Not another Favre story

Yes, it was an exciting game, and yes he can still sling it. Brett Favre owned the Packers throwing three touchdowns, totalling 271 yards. But it won’t last. You were smart if you played him; I’ll give you that. But I don’t see his performance sustaining. I imagine it took several cortisone injections, extended acupuncture sessions and a little bit of Grandma’s medicine for him to recover from that shootout. Favre has peaked. So let’s move on to more important things, like who you should start in place of Phillip Rivers this week.

This is painful, so let me get this over with quickly. Derek Anderson is a decent choice if your quarterback (and his backup) are out. Anderson matches up against an injured Buffalo secondary, so he could take a chance down field. He’s a gutsy QB, so he’ll probably get picked a couple of times, but he’s also prone to the big play, and bound to give you decent numbers. Of course, their biggest offensive threat Braylon Edwards is a Jet now, but that’s ok. Can’t score if you can’t catch.

Nate Washington – Even though he goes against the Colts, who are ranked eighth in pass defense, he’s a good pick. With three touchdowns in his last three games, he’s the top Titans wide receiver. Plus, Kerry Collins isn’t relying on Chris Johnson to propel their entire offense this year. The passing game is a big part of their game plan.

Mohamed Massoquoi – This is my second (gulp) Browns player to mention. And in a good way. The eight passes for 148 yards last Sunday made me look. The Braylon Edwards trade made me claim him. Massoquoi and Anderson showed they had chemistry in week 4. While you can’t expect that performance every week (you know, he does play for Cleveland), you can expect him to contribute. The Bills defense this week doesn’t hurt either.

Rashard Mendenhall – Hard to believe, but the backup running back is widely available. Willie Parker is suffering from turf toe, and questionable for Sunday. Mendenhall likely won’t repeat his monster performance from last week (165 yards and tw0 TDs) – even against the Lions - but he’s likely to get 100+ yards and one touchdown.

Michael Crabtree – The rookie holdout finally agreed to terms with the San Francisco 49ers. While he won’t be active this weekend, expect him to help your team in a few weeks once he learns the playbook. Normally, I’m nervous when a wide receiver is traded in mid-season, and forced to learn a new system. Hopefully, it’s early enough that he can recover. The bye week should also help.

Austin Collie – While he’s the low man on the totem pole, he was targeted seven times last Sunday. This week, the Colts face a sad Titans pass defense, so he could have a good day.

Tight Ends – If you need a temporary fix check out Sean Ryan, who had 58 yards and a touchdown last week for Kansas City. Dwayne Bowe isn’t 100 percent, so Ryan could remain a top target. Bryan Pedigrew is also a good pick. I recommended him last week too, and he delivered – 10 targets, 64 yards. Not bad for temp. Cleveland’s tight end Steve Heiden is also available in most leagues. Heiden caught 5 passes for 33 yards, plus a score. Yes, that's my third Browns recommendation in one blog entry. I feel dizzy.

For last-second advice, listen to Erin this Friday on Sports Radio 610, or Sunday during the Texans pre-game show. If you have a question about your team, you can e-mail Erin at erskelley@yahoo.com.