Plaxico Burress is a bad dude, in more ways than one. We’ve known for a while, dating back to his days with the Steelers and at Michigan State, that Burress has his share of shortcomings as a human being. Unfortunately for the rest of the National Football League, we’ve also known just how big a force he is on the football field.

Lots of dirt is being dug up on Burress after the Giants announced a two-week suspension for him Wednesday. The first week is a bye for the Giants, but the second is a road contest Burress will miss at Seattle. All told, the suspension will cost Burress $230,000 in salary, the New York Post reported.

The suspension came down after Burress failed to report for Monday and Tuesday team meetings and workouts, according to the Post.

Life will indeed go on after this, but that Seattle game just got a lot more interesting. Burress’ absence in the deep passing game will make life harder on Amani Toomer and a group of smallish wideouts who thrive on defenses paying close attention to Burress’ every move.

In fantasy, quarterback Eli Manning will be downgraded in the absence of his go-to target, while second-year wideout Steve Smith figures to get a few more looks. Smith had a career-high seven catches for 60 yards in New York’s 26-23 win over Cincinnati.

More news …

Parker out for Week 4, Mendenhall to get first start
Rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall will get his first start for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they limp into a Monday night contest against Baltimore. Veteran Willie Parker will miss this game, and probably the next, with a sprained left knee, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Fantasy Spin: With bye weeks now in play, most owners will have a hard time benching Mendenhall in what figures to be a difficult matchup. He has just 39 yards from scrimmage in three games, but this could be his proving ground. A good performance could lead to a bigger work load (goal-line carries?), even after Parker returns.

Millen fired after long seven-year tenure
Detroit Lions President/General Manager Matt Millen was officially canned, the Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday. Lions fans have been clamoring for this move, and other football fans have been wondering why it has taken so long. According to ESPN, the Lions are 31-84 in the Matt Millen Era, including a disappointing 0-3 mark in 2008.
Fantasy Spin: Tough to see any immediate spin here, but the player most likely to suffer from an overhaul project or youth movement is quarterback Jon Kitna. If Detroit’s skid continues, management would surely want to see what backup Drew Stanton can do. That move is several weeks away, at the earliest.

What to make of Le’Ron McClain
Fantasy owners aren’t quite sure what to make of Baltimore Ravens fullback Le’Ron McClain. He is a fullback, and he does figure to lose touches when Willis McGahee is back at full speed. Coach John Harbaugh told the Baltimore Sun: “We will use all three guys,” referring to McGahee, McClain and rookie Ray Rice. In another development, the same newspaper reported that an eye injury could make McGahee unavailable for Week 4.
Fantasy Spin: McClain will still be used in short-yardage situations, no matter what McGahee is doing. But, the off chance that he keeps getting double-digit carries makes him very ownable in all fantasy leagues. The Ravens will not overpower any opponent through the air, so maximizing the ground game is a big part of their game plan.

Huard, Thigpen in soft-tossing QB battle
Reminiscent to the 2007 season, when coach Herm Edwards wavered on starting Damon Huard or then-backup Brodie Croyle, the Chiefs head coach has flip-flopped on Huard and Tyler Thigpen. Huard will start this week against Denver, the Kansas City Star reported Wednesday.
Fantasy Spin: No spin here for owners in standard, 10-team leagues. Two-quarterback leaguers and owners desperate for bye week help could turn to Huard, who Edwards praised by saying, “Damon is pretty comfortable protecting the football.”

Position themes - how things are shaping up in fantasy …

Quarterback - “Change”
Tom Brady is out for the year, Peyton Manning has not been himself after summer knee surgery, and Tony Romo has five turnovers in three games. The traditional fantasy powers at the position are giving way to young Philip Rivers and Jay Cutler, who rank 1-2 in the NFL in passing touchdowns.

Running back - “Platoon”
There were no secrets that 2008 would be the trickiest year yet when it came to predicting work loads for NFL running backs. But, as things shape up, have there really been any surprises? DeAngelo Williams, Felix Jones, Chris Johnson, Fred Taylor and Edgerrin James are all yielding goal-line carries. Owners were appropriately down on most of these are guys during the preseason.

Wide receiver - “Youth”
Two rookies - Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson - have made big splashes in a mediocre year for primetime wide receivers. Brandon Marshall, Calvin Johnson, Greg Jennings, Larry Fitzgerald and Dwayne Bowe are all on the rise, while Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, Braylon Edwards and Terrell Owens have had their fair share of struggles.

Tight end - “Mediocrity”
Get past Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, and there is little difference between the remaining tight ends. Now, more than ever, this is a position where playing matchups and carrying backups can help fantasy owners keep up with opponents. Big guns Antonio Gates (sore toe) and Kellen Winslow (poor QB play) could change the dynamic of the position, if they can re-gain dominant form.

Defense/Special Teams - “Titans”
In the early going, there has been no comparison for the Tennessee Titans defense. The Philadelphia Eagles lead the way in the NFC, but Tennessee leads the NFL in scoring defense (9.7 ppg) and takeaways (8, tie) and ranks in the top five in sacks, pass defense, rush defense and total defense.

Kickers - “Negligible”
Things are playing out just as we could have suspected when we refused to take kickers before the last rounds of our drafts. Parity also applies here as undrafted kickers John Carney, Ryan Longwell and Olindo Mare rank as fantasy’s top three. There’s no way of knowing on a week-to-week or season-to-season basis just who will deliver top performances.