Rising:

Lamar Miller:

Lamar Miller averaged almost six yards per carry on Monday and is looking better and better with each outing. This week he managed to tally over 60 yards and a touchdown in only 11 carries. The most encouraging part of his performance was that he ran well enough early in the game that Daniel Thomas only had four carries. Miller is taking hold of the starting job in Miami, and is worth starting in your fantasy team on a weekly basis.

Alshon Jeffery:

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall is known to dominate the Bears’ passing game, and typically receives more than 10 targets per game. But for the first time in his career, Alshon Jeffery outshined Marshall. Jeffery is a massive, athletic receiver who should be utilized more by the Bears’ offense, and it looks like quarterback Jay Cutler is finally catching on. Jeffery had 134 total yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion with 11 targets, which was a career high. He might not be weekly starter status yet, but he is definitely heading in that direction.

Danny Woodhead:

I wrote about running back Danny Woodhead early in the season, choosing him as one of my sleepers. Thank you, Mr. Woodhead, for making me look good. Woodhead totaled 86 yards and two touchdowns this week, and saw a fair share of snaps from different positions on the field. Running back Ryan Matthews is still the starter in San Diego, but Woodhead’s success in the passing game, as well as his five to 10 carries per week, make him a reasonable flex play in most leagues.

Falling:

Cecil Shorts:

Finally we can close the book on Cecil Shorts being a starting fantasy receiver. In the first four weeks he totaled more than 10 fantasy points just once, and has yet to score a touchdown. This week, wide receiver Justin Blackmon returns from suspension, which will add a much-needed boost to the Jaguars’ offense, and officially send Shorts into fantasy football obscurity.

Mike Wallace:

If Cecil Shorts has been a disappointment this year, then I don’t even know what that makes wide receiver Mike Wallace. He is averaging only slightly more than five fantasy points per game through the first four games, and there are no signs of improvement in the near future. Even when the Dolphins abandoned the run game for the entire second half of this week’s game against New Orleans, Wallace only totaled 24 yards. Bench Wallace until further notice.

Russell Wilson:

142, 202, 123. What do these numbers represent? They represent how many yards quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown for in his last three outings. Even in an overtime win against Houston, he only posted nine fantasy points. Of the great crop of second-year quarterbacks, Wilson is my best bet to be a bust by the end of the season.