QB:
J.P. Losman - Losman suffered a sprained MCL in week 3, and he'll be out 2 weeks. It looks like he'll return in week 7 after Buffalo's bye. Rookie Trent Edwards will start in his place.
Steve McNair - McNair apparently re-injured his strained groin in week 3, but he claimed after the game that he could have continued playing. He practiced fully on Thursday. His status as Baltimore's starter for the rest of the season is clearly in question at the moment, but he will start in week 4.
Jay Cutler - Cutler sprained his ankle in week 3, but he believes he'll practice this week. Check back to make sure, but it looks like he'll be fine for week 4. Patrick Ramsey would start if Cutler can't go.
Josh McCown - McCown fractured his toe on his other foot, and his status for week 4 is in doubt. He missed practice on Wednesday. Daunte Culpepper will replace him if McCown can't go.
Brian Griese - No injury to report here, but Griese will replace Rex Grossman as the starting QB for the Bears in week 4.
Tavaris Jackson - Jackson strained his groin in week 2, and he missed week 3. His status for week 4 is in doubt, but does it really matter? Kelly Holcomb would start again if Jackson can't go.
Jake Delhomme - Delhomme strained his throwing elbow in week 3, and did not return after leaving with the injury. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. He's expected to miss at least one week with the injury, but luckily he didn't sustain any ligament damage. David Carr will start in his place.
Matt Leinart - No injury here, but Arizona coach Ken Wisenhunt has stated his intention to use Warner during no huddle situations throughout the season. Is this the NFL's first QBBC? At any rate, keep Leinart firmly on your bench until he's playing all game. I wouldn't drop him as he still has upside and this could be a motivational tactic, but you can't use him this week not knowing what will come of this.
Marc Bulger - Bulger revealed that his is playing through 2 broken ribs. He's apparently not going to miss any time, but this is a solid explanation for why he played so poorly in last Sunday's game. He practiced fully on Wednesday. He should start in week 4.
RB:
Laurence Maroney - Maroney injured his groin in week 3, and his status for week 4 is in question. He was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. He should be OK for week 4, but keep an eye on his practice schedule.
Rudi Johnson - Johnson suffered a an injured hamstring in week 3, and he is out for week 4. Kenny Watson will start in Rudi's place and is a solid flex/bye week fill-in for this week against the Patriots. He might not get a lot of rushing attempts, but he should see some scoring opportunities.
Ahman Green - Green sprained his knee in week 3, and his status for week 4 is in doubt. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. Ron Dayne will start if Green can't go, and he has a favorable matchup against the Falcons.
Larry Johnson - LJ was suffering from general soreness after week 3, and his status for week 4 is in question. He has now missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, but still has a shot to play this week. This is starting to become a serious concern.
Julius Jones - Jones suffered another concussion in week 3, but he believes he'll be fine and play in week 4. What role he'll have has become a bigger question at this point. Marion Barber would be a top 5 option if Jones were to miss the game.
Brandon Jacobs - Jacobs sprained his knee in week 1, and he will miss week 4. He did not practice on Wednesday, but returned to practice on Thursday in a limited fashion, giving him an outside chance of playing in some capacity in week 4. The local newspaper stated that he'll resume receiving 20-25 carries when he returns, but if he returns this week, there's no way he'll receive the majority of the carries.
Brian Westbrook - Westbrook strained his abs in week 3, but he believes he'll be fine and play in week 4. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, but hopefully hell return to practice on Friday. Correll Buckhalter would start if Westbrook were to miss the game, so Westbrook owners need to pick him up given that it's a Sunday night game.
Kevin Jones - Jones returned from his Lisfranc foot fracture in week 3 in a very limited role, but he reported no problems and his role should continued expanding. Tatum Bell will still see the field plenty in week 4. It'll likely be at least 1 more week before he'll become a fantasy option.
Brandon Jackson - Jackson strained his shin in week 3, and he's still struggling with the injury. He was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. Regardless if he plays or not, he is a must-bench against the Vikings.
Chester Taylor - Taylor suffered a hip injury in week 1, but he's expected to return in week 4. He was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. Coach Childress still claims that he'll be the starter when he returns, but I find that hard to believe given how good Adrian Peterson looked in both weeks 1 and 3. He'll definitely pick up passing down work again with Peterson's ineffective blocking, but I'm not sure how many carries he'll get even if he does "start".
Deuce McAllister - McAllister tore his ACL in week 3 and is lost for the season. Reggie Bush will become the featured RB for New Orleans, but given questions about his durability, expect to see veteran Aaron Stecker and rookie Pierre Thomas used frequently as well.
Cadillac Williams - Williams injured his ribs in week 2, aggravated them in week 3, but he is expected to start in week 4. Gruden maintains that Cadillac is his unquestioned start, but the preseason concerns about his durability are very real and in full force.
Steven Jackson - Jackson tore his groin in week 3 and will be sidelined for multiple weeks. I'd give a 3-6 week estimate as it was revealed today that he has a 40% tear. Some outlets are reporting it as a 1 week injury, but that's ridiculous. Brian Leonard will start in his place.
WR:
Mark Clayton - Clayton was limited in weeks 1 and 2 with a sprained ankle. He was again limited in practice on Thursday, and he looks like a must-bench for week 4.
Hines Ward - Ward sprained his knee in week 3, and his status for week 4 is in doubt. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. Santonio Holmes and Heath Miller would benefit from Ward's absence.
Andre Johnson - Johnson sprained his knee in week 2, and he will miss week 4. The Texans are hoping he'll return in week 6 as it stands right now. It's possible he could practice later this week.
Jacoby Jones - Jones separated his shoulder in week 3 and will miss 2-3 weeks. He can be dropped in redraft leagues for now.
Javon Walker - Walker experienced soreness in his knee in week 3, but he expects to play in week 4. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. This is the same knee he had ACL surgery on 2 years ago, so this might be a problem, especially given his struggles last week despite the tough matchup. Keep an eye on this.
Eddie Kennison - Kennison tore his hamstring in week 1, and he will miss week 4. He's not worth holding onto in most leagues with the struggling Chiefs offense. His return might impact Dwayne Bowe.
Terry Glenn - Glenn underwent arthroscopic knee surgery prior to week 1, and he will miss week 4. He's hoping the surgery will allow him to return around week 6.
Plaxico Burress - Burress injured his ankle in week 2, but he played well in week 3. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. He's expected to play in week 4, but at less than 100%. This could be a lingering problem.
Santana Moss - Moss strained his groin in week 3, and he's on bye in week 4. The Redskins revealed that Moss would not have been able to play had they had a game in week 4, which leaves his week 5 status in question.
Calvin Johnson - Johnson bruised his back in week 3, but he is on track to start in week 4. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. Continue to monitor his practice schedule to make sure. He might become a gametime decision.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin hurt his hip in week 3, and he appears questionable to start in week 4. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Continue to monitor his status as he could become a gametime decision.
TE:
Kellen Winslow - Winslow suffered a partially separated shoulder in week 3, and his status for week 4 is in question. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, so keep an eye on his practice schedule. If he doesn't practice, he'll be a game-time decision.
L.J. Smith - Smith underwent groin surgery prior to week 3, and he's out for week 4. When he returns, he'll be a TE2 option.
Vernon Davis - Davis sprained his knee in week 3 and will miss an estimated 2 weeks. He's expected to return in week 7 after the 49ers' bye week.
D:
Chicago - Chicago's defense was hit hard with injuries in week 3, and they will be without DT Tommie Harris, CB Charles Tillman, CB Nathan Vasher, and possibly LB Lance Briggs in week 4. Without Harris, a pocket collpasing specialist, and both starting corners, they could be in for a very long day against the pass happy Lions. I'd consider other options this week.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
NFL Week 3: Monday Night Game Wrapup
Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints
Vince Young - 14/22, 164 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 5/21. Young looked oustanding despite the lack of yardage, running when necessary, but hanging tough in the pocket most of the evening and looking to make the throw. His WRs still suck and he played an easy offense last night, but he's borderline QB1 material.
Drew Brees - 29/45, 225 yards, 0 TD, 4 INT, 1/9, 1 FL. Hot vomit. He completely fell apart in the 2nd half, turning the ball over 4 times in the 4th quarter as the Saints tried to play catchup. Luckily the Saints have a bye next week, so you won't have to worry about whether to give him another chance until week 5. Don't give up on him and sell low as I fully believe that Payton will get the offense moving in the right direction after the bye week.
LenDale White - 17/50, 1/10, 1 TD. LenDale White is fat, and he runs like it too. He definitely runs with power, but lacks explosiveness. He should remain a solid source of TDs and is a quality RB3. Chris Brown (11/38) will receive less and less work, but will remain a factor on 3rd downs.
Deuce McAllister - 4/5, 1/1. Deuce tore his ACL yesterday evening and is out for the season. It's a terrible break for Deuce as this is now twice in 3 years that this has happened to one of the great guys in the NFL. Here's to a quick recovery, but his career is in question.
Reggie Bush - 7/15, 6/20, 2 TD. Another dismal yardage production from Bush, but thanks to Deuce's injury, he cashed in on two 1 yard TD runs. He still dances way too much and doesn't run with authority, but he'll get more carries and more time on the field now that Deuce is out. I wouldn't go crazy yet given this, but Bush has a chance to live up to his draft status. Payton will have a bye week to re-tool the offense and prepare for football without Deuce.
Brandon Jones - 4/73, 1 TD. He remains the most talented WR on the Titans and is a fantasy factor. He's best as the WR5 he was likely drafted as, but he possess upside and should emerge as a solid bye-week replacement.
Bo Scaife - 3/26, 1 TD. I expected a little more out of him so far, but he made a nice TD catch and remains the top TE on the team as Troupe remains buried behind him. He's not a bad TE2.
Marques Colston - 4/68. He finally made a nice play downfield as Brees hooked up with him on a 37 yard pass in the 1st half, but he again remains a victim of the poor Saints offense. He was likely drafted as a WR1, but he's better as a lower tier WR2 until the Saints get it turned around. His skills haven't gone anywhere, but he's likely having trouble adjusting to being the focal point of defenses with Joe Horn gone. He should rebound.
Vince Young - 14/22, 164 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 5/21. Young looked oustanding despite the lack of yardage, running when necessary, but hanging tough in the pocket most of the evening and looking to make the throw. His WRs still suck and he played an easy offense last night, but he's borderline QB1 material.
Drew Brees - 29/45, 225 yards, 0 TD, 4 INT, 1/9, 1 FL. Hot vomit. He completely fell apart in the 2nd half, turning the ball over 4 times in the 4th quarter as the Saints tried to play catchup. Luckily the Saints have a bye next week, so you won't have to worry about whether to give him another chance until week 5. Don't give up on him and sell low as I fully believe that Payton will get the offense moving in the right direction after the bye week.
LenDale White - 17/50, 1/10, 1 TD. LenDale White is fat, and he runs like it too. He definitely runs with power, but lacks explosiveness. He should remain a solid source of TDs and is a quality RB3. Chris Brown (11/38) will receive less and less work, but will remain a factor on 3rd downs.
Deuce McAllister - 4/5, 1/1. Deuce tore his ACL yesterday evening and is out for the season. It's a terrible break for Deuce as this is now twice in 3 years that this has happened to one of the great guys in the NFL. Here's to a quick recovery, but his career is in question.
Reggie Bush - 7/15, 6/20, 2 TD. Another dismal yardage production from Bush, but thanks to Deuce's injury, he cashed in on two 1 yard TD runs. He still dances way too much and doesn't run with authority, but he'll get more carries and more time on the field now that Deuce is out. I wouldn't go crazy yet given this, but Bush has a chance to live up to his draft status. Payton will have a bye week to re-tool the offense and prepare for football without Deuce.
Brandon Jones - 4/73, 1 TD. He remains the most talented WR on the Titans and is a fantasy factor. He's best as the WR5 he was likely drafted as, but he possess upside and should emerge as a solid bye-week replacement.
Bo Scaife - 3/26, 1 TD. I expected a little more out of him so far, but he made a nice TD catch and remains the top TE on the team as Troupe remains buried behind him. He's not a bad TE2.
Marques Colston - 4/68. He finally made a nice play downfield as Brees hooked up with him on a 37 yard pass in the 1st half, but he again remains a victim of the poor Saints offense. He was likely drafted as a WR1, but he's better as a lower tier WR2 until the Saints get it turned around. His skills haven't gone anywhere, but he's likely having trouble adjusting to being the focal point of defenses with Joe Horn gone. He should rebound.
NFL Week 3: Late Game Wrapup
Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos
David Garrard - 14/20, 154 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 12/52, 1 FL. Garrard had another impressive outing on Sunday, taking what was given to him by a stingy Denver secondary, and adding solid fantasy points on the ground. He should continue being an excellent QB2 for your fantasy team despite the lack of quailty wideouts. He's a poor man's Vince Young.
Jay Cutler - 16/23, 222 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/-1. A pretty efficient outing against a solid Jacksonville secondary. He utilized Brandon Marshall well as Mathis took away Javon Walker. He'll have better outings against weaker defenses. He's a borderline QB1.
Fred Taylor - 17/84. Taylor had another solid afternoon on the ground, and the word out of Jacksonville is that he's close to becoming the featured back again. Maurice Jones-Drew (15/37, 2/18, 1 FL) fumbled on the goal line, and Greg Jones subsequently punched in a TD from inside the 5 later in the game. Taylor will be a very solid RB3, and a RB2 in the right matchup while healthy if this proves to be true. Jacksonville is on bye this week, so we'll have to wait a week. Spelling Taylor is still a good idea given how often Jacksonville will run, but he's definitely earned a bigger role.
Travis Henry - 11/35, 1 TD. He saved his day with a TD as Jacksonville solidified their run defense with this effort. Henry continues to be a reliable RB1 with 100 yard, 2 TD upside in better matchups.
Marcedes Lewis - 3/44. Lewis has developed into a solid weapon for the Jaguars, and Garrard might start looking his way more given the lack of quality options at WR for Jacksonville. This is purely speculation on my part, but he's a solid TE2.
Brandon Marshall - 7/133. Marshall broke through with a huge game against a great secondary. He has excellent talent and has emerged as a solid WR3. Denver is far more comfortable throwing the ball with Cutler this year than they have been in the past with the erratic Jake Plummer, and Cutler has the talent and the system to produce 2 fantasy-worthy WRs. His talent is comparable to Terrell Owens, but perhaps not quite as fast. He's for real.
Javon Walker - 2/10. Thanks, Rashean Mathis. Mathis is a legit shutdown corner and did an excellent job of taking Walker out of the game. It'll happen, but Walker is a WR2 at worst this year.
Cleveland Browns at Oakland Raiders
Derek Anderson - 18/37, 248 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2/12. A far cry from his explosion at Cincy. He remains someone to keep an eye on, however, as he's not afraid to use the talents of Edwards and Winslow. Oakland still has a solid secondary and presented a tough matchup.
Daunte Culpepper - 8/14, 118 yards. He's the new starting QB in Oakland. It remains to be seen how effective he can be, but he's not a bad QB2 to stash if you don't play matchups with your QBs. He doesn't have the mobility that he used to possess thanks to the severe knee injury he suffered, but he still possesses a big arm and decent weapons in Oakland.
Jamal Lewis - 15/56, 2/22. Back to the Jamal Lewis we know and dislike. If you can deal him based on his week 2 performance, do it. He'll be lucky to hit 100 yards again.
LaMont Jordan - 29/121, 2/32, 1 TD. He busted out with a monster 2nd half to turned in yet another great performance. Jordan is clearly back to his 2005 form with a capable offensive system around him. Even when Jordan is held in check on the ground, expect continued solid games thanks to his receiving skills. He's a RB1 against non-elite defenses. His balky back remains a source of concern, but the fact he took 29 carries and got stronger as the game went on after a week filled with concerns shows that it's not a big deal right now.
Kellen Winslow - 6/88. Winslow is the only TE even close to Gates, and he's doing a great job keeping up with him. He's an elite TE1.
Braylon Edwards - 4/83, 1 TD. He's playing like a WR1 right now despite the uncertainty at the QB position. Don't get suckered into the hype regarding Brady Quinn...he'd be a drain on his numbers. Anderson is more pro-ready and hopefully he'll remain the QB over the rest of this season.
Ronald Curry - 3/62, 1 TD. Curry bounced back after a tough matchup against Champ Bailey with a solid showing against the weak Cleveland defense. I'm not sure how the switch to Culpepper will affect him as McCown made a concerted effort to get Curry the ball, but he's playing like a very good WR3 right now.
Cincinnati Bengals at Seattle Seahawks
Carson Palmer - 27/43, 342 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1/-1. Palmer exploded for another huge yardage day, but he had problems producing TDs with all that yardage. He received no help from his rushing attack which prevented the team from moving the ball more efficiently.
Matt Hasselbeck - 24/37, 248 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INT. Hasselbeck had another solid afternoon and made use of his matchup against a weak Cincy secondary. He remains a borderline QB1 to be used in the right matchups.
Rudi Johnson - 17/9, 1/33. What a disasterous afternoon for Rudi who left the game early with a hamstring injury. He left his owners high and dry as his heavy workload over the past several seasons might be catching up to him a bit as his YPC has been a problem for over a year now. All Rudi owners should pick up Kenny Watson if they plan on utilizing a Cincy RB next Monday.
Shaun Alexander - 21/100, 2/8. Alexander had a big 2nd half in his 3rd straight game, but didn't manage a TD in this one. He looks much better than I thought he would this year so far, but I still think he's a solid sell high candidate. It was revealed that he's playing with a broken wrist, but he will continue playing through it.
T.J. Houshmanzadeh - 12/141, 1 TD. Finally a big yardage day from Housh who turned in yet another solid performance. He's turned into a borderline WR1 thanks to Cincy's horrible defense and propensity to throw a lot.
Chad Johnson - 9/138. Another great game from Chad Johnson who's easily putting up the monster season many were expecting. Like I said above, given Cincy's bad defense and the fact they need to throw all game, you can expect CJ to put up a career year this season.
Deion Branch - 6/77, 1 TD. Back to back solid games from Branch after being shutout in week 1. He was likely drafted as a WR3 and should outperform expectations this year.
Nate Burleson - 6/76, 1 TD. With Hackett out, Burleson has re-emerged as a fantasy option. If he's still available, I'd add him to your WR depth.
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
Jake Delhomme - 10/18, 109 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/1. Atlanta was curiously playing solid defense in this one against the pass, but the major story here is the health of Delhomme's elbow. He left the game for good with an elbow injury, and his status for week 4 is up in the air.
David Carr - 3/4, 56 yards, 2/-1. Those in QB2 leagues looking for another starting QB to add to their roster should grab Carr in case Delhomme misses a week or more, but don't be expecting too much. He's shown happy feet in the pocket (for good reason) and the inability to throw the deep ball effectively. Steve Smith owners can't be happy.
Joey Harrington - 31/44, 361 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1/4. What the? Harrington had a couple explosions like this last year, but don't read too much into the performance. His receiving options are still less than average, and Harrington just isn't very good. That being said, you might as well keep an eye on him.
DeShaun Foster - 20/122, 1/13, 2 TD. What the (part 2)? Foster owners should pay close attention to Foster's carries next week. Atlanta can't stop anything on the ground, but Foster is clearly running better than DeAngelo Williams (11/47) right now and could emerge as the featured RB in this offense. Don't read too much into one game (he only had 9 carries last week), but he might emerge as a solid option in the right matchup.
Warrick Dunn - 11/55, 4/13, 1 FL. Yet another mediocre outing from Dunn. He's barely worth discussing.
Jerious Norwood - 6/32, 3/34. Patience.
Jeff King - 4/56, 1 TD. He's a lower tier TE1 right now and is an excellent option for Vernon Davis owners.
Steve Smith - 1/10, 1/6. Ugh, but it happens. DeAngelo Hall's play caught up to his mouth for once. Smith owners should be more worried with Delhomme's health than this performance.
Roddy White - 7/127, 1 TD. He'll be a popular pickup this week and is worth serious consideration given your roster situation. He has emerged as the go-to WR that he was expected to become, but thanks to Joey Harrington and the poor Falcons offense, his upside is limited. He's a solid WR4.
Alge Crumpler - 6/63, 1 TD. He's not doing too bad with Harrington so far, maintaining his solid TE1 status.
New York Giants at Washington Redskins
Eli Manning - 21/36, 232 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1/-1, 1 FL. Most importantly here is that Manning finished the game this time, again with no health problems. His shoulder is fine, and he'll have better games in better matchups. Washington's secondary is playing well now.
Jason Campbell - 16/34, 190 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 4/12. It's really hard to keep recommending him as a QB2 as he mixes solid decisions and pocket presence with some horrible plays as well. He's a young QB still learning the game, but if you can get someone like David Garrard instead, go for it.
Derrick Ward - 26/94, 6/26. He again put up a great yardage total, but it was extremely disappointing that Reuben Droughns came in on the 1 yard line twice to vulture TDs. This seems to be the arrangement that the Giants will use despite Ward being plenty big to assume goal line duties. He's a solid RB2 while Jacobs is hurt, however.
Clinton Portis - 14/60, 6/37, 1 TD. A week after showing progress in the touches department, Portis dropped back down this week again, but he made the most of his touches and scored for the 3rd straight game. Despite his goalline work the first 3 games, Gibbs used Betts inside the 5 at the end of the game, and Betts was stuffed and then tripped up on 3rd and 4th down carries. Hopefully that will prove to Gibbs who needs to be in the game in the redzone.
Plaxico Burress - 5/86, 1 TD. Another great game from Burress who turned in a solid 2nd half to post good numbers. His ankle was sore after the game, but he appears just fine and gets a nice matchup against a banged up Eagles secondary this week. Keep an eye on Lito Sheppard's health to determine exactly how good of a matchup it'll be. He's worth starting no matter what, however.
Jeremy Shockey - 5/79. He continues to post solid yardage totals on a weekly basis and is still a very good TE1.
Santana Moss - 3/82. Luckily he had a big 49 yard catch in the first half to keep his yardage total solid for the day. He's playing like the WR3 he was expected to be, but Campbell's inconsistency is holding him back. Worse yet, he suffered yet another groin injury, but he'll have a bye week to rest up and hopefully he'll be ready for week 5.
Chris Cooley - 3/19, 1 TD. The TD saved his afternoon as he is suffering from Campbell's growing pains as well. He's still a quality TE1.
Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears
Tony Romo - 22/35, 329 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. This is the first time I've been able to watch Romo this year, and there's absolutely no question this kid is for real. He has excellent pocket presence combined with quick feet that allows him to buy time and find an open receiver. He undoubtedly has a strong arm as well, and he's a very real QB1.
Rex Grossman - 15/32, 195 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT, 1/12. He had a flash for a drive of solid play, but his boneheaded throws continued and he's officially lost his job. If Griese plays well, this will be Grossman's last game in a Bears uniform. He can be dropped in all but deep 2 QB leagues.
Marion Barber - 15/102, 1/10, 1 TD. Is this the changing of the guard? Barber had another huge game despite coming off the bench, and with Jones' concussion, his season looks bright. Don't go crazy over this one outing against a worn down defense, but his carries are well worth watching next week and he's again a great RB2.
Julius Jones - 7/26, 2/29. A concussion knocked him out of the game, and he's bound to continue losing carries to Barber. His role is very uncertain, and he's not a good RB3 anymore.
Cedric Benson - 16/46, 1/8, 1 TD, 1 FL. Stuffed again. He's a borderline RB2 right now that should be used in the right matchup. Owners should hope that Griese can bring some stability to the offense and open up a few extra running lanes for Benson. He's not a RB that can create plays by himself.
Terrell Owens - 8/145. Another huge day from Owens, although he didn't find the endzone this time. He's an elite WR1.
Jason Witten - 8/90, 1 TD. Romo loves him and he's emerged as the 3rd best TE in fantasy football right now behind Gates and Winslow. He's a great TE1 despite likely being drafted as a TE2.
Bernard Berrian - 6/73. He's remained a solid WR3 despite Grossman's struggles. Griese can't throw the deep ball like Grossman can which may limit his big play potential, but Berrian has rounded out his game this year and will likely continue to be a very solid producer regardless. Grossman wasn't hitting him down the field this year, anyways.
Greg Olsen - 2/28. Keep an eye on him. He's healthy and the Bears want to use him in the redzone, assuming they can get there.
David Garrard - 14/20, 154 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 12/52, 1 FL. Garrard had another impressive outing on Sunday, taking what was given to him by a stingy Denver secondary, and adding solid fantasy points on the ground. He should continue being an excellent QB2 for your fantasy team despite the lack of quailty wideouts. He's a poor man's Vince Young.
Jay Cutler - 16/23, 222 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/-1. A pretty efficient outing against a solid Jacksonville secondary. He utilized Brandon Marshall well as Mathis took away Javon Walker. He'll have better outings against weaker defenses. He's a borderline QB1.
Fred Taylor - 17/84. Taylor had another solid afternoon on the ground, and the word out of Jacksonville is that he's close to becoming the featured back again. Maurice Jones-Drew (15/37, 2/18, 1 FL) fumbled on the goal line, and Greg Jones subsequently punched in a TD from inside the 5 later in the game. Taylor will be a very solid RB3, and a RB2 in the right matchup while healthy if this proves to be true. Jacksonville is on bye this week, so we'll have to wait a week. Spelling Taylor is still a good idea given how often Jacksonville will run, but he's definitely earned a bigger role.
Travis Henry - 11/35, 1 TD. He saved his day with a TD as Jacksonville solidified their run defense with this effort. Henry continues to be a reliable RB1 with 100 yard, 2 TD upside in better matchups.
Marcedes Lewis - 3/44. Lewis has developed into a solid weapon for the Jaguars, and Garrard might start looking his way more given the lack of quality options at WR for Jacksonville. This is purely speculation on my part, but he's a solid TE2.
Brandon Marshall - 7/133. Marshall broke through with a huge game against a great secondary. He has excellent talent and has emerged as a solid WR3. Denver is far more comfortable throwing the ball with Cutler this year than they have been in the past with the erratic Jake Plummer, and Cutler has the talent and the system to produce 2 fantasy-worthy WRs. His talent is comparable to Terrell Owens, but perhaps not quite as fast. He's for real.
Javon Walker - 2/10. Thanks, Rashean Mathis. Mathis is a legit shutdown corner and did an excellent job of taking Walker out of the game. It'll happen, but Walker is a WR2 at worst this year.
Cleveland Browns at Oakland Raiders
Derek Anderson - 18/37, 248 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2/12. A far cry from his explosion at Cincy. He remains someone to keep an eye on, however, as he's not afraid to use the talents of Edwards and Winslow. Oakland still has a solid secondary and presented a tough matchup.
Daunte Culpepper - 8/14, 118 yards. He's the new starting QB in Oakland. It remains to be seen how effective he can be, but he's not a bad QB2 to stash if you don't play matchups with your QBs. He doesn't have the mobility that he used to possess thanks to the severe knee injury he suffered, but he still possesses a big arm and decent weapons in Oakland.
Jamal Lewis - 15/56, 2/22. Back to the Jamal Lewis we know and dislike. If you can deal him based on his week 2 performance, do it. He'll be lucky to hit 100 yards again.
LaMont Jordan - 29/121, 2/32, 1 TD. He busted out with a monster 2nd half to turned in yet another great performance. Jordan is clearly back to his 2005 form with a capable offensive system around him. Even when Jordan is held in check on the ground, expect continued solid games thanks to his receiving skills. He's a RB1 against non-elite defenses. His balky back remains a source of concern, but the fact he took 29 carries and got stronger as the game went on after a week filled with concerns shows that it's not a big deal right now.
Kellen Winslow - 6/88. Winslow is the only TE even close to Gates, and he's doing a great job keeping up with him. He's an elite TE1.
Braylon Edwards - 4/83, 1 TD. He's playing like a WR1 right now despite the uncertainty at the QB position. Don't get suckered into the hype regarding Brady Quinn...he'd be a drain on his numbers. Anderson is more pro-ready and hopefully he'll remain the QB over the rest of this season.
Ronald Curry - 3/62, 1 TD. Curry bounced back after a tough matchup against Champ Bailey with a solid showing against the weak Cleveland defense. I'm not sure how the switch to Culpepper will affect him as McCown made a concerted effort to get Curry the ball, but he's playing like a very good WR3 right now.
Cincinnati Bengals at Seattle Seahawks
Carson Palmer - 27/43, 342 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1/-1. Palmer exploded for another huge yardage day, but he had problems producing TDs with all that yardage. He received no help from his rushing attack which prevented the team from moving the ball more efficiently.
Matt Hasselbeck - 24/37, 248 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INT. Hasselbeck had another solid afternoon and made use of his matchup against a weak Cincy secondary. He remains a borderline QB1 to be used in the right matchups.
Rudi Johnson - 17/9, 1/33. What a disasterous afternoon for Rudi who left the game early with a hamstring injury. He left his owners high and dry as his heavy workload over the past several seasons might be catching up to him a bit as his YPC has been a problem for over a year now. All Rudi owners should pick up Kenny Watson if they plan on utilizing a Cincy RB next Monday.
Shaun Alexander - 21/100, 2/8. Alexander had a big 2nd half in his 3rd straight game, but didn't manage a TD in this one. He looks much better than I thought he would this year so far, but I still think he's a solid sell high candidate. It was revealed that he's playing with a broken wrist, but he will continue playing through it.
T.J. Houshmanzadeh - 12/141, 1 TD. Finally a big yardage day from Housh who turned in yet another solid performance. He's turned into a borderline WR1 thanks to Cincy's horrible defense and propensity to throw a lot.
Chad Johnson - 9/138. Another great game from Chad Johnson who's easily putting up the monster season many were expecting. Like I said above, given Cincy's bad defense and the fact they need to throw all game, you can expect CJ to put up a career year this season.
Deion Branch - 6/77, 1 TD. Back to back solid games from Branch after being shutout in week 1. He was likely drafted as a WR3 and should outperform expectations this year.
Nate Burleson - 6/76, 1 TD. With Hackett out, Burleson has re-emerged as a fantasy option. If he's still available, I'd add him to your WR depth.
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
Jake Delhomme - 10/18, 109 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/1. Atlanta was curiously playing solid defense in this one against the pass, but the major story here is the health of Delhomme's elbow. He left the game for good with an elbow injury, and his status for week 4 is up in the air.
David Carr - 3/4, 56 yards, 2/-1. Those in QB2 leagues looking for another starting QB to add to their roster should grab Carr in case Delhomme misses a week or more, but don't be expecting too much. He's shown happy feet in the pocket (for good reason) and the inability to throw the deep ball effectively. Steve Smith owners can't be happy.
Joey Harrington - 31/44, 361 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1/4. What the? Harrington had a couple explosions like this last year, but don't read too much into the performance. His receiving options are still less than average, and Harrington just isn't very good. That being said, you might as well keep an eye on him.
DeShaun Foster - 20/122, 1/13, 2 TD. What the (part 2)? Foster owners should pay close attention to Foster's carries next week. Atlanta can't stop anything on the ground, but Foster is clearly running better than DeAngelo Williams (11/47) right now and could emerge as the featured RB in this offense. Don't read too much into one game (he only had 9 carries last week), but he might emerge as a solid option in the right matchup.
Warrick Dunn - 11/55, 4/13, 1 FL. Yet another mediocre outing from Dunn. He's barely worth discussing.
Jerious Norwood - 6/32, 3/34. Patience.
Jeff King - 4/56, 1 TD. He's a lower tier TE1 right now and is an excellent option for Vernon Davis owners.
Steve Smith - 1/10, 1/6. Ugh, but it happens. DeAngelo Hall's play caught up to his mouth for once. Smith owners should be more worried with Delhomme's health than this performance.
Roddy White - 7/127, 1 TD. He'll be a popular pickup this week and is worth serious consideration given your roster situation. He has emerged as the go-to WR that he was expected to become, but thanks to Joey Harrington and the poor Falcons offense, his upside is limited. He's a solid WR4.
Alge Crumpler - 6/63, 1 TD. He's not doing too bad with Harrington so far, maintaining his solid TE1 status.
New York Giants at Washington Redskins
Eli Manning - 21/36, 232 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1/-1, 1 FL. Most importantly here is that Manning finished the game this time, again with no health problems. His shoulder is fine, and he'll have better games in better matchups. Washington's secondary is playing well now.
Jason Campbell - 16/34, 190 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 4/12. It's really hard to keep recommending him as a QB2 as he mixes solid decisions and pocket presence with some horrible plays as well. He's a young QB still learning the game, but if you can get someone like David Garrard instead, go for it.
Derrick Ward - 26/94, 6/26. He again put up a great yardage total, but it was extremely disappointing that Reuben Droughns came in on the 1 yard line twice to vulture TDs. This seems to be the arrangement that the Giants will use despite Ward being plenty big to assume goal line duties. He's a solid RB2 while Jacobs is hurt, however.
Clinton Portis - 14/60, 6/37, 1 TD. A week after showing progress in the touches department, Portis dropped back down this week again, but he made the most of his touches and scored for the 3rd straight game. Despite his goalline work the first 3 games, Gibbs used Betts inside the 5 at the end of the game, and Betts was stuffed and then tripped up on 3rd and 4th down carries. Hopefully that will prove to Gibbs who needs to be in the game in the redzone.
Plaxico Burress - 5/86, 1 TD. Another great game from Burress who turned in a solid 2nd half to post good numbers. His ankle was sore after the game, but he appears just fine and gets a nice matchup against a banged up Eagles secondary this week. Keep an eye on Lito Sheppard's health to determine exactly how good of a matchup it'll be. He's worth starting no matter what, however.
Jeremy Shockey - 5/79. He continues to post solid yardage totals on a weekly basis and is still a very good TE1.
Santana Moss - 3/82. Luckily he had a big 49 yard catch in the first half to keep his yardage total solid for the day. He's playing like the WR3 he was expected to be, but Campbell's inconsistency is holding him back. Worse yet, he suffered yet another groin injury, but he'll have a bye week to rest up and hopefully he'll be ready for week 5.
Chris Cooley - 3/19, 1 TD. The TD saved his afternoon as he is suffering from Campbell's growing pains as well. He's still a quality TE1.
Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears
Tony Romo - 22/35, 329 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. This is the first time I've been able to watch Romo this year, and there's absolutely no question this kid is for real. He has excellent pocket presence combined with quick feet that allows him to buy time and find an open receiver. He undoubtedly has a strong arm as well, and he's a very real QB1.
Rex Grossman - 15/32, 195 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT, 1/12. He had a flash for a drive of solid play, but his boneheaded throws continued and he's officially lost his job. If Griese plays well, this will be Grossman's last game in a Bears uniform. He can be dropped in all but deep 2 QB leagues.
Marion Barber - 15/102, 1/10, 1 TD. Is this the changing of the guard? Barber had another huge game despite coming off the bench, and with Jones' concussion, his season looks bright. Don't go crazy over this one outing against a worn down defense, but his carries are well worth watching next week and he's again a great RB2.
Julius Jones - 7/26, 2/29. A concussion knocked him out of the game, and he's bound to continue losing carries to Barber. His role is very uncertain, and he's not a good RB3 anymore.
Cedric Benson - 16/46, 1/8, 1 TD, 1 FL. Stuffed again. He's a borderline RB2 right now that should be used in the right matchup. Owners should hope that Griese can bring some stability to the offense and open up a few extra running lanes for Benson. He's not a RB that can create plays by himself.
Terrell Owens - 8/145. Another huge day from Owens, although he didn't find the endzone this time. He's an elite WR1.
Jason Witten - 8/90, 1 TD. Romo loves him and he's emerged as the 3rd best TE in fantasy football right now behind Gates and Winslow. He's a great TE1 despite likely being drafted as a TE2.
Bernard Berrian - 6/73. He's remained a solid WR3 despite Grossman's struggles. Griese can't throw the deep ball like Grossman can which may limit his big play potential, but Berrian has rounded out his game this year and will likely continue to be a very solid producer regardless. Grossman wasn't hitting him down the field this year, anyways.
Greg Olsen - 2/28. Keep an eye on him. He's healthy and the Bears want to use him in the redzone, assuming they can get there.
NFL Week 3: Early Game Wrapup
Arizona Cardinals at Baltimore Ravens
Matt Leinart - 9/20, 53 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1/2. Leinart was benched for poor play as the relentless Baltimore pass rush caused him all sorts of problems while he was in the game. He needs to be benched until he turns it around and should only be viewed as a QB2 for now, but don't drop him. He'll start next week, but further poor performance could result in a loss of job security.
Kurt Warner - 15/20, 258 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT. Warner replaced an ineffective Matt Leinart and lit up the Baltimore defense in the 4th quarter, leading 3 scoring drives that tied the game. Those who play in 2 QB leagues should pick him up and hope he takes over at some point, but those in 1 QB leagues can ignore him for now, but monitor the game next week.
Steve McNair - 20/27, 198 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3/14, 1 FL. He wasn't that bad, but got pulled eventually anyways in favor of Kyle Boller later in the game. McNair is still technically the starter, but it's becoming obvious that Billick has no problem taking him out. I'd consider dropping him in redraft leagues depending on who's on your waiver wire.
Kyle Boller - 8/10, 83 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1/2. He led the Ravens on a game winning drive that resulted in a 46 yard Stover FG in relief of McNair. The same holds true here for Warner...those in 2 QB leagues should pick him up, but those in 1 QB leagues should leave him on the wire.
Edgerrin James - 10/57, 1/10. He started off the game for Arizona with a 27 yard run, but was bottled up after that. The Ravens got out to a big lead and the Cardinals abandoned the running game. He was hard to start this week given the matchup, and unfortunately it doesn't get any easier next week against Pittsburgh.
Willis McGahee - 21/98, 4/23. Thanks to his surprising receiving numbers thus far, McGahee has been a solid RB2. The bad news? He's only scored once in 3 games. The good news? He gets the pathetic Browns defense next week. Look for McGahee to turn in his first 100 yard game and score at least once next week.
Anquan Boldin - 14/181. 2 TD. Ah, remember back in 2005 when Warner to Boldin was a thing of beauty? They re-kindled their old chemistry once Leinart was pulled and Boldin turned in a monster afternoon. Unfortunately for Boldin owners the QB change isn't permanent, so he'll continue being a solid WR2 while Leinart starts.
Larry Fitzgerald - 5/85, 1 FL. Warner helped turn Fitz's afternoon around as well. Leinart seems to prefer Fitzgerald, so while his owners are naturally frustrated at this point since he's not performing like a WR1, they have to hope that Leinart will constructively take his wakeup call here. Still, he'd post fine numbers if Warner took over as well.
Derrick Mason - 8/79, 1 TD. You probably didn't start him unless you play in a deep league or are dealing with injuries, but he turned in a fine afternoon and continues to be McNair's go-to guy. He's much better in PPR leagues, like I mentioned before, but seems to be a solid WR4 for normal leagues as well.
Mark Clayton - 5/34. He's back healthy now, but he's a bit inconsistent as he'll rely on big plays for his value. You could do worse for a WR3 now, but a permanent switch to Boller would be a positive for Clayton. Boller's big arm matches Clayton's downfield ability well.
Todd Heap - 4/60. Yet another solid afternoon for Heap. If the Ravens make a QB change at some point, I can't see it affecting Heap's value as a solid TE1.
San Diego Chargers at Green Bay Packers
Phillip Rivers - 27/36, 306 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 1/-1. That's much better. He accomplished this against a very tough and underrated Green Bay defense, which bodes well moving forward. The Chargers get KC next, so consider Rivers a QB1.
Brett Favre - 28/45, 369 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 2/1. A very impressive outing against the Chargers, although SD's secondary is definitely their weak spot. Favre had time to throw and he was able to pick him apart through the air en route to tying Dan Marino's record for career TD passes. Congrats, Brett! Dare I say he's edging on QB1 status currently?
LaDainian Tomlinson - 22/62, 3/33, 1 TD. LT was bottled up again, although like I said above, the GB defense looks quite tough this year. Still, he scored on a 21 yard reception and is primed to breakout in a big way next week against KC.
Brandon Jackson - 6/22, 3/22, 1 TD. The TD saved those who dared start him this week. GB ran a total of 11 times as they smartly chose to air it out instead. He's still not impressing anyone, although Jackson was not pulled at the goal line this time. The GB rushing situation remains a mess.
Antonio Gates - 11/113. He's on fire this year and has been clearly worth the high pricetag that came with him. Rivers' continued development is making Gates that much better.
Vincent Jackson - 6/98, 1 TD. He caught a beautiful throw from Rivers for his first TD on the year. Jackson remains a solid WR3 thanks to being the team's primary deep threat, and he's also a solid option in the redzone.
Donald Driver - 6/126, 1 TD. With the way Favre and the Packers are content throwing the ball, it should be another huge year for Driver. If you got him at a discount thanks to preseason injury concerns, it looks like he'll return excellent value this season.
Greg Jennings - 4/85, 1 TD. He looked very healthy on a slant that he turned into a 57 yard TD. When healthy, he's a quality WR3 on a team that likes to pass a lot. Make sure he's owned.
James Jones - 6/79. Another solid game for Jones, and with the way the Packers are passing, he's worth holding onto. I'd favor Jennings as long as he's healthy, but Jones could be a solid bye-week replacement.
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Peyton Manning - 20/29, 273 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. What's with Houston? They always seem to play the Colts tough, and I'm sure owners were left expecting more. Addai is better around the goalline than James was, so perhaps he'll take a few more of those TDs that Manning usually throws from the 1 yard line.
Matt Schaub - 27/33, 236 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1/5. Schaub, even without AJ, looked very good once again. If he gets dropped while AJ is out, make sure to pick him up if your QB's bye week overlaps with his return. He's as good as he was being hyped.
Joseph Addai - 22/72, 3/19, 2 TD. Houston's run D looks for real this season, but Addai made up for a subpar YPC with 2 scores. He's been a solid TD producer so far, and that should continue given the nature of the Colts offense. He should be as consistent as they come this year.
Ahman Green - 4/5, 2/11. Indy's run D looks as improved as Houston's is, but worse yet was Green leaving with a sprained knee and not returning. His week 4 status is in question, so check back during the week and I'll be updating all injured players.
Reggie Wayne - 4/84. He's been rock solid so far. He won't score every week, but he'll get consistent targets, yards, and fantasy points. He'll likely get Champ Bailey next week, so temper your expectations if that's the case.
Marvin Harrison - 6/53. He's bound to have a few of these throughout the year, but he should remain a solid WR1 throughout the season. He started slow last year as well before finishing fantasy's #1 WR.
Dallas Clark - 4/58, 1 TD. Likely a TE2 on draft day, he's turned into a consistent TE1. He's taken Stokley's role of working the middle of the field and he's thriving now that he's finally been healthy for a while. Keep using him.
Andre Davis - 4/70. With AJ and Jacoby Jones both hurt, Davis is now the top receiver in Houston. If you're struggling with depth, you might as well pick him up and see what he can do while Houston's better receivers are sidelined.
Owen Daniels - 7/56. He'll be even better in PPR leagues with AJ and now Jones out, but he's still a solid TE1 as he's probably Schaub's first read on most plays.
Jacoby Jones - 3/26. A separated shoulder ended his day early, and he's likely out 2-3 weeks. You can drop him for now, but keep an eye on him when he returns.
Minneasota Vikings at Kansas City Chiefs
Kelly Holcomb - 14/28, 165 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. Jackson is rumored to be ready for this week, so Holcomb will move back to the bench.
Damon Huard - 20/29, 206 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. Huard turned in another solid performance, but he won't replicate last year's numbers thanks to the deterioration of the offense.
Adrian Peterson - 25/102, 3/48, 1 TD, 1 FL. This is the type of performance he needed to ensure that Chester Taylor doesn't threaten his carries too much when he returns. Expect ADP to continue receiving the majority of the carries, and Chester to fill Mewelde Moore's role. Peterson struggles in pass protection, so that's something he needs to work on in his quest to be an every down back.
Larry Johnson - 24/42, 1/-5. Expected output given the poor offense around him, and the stiffling Minnesota rush defense. LJ will continue to struggle this year as teams have no problem stuffing 8 and sometimes 9 in the box to stop KC's only legit offensive weapon. The 24 carries were a nice sign if you're looking for a positive here.
Tony Gonzalez - 7/96. Gonzo put up a very nice 2nd half. If the offensive line can continued blocking fairly well, he'll be allowed to run routes more often which will lead to more consistent outings. TDs will probably be hard to find, however.
Dwayne Bowe - 5/71, 1 TD. He's a gamer. Bowe has a great future ahead of him, but it's hard to recommend a rookie WR on a bad offense as more than a WR4 at the moment. Another game or two like this would change my mind, but once KC moves to Croyle, expect his production to drop.
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots
J.P. Losman - 1/1, 4 yards. Losman left Sunday's contest with a sprained knee, and appears to be out for multiple weeks. He can be dropped in all leagues for the time being.
Trent Edwards - 10/20, 97 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1/0. He's the new Buffalo starter while Losman is out hurt. He has some pretty impressive physical skills, so there's a chance that he could establish himself and take Losman's job. He'll have an uphill climb with a poor offense around him, and no secondary weapon to Lee Evans.
Tom Brady - 23/29, 311 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 1/2. It's hardly fair. If his receivers stay healthy, Brady might have a chance to challenge Manning's TD record for a season.
Marshawn Lynch - 20/74, 2/6, 1 TD. He's really come on and established himself as a RB2 this year. Despite the rough matchups, he's posting reasonable yardage totals and has scored twice. He can look forward to bigger numbers starting this week against the Jets.
Laurence Maroney - 19/103. Ok, it's officially time to worry about his role near the redzone. Morris again scored a TD, this time from 4 yards out, and when they were at the 3 earlier in the game, Brady lobbed a TD pass to Moss. It's very possible that the Patriots are worried about his durability, and the fact he danced behind the line too much last year might play a role in that decision as well. He'll be a solid yardage producer, but it seems like he'll have to score from outside the 5 yard line, which is a very real possibility against the Bengals next week.
Lee Evans - 1/7. This is just puke so far. With the schedule lightening up, I like him as a buy low candidate now. I'm curious to see what type of chemistry he'll show with new QB Trent Edwards, however.
Randy Moss - 5/115, 2 TD. And so it continues. I'm sure some people are wondering about selling high here given Moss' injuries the last 3 seasons, but I don't see why you should. He's finally on a team that is dedicated both winning and getting him the ball all over the field. It's a perfect fit for his demeanor.
Wes Welker - 6/69. You can count on this all season long with a couple TDs mixed in. He's a better asset in PPR leagues, but he's a very nice WR4 option in normal leagues.
Ben Watson - 2/17, 1 TD. He's gonna put up some stinkers as he's relied on scoring so far, but you might as well ride the hot streak out. There just aren't enough targets for him to be a reliable yardage contributor.
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Trent Green - 23/36, 318 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Apparently the Jets really are that bad on defense. Regardless, Green is a heady veteran with decent talent around him, and Cameron produces quality offenses. Perhaps he's a better QB2 than I thought.
Chad Pennington - 15/22, 124 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 4/-1. Noodle arm had a pretty solid game with the 2 TDs and remains a lower tier QB2 option if he's healthy. Coles and Cotchery are a very solid combination of WRs.
Ronnie Brown - 23/112, 6/99, 3 TD. Booyah, and Ronnie Brown has arrived. It's hard to get too excited given it was the Jets defense we're talking about here, but Chatman didn't have a touch and it looks like Brown received whatever message Cameron was trying to tell him. Consider him a high upside RB2 if he has indeed turned it around. Oakland is a solid matchup up next.
Thomas Jones - 25/110, 2/1. A trip to the endzone would have been nice, but he took advantage of a Miami defense missing Zach Thomas and posted a great yardage total. Now that the horrible early season matchups are out of the way, expect better production from Jones moving forward. It was nice to see him get 25 carries to Washington's 7.
Chris Chambers - 6/101. No TD yet, but solid yardage numbers for Chambers. He could approach WR2 status if he starts scoring some TDs, and he's hanging onto the ball better this year.
Marty Booker -5/60. He's not bad to have stashed as your WR5.
Jericho Cotchery - 5/54. He had almost half of the yards that Pennington through, so a solid performance given that.
Laveraneous Coles - 3/30, 1 TD. Thanks to that TD he turned in a solid fantasy day. Pennington clearly likes him around the redzone, so hopefully Chad stays healthy.
Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles
Jon Kitna - 29/46, 446 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2/1, 2 FL. Vintage Kitna. Tons of attempts, yards, and turnovers with a few TDs mixed in. Given he had over 300 yards and both TDs at halftime, he could have turned in a real monster. The 9 sacks are a serious concern for someone who suffered a concussion a week before. I hope he can hold up.
Donovan McNabb - 21/26, 381 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 3/7, 1 FL. McNabb is back. Patient owners were rewarded with a monster game from McNabb as he picked on a bad Detroit secondary all day. He shed the knee brace and looked much better in the pocket. He's fine to use moving forward, and a weak Giants secondary is up next.
Kevin Jones - 3/5, 1/16, 1 TD. His first carry back went for a TD, but true to their word, KJ saw limited action on the field, and was smartly held out for most of the 2nd half when the game turned into a blowout. I'd wait another at least one more week to judge his performance and workload before moving him back into your lineup.
Brian Westbrook - 14/110, 5/111, 3 TD. Bested Brown by 10 yards for best RB performance of the week. Westbrook absolutely shredded the Lions defense, but he left the game early with an abdominal strain. It's of some concern, but Westbrook tends to play through most injuries, and play through them with success. Keep an eye on him this week and hope he practices once.
Roy Williams - 9/204, 1 TD. His TD was a beautiful slant turned 91 yard TD where he ran past several defenders. The weakened secondary provided a nice matchup for him, and Roy delivered. If Calvin Johnson misses time, he'll probably receive even more targets.
Calvin Johnson - 2/58. He hurt himself on the 39 yard deep ball he hauled in, landing hard on his back. It looked bad at the time as he was helped off the field, but the Lions are downplaying the injury and expect him to suit up this week. Check back to make sure.
Shaun McDonald - 5/76, 1 TD. This is becoming ridiculous, and he's providing excellent waiver wire value. He'd be the clear winner if Johnson doesn't play on Sunday, but it looks like he's worth using no matter what as a WR3. The 2007 version of Brandon Stokley?
Kevin Curtis - 11/221, 3 TD. What in the hell? He smoked the Detroit secondary all day, and he's clearly McNabb's favorite target. He's received 30 targets to only 15 for Reggie Brown, and if that keeps up, he'll obviously turn in many more fantasy points. He's a smart, fast route runner who is a solid WR3 if McNabb is playing well.
Reggie Brown - 2/23. I can't imagine the frustration his owners felt looking at the score, McNabb's stats, and then Brown's stats. McNabb favors Curtis, and unless that changes, Brown is settling in for a disappointing season. I expect better things moving forward if McNabb plays well, so don't give up.
San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers
Alex Smith - 17/35, 209 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/32. Did you really expect much more against Pittsburgh? Keep him benched until he figures things out, but don't drop him as he likely possesses more upside than anyone on your waiver wire. He's still a solid QB2.
Ben Roethlisberger - 13/20, 160 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/18, 1 FL. I expected much more from Big Ben so far, but given the weak schedule so far in terms of team strength, they haven't needed to pass much at all. SF possess a solid secondary as well. Still, Ben has been very efficient and has eliminated the boneheaded throws he was making last season. Expect better results moving forward, but he's definitely not hurting you.
Frank Gore - 14/39, 2/12. Alex Smith is killing Frank Gore. Teams are loading up men in the box to stop Gore and daring Smith to beat them. Plus that broken hand is limiting Gore from being as efficient in the passing game, which is also a concern. I still have confidence that Smith will eventually straighten himself out and give Gore more lanes to run in.
Willie Parker - 24/133, 1/9. Another monster game from Parker on the ground, but the Steelers are having problems stalling near the redzone, which is limiting his ability to score TDs. Still, the preseason fear that he'd be replaced on the goalline has proven false, and Parker remains a solid RB1.
Darrell Jackson - 4/69. He's not doing too bad considering Smith's struggles, but he's nothing more than a decent WR3 until Smith gets going.
Vernon Davis - 4/56. He got more involved in the offense this week after complaining about his role, but the bad news is the knee sprain that's going to knock him out of the next 2 weeks. Hopefully he can return after SF's bye.
Heath Miller - 4/82. A big yardage game from Miller who's looking like a solid TE1 so far this season. New offensive coordinator Arians is definitely giving him a bigger role in the offense, and he'll see even more targets if Hines Ward misses this week.
Hines Ward - 1/2. He left the game with a knee sprain and is considered doubtful for this coming week. Tough break for his owners this week.
Santonio Holmes - 3/49. No big plays this week, but if Ward is out, expect a solid game next week against Arizona.
St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Marc Bulger - 17/26, 116 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT. Another disaster from Bulger, and it was revealted that he's been playing with 2 broken ribs, which explains the poor performance. Dallas is up next on the schedule, but if they have Terrance Newman back for good, it's not going to be as great of a matchup.
Jeff Garcia - 14/22, 151 yards, 3/3. A workman-like effort while the ground game produced all 3 TDs for the team. He remains a solid QB2.
Steven Jackson - 30/115, 4/18. The large amount of carries helped him produce a solid yardage total, but he still hasn't scored, and he'll have to wait to do so. Jackson suffered a tear in his groin, and while some outlets are reporting it was a 1 week injury, expect him to miss 3-6 weeks. This is not a minor injury, and if he comes back too soon, he'll risk performance problems and re-injury. Hopefully you handcuffed him with...
Brian Leonard - 4/21, 1/6. Make Leonard your #1 waiver priority this week. Leonard is a well rounded RB from Rutgers who possesses a very nice size/speed combination along with good hands. He'll be the Rams starter and could emerge as a RB2 option while Jackson is out.
Cadillac Williams - 12/46, 1/3, 1 TD, 1 FL. Another injury caused Williams to leave the game early. Owners who drafted him likely knew what they were getting into with him, but at least he's producing and scoring before he leaves. He's expected to be ready for next week.
Earnest Graham - 8/75, 2 TD. He's the 3rd RB behind Cadillac and Pittman. Don't you dare waste your waiver position on him.
Torry Holt - 5/63. He's still producing solid WR2 numbers despite the Rams offense being a mess in its current state. Once Bulger starts feeling better and playing better, expect the old Holt to resurface. Until then, temper your expectations.
Isaac Bruce - 3/14. He's going to be the big loser if Bulger can't get himself going. I'd bench him for now if you've been using him.
Joey Galloway - 4/42. Much more was expected against the Rams, but the Bucs didn't need to pass much, which held him back. He's a solid WR2 while Garcia is the starter.
Matt Leinart - 9/20, 53 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1/2. Leinart was benched for poor play as the relentless Baltimore pass rush caused him all sorts of problems while he was in the game. He needs to be benched until he turns it around and should only be viewed as a QB2 for now, but don't drop him. He'll start next week, but further poor performance could result in a loss of job security.
Kurt Warner - 15/20, 258 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT. Warner replaced an ineffective Matt Leinart and lit up the Baltimore defense in the 4th quarter, leading 3 scoring drives that tied the game. Those who play in 2 QB leagues should pick him up and hope he takes over at some point, but those in 1 QB leagues can ignore him for now, but monitor the game next week.
Steve McNair - 20/27, 198 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3/14, 1 FL. He wasn't that bad, but got pulled eventually anyways in favor of Kyle Boller later in the game. McNair is still technically the starter, but it's becoming obvious that Billick has no problem taking him out. I'd consider dropping him in redraft leagues depending on who's on your waiver wire.
Kyle Boller - 8/10, 83 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1/2. He led the Ravens on a game winning drive that resulted in a 46 yard Stover FG in relief of McNair. The same holds true here for Warner...those in 2 QB leagues should pick him up, but those in 1 QB leagues should leave him on the wire.
Edgerrin James - 10/57, 1/10. He started off the game for Arizona with a 27 yard run, but was bottled up after that. The Ravens got out to a big lead and the Cardinals abandoned the running game. He was hard to start this week given the matchup, and unfortunately it doesn't get any easier next week against Pittsburgh.
Willis McGahee - 21/98, 4/23. Thanks to his surprising receiving numbers thus far, McGahee has been a solid RB2. The bad news? He's only scored once in 3 games. The good news? He gets the pathetic Browns defense next week. Look for McGahee to turn in his first 100 yard game and score at least once next week.
Anquan Boldin - 14/181. 2 TD. Ah, remember back in 2005 when Warner to Boldin was a thing of beauty? They re-kindled their old chemistry once Leinart was pulled and Boldin turned in a monster afternoon. Unfortunately for Boldin owners the QB change isn't permanent, so he'll continue being a solid WR2 while Leinart starts.
Larry Fitzgerald - 5/85, 1 FL. Warner helped turn Fitz's afternoon around as well. Leinart seems to prefer Fitzgerald, so while his owners are naturally frustrated at this point since he's not performing like a WR1, they have to hope that Leinart will constructively take his wakeup call here. Still, he'd post fine numbers if Warner took over as well.
Derrick Mason - 8/79, 1 TD. You probably didn't start him unless you play in a deep league or are dealing with injuries, but he turned in a fine afternoon and continues to be McNair's go-to guy. He's much better in PPR leagues, like I mentioned before, but seems to be a solid WR4 for normal leagues as well.
Mark Clayton - 5/34. He's back healthy now, but he's a bit inconsistent as he'll rely on big plays for his value. You could do worse for a WR3 now, but a permanent switch to Boller would be a positive for Clayton. Boller's big arm matches Clayton's downfield ability well.
Todd Heap - 4/60. Yet another solid afternoon for Heap. If the Ravens make a QB change at some point, I can't see it affecting Heap's value as a solid TE1.
San Diego Chargers at Green Bay Packers
Phillip Rivers - 27/36, 306 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 1/-1. That's much better. He accomplished this against a very tough and underrated Green Bay defense, which bodes well moving forward. The Chargers get KC next, so consider Rivers a QB1.
Brett Favre - 28/45, 369 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 2/1. A very impressive outing against the Chargers, although SD's secondary is definitely their weak spot. Favre had time to throw and he was able to pick him apart through the air en route to tying Dan Marino's record for career TD passes. Congrats, Brett! Dare I say he's edging on QB1 status currently?
LaDainian Tomlinson - 22/62, 3/33, 1 TD. LT was bottled up again, although like I said above, the GB defense looks quite tough this year. Still, he scored on a 21 yard reception and is primed to breakout in a big way next week against KC.
Brandon Jackson - 6/22, 3/22, 1 TD. The TD saved those who dared start him this week. GB ran a total of 11 times as they smartly chose to air it out instead. He's still not impressing anyone, although Jackson was not pulled at the goal line this time. The GB rushing situation remains a mess.
Antonio Gates - 11/113. He's on fire this year and has been clearly worth the high pricetag that came with him. Rivers' continued development is making Gates that much better.
Vincent Jackson - 6/98, 1 TD. He caught a beautiful throw from Rivers for his first TD on the year. Jackson remains a solid WR3 thanks to being the team's primary deep threat, and he's also a solid option in the redzone.
Donald Driver - 6/126, 1 TD. With the way Favre and the Packers are content throwing the ball, it should be another huge year for Driver. If you got him at a discount thanks to preseason injury concerns, it looks like he'll return excellent value this season.
Greg Jennings - 4/85, 1 TD. He looked very healthy on a slant that he turned into a 57 yard TD. When healthy, he's a quality WR3 on a team that likes to pass a lot. Make sure he's owned.
James Jones - 6/79. Another solid game for Jones, and with the way the Packers are passing, he's worth holding onto. I'd favor Jennings as long as he's healthy, but Jones could be a solid bye-week replacement.
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Peyton Manning - 20/29, 273 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. What's with Houston? They always seem to play the Colts tough, and I'm sure owners were left expecting more. Addai is better around the goalline than James was, so perhaps he'll take a few more of those TDs that Manning usually throws from the 1 yard line.
Matt Schaub - 27/33, 236 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1/5. Schaub, even without AJ, looked very good once again. If he gets dropped while AJ is out, make sure to pick him up if your QB's bye week overlaps with his return. He's as good as he was being hyped.
Joseph Addai - 22/72, 3/19, 2 TD. Houston's run D looks for real this season, but Addai made up for a subpar YPC with 2 scores. He's been a solid TD producer so far, and that should continue given the nature of the Colts offense. He should be as consistent as they come this year.
Ahman Green - 4/5, 2/11. Indy's run D looks as improved as Houston's is, but worse yet was Green leaving with a sprained knee and not returning. His week 4 status is in question, so check back during the week and I'll be updating all injured players.
Reggie Wayne - 4/84. He's been rock solid so far. He won't score every week, but he'll get consistent targets, yards, and fantasy points. He'll likely get Champ Bailey next week, so temper your expectations if that's the case.
Marvin Harrison - 6/53. He's bound to have a few of these throughout the year, but he should remain a solid WR1 throughout the season. He started slow last year as well before finishing fantasy's #1 WR.
Dallas Clark - 4/58, 1 TD. Likely a TE2 on draft day, he's turned into a consistent TE1. He's taken Stokley's role of working the middle of the field and he's thriving now that he's finally been healthy for a while. Keep using him.
Andre Davis - 4/70. With AJ and Jacoby Jones both hurt, Davis is now the top receiver in Houston. If you're struggling with depth, you might as well pick him up and see what he can do while Houston's better receivers are sidelined.
Owen Daniels - 7/56. He'll be even better in PPR leagues with AJ and now Jones out, but he's still a solid TE1 as he's probably Schaub's first read on most plays.
Jacoby Jones - 3/26. A separated shoulder ended his day early, and he's likely out 2-3 weeks. You can drop him for now, but keep an eye on him when he returns.
Minneasota Vikings at Kansas City Chiefs
Kelly Holcomb - 14/28, 165 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. Jackson is rumored to be ready for this week, so Holcomb will move back to the bench.
Damon Huard - 20/29, 206 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. Huard turned in another solid performance, but he won't replicate last year's numbers thanks to the deterioration of the offense.
Adrian Peterson - 25/102, 3/48, 1 TD, 1 FL. This is the type of performance he needed to ensure that Chester Taylor doesn't threaten his carries too much when he returns. Expect ADP to continue receiving the majority of the carries, and Chester to fill Mewelde Moore's role. Peterson struggles in pass protection, so that's something he needs to work on in his quest to be an every down back.
Larry Johnson - 24/42, 1/-5. Expected output given the poor offense around him, and the stiffling Minnesota rush defense. LJ will continue to struggle this year as teams have no problem stuffing 8 and sometimes 9 in the box to stop KC's only legit offensive weapon. The 24 carries were a nice sign if you're looking for a positive here.
Tony Gonzalez - 7/96. Gonzo put up a very nice 2nd half. If the offensive line can continued blocking fairly well, he'll be allowed to run routes more often which will lead to more consistent outings. TDs will probably be hard to find, however.
Dwayne Bowe - 5/71, 1 TD. He's a gamer. Bowe has a great future ahead of him, but it's hard to recommend a rookie WR on a bad offense as more than a WR4 at the moment. Another game or two like this would change my mind, but once KC moves to Croyle, expect his production to drop.
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots
J.P. Losman - 1/1, 4 yards. Losman left Sunday's contest with a sprained knee, and appears to be out for multiple weeks. He can be dropped in all leagues for the time being.
Trent Edwards - 10/20, 97 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1/0. He's the new Buffalo starter while Losman is out hurt. He has some pretty impressive physical skills, so there's a chance that he could establish himself and take Losman's job. He'll have an uphill climb with a poor offense around him, and no secondary weapon to Lee Evans.
Tom Brady - 23/29, 311 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 1/2. It's hardly fair. If his receivers stay healthy, Brady might have a chance to challenge Manning's TD record for a season.
Marshawn Lynch - 20/74, 2/6, 1 TD. He's really come on and established himself as a RB2 this year. Despite the rough matchups, he's posting reasonable yardage totals and has scored twice. He can look forward to bigger numbers starting this week against the Jets.
Laurence Maroney - 19/103. Ok, it's officially time to worry about his role near the redzone. Morris again scored a TD, this time from 4 yards out, and when they were at the 3 earlier in the game, Brady lobbed a TD pass to Moss. It's very possible that the Patriots are worried about his durability, and the fact he danced behind the line too much last year might play a role in that decision as well. He'll be a solid yardage producer, but it seems like he'll have to score from outside the 5 yard line, which is a very real possibility against the Bengals next week.
Lee Evans - 1/7. This is just puke so far. With the schedule lightening up, I like him as a buy low candidate now. I'm curious to see what type of chemistry he'll show with new QB Trent Edwards, however.
Randy Moss - 5/115, 2 TD. And so it continues. I'm sure some people are wondering about selling high here given Moss' injuries the last 3 seasons, but I don't see why you should. He's finally on a team that is dedicated both winning and getting him the ball all over the field. It's a perfect fit for his demeanor.
Wes Welker - 6/69. You can count on this all season long with a couple TDs mixed in. He's a better asset in PPR leagues, but he's a very nice WR4 option in normal leagues.
Ben Watson - 2/17, 1 TD. He's gonna put up some stinkers as he's relied on scoring so far, but you might as well ride the hot streak out. There just aren't enough targets for him to be a reliable yardage contributor.
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Trent Green - 23/36, 318 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Apparently the Jets really are that bad on defense. Regardless, Green is a heady veteran with decent talent around him, and Cameron produces quality offenses. Perhaps he's a better QB2 than I thought.
Chad Pennington - 15/22, 124 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 4/-1. Noodle arm had a pretty solid game with the 2 TDs and remains a lower tier QB2 option if he's healthy. Coles and Cotchery are a very solid combination of WRs.
Ronnie Brown - 23/112, 6/99, 3 TD. Booyah, and Ronnie Brown has arrived. It's hard to get too excited given it was the Jets defense we're talking about here, but Chatman didn't have a touch and it looks like Brown received whatever message Cameron was trying to tell him. Consider him a high upside RB2 if he has indeed turned it around. Oakland is a solid matchup up next.
Thomas Jones - 25/110, 2/1. A trip to the endzone would have been nice, but he took advantage of a Miami defense missing Zach Thomas and posted a great yardage total. Now that the horrible early season matchups are out of the way, expect better production from Jones moving forward. It was nice to see him get 25 carries to Washington's 7.
Chris Chambers - 6/101. No TD yet, but solid yardage numbers for Chambers. He could approach WR2 status if he starts scoring some TDs, and he's hanging onto the ball better this year.
Marty Booker -5/60. He's not bad to have stashed as your WR5.
Jericho Cotchery - 5/54. He had almost half of the yards that Pennington through, so a solid performance given that.
Laveraneous Coles - 3/30, 1 TD. Thanks to that TD he turned in a solid fantasy day. Pennington clearly likes him around the redzone, so hopefully Chad stays healthy.
Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles
Jon Kitna - 29/46, 446 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2/1, 2 FL. Vintage Kitna. Tons of attempts, yards, and turnovers with a few TDs mixed in. Given he had over 300 yards and both TDs at halftime, he could have turned in a real monster. The 9 sacks are a serious concern for someone who suffered a concussion a week before. I hope he can hold up.
Donovan McNabb - 21/26, 381 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 3/7, 1 FL. McNabb is back. Patient owners were rewarded with a monster game from McNabb as he picked on a bad Detroit secondary all day. He shed the knee brace and looked much better in the pocket. He's fine to use moving forward, and a weak Giants secondary is up next.
Kevin Jones - 3/5, 1/16, 1 TD. His first carry back went for a TD, but true to their word, KJ saw limited action on the field, and was smartly held out for most of the 2nd half when the game turned into a blowout. I'd wait another at least one more week to judge his performance and workload before moving him back into your lineup.
Brian Westbrook - 14/110, 5/111, 3 TD. Bested Brown by 10 yards for best RB performance of the week. Westbrook absolutely shredded the Lions defense, but he left the game early with an abdominal strain. It's of some concern, but Westbrook tends to play through most injuries, and play through them with success. Keep an eye on him this week and hope he practices once.
Roy Williams - 9/204, 1 TD. His TD was a beautiful slant turned 91 yard TD where he ran past several defenders. The weakened secondary provided a nice matchup for him, and Roy delivered. If Calvin Johnson misses time, he'll probably receive even more targets.
Calvin Johnson - 2/58. He hurt himself on the 39 yard deep ball he hauled in, landing hard on his back. It looked bad at the time as he was helped off the field, but the Lions are downplaying the injury and expect him to suit up this week. Check back to make sure.
Shaun McDonald - 5/76, 1 TD. This is becoming ridiculous, and he's providing excellent waiver wire value. He'd be the clear winner if Johnson doesn't play on Sunday, but it looks like he's worth using no matter what as a WR3. The 2007 version of Brandon Stokley?
Kevin Curtis - 11/221, 3 TD. What in the hell? He smoked the Detroit secondary all day, and he's clearly McNabb's favorite target. He's received 30 targets to only 15 for Reggie Brown, and if that keeps up, he'll obviously turn in many more fantasy points. He's a smart, fast route runner who is a solid WR3 if McNabb is playing well.
Reggie Brown - 2/23. I can't imagine the frustration his owners felt looking at the score, McNabb's stats, and then Brown's stats. McNabb favors Curtis, and unless that changes, Brown is settling in for a disappointing season. I expect better things moving forward if McNabb plays well, so don't give up.
San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers
Alex Smith - 17/35, 209 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/32. Did you really expect much more against Pittsburgh? Keep him benched until he figures things out, but don't drop him as he likely possesses more upside than anyone on your waiver wire. He's still a solid QB2.
Ben Roethlisberger - 13/20, 160 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/18, 1 FL. I expected much more from Big Ben so far, but given the weak schedule so far in terms of team strength, they haven't needed to pass much at all. SF possess a solid secondary as well. Still, Ben has been very efficient and has eliminated the boneheaded throws he was making last season. Expect better results moving forward, but he's definitely not hurting you.
Frank Gore - 14/39, 2/12. Alex Smith is killing Frank Gore. Teams are loading up men in the box to stop Gore and daring Smith to beat them. Plus that broken hand is limiting Gore from being as efficient in the passing game, which is also a concern. I still have confidence that Smith will eventually straighten himself out and give Gore more lanes to run in.
Willie Parker - 24/133, 1/9. Another monster game from Parker on the ground, but the Steelers are having problems stalling near the redzone, which is limiting his ability to score TDs. Still, the preseason fear that he'd be replaced on the goalline has proven false, and Parker remains a solid RB1.
Darrell Jackson - 4/69. He's not doing too bad considering Smith's struggles, but he's nothing more than a decent WR3 until Smith gets going.
Vernon Davis - 4/56. He got more involved in the offense this week after complaining about his role, but the bad news is the knee sprain that's going to knock him out of the next 2 weeks. Hopefully he can return after SF's bye.
Heath Miller - 4/82. A big yardage game from Miller who's looking like a solid TE1 so far this season. New offensive coordinator Arians is definitely giving him a bigger role in the offense, and he'll see even more targets if Hines Ward misses this week.
Hines Ward - 1/2. He left the game with a knee sprain and is considered doubtful for this coming week. Tough break for his owners this week.
Santonio Holmes - 3/49. No big plays this week, but if Ward is out, expect a solid game next week against Arizona.
St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Marc Bulger - 17/26, 116 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT. Another disaster from Bulger, and it was revealted that he's been playing with 2 broken ribs, which explains the poor performance. Dallas is up next on the schedule, but if they have Terrance Newman back for good, it's not going to be as great of a matchup.
Jeff Garcia - 14/22, 151 yards, 3/3. A workman-like effort while the ground game produced all 3 TDs for the team. He remains a solid QB2.
Steven Jackson - 30/115, 4/18. The large amount of carries helped him produce a solid yardage total, but he still hasn't scored, and he'll have to wait to do so. Jackson suffered a tear in his groin, and while some outlets are reporting it was a 1 week injury, expect him to miss 3-6 weeks. This is not a minor injury, and if he comes back too soon, he'll risk performance problems and re-injury. Hopefully you handcuffed him with...
Brian Leonard - 4/21, 1/6. Make Leonard your #1 waiver priority this week. Leonard is a well rounded RB from Rutgers who possesses a very nice size/speed combination along with good hands. He'll be the Rams starter and could emerge as a RB2 option while Jackson is out.
Cadillac Williams - 12/46, 1/3, 1 TD, 1 FL. Another injury caused Williams to leave the game early. Owners who drafted him likely knew what they were getting into with him, but at least he's producing and scoring before he leaves. He's expected to be ready for next week.
Earnest Graham - 8/75, 2 TD. He's the 3rd RB behind Cadillac and Pittman. Don't you dare waste your waiver position on him.
Torry Holt - 5/63. He's still producing solid WR2 numbers despite the Rams offense being a mess in its current state. Once Bulger starts feeling better and playing better, expect the old Holt to resurface. Until then, temper your expectations.
Isaac Bruce - 3/14. He's going to be the big loser if Bulger can't get himself going. I'd bench him for now if you've been using him.
Joey Galloway - 4/42. Much more was expected against the Rams, but the Bucs didn't need to pass much, which held him back. He's a solid WR2 while Garcia is the starter.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
NFL Week 3: Notable Actives/Inactives
Active:
Chad Pennington - He'll start, but is not a QB1.
Brian Westbrook - Despite concerns this week about his knee, he's active and should be viewed as if he's 100% healthy. All his owners went through this last year as well.
Jerricho Cotchery - He'll start and makes for a soild WR3 this week.
Darrell Jackson - He'll start and is a reasonable WR3 this week.
Donte Stallworth - He's a high risk/high reward WR3 play due to the lack of a prominent role in his new offense, but he's not a bad start.
Greg Jennings/James Jones - Both are active and will play, but it'd be hard to rely on either in your starting lineup as a WR3.
Dallas Clark - He's fine and ready to go. He's a solid TE1 this week.
Not Active:
Chester Taylor - Adrian Peterson is a great RB2 play this week.
Ron Dayne - Ahman Green is a solid RB2 play this week.
Zach Thomas - Thomas Jones matchup becomes even easier.
Chad Pennington - He'll start, but is not a QB1.
Brian Westbrook - Despite concerns this week about his knee, he's active and should be viewed as if he's 100% healthy. All his owners went through this last year as well.
Jerricho Cotchery - He'll start and makes for a soild WR3 this week.
Darrell Jackson - He'll start and is a reasonable WR3 this week.
Donte Stallworth - He's a high risk/high reward WR3 play due to the lack of a prominent role in his new offense, but he's not a bad start.
Greg Jennings/James Jones - Both are active and will play, but it'd be hard to rely on either in your starting lineup as a WR3.
Dallas Clark - He's fine and ready to go. He's a solid TE1 this week.
Not Active:
Chester Taylor - Adrian Peterson is a great RB2 play this week.
Ron Dayne - Ahman Green is a solid RB2 play this week.
Zach Thomas - Thomas Jones matchup becomes even easier.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
NFL Week 3: Injury Report
QB:
Jon Kitna - He left last Sunday's game early in the 2nd quarter with a mild concussion, but returned late in the 4th quarter and led the Lions to victory. Given the doctors allowed him to return to the game and he threw the ball well, it appears that Kitna should definitely play in week 3.
Eli Manning - He defied all odds and not only played on Sunday, but played pretty well. He seems to be a lock to start week 3.
Josh McCown - He also defied odds and played last Sunday, but unlike Eli, he did not play well. The time is ticking for McCown to be replaced, but he's currently healthy.
Steve McNair - He sat out last Sunday's game against the Jets, but appears ready to go in week 3. He practiced fully on Wednesday.
Chad Pennington - He sat out last Sunday's game against the Ravens, but appears ready to go in week 3.
RB:
Clinton Portis, Thomas Jones, Cadillac Williams - They're officially off the injury report after handling the majority of the carries for their respective teams.
Brian Westbrook - He left last Monday night's game briefly with a knee problem, but then returned. It was initially deemed minor since he continued playing, but it has been reported on Wednesday that he will be re-evaluated and undergo an MRI. Westbrook has a history of knee problems in the past, but he has played through most of them. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, so this has become a concern.
LaMont Jordan - He sat out practice on Wednesday with a back injury, but returned to practice on Thursday. Many veterans get Wednesdays off during the season, so I wouldn't worry too much about this. Still, it's something to monitor given Jordan's recent back troubles over the past year.
LenDale White - He was limited in practice on Wednesday with a foot injury, but he returned to practice on Thursday. White has been bothered by numerous minor injuries so far in his young career, but unless he continues to be limited or miss practice, it shouldn't be a problem.
Kevin Jones - He looks to be ready to play in week 3, but in a limited role. Don't start him, but with Tatum Bell not performing well, the job is KJ's once he's ready to play the whole game. He practiced in a limited fashion on Wednesday.
Brandon Jacobs - He's definitely out for week 3, but he might practice in a limited fashion this week.
Chester Taylor - He sat out last Sunday's game against the Lions, and while Adrian Peterson didn't put up the same guady numbers as in week 1, it seems unlikely that Chester will resume starting when healthy. He was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. If Chester misses this Sunday's game, Adrian Peterson will be a safer start.
Ron Dayne - He hurt his chest in last Sunday's game against the Panthers, but finished the game. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, and he appears to be in danger of missing this Sunday's game. If he sits out, then Ahman Green becomes a solid start.
WR:
Andre Johnson - He left last Sunday's game with a sprained MCL, but it looks like he avoided a disaster. AJ is out for this week, and he'll be re-evaluated on Friday to get a better grasp on his timetable.
Plaxico Burress - He left last Sunday's game with a sprained ankle, but he said after the game that he expects to start in week 3. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, but this was by design. He's expected to practice on Friday and start on this Sunday.
Steve Smith (NYG) - He left last Sunday's game with a fractured shoulder blade. He didn't have fantasy value currently, but might have started pushing Toomer for a starting role eventually. He'll be out 2-6 weeks.
Darrell Jackson - He left last Sunday's game and missed chunks of time with a bothersome back. He missed practice on Wednesday with the injury, but is expected to return on Thursday.
Mark Clayton - He only played on 3rd downs in last Sunday's game against the Jets, but reports are that he'll resume practicing normally this week and start in week 3. I'd give him another week on your bench to make sure he's worth using again.
Donte Stallworth - He missed part Thursday's practice with a knee injury after practicing on Wednesday. Given his fragility and the Patriots refusal to be honest with their injuries, he becomes an even riskier play than usual. His absence would make both Wes Welker and Ben Watson slightly stronger starts.
Greg Jennings - He sat out last Sunday's game against the Giants, and James Jones turned in a nice performance. He might have a bit of competition moving forward. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, so his availability for week 3 is in doubt.
James Jones - He left Wednesday's practice early with a hamstring injury, and that's never a good sign. If both Jennings and Jones miss this Sunday's game, Ruvell Martin will start in their place. Just another very good reason not to use Favre against the Chargers.
TE:
None.
K:
None.
D:
Trevor Pryce - He left last Sunday's game with a broken wrist. He'll miss at least 3 weeks, and Baltimore's pass rush won't be quite as effective without him.
Jon Kitna - He left last Sunday's game early in the 2nd quarter with a mild concussion, but returned late in the 4th quarter and led the Lions to victory. Given the doctors allowed him to return to the game and he threw the ball well, it appears that Kitna should definitely play in week 3.
Eli Manning - He defied all odds and not only played on Sunday, but played pretty well. He seems to be a lock to start week 3.
Josh McCown - He also defied odds and played last Sunday, but unlike Eli, he did not play well. The time is ticking for McCown to be replaced, but he's currently healthy.
Steve McNair - He sat out last Sunday's game against the Jets, but appears ready to go in week 3. He practiced fully on Wednesday.
Chad Pennington - He sat out last Sunday's game against the Ravens, but appears ready to go in week 3.
RB:
Clinton Portis, Thomas Jones, Cadillac Williams - They're officially off the injury report after handling the majority of the carries for their respective teams.
Brian Westbrook - He left last Monday night's game briefly with a knee problem, but then returned. It was initially deemed minor since he continued playing, but it has been reported on Wednesday that he will be re-evaluated and undergo an MRI. Westbrook has a history of knee problems in the past, but he has played through most of them. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, so this has become a concern.
LaMont Jordan - He sat out practice on Wednesday with a back injury, but returned to practice on Thursday. Many veterans get Wednesdays off during the season, so I wouldn't worry too much about this. Still, it's something to monitor given Jordan's recent back troubles over the past year.
LenDale White - He was limited in practice on Wednesday with a foot injury, but he returned to practice on Thursday. White has been bothered by numerous minor injuries so far in his young career, but unless he continues to be limited or miss practice, it shouldn't be a problem.
Kevin Jones - He looks to be ready to play in week 3, but in a limited role. Don't start him, but with Tatum Bell not performing well, the job is KJ's once he's ready to play the whole game. He practiced in a limited fashion on Wednesday.
Brandon Jacobs - He's definitely out for week 3, but he might practice in a limited fashion this week.
Chester Taylor - He sat out last Sunday's game against the Lions, and while Adrian Peterson didn't put up the same guady numbers as in week 1, it seems unlikely that Chester will resume starting when healthy. He was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. If Chester misses this Sunday's game, Adrian Peterson will be a safer start.
Ron Dayne - He hurt his chest in last Sunday's game against the Panthers, but finished the game. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, and he appears to be in danger of missing this Sunday's game. If he sits out, then Ahman Green becomes a solid start.
WR:
Andre Johnson - He left last Sunday's game with a sprained MCL, but it looks like he avoided a disaster. AJ is out for this week, and he'll be re-evaluated on Friday to get a better grasp on his timetable.
Plaxico Burress - He left last Sunday's game with a sprained ankle, but he said after the game that he expects to start in week 3. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, but this was by design. He's expected to practice on Friday and start on this Sunday.
Steve Smith (NYG) - He left last Sunday's game with a fractured shoulder blade. He didn't have fantasy value currently, but might have started pushing Toomer for a starting role eventually. He'll be out 2-6 weeks.
Darrell Jackson - He left last Sunday's game and missed chunks of time with a bothersome back. He missed practice on Wednesday with the injury, but is expected to return on Thursday.
Mark Clayton - He only played on 3rd downs in last Sunday's game against the Jets, but reports are that he'll resume practicing normally this week and start in week 3. I'd give him another week on your bench to make sure he's worth using again.
Donte Stallworth - He missed part Thursday's practice with a knee injury after practicing on Wednesday. Given his fragility and the Patriots refusal to be honest with their injuries, he becomes an even riskier play than usual. His absence would make both Wes Welker and Ben Watson slightly stronger starts.
Greg Jennings - He sat out last Sunday's game against the Giants, and James Jones turned in a nice performance. He might have a bit of competition moving forward. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, so his availability for week 3 is in doubt.
James Jones - He left Wednesday's practice early with a hamstring injury, and that's never a good sign. If both Jennings and Jones miss this Sunday's game, Ruvell Martin will start in their place. Just another very good reason not to use Favre against the Chargers.
TE:
None.
K:
None.
D:
Trevor Pryce - He left last Sunday's game with a broken wrist. He'll miss at least 3 weeks, and Baltimore's pass rush won't be quite as effective without him.
Atlanta Falcons Sign QB Byron Leftwich
The Atlanta Falcons have signed former Jacksonville Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich.
Leftwich is a good fit for Bobby Petrino's offensive strategy. Petrino likes to mix a power running game with a vertical passing game, and there's no doubt that Leftwich has the arm necessary to throw the ball down the field, and he's also known as a pretty accurate passer. Leftwich got a raw deal in Jacksonville as they never surrounded him with reliable weapons in the passing game. The same holds true for Atlanta's receiving weapons, or at least that we know of now. It remains to be seen if the receivers truly made Vick look worse than he really was, or vice versa. It was likely a combination of both, but there's some talent here. Atlanta might have found their next franchise QB.
Fantasy Impact: Unless Harrington has some career revelation and becomes the QB everyone thought he would be coming out of Oregon, Leftwich should be starting by mid-season. Those in 2 QB leagues with an empty roster spot should stash Leftwich, but those in 12 team leagues shouldn't bother right now. Leftwich has QB2 upside if he grasps the offense and starts. Joe Horn is aging, but he's still a reliable receiver. Roddy White is a great downfield threat, but he's struggled with drops. Michael Jenkins is a good redzone target, but lacks the speed to separate down the field. Leftwich is worth keeping an eye on once he takes over in all leagues.
Leftwich is a good fit for Bobby Petrino's offensive strategy. Petrino likes to mix a power running game with a vertical passing game, and there's no doubt that Leftwich has the arm necessary to throw the ball down the field, and he's also known as a pretty accurate passer. Leftwich got a raw deal in Jacksonville as they never surrounded him with reliable weapons in the passing game. The same holds true for Atlanta's receiving weapons, or at least that we know of now. It remains to be seen if the receivers truly made Vick look worse than he really was, or vice versa. It was likely a combination of both, but there's some talent here. Atlanta might have found their next franchise QB.
Fantasy Impact: Unless Harrington has some career revelation and becomes the QB everyone thought he would be coming out of Oregon, Leftwich should be starting by mid-season. Those in 2 QB leagues with an empty roster spot should stash Leftwich, but those in 12 team leagues shouldn't bother right now. Leftwich has QB2 upside if he grasps the offense and starts. Joe Horn is aging, but he's still a reliable receiver. Roddy White is a great downfield threat, but he's struggled with drops. Michael Jenkins is a good redzone target, but lacks the speed to separate down the field. Leftwich is worth keeping an eye on once he takes over in all leagues.
NFL Week 2: Monday Night Game Wrapup
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles
Jason Campbell - 16/29, 209 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 6/39. I really like Campbell as an NFL QB. He shows excellent poise in the pocket, especially last night against a sometimes frantic Eagles blitz. He still has to learn how to control his throws as he missed a wide open Santana Moss on a 60+ yard TD pass by overthrowing him by about 5 yards. He's a solid QB2, but be wary of his matchup on your starter's bye week.
Donovan McNabb - 28/46, 240 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 2/15. He still doesn't look right. His WRs weren't getting open for him last night, but when they did, he often airmailed the throw over their head. He had an easy TD to Kevin Curtis last night in the 4th quarter, but he threw wide right of his target. Hopefully you picked a backup QB earlier than usual given the concerns about his health, and depending on who it is, I'd think about starting him instead until McNabb shows improvement. An Eagles fan I know stated that McNabb is playing through a lot of pain because he's afraid Kolb will steal his job, and that makes sense given what we've seen from McNabb so far. A slow start should have been expected given the injury he suffered last year, and the slow start Palmer got off to last year, by comparison.
Clinton Portis - 17/69, 1/7, 1 TD. He's still not posting great yardage, but the overhaul the Eagles performed on their LB corp in the offseason seems to have improved their porous run defense. He averaged 4.1 YPC, and took 17/23 carries given to the RBs in this one. He's definitely back as the clearcut starter for the Redskins.
Brian Westbrook - 17/96, 8/66. Westbrook continues to rack up the yardage, but the struggling McNabb is holding him back from reaching the endzone. Expect improved TD production once McNabb gets himself back together. Westbrook remains a solid RB1.
Santana Moss - 6/89. Campbell did a better job hitting him on intermediate routes, and Moss caught a 48 yard bomb before stumbling after the catch, possibly preventing him from scoring. As I mentioned above, he also broke open for what would have been an easy 64 yard TD, but Campbell overthrew him. It was a much better showing from Moss who should prove to be a WR2 this year as Campbell improves.
Antwaan Randle-El - 4/44. Back to earth for Randle El. He's not a bad WR5, but he's nothing more.
Chris Cooley - 2/25, 1 TD. Campbell hit him for a TD at the end of the 2nd quarter on a beautiful pass towards the corner of the endzone. He was catching more balls last year, so expect continued improvement.
Reggie Brown - 2/27. He should have had a TD, but as was the theme last night, McNabb overthrew him. He's been a bust so far as a WR2, but that's more McNabb's fault than his own. I'd downgrade him to a WR3, or possibly to your bench depending on your options for now. Detroit is up next week, so giving him another shot is a smart move.
Kevin Curtis - 4/28. See above, but he was drafted more as a WR3/4 type.
L.J. Smith - 2/12. He's not 100% healthy, and he's in the same boat as Brown and Curtis. He's nothing more than a decent TE2 right now.
Jason Campbell - 16/29, 209 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 6/39. I really like Campbell as an NFL QB. He shows excellent poise in the pocket, especially last night against a sometimes frantic Eagles blitz. He still has to learn how to control his throws as he missed a wide open Santana Moss on a 60+ yard TD pass by overthrowing him by about 5 yards. He's a solid QB2, but be wary of his matchup on your starter's bye week.
Donovan McNabb - 28/46, 240 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 2/15. He still doesn't look right. His WRs weren't getting open for him last night, but when they did, he often airmailed the throw over their head. He had an easy TD to Kevin Curtis last night in the 4th quarter, but he threw wide right of his target. Hopefully you picked a backup QB earlier than usual given the concerns about his health, and depending on who it is, I'd think about starting him instead until McNabb shows improvement. An Eagles fan I know stated that McNabb is playing through a lot of pain because he's afraid Kolb will steal his job, and that makes sense given what we've seen from McNabb so far. A slow start should have been expected given the injury he suffered last year, and the slow start Palmer got off to last year, by comparison.
Clinton Portis - 17/69, 1/7, 1 TD. He's still not posting great yardage, but the overhaul the Eagles performed on their LB corp in the offseason seems to have improved their porous run defense. He averaged 4.1 YPC, and took 17/23 carries given to the RBs in this one. He's definitely back as the clearcut starter for the Redskins.
Brian Westbrook - 17/96, 8/66. Westbrook continues to rack up the yardage, but the struggling McNabb is holding him back from reaching the endzone. Expect improved TD production once McNabb gets himself back together. Westbrook remains a solid RB1.
Santana Moss - 6/89. Campbell did a better job hitting him on intermediate routes, and Moss caught a 48 yard bomb before stumbling after the catch, possibly preventing him from scoring. As I mentioned above, he also broke open for what would have been an easy 64 yard TD, but Campbell overthrew him. It was a much better showing from Moss who should prove to be a WR2 this year as Campbell improves.
Antwaan Randle-El - 4/44. Back to earth for Randle El. He's not a bad WR5, but he's nothing more.
Chris Cooley - 2/25, 1 TD. Campbell hit him for a TD at the end of the 2nd quarter on a beautiful pass towards the corner of the endzone. He was catching more balls last year, so expect continued improvement.
Reggie Brown - 2/27. He should have had a TD, but as was the theme last night, McNabb overthrew him. He's been a bust so far as a WR2, but that's more McNabb's fault than his own. I'd downgrade him to a WR3, or possibly to your bench depending on your options for now. Detroit is up next week, so giving him another shot is a smart move.
Kevin Curtis - 4/28. See above, but he was drafted more as a WR3/4 type.
L.J. Smith - 2/12. He's not 100% healthy, and he's in the same boat as Brown and Curtis. He's nothing more than a decent TE2 right now.
Monday, September 17, 2007
NFL Week 2: Late Game Wrapup
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals
Matt Hasselbeck - 22/36, 281 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 2/6. Another solid outing from Hasselbeck, but like I said in my preseason QB review, there continues to be little upside here. He's still a solid fantasy QB regardless, though.
Matt Leinart - 23/37, 299 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/-4. Much better outing from Leinart. Wisenhunt will continue to learn the strengths and weaknesses of Leinart as the season progresses, and Leinart will continue to improve. He makes a better QB2 than a QB1, but he definitely still has upside.
Shaun Alexander - 18/70, 2/5, 1 TD. Another unimpressive outing from Alexander, but he scored again for a solid afternoon. I remain highly skeptical about his value this season, but if he stays healthy, he's going to score. His upside as an elite RB is definitely gone, and he's an injury risk thanks to his career workload and advanced age.
Edgerrin James - 24/128, 2/22, 1 TD. The Edge looked much better in week 2 as he consistently churned out yardage, but since his TD came from 17 yards out (another positive about his afternoon), we're not sure what the goal line RB situation is in Arizona yet. The blocking looks better so far this year.
Deion Branch - 7/122. Much better. I promised that he'd be a bigger part of the gameplan, and the Seahawks made me look smart. Branch should continue to emerge as the go-to guy for Hasselbeck as he's a smart route runner and quick. I like him as a solid WR2.
Bobby Engram - 5/71. He might play the slot, but he's far more consistent than anyone they line up opposite Branch. He's not a bad guy to have as a WR5 as a non-exciting but reliable backup.
Larry Fitzgerald - 7/87. Much better. They did a much better job getting Fitz the ball downfield a bit as well as underneath. I don't like him as a WR1, but he's a very good WR2 with upside.
Anquan Boldin - 4/83. See above.
Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings
Tavaris Jackson - 17/33, 166 yards, 0 TD, 4 INT, 5/16, 1 TD. Leave him on the waiver wire, obviously.
Jon Kitna - 22/33, 245 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/13, 1/9. Yes, he caught his own pass and ran 9 yards with it. Could you imagine what fantasy nation would be saying had he scored with it? He was knocked out of the game with a concussion, but later returned to lead the Lions to victory. He appears to be fine for week 2, and would have had enormous numbers had he not gotten hurt.
Adrian Peterson - 20/66, 4/52. Another example of why the surrounding offense is almost as important as the talent level of a player. He started off with several great runs, but Detroit eventually crept up to the line to stop the only thing Minnesota was doing well on offense. His talent is undeniable and he'll post solid RB2 numbers when starting, but his surrounding offensive situation will hold him back from being elite.
Tatum Bell - 9/14, 4/25. So much for starting. Minnesota stuffed him, and the Lions don't like running anyways. KJ looks ready to play next week on a limited basis, so don't think about starting Tatum again. He's still worth stashing deep on your bench though.
Roy Williams - 7/111, 1/9, 1 TD. Big game from Williams, and it might have been bigger had Kitna not gotten hurt. Roy should maintain his status as a WR1 this season. Calvin Johnson might seem like a threat thanks to his incredible talent, but experience is important at the WR position, and Roy will remain the go-to target this year.
Calvin Johnson - 4/61, 1 TD. He was utilized on a jump ball in the redzone by backup O'Sullivan and hauled it in. Get used to it...there's no corner that will outjump or outmuscle Johnson for those. He remains solid WR3 with upside as he learns the NFL game.
Shaun McDonald - 7/71. Is it possible for the Lions to have 3 fantasy-worth WRs? With as much as they want to throw, it's becoming possible. Stash him as your WR5.
Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins
Tony Romo - 14/29, 186 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 4/36. He didn't have to throw much, but made use of his targets and tossed 2 TDs. He remains a solid QB1.
Trent Green - 23/40, 287 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT, 5/9. He had to throw often, and the results were rather ugly. He still looks like an unexciting QB2, however.
Julius Jones - 15/32, 1/24. Outproduced by Barber again. One has to wonder that with Parcells gone how long the new coaching staff will continue splitting carries if Jones keeps running like this.
Marion Barber - 14/89, 2/6, 1 TD. He just won't stop scoring, but this TD was a 40 yarder. He does a lot of damage against tired defenses in the 4th quarter, but it'd be interesting to see what he could do given the majority of the carries.
Ronnie Brown - 11/33, 2/36. I don't understand how he wastes all this talent. His line doesn't help, but he should be making more of what he's given. He remains a very risky RB2 thanks to the present of Chatman in the gameplan.
Terrell Owens - 5/97, 1 TD. Romo continues throwing to him as much as he can, and Owens remains one of the best WR1s in the game.
Jason Witten - 2/27. He slowed down a bit, but that's the nature of the TE position. He remains a solid TE1.
Chris Chambers - 9/109, 1/-5. He continues piling up the yardage as Green looks his way often. Fantasy nation was down on him this year, but he's emerging as a WR2 if he continues seeing all these targets. The TDs should came given that trend as well.
Marty Booker - 4/79, 1 TD. Unless you're really hurting at WR, I'd leave him out there. I'm not confident the Dolphins can produce 2 fantasy wideouts.
Baltimore Ravens at New York Jets
Kellen Clemens - 19/37, 260 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 3/2. He looked like a first year starter, but he definitely didn't crumble like many though he would against the elite Ravens defense. Pennington looks likely to start next week.
Kyle Boller - 23/35, 185 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 3/7. He looked solid in this start, but his yards per completion was low as he played it safe. Baltimore won't have a problem if McNair misses more time, and a deep threat like Clayton would benefit from Boller's presence.
Thomas Jones - 24/67, 2/20. Poor YPC, but a solid effort against the Ravens. His carries show that he's healthy, so he's not a bad buy-low candidate as a RB2. Things look to get easier from here on out.
Willis McGahee - 26/97, 2/6, 1 TD. McGahee still looks like he's running in quicksand. He has not regained the explosiveness he had prior to the knee injury in college. With his projected workload and the decent Baltimore offense, he can't help but put up solid numbers, though.
Jerricho Cotchery - 7/165. Clemens definitely paid benefits for Cotchery's owners as he put up a massive yardage total. He'll go back to being solid with Pennington, but Clemens' stronger arm would allow Cotchery more chances for bigger plays. He's very similar to Boldin after the catch.
Laveraneous Coles - 6/57. Another solid outing from Coles, but no 2 TDs this time. He'll benefit from Pennington's return.
Derrick Mason - 8/54. Another solid effort from Mason who remains far more valuable in PPR leagues. He's not a bad WR4/5 to have on the bench, however.
Todd Heap - 7/76, 1 TD. Heap made a terrific one-handed catch while dragging his feet inbounds to score his TD. He remains a great TE1.
Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears
Damon Huard - 19/28, 175 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/1. It's hard to do much of anything against the suffocating Bears defense, and Huard wasn't that bad considering how undermanned this Chiefs team is at the WR position. Huard has decreasing job security on a bad offense, so he's not worth touching in 12 team leagues.
Rex Grossman - 20/34, 160 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 3/-3. I expected more against the KC defense. He isn't being allowed to throw down the field very often which explains his dismal yards per completion. He had a tendency to light up weak defenses last year, so if you have him as your backup, I'd hang on a bit longer. Make sure he faces a weak defense the week your starter has a bye, though.
Larry Johnson - 16/55, 3/32. LJ looks fine, but the Bears defense looks as tough as ever against opposing RBs this season, and his surrounding offense is pathetic. The Chiefs are going to have to feed LJ a lot in order to have a chance this season, but it looks like he may struggle against tough opposing defenses this year.
Cedric Benson - 24/101, 1/9. That's better, although he still looks sluggish and seems to lack acceleration. I saw him run much better in college, so I'm not sure what's changed. The Bears offensive line isn't as good as it was last year, so perhaps that's the issue. It was nice to see him get 24/26 carries that the team generated yesterday. He remains a solid RB2 that will get a lot of carries this year.
Dwayne Bowe - 2/22, 1 TD. He should have had a 2nd TD, but it was called back due to an illegal shift on the offense. He's going to be inconsistent thanks to the poor offense and the fact he's a rookie, so leave him on the waiver wire for now.
Bernard Berrian - 5/65, 1 FL. Berrian is suffering a bit from the fact the Bears are so conservative on offense right now, but he's rounding out his game well by making more short and intermediate catches to become a more consistent fantasy option. He should remain a solid WR3.
Muhsin Muhammad - 1/7. Dump him. He was likely drafted late in your draft, but he's not rosterable at the current time.
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
Josh McCown - 8/16, 73 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, 2/28. The Raiders must have really felt uncomfortable starting Culpepper this week, although that's not a bad idea. If they're still questioning his knowledge of the offense at the moment, throwing him to the wolves against a great Denver secondary wouldn't have been a smart move. It's only a matter of time til Culpepper does take over for good, however.
Jay Cutler - 23/33, 269 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2/-2. Not a great game from Cutler, but Oakland's secondary is pretty solid as long as they don't get spread out too thin. Cutler has great weapons around him and will continue to improve, plus Shanahan has a great track record and is working with his most talented QB since Elway. Cutler remains a lower tier QB1.
LaMont Jordan - 25/159. Jordan is back as a great RB2 option. He was my favorite value pick at RB this year, and all he needed was a non-inept coach and offensive coordinator to bring his talent back out. Plus it helps that he's 100% as well. I'm surprised the Raiders didn't look to get him more involved in the passing game given how great Bailey and Bly are in the Denver secondary.
Travis Henry - 26/128, 2/8. Henry put up another big yardage day, but Cecil Sapp punched it in from 4 yards out. There's been some rumors that Sapp is the goal line back for Denver, but I'm not buying it right now given the fact that Sapp lined up as the FB and it was a nice misdirection play. Don't read too much into that yet, but keep an eye on who's scoring next time out.
Selvin Young - 3/43, 1/1. He's a must-have for all Henry owners. He busted out a very nice 40 yard run and has defintely passed Mike Bell as Denver's backup. I'm not sure he'd be a 25 carry guy if Henry got hurt, but he's worth owning to find out.
Ronald Curry - 2/12. The Champ Bailey factor. Do not worry about this, and get him in your lineup next week.
Jerry Porter - 1/46, 1 TD. Yes, he burned Bly down the sideline for a long score, but he's not doing a damn thing in games other than this. Don't pick him up.
Javon Walker - 8/101. Not even a talented corner like Asomugha could slow Walker down. Walker remains a borderline WR1 in 12 team leagues, and it's only a matter of time until he start catching a few bombs from Cutler. His speed and Cutler's arm are a perfect match.
San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots
Phillip Rivers - 19/30, 179 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 1/6. Another mediocre effort from Rivers, but his first two games have come against 2 of the 3 best defenses in the NFL (CHI, NE). Don't read too much into this, but Rivers just doesn't have the talent at the WR position to post big numbers against great defenses. Keep that in mind given his matchups, but SD's schedule gets a lot easier after this.
Tom Brady - 25/31, 279 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 1/2. He just makes it look so easy. SD stiffled him in the playoffs last year despite NE"s best attempt to spread them out, but the added talent at the WR position made all the difference. Brady is an elite QB1.
LaDainian Tomlinson - 18/43, 4/15. Tomlinson is not a stranger to slow starts, and much like I mentioned with Rivers above, his schedule so far has done him no favors. He will get going, there's still no one I'd rather own in fantasy football. See what his potentially frustrated owner thinks of him right now, just for kicks.
Laurence Maroney - 15/77. It'd be interesting to see what Maroney's stat line would look like if NE wasn't blowing their opponent out. Given their love to spread the field and pass the ball, it was really hard to see why Maroney was going in the first round despite his talent. Sammy Morris took the goal line carry later in the game, but don't read too much into that yet as it was alreayd 31-14 at that point. If he replaces Maroney in a closer game, then I'd worry.
Antonio Gates - 7/77, 1 TD. This is why he was being drafted so high this year. He started slow last year as Rivers adjusted to the NFL game, but he's off to an outstanding start this season with almost 200 yards and 2 TDs. He's the best TE in football.
Vincent Jackson - 4/53. He'll make some plays downfield and score some TDs, but this overrated sleeper will probably put up more games like this than he will big ones. He's still a solid WR3.
Randy Moss - 8/105, 2 TD. Did I mention he's back? This is for those who didn't get the memo.
Wes Welker - 8/91. He's a solid option as a WR3 who will consistent rack up targets and catches, but he's going to have to break a big one by himself since Brady is rightfully using Moss to stretch the field.
Donte Stallworth - 2/19. Another overrated WR heading into the year. He's clearly the 3rd (or arguably the 4th) option, and nobody would fault you for dropping him if you prefer someone on your waiver wire instead. He's a WR5.
Ben Watson - 5/49, 1 TD. Another TD. He's going to be inconsistent with yardage thanks to the other options on the team, but he's not a bad TE1 as he'll score several TDs this year. He's a great redzone target.
Matt Hasselbeck - 22/36, 281 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 2/6. Another solid outing from Hasselbeck, but like I said in my preseason QB review, there continues to be little upside here. He's still a solid fantasy QB regardless, though.
Matt Leinart - 23/37, 299 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/-4. Much better outing from Leinart. Wisenhunt will continue to learn the strengths and weaknesses of Leinart as the season progresses, and Leinart will continue to improve. He makes a better QB2 than a QB1, but he definitely still has upside.
Shaun Alexander - 18/70, 2/5, 1 TD. Another unimpressive outing from Alexander, but he scored again for a solid afternoon. I remain highly skeptical about his value this season, but if he stays healthy, he's going to score. His upside as an elite RB is definitely gone, and he's an injury risk thanks to his career workload and advanced age.
Edgerrin James - 24/128, 2/22, 1 TD. The Edge looked much better in week 2 as he consistently churned out yardage, but since his TD came from 17 yards out (another positive about his afternoon), we're not sure what the goal line RB situation is in Arizona yet. The blocking looks better so far this year.
Deion Branch - 7/122. Much better. I promised that he'd be a bigger part of the gameplan, and the Seahawks made me look smart. Branch should continue to emerge as the go-to guy for Hasselbeck as he's a smart route runner and quick. I like him as a solid WR2.
Bobby Engram - 5/71. He might play the slot, but he's far more consistent than anyone they line up opposite Branch. He's not a bad guy to have as a WR5 as a non-exciting but reliable backup.
Larry Fitzgerald - 7/87. Much better. They did a much better job getting Fitz the ball downfield a bit as well as underneath. I don't like him as a WR1, but he's a very good WR2 with upside.
Anquan Boldin - 4/83. See above.
Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings
Tavaris Jackson - 17/33, 166 yards, 0 TD, 4 INT, 5/16, 1 TD. Leave him on the waiver wire, obviously.
Jon Kitna - 22/33, 245 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/13, 1/9. Yes, he caught his own pass and ran 9 yards with it. Could you imagine what fantasy nation would be saying had he scored with it? He was knocked out of the game with a concussion, but later returned to lead the Lions to victory. He appears to be fine for week 2, and would have had enormous numbers had he not gotten hurt.
Adrian Peterson - 20/66, 4/52. Another example of why the surrounding offense is almost as important as the talent level of a player. He started off with several great runs, but Detroit eventually crept up to the line to stop the only thing Minnesota was doing well on offense. His talent is undeniable and he'll post solid RB2 numbers when starting, but his surrounding offensive situation will hold him back from being elite.
Tatum Bell - 9/14, 4/25. So much for starting. Minnesota stuffed him, and the Lions don't like running anyways. KJ looks ready to play next week on a limited basis, so don't think about starting Tatum again. He's still worth stashing deep on your bench though.
Roy Williams - 7/111, 1/9, 1 TD. Big game from Williams, and it might have been bigger had Kitna not gotten hurt. Roy should maintain his status as a WR1 this season. Calvin Johnson might seem like a threat thanks to his incredible talent, but experience is important at the WR position, and Roy will remain the go-to target this year.
Calvin Johnson - 4/61, 1 TD. He was utilized on a jump ball in the redzone by backup O'Sullivan and hauled it in. Get used to it...there's no corner that will outjump or outmuscle Johnson for those. He remains solid WR3 with upside as he learns the NFL game.
Shaun McDonald - 7/71. Is it possible for the Lions to have 3 fantasy-worth WRs? With as much as they want to throw, it's becoming possible. Stash him as your WR5.
Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins
Tony Romo - 14/29, 186 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 4/36. He didn't have to throw much, but made use of his targets and tossed 2 TDs. He remains a solid QB1.
Trent Green - 23/40, 287 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT, 5/9. He had to throw often, and the results were rather ugly. He still looks like an unexciting QB2, however.
Julius Jones - 15/32, 1/24. Outproduced by Barber again. One has to wonder that with Parcells gone how long the new coaching staff will continue splitting carries if Jones keeps running like this.
Marion Barber - 14/89, 2/6, 1 TD. He just won't stop scoring, but this TD was a 40 yarder. He does a lot of damage against tired defenses in the 4th quarter, but it'd be interesting to see what he could do given the majority of the carries.
Ronnie Brown - 11/33, 2/36. I don't understand how he wastes all this talent. His line doesn't help, but he should be making more of what he's given. He remains a very risky RB2 thanks to the present of Chatman in the gameplan.
Terrell Owens - 5/97, 1 TD. Romo continues throwing to him as much as he can, and Owens remains one of the best WR1s in the game.
Jason Witten - 2/27. He slowed down a bit, but that's the nature of the TE position. He remains a solid TE1.
Chris Chambers - 9/109, 1/-5. He continues piling up the yardage as Green looks his way often. Fantasy nation was down on him this year, but he's emerging as a WR2 if he continues seeing all these targets. The TDs should came given that trend as well.
Marty Booker - 4/79, 1 TD. Unless you're really hurting at WR, I'd leave him out there. I'm not confident the Dolphins can produce 2 fantasy wideouts.
Baltimore Ravens at New York Jets
Kellen Clemens - 19/37, 260 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 3/2. He looked like a first year starter, but he definitely didn't crumble like many though he would against the elite Ravens defense. Pennington looks likely to start next week.
Kyle Boller - 23/35, 185 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 3/7. He looked solid in this start, but his yards per completion was low as he played it safe. Baltimore won't have a problem if McNair misses more time, and a deep threat like Clayton would benefit from Boller's presence.
Thomas Jones - 24/67, 2/20. Poor YPC, but a solid effort against the Ravens. His carries show that he's healthy, so he's not a bad buy-low candidate as a RB2. Things look to get easier from here on out.
Willis McGahee - 26/97, 2/6, 1 TD. McGahee still looks like he's running in quicksand. He has not regained the explosiveness he had prior to the knee injury in college. With his projected workload and the decent Baltimore offense, he can't help but put up solid numbers, though.
Jerricho Cotchery - 7/165. Clemens definitely paid benefits for Cotchery's owners as he put up a massive yardage total. He'll go back to being solid with Pennington, but Clemens' stronger arm would allow Cotchery more chances for bigger plays. He's very similar to Boldin after the catch.
Laveraneous Coles - 6/57. Another solid outing from Coles, but no 2 TDs this time. He'll benefit from Pennington's return.
Derrick Mason - 8/54. Another solid effort from Mason who remains far more valuable in PPR leagues. He's not a bad WR4/5 to have on the bench, however.
Todd Heap - 7/76, 1 TD. Heap made a terrific one-handed catch while dragging his feet inbounds to score his TD. He remains a great TE1.
Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears
Damon Huard - 19/28, 175 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/1. It's hard to do much of anything against the suffocating Bears defense, and Huard wasn't that bad considering how undermanned this Chiefs team is at the WR position. Huard has decreasing job security on a bad offense, so he's not worth touching in 12 team leagues.
Rex Grossman - 20/34, 160 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 3/-3. I expected more against the KC defense. He isn't being allowed to throw down the field very often which explains his dismal yards per completion. He had a tendency to light up weak defenses last year, so if you have him as your backup, I'd hang on a bit longer. Make sure he faces a weak defense the week your starter has a bye, though.
Larry Johnson - 16/55, 3/32. LJ looks fine, but the Bears defense looks as tough as ever against opposing RBs this season, and his surrounding offense is pathetic. The Chiefs are going to have to feed LJ a lot in order to have a chance this season, but it looks like he may struggle against tough opposing defenses this year.
Cedric Benson - 24/101, 1/9. That's better, although he still looks sluggish and seems to lack acceleration. I saw him run much better in college, so I'm not sure what's changed. The Bears offensive line isn't as good as it was last year, so perhaps that's the issue. It was nice to see him get 24/26 carries that the team generated yesterday. He remains a solid RB2 that will get a lot of carries this year.
Dwayne Bowe - 2/22, 1 TD. He should have had a 2nd TD, but it was called back due to an illegal shift on the offense. He's going to be inconsistent thanks to the poor offense and the fact he's a rookie, so leave him on the waiver wire for now.
Bernard Berrian - 5/65, 1 FL. Berrian is suffering a bit from the fact the Bears are so conservative on offense right now, but he's rounding out his game well by making more short and intermediate catches to become a more consistent fantasy option. He should remain a solid WR3.
Muhsin Muhammad - 1/7. Dump him. He was likely drafted late in your draft, but he's not rosterable at the current time.
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
Josh McCown - 8/16, 73 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, 2/28. The Raiders must have really felt uncomfortable starting Culpepper this week, although that's not a bad idea. If they're still questioning his knowledge of the offense at the moment, throwing him to the wolves against a great Denver secondary wouldn't have been a smart move. It's only a matter of time til Culpepper does take over for good, however.
Jay Cutler - 23/33, 269 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2/-2. Not a great game from Cutler, but Oakland's secondary is pretty solid as long as they don't get spread out too thin. Cutler has great weapons around him and will continue to improve, plus Shanahan has a great track record and is working with his most talented QB since Elway. Cutler remains a lower tier QB1.
LaMont Jordan - 25/159. Jordan is back as a great RB2 option. He was my favorite value pick at RB this year, and all he needed was a non-inept coach and offensive coordinator to bring his talent back out. Plus it helps that he's 100% as well. I'm surprised the Raiders didn't look to get him more involved in the passing game given how great Bailey and Bly are in the Denver secondary.
Travis Henry - 26/128, 2/8. Henry put up another big yardage day, but Cecil Sapp punched it in from 4 yards out. There's been some rumors that Sapp is the goal line back for Denver, but I'm not buying it right now given the fact that Sapp lined up as the FB and it was a nice misdirection play. Don't read too much into that yet, but keep an eye on who's scoring next time out.
Selvin Young - 3/43, 1/1. He's a must-have for all Henry owners. He busted out a very nice 40 yard run and has defintely passed Mike Bell as Denver's backup. I'm not sure he'd be a 25 carry guy if Henry got hurt, but he's worth owning to find out.
Ronald Curry - 2/12. The Champ Bailey factor. Do not worry about this, and get him in your lineup next week.
Jerry Porter - 1/46, 1 TD. Yes, he burned Bly down the sideline for a long score, but he's not doing a damn thing in games other than this. Don't pick him up.
Javon Walker - 8/101. Not even a talented corner like Asomugha could slow Walker down. Walker remains a borderline WR1 in 12 team leagues, and it's only a matter of time until he start catching a few bombs from Cutler. His speed and Cutler's arm are a perfect match.
San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots
Phillip Rivers - 19/30, 179 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 1/6. Another mediocre effort from Rivers, but his first two games have come against 2 of the 3 best defenses in the NFL (CHI, NE). Don't read too much into this, but Rivers just doesn't have the talent at the WR position to post big numbers against great defenses. Keep that in mind given his matchups, but SD's schedule gets a lot easier after this.
Tom Brady - 25/31, 279 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 1/2. He just makes it look so easy. SD stiffled him in the playoffs last year despite NE"s best attempt to spread them out, but the added talent at the WR position made all the difference. Brady is an elite QB1.
LaDainian Tomlinson - 18/43, 4/15. Tomlinson is not a stranger to slow starts, and much like I mentioned with Rivers above, his schedule so far has done him no favors. He will get going, there's still no one I'd rather own in fantasy football. See what his potentially frustrated owner thinks of him right now, just for kicks.
Laurence Maroney - 15/77. It'd be interesting to see what Maroney's stat line would look like if NE wasn't blowing their opponent out. Given their love to spread the field and pass the ball, it was really hard to see why Maroney was going in the first round despite his talent. Sammy Morris took the goal line carry later in the game, but don't read too much into that yet as it was alreayd 31-14 at that point. If he replaces Maroney in a closer game, then I'd worry.
Antonio Gates - 7/77, 1 TD. This is why he was being drafted so high this year. He started slow last year as Rivers adjusted to the NFL game, but he's off to an outstanding start this season with almost 200 yards and 2 TDs. He's the best TE in football.
Vincent Jackson - 4/53. He'll make some plays downfield and score some TDs, but this overrated sleeper will probably put up more games like this than he will big ones. He's still a solid WR3.
Randy Moss - 8/105, 2 TD. Did I mention he's back? This is for those who didn't get the memo.
Wes Welker - 8/91. He's a solid option as a WR3 who will consistent rack up targets and catches, but he's going to have to break a big one by himself since Brady is rightfully using Moss to stretch the field.
Donte Stallworth - 2/19. Another overrated WR heading into the year. He's clearly the 3rd (or arguably the 4th) option, and nobody would fault you for dropping him if you prefer someone on your waiver wire instead. He's a WR5.
Ben Watson - 5/49, 1 TD. Another TD. He's going to be inconsistent with yardage thanks to the other options on the team, but he's not a bad TE1 as he'll score several TDs this year. He's a great redzone target.
NFL Week 2: Early Game Wrapup
Houston Texans At Carolina Panthers
Matt Schaub - 20/28, 227 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/3. Schaub has turned himself into a legit QB2 option, so if you need to replace your backup QB and Schaub is available, do it. I would use him against an elite defense even on a bye week, but it's clear that he's making smart decisions, and that he knows how to get AJ the ball downfield. I wouldn't start him while Andre Johnson is out, and I'll cover that injury in just a bit.
Jake Delhomme - 27/41, 307 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 1/13. Delhomme has gone back to being a solid QB2 who can have QB1 outings when the matchup is right. Houston doesn't have anyone that can cover Steve Smith (does any team?), and odds are most opponents won't either. There's just enough talent opposite Smith to help Delhomme produce more solid games than bum ones.
Ahman Green - 15/71, 1 TD. Houston is doing a good job limiting Green's load, and he looked better running the ball this week than he did last week. He remains a solid RB3 going forward, but he doesn't get the ball enough to be an every week starter.
DeShaun Foster - 9/22, 4/20. Foster had a promising week 1, but he turned in a horrible week 2. Houston's defense has actually put up 2 straight weeks of solid run defense, although LJ was limited a bit in the opener. It's too early to tell how tough they are on D, but Carolina fell down 3 scores early in the 2nd half and was forced to abandon the running game. Foster better rebound next week to maintain his RB3 status.
DeAngelo Williams - 8/31, 5/20, 1 FL. He's looking overrated so far as Foster has outproduced him 2 weeks in a row despite being drafted several rounds later. Williams is a very dicey RB3 right now given the strict RBBC status that the team is employing.
Andre Johnson - 7/120, 2 TD. Another monster game from Johnson as he finally has a QB that can get him the ball downfield. The bigger news here, however, is the sprained knee that Johnson suffered. He's being called doubtful for week 3, and owners have to pray that nothing big comes from Monday's scheduled MRI. Hopefully he doesn't miss too much time, but he looks to be out at least a week right now.
Owen Daniels - 5/58, 1 FL. He emerged as Schaub's 2nd favorite receiver in this one, and look for his role to expand next week if Johnson does indeed miss week 3's game. He's emerged as a great TE2, and perhaps a borderline TE1 moving forward.
Steve Smith - 8/153, 3 TD. Elite WRs have been the way to go so far through the first 2 weeks. Smith's monster game was nothing out of the ordinary, especially given Houston's bad safety group. He remains one of fantasy football's best WRs.
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals
Carson Palmer - 33/50, 401 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT, 2/10. Palmer predictably had a big game against Cleveland, but it was even bigger thanks to Cincinnati's horrific defensive showing, forcing Palmer to throw constantly in the 2nd half. If Cincy's defense continues its poor play, it'll give Palmer even more opportunities to throw the ball and rack up fantasy points.
Derek Anderson - 20/33, 328 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT. Where the hell did this come from? Anderson will be a popular pickup this week, and this should starve off the Brady Quinn talk for a week or two, so he's not a bad QB2 to be started in the right matchups. Anderson will have a chance to start most of the year as long as he doesn't turned the ball over and make poor decisions which plagued him in the preseason. With Edwards and Winslow, he definitely has great talent to throw to.
Rudi Johnson - 23/118, 4/33, 1 TD, 1 FL. As promised, Johnson bounced back and put up a very nice fantasy effort. The only disappointment was that he didn't score on the ground, and he would have had an even bigger game had Cincy's defense allowed them to get a lead later on. His increased involvement in the passing game so far is an excellent surprise. Expect him to remain a solid, but not spectacular RB1 for this season as he's always been.
Jamal Lewis - 28/215, 1 TD. Where the hell did this come from? Lewis hasn't showed breakway speed in over 3 years, but he busted a long 66 yard TD and another 47 yard run in this game. If you have another solid RB3, this is a perfect opportunity to sell high to a RB-starved team. He should be a decent RB3 moving forward, but this is not the re-birth of Jamal Lewis.
Chad Johnson - 11/209, 2 TD. CJ hauled in over half of Palmer's yardage in a monster performance against the cross-town rivals. He's easily living up to the pre-season ranking among the elite fantasy WRs. He was maddeningly inconsistent last season, but he change that this year and provide much better weekly output this year. This could prove to be his career year.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 8/69, 2 TD. CJ is hogging all the downfield action, but Housh has been the elite WR2 he was drafted to be so far. He will continue to be among the most consistent fantasy WRs in football thanks to his excellent possession skills.
Braylon Edwards - 8/146, 2 TD. Much like AJ, all he needs is a QB to get him the ball. His skills are excellent and he'll continue to post numbers with solid QB play. If Anderson settles in as a solid starting QB, Edwards will be a great WR2.
Kellen Winslow - 6/100, 1 TD. He seems to produce no matter what's going on around him. Overlooked in drafts heading into the season, Winslow is proving fully recovered from offseason microfracture knee surgery and producing just like last season. Lke Edwards, if Anderson settles in, it'll only help. He's a great TE1.
Joe Jurevicius - 4/44, 2 TD. He'll probably be a popular waiver wire pickup, but unless you're really hurting at WR, I'd pass. He's the 3rd option in an average passing attack.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Atlanta Falcons
Joey Harrington - 12/20, 200 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 2/2. He had 174 yards at halftime, so obviously he was horrible in the 2nd half. He didn't turn the ball over, but he was sacked 7 times due to solid pressure and his tendency to hold the ball too long. He's not worth owning in 12 team leagues.
David Garrard - 17/25, 272 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 5/20. Garrard turned in another solid performance and remains a solid QB2 option to be used against weaker defenses. If the Jaguars could settle on their WR corp, Garrard would be able to build chemistry which would lead to more consistent outings.
Warrick Dunn - 13/50, 1/4, 1 TD. Another mediocre outing from Dunn. He's barely a RB3 as is, and makes for a boring RB4. Expect him to continue losing carries to Norwood.
Jerious Norwood - 9/30, 1/13. He needs to make use of every touch he gets in his quest to overtake Dunn as the starter. He didn't do that last night, so he'll likely remain the backup in week 3.
Fred Taylor - 16/56, 1/11. I expected more from Taylor who literally did nothing with his last 9 carries. He might give way to MJD later in the year if he continues his subpar play.
Maurice Jones-Drew - 11/31, 1/10. Continuing to prove that he was extremely overrated heading into the year. Nobody doubts his talent, but he's not being given much of an opportunity to post fantasy numbers. The Jacksonville ground game has been nowhere near as proficient as last year so far, so hopefully the new offensive coordinator finds a way to get his two most talented players (Taylor, MJD) going and soon.
Roddy White - 4/81. He's not a bad guy to stash as a WR5. Barring injury, he will lead the Falcons in receving yards and remains their best downfield threat. His numbers overall won't be that great, but he could emerge useful as the season wears on.
Green Bay Packers at New York Giants
Brett Favre - 29/38, 286 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 2/-2. Favre posted excellent numbers against a mediocre Giants secondary. Favre remains a solid QB2 with excellent upside against weaker defenses.
Eli Manning - 16/29, 211 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Well, I guess he's healthy. He exited the game early, but that was due to the score and not due to re-injury. Manning should start next week and is a high upside QB2.
Brandon Jackson - 17/35, 4/24. Pathetic against an average NYG rush defense. He had the opportunity to really take hold of the starting job and failed miserably posting a horrible stat line. He'll start losing carries to Wynn, and he's already being pulled on 3rd downs and at the goalline. He's worth stashing, but don't let him anywhere near your starting lineup.
Deshawn Wynn - 10/50, 2/18, 2 TD. 38 of these yards were on a long TD run in the 2nd half, but Wynn has worked his way into the RB rotation in GB and is definitely worth picking up in fantasy leagues. Don't go starting him as Jackson remains the starter, but he's an interesting guy to have on your bench.
Derrick Ward - 15/90, 4/35. I was concerned about the Giants signing FB Hedgecock thinking it might be an indication that the Giants would use Droughns in a committee with Ward, but Ward was the only RB to log a carry in week 2 and looks to be a very solid RB2 option with Jacobs hurt.
Donald Driver - 8/73, 1 TD. Driver remains an outstanding WR2 with another solid performance. Like I said before, he remains Favre's go-to target with all the youth around him and remain very consistent from week to week.
James Jones - 4/75. He's worth owning with Greg Jennings out as the impressive rookie will likely be Favre's 2nd target in the passing game. When Jennings does return, he'll still be an injury risk given his first 1+ years in the league, so stash him as a WR5.
Plaxico Burress - 2/32, 1 TD. Thankfully he scored before departing with an ankle injury. He suffered the injury initially during the offseason, so this is a bit of a concern. He claims he'll play in week 3, but stay tuned to his practice schedule during the week for confirmation on his week 3 status.
Jeremy Shockey - 5/60. Another solid outing from Shockey, and if Burress misses week 3, he'll probably be looked to more in the redzone. Manning's health is great news for Shockey who remains a solid TE1 with Manning starting.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
J.P. Losman - 15/25, 154 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/38. Another poor performance against an elite defense. He looked much improved in the 2nd half of last season, but he's started out this season in an ugly fashion. He's a mediocre QB2, but he'd make for a very inconsistent weekly starter as he's much better used in advantageous matchups.
Ben Roethlisberger - 21/34, 242 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/10. Much more was expected against Buffalo, but he still played great. I did catch part of the game where he underthrew his FB which would have been an easy score, so at least one more TD should have been a part of his statline. I still view him as a solid QB1.
Marshawn Lynch - 18/64, 1/21. 85 total yards behind a medicore offensive line and against the Pittsburgh defense is a pretty solid effort from Lynch. He'll struggle against great defenses thanks to the surrounding talent, but he remains a solid RB2 thanks to getting the majority of the carries and his talent.
Willie Parker - 23/126, 2/7, 1 TD. Parker busted out several of his patented long runs thanks to his patience en route to a very good day. He was a soild RB1 on draft day and should continue to post solid numbers all season long.
Lee Evans - 2/17. He's perilously close to being a candidate for the bench against great defenses. With NE up next, it's very hard to recommend starting him no matter what round you drafted him in. His schedule gets a lot better in the 2nd half, so monitor his progress and keep him in mind as a buy-low candidate.
Hines Ward - 5/55. Boring output from Ward this week, but the Steelers had control of this game for most of the day, and Ward almost had a TD mixed in here which would have given him a much better stat line. Consider him a very solid WR2.
Santonio Holmes - 3/53. Half of his yards come on a big play, and like I said before, his ability to make those plays make him a quality WR3 this season.
Heath Miller - 2/34. A 29 yard catch saved his day. He remains a borderline TE1/2, and he'll have more value when the Steelers have to throw more. Bigger days are ahead.
San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams
Alex Smith - 11/17, 126 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 2/-1. An ugly outing against the Rams is a reason to get concerned. That's 2 bad outings in a row against questionable defenses, but since Smith is probably your QB2, you can afford to be patient. They have to get better.
Marc Bulger - 24/41, 368 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. Bulger posted another great yardage day, but they couldn't punch it into the endzone more than once, and of concern is the beating he took with Pace out of the lineup. Things figure to get better going forward as the Rams adjust to not having Orlando Pace, but securing a reliable QB2 option is probably a good idea.
Frank Gore - 20/81, 2/4, 2 TD. Gore busted out a terrific 43 yard TD run on a 4th and 1 after initially being bottled up. I expected better yardage from a Rams D that stuffed him throughout most of the day, but the passing game is doing him no favors as teams will continue to stack 8 in the box until Smith improves his play. Expect it to happen soon.
Steven Jackson - 21/60, 3/36. Yes, Jackson has been insanely frustrating so far, but don't even think about giving up on him. Much like Bulger, he's suffering a bit with the loss of Pace, and the Rams will eventually adjust and find the right replacement. Better days are ahead, and now's not a bad time to inquire about what his price is right now.
Darrell Jackson - 3/61. A nice 34 yard grab saved his day, but Alex Smith is holding him back. He's a dicey WR3 until Smith gets going, but he looks healthier with each week.
Vernon Davis - 2/23. Progress, I guess. Davis called for the ball after this week, so expect the 49ers to work on that in week 3. Things will continue to get better as the 49ers would be foolish not to continue working on getting him the ball.
Torry Holt - 5/74, 1 TD, 1 FL. Another solid performance from Holt as he showed an improved YPC. Better protection for Bulger will improve Holt's downfield ability.
Isaac Bruce - 8/145. Bruce, the ageless wonder, puts up yet another great game. He'll continue to be a solid WR3 despite his advanced age, and will likely be as consistent as any WR3 out there thanks to the Rams passing attack.
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Drew Brees - 26/44, 260 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/10. Don't be fooled...most of these stats occurred during garbage time when the Bucs stopped caring. The Saints offense looks horrible so far, but with a depleted Titans secondary up next, giving Brees another shot is a smart idea.
Jeff Garcia - 10/16, 243 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/6. Garcia is maintaining his value as a solid QB2 as Gruden has turned him into a fairly consistent fantasy player...like he does with many veteran QBs. There's no upside here, but with a healthy Joey Galloway, that's enough to get it done most weeks.
Deuce McAllister - 10/49, 1/7, 1 FL. The whole offense sucks right now, so continue leaving Deuce on your bench until they figure things out. He's still a fairly solid RB3.
Reggie Bush - 10/27, 6/43. Ditto with McAllister. He may have been drafted as your RB1, but as much as it pains you, treat him as an RB3 until the Saints get themselves straightened out. I expected big things from Bush this year after a great finish to the 2006 season, but he's been a bust so far.
Carnell Williams - 24/61, 2 TD. Don't read too much into the final statline as Cadillac produced 16 rushes for 52 yards in the 2nd half, so he improved greatly after halftime. His improved production in the 2nd half makes him a solid RB2 for week 3. The 2 TDs from 1 yard out proves that he's the goal line back, enhancing his fantasy value. Expect improved yardage.
Marques Colston - 8/70, 1 TD. Thanks, garbage time. He's still a weekly starter, but he's proving overvalued as a WR1 so far thanks to the struggles of the Saints offense. Defenses are playing deeper against Brees now, and while that kills the value of the rest of the receivers, Colston does his best work underneath and will continue to have solid fantasy value.
Eric Johnson - 3/18. Not a TE1 yet, but still a solid TE2.
Joey Galloway - 4/135, 2 TD. He's the best of the ageless wonders as his speed is still elite. He's started off in a big way, and looks to be a WR2 as it stands right now. Garcia hardly has a cannon, but he's very accurate when he throws downfield, and that's good enough to get Galloway the ball.
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
Peyton Manning - 28/42, 312 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/-2. A subpar game for Manning given only 1 TD, but Tennessee has played them very tough last year, winning once, and they continued that tendency yesterday. Still, Manning did just fine and posted solid fantasy numbers once again.
Vince Young - 17/27, 184 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 5/53. A solid effort from Young against an improved Colts defense. I'm still wary on starting him every week, but his rushing totals, much like Michael Vick, will aid his stats and help prevent him from horrible outings.
Joseph Addai - 20/81, 2/6, 1 TD. I'm very surprised that the Colts aren't getting Addai the ball more in the passing game so far, but he'll likely score most weeks thanks to the Colts offense, and he'll always be putting up solid yardage total. He's a very safe RB1 with the potential for a few monster games.
LenDale White - 15/64, 1 TD. White was much better than Chris Brown this week, and he'll still have the chance to win most of the carries come season's end. Given the fact he's the goalline back, he has far more upside than Brown. He makes for a pretty solid RB3 as VY will keep the Titans in most games.
Chris Brown - 12/34, 1/2. Unless White gets hurt, Brown won't come close to doing anything like week 1. He's a RB4.
Marvin Harrison - 6/87. Good ole Harrison. No scores this week, but solid yardage per usual.
Reggie Wayne - 5/70. Good ole Wayne. See above.
Dallas Clark - 7/69, 1 TD. Is he rising to TE1? His skills are great and he works the middle of the field very well. Anthony Gonzalez's progression might get in his way, however.
Matt Schaub - 20/28, 227 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/3. Schaub has turned himself into a legit QB2 option, so if you need to replace your backup QB and Schaub is available, do it. I would use him against an elite defense even on a bye week, but it's clear that he's making smart decisions, and that he knows how to get AJ the ball downfield. I wouldn't start him while Andre Johnson is out, and I'll cover that injury in just a bit.
Jake Delhomme - 27/41, 307 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 1/13. Delhomme has gone back to being a solid QB2 who can have QB1 outings when the matchup is right. Houston doesn't have anyone that can cover Steve Smith (does any team?), and odds are most opponents won't either. There's just enough talent opposite Smith to help Delhomme produce more solid games than bum ones.
Ahman Green - 15/71, 1 TD. Houston is doing a good job limiting Green's load, and he looked better running the ball this week than he did last week. He remains a solid RB3 going forward, but he doesn't get the ball enough to be an every week starter.
DeShaun Foster - 9/22, 4/20. Foster had a promising week 1, but he turned in a horrible week 2. Houston's defense has actually put up 2 straight weeks of solid run defense, although LJ was limited a bit in the opener. It's too early to tell how tough they are on D, but Carolina fell down 3 scores early in the 2nd half and was forced to abandon the running game. Foster better rebound next week to maintain his RB3 status.
DeAngelo Williams - 8/31, 5/20, 1 FL. He's looking overrated so far as Foster has outproduced him 2 weeks in a row despite being drafted several rounds later. Williams is a very dicey RB3 right now given the strict RBBC status that the team is employing.
Andre Johnson - 7/120, 2 TD. Another monster game from Johnson as he finally has a QB that can get him the ball downfield. The bigger news here, however, is the sprained knee that Johnson suffered. He's being called doubtful for week 3, and owners have to pray that nothing big comes from Monday's scheduled MRI. Hopefully he doesn't miss too much time, but he looks to be out at least a week right now.
Owen Daniels - 5/58, 1 FL. He emerged as Schaub's 2nd favorite receiver in this one, and look for his role to expand next week if Johnson does indeed miss week 3's game. He's emerged as a great TE2, and perhaps a borderline TE1 moving forward.
Steve Smith - 8/153, 3 TD. Elite WRs have been the way to go so far through the first 2 weeks. Smith's monster game was nothing out of the ordinary, especially given Houston's bad safety group. He remains one of fantasy football's best WRs.
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals
Carson Palmer - 33/50, 401 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT, 2/10. Palmer predictably had a big game against Cleveland, but it was even bigger thanks to Cincinnati's horrific defensive showing, forcing Palmer to throw constantly in the 2nd half. If Cincy's defense continues its poor play, it'll give Palmer even more opportunities to throw the ball and rack up fantasy points.
Derek Anderson - 20/33, 328 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT. Where the hell did this come from? Anderson will be a popular pickup this week, and this should starve off the Brady Quinn talk for a week or two, so he's not a bad QB2 to be started in the right matchups. Anderson will have a chance to start most of the year as long as he doesn't turned the ball over and make poor decisions which plagued him in the preseason. With Edwards and Winslow, he definitely has great talent to throw to.
Rudi Johnson - 23/118, 4/33, 1 TD, 1 FL. As promised, Johnson bounced back and put up a very nice fantasy effort. The only disappointment was that he didn't score on the ground, and he would have had an even bigger game had Cincy's defense allowed them to get a lead later on. His increased involvement in the passing game so far is an excellent surprise. Expect him to remain a solid, but not spectacular RB1 for this season as he's always been.
Jamal Lewis - 28/215, 1 TD. Where the hell did this come from? Lewis hasn't showed breakway speed in over 3 years, but he busted a long 66 yard TD and another 47 yard run in this game. If you have another solid RB3, this is a perfect opportunity to sell high to a RB-starved team. He should be a decent RB3 moving forward, but this is not the re-birth of Jamal Lewis.
Chad Johnson - 11/209, 2 TD. CJ hauled in over half of Palmer's yardage in a monster performance against the cross-town rivals. He's easily living up to the pre-season ranking among the elite fantasy WRs. He was maddeningly inconsistent last season, but he change that this year and provide much better weekly output this year. This could prove to be his career year.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 8/69, 2 TD. CJ is hogging all the downfield action, but Housh has been the elite WR2 he was drafted to be so far. He will continue to be among the most consistent fantasy WRs in football thanks to his excellent possession skills.
Braylon Edwards - 8/146, 2 TD. Much like AJ, all he needs is a QB to get him the ball. His skills are excellent and he'll continue to post numbers with solid QB play. If Anderson settles in as a solid starting QB, Edwards will be a great WR2.
Kellen Winslow - 6/100, 1 TD. He seems to produce no matter what's going on around him. Overlooked in drafts heading into the season, Winslow is proving fully recovered from offseason microfracture knee surgery and producing just like last season. Lke Edwards, if Anderson settles in, it'll only help. He's a great TE1.
Joe Jurevicius - 4/44, 2 TD. He'll probably be a popular waiver wire pickup, but unless you're really hurting at WR, I'd pass. He's the 3rd option in an average passing attack.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Atlanta Falcons
Joey Harrington - 12/20, 200 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 2/2. He had 174 yards at halftime, so obviously he was horrible in the 2nd half. He didn't turn the ball over, but he was sacked 7 times due to solid pressure and his tendency to hold the ball too long. He's not worth owning in 12 team leagues.
David Garrard - 17/25, 272 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 5/20. Garrard turned in another solid performance and remains a solid QB2 option to be used against weaker defenses. If the Jaguars could settle on their WR corp, Garrard would be able to build chemistry which would lead to more consistent outings.
Warrick Dunn - 13/50, 1/4, 1 TD. Another mediocre outing from Dunn. He's barely a RB3 as is, and makes for a boring RB4. Expect him to continue losing carries to Norwood.
Jerious Norwood - 9/30, 1/13. He needs to make use of every touch he gets in his quest to overtake Dunn as the starter. He didn't do that last night, so he'll likely remain the backup in week 3.
Fred Taylor - 16/56, 1/11. I expected more from Taylor who literally did nothing with his last 9 carries. He might give way to MJD later in the year if he continues his subpar play.
Maurice Jones-Drew - 11/31, 1/10. Continuing to prove that he was extremely overrated heading into the year. Nobody doubts his talent, but he's not being given much of an opportunity to post fantasy numbers. The Jacksonville ground game has been nowhere near as proficient as last year so far, so hopefully the new offensive coordinator finds a way to get his two most talented players (Taylor, MJD) going and soon.
Roddy White - 4/81. He's not a bad guy to stash as a WR5. Barring injury, he will lead the Falcons in receving yards and remains their best downfield threat. His numbers overall won't be that great, but he could emerge useful as the season wears on.
Green Bay Packers at New York Giants
Brett Favre - 29/38, 286 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 2/-2. Favre posted excellent numbers against a mediocre Giants secondary. Favre remains a solid QB2 with excellent upside against weaker defenses.
Eli Manning - 16/29, 211 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Well, I guess he's healthy. He exited the game early, but that was due to the score and not due to re-injury. Manning should start next week and is a high upside QB2.
Brandon Jackson - 17/35, 4/24. Pathetic against an average NYG rush defense. He had the opportunity to really take hold of the starting job and failed miserably posting a horrible stat line. He'll start losing carries to Wynn, and he's already being pulled on 3rd downs and at the goalline. He's worth stashing, but don't let him anywhere near your starting lineup.
Deshawn Wynn - 10/50, 2/18, 2 TD. 38 of these yards were on a long TD run in the 2nd half, but Wynn has worked his way into the RB rotation in GB and is definitely worth picking up in fantasy leagues. Don't go starting him as Jackson remains the starter, but he's an interesting guy to have on your bench.
Derrick Ward - 15/90, 4/35. I was concerned about the Giants signing FB Hedgecock thinking it might be an indication that the Giants would use Droughns in a committee with Ward, but Ward was the only RB to log a carry in week 2 and looks to be a very solid RB2 option with Jacobs hurt.
Donald Driver - 8/73, 1 TD. Driver remains an outstanding WR2 with another solid performance. Like I said before, he remains Favre's go-to target with all the youth around him and remain very consistent from week to week.
James Jones - 4/75. He's worth owning with Greg Jennings out as the impressive rookie will likely be Favre's 2nd target in the passing game. When Jennings does return, he'll still be an injury risk given his first 1+ years in the league, so stash him as a WR5.
Plaxico Burress - 2/32, 1 TD. Thankfully he scored before departing with an ankle injury. He suffered the injury initially during the offseason, so this is a bit of a concern. He claims he'll play in week 3, but stay tuned to his practice schedule during the week for confirmation on his week 3 status.
Jeremy Shockey - 5/60. Another solid outing from Shockey, and if Burress misses week 3, he'll probably be looked to more in the redzone. Manning's health is great news for Shockey who remains a solid TE1 with Manning starting.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
J.P. Losman - 15/25, 154 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/38. Another poor performance against an elite defense. He looked much improved in the 2nd half of last season, but he's started out this season in an ugly fashion. He's a mediocre QB2, but he'd make for a very inconsistent weekly starter as he's much better used in advantageous matchups.
Ben Roethlisberger - 21/34, 242 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/10. Much more was expected against Buffalo, but he still played great. I did catch part of the game where he underthrew his FB which would have been an easy score, so at least one more TD should have been a part of his statline. I still view him as a solid QB1.
Marshawn Lynch - 18/64, 1/21. 85 total yards behind a medicore offensive line and against the Pittsburgh defense is a pretty solid effort from Lynch. He'll struggle against great defenses thanks to the surrounding talent, but he remains a solid RB2 thanks to getting the majority of the carries and his talent.
Willie Parker - 23/126, 2/7, 1 TD. Parker busted out several of his patented long runs thanks to his patience en route to a very good day. He was a soild RB1 on draft day and should continue to post solid numbers all season long.
Lee Evans - 2/17. He's perilously close to being a candidate for the bench against great defenses. With NE up next, it's very hard to recommend starting him no matter what round you drafted him in. His schedule gets a lot better in the 2nd half, so monitor his progress and keep him in mind as a buy-low candidate.
Hines Ward - 5/55. Boring output from Ward this week, but the Steelers had control of this game for most of the day, and Ward almost had a TD mixed in here which would have given him a much better stat line. Consider him a very solid WR2.
Santonio Holmes - 3/53. Half of his yards come on a big play, and like I said before, his ability to make those plays make him a quality WR3 this season.
Heath Miller - 2/34. A 29 yard catch saved his day. He remains a borderline TE1/2, and he'll have more value when the Steelers have to throw more. Bigger days are ahead.
San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams
Alex Smith - 11/17, 126 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 2/-1. An ugly outing against the Rams is a reason to get concerned. That's 2 bad outings in a row against questionable defenses, but since Smith is probably your QB2, you can afford to be patient. They have to get better.
Marc Bulger - 24/41, 368 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. Bulger posted another great yardage day, but they couldn't punch it into the endzone more than once, and of concern is the beating he took with Pace out of the lineup. Things figure to get better going forward as the Rams adjust to not having Orlando Pace, but securing a reliable QB2 option is probably a good idea.
Frank Gore - 20/81, 2/4, 2 TD. Gore busted out a terrific 43 yard TD run on a 4th and 1 after initially being bottled up. I expected better yardage from a Rams D that stuffed him throughout most of the day, but the passing game is doing him no favors as teams will continue to stack 8 in the box until Smith improves his play. Expect it to happen soon.
Steven Jackson - 21/60, 3/36. Yes, Jackson has been insanely frustrating so far, but don't even think about giving up on him. Much like Bulger, he's suffering a bit with the loss of Pace, and the Rams will eventually adjust and find the right replacement. Better days are ahead, and now's not a bad time to inquire about what his price is right now.
Darrell Jackson - 3/61. A nice 34 yard grab saved his day, but Alex Smith is holding him back. He's a dicey WR3 until Smith gets going, but he looks healthier with each week.
Vernon Davis - 2/23. Progress, I guess. Davis called for the ball after this week, so expect the 49ers to work on that in week 3. Things will continue to get better as the 49ers would be foolish not to continue working on getting him the ball.
Torry Holt - 5/74, 1 TD, 1 FL. Another solid performance from Holt as he showed an improved YPC. Better protection for Bulger will improve Holt's downfield ability.
Isaac Bruce - 8/145. Bruce, the ageless wonder, puts up yet another great game. He'll continue to be a solid WR3 despite his advanced age, and will likely be as consistent as any WR3 out there thanks to the Rams passing attack.
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Drew Brees - 26/44, 260 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/10. Don't be fooled...most of these stats occurred during garbage time when the Bucs stopped caring. The Saints offense looks horrible so far, but with a depleted Titans secondary up next, giving Brees another shot is a smart idea.
Jeff Garcia - 10/16, 243 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/6. Garcia is maintaining his value as a solid QB2 as Gruden has turned him into a fairly consistent fantasy player...like he does with many veteran QBs. There's no upside here, but with a healthy Joey Galloway, that's enough to get it done most weeks.
Deuce McAllister - 10/49, 1/7, 1 FL. The whole offense sucks right now, so continue leaving Deuce on your bench until they figure things out. He's still a fairly solid RB3.
Reggie Bush - 10/27, 6/43. Ditto with McAllister. He may have been drafted as your RB1, but as much as it pains you, treat him as an RB3 until the Saints get themselves straightened out. I expected big things from Bush this year after a great finish to the 2006 season, but he's been a bust so far.
Carnell Williams - 24/61, 2 TD. Don't read too much into the final statline as Cadillac produced 16 rushes for 52 yards in the 2nd half, so he improved greatly after halftime. His improved production in the 2nd half makes him a solid RB2 for week 3. The 2 TDs from 1 yard out proves that he's the goal line back, enhancing his fantasy value. Expect improved yardage.
Marques Colston - 8/70, 1 TD. Thanks, garbage time. He's still a weekly starter, but he's proving overvalued as a WR1 so far thanks to the struggles of the Saints offense. Defenses are playing deeper against Brees now, and while that kills the value of the rest of the receivers, Colston does his best work underneath and will continue to have solid fantasy value.
Eric Johnson - 3/18. Not a TE1 yet, but still a solid TE2.
Joey Galloway - 4/135, 2 TD. He's the best of the ageless wonders as his speed is still elite. He's started off in a big way, and looks to be a WR2 as it stands right now. Garcia hardly has a cannon, but he's very accurate when he throws downfield, and that's good enough to get Galloway the ball.
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
Peyton Manning - 28/42, 312 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/-2. A subpar game for Manning given only 1 TD, but Tennessee has played them very tough last year, winning once, and they continued that tendency yesterday. Still, Manning did just fine and posted solid fantasy numbers once again.
Vince Young - 17/27, 184 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 5/53. A solid effort from Young against an improved Colts defense. I'm still wary on starting him every week, but his rushing totals, much like Michael Vick, will aid his stats and help prevent him from horrible outings.
Joseph Addai - 20/81, 2/6, 1 TD. I'm very surprised that the Colts aren't getting Addai the ball more in the passing game so far, but he'll likely score most weeks thanks to the Colts offense, and he'll always be putting up solid yardage total. He's a very safe RB1 with the potential for a few monster games.
LenDale White - 15/64, 1 TD. White was much better than Chris Brown this week, and he'll still have the chance to win most of the carries come season's end. Given the fact he's the goalline back, he has far more upside than Brown. He makes for a pretty solid RB3 as VY will keep the Titans in most games.
Chris Brown - 12/34, 1/2. Unless White gets hurt, Brown won't come close to doing anything like week 1. He's a RB4.
Marvin Harrison - 6/87. Good ole Harrison. No scores this week, but solid yardage per usual.
Reggie Wayne - 5/70. Good ole Wayne. See above.
Dallas Clark - 7/69, 1 TD. Is he rising to TE1? His skills are great and he works the middle of the field very well. Anthony Gonzalez's progression might get in his way, however.
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