No touchdowns for Portis:Coming into last season, Redskins running back Clinton Portis was a top four or five back. Before coming to the Redskins a year ago, Portis spent two seasons with the Broncos. Portis ran for over 3,000 yards and had 31 touchdowns with the Broncos. Since becoming a Redskin, he is still running for yards but has suddenly become allergic to the end zone, not recording one touchdown this season.

The good news is that the offense is becoming multi-dimensional with the emergence of a passing game since Mark Brunell has been behind center.

Chances are if you have Portis, you probably do not have a much better option. If your fantasy league is solely based on touchdowns, it is time to look for a replacement. If your league puts value in yards too, stick with Portis a little longer, especially this week when the Redskins face the 49ers. The 49ers have allowed more than 100 rushing yards a game and have allowed six rushing touchdowns this season.

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Portis did sit out a few plays on Sunday because of a sore shin, so keep an eye on his status if you are planning on playing him.

When it rains it pours:It is always about this time of the year when injuries start ruining fantasy teams all over. Last week some big names with big fantasy impact went down with injuries. The big names include Rams’ quarterback Marc Bulger, Raiders’ receiver Randy Moss, Saints’ receiver Joe Horn, Bucs’ quarterback Brian Griese, Texans’ receiver Andre Johnson and Titans’ receiver Drew Bennett.

Injuries can have two affects on fantasy football, besides obviously losing a player on your team. Many times an injury can negatively affect the rest of the team’s production, but at the same time, some injuries give reserve players the opportunity to become a bigger part of the offense.

Declined values from injuries:When Kerry Collins and his weapons are healthy, the Raiders offense can be one of the most explosive in the league. Last week, against the Chargers, the Raiders worst nightmare came true, Randy Moss left the game in the first half and did not return. The injury was luckily not too serious, and Moss may even return this week. If Moss is out, though, Collins’ is no longer as appealing as a fantasy quarterback.

Marc Bulger should miss a couple games with a shoulder injury he received trying to make a tackle after he threw an interception. His replacement will be veteran Jamie Martin. With Martin at quarterback, the Rams will shift to a more conservative offense, which will hurt the production of the Rams’ receivers.

Brian Griese suffered a more serious injury last week and will likely miss the remainder of the season. Griese and the Bucs offense were not putting up huge numbers this year, but it appeared Griese had a favorite target in Joey Galloway. Galloway’s production should go down with back up Chris Simms as the new starter.

Improved values from injuries:If the Raiders are without Moss, the offense will definitely suffer, but Jerry Porter will now see more balls thrown in his direction. At the end of last season, when Porter was the main target on the Raiders, Collins and Porter connected on eight touchdowns in the final six games.

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The only one to benefit from Bulger out of the Rams’ lineup is running back Steven Jackson. The Rams will look to run the ball more often which means Jackson will be relied on heavily until Bulger returns.

The Saints’ problems seem to be never-ending this season. After losing Duece McCallister for the year, top receivers Joe Horn and Donte Stallworth are now both suffering from serious hamstring injuries. If they both sit out this week, Az-Zahir Hakim will be the only proven receiver for quarterback Aaron Brooks. If you are in a jam and desperately need a receiver, Hakim would be a good option.