Browns' Gordon could be breakout player

It took A.J. Green sitting out on his bye week for Josh Gordon to break into my starting lineup this weekend. Talk about great timing.

In that PPR league, Gordon delivered a whopping 43 points and helped me overcome an inexplicable dud by Victor Cruz, who faced one of the league's most generous secondaries and didn't even have to compete for targets with the inactive Hakeem Nicks.

Gordon's 14-reception, 237-yard, one-TD jackpot for the Browns against the Steelers - despite a mid-game quarterback change and blustery conditions - positions him among the most valuable wideouts in the business as the fantasy postseason rapidly approaches.

Meanwhile, Stevan Ridley's latest fumble (his fourth of the season) not only earned him an early shower Sunday night but it also could be the final straw that forces him from the Patriots' backfield committee altogether, giving Shane Vereen's stock warrant an upgrade.

Here's a look at players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else's lineup.

Benny Cunningham, RB, Rams. The undrafted rookie picked up where Zac Stacy left off after the starter was knocked out with a concussion. His 109-yard, 1-TD effort showed that Cunningham has skills. If Stacy can't return next week, Cunningham would presumably get his shot to carry the load, albeit in a rough matchup with the 49ers.

Dennis Johnson, RB, Texans. Uh-oh, Ben Tate owners. Johnson was given the opportunity to perform against the lowly Jags, and he did just that. Though Tate is still dealing with cracked ribs, he was pulled more due to ineffectiveness than injury. This likely means Houston's backfield will become more of a committee, with the dreaded "hot hand" getting the majority of the workload.

Nate Burleson, WR, Lions. There are benefits to being Matt Stafford's No. 2 wideout (behind Calvin Johnson). A healthy Burleson can hold great value for contending teams needing a solid third receiver down the stretch.

Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots. When the going gets tough, Tom Brady turns to Rob Gronkowski. And Edelman, apparently. His 110-yard, two-TD outing Sunday night came out of the blue, as the wideout had amassed just six receptions for 45 yards over the previous three games.

Matt Flynn, QB, Packers. Is it possible that Green Bay is the only place that Flynn can prosper? Very possibly, but even though Aaron Rodgers is expected to sit out at least the Thanksgiving game and the Scott Tolzien experiment appears to be over, the well-traveled Flynn can't be trusted.

Tiquan Underwood, WR, Buccaneers. As well as Mike Glennon has been playing, it's a bit surprising it has taken this long for Underwood to have a breakout game. But with as few targets as he is seeing, we may not see a similar performance again this season.