START 'EM

Panthers: None.

Steelers: QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB Rashard Mendenhall, WR Mike Wallace, K Shaun Suisham, defense and special teams.

Quick slants: Roethlisberger has thrown only two touchdown passes in his last four games, but he is averaging 260 yards per game and seems due for a big night. ... Mendenhall hasn't been as effective on the ground since Roethlisberger returned from a four-game suspension -- two 100-yard games, compared to two in the Steelers' first four games. Regardless, he's rushed for 1,173 yards and 10 TDs, and he is facing a Carolina run defense that ranks 23rd in the league at 126.2 yards per game and has given up the second-most rushing TDs (17). ... Suisham is perfect on 10 field-goal attempts in five games since replacing Jeff Reed, and he's averaging 8.2 points per game. ... The Steelers' defense is tied for first in the league at 15.7 points allowed per game. Pittsburgh is third in total yards allowed, first in rushing yards allowed and 24th defending the pass.

SIT 'EM

Panthers: QB Jimmy Clausen, RB Jonathan Stewart, RB Mike Goodson, WR Steve Smith, WR David Gettis, K John Kasay, defense and special teams.

Steelers: WR Hines Ward, WR Emmanuel Sanders, TE Heath Miller.

Quick slants: Clausen has two touchdown passes in 243 attempts and has been intercepted seven times. His passer rating is 59.1. ... Stewart has rushed for a combined 270 yards in his last two games and has averaged 115 yards on the ground in his last four, but I wouldn't play him against a defense that is allowing 63.4 rushing yards per game. The Steelers give up 3.0 yards per rush and have yielded only five TDs on the ground. ... Goodson had a TD in three consecutive games prior to last week, when he had 21 yards on 10 carries. ... Former fantasy stud Smith hasn't reached the end zone since Week 2 and has had two receptions in three of his last four contests. ... The Panthers' defense is ranked 12th overall, but is 24th in points per game (25.0) and 23rd vs. the run. ... Ward has zero TDs since Week 9 and has had 34 receiving yards or fewer in four of his last six games. In the other two contests in that span, he had a combined 15 catches for 222 yards, so he tends to be an all-or-nothing option at age 34. ... Miller has missed the last two games because of a concussion, but will play tonight. He hasn't had a TD since Week 6.

If you're a diehard Ohio State fan, Santonio Holmes might have disappointed you.

If you're a Browns fan, the Steelers' dumping of their leading receiver likely thrilled you.

If you're a Twitter follower of Holmes, the wideout might have told you where to go.

If you're a fantasy football fan, you might have contemplated the possibility of the trade of Holmes to the Jets damaging the value of at least four players.

Without trying to predict what will happen to each team's running game, let's take stock of the aftermath. The result could be even more joy for Browns fans -- Braylon Edwards' fantasy value plummeting like a hard-thrown pass that touches his fingertips.

GOING UP

-- Mike Walace, WR, Steelers: The Ole Miss product was impressive as a rookie, catching 39 passes for 756 yards (19.6 yards per reception) and six touchdowns. Those numbers figure to jump with Holmes gone and Wallace the Steelers' likely No. 2 receiver.

GOING DOWN

-- Santonio Holmes, WR, Jets: Holmes will be suspended for the season's first four games, then go from catching passes from Ben Roethlisberger to fielding throws from Mark Sanchez in a run-first offense. If Holmes would have stayed put and stayed out of trouble, he likely would have been a top-10 fantasy receiver entering 2010. He was seventh in the NFL with 1,248 receiving yards in 2009, but he'll be lucky to reach 800 this year.

-- Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers: Holmes' counterpart on the gossip sites will miss his top target, and he could miss a game or two to begin the season, depending on whether Roger Goodell and/or the Steelers decide to send a message by suspending the troubled QB. Big Ben threw for a career-high 4,328 yards and had the second-best TD total (28, including two rushing scores) and passer rating (100.5) of his career. With Hines Ward, Wallace, Heath Miller, Antwaan Randle El and maybe even Limas Sweed, he still will have weapons at his disposal. But it's fair to assume he won't reach 4,000 yards with Holmes gone.

-- Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery, WRs, Jets: Edwards' no-contest plea to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct in Cleveland could earn the butterfingered one a suspension. Even if Edwards is available for all 16 games, he is at best the Jets' No. 2 target when Holmes is in the lineup. Cotchery, meanwhile, has averaged 73 receptions the last four seasons, but he has scored only 16 touchdowns in that span and might not even start by Week 5. At best, Edwards and Cotchery figure to be lower-level No. 3 receivers in 12-team leagues.

GOING NOWHERE

-- Hines Ward, WR, Steelers: Ward just turned 34 and prior to the 2009 Super Bowl was unquestionably Pittsburgh's top receiving threat. Holmes' departure shouldn't mean a dip or spike in Ward's numbers, since the latter, when healthy, seems to catch between 80 and 90 passes for 1,000 to 1,300 yards, no matter who joins him as running mates. Ward's 95 catches and 1,167 yards in 2009 both were good for the second-highest totals of his 12-year career.

STILL NOT AN OPTION

-- Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets: Yes, he helped the Jets get to the AFC championship game as a rookie. But he might have made more of an impact on the pages of GQ than he did on the field during the regular season, when he threw eight more interceptions (20) than touchdown passes (12). At best, he's a lower-level No. 2 QB in a 12-team league entering the season -- especially considering 17 quarterbacks threw for 3,553 yards or more and 18 had at least 20 TD passes last season.

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