Two games into the season, there are plenty of early season surprises, both positive and negative: At running back, 49ers’ Frank Gore has rushed for 214 yards and three touchdowns – not too shabby for a player generally selected in the late third/early fourth rounds of fantasy drafts. On the flip side, Raiders’ Lamont Jordan has just 55 rushing yards and zero receptions. Jordan’s performance is unacceptable for a first round fantasy choice – especially mine.

At wide receiver, Jets’ Jerricho Cotchery was generally overlooked on fantasy draft day or was the last pick that most people had never heard of. Now he has 12 receptions, 186 yards, and two touchdowns. While I doubt that the Jets will be able to sustain the passing success they showed early in the season, certainly the numbers from Cotchery are a bonus. How about everyone that used a late first/early second round draft choice on Panthers’ Steve Smith. Zero game action and lingering hamstring issues have fantasy owners queasy.

A pair of quarterbacks share the positive surprise and two have surprised in the negative fashion. Nobody that I know expected Chad Pennington 625 passing yards – four touchdowns) or Rex Grossman (551 passing yards – five touchdowns) to be near the top of the passing charts at any time this season. Not even the most die-hard Jets fan, Bears fan, or Florida Gator fan can claim inside information here. Aaron Brooks and Chris Simms were both sexy quarterback sleeper selections in 2006 fantasy drafts. Through two games, they are among the games biggest busts. Brooks has passed for 68 yards and Simms has thrown six picks. Neither has a touchdown pass.

Bears’ kicker Robbie Gould is six field goals in six attempts while Falcons’ Michael Koenen will no longer attempt field goals less than 40 yards (two field goals in eight attempts). Koenen should not feel bad, he was attempting something that had not been done in the NFL for a long time (punt, kickoff, and place kick) and now we know the reason. Also, being replaced by legend Morten Andersen is not all bad.

Good luck to all this fantasy football season!

Below are the weekly player rankings. As a reminder, these rankings are specific to the Week Three match-ups. Remember that the Cowboys, Chiefs, Chargers, and Raiders are off this week.

Quarterbacks 1. Kurt Warner, Ari 2. Peyton Manning, Indy 3. Donovan McNabb, Phi 4. Tom Brady, NE 5. Marc Bulger, Stl 6. Matt Hasselbeck, Sea 7. John Kitna, Det 8. Eli Manning, NYG 9. Carson Palmer, Cin 10. Daunte Culpepper, Mia 11. Drew Brees, NO 12. Mark Brunell, Wash 13. Steve McNair, Bal 14. Brad Johnson, Min 15. Byron Leftwich, Jax 16. Michael Vick, Atl 17. Rex Grossman, Chi 18. Alex Smith, SF 19. Chad Pennington, NYJ 20. Brett Favre, GB 21. Jake Delhomme, Car 22. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit 23. Jake Plummer, Den 24. Chris Simms, TB 25. Charlie Frye, Cle 26. David Carr, Hou 27. J.P. Losman, Buf 28. Kerry Collins, Tenn 29. Trent Grenn, KC (inj) 30. Philip Rivers, SD (bye) 31. Drew Bledsoe, Dal (bye) 32. Aaron Brooks, Oak (bye) 33. Damon Huard, KC (bye) Running Backs 1. Steven Jackson, Stl 2. Ronnie Brown, Mia 3. Shaun Alexander, Sea 4. Rudi Johnson, Cinn 5. Tiki Barber, NYG 6. Brian Westbrook, Phil 7. Edgerrin James, Ari 8. Willis McGahee, Buff 9. Kevin Jones, Det 10. Thomas Jones, Chi 11. Willie Parker, Pitt 12. Reggie Bush, NO 13. Warrick Dunn, Atl 14. Chester Taylor, Min 15. Jamal Lewis, Bal 16. Clinton Portis, Wash 17. Cadillac Williams, TB 18. Frank Gore, SF 19. Tatum Bell, Den 20. Corey Dillon, NE 21. Fred Taylor, Jax 22. Ahman Green, GB 23. Dominic Rhodes, Ind 24. DeShaun Foster, Car 25. Laurence Maroney, NE 26. Joseph Addai, Indy 27. Reuben Droughns, Cle 28. Kevan Barlow, NYJ 29. Mike Bell, Den 30. Deuce McAllister, NO 31. Wali Lundy, Hou 32. Brandon Jacobs, NYG 33. Jerious Norwood, Atl 34. DeAngelo Williams, Car 35. Mike Alstott, TB 36. Chris Brown, Tenn 37. Travis Henry, Tenn 38. Anthony Thomas, Buf 39. Ladell Betts, Wash 40. Mike Anderson, Bal 41. Tony Fisher, Stl 42. Michael Pittman, TB 43. T.J. Duckett, Wash 44. Sam Gado, Hou 45. Ryan Moats, Phi 46. Kenny Watson, Cinn 47. Verron Haynes, Pitt 48. Correll Buckhalter, Phil 49. Cedric Benson, Chi 50. Musa Smith, Bal 51. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jax 52. Kevin Faulk, NE 53. Derrick Blaylock, NYJ 54. LenDale White, Tenn 55. Ron Dayne, Hou 56. Vernand Morency, GB 57. Justin Griffith, Atl 58. Marcel Shipp, Ari 59. Jerome Harrison, Cle 60. Cedric Houston, NYJ 61. Maurice Hicks, SF 62. Shawn Bryson, Det 63. LaBrandon Toefield, Jax 64. Ciatrick Fason, Minn 65. Duce Staley, Pitt 66. William Green, Cle 67. Curtis Martin, NYJ (inj) 68. Chris Perry, Cinn (inj) 69. LaDainian Tomlinson, SD (bye) 70. Larry Johnson, KC (bye) 71. Lamont Jordan, Oak (bye) 72. Julius Jones, Dal (bye) 73. Michael Turner, SD (bye) 74. Maurice Morris, Sea (bye) 75. Justin Fargas, Oak (bye) 76. Marion Barber, Dal (bye) 77. Michael Bennett, KC (bye) Tight Ends 1. Heath Miller, Pitt 2. Todd Heap, Bal 3. Ben Watson, NE 4. Dallas Clark, Ind 5. Alge Crumpler, Atl 6. Jeremy Shockey, NYG 7. Kellen Winslow, Cle 8. L.J. Smith, Phi 9. Vernon Davis, SF 10. Randy McMichael, Mia 11. Desmond Clark, Chi 12. Chris Cooley, Wash 13. Jermaine Wiggins, Minn 14. Ben Troupe, Tenn 15. Leonard Pope, Ari 16. Alex Smith, TB 17. Marcus Pollard, Det 18. George Wrighster, Jax 19. John Gilmore, Chi 20. Chris Baker, NYJ 21. Owen Daniels, Hou 22. Daniel Wilcox, Bal 23. Bubba Franks, GB 24. Daniel Graham, NE 25. Jim Kleinsasser, Minn 26. Tony Scheffler, Den 27. Marcedes Lewis, Jax 28. Itula Mili, Sea 29. Ernie Conwell, NO 30. Joe Klopfenstein, Stl 31. Reggie Kelly, Cinn 32. Robert Royal, Buf 33. Kris Magnum, Car 34. Jerramy Stevens, Sea (inj) 35. Erron Kinney, Tenn (inj) 36. Antonio Gates, SD (bye) 37. Jason Witten, Dal (bye) 38. Tony Gonzalez, KC (bye) 39. Courtney Anderson, Oak (bye)

Wide Receivers 1. Larry Fitzgerald, Ari 2. Marvin Harrison, Indy 3. Chad Johnson, Cin 4. Chris Chambers, Mia 5. Anquan Boldin, Ari 6. Reggie Wayne, Ind 7. Torry Holt, Stl 8. Antonio Bryant, SF 9. Plaxico Burress, NYG 10. Matt Jones, Jax 11. Hines Ward, Pitt 12. Donald Driver, GB 13. Santana Moss, Wash 14. Derrick Mason, Bal 15. Roy Williams, Det 16. Laveranues Coles, NYJ 17. T.J. Houshmandzadah, Cinn 18. Donte Stallworth, Phil 19. Joey Galloway, TB 20. Andre Johnson, Hou 21. Lee Evans, Buff 22. Drew Bennett, Tenn 23. Troy Williamson, Minn 24. Darrell Jackson, Sea 25. Jericho Cotchery, NYJ 26. Keyshawn Johnson, Car 27. Javon Walker, Den 28. Braylon Edwards, Cle 29. Joe Horn, NO 30. Amani Toomer, NYG 31. Marques Colston, NO 32. Reggie Williams, Jax 33. Ernest Wilford, Jax 34. Michael Jenkins, Atl 35. Eric Moulds, Hou 36. Bobby Engram, Sea 37. Rod Smith, Den 38. Reche Caldwell, NE 39. Mike Furrey, Det 40. Greg Jennings, GB 41. Michael Clayton, TB 42. Deion Branch, Sea 43. Marcus Robinson, Minn 44. Muhsin Muhammad, Chi 45. Chad Jackson, NE 46. Reggie Brown, Phil 47. Josh Reed, Buff 48. Isaac Bruce, Stl 49. Keary Colbert, Car 50. Wes Welker, Mia 51. Bernard Berrian, Chi 52. Bobby Wade, Tenn 53. Travis Taylor, Minn 54. Marty Booker, Mia 55. Chris Henry, Cin 56. Doug Gabriel, NE 57. Bryant Johnson, Ari 58. Cedric Wilson, Pitt 59. Arnaz Battle, SF 60. Dennis Northcutt, Cle 61. Mark Clayton, Bal 62. Brandon Stokley, Indy 63. Drew Carter, Car 64. David Givens, Tenn 65. Antwaan Randle El, Wash 66. Brandon Lloyd, Wash 67. Cory Bradford, Det 68. Nate Burleson, Sea 69. Ashley Lelie, Atl 70. Kevin Curtis, Stl 71. Justin McCareins, NYJ 72. Robert Ferguson, GB 73. Greg Lewis, Phi 74. Roydell Williams, Tenn 75. Koren Robinson, GB 76. Joe Jurevicius, Cle (inj) 77. Steve Smith, Car (inj) 78. Roddy White, Atl (inj) 79. Terrell Owens, Dal (inj) 80. Randy Moss, Oak (bye) 81. Keenan McCardell, SD (bye) 82. Terry Glenn, Dal (bye) 83. Eric Parker, SD (bye) 84. Vincent Jackson, SD (bye) 85. Eddie Kennison, KC (bye) 86. Samie Parker, KC (bye) 87. Jerry Porter, Oak (bye) Team Defenses 1. Chicago Bears 2. Miami Dolphins 3. Baltimore Ravens 4. Carolina Panthers 5. Detroit Lions 6. Washington Redskins 7. Buffalo Bills 8. New England Patriots 9. Philadelphia Eagles 10. Atlanta Falcons 11. Indianapolis Colts 12. Pittsburgh Steelers 13. Minnesota Vikings 14. New York Jets 15. Cincinnati Bengals 16. Denver Broncos 17. Tampa Bay Bucs 18. Seattle Seahawks 19. Jacksonville Jaguars 20. New York Giants 21. New Orleans Saints 22. St. Louis Rams 23. Arizona Cardinals 24. San Francisco 49ers 25. Cleveland Browns 26. Houston Texans 27. Green Bay Packers 28. Tennessee Titans 29. San Diego Chargers (bye) 30. Dallas Cowboys (bye) 31. Kansas City Chiefs (bye) 32. Oakland Raiders (bye) Kickers 1. Shayne Graham, Cin 2. Neil Rackers, Ari 3. Josh Brown, Sea 4. Matt Stover, Bal 5. Jeff Wilkins, Stl 6. David Akers, Phil 7. John Kasay, Car 8. Adam Vinatieri, Indy 9. Ryan Longwell, Min 10. Jason Elam, Den 11. Steven Gostkowski, NE 12. Jay Feely, NYG 13. Jeff Reed, Pitt 14. Morten Andersen, Atl 15. Olindo Mare, Mia 16. Josh Scobee, Jax 17. Robbie Gould, Chi 18. John Carney, NO 19. Joe Nedney, SF 20. Rian Lindall, Buff 21. Phil Dawson, Cle 22. Jason Hanson, Det 23. Kris Brown, Hou 24. Rob Bironas, Ten 25. John Hall, Wash 26. Dave Rayner, GB 27. Mike Nugent, NYJ 28. Matt Bryant, TB 29. Mike Vanderjagt, Dal (bye) 30. Nate Kaeding, SD (bye) 31. Sebastian Janikowski, Oak (bye) 32. Lawrence Tynes, KC (bye)