• The San Diego Chargers attempted just 11 passes in their 27-0 Week 1 win over the pathetic Oakland Raiders on Monday night. That could be bad news for tight end Antonio Gates. If the Chargers take the play-it-safe strategy with first-year starting quarterback Philip Rivers, Gates’ opportunities could be limited this season and his title as top fantasy tight end could be stripped. He had just two catches, 26 yards and a touchdown. The two catches were the only two times Rivers threw to him. Last year, the fewest Drew Brees threw in a game was 20 passes, and he averaged 32 attempts per game he started and finished.
  
  
• Andre Johnson has to love having Eric Moulds lining up on the other side of the field with him. The fourth-year receiver was Houston’s only threat at receiver last season, causing him to draw constant double teams. With Moulds on board, Johnson caught six passes for 101 yards against Philadelphia in the opening week. Johnson had just two 100-yard games last season and should possibly triple that total with Moulds as a teammate.
  
  
• Arizona coach Dennis Green promised he would run the ball more with running back Edgerrin James, who signed a free-agent deal from Indianapolis, as the team’s featured back. He kept his promise. James rushed 26 times against San Francisco. That’s good news for the Cardinals’ offense as a whole, but could prove to be bad news for wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
  
  The duo should still be solid fantasy receivers, but may not be as good as they were last year when the Cardinals led the league in pass attempts and were last in rush attempts. James’ 26 attempts dwarfed the game-high by a Cardinal rusher last season (18). How could Arizona’s more balanced attack affect Fitzgerald and Boldin? Last year, in the 13 games both played, just four times they combined for as few as the 13 catches they had against the 49ers last week.
  
  
• James’ signing also should affect Indianapolis. The Colts don’t have a running back anywhere near the talent of James, thus they passed 41 times against the New York Giants last week. Only once did quarterback Peyton Manning throw that many times last season. Manning and his targets, wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, could have monster seasons if the veteran quarterback is passing that often this season.
  
  
• Think New England quarterback Tom Brady misses his top wide receiver Deion Branch? You bet he does. He completed 11 of 23 passes for 163 yards against Buffalo last week. He never threw for that few yards nor had that poor of a completion percentage in a game last season. Not only is Branch gone to Seattle, Brady’s No. 2 target last season, David Givens is gone to Tennessee. Brady is a great quarterback, but he can’t make Kool-Aid without water. He may not have the ingredients this season to put up the numbers he has in recent years.
  
  
• Washington wide receiver Santana Moss had three receptions for 69 yards. He recorded three or fewer catches just twice last season. With the signings of wide receivers Antwaan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd, expect Moss to get fewer looks from quarterback Mark Brunell.

Hot Read
Donte’ Stalworth, Philadelphia: Changing teams from New Orleans to the Eagles may be the spark the wide receiver needed to finally have a breakout year. He recorded six catches, 141 yards and a TD in his Eagles debut and quickly has developed chemistry with quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Broken Play(er)
Aaron Brooks, Oakland: The Raiders’ offensive line couldn’t stop a defensive line made up of crawling babies. The quarterback had essentially no time to throw in a 27-0 loss to San Diego on Monday night. His sack total (seven) eclipsed his completion total (six). Give him a nice, comfy spot on your bench.

Off The Bench
Drew Brees, New Orleans: If Chicago’s Rex Grossman can shred the Green Bay Packers’ defense like he did last week, then the Saints quarterback should be able to do the same this week. The Packers’ defense has many new players and seems to be still trying to find its identity, meaning Brees and the Saints’ offense should have a big day at Lambeau Field.

Safe Bet
Rudi Johnson, Cincinnati: The running back should get plenty of carries against Cleveland and eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark. Last season, the Bengal had 56 carries, 295 yards and two touchdowns in Cincinnati’s two meetings against the Browns.

Extra Point
If you own New York Giants running back Tiki Barber, make sure you have Brandon Jacobs as a handcuff. Jacobs had 54 yards and a touchdown on eight carries in the opening week and appears to be more than just a goal-line running back he was as a rookie last year. His first five carries against Indianapolis last week were in non-goal-line situations. The bruising Southern Illinois product could collect about eight touchdowns this season, and if Barber gets hurt, Jacobs could be a fantasy stud in the Giants’ potent offense.