4th & Long -- Excerpts from yesterday's Sporting News column

Here are a few injury updates excerpted from my 4th & Long column yesterday for Sporting News:

The clock is ticking on Jonathan Dwyer (turf toe) and Isaac Redman staking their claims to a significant role in the Steelers’ backfield. Rashard Mendenhall is practicing “in full” this week, though he is highly unlikely to suit up until after Pittsburgh’s Week 4 bye. At this point, neither back has distinguished himself, meaning if Mendenhall is available in your league, this is the time to stow him away. If he returns healthy, he’ll resume his workhorse duties.

The Packers are in “wait-and-see” mode with Greg Jennings. The good news is he has an extra day to rehab his groin injury, given the Monday night start. The bad news is that his recovery isn’t going as smoothly as expected, and your options may be limited if he’s declared inactive. Ideally, you can hedge your bets with Randall Cobb, whose playing status should not be in jeopardy despite a sore hammy.

Looks like Pierre Garcon will be a dreaded game-time decision on Sunday. His foot is still sore, so plan accordingly.

Jeremy Maclin was back at practice, but later ruled out for Week 3 because of a hip pointer. Find an alternative.

Week 3 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Arian Foster and Calvin Johnson, or to bench Tim Tebow and Steve Breaston? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for help with your real starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 3 of the 2012 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals at Redskins.  Washington’s pass rush took a major hit last week with the loss of Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker.  That should leave Dalton plenty of time to pick apart the same secondary that Sam Bradford torched in Week 2.  Dalton is also blessed with better receivers than his Rams counterpart.

Michael Bush, RB, Bears vs. Rams.  Assuming Matt Forte takes another week off, Bush is a triple play against a struggling Rams run defense that has surrendered four rushing scores already.  Always a goal-line hawk, Bush should add some nice yardage to his totals this week as well.

Ryan Mathews, RB, Chargers at Falcons.  Sometimes it pays to bench a player in his first game back from injury; but this is not one of those times.  For starters, Mathews owners need to get the injury-prone tailback in their lineup whenever they can.  On top of that, Mathews is a reliable red-zone threat, and Atlanta is doing a terrible job of keeping opposing backs out of their end zone.

Stevie Johnson, WR, Bills at Browns. Despite scoring in each of the first two games, Johnson is flying a bit under the fantasy radar so far.  That won’t be the case after he torches the Cleveland secondary, which will go into battle for the second consecutive week without Joe Haden, their best cover corner.  It would be no surprise to see Johnson doing multiple (albeit ridiculous) end-zone celebrations in this matchup.

Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys vs. Buccaneers.  He’s been a big disappointment thus far, but Bryant and the Dallas aerial attack should rediscover their mojo against a Tampa Bay secondary that just coughed up 510 net passing yards to the Giants.  Bryant should be a very busy, and productive, man in the Cowboys’ home opener.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Matt Schaub; RBs Reggie Bush, Alfred Morris, Trent Richardson, Willis McGahee; WRs DeSean Jackson, Antonio Brown, Marques Colston, Reggie Wayne, Dwayne Bowe, Danny Amendola.

Roll ‘em back

Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers vs. Falcons.  I’m nervous about Rivers this week, with the expected return of Mathews and with the ball-hawking Atlanta secondary coming to town.  Though Antonio Gates is expected to suit up, the Chargers will be better-served slowing down the tempo and feeding the ball to Mathews.

Michael Turner, RB, Falcons at Chargers.  Aside from a 1-yard scoring plunge in Week 2, Turner has been horrible.  Mix in his early morning DUI arrest after the Monday nighter, the creeping emergence of Jacquizz Rogers and the Chargers’ league-best run defense, and Turner should be sentenced to your bench.

Shonn Greene, RB, Jets at Dolphins.  Miami clamped down hard on Darren McFadden last week, and Greene is no Run-DMC.  He essentially split carries with Bilal Powell in Week 2 after missing some time with a head injury, and his career-best performance in six games against the Dolphins is 74 rushing yards.  Greene has also never found the end zone against his division rivals.

Brandon Lloyd, WR, Patriots at Ravens.  Tom Brady has been struggling behind his porous offensive line, and he hasn’t yet developed a strong rapport with his new wideout. Even with Aaron Hernandez sidelined, Lloyd is unlikely to find much success this week against the relentless Ravens defense.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals vs. Eagles.  Like what he did last week?  Get ready for another disappointing day, thanks both to the Kevin Kolb effect and Philly’s stout secondary.  I’m sure Fitz will manage more than four yards this Sunday, and I realize he’s extremely difficult to bench; but he can’t throw the ball to himself.  Until John Skelton gets back under center, Fitzgerald is a potential liability.

More thumbs down: QBs Michael Vick, Sam Bradford, Carson Palmer; RBs Jonathan Dwyer, Cedric Benson, Donald Brown; WRs Jeremy Maclin, Justin Blackmon, Brian Hartline, Eric Decker, Kenny Britt, Sidney Rice, Randy Moss.

TAKING A FLIER

Mikel Leshoure, RB, Lions at Titans.  Having completed his two-game suspension, Leshoure heads into a tasty matchup in Tennessee with high expectations.  He is clearly the most talented member of the Detroit backfield, when healthy, and the coaches have already said he will be involved heavily in Sunday’s game plan.  If you’re hurting at RB or the flex position, give Leshoure a shot.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…trades Chris Johnson now.  That doesn’t mean you should start him, either (you shouldn’t).  But you’ll be much better served waiting for him to post a solid outing, rather than selling at rock bottom.  CJ1K’s trade value can’t go much lower, so hold on a bit longer until you can sell a little (false) hope along with your first-round bust.

Week 2 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Cam Newton, Panthers – Passed for 253 yards and a TD, and ran for 71 yards and another score, with a fumble but no INTs.

Eli Manning, Giants – We’ll forgive his 3 INTs for 510 passing yards and a TD trifecta.

Andy Dalton, Bengals – Connected on 3 TD passes while amassing 318 yards and an INT.

Michael Vick, Eagles – Threw 3 more picks and lost a fumble, but also passed for 371 yards and a score, while adding 34 yards and a TD on the ground.

Robert Griffin III, Redskins – Couldn’t muster a win, but passed for 206 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT, and ran for 82 more yards and a pair of TDs.

Sam Bradford, Rams – Passed for 310 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT in a dramatic win.

Philip Rivers, Chargers – Passed for 284 yards, 3 TDs and a pick.

RBs

Reggie Bush, Dolphins – Raced for 172 yards and 2 rushing TDs, and chipped in 3 receptions for 25 yards.

CJ Spiller, Bills – Ran for 123 yards and 2 TDs, adding 47 more on 3 catches.

Tony Richardson, Browns – Rumbled for 109 yards, caught 4 passes for 36 yards, and scored both ways.

Willis McGahee, Broncos – Ground out 113 yards and 2 TDs and 2 receptions for 11 yards.

Arian Foster, Texans – Ran for 110 yards and a TD and reeled in 6 catches for 37 yards.

Ben Tate, Texans – Foster’s understudy tallied 74 yards and 2 TDs on the ground, plus 4 catches for 23 yards.

WRs

Hakeem Nicks, Giants – Reeled in 10 passes for 199 yards and a score.

Danny Amendola, Rams – Amassed 15 receptions, 160 yards, a TD and a fumble.

Victor Cruz, Giants – His 11 catches produced 179 yards and 1 TD.

Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs – Hauled in 8 passes for 102 yards and 2 TDs.

Vincent Jackson, Bucs – Caught 5 passes for 128 yards and a TD.

TEs

Vernon Davis, 49ers – Notched 2 TDs and 73 yards on 5 receptions.

Brent Celek, Eagles – His 8 catches turned into 157 yards.

D/STs

Packers – Collected 4 INTs, 7 sacks, a fake kick TD and held the Bears to 10 points.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Aaron Rodgers, Packers – He didn’t have a terrible game, but you can’t hope for much better than 219 yards passing, 1 TD, 1 INT and -6 yards rushing when you play against Rodgers.

Matt Schaub, Texans – Led his team to an easy victory, but only had 195 passing yards to show for it, without a score.

Jay Cutler, Bears – Threw 4 INTs with just 126 passing yards and a solo TD.

Mark Sanchez, Jets – As expected, followed his monster opener with a 138-yard, 1 TD dud.

Peyton Manning, Broncos – Registered just 241 yards, 1 TD and 3 early INTs in the Monday nighter.

RBs

Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants – Only posted 16 yards before leaving with a neck injury.

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs – Held to 3 rushing yards and 19 receiving yards on 3 catches.

Donald Brown, Colts – 45 yards rushing was all he could muster.

Darren McFadden, Raiders – Combined for a measly 22 rushing and 19 receiving yards on 2 catches.

Chris Johnson, Titans – Continued his pitiful ways with 28 combined rushing and receiving yards.

Steven Jackson, Rams – Yanked from the game after spiking the ball in frustration (and/or due to a groin injury) and just 58 rushing yards.

Shonn Greene, Jets – Another putrid effort, totaling just 23 yards on the ground.

WRs

Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals – Posted a 4-yard catch on the day.  Thanks a lot, Kevin Kolb.

Julio Jones, Falcons – Followed up his monster opener with 4 catches for a mere 14 yards.

Anquan Boldin, Ravens – Only 7 yards on 2 balls.

Andre Johnson, Texans – Held to 21 yards on 3 catches.

James Jones, Packers – With Greg Jennings sitting out, Jones actually lost a yard on 2 receptions.

Brandon Marshall, Bears – Just 2 catches for 24 yards.

Lance Moore, Saints – 2 receptions yielded 30 yards.

Dez Bryant, Cowboys – Only 17 yards on 3 receptions.

Kevin Ogletree, Cowboys – Had a 26-yard catch (and 5-yard run) after his breakout Week 1 game.

Sidney Rice, Seahawks – Limited to 33 yards on 3 passes.

Santana Moss, Redskins – Lost in the youth movement, caught only 3 passes for 14 yards.

Kenny Britt, Titans – As expected, limited in his return to one 5-yard reception.

Justin Blackmon, Jaguars – Highly touted rookie posted a goose egg.

Stephen Hill, Jets – A week after his breakout game, the rookie was shutout.

TEs

Aaron Hernandez, Patriots – Injured his knee before he had a chance to make a play.

Jermichael Finley, Packers – Only 26 yards on 4 catches, plus a lost fumble.

Jacob Tamme, Broncos – Limited to 2 receptions for 13 yards.

We didn’t see them coming…

Jackie Battle, RB, Chargers – With Ryan Mathews out, Battle tallied 69 yards and a pair of 1-yard TDs.

Dante Rosario, TE, Chargers – Subbing for Antonio Gates, his 4 catches went for 48 yards and 3 TDs.

Ignore inactive alerts at your peril

Like many of you, I play in multiple fantasy leagues.  My opponents in three of those leagues this weekend spotted me a starting player simply because they were too busy, distracted or downright lazy to check the inactive reports.

Two started Antonio Gates, who was a semi-surprise scratch an hour before game-time, due to a nagging rib injury.  The other started Pierre Garcon, who was projected to be inactive most of the week due to a foot injury he incurred in the opener.

In my fourth league, where Gates was my only tight end, I made a last-minute move to acquire Heath Miller immediately after I alerted my Twitter followers to the news.  The Pittsburgh receiver filled in nicely, with a much-appreciated touchdown reception.

My competitors weren’t the only boneheads to make these elementary mistakes.  According to one of the top league-management sites, Garcon was in someone’s starting lineup in more than one-fifth of all leagues.  Last Thursday night, 65 percent of Greg Jennings’ owners earned a big fat zero because they failed to bench the wideout after he was declared inactive due to a groin injury.  And to top them all, Gates delivered a goose egg for his owners in a whopping 80 percent of leagues!  That’s inexcusable, people!

Presumably you play fantasy football because you’re the competitive type.  Or perhaps you’re in it for the monetary spoils. So why would you go into your matchup with one player tied behind your back?

Whether or not such a move cost you your matchup – you know who you are – make a vow never to let it happen again.  If you simply follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/ladd_biro), I promise to get you the news you need to avoid such unnecessary errors.

Hey, you take the time to read this column.  Surely you can handle a few 140-character bursts before game-time.

FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, it helps to start with a great draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents is also important. Here's a look at players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else's lineup.

Catch ‘em while you can

Daryl Richardson, RB, Rams. Whether you believe Steven Jackson truly injured his groin or was benched for his impulsive, boneheaded temper tantrum, one thing is certain: Richardson is now the proper handcuff in St. Louis.  The 7^th-round rookie did a nice impression of the starter, and showed that he’s ready to step in the next time Jackson is sidelined.  Those holding Isaiah Pead in reserve should swap him for his less-touted rookie classmate.

Andre Brown, RB, Giants.  When Ahmad Bradshaw went down with a neck injury, the third-year back who missed all of 2011 with a torn Achilles stepped in and amassed 71 yards and a score on 13 carries, plus a two-point conversion and two receptions for 19 more yards.  Meanwhile, much-ballyhooed rookie David Wilson saw just three carries.  With Bradshaw facing a short week (the G-men play again on Thursday), Brown is the backup to pickup.

Brandon Lafell, WR, Panthers.  The third-year wideout is firmly locked in as the No. 2 receiver in Carolina, and it’s showing in his production.  He reeled in a TD last week, and amassed 90 receiving yards on six receptions against the Saints on Sunday.  He has developed a good rapport with Cam Newton, which makes him a solid bye-week or injury substitute, though not yet an every-week starter.

Danny Amendola, WR, Rams.  I tried to tell you during the preseason to grab the Rams’ version of Wes Welker, who benefits from tremendous chemistry with Sam Bradford.  In PPR leagues, he should be in virtually every starting lineup.  But as he showed Sunday, he can come up big in standard-scoring leagues as well.

Don’t be fooled

Sam Bradford, QB, Rams.  It was encouraging to see Bradford looking sharp again, arguably for the first time since his rookie campaign.  But until he demonstrates some consistency, he’s not worth a roster spot.  St. Louis’ offense is still a work in progress, and it’s premature to bet on its quarterback, who just notched his first multi-touchdown outing since Week 12 of the 2010 season.

Felix Jones, RB, Cowboys. Need to clear space on your roster for a free agent with potential?  Feel free to jettison Jones, who has looked downright awful since he reported to training camp out of shape.  If you don’t hurry, the Cowboys may beat you to it.

Dante Rosario, TE, Chargers.  Unless you believe in handcuffing your tight ends, Rosario’s breakout, three-touchdown performance is best ignored.  Gates’ sore ribs are unlikely to keep him off the field for another week; and even if the starter misses more time, Rosario, a six-year veteran with five total TDs to his credit prior to Sunday, is a lousy bet to catch lightning in a bottle again.

Sunday morning updates -- Week 2

Good morning, Fools.  Ready for another full slate of Sunday awesomeness?

Let's see what's brewing around the league as we make our final roster adjustments...

It won't affect today's action, but the Bears got some bad news on Matt Forte.  He could miss up to 6 weeks with his high ankle injury.  Bummer.  If you handcuffed Michael Bush, you should be OK for the time being.  Kahlil Bell is being recalled by the team to help support Bush.

Don't expect to see Ryan Mathews this week against the Titans.  That clavicle just isn't ready to take a beating.  But teammate Antonio Gates (ribs) should be good to go.

Daniel Thomas won't play for the Dolphins, boosting Reggie Bush's value a bit.

Look for more work from Jonathan Dwyer today.  Isaac Redman may still get the start, but Dwyer will likely see more carries for the Steelers.

Rashad Jennings will miss today's game for the Jags, leaving the backfield completely in MJD's capable hands.

Jonathan Stewart (ankle) is expected to return today, but after last week's rushing debacle in Tampa Bay, you really wouldn't trust a Carolina running back in your lineup, would you?

It's not official yet, but Pierre Garcon (foot) is not expected to play today.  That makes RGIII a little less valuable, but he made do just fine after Garcon exited last week.  Look for more from Aldrick Robinson and Santana Moss if Garcon doesn't suit up.

Both DeSean Jackson (hammy) and Jeremy Maclin (hip pointer) will play today.  Maclin's prospects seemed dim earlier in the week; but he will give it a go.

Hakeem Nicks should be fine, Denarius Moore is expected to see limited action against the Dolphins, ditto for Kenny Britt in San Diego, and Sidney Rice will give it a go despite a bum knee.  Nicks is a sure-fire starter, but I don't like Moore's, Britt's or Rice's prospects today.

There you have it.  The inactive reports should start coming out any minute.  Make sure you're following along with me on Twitter (@ladd_biro).

Good luck today, Fools!

Week 2 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Tom Brady and Julio Jones, or to bench Brandon Weeden and Greg Little? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for help with your real starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 2 of the 2012 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Matt Schaub, QB, Texans at Jaguars.  The only worries for Schaub center on his health, and he proved in Week 1 that he is fully recovered from last season’s foot injury.  He and Andre Johnson got off to a nice start against Miami, and they should face little resistance against Jacksonville’s mediocre secondary.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Bengals vs. Browns.  The Law Firm ran strong against the vaunted Ravens defense in the opener.  He’ll be rewarded on Sunday with a sweet matchup against one of the softest run defenses in the league.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Giants vs. Buccaneers.  Suddenly the Bucs’ rush defense is a brick wall because they shut down the Panthers’ attack in Week 1?  I’m not buying it.  Bradshaw will torch the league’s worst run defenders from 2011, and remind us that one game does not a trend make.

Vincent Jackson, WR, Buccaneers vs. Giants.  As predicted here, Jackson got off to a slow start against the Panthers, though he was targeted on 10 passes.  This week, he’ll find more success, and the end zone, against New York’s depleted secondary.  Josh Freeman doesn’t pass a lot; but when he does, he prefers V-Jax.

Torrey Smith, WR, Ravens at Eagles.  The speedster started his season with a bang, hauling in a 52-yard bomb on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage.  Then he nearly vanished.  A confident Joe Flacco will target Smith more frequently this week in a tougher matchup on the road.   

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Matt Stafford, Tony Romo, Matt Ryan, Eli Manning, Robert Griffin III, Carson Palmer; RBs DeMarco Murray, Maurice Jones-Drew, Michael Turner, Alfred Morris, CJ Spiller, Doug Martin, Frank Gore, Stevan Ridley, Darren Sproles, Willis McGahee; WRs Reggie Wayne, Stevie Johnson, Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Lance Moore, Michael Crabtree, Antonio Brown, Miles Austin, Dez Bryant.

Roll ‘em back

Michael Vick, QB, Eagles vs. Ravens.  There’s no ignoring Vick’s four-interception meltdown against the Browns. What’s even more worrisome is the possible absence of his favorite target, Jeremy Maclin (hip pointer).  Baltimore will flush Vick out of the pocket regularly in this showdown, which could lead to another mistake-filled outing.

Chris Johnson, RB, Titans at Chargers.  Only PPR-leaguers should consider Johnson a decent starter this week.  He’ll be facing a run defense that limited Darren McFadden to just 45 rushing yards on Monday night (11 times more than CJ1K gained on the Patriots).  He should see his fair share of passes, but don’t count on much groundwork from the incredible, shrinking Johnson.

Kevin Smith, RB, Lions at 49ers.  Coming off his two-TD performance against the Rams, it’s tough to bench Smith.  But the 49ers’ run defense is just as stifling as ever.  (Just ask Cedric Benson.) Don’t test them.

Kenny Britt, WR, Titans at Chargers.  He’s done his time and will be active, but a lingering knee injury and worries over persistent hamstring problems could still limit his snaps.  Also, Britt has a track record of mediocre performances in his first game following injuries.  Give him a week to get acclimated.

Sidney Rice, WR, Seahawks vs. Cowboys.  He found the end zone last weekend, but he also emerged with a tweaked knee.  The injury isn’t expected to cost Rice a start, but the Cowboys’ aggressive corners should have little trouble shutting him down.

More thumbs down: QBs Jake Locker, Alex Smith, Sam Bradford; RBs Beanie Wells, Ryan Williams, Ryan Mathews, Ronnie Brown, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Donald Brown, Isaac Redman, Shonn Greene, Mark Ingram; WRs Robert Meachem, Randy Moss, Justin Blackmon, Kevin Ogletree, Stephen Hill, Darrius Heyward-Bey.

TAKING A FLIER

Danny Amendola, WR, Rams vs. Redskins. It’s easier to pass than run against Washington, and Amendola proved last weekend that he is clearly Sam Bradford’s go-to receiver.  Look for plenty of targets, and a trip to the end zone, for Amendola as the Rams try to keep pace with RGIII & Company.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…benches Wes Welker after his miserable opener.  Granted, it was somewhat shocking to see him yield snaps to Julian Edelman against the Titans, but that’s what the game plan dictated.  Welker is still a formidable weapon for the Pats, as he’ll prove to his doubters on Sunday in Arizona.

Week 1 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Matt Ryan, Falcons – Passed for 299 yards and 3 TDs, and ran for 25 yards and another score, with no turnovers.

Tony Romo, Cowboys – Got a measure of revenge with 307 passing yards and 3 TDs, plus one early INT.

Drew Brees, Saints – Struggled much of the game, throwing 2 INTs, but finished with a solid 339 passing yards and 3 TDs.

Mark Sanchez, Jets – Shook off the Tebow distraction to record 266 passing yards and 3 TDs, with 1 INT.

RBs

CJ Spiller, Bills – Took advantage of his opening and rumbled for 169 yards and 2 TDs, and added a pair of catches for 25 yards, after an early fumble.

Arian Foster, Texans – What knee injury?  The consensus top pick scored twice while running for 79 yards.

Adrian Peterson, Vikings – What knee injury?  The freakish athlete looked like the AP of old with 84 rushing yards and 2 TDs.

Ray Rice, Ravens – Rushed for 68 yards and 2 TDs, adding 3 receptions for 25 yards.

Alfred Morris, Redskins – For one game, at least, he was the bomb, racking up 96 yards and a pair of TDs.

Kevin Smith, Lions – Had 62 yards rushing, 29 yards receiving, and a TD both ways.

WRs

Julio Jones, Falcons – Staked his claim to elite status with 6 receptions for 108 yards and a pair of TDs.

Brandon Marshall, Bears – Got back in the swing with Cutler, hauling in 9 catches for 119 yards and a score.

Andre Johnson, Texans – Racked up the same stats on one fewer catch than Marshall.

Lance Moore, Saints – Amassed 120 yards and a TD on 6 receptions.

This was a great week to play against…

RBs

DeAngelo Williams, Panthers – J-Stew sat out, so DeAngelo had -1 yard rushing? Oh yeah, he had a 5-yard catch, too.  Unbelievable.

Trent Richardson, Browns – The heralded rookie only managed 39 rushing yards and a 5-yard catch in his first action since his latest knee surgery.

Michael Turner, Falcons – Managed just 32 yards on the ground.

Chris Johnson, Titans – Taken out of the game as Tennessee played from behind, running for a paltry 4 yards and adding 6 catches for 47 yards.

Cedric Benson, Packers – When you run against the 49ers, you end up with 18 yards.  It just happens.

Peyton Hillis, Chiefs – Totaled just 24 yards rushing and receiving.

Rashad Jennings, Jaguars – Left with an injury after combining for just 40 yards.

Roy Helu and Evan Royster, Redskins – Neither contributed much, with just 37 total yards between them.

Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams, Cardinals – Maintained Arizona’s pitiful rushing tradition with just 23 yards on the ground.  Williams added 2 receptions for 17 yards, and a fumble.

Fred Jackson, Bills – Left with a knee injury after just 15 rushing yards.

Robert Turbin, Seahawks – This is why you don’t drop a good player for a backup on mid-week speculation. Lynch played, Turbin totaled 7 yards.

Ronnie Brown, Chargers – Starting in place of Ryan Mathews, Brown mustered just 5 rushing and 26 receiving yards while Curtis Brinkley did little better with twice the carries.

WRs

Wes Welker, Patriots – Lost among a galaxy of stars, and yielding some snaps to Julian Edelman, he managed just 14 yards on 3 catches.

Greg Jennings, Packers – Played a bit role, presumably due to a groin injury, catching 5 balls for only 34 yards.

Hakeem Nicks, Giants – Just 38 yards on 4 catches.

Vincent Jackson, Bucs – Only 47 yards on 4 receptions in his Tampa Bay debut.

Justin Blackmon, Jaguars – It’s going to take the rookie a little time. He had just 24 yards on 3 catches.

Greg Little, Browns -- Targeted 4 times, but caught nada.

TEs

Jason Witten, Cowboys – Played courageously, just not productively, with 2 catches for 10 yards.

Dustin Keller, Jets – Just a 7-yard catch to show for his day.

We didn’t see them coming…

Kevin Ogletree, WR, Cowboys – Picked up where Laurent Robinson left off with 8 receptions for 114 yards and 2 TDs.

Stephen Hill, WR, Jets – It’s not that the rookie lacks talent; it’s just that we didn’t expect Mark Sanchez to make him a star.  His 89-yard, 2-TD debut means he’s worth a flier.

Jeremy Kerley, Jets – Caught 4 passes for 45 yards and a TD, and returned a punt for another score.