Before we get to the biggest ailments at running back, wide receiver and tight end, a quick bit of self-promotion.

In today's News-Herald, we broke down the current NFL quarterback landscape from a fantasy perspective. Here is the link.

On to the updates, which don't include Tony Romo, but do feature two guys named Pierre.

-- Colts running back Joseph Addai is doubtful because of a neck injury, leaving Donald Brown and Mike Hart to share the carries. If Brown, who has been limited because of a hamstring injury, is active (and he is expected to be), he is the better play. Hart, however, is the safest play because of Brown's iffy status and the fact the former Michigan standout has 22 carries for 93 yards and a TD in his last two games.

The Colts don't play until Monday night, which complicates things. Their opponent, the Texans, have allowed six rushing touchdowns in as many games.

-- Rams running back Steven Jackson was limited at practice Friday because of a finger injury. He expects to play against the Panthers, maybe because he knows they are allowing 128.5 rushing yards per game. If Jackson is active (the Rams play at 1 p.m. Sunday, so time isn't an issue), he's a must-start.

-- The news isn't as positive regarding Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams, who is doubtful with a foot injury. Jonathan Stewart owners should hope Williams sits, since Stewart would finally get the majority of the carries. If Williams is out, Stewart should be a considered a No. 2 fantasy back.

-- Saints running back Pierre Thomas will sit again because of ankle injury, but impressive rookie Chris Ivory will have the unfortunate task of trying to pile up yards on the Steelers. Pittsburgh is the league's best run defense, allowing 63.7 rushing yards per game and 2.7 yards per carry. Ivory is better suited to be a flex play, but since six teams are off this weekend, you might be forced to play him as your No. 2 back. If you have two decent options at running back and three effective receivers who aren't on a bye, I'd sit Ivory.

-- Colts receiver Austin Collie is out, as expected, making Pierre Garcon a must-play against Houston, which is allowing a league-high 306 passing yards per game. If you're desperate for receiving help, consider Indy's Anthony Gonzalez, who is slated to play for the first time since Week 1 and should benefit from a Colts offense that will be without Collie and tight end Dallas Clark. Gonzalez is available in more than 96 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com.

-- With both Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee doubtful for the Chargers because of hamstring injuries, Patrick Crayton again is worth starting. The former Cowboy has 13 receptions for 199 yards the last two weeks.

-- Patriots receiver Deion Branch is questionable with a hamstring injury. Since the Pats play the Vikings at 4:15 Sunday, he's probably not worth the risk.

-- Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston (knee) is expected to play for the first time since Week 3. I'd wait a week to see how Breaston performs, but Larry Fitgerald owners should be encouraged.

-- Tight ends Antonio Gates (toe) of the Chargers, Zach Miller (foot) of the Raiders and Chris Cooley (foot) of the Redskins are all questionable, but are in line to start.

Kevin Kolb was impressive in place of Michael Vick last Sunday night, completing 21 of 31 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown in a 27-24 win at San Francisco.

Vick hasn't been ruled out this week, but it seems likely he'll sit for another game because of a rib injury. If that's the case, I'd consider Kolb a starter only in 14-team leagues.

The Falcons, Philly's opponent Sunday, have twice as many interceptions (10) as touchdown passes allowed (five) this season.

Let's take a quick look at some more notable injury predicaments owners are facing this weekend:

-- Raiders running back Darren McFadden is expected to return this week from a hamstring injury, but will be in a limited role. Sunday's opponent, the 49ers, haven't been great against the run -- San Francisco ranks 18th at 111.4 rushing yards allowed per game. McFadden had 392 rushing yards, 16 receptions for 162 yards and two total TDs in Oakland's first four games, but I wouldn't play him this week.

Michael Bush rushed for 104 yards and a TD on 26 carries in McFadden's absence last week, and he caught three passes for 31 yards. He is the better play of the two this week, but should still be considered a flex option at best.

-- Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno hasn't played the last three weeks because of a hamstring injury, and he doesn't seem likely to play Sunday. Until he returns, there isn't a Denver back worth starting. Correll Buckhalter has rushed for 62 yards on 32 carries (1.9 average) this season, and Laurence Maroney continues to disappoint (29 carries for 56 yards, 1.9 average in three games since he was acquired from the Patriots).

-- Saints running back Pierre Thomas likely will sit for the third consecutive game because of an ankle injury, again leaving the rushing chores to Chris Ivory and Ladell Betts. If you have to play one -- and it's better if you don't, obviously -- Betts is the more productive option because of his receiving ability. Ivory has rushed for 106 yards on 22 carries the last two weeks, and Betts has 23 carries for 91 yards and nine catches for 49 yards in that span. Neither has scored a touchdown this season.

-- The news is more favorable for the Colts' top rusher, Joseph Addai. He was limited in practice by a neck injury Wednesday and sat Thursday, but he said he expects to play Sunday night at Washington. The 8:30 start complicates the situation, but the Redskins are a decent matchup for opposing running backs (Washington ranks 19th against the run). If you have Addai and an available roster spot, pick up Mike Hart (who is available in more than 98 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com) as a backup plan in case Addai is inactive Sunday night. Backup Donald Brown has been hampered by a hamstring injury, and Hart had 11 carries for 50 yards and a TD last week.

-- Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is expected to return from a concussion Sunday. He was awful in Week 4 before he was knocked out of the game by the Giants, but he threw for 870 yards and six touchdowns in Chicago's first three contests. I'd start him at home against the Seahawks, who rank 31st vs. the pass and are allowing 302 passing yards per game.

-- Lions receiver Calvin Johnson probably will be a game-time decision because of a shoulder injury. Detroit plays at 1 p.m. Sunday, so it's an easy fix if he's deactivated an hour before the game. I would recommend teammate Nate Burleson as a replacement, but he, too, is hindered by an injury. Burleson has been a limited participant in practice the last two days because of an ankle injury.

-- Peyton Hillis has been surprisingly prolific in his first five games with the Browns, but the combination of a leg injury and Sunday's matchup at Pittsburgh should put him on your bench this week. The Steelers' opponents have rushed 95 times for 249 yards (a 2.6 average) this season. Pittsburgh ranks No. 1 against the run.

-- On a non-injury note, the only winner, if there is such a thing in this case, in the Jerome Harrison-Mike Bell trade between the Browns and Eagles is Bell. Harrison might be the better player, but the reason Bell has done nothing this season is LeSean McCoy (365 yards rushing, five TDs, 28 receptions for 218 yards) has been the No. 1 running back in many PPR formats. Harrison likely will only be a factor if McCoy has a setback with his rib injury.

Bell was effective at times in 2006 with the Broncos (677 yards, eight TDs) and 2009 with the Saints (654 yards, five TDs). He figures to get more chances this season than Harrison.

We'll get much more in-depth later this week, including the rising value of the re-energized LaDainian Tomlinson, but let's take a quick trip around the league as Week 4 ends, Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes get set to return, and Peyton Hillis makes Browns fans appreciate Brady Quinn more than any of us felt was possible.

-- Start 'em: Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew (21 receptions for 243 yards in his last three games).

-- I'm not in the Start Mark Sanchez Club (president: Brian Schottenheimer) yet, but I'm getting there. Sanchez has thrown for 637 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions in the Jets' last three games. The biggest beneficiary has been tight end Dustin Keller, who has 17 receptions for 241 yards and five TDs in that span and has been the best fantasy tight end not named Antonio Gates.

-- Sit 'em: Jaguars wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker, who had 10 receptions for 105 yards and a TD in Week 2, but was shut out in Weeks 1 and 4, and had two catches for 34 yards in Week 3.

-- Drop 'em: Browns running back Jerome Harrison (see Hillis, Peyton), Colts running back Donald Brown (only an asset if Joseph Addai is injured), Chargers receiver Legedu Naanee (huge Week 1, but one catch in two of his last three contests) and Texans running back Steve Slaton. Even with Arian Foster in the doghouse for almost two quarters on Sunday, Derrick Ward (12 carries, 80 yards, one TD) was the Texans' backfield choice, not Slaton, who had five carries for 37 yards in the game.

-- I'd consider dropping Packers running back Brandon Jackson, but wouldn't make the move yet. In three games with Ryan Grant out of the lineup, Jackson has 27 carries for 74 yards (2.7 average) and one TD. Green Bay fullback John Kuhn has almost as many attempts (24) in that span.

-- Stock up: Steelers receivers Hines Ward and Mike Wallace, once Roethlisberger starts against the Browns in Week 6 at Heinz Field.

-- Stock down: Saints receiver Marques Colston (zero TDs on the season; 61 yards combined in the last two weeks) and Giants receiver Steve Smith (zero TDs; 43 yards or fewer in three of four games).

-- I don't believe in Carson Palmer, but I am a fan of Brandon Lloyd for the first time.

-- Rams rookie Sam Bradford isn't an everyweek starter by any means, but he's at least a bye-week fill-in and decent backup after throwing for 524 yards and three TDs the last two weeks.

Stats of the week

-- Denver's Kyle Orton is on pace to throw for 5,676 yards and 24 touchdowns. We could be living in a fantasy football world in which Orton throws for 5,000 yards and Randy Moss fails to catch 50 passes from Tom Brady.

-- Bills running backs Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller combined to receive nine carries in a 38-14 home loss to the Jets. Spiller, chosen ninth overall in the 2010 NFL draft, has received all of seven carries in his last three games.

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.

Fifteen players rushed for 1,000 yards this season -- tying the 2001 campaign for the lowest number of four-figure rushers since 1999.

Of the 15, only five made the postseason (think the game has changed?), which makes choosing the top backs for playoff pools difficult, especially considering four of the five play for teams seeded fourth or lower (Thomas Jones, Ray Rice, Ryan Grant and Cedric Benson) -- making them a risk to be one-and-done.

Before we get to the rankings, here is a link for the top quarterbacks, posted Monday.

RUNNING BACKS

10. Marion Barber, Cowboys: He ran for 932 yards and seven TDs, but didn't score in two games against the Eagles (Dallas' opponent Saturday night) and was outplayed by Felix Jones down the stretch.

9. Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals: Prior to resting for much of last week's loss to the Packers, the rookie from Ohio State had a three-game stretch in which he tallied 319 total yards and three touchdowns.

8. Cedric Benson, Bengals: He has 1,362 total yards in 13 games, and he has a decent chance to play twice.

7. Thomas Jones, Jets: Between Benson and Jones, one will play in Round 2, and if it's the latter, he could be a threat to have a big game against the Colts. Jones finished third in the NFL with 1,402 yards rushing and had 14 TDs.

6. Ray Rice, Ravens: With 1,339 rushing yards, 78 receptions and 2,041 total yards, he has the best stats of any postseason back who doesn't go by All Day, but the Ravens will be lucky to play more than once in the playoffs. Rice, who has eight TDs, frequently loses goal-line carries to Willis McGahee.

5. Ryan Grant, Packers: He was a disappointment to many fantasy owners until the final four weeks, when he accounted for six of his 11 TDs. Grant was seventh in the league with 1,253 rushing yards.

4. Pierre Thomas, Saints: He failed to top 800 yards on the ground and barely broke a sweat as the Saints went into cruise control the last three games (12 total attempts), but Thomas scored eight times and caught 39 passes. Plus, there's the likelihood he'll play two home games for a team that could advance to the Super Bowl.

3. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers: With 730 yards, L.T. didn't reach 1,000 for the first time in his nine-year career, but he did have 12 touchdowns -- 11 of which occurred in a nine-game stretch that ended in Week 16.

2. Joseph Addai, Colts: His rushing numbers (828 yards, 3.8 per carry) are less impressive than Jerome "Coach Mangini Held Me Back" Harrison, but Addai did have a TD in 11 of 15 games. He also caught 51 passes.

1. Adrian Peterson, Vikings: His 1,383 rushing yards ranked only fifth, but his 18 TDs on the ground were three more than the next-closest challenger (Maurice Jones-Drew), and Peterson also caught 43 passes (three more than his combined total from his first two seasons).

OTHERS TO CONSIDER

Darren Sproles, Chargers; Reggie Bush, Saints; Felix Jones, Cowboys; LeSean McCoy, Eagles; Mike Bell, Saints; Laurence Maroney, Patriots; Sammy Morris, Patriots; Tim Hightower, Cardinals; Brian Westbrook, Eagles; Donald Brown, Colts; Willis McGahee, Ravens; Shonn Greene, Jets; Fred Taylor, Patriots

Quick slants: Sproles has seven total TDs and 45 catches. ... Good luck finding a consistent back among the Patriots' three-headed monster of confusion. Maroney was the best of the bunch until he was benched after fumbling in Week 16. ... Bush has eight TDs and 47 catches, and Bell has five scores for the Saints, who certainly like to share the wealth. ... The electric Felix Jones has 49 carries for 258 yards (5.3) and nine receptions in his last four games. ... McCoy, after a promising start to his rookie season, had only 32 carries for 109 yards (3.4) in his last five regular-season games. Westbrook returned from a concussion to carry 14 times for 49 yards in the last two weeks. ... McGahee has 14 TDs (12 rushing, two receiving), including five games with two or more scores. ... Greene, a rookie from Iowa, has 29 carries for 157 yards in his last two contests.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Monday: Quarterbacks; Today: Running backs; Wednesday: Wide receivers; Thursday: Tight ends, kickers and defenses/special teams.

Monday, Colts coach Jim Caldwell said his 13-0 team, which has nothing to play for but perfection and fantasy owners the next three weeks, was going to "approach the 14th game exactly like we did one through 13."

A day later, the Colts' injury report was released after practice. Twenty-nine players were listed as not participating, including Peyton Manning ("glute injury"), Joseph Addai (knee), Reggie Wayne (foot) and Pierre Garcon (knee). In other words, Indy's definition of healthy will change possession by possession from Weeks 15 to 17.

If you are in your league's semifinals and have Manning, Addai, Wayne or Dallas Clark, you should root for two things (in addition to your players) tonight: 1. A close game against the Jaguars; 2. A Colts win.

If the game is close, I'd expect Manning, Addai, Wayne and Clark to play most of it. If it's not, I'd be surprised if we saw them wearing a helmet in the second half.

Should the Jags stay competitive and the Colts win, consider this quote from Wayne when he was asked about going 16-0 this week: "It'll be tough to tell Peyton Manning he'll be in two series, I'll be in two series. We'd be flipping out. It's right there. The closer you get to that, the harder it's going to be. You do it now. I need to see what it tastes like."

If Indy is 14-0 heading into next week's home game against the Jets, you would think the Colts' studs would at least play into the third quarter. If Indy loses tonight, it likely will be one- or two-series-and-out for Manning, Addai, Wayne and Clark, and you will be starting backups in your championship game.

Let's take Caldwell's one-at-a-time approach and worry about Week 15 first: If you have a very good backup QB, running back or wide receiver with a favorable matchup (say, Brett Favre at Carolina or Jamaal Charles vs. the Browns), I would play him instead of one of your Colts. Otherwise, start Manning, Addai, Wayne and Clark and hope for a 31-28 win.

On to tonight's start-and-sit lists:

START

Colts: QB Peyton Manning, RB Joseph Addai, WR Reggie Wayne, WR Pierre Garcon, WR Austin Collie, TE Dallas Clark

Jaguars: RB Maurice Jones-Drew, WR Mike Sims Walker

Quick slants: Manning needs 95 yards for his 10th 4,000-yard season in 12 years. ... Addai has accounted for 13 touchdowns (nine rushing, three receiving, one passing) in as many games and has been a top-five back in PPR formats. With his top backup, 2009 first-round pick Donald Brown, out with a chest injury for the third straight week and Mike Hart and Chad Simpson next in line at running back, he seems to be the most likely to be benched in the coming weeks. ... Wayne, who has been bothered by a foot injury, has only 11 catches for 110 yards and one TD in his last three games after totaling 76 receptions, 968 yards and eight TDs in his first 10. ... Clark has five TDs in his last four games. ... Garcon and Collie might benefit the most should Wayne rest in Weeks 16 and/or 17. Garcon has 19 receptions for 348 yards in his last four games, and Collie has scored a TD in two consecutive contests. ... Jones-Drew has been limited to 276 yards and two scores on 82 carries (3.4 average) in his last four games. He had 169 attempts, 860 yards (5.1) and 12 TDs on the ground in the Jags' first nine. ... Sims-Walker, who has battled a calf injury, has two catches for 18 yards the last two weeks. He should bounce back tonight.

SIT

Colts: K Matt Stover, defense and special teams

Jaguars: QB David Garrard, WR Torry Holt, TE Marcedes Lewis, K Josh Scobee, defense and special teams

Quick slants: Stover has scored five points or fewer in four of his last five games. ... The Colts' defense ranks 17th overall in yards (337.4 per game) but is tied for second in points allowed (16.7). Indy ranks 17th against the run (110.4 yards per game) and 20th vs. the pass (227). ... The Jags' defense ranks 20th overall (346.5 yards per game), 20th in scoring (22.1 points), 14th vs. the run (107 yards per game) and 26th vs. the pass (239.5 yards per game). ... Garrard is on pace to throw for 3,676 yards, but he has only 10 TD passes and hasn't had a TD toss in seven of 13 games. ... Holt, who is 85 receptions shy of 1,000 for his career, has yet to score a touchdown in his first season with Jacksonville. ... Lewis hasn't had a TD since Week 4. ... Scobee has scored four points or fewer in three of his last four.

Coach Dick Jauron was kind enough to say the Bills would bring running back Marshawn Lynch "along slowly" in the latter's return from a three-game suspension. Translation: Fred Jackson owners, enjoy your last week of freedom.

I would expect Jackson -- who has thrived in Lynch's absence, totaling 425 yards in three games -- to get the majority of the carries Sunday at Miami. In Week 5, it should be more of a 50-50 split, a prospect fantasy owners detest more than playing against Santana Moss during his one huge game a year.

Jackson is averaging 4.8 yards per carry and is a No. 2 back in point-per-reception leagues, as his 15 catches trail only Arizona's Tim Hightower among all running backs. I would play him even against the Dolphins, who rank third defending the run, allowing only 66 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry.

By Week 5, when the Bills face the always accommodating Browns defense, Lynch -- a 2007 first-round pick who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons -- should be much more involved.

At that point, you know the drill. Play the matchup game, as you do with almost every back who shares carries, and hope you see "Cleveland," "St. Louis," "Tampa Bay" or Houston" in the schedule column next to your player.

On to the no-huddle ...

-- More sharing: In the last two games, Colts running back Joseph Addai has 23 touches (19 rushes and four receptions). Rookie Donald Brown has 20 (18 rushes and two receptions). Addai has generated 110 total yards and one touchdown, and Brown has 162 yards and a TD.

I'm not an offensive coordinator, and I don't play one on the Web, but that doesn't seem to bode well for Addai owners. At best, it's another split. At worst, Brown will take Addai's job by midseason, whether it's by injury or performance.

Addai should stay in your lineup this week against the Seahawks, who rank 25th against the run, but I wouldn't say the same for a Week 5 matchup at Tennessee.

-- Finally, less sharing: For those keeping score on their laptops, there has been some separation between DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, one of the few backfield timeshare's that actually has worked from a fantasy standpoint.

Williams has 50 touches in three games -- 20 more than Stewart. He has received 64 percent of the rushing attempts between the two (41 of 64), compared to 59.7 percent last season. Stewart, who was limited throughout the preseason by an Achilles injury, has only 12 carries in Carolina's last two games.

Williams owners can feel better about their first-round pick getting more of the workload. The problem is he's still getting less work than he did in 2008 because Jake Delhomme has been awful, and the Panthers have been forced to throw more in their 0-3 start.

Williams should break out soon, however. Following a bye this week, the Panthers play at home against Washington (No. 21 vs. the run), at Tampa Bay (No. 31) and at home against Buffalo (No. 18).

-- Less sharing, Part II: LenDale White had one of the best lines of training camp when he said he lost weight after cutting Patron -- a high-priced tequila, for those of you who don't watch "The Hills" -- out of his diet. Maybe he did all that hard work for nothing.

The Titans, smartly, have given Chris Johnson 53 carries to White's 21, and the slimmer, faster second-year back has generated 457 yards on 64 touches, to White's 85 yards on 22 touches.

White was useful in fantasy last season, strictly because of his 15 touchdowns. Now he's no better than a reserve, one who is most valuable as an insurance policy for owners who have Johnson.

-- And the winner is: The 2008 Pierre Thomas made a belated appearance in Week 3, rushing for 126 yards and two touchdowns in the second half for the Saints. With Mike Bell missing practice again this week because of a knee injury and Thomas saying his knee is close to 100 percent, all signs point to Thomas being a valuable asset the rest of the way.

Reggie Bush, who is averaging only 10 carries per game, is a flex play at best in PPR leagues. The player we once thought could be the next Marshall Faulk is now more of a slot receiver, and Thomas, an undrafted third-year back from Illinois, is a must-start, even Sunday against the Jets and their ninth-ranked run defense.

-- And the winner is, Take II: Fred Taylor, he of the 2,466 career carries and the age at which most running backs are looking for media work (33), may have finally given Bill Belichick reason to stop the back-by-committee insanity.

Taylor, who had 17 rushing attempts in his first two games with the Patriots, had 21 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown last week. He's the only Patriots back worth considering week to week.

Just not this one. New England will host Baltimore on Sunday. The league's top-ranked run defense is allowing 51 yards per game and 2.5 yards per carry. The opposition has yet to score on the ground.

-- On deck: We'll have a live fantasy football chat Thursday night at 7. To access the discussion, go to the homepage of www.News-Herald.com and look for the link to the chat. Saturday, I'll have a column on the fantasy prospects of Glen Coffee, Tashard Choice and other young backs who will play a prominent role in the next few weeks, along with an audiocast and the "big blog," which includes the expanded playlist and start-and-sit advice. All can be found in the Sports section of the N-H's Web site, and the blog will also be posted in this space.

Good luck and remember to thank the owner ahead of you in the waiver-wire pecking order who neglected to pick up Coffee (Glen, not Starbucks).