But he can’t be this bad, right?  Right. 

And has he really been that bad?  Aside from last week’s stinker, Freeman averaged just over 15 fantasy points per game over the first four week’s which almost equaled his 2010 average when he was the 7th highest scoring fantasy quarterback.  Freeman’s ability to grab a couple extra points with rushing yards and to occasionally take the ball into the end zone himself help him accumulate points even when he doesn’t have his best day through the air.  And let’s not forget that it hasn’t been all bad through the air as Freeman has improved his completion percentage from 61.4% last year to 64.0% this year.

This week Freeman faces a New Orleans team that generally forces teams to throw from behind and is better at stopping the run than they are the pass (10th fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing RB’s; 8th most fantasy points allowed to opposing QB’s).  So this is a good matchup for a good quarterback.  Sounds like a start to me.

Schaub faces a Ravens defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing QB’s, is one of only six teams to have allowed less than 1,000 passing yards, and is tied for the fewest amount of passing touchdowns allowed.  Moreover, that Ravens D is at home and coming off a bye.  Throw in the absence of Andre Johnson and Schaub is a big stay away this week.  If you backed him up with someone like Eli, Flacco, Fitzpatrick, or even Freeman, this is a week to make use of the backup.

Ken Daube wrote an article for ESPN.com this week detailing Ingram’s failure to meet expectations.  Daube cites Ingram’s low touchdown success ratio on carries inside an opponent’s ten (10%) as well as his low percentage of rushes that go for ten or more yards.  One way of looking at that info, and how Daube sees it, is that those who believed in Ingram were wrong to take him in the 7th-8th round. 

The other way of looking at it is that Ingram is due.  Saying he’s due may not sound like solid reasoning, but all I mean is that there may be some regression to the mean in order.  Touchdown percentage is a category where regression to the mean is bound to happen at some point.  Unless Ingram stops getting carries in close, and there’s no indication of that happening, the touchdowns will come.

Against a Tampa run defense that has turned in varying results, I say this is the week Ingram gets what’s coming to him.  I say he breaks one which helps him have his first 75-80+ yard rushing day, and I say he makes good on one of those carries in close.

Until further notice, it’s probably a good idea to sit all but the elite backs when they face the 49ers.  This run defense is stout.  They’re one of four teams that have yet to allow 300 rushing yards this season, one of two teams that have yet to give up a rushing touchdown to a running back, and the only team that hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown at all.

Best is a back that can make hay as a member of the passing game, but San Fran has had success shutting down similar backs like LeSean McCoy and Felix Jones.  Despite Best’s big play ability, he’s likely to get shut down this week.

Because Buffalo puts up a lot of points (3rd in points per game) and doesn’t have the best defense (3rd most yards per game allowed), this game has the potential to be a bit of a shoot out.  The Bills D also allows 25 fantasy points per game to opposing WR’s, so there should be plenty to go around for New York receivers.

Hakeem Nicks is sure to get his and Victor Cruz has 54 fantasy points in the last three weeks, but I’m going with a gut call and saying Manningham gets in on the action this week.  It’s hard to believe that a receiver with 900 yards and 9 TD’s last year will permanently disappear, and this matchup lends itself to Manningham finally showing up.

The blueprint to attacking the Eagles defense is a steady dose of hand offs, getting the ball to your backs in the passing game, and utilizing your tight end if you have one.  The best plan of attack does not involve the heavy usage of your wide receivers.  The Eagles have allowed the fifth fewest receptions to receivers but have given up the most rushing yards in the league and have been burned by the two respectable tight ends they have faced.

Whether it’s Ryan Torain, Tim Hightower, Roy Helu, or some practice squad running back you’ve never heard of, a Redskins running back is going to have a big day.  And Fred Davis and Chris Cooley could have big days and are likely to be targeted in the red zone.  Moss is usually a safe play (at least seven fantasy points each week), but this just isn’t a good matchup for him.

Call me crazy, but I’m going to bet on Greg Olsen not scoring a touchdown four weeks in a row.  Even if Atlanta wasn’t one of the better teams against the tight end, and even if Jeremy Shockey wasn’t around to potentially steal Olsen’s thunder, I’d still be willing to take my chances on Olsen not getting in the end zone for a fourth consecutive week.  But as it turns out, Atlanta is one of the better teams against the tight end, and Jeremy Shockey is a factor.  So I’ll definitely take my chances.

Written by Brett Talley exclusively for thefantasyfix.com.  Brett is a law student in Dallas who just wrote Ingram is going to bust a big one. That’s what she said.  You can follow him and/or ask him for fantasy advice on Twitter @therealTAL.