By Jeff Erickson
Here are our rankings for the coming week at each position to help you decide your starting lineup. Our rankings are based on the following scoring system: 3 points for a passing touchdown; 6 points for a rushing/receiving touchdown; 1 point for every 20 passing yards; and 1 point for every 10 rushing/receiving yards.
Last updated September 6. * = check status (not necessarily injury status)
QUARTERBACKS
- Peyton Manning IND vs. NO
- Drew Brees NO at IND
- *Tom Brady NE at NYJ -- Note: The Patriots are already giving the new injury report system a spin with Brady's "full participant" rating, but acknowledging a sore shoulder.
- Carson Palmer CIN vs. BAL
- Marc Bulger STL vs. CAR
- *Donovan McNabb PHI at GB -- Note: Looked great in the preseason - can he hold up?
- Tony Romo DAL vs. NYG
- Vince Young TEN at JAC
- Ben Roethlisberger PIT at CLE
- *Matt Hasselbeck SEA vs. TB -- Note: Another QB coming off of an offseason injury.
- Jake Delhomme CAR at STL
- Matt Leinart AZ at SF
- Philip Rivers SD vs. CHI
- Alex Smith SF vs. AZ
- Matt Schaub HOU vs. KC
- Jay Cutler DEN at BUF
- Eli Manning NYG at DAL
- *Jon Kitna DET at OAK -- Note: Back injury no longer an issue, apparently.
- Brett Favre GB vs. PHI
- J.P. Losman BUF vs. DEN
- Chad Pennington NYJ vs. NE
- Jeff Garcia TB at SEA
- Steve McNair BAL at CIN
- *David Garrard JAC vs. TEN -- Note: Newly minted starter.
- *Daunte Culpepper OAK vs. DET -- Note: Recent reports indicate that it might be Josh McCown and not Culpepper starting. That said, Lane Kiffin suggested there won't be an official announcement about who gets the gig this week. We'd more inclined to recommend Culpepper than McCown, but with the uncertainty and the late starting time, you can't safely start either this week, despite the good matchup.
- Trent Green MIA at WAS
- Joey Harrington ATL at MIN
- Rex Grossman CHI at SD
- Tarvaris Jackson MIN vs. ATL
- *Damon Huard KC at HOU -- Note: Very minor calf injury.
- *Jason Campbell WAS vs. MIA -- Note: Bruised knee during the preseason.
- Charlie Frye CLE vs. PIT
RUNNING BACKS
- LaDainian Tomlinson SD vs. CHI
- Steven Jackson STL vs. CAR
- Larry Johnson KC at HOU
- *Frank Gore SF vs. AZ
- Joseph Addai IND vs. NO
- Willie Parker PIT at CLE
- Brian Westbrook PHI at GB
- *Laurence Maroney NE at NYJ -- Note: Some small concerns about the shoulder, but held up well in the one preseason game he played.
- Shaun Alexander SEA vs. TB
- Maurice Jones-Drew JAC vs. TEN
- Rudi Johnson CIN vs. BAL
- *Travis Henry DEN at BUF Note: Should be fully recovered from his knee sprain.
- Reggie Bush NO at IND
- Willis McGahee BAL at CIN
- Edgerrin James AZ at SF
- Brandon Jacobs NYG at DALD
- Cedric Benson CHI at S
- Deuce McAllister NO at IND
- *Thomas Jones NYJ vs. NE -- Note: Calf strain, should play.
- Cadillac Williams TB at SEA
- Marshawn Lynch BUF vs. DEN
- Adrian Peterson MIN vs. ATL
- Ahman Green HOU vs. KC
- *Clinton Portis WAS vs. MIA -- Note: Missed entire preseason with knee injury, probably will split carries with Ladell Betts this week.
- Jerious Norwood ATL at MIN
- *Ronnie Brown MIA at WAS -- Note: Splitting time with Jesse Chatman?
- Marion Barber DAL vs. NYG
- Jamal Lewis CLE vs. PIT
- Tatum Bell DET at OAK
- LaMont Jordan OAK vs. DET
- Chester Taylor MIN vs. ATL
- DeAngelo Williams CAR at STL
- Julius Jones DAL vs. NYG
- *LenDale White TEN at JAC
- Fred Taylor JAC vs. TEN
- Warrick Dunn ATL at MIN
- DeShaun Foster CAR at STL
- *Ladell Betts WAS vs. MIA
- *Brandon Jackson GB vs. PHI -- Note: Recovering from concussion, should play
- Chris Brown TEN at JAC.
- Leon Washington NYJ vs. NE
- *Jesse Chatman MIA at WAS
- Anthony Thomas BUF vs. DEN
- Michael Pittman TB at SEA
- Kevin Faulk NE at NYJ
- Ron Dayne HOU vs. KC
- Adrian Peterson CHI at SD
- *T.J. Duckett DET at OAK
- *Vernand Morency GB vs. PHI
- Michael Bennett KC at HOU
- Selvin Young DEN at BUF -- Note: Late emergence as top backup in Denver.
- *Reuben Droughns NYG at DAL -- Note: Moved to fullback?
- Musa Smith BAL at CIN
- *Michael Turner SD vs. CHI -- Note: Sprained ankle - even if he plays, likely limited this week.
- Correll Buckhalter PHI at GB
- Tony Hunt PHI at GB
- Brian Leonard STL vs. CAR
- Sammy Morris NE vs. NYJ
- *Kenton Keith IND vs. NO -- Note: Surprise backup to Addai.
- Marcel Shipp AZ at SF
- *Mike Bell DEN at BUF -- Note: On the outs in Denver? Also moved to fullback.
- *Kevin Jones DET at OAK -- Note: Not on the PUP list, but probably won't play this week.
WIDE RECEIVERS
- Steve
Smith CAR at STL
- Reggie Wayne IND vs. NO
- Terrell Owens DAL vs. NYG
- Marvin Harrison IND vs. NO
- Chad Johnson CIN vs. BAL
- Lee Evans BUF vs. DEN
- Larry Fitzgerald AZ at SF
- Javon Walker DEN at BUF
- *Torry Holt STL vs. CAR
- Marques Colston NO at IND
- Roy Williams DET at OAK
- Anquan Boldin AZ at SF
- Andre Johnson HOU vs. KC
- *T.J. Houshmandzadeh CIN vs. BAL Note: Didn't practice on Thursday with a knee injury.
- Plaxico Burress NYG at DAL
- Santana Moss WAS vs. MIA
- Hines Ward PIT at CLE
- Reggie Brown PHI at GB
- *Darrell Jackson SF vs. AZ -- Note: Sore hamstring.
- Joey Galloway TB at SEA
- Santonio Holmes PIT at CLE
- *Randy Moss NE at NYJ Note: Question mark with his hamstring injury - we've been through this before. Practiced on Wednesday, and is no longer on the injury list.
- Braylon Edwards CLE vs. PIT
- Laveranues Coles NYJ vs. NE
- D.J. Hackett SEA vs. TB.
- *Donald Driver GB vs. PHI -- Note: Sprained foot
- Jerricho Cotchery NYJ vs. NE
- Deion Branch SEA vs. TB
- Joe Horn ATL at MIN
- Donte' Stallworth NE at NYJ
- *Terry Glenn DAL vs. NYG -- Note: Recovering from knee injury, but expected to start.
- Vincent Jackson SD vs. CHI
- *Devery Henderson NO at IND -- Note: Minor knee injury.
- *Mark Clayton BAL at CIN -- Note: Had a high ankle sprain in the preseason.
- Chris Chambers MIA at WAS
- Eddie Kennison KC at HOU
- Bernard Berrian CHI at SD
- Ronald Curry OAK vs. DET
- Mike Furrey DET at OAK
- Drew Bennett STL vs. CAR
- Isaac Bruce STL vs. CAR
- Derrick Mason BAL at CIN
- *Calvin Johnson DET at OAK -- Note: Furrey and not Johnson starts the season opener.
- Matt Jones JAC vs. TEN
- Muhsin Muhammad CHI at SD
- Brandon Jones TEN at JAC
- Greg Jennings GB vs. PHI
- Kevin Curtis PHI at GB
- Brandon Marshall DEN at BUF
- Ernest Wilford JAC vs. TEN
- Wes Welker NE at NYJ
- Kevin Walter HOU vs. KC
- Jerry Porter OAK vs. DET
- Eric Moulds TEN at JAC
- Michael Jenkins ATL at MIN
- James Jones GB vs. PHI
- Craig Davis SD vs. CHI
- Dwayne Bowe KC at HOU
- Jacoby Jones HOU vs. KC
- Anthony Gonzalez IND vs. NO
- Robert Meachem NO at IND
- *Demetrius Williams BAL at CIN -- Note: Watch Clayton's status closely.
- Troy Williamson MIN vs. ATL
TIGHT ENDS
- Antonio Gates SD vs. CHI
- Jeremy Shockey NYG at DAL
- Todd Heap BAL at CIN
- Chris Cooley WAS vs. MIA
- Tony Gonzalez KC at HOU
- Kellen Winslow CLE vs. PIT
- Jason Witten DAL vs. NYG
- *Vernon Davis SF vs. AZ -- Note: This year's version of Benjamin Watson - very trendy in many circles.
- Ben Watson NE at NYJ
- Dallas Clark IND vs. NO
- Eric Johnson NO at IND -- Note: My personal sleeper pick for the position.
- Heath Miller PIT at CLE
- Randy McMichael STL vs. CAR
- Alge Crumpler ATL at MIN
- *Desmond Clark CHI at SD -- Note: Small bump this week, with Greg Olsen hurt.
- Owen Daniels HOU vs. KC
- *L.J. Smith PHI at GB -- Note: Been injured all preseason.
- David Martin MIA at WAS
- Tony Scheffler DEN at BUF
- Bo Scaife TEN at JAC
- Marcus Pollard SEA vs. TB
- Chris Baker NYJ vs. NE
- Daniel Graham DEN at BUF
- Zach Miller OAK vs. DET
- Bubba Franks GB vs. PHI
- Leonard Pope AZ at SF
- Reggie Kelly CIN vs. BAL
- *Greg Olsen CHI at SD -- Note: Left knee sprain.
- Jerramy Stevens TB at SEA -- Note: How will he react playing against his old team? Losing practice time because of DUI case.
- Marcedes Lewis JAC vs. TEN
KICKERS
- Adam Vinatieri IND vs. NO
- Nate Kaeding SD vs. CHI
- Stephen Gostkowski NE at NYJ
- Jeff Wilkins STL vs. CAR
- Robbie Gould CHI at SD
- Olindo Mare NO at IND
- *Shayne Graham CIN vs. BAL -- Note: Bruised right hip.
- Josh Brown SEA vs. TB
- Matt Stover BAL at CIN
- Neil Rackers AZ at SF
- Jason Elam DEN at BUF
- John Kasay CAR at STL
- Joe Nedney SF vs. AZ
- David Akers PHI at GB
- Jeff Reed PIT at CLE
- Josh Scobee JAC vs. TEN
- Jay Feely MIA at WAS
- Matt Bryant TB at SEA
- Rob Bironas TEN at JAC
- Lawrence Tynes NYG at DAL
- Jason Hanson DET at OAK
- Sebastian Janikowski OAK vs. DET
DEFENSES
- Baltimore at Cincinnati
- Miami at Washington
- San Diego vs. Chicago
- Chicago at San Diego
- Washington vs. Miami
- Pittsburgh at Cleveland
- Philadelphia at Green Bay
- Minnesota vs. Atlanta
- Dallas vs. N.Y. Giants
- New England at N.Y. Jets
- Green Bay vs. Philadelphia
- Jacksonville vs. Tennessee
- Denver at Buffalo
- Seattle vs. Tampa Bay
- Atlanta at Minnesota
- Houston vs. Kansas City
- N.Y. Jets vs. New England
- Oakland vs. Detroit
- San Francisco vs. Arizona
- N.Y. Giants at Dallas
- Detroit at Oakland
- St. Louis vs. Carolina
- Tennessee at Jacksonville
- Buffalo vs. Denver
- Indianapolis vs. New Orleans
- Cincinnati vs. Baltimore
- Kansas City at Houston
- Tampa Bay at Seattle
- Carolina at St. Louis
- New Orleans at Indianapolis
- Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh
- Arizona at San Francisco
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