Week 7 of the NFL season was a weird one for sure. The NFL changed the rules on how defensive players could tackle due to the number of concussions sustained in Week 6, and it showed as many players pulled up where they would have plowed through a player in the past. Then, the Cleveland Browns curb-stomped the New Orleans Saints, the Oakland Raiders were held to a mere 59 points by the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins were absolutely and unmistakably robbed in the final seconds of the game as Ben Roethlisberger fumbled into the endzone and recovered by a Dolphins player, only to have the ball given back to the Steelers because the refs couldn't determine who had possession of the fumble… even though a Dolphin handed them the ball. It was enough to make your head spin and head hurt.
But, the lone bright spot was when the Chicago Bears lost to the Washington Redskins and my friend Chris, who is a die-hard Bears fan, wouldn't return my texts about the game. Silence is golden Molina!
Winners
Ryan Fitzpatrick: I know… I had to do a double-take just to make sure I saw the stats right. Fitzy threw for a whopping 374 yards, four TDs and two INTs on Sunday, good enough to lead all 14 percent of people who owned him to victory. And no, you shouldn't go add him or pick up Lee Evans this week, it was a fluke.
Carson Palmer: If only Palmer could start his aerial assault BEFORE the 4th quarter, he would make my life a lot less stressful. Palmer finished the day with 412 passing yards and three TDs, and didn't throw a single INT. His numbers were great, but the loss still hurts.
Darren McFadden: McFadden continued his career season as he made a monstrous return from a hamstring injury that kept him out for two games. He took full advantage of the Broncos inept defense as he rushed for 165 yards and three scores, then hauled in 31 yards and a score via the pass. He won't see another four TD game, so enjoy it while you can.
Adrian Peterson: AP was back to his old ways as he racked up 172 total yards (131 rushing and 41 receiving) and found the endzone once. This is the guy you all drafted with the second or third pick in the draft, so breathe a sigh of relief.
Kenny Britt: Right after Britt had problems at a nightclub, he managed to go out and man up for the Titans and post seven catches for 225 receiving yards and three TDs. I don't know, but if I was Jeff Fisher, I may just drive this guy to the club myself next weekend! He now has a TD catch in five straight games this season.
Lee Evans: Well, he was a product of Fitzpartick's amazing day as he finished with 105 yards and three TDs on his six receptions. Again, he isn't worth owning.
Todd Heap: Even though Heap hauled in just three passes, he made the most of them as he finished with 59 yards and two TDs this weekend. Heap is going to be up and down and remains a TE2 in all formats.
Cleveland Browns Defense:I know… the Browns put a monkey stomping on the Saints this weekend, as it was a defensive effort that did it. The defense allowed 17 points while snatching four INTs and running two of them back for touchdowns.
Losers
Tom Brady: Tom Terrific didn't look so hot without Randy Moss in the line-up as he threw for a modest 159 yards and one TD this weekend. I don't think he will do this every single game, but it does show a certain level of respect to how defenses played Moss and how the Chargers were able to shut him down this weekend.
Brett Favre: And the Willie Mays year for Favre continues. What is the Willie Mays year you ask? Well, it happens when you play just one year too long… as Mays did when he went to the Mets and looked lost in the OF. Favre threw three terrible INTs to go along with his one TD and 212 yards passing. The good news for fantasy owners is it looks like he won't play in Week 8 due to a couple of fractures in his ankle.
Chris Johnson: Johnson seems to be a boom or bust guy this season as he has made the losers list more than once so far. This weekend he managed just 66 yards and couldn't find the endzone. That isn't what fantasy owners want to see from their #1 overall pick.
Ray Rice: Rice was another top 5-7 pick in most leagues that failed to produce this week as he finished with 72 yards rushing and no scores. Both Rice and Johnson will do better most weeks, but scoring is a must in fantasy football and neither man scored this weekend.
Donald Driver: It wasn't that Driver was high on the projections list; rather, he had at least one catch in 133 straight games and all that came to an end this weekend. Because of that, Driver was a loser this weekend.
Wes Welker: Welker, and the Patriots as a whole, had a terrible game and still managed to pull out the win this weekend. Welker finished with four catches for 25 yards, which equals a 6.25 YPC average. Let's hope this isn't what will continue in the post-Moss era.
Tony Gonzalez: Gonzalez is far from his glory days with the Chiefs, but people still draft him as a top 5-7 TE. This weekend he put up 27 receiving yards from two catches. I personally don't own him and put him on my Do Not Draft list.
Baltimore Ravens Defense: The Ravens are built around defense; but, this weekend the defense failed as they allowed the Bills to score 34 points. They did recover two fumbles while snatching two INTs and getting a sack to help stay out of the fantasy negatives.
