Frank Coppola's new blog about fantasy sports can be found at http://blogs.seacoastonline.com/so-fantasyland

As it has for the past seven years, Frank's Fantasyland column appears each week in Seacoast Sunday. He can be reached at fcoppola@seacoastonline.com.

The bubble has officially burst for fantasy owners who were hoping that Tony Romo's broken finger wouldn't keep the Cowboys quarterback sidelined for more than one game.

Romo said Wednesday that his injury will likely keep him out of action until mid-November. It's been quite a roller-coaster ride for Romo owners in recent days. First getting word that the Dallas star would miss at least a month with the injury, then hearing rumors that he wouldn't miss any time at all and play in last weekend's game against the Rams.

But Romo didn't play, and now it looks like he'll be sidelined until after the Cowboys' bye week in November.

"I don't know when I'll be back," Romo said. "I think definitely the idea now is to get healthy by that bye week."

This is clearly bad news for anyone who also owns Dallas wide receivers Terrell Owens or Roy Williams, because backup QB Brad Johnson was terrible in the game against the Rams.

Extra points
* Sammy Morris and Lamont Jordan both missed practice for the Patriots on Thursday, meaning BenJarvus Green-Ellis might be the starting running back for Sunday's game against the Rams. Green-Ellis looked pretty good against the Broncos Monday, rushing 13 times for 65 yards and a touchdown.

* Giants WR Plaxico Burress had to be hospitalized Thursday due to continuing soreness in his neck. Tests came back OK, but it looks like Burress could potentially miss this week's game against Pittsburgh.

* Jets WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder) was limited in practice on Thursday and will reportedly be a game-time decision against the Chiefs.

* With Chiefs RB Larry Johnson benched for the second straight week, Kolby Smith will start for Kansas City against the Jets this weekend. He gained just 20 yards on 10 carries against the Titans last week, so don't get your hopes up.

* It looks like the Steelers will welcome back Willie Parker for this week's big game against the Giants. Parker has missed four weeks (three games) with a sprained knee, but he is not listed on the team's current injury report.

It appears that Kobe Bryant's fantasy owners — and the Lakers, for that matter — have dodged a major bullet. After a couple days of question marks, it appears that the knee injury Bryant suffered in Tuesday's preseason game against Charlotte will not be a problem for the reigning NBA MVP.

In fact, Bryant could actually play in the Lakers' next exhibition game on Thursday.

Phew!

Bryant remains a safe pick to take if you haven't yet drafted your fantasy basketball team. For the record, I'd take him third behind LeBron James and Chris Paul in most formats. If you're smart enough to avoid roto leagues that make free-throw percentage more important than it should be, Dwight Howard also belongs in that mix.

It's been an interesting preseason already for several NBA stars, with injuries to Bryant, Deron Williams and Baron Davis all being less severe than originally feared. Perhaps that's a good omen for the upcoming season.

Fast breaks
* Warriors F/G Corey Maggette should be in line for a big scoring season, but he needed an MRI Wednesday night after suffering a strained hamstring. Maggette said he'll be ready for the season opener, but health concerns have sidetracked him before. Keep an eye on his status.

* With the Clippers missing Baron Davis and Marcus Camby due to injuries, second-year forward Al Thornton is having himself a nice preseason. Thornton had 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals in Wednesday's game against Portland.

* In that same game between the Clippers and Blazers, Portland center Greg Oden had 12 points and 13 boards in 28 minutes. Should be a fairly typical line for Oden, who seems like a good bet to average around 12 points and 10 rebounds in his rookie season.

* Bulls rookie point guard Derrick Rose had another eye-opening game Wednesday, tallying 17 points, five rebounds and six assists. This after he scored 30 points against Dallas on Tuesday. The biggest problem with Rose this season could be turnovers; he had five of them against the Timberwolves Wednesday.

* You know who's actually looked good this preseason? Nets forward Yi Jianlian, who was traded by the Bucks for Richard Jefferson during the offseason. Yi hit 7-of-14 shots and had 16 points Wednesday against the 76ers.

Rookie players don't always make a big impact in fantasy basketball leagues, but it looks like the 2008-09 season could be a notable exception.

On Tuesday night, the top three players in last June's draft showed why fantasy owners shouldn't ignore rookies when it comes time to draft their basketball teams.

Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, the No. 1 overall selection, opened more than a few eyes with his performance against the Mavericks, totaling 30 points and seven assists in Chicago's 109-105 preseason victory. Rose shot 13-for-18 from the field.

In Miami, the second and third picks in the 2008 draft were matched up as Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo and Heat forward Michael Beasley hit the court. Mayo, averaging around 15 points per game in the preseason, burned the Heat for 28 points, five rebounds and five assists. He shot 12-for-22 from the floor. Beasley, meanwhile, scored 19 points in 20 minutes, shooting 8-for-13.

Of the three players, the guess here is that Mayo has the best fantasy season. Outside of Rudy Gay, the Grizzlies don't have many other scoring options besides Mayo. He's a gunner, and he's going to take his fair share of shots. He's also shown that he can contribute rebounds and assists during some of these preseason games, and he won't be shy about attempting several 3-pointers a night.

You've got to give credit to the Tampa Bay Rays. A franchise that has been the laughing stock of baseball for the last decade just withstood a heavyweight bout against the defending World Series champions and lived to tell the tale.

Just one loss away from one of the worst postseason collapses in baseball history, the young Rays erased a 1-0 deficit midway through Sunday's Game 7 of the ALCS and went on to earn a 3-1 win over the Red Sox at Tropicana Field.

Down 3-1, Boston had one last chance to conjure up some more magic during the top half of the eighth inning. But with the bases loaded and two outs, Game 5 hero J.D. Drew struck out against flame-throwing rookie David Price, who also fanned two in the ninth to wrap up the win.

The Red Sox couldn't do much of anything against Rays starter Matt Garza, who was named the ALCS MVP after allowing just two hits and one run over seven strong innings in Game 7. Jon Lester certainly pitched well enough to win for Boston, allowing six hits and three runs over seven innings while striking out eight, but the run support wasn't there on Sunday.

And really, that lack of offensive punch proved to be the Achilles heel for Boston. Let's face it: The Red Sox had no business getting this far in the playoffs, nevermind to a Game 7 in this series. As it turned out, Boston's miraculous comeback in Game 5 only delayed the inevitable, but that doesn't mean Red Sox Nation has any reason to hang its collective head.

This was about as gritty and gutty a Red Sox team that I can remember. They were doing it with mirrors for most of the season, surviving nagging and/or serious injuries to Josh Beckett, David Ortiz, J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell. Making the playoffs despite disappointing seasons from rookies Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz. Losing Curt Schilling for the entire year. Losing Jason Varitek as an offensive contributor (with the notable exception of Game 6 against the Rays). Giving two more rookies, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson, key roles on the team in the second half. Having Manny Ramirez completely quit on the team, become a clubhouse cancer and force his way out of town via a trade to the Dodgers.

Editor's note: This column appears in the Oct. 19 edition of Seacoast Sunday.

During Barack Obama’s trip to New Hampshire this week, the Illinois senator spoke about how it would be foolish to rest on his laurels and relax despite having a big lead against the opposition.

I think he was talking about the presidential race and not his fantasy football team, but the principle applies equally well.

If you’re off to a strong start in your league, now is not the time to kick back and put your team on autopilot for a few weeks. This is especially true for owners who play in head-to-head leagues, because let’s face it: The first week of the fantasy playoffs is more important than all the previous weeks combined.

You know what having a 6-0 record in head-to-head leagues gets you right now? Bubkus. One bad day during the first week of the fantasy playoffs could send your season up in smoke, so now is the time to target players who have good matchups during Weeks 14-16 of the NFL regular season, when most leagues have their playoffs.

With that in mind, here is a quick look at some teams with relatively easy schedules down the stretch. Making a shrewd trade now could result in a big-time payoff down the road. Hey, Obama isn’t going to sit on his lead, and you shouldn’t sit on yours.

• Minnesota Vikings (at Detroit, at Arizona, vs. Atlanta): Two road games, but nothing scary about the opponents. This is good news for Adrian Peterson, Gus Frerotte and Bernard Berrian.

• Indianapolis Colts (vs. Cincinnati, vs. Detroit, at Jacksonville): OK, that last one could be a problem. But you gotta get to the dance first, and what better way than through the Bengals and Lions? This is good news for Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne and Joseph Addai.

When a friend called me from Fenway Park midway through Thursday's game against the Rays, I wasn't sure if he was at a funeral or at Game 5 of the American League championship series.

By the end of the night, it was clear: This was anything but a funeral.

The Red Sox rose from the dead in the late stages of the game, erasing a 7-0 deficit in the final three innings and escaping a crazed Fenway with an improbable 8-7 win over Tampa Bay.

Boston cut its series deficit to 3-2 and conjured up memories of the 2004 and 2007 league championship series that saw the Red Sox rally from 3-1 series deficits.

Even if the Red Sox can't complete this series comeback, the 2008 team showed the heart of a champion with Thursday's remarkable rally, the second-biggest comeback in playoff history.

Let there be no mistake: The Rays still hold all the cards here. They're up 3-2 and have two games at home to clinch the franchise's first trip to the World Series after a decade-long stay at the bottom of the standings. But on Thursday the Red Sox may have got the game changer that John McCain has fruitlessly been searching for over the past few months.

If any type of win is going to carry over from one game to the next, this was it. The Rays were certainly already making their World Series plans, and who could blame them? Up 7-0 in the seventh inning, holding a 3-1 series lead against a team it had — to that point — outscored 29-5 over the last three games!

The Exeter High School football team survived a scare against upset-minded Keene last weekend, and the Blue Hawks will put their perfect record on the line again Friday against Timberlane. For more on that game and others around the Seacoast, here is a look at our high school football previews for the weekend:

EXETER VS. TIMBERLANE
* When and where: Friday (7) at Timberlane High School in Plaistow.
* Team records: Exeter is 6-0 overall, 5-0 in Division II. Timberlane is 4-2 overall, 3-1 in Division II.
* 2007 result: Exeter won, 28-0, in Plaistow.
* Noteworthy: Both of these teams appear headed for the playoffs. Exeter is one of six unbeaten teams in the state, and Timberlane has won four of its last five games since opening the season with a 21-12 loss to Division I Manchester Central. … Junior running back Derek Furey has carried the Timberlane offense for much of the season, but quarterback Erik Hatton completed 8 of 12 pass attempts for 149 yards and two touchdowns in last weekend's 28-14 victory over Salem. … The Timberlane defense recorded eight sacks against Salem. … Exeter ranks second among Division II teams in points scored (173) and points allowed (49) this season. Unbeaten Bishop Guertin (6-0, 5-0) is first in both categories.

WINNACUNNET VS. ALVIRNE
* When and where: Friday (7) at Winnacunnet High School.
* Team records: Winnacunnet is 0-6 overall, 0-4 in Division II. Alvirne is 3-3 overall, 2-2 in Division II.
* 2007 result: Winnacunnet won, 39-26, in Hampton.
* Noteworthy: Alvirne has been outscored 103-91 this season, but is very much in the Division II playoff picture. The Broncos pulled into a tie for fourth place by beating Dover, 28-20, last Friday. Four Division II teams will qualify for postseason play. … The goal is different for Winnacunnet, which is seeking its first victory of the season. Farmington is the only team in the state that has allowed more points (250) than Winnacunnet (234) this year. … Alvirne running back Nick Goldsack ran for two touchdowns against Dover, and has scored a team-high five TDs this season. The Broncos were held to 29 points in their first four games, but have scored 62 points in their last two contests. … Winnacunnet has played two Division I teams (Londonderry and Concord) and the two unbeaten Division II teams (BG and Exeter).

ST. THOMAS VS. BISHOP BRADY
* When and where: Friday (7) at Concord's Memorial Field.
* Team records: St. Thomas is 5-0 overall, 4-0 in Division V. Bishop Brady is 3-2 overall, 2-2 in Division II.
* 2007 result: The teams did not meet.
* Noteworthy: St. Thomas is battling Pelham (5-0 overall and in Division V) and Trinity (5-1, 4-1) for home-field advantage in the Division V playoffs. The Saints may have to finish unbeaten to secure the No. 1 seed, which could translate into a home game for the Division V championship game. … Bishop Brady has already lost to Trinity (24-16) and Pelham (36-8). The Green Giants are among the teams competing for fourth place and the final playoff berth in Division V. … Bishop Brady beat St. Thomas, 60-40, in the 1998 Division IV championship game. … St. Thomas will play Pelham in Dover next weekend.

You've got to think it felt like Christmas morning to new Cowboys receiver Roy Williams on Wednesday. The former Pro Bowl wideout was shipped from winless Detroit to Dallas for three draft picks on Tuesday, leaving the league's most dysfunctional franchise this side of Oakland for a spot on America's Team.

That, my friends, is a nice upgrade.

The trade certainly also helps Williams' fantasy owners, who were about to give up hope now that Dan Orlovsky is the Lions' starting quarterback for the rest of the season. Instead, Tony Romo will be throwing to Williams once the fantasy playoffs come around. Of course, Romo has to convince Terrell Owens that it's OK to share first, but still, this is a much better situation than being in Detroit.

Williams has been a major bust thus far, catching only 17 passes for 232 yards and one touchdown in five games. In 2006, he had 82 catches for 1,310 yards and seven touchdowns. That's the type of production the Cowboys are banking on.

The Williams blockbuster makes the Dallas offense downright scary. It's not like Patrick Crayton was a bad second receiver, either. But Williams is a notch above, and pairing him with Owens should prove fatal to most of the defenses in the league once Romo comes back. Throw in Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Jason Whitten, and Dallas has the makings of a fantasy goldmine.

Of course, there's that defense thing to work out .... but most fantasy owners couldn't care less about that.

Extra points
* A stunner from the Dallas Morning News, which is reporting that Cowboys QB Tony Romo (broken finger) might throw in practice on Wednesday and have his playing status re-evaluated. Huh? Just yesterday it was announced that Romo would miss at least a month with the injury. Maybe he's just really excited about throwing to Roy Williams....

* Patriots RB Laurence Maroney (shoulder) missed the start of practice Wednesday and is questionable to play in Week 7. New England fans — and fantasy owners — have just about had it with Maroney.

* Browns coach Romeo Crennel said Wednesday that TE Kellen Winslow (illness) could play against the Redskins this week.

* With RB Ladell Betts out up to four weeks with his sprained knee, the Redskins signed former MVP Shaun Alexander to back up Clinton Portis. It looks like Rock Cartwright will be second on the depth chart for now, however, at least until Alexander proves his worth.

* Tony Gonzalez owners got bad news on Tuesday, when the future Hall of Fame tight end stayed in Kansas City at the trade deadline. Gonzo could have been a fantasy beast again on a team like the Giants, but now he's stuck on a woeful Chiefs team with Brodie Croyle as his quarterback.

Between now and the start of Thursday's Game 5 in the American League championship series, you're bound to hear a lot about the Red Sox' recent postseason history.

2004: Rallied from 3-0 deficit to beat Yankees in historic ALCS on way to World Series win.
2007: Rallied from 3-1 deficit to beat Indians in ALCS on way to second title in four years.

Now that Boston trails the Rays 3-1 in this year's ALCS, some Red Sox fans might be holding out hope that history repeats again. Well, we probably shouldn't count on it.

This Red Sox team reminds me of the 2006 Patriots team that somehow advanced to the AFC title game despite a wide receiving corps led by Reche Caldwell. The Red Sox have pulled off a similar trick thus far, but the ride could be ending very soon.

Not to burst any bubbles, but here are some reasons why:

* Injuries. Mike Lowell is officially done for the season with a hip injury, David Ortiz is simply not himself at the plate right now due to that troublesome wrist and/or knee, and Josh Beckett seems to be a complete mess due to elbow/shoulder/oblique woes. Having Curt Schilling around wouldn't hurt, either.

* Too many holes in the lineup. Remember when the Red Sox had batting champion Bill Mueller batting ninth a few years ago? Those days are gone. Outside of Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay, who do you really feel good about at the plate right now? Ortiz is banged up. Jason Varitek can't hit anymore. Jed Lowrie has been slumping for months. Mark Kotsay and J.D. Drew don't scare anybody. Neither do Jacoby Ellsbury or Coco Crisp. Other than that, things look great.

Another one bites the dust. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo became the latest big-name NFL star to get bit by the injury bug, as the Cowboys star will likely miss at least the next four weeks (three games) with a broken finger on his throwing hand.

Romo was hurt during the Cowboys' stunning loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. He will be replaced by 40-year-old Brad Johnson, who last started a game in the 2006 season.

Romo, who is tied for the league lead in passing touchdowns (14) and ranks fourth in passing yards (1,689), will miss games against the Rams, Bucs and Giants. It's possible that he could miss the Nov. 16 game against the Redskins as well.

This is obviously terrible news for Romo's fantasy owners. It's also very bad news for those who have Terrell Owens. As Randy Moss' owners painfully know, losing a stud quarterback is usually bad news for stud receivers, especially when the backup QB doesn't count arm strength among his best qualities. Johnson, who managed the Bucs to the 2002 Super Bowl championship, was never known for throwing the deep ball.

The Cowboys will likely rely even more heavily on their ground game now, although rookie Felix Jones is expected to miss at least two weeks with a strained hamstring. It's Marion Barber's show now in Dallas. Johnson's strength is the short passing game, so wide receiver Patrick Crayton and tight end Jason Whitten could actually benefit from this change.

It will definitely be interesting to see how T.O. reacts to all this. Moss has yet to crack in New England without Tom Brady. Let's see if Owens can do the same without Romo.

In case you were distracted by the Red Sox-Rays marathon on Saturday night, here’s a quick rundown of some fantasy football news and notes as we head into Week 6:

* Reports out of Kansas City have the Chiefs putting future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez on the trade block. If Gonzo goes to a good team with a need for a pass-catching tight end (Giants, anyone?), it would be a nice boost for his fantasy value.

* It looks like Justin Fargas will get the starting nod at running back for the Raiders against the Saints. Darren McFadden (toe) is listed as questionable but is now expected to play as well.

* Chargers WR Vincent Jackson (knee) practiced Friday and is expected to play against the Patriots on Sunday. He could be a nice fill-in play with Chris Chambers sidelined due to injury.

* Laurence Maroney (shoulder) and LaMont Jordan (calf) are listed as questionable and doubtful, respectively, for Sunday's game against San Diego, so Sammy Morris could carry the running back load for the Patriots.

* Bucs QB Jeff Garcia took the first-team practice snaps on Friday and looks to be the starter for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. He's a risky play, however, against a top-notch defense.

* Lions WR Roy Williams, constantly mentioned in trade rumors, was limited in practice Friday but is expected to start against Minnesota.

* Charlie Frye is expected to start at QB for the Seahawks in Sunday's game against the Packers due to Matt Hasselbeck's knee injury.

* Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin (sinus fracture) is out for Sunday's game against Dallas.

* The Saints could get a nice boost if Marques Colston (thumb) can play against the Raiders Sunday. He is listed as questionable but is expected to be active after missing four games.

TRAIP ACADEMY VS. MADISON
When and where: Friday (7) in Madison.
Team records: Traip is 1-4 in Western Maine Class C. Madison is 0-5 in Western Maine Class C.
2007 result: Traip won, 32-12, in Kittery.
Noteworthy: The Rangers are coming off one of their best performances in recent years, a 48-30 victory over an Old Orchard Beach team that won three of its first four games. Traip coach Ron Ross called it the most complete game a Traip team has played in his seven years as the team's head coach. …Mike Collins rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries against Old Orchard Beach. He's gained 284 yards on the ground in Traip's last two games. Eric Modica caught three passes – two for touchdowns – from quarterback Eric Spear against OOB. … Madison is the only winless team in Western Maine Class C. The Bulldogs haven't scored more than 14 points in a game this season. … Madison began the season with 31 players, 16 of whom were freshmen.

MARSHWOOD VS. SCARBOROUGH
When and where: Friday (7) at Marshwood High School.
Team records: Marshwood is 2-3 in Western Maine Class A. Scarborough is 3-2 in Western Maine Class A.
2007 result: Marshwood won, 42-21, in Scarborough.
Noteworthy: Marshwood has lost two in a row and will need to finish the season strong to qualify for the Western Maine Class A playoffs. After Friday's contest, Biddeford (2-3) and Noble (0-5) remain on Marshwood's schedule. … The Hawks have allowed 91 points in their last two games – losses to Thornton Academy (42-14) and Deering (49-7). … Scarborough has held its opponent to one touchdown in each of its three victories. Senior tailback Brendan Ham is the Red Storm's top offensive threat. Ham rushed for 155 yards on 23 carries in last weekend's 13-12 loss to Portland. … Scarborough's victories came against Biddeford, Sanford and Noble.

For anyone who missed the Celtics’ preseason opener on Wednesday — and let’s face it, preseason basketball isn’t the first thing on everyone’s mind these days — Boston GM Danny Ainge is certainly going to have some interesting roster decisions to make in the coming days.

My concerns about the Celtics being complacent in the wake of their 17th NBA title were alleviated a bit when high-flying rookie Bill Walker dunked in the face of Philadelphia’s Theo Ratliff in the first half. Not because Walker is ready to become an All-Star player (although he looked pretty good), but because of the reaction on the Boston bench.

The Celtics were famous for their team chemistry last season, highlighted by their constant high-fiving, chest-bumping and generally euphoric nature on the bench whenever one of their teammates did something special on the court. Well, Wednesday’s reaction to Walker’s dunk might have topped anything we saw all of last season. Honestly, you would have thought the Celtics had just defended their NBA championship.

For a team that played deep into June through a number of physical playoff series, the Celtics looked remarkably fresh and were emotionally invested in the game. That’s a very good sign.

Despite the loss of James Posey, who will be sorely missed, this Boston team already looks deeper than last year’s version. Walker has been the story of camp to this point, impressing teammates and coaches with a versatile game and a strong work ethic. Heat rookie Michael Beasley was the top dog for Kansas State last season, but many folks associated with the program say that Walker was the team’s heart and soul. He’s a player who was often compared (at least talent-wise) to Vince Carter before suffering a pair of serious knee injuries. If Walker is healthy, he could turn out to be another draft-day steal for Ainge.

As soon as Terry Francona revealed his pitching rotation for the upcoming American League championship series against Tampa Bay, it was obvious that the talking heads on sports radio and TV were going to have a field day.

No Jon Lester in the first two games?!? Dice-K over Beckett in Game 1?!? What is Tito thinking?!?

For a manager of a formerly cursed franchise that has won two World Series in four years and has its sights set on a third, Francona remains the most underappreciated figure in Boston sports.

Part of this is due to the extreme passion (some say yahoo-ism) of Red Sox Nation. Baseball is a fairly easy game to follow, so millions of us think we could manage the Red Sox tomorrow. How hard could it be? You take pitchers out, you put pitchers in, you fill out the lineup....

Well, it's more difficult that it looks, particularly in Boston. I remember watching Francona's introductory press conference and thinking that this was a guy who gets it. Compared to two of his predecessors, Grady Little and Jimy Williams, Francona seemed like the brightest guy on the planet. But it was more than the way he talked, it was his whole demeanor. He said all the right things, acted the right way. Seemed to have a plan. Displayed a passion for baseball without being overly dramatic about it. I liked him, and I hoped his stay would be a good one.

Well, we're on Year 5 of the Francona Plan, and so far it's been pretty good. He's certainly proven to be a capable in-game manager, but the real strength of Tito lies in his ability to expertly handle two groups of people with sizable egos: his players and the Boston media. Neither of those two tasks are easy in any sense of the word, but Francona does it -- for the most part -- with perfection.

Outside of lunatic Manny Ramirez, every one of Francona's players would run through a wall for him. And I can't remember even one instance when Francona didn't say the right thing to the media. He is a man who carefully, and thoughtfully, chooses his words. And it's paid off.