Scanning the newspapers can reveal fantasy help

	Chris Perry's versatility not only is expected to help the Bengals open their offense a bit, it can help fantasy owners, too. Andy Lyons/Getty Images

By Bob Harris, Special to SI.com, FootballDiehards

Here we are, rolling into Week 7 -- a special time of the season. You pretty much know for sure whether your studs have bailed (see Shaun Alexander, Carson Palmer and Randy Moss) or not (see Donovan McNabb, LaDainian Tomlinson and Torry Holt). The sleepers have already awakened (see Frank Gore and Marques Colston) and the free-agent pickings are slim.

What's an owner to do? Dig a little deeper.

Start following the news with a bit more intensity. Make a point of looking for the overlooked. Put in more time and effort than your competition.

With the lmited amount of space I have, instead of a comprehensive overview, we'll look at some examples of the kind of things that might provide an edge on any given weekend.

Here's a little taste of what the news can do for you this week.

The news can: Help you pull a rabbit out of your hat.

As noted above, free-agent finds are few and far between at this point in the season. So, it behooves you to pay attention when a potential producer comes on-line, like Bengals running back Chris Perry. And according to Bengals.com online editor Geoff Hobson, the question this week isn't whether Perry is going to play Sunday against Carolina, but where?

Perry, activated off the physically-unable-to-perform list this week, told reporters Thursday what he said last week: He's ready to play after returning to practice this week for the first time since last season, it's just up to the coaches.

Last year, coaches often split him out as a receiver -- a definite need with only three veteran wide receivers (Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Antonio Chatman) available this week. Better still, Cincinnati's offense needs a boost, especially on third down. The Bengals have converted only 21-of-65 third-down tries (32.3 percent, ranking 26th in the NFL).

"[Perry] helps everybody," tailback Rudi Johnson said. "He comes in on third downs and makes key plays. That gives everybody more opportunities because we can continue to play. We stay on the field and keep drives alive."

"He's another explosive player who can give Rudi a break and get some yards for us," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "He's got phenomenal hands and has the ability to run good routes."