On the Rise, On the Fall – Week 2

Welcome to Week 2 of “On the Rise, On the Fall.” Throughout the season, I will discuss players whose stock is rising and others who are not having the same luck. I will avoid naming the obvious studs –

Drew Brees,

Brian Westbrook, etc – and will keep to players whose performance was not as foreseeable. Like I said last week, we are still early in the year so do not panic yet. Let’s check out what happened in a crazy, entertaining Week 2 … 

On the Rise

 

Jay Cutler, QB, Broncos

: This is really a no-brainer so I will not expand on this too much, but Cutler and the Broncos passing game looks really good. Since they did it against a better defense in

San Diego rather than

Oakland, they should get more respect. Those

Marshall owners who were patient in Week 1 are in store for a monster season.

 

Trent Edwards, QB, Bills

: In his second season, Edwards looks to be in mid-season form just two weeks into the season. He has also rejuvenated

Lee Evans, who has put together solid back-to-back weeks. There is a good chance that

Trent is on your waiver wire and he is definitely a serviceable backup or if you need to play quarterback shuffle because you lost #12 for the year, he is worth a look.

 

Derrick Ward, RB, Giants

: He is getting playing time behind Jacobs for now and with the Giants favorable schedule to start the year through about Week 7, he could be worth a spot on your team.

 

Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers

: We were waiting for his emergence and it came in the 2^nd half of

Carolina’s comeback win over the Bears. After Williams got most of the work in the first half, Stewart ran for two scores in the second half.

Carolina is an impressive 2-0 to start the year without their most explosive weapon on offense,

Steve Smith, who will return next week.

 

Chris Chambers, WR, Chargers

: After playing in a 39-38 shootout, how could there not be multiple Chargers and Broncos in this article. Chambers caught four balls for 82 yards with two scores on Sunday and continues to be a deep threat for Rivers. With a banged up Tomlinson, look for the Chargers to rely on Rivers to make big plays.