WINK News in Fort Myers, Florida is reporting that four suspects have been detained in connection with the shooting and death of NFL star Sean Taylor. WINK is also reporting that Taylor’s brother and sister might have possibly been in connection with the shooting suspects.

The above link will take you to WINK’s story. On the left hand side of the web page, there’s a news video that goes into more detail about how Taylor’s brother and sister might have been involved. The reporter from the video wasn’t entirely clear, but the jist of the story is that Taylor gave “thousands upon thousands” of money to his siblings and they in turn shared some of it with the suspects. Knowing that Taylor was the source of the money, the suspects went over to Taylor’s Miami house looking for more, then shot and killed him in the process.

None of this has been proven yet, however, so it’s safe to assume that this might not be the entire story. None of the national media outlets have even mentioned Taylor’s siblings yet.

Sure, Kurt Warner and Jamal Lewis haven’t set the world on fire this year, but in my latest column, I urge fantasy owners to look a little closer. With a cupcake schedule ahead of them, Warner and Lewis are just two players who should exceed their current rate of production down the stretch.

Heisman Trophy definition: A yearly award given to the most outstanding college football player.

What it stands for: Kid, you better be good at something else, because that trophy now walks hand in hand with your doomed professional football career.

The Heisman Trophy is supposed to be the crowning achievement for a college football player. Instead, it has more recently become known as somewhat of a jinx, turning star college players into bona fide NFL busts. But does the coveted hardware really spell doom and gloom for all of its winners? Well no, not all of them. In fact, there have been plenty of college football players who won the Heisman and went on to do very good things in the NFL. Bullz-Eye.com listed every Heisman winner since 1984 and put them into one of two groups: studs and duds. The studs obviously took their Heisman Trophy and hit the ground running, having more than above average success in the NFL, while the duds fizzled out right after hearing the words, “And your Heisman Trophy winner is….”

GM Phil Savage recently said the Browns might give the highest tender to QB Derek Anderson when he becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the season. That means if any team signs Anderson and the Browns don’t match, Cleveland would receive that team’s first and third round draft picks in 2008 (assuming some other form of compensation isn’t worked out).

Alright, I’m intrigued. What quarterback-starved teams are most likely to make a play at Anderson assuming the Browns don’t just hold on to him? “Most likely” rules out teams like the Jets, Bills, Chiefs, Dolphins and Panthers by the way, although they certainly might be in the QB-market as well.

1. Chicago. If the Bears go 7-9 or 8-8 and land in the middle of the first round, it’s highly feasible they would give up the necessary draft picks to land Anderson. Rex Grossman becomes a free agent at the end of the year and Brian Griese isn’t a long-term answer, so Chicago might be the most logical fit.

2. Minnesota. First and foremost, in order for the Vikings to make a play for Anderson, Brad Childress would have to admit the huge project that is Tarvaris Jackson might not be worth it. Childress fought hard this off-season to retain the three highly ineffective quarterbacks he currently has the roster, so it might be a stretch to assume he’ll go along with the idea of acquiring Anderson. However, with two great lines on both sides of the ball and a superstar young running back, Anderson would probably make Minnesota an instant contender, assuming they got him some wide receivers, of course.

3. Atlanta. The Falcons are in desperate need of a young franchise quarterback after you know who, did you know what. Yet, assuming they would be drafting in the top 10 next year, would they be willing to give up two high draft picks to acquire Anderson? Not only that, but would Anderson be worth passing on QB prospect Brian Brohm in the draft, the same Brian Brohm Bobby Petrino coached at Louisville?

I’ll rule out the Ravens, because while they would definitely be in the market for a young quarterback, Savage isn’t stupid enough to trade within the division. Two sleeper candidates, however, would be Detroit and Tampa. Both teams currently have aging quarterbacks in Jon Kitna and Jeff Garcia, respectively, and both would likely be drafting in the back half of each round, so a first and a third might be worth giving up.

Wondering what the Browns might do with quarterback Derek Anderson - who will become a restricted free agent - after the season? The Cleveland Plain Dealer gave insight to the situation in a recent article.

For the first time publicly, Savage said he is leaning toward giving restricted free agent Anderson the highest contract tender after the season. The tender of $2.562 million would guarantee the Browns first- and third-round draft choices if a QB-hungry team offered Anderson a long-term contract to be its starter.

“I think we’d be most comfortable with that 1-and-3 scenario rather than doing something less than that,” Savage said. “Then you have to have a suitor. You’ve got to have somebody out there that’s wanting not only to give up picks but to pay a lot of money. And sometimes that can be a double-dip.”

The Browns are in a great position because if they retain Anderson for 2008, Brady Quinn could get another year of tutoring and possibly become the starter in 2009 when Anderson bolts for free agency. Or, if another team does make a play for Anderson in the off-season, the Browns (who don’t have a first round pick in 2008) would at least net multiple draft picks and still have Quinn ready to go next season.

For a deeper look at the Browns’ quarterback situation, click here to check out my recent column for Bullz-Eye.com.

According to the New York Daily News, the Mets may consider trading shortstop Jose Reyes to the Twins for ace Johan Santana.

Speculation in MLB circles swirled Wednesday that the Mets, who desperately need to obtain a frontline starter this winter, were considering parting with Reyes to obtain Johan Santana in the wake of a separate pending Twins deal yesterday that would send Minnesota’s shortstop, Jason Bartlett, to Tampa Bay along with pitcher Matt Garza and reliever Juan Rincon for outfielder Delmon Young, infielder Brendan Harris and outfield prospect Jason Pridie.

Reyes slumped towards the end of last year, but so did the entire Mets organization from the players down to the grounds crew. I can’t fathom why any team would trade a 24 year-old shortstop that can hit for average, steal bases and play defense, even if it would net them one of the best pitchers in MLB. Santana may win 15-plus games, but Reyes is an everyday player and a good one at that. If the Twins could pull this trade off, they’d lose Santana and Torii Hunter in the same off-season, but also haul in two of baseball’s promising young talents in Reyes and Young. And Reyes, of course, is already an established player.

Defensive Team By Committee (DTBC) can be an effective approach in fantasy football. While other teams spend middle round draft picks on the Ravens or Bears, an owner going DTBC will wait until the final rounds to grab a mediocre defense with a good matchup in week 1. As the season wears on, they’ll pickup defenses week to week depending on the matchup, because a mediocre defense with a great matchup is as good of a play as a great defense with a mediocre matchup.

Last week, my top three picks were ARI, KC and SEA. The Cardinals and Chiefs disappointed, but the Seahawks were a great fantasy start.

Here are a few defenses that have nice matchups this week and are available in at least 40% of ESPN leagues (in order of strength of play):

MIA (vs. NYJ), STL (vs. ATL), DEN (@ OAK), CAR (vs. SF) and DET (@ MIN)

Good luck!

In last night’s Western Conference showdown in Phoenix, Houston put the clamps down on the Suns’ breakneck offense en route to a 100-94 win. It was sort of a statement game for the Rockets, who are just 9-7 after the win.

The game was proof that the Rockets are better when they run their offense through Yao Ming, who led the way with 31 points and 13 rebounds. The big fella went 12-19 from the field and a perfect 7-7 from the line. Amare Stoudemire did his best to offset the Great Wall, posting 25 points and nine boards, but the Suns shot just 41.5% from the field in the loss.

The Rockets are in the league’s toughest division. With Spurs, Mavs and the upstart Hornets all playing good ball, the Rockets are going to have to stay focused if they hope to make the playoffs.

Two weeks ago when Lloyd Carr announced he was effectively stepping down from head coach at the University of Michigan, rumors of Les Miles coaching the maze and blue started spreading like wildfire.

Well, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

The University of Michigan’s search for a new football coach took its first significant step forward Wednesday night, as athletic director Bill Martin asked for, and received, permission to talk to Louisiana State University coach and former Wolverine player and assistant Les Miles about succeeding the retired Lloyd Carr.

Wolverine fans shouldn’t get their hopes up yet. While this would make a nice homecoming story for Miles (he played under legendary UM coach Bo Schembechler and also was an assistant for him), LSU isn’t going to allow him to head north without at least offering him a lucrative extension. Plus, Michigan isn’t known for shelling out huge contracts to head coaches. Carr made less than $300,000 annually, which is still a lot of money but given UM’s size and reputation, one would think they would pony up a little more for a head football coach.

Something tells me that if this becomes a bidding war for Miles, LSU is going to retain his services. However, you can never downplay where a man’s heart lies. Maybe Miles is willing to accept around the same amount of money he made at LSU this season (just less than $1.5 million) to coach at his alma mater. Carr made just under $1.5 million this season too, so obviously UM would probably be fine with signing Miles in that price range.

Head Coach Jeff Reynolds was reprimanded by the Mountain West Conference for post game remarks made after a road loss to Montana. Here is what he said, “The fact that the official was right there, and he made the call, and this guy runs over from out of his territory to overrule him, you know, that’s questionable.” That call took the ball from Air Force and left them on the short end of a 59-57 score….Come on, are you kidding me? Go to the video tape and it will show you the truth. How about having the official respond to questionable calls after the game in a press conference….Why do we keep protecting officials? Make them answer the bell…

The truth be known most officials are good guys doing the best they can. Furthermore, I can accept a guy saying he made a mistake. You respect that.

One of the most sincere gestures I have ever heard of was when Rick Hartzell sent Jim Valvano a note apologizing for blowing a call in the NC State-Georgetown tournament game that cost NC State a victory. It also turned out to be the last game Valvano ever coached… If he can show class like that. Why can’t other officials answer the bell?

The marquee matchup in the NFC (probably the only marquee matchup in the NFC) plays out Thursday night on the NFL Network when the Packers take on the Cowboys in Dallas. So I figured – what the heck, I’ll do a preview.

This isn’t a gambling site, but I felt compelled to mention that most sports books have the Cowboys as seven point favorites. Seven points? I could see home field advantage giving Dallas a three or maybe even a five-point edge, but seven? We’re not talking about a 7-3 team who has managed to get hot recently – Green Bay is 10-1 and Brett Favre is playing magnificently.

Personally, I like Green Bay. I like them with the points, straight up and with a side of coleslaw. Statistically, Dallas is better on both sides of the ball. But in a game of this magnitude, stats go out the window. The Cowboys secondary can be had and I know a certain #4 is the right man to expose a weaknesses in a team’s defensive backfield. Dallas is good against the run (excellent, actually), but the Packers are one of the few teams that don’t need to set up the pass with the run - they usually don’t have to worry about being one-dimensional if a defense shuts down the ground game. The Pack certainly have the offensive weapons to take advantage of safety Roy Williams in space and as long as Favre doesn’t start forcing passes and turning the ball over, Green Bay should be able to pull out a victory.

One thing Tony Romo does so well, however, is that he creates opportunities with his feet. Give this guy enough time and he’ll find Terrell Owens and Jason Witten streaking down the field. Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins can’t let Romo move the pocket or else he’s going to have a field day. Either way, call the NFL Network thieves because they stole a great game from their television counterparts.

What’s a preview without a meaningless prediction, too? Packers 27, Cowboys 23. Thoughts?

Last week’s sleeper, Kolby Smith, had a wonderful game, rushing for 150 yards and two scores. Let’s see if we can find a couple more diamonds in the rough…

Derrick Ward, Giants (@ CHI)
He’s banged up, but barring a setback this week, he should play on Sunday against the Bears, who have had a lot of trouble stopping the run. With Brandon Jacobs out, Ward is the favorite to get the lion’s share of the touches, but be warned, Reuben Droughns may steal some goal line carries. Ward should be especially good in PPR leagues.

Fred Jackson, Bills (@ WAS)
With Marshawn Lynch and Anthony Thomas both struggling with injuries, Jackson figures to get the start against the Redskins, who have been mediocre against the run. Jackson probably isn’t going to set the world on fire, but he should get most of the work in a starting capacity, and that’s worth something in fantasy football.

Every week, I highlight a few players to start and a few players to sit at each position. I’m a firm believer in starting your studs, so I won’t tell you about how Carson Palmer or LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. I’ll focus on the borderline guys – players you’ll only start under the right circumstances. It’s important to note that depending on your roster and situation, you may not be able to follow these recommendations. For example, if I suggest you bench a solid starter like Ben Roethlisberger, only do so if you have a clearly better option on your bench.

START ‘EM

QB: Kurt Warner has a fantastic matchup against the Browns, who have yielded 267 yards and 2.3 TD through the air this season. Warner is on fire right now and the good times should continue against the Browns…Vince Young has averaged 269 yards passing, thrown for two TD and run for one more over the last three weeks. This week, he faces a Houston defense that has struggled lately against the pass…For the desperate, Daunte Culpepper (vs. DEN) and Tarvaris Jackson (vs. DET) have good matchups this week.

RB: If Travis Henry is healthy and available, he should be a great start against the Raiders, who have been awful against the run this season. If he can’t go, Selvin Young or Andre Hall would be next in line, but they are both out with injuries, so Cecil Sapp looks to be the man if Henry can’t go…Jamal Lewis is a must-start this week against the Cardinals, who were shredded last week by an underachieving 49er rushing attack…After a great game on Sunday, Kolby Smith is worth a start against the Chargers, who are 21st against the run this season. Smith looks like a capable RB2 in most leagues.

WR: Get Steve Smith back in your lineup. He faces the 49ers, who have been miserable against the pass of late…Sidney Rice is a sneaky good start against the Lions, who are 31st in the league against the pass…In the same game, Calvin Johnson is definitely worth a look against the Vikings, who have given up the most passing yards in the league…Lee Evans is worth a start against the Redskins, who have been pretty bad against the pass over the last few games.

SIT ‘EM

QB: Jay Cutler has a tough matchup this week against a Raiders defense that has yielded just 184 yards and 0.7 TD through the air this season. Oakland also has the second-best TD to INT ratio (8 to 13), so Cutler is probably in for a tough week…A.J. Feeley played well last week against the Pats, but he may have a difficult time repeating that feat against a Seahawks defense that has allowed just six pass TD all season…John Beck (vs. NYJ), Brodie Croyle (vs. SD) and Phillip Rivers (@ KC) should be avoided as well.

RB: Rudi Johnson should ride the pine as he faces a Pittsburgh defense that is 2nd in the league against the run (and has only allowed two rushing TD all season)…I like the other Adrian Peterson (who plays for the Bears) as a pickup, but this week he faces a Giants defense that is 8th in the league against the run. You can start Peterson in PPR leagues, however…Laurence Maroney has been pretty spotty all season, but he should definitely be benched (if possible) against the Ravens, who have the 3rd best rush defense in all of football.

WR: Javon Walker and Brandon Marshall face a tough test against the Oakland secondary, which has proven to be one of the best in the league. Marshall is still startable, but after Walker’s goose egg last week, I recommend waiting for him to put up some good numbers before putting him back in your lineup…Derrick Mason faces a tough Pats defense that will probably focus on limiting his opportunities.

This week started Jimmy V Week in college basketball. Appropriately named for the former North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano. Having had the opportunity to hear him speak in person while he was still coaching I was mesmerized by his storytelling and motivational skills. It was easy to see why he was able to orchestrate the greatest upset in NCAA history. HIs run to the National Championship was something that every coach dreamed about. The little David pitted against the mighty Goliath (Houton “Phi Slamma Jamma” Cougars) is what Hollywood scripts are made of, however, I don’t know if anyone would have bought this one.

After leaving NC State he became one of the best in the broadcasting business. But what if he had taken the UCLA job. That afterall was his dream job. Being a former English major he grew up watching John Wooden hanging banners. How many more banners would be hanging in Pauley Pavillion if he had become the coach? Alas, it was not to be. Too much bueraucracy. His legacy will live on forever and I ask you to be generous in giving to the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Now back to basketball. The ACC - Big Ten Challenge is the highlight of Jimmy V Week and it looks like it will be a highlight for the ACC. After winning the conference showdown last year (8-3), the ACC is off to a 5-1 start this year. The first night winners were Wake Forest, Duke, Clemson,Florida State and Virginia. The lone victor for the Big Ten was Indiana…Speaking of Indiana, I will get a chance to see Indiana next week as part of the Big Ten Network. I am looking forward to seeing one of the best guards in the country, Eric Gordon. Forget about it, that he is only a freshman.

Duke was absolutely unstoppable last night as they steamrolled Wisconsin. A pretty good Badger team was no match for a hot shooting Duke squad. It looks like Duke has put the pieces together early for Coach K. So much for the coaching hangover from the Olympic team preparations.

One final note, if you get a chance tune into ESPN for the Jimmy V ESPY acceptance speech at 7:00est. Whether you are a sports fan or not you will not be disappointed.

I Miss Football Season took a stab at which NFL head coaches could be shown the door after the year.

1. Brian Billick, Baltimore–They were 13-3 last year and looked like they might go all the way. But ever since the Colts knocked them out of the playoffs, they haven’t been the same. This year they are 4-7 and have lost a lot of games they should have won. The defense isn’t the same, probably because it’s tired from being on the field all the time. The offense is, as always, atrocious. And remember that Billick is an offensive coach. See ya.

2. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati–This one is more of a longshot, because I think Marvin may have turned things around last week, and I think he deserves another year. But this season, the playoffs will be watched from the Bengals’ collective living room.

3. Tom Coughlin, NY Giants–For a minute there, it looked like ol’ Tom had saved his job. But alas, the Giants have begun their annual collapse. Look, he can’t stop Eli Manning from throwing picks and he can’t tackle players on the other team, but he sure can find a way to stop a second half losing skid, and he hasn’t done that yet. Bill Cowher, please keep your cell phone turned on when Jerry Reese calls.

4. John Fox, Carolina–This team has underachieved more than it has looked like world beaters, and though Fox can’t be blamed for injuries, this will be one of those change of scenery things.

5. Scott Linehan, St. Louis–Yes, his Rams have won 2 of 3, but fans were calling for his dismissal after 4 games. It’s just not working out, and I think they miss Mike Martz more than anyone will admit.

I agree about Billick – folks in Baltimore have been calling for his head for weeks now. He looks completely befuddled this year and out ofanswers after seemingly fixing the Ravens’ offensive woes last year. I think Fox is done too. Read the Carolina papers and you get the impression that he might not be the best fit for that team anymore. As far as Lewis and Coughlin, as IMFS suggested, they might be coaching for their jobs over the next five weeks. Linehan is probably safe for at least another year. The Rams definitely have underachieved this year, but you have to give a guy at least three seasons.

The one guy I’d add to IMFS’s list is Mike Nolan in San Fran. Mike Singletary’s name has been in the head coaching mix for two seasons now and maybe the Niners promote from within after this disastrous season.

Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post and ESPN’s “PTI” wrote an interesting column in the wake of Sean Taylor’s death.

I wasn’t surprised in the least when I heard the news Monday morning that Sean Taylor had been shot in his home by an intruder. Angry? Yes. Surprised? Not even a little. It was only in June 2006 that Taylor, originally charged with a felony, pleaded no contest to assault and battery charges after brandishing a gun during a battle over who took his all-terrain vehicles in Florida. After that, an angry crew pulled up on Taylor and his boys and pumped at least 15 bullets into his sport-utility vehicle. So why would anybody be surprised? Had it been Shawn Springs, I would have been stunned. But not Sean Taylor.

Coincidence? We have no idea, not yet anyway. Could have been a random act, a break-in, something that happens every day in America, something that could happen to any one of us no matter how safe we think our neighborhood is. Could have been just that. But would it surprise me if it was more than that, if there was a distinct reason Taylor was sleeping with a machete under his bed? A machete. Even though his attorney and friend Richard Sharpstein says his instincts tell him “this was not a murder or a hit,” would it stun me if Taylor was specifically targeted? Not one bit.

…But what they do share is dying too soon, unnecessarily so, while young and athletic, seemingly on top of the world. Though we’re likely to struggle in great frustration to understand the circumstances of how Taylor left so soon, how dare we not put forth an honest if sometimes uncomfortable effort to examine his life in some greater context than football.

Wilbon makes a great point in his final paragraph that some want to gloss over more underlining issues when an athlete dies. We should remember that Taylor was becoming a great player and a man who was starting to turn his lifestyle around for the better. But the fact of the matter is that he didn’t change quickly enough. A young man lost his life and therefore, it’s a tragedy. It’s a tragedy that someone lost a son, father, brother and a friend. The bigger tragedy, however, is if another athlete with a similar background doesn’t view Taylor’s death (random or not) as a cautionary tale.

The Yankees are currently in talks with the Twins’ about ace Johan Santana. According to Newsday, those talks began before Thanksgiving.

Upgrading the starting rotation, Steinbrenner said, is not an absolute must. But Santana, 28, is perhaps the best pitcher in baseball, and in a different class from any other pitcher potentially available. He is 93-44 in his career with a 3.22 ERA and two Cy Young Awards to his name.

…a few players believed to interest the Twins are righthanders Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, second baseman Robinson Cano, centerfielder Melky Cabrera and perhaps minor-league outfielders Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata. But the Yankees have worked hard to upgrade their farm system and want to hold on to as much of that young talent as possible.

Santana is a special case, though. One source said yesterday that none of the above players would be off-limits in the right deal for Santana. Another source indicated that the Yankees plan to cling hardest to Chamberlain and Cano but that the others might be negotiable. The Twins need a centerfielder, as Torii Hunter signed with the Angels via free agency last week.

If updating the starting rotation isn’t an absolute must, why sell the farm system for a starter than? Regardless, before all the love/hate Yankee comments start rolling in, we should wait to see if the trade plays out. If the Twins can fleece NY for three or four major-league ready players, then even Yankee-haters should laugh at Hank Steinbrenner selling the future for the present. However, if the Twins give him up for a bunch of minor-league prospects then it’s their fault for not getting max value for one of their best players.

Update: The Red Sox are apparently after Santana as well. Why am I not surprised?

Every week, I highlight a few players that you should target in waivers. I’ll use the ESPN league data when filtering players, so the only players eligible for discussion here are those that are available on the waiver wire of at least 40% of ESPN’s leagues. I’ll list each player’s percentage-owned after their name so you have an idea of how available they are in leagues around the country. I’ll always try to talk about a player or two that are available in 90% of leagues for those of you in 12-team leagues or leagues with big rosters.

This week, I’m going to start ranking the players in order of what I believe their overall value to be over the rest of the season. Remember, there are Thursday games this week, so get your roster in early.

QUARTERBACKS

Matt Schaub (52.0) still lingers on almost half of ESPN’s waiver wires. He has tough matchups in three of the next four games, but has a tasty week 15 matchup against the Broncos, so he’d be a good pickup for those with David Garrard or Vince Young starting at QB. Both players have tough matchups that week…Kurt Warner (45.1) threw for 484 yards and two scores against the 49ers and has two good matchups over the next three games. He is very injury-prone, so be sure to have another good option at QB on your roster…Jason Campbell (47.3) has a nice matchup in week 16 (@ MIN), so if you’re starting Jon Kitna, Matt Schaub, David Garrard or Marc Bulger, Campbell would be a fine fill in that week. His schedule isn’t that bad over the short term, either…David Garrard (36.1) is back to his quiet, effective ways, but he has three tough matchups (@ IND, @ PIT, vs. OAK) over the next four weeks…Daunte Culpepper (14.6) is a sleeper pickup for the stretch run. He has solid matchups in three of his final four games…Kellen Clemens (10.2) had a bad week against a suspect Dallas secondary, but he has a couple of nice matchups (@ MIA, vs. CLE) over the next two weeks…Brodie Croyle (5.5) is an option for those desperate for help at QB. He has nice matchups in weeks 14 and 16 against Denver and Detroit, respectively…Tarvaris Jackson (4.2) is another sleeper for the stretch run. He has Detroit and San Francisco over the next two weeks, which could mean decent numbers from the young QB… Trent Edwards (2.8) is the starter again in Buffalo, and with games against the Redskins, Dolphins, Browns and Giants, he’s a sneaky good pickup in deeper leagues…Kyle Boller (4.2) has to play the Patriots and Colts, but both games are at home and after that he has the Dolphins and Seahawks on the road. He’s not a great option, but he’s a starting QB, and he’s played OK the last two weeks…Trent Dilfer (0.9) proved he had a little something in the tank with 256 yards and two TD against the Cardinals. He has two very nice matchups over the next three gams, making him a decent option for desperate owners in deep leagues…Keep an eye on Marc Bulger this week. If he can’t recover from the concussion he suffered on Sunday, then Gus Frerotte (0.9) would be a decent option this week…A.J. Feeley (0.8) played well against the Pats and would be an OK start if Donovan McNabb misses more time.

RUNNING BACKS

Kolby Smith (23.5) was my Sleeper of the Week last week and he didn’t disappoint, posting 150 rushing yards and two scores. With Larry Johnson’s uncertain future, Smith holds a ton of value right now…Adrian Peterson (15.9) will start in place of the injured Cedric Benson, who is out for the year. He doesn’t have a great upcoming schedule, but he should be an adequate RB2 for those in need of help at the position…Andre Hall (8.8) blew up against the Bears, posting 167 total yards and a score. As long as Selvin Young and Travis Henry are out, it’s Hall’s job to lose. Cecil Sapp (0.5) is his backup…Maurice Morris (56.6) had a quiet game on Sunday, but will continue to fill in for Shaun Alexander as long as he’s out…Reuben Droughns (50.5) got the starting nod with Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward sidelined and posted 46 rushing yards and a score against a pretty good Vikings rush defense…Patrick Cobbs (0.6) would likely start if Jesse Chatman and Ricky Williams (23.4) both miss Sunday’s game…It looks like Ahman Green may return this week, but if he misses, Ron Dayne (37.0) will continue to get the bulk of the Texans’ workload…Anthony Thomas (25.9) played pretty well in place of the injured Marshawn Lynch, but the A-Train strained his calf, which means that either Fred Jackson (0.0) or Dwayne Wright (1.4) could get the starting nod. Jackson got a lot more work than Wright did on Sunday, so he may have moved past Wright on the depth chart.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Chris Henry (37.4) had a quiet game against the Titans and faces a tough Pittsburgh defense this week. Still, he’s a viable WR3 in most leagues, especially considering his late-season schedule (vs. STL, @ SF, vs. CLE)…Shaun McDonald (53.7) had a quiet game this week, but he’s been money this season, especially in PPR leagues. He has a nice upcoming schedule, which makes him a good WR3 in most leagues…Roddy White (53.1) blew up (again), catching six passes for 104 yards and a score. His numbers have been up and down this season due to the erratic play of his QBs…Kevin Walter (23.3) caught six passes for 65 yards and a score against the Browns. His upcoming schedule isn’t favorable, but he would benefit if defenses focus on stopping Andre Johnson…Justin Gage (3.0) seems to be emerging as Vince Young’s favorite target in the passing game. He has 17 catches for 254 yards and a TD over the last three weeks…It’s tough to argue with Arnaz Battle’s (8.8) performance over the past few weeks. In PPR leagues, he has gone for double-digits in the last three games…Sidney Rice (2.2) has had an up and down rookie season, but he has Detroit and San Francisco over the next two weeks, so he’s a sneaky good pickup for those in need of help at WR…Darrell Jackson (52.6) posted a season-high five catches on Sunday, and with Carolina, Minnesota and Cincinnati over the next three weeks, he might be in line for a late-season resurgence…Anthony Gonzalez (9.6) finally had a breakout game, catching six passes for 105 yards. He should be the WR2 in Indy as long as Marvin Harrison is out…Reggie Williams (29.5) has caught a TD in three of the last four games. He only has four catches over the last three games, but he makes them count…Jerry Porter (49.5) has been decent over the past few weeks, breaking into the double-digits in PPR leagues in three of the last four weeks.

TIGHT ENDS

Owen Daniels (56.0) has caught 12 passes for 156 yards and a score over the last two games and has established himself as a solid starting fantasy TE…Tony Scheffler (16.4) caught five passes for 82 yards and a score against the Bears, and has now caught 18 passes in the last four games…After three consecutive good performances, Donald Lee (59.9) had a very quiet game against the Lions. Expect him to return to form against the Cowboys…L.J. Smith (53.4) has caught 11 passes over the last three games, making him a borderline starter in deeper leagues…Kellen Clemens seems to like Chris Baker (7.2), who has caught 11 passes for 112 yards and a score over the last three games.

Check back tomorrow for my Sleeper of the Week and Thinking Defensively, where I suggest a few defenses to pick up for week 13.

Washington Redskins’ safety Sean Taylor died early Tuesday morning, one day after being shot in the leg during an apparent robbery attempt in his Miami home. He was only 24.

Taylor had been transported to the hospital after being shot in the lower body early Monday morning by an as-yet unknown intruder at his home in nearby Palmetto Bay. He underwent approximately seven hours of surgery Monday but lost extensive amounts of blood because the bullet pierced the femoral artery in his leg, according to his former attorney and family friend Richard Sharpstein, who received a phone call about 5:30 a.m. ET from Taylor’s father about the death.

“(He) said he was with Christ and he cried and thanked me,” Sharpstein said. “It’s a tremendously sad and unnecessary event. He was a wonderful, humble, talented young man and had a huge life in front of him. Obviously God had other plans.”

Like many, I thought the worst was over for Taylor late Monday evening when reports surfaced that he had awaken from a coma and was responsive. What a sad and tragic story. I can remember vividly the day he was drafted and thinking, “Man, this guy is going to be one of the best safeties in the league.” My heart goes out to his family and friends.

I don’t want to take anything away from North Carolina State, but their win against Villanova in the Old Spice Classic was a result of a horrible call by an official. One thing that I feel needs to be changed about the officiating in the college game is that officials need to be held responsible. After every game players and coaches are expected to address the media and explain why they did what they did.

It is about time that officials are held to the same scrutiny. When you are making close to $2000 a game for blowing your whistle there needs to be some accountability. Having watched officials through the years get off scott free for a blown call, I think it is about high time that it changes. Speaking of blown calls I still want the official who made the call against Seton Hall in the championship game that allowed Michigan to win a national championship to step up and explain that one.

Sorry for the rant…