I've been in this business for close to a decade, and I have never seen such madness. It's come to the point where you can't even trust your studs (unless they're names are Tom Brady or Peyton Manning). Heck, I started Ron Dayne over Frank Gore this week...and it worked! Here's a stat that will shock and awe: LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, Clinton Portis and Shaun Alexander combined to score fewer points than Kris Brown -- a kicker!
Has hell frozen over?
Let's get into the numbers and start like we do every week with the quarterbacks. Brady and Philip Rivers tied for the most points at the position (and overall) with 28. Brady wasn't a surprise, but Rivers sure was based on his opponent, the Denver Broncos. Mike Shanahan's team entered the weekend ranked first against the pass. It went on to allow Rivers to throw for 270 yards and score three touchdowns. Gus Frerotte, who will be a hot name on the waiver wire, threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns in his first start for St. Louis.
Kurt Warner was also solid with 190 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams, and he'll be a top free-agent add this week with Matt Leinart out several weeks with a broken collarbone. In fact, Warner is still available in over 80 percent of NFL.com leagues. If you need a quarterback add him now.
If you had told me that Kenton Keith would lead all running backs in points this week, I would have asked you what you were smoking. But in this bizarre fantasy season, it's much more believable. He totaled 158 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns -- that equates to 27 fantasy points -- in a win over Tampa Bay. Michael Turner, a reserve runner, was second with 20 points. More than half of his total production came on a 74-yard touchdown run. Another reserve, Najeh Davenport, tied Turner with 20 points. Ronnie Brown, who has been this season's version of Tomlinson, also scored 20 points. Maurice Jones-Drew and Mike Sellers tied for fifth with 17 points apiece. So to recap, four backs who are second on their respective team's depth charts and a player with no value (Sellers) scored the most points among runners in Week 5.
Injuries were also a major issue this week, as Jamal Lewis, Ahman Green, Brandon Jackson, Laurence Maroney and Michael Pittman were either out or hurt in action. That adds to a list of injured backs that already includes Steven Jackson, Deuce McAllister and Cadillac Williams. If fantasy football owners have learned one lesson this season, it's that handcuffing your top runners is extremely important. If Ron Dayne, DeShawn Wynn or Earnest Graham are available, pick them up now.