It was bad enough that Antonio Gates was hobbled throughout the Chargers playoff run (6 catches for 60 yards and no scores in 3 games); but now fans have to wonder if he’ll be a factor at all in 2008. Yes folks, the world’s most dominant fantasy tight end is likely to undergo surgery next week to repair his injured foot. Although some have reported that Gates would be fine by the beginning of the regular season; he doesn’t appear as confident:

“It may be the beginning of training camp and it may be the middle of the season,” Antonio Gates said.

Until we have a clearer sense about Gates’ injury and the severity, it’s pure conjecture as to his projected recovery time. One thing is clear, Gates will present fantasy owners will a conundrum come draft time. He’s been BY FAR, the best fantasy TE in the league for years and there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t reprise that role again in 2008 if healthy. But given his lack of productivity in December and January; plus the recovery time from his upcoming surgery, how far must his draft stock fall before he represents good value? Stay tuned!

I’m not sure if it’s officially the shortest return in NFL history, but it HAS to be right up there. For those of you who missed the Steelers/Dolphins MNF debacle last night, you also missed the entirety of Ricky Williams’ NFL return. Williams was granted reinstatement by the NFL earlier this month and then, thanks in part to an injury to Jesse Chatman, saw his first action last night.

• 6 carries
• 15 yards
• 2.5 yards per carry
• 1.5 fantasy points

Williams hurt his chest after being stepped on by the Steelers L. Timmons; and is now done for the year. This is just the latest in a string of disastrous developments for the Dolphins and, perhaps more importantly, may signal the official end of Ricky Williams mercurial NFL career.

Yesterday we talked about Priest Holmes’ neck injury and how the door opens for Kolby Smith. Today, the story continues as Priest Holmes officially ends his career:

“I have truly been blessed with the opportunity to play in the National Football League,” he said. “I will be forever grateful to the Hunt family and the Chiefs organization for the opportunity to come to Kansas City, where the community embraced me from Day 1.”

Fantasy owners know that Priest Holmes was an absolute beast for a few seasons; and he should be remembered as one of the better runners of his era. Unfortunately his late start (he was relegated to backup duties in Baltimore for awhile) and the injuries likely will keep Holmes from getting serious Hall of Fame consideration. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t HIGHLY productive:

• 3 Pro Bowls (2001, 2002, 2003)
• Four 1,000-yard seasons
• His 27 rushing TDs in 2003 set a single season record, and currently stand 3rd all-time
• Three consecutive seasons with at least 2,000 yards from scrimmage
• Three consecutive seasons as a dominant fantasy player
  • #2 ranked RB in 2001
  • #1 ranked RB in 2002
  • #1 ranked RB in 2003

Congratulations to Priest Holmes on a fantastic career; and best of luck for a healthy and fulfilling retirement.

If the name Kolby Smith doesn’t mean much to you, don’t beat yourself up too much. Until today, Smith was a little used rookie backup running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. But, as of today, Smith is now the STARTING TAILBACK for the Chiefs; following Priest Holmes’ Week 11 injury:

Jay Glazer: Fox Sports

Running back Priest Holmes re-injured his neck in Sunday’s 13-10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and his career is in doubt, FOXSports.com has learned. Holmes returned from a nearly two-year hiatus earlier this season, an absence that was also a result of a neck injury.According to sources, Holmes was dinged two or three times on Sunday. The last time came in the fourth quarter, which saw him leave the field in a wobbly state after his 20th touch of the game.

As a result, Holmes saw a specialist early this week and will see a series of specialists who can help him better determine his future. In light of the fact Holmes is already returning from a neck injury, this latest scare certainly has to raise questions, not only about this year, but about the future of his career.

Enter Kolby Smith. College fans and draft aficionados may remember Smith as the guy who took over for the injured Michael Bush as Louisville’s main runner last season. Smith was effective in Bush’s stead, but graded out as a backup prospect. He was selected in the 5th round by the Chiefs, and was thought to be a special teamer this year with Larry Johnson and Michael Bennett on the active roster. But with LJ’s injury, Priest’s injury (who was a surprise contributor) and Michael Bennett’s trade to Tampa Bay; Smith has a chance to prove his skeptics wrong.

Our Sigmund Bloom ranked Smith as the 13th best RB prospect last season, and had this to say:

Michael Bush’s injury was Kolby Smith’s opportunity, and Smith made the most of it. He’s another back whose main asset is his versatility, especially if he can add the weight and adopt the attitude to play some fullback. He’ll make for a competent backup RB even if he doesn’t.

The bad news for Smith is that the Chiefs have really struggled offensively even when Larry Johnson has been in the game. The offensive line is a shell of the unit that mauled people for much of the last decade. The good news is he faces an Oakland Raiders run defense that has allowed the most fantasy points in the league.  

If Smith can surprise this week with a strong game, he could be in line for a string of them. According to Clayton Gray’s ultimate strength of schedule, the Chiefs have the 2nd easiest fantasy schedule remaining against the run.

On a play that surprised no one that follows the Bears, quarterback Brian Griese was injured. His shoulder no less. How did it happen?

Well ……

The RB that is averaging a whopping 3.0 yards per carry, and who is telling anyone who will listen how it is not his fault, missed the block. Yes, you guessed it. Cedric Benson. The running back that is making another former Texas ball carrier look somewhat normal. Here is the story and what Offensive Coordinator, Ron Turner had to say:

Look out block: Brian Griese’s shoulder injury occurred when blitzing Raiders middle linebacker Kirk Morrison came unblocked to the quarterback.

“We didn’t block who we were supposed to block, and the Mike (middle) linebacker came right up the middle, and we let him go,” said Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner. “So we had a missed assignment there and turned the guy loose.”

The responsibility for picking up Morrison belonged to running back Cedric Benson.

“I don’t want to start pointing fingers at who’s supposed to do it,” Turner said. “We just didn’t pick him up. He should have been blocked, and we didn’t block him.”

Anyone else notice how quiet the former Longhorn has been since Sunday?

With Travis Henry out with injury, the rookie from Texas looked very good against a tough Packer defense on Monday night. The 5′11″, 215-pound former Longhorn displayed the varsatility the Broncos love with 71 yards rushing (on 18 carries) and 49 yards receiving. Averaging almost 4.0 ypc against the Packers is a feat unto itself. They are averaging just 3.83 on the season and have contained some good ball carriers this season.

There is a “but” coming. Contrary to what many believe, the Texas star will have to split carries. This is the same Selvin Young that did not lead his college team in carries for any of his years as a Texas Longhorn. He split carries with Cedric Benson, Jamaal Charles, and Vince Young. In fact, the most carries Selvin Young had in any one college season was 137. This was just 11 carries a game.

Young was used as the change of pace back. He is a very good receiver and is nifty in the open field. But, the issue arises when people begin extrapolating out the 18 carries Young had in prime time on Monday Night Football. With the Travis Henry suspension ruling coming soon, Young looks to be a big part of the Bronco offense going forward. But, expect him to either split time or start getting nicked.

Ronnie Brown was among the league’s best fantasy players heading into this weekend’s game. While his pedigree as the 2nd overall pick in 2005 pointed to success, Brown had struggled to establish himself until this season. In fact, Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron played mind games all preseason, refusing to name Brown the starter and touting backup Jesse Chatman at every turn.

Well now Cam Cameron is going to have a chance to prove whether his praise of Chatman was more than a motivational ploy. Ronnie Brown tore his ACL against the Patriots on Sunday and is done for the year. That opens the door for the 223-pound Chatman to take over.

Is Chatman up to the task?

Chatman is in his 5th season out of Eastern Washington and has mainly been a backup. His only significant work came in 2004 as a Charger when he rushed for 392 yards on 65 carries (6.0 YPC) and 3 TDs backing up LaDainian Tomlinson. After an impressive preseason, Chatman wasn’t used much this season behind Brown, but did log 7 carries for 73 yards and a TD last week in Brown’s stead.

A broader question to Chatman’s chances of success is whether the Dolphins offense can stay on the field. In the span of 8 days, the Dolphins have lost their top players at each skill position:

• QB Trent Green was placed on IR post concussion
• WR Chris Chambers was traded to San Diego
• RB Ronnie Brown was placed on IR with a torn ACL

Assuming Chatman can catch passes with some measure of frequency (as Brown has been doing), Chatman could be the rare RB free agent pickup that can help your team. But to think he can approximate the elite numbers Brown was putting up would be foolhardy.

It was only last year that the Chicago Bears were known as the most dominant defense in the NFL. Now, the 2-4 Bears look to be in trouble. In the last four games, they have given up at least 34 points. The only game they held their opponent to less was a win against the Packers 27-20. To get a perspective of how bad the once-vaunted Bear defense really is, take a look at these rankings versus the rest of the NFL:

Pass Defense:

Passing Yards: 27th

Yards Per Pass Attempt: 29th

Rush Defense:

Rush Attempts: 25th

Rush Yards: 28th

Rushing yards Per Carry: 26th

Rushing TDs: 29 th

Total Yardage Yielded: 30th

How did the Bears go from a 13-3 record and a defense in the top 11 in the NFL for all of the categories listed above to a defense in disrepair? The main reason is the mounting injuries. Bear starting defenders have missed a lot of game time in 2007. This is not an exhaustive list, but should give an indication of the valuable players who have missed time for the Bears this season:

Tommie Harris (knee), Nathan Vasher (groin), Adam Archuleta (hand), Lance Brings (hamstring), Darwin Walker (knee), Charles Tillman (ankle), Seth Payne (arm), Daniel Bazuin (knee), Mike Brown (knee), Dusty Dvoracek (knee), and Michael Okwo (shoulder).

Many of these players were starters and leaders of the Bear defense. Add Tank Johnson’s legal problems, with his subsequent release to the list, and now the Bears give up huge yardage on the ground. This defense looks like one on the decline. Many of the players listed above are ones that either are at the end of their career due to age or are incurred injury again in 2007 and it looks like rehab will be difficult to come back strong.

It’s only Wednesday and today’s optimism can be tomorrow’s disappointment…BUT, for those fantasy owners who feel like they’ve been fielding a patchwork team the last few weeks due to devastating injuries and killer bye weeks, it APPEARS that good news may be upon us.

While this is all preliminary (keep checking Footballguys.com for real-time updates as we receive them)…the following key players are hopeful of returning to the field in Week 7:

• QB Marc Bulger (STL) is hopeful that he’ll be able to start this week after missing time with his rib injury. He was on the active roster last week and is feeling much better. He’s still not 100% but he should be good enough to play.
• RB Joseph Addai (IND) is expected to practice this week and play in week seven against the Jaguars.
• WR Anquan Boldin (ARI) is expected to return to the starting line up this week after missing time with a hip injury. He ran some before the game Sunday and felt like his old self. “It’s the first time I’ve been able to explode, run routes and things like that, he said. “It isn’t sore today (Monday) so we’ll test it again Wednesday and see how it is.”
• WR Javon Walker (DEN) returned to practice this week. He missed the past two games with fluid in his surgically repaired right knee. Walker said he may take it easy in practice this week, but there is no way he is going to miss Sunday’s game. “It’s crunch time,” he said. “I got to be out there.” Walker said the knee won’t be completely healthy until after the season when he can rest it. “I have to play through it,” he said. “I’m ready to go.”
• WR Andre Johnson (HOU) could return this week when they host Tennessee. A decision won’t be known until at least Wednesday. “He’s progressing well; (we’re) very, very hopeful that he’s ready to go this week,” HC Gary Kubiak said. “We’ll run him tomorrow. We liked the progress we saw last week, so we’ve just kind of got our fingers crossed that he’s ready to go this week.”
• WR Marvin Harrison (IND) is expected to practice this week and play in week seven against the Jaguars.
  
• TE Vernon Davis (SF) is expected to return to practice this week and has a chance to play this weekend. When coach Mike Nolan was asked about Davis’ status for this week, he said, “It’s questionable. We’ll see how they practice on Wednesday. I’m hopeful.”

The Panthers have suffered a rash of injuries at the QB position, and in response to the loss of Jake Delhomme and the serious back injury to David Carr, they have signed the venerable and celebrated Vinny Testaverde. Carr missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and is looking very iffy to play this weekend - actually, for some time to come.

Here’s how Carr described his back injury (remember, this is from a guy who got sacked and hit roughly a gazillion times in Houston):

“When I got hit, I felt like I got sat on and twisted, and every bone in my back popped all the way to the back of my neck. It was by far the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. There was no doubt. I was rolling around out there like an idiot, but that’s how it felt. I was like, ‘Stop moving.’ I was trying to tell myself, but I couldn’t.”

Given the above, I’d say his prospects for playing any time soon are pretty dim. However, there remain a lot of questions to be answered about why the Panthers made this move.

First of all, why would the Panthers turn to Testaverde at this juncture, rather than, say, Tim Rattay or Chris Weinke (besides the fact that Weinke stinks, I mean)? There are several reasons - the one that tops the list is that Testaverde has 21 years of NFL experience - as he put it on Wednesday:

“I haven’t told them yet, but I have probably forgot more football than these guys already know. We’ll have some fun with that.”

There is no question that in his years in the league, Testaverde has learned more playbooks and played in more schemes than any other free agent available at this point in the 2007 season. Also, he spent last season in New England, backing up Tom Brady - Carolina’s OC Jeff Davidson (a former New England assistant) has installed a scheme based on the Patriots’ offense. So Testaverde’s learning curve in Carolina should be shorter than just about any other guy they might have tried to add to the roster during week 6 of the regular season.

Another question that leaps to mind is “Can Testaverde still play at age 43?” Well, he certainly believes he can - in May, when he was around the New England organization, and Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald filed the following comments about Testaverde participating in OTA’s (May 23rd):

“Free agent QB Vinny Testaverde is taking part in Patriots passing camp this week, and it is not just for fun. According to Mike Azzarelli, a close friend and associate of the Testaverde, the 43-year-old has not retired, nor does he have any plans to do so. He’s looking for work. He’s looking to add a 21st season to his distinguished resume. “He’s not retired. I doubt he’d be hanging out,” said Azzarelli when asked about Testaverde’s appearance in Foxboro this week. “He’s intent on playing.” Azzarelli is no longer an agent, but continues to work for Testaverde.”

Testaverde was signed to a one year deal on August 18th, and participated in practice sessions until being cut on September 1st - he hasn’t just been sitting on the couch since last year, waiting for the phone to ring, friends.

Another point to consider when asking the question “Can Testaverde still play?” is his personal history. He was reviled for years as one of the biggest draft busts ever after an unsuccessful start to his career in Tampa Bay (even though he is still the all-time franchise passing leader, by the way). Tampa never did better than 6-10 during his time starting there, from partway through 1987 until he was replaced by Craig Erickson in 1993 (Tampa posted a cumulative record of 28-67 from ‘87-’93). It would have been very easy to give up, move on, and find another line of work - but Testaverde never lost confidence in himself or his abilities. He has been to the Pro Bowl twice since his sojourn in Tampa, after his ‘96 campaign with the Ravens and after his ‘98 campaign with the Jets. Vinny Testaverde has fought through extreme adversity to become considered a success as a pro QB, and practically nobody besides he (and maybe his mom and dad) would have predicted that back in 1993.

The challenge of taking over the reins in Carolina during Week 6 of 2007 is small potatoes for Vinny Testaverde, folks.

Another thing that remains to be seen is whether or not Testaverde can establish a strong rapport with Steve Smith and the rest of the Panthers quickly - but that’s another thing he has done many times before in his various NFL stops. (Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, NYJ, Dallas, NYJ, New England, and now Carolina). There is no reason to expect him to suddenly lose his leadership skills.

The final question we are faced with is “Does Vinny Testaverde have anything left in the tank?” Well, most recently he tossed 297/495 for 3,532 yards, 17 TDs and 20 interceptions (21/38/1 rushing) for the Dallas Cowboys back in 2004. The team went 6-10 that year, but posting 3532 yards passing as QB with an aging Keyshawn Johnson (70/981/6) as your #1 wide receiver - Terry Glenn only managed 6 games in 2004 due to injury (24/400/2), and Antonio Bryant was third on the team with 16/266/0 over 5 games and then he was out of the picture - with a bunch of youngsters (Patrick Crayton posted 7 games for 12/162/1) or aging never-have-beens (Quincy Morgan was 4th on the squad with 9 games for 22/260/0) as Testaverde’s targets was actually an impressive feat, in retrospect.

We’ll see what Testaverde has to offer the Panthers very soon - probably this Sunday vs. Arizona - but I wouldn’t bet against him, personally. If you need a #2 fantasy QB for your squad given all the injuries over the past few weeks, you could do worse than to pick up Testaverde.

This has been a crazy year for quarterbacks. Many have been injured, and out for the year while some have been just plain inefficient.

Let’s look at some of the journeymen passers that either started in Week Five or might start in Week Six:

• Trent Dilfer (SF) – The consummate game manager and fantasy quarterback least likely for success. If he enters your fantasy lineup, you are probably doomed for a loss.
• Gus Frerotte (STL) — The veteran from Tulsa has played with several teams and knows coach Linehan’s system. But, we would be fooling ourselves if we thought he was a healthy Bulger’s peer. He is a desperate start in week six.
• David Carr or Vinny Testaverde (CAR) — Pick your poison. Which is worse? I see a toss up. Maybe Vinny would be able to find Steve Smith. I know he is not a tall fellow, but Smith should be easy to find if Kerry Colbert and Drew Carter are the other options.
• Kurt Warner (ARI) – He has a great matchup this week. But, how many games do we really expect before Warner is injured? Enter Tim Rattay. You know, the guy who could not beat out Kerry Collins. Gulp. Hang on to your hats, Boldin and Fitzgerald owners, it might be a bumpy ride.
• Kelly Holcomb (MIN) — We all know Holcomb as the guy who could not beat out Craig Nall or A.J. Feeley. With the receivers the Vikings have, would you really want to start Holcomb? Me either.

This list does not even include the likes of Daunte Culpepper, Cleo Lemon, and Byron Leftwich. This has been a rough year for passers getting hurt. Look for some additional passers to be benched from here on out for the young guns. This is the time in the fantasy season where it gets ugly, real ugly, for fantasy quarterbacks during the bye week crunch. So, good luck to those of you starting one of the above quarterbacks … you just might need it. If these guys were rock bands, they would not even make the amusement park circuit.

Last season, Trent Green suffered a massive concussion that cost him part of the 2006 season and left him a shell of his former Pro Bowl self upon his return. His struggles under new HC Herm Edwards (and his advancing age) made him expendable this offseason, eventually facilitating a trade to the Dolphins.

Green was, by and large, a fantasy afterthought this season. He was joining a new team, coming off that major concussion, and was 37 years old. Not exactly the stuff of fantasy legend. But, some (myself included) saw potential value as a fantasy backup in deeper leagues. It was just two seasons ago when Trent Green was coming off his THIRD consecutive 4,000-yard season. And he had finished no worse than fantasy QB8 from 2002-2005.

Unfortunately for Green, his teammates, and the fans in Miami, it looks like his season and career may now be over. While no official word has been issued, Green has to be seriously considering retirement after suffering yet another major concussion this past Sunday.

The Dolphins are 0-5 and are dangerously close to looking forward to 2008. If that happens, I expect we’ll see rookie QB John Beck under center instead of Cleo Lemon. Either way, the fantasy prospects for the Fins receivers are uncertain, at best.

A week ago, we discussed Cadillac Williams’ injury and the Bucs new 2-headed monster of Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham. While both were hot waiver wire pickups last week, I suggested you tread cautiously:

Sure, Graham found the end zone (his 3rd TD of the year), but he also averaged less than 3 yards per rush; whereas Pittman averaged 6 yards per carry. Given Pittman’s proven history as a pass catcher, I think at the very least the Bucs will use both in a committee approach. Picking up Graham on waivers is a worthwhile decision, but don’t overpay for him expecting fantasy stardom. With the Bucs LT Luke Petitgout out for the season, your fantasy team is probably better off not having either guy in your lineup on a regular basis.

Obviously I had no idea Michael Pittman would severely injure his ankle this week, and be lost for 6 to 8 weeks as a result. A few people have now concluded that Earnest Graham is a great option the rest of the way, by default. With no one on the roster to share carries, some are arguing that it’s Graham’s time to shine.

I see things differently.

Graham averaged less than 3 yards per carry in Week 4 and fared even worse this past weekend, amassing a mere 11 yards on 6 carries. The Bucs banged up offensive line, combined with flat out pedestrian skills, makes Graham an unlikely choice as a fantasy sleeper.

In case you need more convincing, consider HC Jon Gruden’s own words:

“I think we’re going to go for it,” Gruden said of the possibility of consummating a trade. “Going for it, though, you still have to have somebody that’s a willing partner. Sometimes that’s easier said than done.”

Teams rarely, if ever, admit to pursuing a trade in the NFL for obvious reasons. With a gaping hole at the RB position, Gruden has to be desperate to publicly admit his willingness to acquire someone in trade. If anything, that’s going to raise the compensation the Bucs will have to offer by a fair amount. If Gruden and his staff though Graham was the goods, they wouldn’t be playing their hand publicly.

Jake Delhomme will undergo ligament-replacement surgery and is done for the season.

While Delhomme’s lost is obviously a blow to any fantasy owner that drafted him, it’s arguably a bigger blow to those owners who spent a first or second round draft pick on Steve Smith; the Panthers star receiver. Given Delhomme’s ADP, it stands to reason most owners drafted him as a fantasy backup; so even if they were playing him in the early going, they should have someone of equivalent value to insert into the lineup.

But Steve Smith is another matter. The consensus #1 ranked fantasy wideout started off the season with a bang:

• Week One: 7 receptions for 118 yards and 1 TD
• Week Two: 8 receptions for 153 yards and 3 TDs

But since Delhomme went down to injury, Smith has fallen on hard times:

• Week Three: 1 reception for 10 yards, 0 TDs [note: Delhomme was injured midway through Week 3]
• Week Four: 5 receptions for 32 yards, 0 TDs
• Week Five: 4 receptions for 47 yards, 1 TD

With David Carr also hurt (and struggling) and unheralded rookie Matt Moore the Panthers backstop QB; the chances of Smith returning to elite form are sketchy, at best. Will Smith perform better than he’s shown in recent weeks? Quite possibly, but if you’ve got any chance of getting substantial value for Smith, it’s now before other owners in your league have the time to revalue Smith’s suboptimal situation.

Cadillac Williams has been on again, off again. I avoided him in my drafts this year, but plenty of others thought he represented value. From our preseason analysis:

…why Cadillac Williams is undervalued:

(David Yudkin) Cadillac Williams may not make an assault on the Top Five, but he still is his team’s primary ball carrier and not really in huge danger of splitting many carries with other backs when he’s healthy. Given that most of the dedicated ball carriers will be off the draft board and mostly RBBC members will be available, he should be able to out produce his draft position.

…why I thought he was overvalued:

 (Jason Wood) Coming into the league his critics wondered whether he could take an NFL pounding. At 205 pounds having never been a full-time back, the Bucs still rolled the dice on him. Yet, two years into his career and it appears the skeptics may have been onto something. His constant position on the injury report means one of two things: either he’s a slow healer OR coach Gruden is underplaying the significance of Williams’ maladies. Do yourself a favor, let someone else roll the dice on Williams’ comeback season. He’s not a difference maker at the goal line, he’s not an above average receiver, he’s behind a subpar offensive line, and has a head coach that is enamored with the passing game. Punt, pass & kick.

To be fair, through the first few weeks of the season, Caddy was rolling. He scored 3 TDs in as many games and definitely was helping those fantasy teams that used him as an RB3 or UTIL option. But now he’s suffered a season-ending knee injury.

If you’re a Cadillac owner, what do you do now? Do you pick up Earnest Graham, Michael Pittman or neither? The hot waiver pickup appears to be Graham, but Pittman outperformed Graham yesterday.

• Earnest Graham (Week 4) — 17 carries for 48 yards, 1 TD, 1 reception
• Michael Pittman (Week 4) — 15 carries for 90 yards, 0 TDs, 0 receptions

Sure, Graham found the end zone (his 3rd TD of the year), but he also averaged less than 3 yards per rush; whereas Pittman averaged 6 yards per carry. Given Pittman’s proven history as a pass catcher, I think at the very least the Bucs will use both in a committee approach. Picking up Graham on waivers is a worthwhile decision, but don’t overpay for him expecting fantasy stardom. With the Bucs LT Luke Petitgout out for the season, your fantasy team is probably better off not having either guy in your lineup on a regular basis.

In 2003 and 2004, the name “Kyle Boller” sent chills up the spine of many fantasy owners like nails on a chalkboard. It was UGLY. The young passer from Cal averaged a whopping 5.6 and 5.5 yards per attempt in those two seasons. During those 27 games (in 2003 and 2004), Boller averaged one interception for every touchdown thrown.

Now, fast forward to 2006 and 2007. Boller has matured some and looks more comfortable in the pocket. He has much better weapons, 3 good receivers, a strong young running back and a top tight end. In the only games (three) that Boller has started over the last couple of years, he has atleast two scores and has 7 touchdowns with 2 interceptions.

The once-hated Boller recently signed an one-year extension that will keep Steve McNair’s understudy in Baltimore through 2008. McNair is battling a groin injury at the present time. The former Alcorn State passer has taken a lot of hits in his career and is one tough customer. But, there is a good chance he misses more time as the season progresses. In a dynasty league, Boller is a great pickup. He is a young passer in a good situation. In a redraft league, he is a good bet to see time later in the season. Now is the time to pluck him from the waiver wire if you have the roster space.

Week two of the NFL season saw many players integral to fantasy football nicked up …. with some worse than others.

This is by no means an exhaustive list but shows how widespread the injuries were for skill position players.

QBs:

• Marc Bulger hurt is knee and ribs in week two. He should be ok, but keep an eye on the situation. Make sure to pick Gus up if the news changes on the severity.
• Tarvaris Jackson injured his groin in a hard fought lss to the Detroit Lions. He was having a terrible game as it was. Brooks Bollinger is the backup.
• Steve McNair also has a groin injury. He missed Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. His replacement, Kyle Boller, player well. In fact, many in Baltimore think Boller might give the Ravens a better chance to go far in the playoffs.
• Chad Pennington hurt his ankle in week one against the New England Patriots. He tried to warm up on it but Kellen Clemens started in his stead and played admirably for his first career start. This could be a budding QB controversy.

RBs:

• Rookie Ahmad Bradshaw, who is primarily a kick returner at this time, hurt his elbow in the game against the Packers. Combine this with the Jacobs injury and the Giants are very thin at running back.
• Vernand Morency is still battling knee problems and could be out even longer.

WRs:

• Greg Jennings practiced all week in hopes of playing but his injured hammy could not go. Now, he will sit all week in practice and should be a dreaded game time decision.
• Andre Johnson sprained his PCL (knee) in the week two game. He has been playing so well that the MRI results will be very important.
• Patrick Crayton, playing instead of injured Terry Glenn, broke his finger in the game against the Dolphins. It looked nasty. He went back in the game but was held without a catch.
• Plaxico Burress re-injured his ankle in the week two game against the Packers. With the way Plax has been playing, this is a situation to monitor.
• Burress’ teammate, Steve Smith, fractured his shoulder blade. He should be back in around a month.
• Troy Williamson injured his hammy against the Lions.

Terry Glenn had a scope this week in hope of salvaging part of his season. The other option was season-ending microfracture surgery. Glenn took the scope option with the HOPE to play again this year. This is a very slim hope. That is what needs to be said, but is not by the Dallas-area media outlets. The Cowboys want Glenn to return. Glenn wants to return. But, that does not mean it will happen.

Even after the scope, there is still a very good chance that Glenn will require the microfracture surgery as well. This is the time to go pick up Patrick Crayton cheap if you can while there is still “hope” that Glenn will return.

If you own Glenn in dynasty leagues, this “hope” might give you the chance to sell Glenn. Very few NFL players come back from microfracture surgery … much less ones that are Glenn’s age.

If you want up-to-the-second information on the injury situations for each game today, you can visit our Shark Pool message board forums where we will be keeping things updated in real-time.

In the meantime, here are a few of the key fantasy injury situations you need to know:

Quarterbacks (QBs)

QB Eli Manning, NYG: Manning’s injured shoulder has been a subject of much debate. As expected, he’s sat out of practice so far this week but neither he nor the team have ruled out his suiting up. We’re recommending you err on the side of caution and go with another QB this week. It seems foolish for the Giants to risk further injury by rushing him back, but then again no one ever accused Tom Coughlin of being a genius.

QB Josh McCown, OAK: McCown put up big fantasy numbers in garbage time last week, but broke a bone in his index finger and was thought to be out for this week. He now looks like a game-time decision.

QB Steve McNair, BAL: McNair is officially a “Game Time Decision” and, much like the other QBs on the injury list, is probably best left on your bench unless you’re absolute desperate.

QB Chad Pennington, NYJ: Pennington hasn’t been officially declared out this week, but several reports have 2nd year Kellen Clemens getting the start. Much like with Manning, we wouldn’t recommend starting Pennington this week even if he gets the surprising green light.

Running Backs (RBs)

RB Jesse Chatman, MIA: Jesse Chatman saw plenty of action in Week One, much to the dismay of Ronnie Brown owners. But he missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a knee injury, and looks unlikely to play this weekend. Chatman’s loss could make Ronnie Brown a suitable starter if you’ve got no better option.

RB Vernand Morency, GB: Morency returned to practice but his strained right knee “flared up on him” according to HC Mike McCarthy. He’s now looking like an unlikely play this week.

RB Cadillac Williams, TB: Just a day or two ago it seemed the Cadillac was heading back into the shop. But he’s been able to practice this week and said his ribs feel good. He now appears to be, at worst, a game-time decision.
Wide Receivers (WR)

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, CIN: Housh missed practice on Wednesday with knee pain but practiced fully on Thursday. He should be good to go against the Browns.

WR Greg Jennings, GB: Greg Jennings participated in Wednesday and Thursday practices, but only on a partial basis. He remains a game-time decision.

  
WR Terry Glenn, DAL: Glenn had another surgical procedure on his knee this week and his return for the season is in question. Either way, he’s out this week and for a considerable period of time forward.

Tight Ends (TE)

TE Antonio Gates, SD: Gates surprised a lot of fantasy owners by missing Wednesday’s practice with a sore back. But he participated fully on Thursday, including blocking drills and should be OK for this weekend.

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Josh Scobee, considered by many a top-10 fantasy PK this season, is expected to be out 6-to-8 weeks with a quadriceps injury that he suffered during Week One warm-ups. The Jaguars have replaced him with veteran John Carney. Carney was 23-for-25 last year on the top rated offense in the league (New Orleans) and has 100+ points in six of his last seven seasons. If you’re desperate for a fantasy kicker, Carney is an excellent waiver wire option.