Arian Foster re-aggravated his left hamstring against the 49ers – After another impressive start to the game, Foster tweaked his hamstring again in the same fashion he'd done so earlier in the preseason. That set him back two weeks from practices and the first preseason game, and the expectations are optimistic that with another two weeks rest he'll be ready for Week 1. Keep an eye on this to see if the severity of the injury is greater than the previous tweak. And if your league has yet to draft, don't hesitate to take Foster in the first round. Just be sure to secure Ben Tate as well.
Wes Welker left Saturday's game versus Detroit with a neck injury – Right now this does not sound like a serious injury, as Welker walked off under his own power, but as is always the case coming out of Patriots camp, mum is the word on the severity of this situation. This is again a key one to watch, as Welker shined during the first half with 71 yards receiving, including a 44-yard score, and should still be the primary target for Tom Brady in an elite offense.
Antonio Brown owned the Falcons' secondary Saturday night – It appears Ben Roethlisberger has found another potentially lethal deep threat to line up across from Mike Wallace. After ripping the Falcons for 137 yards and two long touchdowns (of 77 and 44 yards) Brown looks poised to become the No. 2 receiver to Wallace in this powerful offense. At the very least he has thrown himself into the discussion of prime sleeper candidates and he should be a late round pick in all leagues.
Matt Ryan warmed up his arm to the tune of 42 first-half pass attempts – While it has seemed throughout the preseason that the Falcons want to get away from their ball-control style of offense in favor of a more explosive aerial attack, never was it more evident than during Saturday night's first half when Ryan tossed an absurd 42 passes. In this case though, that could be more of a reflection on the Steelers' defense, which, while being very stout against the run, was susceptible to the pass considering they were without their two starting corners. Nevertheless, take this dress rehearsal as a sign that Ryan will be putting up career numbers in 2011, and Roddy White (8 catches, 101 yards and a TD) and Julio Jones (5 catches, 59 yards) will be the prime beneficiaries.
Kevin Kolb and Larry Fitzgerald are beginning to get on the same page – As indicated by a perfectly timed, well-thrown deep ball that resulted in an 80-yard touchdown, Kolb and Fitzgerald are working out the kinks and quickly gaining chemistry. While Kolb is still not likely to be any better than the 8-12 range for quarterbacks with a much lower floor, Fitzgerald can almost be locked into the top-10 at receiver with the possibility of being the top dog this year.
Matt Stafford and Ryan Fitzpatrick were lights out Saturday night – Stafford's numbers, 12-for-14 for 200 and two scores, in less than a half against the Patriots were flat-out scary good. Count him among the top 10 quarterbacks if he plays a full season. His talent is that real and he's already playing razor sharp, mid-season football. Fitzpatrick was likewise awesome Saturday night versus Jacksonville, racking up 165 yards on a near-perfect 11-for-12 with two touchdowns on only four series. Unlike Stafford however, he is no better than a solid fantasy backup, albeit with solid upside and a few huge games in him.
Mike Shanahan essentially named Tim Hightower the starter for the Redskins – The news just keeps getting better for the player that should rank among the top, if not the very top, of running back value picks in all drafts this year. Hightower is in an ideal rushing offense and has shown the ability to put up the numbers that make him No. 1 for the Skins and potentially a No. 1 in fantasy play. While all Shanahan backs carry the same caveats (erratic playing time, deep backfield, potentially disastrous offense), Hightower should absolutely be taken with confidence, and if necessary, reached for a bit.
Jeremy Maclin and Steven Smith both began practicing on a limited basis for Philadelphia – Though Smith is reportedly still a month or possibly more away from being 100|PERCENT|, it is great news to hear that he and, more importantly, Maclin are getting back into action. There's still hope Maclin will be ready for Week 1, and if that is the case, his draft stock should go up, though I personally would look to start a reserve in Week 1 in case he's not quite up to speed.
Kenny Britt (hamstring/quad) has been granted a reprieve from Commissioner Goodell – If he can only get healthy now Britt has a chance to be an elite receiver in this league. His size, strength and speed combo is very rare and if he can develop chemistry with Matt Hasselbeck once he returns to the field he should put up some huge games. But given his history of balky hamstrings, the cost may not be worth the return.
Lee Evans missed practice with his left foot in a walking boot – From the sounds of things, Evans sporting a boot to practice is a precautionary measure. But as with any unclear injury, follow this closely for any updates regarding the severity. In Evans' case, his speed is his biggest asset, so he needs healthy feet/ankles to be the deep threat the Ravens are planning to use him as. And he needs that speed to keep his sleeper status intact as well.