NFL Preview Week 4: Eli Manning and 5 Star Players Who Could Use a Great Game

With the NFL heading into Week 4, there are some perennial stars—like Eli Manning—who could use a big game for a variety of reasons.

The first three weeks of the 2010-11 NFL season have been chock full of surprises, with at least one surprise team contending in almost all of the league's eight divisions.

While the unlikely names of Texans running back Arian Foster and Colts wide receiver Austin Collie top the NFL in rushing and receiving yards respectively, there seems to be another group of unlikely players struggling to start the 2010 season.

Here is a look at five underachievers in need of a stellar performance this week.

1. Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 26: Running back Maurice Jones-Drew #32 of the Jacksonville Jaguars sits on the sidelines watching his team take on the Philadelphia Eagles at EverBank Field on September 26, 2010 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Eagles defeated

The Jacksonville Jaguars are lacking many things this season, among them a sold-out EverBank Field and a competent passing game.

However, the most glaring omission is the explosive play of running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who has just 217 rushing yards on 57 carries this season without a touchdown.

Jones-Drew, who had one 100-yard rushing game at this point last season, tallied a season-high 98 yards in Week 1 against Denver.

The UCLA product will likely break his slump this week at home against the Colts, as he has 778 yards and seven touchdowns rushing against Indianapolis.

2. Bengals QB Carson Palmer

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 26: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals falls to the ground after a hard hit against the Carolina Panthers during their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Street

With the receiving tandem of Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens in Cincinnati's starting lineup, it wasn't unfair to predict that Bengals' quarterback Carson Palmer's numbers would increase from last season.

While there are still 13 games to go, it seems as if that will not be the case. Through three games, Palmer ranks 22nd in the NFL with a 71.3 quarterback rating. He threw for 345 of his 707 passing yards in Week 1 against the Patriots, and has a one-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio (three touchdowns, three interceptions).

Relief may be ahead this week for Palmer against the Browns. In 10 games against Cleveland, the Southern California product has thrown for 2,255 yards and 23 touchdowns.

3. Ravens QB Joe Flacco

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CINCINNATI - SEPTEMBER 19: Michael Johnson #93 and Geno Atkins #97 of the Cincinatti Bengals sack quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Palmer is not the only premier AFC North quarterback to struggle out of the gates this season. With a 66.2 quarterback rating, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is the 26th-best signal-caller in the NFL.

Granted, he's faced the Jets and the Bengals in two of the first three weeks of the 2010 season, providing a pair of tough defenses for the Delaware product to confront.

Flacco has four touchdowns and five interceptions this season, and will attempt to improve the "touchdown" portion against the Steelers' defense Sunday, third-best in the NFL.

4. 49ers RB Frank Gore

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KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 26: Eric Berry #29 and Jovan Belcher #59 of the Kansas City Chiefs make a tackle against Frank Gore #21 of the San Francisco 49ers at Arrowhead Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs won 31-10. (Phot

Much like his stellar play has done over the past few seasons, 49ers running back Frank Gore's performance has flown under the radar again this year.

However, fantasy owners may be enraged rather than excited this season. Gore has just 193 yards and one touchdown this season, well below his usual numbers.

Gore and the Niners play the Falcons at the Georgia Dome on Sunday.

5. Giants QB Eli Manning

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 26: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants watches during the last minutes of the Giants game against the Tennessee Titans at New Meadowlands Stadium on September 26, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Titans beat th

In one of the biggest surprises of this season, the New York Giants have struggled to a 1-2 start, failing to look competitive in losses to Indianapolis and Tennessee in the past two weeks.

Quarterback Eli Manning has five touchdowns and six interceptions in the first three games, despite a 348-yard effort against the Titans last week.

While those numbers may not be especially troubling yet, they may look even worse after Sunday night's game against the Bears. In two games against the Monsters of the Midway, Manning has a 44.2 quarterback rating with one touchdown and four interceptions.

Is there anyone you would add or remove to this list? Reply in the comments section below.

Ryan Papaserge is a junior Journalism/Mass Communication major at St. Bonaventure University and a writing intern at Bleacher Report.