy scores this week.

Despite having six teams on a bye, we still had seven quarterbacks break the 300-yard mark (before the Monday night game). And with the big games by quarterbacks, receivers benefitted with seven breaking the 100-yard mark. Passing games were enjoyed throughout the league.

On the flip side, we had just four 100-yard rushers. The good news from the running backs was five backs had two-touchdown games. This helped make up for the lower rushing totals. And many backs (i.e. Frank Gore, Joseph Addai) did a lot of damage as a receiver. So getting dual threats at running back in this pass-happy era is always a good idea for fantasy teams. [Full Story]

Inactives Blog: Week 9

The following is a list of all the inactive players for Week 9. It will be updated continuously until the start of the games.

1:00 Games

Arizona : WR Anquan Boldin, OG Brandon Keith, QB Brian St. Pierre, TE Dominique Byrd, LB Gerald Hayes, OT Herman Johnson, FS Rashad Johnson, TE Stephen Spach. [Full Story]

Weekend Update: Week 9

We have a lot of injury situations to update in our Weekend Update . The good news is most of these game-time decisions look like they should be able to play this week. Nothing is ever certain with a game-time decision, though (obviously), so you always want to keep an eye on the inactives that come over Sunday. If you haven't checked it out, we do an Inactives Blog that is continuously updated until the start of games. The inactives usually start trickling over an hour before the start of games.

The Broncos signed veteran cornerback Ty Law on Friday. There is a good chance he even dresses for the Monday night game. Law is no longer a starter at this point of his career but can be a solid nickel back. He is a decent pickup for an already pretty good Broncos defense. Their secondary has allowed just four passing touchdowns all season.

Apparently, Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin looked really good in practice Friday (according to ESPNs John Clayton). Boldin remains a game-time decision, though. He has been slowed by the injury the last several weeks and just can't seem to get over it. The Cardinals might be wise to hold him out a game to get him closer to 100 percent, but it will be tough for Boldin to sit if he had a strong showing in practice Friday. [Full Story]

Injury Status: Week 9

Not sure how this is happening at the halfway point of the season, but there aren't a ton of injuries to report this week. Sure, we have some guys dinged and a few out for the season, but for the most part, the list of marquee players is surprisingly small for this time of the year. We know this can change in a hurry, though, so enjoy it while you can.

Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions . Johnson already is taking part in practice this week, which is a good sign. The Lions are cautiously optimistic Johnson will be ready to go this week. His knee injury is progressing pretty well. At this point, expect Johnson to play, barring a setback late in the week.

Donald Brown, RB, Colts . Brown remains slowed by a shoulder injury. He thought he could play last week, but was held out of action. Brown seems to have a decent shot at returning, but nothing is certain until we see how much he is able to practice this week. Consider Brown a game-time decision for Week 9. Joseph Addai would get almost all of the work at running back if Brown is out, again. [Full Story]

Lineup Primer: Week 9

Every season there are a few waiver-wire gems that turn out to be difference-makers for fantasy teams. Last season guys like Eddie Royal and Pierre Thomas were the big pickups for fantasy teams. Royal was good from about day one, serving as a top No. 2 receiver for fantasy teams. Thomas wasn't a big factor until later in the season, but was a top-five fantasy back the second half of the year. If you can find a guy like that during the season that you didn't draft, it can give you a big advantage over the other teams.

Why do I bring this up now? Well, Ryan Moats is a guy many think could fit this bill. We will touch on him later in the column but here is a tease - we aren't so sold on him. A few guys that have been great pickups for fantasy teams this season, though, are Giants receivers Steve Smith and Mario Manningham, running back Rashard Mendenhall and receiver Miles Austin. For now, Smith is leading the way for his consistency this season. But Austin seems the guy most capable of carrying a fantasy team any given week. He could have a finish like Thomas last season.

Either way, if you got one of these guys, it gave your roster a nice boost. Nothing is ever certain with waive-wire grabs, though. Not everyone pans out (i.e. James Davis, Byron Leftwich). Just keep that in mind. There is a reason these guys are on waivers to begin with. [Full Story]

From The Trenches: AFC North battle takes the stage

Who would have thought at the start of the season that a Week 9 matchup between Baltimore and Cincinnati would have such high stakes attached to it?

And even if you DID have that kind of foresight, who would have thought that the Bengals would currently be holding the upper hand?

Well, that's exactly what we have. Right now, Cincinnati sits at 5-2 atop the AFC North. In fact, they are tied with Pittsburgh, and it's hard to see how any teams could be more similar at this point: They are both 5-2, Cincinnati has scored 163 points, Pittsburgh has scored 167; and the Bengals have allowed 128 points while the Steelers have allowed 129. [Full Story]

Studs and Duds: Week 8

The pass-happy NFL took a backseat to some huge rushing performances in Week 8. We had several backs carry their team to victory, which was a shift from the pass-first trend that has ruled the day most of this season.

Before the Monday night game, there actually was just one 300-yard passer (Peyton Manning), and he didn't even score a touchdown. We did have some quarterbacks post some good touchdown totals, though, as four quarterbacks had three or more scores. But rushing still ruled the day Sunday. We had six 100-yard rushers with four of those guys rushing for 149 or more yards. There even was a 200-yard rusher (Chris Johnson). These guys carried fantasy teams this week. We also had six backs with two or more scores.

We still don't see the newfound rushing success as a trend, though. Teams should continue to throw often, but don't be surprised to see a few more big rushing games take place as the weather gets cold. Rushing games usually get a little more of a workout during the bad weather months. [Full Story]

Inactives Blog: Week 8

The following is a list of all the inactive players for Week 8. It will be updated continuously until the start of the games.

1:00 Games

Cleveland : CB Anthony Madison, OG Billy Yates, PK Billy Cundiff, QB Brett Ratliff, RB Chris Jennings, CB Gerard Lawson, TE Greg Estandia, TE Robert Royal. [Full Story]

Weekend Update: Week 8

Happy Halloween! Hopefully, your fantasy teams haven't been too scary for you this season. I know I'm looking forward to the big night, taking my little one out around the neighborhood and taking a bunch of his candy once we return home. I'm just glad daylight savings is tonight, so I can come down from my sugar high and still get a good night sleep before all the football games Sunday. We have a lot of injury updates in our Weekend Update, but the good news is several of them are positive for this weekend. Here is the latest. . . .

ESPNs John Clayton believes Lions receiver Calvin Johnson will play this week. He isn't backing it up with any word from the coaching staff or whoever, but just feels he'll play. We think it is a good sign Clayton believes this, but it is far from a guarantee for Johnson to play. Johnson did practice some the last few days, though. He remains a game-time decision because of his knee injury. Wait until the inactives come up before plugging Johnson in your lineup. He is a must play against the Rams if active, though.

Johnson's teammate quarterback Matthew Stafford seems to have a better chance at playing. He has practiced all week in a limited fashion, but practiced and didn't have a setback with his knee. Clayton also believes Stafford will play. We also feel this way, but as with Johnson, we would check the inactives Sunday before officially setting your lineup. [Full Story]

Injury Status: Week 8

I'm going to give one last plug for our new live chat before we get to the latest injury news. If you haven't heard, I will be hosting a live chat Thursday at 1 PM central time (a link to enter the chat will be on your league home page). We'll do this every week for the rest of the season (barring technical issues). Please feel free to stop by and ask some questions about fantasy football or whatever else might be on your mind.

I get a ton of questions each week and unfortunately, I don't always get to all of them so we think this is a way for our users to get more of their questions answered. This doesn't mean you have to stop sending me questions, but you probably have a better chance to get them answered if you show up to the chat - at least I think so. I look forward to hearing from you all Thursday. Hopefully, this new feature is a useful addition for our users.

Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions . Stafford is practicing on his knee injury and apparently is looking pretty good. He isn't being held back as of yet. The Lions are going to be cautious with their rookie quarterback, but it seems he has a pretty good chance at playing this week. We expect Stafford to be in the starting lineup unless he has some sort of setback late in the week. [Full Story]

Lineup Primer: Week 8

Alright, time for another little rant. My fantasy pet peeve for this week is fantasy experts or owners talking about getting certain players because they have favorable matchups in the fantasy playoffs. I cringe when I hear this.

Here is my thinking: you have to get there first. It doesn't do you any good to get a guy that has great matchups in Weeks 15 and 16 if you don't make the playoffs. Don't get too far ahead of yourself. The goal when the season starts is making the playoffs. Put your best product out there and just get in.

Because once you get in the playoffs, anything can happen. And if you got in, you likely have a solid team with some marquee players. As you know, don't bench your studs, so I don't care who guys like Ray Rice or Cedric Benson are playing in the playoffs - I'm putting them in my starting lineup. They are going to produce as they have proved this season. [Full Story]