Ratings
5 = He should start for your team
4 = He’s a viable starting option
3 = Pick him up
2 = Consider picking him up
1 = Don’t move yet, but keep him on your radar
Running backs
Fred Taylor, Patriots
New England is the place where old backs go to revive their careers, and Taylor is no exception. While the Patriots’ backfield is as by-committee as by-committee gets, Taylor’s 21 rushes for 105 yards and a touchdown against Atlanta were impressive. Wait and see how often Taylor is utilized – and what he does when he is – against Baltimore this Sunday.
Rating: 2.5
Glen Coffee, 49ers
Coffee is the speculative add after Gore went down with an injury to his right ankle Sunday in Minnesota. Coffee wasn’t all that impressive as a replacement – 25 carries for 54 yards – but the Vikings, as you may know, have a fairly solid run defense. If Coffee gets 25 carries at home against St. Louis this weekend, he could break the 100-yard mark.
Rating: 3.5
Correll Buckhalter, Broncos
Buckhalter has seen his carries (8/9/14) and yardage (46/76/108) climb each week. He’s still No. 2 on the depth chart behind Knowshon Moreno, but Buckhalter will continue to get a fair amount of carries in the Broncos’ don’t-let-Kyle-Orton-pass-too-much offense. Denver hosts Dallas this weekend.
Rating: 3
Tashard Choice, Cowboys
It’s unlikely that Barber will miss significant time, but if you’re hurting for a running back, Choice isn’t a bad, well, choice. And if Barber’s injury is worse than it appears – or if Felix Jones goes down – Choice is someone who could have a major fantasy impact as long as he sees the field.
Rating: 3.5
Wide Receivers
Pierre Garcon, Colts
I thought his Week 2 stats – one catch for 48 yards and a touchdown – were a fluke, but Garcon had three catches for 64 yards in Week 3 against Arizona, including a 53-yard touchdown grab. As long as Anthony Gonzalez is out and teams are focusing on Reggie Wayne, Garcon figures to be the Colts’ big-play threat. Don’t be surprised if he busts another big one this week, when Indy hosts Seattle.
Rating: 4
Johnny Knox, Bears
A touchdown in two straight weeks makes Knox worthy of a roster spot. It would’ve been nice to see him get a few more catches than the one Seattle held him to, but touchdowns are touchdowns.
Rating: 3
Mike Wallace, Steelers
The rookie out of Mississppi combined for five catches for 45 yards his first two games in the NFL, but he erupted for seven grabs for 102 yards against the Bengals on Sunday. If he has another big game against San Diego, make the move with confidence.
Rating: 2.5
Quarterbacks
Mark Sanchez, Jets
He threw for two touchdowns and ran for another against Tennessee on Sunday. The USC product may be a rookie, but he's looked poised under center this season and will likely be passing a lot when New York travels to New Orleans this weekend.
Rating: 3.5
Kyle Boller, Rams
Unless you’re in a league where you must play three quarterbacks, which would actually be pretty sweet, you don’t want Kyle Boller on your team. Still, he played well in relief of an injured Marc Bulger (injured shoulder) on Sunday, going 16-of-31 for 164 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. If Bulger misses time and Boller actually has a decent game against San Francisco, consider picking him up. The key word being consider.
Rating: 1
Tight End
Vernon Davis, 49ers
Davis' performance against Minnesota – seven catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns – shows why he was a first-round pick in 2006. Look for another big day from Davis, as St. Louis rumbled into San Francisco in Week Four.
Rating: 5
Kicker
Joe Nedney, 49ers
Three 49ers in one week? I hate to do it, but Nedney is a perfect six-for-six in field goal attempts this year. What’s not to like about that?
Rating: 4
Defense
Tampa Bay
Not a great defense per se, but the Bucs play Washington this weekend, and the Redskins just lost to the Lions. Enough said.
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