Willie Parker got no love in preseason drafts. Coming off a season-ending knee injury and with little chance of carrying the ball at the goal line, there was little to be optimistic about. His Week 1 performance, in which he had 25 carries for 138 yards and three touchdowns, was proof that history does not always repeat itself.

Parker scored just two touchdowns in the 2007 season, despite leading the NFL in rushing for much of the season and registering 321 carries. So, Parker slipped from a first round pick in ‘07 to a third rounder in ‘08 as skeptical fantasy owners passed him over for better scoring options. He made a bold statement in the Steelers’ 38-17 rout of the Houston Texans, finding the end zone from 7, 13 and 4 yards out. Read more »

As highly touted as Michael Turner was as LaDainian Tomlinson’s backup in San Diego, nobody was quite sure what to make of him in a starting role with the Falcons. Well, his Week 1 performance was surely a positive sign as he broke Atlanta’s single-game franchise rushing record with 22 carries for 220 yards and two touchdowns.

Explosion has been a strong suit for Turner, who averaged 5.5 yards per carry in four seasons with the Chargers. He torched the Detroit Lions defense for a 66-yard touchdown on his fifth carry of the game, then later scored from 10 yards out as Atlanta ran up a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Read more »

Word is out that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will miss the rest of the 2008 season with a knee injury suffered in a 17-10 win over the Chiefs on Sunday. Now, nothing is official yet, as the early diagnosis is mainly based on the reaction of Brady’s teammates, who seem convinced that the quarterback has taken his last snap of the year.

We should hear something more concrete on Monday when Brady has an MRI on his ailing left knee.

Obviously, this is terrible, terrible news for the Patriots, and just as terrible for fantasy owners who invested first-round draft picks in last season’s league MVP. If Brady’s season is over, backup Matt Cassel won’t replace his production or have nearly the same positive effect on that offense, specifically wide receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker. As good as the supporting cast is, Brady’s confidence, poise and accuracy made the whole thing go. Read more »