I know you're Tebow-ed out. We all are.

Here's the thing, though: As ugly as his passing numbers are, as horrific as his Total QBR is (if you're in the dark, that's ESPN's self-serving version of the passer rating), Tebow produces in fantasy.

Yes, he's thrown for only 526 yards in four starts this season. Overall, he's completing 44.8 percent of his passes.

In fantasy, we care strictly about points, and Tebow helps us quite a bit. He has rushed for 282 yards and a TD in four starts, and he has six TD passes, compared to one interception, in that span.

Yes, it's ugly. But Trent Dilfer, Cris Carter, Tom Jackson and every other ESPN analyst have nothing to do with your fantasy team.

Play Tebow. And don't listen to the nonstop, ESPN-manufactured banter.

START

Jets: RB Shonn Greene, WR Santonio Holmes, defense/special teams, K Nick Folk

Broncos: QB Tim Tebow

Quick slants: Greene should get a significant amount of touches with LaDainian Tomlinson out because of a knee injury. Greene has been disappointing (563 rushing yards, two TDs), but the combination of Tomlinson's absence and Denver's struggles against the run (the Broncos are allowing 129.4 rushing yards in their last five games) are enough to play him tonight. ... Holmes' season stats aren't nearly as impressive as the contract extension he signed, but the former Steeler has three TDs in last five games and caught six passes for 93 yards last week. ... The Jets' defense ranks eighth in total yards allowed (326.8), eighth in passing and 15th against the run. ... Folk has 61 points -- but only 14 field-goal attempts -- in nine games. He should get more chances for field goals tonight. Denver's opponents are 18-for-18 on three-pointers this season (yes, I'm one of the few who misses the NBA).

SIT

Jets: QB Mark Sanchez, RB LaDainian Tomlinson, WR Plaxico Burress, TE Dustin Keller

Broncos: RB Willis McGahee, RB Lance Ball, WR Eric Decker, defense/special teams, K Matt Prater

Quick slants: It's a sit-heavy fantasy contest. Sanchez has decent numbers (2,081 yards, 14 TDs, nine interceptions), but he has two TD passes and three interceptions in his last two games. And there's the fact that if you play in a 10- or 12-team league, there is no way he should be considered a starter. ... Burress has six touchdowns, but three were in one game (Oct. 23 against the Chargers). He has had just three games with more than three receptions and none with 80 yards or more. ... Both of Keller's touchdowns were in the Jets' first two games. The tight end had 17 receptions for 249 yards in his first three games, and has 14 catches for 224 yards and zero TDs in his last six. ... McGahee will be a game-time decision because of a hamstring injury. The Jets aren't great against the run (they are allowing 116 rushing yards per game and have given up nine scores on the ground), but the threat of McGahee, should he be active, exiting early for the second straight week outweighs the possibility he will have his second huge game in three weeks. ... I wouldn't play Ball unless you're desperate at running back, but if McGahee sits, he's a much more intriguing option, mostly because the Broncos figure to run much more than they throw. Ball had 30 carries for 96 yards last week and has only one TD on 61 touches this season. ... Decker has a TD in three straight games and has seven scores on the year. With Tebow as Denver's starting QB, however, Decker has 12 catches in four games, compared to 22 in five games with Kyle Orton starting. Then there's this: Decker could be stranded on Revis Island. A quick rule of thumb: When in doubt, sit a team's best wideout when the Jets are the opponent. ... The Broncos' defense ranks 18th in yards allowed (360.7), 29th in scoring (26 points per game), 20th against the pass and 16th vs. the run. ... Prater has only 46 points in nine games. He has missed five of 14 field-goal attempts.

I know what you're thinking. What are we going to do without Julius Jones as a bye-week option to get 14 carries for 39 yards and no touchdowns now that he's been released by Seattle to make room for Marshawn Lynch?

Our condolences to Jones aside, the trade of Lynch from the Bills to the Seahawks helps the owners who hung on to the disappointing running back who totaled 2,151 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns, and caught 65 passes for 484 yards and one TD in his first two NFL seasons. The last two years, counting 2010, Lynch has rushed for 614 yards and scored two TDs in 17 games.

He should be the featured back for a team that's an improvement over the Bills (which team isn't?), but he's still likely no better than a No. 3 back in 12-team leagues.

As for new, old teammate Justin Forsett (the two played together at Cal), the back who had 36 carries and five receptions the last two weeks for the Seahawks is now a fantasy reserve in any format until we have a better idea of how the carries will be divided. The guess is Lynch will get most of the opportunities, and Forsett will be a third-down back who will get eight to 10 touches per game.

The Seahawks are off in Week 5, but the Bills are not. Lynch's former team will now give more chances to Fred Jackson, who rushed for 1,062 yards and caught 46 passes for 371 yards and scored four TDs in 2009. Jackson will share the load with rookie C.J. Spiller, who has been disappointing thus far (94 combined rushing and receiving yards, one receiving TD).

Sunday, the Bills will play host to the Jaguars, who rank 12th against the run but have allowed six rushing TDs (only Buffalo has given up more).

If you're looking for a second or third running back, Jackson is a decent start this week. I wouldn't play Spiller unless you're desperate.

Smooth Torain

Ryan Torain was one of the top targets on the waiver wire in many leagues this week, and the news got more encouraging Wednesday, when it was disclosed that Clinton Portis would miss 4 to 6 weeks with a groin injury.

Torain rushed for 70 yards and a TD in the Redskins' win over the Eagles in the McNabb Bowl, and the schedule during Portis' absence is favorable.

Sunday, Washington will host Green Bay (No. 25 vs. the run), followed by a home game against Indianapolis (No. 29 vs. the run, five rushing TDs allowed) and road games against Chicago (No. 8, five TDs) and Detroit (No. 26, five TDs). Torain is a top-20 back most weeks, and don't expect Portis to be ready after the Redskins' Week 9 bye.

Time to trade L.T.?

You already know a seemingly rejuvenated LaDainian Tomlinson is a must-start after scoring three touchdowns and averaging 6.1 yards per carry in his first four games with the Jets. But will he continue to be a top-10 back, as he is currently in point-per-reception formats?

That's doubtful, and you have to figure the Jets want to keep 25-year-old Shonn Greene heavily involved in the offense. The second-year back had 22 carries for 117 yards (to Tomlinson's 19 for 133 and two TDs) last week in the Jets' rout of Buffalo, and for the season, he has 54 touches to L.T.'s 68.

They should continue to share, and Tomlinson should continue to produce, but if you have a running-back surplus, you might want to explore trading Tomlinson.

Big name. A value that likely has reached its apex for a 31-year-old with almost 3,000 career carries.

Ideal trade bait.

Coming Friday: In the print editions and on the N-H's online sports section, we'll have a column analyzing the impact of Randy Moss' trade from the Patriots to the Vikings.

We already knew the studio crews laugh at everything, Phil Simms talks too much, Shannon Sharpe should provide the audio for every highlight and Tony Siragusa's shtick wore out its welcome whenever it was he worked the sidelines for the second time.

The following we might not have been aware of until the last two weeks:

1. Felix Jones will be a high draft pick next season: In 20 regular-season games with the Cowboys, the second-year running back has averaged 6.5 yards per carry and has six touchdowns on 167 carries. In two playoff games, Jones rushed 30 times for 217 yards and a TD, and he caught four passes for 52 yards.

Marion Barber, who has never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season and has had back-to-back mediocre years, will still be around in 2010 to steal carries, especially at the goal line, but the guess here is the Cowboys will make Jones -- their first-round pick in 2008 -- the featured back.

2. Same goes for Shonn Greene: The Jets' postseason run has been only slightly more improbable than a fantasy development that will get much more notice next season. Greene, a rookie from Iowa who rushed for 540 yards in the regular season, has been the Jets' featured back in the playoffs, not Thomas Jones, who rushed for 1,402 yards and 14 scores in the regular season.

Jones has been hampered by a knee injury, allowing Greene to carry 44 times for 263 yards (6.0 per carry) and two TDs in two postseason games. Jones has 29 carries for 75 yards and a score in that span.

As is the case with the Cowboys, a 2010 time share is likely, but the explosive Greene is big enough (226 pounds) to absorb a 20-carry-per-game pounding. If Greene is allowed to be the workhorse, he should be considered an upper-level No. 2 back.

3. Ravens running back Ray Rice will get strong consideration as the No. 2 overall pick in point-per-reception leagues: Chris Johnson, who became the sixth player in history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, has cemented his place as the top pick in any format next season. In PPR leagues, however, Rice probably is a better pick than Adrian Peterson, but would we be able to pull the trigger on such a move?

Consider the following numbers: Rice had 2,041 total yards, eight TDs and 78 receptions in the regular season. After Baltimore's bye week, he had 1,392 total yards in 10 games -- which equates to 2,227 yards for a 16-game season.

Peterson, meanwhile, had 1,819 total yards, 18 TDs and 43 catches for the Vikings. In TD-heavy scoring formats, he's a safer selection than Rice. In PPR formats, Rice, who doesn't turn 23 until Friday, would seem to be the pick.

Then there's this: Peterson hasn't rushed for 100 yards since Week 10 against the Lions.

Would I love to have him on my team? Yes. At the expense of Rice? We'll have to mull over that one this summer.