Fantasy football: If you have Brady, Cassel is not your insurance

By Michael Salfino, Special to the Rocky

Published September 8, 2008 at 12:40 p.m.

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Tom Brady's season-ending torn ACL is sending shockwaves throughout the NFL.

With the Patriots, who knows when (or if) the news will become official. But proceed accordingly. Matt Cassel is not an insurance play. The only insurance you need if you own Brady, Randy Moss or even Wes Welker in a fantasy league is life insurance because your season, while not yet post-mortem, is at least on the crash cart.

The second week is always the acid test for backups like Cassel. Then they have to think and play rather than just winging it. NFL QBs have to be comfortable enough with everything to do their thinking before the snap. After the snap, there's only time for informed reaction.

As for the rest of Sunday's action:

The Receiver Formerly Known as Chad Johnson (1 catch, 22 yards) couldn't change his jersey name to Ocho Cinco because the league was going to force him to buy back all the Chad Johnson jerseys that were printed after the deadline for changing your name (can't believe there's a deadline for that). Before they go to press, may I suggest instead "Ocho Stinko." Note to Chad: You have to do nutty stuff like this when you’re on the way up professionally, not on the way down. Now you just seem like a professional wrestler. Recommendation to avoid all Bengals remains unchanged.

"Chad Pennington in the Shotgun" in an oxymoron. When he's taking the long snap from center on third downs, it's more aptly called, "the Popgun." As always, the spirit was willing with Chad. But the arm is just too weak.

After Week 1, fantasy owners all across America are saying, "I hope my guys are playing the Lions and the Rams next week."

Detroit: 300-plus yards rushing allowed? You're not Kansas State and the Falcons aren't Nebraska. Tighten it up a little, boys. Make the holes small enough for a Hummer to drive through, at least, instead of a Mack truck.

As for the Rams, who allowed 25 TD passes last year, Donovan McNabb could have thrown for 600 yards if he felt like it with a cast of rookie, journeymen and second-team receivers. Drooling in the on-deck circle: Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress.

Willie Parker was trashed here all summer and then busts out. Good for him. But anyone who paid the preseason price stepped in it because a guy coming off a bad year and a major injury with a No. 1 pick as a backfield mate is never an educated pick.

Hines Ward was strictly a system pick. When there is no clear No. 1 receiver and the world likes one guy (Santonio Holmes) way better, take the other guy always at a steep discount (about three rounds, in my home league). If you missed that ship now sailing, target Laveranues Coles, who was banged up this week and will start returning a tidy profit by the end of the month.

Pierre Thomas is the two in the Saints' one-two punch running attack. But the one – Reggie Bush is a weak runner who likely will rotate off the field in goal-line situations. Bush piles up rushing yardage East-West, which, of course, doesn't count. He can be an impactful receiver, though (8-112-1 Sunday).

The Titans' Chris Johnson will be Bush at half the price. Of course, that means that LenDale White is Thomas at more than twice the price.

Warrick Dunn has switched teams, but continues to take carries away from more worthy runners. Earnest Graham averaged 9 yards per carry but got only 10 tries (to Dunn's nine) in a game that was close all the way.

Offensively, alarm bells are ringing for the Seahawks and Browns. Seattle has multiple receivers out with injuries and lost another, Nate Burleson (knee), indefinitely. Cleveland looked out of synch all day. Perhaps the Cowboys have a dominant defense, but it's too early to assume that. Watch Cleveland and especially QB Derek Anderson closely next week (home vs. Pittsburgh).

David Garrard was certain to regress to the mean with the interceptions (just three last year). But I thought he had turned a corner in '07 when it came to pocket awareness. Sunday, he was dumped seven times by the Titans. This is most troubling for the Jaguars.

Cowboys rookie RB Felix Jones (9-62-1) is clearly the backup who is an injury away from exploding like Larry Johnson did in 2005 for the then similarly high-powered Chiefs. Get him and hold him just in case.

The teams that averaged more yards per pass attempt (YPA, including sack yards) than their opponents were 11-2 heading into Sunday night. Typically, about 80 percent of teams that win this stat win the game, but you never hear about it on the TV broadcasts.

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