5 Minute Fantasy

JEFFRI CHADIHA THE INSIDE MAN: Raven Reviews

	Though sound, Lewis will go only as far as Baltimore's O-line will take him. Tom Pidgeon/Getty Images

Baltimore officials say Jamal Lewis is healthy, and his Week 1 performance bore that out

Ravens running back Jamal Lewis had fantasy owners scratching their heads this summer. A hip-flexor injury sidelined the 27-year-old for the last two weeks of the preseason and raised doubts among owners interested in drafting him. However, the good news for Lewis -- and the Ravens -- is that the injury isn't as serious as it appeared. Team officials say they simply held Lewis out of those final preseason games as a precaution.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome says that Lewis was close to 100% for the final preseason game, against the Redskins. In Sunday's opener Lewis vigorously proved that he was back in form, rushing for 78 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries against a tough Buccaneers defense.

However, the biggest question involving Lewis isn't his physical condition; it's how he will fare behind a declining offensive line. Pro Bowl left tackle Jonathan Ogden, entering his 11th season, will need some time to get back to game speed. He missed most of training camp while dealing with the death of his father, Shirrel, on July 26, and said he even briefly pondered retiring. Furthermore, guard Edwin Mulitalo and center Mike Flynn, both 32, are on the downside of their careers. So if you own a comparable running back, consider sitting Lewis when the Ravens face stout run defenses.

BIG BEN STOPPED Don't assume that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be ready to play by Week 2. A source says that team doctors expect Roethlisberger to need at least 10 to 12 days of recovery time from his emergency appendectomy on Sept. 3. Considering that Pittsburgh's second game -- against the Jaguars -- falls 15 days after the date of Roethlisberger's surgery, it will be a stretch for him to feel comfortable under center. The Steelers say Roethlisberger's availability will come down to how much pain he can tolerate. At this point it's best to look for his return in Week 3 at the earliest.

CODDLING CRUMPLER Keep an eye on Alge Crumpler. The Falcons' Pro Bowl tight end underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee during the off-season, and he was still experiencing soreness during training camp. Coach Jim Mora wants to do everything possible to have Crumpler, who caught three passes for 27 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, ready for game days, so he says he may limit his practice time or give him an occasional day off during the week. Regardless, be advised that there could be many weeks when Crumpler leaves fantasy owners guessing about his health.

DENVER'S OTHER BELL Broncos running back Tatum Bell may be gaining more respect from coach Mike Shanahan. Bell, 25, had started just one game in his three years with Denver, but he got the nod on Sunday and gained 103 yards on 15 carries against the Rams. Bell believes he's starting to show Shanahan that he can be a tougher runner who doesn't get tripped up by arm tackles. If that's true, this could be the year that Bell starts getting more carries. (He's never had more than 17 in a pro game.) Undrafted rookie Mike Bell was the big story early in Broncos training camp, but Tatum Bell is emerging as a player whom fantasy owners should consider as a third or fourth back. He's definitely worth plucking off the waiver wire if you can.

PETER KING I THINK ...

... you should do your homework before grabbing a free agent

Different leagues have different rules for free-agent pickups. But as you scan the game summaries from Week 1 and scour the Web for more information in hopes of finding this year's Willie Parker, I'm going to give you what I call the Wes Welker Alert.

The Dolphins' Welker, as you undoubtedly know, is a latter-day Phil McConkey. He returns kicks and punts, displays true grit as a spare receiver and, in general, is a pain in the butt for teams that have to prepare for him. Nick Saban, who inherited the spunky Welker from Dave Wannstedt, loves him. So does Daunte Culpepper. And Welker will be a fairly important cog in Miami's drive to the playoffs.

As you watched the first game of the NFL season last Thursday, you saw Welker nearly break a punt return for a touchdown against the Steelers, catch a nice crossing pattern from Culpepper, and return three kicks. Ten touches, lots of open-field running. You thought: Nobody's got Welker in our league. This guy might give me five or six touchdowns as an extra wideout and return man.

Here's the cautionary tale: Welker is in his third year in the NFL. He has touched the ball 248 times as a receiver, returner and runner. And he has found the end zone exactly once. The guy is as valuable a special-teamer as the Dolphins employ, but his fantasy value is negligible. The player to watch out of Thursday's game is Nate Washington, the Pittsburgh receiver from that noted football factory Tiffin University. And it's not just because he caught an acrobatic touchdown pass from Charlie Batch. It's because offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt loves Washington as the Steelers' new Plaxico Burress, a deep threat in his embryonic stage.