I would have written a Fantasy Football column the past three weeks, but they wouldn't give me any sharp objects to write with.

The way things have been going for my fantasy football team you would think I might have been locked up in a spacious room with padded walls and a straight jacket, but I've managed my anger well and am hoping for a turnaround this week.

If you, too, are in the same boat, here's some dos and don'ts for the upcoming weekend of Fantasy Football:

Buy low, sell high

The stock you bought by drafting Clinton Portis in the early rounds of this year's draft will come full circle for your fantasy football team this weekend. Portis and the Broncos host the run-soft defense of the Oakland Raiders on Monday Night Football.

Denver comes off a bye week and Oakland is playing its worst football since falling to .500 with four consecutive losses. Portis has three touchdowns in his last two games and has averaged 90 yards per game since earning the starting spot in Denver's backfield.

Washington's Kenny Watson is a definite starter at fantasy running back this week, even though Stephen Davis' sprained right knee is improving. With Davis on the bench last week, Watson sprinted to 110 yards rushing and 42 receiving in his first full-time role in the backfield against Seattle.

The Jaguars' defense is better than Seattle's, but Tiki Barber had his first 100-yard, two touchdown game of the season last Sunday night at Jacksonville. Not that the trend will continue, however, because the Giants play at Minnesota this week.

Watch for the long ball from Kerry Collins to Amani Toomer plaguing the purple people eaters in the Twin Cities Sunday afternoon. Randy Moss has the opportunity to tear open the Giants secondary, if he wants to, and Daunte Culpepper has to be able to get him the ball. Welcome Bryant McKinnie into the Vikings line and Culpepper should get back on track this week.

Go Moe

Watch out for Moe Williams to be the surprise pick of the season. The Vikings veteran has scored seven touchdowns in the last five games and is tied for third with LaDainian Tomlinson in rushing touchdowns (8), one ahead of Marshall Faulk.

Minnesota may struggle scoring in the red zone, which is why Williams has had so much success this season. He's the bruising back coach Mike Tice likes to use instead of Michael Bennett in short yardage situations.

I've jumped on Moe's back, and I think the Vikings have too.

A bad Brett Favre is better than the best Detroit team, and the Green Bay defense is the second-best in the league (Tampa Bay) after Monday's trouncing of Miami. Packer fans and fantasy football owners should enjoy a strong week with the Lions coming to Lambeau Field.

Ahman Green is a sure thing to run rampant this week.

The jury is out

Jerome Bettis has been upgraded to questionable entering this week's match with Atlanta. Amos Zereoue has done an admirable job of filling in for the broken-down "Bus," but Bill Cowher intends to give both backs equal opportunity if Bettis' knee is up to it.

Despite Zereoue's season-high 111 rushing yards last week and two touchdowns the previous outing, both running backs will lose value if Bettis plays. Unless you have nobody else to play in your backfield, like I do, avoid these two like the plague.

The free agent of the week is James Mungro.

Who?

No surprise if you haven't heard of him, nobody had until last Sunday. When 'the other' Ricky Williams pulled a hamstring during warmups of Indianapolis' eventual loss to Tennessee, Mungro got the start in the Colts' injury-filled backfield and rushed 16 times for 60 yards and caught six Peyton Manning passes for 33 yards.

Philadelphia's defense has proved inconsistent despite the No. 3 ranking, which is why Mungro is the best acquisition of those unheard-ofs heading into Week 10. Even if it's only for a week, Mungro will supply an ample amount of fantasy points for those of us who are unfortunate enough to own Edgerrin James, Bettis, or someone with a bye week this Sunday.

And if Mungro doesn't suffice, don't blame me when they lock you up and increase your dosage.

Ross Thede's Fantasy Football Column runs every Friday in the Herald. E-mail him your fantasy football questions, comments or curiosities at :mailto:sports@austindailyherald.com.