FanHouse Matt Cassel

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

I was asked a question the other day on Twitter (send any fantasy football question my way to @knoxbardeen), it went something like, "Who is the better stash running back, Kolby Smith or Ryan Moats?" What an interesting thought.

Smith is coming off of major surgery to join the running back mix in Kansas City and Moats has forced a running back by committee situation in Houston. My original thought, and the answer that I provided, was to say Smith. I'm just not sold that Moats is going to be able to keep Steve Slaton from taking the job of featured rusher back. I also wasn't sold that Jamaal Charles could hold of Smith in a competition in Kansas City.

Each Monday of the fantasy football season, we'll cut through the fantasy numbers put up by individuals and tell you what they really mean.

When peering ahead to the fantasy football draft of 2010, it's easy to envision getting the top pick and taking Adrian Peterson without a second thought. And if you had one, it would probably be Maurice Jones-Drew. After these past two weeks, though, I'm fully behind considering Chris Johnson the top fantasy football player heading into next season. In fact, I'll say it right now: Johnson will end the season with the most fantasy points among running backs and be the consensus No. 1 player on the board for 2010. Unbelievably, it seems to involve the presence of Vince Young.

Everyone loves fantasy football sleepers, but they change depending on league size and availability. We're here each and every week to give you a look at good plays for all types of leagues.

Our two running back picks from last week, LeSean McCoy and Justin Fargas, ended up with great lines, and if you had either as your fill-in RB2 for the week, I'm sure you were pleased with their performances. Unfortunately, the rest of our sleepers didn't hit.

What does that matter for this week, you say? How about ... more running backs! That's right, call now and we'll double your RB sleepers at no additional cost!

Now that the spirit of Billy Mays has passed through the column, let's check out the POaYD crew this week.

Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around pointing skyward, while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds.

Studs

Miles Austin, WR Dallas (10 catches, 250 yards, 2 TDs) -- My mom, for arguments sake, is probably the nicest person you'll ever meet in your entire life, and I'm not saying that in a "she's my mother so of course I think so" sort of way. It's true. Very, very true.

Sunday Evening Wrap checks out players who increased or decreased their value during the Sunday afternoon games.

Faller of the Week: All Buffalo Bills. Three points against the Cleveland Browns? The same Browns who ranked dead last in the NFL in total defense, 31st in scoring defense, 22nd in passing defense and 31st in run defense? Abandon ship. Everyone except Terrell Owens and the two running backs (Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson) can be dropped. No one can safely be started in any league at this point. This is just a mess. Lee Evans and Trent Edwards are owned in far too many leagues. Drop the dead weight.

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With attention spans dwindling, we forego full game-by-game previews to give you the essentials you need to know about every contest this glorious NFL weekend. We call it The Once-Over.

The Early Games

Tampa Bay (0-3) at Washington (1-2): With the Buccaneers winless this season and looking back at their final four losses to end last season, Tampa Bay hasn't won a regular season game since November 30, 2008. Add to that the fact that a new quarterback, Josh Johnson, is taking over for the Bucs and Antonio Bryant still isn't positive he'll play, and the horizon is bleak in Tampa.

Jim Zorn's days seem numbered in Washington. He lost to Detroit last week, which hadn't won since 2007. It might be the kiss of death if he drops a home game to Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Pick: Washington

The Dolphins traded an an undisclosed 2010 draft pick to Kansas City for quarterback Tyler Thigpen, filling Chad Pennington's roster spot on the same day they played their injured QB on injured reserve.

The deal throws a little wrench into the perceived plan in Miami to anoint Chad Henne as Pennington's permanent replacement. Henne, in his second year out of Michigan, still figures to make his first NFL start Sunday when the 0-3 Dolphins host Buffalo. But Thigpen performed decently in 11 starts for Kansas City last season, throwing from more than 2,600 yards with an 18-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

There are plenty of new faces in Kansas City, but through three weeks of the 2009 season, the results are the same. The Chiefs are 0-3 under new head coach Todd Haley, and quarterback Matt Cassel has looked more like a former seventh-round pick destined for a career as an NFL backup than a cornerstone of the franchise.

After Herm Edwards' three-year reign of terror (the team won nine games and made the playoffs in 2006, but managed just six victories the next two seasons) most Chiefs fans had learned to deal with the weekly disappointments. Not all of them, however.

Whether it's torn, sprained, broken or just needs to be taped, Injuries to Watch will keep you up to date on injuries around the NFL and how they'll affect your fantasy football team.

Quarterback

Mark Sanchez, Jets - There's been a report out of Jets practice that says Sanchez has been fussing about his right knee. Nothing more is known at this time and Sanchez isn't listed on the injury report either. Keep an eye on this.

Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks - The Seahawks quarterback injured his ribs in Week 2 and hasn't practiced yet this week. Coach Jim Mora said that Hasselbeck could still play in Week 3, even if he doesn't practice all week.