Buying or Selling NFL Teams' 2015 Season Following Critical Early-Year Injuries

As fans, writers and analysts who follow the NFL, we always like to think we have at least a loose handle on the state of teams around league when the regular season begins. After a few weeks, however, we often find out we were mistaken.

This is especially true when significant injuries get involved.

The Indianapolis Colts looked like a Super Bowl contender on paper when the season began, but a depleted secondary has the team in an 0-2 hole. The Carolina Panthers, on the other hand, have managed to win their first two games even without injured star receiver Kelvin Benjamin.

What's really important, of course, is how teams are able to handle key injuries over the course of a season. Not every team can lose its starting quarterback and still win 11 games like the Arizona Cardinals did last season, after all.

Now that some major injuries have started to pile up, we're going to take a quick look at each team's situation and buy or sell their chances of having a successful season. Special attention will be paid to injuries here, and our definition of "successful" will be relative to general expectations. 

Arizona Cardinals

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Buy

The Arizona Cardinals currently look like one of the best and most complete teams in the NFL and part of the reason is health.

We're talking about the health of quarterback Carson Palmer, who is back from an ACL tear and who has looked phenomenal (492 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception) to this point in the season.

There are some injury issues here. Starting running back Andre Ellington missed last week's game with a knee injury and will probably miss more time. According to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com, the Cardinals could also be without rookie receiver J.J. Nelson for two-to-four weeks because of a shoulder injury.

However, this looks like a team with more than enough talent to overcome a little injury adversity.

The Cardinals currently rank first in the NFL in scoring offense (39.5 points per game) and 11th in scoring defense (21.0 points per game allowed).

As long as Palmer stays healthy, the Cardinals are likely to remain legitimate contenders.

Atlanta Falcons

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Buy

It's hard not to like what we've seen from the Atlanta Falcons so far this season. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones have the offense rolling, and new head coach Dan Quinn has the defense looking better than it did at any point last season. 

Right now, the Falcons are ranked a very respectable 13th in scoring defense, with just 22 points per game allowed.

For the most part, the Falcons are relatively healthy. Perhaps the most relevant injury right now is rookie running back Tevin Coleman's broken rib. Coleman is expected to return once he can tolerate the pain.

"It's not something that's displaced or out of whack,'' Quinn said, per ESPN.com. "So, I'm not going to put a timetable on it until we know how he's responding to it."

Atlanta has enough offensive firepower to survive a few weeks without Coleman, if necessary.

More importantly, the Falcons are 2-0 and tied for first place in the NFC South.

Baltimore Ravens

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Sell

The Baltimore Ravens are usually one of those teams that just always seems to be hanging around the AFC playoff picture.

However, the Ravens have been disappointing so far this season—really disappointing.

The usually stout Baltimore defense is currently ranked just 26th, with an average of 28.0 points allowed per game. The offensive line is rated dead last in run blocking by Pro Football Focus, and quarterback Joe Flacco has a passer rating of just 75.7.

Not having rookie receiver Breshad Perriman on the field because of a knee injury has hampered the passing game. Perhaps Flacco finds more consistency once he returns. 

However,the Ravens won't be seeing a return from star pass-rusher Terrell Suggs. Suggs will miss the rest of the season with a torn Achilles.

The Ravens are currently the only winless team in the AFC North, which is certainly hard to buy.

Buffalo Bills

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Sell

This is supposed to be the season that the Buffalo Bills finally get back to the playoffs. It still could be, but it's tough to buy into the hype after watching the mighty Bills defense give up 40 points to the New England Patriots in a game that really wasn't as close as the 40-32 final might indicate.

We'll still hold out hope that the Bills make a playoff push, but Buffalo is going to have to overcome quite the emotional letdown.

Because of the divisional loss, the Bills are now last in the AFC East.

Bills safety Aaron Williams was injured during the loss to New England and was taken off the field on a stretcher. According to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, Williams has full movement in his extremities and has been released from the hospital.

Obviously, Williams' well-being is more important than his presence on the field, but the Bills are going to miss him as they try climbing back into the AFC East.

Carolina Panthers

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Buy

The Carolina Panthers lost star wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin for the season to a torn ACL back in training camp.

Star linebacker Luke Kuechly missed last week's game against the Houston Texans with a concussion.

Yet, the Panthers are still 2-0 and tied for first place in the NFC South. The wins haven't been pretty, of course—Carolina is ranked just 21st in scoring offense with 22.0 points per game—but the defense (just 13.0 points allowed per game) has been solid and the Panthers have found ways to win.

For a team that won the division with a 7-8-1 record in 2014, it's hard not to like what we've seen.

According to David Newton of ESPN.com, Kuechly remains in concussion protocol. Once he returns, the Panthers defense, which appears playoff caliber, will be back to full strength. 

Chicago Bears

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Sell

The Chicago Bears are an absolute mess and injuries have been a major part of the problem.

Things started to go awry when rookie first-round receiver Kevin White underwent shin surgery before the start of the regular season. The Bears were also forced to play without star receiver Alshon Jeffery last week because of a hamstring issue.

During last week's loss to the Cardinals, quarterback Jay Cutler left the game with a hamstring injury of his own. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Cutler will miss the next two weeks.

This means that Chicago will be relying on backup Jimmy Clausen for the next couple of weeks.

Were we talking about a 2-0 team, this might be a survivable development. However, the Bears are currently winless and it's hard to see them winning more than a handful of games in 2015.

In addition to playing in the rough NFC North, the Bears also have to play teams from the NFC West and AFC West.

Cincinnati Bengals

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Buy

The Cincinnati Bengals are off to another good start in 2015, and aside from a couple of minor injuries seem to be one of the healthiest teams in the AFC North.

The Bengals also look like one of the most loaded teams in the conference in terms of overall talent. Through two weeks, Cincinnati is ranked sixth in scoring offense with 28.5 points per game and fourth in scoring defense with just 16.0 points per game allowed.

Of course, the real question is whether or not the Bengals can translate a strong September into a little playoff success. 

Andy Dalton and the Bengals have gone 0-4 in the playoffs over the past four seasons.

For now, though, we'll buy into the Bengals as a playoff team. 

Cleveland Browns

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Buy

The Cleveland Browns lost starting quarterback Josh McCown to a concussion on the first drive of the 2015 season and have been riding with second-year pro Johnny Manziel ever since.

Manziel has shown some good and some bad (passer rating of 99.7) in his two games, and the Browns are 1-1. Obviously, this isn't overly impressive, but we're going to buy into the Browns primarily because the expectations for this season were low to begin with.

Pat McManamon of ESPN.com predicted just four wins for Cleveland this season.

Even with McCown under center, it seemed unlikely that Cleveland would be better than 1-1 at this point. 

According to Will Brinson of CBS Sports, the Browns are likely to turn back to McCown once he clears concussion protocol. That quarterback position may not be so important. 

What's more important is that the Browns have seen glimmers of hope and of progress from Manziel. Much of this season is going to be about allowing Manziel to grow, either on the field or from the sideline. So far, it looks like Cleveland is making some progress in that regard.

By the end of the season, the Browns should know if they need to start looking at rookie quarterbacks or not.

Dallas Cowboys

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Sell... with some hope to buy later

The Dallas Cowboys currently have a one-game lead over the Washington Redskins in the NFC East and a two-game lead over everyone else. 

Unfortunately, there are two big reasons why it's hard to buy into the Cowboys at this point in the season. 

Star receiver Dez Bryant injured his foot in a Week 1 win over the New York Giants and underwent surgery. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, Bryant is likely to miss 10-to-12 weeks.

Starting quarterback Tony Romo will be out until at least late November with a broken collarbone. The Cowboys placed him on short-term injured reserve.

According to Rapoport, the Cowboys have traded for Bills quarterback Matt Cassel in the wake of Romo's injury. This means Dallas will spend the next two months with either Cassel or current backup Brandon Weeden under center.

With a running game that is still trying to find its way, things in Dallas could go south fairly quickly.

However, if the Cowboys can tread water during Romo's absence, there is a chance the Cowboys can come back together to go on a late-season run. There are enough questions around the division that the Cowboys can't possibly feel that their season is doomed.

Denver Broncos

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Buy

There has been so much talk this season about the supposed decline of Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning that some may have missed one very important fact.

The Broncos are 2-0 and in sole possession of first place in the AFC West.

Yes, Manning has looked uncomfortable in Gary Kubiak's offense to this point and doesn't have the same velocity on his passes. We're not here to buy or sell Manning, though. (Were he a used car, it would definitely be time to trade up.)

We're here to talk about the Broncos, who are currently ranked 11th in scoring offense with 25.0 points per game and eighth in scoring defense (18.5 points per game allowed).

If Manning and the rest of the Broncos offense starts to click—watch out. 

Right now, there's no reason to believe Denver won't again be vying for a Super Bowl berth in early 2016.

Detroit Lions

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Sell

It seems that the Detroit Lions have taken a step backwards this season—and the step could be bigger than we expected.

Everyone knew that the Lions defense, which was ranked second overall in 2014, would see a little decline after the departure of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. 

However, Detroit is currently ranked just 30th in total defense with 416.5 yards per game allowed. This is a fall we really didn't expect.

To make matters worse, quarterback Matthew Stafford is dealing with chest and rib injuries after taking repeated hits over the first two weeks of the season. 

According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Stafford believes he will be all right, but his status remains up in the air. 

The Lions are currently winless, and if Stafford really isn't available next week against the Broncos and their fearsome pass rush, they could very easily be 0-3. 

Green Bay Packers

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Buy

If the Green Bay Packers aren't the best team in football right now, they're certainly in the conversation. 

Despite losing star receiver Jordy Nelson for the year with a preseason ACL tear, the Packers are currently ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring with 29.0 points per game. 

The Green Bay defense, though not exactly chock full of playmakers, is currently holding opponents to just 20 points per game—ninth best in the league.

Sunday night's 27-17 victory over the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks was a decisive one. 

Green Bay did lose running back Eddie Lacy and defensive end Josh Boyd in Sunday's game. According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, Boyd has been placed on season-ending injured reserve.

Lacy, however, is hoping to play next Monday against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Losing Lacy for an extended period could be problematic, but the Packers have the talent to persevere. 

Houston Texans

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Sell

We knew going into the season that the Houston Texans were going to spend some time without starting running back Arian Foster because of a groin injury. However, the Texans were supposed to be a team that could win on the strength of its defense.

Well, that Houston defense is giving up an average of 25.5 points per game—ranked 19th in the NFL.

The offense hasn't been much help, either. Head coach Bill O'Brien named Brian Hoyer the starter before the start of the regular season, but benched him for Ryan Mallett halfway through the opening game.

Mallett finished Week 2 with a passer rating of just 57.0

Injuries have added to Houston's problems. Tight end Ryan Griffin was placed on short-term injured reserve after Week 1. According to Deepi Sidhu of HoustonTexans.com, starting left guard Jeff Adams will miss the season with a knee injury.

Because of the state of the AFC South (Tennessee and Jacksonville are tied for first at 1-1), the Texans definitely have a chance to jump into the divisional race. However, this just doesn't look like a team that can be a legitimate contender without improved quarterback play. 

Indianapolis Colts

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Sell

The Indianapolis Colts are 0-2 and reeling due to both poor execution and injuries.

Indianapolis went into Monday's game against the New York Jets without cornerbacks Greg Toler and Darius Butler. During the game, the Colts lost star corner Vontae Davis and tight end Dwayne Allen.

Obviously, this is an issue. However, a bigger issue is just how poorly the Colts have played on both sides of the ball. 

Through two games, the Colts have been outscored 47-21 and quarterback Andrew Luck has turned the ball over six times. 

An offense that was widely expected to be championship-caliber is currently ranked dead last in the NFL.

The Colts should still have an opportunity to win the AFC South when all is said and done, but it's now very hard to buy Indianapolis as a true Super Bowl contender.

Jacksonville Jaguars

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Buy

We're still not predicting a lot of wins for the Jacksonville Jaguars this season, but Sunday's win over a very good Miami Dolphins team was a clear indication of progress.

Second-year quarterback Blake Bortles (102.2 passer rating) looked particularly impressive in the Miami game. His progress will be one of the most important aspects of Jacksonville's season this year.

The Jaguars have been playing without prize free-agent acquisition Julius Thomas and running back Toby Gerhart because of injuries. This makes even the small steps taken by Bortles stand out.

According to the Associated Press (via Fox Sports), backup running back Denard Robinson has a sprained MCL and could miss several weeks. If Gerhart doesn't make a speedy recovery, this could leave the Jaguars very thin at the running back position. 

If Jacksonville can somehow find a way to upset the New England Patriots this week, then we'll really have to buy into what Gus Bradley and Co. are doing down in Florida. 

Kansas City Chiefs

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Buy

We're pretty sure the Kansas City Chiefs have a bad taste in their mouths. Losing on a go-ahead fumble-return touchdown to the rival Broncos will do that.

Still, it's hard not to buy into what we've seen from the Chiefs this season. The team dominated the Texans in Week 1 and would most likely be 2-0 if not for a few mistakes against Denver last Thursday.

Kansas City is currently ranked 10th in scoring offense with an average of 25.5 points per game and 15th in total defense with 347.5 yards per game allowed. The Chiefs have also racked up eight sacks in two games. 

Kansas City is a relatively healthy team and also has safety Eric Berry back in the lineup after a lengthy bout with lymphoma—which is fantastic.

Expect the Chiefs to keep battling with the Broncos and the San Diego Chargers throughout the season for supremacy in the AFC West.

Miami Dolphins

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Sell

The 2015 season was widely expected to be a breakout campaign for Ryan Tannehill and the Miami Dolphins. After a sloppy win against the Washington Redskins and a loss to the Jaguars, however, it's fair to wonder if another 8-8 season is on the horizon.

Despite putting plenty of resources into their offense during the offseason, the Dolphins are averaging just 18.5 points per game. 

We can blame injuries to some extent for Miami's lackluster start. Rookie receiver DeVante Parker is still adjusting to the pro game after missing all of the preseason recovering from foot surgery. Left tackle Branden Albert, running back Lamar Miller, tight end Jordan Cameron and defensive end Cameron Wake all left the Jacksonville game with injuries.

If this were the Miami team of 2013 or 2014, we might accept such injuries as an excuse, but we're talking about the 2015 Dolphins. 

Miami wants to be respected as a legitimate contender in the AFC East. That isn't going to happen if it keeps blowing games against teams like Jacksonville. 

Minnesota Vikings

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Buy

The Minnesota Vikings got blown out by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, but responded with a decisive 26-16 win over the Lions in Week 2.

This is what good teams do, and on Sunday, the Vikings looked like a very, very good football team.

After two weeks of play, Pro Football Focus has the Vikings rated seventh overall offensively and 12th overall defensively. 

After rushing for 134 yards on 29 carries against Detroit, it appears that Adrian Peterson is ready to get back to his usual role as workhorse back. He and second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater should be able to lead a very healthy Vikings team right into the playoff hunt.

New England Patriots

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Buy

The New England Patriots have only had one major injury to date—starting center Bryan Stork was placed on short-term injured reserve with a concussion before the first game of the season—but it might not matter who's injured as long as it isn't Tom Brady or Rob Gronkowski.

The Patriots quarterback appears laser-focused right now as he embarks on his 2015 single-finger-salute tour. He has yet to throw an interception and is currently on pace for a 56-touchdown, 6,032-yard season.

Gronkowski is currently averaging two touchdowns a game.

The New England defense remains a work in progress. In fact, it is currently ranked last overall by Pro Football Focus.

However this offense looks nearly unstoppable, and it's incredibly difficult not to see the Patriots back in the Super Bowl hunt in 2015.

New Orleans Saints

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Sell

The big news surrounding the New Orleans Saints is that starting quarterback Drew Brees is dealing with a rotator cuff injury.

According to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, Brees had the injury confirmed by Dr. James Andrews but still hopes he can play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

This is certainly troubling for New Orleans, but not nearly as troubling as the Saints defense. New Orleans is currently giving up an average of 28.5 points per game. That's 9.5 more points per game than the Saints offense has been producing.

New Orleans has produced just 3.0 sacks and zero interceptions.

New Orleans is currently sitting two games behind both the Falcons and the Panthers. With or without Brees, the Saints are in a very unenviable position. 

New York Giants

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Buy

The New York Giants are sitting at 0-2, but we still feel the need to buy into their chances in the NFC East.

The Giants have blown late fourth-quarter leads in each of the past two weeks. The reality is that the team had absolutely no business losing to the Cowboys in Week 1 and to the Falcons in Week 2. If New York can correct a few mistakes—like clock management issues, for example—this is a team that can begin winning with regularity.

If the Cowboys cannot survive the injuries to Romo and Bryant, then the NFC East will be wide open.

Injuries could play a role in the Giants' fate, however.

According to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, rookie tackle Ereck Flowers, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and wide receiver Victor Cruz are all expected to miss Thursday's game against the Washington Redskins.

If New York loses against Washington, then it will be in an 0-3 hole and two games behind the Redskins and at least that many behind Dallas.

New York Jets

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Buy

How can anyone not buy into what Todd Bowles and the New York Jets are doing?

Through two games, the Jets defense has 10 (10!) takeaways and journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (423 passing yards, 94.3 passer rating) looks like he can be a reliable presence under center.

Both of the 2-0 Jets' wins have been blowouts.

Beating the lowly Browns 31-10 on home might not have been that big of a surprise, but Monday's 20-7 win over the Colts in Indianapolis was probably a bit of a shock to those outside of the Jets locker room.

The Jets seem to have avoided losing cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who suffered a knee sprain against the Browns but returned to play the Colts. However, it seems that wide receiver Eric Decker could be out for awhile.

According to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, Decker has a PCL injury, but isn't in danger of missing the season.

"I don't know; I'm going to have to see how he's doing later in the week," Bowles said of Decker possibly playing this week, per Cimini. "If he's not moving well, obviously he's not going to play. But time will tell."

The Jets are a team with enough talent on both side of the ball to keep plodding along, even if Decker does miss some time. 

Oakland Raiders

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Buy

To be fair, we're buying into the future of the Oakland Raiders more than we're buying into their chances of racking up wins this season.

The Raiders will be competing with the Chargers, Chiefs and Broncos in the AFC West and will also play the AFC North and the NFC North. This is a tough run, and wins—like Sunday's over the Ravens—will probably be hard to come by.

Here's why we're buying in, though. Derek Carr and the rest of the Raiders offense showed a lot of poise in engineering a last-minute, game-winning drive to beat Baltimore. Rookie receiver Amari Cooper (seven catches for 109 yards and a touchdown) gave glimpses of being a future star. 

This is a young group that can eventually be very, very good.

This season is about progress for this young group, and the Raiders are already showing it.

Philadelphia Eagles

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Sell

The Philadelphia Eagles have already had a couple of notable injuries this season. Inside linebackers Mychal Kendricks and Kiko Alonso were both injured against the Cowboys in Week 2. 

According to Rapoport, Alonso's injury is a partially torn ACL.

However, injuries aren't the reason we're not buying the Eagles early in the 2015 season.

We're down on Philadelphia because this is a team that is supposed to thrive on offense and it is having a heck of a time producing any. In fact, the team is ranked just 28th in the NFL, averaging a mere 17.0 points per game.

Prized free-agent acquisition DeMarco Murray has produced just 11 yards on 21 carries.

The Philadelphia defense has been somewhat respectable (23.0 points per game allowed), but if the offense doesn't find a way to turn things around, it's hard to see this team making a postseason run. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

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Buy

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't look particularly good against the Patriots in Week 1, but we have a feeling that few teams are going to go into Foxboro and look good this season.

At home in Week 2, the Steelers dropped 43 points on the San Francisco 49ers and the offense looked like it could be the best in the NFL. Once running back Le'Veon Bell and receiver Martavis Bryant return from suspension, it could be even better.

Considering Pittsburgh is already averaging 32.0 points per game, this is a scary thought.

The Steelers did lose kicker Shaun Suisham to a torn ACL in the preseason, which has already had an impact. Replacement Josh Scobee has already missed two field goals and an extra point this season.

Regardless of its kicking woes, Pittsburgh should still be vying for the AFC North title this season.

San Diego Chargers

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Buy

The San Diego Chargers are just 1-1 on the season, but they have the feeling of a team that is trending upward.

Going all the way east to Cincinnati isn't easy for a West Coast team like San Diego, and the Chargers showed a lot of fight in their five-point loss this past weekend. The team may have shown even more fight in their comeback win over the Lions in Week 1. 

Through two weeks, the Chargers are ranked eighth in scoring offense with an average of 26.0 points per game. Adding the likes of receiver Stevie Johnson and rookie running back Melvin Gordon has given this team the potential to field one of the better offense in the AFC.

San Diego faces a tough schedule this season, playing the AFC North and the NFC North in addition to its own division. However, the Chargers should be one of three teams that can realistically compete for an AFC West title. 

San Francisco 49ers

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Buy

Yes, the San Francisco 49ers just got battered by the Steelers in Week 2. However, it's tough to win as visitors in Heinz Field, and the 49ers are still sitting at 1-1. This is a better start than some might have expected, considering the exodus of players during the offseason.

Running back Carlos Hyde looks like a future star, and new head coach Jim Tomsula seems to have his players buying in. 

"Tomsula is described as genuine, caring and likable," Amy Lawrence of CBS Sports Radio recently wrote. "The guys in the locker room call him a 'player’s coach' who covers all the bases in preparation."

We've also seen a nice sense of consistency from quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has passed for 500 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Though running back Reggie Bush has been out with a calf injury, the offense has been manageable.

It's likely going to take some time to rebuild the 49ers into a true NFC contender, but San Francisco definitely doesn't appear to be the mess that some might have predicted.

Seattle Seahawks

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Sell

The Seattle Seahawks are a relatively healthy team, but they have some major issues that have kept them winless through two weeks.

The first issue is the absence of star safety Kam Chancellor, who is holding out for a new contract. With him out of the picture, the Seahawks are allowing an average of 255.0 passing yards per game—21st in the NFL.

NFL Media's Willie McGinest recently explained why this could be a lingering problem:

"

Kam is more than a phenomenal football player. He brings an attitude, changes the team dynamic and takes his teammates to a different place mentally. He is the defensive player who offensive coordinators game-plan around and quarterbacks always keep one eye on during each play. Every player on the field knows where he's at and what he's capable of.

"

The other problem is that Seattle is a very inconsistent offensive line. According to Pro Football Focus, only the Ravens are worse in pass protection. 

Right now, it's hard to buy the Seahawks repeating as NFC champions. 

St. Louis Rams

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Sell

Beating the Seahawks at home for the second straight season—as the St. Louis Rams did in Week 1—is definitely something we can buy into. 

Turning around and getting embarrassed by the Washington Redskins, however, is unacceptable.

The Rams have talent, and we'd love to see them climb their way into the NFC playoff picture. However, until this team shows some consistency, it's tough to see it as a real contender. After all, St. Louis has gone either 6-10 or 7-9 in each of the past three seasons.

Perhaps things will change once the Rams get rookie running back Todd Gurley onto the field, which doesn't appear far off.

"As far as Todd is concerned, I thought the workout was outstanding (before the game Sunday), so we're going to continue to build his reps this week," head coach Jeff Fisher said, via Joe Lyons of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "He'll be a week-to-week and might be a game-time decision. That's how that'll go."

The Rams have to find a way to be more than a .500 team if they're going to be legitimate contenders in the NFC West. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Sell

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, but the game might have been a bigger indicator of just how bad the Saints are. 

This team just doesn't seem built to sustain momentum throughout the season. According to Pro Football Focus, the Buccaneers have the league's sixth-worst overall defense and are rated dead last in run blocking.

Having a competitive defense and a reliable rushing attack can help a rookie quarterback like Jameis Winston survive. Winston is currently on pace to take 56 sacks and will be without tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins for some time. He was a disaster without receiver Mike Evans in Week 1.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Seferian-Jenkins is expected to miss four-to-six weeks. 

The good news here is that Winston is showing progress and actually looked fairly impressive against the Saints (passer rating of 114.6). If the pieces around him start coming together, then we'll be able to start buying into what the Buccaneers are doing.

Tennessee Titans

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Buy

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota shined in his NFL debut (four touchdowns, perfect 158.3 passer rating). Though he wasn't as impressive against the Browns in Week 2 (his rating was still 96.3), Mariota still appeared poised, confident and ready for the moment.

This is a terrific development for the Titans, as some expected a lengthy adjustment period for Mariota coming out of Oregon's uptempo spread system.

The Titans, at 1-1, are tied for first place in the AFC South and have just one fewer win than they did in all of 2014. Had tight end Delanie Walker (wrist) been available for the Cleveland game, the Titans might even be among the ranks of the unbeaten.

As things stand, the Titans seem to have something they can build upon for the rest of the season and beyond. This is progress, and it should be easy for a team like Tennessee to buy into.

Washington Redskins

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Buy

Are the Washington Redskins going to be a playoff team in 2015? Probably not, but with the NFC East in a state of uncertainty, it can't be totally ruled out.

What's more important is that Washington seems to be a much more stable team with Kirk Cousins under center. Robert Griffin III was lost in the preseason to a concussion, of course, and the team decided to move on with Cousins.

The Redskins are 1-1, and their Week 1 loss was a battle. This appears to be a more competitive team than most expected.

The team has managed to get by without tight ends Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen, who were both placed on injured reserve in the preseason. Star receiver DeSean Jackson was inactive last week against the St. Louis Rams and Washington survived that too.

If Washington can defeat the Giants on Thursday night, the Redskins will have halved their 2014 win total and could be on their way to division contention.