Hallelujah! Colts' Manning back to being himself
Peyton Manning owners, rejoice. Your quarterback has stepped out of a Trent Edwards clone and morphed back into the player you thought you had on draft day.
Apparently, training camp and the preseason do count for something.
Manning, who didn't play at all until the regular-season opener, struggled to find his usual pinpoint accuracy in games against the Bears, Vikings and Jaguars.
But the last two weeks, the Colts' QB threw 5 TD passes, including 3 against Ray Lewis and the Ravens. The first TD, a 66-yarder to Marvin Harrison, came when Harrison torched Chris McAllister down the sideline.
This is all great news for any of you with players in the Colts' passing game, especially with running back Joseph Addai nursing a hamstring injury.
There are some tough defenses left on Indy's schedule, but after seeing what Manning did to Baltimore, it doesn't matter. And once the fantasy playoffs start in Week 14, watch out because the Colts host Cincinnati and Detroit before going to Jacksonville in Week 16.
Rejoice, indeed.
Other QB happenings: Hey, we have a Derek Anderson sighting. Reports of his imminent demise apparently were a bit premature as he lit up the Giants on Monday night to the tune of 310 yards and 2 TDs. It was the first time he eclipsed 170 yards all season.
I'm not as confident in Anderson being out of the woods as I am with Peyton Manning, though. Let's see another solid performance or two when the Browns aren't jacked up about playing a team like the defending champs before we jump on Anderson's bandwagon.
• Tony Romo's fractured pinkie is obviously bad news for his owners. But Brett Favre spoke with the Cowboys' QB early in the week, and Romo was able to practice in a limited fashion Thursday. The Cowboys are considering starting Romo, which begs the question, is it worth risking putting him in your lineup? I actually have Romo with Kyle Orton as my backup, and I'm seriously considering starting Orton. When this news broke, it was reported that Romo would miss three games, but now, this almost seems worse because we really have no idea how he will perform. All I can say is play Romo at your own risk.
My teams: How's this for a Hail Mary completion:
Trailing 67-66 entering Monday night, my opponent had the Giants' defense going and I was done. To win, I needed the Giants to give up 30 or more points and not earn 2 fantasy points through turnovers or sacks. I never even considered pulling it off until I saw Cleveland with 17 points at halftime. Then, when Eli Manning threw that pick that was returned 94 yards for a touchdown - well, let's just say I celebrated a bit. That 66-64 victory improved my unit-league team to 3-3, while my regular team (2-4) fell 115-92. Both teams lead their league in total points, yet I'm 5-7 overall.
Good bets
• Panthers QB Jake Delhomme vs. New Orleans. The last five quarterbacks to face the Saints have all gone over 220 passing yards.
• Steelers WR Santonio Holmes at Cincinnati. One of the top receivers last season, Holmes has disappointed in '08 but seems due for a big game.
• Titans RBs Chris Johnson and LenDale White at Kansas City. The Chiefs have already allowed 8 rushing TDs in five games. Johnson's a fantastic play, while the inconsistent White is a nice flex play.
• Dolphins defense vs. Baltimore. Almost any defense figures to rack up points with rookie QB Joe Flacco starting for the Ravens. Last week, the Colts forced 5 turnovers and produced 4 sacks.
• Texans defense vs. Detroit. Despite ranking 31st and 29th in fantasy points in my two leagues, I still think Houston is a top-10 unit this week against the woeful Lions.
• Texans QB Matt Schaub and RB Steve Slaton vs. Detroit. Everybody scores on the Lions.
• Rams WR Torry Holt vs. Dallas. With Cowboys CBs Terence Newman (groin) and Adam "Pacman" Jones (suspended) out, this is a great spot for Holt to come out of season-long funk.
• Patriots RB Sammy Morris vs. Denver. If your starter is on a bye, Morris makes for a good fill-in play against the Swiss cheese Denver defense.
Bad bets
• Bears RB Matt Forte vs. Minnesota. Since Week 1, no feature back has gone over 62 rushing yards on the Vikings.
• Niners WR Isaac Bruce and TE Vernon Davis at New York Giants. After allowing Cleveland to shred their defense, what kind of mood do you think the G-men will be in? Watch for a dominant performance.
• Browns QB Derek Anderson at Washington. Anderson's re-emergence was good to see, but the Redskins are allowing just 181 passing yards a game at home, and that includes contests with Drew Brees and Kurt Warner.
• Seahawks WR Bobby Engram at Tampa Bay. For the first time in years, Seattle has become a fantasy abyss, and it won't get any better until Matt Hasselbeck returns from injury.
• Chargers QB Philip Rivers at Buffalo. I hesitate to put a top-five fantasy quarterback in the bad bets. But Rivers owners ought to temper their expectations against a Bills defense that has allowed just 4 passing TDs.
jdietz@dailyherald.com
• Read more from John at ffmastermind.com and hear him each Thursday in the 1 p.m. hour with Mike Murphy on WSCR 670-AM.