Handful of second-stringers look to make their marks

	With Willis McGahee sidelined for the immdeiate future, Anthony Thomas will get a chance to carry the Buffalo rushing attack. Rick Stewart/Getty Images

By Bob Harris, Special to SI.com, FootballDiehards

All right boys and girls, we're heading into the second half of the season. It's time to knuckle down for a stretch run to the playoffs and that means digging a little deeper than the other owners in your league.

I'll also point out that the NFL bye is no longer a factor. Meaning those of you still carrying two kickers or defenses should consider cutting that back to one of each in order to make more room on your roster for potentially productive players.

And who might those players be?

Ah! That's what we're here for today. Time to look at the latest crop of replacements and players on the rebound -- whether they're returning from injuries or simply a quiet stretch. Here are five that merit consideration:

Anthony Thomas, RB, Buffalo Bills

Although it might be a bit late to pick him up in most leagues, I strongly recommend checking on the availability of Thomas with Buffalo's regular starter, Willis McGahee, out indefinitely with three broken ribs.

It's worth noting that McGahee has struggled this season, with just one 100-yard game -- a career-high 150 yards in a loss to the Jets in Week 3. He was limited to 175 in his next three games, and managed just 15 yards before being hurt against Green Bay.

Thomas, meanwhile, had 20 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown filling in for McGahee on Sunday. The A-Train already has two touchdowns with the Bills this season, and ranks second on the team with 134 yards rushing.

Offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild said the Bills will miss McGahee, but not as much had Thomas not been No. 2 on the depth chart.

"I'm glad we have him," said Fairchild, who needs Thomas to have a big day in Indianapolis because the Bills need to possess the ball on the ground and keep it away from Peyton Manning for as long as possible.

Mark Bradley, WR, Chicago Bears

Bradley became a starter as a rookie last season only to suffer a torn ACL in his right knee in his breakout game (a 5-catch, 88-yard performance -- in one half -- against the Lions last October). Now he could emerge as a wild card for the Bears if initial reports suggesting Bernard Berrian could miss up to a month with an injured rib turn out to be accurate.

Finally recovered from reconstructive knee surgery and a sprained ankle that kept him inactive the past five games, Bradley is bigger and stronger than Berrian and almost as fast -- and head coach Lovie Smith claims he's capable of giving the Bears a lot of what they miss without Berrian.