Did anyone watch last night's hideous Chargers-Chiefs game? Philip Rivers' fumbled snap with a minute left in regulation was the cherry on top of a really ugly cake. I wish I could erase the whole thing from my memory.

On to the news:

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• The Giants have a couple of fantasy stars that we'll need to track this week. WR Hakeem Nicks' hamstring has him day-to-day, but the team says that the plan is for him "not to miss anything." RB Ahmad Bradshaw re-aggravated a foot injury on Sunday, leaving the game and then returning later. Bradshaw's foot is apparently just very sore, and it doesn't sound like he'll miss time. Remember that his foot issues caused him to miss a lot of practice time last season, but he was always ready on gameday.
• Chargers RB Ryan Mathews left last night's game in the fourth quarter due to a groin injury, and his status for Week 9 is TBD. It sounds like Mike Tolbert is likely to return.
• The Week 9 bye teams are the Panthers, Lions, Jaguars and Vikings. Enjoy your week off, Cam Newton. My kids will miss you.
• Once again, we're probably going to need to wait until late in the week to see if Texans WR Andre Johnson will return from his hamstring injury. Johnson has missed four games so far.
• Don't expect any updates on Raiders RB Darren McFadden (foot) until Wednesday. In other Raiders' news, you should worry if you own any of their wide receivers. The team is reportedly close to signing T.J. Houshmandzadeh, a former teammate and workout partner of new QB Carson Palmer. I guess an old, slow WR will provide some balance for all their young, fast guys.
• Browns RB Montario Hardesty will miss at least a couple of games due to a torn calf muscle. The team expects Peyton Hillis (hamstring) to return this week, so you probably shouldn't waste a valuable waiver claim on Chris Ogbonnaya.
• The Redskins are hoping that TE Fred Davis (ankle) will be ready to practice on Wednesday; if you own Davis, you're probably OK this week. The 'Skins also claimed RB Tashard Choice off waivers from the Cowboys, so if you think this team's backfield situation is confusing now, just wait a week or two. Choice hurt his shoulder a couple of weeks ago, and his prognosis isn't clear.
• A day after giving a shared workload to Javon Ringer and saying that the Titans' running back rotation would depend on the "flow of the game," head coach Mike Munchak declared that Chris Johnson is still his starting tailback. I own Johnson on two miserable teams, and I'm not sure this makes me happy, because it's going to push me to keep him in the lineup. CJ2K's game-by-game rushing totals are: 24-53-21-101-51-18-34. He could be a decent fantasy back this season, but if you're still waiting for his breakout, you've crossed the line into stubbornness. It could happen, but it probably won't.
• Unless something changes, look for Bucs RB LeGarrette Blount to return this week after missing two games with a knee injury.
• There's no Week 9 update yet on Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham (hamstring) who was a late scratch on Sunday. RB Cedric Benson will return this week following his one-game suspension, but Bernard Scott had a decent game against the Seahawks. Hmm ...
• Colts RB Joseph Addai (hamstring) was active on Sunday, but the plan was for him to stay on the sideline unless there was an emergency. He'll probably play this week, but let's see what happens in practice. If you got a little excited by Donald Brown's modestly productive day against the Titans, you should probably get over it.
• Falcons WR Julio Jones (hamstring) was back on the practice field Monday, and even though he was limited, it sounds like he'll be ready to go with week after missing a couple of games.
• "We'll see" was Felix Jones' response when asked Monday if he'll return to action in Week 9. If you own DeMarco Murray, keep your fingers crossed. I'd let Murray carry at least as much as a healthy Jones if I was the Cowboys, but they might not agree.
• Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb is day-to-day with a turf toe injury. Is it bad that one of my teams will really be hurt if Kolb can't play this week?
• Broncos head coach John Fox said that QB Tim Tebow will start again this week, but it sounds like he's on a short leash. Since Tebow has rushed for an average of 61 yards over the last two games, he's a fantasy starter for as long as he's a real-life starter.
• In other Broncos' news, RB Willis McGahee is still day-to-day with his broken hand.
• It sounds like 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh is starting to like WR Michael Crabtree as much as I do.
• Baby steps, Sam Bradford. No hurry. We can wait.
• Joel Beall will be in the FOXSports.com fantasy chat room today at 3 p.m. ET., and I'll make my regular appearance on Thursday. Send in your questions, OK?

See you back here Friday morning. Hit me up on Facebook if you need anything before then.

Here are the NFL injuries with fantasy impact owners should be monitoring this week:

Week 9 BYES: Detroit, Minnesota, Carolina and Jacksonville 

QB

Sam Bradford - ankle
Kevin Kolb - foot

RB

Darren McFadden - foot
Montario Hardesty - calf
Willis McGahee - hand
Peyton Hillis - hamstring
Felix Jones - ankle
Joseph Addai - hamstring
Daniel Thomas - hamstring

WR

Hakeem Nicks - hamstring
Danario Alexander - hamstring
Julio Jones - hamstring
Andre Johnson - hamstring

TE

Fred Davis - ankle
Jermaine Gresham - hamstring

Here are the injuries FOXSports.com's fantasy department is monitoring leading up to Week 8 kickoffs:

QB

Sam Bradbord - out
Matthew Stafford - active
Tarvaris Jackson - active

RB

Cedric Benson - suspended
Daniel Thomas - out
Willis McGahee - out
Jahvid Best - out
Mark Ingram - out
Felix Jones - out
Beanie Wells - active
Brandon Jacobs - active
Joseph Addai - active
BenJarvus Green-Ellis - active
Peyton Hillis - inactive
Mike Tolbert - doubtful (MNF)
Ryan Mathews - questionable (MNF)
Tashard Choice - cut by Cowboys

WR

Hines Ward - out
Andre Johnson - out
Santana Moss - out
Braylon Edwards - active
Percy Harvin - active
Malcom Floyd - questionable
Danario Alexander - out

TE

Visanthe Shiancoe - probable
Jermaine Gresham - inactive

DEF

Antoine Winfield and Chris Cook - out (MIN)

I don't know if you watched last night's incredible, epic Game 6 of the World Series, in which the St. Louis Cardinals twice staved off elimination after being down to their final strike and forced Game 7 with an 11th-inning home run by hometown hero David Freese, but I really liked Joe Buck's call of Freese's homer. Buck simply said, "Holy $#@!" Or maybe that's what I said. Screamed, actually. Holy $#@! Wow, I'm still stunned. Anyway, here's a link to Buck's call. Enjoy Game 7.

Here's the regular Friday rundown on where you can find fantasy football assistance over the weekend:

• Tweet the FOXSports.com fantasy team. I'm at @jhalpin37, and you can also contact Ryan Fowler (@FOXSportsFowler), Joel Beall (@FOXSportsBeall) and Mike Harmon (@SwollenDome).
• Post a message on the Facebook pages for Harmon, Fowler and me.
• Listen to FOX Fantasy Freaks Harmon, Peter Burns and Nate Lundy, on FOX Sports Radio Sunday from 9 a.m. until noon ET. You can also tweet those guys (@FantasyFreaks).
• Chat with Fowler, Beall and me on FOXSports.com Sunday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. I'll be in my regular noon slot this week.

On to the news:

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• Texans WR Andre Johnson "doesn't seem too optimistic" about his chances to return from a hamstring injury this Sunday, according to the Houston Chronicle, and is tracking toward a gametime decision. Have your backup ready if you own Johnson.
• Lions QB Matthew Stafford (ankle) appears likely to play on Sunday despite being limited in practice again on Thursday. Stafford is almost certain to be without RB Jahvid Best (concussion), who still isn't practicing.
• Remember your byes: The Falcons, Bears, Packers, Jets, Raiders and Buccaneers are off this week.
• With Cedric Benson serving his one-game suspension this week, are you ready to start Bernard Scott? I'm not, since he's playing against the Seahawks, who are allowing a league-low 3.1 yards per carry. Scott isn't a terrible play, but this isn't a good matchup for him.
• Peyton Hillis' hamstring kept him out of Thursday's practice. With the Browns playing a late game, make sure Hillis is active before you start him.
• The Cardinals aren't expected to make a decision on RB Beanie Wells (knee) until Sunday morning. A running back with a bad knee against the Ravens ... yikes. Alfonso Smith would get most of the torture, er, work if Wells can't play.
• Rams QB Sam Bradford (ankle) still isn't practicing, and doesn't look like a good bet to start Sunday against the Saints. Too bad, since the Saints are just OK against the pass. A.J. Feeley is Bradford's backup.
• Don't look for Saints RB Mark Ingram (heel) to play against the Rams, who are the not-so-proud owners of the league's worst run defense. Even though the Saints might activate Chris Ivory to muck up, um, shore up their backfield rotation in Ingram's absence, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas will be solid plays with Ingram out of the picture.
• Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch went through a full practice on Thursday, and looks like he's ready to go after missing Week 7 due to back spasms. Teammate Tarvaris Jackson (strained pectoral) was limited, which should make Charlie Whitehurst's owners happy. Yes, I started Whitehurst in a two-QB league last week. Don't judge me!
• Vikings TE Visanthe Shiancoe (foot) hasn't practiced this week, but will give it a try today. Sigmund Bloom of Football Guys suggested on Twitter yesterday that rookie Kyle Rudolph could be in line for some looks if Shiancoe can't go, and that would make Rudolph an interesting flier in deep leagues. Every rookie QB needs a security blanket, right?
• We all agree that Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan can never be trusted with our fantasy fortunes, but I'm still starting Ryan Torain this week.
• Yes, you should start Titans RB Chris Johnson again. If he can't produce against the Colts, we'll figure out how to reassess his situation next week.
• Signs points to Bucs RB LeGarrette Blount returning to action in Week 9, so factor that into your pickups if it matters.
• 49ers WR Braylon Edwards is reportedly on track to return after missing four games due to a knee injury. I wonder how much Edwards will cut into Michael Crabtree's work, as Crabtree had 15 targets and nine receptions for 77 yards in Week 6. Crabtree is an underrated fantasy wideout, but let's see how he does on Sunday. I'd still start him as a WR3 or flex option.
• Steelers WR Hines Ward might not play Sunday due to a sprained ankle. Bump up Antonio Brown's stock just a bit.
• Chargers WR Malcom Floyd hasn't practiced this week due to a hip injury. Anyone want to take a flier on Patrick Crayton? Your league would have to be pretty deep for that one. RB Mike Tolbert (hamstring, hand) missed Thursday's practice as well, and his status for Monday is up in the air.
• Underrated Jaguars WR Jason Hill was limited in Thursday's practice due to a wrist injury, but I haven't seen any indication that he'll be out this week. Hill has been targeted 28 times over his last four games, catching 13 passes for 243 yards and two scores.
• Can someone tell me what's wrong with Reggie Bush saying "this team stinks" about the 0-6 Dolphins? Who doesn't agree with that? Of course they stink.
• The status of Colts RB Joseph Addai (hamstring) for Sunday is TBD. Remember that rookie Delone Carter had 10 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown last week.
• Remember to submit your video question for Sunday morning's chat. You'll be the coolest kid on your block if we pick you.

See you back here Tuesday morning. Good luck this weekend, and remember to be careful if you're Tebowing.

Week 7 is in the books. As much as I'd like to pat myself on the back for recommending DeMarco Murray here, let's give a special shootout this morning to anyone who listened to my suggestion to bench Plaxico Burress here (scroll down to the 11:12 mark). You win some, you lose some.

On to the news:

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performances over the last 10
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• Redskins RB Tim Hightower is done for the season due to a torn ACL. The likely backfield setup for the 'Skins is now Ryan Torain as the starter, and Roy Helu on passing downs. However, considering Mike Shanahan's unpredictable history with fantasy running backs, write that one in pencil instead of pen. I'd start Torain this week if I had him (and I do).
• Speaking of the Redskins, WR Santana Moss is expected to miss 5-7 weeks due to a broken hand. Look for Anthony Armstrong and rookie Niles Paul to get more work in Moss' absence. Paul is an interesting guy to keep an eye on.
• Beanie Wells' return timetable is TBD after he suffered a knee injury on Sunday; all the Cardinals are saying now is that Wells' injury isn't season-ending. Alfonso Smith has a decent chance to start in Wells' place this week, though it would be against the Ravens.
• The Texans hope to get WR Andre Johnson (hamstring) back in the lineup this week.
• Lions QB Matthew Stafford is day-to-day after injuring his right ankle on Sunday. Let's see if he's ready for practice on Wednesday.
• With Broncos RB Willis McGahee expected to miss 1-4 games due to a broken bone in his hand, look for Knowshon Moreno to get the start this week. All those drafted Moreno in the fourth round are now saying, "Finally!" Either that or, "Wait a minute. I finally cut the guy, and NOW he's playing?"
• Raiders RB Darren McFadden has a sprained foot, and his chances to return following the Week 8 bye are TBD. We won't know much more until next week.
• Speaking of byes, the Falcons, Bears, Packers, Jets and Bucs join the Raiders on this week's vacation list.
• Bucs RB Earnest Graham is out for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon. The Bucs think they'll get LeGarrette Blount back in Week 9; otherwise, Kregg Lumpkin will be the last man standing in the Tampa Bay backfield.
• With the bye week coming, the Falcons aren't saying much about Matt Ryan's knee injury, other than that it's not as bad as originally feared. Stay tuned.
• Remember that Bengals RB Cedric Benson will serve his one-game suspension this week. Bernard Scott gets the start, and is a decent fantasy option. Scott will be busy, but he faces a Seahawks' defense that's allowing a league-low 3.2 yards per carry.
• Those same Seahawks aren't sure if Tarvaris Jackson (strained pectoral muscle) or Charlie Whitehurst will start at quarterback this week. The Bengals must be terrified when thinking about this uncertainty. The status of RB Marshawn Lynch, who was a late scratch in Week 7 due to back spasms, is also TBD.
• Browns WR Mohammed Massaquoi and TE Ben Watson both suffered concussions on Sunday, and are day-to-day. There's no word on Peyton Hillis' hamstring, other than that he's "progressing."
• Speaking of concussions, don't guess on when Jahvid Best will return. Just wait, like the Lions are. Sorry, but concussions are unpredictable.
• Rams QB Sam Bradford was still in a walking boot on Monday, so we'll have to wait until Wednesday's practice to get an idea if he'll play this week.
• With Felix Jones' ankle probably needing more time to heal, rookie DeMarco Murray is in line for another start this week for the Cowboys. Do you think Jones will ever get his job back? I'm skeptical.
• Remember that C.J. Spiller will be spending some time at wide receiver for the next couple of games. The move probably won't make Spiller worthy of a fantasy start, but he's more valuable this way than he was as a backup running back.
• After missing four games due to a knee injury, WR Braylon Edwards might return this week for the 49ers. Yippee?
• No, I don't know what's wrong with Titans RB Chris Johnson. I do know that he gets to play against the Colts this week, and they can't stop the run. Don't ask me about benching him unless he has another bad game.
• Joel Beall will be in the FOXSports.com fantasy chat room today at 3 p.m. ET, and I'll have my usual session on Thursday at the same time. Make sure to send us lots of questions.
• You've already liked me on Facebook, right? If you have lineup or free-agent questions, that's the best place to contact me.

See you back here Friday morning.

Here are the injuries fantasy owners should be monitoring this week:

Week 8 BYES: Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, Oakland, NY Jets, and Tampa Bay

QB

Matthew Stafford (knee)
Sam Bradford (ankle)
Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral)
Matt Ryan (ankle/foot)

RB

Beanie Wells (knee)
Jahvid Best (concussion)
Tim Hightower (ACL - out for season)
Willis McGahee (hand, out 1-2)
Mark Ingram (heel)
Peyton Hillis (hamstring)
Felix Jones (ankle)
Brandon Jacobs (knee)
Earnest Graham (Achilles - out for season)
Darren McFadden (foot)
Joseph Addai (hamstring)
Cedric Benson (suspension)

WR

Santana Moss (hand, out 5-7 weeks)
Mohamed Massaquoi (concussion)
Hines Ward (ankle)
Percy Harvin (ribs)
Danario Alexander (hamstring)
Andre Johnson (hamstring)

TE

Ben Watson (concussion)
Antonio Gates (foot)

Here are the Week 7 NFL injuries we are monitoring this week:

BREAKING: Marshawn Lynch (out - hurt himself in warmups)

QB

Sam Bradford (out)
Jason Campbell (out)
Carson Palmer/Kyle Boller (GTD)
Rex Grossman (Benched)
Tarvaris Jackson (out)

RB

Jahvid Best (out-concussion)
LeGarrette Blount (out)
Joseph Addai (active-hamstring)
Daniel Thomas (active)
Tim Hightower (active)
Peyton Hillis (out)
Felix Jones (out)

WR

Lee Evans (out)
Andre Johnson (out)
Demaryius Thomas (active)
Vincent Jackson (active)
Julio Jones (out)

TE

Antonio Gates (active)
Greg Olsen (active)
Jimmy Graham (active)
Zach Miller (out)
Chris Cooley (out)

K

Sebastian Janikowski (out)

Here's the regular Friday rundown on where you can find fantasy assistance over the weekend:

• Tweet the FOXSports.com fantasy team. I'm at @jhalpin37, and you can also contact Ryan Fowler (@FOXSportsFowler), Joel Beall (@FOXSportsBeall) and Mike Harmon (@SwollenDome).
• Post a message on the Facebook pages for Harmon, Fowler and me.
• Listen to FOX Fantasy Freaks Harmon, Peter Burns and Nate Lundy, on FOX Sports Radio Sunday from 9 a.m. until noon ET. You can also tweet those guys (@FantasyFreaks).
• Chat with Fowler, Beall and me on FOXSports.com Sunday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. I'll be in the 11 a.m. slot this week.

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On to the news:

• After practicing on Monday and Wednesday, Chargers TE Antonio Gates rested his injured foot on Thursday. However, the team says the day off was part of the plan, and Gates remains on track to return this week against the Jets. If Gates is active, you should play him unless your backup is pretty good (I have Gates and Kellen Winslow, and I'm not sure what I'll do). Since Jets-Chargers is an early game, you'll know Gates' status in plenty of time to make a decision.
• A report surfaced Thursday that Lions RB Jahvid Best might miss the rest of the season due to a concussion. The Lions disputed the report, but Best certainly appears unlikely to play this week. The Detroit Free Press quotes RB Maurice Morris as saying Best hasn't been at meetings because "they kind of want him to stay away from the noise and lights," and that doesn't sound promising. However, you shouldn't count Best out yet, as nobody really has any idea when his symptoms will go away.
• Don't forget your byes. The Bills, Bengals, Patriots, Giants, Eagles and 49ers are off this week.
• Browns RB Peyton Hillis hasn't practiced yet this week due to his pulled hamstring, but he hasn't been ruled out for Week 7. Hillis is considered day-to-day, but I wouldn't count on him this week. That makes Montario Hardesty an option, but not a great one against the Seahawks' solid run defense. There's more detail here if you're interested.
• Bucs RB LeGarrette Blount (knee) will probably miss his second straight game on Sunday, meaning that Earnest Graham should be in line for another solid game. Head coach Raheem Morris said Thursday that Graham and Kregg Lumpkin "are probably going to split the load," but I don't believe him. Graham is the guy.
• Falcons WR Julio Jones (hamstring) hasn't practiced this week after missing last week's game against the Panthers. The team hopes he can play, but I'll believe it when I see it. We might be tracking toward gametime decision territory here.
• For those of you thinking ahead, Bengals RB Cedric Benson will serve a one-game suspension in Week 8. If you have a roster spot doing nothing, pick up Bernard Scott now and beat the rush.
• You might have heard some rumblings about Texans WR Andre Johnson returning this week, but it's probably not going to happen. On a related note, I've got Jacoby Jones starting in one league.
• Rams QB Sam Bradford (ankle) hasn't practiced all week and might not practice today, but he still might play Sunday in Dallas. With kickoff at 4:15 p.m. ET, you might not want to take the risk. You also might want to make sure you start the Dallas DST, or pick them up if they're still available, which is the case in about 22 percent of FOXSports.com leagues.
• It looks like Charlie Whitehurst will start at QB in place of Tarvaris Jackson (strained pectoral muscle) for the Seahawks this week. Our WhatIfSports projection has Whitehurst pegged for 259 yards and a score, perhaps because it sees the Seahawks playing from behind. Sometimes, bye weeks call for desperate measures. I'd rather start Whitehurst than Carson Palmer.
• FYI, Palmer hasn't officially been named as the Raiders' starter, but he's likely to be.
• Broncos' offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said Thursday that WR Demaryius Thomas will be worked into the lineup and then they'll "see how he's doing conditioning-wise." If you grabbed Thomas as a speculative play, don't expect too much from him this week, and don't quit on him if he has a quiet game. If he's going to help you, it might take a little while.
• Cardinals TE Todd Heap hasn't practiced this week, and his status for Sunday is TBD.
• Wondering why the Panthers' backs aren't running as often? Read this, and don't expect things to change very much.
• RB Joseph Addai (hamstring) still isn't practicing for the Colts, and isn't likely to play Sunday.
• Saints TE Jimmy Graham missed Thursday's practice due to a sore ankle, but it doesn't sound serious. Graham should be his usual studly self on Sunday night.
• Don't read too much into the news about LaDainian Tomlinson starting for the Jets against the Chargers. Shonn Greene is still Gang Green's lead back.
• Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall was limited in Thursday's practice after injuring his knee. Don't panic, but keep an eye on this one.
• Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said that his playcalling won't change with John Beck under center. In four full games, Rex Grossman averaged 36 pass attempts and 247 yards. This week's opponent, the Panthers, are 11th in the NFL with 219 passing yards allowed per game, but that's partly because teams haven't thrown at them very much - they're allowing a league-worst 8.5 yards per attempt. If you're looking for a QB flier this week, Beck isn't the worst idea in the world.

See you back here Tuesday morning.

Many believed it was a cruel prank from the gridiron gods. Surely, no team, not even the Raiders, would be foolish enough to fork over two (TWO?!?!) possible first-round picks for the services of Carson Palmer. Yet as the reality of the ridiculous compensation for the disgruntled quarterback set in, a new question arose: what fantasy worth does the former field general of the Bengals possess?

In the short-term, very little, as Oakland appears to be going with Kyle Boller under center against Kansas City this Sunday. The move gives Palmer this week, followed by the bye, to become acclimated with the Oakland offense.

Yet the Raiders’ second-half slate is far from arduous, as Hue Jackson’s squad faces susceptible secondaries against Denver, Minnesota, Miami and Green Bay. Despite owning one of the better backs in the league in Darren McFadden, the Silver-and-Black prefer to attack from the air, providing a platform for Palmer to post solid passing numbers. Oakland also has a deep WR corps, giving the necessary targets for the former Heisman winner to find fantasy fruition.

However, don’t expect Palmer to revert to his glory days of 2006. When we last saw the USC product, he was tossing 20 passes to the wrong team in 2010, third-most in the NFL last season. The velocity on his throws was absent, and Palmer appeared timid and downright scared in the pocket at times.

Perhaps a change of scenery is all Palmer needs to rejuvenate into of the league’s proficient passers. For now, view Palmer as a fantasy backup. He probably won’t merit starter status in the fantasy forum until Week 11, but in deeper leagues or two-QB formats, picking up Palmer is a gamble worth the risk.

Dear NFL: Please don't make us watch the Miami Dolphins again this season. If you'd be kind enough to black out all their home and road games, football fans everywhere will appreciate it. Thanks.

On to the news:

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• Raiders QB Jason Campbell hopes to be out for only six weeks with his broken collarbone, but that sounds optimistic, and if Campbell has been your second quarterback, you can cut him. Kyle Boller is the new starter, but the Raiders are rumored to be after Bengals holdout Carson Palmer. If you need to grab and start Boller due to a bye-week issue, don't expect much, and don't get too attached to him.
• Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan says he won't decide between QBs Rex Grossman and John Beck until Wednesday. Grossman was picked off four times against the Eagles on Sunday, and while the team's fans are obviously fed up with him already, that doesn't necessarily mean Shanahan is. It's hard to counsel adding Beck as a free agent tonight unless you already own Grossman and need to hedge your bets.
• The Vikings will also announce their QB decision on Wednesday after benching Donovan McNabb for rookie Christian Ponder on Sunday night. If all three of these teams choose to go with their new signal callers, I'd rank them Beck, Boller, Ponder for fantasy purposes.
• Don't forget your byes this week. The Bills, Bengals, Patriots, Giants, Eagles and 49ers are off. The running back position will be missing some big names in Week 7.
• Lions RB Jahvid Best suffered a concussion against the 49ers on Sunday, and his Week 7 status is up in the air. If you own Best, there's nothing to do except wait, and scout the free-agent wire if your backups are on byes this week.
• Cowboys RB Felix Jones is expected to miss 2-4 weeks with a high ankle sprain. After Jones got hurt on Sunday, rookie DeMarco Murray (10 carries, 32 yards) got the bulk of the workload. Murray hasn't looked great, and his offensive line won't give him a lot of room to run, but he's not a bad free-agent target if you need to fill a hole. He'll be busy, and that's half the battle. Also, he does get to face the Rams' league-worst rushing defense (163 yards per game) this week.
• Don't count on an Andre Johnson appearance against the Titans in Week 7.
• The Rams' acquisition of WR Brandon Lloyd from the Broncos pretty much makes their other wideouts useless for fantasy owners, unless you want to take a shot at slot man Greg Salas in a PPR league. It should help QB Sam Bradford, though Bradford's status for Week 7 is in question due to a high ankle sprain. Assuming that Bradford can play, he's an interesting fantasy bet for the rest of the season. He's got a shiny new receiver, and plays in a pass-heavy offense.
• On the Broncos' side of the trade, injury-plagued Demaryius Thomas becomes an interesting fantasy free-agent option, as he's scheduled to make his 2011 debut this week. Thomas is very talented, and should be pretty good if he can stay on the field. Eric Decker is already owned in most leagues, and should get a healthy number of targets from new QB Tim Tebow.
• The severity of Peyton Hillis' hamstring injury is TBD, but I'd pick up Montario Hardesty if I could. The Hillis/Browns relationship gets weirder all the time, with head coach Pat Shurmur sounding uneasy when he talks about the guy (watch this video and see if you agree), and trade rumors surfacing.
• Will Chargers TE Antonio Gates return to action this week. Maybe, but he did practice Monday. The San Diego Union-Tribune story at the link reports that RBs Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert are ready to go after suffering injuries in Week 5.
• Redskins TE Chris Cooley will have surgery on his fractured left index finger and be out for awhile. Fred Davis had six catches for 95 yards against the Eagles, and once again looks to be a strong fantasy option.
• It doesn't sound like Seahawks QB Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral muscle) will be ready to go this week. If you're looking for a DST, the Browns at home against Charlie Whitehurst sounds good.
• More guys whose status is unclear for Week 7: Bucs RB LeGarrette Blount and Falcons WR Julio Jones, It's only Tuesday, so we'll just need to stay tuned.
• This article makes it sound like the Chiefs won't be shy about giving Jackie Battle plenty of carries this week. He's not still available in your league, right?
• The Bills are making C.J. Spiller a receiver due to a rash of injuries, and he caught five passes on Sunday. Spiller will still qualify at running back in most leagues, and this move could improve his PPR value. Don't run out and grab Spiller, but see how he does in Week 8.
• Joel Beall will be in the FOXSports.com fantasy chat room today at 3 p.m. ET. Stop by and ask him lots of questions, OK?

See you back here Friday morning.