Fantasy Football Studs & Duds

Once again, the National Football League showed why its acronym – NFL – could just as easily stand for No Freaking Logic. Peyton Manning, who broke the league's touchdown pass record last season, was held to 122 passing yards and no TD passes. Brett Favre and the Packers let the lowly Cleveland Browns enter Lambeau Stadium and steal a victory. And Daunte Culpepper, who had 11 interceptions in 16 games in 2004, was intercepted five times on Sunday to give him eight picks in two games. Ben Roethlisberger only threw the ball 21 times, those attempts were highly effective. Roethlisberger completed 14 passes for 254 yards – more than 18 yards per completion. With the Vikings and Packers 0-2 and the Falcons having been grounded by the Seahawks, the hierarchy of the NFC stands as it did before the season started: It's still the Eagles, Panthers -- maybe the Falcons -- and everyone else. In the AFC, Manning, Brady, Green, and maybe Roethlisberger are the driving force behind the top teams in the AFC.

LaDainian Tomlinson of the Chargers ran for a 16-yard touchdown against Denver to set an NFL record with TDs rushing in 14 consecutive games. Tomlinson took a pitch from Drew Brees and ran around right end untouched into the end zone to give San Diego a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter. With the score, he broke the record he shared with John Riggins (1982-83) and George Rogers (1985-86). The Buccaneers got tremendous rushing production, courtesy of an offensive line that surprisingly handled Buffalo's vaunted defensive front and the amazing speed and explosiveness of rookie running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams. Stephen Davis has established himself as the unquestioned starter in Carolina. He's a nice option for Week 3 in Miami. Could Thomas Jones be pulling off a Drew Brees in putting up a Pro Bowl-type season because the top draft pick (and eventual usurper of the starting job) held out? Jones was sharp again in a rout of the Lions. The Seahawks' Alexander smiled yesterday. He smiled when talking about Mack Strong, his lead blocker and a guy Alexander calls "the best fullback in the NFL." He smiled when talking about his offensive line. He smiled when asked about his holdout during mini-camps.And he smiled when asked about his mother, Carol. She's his good-luck charm, after all. Carol Alexander arrived in Seattle late Friday night. And since Alexander always seems to play better when she's in the stadium — the Seahawks have lost only one game of the dozen or so she has seen in person.

Donald Driver figured to be the biggest fantasy beneficiary of Javon Walker's ACL injury, and that was the case in Week 2. Meanwhile, Walker's replacement, Robert Ferguson, played to mixed reviews. Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens are back to picking apart defenses instead of each other. Owens had five catches for 143 yards -- all in the opening 19 minutes -- in his first game against his former team. For what its worth (I hate the Chiefs), Moss had only one catch after the touchdown and was nowhere to be found on Oakland's final drive. Ward was a dicey fantasy starter this week, but you wouldn't know it would you? 2 huge TD grabs for this revamped stud Wideout. Next week vs the Pats though, so we're not totally sold on him yet. Are the bengals for real? Carson Palmer is getting the ball into his playmakers hands isn't he? Johnson and Housh are playing like one of the best WR tandems ever. (I'm not making that up), Johnson caught a 70-yard touchdown pass on the game's second play. There simply is no escaping that you need to learn how to spell Houshmandzadeh. All D-Jack did was torch the CB that kept TO in check on MNF last week. Hasselback is looking his way on nearly 70% of the passing plays, so for now, keep DJack in your lineups.

We're clearly looking at an unstable position, Gates, Gonzo, and Heap didn't do much this week, and some relative upstarts who we've expected big things from showed their metal this week. Again I say Lets just wait another week on this position. Start all your #1's next week (week 3) and watch them all bounce back to their true form. If they don't scoop one of the above b-teamers up.

Concerns about Corey: Coming off what might have been the finest season of his career in 2004, Corey Dillon was a first-round pick in many fantasy leagues this year. But so far this season, Dillon has not looked like the same RB he was in 2004. Dillon has rushed for just 99 yards in two games.

He just sucks: You simply can't surround a passer with great talents at receiver and expect great results. Kurt Warner has Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, yet he has been mostly disappointing statistically in the first two games.

Other Week 1 Fantasy Football Duds

Quarterbacks: Peyton Manning, QB, Colts (13-28, 122 yards, 1 INT):
Daunte Culpepper, Vikings: 21-37, 236 yards, 5 INTs, 1 2-point conversion pass; 2 carries, 10 yards, 1 TD
Jake Delhomme, Panthers: 11-26, 154 yards, 1 INT; 3 carries, -2 yards
Joey Harrington, Lions: 19-37, 196 yards, 1 TD, 5 INTs; 3 carries, -6 yards
Tim Rattay, 49ers: 13-26, 107 yards, 3 INTs

RB's
Ronnie Brown, Dolphins: 12 carries, 35 yards; 1 catch, 5 yards
Corey Dillon, Patriots: 14 carries, 36 yards
Kevin Jones, Lions: 8 carries, 22 yards; 1 catch, 5 yards
Jamal Lewis, Ravens: 10 carries, 9 yards, 1 lost fumble
Willis McGahee, Bills: 13 carries, 34 yards; 1 catch, -1 yards

WR/TE
Chris Chambers, Dolphins: 3 catches, 21 yards
Lee Evans, Bills: 2 catches, 12 yards
Marvin Harrison, Colts: 3 catches, 36 yards
Andre Johnson, Texans: 4 catches, 20 yards
Eric Moulds, Bills: 1 catch, 8 yards
Steve Smith, Panthers: 4 catches, 34 yards
Brandon Stokley, Colts: 2 catches, 24 yards
Reggie Wayne, Colts: 3 catches, 19 yards

David Akers injured his hamstring Sunday but still made a handful of extra points in the second half. Keep Andre Johnson on the bench for a while. He did have four catches, but just 20 yards total. The Texans' offense is also in big trouble. Chris Baker and Alex Smith's follow-up to their huge week 1 fantasy tight end performances, well how do you feel about two combined catches. Not the follow-up you wanted, and very typical of most of those surprise tight ends from Week 1. Houston will have competition from the Baltimore Ravens for the worst offense in the league. The Ravens managed just one touchdown against a Tennessee defense that was manhandled by Pittsburgh last week, and Jamal Lewis finished with just nine yards on 10 carries, giving him 57 yards on 26 carries for the season. The team observes its bye this week, so Lewis owners will have no choice but to bench him. It's amazing to watch the total collapse of the Vikings offense and defense. The Vikings played a very strong secondary today, but they miss Randy Moss a great deal no matter who they play. Falcons QB Michael Vick injured his hamstring on a 32-yard run in the fourth quarter and sat out the remainder of the drive. Personally I don't think it made much of a difference, the Hawks did their usual 2nd half collapse but if you want a sleeper fantasy defense how bout them Hawks. Vick finished 11-of-19 passing for 123 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 43 yards. Send all game film from this game this week to all Defensive Coordinators around the league, a sick and half at work Ray Rhodes figured Vick out.