TOP 5 NFL NEWS ITEMS FROM THURSDAY 8/5/10 TO WEDNESDAY 8/11/10

We have many great articles planned leading up to the 2010 Fantasy Football season including sleepers, busts, rookies, strategy, full player rankings and projections all wrapped up into a nifty draft kit to help you win your league next year. Below, we analyze the top fantasy football news items from the previous week.

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5. Roethlisberger, Ben QB PIT should only miss 4 games

His suspension is officially 6 games but could drop to 4 with good behavior. It looks like it'll just be four games, but still, he has an awfully tough schedule down the stretch, and the Steelers should settle into more of a running team while he's out. They may stick with that plan when he returns.

4. Welker, Wes WR NE should play in Week 1

It's time to assume that he will return near full value in fantasy leagues this season. PPR-leaguers should especially take note and draft him virtually as if fully healthy.

3. Hamilton, Lynell RB NO hurt his knee

He tore his ACL and will miss the season. The Saints may very well sign somebody like Ladell Betts to replace Hamilton, but we can assume for now that Pierre Thomas will pick up a few goal line carries that Hamilton would have gotten.

2. Burress, Plaxico WR (NYG) will be released from prison

He'll get out in two or three weeks. Who knows exactly when and where he'll end up in the NFL, but if you're in a deep dynasty league, consider acquiring and stashing him.

1. Fargas, Justin RB (OAK) and White, LenDale RB (SEA) signed with DEN

White is still suspended for the first four games. By then, Buckhalter or Moreno or both should certainly be fine. And you know the inherent risks involved with White anyway. However, Fargas has potential to help over the first couple of regular season games, should Moreno be slow to recover.

ALSO

Jonathan Dwyer RB PIT is struggling in camp. He shouldn't steal much thunder from Mendenhall this season, at least early... Charlie Whitehurst QB SEA is not impressing. Consider Hasselbeck's job safe this season, as long as he is healthy and relatively effective... Michael Jenkins WR ATL will miss 4-6 weeks with a shoulder injury, but he wasn't really draft-worthy anyway... James Jones WR GB is barely worth drafting, but he's ahead of Jordy Nelson right now in the pre-season position battle... Jacoby Jones WR HOU looks to be pulling ahead of Kevin Walter, so consider Jones before Walter for upside late in drafts.

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