Last week it was receivers. This week, it’s running backs.
The infirmary report is growing and now includes several top-quality backs.
Names like Priest Holmes, Deuce McAllister and Edgerrin James are posted on the dreaded injury report and many fantasy players are crossing their fingers as their hopes for a 2004 championship seem to be slipping away.
At the same time, Julius Jones, the Dallas running back who many were hoping would come through a few weeks into the season, might end up on injured reserve.
That’s bad news, and there isn’t much I or anyone else can say to turn it around.
The best you can do is try to grab their backups, assuming you didn’t do so in the draft. Running backs are at a premium this year more than ever.
So much so that Marshall Faulk’s backup, Steven Jackson, was considered a sleeper pick while Faulk was completely healthy.
In one of my leagues, for example, the best free-agent running backs you can pick up are guys like the Jets’ Jerald Sowell and Atlanta’s Justin Griffith – one-hit wonders who play behind one or more other backs.
Griffith has the best chance to keep producing because Warrick Dunn is still listed as questionable on the injury report. But I wouldn’t pin your hopes for the season on a guy you didn’t know existed just two weeks ago.
The best thing to do is start looking around your league to see what you can get in exchange for players at a position where you may be deeper, like receiver or even quarterback.
Byes start this week
Sit your Bills, Panthers, Patriots and Jets. Byes start this week and you don’t want to be caught off-guard.
Ones to watch
Some of these predictions have to start coming through.
Quarterbacks: I’ll say this is the week that Kansas City’s Trent Green finally breaks out and has a big game. The Texans will provide nice patsies as he tries to turn around a season in which he has yet to throw a touchdown pass.
Just because it defies logic – and most of this short season’s events have followed that reasoning – look for Carson Palmer to throw for a bit against the Ravens this week. At home, he has yet to unleash the Bengals’ passing game, with receivers Chad Johnson and Peter Warrick still waiting to get things started.
Running back: For at least one week, expect to see the Marshall Faulk of old. He’s playing at home against the Saints defense, which has allowed Seattle’s Shaun Alexander and San Francisco’s Kevan Barlow to go nuts in the first two weeks.
Chicago’s Thomas Jones has to be considered the real deal in at least some aspect. He’s a weekly play now and that shouldn’t stop in the dome against Minnesota this week.
Wide receiver: The Dallas Cowboys’ passing game – mostly at the expense of having any running game – is going off. Look for Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn and Antonio Bryant to each get his share of catches this week against the Redskins on Monday night.
Columnist Victor Balta: 425-339-3455 or vbalta@heraldnet.com.
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