Bucs’ OC Greg Olson wants Caddy to be the featured back. Williams has been productive, but he’s injury-prone, and if the Bucs start giving him 25 touches a game, he’s probably going to break down. This is bad news for Derrick Ward in the short term, but in the long term, it might be a good thing. Ward could be the primary ballcarrier to close the season.

Brandon Marshall seems to be happy again. It’s amazing what a 4-0 start and a sick, game-winning TD catch will do for a guy. Marshall’s talent is undeniable, and it seems like he and HC Josh McDaniels have put the ill will behind them and have found a way to work together. Marshall’s upside is still limited somewhat by Kyle Orton (just ask Eddie Royal owners), but he has been productive of late and has worked his way back to being an every-week start in most formats.

Rashard Mendenhall should start this week. With Willie Parker likely out, look for another big game from Mendenhall as he faces the Lions’ 20th-ranked rush defense.

MBIII is back at practice. The Cowboys face the Chiefs this week, so it’s a nice matchup for the entire offense. Barber should be in most starting lineups, but Tashard Choice is likely to see a lot of work to keep Barber fresh. Choice has been productive, so there’s no reason not to use him.

Frank Gore on track to return in Week 7. The 49ers have a bye next week, so it looks like Sunday may be the last week that Glen Coffee is startable. He has a nice matchup with the 25th-ranked Falcons’ rush defense and should see plenty of work. Regardless, Gore owners should keep Coffee stashed as a handcuff.

Carolina Panthers:
Receiver Steve Smith is expected to miss at least two weeks with a strained shoulder after suffering the injury in practice on Monday. Dwayne Jarrett is expected to fill in for Smith while he’s out, which is kind of like going from a corvette to a station wagon. (Charlotte Observer)

Indianapolis Colts:
Safety Bob Sanders is expected to meet with orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews soon. Sanders had another clean up procedure done on his knee this offseason and the Colts don’t know when he’ll be healthy again. He hasn’t practiced or played in game since Week 16 of last year. (Indianapolis Star)

Kansas City Chiefs:
Receiver Dwayne Bowe isn’t currently practicing with the Chiefs’ starters and apparently is in new head coach Todd Haley’s doghouse. Haley appears to be making an example of Bowe, who hasn’t responded well to KC’s new disciplined training habits. (Kansas City Star)

New England Patriots:
Tom Brady has yet to miss one practice since returning to action following ACL and MCL surgery. Brady continues to work out with a brace on his knee, although he’ll likely have to play with the brace the rest of his career. (Boston Globe)

Tampa Bay Bucs:
Receiver Antonio Bryant will be out for the next 3-4 weeks with a torn meniscus in his knee. Bryant could miss the entire preseason, but is expected to be healthy by Week 1. Still, the Bucs are thin at receiver and are implementing a new offense so Bryant’s injury is of concern. (Pewter Report)

Earnest Graham is listed ahead of Derrick Ward on Tampa’s depth chart, but considering the Bucs paid Ward like a starter this offseason, it’s wise not to read too much into this. (Buccaneers.com)

Miami Dolphins:
Former Hawaii product Davone Bess has been starting ahead of Greg Camarillo in Miami. Carmarillo appears to be completely recovered from ACL surgery, but Miami likes Bess’ speed and playmaking ability and see him as a starting flanker. (Miami Herald)

Most fantasy owners draft a running back in the first round and oftentimes their season depends on how that player fares. If he misses a few games with an injury and is bothered by it for a few more, his production will suffer and it will put his fantasy team in a tough spot. This can be offset if his owner is savvy enough to draft one of the “surprise” backs that inevitably crash the top 10 every season.

But how does one pluck one of these backs out of the middle rounds? Better yet, how can we avoid drafting an early round bust in the first place?

As a forewarning, this is not a tight article. I ponder, deliberate and meander as I go along. Trying to predict the future is nebulous at best and futile at worst, so please bear with me as I muddle my way through this topic.

Here’s a list of the top RBs from 2008…

RB1 – Matt Forte (RB30)
RB2 – DeAngelo Williams (RB36)
RB3 – Maurice Jones-Drew (RB13)
RB4 – Thomas Jones (RB23)
RB5 – Brian Westbrook (RB3)
RB6 – Michael Turner (RB19)
RB7 – Adrian Peterson (RB2)
RB8 – Steve Slaton (RB67)
RB9 – Chris Johnson (RB40)
RB10 – LaDainian Tomlinson (RB1)
RB11 – Clinton Portis (RB8)
RB12 – Marshawn Lynch (RB9)

Michael Turner went on average in the very late third round, so that makes six backs that were drafted outside the first two rounds that made the top 12. Maurice Jones-Drew was a fringe first round pick, so players that were drafted in the first round finished in the top 12 about 50% of the time. Marion Barber (drafted RB7, finished RB13) and Frank Gore (drafted RB6, finished RB14) just missed the top 12. There were three first round “busts” – Joseph Addai, Larry Johnson and Willis McGahee – who finished outside the top 35. All three missed significant time due to injury. The final first round pick, Steven Jackson, finished as RB19 even though he missed four games due to injury.

What does this all mean? Good question…

Of the first 12 picks, eight finished in the top 20, and seven finished in the top 15. While that success rate certainly wouldn’t qualify as a sure thing, it doesn’t dispel the notion that fantasy owners should look to draft a running back in the first round. It’s not like drafting a WR was any more rewarding last year. The top three receivers – Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Reggie Wayne – finished 11th, 13th and 12th amongst wideouts, respectively. The top QB, Tom Brady, missed the entire season with an injury and the second QB off the board, Peyton Manning, finished as 2008’s QB6.

Looking at the four middle- to late-round picks that made the top 12, we can draw some common themes. Five of the six are/were young. Thomas Jones had eight years in the league entering the 2008 season. The next most experienced player was Michael Turner, who had four years in the league. Four of the six were newcomers to their respective teams, with three rookies and Turner, who joined the Falcons after four seasons with the Chargers. Three entered the season as members of a committee — Williams split time with Jonathan Stewart, Chris Johnson shared carries with LenDale White and Steve Slaton emerged as the last man standing in Houston.

Now let’s take a look at 2007…

RB1 – Brian Westbrook (RB8)
RB2 – LaDainian Tomlinson (RB1)
RB3 – Clinton Portis (RB16)
RB4 – Joseph Addai (RB6)
RB5 – Adrian Peterson (RB26)
RB6 – Jamal Lewis (RB27)
RB7 – Frank Gore (RB4)
RB8 – Marion Barber (RB24)
RB9 – Willis McGahee (RB13)
RB10 – Earnest Graham (RB??, undrafted)
RB11 – Maurice Jones-Drew (RB15)
RB12 – Reggie Bush (RB10)

There were four major surprises in the top 12 in 2007 – Peterson, Lewis, Barber and Graham. Peterson and Lewis were newcomers to their respective teams, while Barber and Graham each emerged from a RBBC as the main man. (Graham was actually the last man standing.) Portis was a semi-surprise, as he was coming off an injury-plagued 2006 and finished the season as RB3. The other seven top 12 players weren’t that surprising, as they were all picked in the top 15.

Seven of the top 12 picks in 2007 could be considered disappointments. Steven Jackson (drafted RB2, finished RB15), Willie Parker (drafted RB7, finished RB20) and Ronnie Brown (drafted RB12, finished RB23) were minor disappointments, while Larry Johnson, Shaun Alexander, Rudi Johnson and Laurence Maroney all finished outside of the top 30. All four players missed significant time due to injury. LJ, Alexander and Johnson all had at least 622 carries during the previous two seasons.

WHAT TO MAKE OF ALL OF THIS

It’s difficult to predict who is going to bust because usually underperformance stems from some sort of injury. Some fantasy football analysts argue that a heavy workload in previous seasons will eventually cause a breakdown, but a large number of carries also indicates dependability and consistency, which is why these players are being drafted this early in the first place.

LaDainian Tomlinson is 30 and has averaged 332 carries over his eight years in the league. Even though he showed some signs of breaking down in 2008 (with a very pedestrian 3.8 ypc), he still gained 1536 yards from scrimmage and scored 12 TD, finishing the season as RB10. Would you pass on him late in the first round?

Steven Jackson is only 26, but he has missed eight games over the past two seasons after a stellar 2006 campaign. He should bounce back, but he’s also shown signs that he’s injury-prone. Brian Westbrook, Frank Gore, Reggie Bush, Clinton Portis, Brandon Jacobs and Marion Barber are all first- or second-round guys that are injury concerns for one reason or another. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to accurately predict which players are going to break down much less when.

So the best we can do is identify some possible surprises and hope they pan out, giving ourselves a safety net if one or more of our early picks have a disappointing season. We identified that youth, newcomer status, and starting the season in a RBBC were the top three factors of finding value in the middle to late rounds.

Right now, three names jump out at me: Derrick Ward (ADP: 5.03), Knowshon Moreno (4.10) and Chris Wells (6.01).

Ward was excellent when given the opportunity to start in place of an injured Brandon Jacobs in New York. He had 15+ carries eight times over the past two seasons, averaging 104 rushing yards in those games. He’s also a very adept pass catcher, averaging 2.8 catches per game over the last two years. Most importantly, he’s proven to be an efficient runner, averaging 4.8 ypc and 5.6 ypc in 2007 and 2008. He joins a semi-crowded backfield in Tampa that also includes Earnest Graham and Carnell Williams. But the Bucs gave Ward starter’s money, so he should have first crack at the job. His chances are further boosted by Williams’ knee injury and Graham’s ability to play fullback.

At first glance, Moreno looks to face something of an uphill battle to get carries in Denver. But these aren’t (or shouldn’t be) your father’s Broncos. Mike Shanahan is gone, and hopefully new coach Josh McDaniels didn’t inherit Skeletor’s joy of messing with his RB depth chart. Peyton Hillis, Correll Buckhalter, LaMont Jordan and Ryan Torain are also there, but Moreno is the most talented runner of the group. Here’s an excerpt from Moreno’s scouting report at FFToolbox…

Moreno is naturally blessed with a nice blend of size and speed, but it is his athleticism, vision, and ability to hit the hole that sets him apart as arguably the best running back in this year’s draft class.

Moreover, the Broncos were 2nd in the league in yards per carry with 4.8. This was with Michael Pittman, Peyton Hillis and Selvin Young rushing the football. I expect Moreno will get starter’s carries and finish in the top 15, maybe even the top 10.

Lastly, Chris “Beanie” Wells joins Tim Hightower in the Arizona backfield. What’s worrisome about Wells is that the Cardinals have struggled with their ground game over the past several seasons. Last year, they averaged just 3.5 ypc, which was next to last in the league.

On the plus side, teams don’t usually burn a first round pick on a running back unless they plan to use him. Clearly, the Cardinals did not feel strongly enough about Hightower to use their first pick to shore up another weakness, and they must have seen something in Wells that they really liked. This kind of favoritism usually leads to opportunity, and that’s half the battle.

As the training camps wear on, we may be able to identify some of the other “surprise” prospects. Inevitably, a veteran will go down with an injury, or a rookie will make a splash. This might help us recognize who the next Earnest Graham or Chris Johnson will be.

Stay tuned.

1. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers—I know some players take a few years to develop, but I live in Tennessee and saw Williams play on TV a lot when he was with Memphis. I drafted him in 2006 because I knew what not everyone knew—his upside was tremendous. Of course, he had 501 yards and a TD that year. But once DeShaun Foster was gone, Williams exploded, and last year racked up 1639 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns. Potential realized, and there’s more where that came from despite Jonathan Stewart sharing the load.

2. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons—Turner “The Burner” finally got out from under LT’s shadow in San Diego and showed with his new team that he can be a #1 RB—in a big, big way. In fact, Turner out-rushed LT by almost 600 yards. Take that, AJ Smith.

3. Thomas Jones, New York Jets—Jones had a big year, with 1519 total yards and 15 scores. But something tells me to expect a substantial drop-off this year. I mean, this is the same guy who scored 1 rushing TD in 2007.

4. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears—A rookie in 2008, Forte was a pleasant surprise and was basically the Bears’ entire offense. Now they have Jay Cutler at QB, which could mean just a bit less focus on the running game. Still, it’s the Bears, and plus Forte is just as valuable a receiver as he is a runner. Don’t expect a re-run of 2008 (1715 yards and 12 total touchdowns) but don’t expect a crappy season either.

5. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings—He may be frequently injured but AP is about as explosive as any player in the NFL. In fact, he may be what everyone expected Reggie Bush to be. Who? Yeah, I know. Anyway, Peterson had 1885 all-purpose yards but only 10 TDs. This season, I’m looking for 2400 yards from scrimmage and 15-20 scores. I can feel it.

6. Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia Eagles—Off-season surgery is either going to hamper Westbrook or make him better. I’ll still take a Brian Westbrook at 70% than, say, a Willis McGahee at 100%. When Westbook is on the field (1338 total yards, 54 catches, 14 total TDs in ‘08), he’s fantasy money.

7. Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants—Jacobs seemed to perform best when he shared carries with Derrick Ward, who is now in Tampa. Jacobs will still share carries, but with Ahmad Bradshaw. Jacobs had his second straight 1000-yard season (Ward also topped 1000 yards) with 15 touchdowns, and there is no reason to believe he’ll fall short of that in ’09. Well, unless the injury bug bites again.

8. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers—I’m still sick about drafting LT #1 last season in my league. I know that having the top pick doesn’t happen too often, and this guy just killed my season and probably everyone else’s that picked him first or second.
I mean, 1536 yards from scrimmage and 12 scores is not bad, but consider LT’s 2006 season—2323 overall yards and 31 TDs. Last year, LT was more like Thomas Jones in a good year.

9. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars—Streaky yes, but a solid player who can run and catch passes effectively. MJD had 824 rushing yards, and 62 receptions for 565 with 14 total touchdowns. With Fred Taylor in New England, expect those numbers to jump this season.

10. LenDale White, Tennessee Titans—This guy was the touchdown bogart for Chris Johnson, with only 773 yards but 15 scores. Should we expect an encore? It’s hard to say, but Jeff Fisher is definitely a creature of habit.

Giants running back Brandon Jacobs has been declared out of the Giants game Sunday night in Dallas.

Tom Coughlin made that announcement moments ago after Jacobs missed his third straight practice with an injured left knee.

“We just didn’t feel like hed be ready to play,” Coughlin said.

Derrick Ward will start in place of Jacobs. Asked if that meant Ahmad Bradshaw would get a little more work than usual, Coughlin said “Well see how the game goes.”

LB Jonathan Goff (hamstring) has also been ruled out and DT Fred Robbins (shoulder) will be listed as “questionable”.

The Cowboys’ defense has played better of late, but they’re still just average at best against the run. I wouldn’t trust Ward and Bradshaw to light up the fantasy scoreboard this week, although neither would necessarily be a bad start.

I’ll use the ESPN league data when filtering players, so the only players eligible for discussion here are those that are available on the waiver wire of at least 50% of ESPN’s leagues. I’ll list each player’s percentage-owned after their name so you have an idea of how available they are in leagues around the country. I’ll always try to mention a few players that are available in 90% of leagues for those of you in 12-team leagues or leagues with big rosters. I’ll rank them in the order I’d pick them up in a league with a high-performance, PPR scoring system.

QUARTERBACKS

1. Matt Cassel (0.2)
Clearly, this is the pickup for Brady owners. They’re probably behind the eight ball and they might as well gamble with the guy taking Brady’s place. Can he play? Who knows, but he has a load of weapons around him.

2. Vince Young (46.8)
Yes, he’s hurt, but he doesn’t belong on the waiver wire in deep leagues.

3. Jeff Garcia (25.9)
Garcia is steady and a solid bye week fill in.

4. Trent Edwards (8.7)
Edwards is beginning to look like a starting NFL QB. I can see starting him against weaker defenses.

5. Matt Ryan (14.1)
Ryan played pretty well against a bad Lions secondary. He’ll have his ups and downs.

6. Chad Pennington (11.5)
Pennington shrugged off a shaky start to finish with pretty good numbers.

7. JaMarcus Russell (22.4)
Russell got off to a slow start, but finished with 180 yards and two TD. He’s going to have his ups and downs, but the Raiders will trail a lot this season, which means lots and lots of passes for Russell.

8. Tarvaris Jackson (7.9)
He’s got a bum knee, but he has a great running game and offensive line and a couple of solid receivers. He could surprise.

9. J.T. O’Sullivan (9.4)
The J.T. O’Sullivan era got off to a shaky start against a historically bad Arizona defense. But don’t write off Sully just yet.

10. Kerry Collins (5.0)
He’ll fill in for Young for a few weeks and will probably put up better numbers.

11. Damon Huard (0.7)
He’ll fill in for Croyle for a few weeks and will probably put up better numbers.

12. Joe Flacco (3.3)
The rookie played okay in his first game, but the main thing is that he’s starting.

13. Kyle Orton (2.8)
Orton isn’t going to win any fantasy championships, but if you’re desperate, he probably won’t throw multiple picks.

RUNNING BACKS

1. Steve Slaton (29.0)
The rookie finished with 16 touches for 49 yards. Not that impressive, but the Texans fell behind early and didn’t run the ball a whole lot. Ahman Green sprained his ankle and the team is bringing in free agent RBs this week, but barring a big signing, Slaton is probably the main guy going forward.

2. Sammy Morris (31.5)
Morris is Laurence Maroney-owners’ worst nightmare. He turned 15 touches (five more than Maroney) into 87 yards, and more importantly, he vultured a TD. With Tom Brady out, look for the Pats to run the ball more, which means that Morris will be a solid bye-week starter (and maybe a better fantasy player than Maroney).

3. Andre Hall (9.1)
Denver is clearly a RBBC, but Hall got the most carries (10) and yards (61). Don’t get too excited, because Michael Pittman appears to be the team’s goal line back. Ah, Skeletor, how do I loathe thee?

4. Pierre Thomas (13.4)
Thomas basically took over Deuce McAllister’s old role. He turned 12 touches into 63 yards and would see his value skyrocket if Reggie Bush were to get injured again.

5. Derrick Ward (47.3)
It’s Ward, not Ahmad Bradshaw, who’s the Giants’ RB2. Eleven touches for 60 yards is nothing to sneeze at, but Brandon Jacobs is historically injury-prone, so Ward seems to be the next in line if BJ were to go down.

6. Michael Pittman (2.3)
Pittman used to specialize in catching the ball out of the backfield. Now, apparently, he’s a goal line back. He toted the ball seven times for 13 yards and two TD against he Raiders, and would be a solid pickup in TD-heavy leagues.

7. Warrick Dunn (8.0)
Dunn did what Dunn does – 11 touches for 65 yards. He’s the RB2 behind Earnest Graham.

8. Darren Sproles (5.2)
Sproles would probably be the guy to tote the rock if LaDainian Tomlinson’s toe becomes a bigger issue.

9. Shaun Alexander (10.6)
Alexander claims he’s in the best shape of his life; will some lucky team bite?

10. Dominic Rhodes (6.5)
With Joseph Addai suffering a concussion, Rhodes becomes an interesting pickup in very deep leagues. If Addai were to miss any time (which doesn’t look to be the case), Rhodes would be RB2-quality.

11. Tim Hightower (15.0)
The rookie had 11 touches for 34 yards and a score. How many of Edgerrin James’ TDs will he vulture.

12. Brandon Jackson (7.8)
The Packers want to ease Ryan Grant back into action, and they split time with Jackson on Monday night. Grant is more explosive, but they will likely use Jackson to ease the burden.

WIDE RECEIVERS

1. Eddie Royal (13.7)
Wow. Royal lit up a strong Raiders secondary to the tune of nine catches for 146 yards and a TD. He became the second rookie in five years to go over the century mark in his first game. (Read further for the other guy.) Royal ran crisp routes and has great hands. It’s hard to judge a guy after one game, and Brandon Marshall will be the team’s #1 WR, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Royal finished the season with 75-80 catches for 1200+ yards.

2. DeSean Jackson (53.9)
Even though his percentage-owned is over the limit, I am including him for those of you that don’t know – DeSean Jackson is (probably) for real. He joins Eddie Royal as the only two rookie receivers to go over the 100-yard mark in their NFL debut since Anquan Boldin did it five years ago. Pick him up if you can.

3. Vincent Jackson (43.6)
Don’t get too excited about Jackson’s nice day (3-47-1), as he was still only an afterthought in the Chargers’ passing attack with four targets. Still, he deserves a roster spot in all leagues.

4. Ronald Curry (43.3)
Curry was targeted six times but only converted two passes for 18 yards. He did score a touchdown and it’s clear that he’s the best thing the Raiders have going at wideout, but JaMarcus Russell holds the keys.

5. Muhsin Muhammad (26.7)
Even when Steve Smith returns, Moose should put up decent numbers in PPR leagues.

6. Bobby Engram (25.8)
The Seahawks desperately need Engram back, and he’s supposed to return in Week 5 (maybe sooner). Assuming he heals correctly, he should be a nice pickup in PPR leagues.

7. Antwaan Randle El (25.8)
7-73 is a nice debut for Randle El in the West Coast Offense. He should be good for 5-50 most weeks.

8. Mark Clayton (4.4)
It’s hard to get excited about the Baltimore passing game, but Clayton turned five targets into 3-21, but also had a 42-yard TD on a reverse.

9. Deion Branch (2.9)
Seattle is hurting big time at WR and can’t wait to get Branch back. Worth rostering if you have a place to stash him.

10. Bryant Johnson (17.1)
Went 3-48 even though the 49ers had a bad day passing the ball. Mike Martz wants BJ to step it up, so he should have the opportunity to improve over the course of the season.

11. Kevin Walter (12.2)
Walter will benefit if teams double Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. He went for 3-41-1 against the Steelers and is worth a look in deeper PPR leagues.

12. Ike Hilliard (2.1)
Hilliard made the most of his six targets (6-45-1). It looks like he’s WR3 in TB, but he’s worth rostering in deep PPR leagues.

13. Hank Baskett (1.7)
Don’t get too excited about Baskett. Yes, he started. Yes, he went over 100 yards and scored a TD. But he was only targeted three times, so expect more modest numbers next week.

14. Matt Jones (1.0)
Jones started to take advantage of all his physical skill by catching six passes for 80 yards. Is this his breakout year? Doubtful.

15. Amani Toomer (31.8)
Toomer had a quiet game and should fare better in upcoming weeks.

16. David Patten (5.7)
He only caught one pass, but made it count for a touchdown.

17. Jerry Porter (9.0)
Missed the game due to injury, but the Jags could really use him out there.

18. Devery Henderson (0.9)
Henderson isn’t going to play much, but when he’s out there, he’s running the go route.

TIGHT ENDS

1. L.J. Smith (23.0)
He doesn’t get much love, except from his QB. 5-39-1 will make him a hot prospect this week. I put him ahead of the next two guys because he’s a proven player. (They are high-risk, high-reward players.)

2. Anthony Fasano (4.1)
8-84-1 is a great way to start the season. Pennington focused on his TEs, so Fasano is a good prospect as a TE2 with starter potential.

3. Dante Rosario (0.2)
He may not get as many looks when Steve Smith returns from his suspension, but it’s hard to argue with 7-96-1 from this hybrid TE.

4. Zach Miller (13.8)
Miller ended up with 4-34 on Monday night, but he has a pretty good shot of being the Raiders’ top receiver this year.

5. Randy McMichael (9.6)
McMichael was about the only thing the Rams had going on Sunday.

6. John Carlson (2.1)
Carlson caught four passes for 52 yards. He’s a decent backup in larger PPR leagues, especially since the Seahawks are so desperate at receiver.

7. Greg Olsen (34.6)
Bears passing game will likely be anemic all season, but Olsen has the best hands on the team.

8. Robert Royal (0.5)
Royal isn’t a big name, but with 6-52-1, it’s clear that he’s become a bigger part of the Bills’ game plan in 2008.

9. Dustin Keller (12.1)
Brett Favre loves his tight ends.

10. Desmond Clark (3.8)
Clark is probably the Bears’ second best receiving threat, after Olsen.

11. Kevin Boss (47.7)
A horrible first week has really quieted the preseason hype.

12. Ben Utecht (27.1)
If Cincy’s passing game rebounds, so will Utecht.

13. David Martin (0.2)
After Fasano (and maybe Ted Ginn), Martin is the next best receiving threat in Miami

1. Clinton Portis was not involved in Washington’s passing game. He was targeted on one pass, which he caught, but it was negated by a penalty. For a player that caught 47 passes last year (that’s almost three a game), this is pretty worrisome, especially for Portis owners in PPR leagues. 84 yards on 23 carries isn’t great (3.7 ypc), but at least we don’t have to worry about him not getting enough touches. It’s clear that he’s the centerpiece of the offense, even to a fault.

2. Chris Cooley was targeted twice. He had an 18-yard gain negated by a penalty, so he didn’t get his first official catch until late in the second half. Jason Campbell spent most of his time looking to Santana Moss (5-37-1) and Antwaan Randle El (7-73). No other player caught more than a single pass. It’s important to note that Cooley has had poor games in each of the last three seasons, and he’s bounced back each time.

3. The Redskins’ new West Coast Offense looks rough. The running game is okay, but Portis was behind the eight ball a little bit because the Giants were daring Washington to throw the ball. The Redskins’ season depends mainly on how quickly they can learn and execute the WCO. In fairness, they faced a tough Giants defense in an emotional road game, and they should fare better in their next two games, which are against the Saints and Cardinals (and are both at home).

4. Eli Manning is still erratic. He seemed to hook up with Plaxico Burress (10-133) at will, but he didn’t throw for a score (though he did run for one), had one pass picked off and had three or four more that were almost intercepted. Eli is a bit of a gambler, and it doesn’t look like a Super Bowl win has changed that at all.

5. Derrick Ward is Brandon Jacobs’ backup. There has been a lot of talk about a “Thunder and Lightning” combo with Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, but Bradshaw didn’t get a carry in the game. Ward carried the ball nine times and had two catches, so he’s the better handcuff for Jacobs.

6. Both defenses looked pretty solid. Admirable job by the Redskins to hold a pretty good Giants offense to 16 points despite getting no help from their offense. The Giants flew around the ball and seemed to pressure Campbell on just about every play. The injuries at DE are a concern, but the Giants DT looks good as a whole.