There isn’t exactly a dearth of talent on the waiver wire but smart owners (especially in shallow, 10-team leagues) can pick up players right now that can produce this week and beyond and help get them into the playoffs (or at least make your team respectable if you are already out. No one likes a tanker!).

One word of caution before we proceed — I am not suggesting you start any of these players over bona fide studs like Aaron Rodgers, Chris Johnson or Reggie Wayne (all first in fantasy points at their position). What I am saying is that if you find yourself in a bind and need to pick up a player to replace someone who is injured or simply not producing, the following three guys are available and ready to contribute.

QB Vince Young, Tennessee Titans (Owned in8.1 percentof ESPN leagues): I know, I know. I just suggested that Young is a viable pickup in fantasy football but hear me out; it isn’t as crazy as it sounds. Very quietly Young has posted three consecutive games of at least 12 fantasy points and has a favorable match-up against the Houston Texans, a team which has allowed at least 12 fantasy points to quarterbacks in four out of the last five weeks.

RB Justin Forsett, Seattle Seahawks (Owned in 22.6 percent of ESPN leagues): I also like Jason Snelling of the Atlanta Falcons, but with Michael “The Burner” Turner still having a chance to suit up on Sunday I will take the little known Forsett instead. Forsett, the backup for the injured Julius Jones, is slated to start and should get the bulk of the work out of the backfield. I realize he is going up against the vaunted Minnesota Vikings defensive line, but Forsett is also a good pass catcher and has extra value if you are playing in a PPR league.

WR Devery Henderson, New Orleans Saints (Owned in53.1 percentof ESPN leagues): A good buy low option if he is already owned in your league, Henderson has had at least 70 yards receiving in three of his last four games. The even better news is that he is going against the team that has given up the third most points to opposing wide receivers all season — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Other wide receivers I would buy low on are Kevin Walter (Texans are without Owen Daniels and playing against the worst pass defense in terms of fantasy points allowed) and Jeremy Maclin, who should see more opportunities now that Brian Westbrook is out.

Image Source: SB Nation

Up by 6 and it’s forth and 2 on your own 28 yard line, no coach would think about going for it in that situation, right? Wrong, Bill Belichick, probable the only coach on earth that would go for it right there (and I mean real coaches not Madden players), had no hesitation going for it and his gamble backfired completely. Instead of making Payton Manning and the Colts drive 70 yards in under 2 minutes to try in win the game, Belichick’s move made it so much easier. Now they only had to go 30 yards and when Payton Manning is the QB that’s practically giving him the game. What was he thinking? After the game he defended the call by saying, “We tried to win the game on that play. I thought we could make the yard. We had a good play, we completed it. I don’t know how we couldn’t get a yard.” I mean that would be fine and all but not on your own 28 yard line. Why not just put the ball and allow your defense to make a stop? Going for it right there is pretty much telling your defense I don’t think you guys are good enough to stop Payton anyway so I just want to win it right here. This call not only cost the Pats the game but it also may cost them a chance at home field advantage in the playoffs. They are now three games behind the Colts for the top seed in the AFC. A win would have put them right there in the mix. We will see how much this decision will cost them in the end.

Photo Source: AP Photo

Thankfully, the NFL has an answer for just that question. To help satisfy people’s insatiable appetite for all things NFL-related, week 10 of the season was kicked off with a Thursday night game between the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears. As I was watching the game, two things came to mind.

1) Jay Cutler is a turnover machine.

2) Oh my goodness, it’s week 10. The fantasy football playoffs are just around the corner!

For many fantasy footballers, there are only a few weeks left before the playoffs begin. It is rapidly becoming do-or-die time and if you are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in you might feel that all is lost. To that I say, in the immortal words of Journey, don’t stop believing!

If you have players out due to injury, not playing as well as you hoped, or are the victim of some untimely bye weeks, there is still hope. It ain’t over ’till it’s over and it is still possible to salvage your season. It will take a lot of cunning to pull off the necessary trade(s) and a lot of guts to pickup and start a player that other people in your league may scoff at, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

The following three players — one quarterback, running back, and wide receiver — are either not owned in a decent amount of leagues or should be easy to acquire in a trade. Keep in mind that I am not recommending you start any of these guys over obvious studs. However, if you find yourself struggling at a particular position for whatever reason, the following three guys are worth taking a look at.

QB David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars: Garrard has scored at least 12 fantasy points in five of his eight games this year and has scored more total fantasy points than both Donovan McNabb and Matt Cassel. Many owners have been quick to pick up Alex Smith and Josh Freeman the last two weeks to fill their backup QB needs, but I would feel much safer with Garrard now that he has a legit wide receiver in Mike-Sims Walker.

RB Justin Vargas, Oakland Raiders: Thanks to franchise killer JaMarcus Russell the Raiders have been the black hole of fantasy points this season, but Vargas has very quietly put together a nice string of games. In Darren McFadden’s absence over the last three weeks Vargas has put up 9, 8 and 13 fantasy points. It is not stellar by any stretch of the imagination but it makes him a solid RB3/flex, especially in deeper leagues.

WR Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers: Wallace has put up double digit fantasy points the last two weeks and four of the last six. In fact, during that time span he has put up a total of 58 fantasy points, which is 23 more than Steelers starting wide receiver Santonio Holmes. While opponents continue to focus on Holmes and Hines Ward, you can bet that Wallace will continue to get open looks.

Want more fantasy football or basketball advice? Send your questions to my twitter account, @davidcarrillo.

Image Source: ESPN

College Football: The top three teams in college football — Florida, Alabama and Texas — made it through the weekend unscathed and remain control of their destiny. If they win out, they will be in the BCS National Championship game. The emerging story, though, is the rise of TCU. Another lopsided victory at the expense of San Diego State has them No. 4 in the latest BCS poll and a potential BCS buster come bowl time. They are joined by No. 5 Cincinnati and No. 6 Boise State, who are both 9-0 along with TCU, as teams that could potentially cause controversy when it comes time to crown a national college football champion.

NBA: In what comes as no surprise to anyone outside of the Memphis Grizzlies management team, newly signed Allen Iverson is already disgruntled with his role on the team. He was allowed to return home over the weekend to attend to a personal matter, but many with insight into the NBA are predicting that we may have already seen Iverson in a Grizzlies’ jersey for the last time. ESPN’s Chad Ford summed it up best when he quoted an unnamed NBA general manager: “He’s finished in the NBA. He can go hang out with Stephon Marbury.”

NFL: While it is still much too early to start dreaming about the perfect season, there are still two teams that have an unblemished record. The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts both won on Sunday in games that were much closer than anyone expected and moved to 8-0 for the season. Perhaps the most interesting news of weekend, however, came from former Colts coach Tony Dungy. He said that Michael Vick, whom he has mentored since Vick’s incarceration, could end up quarterbacking for the Buffalo Bills. The Bills reportedly had interest in Vick prior to him signing with the Philadelphia Eagles and are currently struggling with the injured Trent Edwards and underwhelming Ryan Fitzpatrick.

WSOP: If it seems like the WSOP has been on hiatus for eternity, that is because it has. On break since the end of summer, the November Nine resumed action on Friday and played until the wee hours of the morning. The field has been whittled down to the final two players, who will square off for the WSOP Main Event bracelet tonight at 10pm PT. I won’t say who the final two are out of consideration for those waiting to catch action Tuesday night on ESPN, but you can get a full recap here on ESPN’s Poker Blog.

MLS: The Chicago Fire, Los Angeles Galaxy, Houston Dynamo, and Real Salt Lake are Major League Soccer’s final four teams following an intense weekend of play. The Western Conference finals kick off on Friday at the Home Depot Center at 8pm PT and can be seen on ESPN 2. The Eastern Conference finals will take place in Chicago on Saturday at 5pm PT and can be seen on the Fox Soccer Channel.

Image Source: TCU Athletics

Of course, the Phillies will more than put up a fight to defend their World Series crown. The match up features some of the best pitchers in the game (Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, CC Sabathia, Mariano Rivera, etc.) as well as some of the leagues’ premier hitters in Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriguez. Game one is scheduled Wednesday in New York at a time to be determined.

Other baseball news: The Yankees victory over the Angels and subsequent berth in to the World Series was not the only piece of interesting baseball news over the weekend. After much debate in St. Louis over whether or not manager Tony La Russa would return to the club next year, it was announced that he and management agreed to a one year deal for 2010 that includes a mutual option for 2011. However, the real buzz surrounding the agreement was word that the Cardinals will be replacing hitting coach Hal McRae with a former slugger most recently known for his refusal to speak about the past during a Congressional hearing on steroids. That slugger is none other than Mark McGwire, who was coached by La Russa during his time with the Cardinals and Oakland Athletics.

College football: For those of you (like me) who do not like the BCS and desperately want to see a playoff system implemented, the storm clouds have started to brew with the most recent set of BCS rankings. The top four teams in the current standings — Florida, Alabama, Texas and Iowa — are all undefeated and barring an upset, three of those teams will likely end the season that way. A one-loss USC team comes in at number five and is followed by another set of undefeated teams in TCU, Boise State and Cincinnati. Even if only half of these top-eight teams win out we are looking at plenty of BCS drama and will hopefully move one step closer to a playoff system.

NFL: After seven weeks of play there are still three undefeated teams (Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, and New Orleans Saints) attempting to join the 1972 Miami Dolphins in the NFL history books. The Dolphins ran the table that year and remain the only team to have ever completed a perfect season. The field was nearly trimmed down to two teams this week as the Saints struggled against, ironically, the Dolphins. The Saints found themselves down 34-24 at the end of the third quarter but scored 22 unanswered points in the fourth to secure the victory.

What do you think was the biggest story of the weekend? What are you looking forward to the most this week? Let us know in the comments section below.

Even if the future looks bleak because Matt Forte, Tony Romo, and the once mighty Steve Smith (Carolina version) have all disappointed your team thus far, there is still value on the waiver wire that can help you get a win this week. None of these guys are going to carry your team to victory like Tom Brady and his six touchdowns did last week, but they are good bye week replacements that could potentially become serviceable starters.

QB Matt Cassel (Owned in 78.5 percent of ESPN leagues): He laid a big goose egg in week one against the Baltimore Ravens but has been surprisingly dependable since. Cassel has scored double digit fantasy points in four of his last five games and finally seems to be clicking with wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. He also has the fortune of playing at home against the San Diego Chargers, which allowed 18 fantasy points to the less than prolific Kyle Orton and 21 points to Ben Roethlisberger and the suddenly pass-happy Pittsburgh Steelers.

RB Mike Bell (Owned in 49.7 percent of ESPN leagues): Conventional wisdom says to sit Bell because he is going against one of the best run defenses in the NFL in the Miami Dolphins. To that I respond — there are six teams on their bye week and sometimes you have to take risks. Look, while Bell has split time with Pierre Thomas he also has become the go-to guy on the goal line. Goal line carries lead to rushing touchdowns and the Dolphins allowed two of those last week against the New York Jets.

WR Hakeem Nicks (Owned in 25.1 percent of ESPN leagues): Of the big three wide receivers on the New York Giants, do you know which is the only one to post double digit fantasy points the last three weeks? You may be surprised to learn that it is Nicks, who has quietly been flying under the radar due to the emergence of the new Steve Smith and the endless hype of Mario Manningham. Look for Nicks to extend his streak to four games as the G-Men face the Arizona Cardinals, who have given up the 7th most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season.

Any defense that is not the Tennessee Titans: If you would have told me before the season that the Titans would be the worst ranked fantasy defense in the NFL, I simply wouldn’t have believed you. Yet, six weeks and three negative scoring games later that is exactly where we stand. Somehow the Titans are still owned in a mind boggling 50.4 percent of leagues, but with this being their bye week it is the perfect time for all you hanger-oners to let go of the past. A few interesting defenses to consider that are widely available — the New England Patriots (11th ranked defense), Cincinnati Bengals (13th ranked defense), and Indianapolis Colts (16th ranked defense).

For more fantasy advice right up to kickoff, follow me on Twitter @davidcarrillo.

Image Source: Arrowhead Pride

GOLD

Jermichael Finley, GB, TE, vs. Detroit
Forecast: 5 catches, 63 yards, 1 TD (14 points)
Finley should be in line for a big game this week. Detroit has given up 6 TD’s to Tight Ends this year and should have trouble covering all of Green Bay’s weapons. If the Lions focus on the WRs then Finley should have a huge day over the middle.

Nate Burleson, SEA, WR, vs. Arizona
Forecast: 7 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD (16 points)
One of the most underrated WRs in the league is set to have another big game at home. He has 22 catches, 281 yards and 3 TDs in 3 games. Look for this to continue against a Cardinals team giving up plenty yards in the air.

Matt Hasselbeck, SEA, QB, vs. Arizona
Forecast: 301 passing yards, 3 TD, 1 Int, 10 rushing yards (23 points)
Like I said Arizona can be beat in the air and Seattle has plenty of weapons to do it with. Look for Matt to spread the wealth again for another big week.

Pierre Thomas, NO, RB, vs. NY Giants
Forecast: 16 carries, 96 yards, 2 catches, 24 yards, 1 TD (18 points)
Thomas has been great since his return from his knee injury. With teams keying on Brees and the passing game, Thomas has dominated on the ground averaging 106 yards and a TD. Even better is he can also catch the ball. Keep riding the wave.

Todd Heap, BAL, TE, @ Minnesota
Forecast: 5 catches, 45 yards, 1 TD (13 points)
Minnesota has allowed the most fantasy points to TEs this so Heap should be the next TE to go off against them. Don’t be surprised if he scores this week.

LaDainian Tomlinson, SD, RB, vs. Denver
Forecast: 20 carries, 72 yards, 3 catches, 15 yards, 1 TD (16 points)
Tomlinson has scored in 6 straight MNF games. And even though the Denver D is improved I see him keeping that streak alive especially after coming off a bye week.

Jake Delhomme, CAR, QB, @ Tampa Bay
Forecast: 265 passing yards, 3 TD, 1 Int (20 points)
Jake should have his best game of the year this week going against the bad Tampa Bay defense. This is one week that he is actually ok to start so take advantage if you need a QB this week

Vincent Jackson, SD, WR, vs. Denver
Forecast: 6 catches, 105 yards, 1 TD (17 points)
Jackson has been good all season and I see that continuing especially with the Chargers coming off a bye. Start him with confidence.

COLD

Julius Jones, SEA, RB, vs. Arizona
Forecast: 13 carries, 38 yards, 2 catches, 10 yards, 0 TD (6 points)
The way to beat Arizona is in the air, they actually have a pretty good run defense. So this week I don’t see Jones having a good game especially when he is splitting with Edge.

Eddie Royal, DEN, WR, @ San Diego
Forecast: 3 catches, 34 yards, 0 TD (4 points)
Royal finally broke out this year, the thing is how long will it continue. I don’t see it happening again this week against a mad SD defense

Michael Bush, OAK, RB, vs. Philadelphia
Forecast: 16 carries, 35 yards, 1 catch, 6 yards, 0 TD (4 points)
There is no reason to start any Raiders this game against a great Eagles defense.

Jamal Lewis, CLE, RB, @ Pittsburgh
Forecast: 15 carries, 44 yards, 0 TD (4 points)
Last weeks surprise big game won’t happen again this week when the Steelers are ready for it.

Steve Smith, NYG, WR, @ New Orleans
Forecast: 4 catches, 45 yards, 0 TD (6 points)
Saints surprisingly pretty good in pass coverage and Eli could be hurt. Downgrade expectations.

Last weeks results:
GOLD
Jerome Harrison, CLE, RB, @ Buffalo                                                        LOSS
Forecast: 22 carries, 84 yards, 5 catches, 24 yards, 1 TD (20 points)
Actual: 8 carries, 21 yards, 0 catches, 0 TD (2 points)

Glen Coffee, SF, RB, VS. Atlanta                                                                    WIN
Forecast: 25 carries, 77 yards, 4 catches, 26 yards, 1 TD (18 points)
Actual: 12 carries, 45 yards, 4 catches, 21 yards, 1 TD (15.5 points)

David Garrard, JAX, QB, @ Seattle                                                            LOSS
Forecast: 265 passing yards, 2 TD, 1 Int, 20 rushing yards (18 points
Actual: 188 passing yards,0 TD, 1 rushing yard (7.5 points)

Tashard Choice, DAL, RB, @Kansas City                                                 WIN
Forecast: 17 carries, 77 yards, 5 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD (22 points)
Actual: 8 carries, 95 yards, 1 TD (15.5 points)

Nate Washington, TEN, WR, VS. Indianapolis                                 LOSS
Forecast: 6 catches, 89 yards, 1 TD (16 points)
Actual: 3 catches, 37 yards, 0 TD (4.5 points)\

John Carlson, SEA, TE, VS. Jacksonville                                           LOSS
Forecast: 6 catches, 50 yards, 1 TD (14 points)
Actual: 2 catches, 31 yards, 0 TD (2.5 points)

Knowshon Moreno, DEN, RB, VS. New England                               WIN
Forecast: 18 carries, 83 yards, 4 catches, 20 yards (13 points)
Actual: 21 carries, 88 yards, 4 catches, 36 yards,1 lost Fum (12.5 points)

Braylon Edwards, NYJ, WR, @ Miami                                                WIN
Forecast: 4 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD (13 points)
Actual: 5 catches, 64 yards, 1 TD (14 points)
                                                                                                      ___________

                                                                                   Week:        4-4(50%)

COLD
Tony Gonzalez, ATL, TE, @ San Francisco                                 WIN
Forecast: 4 catches, 34 yards, 0 TD ( 6 points)
Actual: 6 catches, 55 yards, TD (8 points)
Steve Smith, NYG, WR, VS. Oakland                                               WIN
Forecast: 3 catches, 34 yards, 0 TD (4 points)
Actual: 3 catches, 70 yards, 0 TD (6.5 points)
Joseph Addai, IND, RB, @ Tennessee                                               LOSS
Forecast: 12 carries, 37 yards, 4 catches, 21 yards, 0 TD (8 points)
Actual: 14 carries, 27 yards, 10 catches, 53 yards, 1 TD (20 points)
Thomas Jones, NYJ, RB, @ Miami                                                  LOSS
Forecast: 16 carries, 45 yards, 1 catch, 4 yards, 0 TD (5 points)
Actual: 13 carries, 42 yards, 2 TD (16 points)
Michael Turner, ATL, RB, @ San Francisco                                 LOSS
Forecast: 25 carries, 59 yards, 1 catch, 6 yards, 0 TD (6 points)
Actual: 22 carries, 97 yards, 3 TD (27 points)
_____________

                                                                                           WEEK: 2-3(40%)

look to previous weeks for scoring benchmarks

Image source: AP

Jerome Harrison, CLE, RB, @ Buffalo
Forecast: 22 carries, 84 yards, 5 catches, 24 yards, 1 TD (20 points)
Injuries in the Browns backfield have left Harrison as the last man standing and this has been good for the both of them. Thrown into the starting lineup against a tough Bengals D he preformed well going for over 100 yards rushing. Harrisons best asset is that he is a good receiver witch will help when the Browns are down.

Glen Coffee, SF, RB, VS. Atlanta
Forecast: 25 carries, 77 yards, 4 catches, 26 yards, 1 TD (18 points)
Gore will be out again leaving the 49er running game to the very capable Coffee. The Falcons have not been that strong stopping the run so I can see Coffee having another solid day. Even better I see him getting in the End Zone this week

David Garrard, JAX, QB, @ Seattle
Forecast: 265 passing yards, 2 TD, 1 Int, 20 rushing yards (18 points
Garrard has been very solid at QB and this week he is going against a weak defense. He can beat teams on the ground and in the air and he has been pretty good at not turning the ball over. He should have another solid game right here.

Tashard Choice, DAL, RB, @Kansas City
Forecast: 17 carries, 77 yards, 5 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD (22 points)
If Barber is limited or not playing then these numbers could be even bigger. Choice has been solid when given the opportunity to play and going against a weak defense, he will be the prime Choice in the Dallas backfield.

Nate Washington, TEN, WR, VS. Indianapolis
Forecast: 6 catches, 89 yards, 1 TD (16 points)
Washington has scored in three straight weeks and has become the Titians #1 receiver. I see them having to throw the ball a lot in this one to keep up with the Colts offense.

John Carlson, SEA, TE, VS. Jacksonville
Forecast: 6 catches, 50 yards, 1 TD (14 points)
The return of Matt Hasselbeck should help Carlson greatly. I see him getting back to being one of the better TE options in fantasy football. Going against Jacksonville should be just what the doctor ordered.

Knowshon Moreno, DEN, RB, VS. New England
Forecast: 18 carries, 83 yards, 4 catches, 20 yards (13 points)
Knowshon has scored in two straight games and is fast becoming the main option in the Denver backfield. He doesn’t have a great match-up this week but I still see him having a good game.

Braylon Edwards, NYJ, WR, @ Miami
Forecast: 4 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD (13 points)
I know this is a big reach but I could see the Jets throwing to Edwards right away. The Dolphins have been bad against the deep ball and that is just Braylon’s specialty. Look for them to go deep at least a couple times in this game.

COLD
Tony Gonzalez, ATL, TE, @ San Francisco
Forecast: 4 catches, 34 yards, 0 TD ( 6 points)
The 49ers have been very good against opposing TE’s this season. They have very athletic LB’s that can cover. Look for him to have lower numbers this week.

Steve Smith, NYG, WR, VS. Oakland
Forecast: 3 catches, 34 yards, 0 TD (4 points)
With Eli doubtful for the game and going against one of the best corners in the league it will be hard for Smith to keep up his excellent play this week.

Joseph Addai, IND, RB, @ Tennessee
Forecast: 12 carries, 37 yards, 4 catches, 21 yards, 0 TD (8 points)
Addai had a good week last week but I don’t see it happening again this week. He is in almost a 50-50 split with Donald Brown making big weeks more and more rare. Now he has to go up against the Titians tough running defense.

Thomas Jones, NYJ, RB, @ Miami
Forecast: 16 carries, 45 yards, 1 catch, 4 yards, 0 TD (5 points)
Another player in a time share going against a tough running defense, I don’t see a big game from Jones this week. Without that TD run last week he really didn’t do anything.

Michael Turner, ATL, RB, @ San Francisco
Forecast: 25 carries, 59 yards, 1 catch, 6 yards, 0 TD (6 points)
Follow the trend? Three straight weeks owners should lower their expectations going against the tough 49er defense. This week is even worse because Turner is no threat in the passing game.

Week 4 Results
GOLD
Glen Coffee, SF, RB, VS. St. Louis                                                                           WIN
Forecast: 25 carries, 99 rushing yards, 3 catches, 15 yards, 1 TD (18 points)
Actual: 24 carries, 74 rushing yards, 4 catches, 32 yards, 0 TD (12.9 points)
Pierre Garcon, IND, WR, VS. Seattle                                                                    LOSS
Forecast: 5 catches, 74 yards, 1 TD
Actual: 3 catches, 71 yards, 0 TD (6.5 points)
Terrell Owens, BUF, WR, @ Miami                                                                       LOSS
Forecast: 7 catches, 113 yards, 1 TD (18 points)
Actual: 3 catches, 60 yards, 0 TD (6 points)
Carson Palmer, CIN, QB, @ Cleveland                                                                   WIN
Forecast: 276 passing yards, 2 TD, 0 Int (19 points)
Actual: 230 passing yards, 2 TD,1 Int, 20 rushing yards (17.2 points)
Cedric Benson, CIN, RB, @ Cleveland                                                                LOSS
Forecast: 23 carries, 103 rushing yards, 2 catches, 10 yards, 1 TD (18 points)
Actual: 18 carries, 74 rushing yards, 1 catch, 12 yards, 0 TD (9 points)
Vernon Davis, SF, TE, VS. St. Louis                                                                   WIN
Forecast: 6 catches, 74 yards, 1 TD ( 15 points)
Actual: 3 catches, 43 yards, 1 TD (11 points)
Devin Hester, CHI, WR, VS. Detroit                                                                    INJ
Forecast: 6 catches, 96 yards, 1 TD
Actual: 1 catch, 2 yards, (INJURED)
Eli Manning, NYG, QB, @ Kansas City                                                               WIN
Forecast: 301 passing yards, 2 TD, 0 Int, 10 rushing yards (21 points)
Actual: 292 passing yards, 3 TD, 1 Int, 1 lost Fum (19. 6 points)
______________________
Week 4: 4-3-1injured (57%)
Season: 16-15 (55%)
COLD
Knowshon Moreno, DEN, RB, VS. Dallas                                                               LOSS
Forecast: 18 carries, 44 rushing yards, 2 catches, 7 yards, 0 TD (6 points)
Actual: 14 carries, 65 yards, 2 catches, 11 yards, 1 TD, 1 lost FUM (12 points)
Steven Jackson, STL, RB, @ San Francisco                                                               WIN
Forecast: 20 carries, 47 yards, 4 catches, 20 yards, 0 TD (9 points)
Actual: 23 carries, 79 yards, 3 catches, 6 yards, 0 TD (11 points)
Marques Colston, NO, WR, VS. New York Jets                                                    WIN
Forecast: 3 catches, 44 yards, 0 TD (5 points)
Actual: 2 catches, 33 yards, 0 TD (3.5 points)
Brett Favre, MIN, QB, VS. Green Bay                                                                        LOSS
Forecast: 252 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 Int (10 points)
Actual: 271 passing yards, 3 TD, 0 Int (22.8 points)
John Carlson, SEA, TE, @ Indianapolis                                                               WIN
Forecast: 3 catches, 42 yards, 0 TD (5 points)
Actual: 5 catches, 39 yards, 0 TD (6.9 points)
___________________
Week 4: 3-2 (60%)
Season: 12-8 (60%)

source image: Getty

After months and months of rumors of him sitting out the season if he doesn’t get paid the way he feels he should, Crabtree and his camp finally came to there senses and agreed to a contract with the 49ers. This all came out of the blue as no talks between the two parties had taken place in months before Tuesday. The 49ers strategy of “we don’t need you” worked well because of a 3-1 start to the season. This made them less likely to change their offer and Crabtree was forced to realize that he needs the NFL, not the NFL needs him. It should take some time for Crabtree to get acquainted with the offense since he has missed training camp and practices, but when he is able to he should give the 49ers offense a much needed deep threat. The only thing is who knows how fast he will pick up the offense this season, but I think they will be able to start using him some after their bye week next week. That is why it was important to get him signed right now. Crabtree was very productive in college, catching 97 passes for 1,165 yards and 19 touchdowns last year during his sophomore season at Texas Tech. He finished his college career with 231 receptions for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns. We will see what he does in the NFL going forward.

Image Source:AP

Tonight Brett Favre makes his first appearance on the opposite sidelines from the team he has spent almost his whole career, the Green Bay Packers. Though it’s not at Green Bay, which will come later this season in week 8 on Nov. 1, it should still be a circus. The Viking fans spent 16 years hating when Green Bay came to town just because of Brett and now he is leading their team. It has to feel weird for both fan bases to see this. For some Green Bay fans it’s just sacrilegious and they now hate Brett Favre, as picture shows below. And though Favre said he did not come back to get revenge on his old team, who believes him when he hasn’t been honest for the past two seasons. With the way Favre is you know there has to be at least a little revenge on his mind. After all Green Bay thought he was finished and wanted to turn the page over to Aaron Rodgers, while Brett still felt he had some left and didn’t like that they made him make a decision so soon. Needless to say it makes for some good drama and TV. The game should be good as well with two teams fighting for control of the division, but you know the media will put that in the backseat to Favre. The game starts a 5:00 p.m. PCT on ESPN. Don’t miss it.

Image Source: AP