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24 Hours 'Til Sunday — Andy Richardson

What's going on in the NFL these days? Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, and Vincent Jackson all got hurt during a team practice. Several other players who looked fine a week ago (Reggie Brown, Matt Hasselbeck, Carson Palmer) are going to miss this week's games. Isn't it tough enough getting through a 16-game schedule without getting hurt on the practice field? Put these guys in bubble wrap between games and call it good. OK, on to the games....

Cincinnati at Jets: Carson Palmer isn't healthy enough to start but could play off the bench? What does that mean? If his elbow is preventing him from starting shouldn't it also prevent him from coming into the game in the third quarter? I don't get the Bengals. No one does. Anyway, don't start Palmer, don't start Ryan Fitzpatrick, and I personally wouldn't be keen on starting Chad Ocho Cinco, either. Houshmandzadeh will probably be OK. Not starting Chris Perry or Cedric Benson kind of goes without saying. By the way, I find it vaguely amusing that the Bengals cut Rudi Johnson and went out and signed a slower running back who's also can't catch. They may as well have hung onto Johnson. Happy Birthday, Favre.

Miami at Houston: Everyone of note is playing. Word is Ronnie Brown is throwing more passes out of that "Wildcat" formation in practice. That's one of those things where you wonder if he's actually doing it, or the Dolphins are just saying he is, in order to get opponents thinking about it. Should be a good close game, and I wouldn't be afraid to start anyone against either defense.

Chicago at Atlanta: Brandon Lloyd (knee) is apparently going to be out for a while, right after having a breakout game. Some guys just aren't lucky. Anyway, it makes Devin Hester a serviceable starter and enables you to briefly consider guys like Marty Booker and Rashied Davis (although I wouldn't). For the Falcons, it sounds like Roddy White will play after getting injured colliding with a teammate, which apparently was the injury of the week: teammates running into each other. Maybe they need painted footsteps on the ground telling them where to walk, like at my son's day care. Anyway, make sure you have a backup option on the off-chance White is a Sunday scratch.

Detroit at Minnesota: Not sure what the Lions are doing with Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson -- holding them out of practice, saying they're limited, etc. There's no doubt Williams (hip) will play, but Johnson (knee) seems a little uncertain. I'm assuming they're playing but am trying to make sure I've got a backup option to put in on Sunday morning just in case. Dan Orlovsky is expected to start for Jon Kitna, which obviously hurts both players' value, but I'd start them anyway -- it's not like the Lions will be able to run the ball. Hey, at least the Vikings are going to get some money back from draft bust Charles Rogers! Now, when will they get some money back from Matt Millen... For the Vikings, both Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice are questionable. Rough week for injuries. Against this defense, you definitely want Berrian in if he's playing, although the Vikings will probably spend a whole lot of time helping Adrian Peterson get to 200 rushing yards or so.

Carolina at Tampa Bay: Two very good defenses. The Bucs give up very little at home, especially. No major injuries of note, except for an old one: Joey Galloway. Who knows when he'll be able to play. Also Brian Griese, although it's not clear if he's hurt or Jon Gruden just doesn't like him right now. Jeff Garcia will start. D.J. Hackett is out for Carolina, so don't pick him up off waivers and start him (presumably you weren't planning on it).

Baltimore at Indianapolis: Got a struggling running back? If the Colts show up on the schedule, plug him in. Willis McGahee should post his best numbers of the season this week, not that that's saying much. The Ravens are without two starters in the secondary, so maybe the Colts offense will show up in the first half for a change. Oldtime Colts fans from when they were in Baltimore either have divided loyalties this week, or else they hate the Colts, which is more likely.

Oakland at New Orleans: Darren McFadden isn't healthy, Justin Fargas is. After the way the Saints shut down Adrian Peterson, I'd be a little worried about starting either player this week, particularly given the uncertain health. Marques Colston is going to play, so maybe I'll start seeing some return on my investment in the offseason in my dynasty league. Although I only traded Ryan Grant for him, so basically it's a wash so far. Jeremy Shockey almost certainly won't play, nor will David Patten.

St. Louis at Washington: Big game in ye olde suicide pool. Will the Rams get enough of a lift from their new coach to win in Washington? Unless Washington totally fails to show up, it's not really possible. Strange things happen in the NFL, though. Regardless, if you have any Washington players, you don't get a better matchup to start them in.

Jacksonville at Denver: Remember back in the '96 playoffs when Mark Brunell led the Jaguars into Denver and pulled one of the postseason's biggest upsets? Those were good times. This is definitely a week for the Jaguars offense to get healthy against a really lousy defense. Denver will be without Tony Scheffler, so consider Nate Jackson, and Eddie Royal will likely be limited if he plays at all, so consider Brandon Stokley.

Green Bay at Seattle: Matt Hasselbeck is unlikely to play. Aaron Rodgers probably will. Seattle's defense generally plays better at home, so I'm a little wary of Green Bay's players, but Greg Jennings is an every-week start anyway, and Rodgers has been productive with Green Bay unable to run the ball. Seattle will go with Bobby Engram, Koren Robinson, and Julius Jones as their main offensive players, and I guess Seneca Wallace -- or Charlie Frye, it's not clear. Avoid the QBs, but Jones and the receivers merit consideration against a very banged-up defense. Jones is actually my running back sleeper of the week, even though Maurice Morris should return. Green Bay just can't stop anyone right now.

Dallas at Arizona: Shootout of the week. Start 'em if you got 'em. Over-under of 51 points. What can you say? Oh, no Anquan Boldin, so don't start him. Steve Breaston, good, Larry Fitzgerald, great, various running backs, a little sketchier -- both teams are worse against the pass.

Philadelphia at San Francisco: Brian Westbrook is out. Reggie Brown is out. Kevin Curtis probably won't play much, if at all. DeSean Jackson should be big, Hank Baskett might be, and I like Correll Buckhalter and even L.J. Smith here. Frank Gore is the only Niner I'd touch, for his overall rushing/receiving production. Long and potentially painful day coming up for J.T. O'Sullivan, with the Eagles very good at rushing the passer.

New England at San Diego: It's remarkable how boring the Patriots become without Tom Brady. I don't even like the guy, but I basically have no interest in watching the team with Matt Cassel at quarterback. Anyway, LaMont Jordan likely won't play, so New England's four-man running back committee will only be three -- unless they decide to add Heath Evans into the mix, which is possible. Tomlinson will play, Chris Chambers won't.

Giants at Cleveland: Monday game, so briefly: In the preseason the Giants crushed Cleveland, also in a Monday night game, leading something like 30-3 in the first half. How is Cleveland's offense going to get anything started this week? But will the Browns really want Brady Quinn out there facing the Giants' pass rush? I doubt it. If this isn't the worst Monday night game of the year, I'll be surprised. Oh yeah, Kellen Winslow is very questionable with an injury somewhere slightly below the waist. Obviously if he plays you want him in the lineup over the vast majority of tight ends, but since it's a Monday game you might need to make a decision sooner. If I didn't have another great option, I might pick up Kevin Boss of the Giants so I could start him if Winslow sits out.

Enjoy the games.

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