With Sunday's games in the books, here's a brief list of the most significant depth chart changes affecting fantasy leagues:
NEW ORLEANS RB
RISING: Deuce McAllister. FALLING: Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas. After garnering just two rushes in the first three games, McAllister was the surprise starter in Week 4. He finished with 73 yards on 20 carries, with a touchdown. Meanwhile, Bush was a non-factor with 31 yards on the ground and just 7 receiving yards. Bush will continue to have value, particularly in PPR leagues, but Sunday's performance signifies that McAllister is now healthy. The real loser here is Thomas, who carved out a nice niche as Bush's backup. Now that the Deuce is loose, feel free to cut Thomas in shallow leagues.
ARIZONA WR
RISING: Steve Breaston. FALLING: Anquan Boldin. A healthy Boldin is not in any danger of losing his starting job to Breaston, but his status for Week 5 is in question after leaving last game's on a cart. Breaston caught nine passes for 122 yards before Boldin got hurt, as the Cardinals abandoned their running game due to a 34-0 halftime deficit. Still, if Boldin is out for any length of time, Breaston could put up numbers worthy of fantasy interest. Jerheme Urban, who caught a touchdown Sunday, also figures to see increased opportunities in Boldin's potential absence.
CINCINNATI QB
RISING: Ryan Fitzpatrick. FALLING: Carson Palmer. Cincinnati's offense struggled for the fourth consecutive week. This performance can't be blamed on Palmer though, as he missed the game with a sore elbow. Enter Fitzpatrick, who hadn't thrown a regular-season pass since 2005. He did connect with Chad Johnson for a TD in the fourth quarter, but that hardly makes up for his four turnovers in a 20-12 loss to the Browns. An MRI on Palmer's elbow revealed no structural damage, but that doesn't mean it's not a serious ailment. Fitzpatrick could get another shot this week.
NEW ORLEANS WR
RISING: Lance Moore. FALLING: David Patten. We thought that Patten would step up when Marques Colston went down with an injury, but it's Moore who has inherited Colston's fantasy-friendly numbers. Moore started Sunday and didn't disappoint, finishing with seven catches for 101 yards and two scores. With 14 catches in the last two weeks, he's become Drew Brees' favorite receiver. Patten, who had been hobbled with a sore groin all week, caught just one pass. Meanwhile, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem combined for 180 yards on three catches. At this rate, Patten will be the odd man out when Colston returns to action.
PACKERS QB
RISING: Matt Flynn. FALLING: Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has plenty of experience holding the clipboard in Green Bay, and thanks to a couple of pops on his shoulder Sunday, he could be doing it again soon. The speculation is that Rodgers' shoulder is separated, which probably means he's out for two or three weeks. Flynn, a rookie from LSU, replaced Rodgers twice against Tampa Bay and finished the game. Fellow rookie Brian Brohm will get a few extra snaps in practice this week, but the job is Flynn's while Rodgers is on the shelf.
OAKLAND RB
RISING: Michael Bush. Falling: Darren McFadden. Oakland has a nice stable of talented backs this year, but they are all having problems staying healthy. Justin Fargas is already sidelined with a sore groin, and McFadden was limited to just seven ineffective carries thanks to an ongoing toe injury. Bush, who missed all of last season with an injury, stepped in for McFadden and finished with 128 scrimmage yards. The Raiders are off next week and Fargas is due back to return soon, so Bush's time at the top of the food chain could be short-lived.
KANSAS CITY QB
RISING: Damon Huard. Falling: Tyler Thigpen. The Chiefs have already started three quarterbacks this year, but Huard was the first one to earn a win (though he should probably send a thank you note to Larry Johnson for that). Huard threw a touchdown and minimized mistakes as Kansas City surprised Denver 33-19. With Brodie Croyle out awhile and Thigpen clearly not the answer, Huard should hold onto the job for at least the next few weeks.
Kenn Ruby is a fantasy writer for Rotowire.com. For more information, please visit Rotowire.com
