It seems that every year around this time we consider the futures of two NFL quarterbacks: Brett Favre, who tends to waffle on retirement until at least April or, last year, July; and Donovan McNabb, who is rumored to be traded constantly.

This year the latter rumor is very interesting to consider, partly because McNabb might be destined to replace Favre in Minnesota, or Warner in Arizona.

In Philadelphia, three household names might be elsewhere next season. McNabb tops the list, but he’s followed closely by long-time and oft-injured teammate Brian Westbrook and unorthodox quarterback Michael Vick.

Donovan McNabb has been pressed constantly to give us an update on what he expects to happen. His replies have thus far been vanilla.

Will you be in Philadelphia next season? “Why wouldn’t I be? I mean we’ve been going through this the last two, three years. I don’t want to be anywhere else but Philly. I don’t believe in starting somewhere and going somewhere else to finish your career. I believe in starting somewhere and finishing what you’ve started.”

What do you know about Brian Westbrook’s future? “He looks forward to getting back. All the talk people are saying retirement or whatever it may be, it’s all false.”

Will Vick be back for a second season? “Yes.”

In other words, if you talk to Donovan McNabb, all three players are going to be back and as good as ever.

Talk to a journalist, on the other hand, and you might get a different story. Chris Mortensen asked McNabb point blank whether he actually believed he was going to be back. McNabb didn’t miss a beat and asked Mort why he shouldn’t expect to be back.

McNabb has been through all the ups and downs in the NFL. He knows nothing is certain, but he also knows that we’ve been questioning his return to Philadelphia for the past three years now, ever since the team drafted Kevin Kolb in 2007. Since then, Kolb has started two games and thrown four touchdowns and seven interceptions. Quarterback of the future? Maybe. But the future isn’t now.

That said, the speculation certainly makes for a fascinating offseason storyline. Michael Vick showed fans flashes of being a game-changer in his limited role, spiking his value to Philadelphia‘s front office if the franchise choose to trade him. Brian Westbrook, on the other hand, missed seven games this season after concussions left him in haze. Will he return? It’s hard to say. Perhaps more intriguing, will he return to the Eagles? If he chooses to play again in 2010, the Eagles might request a pay-cut; should he refuse, he might have to take his talent and injuries elsewhere.

Westbrook hasn’t averaged fewer than four yards per carry in a season in his career. He only touched the ball 86 times this past season, but he still netted 455 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns. There are plenty of teams that would pay for that kind of production, history of injuries or not. After all, he only missed a combined four games in the previous three seasons. And concussions, while obviously serious in the long term, are not as much of a deal breaker as, say, a knee injury.

Michael Vick doesn’t have come with injury baggage, though. His baggage is of another kind. But, again, there are teams very willing to look past his history and at his performance on the field. He was used only sparingly in Philadelphia’s offense, but that didn’t stop him from showcasing his talent and passing for 86 yards and a touchdown and rushing for another 95 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but when you consider he only handled 13 pass attempts and ran with it 24 times out of what was essentially a “gadget” formation, it’s enough to convince some teams he can still start at quarterback.

Consider the Redskins. Jason Campbell hasn’t proven he can be a starter or a winner in this league. Add to the equation a new head coach and different philosophy, and Campbell’s time may be up. The team can afford to get Vick and put him on the field to shake things up and increase the offense’s volatility. Of course, would the Eagles be willing to trade Vick to a division rival? Probably not.

So how about the Raiders? Vick is fast with a strong arm, the two key indications of an ideal Raiders prospect. Jamarcus Russell certainly seems to be a bust at this stage, so why not give Vick a shot to lead the team somewhere? He complements the rest of the offense - bad O-line, fast receivers, explosive running back - so if Oakland can put together a trade package, don’t be surprised to see Vick in silver and black.

Just don’t expect the Eagles to deal McNabb and keep Vick around. There are plenty of McNabb haters in Philadelphia, but Andy Reid isn’t one of the team. He wants his quarterback around in 2010, and it’s hard to find any fault in his logic: McNabb is coming off a season in which he passed the ball for 3,553 yards and 22 touchdowns. Overall, his numbers the past two seasons have been the best statistically of the past five years.

Whatever happens this season, stay tuned. The Eagles need to consider trading three players at key positions, and where they end up will have big implications for 2010.

Week 10 of the 2009 season will most likely be remembered for the Colts-Patriots game and the controversial decision by Bill Belichick to go for it on fourth down.  But there were other stories elsewhere, many of which pertained to running backs.  Five starting running backs went down this past week, some with more serious injuries than others.  I will analyze both the short-term and long-term effects of these injuries as well as fantasy ramifications associated with them.

• Cedric Benson – After seven carries vs. Pittsburgh, Benson had to leave the game with a hip injury.  Coach Lewis says he will likely be a game-time decision, but Benson has never been praised for his toughness so don’t expect him to carry a full-load on Sunday, if he plays at all.  Expect Bernard Scott to receive the bulk of the carries with Brian Leonard getting his usual reps on third downs.  As for Larry Johnson?  Don’t expect anything more than a carry or two this week and don’t expect many touches for Johnson for the rest of the season.  LJ’s burst is gone and he hasn’t scored a TD or had a 20 yard run since December 2008.

• Ronnie Brown – Brown has injuries to both his right ankle and foot and with a game on Thursday vs. Carolina, there’s almost no chance of him being ready.  In fact, this is looking like an injury that could keep Brown out for a couple of weeks.  As of Tuesday, Brown was still unable to walk without the use of crutches.  Ricky Williams will definitely see an increase in touches and last week he received his first 20 carry game since 2005.  But someone still has to take over Brown’s role as the operator of the Wildcat; the one who receives the snap and then decides whether to run, pass, or handoff to Williams on the end around.  Look for that to be Pat White who had 45 rushing yards vs. New England, but just one last week vs. Tampa Bay.  White is only worth having on your team if you’re in a two-QB league and he has the potential to rack up somewhere between four and eight points per game over the next couple of weeks.  While that may not be much, I’d rather take my chances with White than with guys like JaMarcus Russell or Brady Quinn who have COMBINED for one fantasy point over the last four weeks.

• Julius Jones – With a bruised rib that’s causing bleeding in his lungs, Jones is unlikely to play Sunday vs. the Vikings and will probably be doubtful for Week 12 as well.  Justin Forsett will get the start and he was impressive last week in gaining 123 yards and scoring the first touchdown of his career.  However, the Seahawks will play Minnesota who is allowing the second fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs.  They have not allowed more than 84 rushing yards to a running back and Ray Rice is the only player to score a rushing touchdown against them.  Nevertheless, Forsett will likely get 18-20 touches and can be used as a flex play until Jones returns.

• Michael Turner – Turner has the dreaded high ankle sprain which could keep him out a couple of weeks.  The Monday re-signing of Aaron Stecker also indicates that Jerious Norwood may not return this week due to his hip injury.  That means Jason Snelling will receive the bulk of the carries for the time being.  Along with Justin Forsett, Snelling is probably at the top of waiver wire requests for Week 11.  Snelling has impressed when given the chance to do so as he had 129 rushing yards and 1 TD over his last two games.  The Falcons will see a rejuvenated Giants defense this week but the following week they take on Tampa Bay who has the second worst run defense in the league.  Consider Snelling a RB3 for the Giants game but then upgrades to an RB2 against the Bucs.

• Brian Westbrook – This is the most serious injury as Westbrook suffered his second concussion in the last month.  Though it hasn’t been confirmed yet, it appears that Westbrook may miss the rest of the season.  He’s always been able to bounce back from knee, ankle, and foot injuries but this is something that could affect his general well-being so look for the Eagles to shut him down.  Even though Philadelphia doesn’t like to run the ball, LeSean McCoy receives an immediate upgrade and should be a weekly starter in your lineup.  Fullback Leonard Weaver will also see an increase in touches and he had 108 rushing yards and a TD in the two full games that Westbrook was out.  Also, don’t be surprised if the “Michael Vick Experiment” gets another run as Andy Reid will do everything he can to get his struggling running game going.

It’s the middle of the NFL season, and you can count on one undeniable truth at this point in the season: injuries and bye weeks are playing havoc with fantasy owners’ lineups. To help you try and fill the void, here’s a look at some players that very well could be available in your league.

- Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets: With Leon Washington out with a broken leg, the backup duties at running back for the Jets falls squarely on the shoulders of Greene, a rookie who was the first pick of the third round in last April’s draft. He steps into an excellent situation in New York; while he’ll play behind Thomas Jones, he’ll still get plenty of opportunities. The Jets lead the NFL in rushing yards, and also lead the league in rushing attempts, with 30 more runs than the team who is second in that category, the Giants.

- Bryant Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions: Picking up Johnson is a smart move, but more on a one-week basis as an emergency fill-in. His teammate, Calvin Johnson, is suffering from a knee injury, and may not be able to play this week against the Rams. Even if Calvin Johnson does play, his effectiveness may be limited. That opens up the way for Bryant Johnson in an excellent match-up against St. Louis. The Rams are 25th in the NFL in pass defense, and have allowed more touchdown throws than all but five other teams.

- LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles: There’s probably less of a chance that McCoy is still available in your league than the other players here, but if he is there, snatch him up. Brian Westbrook never seems to be healthy anyway, but last week against Washington he suffered a concussion after being accidentally kneed in the head. In his one previous start, McCoy handled the rock 20 times and accumulated 84 yards while scoring a touchdown. His value doesn’t lie in his running ability alone, though. He’s caught 13 passes this season, with at least one catch in all but one contest.

- Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins: Yes,  his team has a bye this week, but if you can afford the roster spot, grab Davis anyway. Starting tight end Chris Cooley was lost with a broken right ankle, and reports vary on when he may come back, or if he will be back at all. In his absence during Monday night’s game between the ‘Skins and Eagles, Davis,  a second-round pick in 2008 out of USC, filled in with eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown, and maybe more importantly, he was targeted a team-high 10 times by Jason Campbell.

In fantasy football, yards are as precious as a newborn baby or the Hope Diamond. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but every three feet gained by a player on one of your squads is important. Which means fantasy owners would do well to pay attention to the underrated but important statistic of Yards After Catch, or YAC.

Take a look at the leader board for receiving yards through Week 2 of the NFL season, and you’ll see names like Mario Manningham and Santonio Holmes. Not coincidentally, they also have a presence on the graph to the right, which displays the YAC leaders so far this season.

Obviously, running backs are going to be at the top in that statistic because, with some exception, they usually catch the ball anywhere from the line of scrimmage to about five yards out. Thus, they get more opportunities to make plays with the ball in their hands. But wide receivers and tight ends will most likely be out on deeper routes, and the ones that can make things happen after the catch offer more value than those who immediately step out of bounds or otherwise avoid contact.

The ability to create YAC is part of what makes Anquan Boldin such a fantasy stalwart year after year, and though he doesn’t show up among the leaders just yet, keep in mind that he wasn’t fully healthy in Week 1. Aside from Manningham, a couple of the more interesting names on the list are Philadelphia tight end Brent Celek and Chicago receiver Johnny Knox.

Celek leads the Eagles in both catches, with 14, and receiving yards, with 141. More than half of his yards have come as a result of YAC. Knox is second on the Bears with eight catches, but leads them with 152 receiving yards, and just over half of those yards have come after he’s caught the ball, where he’s used his outstanding speed to his – and fantasy owners’ – advantage.

What that should tell you is this: these unexpected contributors aren’t flukes. They aren’t picking up yards based on anomalies; instead, they’re creating yards based on their ability. So don’t expect Manningham, Knox and the like to stop delivering your fantasy team points while they keep racking up the YAC.

Oakland Raiders (1-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-2): Oakland, 13-10

Here’s proof you don’t need an offense to win a game: the Oakland Raiders totaled 176 yards from scrimmage and JaMarcus Russell completed just 7-of-24 (that’s around 30 percent) for 109 yards. How? No turnovers and a turnover-forcing defense.

Darren McFadden rushed 12 times for 35 yards and scored Oakland’s only touchdown of the game. He added 2 receptions for 20 yards, leading the team in catches; no one on had at least 30 yards receiving.

The 0-2 Chiefs moved the ball on offense when Matt Cassel was throwing passes but his two interceptions proved very costly. Both times he was in Oakland’s territory — the first time at the 49 and the second time in field goal range at the 33. In a game in which Oakland scored just 13 points, 7 of which in the fourth quarter, those turnovers were the difference.

Larry Johnson’s numbers weren’t outstanding and Oakland contained his running to 3.2 yards per carry, but thanks to his impressive number of touches — 27 — he accumulated 119 yards from scrimmage. That was a vast improvement over last week when he picked up 26 yards on 12 touches.

New England (1-1) at New York Jets (2-0): Jets, 16-9

Talk about being close to 0-2. After coming back in a miracle win over the Buffalo Bills last week, the Patriots couldn’t overcome a terrible performance by Tom Brady who completed just under half his 47 attempts for 216 yards and an interception for a 53 passer rating. Wide receiver Julian Edelmen caught 8 passes for 98 yards to lead the team in both categories.

New York’s Mark Sanchez was far more effective for the Jets, completing 14-of-22 for 163 yards and a touchdown to lead the Jets to their second win. Meanwhile, the rushing attack of Leon Washington and Thomas Jones combined for 112 yards on 28 carrries (exactly 4.0 yards per carry), and their numbers were near replicas. The defining difference was Washington’s 2 receptions for 18 yards; he also lost one fumble.

Sanchez’s passes were spread around rather evenly: Jericho Cotchery and Chansai Stuckey both caught four passes, Cotchery’s going for 87 yards (more than twice Stuckey’s 37 yards). Dustin Keller was the only other player with at least two catches, and one of his his three found him in the endzone for Sanchez’s only touchdown.

New Orleans (2-0) at Philadelphia (1-1): Saints, 48-22

If you drafted Drew Brees as your fantasy quarterback you’re probably 2-0 in your league. Brees topped over 300 yards for the second week in a row and tacked on his 7th, 8th, and 9th touchdown passes. On the year he has 669 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions; just as impressive, he has completed 75 percent of his pass attempts.

His top target: Marques Colston, who has 11 receptions for 128 yards and 3 touchdowns; he had 3 receptions for 30 yards week one and this week he caught 8 passes for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns. Only Devery Henderson has more yards at this point (174), averaging nearly 22 yards per reception.

And here’s the kicker: thanks in no small part to the ultra-effective passing game, Mike Bell has turned into a viable fantasy option at running back. He has 229 rushing yards and 1 touchdown this season, and both weeks he has put up at least 14 fantasy points (assuming standard scoring).

On the Eagles side, Kevin Kolb and the Eagles were keeping up with the Saints going into the second half. Unfortunately, then the wheels fell off. Kolb finished with 391 passing yards (!) and 2 touchdowns but 3 interceptions. Both Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson finished with over 100 receiving yards and Celek scored a touchdown. Jason Avant added 7 receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown. Though the Eagles gained a lot of yards on offense, the four turnovers killed them.

Houston (1-1) at Tennessee (0-2): Houston, 34-31

In a shootout in which both teams were tied 31-31 going into the fourth quarter, both teams lit it up on offense and struggled on defense. The Texans couldn’t contain Chris Johnson who rushed for 197 yards and led the team in receiving with 9 receptions for 87 yards, scoring 3 touchdowns along the way.

Kerry Collins completed 21 of his 33 pass attempts for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns and an interception. A significant portion of his passing yards went to Johnson who led this offense to three of its four touchdowns. Collins has been struggling this season, throwing two interceptions through the first two games of the season; last season he threw seven.

On Tennessee’s end, there was no stopping Matt Schaub and the Texans’ incredible passing game. Schaub tossed the football 39 times for 357 yards and 4 touchdowns, 2 of which went to Andre Johnson. Johnson caught 10 passes for 149 yards in all, bouncing back from a disappointing week one performance.

Schaub saw a significant improvement over week one when he completed just over half his passes for 166 yards and an interception. The key could be Tennesee’s porous pass defense that currently ranks dead last in the NFL.

As the saying goes, “once is an accident, twice is a coincidence and three times is a trend.” So though there was a lot to be learned by fantasy owners from the Week 2 tilts, it’s still too early to make any definitive judgments. For the most part, anyway. Because after examining the targets from the games on Sunday, you don’t need another week to proclaim that Jake Delhomme really, really likes going to Steve Smith (15 targets in Week 2, and an NFL-leading 28 overall). Delhomme isn’t the only quarterback with a heavy reliance on one receiver, however. Let’s take a look at some others who have been their signal-caller’s favorite go-to guy.

- Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh: Ben Roethlisberger looked for Holmes 14 times in the Steelers’ loss to Chicago on Sunday, and Big Ben has targeted the former Ohio State star 25 times on the year, which is the second-highest mark in the NFL. They only converted five times for 83 yards this week, but it speaks volumes that Holmes is getting the majority of the looks over veteran teammate Hines Ward.

- Johnny Knox, Chicago: In that same contest, Knox, the lightning-footed rookie from Abilene Christian, was targeted nine times by Jay Cutler, and they hooked up on six of those for 70 yards and a score. That was two more targets than Devin Hester received, and three more than tight end Greg Olsen. If Knox is available on your waiver wire, give some serious thought to picking him up.

- Brent Celek, Philadelphia: With so many weapons at the Eagles’ disposal, you would think that the tight end would be something of an afterthought in their offense, but that hasn’t been the case with Celek. He was targeted 11 times in Philly’s loss to the Saints, and came up with eight catches for 104 yards. He is 11th in the NFL this year with 18 total targets.

- Laurent Robinson, St. Louis: We mentioned his name to you last week, and will do so again, as he was targeted nine times in the Rams’ loss to Washington, and wound up with six catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. His 19 targets are ninth in the league, and with supposed No. 1 wideout Donnie Avery having a sudden case of the butter fingers this year, don’t look for Robinson’s role to decrease any time soon.

- Other Week 2 target numbers of interest: Mario Manningham, 13; Joey Galloway 12; Torry Holt, 11; Nate Burleson, Chris Chambers 10; Kevin Curtis, Donald Driver, Bobby Wade 9; Nate Washington, Brandon Stokley, Jermichael Finley 7; Malcolm Kelly 6.

Kansas City (0-1) at Baltimore (1-0): Baltimore, 38-24

Notes on Kansas City: It’s hard to assess whether Kansas City would have had more success on offense with Brodie Croyle in the game Sunday. One thing is certain, however: the defense struggled in a big way, allowing the Ravens to score 5 touchdowns.

On offense, the team wasn’t as bad as one might expect. The Chiefs put up 24 points, a pretty good total by any measure; no turnovers were committed and Croyle passed for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Where the team did struggle was when running the ball and on third downs. Larry Johnson picked up just 20 yards on 11 carries and the offense managed just 29 yards on 17 attempts. That’s not too surprising for since Kansas City was up against the Ravens, a team with a notorious rush defense. Struggling to run the ball, the Chiefs were forced into a lot of third down situations, of which they converted just 20 percent (2-of-10).

Kansas City Stud: Brodie Croyle – 16-of-24 for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns

Kansas City Dud: Larry Johnson – 11 carries for 20 yards and 1 reception for 6 yards

Notes on Baltimore: Whoa, Joe Flacco just passed the ball 43 times in the season opener; that’s eye-opening to say the least.

But before you assume the team was getting away from its bread-and-butter, keep this in mind: it also ran the ball 41 times when you count Flacco’s 5 scrambles. In other words, the Ravens were just overpowering the Chiefs in this one. Kansas City had no answers on defense, forcing one interception but allowing 3 passing scores and another 2 on the ground.

Ray Rice and the crew at running back were outstanding in this one. Rice carried 19 times, the number of times he’ll probably average this season, but managed to pick up 108 yards. He’s not a goal line back, but he is very explosive.

Willis McGahee was the most balanced of the backs. He carried 10 times for 44 yards and a score, but he added on that foundation with 4 receptions for 31 yards and another score. In all he finished with 75 yards and 2 scores.

Lastly, as the goal line and short yardage back LeRon McClain managed 6 carries for 19 yards and a score. He did add 3 receptions for 23 yards as one of Flacco’s targets.

Tight end Todd Heap was his favorite target of the day with 5 receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown; Michael Clayton (5 for 76 yards and 1 touchdown) was very similar. But note that the running backs and Heap combined for 14 of Flacco’s 26 completions – that’s a number to keep an eye on.

Baltimore Stud: Joe Flacco – 26-of-43 for 307 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception

Baltimore Dud: Derrick Mason – 4 receptions for 47 yards

Philadelphia (1-0) at Carolina (0-1): Philadelphia, 38-10

Notes on Philadelphia: The big news was Donovan McNabb’s injury. As most fantasy players know, McNabb was something of an injury risk on draft day, so this was a major scare. The good news is reports suggest he should be able to play next week. And that’s great, considering he played pretty solid in this game completing 10-of-18 for 79 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. He also added a rushing touchdown to with a 3 yard scamper in the third quarter before he left the game and was spelled by Kevin Kolb (7-of-11 for 23 yards).

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia running game did just fine. Brian Westbrook carried 13 times for 64 yards and LeSean McCoy added 46 rushing yards on 9 attempts. Note that McNabb was the only player to score on the ground in this one: no doubt he was the reason for success on offense, so his return and health is paramount to Philadelphia’s continued success.

Also note that tight end Brent Celek led the team in receptions. He had 6 on the day for 37 yards and 1 touchdown. No one else caught more than 3 passes, and that was running back Brian Westbrook (8 yards).

Philadelphia Stud: Donovan McNabb – 10-of-18 for 79 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception; 1 carry for 3 yards and 1 touchdown

Philadelphia Dud: DeSean Jackson – 2 receptions for 9 yards

Notes on Carolina: 7 turnovers is going to lose a game almost every time, especially when an opponent is able to take advantage: Philadelphia did just that in this game. Jake Delhomme looked atrocious, completing 7 of 17 for 73 yards – unless you count his interception count (3) and the yardage Philadelphia was able to pick up on returns (45 yards). He even lost a fumble that was recovered for a touchdown. So there’s that.

Carolina’s bread and butter is its running game, though. So how did it do? Well, mediocre is the first word that comes to mind: DeAngelo Williams, who scored 20 touchdowns last season, carried 14 times for 37 yards and 1 touchdown, though he did lead the team in receiving with 4 receptions for 42 yards.

The rest of the offense chipped in with 16 attempts for 49 yards.

Carolina Stud: DeAngelo Williams – 14 carries for 37 yards and 1 touchdown; 4 receptions for 42 yards

Carolina Dud: Jake Delhomme – 7 of 17 for 73 yards and 3 interceptions, 1 fumble lost

• Brian Urlacher (LB, Chi): Broken wrist; out for season.  This is a huge blow if you have the Bears’ defense because in the seven games that Urlacher had missed prior to this season, Chicago was 0-7 and gave up an average of 26 points per game.  Strong-side LB Pisa Tinoisamoa also will be out but only a couple of weeks after spraining his PCL.  Chicago has already reached out to Derrick Brooks and he should be able to step right in as he’s played in the “Tampa Two” defense that the Bears currently run.  Though he plays the same position as Lance Briggs so someone will have to change positions.  Because of their special teams play, the Chicago is still worth keeping on your roster but they should only be started against poor offensive teams (Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Cincinnati).

• Anthony Gonzalez (WR, Ind): Strained knee ligament; out 2-6 weeks.  Gonzalez likely will not come back until after the Colts’ week-six bye.  I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are not floating on the waiver wire in your league, so the next best option is second-year man Pierre Garcon.  Garcon was the slot receiver before Gonzalez was injured and he now becomes a starter.  Garcon had five targets vs. Jacksonville (3 rec. 24 yards) and likely becomes the #3 receiving option in Indianapolis.  Garcon is definitely worth a roster spot and may even warrant a start in the coming weeks.  In week three the Colts play the Cardinals (last in NFL in rec. TDs allowed in 2008) and in week four they play the Seahawks (last in NFL in rec. yards allowed in 2008) so Garcon will have his opportunity to make an impact.

• Pierre Thomas (RB, NO): Though he was not injured in Week One (he didn’t even dress), his replacement, Mike Bell, may have created a three-headed committee for touches among Saint’s running backs.  The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Bell could still be the starter once Thomas comes back which should be in Week Two.  This situation could be similar to the one in Dallas with Bell (or Thomas) in the role as Marion Barber, Reggie Bush as Felix Jones, and Thomas (or Bell) as Tashard Choice.  If still available, Bell is someone worth adding to your team and even though Thomas had a nice season last year, his running style is closer to Reggie Bush’s whereas Bell provides a between-the-tackles runner that is similar to former Saint, Deuce McAllister.

• Donovan McNabb (QB, Phi): Broken rib, doubtful for Week 2.  Coach Andy Reid said backup Kevin Kolb would get the first-team reps in practice and this is bad news for anyone that has a Philadelphia receiver not named DeSean Jackson.  In Kolb’s two career games with extended playing time (Sun. vs. Carolina, Week 12 vs. Baltimore in 2008) he has 17 completions and here is the breakdown: 6 completions to TE Brent Celek, 5 completions to DeSean Jackson, 4 completions to Eagles’ running backs, and 2 completions to any WR other than Jackson.  Expect to see Andy Reid go against the grain and employ a run-oriented gameplan.  Westbrook, of course, is a must-start but LeSean McCoy is also worth a start as he and Westbrook will be utilized in many screen passes to limit Kolb’s downfield throws.  Jackson is still worth a start and Celek will also be start-worthy as he will be a big factor in the short and intermediate passing game.  No other Eagles offensive player is even worth a look as long as Kolb (or Vick) is starting in place of McNabb.

With the third week of preseason games getting underway, it’s time to take a look around the league to see what’s going on, and what use it will be for the upcoming fantasy season.

- Reggie Brown (and His Fantasy Value) on the Move? The Philadelphia Eagles have too many receivers than they know what to do with, and the Philadelphia Daily News says that both the Jets and Ravens are interested in Reggie Brown. Brown is a former second-round draft pick who looked like he was going to blossom into an excellent player before getting injured and falling back on the depth chart last season. If he is moved, his fantasy value would rise by leaps and bounds, to the point where he would be worth drafting as a reserve.

- Jermichael Finley Pushing Donald Lee for Playing Time: Last season, Packers rookie and third-round pick, tight end Jermichael Finley, did loads of nothing, as fellow tight end Donald Lee helped fantasy owners to the tune of five touchdowns. Things could be quite different this season for both of them, as Finley has made people take notice with his play, or so says the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. This could be either beneficial or harmful to fantasy owners. If Finley steps up and takes the job outright from Lee, He has value as a big target who could be useful in the end zone. However, the most likely scenario is that the two split time, and neither puts up fantasy-worthy numbers. Keep that in mind when thinking about Lee as a TE2.

- Chiefs and Jags Talking Trade for Tyler Thigpen: NFL.com says that Thigpen (see his fantasy points per game last season on graph), the Kansas City quarterback and hero to many fantasy owners last season, may be on his way to Jacksonville. Apparently the NFL’s J.D. Drew Award winner (for yearly injuries), Brodie Croyle, is going to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Matt Cassel, leaving Thigpen out in the cold.

- Michael Crabtree Offered Fair-Market Deal: According to Santa Rosa Press Democrat reporter Matt Maiocco, the 49ers have offered Crabtree, the 10th overall pick in the draft, somewhere “in the neighborhood of five years, $20 million base, $26.5 million maximum, with $16 million guaranteed.” Which, as Maiocco points out, is solidly in between what No. 9 pick B.J. Raji got and what No. 11 pick Aaron Maybin got. Crabtree’s agent seems to think this is a fair deal as well, but Crabtree does not. Fantasy owners should not count on seeing him any time soon, it sounds like. His fantasy value has taken a major plunge since the beginning of training camp.

- Walter Jones Not Headed for Retirement: The longtime Seattle Seahawks left tackle is expected to be back with the team, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. There was some speculation that Jones may hang ‘em up after undergoing another operation on his balky knee.

Week 1 of the NFL’s preseason has come, and while every football fan probably watched their team with at least some level of interest, fantasy owners in particular were likely examining what information they could glean out of the contests. To aid in that pursuit, let’s take a look at the games played so far (there are two Monday night games – Jacksonville at Miami and Carolina at NY Giants) and the fantasy consequences of each.

New England 27, Philadelphia 25: One Mr. Bundchen, Tom Brady, was back to his old tricks, going 10-of-15 for 100 yards, one touchdown pass and one interception while staying healthy, which was just fine. It was interesting that Patriots tight end Chris Baker was on the receiving end of both of Brady’s scoring passes. As for Philly, rookie running back LeSean McCoy’s 10 carries for 55 yards made all those that will handcuff him to Brian Westbrook feel good.

Baltimore 23, Washington 0: At least Baltimore’s defense was in mid-season form. Washington did very little, and had just 48 offensive plays all night. In contrast, the Ravens had 54 passing plays, 15 of which came from Joe Flacco, who did a solid job by completing nine of them. On the running back front, Ray Rice (whose fantasy points from last year you can see on the right) carried the ball five times for 22 yards and Willis McGahee toted the rock four times for 26 yards, but Rice’s three catches for 38 yards trumped McGahee’s one catch for seven yards, and is a further indication why Rice is the favorite to be the starting running back.

Pittsburgh 20, Arizona 10: It was ho-hum for Arizona, but worth noting was that Matt Leinart was a bit better than Brian St. Pierre in the battle for that team’s backup job. For the Steelers, Rashard Mendenhall didn’t do himself any favors by running for only 2.7 yards per carry on nine attempts, but wideouts Shaun McDonald and Limas Sweed were productive. Sweed has big-time potential, but he was useless last season, and needs to step up this year. Still, he’s someone fantasy owners may want to keep in the back of their minds.

Oakland 31, Dallas 10: Dallas wideout Sam Hurd made the most noise by far in the team’s wide receiver battle, as he caught five passes for 79 yards, while no other wideout caught more than one pass. Darren McFadden used a 45-yard rumble to amass 63 yards on just four carries, showing the type of explosiveness that makes fantasy owners believe he can have a breakout campaign.

St. Louis 23, NY Jets 20: Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez played just one series, but that was enough for him to complete three of his four throws for 88 yards and be named the starter in the team’s next preseason game. For the Rams, the early battle for the team’s No. 2 running back job is being led by Samkon Gado, who ran for 93 yards, including one 77-yard touchdown gallop.

Minnesota 13, Indianapolis 3: Sage Rosenfels looked pretty good by completing 10 of his 13 passes for the Vikings, while the man he is battling for the starting QB job, Tarvaris Jackson, completed only seven of his 15 throws. Rookie runner Donald Brown started off nicely for the Colts, running the ball five times for and excellent 58 yards, including a 38-yard tote.

New Orleans 17, Cincinnati 7: Cedric Benson did what Cedric Benson always does - ran for under 4.0 yard per carry. His 28 yards on eight carries (3.5 ypc) does little to inspire those that have been burned by the former first-round bust in the past. Speaking of busts - okay, possible busts - Reggie Bush continues to show he makes an outstanding slot receiver for a running back, carrying three times and gaining 15 feet.

San Francisco 17, Denver 16: Disaster, thy name is Kyle Orton. Fantasy owners will need to see more than three interceptions in 16 passes from the new Broncos signal-caller before embracing him on their roster. So too will Denver fans. For the Niners, tight end Vernon Davis proved he could get downfield a bit, with two receptions for 41 yards.

Detroit 27, Atlanta 26: Not much happened to speak of for the Falcons, besides losing to Detroit after being up by nine with under 3:00 to play. Preseason or not, that’s a poor way to start. A much better way to start is by doing what Michael Turner did, running for 63 yards and a score on six carries. Matthew Stafford was a bit up and down for the Lions, connecting on half of his 14 passes, throwing for a score but also tossing a pick.

Buffalo 27, Chicago 20: Not the greatest of beginnings for Jay Cutler. While he wasn’t as terrible as the man he switched teams with, he completed just five of his 10 passes and threw an awful interception, chucking the ball in the air after feeling some pressure. Buffalo quarterback Trent Edwards was very good, however, despite not having Terrell Owens. He completed each of the 10 throws he made.

Green Bay 17, Cleveland 0: Some sizzling quarterback race in Cleveland. Brady Quinn did complete seven of his 11 passes, but for only 68 yards, and he also tossed an interception. Derek Anderson, meanwhile, threw twice and completed one - to the wrong team. All the Green Bay running backs did a nice job, and it was good to see Brandon Jackson - a must-handcuff to Ryan Grant - deliver 41 yards on eight carries.

Tennessee 27, Tampa Bay 20: Little seemed to have been done to uncoil the quarterback situation in Tampa, as Byron Leftwich, Josh Freeman and Luke McCown were each okay. For the Titans, rookie wideout Kenny Britt started off with a bang, with five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown. He’s definitely someone to look out for in the rookie wide receiver class.

Houston 16, Kansas City 10: Someone needs to be the backup and possible handcuff to Steve Slaton, and both Ryan Moats and Chris Brown got off to solid starts. Moats ran the ball 10 times for 52 yards, while Brown carried it six times for 25 yards and a score. On the Chiefs side, not much could be taken away from the start Matt Cassel had, as he completed just two of his five throws.

Seattle 20, San Diego 14: Neither T.J. Duckett nor Julius Jones ran for 4.0 yards per carry in what could be a sign of things to come this season in the Seattle running game. Then again, neither did LaDainian Tomlinson or Darren Sproles in this contest that told very little about either team’s stars.