Updates from around the league

If you haven't already, you need to check your lineup(s) to make sure you'll have enough warm bodies to get through the bye weeks, which begin this weekend. You won't have the services of any Eagles, Falcons, Panthers or Cardinals in Week 4. With the byes and so many injuries to deal with, you should probably start trolling the waiver wire early.

I had the joy of taking my son Preston to the Cowboys game last night at the Death Star for his 14th birthday. Even managed to get us seats in an awesome suite with the help of a good (now great) friend. And what do you know? There's Ochocinco in the suite next door. We exchanged tweets in the most manly of ways and shook hands outside in the hall. So much for my brush with greatness.

And while I was happy to see the home team win, I was not pleased that Romo failed to get the two TDs I needed to overcome the deficit I faced in one league where my opponent had both Peyton and MJD. But I was very happy to see Felix Jones working his magic, though his production only amounted to pouring on the points in my lopsided win in another league. That is, until he suddenly disappeared and Tashard Choice took over in the second half. We didn't know it at the time, but Felix had strained his knee (Wade Phillips just said he "sprained his PCL" in his news conference). Wow...that guy is some kinda brittle. Barber is expected back for Week 4, and Jones could be out for a couple of weeks. Choice should be picked up asap.

By the way, that's back-to-back 200+ yard rushing games for the Cowboys. Not too shabby.

Chad Pennington is lost for the season with a shoulder injury, so it's the beginning of the Chad Henne era in Miami. How long that era will last, and whether it is remembered fondly or with disgust, is anyone's guess at this point. But this could be very welcome news to Ted Ginn's owners, as Henne is known for throwing a good deep ball. That was clearly not Pennington's forte.

In related news, Tyler Thigpen was traded by the Chiefs to the Dolphins. Just in case the Henne era gets off to a slow start.

Not surprisingly, the Byron Leftwich era in Tampa Bay lasted about 2.5 weeks. The Josh Johnson era officially begins on Sunday. I'm guessing the Josh Freeman era kicks off around Week 7.

The Eagles just released Jeff Garcia. The message would be that Donovan McNabb will be ready to roll after the team's bye this week. Meanwhile, JaMarcus Russell has passed for 378 yards, 1 TD and 4 INTs as Oakland's starter. How Garcia is not heading west right now is beyond me.

Looks like Frank Gore will be out for at least a couple games, maybe more. As mentioned in yesterday's column, Glen Coffee will see the lion's share of carries for the 49ers in his absence, and he has a nice couple of matchups (Rams, Falcons) on tap.

Kevin Smith's shoulder injury doesn't appear to be too serious, but it's still not certain that he will be able to play on Sunday. Maurice Morris would get the nod if the starter can't go.

Willie Parker apparently has a minor turf toe issue that will cause him to miss some practice time this week. That's not what you want to hear if you own Fast Willie, who had a nice bounce-back game last weekend. If he can't go, Rashard Mendenhall could get a start. He was kept off the field by head coach Mike Tomlin in Week 3 because he had a poor week of practice.

There's good news and there's bad news for those who invested an early pick on Marshawn Lynch. Good news: You can finally insert him in your starting lineup this week, now that his 3-game suspension is over. Bad news: Fred Jackson performed awfully well in Lynch's absence, and has earned a continued role in the offense. It will be interesting to see how this situation shakes out in the weeks ahead. Smells like the makings of yet another committee backfield to me.

Speaking of which, Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy could be the next dynamic duo to share carries. After McCoy's solid performance Sunday, and given Westbrook's well-documented injury history, this is a logical move for the Eagles. It doesn't help us fantasy players though, but methinks Andy Reid could care less.

LT probably won't practice again all week, which would mean Darren Sproles gets another week as the lone starter. Wow...as disappointed as I have been thus far with Matt Forte, I guess it could have been a lot worse!

Greg Jennings aggravated his wrist injury on Sunday, but played through it. Though it was good to see him top 100 yards after his goose egg in Week 2, his two-reception total was not encouraging. Hopefully he can put the wrist issue behind him soon.

The hamstring injury that kept Dwayne Bowe out of Sunday's game could cost him the Week 4 matchup as well. The team doesn't want to risk making it worse by pushing him back onto the field too soon. Prepare to play without him this week.

And you thought things couldn't possibly be any worse in St. Louis. Ha! Marc Bulger bruised the rotator cuff on his throwing arm and could miss the next game vs. San Fran. (OK, it's arguable whether Kyle Boller is actually a downgrade.) The two starting WRs, Donnie Avery (ribs) and Laurent Robinson (broken fibula, out for season), were also knocked out of the game. Will Steven Jackson ever see the red zone again???

Week 3 Column: Real Men of Genius

The Fantasy Fools Present: Real Men of Genius.

(Real men of genius.)

Today we salute you, Mr. Set Your Lineup on Friday and Walk Away Fantasy Football Guy.

(Mr. Set Your Lineup on Friday and Walk Away Fantasy Football Guy!)

You stubbornly refuse to believe your star players could possibly encounter an eleventh-hour set-back, confident in the notion that once you’ve locked in your starting lineup, nothing can stop your gridiron gladiators from annihilating your out-matched competitor.

(Wes Welker’s gonna torch ‘em!)

Sure, every NFL team publishes its list of inactives well in advance of kickoff, but you’ve got Brian Westbrook at home against the Chiefs, and nothing’s going to spoil that party.

(Bring the pain!)

You’ve even heard your favorite fantasy guru is sending Twitter updates every Sunday, just to make sure you don’t mistakenly start Dwayne Bowe when his hammy flares up prior to the game.

(I’m still working on my MySpace.)

As you strut toward your PC around 3 PM to check your score, you exude the confidence of a Super Bowl champion, even though you haven’t sniffed the fantasy postseason since 2004.

(One and done!)

And then you see it…that all-too-familiar digit heralding another demoralizing loss to the neighbor who loves nothing more than rubbing your nose in your own flower bed every Monday morning.

(How’d he know to start LeSean McCoy?)

So crack open a frosty can of whoop-ass, oh Guardian of the Goose Egg. Because even though you’re 0-and-3, you’ve got Frank Gore at home against the Rams next week.

(Mr. Set Your Lineup on Friday and Walk Away Fantasy Football Guy.)


FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, you need to start with a good draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents is also important. Here’s a look at a few players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else’s line-up.

Catch ‘em while you can

Glen Coffee, RB, 49ers. Though details are sparse, Frank Gore’s ankle injury seems likely to keep him sidelined through the 49ers’ Week 6 bye. Coffee has not looked particularly strong since the preseason, but home games against the Rams and Falcons offer the rookie a chance to excel in the starter’s absence.

Ladell Betts, RB, Redskins. You’re playing with fire if you own Clinton Portis and don’t have his backup waiting in the wings. Portis has bone spurs in both ankles and did not play well against the Lions. With regime change expected in Washington at any time, and Portis’ durability at issue, Betts could soon be asked to breathe life into the team’s anemic offense.

Pierre Garcon, WR, Colts. I steered you away from Austin Collie when Anthony Gonzalez went down in Week 1, urging you to wait until a clear No. 3 receiving target emerges for the Colts. After registering his second touchdown catch in as many weeks, Garcon has risen to the occasion. The speedster is a viable bye-week option against the Seahawks and Titans in the weeks ahead.

Don’t be fooled

Lynell Hamilton, RB, Saints. Welcome back, Pierre Thomas. Thanks for the memories, Lynell. Though the undrafted rookie got off to a nice start Sunday, a rejuvenated Thomas took over in the second half and reminded any who had forgotten that he is a game-changing play-maker when healthy. Barring another injury, Hamilton’s 15 minutes are up.

Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers. Go ahead and jump on Davis’ bandwagon after his 96-yard, two-touchdown outing if you like. I’m not buying it. Not only is his offense too inconsistent, but Davis is a perennial underachiever who has never finished a season among the top 12 tight ends. Yesterday’s pair of TDs matched his scoring production for all of 2008.

Daniel Fells, TE, Rams. You can’t be serious. You wouldn’t really buy into the Kyle Boller-to-Daniel Fells combo, would you?

Week 3 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

Peyton Manning, QB, Colts -- Blitzed the Cardinals for 379 yards and TDs to 4 different receivers.
Matt Schaub, QB, Texans -- Threw for 300 yards and 3 TDs.
Kevin Kolb, QB, Eagles -- Scored twice through the air and once on the ground, with 327 passing yards.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers -- Passed for 269 yards and 2 TDs, and added 38 yards and another score running.

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars -- Ran for 119 yards and a TD trifecta, adding 4 catches for 28 yards.
Pierre Thomas, RB, Saints -- Returned with a bang, rushing for 126 yards and 2 TDs.
Willis McGahee, RB, Ravens -- Scored twice for the third straight game, and added 67 rushing yards.

Santana Moss, WR, Redskins -- Caught 10 passes for 178 yards and a score.
DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles -- Reeled in 6 passes for 149 yards and 1 TD.
Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts -- His 7 receptions generated 126 yards and one TD.

Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers -- Scored twice on 7 catches for 96 yards.
Brent Celek, TE, Eagles -- Hauled in 8 passes for 104 yards and a TD.

This was a great week to play against…

Drew Brees, QB, Saints -- Passed for 172 yards and no TDs. Huh?
Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons -- Only 199 passing yards with no scores.

Frank Gore, RB, 49ers -- Ran just once for 4 yards before leaving with an ankle injury.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings -- Any time you can hold AP to 99 total yards, you should be thankful.
Clinton Portis, RB, Redskins -- Ran for only 42 yards.
Larry Johnson, RB, Chiefs -- Rushed for 38 yards.
Thomas Jones, RB, Jets -- Held to 20 yards by the Titans.
Cadillac Williams, RB, Buccaneers -- Gained just 8 rushing yards.
Derrick Ward, RB, Buccaneers -- Got to start against his old team, but generated 9 combined yards.
Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals -- Lost 2 yards on 2 carries against the worst run defense in the league.

Braylon Edwards, WR, Browns -- Reeled in just 3 passes for 35 yards.
Roddy White, WR, Falcons -- 4 catches amounted to 24 yards.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Seahawks -- His 4 receptions totaled 35 yards.
Santonio Holmes, WR, Steelers -- Had one 18-yard reception.
Eddie Royal, WR, Broncos -- Caught one 4-yard pass.
Terrell Owens, WR, Bills -- Posted a goose egg against the Saints.
Ted Ginn, WR, Dolphins -- Ditto.

Tony Gonzalez, TE, Falcons -- Caught 1 pass for 16 yards.
Kellen Winslow, TE, Buccaneers -- Got just 14 yards on his 3 catches.

I didn’t see that coming…

Kyle Boller, QB, and Daniel Fells, FB, Rams -- Hooked up just twice, but the connections produced 35 yards and 2 TDs.

Sunday updates on Twitter

Be sure you're following me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ladd_biro to get today's inactives and actives, and other updates.

Late updates heading into Week 3

Wow, what a mess. NFL players are the walking wounded this week. I strongly advise you to watch for my actives/inactives tweets on Sunday before finalizing your starting lineups.

Here's what's up as of Saturday night --

Forget about Matt Hasselbeck and Donovan McNabb. For that matter, don't bother with Seneca Wallace either, though Kevin Kolb is a solid start vs. KC.

Jamal Lewis is out this week, according to Adam Schefter's Twitter, so you know it has to be true. Jerome Harrison and James Davis are expected to split carries against the Ravens, so forget about the Browns RBs this week. But...it will be interesting to see how the backups perform in this real-time audition for Lewis' job.

Clinton Portis has bone spurs in both ankles, but will play this week. Just don't be surprised if those injuries cost him time -- possibly a lot of it -- this season. If you have Portis, you'd better back him up asap with Ladell Betts.

Derrick Ward will be the starting Bucs RB against his former team, the Giants. Both Cadillac and Earnest Graham are nursing hamstring injuries, so Ward is a fine start this week for the first time all season.

Randy Moss popped up unexpectedly on the injury report with a back problem. As usual, the Pats are saying nothing else about Moss. Welker is questionable too, but looks good to go. If either Moss or Welker are held out, rookie Julian Edelman is a very strong play in PPR leagues.

Kevin Walter is listed as probable for Sunday's game, and could have a terrific 2009 debut vs. the Jags. Or, he could play sparingly and give you a goose egg. Consider him a high-risk, high-reward play in Week 3.

Game-time decisions: Knowshon Moreno (groin), Brian Westbrook (ankle), Marion Barber (quad), Cadillac Williams (knee), Percy Harvin (migraines), Randy Moss (back), Wes Welker (knee), DeSean Jackson (groin), Kevin Curtis, Antonio Bryant (knee), Dwayne Bowe (hamstring)

Out this week: LT, Mike Bell, Jamal Lewis, Lance Moore, Brandon Stokley, Chaz Schilens, Phil Dawson (CLE kicker).

Week 3 Starters & Benchwarmers

You don’t need me advising you to start Drew Brees and Adrian Peterson, or to bench JaMarcus Russell and Arnaz Battle. So I’ll spare you the obvious recommendations, focusing instead on the players typically on the bubble of most fantasy lineups. Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 3.


Watch ‘em roll

Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens vs. Browns. It’s hard to believe the second-best passer in Fantasyland is still available on many waiver wires. The young gun should have no problem exploiting a Cleveland secondary that has yet to pick off a pass this season.

Felix Jones, RB, Cowboys vs. Panthers. Dallas leads the NFL in rushing, and Jones was a key part of the mix on Sunday night. With Marion Barber (quad) limited at best Monday night, a healthy, game-breaking Jones will be the primary ball carrier against one of the league’s softest run defenses.

Willis McGahee, RB, Ravens vs. Browns. The veteran is more than just a touchdown poacher (four TDs in two games). He’s rushed for 123 yards and caught six passes for 41 more – just 38 combined yards fewer than Ray Rice. Even better, Cleveland has given up five rushing scores already.

Steve Smith, WR, Giants at Buccaneers. In all the gushing over Mario Manningham’s spectacular emergence, let’s not forget that Smith remains Eli Manning’s top target. Both receivers should be starting against Tampa Bay’s woeful secondary, especially in point-per-reception leagues.

Jerricho Cotchery, WR, Jets vs. Titans. Tennessee’s secondary has been the defense’s Achilles heel, responsible for losing games to both Pittsburgh and Houston. Rookie Mark Sanchez is still not ready for fantasy primetime, but Cotchery has posted games of 90 and 87 receiving yards and is overdue for a trip to the end zone.

More thumbs up: QBs Matt Schaub, Eli Manning, Trent Edwards; RBs Brandon Jacobs, Ryan Grant, Darren Sproles, Fred Jackson; WRs Greg Jennings, Vincent Jackson, Devery Henderson, Santana Moss.


Roll ‘em back

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers at Bengals. Cincinnati has allowed just two passing TDs and leads the league in sacks (nine), while Pittsburgh’s offensive line has struggled to protect Big Ben (sacked six times to date). The Steelers will likely jump-start their running game in this matchup.

Thomas Jones, RB, Jets vs. Titans. As Leon Washington gets more involved in the offense, Jones’ value declines. Facing the NFL’s second-stingiest run defense, the veteran could be watching from the sidelines a lot since his backup is a more lethal receiving option.

Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals vs. Steelers. The workhorse of the Bengals offense heads into a very tough matchup with a sore ankle. Though he’s expected to start, bench him against a defense that has already held Chris Johnson and Matt Forte out of the end zone this season.

Braylon Edwards, WR, Browns at Ravens. Baltimore is not a fun place to visit when your quarterback is struggling, as Brady Quinn is. Edwards had a decent game in Week 2, but expect a performance more like the opener (1 reception, 12 yards) as the Browns will be lucky to score on the Ravens at all.

Justin Gage, WR, Titans at Jets. Jets CB Darrelle Revis has shut down Andre Johnson and Randy Moss in consecutive weeks. If you think he’s going to have any trouble covering Gage, well, there’s not much I can do for you.

More thumbs down: QBs Brett Favre, Byron Leftwich, Kyle Orton; RBs Joseph Addai, Jamal Lewis, Larry Johnson, Julius Jones; WRs TJ Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry, Eddie Royal, Earl Bennett.

TAKING A FLIER

Chris “Beanie” Wells, RB, Cardinals vs. Colts. While everyone expects this game to be a shoot-out, Arizona should have its greatest success on the ground against an Indy team that is virtually defenseless against the run. Beanie Wells has had fumble problems, and Tim Hightower is still the top back; but Wells’ 5.2 yards-per-carry average suggests the rookie could be poised for a breakout game on the big stage.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…benches Tony Romo after his awful game on Sunday night. Not only is he facing a Panthers secondary that has surrendered five passing TDs already, but he has a well-documented history of bouncing back nicely after poor performances. Romo will excel on Monday night.

Chris Henry's quad, and other injury updates

A strained quad is the culprit in Chris Henry's slow start to the season, according to the receiver. "It's been killing me...I never had an injury like this," he said yesterday. With this information in hand, it's wise to bench him until he's back to full strength.

Other injury updates:
Matt Hasselbeck didn't practice, but the team is crossing its fingers that they won't have to play the Bears with Seneca Wallace at the controls.
Jonathan Stewart missed practice due to an illness.
Cadillac Williams missed practice today for "unknown reasons."
LT sat out practice and most likely will sit this weekend.
Pierre Thomas is practicing and will suit up Sunday. He claims he's ready to roll.
Wes Welker was back at practice today, but limited.
Brian Westbrook and DeSean Jackson did not practice today, but both are expected to play this weekend.
Antonio Bryant missed practice again, and is not expected to be ready Sunday.