Here we go with the second half of all the important fantasy happenings of the past week.

• The Colts activated QB Peyton Manning (knee) from the PUP list Tuesday. Manning might be limited to individual drills this week, but, barring a setback, he appears on track to play in Week One.
• Jaguars WR Jerry Porter, coming off hamstring surgery, has not participated in any preseason activities and now looks likely to miss Week One. Coach Jack Del Rio said Porter will need to practice for two weeks before he can play, and it's unclear when the wideout will return to practice. A committee of receivers is expected to replace him.
• Jaguars WR Reggie Williams, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in early August, played in his first preseason game Saturday. He likely will be in the starting lineup in Week One.
• And the hits keep on coming for the Jaguars. RB Maurice Jones-Drew suffered a sprained ankle in Saturday's contest, but it's believed to be mild. He doesn't appear in any danger of missing the opener.
• Texans WR Andre Johnson (groin) made his preseason debut Friday. He was held without a catch, but the fact that he's back on the field should calm any fears you had about drafting him.
• The Houston backfield continues to be in shambles. Ahman Green (groin) hasn't participated in any contact drills since hurting himself in the first exhibition game, and Chris Brown (back, knee) isn't practicing either. One of the two is likely to get cut, leaving the remaining back to share carries with Steve Slaton and Chris Taylor.
• Titans WR Roydell Williams (ankle) played in his first preseason game Friday. Although he's coming off a productive 2007, Williams has fallen far enough down in the receiver rotation that he's not worth drafting in most leagues.
• Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart answered any questions about his toe injury by rushing 10 times for 100 yards and a TD in Saturday's contest. He looks to be fully back and safe to invest a pick in.
• Things aren't quite as positive in Carolina's receiving corps. Although Steve Smith (concussion) played Saturday and looked good, he'll miss the first two regular-season games with a suspension. D.J. Hackett (toe) has missed most of August, and his return date is uncertain. Muhsin Muhammad suffered bruised ribs a couple weeks back but should be in the Week One starting lineup. Who'll start opposite him remains to be seen.
• Saints WR Marques Colston left Saturday's game with bruised ribs but said Monday that he is fine. Expect him to be fully ready for the opener.
• Saints TE Jeremy Shockey (leg) is yet to play in an exhibition contest. He warmed up before Saturday's game but was held out for precautionary reasons. He'll likely be on the field for the preseason finale.
• Bucs QB Jeff Garcia (calf) started Saturday's game, his first of the preseason, but looked a bit rusty. He should be fine once he gets some additional practice under his belt.
• Bucs WR Joey Galloway (groin) has not played a down in the preseason. If he doesn't play in the team's preseason finale this week, there likely will be some concern about the 36-year-old's Week One status.
• The Falcons officially named rookie QB Matt Ryan their Week One starter this weekend. Since Ryan could have a rough go of it this season, you should only target him in very deep leagues and keeper formats.
• Believe it or not, there was a Javon Walker sighting this weekend. The Raiders wideout had four catches for 60 yards in Saturday's game, marking his first productive outing of the preseason. With the season-ending knee injury to WR Drew Carter, Oakland is left with no receiver depth and now really needs the enigmatic Walker to step up and play well. He remains a fantasy gamble.
• Broncos WR Darrell Jackson (ankle) missed Friday's contest, but if he returns to health before the regular season, he is still expected to start while Brandon Marshall serves his suspension. Jackson almost surely will be headed to the bench once Marshall comes back in probably Week Three.
• Chargers TE Antonio Gates (toe) practiced for the first time all season late last week. He is targeting a Week One return, which is looking much more likely than it did not long ago.
• Chargers WR Vincent Jackson (hamstring) made his preseason debut Monday night and had three catches for 84 yards. He's all set for the opener.
• After news leaked Sunday that the Cardinals were going to name QB Kurt Warner their Week One starter, the team refuted that report Monday and said that Matt Leinart is still in the running for the job. Leinart looked to be ahead in the competition before his awful performance Saturday, and now the job appears to be Warner's to lose, despite what the Cards want us to believe.
• After missing all of training camp in a contract holdout, Rams RB Steven Jackson finally was given a new deal last week and reported to the team. Jackson could be rusty to begin the season, but you should feel confident taking him in fantasy leagues now.
• The 49ers tabbed QB J.T. O'Sullivan as their opening week starter after his solid outing Thursday night. It's tough to think too highly of the journeyman O'Sullivan, but the fact that he'll be running a Mike Martz-led offense makes him an intriguing late-round sleeper pick.
• 49ers WR Bryant Johnson (hamstring) has missed the entire preseason and is sliding down the team's receiver depth chart, making his fantasy value minimal. Meanwhile, rookie WR Josh Morgan has had a terrific August and looks to have locked up a starting role. He's a deep sleeper.
• Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck has missed the last two exhibition games with a sore back. The injury is not expected to carry over into the regular season, but you never know when his back tightness could flare up.
• The Seahawks still haven't said who'll replace the injured Bobby Engram in the starting lineup, but it looks like it'll be WR Courtney Taylor. The coaches have been impressed with Taylor this preseason and think he can be an impact player if given the opportunity. He's a guy to target late in your draft.
  

Lots going on in the NFL this weekend, much of which could impact your fantasy team or your upcoming draft. I thought I'd quickly run through the important items here. Since there's a lot to get to, I'll split it into two parts.

• We already knew that QB Chad Pennington was going to start for the Dolphins in Week One, but it looks like RB Ricky Williams will as well. Ronnie Brown has a sprained thumb and may not be ready and handle a big workload right away, though he is expected to be on the field. Williams has played well in the preseason and is looking more and more like a good fantasy pick.
• Bills QB Trent Edwards (quad) said Sunday that he'll absolutely be ready to start in Week One.
• Patriots QB Tom Brady reportedly has a deep bone bruise in his foot, but he might play in Thursday's preseason finale and should be fine for Week One.
• Patriots WR Wes Welker left Friday's game after being shaken up while fielding a punt. The injury is being reported as bruised ribs and doesn't appear to be serious.
• Jets WR Laveranues Coles (leg) hasn't played in any preseason games, but he did return to practice fully on Monday.
• Giants WR Plaxico Burress has been dealing with an ankle injury all preseason but was finally able to practice fully on Monday. Like last year, Burress could miss a lot of practices but should be on the field come game days.
  
• The Giants defense took a big blow this weekend when DE Osi Umenyiora suffered a torn meniscus and was lost for the season. Even though there are talks that the retired Michael Strahan could return, the Giants defensive unit doesn't look as enticing for fantasy purposes anymore.
• Giants PK Lawrence Tynes has cartilage damage in his knee and is unlikely to be ready for Week One. If you've aleady drafted Tynes in fantasy leagues, it's time to drop him for another kicker.
• Eagles coach Andy Reid said WR Reggie Brown (hamstring) is expected to be ready for the season opener. Brown will be the team's No. 1 receiver while Kevin Curtis (sports hernia) is out.
• Although we speculated that rookie WR DeSean Jackson would take over in the starting lineup for the injured Curtis in Philly, it appears that Hank Baskett will become the Eagles' No. 2 receiver for now. The team likes what they've seen in Baskett and prefers Jackson to be in the slot. This makes Baskett a decent late-round grab.
• The Ravens' starting QB debacle remains unsolved. Troy Smith, who looked like the favorite, was scheduled to start Saturday but missed the game with tonsilitis, and Kyle Boller was unavailable with a shoulder injury. That left Joe Flacco to play the entire game, and the rookie delivered with an above-average performance. At this point, any of the three could wind up starting in Week One.
• The Week One status of Ravens RB Willis McGahee, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery about two weeks ago, likely won't be known until the days — or even hours — leading up to the game. If McGahee isn't ready to go, rookie Ray Rice would get the start.
• Ravens TE Todd Heap (calf) likely will miss the entire exhibition season, but he is practicing and the team expects him to be ready for the opener.
  
• Bengals QB Carson Palmer suffered a broken nose in Saturday's contest and had a minor procedure to fix it Sunday morning. He's expected to be a full go for the opener.
• Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring) hasn't played in a preseason contest, though he did return to practice Monday. He might suit up for the team's preseason finale.
  
• It was revealed Monday that Bengals WR Chad Johnson has a partially torn labrum in his shoulder, but he plans to play through it. Johnson would need season-ending surgery if his shoulder pops out again, but he considers that unlikely. The team might not be as confident, which is why they...
• ... are reportedly shopping RB Rudi Johnson for a quality wideout. Johnson's hamstring has been an issue all preseason, and Chris Perry looks to have clearly passed him on the depth chart. Rudi has really fallen out of favor in Cincy, and his fantasy value almost certainly would be higher if he's dealt.
• Browns QB Derek Anderson (concussion) missed Saturday's game and also will be sidelined for Thursday's preseason finale. Regardless of how backup Brady Quinn performs, Anderson is expected to start in Week One if healthy.
• Packers WR Greg Jennings (knee) played in his first preseason game Saturday and looked good. He should be fine going forward.
  
• Packers RB Ryan Grant (hamstring) returned to practice Sunday. He hasn't played in any exhibition action yet but is planning to play in Green Bay's preseason finale this week.
• Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson (sprained MCL) has been practicing on a limited basis and is improving. He still expects to be ready by Week One.
• Vikings WR Bernard Berrian (toe) was going to play in Saturday's preseason game but wound up sitting out. Like his QB Jackson, Berrian plans on playing in the season opener.

Look for part two to come your way Tuesday.

In somewhat surprising news Sunday, reports surfaced that Cardinals QB Kurt Warner will be named the team's Week One starter. This comes after Matt Leinart's horrendous performance in Saturday night's preseason contest, in which he completed 4-of-12 passes for 24 yards and three interceptions. Yikes.

Although Arizona's coaching staff has publicly backed Leinart as their No. 1 QB all offseason, word is that privately they've been unhappy with his play in both training camp and the preseason, and Saturday's debacle was apparently the straw that broke the camel's back. Remember, Ken Whisenhunt's coaching regime was not the one that drafted Leinart back in 2006.

The way I see it, this QB change doesn't have a huge effect on the Cards' skill players. Larry Fitzgerald can't really get much higher in the rankings than he is already, and I'm hesitant to move up Anquan Boldin because of the uncertainty with his trade demands. If his contract situation gets resolved, though, I might bump him up a couple spots. And we have Edgerrin James as a low-end No. 2 RB right now; that's still about what I think he is.

The place where your draft board is going to see some shifting is with the QBs themselves. With Warner's promotion, he becomes a decent No. 2 QB option. We now have him as roughly the 20th-ranked QB. If we knew for sure that the Cards were committed to Warner and wouldn't have him on a short leash, we'd probably rank him about five spots higher, but too much is up in the air at this point. The former MVP definitely has starting value in leagues that start two QBs, though. Don't forget that he threw for 3,417 yards and 27 TDs in '07.

As for Leinart, it's difficult to peg where he should be ranked now. We still have him in the top 30, but I don't think I'd bother drafting him in most leagues. It wouldn't shock me if he were starting before the season is over, but you'd probably be able to scoop him off the waiver wire if that does happen.

The Eagles' already thin receiving corps got even skinnier Wednesday with news that No. 1 WR Kevin Curtis will undergo sports hernia surgery and miss significant time. There's no timetable for his return, but this type of operation usually has a six-to-eight week recovery period.

With Curtis likely missing at least six games, his value takes a big hit. Even after he returns, it's going to take him time to get back into game shape, meaning he'll probably be effective for only a handful of games this season. Formerly a No. 3 fantasy wideout, Curtis is not much more than a late-round pick now.

The guy that stands to gain the most from this injury is rookie WR DeSean Jackson, whose value was already on the rise after a solid preseason showing. Jackson had 12 catches for 122 yards in the first two exhibition contests, and now he's a virtual lock to be in the starting lineup in Week One. The speedster from Cal is certainly worth a gamble in the later rounds of your draft.

Already a starter, Reggie Brown's value also increases now as he likely moves into the No. 1 WR role. Brown himself is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, but, assuming he's healthy for the opener, he looks to be a decent fourth fantasy receiver with upside.

We'll leave Donovan McNabb where he's at in the rankings for now, but I'd understand if you knocked him down a couple pegs. The QB had clear concerns coming into '08, and now he's lost his top target for the first two months. A bounce-back year for McNabb is looking less and less likely.

If you're searching for a deep sleeper to benefit from Curtis' injury, WR Hank Baskett might be the guy. He had a great training camp and now almost surely will begin the year as the team's No. 3 wideout. Baskett could even wind up starting if Brown's hamstring issues linger.

Here we are at the halfway point of the preseason, and the fantasy football landscape is changing with each new day. It's time to take a quick look at all the latest fantasy developments around the league. Next up is the AFC West.

BRONCOS: With the suspension to star WR Brandon Marshall to begin the season looming large, the Broncos have been searching for a playmaker at wideout, and they may have found one in rookie Eddie Royal. The Virginia Tech product has stood out in training camp, and he caught two passes for 67 yards in Saturday's contest. Even when Marshall's suspension is up, Royal should stick in the starting lineup ahead of Darrell Jackson and Keary Colbert. Denver's backfield remains in a state of flux as well, with projected starter Selvin Young being outplayed through two games by Andre Hall (15 carries for 67 yards and a TD). It's still Young's job to lose, but he's not going to be the workhorse back that fantasy owners are hoping for.

CHARGERS: With many of the Chargers' offensive weapons seeing little or no preseason action thus far, rookie RB Jacob Hester has had a chance to shine. Through two contests, the third-round pick has 25 carries for 108 yards and two TDs, likely playing his way into a nice-sized role in '08. QB Philip Rivers, coming off of knee surgery, looked sharp in his limited time, as did WR Chris Chambers. Maybe the team's best news of the preseason came Tuesday, though, when TE Antonio Gates (toe) passed a physical and was cleared to practice.

CHIEFS: Any fears that Larry Johnson was not recovered from his broken foot should be quelled after watching him run Saturday, when he had 14 attempts for 61 yards. The same cannot be said about the Chiefs' passing attack, however, which has been lackluster through two contests. None of the wideouts competing for the No. 2 job has done anything to separate from the pack, and Devard Darling appears likely to earn the spot based solely on experience. Outside of WR Dwayne Bowe and TE Tony Gonzalez, no K.C. pass catcher looks to be worth owning, anyway.

RAIDERS: QB JaMarcus Russell made a marked improvement from the first preseason game to the second, but the inexperienced signalcaller still has a long way to go. It hasn't helped that WR Javon Walker has been held without a catch through two contests, and now it appears the enigmatic wideout could be in danger of losing his starting job. On the other side of the coin, Oakland has to be happy with the play of its young RB tandem, Michael Bush and Darren McFadden. In exhibition action, Bush has 22 carries for 86 yards and a TD and two catches for 29 yards, while the explosive McFadden has 18 attempts for 92 yards. Throw in Justin Fargas, and the Raiders could have one of the league's most productive backfields.

Just a reminder, don't forget to sign up for PFW's fantasy game. It's like no fantasy experience you've had before. And it's a great chance to win some awesome prizes.

Here we are at the halfway point of the preseason, and the fantasy football landscape is changing with each new day. It's time to take a quick look at all the latest fantasy developments around the league. Next up is the AFC South.

COLTS: It's difficult to extract much from the Colts' three preseason games, mainly because Peyton Manning (knee) has not played in any of them. Manning hopes to be back for Week One, but it's not a guarantee at this point. Meanwhile, starting RB Joseph Addai has been running in place in preseason play (13 carries for 12 yards, three catches for nine yards), but sixth-round rookie Mike Hart could be playing his way into the No. 2 RB role (11 carries for 92 yards, five catches for 49 yards). And coming off knee surgery, Marvin Harrison has been able to play without suffering any setbacks.

JAGUARS: The story of the Jags' preseason has been the absence of their starting receivers due to injury. Newly acquired Jerry Porter (hamstring) hasn't been able to participate in anything yet, and Reggie Williams (knee) just recently returned to practice. This has left WRs Dennis Northcutt and Troy Williamson, who was banged up himself, on the first team, leading to mediocre numbers for QB David Garrard. Although Garrard likely will have Porter and Williams back for Week One, it may take him time to get on the same page as his wideouts. Things have remained status quo in the running game.

TEXANS: It's been the best of times, it's been the worst of times for the Texans offense. Despite not having stud WR Andre Johnson (groin), Houston's passing game was clicking on all cylinders in Saturday's preseason contest. QB Matt Schaub completed 14-of-16 passes for 187 yards and two TDs, and WR Kevin Walter had six catches for 100 yards and a score. Once they get Johnson back, which could be this week, watch out. The rushing attack, meanwhile, is a bit of a mess. Projected No. 1 RB Ahman Green has been sidelined since injuring his groin on the first play of the preseason, and now there are rumors that he may be cut before Week One. That would leave oft-injured Chris Brown and rookie Steve Slaton to split the workload. Keep an eye on Slaton, who has 24 carries for 94 yards and a TD this preseason.

TITANS: One name has been all the buzz in Tennessee this preseason: RB Chris Johnson. Johnson, the Titans' 2008 first-round pick, showed off his blazing speed on a 66-yard TD run in the first exhibition game, and he has 14 carries for 123 yards and a score in the two contests. He's carving himself out a significant role in the offense this year. All of the Titans' RBs, in fact, have looked good thus far, including LenDale White, Chris Henry and the relatively unknown Quinton Ganther. Not a ton going on in the team's passing game, though rookie WR Lavelle Hawkins did have 70 yards and a TD in Friday's game.

Just a reminder, don't forget to sign up for PFW's fantasy game. It's like no fantasy experience you've had before. And it's a great chance to win some awesome prizes.

Here we are at the halfway point of the preseason, and the fantasy football landscape is changing with each new day. It's time to take a quick look at all the latest fantasy developments around the league. Next up is the AFC North.

BENGALS: The Bengals have a lot of uncertainty on offense right now. The biggest concern is in the receiving corps, with Chad Johnson injuring his shoulder Sunday night, T.J. Houshmandzadeh still nursing a sore hamstring and Andre Caldwell suffering a sprained foot. Now it looks like the team is about to bring back the oft-arrested Chris Henry, who is suspended for the first four games. Cincy's running game isn't looking much better, as No. 1 RB Rudi Johnson is still sidelined with a hamstring injury. If he can't return soon, Johnson is in danger of losing his starting job to Chris Perry.

BROWNS: Monday night did not go well for Browns QB Derek Anderson. After going 4-for-10 passing for 20 yards, Anderson was drilled by Giants DE Osi Umenyiora and knocked out of the game with a concussion. He then had to watch backup QB Brady Quinn have his second straight productive outing. As long as he's ready for Week One, though, Anderson's starting job is safe. Elsewhere, Jamal Lewis hasn't exactly torn it up through two games (nine carries for 24 yards, one catch for four yards), and Braylon Edwards remains sidelined with a cut foot. The good news is that Kellen Winslow (hamstring) was able to play Monday.

RAVENS: Few offenses are in as bad of shape right now as Baltimore's. Through two preseason games, it appears that none of their three QBs wants the starting job, but one of them has to get it. All we know currently is that it won't be Joe Flacco, meaning either Troy Smith or Kyle Boller will be under center in Week One. I'd give Smith a slight edge. Willis McGahee probably will be back for the opener, but it should make you a little uneasy that he's having arthroscopic surgery on his previously injured knee just weeks before the season starts. And Todd Heap just resumed practicing after missing two weeks with a calf injury.

STEELERS: Nothing too exciting to report on the Steelers front. Ben Roethlisberger has looked fine thus far, and newly signed backup QB Byron Leftwich is reportedly picking up the offense quickly. Rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall has seen a lot of action through two games (18 carries for 64 yards and a TD), but Willie Parker will get the lion's share of the work once the regular season begins. WR Santonio Holmes has caught one TD in each contest; TE Heath Miller is yet to record a reception.

Again, don't forget to sign up for PFW's fantasy game. It's like no fantasy experience you've had before. And it's a great chance to win some awesome prizes.

Here we are at the halfway point of the preseason, and the fantasy football landscape is changing with each new day. It's time to take a quick look at all the latest fantasy developments around the league. I'll start with the AFC East.

BILLS: After a very poor first preseason outing, QB Trent Edwards bounced back with a nice showing Thursday in a win over the Steelers. Edwards completed 9-of-11 passes for 104 yards, hitting TE Robert Royal with two TD strikes. This is encouraging news for all owners of Marshawn Lynch and Lee Evans.

DOLPHINS: Lots going on in Miami. QB Chad Pennington looked good Saturday in his first game as a Dolphin (5-of-6 for 55 yards). RB Ricky Williams has played great through two contests (15 carries for 74 yards and a TD) while Ronnie Brown has not (five carries for six yards, one catch for three yards). And it appears WR Derek Hagan has supplanted Ernest Wilford in the starting lineup.

JETS: Brett Favre's Jets debut Saturday went very well (5-of-6 for 48 yards and a TD), and his presence obviously helps all Jets skill players. Outside of Favre, New York's biggest story of the preseason has been the play of QB Brett Ratliff and WR David Clowney. The first-year QB has thrown for a league-leading 400 yards through two games, and the 23-year-old wideout is tops in the NFL with 222 receiving yards thus far. Gang Green may have more depth than they thought.

PATRIOTS: The Pats' offense really struggled without Tom Brady (foot) Sunday night at Tampa, gaining a dismal 174 total yards. Equally as awful through two games has been the play of Laurence Maroney (13 carries for 21 yards, one catch for 11 yards). And after having 19 attempts for 76 yards and a TD in the first preseason game, RB LaMont Jordan didn't carry the ball once against the Bucs.

By the way, don't forget to sign up for PFW's fantasy game. It's like no fantasy experience you've had before. And it's a great chance to win some awesome prizes.

Fellow fantasy fanatics, it has been some time since I last checked in late last season in the throse of all our collective playoff runs. I am truly enthused to be back on the blog and looking forward to making a run at a third straight PFW Fantasy crown. Yes, Fitz and Blunda, that was meant as a challenge to both of you.

It's been an interesting preseason thus far, what with Favre changing shades of green, affecting no less than seven key fantasy players (conservatively). And of course, there are the respective suspensions handed down to Steve Smith and Brandon Marshall, two of the top receivers in fantasy football. Both were slated to be top-15 receivers, in Smith's case considerably higher depending on who you asked. And now Smith is expected to miss two games as a result of his temper and Marshall 2-3 games based on his pattern of illicit behavior. And thus far, I've seen both plummet in drafts.

While, clearly, neither is worthy of being drafted where they would if they were eligible for a full 16-game slate, I think it's a mistake to let either fall too far based on these suspensions. Both are extremely explosive players who are capable of carrying your entire squad any given week. Smith at certain points of his career has been the best WR in fantasy football, and he will be getting his favorite passer back. Marshall is a keeper-in-waiting and the clear top option in a proven offense. 

It's worth noting that WR is a position where wide variance in productivity from week to week is absolutely a given. With the exception perhaps of Randy Moss in 2007, no one is immune to a three-catch, 40-yard performance. With that in mind, could you not sub in your No.3 WR -- say Kevin Curtis or Chris Chambers -- for two weeks and take your chances? Wouldn't that be worth using Smith or Marshall for 14 weeks?

Certainly, if you're choosing between Smith and another top-level stud such as Torry Holt or Anquan Boldin, then sure, two games should be the difference. However, I won't let Smith or Marshall slide too far without jumping at the chance at obtaining them for a discount. 

Blunda? Fitz? Thoughts on this?  

Hey everyone, sorry for the lack of posts this week, I've been tied down working on the fantasy insert that will run in next week's paper. Don't worry, things will definitely pick up beginning soon.

Anyways, a big fantasy football weekend is about to start for yours truly. Saturday afternoon my friends and I will get together for our annual fantasy draft. It's a keeper league where we retain six players (in case you're interested, mine are Tony Romo, Clinton Portis, Ryan Grant, Laurence Maroney, Marques Colston and Calvin Johnson), but the draft is still a big deal, especially when it comes to getting the big-time rookies. Guys like Darren McFadden and Jonathan Stewart are first-round locks in this format. I'm expecting it to be a fun time as usual.

Then on Saturday night I'll be part of a fantasy football panel with fellow PFW members and people from 670 The Score, the radio station that's putting on the event. So if you're going to be in the Chicagoland area and want to get your fantasy questions answered before your draft, please feel free to stop by. You can click here for all the details.

Finally, Sunday we'll be putting the finishing touches on our third and final fantasy insert section, which will be in our next paper. For all of you who've been looking for auction price lists, we'll have that for you, not to mention our recent mock draft and plenty of other good stuff. Look for it next week.