The Seahawks have lost RB Julius Jones to a chest injury, leaving RB Justin Forsett a chance to see more carries.

Jones is a one of a number of running backs to sustain injuries today, a list that includes Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown, Bengals RB Cedric Benson and Falcons RB Michael Turner.

Forsett, a versatile runner with strong skills as a receiver out of the backfield, will be worth adding off the waiver wire if Jones’ ailment is serious.

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew did his best Brian Westbrook impersonation Sunday against the Jets, going down on his own at the Jets’ 1-yard line.

It was a sure touchdown, but MJD decided to take time off the clock so his team could kick the game-wining field goal.

Westbrook made a similar move in a game against the Dallas Cowboys last season. If I lose by 6 or fewer points because of Jones-Drew’s decision, I won’t be too happy.

Bengals RB Cedric Benson will miss the remainder of today’s game in Pittsburgh with an injured hip. In his absence, rookie RB Bernard Scott is seeing most of the carries.

If Benson were forced to miss Week 11 due to the ailment, Scott would be a hot name on the waiver wire. The Bengals have a great matchup against the Raiders next on the schedule.

Falcons RB Michael Turner suffered an ankle injury in the first half against the Panthers, and was not in the game for his team’s first offensive series of the third quarter.

In his absence, RB Jason Snelling is seeing the workload. If Turner’s ailment affects his status for Week 11, Snelling could be a hot name on the fantasy waiver wire. Of course, that all depends on the status of RB Jerious Norwood.

Norwood, who is inactive with an injured hip, would also see more work if Turner were out.

While it’s hard to see him making a major fantasy impact like he did in his rookie season, Titans QB Vince Young has looked good since he was inserted into the starting lineup three weeks ago.

Young appears more poised and confident in the pocket, and the Titans aren’t afraid to let him take chances downfield in the vertical pass attack.

He also has some great matchups down the stretch against the Texans, Cardinals, Rams and Dolphins. He’s someone to target off the waiver wire next week.

Fantasy owners who have Saints RB Pierre Thomas have to be shaking their heads right now.

Thomas is losing carries to RB Reggie Bush, who’s rushed the ball five times and has already found the end zone twice against the Rams.

What’s becoming apparent in this backfied-by-committee is that there are no defined roles. Bush is the best pass-catching option, but he’s been in the backfield for two red-zone possessions ahead of Thomas.

RB Mike Bell is third in the order, at least so far, with two carries.

Falcons WR Roddy White and Titans WR Terrell Owens should be active in your fantasy leagues on Sunday. NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reports that White will play in Week 10 and Owens will also reportedly start against the Titans.

White is an obvious start, while Owens is a viable No. 3 option in larger leagues based on a matchup against the Titans.

La Canfora is also reporting that Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams will be a true game-time decision to face the Falcons. RB Jonathan Stewart becomes a solid option in fantasy circles if Williams can’t go.

Redskins RB Ladell Betts is expected to start against the Broncos in the absence of RB Clinton Portis. However, Betts’ ankle is at about 75 percent so he could lose carries to RBs Rock Cartwright and Quinton Ganther.

That makes Betts more of a mid- to low-end flex starter. Start him with caution.

Be sure to check our early inactives for all the latest.

NFL.com will be holding a LIVE fantasy football chat on Sunday, Nov. 15 at noon EST/9 a.m. PST. Fantasy editor Michael Fabiano will take your most pressing fantasy lineup questions, from starts and sit to sleepers and more.

You can either submit your questions in advance or talk to Michael in the LIVE chat once it starts.

We’ll see you there!

Maurice Jones-Drew leads all running backs in fantasy points on NFL.com heading into Week 10. (Steve Cannon / Associated Press)

Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams (knee) missed Friday’s practice and is listed as questionable to face the Falcons. He’ll likely be a game-time decision.

If he can’t go, RB Jonathan Stewart would be a borderline No. 1 fantasy option in what is a very favorable matchup. Atlanta ranks 24th in run defense.

The Panthers ran for 144 yards against the Falcons in their Week 2 matchup. Williams rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown, while Stewart ran for 65 yards on only nine attempts.

• Chiefs coach Todd Haley wouldn’t commit to RB Jamaal Charles as his starter in Week 10, saying that it would depend on the first play the team decided to run. Charles, RB Kolby Smith and RB Dantrell Savage will likely share carries in a committee. Charles is the best fantasy bet against the Raiders, but he’s no more than a flex starter.

• NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reported on Thursday that Vikings CB Antonie Winfield has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Lions due to his injured foot. Sources told La Canfora that Winfield hopes to return in Week 11, when the Vikings play host to the Seahawks. Winfield’s absence is great news for Lions WR Calvin Johnson whose matchup this week just got a lot easier. Keep him active.

• Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew (knee) put in a full practice on Friday and is listed as probable to face the Jets. Jones-Drew has emerged as one of the top players in fantasy football, so this is good news for owners who’ve leaned on him all season. He’ll face the host Jets, who rank 14th in the league against the run.

• Redskins RB Ladell Betts (ankle) is questionable for Week 10. Coach Jim Zorn said he is prepared to go with a committee of Betts, RB Rock Cartwright and RB Quinton Ganther against the Broncos. Be sure to keep tabs on Betts’ status at game time. He’s still a viable flex starter, but a shared workload would obviously make him a greater risk for owners.

• Cardinals QB Kurt Warner has absolutely owned the Seahawks in recent seasons. Warner has averaged 254 yards and thrown for a combined 10 touchdowns in his last five starts against Seattle. That includes a 276-yard, two-touchdown performance against them back in Week 6. Unless you have one of the top three quarterbacks, Warner is pretty close to a must-start player.

• Panthers WR Steve Smith has certainly been a disappointment for fantasy owners. After eight games, he’s only on pace to finish with 68 catches, 956 yards and two touchdowns based on his current numbers. But Smith is still an attractive option against the Falcons. Smith has recorded an impressive 22 receptions, 395 yards and one touchdown in his last three game against Atlanta.

• Eagles RB Brian Westbrook, who has missed two consecutive games due to a concussion, returned to practice this week and is listed as probable to face the Chargers. The aging veteran hasn’t met fantasy expectations this season, but it’s hard to bench him based on what looks like a great matchup. The Bolts have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs (22.3 PPG) this season.

• Check out NFL.com’s complete Week 10 injury report.

NFL.com will be holding a LIVE fantasy football chat on Friday, November 13 at 11 a.m. EST.

Fantasy editor Michael Fabiano will answer your burning questions and discuss any and all fantasy-related topics. You can either submit your questions in advance or talk to Michael in the LIVE chat once it starts.

We’ll see you there!

Starting Joe Flacco (right) over Peyton Manning would be a risk for fantasy owners in Week 10, but it also could pay off because of favorable matchups. (Associated Press)

Having fantasy football analysts star-struck shouldn’t be a surprise given our current obsession with celebrity in our TMZ-driven world. But it was kind of shocking to hear fellow NFL.com gurus Michael Fabiano and Bucky Brooks trumpet some falling stars during our Fantasy Friday taping this week.

The topic was must-start players. There are the obvious — Adrian Peterson, Drew Brees and Tom Brady — and some newcomers — Vincent Jackson, Cedric Benson, Chad Ochocinco (I told you) and Ray Rice (Though you can’t blame me for not fully trusting Ravens coach John Harbaugh. Come on, that 20-carry day for Le’Ron McClain is coming!). We could agree on most.

But not all.

Fabs and Bucky believe that Rams RB Steven Jackson is a must-start. What? Jackson ranks 14th among running backs in standard formats. He clearly is a matchup starter, no matter where you drafted him. Seriously, would you rather have Benson or Jackson starting for your team?

We didn’t discuss Panthers WR Steve Smith, but I’d imagine these two star lovers would have said that he is a must-start, too.

Seriously, these two make me feel like Will Ferrell’s character in “Zoolander.” Blue Steel? Ferrari? Le Tigra? They’re the same face! Come on, guys, think critically.

And then there is Peyton Manning. Has the time come when Manning is no longer an elite fantasy quarterback? Maybe.

Manning currently is the third-ranked quarterback on NFL.com, just ahead of Brees and Brady, but recent games have exposed some chinks in his armor. Manning has scored 29 total points over the past two weeks with only one touchdown. He throws the ball a lot, but too bad it’s not in the end zone. Colts RB Joseph Addai has as many touchdown passes in the past two weeks as Manning does.

This weekend, the Colts will play the Patriots, owners of the NFL’s fourth-ranked pass defense. Would you rather start Manning against the Patriots or Joe Flacco against the Browns? Flacco threw for 342 yards and one touchdown in his previous start against Cleveland.

Starting Flacco over Manning would take huge footballs. And I’m not saying to do it. I’m the guy who says not to over-think your roster. But Manning posted lower-than-normal numbers last year and is trending down in recent weeks. That shows me his numbers could be near mortal. And I know a lot of you guys love his commercials, and knocking Manning is discouraged in the company handbook. But it’s time to take a critical look at Manning in the coming weeks.

– Adam Rank

I have to admit, I was a little worried about Cardinals QB Kurt Warner entering this season.

Between the “Super Bowl” curse, which has affected members of past Super Bowl losers, his age and an offseason surgical procedure on his hip, Warner looked like a real risk from a fantasy perspective.

Those concerns seemed even more warranted, as he started the season slow with just one touchdown pass in two of his first three games.

Warner then threw five picks in a loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 8. That put him on pace to throw for just as many interceptions (25) as touchdown passes this season. If the fantasy alert level wasn’t at red after that game, it was certainly was a very bright orange.

But Warner quickly quelled my concerns with a five-touchdown explosion against the Bears. Now it looks like smooth sailing for the veteran quarterback, not to mention the owners who stuck with him through his earlier struggles. Warner, who is now on pace to finish the season with 4,350 yards and 32 touchdowns, should continue to find success based on a schedule that includes games against the Seahawks, Rams (2), Titans, Vikings, 49ers and Lions.

None of those defenses rank better than 17th against the pass, and five of them are 21st or worse. That includes the two teams (Lions, Titans) that currently rank last and next to last in that category.

Of course, this is also great news if you have WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, both of whom will also benefit from this cake walk of a stretch run.

I like Warner so much the rest of the season based on this schedule, I’m trying to trade Texans QB Matt Schaub in one league where I own both quarterbacks. I need a stud wideout for my championship push, and Schaub should get me a solid option in a deal.

Roll on, Warner Machine!

Ray Rice has posted 1,009 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns this season. (Thomas E. Witte / Associated Press)

When I listed Ravens RB Ray Rice as a sleeper on NFL.com back in the preseason, I never thought he’d turn into a top-five fantasy running back.

But that’s exactly what he’s become.

Through nine weeks, Rice ranks fourth in fantasy points at his position in standard leagues. If you’re rewarded points for receptions, he’s second behind only Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew. That’s an impressive feat for someone with a 95.94 ADP (average draft position).

Based on the recent comments of coach John Harbaugh, Rice’s success isn’t about to end either.

Harbaugh told the Carroll County Times that he feels no need to put RB Willis McGahee into the game because Rice is thriving in a featured role.

“It’s pretty hard to take [Rice] off the field when he’s making the plays,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t think it has anything to do with Willis as much as it has to do with the way Ray’s playing.”

McGahee, who had zero carries in Week 9 and has a combined 10 rushing attempts in the last four games, is no more than a handcuff for owners who have Rice. He’s also no threat to steal goal-line carries, as he did in the first few weeks of the season.

RB Le’Ron McClain, the top fantasy back in Baltimore last season, has also seen his role diminish.

With games against the Browns, Colts, Packers, Lions and Bears on the schedule, Rice is certain to lead countless fantasy owners to a league championship.

The Kansas City Chiefs released running back Larry Johnson on Monday. (Ed Zurga / Associated Press)

The Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday that they’ve decided to release troubled RB Larry Johnson, a move that will have fantasy implications.

Johnson, once the top player in fantasy football, struggled to produce this season. He averaged 2.7 yards per carry and didn’t score a touchdown in seven games before being released.

That lack of production doesn’t bode well for his replacements, RBs Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith.

Charles got the start in Johnson’s absence against the Jaguars but finished with just six carries and 55 scrimmage yards. Of course, the Chiefs were behind for most of the contest and had to abandon the run in the second half.

A talented and versatile back, Charles has the skills to make an impact in fantasy circles (especially in PPR leagues). However, he’s not useful as more than a flex option in larger formats.

Smith, who is coming off major knee surgery, appears to be the team’s red-zone back. He was on the field when the Chiefs got inside the Jaguars’ 20-yard line and appears to be the short-yardage back in this apparent committee.

The fact that he’ll be given a chance to score makes Smith worth a look off the waiver wire. RB Dantrell Savage also saw work in the backfield, but he’s third in the pecking order.

Fantasy owners need to remember that coach Todd Haley’s offense is a pass-heavy attack, so running backs are going to be inconsistent in the stat sheets.

But anytime a change of the guard occurs in an NFL backfield, it’s worth taking a chance on the new components in fantasy leagues.

As for Johnson, he should be released in all formats.

Redskins coach Jim Zorn told The Washington Post that RB Clinton Portis was “knocked out” during Sunday’s loss to the Falcons. Portis suffered a concussion during the first quarter of the game and didn’t return. He carried the ball just four times before being forced to leave.

Since most teams are cautious with players coming off concussions, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Portis deactivated for next week’s game against the Broncos.

That would make backup RB Ladell Betts a must-add player off the fantasy waiver wire.

Betts, who rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown after Portis exited, is a free agent in 89 percent of NFL.com leagues.