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Last minute updates before big draft weekend

Last minute updates

It's the last weekend before the season opener, and a lot of you are probably drafting over these next couple days. So check out some lat minute updates

• Bengals QB Carson Palmer declared himself a ;full go" for the regular season opener. "It's not the best situation," Palmer said of missing the past 3 games with an ankle injury. "You've got to go with what you've got and roll with the punches in this league." He might be rusty out of the gate, but we like Palmer to settle in as a low-end QB1.

• Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew left last night's game against the Redskins with a leg injury. It looked awfully scary, but post-game x-rays came back negative. Jacksonville is calling it a "leg contusion" and MJD will undergo an MRI today as a precautionary measure. Jones-Drew owners - you can exhale now.

• Texans HC Gary Kubiak revealed yesterday that RB Chris Brown will get the team's short-yardage and goal-line carries. "Our goal is to use [Brown] basically as a short-yardage runner, a red zone runner and Steve [Slaton's] backup," Kubiak said. "So we have to plan to go about our business and hopefully we can keep him healthy. But he's shown flashes this preseason that he's still got it in him." This is a big blow to RB Steve Slaton's stock.

• The Bills have fired OC Turk Schonert. That makes 3 OCs canned this week. Schonert was the team's QBs coach in '06 and '07 and was promoted to OC last season. But the Bills offense has struggled mightily this preseason as they attempted to install a no-huddle offense. Schonert will be replaced by former Bills QB Alex Van Pelt. Like the other 2 teams who just fired their OCs — the Bucs and Chiefs — you're better off staying away from any Bills players at this point.

• Jets QB Mark Sanchez was perfect on his lone series last night. He completed all 5 of his passes for 67 yards and capped off the drive with a 21-yard TD strike to WR Jerricho Cotchery. Sanchez looks like a seasoned veteran back there in the pocket and is deadly accurate.

• Rams WR Donnie Avery (foot fracture) started on Thursday night and was in for several plays during the first two series of the game. Avery didn't have any balls thrown his way, but the fact that he suited up alone is a good sign for fantasy owners. He remains on track to start Week 1 and see a ton of looks from QB Marc Bulger. He's one of our favorite WR3s.

• Lions rookie QB Matt Stafford started the team's final preseason game and was just so-so. He completed 5 of 9 passes for 81 yards but also turned it over twice (1 INT and 1 fumble). It wasn't a good enough performance to say he has the job locked down, but he's definitely the favorite. QB Daunte Culpepper didn't play because of a toe injury.

• Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart's sore Achilles is still keeping him off the practice field. He's participated in only 8 of Carolina's 48 practices this summer. According to the Charlotte Observer, there's a good chance Stewart won't be ready for the team's season opener against the Eagles.

• HC Eric Mangini hinted that the Browns may use a rotation of Mike Furrey, Josh Cribbs, and Mohamed Massaquoi at #2 WR this season. ;I don't know if it has to necessarily be 'this is number two, this is number three, this is number four,'" Mangini said. ;Sometimes, you rotate guys through and depending on roles on special teams, depending on matchups, you could have all different starters throughout the course of the year." Fantasy translation: stay away from any Browns WR not named Braylon Edwards.

• Steelers RB Isaac Redmond rushed for 79 yards and a TD on 12 carries in Thursday night's matchup with the Panthers. Redmond is an intriguing player because of his size (6'0 230) and his goal line potential. His 10-yard TD run showed his ability to bounce off defenders, and continue churning his legs towards the end zone. He has a chance to ram home a couple TDs this season if the Steelers decide to keep 4 RBs, but he's not a fantasy option.

• According to Redskins beat writer Jason Reid, 2nd year WR Malcom Kelly is the team's #2 WR. Kelly has been going back in forth with Antwaan Randle El and Devin Thomas for the job all summer. Even if it's true, Kelly is best left on the waiver wire.