Fantasy preseason wrap: Week 2

Simple question: Does the preseason matter?

Think about it.

The preseason is four games that serve the following purposes: Build hype for the NFL regular season; give coaches a chance to evaluate talent and try new plays and formations; sell full-price tickets for two more games so fans can watch Brooks Bollinger duel with Todd Collins.

When I talk to former NFL players, the preseason question always comes up. Last weekend, I posed the question to ex-NFLers OLB/DE Kevin Greene and WR Antonio Freeman. Both agreed that the preseason matters for everyone ... except veteran players who aren't learning a new playbook.

Rookies come to camp swimming in new plays, coaches, teammates, etc. Veterans switching teams still need to work to learn the playbook language and get to know their teammates' tendencies. And all players on teams with new coaches or coordinators have to absorb the new information and understand what their coaches want from them.

For them, the preseason matters.

For veterans like Peyton Manning, Shaun Alexander and Rod Smith, the preseason is all about getting your body ready for the regular season and thus the importance of these games is minimal. Goal one is to stay healthy; goal two is to get out of the way when the second stringers head to the field.

For our purposes, this is important information to store in our back pockets, and it can help us in our quest to make sense of this time of year. Terrell Owens has had limited practice time in Dallas, as had Steve Smith in Carolina. Which one is more detrimental? T.O., of course, because he's on a new team and we can safely assume that he doesn't have a thorough knowledge of the Cowboys' playbook (he's still mega-talented, though).

The third week of the preseason is on the horizon, and it's the one NFL clubs use to get their first-team offenses ready for the season. You'll see many starting units play into the second half (some for most of the game). If there ever was a time to pay attention to the preseason, that time is coming up, starting on Thursday when the Panthers host the Dolphins.

Dallas at New Orleans

Like many of you, I watched the Cowboys-Saints game on Monday, and came away impressed with Dallas' defense. The Saints couldn't muster a run longer than seven yards and forced the Saints to three-and-outs on their first three possessions. The Dallas DST should receive some consideration as one of the top-12 units in Fantasy. Where they fall short is the fact that all of their division rivals can put up points in the NFC East (yes, even the Eagles).

Drew Bledsoe shined against the Saints. (AP)

• QB Drew Bledsoe looked incredible, and it had little to do with the ineptitude of the New Orleans secondary. Bledsoe threw many perfect passes, throwing to where only his receivers could make a play, and finished with a gaudy statline of 12-of-16 passing for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Big credit to the offensive line, which was good in pass protection. Run blocking is another story. And this was without Terrell Owens. Perhaps the rumors of Tony Romo taking over under center got into Bledsoe's brain, and he played well.

• Bledsoe did have Terry Glenn, who made some impressive catches, including a diving snare that landed right in his breadbasket and a one-handed jump-ball grab against Mike McKenzie in the end zone. He finished with 71 yards and a touchdown on four catches. Glenn might be the best No. 3 Fantasy WR available since he's still playing well and won't have many double coverages to contend with so long as Owens is playing on the other side. I don't think he'll get 1,000 yards, but he could match the seven TDs he caught in 2005.

• The Cowboys may wind up starting two tight ends, but it doesn't mean they'll be running two-tight end sets. Both Jason Witten and rookie Anthony Fasano lined up all over the place against the Saints, with Fasano dabbling as an H-back on some plays. Witten caught the first pass of the game lined up like a flanker. Their versatility is worth noting; Witten remains one of the better Fantasy TE options in drafts.

• Deuce McAllister started for New Orleans at running back, but he did nothing to impress. McAllister got eight yards on two carries but seemed a step slower off the snap and dropped an easy wide-open catch in the left flat from Drew Brees. Chalk it up to his first game back after an ACL tear and not a sign that his skills are deteriorating.

• Speaking of Brees, he also did little to impress. On one play with the blitz coming, Brees threw the ball right at Dallas LB Greg Ellis, who bobbled it and didn't intercept. Most of his other passes that went for significant yardage were cacth-and-runs. And as we said earlier, he couldn't move the offense until their fourth possession. He's still a good Fantasy QB, but one that might want to be backed up by another decent arm in case he struggles.

• And then there's Reggie Bush, who was limited by the Dallas defense but still gave some glimpses of why Fantasy owners are so ga-ga for him. Bush cut on a dime several times against Dallas, turning a one-yard gain into a nine-yard plunge when he sliced in between two defenders. He also will serve as a tremendous decoy for New Orleans; on a fourth-and-goal play, Dallas' defense lined up to prepare for Bush, but Brees tossed a ball to the front-left corner of the end zone where an open Marques Colston dropped a sure touchdown. Bush remains an electric player who should help the Saints' offense. He's being drafted as a late second-round pick in just about every draft this preseason.

Tennessee at Denver

• Last week we talked about how Broncos RB Tatum Bell would have the chance to run wild against a less-than-stellar Titans defense. Well, we were almost right -- it was undrafted rookie Mike Bell who wound up thrashing Tennessee, getting 73 yards on 10 carries with two TDs. He had a 34-yard gain on the night along with two runs of 10-plus yards, making his first game at Detroit a distant memory. Moreover, he definitely appears to be the hard-charging kind of runner Denver boss Mike Shanahan wants his offense to have. As for Tatum Bell, he had many chances to get going at Tennessee but didn't do much; three of his carries went for zero yards and another went for minus-two, which means that on his other three carries he had 26 yards. Definitely not consistent enough for the Broncos. Backups Damien Nash and Cedric Cobbs totaled 137 rush yards (Ron Dayne did not play with a turf toe).

• Through two games, the Titans defense looks like it might be the worst in the league. They've allowed 183.0 yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry, letting everyone from Jamal Branch to Damien Nash rack up ground. The problem might be the defensive line, which is pretty thin to begin with. Both Denver and New Orleans mauled Tennessee's linemen, setting up their strong running performances. Expect some big stat games from opposing rushers this year unless the Titans shore up the position (and don't forget that the Colts, Jaguars and Texans play the Titans twice).

Houston at St. Louis

• Domanick who? Wali Lundy found some wiggle room in limited action with the first team, and Vernand Morency came out of hiding and had 95 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries as Houston beat St. Louis. If Houston head coach Gary Kubiak decides to adopt the hard-rushing system Denver mostly used during his tenure there, he'll have a pair of runners able to pick up the slack, especially if Domanick Davis (knee) isn't ready to play when Week 1 comes around.

• David Carr's preseason play has been mostly pedestrian (13-of-22 for 122 yards, no TDs, 20 rush yards), suggesting that Kubiak may ask Carr to play like Jake Plummer, which is to say that he doesn't want to put Carr in a position where he'll turn over the ball a lot. That means more safe passes and more running the ball, which kind of plays into the previous point. Maybe Fantasy owners should expect lesser stats than previously sought from the Houston QB.

Position notes

Quarterback: We've noticed that Miami QB Daunte Culpepper isn't running at all this preseason. Zero carries for zero yards. That could be a sign that either the Dolphins are trying to keep him as safe as possible in the exhibition games, or that his days of taking off and running with the football are done for now. Keep an eye on this one as Culpepper's legs added as many as 75 points to his Fantasy bottom line in the past. ... Brett Favre's stat line looks nice -- 16-of-22 for 134 yards and two TDs -- but an interception he threw on the first drive was called back due to a penalty, and he also was focused on the short game, not going deep much at all. A lot of people are shocked that he's ranked so low, but he might not be a serviceable Fantasy QB until late in the season once his offense, including his inexperienced line, comes together. ... Tom Brady put together a nice game without a key wideout against the Cardinals, completing 15-of-20 passes for 149 yards. Brady will have to spread the ball around like he did to keep getting strong stats, and it's possible that he could throw for 300 yards in a game using seven or eight different receivers. That might be New England's gameplan until Deion Branch returns from his holdout and gets in game shape. ... Philip Rivers was mostly schooled by the Bears defense but still showed some incredible grit in his time, improvising for a big gain on a third down and opting for the dump pass to his running backs, making quick reads downfield. He is not your average "rookie starter," and in time he'll develop into a solid QB. ... Bruce Gradkowski won't make much of a Fantasy impact this season, but he is doing a lot to make himself Chris Simms' backup in Tampa Bay. It's fun to watch a sixth-round rookie play so well.

Willis McGahee rumbled against the Bengals (Getty Images)

Running back: Welcome back to the Fantasy radar screen, Willis McGahee! The Bills RB had a 61-yard TD run against the Bengals and finished with 88 yards on nine reps. McGahee has received a late push from Fantasy pundits since the Bills will lean heavily on him this season and may end up being a very late first-round pick in some drafts. Beware: The Bills O-line is far from solid and the passing game in Buffalo remains suspect. The only change from 2005 that seems to be working in McGahee's favor is that the coaches like him this year. P.S. He also coughed up the ball in the outing. ... Chester Taylor had a better week against a better defense, though the stat line won't show it. Taylor totaled 51 yards from scrimmage with three receptions at Pittsburgh but had an impressive 31-yard run called back on a penalty by a teammate. He struggled late in his appearance, rushing for 14 yards on his last six reps, but he remains a good No. 2 RB option.

Wide receiver: Devard Darling is the new "darling" of sleeper shoppers after his five-catch, 121-yard, 1 TD game vs. Philadelphia. A good-sized receiver entering his third season, Darling was a deep threat for Kyle Boller, catching four of his passes for 19 yards or more, with Steve McNair hooking up with him on a six-yard reception early. If he develops, Baltimore's receiving corps could be wild, but owners have to take him with a grain of salt since he's done nothing football-wise since his days at Washington State. ... Cedric Wilson caught two balls, including a touchdown catch, on the Steelers' first drive vs. Minnesota and has been having a great training camp. He could end up starting opposite Hines Ward and might be in line to be a sleeper No. 3 Fantasy receiver. ... Greg Jennings had the ball thrown his way six times, catching three passes, including one catch-and-run TD off a tipped ball for 85 yards. The aforementioned Antonio Freeman was very optimistic about Jennings' potential in Green Bay this season, citing his ability, maturity and knowledge of the offense.

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