It’s too early to tell, but things may be unfolding perfectly for a Cadillac Williams comeback. The running back, who has resumed football activities after starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, is getting healthy, while starter Earnest Graham may be done for the season with an ankle injury. Head coach Jon Gruden told the St. Petersburg Times that Graham’s status is “very much in question right now.”

Unfortunate for Graham, who was a terrific story in emerging from journeyman to starter in rushing for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. The Bucs rewarded him with a contract extension in the off-season, then paired him with veteran Warrick Dunn to round out a formidable 1-2 punch in the backfield. Read more »

The Thursday night game between the Patriots and Jets was a quarterback-friendly, overtime shootout. The kind of game fantasy owners dream of, unless of course they were part of the faction that watched New England quarterback Matt Cassel’s 400 yards and three touchdowns waste away on their bench. Brett Favre, meanwhile, had the far better game in reality, efficiently completing 26-of-33 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-31 overtime win.

For football fans and Bill Belichick bashers, there was more joy in reality than in fantasy Thursday night. For fantasy owners with enough reason to put Cassel in their starting lineups, there was plenty of joy in a breakout performance that went into the NFL record books. In addition to monster passing numbers, Cassel rushed for 62 yards and became the first quarterback in league history to accumulate 400 passing yards and 60 rushing yards in a game. Read more »

The NFL is preparing for Week 11 as the weekend approaches. Festivities will, for the second straight week, be kicked off a little early with the NFL network’s broadcast of the Jets-Patriots contest on Thursday.

Besides the usual division rivalry/Man-genius vs. Belichick/student vs. master plot lines billed for this game, the comeback angle is now in play as well. As is the case with a few other games this week, the Thursday nighter will allow a former impact player to return to prominence in 2008. Read more »

Each season, right around this time, a number players are put on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, making them ineligible to play in regular season games until Week 7. The writing is typically on the wall during training camp for these injured players, so their names don’t come as a huge surprise. Fortunately for fantasy owners, they also should have much impact, if any, on their teams this season.

Tampa Bay running back Cadillac Williams was the most significant player on the PUP list, but his inclusion doesn’t come as a surprise. Because of his lengthy rehabilitation from a PCL tear he suffered last season, 2007 dynamo Earnest Graham has been an early draft pick as the Bucs’ top running back. No fantasy owners were expecting contributions from Williams until midseason, regardless of his official standing with the NFL league office. Read more »