Todd's big fantasy
Team Twinhorse
Jim Salamone's insider fantasy football team won its week No. 8 game to move into a five-way tie for second place.  Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward and San Diego tight end Antonio Gates each caught two touchdown passes to lead Salamone's squad, Team Twinhorse, to victory and a 5-3 record. "I am hanging in there," says the Rochester resident. Also scoring touchdowns for his team were New England wide receiver Wes Welker and Carolina running back DeShaun Foster. "Welker has been a great surprise," says Salamone. "I think Welker will still have some hot weeks because teams will continue to double team (Randy) Moss." Due to the bye week, Salamone had to bench three of his players, Seattle running back Shaun Alexander, Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin and Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. "I am extremely disappointed in Hasselbeck and Alexander," he says. "If they can pick it up in the second half, I should be alright." Bye Week
The following teams have byes this week: Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and the St. Louis Rams. Week 8 standings1. Don Wolfe, 7-1 (904 points*)
2. Mike VanVelson, 5-3 (775)
3. Joby Knapp, 5-3 (828)
4. Jim Salamone, 5-3 (755)
5. Renee Piccirillo, 5-3 (658)
6. Todd Clausen, 5-3 (621)
7. Dan Dixon, 4-4 (642)
8. Chuck White, 3-5 (780)
9. Omar Al-Sinjari, 3-5 (664)
10. Mark Miller, 3-5 (596)
11. Hy Swartz, 2-6 (644)
12. Jim Tharrett, 1-7 (521)
(* points are cumulative)
Hurt by injuries
Despite injuries to two of his top players, Omar Al-Sinjari's insider Fantasy Football team won it's Week 7 game. It didn't hurt that Al-Sinjari's starting quarterback is New England's Tom Brady. Brady's stat line this week: 354 yards and six touchdowns.  "Tom Brady's performance has been amazing this year," says Al-Sinjari. "He's on fire. I think he will break Peyton (Manning's) touchdown mark."
Al-Sinjari played Kenny Watson, who got the start over injured Cincinnati running back Rudi Johnson. Watson rushed for 130 yards and three touchdowns. Al-Sinjari owns both players, as well as Denver wide receiver Javon Walker, who didn't play due to an injury. Also on Al-Sinjari's team are Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall, Philadelphia running back Brian Westbrook, Dallas wide receiver Patrick Crayton, Atlanta running back Jerious Norwood, Chicago tight end Desmond Clark, Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson and the Miami Dolphins defense. "I'm not out of it yet," Al-Sinjari says. "I need some players to get healthy, and (I) need to add some depth at wide receiver. My receiving core is hurting right now, but hopefully Javon Walker will come back and blow up." Week 7 standings 1. Don Wolfe, 6-1 (810 points*) 2. Mike VanVelson, 5-2 (713) 3. Renee Piccirillo, 5-2 (591) 4. Todd Clausen, 5-2 (549) 5. Joby Knapp, 4-3 (722) 6. Jim Salamone, 4-3 (654) 7. Chuck White, 3-4 (706) 8. Dan Dixon, 3-4 (564) 9. Mark Miller, 3-4 (539) 10. Omar Al-Sinjari, 2-5 (573) 11. Hy Swartz, 1-6 (564) 12. Jim Tharrett, 1-6 (439) (*=points are cumulative)
These teams have byes in Week 8: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks.
Crowded at the top
 Renee Piccirillo's insider fantasy football team moved into a four-way tie for second place after winning its week No. 6 matchup by 60 points. Her starting quarterback, Cleveland's Derek Anderson (pictured at left), who wasn't even a starter when the season began, threw for 245 yards and three touchdowns. Anderson also ran for another score. Philadelphia wide receiver Kevin Curtis caught five passes for 121 yards and a touchdown and Chicago Bears wide receiver Bernard Berrian had 78 yards receiving and a touchdown for Piccirillo's team. New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson, New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould and the Washington Redskins defense filled out her active roster. Piccirillo, along with three other fantasy owners, moved within a game of first place thanks to a 2-point loss by Mike VanVelson's previously undefeated team (to my very own Marquette Warriors). Fantasy AdviceDon't be the one owner who starts a player that has a vacation this week. The teams that have a bye in week No. 7 are the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers and the San Diego Chargers. Week 6 standings1. Don Wolfe, 5-1 (701 points*) 2. Mike VanVelson, 5-1 (647) 3. Joby Knapp, 4-2 (624) 4. Jim Salamone, 4-2 (552) 5. Renee Piccirillo, 4-2 (483) 6. Todd Clausen, 4-2 (462) 7. Chuck White, 3-3 (626) 8. Mark Miller, 2-4 (468) 9. Dan Dixon, 2-4 (447) 10. Hy Swartz, 1-5 (498) 11. Omar Al-Sinjari, 1-5 (476) 12. Jim Tharrett, 1-5 (369) (*=points are cumulative)
Off the schneid
Hy Swartz's SteelCity Thunder posted 107 points on its way to a week No. 5 win and the team's first victory of the season in the Insider Fantasy Football League.  "I really thought this was going to be a long ways away," says Swartz, 39, of Rochester. "The unpredictable NFL has made this one of the toughest for me as a fantasy football player because it seems each week there is another player that has a points explosion only to fade into the background the following week."
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver Plaxico Burress combined for three touchdowns and 310 yards of offense; also Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne and Pittsburgh tight end Heath Miller each scored a touchdown.
"Without an impact player like LT (LaDainian Tomlinson) or Peyton Manning, I have to rely on the second-wave players, although the Eli Manning (to) Plaxico Burress combo is nice to have," says Swartz.
Swartz started Jets wide receiver Laveranues Coles, Pittsburgh running back Willie Parker, New England kicker Stephen Gostowski, Green Bay running back DeShawn Wynn and the 49ers defense/special unit this week.
"A smarter draft might have gotten me some wins a little sooner, but hopefully my experience in fantasy football will propel me back into the thick of things," says Swartz.
1. Mike VanVelson, 5-0 (556 points*) 2. Don Wolfe, 4-1 (577) 3. Joby Knapp, 3-2 (519) 4. Jim Salamone, 3-2 (468) 5. Renee Piccirillo, 3-2 (383) 6. Todd Clausen, 3-2 (369) 7. Chuck White, 2-3 (500) 8. Dan Dixon, 2-3 (407) 9. Mark Miller, 2-3 (396) 10. Hy Swartz, 1-4 (410) 11. Omar Al-Sinjari 1-4 (397) 12. Jim Tharrett, 1-4 (336) (*=points are cumulative)
Reversal of fortunes
After a 0-2 start of the season, Joby Knapp's Big South fantasy football team received another big performance from Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown on the way to 108 points and a Week No. 4 victory.  "Ronnie is a good back (we have a great coach-player relationship, thus the first name), but I'm not certain he can keep it up," says Knapp, 36, of Rochester. "He is the Dolphins only offensive weapon, so teams will start to pay more attention to him and the schedule does not get easier with two games against the Pats still ahead." Brown has more than 425 total yards and four touchdowns during the last two weeks. Knapp also has Cleveland wide receiver Braylon Edwards, Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Indianapolis running back Joseph Addai, who left Sunday's game versus the Denver Broncos with an injury. "Other than these guys, there is not much else to talk about," says Knapp. "I've got zero depth, Philip Rivers isn't very good, Deuce McAllister was useless before he got injured, and Chester Taylor isn't getting me any points handing Adrian Peterson a water bottle." Joby's rosterPhilip Rivers, QB, SD Joseph Addai, RB, IND Ronnie Brown, RB, MIA Derrick Ward, RB, NYG Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI Braylon Edwards, WR, CLE Tony Gonzalez, TE, KC Eagles, D/ST David Akers, K, PHI Chester Taylor, RB, MIN Donte' Stallworth, WR, NE Alex Smith, QB, SF Jesse Chatman, RB, MIA Derrick Mason, WR, BAL Reggie Brown, WR, PHI Deuce McAllister, RB, NO Michael Bush, RB, OAK Week 4 standings1. Mike VanVelson, 4-0 (445 points*) 2. Don Wolfe, 3-1 (479) 3. Jim Salamone, 3-1 (416) 4. Todd Clausen, 3-1 (320) 5. Chuck White, 2-2 (418) 6. Joby Knapp, 2-2 (370) 7. Dan Dixon, 2-2 (365) 8. Renee Piccirillo, 2-2 (310) 9. Mark Miller, 2-2 (346) 10. Jim Tharrett, 1-3 (311) 11. Omar Al-Sinjari, 0-4 (321) 12. Hy Swartz, 0-4 (303) (*=points are cumulative) Fantasy AdviceWatch who you start and pay attention to which teams have bye weeks. The follow teams have byes this week: Cincinnati Oakland Minnesota Philadelphia Other players worth a look- Trent Edwards, completed 22-of-28 passes for 234 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Jets. Edwards gets the start against the Dallas Cowboys this week.
- Green Bay tight end Donald Lee has 16 catches for 172 yards and one touchdown.
- Wide receiver Sidney Rice of Minnesota had 6 catches for 75 yards against Green Bay. Someone has to catch the ball in Minnesota.
- Anthony Gonzalez, if Marvin Harrison is out
- Selvin Young, if Travis Henry is out in Denver
- Mushin Muhammad in Chicago, as long as Brian Griese is throwing the ball
- Gus Frerotte has been named the started for the St. Louis Rams
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 I'm Todd and I do some of the behind-the-scenes work at insider, from reading stories and designing pages to working the calendars, posting stuff online and being a general pain in the ass to my co-workers. And no, I don't sell ads or bring coffee to my boss.
I grew up in Irondequoit, graduated from Eastridge High School, and now live in the city. I'm a huge fan of the Buffalo Bills, New York Yankees and Marquette University, where I graduated from college and learned about the Milwaukee Brewers, the Bucks, Al McGuire, SummerFest, Happy Days, Jeffrey Dahmer, among other things. I've run a half-marathon, finished a triathlon and play I softball at Cobbs Hill. I've also been to countless baseball, football and basketball games (some of which I referee).
I started an insider fantasy football league to play fantasy sports at work without getting into trouble. Please don't tell the boss. :)
If you disagree with me about anything I write, that's good. And if you agree, you're probably in the minority. Float me a note in the comment section, e-mail me at Todd's e-mail, or call 258-9883.
Peace.
Want even more of me? Check out Fourth and Long: A Fantasy Football podcast.
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Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward and San Diego tight end Antonio Gates each caught two touchdown passes to lead Salamone's squad, Team Twinhorse, to victory and a 5-3 record.
