Sleeper Watch

Starting running back Ahman Green? Out for the year with a ruptured tendon. Backup Najeh Davenport? Broken ankle, see you in 2006. Third-stringer Tony Fisher? Held out of this weekend’s game with a broken rib, likely to also miss next week’s date with the Falcons, at the very least. Emergency fill-in ReShard Lee? Introduced to the bench after coughing up the football on his second touch yesterday. So who the heck does that leave to carry the rock for the Packers?

Samkon Gado.

Undrafted out of Liberty and largely unknown to fantasy footballers prior to Sunday, the rookie was pressed into service against a tough Pittsburgh defense and responded with a 62-yard, one-touchdown effort. He only averaged 2.4 yards per carry and couldn’t prevent Green Bay’s seventh loss of the season, but this was the first time a Packer rushed for more than 60 yards this year. Gado certainly performed well enough to earn himself the start next Sunday if Fisher isn’t ready to go.

Is he worth a fantasy roster spot? Green Bay’s ground game won’t strike fear into any opponents, no matter who starts at halfback. Besides, it’s possible that Gado won’t be starting for long. Nevertheless, any RB with a pulse has value in deeper leagues, and with a solid outing in Atlanta, Gado might convince head coach Mike Sherman to keep him in the starting role a bit longer.

(Incidentally, should Green Bay’s black-cats-and-broken-mirrors luck continue, Walt Williams would be next in line after Gado at RB.)