The third week of the preseason holds by far the most importance for fantasy owners, as each team's top players typically play into the second half. If you missed any of the games over the weekend, here's a quick breakdown of the important news and notes that you'll need to help prepare for your upcoming fantasy football drafts.
Sam Bradford was very impressive, completing 15-of-22 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, but I'm still not touching him in most standard fantasy leagues. ... Steven Jackson, who is coming off back surgery, had five carries for 22 yards in limited work. He looks safe to draft in the late first round. ... Donnie Avery suffered a torn ACL and will miss the entire 2010 season. ... Laurent Robinson looks like the best fantasy wideout for the Rams and is worth a late-round look. ... Brandon Gibson, Marty Gilyard and Keenan Burton are all in the mix to start opposite Robinson, though Danny Amendola looks like the early favorite. ... Michael Hoomanawanui had a solid stat line (four catches, 53 yards, 2 TDs), but will need more than one nice game to have value in seasonal leagues. ... Tom Brady completed 18-of-22 passes for 273 yards with three touchdowns. He looks primed for a strong season and is worth a second- or third-round pick. ... Laurence Maroney was out of the backfield mix entirely and is worth no more than a high late-round look. ... Sammy Morris started, but neither he nor Fred Taylor was impressive. I'd avoid anyone in this backfield for a prominent fantasy role. ... Randy Moss, who's ranked second among wideouts on NFL.com, had three catches for 74 yards and one score. In a contract year, Moss should produce numbers worthy of a second-round pick. ... Wes Welker (knee) posted two catches for 41 yards. He looks safe to draft.
Peyton Manning was 15-of-26 for 214 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. ... Joseph Addai posted 100 all-purpose yards before leaving with a concussion. He said after the game that he'll be fine, so don't hesitate to draft him. Addai remains clearly ahead of Donald Brown, who had five carries for six yards and one touchdown. ... Reggie Wayne had seven receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown. He remains a top-notch No. 1 fantasy wideout. ... Pierre Garcon was targeted seven times, caught two passes for 42 yards and scored a touchdowns. He's the clear No. 2 wideout behind Wayne and has middle-round value. ... I've been telling anyone who'll listen that Aaron Rodgers will be the fantasy football MVP this season. He completed 21-of-29 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns. In the preseason, he's completed 41-of-53 passes for 470 yards with six touchdowns and a 141.2 passer rating. He's a lock first rounder. ... A breakout candidate on NFL.com, Jermichael Finley looked strong with six catches, 85 yards and a score. He has 12 catches, 163 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason and could be the first tight end taken in some fantasy drafts. ... Greg Jennings (back spasms) didn't play in the game, but he'll be fine in time for Week 1. James Jones started in his absence and appears to be ahead of Jordy Nelson on the depth chart.
Matt Ryan completed just 50 percent of his passes, but he did throw a touchdown pass. He's still a candidate to be a solid draft bargain. ... Michael Turner had 16 carries for 47 yards. Coach Mike Smith does expect Turner to see a heavy workload this season, making the talented back well worth a first-round pick. ... Roddy White hauled in six passes from Ryan, including a touchdown. He'll be a steal if he falls into Round 3. ... Harry Douglas had four catches for 41 yards and has some late-round value in deeper leagues while Michael Jenkins is out of action. ... Chad Henne didn't look good, completing 10-of-22 passes for 123 yards with an interception. I still see him as a nice late-round No. 2 fantasy quarterback, but he won't be consistent enough to warrant a prominent role on a regular basis. ... Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined to rush for 14 yards on 12 carries. Williams did have five catches for 43 yards, though. ... Brandon Marshall compiled three receptions for 51 yards. I'm not sure he'll post 100-plus receptions in this offense, but he's still a great bet for 1,000-plus yards and seven to nine touchdowns.
Donovan McNabb (ankle) missed the game and could be in danger of missing the Redskins' regular-season opener against the Cowboys. Rex Grossman would start in his absence. ... Willie Parker got the start but rushed for just 16 yards on eight carries. I'm not sure he'll make the final roster. ... Larry Johnson showed some flashes of his past with 42 rushing yards on nine carries. He also scored on a 15-yard touchdown catch and run. L.J. will be worth a late-round look in drafts playing behind Clinton Portis, who saw just one carry before exiting with a sprained ankle. The ailment isn't serious, but it's a reminder that Portis is a worn-down back with little chance to start all 16 games this season. ... Joey Galloway started ahead of Devin Thomas and posted three catches for 29 yards. I'd still take a late-round flier on Thomas before even thinking about drafting Galloway. ... Marc Sanchez was unimpressive once again, completing 13-of-21 passes for 139 yards with one touchdown and one interception. His poor preseason play is worrisome if you've drafted Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards or Jerricho Cotchery in a prominent role. ... LaDainian Tomlinson had another solid stat line, rushing for 86 yards on 11 carries. He's averaging a stout 5.8 yards per carry in the preseason in the Jets' zone-blocking scheme. He could border on having flex-starter value in some leagues. ... Shonn Greene, who I still think sees 250-300 carries this season, rushed for 56 yards on 12 carries.
Drew Brees looked to be in midseason form, throwing for 240 yards and two touchdowns. ... Marques Colston had four catches for 55 yards. ... Robert Meachem (toe) was back in action, catching two passes for 28 yards with one score. He appears to be safe to draft as a No. 3 fantasy wideout. ... Pierre Thomas recorded 58 yards from scrimmage. ... Reggie Bush caught seven passes for 70 yards and continues to have solid PPR value. He could be a nice value in standard leagues as well, if he can avoid injuries. ... Chris Ivory was the star of this contest, rushing for 45 yards on 11 carries and scoring on a 76-yard catch and run that was a highlight reel play. Coach Sean Payton still sees the rookie as a work in progress, but he could push Ladell Betts on the depth chart. ... Philip Rivers completed 16-of-27 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown. He doesn't need Vincent Jackson to remain a solid No. 1 fantasy quarterback. ... Ryan Mathews continued to impress with 43 yards on 13 carries. I don't care that he's a rookie -- Mathews has late first-round value in all leagues. ... Malcom Floyd, a favorite sleeper on NFL.com, had four catches for 51 yards and a score. He's a nice No. 3 fantasy option while Jackson is out of the mix. ... Antonio Gates had five catches for 66 yards and remains one of the elite fantasy tight ends.
Kevin Kolb completed 11-of-25 passes for 103 yards with an interception. He hasn't thrown a touchdown pass during the preseason, but still remains one of the better fantasy sleepers at his position. ... LeSean McCoy had five carries for 28 yards and scored on an 18-yard run. He's had a good preseason and remains a nice No. 2 fantasy back, especially in PPR leagues. ... DeSean Jackson caught one pass for four yards but left the game early with what was described as a neck strain. The ailment isn't expected to keep him out of regular-season action. ... Matt Cassel completed 14-of-23 passes for 85 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He's well worth a late-round look as a No. 2 fantasy option. ... Jamaal Charles started ahead of Thomas Jones and posted 60 yards from scrimmage. He did fumble the opening handoff and left with a minor arm injury, but it's not considered serious. Charles is clearly the best running back on the team and will see more than enough chances to produce for fantasy owners. He's worth a second-round selection. ... Jones had 10 carries for 30 yards and scored a touchdown. ... Dwayne Bowe looked good, catching four passes for 32 yards with one score. He could be a bit undervalued in drafts based on his 2009 season.
Jake Delhomme had another nice stat line, completing 20-of-25 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown. Still, I wouldn't touch him in most fantasy leagues. ... Jerome Harrison had 34 yards on 11 carries and fumbled twice, giving him three fumbles in his last two preseason games. With Montario Hardesty (knee) expected back soon, Harrison is going to lose a lot of value. ... Peyton Hillis has become a player to watch. He had four receptions for 40 yards to go with 26 rushing yards and a 1-yard touchdown run. Hillis, who reminds me a lot of Mike Alstott, could turn into the team's goal-line back. ... Josh Cribbs (three catches, 47 yards) and Brian Robiskie started at wideout. Cribbs made a nice, acrobatic catch on the sidelines. He's worth a late look in standard leagues. ... Matthew Stafford, a sleeper on NFL.com, had another solid stat line with 141 yards and one touchdown. He's completed 74 percent of his preseason attempts and seems poised to take the next step. ... Jahvid Best had just one carry, but he made it count with a 51-yard run. Best, who saw limited time in the contest because coach Jim Schwartz said he was "a little tight," has a chance to be a terrific fantasy back this season. The rookie has third-round value.
Carson Palmer completed 9-of-11 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns. I still don't trust him as a No. 1 fantasy quarterback, but he looks like a nice No. 2 option and matchup-based starter. ... Cedric Benson had eight carries for 50 yards. He's poised for a solid season and has second-round value. ... Terrell Owens (three catches, 35 yards) once again had more receptions than Chad Ochocinco (two catches, 23 yards), though the latter did score a touchdown. ... I don't like Ochocinco as more than a borderline No. 2 or 3 fantasy wideout. ... Rookie Jermaine Gresham was impressive, catching four passes for 45 yards and one touchdown. With the release of Antonio Bryant, Gresham and fellow rookie Jordan Shipley should have more opportunities. Neither has better than late-round fantasy appeal, though. ... Trent Edwards completed 13-of-17 passes for 153 yards with one touchdown, but he's not someone to target in fantasy drafts. ... C.J. Spiller continued to wow the league, rushing for 52 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. What makes those numbers even more impressive is that he had minus-16 yards on his first two carries. Spiller also caught two passes for 33 yards. Even when Fred Jackson (hand) and Marshawn Lynch (ankle) return from injuries, I don't see how coach Chan Gailey can keep Spiller off the field. ... Roscoe Parrish should be on the radar in deep fantasy leagues -- he posted four catches for 56 yards with a score. With few playmakers in the passing game, Parrish should see his share of opportunities.
Maurice Jones-Drew (knee) missed the game and won't play again during the preseason. Reports that he had knee surgery were soon squashed, so there's no reason for alarm. He's still worth a top-five pick on draft day. ... Rashard Jennings got the start in Jones-Drew's absence and totaled 45 all-purpose yards on eight touches. He's the clear handcuff for "Pocket Hercules." ... David Garrard completed 24-of-31 passes for 211 yards and one interception. He has no more than late-round value. ... The Buccaneers backfield looked dreadful, as Cadillac Williams, Kareem Huggins and Derrick Ward combined for just 23 rushing yards on 12 carries. Ward had 19 of those yards, but he still appears to be battling for a roster spot. ... Rookie Mike Williams continued to look good, catching three passes for 83 yards even with Josh Freeman (thumb) on the sidelines. He appears to be entrenched as the No. 1 wideout and is clearly worth a late-round look in seasonal drafts. ... Sammie Stroughter started alongside Williams with Maurice Stovall (ankle) out.
The Ravens opened up their passing game, as Joe Flacco completed 21-of-34 passes for with 229 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. With more viable options at the skill positions, Flacco has some definite middle-round sleeper appeal. ... Ray Rice compiled four catches and 57 all-purpose yards. ... Anquan Boldin had his best preseason game, catching four passes for 52 yards and one touchdown. ... He has third-round value in drafts. ... Donté Stallworth suffered a broken foot and won't be back until sometime around the team's Week 8 bye. ... Todd Heap had six catches for 69 yards and scored a touchdown. Despite the impressive stat line, he's still not worth more than a late-round pick. ... Eli Manning completed 9-of-18 passes for 63 yards and threw an interception in his first work since suffering a gash on his head against the Jets. ... Brandon Jacobs started ahead of Ahmad Bradshaw and posted a solid 41 yards on six carries. I still see Bradshaw as the fantasy back to target from this duo, but this is clearly a committee situation. ... Hakeem Nicks, a popular fantasy sleeper, had four catches for 26 yards.
Tony Romo had another forgettable preseason start, completing 13-of-18 passes for 146 yards and one interception. He's still a top-five fantasy quarterback, but Romo's numbers (and the ineffectiveness of the entire offense) has been discouraging. ... Marion Barber and Felix Jones combined to rush for four yards on seven carries. Better days are ahead for this duo, but neither will emerge into a true featured back unless injuries occur. ... Dez Bryant (ankle) missed the game but has been cleared to play in the preseason finale. ... Matt Schaub completed 18-of-29 passes for 183 yards with one touchdown. He looks poised to prove that last season's success was no fluke. Schaub has high middle-round value. ... Arian Foster, a major sleeper on NFL.com, was the star of this game. He rushed for 110 yards on 18 carries, scored a touchdown and had another called back. Foster, who also caught four passes for 16 yards, looks like a featured back and is now worth as much as a fourth-round pick. ... Steve Slaton, who had been relegated to a change-of-pace back, suffered a toe strain but shouldn't miss the start of the regular season. He's best drafted as a handcuff for owners who take Foster. ... Andre Johnson, the No. 1 wideout in fantasy football, had seven catches for 79 yards. ... Jacoby Jones, making a play to start opposite Johnson, had five catches for 63 yards and one touchdown. He's clearly on the late-round fantasy radar.
Matt Hasselbeck was an unimpressive 9-of-17 for 126 yards and is no more than a late-round No. 2 fantasy quarterback at this point. ... Leon Washington got the start but was mediocre at best, rushing for 16 yards on six carries. With Washington, Justin Forsett and Julius Jones all in the mix for carries, this appears to be an imminent backfield-by-committee. ... Mike Williams continued to have a nice preseason, catching three passes for 54 yards. It looks like he'll open the season third on the depth chart, ahead of Deon Butler and rookie Golden Tate, but still has little draft value. ... Brett Favre had a lackluster stat line, completing 16-of-26 passes for 187 yards and two interceptions. The old gunslinger remains a viable No. 1 fantasy quarterback, but don't expect a repeat of his 2009 totals with Sidney Rice (hip) out several weeks. ... Adrian Peterson had 73 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. ... Percy Harvin (migraines) started and caught two passes for 30 yards. He looks safe to draft. ... Newly-acquired Greg Camarillo had four catches for 47 yards. He has late-round value, especially in PPR leagues. ... Javon Walker hauled in two passes for 32 yards and scored a touchdown, but I'm still not convinced that he'll make the final roster.
Vince Young (6-of-9, 48 yards) and Chris Johnson (eight carries, 10 yards) saw limited snaps. ... Kenny Britt started and finished with four catches for 33 yards. While he's no lock to start in Week 1 with Nate Washington and Justin Gage also in the mix, Britt clearly has the most upside of any wideout on the team and is worth a middle-round look in drafts. ... Matt Moore continued to flounder in the preseason, completing just 18-of-33 passes for 190 yards. He has now hit on just 28 of his 57 preseason pass attempts for a combined 279 yards and no touchdowns. In his defense, Moore hasn't had his top target, Steve Smith, who will be back from a forearm injury in time for Week 1. ... The battle between Brandon LaFell and Dwayne Jarrett to start opposite Smith produced no winner -- the pair combined for three catches and 36 yards. ... Jonathan Stewart (heel) was held out of action once again, but he's expected to be back in time for the regular-season opener and is safe to draft.
Derek Anderson got the start ahead of Matt Leinart and looked good, completing 7-of-12 passes for 94 yards with one touchdown. He didn't solidify the top spot on the depth chart, though, as Leinart came in and completed 9-of-10 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown of his own. We might not know who the starter is until Week 1, so neither has an edge in terms of late-round fantasy appeal. ... Tim Hightower remains the first back on the field for coach Ken Whisenhunt, and that won't change after rushing for 62 yards on just eight carries. He's being vastly undervalued in drafts, especially PR leagues. ... Beanie Wells, not Hightower, is the better fantasy back overall, but he did nothing to increase his value. He rushed for just 14 yards on eight carries and had one fumble. ... Jay Cutler was dreadful, completing just 50 percent of his passes for 129 yards with two interceptions. If the Bears offensive line doesn't do a better job with pass protection, Cutler is going to throw a ton of picks again. ... After his explosion against the Raiders, Matt Forte posted just six yards on three carries. Still, he's had a good preseason overall and is a nice back to target in the middle rounds. ... Johnny Knox (three catches, 57 yards) and Devin Hester (three catches, 31 yards) continued to start ahead of Devin Aromashodu.
Alex Smith posted a nice stat line, completing 9-of-15 passes for 113 yards with one touchdown. Still, he's no more than a No. 2 fantasy quarterback in most leagues. ... Frank Gore started and saw just two carries, but his first went for 49 yards. He's in line to have a solid season for fantasy owners and warrants a high first-round pick in drafts. ... Brian Westbrook had two carries for 17 yards but left the game with hamstring cramps. ... Anthony Dixon rushed 21 times for 69 yards and scored a touchdown. Dixon has outplayed Westbrook, but there still isn't a clear-cut handcuff for Gore. ... Michael Crabtree (neck) missed the game, but he's expected to be fine for Week 1. ... Jason Campbell went 6-of-8 for 93 yards before suffering a stinger and leaving the contest. He's also dealing with an injury to his right wrist, something for fantasy owners to keep an eye on. ... Michael Bush continued to start, even with Darren McFadden (hamstring) back in the mix. Bush had 23 yards on seven carries with one touchdown before suffering a broken thumb. The injury could be an issue to start of the season, so be sure to monitor Bush's status. ... McFadden was unimpressive, rushing for nine yards on seven carries. Still, he's worth a look somewhere in the middle rounds. ... Louis Murphy has developed into the best fantasy wideout in Silver & Black, posting 87 yards and one touchdown. He's worth a late-round look ahead of his teammate Darrius Heyward-Bey, who caught three passes for 46 yards.
Ben Roethlisberger got the start and completed 4-of-6 passes for 67 yards. He's worth a late middle-round pick as a No. 2 fantasy quarterback and should be a weekly starter upon his return. ... Neither Byron Leftwich nor Dennis Dixon were overly impressive. The former is still considered the favorite to start while Big Ben is out. ... Rashard Mendenhall, who was rumored to have an injured arm, rushed five times for 28 yards. He's safe to draft in the late first round. ... Jonathan Dwyer had a major impact, rushing for 89 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries. Mendenhall's main handcuff (Dwyer, Isaac Redman, Mewelde Moore) is still up in the air at this point. ... Mike Wallace continued to impress, posting three catches for 59 yards. He's a major fantasy sleeper. ... Kyle Orton completed 9-of-14 yards for 80 yards and an interception before leaving with a back injury. It's not considered serious. ... Tim Tebow, not Brady Quinn, started the second half with the second-team offense. Tebow might have passed Quinn on the depth chart, but he still has no seasonal appeal. Tebow completed 5-of-10 passes for 72 yards with one touchdown and one interception. ... Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) was out once again, but coach Josh McDaniels did tell the *Denver Post* that the running back will return to practice this week. There's still no timetable for his return to game action, though, so fantasy leaguers need to monitor his status. With Correll Buckhalter (back) also ailing, Lance Ball could be a name to remember in deeper leagues. ... Demaryius Thomas (foot) was also out of action. He'll be hard pressed to make a major impact early in the season after missing so much time.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com. Have a burning question for Michael on anything fantasy football related? Leave it in our comments section or send it to **AskFabiano@nfl.com**.
