In a column that will be posted online Friday night, I wrote about the Madden cover jinx and the fear it will strike Calvin Johnson this season.

Being a creative soul (or a cliche-filled one; whatever works), I turned it into a game of buy and sell.

The Cliffs Notes version of the column: I'm buying the Madden Curse is strong enough to take out Megatron, that Robert Griffin III is an every-week fantasy starter and Reggie Wayne is again a very good fantasy receiver with Andrew Luck under center. What I'm selling (and, boy, do I have a deal for you): Alfred Morris is going to be a productive running back for fantasy hater Mike Shanahan this season, Kevin Ogletree is the next Laurent Robinson and Randy Moss will be a fantasy starter.

One more item to buy, and this one wasn't included in the column: C.J. Spiller, at least until Fred Jackson returns, is an elite fantasy running back.

Jackson is expected to miss at least three weeks with a right knee injury. One quarter into 2012, he was injured, and the ailment occurred after a 2011 season in which Jackson sat out the Bills' final six games with a broken right leg.

He told reporters he would be back in "four weeks ... without a doubt."

If you were smart (or lucky) enough to draft Spiller in the middle rounds, he's a must-start until Jackson returns -- and he might be a decent flex play even if Jackson is healthy.

With Jackson out for Buffalo's final six games last season, Spiller rushed for 446 yards and three touchdowns, and he caught 24 passes for 187 yards and two scores.

Combine those numbers with Spiller's stats from Sunday (169 yards rushing, one TD and two receptions for 25 yards) and you have the following: In seven games with Jackson out or injured for the majority of the contest (Week 1), Spiller has rushed for 615 yards and four scores and caught 26 passes for 212 yards and two TDs.

Six TDs in seven games. An average of 118 total yards per contest. A 16-game pace of 1,406 rushing yards, 59 receptions for 485 yards and 14 total TDs.

Those are elite running back numbers.

If you have Spiller, start him regardless of the matchup. If you have Spiller and not Jackson, try to acquire Jackson while his value is low. That way, you're covered if one (possibly Jackson again?) is injured.

A few more buy and sell items, express checkout style:

BUY: Patriots running back Stevan Ridley is a No. 2 fantasy back until Bill Belichick decides otherwise, and Falcons receiver Julio Jones could be the No. 2 receiver in all of fantasy -- or No. 1 if the dreaded Madden Curse strikes again.

SELL: Lions running back Kevin Smith (seriously, sell him now, before he gets hurt) and Jets wide receiver Stephen Hill (he was impressive in Week 1 and is worth a roster spot, but I wouldn't get too excited).

I assumed Shonn Greene -- with or without LaDainian Tomlinson in green and white -- would be a top-12 running back this season.

You might have, too.

After Monday night, when Greene had five carries for 18 yards and fumbled twice on six touches, we're left to wonder how much of an impact Tomlinson's signing might have on Greene, who caught our attention by rushing for 304 yards and averaging 5.6 yards per carry in the Jets' three playoff games last season.

Tomlinson, in the first game of his post-Chargers career, had 78 yards on 13 touches, looking surprisingly spry against the Ravens' stingy defense.

This week, the Jets will play host to the Patriots, who ranked 13th against the run and allowed only six rushing TDs last season.

You never want to overreact because of one game, but I wouldn't play Greene or L.T. against the Pats.

Around the league

Let's take a quick look at some of the more muddled backfields from a fantasy perspective:

-- Buffalo: C.J. Spiller was a preseason darling, and he might be a future stud, but right now, this looks like a mess. Spiller had 11 touches for 12 yards last week, and Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch will get work. Together, the three combined for 46 total yards on 22 touches. I'd sit Spiller against Green Bay. The other two shouldn't be starting options unless an injury or poor play knocks someone out of the equation.

-- Carolina: DeAngelo Williams had 16 carries to Jonathan Stewart's five in Week 1. I wouldn't read too much into that yet. Stewart should be a flex option Sunday vs. the Buccaneers.

-- Chicago: Is Matt Forte back? We can only hope. Almost as encouraging as the second-year running back's receiving stats last week was the fact he received 24 touches to Chester Taylor's 12.

-- Cleveland: For now, it's a tandem. But I'd expect Eric Mangini to wise up and give up Jerome Harrison, not Peyton Hillis, the lion's share of the load.

-- Dallas: More sharing, more frustration. Marion Barber and Felix Jones each had 10 touches last week, and Tashard Choice seven. Long term, Jones should be the best play, but Barber is the most enticing starting option Sunday at home against the Bears.

-- Denver: It's Knowshon Moreno's show for now, but you have to wonder if the Broncos' trade for Laurence Maroney will mean another dreaded tandem in a few weeks.

-- Indianapolis: Good news, Joseph Addai owners. Your back received 10 carries, and Donald Brown's only touch was a reception.

-- Miami: Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are sharing, as expected, but both are useful, especially Brown, at least until he gets hurt.

-- New Orleans: With Mike Bell in Philadelphia, Pierre Thomas (71 rushing yards, one TD, three receptions for 15 yards in Week 1) is an every-week starter. Reggie Bush is a flex play, at best, in deep PPR leagues.

-- New England: Fred Taylor, at age 34 (94 in running back years), had 71 yards on 14 carries last week. With Maroney gone, he seems to be the best option, but he should be a flex play only in 12-team or deeper leagues most weeks. I wouldn't play him Sunday at the Jets.

-- New York Giants: There seems to be a changing of the guard, from Brandon Jacobs (12 carries for 44 yards last week) to the electric Ahmad Bradshaw (76 yards rushing, one TD, two catches for 17 yards in Week 1). Bradshaw is a decent play Sunday night at Indy. Jacobs is not.

-- Oakland: Darren McFadden had a huge game (150 total yards, six receptions, one TD), but most of the points he accumulated were in garbage time against the Pats. Also keep in mind that McFadden posted those numbers with Michael Bush out. The latter is expected to return this week. McFadden is still a decent option this week against the Rams, who ranked 27th against the run and gave up 24 rushing TDs in 2009.

-- Seattle: Another mess. Justin Forsett was productive (6 yards per touch), but received only seven carries -- to eight by Julius Jones and six by Leon Washington. Sit 'em all.

-- Tampa Bay: It's Cadillac Williams' show, until he joins Ronnie Brown on injured reserve.

Quick slants

-- It's much too soon to trust Derek Anderson (297 yards, one TD last week), but he has the weapons. I'm tempted, but have seen too many bad Browns games to make the move.

-- Anquan Boldin has relegated Derrick Mason and T.J. Houshmandzadeh to bench spots. Boldin had seven catches for 110 yards last week, compared to Mason's two for 21 and Houshmandzadeh's one for 27. I still believe in Mason, but wouldn't play him until the schedule softens.

-- I believe in Legedu Naanee. And you should, too.

-- I don't believe in any Jets receiver (or tight end Dustin Keller) until Santonio Holmes returns from his four-game suspension, and even then it will be difficult to play the former Buckeye with Mark Sanchez throwing to him (or trying futilely to do so). Not counting the playoffs, Sanchez hasn't thrown for 250 yards or two touchdowns since he did both in Week 8 of 2009.