Each week the Noise will guide desperate, deep-thinking owners into the dark corners of the waiver wire to mine a last-minute diamond. Turn on your helmet light and pack a pickaxe. We're digging for drop-jaw surprises owned in fewer than 10 percent or started in five percent or less of Yahoo! Plus leagues.

When one reflects on the offerings of Montana, mountains, grizzly bears, microbrews and some slaughter at Little Bighorn immediately come to mind.

However, the Treasure State also boasts quality football. The University of Montana Grizzlies have won two Division 1-AA national championships over the past 15 years and punched a ticket for the playoffs in 16 consecutive seasons.

Though Montana isn't a pro football factory like perennial powerhouses Ohio State or Florida, it has produced its fair share of NFL talent, including current Miami Dolphin Lex Hilliard.

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Melo took advantage of the Knicks' "defense", Mike Dunleavy is back, and could the 76ers be thinking about bringing a familiar face back into the fold? Read on for Friday's action in bullet form...

• Not much defense in Denver tonight, as the Nuggets came away with a 128-125 win over the Knicks. The teams combined to shoot 51 percent from the field, make 23 threes, and logged a 59:19 assist-to-turnover ratio. The big winners: Carmelo Anthony (career-high 50 points, 15-of-16 FT), Al Harrington (41 points, 4 threes, 10 boards, 2 steals, 2 blocks), Chauncey Billups (32 points, 4 threes, 8 assists), David Lee (23 points, 10 boards, 4 assists), and Larry Hughes (16 points, 3 threes, 9 assists, 2 steals). Chris Duhon even got in on the action (12 points, 3 threes, 6 assists) now that his starting job is in jeopardy.

• Jrue Holiday will have to step into the void created by Louis Williams' broken jaw, an injury that is expected to sideline him for up to two months. Holiday was a mixed bag on Friday versus the Hawks (25 minutes, 2 points, 1-of-8 shooting, 5 assists, 0 turnovers, 2 steals). Best-case scenario for him would be a poor man's version of what Williams was able to accomplish in terms of points, threes, assists, and steals. Holiday is a bit hard to project given his limited college resume, but he won't be lacking for opportunity in the short-term. That is, as long as the Sixers don't sign a particular unnamed recently retired former Sixer... What made Williams so great for fantasy to this point was his fantastic efficiency (50% FG, 83% FT, 1.8 TO) - the fact that Williams is currently near the top of both the roto and h2h lists for "MVPs" is no coincidence, and he'll be sorely missed by his fantasy owners.

• Elton Brand missed his second straight game due to a sore right hamstring, but was a game-time decision and could be back when the 76ers take on the Spurs on Sunday. Jason Smith made his second start, totaling 14 points, five boards, a steal, and two blocks in 28 minutes. Smith is exactly the kind of player that the Princeton offense calls for, in that he's a big that can board, block shots, and step outside and hit the three. He won't get consistent playing time in the present without a major injury or a Samuel Dalembert trade, but he's one to pay particular attention to when he does get some run.

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A quick hello to the peeps out there, and a belated Happy Thanksgiving. I haven't forgotten about you; most of my week has been dedicated to working on the 2010 Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball Magazine. That's how we operate here, always a season ahead. While you were finishing your pumpkin pie Thursday night, I was projecting Alcides Escobar and Kyle Lohse.

We've had some good luck with deep-league hockey recommendations in this space (Matt Carle(notes), Nicklas Bergfors), and while I have your attention let's take another shot. Go get Kurtis Foster(notes), defenseman, Tampa Bay Lightning. Hurry. Now. Elbow someone if you have to.

Foster is a tall defenseman with a big shot and he's shown to be a capable power-play asset over the years. Tampa has recently given Foster some run with the man advantage and he's coming through, picking up four points (2-2-4) over the last four games (Friday's is still in progress), with three of the points coming on the power play. Foster's doesn't register on the Yahoo! roster count right now, that's how ignored he's been to this point. Time to change that, amigos.

The Lightning aren't going to mess up a good thing, they'll keep running Foster out there on the PP, letting him fire the puck. He's on both of my Yahoo! clubs. Come ride shotgun, pick up some points with us.

The comment lines are open, let's discuss life on the blue line. What's on your plate, puckheads?

Here's a (very) small collection of NFL notes you may have missed on Thursday, while the Broncos were just trying to win a [expletive] game...

• Cedric Benson (hip) returned to the practice field, but only for rehab work. He'll try for real on Friday. His status for Sunday remains in doubt. You just can't make that call today. Make sure that Bernard Scott is on call for fantasy purposes, because Cincinnati faces Cleveland in Week 12. The Browns, as you might have heard, aren't good. Cleveland's defense allows 154.9 rushing yards per game and 4.6 per carry. [Cincinnati Enquirer] 

• Michael Turner (ankle) has at least a chance to play in the Week 12 matchup against the NFL's worst run defense. He and Jerious Norwood both returned to practice on Thursday. Here's the word from head coach Mike Smith: "Jerious is definitely ahead of Mike. Mike is probably going to down to the wire in terms of a game-time decision on if he's going to be able to play or not." Beware, Snelling adders. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

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Brad and Andy return live this week to answer your questions and discuss their flames, lames and deep names for Week 11. Submit your questions for a very special Wednesday night edition of the "Fantasy Freak Show" via email (Please include name/city) at freakshow670@yahoo.com.You can also dial the studio line starting at 8:30 PM PT/10:30 PM CT/11:30 PM ET at 312-644-6767 or text us at 67011. You can also follow the show, and the Noise, via Twitter.

Each week the Noise highlights eight somewhat obscure, unobvious names who he believes are destined for flame madness or lame sadness. Being an accountability advocate, he will tally his hits and misses and post the results, whether genius or moronic, each week using the scoring system posted here.

More Noise: Turkey T.O. Not Cooked Yet

FLAMES (Started in 60 percent or fewer of Y! Plus leagues)

Jay Cutler, Chi, QB (Noise QB Rank: 9, Start: All Leagues, 45% started)

Matchup: at Min

Barrages of poison-tipped darts have been blown at Cutler by the local and national media over the past few days. In their eyes, the Chicago fire of 1871 was less of a disaster. Everyone has donned their Freudian hats in an attempt to explain the quarterback's ungraceful, Grossmanesque downfall. Some have idiotically gone as far as calling him an "average player." The overthrows and misreads are entirely on No. 6 – mechanically he is certainly flawed – but without a suitable stable of receivers and even average offensive line, failure is hard to dodge. Many would say his matchup with Minnesota is less than desirable. Jared Allen and his QB harassing cohorts should have a field day. But the Vikings are susceptible to the pass. On the season they've allowed 258.3 passing yards and 1.4 touchdowns per contest to signal callers. More importantly, the Norsemen have picked off just one pass since Week 5. Cutler will be pestered. The running game will undoubtedly struggle. The Bears, who defensively are a mess, will likely be playing from behind. If the admonished passer can establish an early cadence and find Matt Forte in the flat, the cooker will depressurize, at least temporarily.

Fearless Forecast: 28-48, 304 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 13 rushing yards, 23 fantasy points

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A very special holiday edition of the Fantasy Freak Show is now available, thanks to the kind folks at The Score WSCR-AM 670. Gather your family 'round the laptop and give it a listen. All the Week 12 matchups were discussed, all questions were answered. (Except Omar's. He bailed).

Please click. There's a marshmallow in every spoonful…

Fantasy Freak Show, Part 1 (Thanksgiving injuries, Rock Cartwright(notes), Andre the Giant)

Fantasy Freak Show, Part 2 (Andre's filmography, buncha games) 

Fantasy Freak Show, Part 3 (More Andre, late games, endless calls)

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Photo via Getty Images

T-Mac says he's ready, but the Rockets disagree; that intrigue, plus updates on Biedrins, Rip, and Tyrus in your late Tuesday bullets...

• Tracy McGrady went through his first full practice of the season Monday without any complications, meaning he's at least a bit closer to seeing the floor than he was previously. That's about as much clarity as the situation got in the 24 hours or so since. McGrady admitted that he needs to work on his fitness level and get back in game "rhythm", but added that he feels ready to go whenever the Rockets want him to:

"I feel I can play, but the coach and the GM obviously feel different. They run this team and until they feel I'm ready to play, then I guess I'll be watching."

The team (by way of assistant coach Elston Turner) reiterated its stance in regards to getting him back on the active roster, treating this first practice like the start of his training camp:

"What athlete, what former All-Star, wouldn't want to play? He's gone through a major surgery and he is coming back and it's a process to get him back on the court full time. But when you're building a team, there's chemistry that develops so when he does come back we would like him to be back -- instead of in a week, out a week. He went though through the workout today, he started and he finished but it’s still a process and we have to bring him back slowly."

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Brad and Andy return live this week to answer your questions and discuss their flames, lames and deep names for Week 11. Submit your questions for a very special Wednesday night edition of the "Fantasy Freak Show" via email (Please include name/city) at freakshow670@yahoo.com.You can also dial the studio line starting at 8:30 PM PT/10:30 PM CT/11:30 PM ET at 312-644-6767 or text us at 67011. You can also follow the show, and the Noise, via Twitter.

On Wednesday, "Courage," a white turkey from Princeton, North Carolina, will be spared from Ted Washington's dinner plate in an annual ceremony conducted by the President. After receiving his pardon, the fortunate fowl will be whisked away to Disneyland where he will serve as grand marshal of the Thanksgiving Day parade before establishing permanent residence in Mickey's Frontierland.

The flightless bastard simply doesn't deserve it.

Most analysts unanimously agree he was placed in a situation any average bird could excel in – plentiful feed, ironclad fence, nourishing farming environment and, most importantly, a competent caretaker. Only products from USC come from more nurturing programs.

This year's Most Valueless Turkey, Terrell Owens, unlike the emancipated gobbler, may not possess a fleshy wattle or be surrounded by ideal circumstances, but he's certainly a better candidate for a presidential pardon than the Butterball from NC.

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You'll find our deadly accurate Week 12 ranks below, in the traditional Arcade spreadsheet colors (black, gray, mouthwash blue). Most serious fantasy matchups will be decided on Monday night when New England visits New Orleans. All other games are merely appetizers.

Thursday's menu features a big pile of ick (GB at DET, OAK at DAL, NYG at DEN), but it's obviously not without fantasy merit. Let's rank, then discuss…

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The market for bootleg fantasy videos is out of control. Profits are threatened. In fact, according to recent FSTA estimates, the fantasy industry lost tens of billions of dollars in 2008 due to the illegal distribution of pirated sit/start videos. True fact.

Please, stop buying low-resolution fantasy DVDs from the dude at the expressway exit. You'll find video of the highest quality (and the usual sketchy advice) right here...

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Almost went with Rams WR Brandon Gibson(notes) there, following the 17-target week. But he wasn't exactly sure-handed in Week 11 and Kyle Boller(notes) will be his quarterback on Sunday.