Week 3: Pickups of the Week
QB Kyle Orton, ---
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It's not who I'd want behind center, but I can't argue with his production so far. Of the second and third tier QBs out there, Orton is probably the most stable. He's settled nicely in his second year with this offense and seems to be enjoying the weapons at his disposal. Denver has been showing good balance so far, allowing Orton to spread the ball around and get solid support from the ground game. If you've been carrying someone like Jason Campbell, Alex Smith or Matt Cassel to fill in during your top quarterback's bye week, now is the time to reconsider. Each of those guys could single-handedly sabotage your team's hopes. Orton, for all his flaws, isn't as stinker-prone and is looking like a smart fall back option.
RB Marshawn Lynch, ---
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Lynch led the way in the three-headed Buffalo backfield in week 2 with a surprising 16 carries -- surprising given recent trade rumors that have been swirling around the veteran RB. Bills brass have so far denied they want to trade Lynch and (right now) it looks like the former first rounder is the only back on the roster who's physical enough to handle inside run duties. Jackson and Spiller are both a little too fancy for the meat and potatoes-style offense Buffalo has been limited to of late. Lynch has been a valuable workhorse in the past and will have an important role as long as he's a member of this team. He should continue to get the bulk of red zone carries too, assuming the Bills manage to make it that far down the field
RB Fred Taylor, ---
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With Lawrence Maroney out of the picture, Fred Taylor becomes the top option in a jumbled Patriots RB pecking order. He had an understandably quiet day against the stout Jets defense last week, but the picture gets a lot rosier for him against Buffalo and Miami over the next two weeks. It's hard to rely on any New England running back for consistent production, but Taylor is a good bet to carry the load against the lowly Bills and could be a decent spot play for week 3.
RB Mike Tolbert, ---
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Tolbert got a heavy workload filling in for the injured Ryan Matthews in a walkover of the hapless Jaguars this week, so his inflated stats need to be taken with a grain of salt. However, his success on Sunday shows that he, not Darren Sproles , would handle first string duties if Matthews goes down. What's more, Tolbert's hard-nosed style should earn him some short yardage and goal line chances going forward. He's a high-value handcuff and a potential flex play against weak opponents (such as Seattle, Arizona, Oakland and St. Louis -- next in line during San Diego's laughable early fall schedule).
WR Mark Clayton, ---
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Clayton made the most of limited opportunities on Sunday, turning both his catches into TDs despite spending most of the game under the watchful eyes of Nnamdi Asomugha, one of the NFL's stingiest cover corners. The chances should increase next week as he faces a Redskins team that just allowed Matt Schaub to throw for nearly five hundred yards on them. Clayton has stepped up and claimed the number one receiver role in St. Louis and is in line for a career year.
