The Injury bug is decimating the NBA right now and fantasy hoops owners are furious. I saw one team in my league that had 8 of his starters on the bench because of injury. Thats just not right. The latest star to go down is Michael Redd, who strained a tendon in his knee. He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks and I'm expecting Ruben Patterson to score 20 ppg while Redd is out. Let's see what happened in the NBA last night.

Philidelphia 76ers

The 76ers continued their quest for Oden last night losing to the pistons. The 76ers have come to an agreement to buy out the contract of Chris Webber and rumor has it he may end up on the knicks. So with Webber gone, it seems the starting forwards will be Joe Smith and rookie Rodney Carney. I don't see Carney having much fantasy value, but Joe smith could be a solid player in the fantasy world. I would love to see Korver get into the starting 5 but thats only because I have him on my fantasy team.

Detroit Pistons

Prince was out of his dome going for 33 including 5 treys!

New Jersey Nets

Vince Carter was a man on a mission against his old team going for 32 on 12-23 shooting. This shows me that Carter can score 30 whenever he feels like it......however, he doesn't feel like it as often as he should. If he put some effort in every night, he could be so much better.

Toronto Raptors

T.J Ford had been hurt, but came back and scored 20. Last night however he was 0-8 and Calderon played very well. I think Ford is safe as the starter, but monitor this situation

Memphis Grizzlies

Rudy Gay is not producing like everyone thought he would after Barone said "he might die on the court" with all the minutes he'd be playing. Gasol, Miller, and Stoudamire, are all playing like all stars.

Seattle Super Sonics

Nick Collison set career highs with 29 points and 21 rebounds and coach Bob Hill says he is the teams starter but the way this season has been going who knows what the starting lineup will be next week. Earl Watson is also starting now and Luke Ridnour's value is dropping by the second.

Phoenix Suns

Nash and Marion had huge days going for 27 and 29 respectively. Marion added 15 rebounds while Nash chipped in with 11 assists and 5 treys.

Cleveland Caveliers

Drew Gooden has been putting up big numbers lately going for 73 points and 39 rebounds in his past 3 games.

Sacramento Kings

Bibby seems to finally be over his wrist injury and has been playing well. Kevin Martin and Brad Miller also had big games against the Cavs last night.

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Reche Caldwell- With the revolving door at WR in New England this season, there has yet to be some one to step up and assume the role as the number one wideout. The physically gifted Caldwell did his best to seize that role by having 134 yards and 1 TD on 4 catches in the season finale. With the dismissal of Doug Gabriel and inconsistency of Chad Jackson, Caldwell is the one of WR who played the best among the new crop that came into New England this year. Caldwell is only 27, and I see him becoming the next David Givens in that offense.

Cedric Houston/Leon Washington- Although Houston was coming back for the Jets, it figured to be a long day for their rushing game against a stout Raiders rush defense. Houston was a bit rusty and had trouble finding holes. He finished the day with just 44 yards on 16 carries. He's explosive backfield mate Leon Washington had 15 carries for 53 yards and a TD. Washington is as explosive as any RB in the NFL, but his size and injury history will prevent him from ever becoming an every down back. However, don't be surprised if the Jets rely more on Washington than they do on Houston against the Patriots Sunday.

Lee Evans- While there have been doubts about the Bills offense throughout the season, now that they are finished I would be lying if I did not say I was impressed with what I saw in Buffalo this season. Evans has become one of the best big play WRs in football. After 145 yards and a TD on Sunday, Evans finished the season with 1290 yards receiving and 8 TDs. Despite being a big play guy, Evans still managed to put up steady numbers next week. If Losman can take the final step towards me a solid NFL QB, the Bills are a team to watch in 2007.

Willie Parker- The third year back out of UNC finished his tremendous 2006 seasin with a bang. The only thing that was keeping Cincinnati from the playoff were the Steelers. The main reason why the Bengals now sit at home is that they could not stop the Steelers running game. Parker scampered for 134 yards and 2 TDs on 37 carries in their big win. There were a lot of questions around the NFL season about whether Parker could handle the load, but after a terrific 2006 season, Parker now has shown that he is one of the most reliable in RBs in football. with 1494 yards rushing and 16 total TDs, Parker had one of the best seasons running the ball in the NFL this season.

Santonio Holmes- The play that ended Cincinnati's season came in the form of a Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes TD pass. Holmes was able to elude all the defenders chasing him before diving past the pylon. It seems only fitting that the Bengals season would end in the hands of some one who also was arrested during one point of the year. Holmes has not only had a dramatic TD catch in week 17, but he also has put together a very impressive finish in his rookie year. He finished with 824 yards receiving and a TD even though he was used sparingly in the first month. Holmes has a very bright future ahead of him, and he should start opposite Hines Ward next season.

Chris Henry- From one WR with an arrest to another. The Bengals offense was not at the top of their game, which was rather surprising considering it was a must win game against an arch rival at home. The one player who did look impressive was troubled WR Chris Henry. The bottom line with Henry is that if that he is one of the most physically gifted WRs in the NFL despite all his off the field issues. He finished with 124 yards receiving and a TD including several catches at crucial times in the game. Henry only played 13 games this season, but he finished with 605 yards receiving and 9 TDs. The touchdowns are so high because his size makes him a great threat in the endzone. Henry would be at least a second WR on any other team in football, but for now he's just one of several talented WRs on the Bengals.

Charlie Frye- When this season began, I had the feeling that Frye would step up for the Browns and have a solid season showing that once again a MAC quarterback can get it done in this league. As I watched Frye perform weekly, I realized I may be wrong. He has an NFL arm, but his decision making is just not good enough to be an NFL starter. In his return from a wrist injury, Frye was 25 of 34 for 187 yards, 0 TDs, and 1 INT. Despite a very shaky season, Frye will most likely be given another chance next year. However, Brady Quinn has actually made the comment that he would like to play Cleveland, and there will also be the home town pressure to draft Troy Smith. I doubt Quinn will be there for their pick and that they will actually select Smith. The most likely scenario is that Cleveland will bring in a veteran to compete with Frye, and the name Drew Bledsoe makes a lot of sense to me.

Peyton Manning- A strong finish to another outstanding season for Peyton Manning. Against a tough Miami defense in the regular season finale, Peyton was 22 of 37 for 282 yards and 2 TDs. His final numbers were 4397 passing yards, 31 TDs, and only 9 INTs. He also had a very solid 65.0 completion percentage. We've become so accustomed to this that we sometimes forget just how remarkable a season like this would be for any other QB. Of all the Colts teams in recent memory, this one I would say has the smallest chance of winning the Super Bowl due to their rush defense. Peyton is now 30 years old, and he better hope that the Colts can finally upgrade their defense in 2007 or Manning may never win that one big game.

David Garrard- Are you happy now Jacksonville? I hope you have finally learned your lesson and will turn back to Byron Leftwich for the 2007 season. David Garrard, who was never actually good, was the starting QB in Jacksonville due to a phantom injury to Byron Leftwich who clearly capable of playing. In the midst of another horrible game on Sunday that cost them a playoff spot, Garrard was actually replaced with Quinn Gray. Garrard's backup played fairly well, but he's no long term option. If Garrard is the starter next year in Jacksonville, I will be shocked and immediately call for Coach Del Rio's head to be examined.

Vince Young- Amazingly enough if the Titans didn't lose on Sunday they would have been in the playoffs. However, the Patriots, who said they would rest their starters after a series, decided to help the Chiefs out and play their starters basically the whole game for no reason. Young struggled with his accuracy against a team that baffles rookie QBs, but he did still manage to finish with 227 yards passing. Young also ran in his 7 TD of the season. The finishing numbers on his surprising rookie numbers are a 51.7 completion percentage, 2199 yards passing, 12 TDs, 13 INTs, and 552 yards passing. If Young can make some progress over the offseason as a passer, he will become one of the best QBs in football in only his second season.

Chris Taylor- First, for those of you who may be asking who is Chris Taylor, I'll give you a little background on him. He's been on the practice squad for the Texans all season just until recent weeks, but Coach Kubiak has always been impressed by him so he decided to give him a shot in week 17. Coach Kubiak angered many fantasy owners because he did this by not giving Ron Dayne one carry all game. Taylor had 99 yards on 20 carries while also scoring a TD in his first shot carrying a full load. While Taylor looked decent, I doubt that he will be anything more than a backup in the NFL for his career.

Larry Johnson- At the time they didn't know it, but after the Chiefs won a tough test against Jacksonville they would learn juts four hours later that it was the win that got them to the playoffs. Johnson led the day once again for the Chiefs he had 138 yards rushing and 3 TDs on 33 carries. Johnson showed that last year's finish was just the beginning as he rushed for 1789 yards and 19 total TDs in his first full season as a starter. In 11 of his 16 games he went over the 100 yard mark on the ground. The Chiefs now will face the Colts in the first round, and all signs point to a field day for Johnson in his first playoff appearance.

Eddie Kennison- Since taking over as Kansas City's number one WR has put up decent numbers, but nothing too impressive. To be fair, the real number one WR is Tony Gonzalez, but he plays TE. His numbers were never too spectacular to begin with, but it's clear that Kennison's performance had fallen off a bit in 2006. He did manage to go out with a bang this regular season by racking up 144 yards and a TD in a huge win over Jacksonville. It seems like almost a given that Kansas City will try to bring in a top WR and shift Kennison to their second wideout.

Jay Cutler- The Broncos may have lost a game they clearly should have won to make the playoffs on Sunday, but in no way at all can you blame Jay Cutler. Stats wise he was 21 of 32 for 230 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT, but they don;t even tell the story. Cutler was knocked in the first half and suffered a head injury. It may have been some form of a concussion, and it looked like he'd be out the rest of the game. However, Cutler returned and led his team on an 80 yard drive in the final minutes of regulation to send the game into overtime. Although the Broncos did not make the playoffs, I have to praise Coach Shanahan's decision to go to Cutler who is clearly better than Jake Plummer. He seems to have a very bright future ahead of him, and the Broncos are in safe hands for the next decade.

Tatum Bell/Mike Bell- What an utter mess the Broncos running game has been in 2006. Thanks again Mike Shanahan. Tatum Bell has lost all support after developing fumbling issues in the last few games of the year. He ran for 48 yards on 12 carries and fumbled on Sunday. His teammate Mike Bell had 66 yards on 11 carries. After 16 games, neither RB showed anything that would separate him from the other. The backfield picture is as hazy as it has ever been, and I could not even venture a guess who will start next season for Denver.

-David Cassilo

Contact at asuhouse@aol.com

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Hank Baskett- With half the league not playing for anything, many young players got a shot to show what they could do on Sunday. Within Philadelphia, Hank Baskett has been a well kept secret. After a terrific training camp, the Eagles realized they had a very talented WR. However, with Donte' Stallworth and Reggie Brown at wideout, Baskett never really got a shot. On Sunday he was their number one WR, and he performed exceptionally well. He finished the day with 7 catches for 177 yards and a TD. In a pass first offense with an ninjury prone Stallworth ahead of him, Baskett could have an impact in 2007.

Tony Romo- In his final start of the regular season, Romo looked brilliant at some times and awful at others. The good on Sunday came in the form of a career high 321 passing yards and 2 TDs. He made spectacular play after spectacular play as he led Dallas up and down the field trying to create a comeback. However, the reason they were behind was partly because Romo threw an INT and lost two fumbles. Romo is not not the second coming of Johnny Unitas, but he is a decent QB in this league. He finished the year with 2903 yards, 19 TDs, and 13 INTs in just 12 games at QB. He'll be one of the top tier QBs next season in the league.

Terrell Owens- He's a weekly distraction, but no one can deny that he is one of the best WRs in the NFL. Owens racked up a season high 117 yards receiving in the final regular season game for the Cowboys. The game capped off a very controversial but successful season statistics wise for Owens and the Cowboys. He finished with 85 receptions, 1180 yards, and 13 TDs. The numbers are almost identical to his first season with Philadelphia. There has been a lot of speculation that this will be Owens only season in Dallas, but with production like this it would seem very unlikely that Jerry Jones would want to get rid of Owens.

Rex Grossman- Sunday night marked the lowest point of what has been an up and down season for Bears QB Rex Grossman. The following numbers are actually true as shocking as they may be. Grossman finished the day 2 for 12 with 33 yards, 3 INTs, and 1 fumble before being relieved in the second half. His backup, Brian Griese, was not much better as he was 5 for 15 with 2 INTs. Since it's clear that Griese was no improvement, Grossman will start the Bears first playoff game. Rex finished the season completing 55% of his passes with 3193 yards, 23 TDs and 20 INTs. His inconsistency is the weakest point for a very talented Bears team. His production in the playoffs will determine whether the Bears look for a change at QB next season.

Cedric Benson- The Bears looked awful while playing most of their starters on Sunday night. The one player who did show some promise was their second year RB Cedric Benson. He was able to run for 109 yards on just 13 carries. The Packers do have a poor rush defense, but nevertheless, it was an impressive day for Benson. He's seen an increased workload over the last month, but part of that is because Chicago has had the one seed in the NFC for weeks, and Thomas Jones needed his load lightened. Although Jones had a terrific season again, I would have to figure that the Bears will finally give Benson the starting job next season.

Brett Favre- After things didn't go their way with the Giants winning on Saturday night, the Packers now had a meaningless game to finish their season. The Packers won by having a tremendous defensive performance, but the story of the night was clearly Brett Favre. After a solid day with 285 yards passing, 1 TD, and an INT, Favre became very emotional in a post game interview. He hinted several times that this was most likely his final game of the season while fighting back tears. Knowing Favre, it is hard to believe him even after an interview like that. When he sits back weeks from now without this game fresh in his mind, he will realize that if he came back for one last year he will have a legitimate shot to go to the playoffs. His decision will be the biggest offseason story of 2007.

Tarvarias Jackson- In his final start of the season, Jackson looked shaky at best for the Vikings. He finished the day 20 for 34 with 213 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT against a very weak Rams defense. Although he looked decent at times, Jackson never showed any drastic improvement during the season. The Vikings still believe that he has the tools to be a star in this league, and he will most likely go into next season as their starter. However, if he is going to have success, the Vikings will have to bring in some capable WRs to help him out.

Jon Kitna- It was a very strong finish for Jon Kitna who in the process had the first 4000 yard season of his career. Kitna led the Lions to a shocking win over the Cowboys in an offensive shootout. He finished the day with 306 yards passing, 4 TDs, and 1 INT. It was his best day of a strong season under offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Even if the Lions bring in a rookie QB, Kitna appears likely to at the very least begin the year as the Lions starting QB. The offense is clearly not the problem in Detroit, and they now may look to go defense with their second pick of the draft.

Roy Williams- The Lions did a great job screwing up the only bright spot of their season by winning their final game and thus losing the number one pick of the draft. Their big play WR Roy Williams had 104 yards receiving and 2 TDs in a thrilling win over Dallas. He finished the season with 1310 yards receiving and 8 TDs which is proof that even Matt Millen can draft a good WR now and then. Roy is one of the bright young stars in the NFL, and he will be a top WR for at least the next 5-6 years.

Jake Delhomme- After missing three games with a thumb injury, Delhomme returned for a meaningless game against the backups of the Saints. Delhomme looked sharp in what may have been his best day of the season. He completed 23 of his 27 passes for 207 yards and 2 TDs. Days like those are what was expected all season from Delhomme which makes it rather disappointing that he finished with numbers like he did. While there were some rumors he'd be done as the starter, it would be a total shock if he wasn't taking snaps for Carolina in 2007.

Steve Smith- He's one of the best WRs in football, and he finished that way on Sunday. A week ago I had questioned Smith's effort after not being able to catch one pass. Now I can see that the problem was mainly the QB not Smith's effort. With Delhomme back, Smith had 85 yards receiving and 2 TDs. The injuries and struggles QB led to a bit of a down year for Smith, but he was still able to finish with 1166 receiving yards and 8 TDs. His teammate Keyshawn Johnson is talking about retirement, but that would be a shock to me. Most likely the Panthers will return a similar offense and have a much stronger season.

Michael Vick/Matt Schaub- The final start of the year for Vick was a brief one as he left the game early with an injury. Before departing he had 81 yards passing and a TD. The injury isn't serious and would have been able to play next week if there was a game. Vick finished the season with career highs in both TDs and rushing yards. In his relief on Sunday, Matt Schaub, who is one of the best QBs in football not starting, was 15 for 21 with 175 yards passing, 1 TD, and 1 INT. Now that Coach Mora is gone, the next coach will have a huge impact on the QB situation. They will probably hire some one who is best for Vick's talents, but there has been some talk about possibly giving Schaub a chance to win the starting job in the preseason.

Joey Galloway- The lone bright spot on the Tampa Bay offense this season has been Galloway. He finished another strong season with 8 catches for 118 yards and a TD in a loss to Seattle. Galloway, who seems to never age, had his second straight 1000 yard season and finished with 1057 yards and 7 TDs. He still remains one of the better WRs in football, but at 35 years old it's clear that a drop off in production bound to come soon. His QB next season will be the biggest factor for his value.

Steven Jackson- What a great season it has been for Steven Jackson! He turned the corner in his third season for the Rams and is now not only a great runner, but also a great pass catcher. Jackson went out with a bang as he finished with 166 total yards and 4 TDs in his final game of the season. His week 17 numbers added to a fantastic season in which Jackson had 1528 yards rushing, 806 yards receiving on 90 receptions, and 16 TDs. The season was one of the best rushing and receiving for a RB in recent memory. He will be one of the first RBs off the board next season in your draft.

Frank Gore- In addition to Jackson, his division rival Frank Gore busted onto the season this season. In a thrilling victory for the San Francisco 49ers to keep Denver out of the playoffs, Gore rushed for 153 yards on 31 carries. He finished the season with an NFC best 1695 rushing yards to go along with 9 TDs. Gore had some fumbling issues early in his career, but he was able to correct them and now seems to have no holes in his game. In just his second season Gore has become one of the 5 best RBs in football.

Kurt Warner- He may have problems holding onto the ball and escaping from the pocket, but Kurt Warner has always been one of the best pure passers in the NFL throughout his career. With Matt Leinart out, Warner was able to start the last game of the season, and he had 356 yards passing and a TD. His starting days appear behind him, but he has said that he will most likely not retire following the season. If Warner does ever get another starting job in this league, he would be a solid veteran to have.

-David Cassilo

Contact at asuhouse@aol.com

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