Sleeper Watch

The Steelers didn’t just lose the game on Sunday, they lost their starting quarterback. Tommy Maddox, who passed for 3414 yards in 2003, left the game in the third quarter with an elbow injury. It’s too early to say how long Maddox will be out; in the meantime, first-year pro Ben Roethlisberger takes over the reins.

Big Ben, the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft following a stellar college career, performed admirably against the Ravens after Maddox went down, completing 12 of 20 passes for 176 yards, with two TDs (to Antwaan Randle El and Hines Ward) and two interceptions, for an overall QB rating of 82.5. That’s not a bad effort for his first NFL contest, but keep in mind that the game was already out of reach. With Maddox definitely out for next Sunday’s game in Miami, we’ll soon see what Roethlisberger can do when it counts.

Starting him against the Dolphins is probably too great a risk to take, but if you’re in need of help at the QB position, adding Big Ben to your roster isn’t a bad idea. If Maddox misses further time, Roethlisberger could be worth a start in the Steelers’ next games against division rivals Cincinnati and Cleveland (both at home), particularly if you need a bye-week fill-in for passers such as Culpepper, Hasselbeck, Green or McNabb. Besides, Roethlisberger represents the future in Pittsburgh; if he performs well now, he might just be named the starter sooner than anyone expected.