The Seattle passing attack, projected to be a source of fantasy production, is no longer a complete wasteland. Seneca Wallace played well this week, and the Seahawk receivers are returning to health; Bobby Engram is back in the lineup, and Deion Branch should be soon, too. Of course, it’s just a matter of time before Branch gets injured again.

The Cincinnati passing attack, projected to be a source of fantasy production, remains a wasteland. Carson Palmer is probably done for the year, though Palmer seems to dispute that report. One wonders why the Bengals, who were so reliant on their passing offense to win games, couldn’t do better than Ryan Fitzpatrick as a backup QB. Then one remembers that the Bengals are notoriously cheap and will pinch pennies until they draw blood.

What's Holt's value at this point?

Dallas continues to struggle on offense, and probably will for as long as Brad Johnson is under center. Tony Romo should be back after the week 10 bye, but that’s not anywhere near soon enough for T.O. owners. Jason Witten will probably play through his injury, but that’s no guarantee right now.

Keep an eye on the Cadillac Williams situation in Tampa Bay. Williams is on the PUP list, and the Bucs may activate him soon; if they do, it would probably be in week 11, after their bye. Earnest Graham has been struggling, and may fall out of favor soon, especially if he doesn’t deliver against the Chiefs’ pitiful defense, and Warrick Dunn is battling injury and age. If Williams is healthy (and admittedly, that’s a huge if), he could be a major sleeper late in the season. In keeper leagues, he’s worth snapping up if you can stash him on your roster.

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Shaun Hill is replacing JT O’Sullivan as San Fran’s starting QB. This is probably akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, but O’Sullivan had been awful after a good start. Maybe Hill can reignite the passing game.

Deuce McAllister is the most high profile fantasy player implicated in the recent banned substance scandal, but the fantasy impact may not be as great as you think. McAllister will be active until his appeal is heard in mid-November. By that point, Reggie Bush will probably be back in the lineup anyway. If you want to pick up Aaron Stecker, go ahead, but don’t expect miracles.

The Stock Ticker
BUY
Ted Ginn – It could be a one-week blip, or it could be that Ginn has finally figured things out in Miami. Time will tell which it is, but if you’re looking for some help at receiver, you might as well roll the dice with him. Ginn’s upside is likely to be better than just about any other receiver available on your league’s waiver wire.

Kevin Faulk – With New England in a full-blown RBBC situation now, Faulk should benefit, since he’ll be the guy catching most of the passes out of the backfield. In PPR leagues, that’s a good combination.

Dallas Clark – He’s been stinking up the joint all year (right after signing a fat new contract) and now he’s finally playing well; he turned in his best game of the year Monday night, on the heels of a quality 8 catch, 81 yard performance. He’s probably not on your league’s waiver wire, but maybe you can cut a deal with an owner frustrated with his performance.

SELL
Edgerrin James – The Cardinals are openly talking about giving Tim Hightower the starting job. That probably doesn’t bode well for Edge.

Torry Holt – Much as he supplanted Isaac Bruce before he was expected to, so too it looks like Donnie Avery might be pushing Holt aside. Holt still commands double coverage, but isn’t what he used to be; that’s a bad combination for his fantasy owners…but a really good one for Avery’s. If you can get good value for him, pull the trigger. (In an unrelated note, I am kicking myself this week; I wanted to add Avery, but was hoping I could get one more good week out of Steve Breaston, so I held off, and lo and behold, someone else snapped up Avery instead.)

LeRon McClain – He was a great pickup a few weeks ago, but he’s done zilch the last three weeks, as Willis McGahee has (sort of) been restored to the team’s good graces, and Ray Rice has emerged as an explosive player. Unless you’re in a really deep league, it’s time to drop him.

Vikings Defense – If Pat and Williams are suspended, this defense’s value is going to drop like a rock. With the Williamses, the Vikes have a top 3 rush defense. Without them, they’re going to get hammered by opposing running backs.

It’s Trade Deadline Time: Buy or Sell?
Chances are, your league’s trade deadline is coming up very soon. This is probably your last chance to improve your team in any significant fashion, as waiver wire finds are going to be scarce from here on out. Take a very cold, hard look at your team and see where you stand. Are you a contender or not? And don’t talk yourself into things like “well, if so-and-so turns it around, maybe I’ve got a shot”. At this point in the year, your players are what they are. Chad Johnson’s not going to go back to #1, must-start status. Ryan Grant and Maurice Jones-Drew are going to be inconsistent. Steven Jackson and Willie Parker will infuriate you with week-to-week injury statuses. Et cetera, et cetera.

If you’re a bottom feeder in a keeper league, the worst thing you can do is talk yourself into contender status at this point; you’re missing a golden opportunity to get a head start on next year. You should absolutely be working other owners for keeper prospects and/or draft picks for 2009.

If you are a legitimate contender, however, then go for the gusto. Identify your weak point and aggressively pursue deals that can bolster that position. Chances are, you’ll have depth to make a trade. And at this point in the season, with most of the bye weeks over, depth is much less important than it once was, so don’t be afraid to make a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 swap. Target the weaker teams in your league for deals, and if you have to give up a draft pick or keeper prospect, don’t be afraid to. If you win this year’s championship, it will all be worthwhile.

Happy hunting