Pole-sitter Kyle Busch dominated the majority of the race, supplanted by only Denny Hamlin and Keselowski for certain stretches. However, Busch's dominance was completely overshadowed by the final 85 laps of the race. On lap 235, Johnson blew a right-front tire, causing him to hit the wall hard off Turn 4. His crew would have to do repairs behind the wall, dropping him to a finishing position of 32nd. In turn, all Keselowski had to do to leave Phoenix with the points lead was stay away from any and all trouble. Easier said than done.

During a lap 272 caution period, Keselowski pitted from third place, dropping himself to seventh. Keselowski was never really able to break free of traffic, and remained in the bottom half of the top-10 for the duration of the race. With just under 15 laps remaining, Chasers Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon made contact following a restart, resulting in a cut tire for Gordon, and eventually ending with him brushing the wall. Coming to the white flag, Gordon found himself alongside Bowyer once more, and proceeded to spin him hard into the wall, wrecking himself, Bowyer, as well as an innocent Joey Logano. Aric Almirola spun into them as well.

What followed was even more chaotic. The race was red-flagged as Gordon made his way back to the garage area. At the same time, Bowyer's crew rushed over to meet him and a melee ensued between both crews. The cameras were also on Bowyer as he sprinted from his destroyed car to the garage area to confront Gordon. All drivers and team members were eventually restrained, but the media story of the week had already been created.

Meanwhile, Kevin Harvick, who had stolen the lead from Busch on the same restart when Bowyer and Gordon originally made contact, had to endure a Green-White-Checkered restart. Harvick, as well as several others, were close on fuel, raising the stakes even more. Following the GWC restart, Jeff Burton got into the back of Danica Patrick, wrecking her in the process. NASCAR, however, did NOT throw the caution, despite Patrick being stationary in the middle of turns 3 & 4. As she got going, oil and various other fluids streamed from beneath her car, spreading all over the track. Still, officials failed to slow the field, resulting in all the drivers racing through the debris and fluid. The first few, including the leader Harvick, made it through, but the same could not be said for Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, and others. The heavy crash as the field crossed the finish line nearly took out Keselowski, who managed to finish sixth with only minor damage.

Harvick was the winner, his first victory since Richmond in the fall of 2011. Hamlin and Kyle Busch would follow him across the line, with Kasey Kahne and a wrecking Newman filling out the top-five. Keselowski, Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Paul Menard, and Martin rounded out the top-10. The points standings were shook up a great deal by the finishing results, and even more by the 25 point penalty levied against Gordon for his on-track actions.

The official standings look this way.

Rank (Change)	Driver	Points (Behind)
1 (+1)	Brad Keselowski	2371 (-)
2 (-1)	Jimmie Johnson	2351 (-20)
3 (+1)	Kasey Kahne	2321 (-50)
4 (-1)	Clint Bowyer	2319 (-52)
5 (+2)	Denny Hamlin	2309 (-62)
6 (-1)	Matt Kenseth	2297 (-74)
7 (+3)	Greg Biffle	2293 (-78)
8 (+3)	Kevin Harvick	2285 (-86)
9 (-1)	Tony Stewart	2284 (-87)
10 (-1)	Martin Truex, Jr.	2260 (-111)
11 (-5)	Jeff Gordon	2265 (-115)
12	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	2211 (-160)

This week all three major NASCAR series move to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida. With his 20-point lead, Brad Keselowski needs only to finish 15th or better to clinch his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, regardless of what Jimmie Johnson is able to accomplish.

Last season's race was won by Tony Stewart on his way to his third Sprint Cup championship. It was also his third victory at Homestead. Greg Biffle is the only other driver to match him at Homestead, with three wins of his own. Among other Chasers, only Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth have wins at Homestead. The driver with the best average finish, however, is Carl Edwards at 5.3, including two victories. Roush Fenway Racing has eight victories in total at Homestead, so expect them to be strong once again.

It will be very interesting to see if Johnson can overcome his 20-point deficit this weekend. It will take an uncharacteristically poor run by Keselowski and his team, however. Despite never finishing better than 13th at Homestead in the past, expect him to continue his strong end-of-year run. Over the last 21 races this year, dating back to June, Keselowski has finished worse than 15th only once. I expect him to be crowned champion at the end of the night.

Coverage of Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 will begin at 1pm on ESPN. Happy watching!

Johnson dominated the early part of the race, leading nearly all of the first 165 laps. However, throughout the middle and latter portions of the race, Keselowski, and another strong run by Kyle Busch, got in the way. Over the course of the second half of the 334 scheduled laps, Busch and Keselowski held sway, keeping Johnson behind them. In fact, it wasn't until the last 30 laps, following a two-tire pit stop called for by Keselowski, that he and Johnson really went heads-up for the win.

Throughout a series of restarts, Keselowski and Johnson went tooth and nail, bouncing off each other and driving right to the brink of trouble. Johnson put and end to the contest, however, on the final restart of the day. Starting on the outside for a green-white-checkered finish, Johnson powered through turns 1 and 2, and was not to be caught. Keselowski had to settle for a great second-place finish, holding off Busch as they came to the finish.

The rest of the top-10 was comprised mainly of Chase drivers. Kyle Busch followed Keselowski to a third-place finish. Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart overcame poor runs early in the race to come home 4th and 5th. Clint Bowyer was fast all day, but just wasn't on the level of Johnson, Keselowski, and Busch, finishing sixth. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ran well late in the event, much like Kenseth and Stewart. He was 4th on the final restart, but fell back to 7th by the time the race finished. Kurt Busch joined his brother as the only non-Chasers in the top-10 with his 8th place run. Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle rounded out the top-10.

For Johnson, it was his second-consecutive victory, adding a little bit more to his points lead, which currently stands at seven points. He and Keselowski also further distanced themselves from the rest of the Chase contenders. Bowyer is the only other driver who can leave the next race at Phoenix with the points lead.

The full points rundown looks like this:

Rank (Change)	Driver	Points (Behind)
1	Jimmie Johnson	2339 (--)
2	Brad Keselowski	2332 (-7)
3	Clint Bowyer	2303 (-36)
4	Kasey Kahne	2281 (-58)
5 (+3)	Matt Kenseth	2267 (-72)
6	Jeff Gordon	2267 (-72)
7 (-2)	Denny Hamlin	2266 (-73)
8 (+2)	Tony Stewart	2259 (-80)
9 (-2)	Martin Truex, Jr.	2259 (-80)
10 (-1)	Greg Biffle	2256 (-83)
11	Kevin Harvick	2238 (-101)
12	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	2188 (-151)

This weekend the Sprint Cup Series travels to Phoenix, Ariz., and the 1.0 mile Phoenix International Raceway for the penultimate race of the 2012 season. The series last raced there in March when Denny Hamlin won for the first time at the track. Eight of the 12 Chase drivers have victories at Phoenix, with Jimmie Johnson leading all drivers with four wins. His average finish of 5.3 at Phoenix is also far better than any current driver. In fact, in 18 career races at PIR, Johnson has just three finishes outside the top-10. Johnson started and finished fourth in March. Brad Keselowski, on the other hand, has just 1 top-10 finish at Phoenix, that being a 5th in March. If Johnson has been a clear favorite in the last two races this season, he is even more of a favorite this weekend.

It's hard to pick out other drivers who have been consistently good at Phoenix in recent memory. Two that might challenge Johnson and Keselowski are Gordon and Harvick. Each has scored top-11 finishes in 3 of their last 4 Phoenix races. Kahne may also be a factor, as he was last November's winner. One can also expect drivers who have raced well on other short-tracks this season to fare well this week.

Coverage of the Sunday's AdvoCare 500 begins at 1pm on ESPN.

Fitzpatrick, Ryan (QB, BUF) - Tom Brady and the patriot offense is going to exploit the weak Buffalo defense likely putting the Bills in a early hole. Fitzpatrick will have to throw the ball a lot on Sunday which will give him an opportunity to put up a lot of fantasy points.

Ballard, Vick (RB, IND) - Ballard carried for 16 times for 60 yards and caught three passes for 38 yards last week. Donald Brown was active but didn't receive a carry, which could change this week. However, Ballard should be productive against the Jaguars defense that has allowed third most points against running backs.

Reece, Marcel (RB, OAK) - Reece caught eight passes for 95 yards with a touchdown last week. Both McFadden and Goodson seem questionable to play this week, so Reece could be a starting running back. The Ravens running defense has been struggling, so if Reece gets majority of carries, he should be productive.

Wells, Beanie (RB, ARI) - Great news for Wells! He is targeting to come back on the field in Week 12 against the Rams and is likely to take over the starting running back role. He should fill in fine for any fantasy owners who need the help at running back.

Richardson, Daryl (RB, STL) ­- Not a great matchup this week against the 49ers, however, Richardson has been more productive than Steven Jackson. Unfortunately Jackson wasn't dealt, so Richardson's work is limited.

Amendola, Danny (WR, STL) - Amendola is close to come back to the field this week. Once he is healthy, he will get Sam Bradford's attention. Amendola should be a good boost for wide receiver position for many fantasy owners.

Hilton, T.Y. (WR, IND) - Hilton caught six passes for 102 yards with a touchdown. As the Colts offense focus more on passing, Hilton's fantasy value increases. He led the team with 11 targets last week. Keep an eye on Hilton.

Gresham, Jermaine (TE, CIN) - Gresham caught six passes for 108 yards and was targeted eight times. The Bengals have been focusing on passing heavily as of late which is likely to continue against the Giants this week.

Chandler, Scott (TE, BUF) - When the Bills played the Patriots earlier this season; Chandler caught four passes for 62 yards with two touchdowns. This game is likely to feature a lot of passing which bodes well for Chandler.

Keller, Dustin (TE, NYJ) - Keller has been involved in a big part of the Jets offense in the past two games (14 receptions for 160 yards with a touchdown) and this is likely to continue.

New England Patriots D/ST - The Patriots defense has been decent this season and particularly better at home. The Bills are not the easiest opponent, but the Patriots should be alright.

The points leader going into Martinsville was Brad Keselowski, who has refused to cave under the pressure from the 5-time champion. Keselowski qualified poorly, but ran competitively all day and nearly parlayed a late strategy call into a victory. It didn't pan out perfectly, but Keselowski managed a 6th place finish. Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer, and Jeff Gordon were the only other Chase drivers who ran strongly all day. Bowyer and Gordon led three times in the race, but finished somewhat disappointingly in 5th and 6th. Kahne never really contended for the win, but finished a strong third.

Overall, the top-10 was a mix of Chase contenders and surprises. Kyle Busch (2nd), Aric Almirola (4th), Brian Vickers (8th), and Bobby Labonte (9th) all ran strong races and earned good finishes. Chase contender Greg Biffle rounded out the top-10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in his return to the series, had a strong run all day, breaking into the top-5 at one point. A late call to stay out under a caution put him on the front row for a late restart, but his old tires caused him to fall back quickly, eventually getting spun out. He finished21st, which was good for last on the lead lap.

With only three races remaining, the points standings look as follows:

Rank (Change)	Driver	Points (Behind)
1 (+1)	Jimmie Johnson	2291 (-)
2 (-1)	Brad Keselowski	2289 (-2)
3 (+1)	Clint Bowyer	2265 (-26)
4 (+1)	Kasey Kahne	2262 (-29)
5 (-2)	Denny Hamlin	2242 (-49)
6 (+2)	Jeff Gordon	2237 (-54)
7 (-1)	Martin Truex, Jr.	2228 (-63)
8 (+1)	Matt Kenseth	2226 (-65)
9 (+2)	Greg Biffle	2222 (-69)
10 (-3)	Tony Stewart	2220 (-71)
11 (-1)	Kevin Harvick	2203 (-88)
12	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	2151 (-140)

All drivers are still mathematically in contention, but it's really just a two-horse race. Johnson and Keselowski are only two points apart, but there is a real chance that Johnson may run away with it. The biggest challenge for Keselowski and the Penske Racing team will be striking back and maintaining pace with Johnson's team. Experience is worth a lot all of the time, but especially this time of year. Johnson and his crew chief Chad Knaus are 5-time champions. They know how to get it done. I don't expect them to stumble in these final races.

In 2006, Johnson's only Chase victory was at Martinsville. He won the championship. In 2007, Johnson's first Chase win was at Martinsville, and he turned it into a four-race win streak en-route to another championship. Johnson also won the Martinsville Chase race in 2008 on his way to his third consecutive title. The point is that this team knows how to get it done, especially in similar circumstances.

Teams have made their way to the Dallas-Fort Worth area for this week's event at the Texas Motor Speedway. The April race there was won by Biffle. Johnson, however, led the most laps that day and finished second. Keselowski finished 36th, 22 laps down. Last season's winner of this particular race was Tony Stewart, who would go on to win the championship. That was only the second time a driver won the fall Texas race and the championship, the other being Johnson in 2007.

The favorites this week have to be the drivers for both Roush Fenway Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. Kenseth, Biffle, and Carl Edwards have combined for seven wins at Texas, while Johnson, Kahne, Gordon, and Earnhardt, Jr. each have one victory there. It would be very hard for me to pick anyone but Johnson at this point, however. That team is poised to close the season out strong. Coverage of Sunday's AAA Texas 500 begins at 1pm on ESPN.

Freeman, Josh (QB, TB) - For three weeks in a row Freeman has thrown three touchdown passes, putting him on fantasy owners' radar. Although the three teams that he had a poor defense, Freeman seems unstoppable at the moment.

Wilson, Russell (QB, SEA) - Wilson has been good at home. The last time at home against the Patriots, he threw 293 yards with three touchdowns. Wilson should be alright against the Vikings' defense.

Palmer, Carson (QB, OAK) - Palmer has been strong at home even against good defenses like the Chargers and the Steelers. Now, Palmer is facing the Buccaneers who have trouble in their secondary.

Thomas, Daniel (RB, MIA) - Thomas carried 15 times for 42 yards with a touchdown and caught a pass for three yards last week. Many of his carries came in garbage time, but Thomas scored early in the game, showing that he is the Dolphins' goal-line carrier. The Colts defense has not been too challenging this year, so Thomas could make a similar impact.

Jennings, Rashard (RB, JAC) - Jennings filled in well for injured Maurice Jones-Drew by rushing 17 times for 59 yards and catching six passes for 56 yards. He fumbled and lost the ball, but it was an impressive performance by Jennings. The home game against the Lions shouldn't be too difficult at this point.

Brown, Donald (RB, IND) - Brown carried 14 times for 80 yards last week. Although Brown and Ballard shared carries, both did a fine job against the weak Titans defense. Brown should get more carries this week against the Dolphins.

Richardson, Daryl (RB, STL) - Richardson carried seven times for 53 yards and caught four passes for -3 yards. He seems more reliable than Steven Jackson who carried the same amount but only rushed for 23 yards. The Rams aren't going to ignore Richardson's performance and he should be involved in more and more of the offense moving forward.

Stephens-Howling, LaRod (RB, ARI) - Stephens-Howling carried eight times for 6 yards and caught three passes for 32 yards. The brutal 49ers defense limited his ability last week, but the Packers defense should be less challenging in Week 9.

Young, Titus (WR, DET) - Young caught nine passes for 100 yards with two touchdowns last week. He had the best game of the season against the Seahawks at home and faces the paper-thin Jaguars secondary this week. Young should be decent again.

Shorts, Cecil (WR, JAC) - Shorts caught four passes for 79 yards with a touchdown and was targeted a team-high ten times last week. The Jaguars' offense isn't that impressive in general since Jones-Drew has been out for awhile, but two straight decent performances puts Shorts under fantasy owners' radar.

Gresham, Jermaine (TE, CIN) - Coming off of a bye week, Gresham faces a favorable matchup against the Broncos that have allowed the third most fantasy points to tight ends.

San Diego Chargers D/ST ­- When the San Diego Chargers played the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this season the Chargers' defense dominated. In Week 4 the San Diego's defense recorded two sacks, three interceptions and a defensive touchdown. The Chargers should be great again against a team that hasn't figured out their offense yet.

Washington Redskins D/ST - The Redskins have been decent at home and they should do alright in Week 9 against the Panthers. The Redskins' defense should be able to get some pressure on Cam Newton forcing him to commit turnovers.

Sunday's race also gave some fans what they've been clamoring for: cautions. The repaved track was low on grip and very treacherous. 14 cautions interrupted the race, creating a very stop-and-go type of race, frustrating yours truly. Johnson wasn't the only great driver to get in trouble, either. Last year's champion Tony Stewart spun out on the backstretch, regular season points leader Greg Biffle wrecked in Turn Four, Kyle Busch spun twice. Add a myriad of right-front tire failures, and you get a season-high number of caution periods.

Kasey Kahne took the pole with a new track record speed of 191.360 mph. The early part of the race was dominated, however, by Aric Almirola, showing surprisingly good pace. But despite leading a majority of the first 100 laps, he would be knocked from real contention by a blown right-front tire on Lap 122. Incidentally, it was the caution brought out by debris from his car that would pin Johnson deep in the field, factoring into his subsequent spin.

With both Almirola and Johnson out of contention for the victory, Wisconsin's Matt Kenseth would inherit the lead, which he would hold until pitting on lap 157. Mark Martin moved his very strong car to the front by staying out during that break in the action. He would lead through a series of spins and cautions until being forced to pit for fuel under green with 55 laps to go. Another caution would fly shortly thereafter, with Kenseth reassuming the lead after a good pit stop. It was a lead he would not relinquish.

Kenseth led the most laps en route to his third win of the season and second of the Chase. Chase contender Martin Truex, Jr. finished behind Kenseth, his 2nd second-place finish at Kansas this season. Another Wisconsin native, Paul Menard finished a strong 3rd. Kahne took 4th with Stewart recovering for a solid 5th. Clint Bowyer backed up his win at Charlotte with a 6th, while Regan Smith, subbing for the sidelined Dale Earnhardt, Jr., drove through the field to notch 7th. Rounding out the top-10 were Keselowski, Johnson, and Jeff Gordon.

The top of the points standings remain largely unchanged following good runs by almost everyone still in contention.

Rank (Change)	Driver	Points (Behind)
1	Brad Keselowski	2250 (--)
2	Jimmie Johnson	2243 (-7)
3	Denny Hamlin	2230 (-20)
4	Clint Bowyer	2225 (-25)
5	Kasey Kahne	2220 (-30)
6 (+1)	Martin Truex, Jr.	2207 (-43)
7 (+1)	Tony Stewart	2203 (-47)
8 (+1)	Jeff Gordon	2199 (-51)
9 (+2)	Matt Kenseth	2195 (-55)
10	Kevin Harvick	2191 (-59)
11 (-5)	Greg Biffle	2188 (-62)
12	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	2128 (-122)

This week, the series moves to the first short-track of the Chase, Martinsville Speedway. At 0.526 miles, it is the shortest track the Sprint Cup Series visits. In April, Ryan Newman won there following a wild and chaotic finish.

Historically, Gordon, Johnson, and Denny Hamlin have been the best at Martinsville. In fact, over the 14 races there since Hamlin ran his first race in 2005, each driver has recorded only two finishes outside the top-10. They have combined for 10 victories across that span as well. In total, they have 17 Martinsville wins between them. Expect all three to be strong again this week, especially Hamlin. He needs to start picking up points on the guys ahead of him if he wants to be a threat at the end of the year in Homestead.

This week's race also represents the biggest hurdle for the points leader. Keselowski has not finished higher than 9th in his five career races at Martinsville. He'll need to stay out of trouble and do his best to limit the potential damage to his lead over Johnson and the others. At the other end of the points spectrum, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will be returning from injury this week. His symptoms are gone and he's been cleared to return by NASCAR. He was strong in April, so don't be surprised by a great run in his first week back.

Coverage of the Tums Fast Relief 500 from Martinsville Speedway begins Sunday at noon on ESPN.

1. McFadden, Darren (RB, OAK) - McFadden carried 19 times for 53 yards and caught four passes for 28 yards last week. He hasn't been as great as people expected so far, but McFadden has a favorable matchup for the rest of the season except for the week 10 against the Ravens. Based on the matchups, he could be a top 5 running back by the end of the season.

2. Turner, Michael (RB, ATL) - Turner didn't do so well in Week 6 thanks to Matt Ryan and his 3 interceptions. The Falcons have an easy schedule for the rest of the season and Turner should be productive.

3. Nicks, Hakeem (WR, NYG) - Nicks has been on the sideline due to an injury, but he is still a top-notch wide receiver. He hasn't done much so far except for Week 2 against the Buccaneers, but Nicks should be great as moving forward.

4. Britt, Kenny (WR, TEN) - Britt only caught four passes for 30 yards. The Titans were more into the running game last week. There is no way Johnson will be as productive for the rest of the season, keeping the passing game alive. Britt should be a decent option.

5. Newton, Cam (QB, CAR) - Newton is facing the touch Bears defense this week and he isn't likely going to do well, but after that, the panthers have easier matchups. Time to buy Newton this week or next week before he puts up a huge number!

6. Lloyd, Brandon (WR, NE) - Lloyd disappeared last week; he caught one pass for 6 yards but was targeted as much as Gronkowski and Welker. Lloyd should bounce back this week.

Time to sell

1. Ridley, Steavan (RB, NE) - Ridley hasn't done much since Week 5 because the New England offense has been passing more of late. Ridley's value isn't going to get better than this as the Patriots focusing on a passing game.

2. Spiller, CJ and Jackson, Fred (RB, BUF) - The Bills don't have a tough matchup except for the week 9 against the Texans, but still it is hard to trust a running back who shares carries.

3. Johnson, Calvin (WR, DET) - Johnson is great. He is still going to be productive, but not as much as his name value suggests. Stafford and the Lions' offense haven't been efficient and this affects Johnson's value.

Would rather not start this week if better options are available

1. Newton, Cam (QB, CAR) - The Bears defense has been too amazing. It is hard to start Newton even though he is a great quarterback.

2. Richardson, Trent (RB, CLE) - He is still suffering from a rib injury and is questionable against the Chargers. It is too risky even though the Chargers defense isn't outstanding.

3. Fitzgerald, Larry (WR, ARI) - The 49ers passing defense is too good. Fitzgerald is still going to catch some, but don't expect too much from him, at least for this week.

Bye Week: Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills

1.Palmer, Carson (QB, OAK) - Palmer threw 298 yards with a touchdown (and one interception) and rushed six times for 14 yards with a touchdown last week. He fumbled twice and lost one. The Chiefs have allowed the 7th most points against quarterbacks this season.

1. Bradford, Sam (QB, STL) - Bradford threw 255 yards with a touchdown (and one interception) against the Packers last week. Bradford is not elite, but he should be okay against the Patriots defense who has allowed the 5th most points against fantasy quarterbacks.

2. Hasselbeck, Matt (QB, TEN) - The Titans last week were all about Chris Johnson who ran 195 yards with two touchdowns. When the running game is going well, the passing game should go well also especially against the weak Colts defense. Both Johnson and Hasselbeck could do well this week.

3. Freeman, Josh (QB, TB) - Freeman threw 420 yards with three touchdowns and rushed twice for 9 yards last week against New Orleans. The Saints' defense isn't good, but still Freeman's performance was outstanding. The Vikings' defense should be more challenging, but Freeman should be decent again.

4. Green, Alex (RB, GB) - Green rushed 20 times for 35 yards and caught four passes for 29 yards last week. Not an impressive day, but that was because Rodgers did all the work last week. The Jaguars' running defense is the third worst in NFL and Green should be productive this week.

5. Ballard, Vick (RB, IND) - Ballard rushed 20 times for 84 yards and caught one pass for 19 yards last week. The Colts are facing the Titans in Week 8. Tennessee has allowed the 4th most points against the running backs. Ballard should be decent.

6. Jennings, Rashard (RB, JAC) - Jennings carried 21 times for 44 yards with a touchdown and caught seven passes for 58 yards last week. He was utilized in both the rushing and passing game. Jennings now has a lot of value with Maurice Jones-Drew out for a while.

7. Stephens-Howling, LaRod (RB, ARI) - Stephens-Howling had an unexpected performance last week (104 rushing yards with a touchdown and 45 receiving yards). After a poor performance against the Bills, Stephens-Howling was a stud against the Vikings. However, now the Cardinals are facing the 49ers.... It is a touch matchup, but he is startable if the need is there.

8. Richardson, Daryl (RB, STL) - Although Steven Jackson scored last week, while Richardson didn't, Richardson should get attention from fantasy owners. He rushed for 36 yards (decent 4.5 yards per carry) and caught three passes for 43 yards. Even if he doesn't score, he puts up an okay number.

9. Avery, Donnie (WR, IND) - Avery caught four passes for 46 yards and was targeted six times last week. Avery keeps showing potential, but he isn't quite a stud yet. The Colts have a favorable matchup against the weak Titans passing defense, and Avery should be good to go.

10. Cobb, Randall (WR, GB) - Cobb caught eight passes for 89 yards with two touchdowns. While Greg Jennings is out, Cobb has been outstanding. He is going to be fine against the Jaguars this week.

11. Gordon, Josh (WR, CLE) - Gordon caught two passes for 59 yards with a touchdown last week and was targeted a team-high ten times. He has scored in three straight weeks and should be decent against the Chargers this week.

12. Miller, Heath (TE, PIT) - Miller caught six passes for 53 yards with a touchdown and was targeted eight times last week. The Redskins have allowed the second most points against tight ends, so Miller is likely to score again this week.

13. Keller, Dustin (TE, NYJ) - Keller caught seven passes for 93 yards with a touchdown last week. The quarterback Mark Sanchez threw enough to make Keller outstanding. Now, the Jets are hosting the Dolphins at home and Keller could score again.

14. San Diego Chargers D/ST - Against Cleveland Browns with questionable Trent Richardson. No more explanation is needed.

15. Detroit Lions D/ST - The Lions have done okay at home and the Seahawks' offense isn't that great.

16. New York Jets D/ST - The Jets' performance at home has been outstanding except for Week 4 against the 49ers. Besides that, they have done great against the Bills, the Texans, and the Colts. The Jets' D/ST should be top 5 this week.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished in third place and is four points behind driver's championship leader Vettel.

With his third win in a row and 100 points left to play in the season, the young German looks poised to capture his third title in three years.

Vettel's teammate Mark Webber, stormed to pole position on Saturday qualifying, but after a slow getaway Vettel had the lead after the first corner.

He never relinquished, only giving up the lead in pitstop shuffles.

A week ago, Vettel cruised to a dominant win in Japan, and followed it up with an equally dominant drive in Korea. Over the last three weeks, the Red Bull chassis has come alive and is the best car, leaving Ferrari and McLaren without answers as how to surmount a challenge to the reigning world champions.

Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa had his most competitive drive of the season. Competitive enough that at one point his pace prompted Ferrari to warn Massa he was too close to Alonso and needed to back off.

On race day, the embattled Massa was tipped to retain his seat at Ferrari for the 2013 season, and has since been confirmed the team in 2013.

Alonso's strategy was to save his tires in hopes of making a last gasp attempt to catch the Bulls with his less worn rubber. He threatened Webber if only for a moment before dropping back and finishing the race in third.

McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton suffered a rear anti roll bar failure early in the race compromising his afternoon. The Briton stopped three times to change his tires whereas all other drivers were required to stop only twice.

After the race Hamilton surmised that his shot at the driver's championship was all but over adding more injury to his tumultuous last year with McLaren.

Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen placed fifth behind the two Ferraris and Nico Hulkenburg drove to an impressive sixth for the Sahara Force India Team.

Lotus driver Romian Grosjean finally made it past the first corner and placed seventh. Toro Rosso drivers Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo drove to eighth and ninth place. Hamilton was tenth.

The championship moves to India's Buddh International Circuit in one week's time. This is the second year Formula 1 has had a race in India. Last year's winner, Sebastian Vettel, looks poised for a repeat victory.

Last Friday, Earnhardt held a news conference to announce he was stepping away from the track for a couple weeks to recover from concussion symptoms resulting from the last-lap crash at Talladega the weekend before. For a driver in the championship hunt to take himself out of the car is practically unheard of. In detailing his health, Earnhardt revealed that he was actually recovering from his second concussion in a little over a month. He previously received one in a hard testing crash at Kansas Speedway in early September. With all the information regarding head and brain injuries now much more accessible, Earnhardt made the courageous and smart move to get himself checked out, knowing full well he might be risking his season.

The culture of NASCAR with regard to injury and stepping out of the car is very much not in line with Earnhardt's move, which makes it all the more noteworthy. It is typical for drivers to remain in the car, even after knee, ankle, or hand surgeries. Concussions, however, are a murky area. There seems to be tendency with NASCAR athletes to not report symptoms, since getting out of their ride is a risky career move. However, many drivers seemed to agree that Earnhardt has made the wise choice, especially since his injury had the potential to put his competitors at risk. That is really what sets NASCAR apart from other sports. Personally, I think he made the correct choice.

With that, Regan Smith, formerly driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet, stepped into Earnhardt's Amp Energy Chevrolet for the race last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His race, however, would be cut short by an engine failure, removing him from contention in the race altogether. As with many of the other Chase races thus far, Saturday night's event was really a race between Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, and Denny Hamlin. It's no coincidence that they are the top three drivers in the points standings as well. In this race, however, Keselowski and his team made their first mistake of the Chase. With just under 60 laps remaining, Keselowski ran out of fuel on the backstretch during a long green-flag run. This cost him a great deal of time on the track, which he did not recover from. His rivals would capitalize. During the final green-flag run, which lasted 107 laps, Johnson and Hamlin both saved enough fuel to reach the finish on just one stop, something Keselowski could not do. However, all those drivers were beaten by another Chase contender: Clint Bowyer. Bowyer was ahead of Johnson and Hamlin during the final restart of the race on Lap 228, and never let them by. He too was able to stretch his fuel mileage enough, and went on to win the race ahead of a charging Hamlin. For Hamlin and Johnson, it was a great points day, but not the victory they sought. Joining them in the top five was Greg Biffle and Kyle Busch. Mark Martin in sixth was the only other driver to finish on the lead lap. Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, and Martin Truex, Jr. rounded out the top 10. Keselowski came across the line in 11th.

With the race at Charlotte complete, the Chase points look like this.

Rank (Change)	Driver	Points (Behind)
1	Brad Keselowski	2214 (-)
2	Jimmie Johnson	2207 (-7)
3	Denny Hamlin	2199 (-15)
4 (+1)	Clint Bowyer	2186 (-28)
5 (-1)	Kasey Kahne	2179 (-35)
6 (+3)	Greg Biffle	2171 (-43)
7 (+1)	Martin Truex, Jr.	2165 (-49)
8 (-1)	Tony Stewart	2164 (-50)
9 (-3)	Jeff Gordon	2164 (-50)
10	Kevin Harvick	2158 (-56)
11 (+1)	Matt Kenseth	2147 (-67)
12 (-1)	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	2128 (-86)

I remarked last week that it would take a "monumental effort" on the part of someone outside the top three to win the championship. I still hold to that statement, despite Bowyer's success last week. While each of the top six in the standings could leave this week's race at the repaved Kansas Speedway with the points lead, I still believe Keselowski, Johnson, and Hamlin are the top contenders until further notice.

With that, the series moves to the Kansas Speedway. This will be the second event at the track this season. However, this will be the first race on the brand new racing surface put in over the summer. There will be a number of unknowns, so it is hard to pick out a clear favorite. In the April race, the top eight finishers were all eventual Chase contenders, with Hamlin winning. It is probably a safe bet that the drivers ahead in points will adapt the best to the new track.

All teams will also have plenty of track time before the race on Sunday to adjust their setups properly. Johnson, Biffle, Tony Stewart, and Jeff Gordon all have two victories each at Kansas. Keselowski won the first of two races last season. Johnson won the Chase event at Kansas last fall.

Expect speeds to be higher with the new pavement and a great race. All racing grooves should be rubbered in by Sunday.

Coverage of the Hollywood Casino 400 from Kansas Speedway begins Sunday at noon on ESPN.

Bye Week: Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Buccaneers

1. Fitzpatrick, Ryan (QB, Buf) - Fitzpatrick has been great in the Bills' two home games this season. Buffalo will take on Tennessee in Week 7. The Titans have allowed the third most points against the oppossing quarterbacks, so Fitzpatrick should be good to go.

2. Palmer, Carson (QB, Oak) - Just like Fitzpatrick, Palmer has been decent at home (even against the Chargers and the Steelers). The Jaguars should be easier for Palmer compared to the Falcons last week.

3. Green, Alex (RB, GB) - Green carried 22 times for 65 yards and caught a pass for eight yards. It looks like Green is the number one back. He should be productive against the Rams defense, which is definitely worse than the Texans defense Green faced last week.

4. Ballard, Vick (RB, Ind) - Ballard carried eight times for 25 yards and caught two passes for 17 yards last week. Not an impressive performance against the Jets, but he and the angry Colts should be better at home against the worst team in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns.

5. Jones, Felix (RB, Dal) - Murray is unlikely to play this week against the Panthers, so Jones has a chance to shine. Jones carried 18 times for 92 yards with a touchdown and caught a pass for 13 yards. The Panthers have allowed the fifth most points against the oppossing running back giving Jones a chance to be productive again.

6. Richardson, Daryl (RB, Stl) - Not necessarily for this week, but Richardson has potential to be a fantasy star in the near future. He carried 11 times for 76 yards and caught two passes for 23 yards last week. Even though Steven Jackson is healthy, Richardson carried as much as Jackson. This shows that Richardson might replace inefficient Jackson sometime soon.

7. Powell, William (RB, Ari) - LaRod Stephens-Howling started in Week 6, but struggled. Powell stepped in and carried 13 times for 70 yards. He also caught a pass for eight yards. The Vikings have a much better running defense than the Bills. They will pose a challenge for Powell this week, but he should be alright to fill in for a running back on a bye.

8. Williams, Mike (WR, TB) - Williams caught four passes for 113 yards with a touchdown last week against the Chiefs. This is two straight 100+ yards games for Williams. The Saints have allowed the third most points for wide receivers giving Williams another chance to shine this week.

9. Avery, Donnie (WR, IND) - Avery was targeted a team-high 12 times last week and had four receptions for 60 yards. He was targeted more than Wayne in Week 6. This isn't likely to happen again, but it does show that Avery is a big part of the Colts' offense. The good news is that the Browns have allowed the second most points to wide receivers and Avery should be good to go.

10. Gibson, Brandon (WR, Stl) - Gibson was targeted a team-high nine times and caught 7 passes for 91 yards against Miami. The old Packers are back now and the Rams are likely to throw a ball if they find themselves in a big hole early. Gibson might surprise fantasy owners this week.

11. Chandler, Scott (TE, Buf) - Chandler has been quiet since Week 4. However, the Titans have allowed the most points against tight ends. Chandler should find a red zone this week.

12. Fleener, Coby (TE, IND) - Fleener has been mediocre so far catching four passes for 42 yards last week. The Browns have been tough against tight ends, but Fleener should fill in fine for bye-week tight ends.

13. Graham, Shayne (K, Hou) - Kickers do matter in fantasy football. The Texans' offense has been great, so Graham has had a chance to kick more. He should be decent as long as the Texans' offense continues to click.

14. New England Patriots D/ST - At home against Sanchez. Forget about Shonne Greene who had a great game last week. He will never be that productive again this season!

15. Indianapolis Colts D/ST - At home against Brandon Weeden and the Cleveland Browns. It is going to take awhile for the Browns to achieve the second win of the season. The Colts defense should be able to hold down the Browns' offensive attack

Sunday's Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 from Talladega had everything we expect from superspeedway racing. There was no way to know who would win going into the last lap. The only thing predictable was that most of the field wasn't going to make it to the finish unscathed.

When Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray made contact late in the race, the stage was set for all the excitement NASCAR fans could want.

When Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip made contact in the last corner, everyone was reminded how dangerous and expensive this sport can be.

Ahead of the insanity in turn 4, Matt Kenseth would cross the line first. Trailing him were Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch, both unlikely recipients of the good luck it took to get through the carnage. The rest of the top five included David Ragan and Regan Smith, two drivers who have performed poorly all year. Even they were heavily damaged. Behind them, Greg Biffle, Brad Keselowski, Travis Kvapil, Ryan Newman, and Jeff Burton scored top 10s.

Despite the last-turn crash, the points standings were largely unaffected, mostly due to everyone getting a piece of the wreck. Keselowski maintains his lead over Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin, by 14 and 23 points respectively. Behind them, however, there is a logjam of drivers sitting very close together in points.

Kasey Kahne advanced to fourth in the standings, leaping Clint Bowyer and Stewart. Behind him, Gordon gained four positions, but failed to gain many points on the leader, Keselowski. Bowyer sits 5th, Gordon 6th, and Stewart 7th.

Martin Truex, Jr. remains 8th, while Biffle moves up two spots to 9th. The biggest loser, in terms of positions, was Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who falls four positions to 11th in points, directly behind Kevin Harvick. Kenseth, despite his victory, still sits last in the Chase standings.

The official standings after Talladega are:

As the Sprint Cup Series moves to Charlotte, the top three drivers have clearly separated themselves. It will take a monumental effort by any of the other drivers and some poor races by the frontrunners to challenge for the championship.

As I mentioned, the teams' focus shifts to the 1.5 mile Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Bank of America 500. Charlotte is the home track for many of the teams making Charlotte races a marquee event.

Talladega winner Matt Kenseth is the defending champion of the fall race at CMS. He will need to recapture the magic of both last week and last season to get him back into the championship hunt.

Kasey Kahne won at Charlotte in May, with has four victories there overall. He, along with his Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will all be huge threats this week. Johnson (6) and Gordon (5) have a combined 11 wins at Charlotte, and all four finished in the top-11 in May.

Others to watch out for this weekend are Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, both of whom have a streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes at CMS. Hamlin, specifically, will be looking to close the gap between him and Keselowski.

Of note: Chevrolet drivers have won 4 of the last 5 October races at Charlotte. If this season is any indication, however, expect the unexpected.

Coverage of the Bank of America 500 will begin Saturday night at 6pm on ABC.

Friday night the U.S. will face off against Antigua and Barbuda, the 106th ranked country in the world, in Antigua. The only previous meeting between the two countries ended in a 3-1 U.S. victory on June 8th, 2012 in Tampa.

In that game, the United States was underwhelming despite goals from Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, and Herculez Gomez.

Antigua, a team that features only six players who hone their craft off of the island (none in a first division league), is at the cellar of Group A, having gone 0-3-1 in their first four group games. They are certainly the easier of the two opponents for the U.S., despite it being a road game.

Following the game, the U.S. will fly home to Kansas City where they will meet 81st ranked Honduras for a potential win-or-go-home matchup at Livestrong Sporting Park on Tuesday.

The two countries last met on June 12th in Guatemala and played to a 1-1 draw, with Clint Dempsey scoring the lone goal for the Red, White, and Blue. The draw in what is quite possibly Group A's most hostile atmosphere was a good result for the Americans, although they were a bit unlucky not to leave with a full three points.

USA and Guatemala have met a total of 21 times, with the Americans winning 12, drawing four, and losing just five.

Honduras is tied atop the Group A standings with the United States and Jamaica with seven points. They will close out their schedule with a home game against Jamaica on Tuesday. The top two teams in the Group advance to the second round of CONCACF qualifying.

Typically four points from these two matchups wouldn't be too worrisome, but with the pressure of possibly missing the World Cup, combined with some questionable roster decisions by Jurgen Klinsmann and some key injuries, it won't be a walk in the park for the national team to move on to the next round.

While selecting his roster, Klinsmann shockingly left off Jozy Altidore, the Dutch Eredivise leading scorer. Also left off was twenty-one year old Rapid Vienna forward Terrance Boyd. These two decisions make the Americans very thin up front, leaving Herculez Gomez and Clint Dempsey as the only forwards who have made any type of contribution to the national team in the recent past.

Injuries will play a huge role in the two games. While the Americans do get Michael Bradley back, arguably their most important player, from a thigh injury that kept him out of both Jamaica games, Landon Donovan (knee) will miss his third and fourth consecutive qualifying game.

Also out are starting left back Fabian Johnson (flu), the super talented but highly inconsistent left winger Brek Shea (abdomen), left winger Jose Torres (foot), and left wing/back Edgar Castillo (foot). That leaves the Americans ridiculously thin on the left side, and without their starter at right midfield (Donovan). Luckily, Johnson is expected to be back for Tuesday night's game against Honduras.

With the roster in the shape that it is, I would like to see Klinsmann play to our current strength and depth at central midfield and run a 4-2-3-1. The U.S. needs to play a possession-based game, keeping the opponents touches to a minimum and as far away from goalkeeper Tim Howard as possible.

------------------------Gomez--------------------------

Dempsey------------Bradley--------------------Zusi

---------------Jones---------------Williams-----------

Parkhurst--Bocanegra--Cameron--Cherundolo

------------------------Howard-------------------------

PREDICTION: The Americans will find a way to sneak in, winning 2-0 at Antigua and following it up with a 2-1 victory over Guatemala.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Maurice Edu (Stoke City), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Roma), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS (4): Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur), Herculez Gomez (Santos Laguna), Alan Gordon (San Jose Earthquakes), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC)

Teams that have bye in Week 6 -Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New Orleans Saints.

1. Freeman, Josh (QB, TB) - After having a bye last week, the Buccaneers should be in a better shape, especially against the weak Chiefs defense. Freeman isn't an outstanding option, but he should be good enough to start for one week for those who are looking for a quarterback in free agency.

2. Kolb, Kevin (QB, ARI) - Kolb didn't perform well against the Rams last week. He threw for 289 yards and rushed once for two yards. It was a very disappointing performance from Kolb since he had scored 15+ fantasy points in three straight games. The Cardinals' running game isn't likely to improve this week since Ryan Williams and Beanie Wells are injured. This will give Kolb opportunities to throw as much as he did last week against the worst passing defense Bills in Week 6.

3. Stephens-Howling, LaRod (RB, ARI) - First Beanie Wells and now Ryan Williams is on Injury Reserve. Now Stephens-Howling has a chance to be a starting running back for the Cardinals. It is tempting to start him against the second worst running defense, the Bills, in Week 6.

4. Green, Alex (RB, GB) - Cedric Benson is out against the Texans in Week 6 and for the near future, so Green has a chance to be the primary back. The Texans' running defense is decent and Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers is likely going to do most of the work, but Green might snag a touchdown this week.

5. Best, Jahvid (RB, DET) - It is still questionable whether Best comes back soon, but it is worth noting a man who is capable of being a fantasy stud. Depending on how Mikel Leshoure performs while Best is gone, Best will be either a fantasy star or a big name bench guy.

6. Avery, Donnie (WR, IND) - Avery hasn't done much since Week 2. However, he still averages about nine targets per game (Thanks to Andrew Luck who throws average 44 times). Luck is likely to throw as much as he can, and Avery will be okay moving forward.

7. Kerley, Jeremy (WR, NYJ) - With Santonio Holmes is on injury reserve Kerley received a team-high nine targets last week. The Jets' passing offense isn't necessarily great and it is hard to predict how many targets Kerley gets from now on, but if he keeps up the targets, he should be okay.

8. Gibson, Brandon (WR, STL) -Amendola is out and somebody has to step up to be the Rams' number one receiver. Gibson is second on the team in targets after Amendola and has potential to be okay. It is tough not to start him in Week 6 against the Dolphins who have the tenth worst passing defense.

9. Williams, Mike (WR, TB) - Behind Vincent Jackson, Williams is clearly the number two receiver for the Buccaneers. As Freeman figures out the offense, Williams could be a decent option. He once had 964 receiving yards with 11 touchdowns just two years ago.

10. Wright, Kendall (WR, TEN) - Wright caught nine passes for 66 yards last week. He was targeted a team-high 11 times. The Titans offense (both passing and rushing) has been weak lately, but Wright has been doing what he is supposed to. The Steelers' passing defense isn't easy, but he is a more reliable option in the Titans offense.

11. Chandler, Scott (TE, BUF) - Last week was just embarrassing for the Bills, but Chandler still managed to catch four balls for 40 yards. The Bills were facing the 49ers, the team that can make any offense look like a high school team. The Cardinals' defense should be less challenging and Chandler is likely to grab a touchdown.

12. Cincinnati Bengals D/ST - It is hard to play bad against the worst NFL team. Yes, the Browns have Trent Richardson, but that is about it. The Browns fans are hoping to achieve the first win at home, but it seems questionable.

13. Miami Dolphins D/ST - Now, that the Rams' best receiver (Amendola) is out the offense is seriously lacking in weapons. The Rams' running back Steven Jackson hasn't been dominant and other offense besides Amendola has been quiet so far. The Dolphins should be fine at home in Week 6.

Don't we already have racing in America I don't watch?

Yes, NASCAR and Indycar. Both are series that you should watch because the racing is superb. However, when compared to F1 they fall short for a few reasons. Indycar lacks the organization and financial stability that Formula 1 enjoys causing the sport to be largely inaccessible to its viewers in the United States. NASCAR has a tough time beating the perception that it is just" left turn racing." Oval track racing does produce thrilling high speeds but five hundred or so miles can become boring for the casual fan.

So what makes Formula 1 different?

Formula 1 is quite a bit different. These are cars that can match the high speeds of NASCAR while enjoying the engineering benefits of open wheel racecar (a car where the entire wheel is visible) like fantastic aerodynamics and the ability to take turns at incomprehensible speeds.

That sounds thrilling with the engineering and all...

The technological achievement of these cars does impress a certain type of person. When put into practice, the sport makes for an aesthetic pleasure that few can match. A twisting circuit set in the principality of Monaco with a harbor full of yachts flanked by model filled swimming pools all brought together by the prince and princess of Monaco is quite a sight. Add in men who don't care about any of that because they have a race to win and it makes for quite a change of pace from your quarterback winning one for the cheerleader narrative.

What're these guys, robots? If they can't get caught up in things like that how can I relate to them or their sport?

It's a serious game where the best are separated from the worst by only a few seconds. The mistake of crashing a car is far more damaging than a single turnover. A turn of the wheel risks career and life at the same time. The level of stress and pressure to win is comparable to any other professional sport. The difference is these guys handle their business where other athletes would be getting pulled over by the highway patrol.

Who else likes this stuff besides princes and princess and a man who writes about this in his free time?

People often complain when they hear an American sport refer to their champions as, "THE WORLD CHAMPS." Here's a sport that that actually has the right to name a world champ. Every continent except Antarctica has held a race. Drivers from multiple nations and persuasions have had a seat in a car to race. Watching, it's hard not to think of the stake the entire world has in this competition. When you can see PDVSA on the car of a Venezuelan driver, or Telemex on the young Mexican's car, there no secret that countries and their leading companies want their global recognition as a winner on a winning machine. Move away from the 1 percent and it comes down to which country has the best driver: Italy versus Germany versus the United Kingdom. The rivalries are real and citizens from multiple continents make that known.

No Americans? Who do I cheer for when the race gets to America?

Anyone your heart desires. But cheer for the sport. Watch it. Express what you like. Give voice to what you don't like. Because if you do that, there will be more races here. There will be more races in the cities we love. The music and art scene in Austin will only expand with masses gathering there to see the race. We as a nation will be able to showcase the cities that make our nation great as the eyes of the world look on as men drive around on a circuit in very fast cars, wearing very fast looking sunglasses, and if they win, spraying very expensive champagne.

In an age in which Sportscenter is basically dedicated to answering the question, "should Tim Tebow start?" it is completely unforgiving for Cabrera to not get the recognition he deserves. 

On both Sports Illustrated and ESPN's homepages, Cabrera wasn't even the top story. SI had a giant picture of the Oakland Athletics clinching the AL West Division, while ESPN depicted the New York Yankees as sports heroes for clinching the AL East. 

Perhaps it is that our generation is just not used to this sort of greatness or it has not sunk in that we have witnessed what truly has become a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment, but that doesn't mean we can't fake it. 

Why is it that when Rory McIlroy wins the U.S. Open he gets a full page spread on numerous sports websites, yet Cabrera doesn't even have a blurb on the side 24 hours later? The whole "what have you done for me lately" aspect of sports should not apply in Cabrera's case when he accomplished what once seemed to be an impossible feat. 

Time to buy-low before they get pricy

1. Williams, Ryan (RB, ARI) - Williams carried 13 times for only 26 yards last week against the Dolphins. Kevin Kolb threw 42 times against the Dolphins which took carries away from Cardinals running backs. Kolb probably won't throw 42 times again against the Rams giving more opportunities to the back field. Also, with Beanie Wells on the injured reserve with a toe injury Williams will see a lot of carries in the coming weeks. Now is a good time to pick him up for trade for him before he has a big game.

2. Lloyd, Brandon (WR, NE) - Lloyd has not been too bad in his first four weeks as a Patriot racking up 287 receiving yards and a touchdown. The most encouraging thing for Lloyd owners is that he continues to lead the team in targets with 40. Also, Tom Brady wasn't the Brady of old for in the three weeks of the season, but he seemed get back on track in Week 4. From now on it is the Brady show which is good news for Lloyd, Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski.

3. Hartline, Brian (WR, MIA) - Hartline has the most receiving yards in the NFL and has the third most targets in the league. Despite these numbers many fantasy owners aren't confident on him at the moment even after his huge performance in Week 4 (12 receptions for 253 yards with a touchdown). This is the time to buy Hartline before he people realize his value.

4. Witten, Jason (TE, DAL) - Witten has the second most targets among Tight Ends right after Jimmy Graham. He hadn't been a fantasy factor until last week (13 receptions for 112 yards with a touchdown). He isn't in Graham's or Gronkowski's level, but he should have value moving forward.

Time to sell-high before anything happens

1. Ridley, Stevan (RB, NE) - Ridley has been mentioned in articles many times right now. He is talented but plays for the New England Patriots. This team throws more than runs except for the last week and never sticks to just one running back. Now, Tom Bray is playing well and he isn't going to stop throwing now, especially against Peyton Manning in Week 5.

2. Bush, Reggie (RB, MIA) - Bush has potential. When he is healthy, he is dominant on the field, but when he is not 100%, his projection number frustrates fantasy owners. He was decent in Week 4 with 17 carries for 67 yards. Ryan Tannehill has been playing better as of late. As Tannehill feels more confident to throw, Bush might not be as productive.

3. Mathews, Ryan (RB, SD) - Mathews' season debut wasn't bad. He carried 14 times for 61 yards and caught two passes for 21 yards. He outperformed Jackie Battle in terms of yards per carry (4.4 vs. 2.6), but Battle performed better overall with 15 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown and 4 receptions for 42 yards with a touchdown. The Chargers aren't going to give Mathews a heavy workload right now due to his health and this could affect his fantasy value.

4. Spiller, CJ and Jackson, Fred (RB, BUF) - Both Spiller and Jackson are back on the field. This is not good for either of them. Just like the Panthers running backs (at least, the quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn't run), neither gets many carries.

Don't expect too much from them in Week 5

1. Colston, Marques (WR, NO) - Colston caught nine passes for 153 yards with a touchdown last week. He was absolutely amazing, so why is he in this list? Colston usually doesn't have two amazing weeks in a row. Also, the Chargers passing defense is the eighth best against opponents' wide receivers so far.

2. White, Roddy (WR, ATL) - White caught eight passes for 169 yards with two touchdowns. When White does great, Julio Jones does poorly. White should be okay because he is talented, but Jones is going to step up in Week 5.

Watch out! Might be off in Week 5

1. Jones, Julio (WR, ATL) - Forget about the Week 4. Jones is too talented to have two down weeks in a row. He will have 100+ yards and a touchdown, at least. Fun fact: the Redskins have given up the most points against opponents' wide receivers. He is one of the most dangerous wide receivers in Week 5.

2. Johnson, Andre (WR, HOU) - Johnson caught three passes for 56 yards in Week 4, nothing to be ecstatic about. He has been inconsistent for fantasy owners because the Texans have been so dominant that they do not need to throw the ball late in games. The Jets' defense is good enough that Johnson should be productive in Week 5.

Teams that have bye in Week 5 - Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1. Kolb, Kevin (QB, ARI) - As Larry Fitzgerald gets involved in the Cardinals' offense, now Kolb gets attention by fantasy owners. He threw 324 yards with three touchdowns (and two interceptions) against the Dolphins last week and is facing the Rams in Week 5. He isn't going to be amazing but will be productive enough to be considered as a starter.

2. Bolden, Brandon (RB, NE) - Bolden carried 16 times for 137 yards with a touchdown and caught one pass for 11 yards. He isn't likely to be this productive next week, but it is worth it to consider him for a bench spot in case the starting running back, Stevan Ridley, gets hurt.

3. Mendenhall, Rashard (RB, PIT) - Mendenhall is currently probable for Week 5 against the Eagles. His workload will be managed and he won't be too productive, but he is likely to be the starting running back in the near future. He is still available in many leagues and should be a solid option.

4. Battle, Jackie (RB, SD) - Against his old team, the Chiefs, Battle rushed 15 times for 39 yards with a touchdown and caught four passes for 42 yards with another touchdown. Although Ryan Mathews was more productive in terms of yards per carry, being involved in both rushing and passing is promising. He should be decent against the weak Saints' defense in Week 5.

5. Blount, LeGarrette (RB, TB) - Blount carried six times for 17 yards with a touchdown while Doug Martin carried eight times for 33 yards. Blount was a goal-line carrier and scored a touchdown. If Blount keeps scoring and has a big play in a game, his role should be increasing as moving forward.

6. Roberts, Andre (WR, ARI) - Roberts had six receptions for 118 yards with two touchdowns. He has been targeted 25 times in the past four games and his role in the Cardinals' passing game has been increasing. The opponent is going to primarily focus on Larry Fitzgerald, so Roberts will continue to be open.

7. Hawkins, Andrew (WR, CIN) - Hawkins caught three passes for 39 yards last week. He is not a fantasy star, but the Bengals are facing the Dolphins who have given up the eighth most points against opponents' wide receivers. A.J. Green will get the most targets, but Hawkins should be considered for Week 5.

8. Little, Greg (WR, CLE) - The Browns usually don't have many fantasy stars due to their weak offense, but Little should be considered for Week 5. He was targeted a team-high 10 times and caught four passes for 77 yards. He leads the team in targets and yards. Quarterback Brandon Weeden seems to throw more and more as the season goes on which adds value to Little. He should be fine against a Giants defense that has given up the seventh most points against the opponents' wide receivers this season.

9. Avery, Donnie (WR, IND) - Avery caught two passes for 28 yards in Week 3. Now the Colts are facing the Packers after their Bye Week. Avery has been targeted an average nine times per game and should be productive against a Packers defense that has given up the 13th most points against opposing wide receivers.

10. Pitta, Dennis (TE, BAL) - Pitta was absolutely disastrous for fantasy owners last week; he no catches and was targeted only twice. However, he still has the fourth most targets among tight ends and should be good against a weak Kansas City defense.

11. Minnesota Vikings D/ST - The Vikings are facing the Titans at home in Week 5. If the Vikings' defense continues to perform like it did against the Lions last week and the 49ers in Week 3 it will definitely have fantasy value.

12. New York Giants D/ST - The Giants are facing the Browns at home in Week 5. Cleveland Browns! As long as running back Trent Richardson is stopped, the Giants defense could be a fantasy stud in Week 5.

13. Cincinnati Bengals D/ST - The Bengals are facing the Dolphins in Week 5. The Dolphins running back Reggie Bush isn't 100% healthy, so the Dolphins are likely going to pass more. The Bengals should be alright