QB Josh Freeman, Kansas State Wildcats

Josh Freeman?s coming off back to back three touchdown days, and now he gets the struggling Iowa State Cyclone defense. Despite head coach Gene Chizik?s defensive past, the Cyclones are giving up 32 points a game and we think Freeman should see plenty of scoring opportunities. The Cyclones, like a lot of teams, can?t match up with Jordy Nelson and Freeman will exploit that all day. The Wildcat offense is really running on all cylinders with the running game getting going, forcing the defense to honor Freeman?s arm as a more consistent and honest threat in 2007. There?s no way Freeman reverts back to that one touchdown guy he was for 5 games in a row. His recent hot streak is going to keep on keeping on ? make sure he?s in your lineup this weekend.

QB Jake Locker, Washington Huskies

Let?s just be honest about this one; the Washington Huskies don?t have a whole lot to speak of when it comes to talking about potential diversity on offense. Freshman quarterback Jake Locker has proven just about the only player that can be counted on to get the Huskies into scoring position on any given possession the Huskies have, while also serving as the singular reason why UW is able to stay in games against much better Pac-10 opponents like the Oregon Ducks or USC Trojans. Locker has been dramatic all year, especially against UCLA in the latter part of September, but in the last two contests he?s played against Oregon and Arizona, the youngster from Ferndale, Washington has been downright jaw-dropping. No, his play in either one of the aforementioned contests ultimately did not result in bringing his Washington teammates an important conference win, but you can?t helped but be awed as a college football fan by the 257 yards (on only 12 completions!) and four touchdowns he threw against the Ducks two weeks ago and the maddening 493 total all-purpose yards he put up playing the Wildcats this past Saturday. We may have doubted the reasoning of Coach Ty Willingham in allowing the true freshman to operate this offense in the preseason, but we?ve since swallowed (and choked) on our words and have humbly bowed down before the stunning nature of Locker?s athletic ability. Stanford approaches in Week Ten, and, though this be a contest that Washington may be hard pressed to win, we can?t imagine Locker doing anything but playing an outstanding game against a team that is allowing over 430 yards of offense per contest the Cardinal play. It seems that no matter who the opponent is (even against Ohio State, Locker?s numbers weren?t that bad), this Washington quarterback isn?t going to blink an eye. Call it skill or call it naivety; this kid can play and will make an excellent fantasy option for owners in Week Ten, no questions asked.

QB Aaron Opelt, Toledo Rockets

The Rockets are starting to slow signs of life on offense and Opelt is a big reason why this team is back in contention for a winning season. After starting the year 1-4 and struggling to find their offensive rhythm, Opelt and the running of Jalen Parmele has brought this team back to 4-5 and it?s very possible this team could finish the year on a five-game winning streak. After suffering an injury against Western Michigan, the sophomore quarterback missed two games and has returned to throw for a combined 591 yards and five touchdowns in victories over Ohio and Northern Illinois. Look for the Rockets to use a strong dose of Parmele and passing by Opelt to knock off Eastern Michigan in week ten action. Opelt should be able to test the Eagles secondary and a defense that is allowing 26.4 points per game ? and is worth a look on your fantasy roster.

QB Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State Cowboys

Now this may not look like the friendliest of match ups for Robinson with the Texas Longhorns coming to Stillwater, but it?s better than you may think. Texas is the 25th ranked total defense, true, but they?re a much less impressive 67th in pass defense. And Robinson got his against the Kansas State 57th ranked pass defense last game with 3 touchdowns through the air. He?s not big on passing yardage, but he makes plays with his legs, running for over 100 against Kansas State. With he and Savage running wild, they?re racking up yardage and getting tons of scoring chances. The opportunities will be there again this week, as Texas will be getting their points, forcing the Robinson and the Cowboys to do their best to keep up. Ride ?em.

QB Matthew Stafford, Georgia Bulldogs

Although most would expect the Bulldogs to be able to show up and win this week ? Troy is a quality Sun Belt team and one that has given fits to several BCS schools in recent memory. Although we expect the Bulldogs to pull this one out, Stafford is going to need a big game to do so. The sophomore quarterback continues to show improvement under head coach Mark Richt and fantasy owners can expect another solid performance against the Trojans secondary. Stafford?s season high of passing yards is 234 ? but he has thrown for two or more touchdowns in five of his games. Expect the Trojans to force the Bulldogs to win this one through the air and Stafford will have another three touchdown performance as a result.

RB Hugh Charles, Colorado Buffaloes

This one?s a lock. Charles is the key to the Buffalo offense. It starts and ends with the senior running back. And last week, for the first time all year, he caught a touchdown, too, so that?s just icing on the cake if they keep him involved there. Colorado?s hosting the Missouri Tigers this week. The same Tiger defense that allowed previously uninvolved freshman Alexander Robinson to bust out for 149 yards (on 7.1 a carry) rushing last week. So how are they going to stop Hugh Charles? Well, in short, they?re not. The Buffaloes only chance to win is it to aim for a clock milking offense and limit Daniel?s chances. That means heavy doses of Charles and a big day for him.

RB Damion Fletcher, Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

After watching Fletcher average 7.1 a carry and bust out for 134 against a solid UCF defense last week, things are looking good for a monster game this week against UAB. UAB is 118th in run defense nationally, giving up 237.5 yards a game. In short, they?re helpless. Fletcher?s going to run wild Saturday, likely making multiple trips to the house and surely hitting the 150 yard mark he reached against Marshall two weeks back. Southern Miss is going to be leading big, so they?ll likely hand it Fletcher plenty to just run the clock and end the Blazers? bleeding. Look for him at the top of the rushing leaders list this week.

RB Javarris James, Miami-FL Hurricanes

It?s a bit of a guessing game which ?Canes back will get the bulk of the work against N.C. State, but we think James will be the guy fantasy owners need to have on their roster in week ten. The sophomore running back has rushed for 416 yards and four touchdowns on the year, but back-up Graig Cooper has been more explosive and actually has more yards on the 2007 season. Look for James and Graig Cooper to see plenty of work in Saturday?s game against N.C. State, especially with quarterback Kyle Wright hobbled with an ankle sprain. As if that wasn?t enough to give James a heavy workload ? the Wolfpack rank 92nd in the NCAA in rush defense, with an average of 190.6 yards per game. With the Wolfpack defense struggling to stop opponents on the ground, look for James to have a 100-yard performance and a couple of touchdowns.

RB Felix Jones, Arkansas Razorbacks

Darren McFadden owners would be foolish to put the Razorbacks star offensive player on the bench for Saturday?s game against South Carolina, but what about his backup or starter 1A? Although Jones may not seem like a great fantasy start, the numbers tell a different story. The Gamecocks rank 74th in the NCAA against the run and for the Razorbacks to have any chance at winning this game, it will take a strong effort by both players. In eight games this year, the junior running back has run for more than 100 yards five times, as well as scored a touchdown in every game but three. Don?t expect a monster game by Jones, but fantasy owners can certainly expect more than 100 yards and a touchdown.

RB LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh Panthers

McCoy?s didn?t have a sub 100 yard day in the month of October. Now he gets the good old Syracuse Orange defense who give up 213.6 yards a game (good for 110th in the country). They?ve also allowed 22 running touchdowns thus far. It doesn?t get much better than that. McCoy?s going to chew up clock and ground all afternoon with Brostick still in manage the game mode and the Pitt defense playing good solid ball. Just playing like that could still yield big time results for McCoy, maybe even approaching his monster day against Navy (165 and 3 touchdowns). In any case, he?s going to be a stud this week.

RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois Fighting Illini

Mendenhall finally got to let his jets loose once again, playing this past weekend against the MAC?s Ball State and carrying 30 times for 189 yards and two touchdowns. That trend of excellent production ? put on hold for two weeks as Illinois struggled to move the ball against Iowa and Michigan ? will without doubt continue this Saturday, as the junior tailback faces up against the worst rush defense in the Big Ten in the Minnesota Golden Gophers. With Minnesota giving up an average of 204 yards on the groung to opposing offenses, fantasy owners can bet that Mendenhall is going to showcase his skills in a manner similar to the Indiana game, when he ran 27 times for 214 yards and a touchdown. Minnesota has absolutely nothing on the defensive side of the ball that can counter this type of strength and speed. A must have on a starting fantasy roster this weekend, Mendenhall is one of the few locks available in Week Ten.

RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson Tigers

As we mentioned a couple of weeks ago in our reports, if Spiller and James Davis were going to have fantasy worthy performances ? it would come in this stretch of games. Well, let?s take a look at the results for Spiller in his last two games ? 202 yards and a touchdown ? which is nearly half of his season total. Although he?s having a very disappointing season, there is still time for the sophomore back to make an impact on your roster the rest of the way. Expect Spiller to approach 100 yards and a couple of touchdowns in Saturday?s game against Duke. The Blue Devils are much-improved on defense, but the Tigers will look to get the sophomore back plenty of work, especially with a key stretch of games upcoming. If Spiller doesn?t post a fantasy worthy outing in this game, it would be a huge surprise.

RB Dwight Tardy, Washington State Cougars

Maybe Washington State?s Bill Doba finally gets it; give running back Dwight Tardy the opportunity to carry the ball significantly more than he has in the middle portion of the 2007 season, and you may just see game?s playing much more favorably in terms of your Cougars obtaining a victory. Just look at the numbers; in two of the three times that the sophomore at tailback as carried 20 times or more, Washingotn has ended up with a ?W? in the win-loss column. Admittedly, one of those two wins came as Tardy carried 22 times for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Idaho Vandals back in mid-September, but this past weekend?s 37 carries for 214 yards and two scores against the UCLA Bruins says something much differently. So we at PFS are greatly interested in seeing what this coming weekend might bring for the youngster from Santa Fe Springs, California. Will Bill Doba read between the lines and let Tardy become the focus of the offensive strategy for WSU in what could be a tremendous win on the road in Berkeley? Or will he stay tried and true and let Alex Brink continue to hope for success by getting enough time to throw the ball downfield to talented wideouts Brandon Gibson and Michael Bumpus? Cal is vulnerable against the run, giving up 135 yards-per-game, so the opportunity to test the Tardy-carry theory is there. Fantasy owners that have the luxury of seeing how such an experiment might pan out would be wise to give Tardy a start, even against the Bears, as playing against Jeff Tedford?s squad should provide plenty of opportunity for the Wazzu tailback to prove his worth on the field.

RB Chris Wells, Ohio State Buckeyes

Knowing that the Wisconsin Badgers are going to struggle against the Ohio State running game, ranking only above Northwestern, Indiana, and Minnesota in terms of total yards given up on the ground per game played, Buckeyes? tailback Chris Wells ought to be preparing to have nothing more than an outstanding day carrying the ball against the team from Madison. After all, last weekend saw Wells, only a sophomore, manhandle the second-best rush defense in the Big Ten in the Penn State Nittany Lions, taking 25 carries for 133 yards on the night, and adding to a two-game stretch against Michigan State and PSU in which he has now rushed 56 times and grabbed 354 total yards on the ground. The OSU coaching staff seems to be growing increasingly confident in Wells? ability to control the offensive tempo and has no problem feeding him the ball in a manner only matched in numbers by Mike Hart of the Michigan Wolverines. And considering that Wisconsin has had some relative success defending the pass, that may be just what Ohio State needs to get the job done at home in Columbus. Expect to see Wells? #28 called again and again on offense, especially as the game drags on into the final quarter of play. This will be an excellent opportunity for fantasy owners to pick up some big time points in Week Ten.

RB Harvey Unga, BYU Cougars

After an extra week of rest, thanks to a postponed game against the San Diego State Aztecs due to the recent southern California wildfires, freshman sensation at tailback for the Brigham Young Cougars, Harvey Unga, ought to be well prepared to decimate a Colorado State Rams defensive squad that ranks dead last in the Mountain West in terms of the stopping the rush. Over eight games, CSU has managed to give up well over 220 yards per game as an average and, as such, should have a nightmare of a time trying to maintain the talented Provo, Utah breakout running back. In four of the seven games BYU has played, Unga has taken 20 or more rushes for a minimum of 100 yards on the ground, with a season high coming against UNLV, when the freshman tore off 177 yards and a score on 25 total carries. This being the case, expect that #45 for the Cougars will be on plenty of fantasy roster heading into Week Ten and should come up as one of the top performers across the board in terms of fantasy points acquired, especially since Unga also has proven a short-range receiving threat in the Cougars? passing scheme as well.

RB Albert Young, Iowa Hawkeyes

Young has been critiqued much this year for not being the kind of dominant player as a sophomore in 2005, but some of the magic that made Young a favorite sleeper out in a Big Ten Conference filled to the brim with outstanding rushing numbers emerged last weekend, as the senior took 34 carries for 179 yards and scored twice on the day against the Michigan State Spartans. This Saturday?s performance far outweighed anything that he has done the entire 2007 season, but provided a significant opportunity for Kirk Ferentz?s coaching staff to identify that should Young be given the chance to carry the ball 20 or more times in a game, he?s going to provide in a big way. Though Northern Illinois is hardly a good example to provide evidence to that theory, one can?t ignore that his 23 carries nabbed the tailback from Moorestown, New Jersey 144 yards rushing and his only previous score for the year prior to the two scored against Michigan State this past weekend; and, again, playing Illinois, Young saw 25 carries go for 99 yards in an important win for the Hawkeyes over the Fighting Illini. Fact is, when the Iowa running back breaks 100 yards, the Hawkeyes do not loose. And considering that his team faces off against a pretty impressive Northwestern team this coming weekend, fantasy owners can bet that Young will be used to gain yards on a defensive unit that allows almost 170 yards-per-game on the ground and as a key weapon in the battle to control the clock and keep the ball out of the Wildcats? offense?s hands.

WR Donnie Avery, Houston Cougars

Avery?s had a few slow weeks, but the senior?s got be ready to bounce back this week against Southern Methodist defense that allows 300 yards passing a game. Everyone in the Houston passing game should be able to get involved. He?s certainly streaky against these bad defenses though, as he went for 346 yards and 2 touchdowns against Rice, but then posted a meager 48 yard touchdownless effort last week against UTEP. But this senior?s career is winding down and it?s not going to get this easier than this again while he?s in a Houston uniform. Don?t look for the 300 mark to be crossed again, but expect another big time day for Avery. Keenum should start looking back his way downfield as he?ll be there and really open.

WR Arrelious Been, Illinois Fighting Illini

Fantasy owners oftentimes have a mental hang-up about starting two players from the same team on their fantasy roster, but if ever there was a weekend and a game to feel comfortable about making such a choice, then this Saturday?s match up between the Illinois Fighting Illini and Minnesota Golden Gophers is it. We talked earlier in this column about how hot an item Rashard Mendenhall ought to be at tailback for Illinois against the Big Ten?s worst run defense; don?t forget, however, that the Golden Gophers also rank dead last in the conference in defending the pass, and are currently yielding over 330+ yards to opposing quarterbacks who have the ability to control defensive secondary units by throwing downfield. Quarterback Juice Williams has his flaws when it comes to being consistent on the pass, but there is no reason to think that on occasion, he?ll find a match up on the outside between a Minnesota corner / safety and exploit that situation by throwing to outstanding freshman wideout, Arrelious Benn. The Washinton, D.C. native is coming off his best game in terms of overall yardage against Ball State, where he caught nine balls for 97 yards, and should easily match that production this weekend versus Minnesota, especially if Coach Ron Zook decides to open up the offense and stretch Minnesota downfield.

WR Jarett Dillard, Rice Owls

Match ups don?t get much sweeter than the UTEP pass defense. They?re on the schedule for the Owls this week and they?re sitting 117 in pass defense in the country. Dillard?s been seeing a lot of balls from Clement these past three weeks and he?s been averaging over 105 yards a game in that stretch. And that?s been against much more formidable defenses than what the Miners will line up with this weekend. Look for Clement to exploit them all afternoon in what?s destined to be a barnburner of a game. Dillard will reap the benefits and enjoy one of his best afternoons of the season. Gotta love a receiver on a team that doesn?t believe in running the ball. Good old Owls.

WR Brandon Gibson, Washington State Cougars

After missing playing in mid-October?s match up against the Oregon Ducks, the junior wideout for the Washington State Cougars returned to the offensive lineup this past weekend and caught 6 balls for 52 yards and a score against the UCLA Bruins. Gibson didn?t look like he?d missed a step Saturday, this after bruising his heel playing against the Arizona State Sun Devils, and though tailback Dwight Tardy was the highlight of Wazzu?s showdown with UCLA, the junior still managed to make his presence felt, especially putting up the Cougars 20-7 to start the fourth quarter on a five yard touchdown pass from team quarterback Alex Brink. This weekend, Gibson will line up with against a California Bears? secondary that has improved much over the length of the season, but still should have challenges defending a talent the caliber of this Cougars? receiver. Michael Bumpus and an emerging Charles Dillon should provide enough interference for Gibson to break free deep downfield against Jeff Tedford?s defensive backs, so expect at least four to five catches and a score to be aligned with his performance in Berkeley by the time the final gun sounds.

WR Eugene Harris, Miami, Ohio RedHawks

Saturday?s match-up between the RedHawks and Buffalo could decide the east division of the Mid-American Conference. No one expected the Bulls to get this far, but PFS was one of the few outlets who gave the RedHawks a shot at winning this division in the preseason. Although the RedHawks offense is not incredibly explosive, quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh is playing well and Harris is having a terrific season. Through nine contests, Harris has grabbed 31 receptions for 390 yards and a touchdown and he should look to improve those numbers against the Bulls. The Bulls rank as the MAC?s 10th best team against the pass, allowing 228.33 yards per game. Harris is probably on the waiver wire in most leagues and he could be a nice pickup for a late season run for your team.

WR Devin Thomas, Michigan State Spartans

If ever the Spartans needed junior wide receiver Devin Thomas to have a big day, Lord knows they?ll be desperate for it this upcoming Saturday as MSU prepares to face in-state rival and Big Ten Conference power, the Michigan Wolverines. Not much to fear in terms of Thomas? ability to deliver just such a performance, particularly considering that he currently leads the Big Ten in total receiving with 906 yards coming off an impressive 51 receptions for the season. But will the Wolverines? secondary prove soft enough for Thomas to take advantage of his speed and playmaking abilities downfield? No doubt that Michigan has improved since getting smoked by the Oregon Ducks for nearly 300 yards passing earlier on in September, but keep in mind that it still struggled a bit against Northwestern?s Ross Lane and Rasheed Ward, and was made to look silly by Oregon?s Brian Paysinger and Jaison Williams when pulled in to defend the run against a pair of talented backs in Jonathan Stewart and Jeremiah Johnson. Particularly as it relates to this latter scenario, Michigan State brings to the table much of the same type of offensive explosiveness that did the Ducks, and with the top rushing attack in the Big Ten, MSU could easily force Michigan to play tight considering the fact that Jehuu Caulcrick and Javon Ringer are going to challenge the Wolverines right at the line of scrimmage. This should allow Thomas the opportunity to get downfield (and in a hurry) against Michigan?s safeties and / or corners and pick up large chunks of yardage, especially if junior Brian Hoyer can solidly sell the play action pass once Caulcrick and Ringer getting going on the ground.

DEF Mississippi Rebels

If you need a one week rental for a defense, don?t hesitate to look at the SEC and Ed Orgeron?s defense. The Rebels are searching for their third win of the year and it should come against the I-AA Northwestern State Demons. The Demons are averaging 19.6 points per game and have struggled to establish much of a passing game all year. Although Orgeron?s defense hasn?t played particularly well at times, they have one shutout on the year and they held Auburn to 17 points in last week?s match-up. You can?t expect the Rebels to have much success past this week, but having them for one week would be a smart move for any fantasy owner.

Additional Mentions ? Studs

RB Daniel Porter, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

We?ve talked up the sophomore enough this week in both our Waiver Wire and Unit Report features. Just trust us on this one; he?s going to blow up against the Idaho Vandals and will well worth a start this coming Saturday for fantasy owners familiar with the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

RB Ian Johnson, Boise State Broncos

The J-train is back this week after a couple weeks off nursing a bruised kidney. Boise State takes on San Jose State, who gives up nearly 180 yards rushing-per-game. You do the math on this one and tell us whether you think Johnson is a safe bet in Week Ten or not.

--Duds--

QB Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State Sun Devils

Carpenter hasn?t been the most explosive quarterback out in the Pac-10 this year, but fantasy owners will make the argument that the he was worth picking up early in preseason drafting, especially since he currently ranks third overall in the conference for passing yards completed with 1949. In games like the one he produced late in September against the Oregon State Beavers, where the Westlake, California native put up an outstanding numbers 361 yards passing and four touchdowns, fantasy advocates are quick to point out that Carpenter showed that could still be the intimidating passer that fantasy players fell in love with back in 2005, when a then-na?ve freshman managed to steal the thunder (and the job) of the Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback position from an equally talented, but injury-prone Sam Keller. But seeing that this is 2007, and that the showing against the Beavers was just one game out of many played this season, it should be pointed out that the ASU offensive leader has been little more than just average ever since that contest, and in fact, has been a less intriguing fantasy options most weeks than fellow junior quarterback for his in-state rivals, Willie Tuitama of the Arizona Wildcats. Such a spotty evaluation of Carpenter won?t be expected to change much over this weekend either, as the Sun Devils head to Eugene, Oregon for a huge showdown with Mike Bellotti?s Ducks, and the junior faces questions of his ability to play considering an injury to his throwing thumb sustained this weekend while playing against the California Bears. Coach Dennis Erickson reports that his quarterback acquired a sprained thumb on a hand off to Keegan Herring and that swelling had yet to go down two days later when Carpenter showed up at the Sun Devils? weekly press conference with a black brace on his hand. Rumors are that the starter is still expected to play this coming Saturday, but Danny Sullivan, ASU?s back up at quarterback, is being drilled in case Carpenter can?t go. Such uncertainty regarding who will open up on offense against Oregon makes Carpenter at best a risky pick as a fantasy starter this weekend; but, even if he does, the injury to his throwing hand will certain hamper his effectiveness and, subsequently, his potential fantasy numbers as well.

QB Michael Desormeaux, UL Lafayette Ragin? Cajuns

Among Division I-A quarterbacks, Desormeaux leads them all with 883 yards on the ground. The junior quarterback has also tallied six touchdowns on the ground, while throwing for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns ? but he?s by far a better weapon on the ground than through the air. Although we?ve been high on Desormeaux all season, we?d recommend keeping him on the bench in week ten. The Ragin? Cajuns have a tall task ahead, as they will be taking on Tennessee. The Volunteers run defense hasn?t been spectacular this season, but they?ve been playing much better in recent weeks. Desormeaux may be able to get 75-100 yards on the ground, but don?t expect much in the way of scoring on Saturday night.

QB Omar Haugabook, Troy Trojans

Saturday?s game against Georgia is another chance for the Trojans to shock another BCS team. Earlier this year, the Trojans upset Oklahoma State, while they held their own against Florida and Arkansas ? and if the Bulldogs aren?t careful, they will be next. Despite Haugabook?s continued fantasy success, make sure he is on your bench in week ten. Although the Trojans have played SEC opponents tough in 2007, don?t expect this senior quarterback to post a quality fantasy outing ? especially with the Bulldog defense ranked 21st in the NCAA against the pass. In last week?s victory against Arkansas State, Haugabook suffered a hamstring injury and that could hamper him in this week?s contest.

RB Kahlil Bell, UCLA Bruins

This has been the month of the injured running back and the Bruins? Kahlil Bell now stands as one of those that can be pasted with the label of victim, thanks to an ACL injury sustained this past weekend as UCLA took on and lost to a surprisingly strong Washington State Cougars team. Bell looked fantastic at the start of WSU contest, taking an impressive 50 yard winding run on the third play from scrimmage for a score to put up Bruins up 7-0. But just as it appeared that Bell was to be a sure-fire winner for fantasy owners who started him on Week Nine?s fantasy roster lineups, so too did he leave the game with just four carries and 67 total rushing yards under his belt. UCLA officials remained quite hush-hush about Bell?s status for the remainder of the evening, but The Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday that he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will be out for the remainder of the season. Fortunately for UCLA, Chris Markey is expected to return to the offensive lineup after acquiring a toe injury in the Bruins? late September contest against the Oregon State Beavers and provide plenty of leverage for UCLA to keep its ground game consistent as the team?s main offensive threat. That, however, doesn?t help fantasy owners that acquired the junior Bell early on in the season as a low-level draft pick or free agent and leaves them know struggling to find a suitable alternative at a point in the fantasy year when most decent backs have already been snatched up.

RB Terry Grant, Alabama Crimson Tide

The suspension of two starting offensive linemen and backup running back Glen Coffee has left the Crimson Tide a little shorthanded going into Saturday?s contest against LSU. Coffee?s suspension does help Grant see more carries, but we cannot recommend him for a start against the Tiger defense. The Tigers have been stingy on opposing ball-carriers all season long, as they rank fifth in the NCAA against the run. Additionally, the Tigers are allowing 15 points per game ? which doesn?t bode well for Grant?s chances to reach the endzone this Saturday. Unless he is your last option, do not start Grant in week ten action.

RB P.J. Hill, Wisconsin Badgers

Fantasy owners were just starting to get comfortable Saturday afternoon as sophomore tailback for the Wisconsin Badgers, P.J. Hill, opened up the first quarter of play against Indiana with 57 yards rushing and a touchdown to put UW up 7-0 over the Hoosiers. Then, just as quickly as Hill seemed to be the dominant focus of the Badgers? offensive game plan against a suspect Indiana defense, so too was the running back gone, taken off the field with a lower-leg injury that prevented him from returning for the rest of Saturday?s contest. X-ray results showed no broken bones or fractures, but the youngster from East Elmhurst, New York was determined to have a deep leg bruise which the Associated Press reported Monday was ?very, very sensitive and sore.? Coach Bret Bielema remains hopeful that Hill will be available to play this upcoming weekend against the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes, but word seems to maintain that freshman Zach Brown may play a prominent role Saturday even if Hill is determined healthy enough to play. Ohio State possesses a premier rush defense that ranks among the best in the nation and it would be hard to imagine that Hill could take a whole lot of punishment considering the nature of his injury. Limited carries and effectiveness cutting and breaking tackles while rushing make him an iffy option as a fantasy starter at best and one that fantasy owners will want to avoid if at all they can afford to do so.

RB Gartrell Johnson, Colorado State Rams

Johnson may be the savior of a revitalized Colorado State rushing attack, but don?t expect him to put up the types of numbers he did in games against Air Force and UNLV (25 carries a piece nabbed him nearly 150 yards average rushing on the ground to go along with three touchdowns scored to match) this upcoming weekend against Brigham Young. After all, not only are the Cougars top notch on run defense as it relates to the Mountain West Conference as a whole, but so too do their mere 90.3 yards yielded to opposing tailbacks place the Cougars amongst the best units in the entire nation. Far better have tried ? for instance, Kahlil Bell and Chris Markey of UCLA, Air Force?s Chad Hall, and UNLV?s Frank Summers ? and, perhaps with the exception of Rodney Ferguson of New Mexico, failed to make much of a dent against this staunch front seven. Knowing that CSU will be able to accomplish little through the air and be forced to focus on Johnson as a key mover of the ball on offense, Brigham Young should have no problem recognizing that stopping the Rams? running attack will be a top priorty. Such a mission should be accomplished with relative ease and thus makes Gartrell Johnson a far too unproductive option for fantasy owners to consider for use as a starter in Week Nine.

RB Antone Smith, Florida State Seminoles

Smith and the Seminole offense hasn?t exactly impressed in 2007, but there is a bit of momentum heading into Saturday?s showdown against Florida State. Although it was Duke, the Seminoles offense looked crisp and well-prepared against the Blue Devil defense and quarterback Drew Weatherford should be able to carry that over into this game. Although we liked what we saw against the Blue Devils, we can?t recommend Smith for a fantasy start in week ten against Boston College. The junior running back has posted back-to-back 100-yard performances ? but hasn?t reached the endzone since September 29th against Alabama. In addition to his scoring drought, the Eagles defense is the second best in the NCAA. Make sure you have another option on your roster for this weekend?s games.

WR Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt Commodores

There is little doubt Bennett will take victories over statistics, but fantasy owners haven?t been too pleased with the Commodores quarterback switch to Mackenzi Adams. Although Adams has sparked this team and has them on the edge of bowl eligibility, he hasn?t targeted Bennett as much as former quarterback Chris Nickson. The junior receiver has not scored since the September 29th victory over Eastern Michigan and has not posted a 100-yard performance since September 15th against Mississippi. Although the Florida defense is not the strongest in the SEC, we would recommend you keep Bennett on the bench in week ten ? at least until Adams shows he can get Bennett the ball in the endzone.

WR Kevin Challenger, Boston College Eagles

Challenger and the rest of the Eagle receivers are definitely glad to leave Blacksburg and the Hokie defense behind ? for now. A possible rematch in the ACC Championship lurks ahead, but the Eagles will be glad they won?t have to face this defense for a couple more weeks. Up next for the Eagles is a date with Florida State. The Seminoles have struggled at times in 2007, but their defense is certainly capable of making life tough on opposing quarterbacks and receivers. Look for Seminoles defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews to pressure quarterback Matt Ryan and limit his throws downfield. Challenger has been very quiet in recent weeks, catching eight passes and zero touchdowns in his last four games. Don?t expect him to fare much better in Saturday?s game.

WR Marcus Smith/Travis Brown, New Mexico Lobos

Normally, you?d find both Smith and Brown on the flip side of this column; after all, the pair of seniors have been nothing but dynamite targets on offense for quarterback Donovan Porterie and combined to put up well over 1400 yards receiving for the Lobos thus far in 2007, making Brown and Smith the #1 and #2 leading receivers in the Mountain West, respectively. But we at PFS don?t see how either one will do much of anything against the defensive bad boys of the conference in the TCU Horned Frogs, especially knowing that Texas Christian is only giving up 191 yards-per-contest through the air and has already picked off opposing quarterbacks 13 times on the year. That spells bad news for both the Lobos quarter and his wideouts, and especially Brown, who has become the go-to for Porterie around the goal line any time New Mexico breaks into the opponent?s red zone. The better option for New Mexico (and, subsequently, fantasy owners) in this game will be to offer up TCU a strong dosage of tailback Rodney Ferguson, who should have relative success against a defensive front seven that will start to buckle as the punishment they?ll sustain from Ferguson as the games drags on should easily provide the junior running back with the opportunity to match the 135 yards rushing the Horned Frogs give up on average per contest played. So, fantasy owners, look to Ferguson, if anybody, in this particular match up and pass on Smith and Brown. Not enough plays in the favor of either one of these two wideouts to make them much of a positive pick as a starter going into Week Ten of the fantasy season.

DEF Virginia Cavaliers

The Cavalier luck finally ran out. After winning several close games in the opening weeks of the 2007 season, the Cavaliers dropped a five point defeat to N.C. State. The Wolfpack weren?t exactly the class of the ACC and this was a bit of a surprise loss for a team that had won seven games in a row. Although the defense has done a solid job this year ? holding opponents to 19.5 points per game ? we would recommend that you find another option this week. Up next for the Cavaliers is Wake Forest ? a team that has won six games in a row and is averaging 30.3 points per game this year. The Cavaliers are still a solid defense, but we like the Demon Deacons to knock off Al Groh?s team and post around 20-30 points in the victory.

Additional Mentions for Duds:

WR Brandon Breazell, UCLA Bruins

Reports out of the Bruins? camp suggest that the outstanding wideout has bruised ribs and is questionable to play this weekend against a hot Arizona Wildcats squad. With both Breazell and tailback Kahlil Bell out with injuries this week (and Bell for the season), Mike Stoops? defense has to be breathing a sigh of relief.

RB Yvenson Bernard, Oregon State Beavers

The only reliable component of the Beavers? on-again/off-again offensive unit left this past weekend?s game with Stanford with an injured shoulder. Coach Mike Riley is stating that he is hoping Bernard can play this weekend against USC, but we at PFS think that Clinton Polk, who rushed for 100 yards last season against the Trojans in place of an injured Bernard, will likely get the starting nod.