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Ed Barkowitz: Falcons' Turner improves after slow start

NOT ALL win-loss records are created equal. The Eagles are 5-3 and facing questions about the inconsistency of their offense. Whether Donovan McNabb got a bad spot shouldn't even be an issue. A good team makes 2 or 3 yards on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1.

NOT ALL win-loss records are created equal.

The Eagles are 5-3 and facing questions about the inconsistency of their offense. Whether Donovan McNabb got a bad spot shouldn't even be an issue. A good team makes 2 or 3 yards on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1.

The Falcons also are 5-3, but they are feeling good about themselves.

So what if they haven't beaten a team with a winning record? Their star running back has shaken off his slump, which also has been a boon for fantasy fans.

"I'm just going out there trying to be productive," Michael Turner said. "I can't give myself a grade right now."

Well, we can.

Turner was a consensus top-5 fantasy pick this year and was in the mix of running backs being considered after the Vikings' Adrian Peterson. After his first six games, Turner's effort was worth a C. He was still getting into the end zone, but averaging only 67.2 yards per game. But after his last two, he has moved up to B.

"I wasn't getting breaks," he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Some of it was situational. Some of it was runs I'd just been missing, the one tackle I didn't break . . . We needed a better effort on my part."

A peek at the Falcons schedule suggests he's not done moving up the grade scale.

Five of Atlanta's remaining eight games are against teams in the bottom half of the NFL in rushing defense. Sunday, the Falcons are at Carolina, which is 23rd against the run and gave up 105 yards to Turner in Week 2.

What is sweetest for Turner owners is that Atlanta's games in Weeks 16 and 17 are against Buffalo (32nd in run defense) and at Tampa Bay (30th), respectively.

Turner endured a league-high 376 carries last season, which probably contributed to his slow start. Falcons coach Mike Smith has made good on his pledge to lighten Turner's workload, but only slightly. Turner is averaging about two fewer carries per game, compared with this time a year ago.

"I felt I had to step up my game," he told the AJC. Thirty yards here, 50 yards there . . . that wasn't what I wanted. The numbers needed to improve."

Winner of the week

Miles Austin's game-winning touchdown Sunday did come with a silver lining for one Daily News reader.

The Dallas wide receiver's 49-yard catch and run through the Eagles' secondary was his only grab of the game. Last week, we asked readers to predict Austin's receiving yards, and Al Braun, of South Philadelphia, nailed it exactly.

Braun will receive a Daily News fantasy football T-shirt for his impressive prognostication.

Three up (plus one)

* Antonio Gates, tight end, Chargers: Fives have been wild for Gates, who has the quirky distinction of having exactly five catches in six of the Chargers' eight games. Could be in line for a big day Sunday against an Eagles defense that has had its adventures with opposing tight ends.

* Sidney Rice, wide receiver, Vikings: Minnesota hosts Detroit, which has given up a league-high 19 touchdown passes. Play all your Vikings. Even Ahmad Rashad.

* Aaron Rodgers, quarterback, Packers: This is a big week for Rodgers and the Packers, who reportedly held a team meeting following last week's disappointing loss to the previously winless Buccaneers. If they lose at home to Dallas, things could turn sour in cheeseland. Continue to play Rodgers, of course. But keep an eye on this.

* Sang Kee Peking Duck House, Chinatown: Next time Joselio Hanson craves Chinese food, he oughta try this place. The curry lemongrass chicken noodle soup is excellent and won't leave you bloated.

Three down

* Steve Slaton, running back, Texans: What does it say about Slaton and Ryan Moats that Houston would kick the tires on new free agent Larry Johnson?

* Kyle Orton, quarterback, Broncos: The Redskins, Sunday's opponent, don't do much well, but they do play decent pass defense. Orton's a risky play.

* Joseph Addai, running back, Colts: Has been held in check in three of four games against the Patriots, Sunday's foe. If you have to play Addai, please note that backup Donald Brown is not on the injury report. Brown missed last week's game with a shoulder injury.

AP watch

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is on pace for 1,568 yards. To reach his goal of 2,000, he'd have to average 152 yards per game over the Vikings' last eight. Good luck.

Unless Peterson makes a real run at getting back on pace for 2K, we're suspending the "AP watch." Tennessee's Chris Johnson leads the league with 959 yards, which puts him on pace for 1,918. Maybe a "CJ watch" is in order.

Ed Barkowitz, who also recommends the shrimp dumpling noodle soup, has been writing about fantasy football for the Daily News since 2001.

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