Fire might have been the theme for this week's Freaks of the Week, but too many have died and been hurt to trivialize such carnage. Thankfully, that means there won't be a single en fuego reference. My thoughts and prayers go out to those hurt by the fires and those fighting them. So forget the gimmick theme. Fantasy football is always the theme. Here are this week's Freaks.

Besides their terrific defense (How good can it be, they haven't won a Freak yet? Hush!), Carolina's winning ways can be explained by Stephen Davis. He's not even half-way through the season and he's knocking on the 1,000 yard door along with having five touchdowns. They're not Priest Holmes numbers but no serious fantasy owner would complain. In Sunday's win over New Orleans, Davis ran for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Steve Spurrier and Daniel Snyder must just be kicking themselves for letting him run away. I'm sure there are also a few fantasy owners kicking themselves passing over him. Davis and the Panthers get their first Freak.

At the quarterback spot three players threw for over 300 yards. Kerry Collins threw for 375 yards along with two touchdowns and one interception. Marc Bulger returned to where he grew up and passed all over the Steelers for 369 yards and one TD. Last but not least, Matt Hasselbeck threw for 344 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. It's tough to choose here. Bulger may be 11-2 as a Rams' starter, but he out of the running for a Freak. Collins threw for the most yards had fewer turnovers but didn't throw as many TDs as Hasselbeck. So in a squeaker, Matt Hasselbeck gives the Seahawks their second Freak (The defense earned one in Week 2.) and denies Collins his second week of fantasy glory.

When Randy Moss has a good week you'd expect the Vikings to win. Not Sunday against the Giants. Moss caught seven ball for 125 yards and two touchdowns, but that was about the only scoring Minnesota could do in their first loss of the season. Surprisingly, this is only Moss' second Freak (Week 4).

For our one-hit-wonder Freak we look at tight ends. Going into Sunday, Seattle's Itula Mili only had 11 catches and one touchdown. Then in the loss to the Bengals he snags five balls for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Now, don't go running off to the waiver wires to pick him up. He's never caught more than 43 balls and three TDs in a season. If the tight end is good, a Mike Holmgren offense will get him the ball. Ex-Packer (and grown-up sicko) Mark Chmura showed that, but there's no indication Mili is another Chmura (on the field that is). Just watch. Freak of the Week will have some kind of revere-hex power where players I think had "one shining moment" come up big again the next week.

One of the prime games to watch in Week 8 was 5-1 Dallas going to Tampa Bay to take on the Super Bowl champions. Dem' Cowboys left 5-2. Most of the credit can be given to the great play of the defense. Not only did the Buccaneers shut out the Cowboys, but they only allowed 184 net total yards, had four sacks, two interceptions, and one fumble recovery. Anyone who thought after the Monday Night debacle against the Colts that Tampa was through must look again.

Usually I like to save the best for last, but I'll just end with the most boring Freak. Baltimore's Matt Stover won his second kicker Freak by booting four field goals and two extra points in the Ravens' win over Denver. Ho-hum, I know, but kickers have feelings too even though they're a dime-a-dozen in fantasy world.

Davis, Hasselbeck, Moss, Mili, the Tampa Bay Defense, and (*yawn*) Matt Stover, you are the creme de la creme of fantasy football. A Freak should wear their honor with dignity and appreciation. Rent out skywriters. E-mail your family. Spam 10,000 of your closest friends--it sure beats Nigeria scams. Jump on top of a mountain (preferrably near a high-density population) and shout to the world that you are a Freak of the Week!

Postscript: The first-ever Honorary Freak of the Week goes to all those firefighters in California who are working harder than most of us could ever imagine and risking their lives for others. Only a Freak would have the guts to go into a real-life hell. I'm extremely grateful.

UPDATE: Depending on your league's scoring it turns out Brian Griese outscored Matt Hasselbeck. I talked about stuff like this in my Week 6 column.