On Monday night, we started getting answered. Heading into the game, Sammy Morris supposedly was the starting running back. In typical Bill Belichick fashion, Morris didn’t even get a carry. Instead, he spent most of his time at full back.

Laurence Maroney, who was listed fourth on the depth chart, ended up getting the most carries. On his ten carries, he totaled 32 yards. He also caught two passes for nine years.

Fred Taylor also saw some touches — finishing with 25 yards on nine carries. Kevin Faulk, as expected, was in the mix. The longtime Patriots RB had three carries for seven yards and six catches for 51 yards.

Overall, it appears as if Maroney is the most valuable of the Patriots running backs. Taylor and Faulk will get touches but Maroney has the most potential and appears to be the short yardage back. If you want to take a risk with one of the RBs on New England, roll the dice on Maroney having a decent season.

Laurence Maroney - New England Patriots (Image: Zuma Press)

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RB Kevin Faulk, New England Patriots
With injuries to Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan, the door is open for Kevin Faulk to be the main running back option. The good thing about Faulk is that not only is he good running the ball, he’s also a good receiver. If you need an emergency starter off the waiver wire, you could do much worse than Faulk.

WR Ted Ginn, Jr., Miami Dolphins
After a very slow start to his season, Ted Ginn, Jr. showed why he’s regarded as a big time talent. It’s unknown whether he will ever live up to his potential but with the Miami offense looking solid and quarterback Chad Pennington playing well, Ginn is a wide receiver to keep an eye on.

TE Martellus Bennett, Dallas Cowboys
If Jason Witten is going to miss any action, consider picking up Martellus Bennett. Bennett is the backup tight end in Dallas and he has impressed coaching with his receiving abilities. While he’s an obvious fall off from Witten, Bennett could serve as a sufficient starter for the time being.

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QB Eli Manning, New York Giants
To this day, people continue to discount Manning. Despite three straight road wins, Manning hasn’t gotten a huge amount of respect. However, if he can beat the undefeated Patriots, thing will change. His brother had a big game last year in the Super Bowl. Is it his turn this season?

RB Kevin Faulk, New England Patriots
Faulk doesn’t start for the Patriots. He doesn’t get a lot of carries, either. That said, he’s a huge part of their team. Faulk also tends to come up clutch in big games and this is obviously the biggest game of the season. Faulk will get a few rushes, catch a few passes out of the backfield and has a good chance of scoring a touchdown.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants
Bradshaw is overlooked because he’s not the starter for New York – that job belongs to Brandon Jacobs. Nonetheless, Bradshaw is an extremely explosive back who can break a long play at any given moment. If Jacob struggles early, expect Bradshaw to take over and end up with more carries.

WR Randy Moss, New England Patriots
Moss is a big name but his game has been asleep lately. Don’t make the mistake of sleeping on him during the Super Bowl. Moss no doubt wants to end his breakout year with a bang and Tom Brady will be looking for him early and often. With the Giants blitzing relentlessly, the Patriots will no doubt try to hit Moss with a few deep passes.

WR Steve Smith, New York Giants
Don’t look now but there is another Steve Smith in the NFL at wide receiver. This Steve Smith isn’t at the same level as the Carolina Panthers’ Steve Smith, but the rookie on the Giants is starting to come into his own. He has 102 yards in the playoffs and has a number of big catches to his credit. If the Patriots forget about him, look for Smith to be a Super Bowl sleeper.

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QB Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles – McNabb suffered a sprained ankle in the first half against the Miami Dolphins. McNabb wasn’t able to return but the Eagles went on to win without his services. Andy Reid said after the game that McNabb would remain the starter if he’s healthy enough to play in Week 12. McNabb has a history of playing with injuries but keep an eye on whether he practices this week.

RB Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants – Jacobs has been a beast since he returned from his knee injury earlier in the season. However, against the Detroit Lions, Jacobs went down again. This time, initial indications are Jacobs has an injured hamstring. For a running back, hamstring injuries are one of the worst types of injuries. Even if he suits up in Week 11, he’d be susceptible to re-injuring his hamstring.

RB Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers – It seems like every time the Packers finally find a solution at running back, an injury sidelines that answer. It happened again in Week 11 when Grant went down with an ankle injury. Luckily, early indications are that the injury is minor. Keep an eye on whether he practices this week heading into Green Bay’s contest at Detroit in Week 12.

RB Kevin Faulk, New England Patriots – Faulk suffered what is being described as a head injury during play in Week 11 versus the Buffalo Bills. Faulk, despite backing up Laurence Maroney, sees plenty of playing time. Depending on the severity of the injury, Faulk could be held out a week or two. If he is held out, look for Heath Evans to play more in New England’s backfield.

WR Aaron Moorehead, Indianapolis Colts – The Colts’ offensive players are dropping like flies. The latest to get injured is Moorehead, who is a valuable possession receiver. While he’s not a great fantasy start even when healthy, he’s at least an option as long as Marvin Harrison is sidelined. Keep an eye on Moorehead’s injury (back) heading into Week 12.

Photo credit: NFL.com

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