By Vidur Malik

There have been plenty of significant moves around the league so far this week, which look to catapult some players to great performances in week three. Some teams have made quarterback changes to spark their offenses. These new starting quarterbacks have the potential to justify their promotions this week. Other players have the spotlight because their teammates have suffered injuries, or are not around for other reasons (Vincent Jackson). Here are some guys who should have big games in week three.

Quarterbacks

Brett Favre – It’s obviously been a tough start to the year for Favre. He has only has one touchdown pass this year and four interceptions, after throwing only seven all of last year. Favre has a chance to have his first solid performance of the year against the Detroit Lions. He’s missing wide receiver Sidney Rice, and wide receiver Percy Harvin has been injured and suffering migraines, and has a clearly weakened passing game. Sooner or later, he’ll have to work with what he has, and on a weekend when he’ll be going up against a team that gives up 305 passing yards a game, he has a chance to do that.

Bruce Gradkowski – The benching of quarterback Jason Campbell has been one of the major quarterback headlines this week, behind the Eagles’ decision to start Michael Vick. Campbell wasn’t able to energize the Raiders’ offense, and Oakland is hoping Gradkowski can get it done against the Arizona Cardinals. He’s got no shortage of weapons to give the ball to. Wide receiver Louis Murphy had 91 receiving yards and a touchdown against St. Louis in week two, and running back Darren McFadden also had a big day against the Rams. Gradkowski has shown in the past that he is a dependable backup who can play well if he is inserted into the starting role, and he should be able to do it again this week.

Alex Smith – After struggling against the Seattle Seahawks in week one, Smith had a great day against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football. He threw one touchdown and two interceptions, which may not seem like a very good stat line, but many of the 49ers’ turnovers against the Saints weren’t his fault, and Smith was able to make accurate down-the-field throws and use his scrambling ability to pick up first downs. He led the 49ers down the field late in the game to a score and a two-point conversion, and almost led his team to a win against the defending champs. After the way he played against the Saints, Smith should have no problem playing well against the Chiefs in week three.

Running backs

Pierre Thomas – Though they’re still a dangerous offensive team, the New Orleans Saints haven’t put up great numbers so far. This is especially apparent in their rushing stats. They rank 31st in the NFL with only 64.5 rushing yards. This is the weekend where Pierre Thomas can change that. With running back Reggie Bush out with a broken leg, Thomas will play a bigger role in the running game against the Falcons. Thomas is a more powerful runner than Bush, but still has the speed to elude defenders. He is only averaging 3.2 yards per carry, but he can get you points through the passing game as well. He leads the Saints in receptions with 11. Running back Ladell Betts, who was signed by the Saints after Bush, may get some carries, but Thomas has been the main weapon in the Saints offense and should be an even bigger threat this weekend.

Donald Brown – There’s no doubt that the Colts’ offense starts and stops with Peyton Manning, but a good ground game is essential for a balanced and unpredictable attack. Running back Joseph Addai missed Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury. His status for Sunday’s game against the Broncos is unknown, and Brown should build off his performance against the Giants in week two. After not receiving a single carry in the season-opener, Brown had 16 rushes for 69 yards and a touchdown against New York. Addai led the way with 20 rushes, but with him injured, Brown could be the feature back against Denver. The Broncos’ rush defense is 22nd in the league, and although Manning has been lighting up defenses this season, a big day from Brown could be in the books.

Ahmad Bradshaw – Bradshaw has been playing well while teammate Brandon Jacobs has struggled so far. Now that Jacobs has shown that he has trouble keeping his helmet in the field of play, Bradshaw should have a big day. He’s averaging 4.5 yards per carry, and has managed to be a big part of an offense that has been doing most of its damage through the air. The Titans have only given up 85 passing yards a game this year, and lead the league in that category. That means Bradshaw should lead New York’s offense this weekend.

Wide Receivers

Jacoby Jones – Matt Schaub showed last week how dangerous the Houston Texans’ offense can be in their win over the Washington Redskins. Schaub threw for 497 yards in that game, and after taking a backseat to wide receivers Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter after two games, Jones should receive more reps against the Dallas Cowboys this weekend. Jones has eight receptions so far, while Walter and Johnson have 13 and 15 respectively, but Schaub is the type of quarterback who can get the ball to all his weapons. Look for Jones to get a bigger chunk of the prolific numbers the Texans’ offense can put up after other Texans wide receivers have led the team so far.

Jeremy Maclin – Whether it’s Kolb or Vick, the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles this season will have several players to distribute the ball to, and Maclin should be a major contributor this week. Maclin only has 64 receiving yards this season, but leads the team with two touchdowns. After the performances of some his teammates last week, Maclin should get opportunities to have a big day. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson has shown the playmaking ability and speed that have made him the one of the most dangerous receivers in the game, and running back LaSean McCoy had a breakout game in week two.  Maclin should be able to step up this week and assert himself as a bigger weapon in the Eagles’ offense.

Malcolm Floyd – Even though the Vincent Jackson drama is still hovering over the San Diego Chargers, the wide receivers who are playing have filled in well for the All-Pro holdout. Malcolm Floyd has become the leader of the pack. He leads the Chargers with 143 receiving yards, and along with Legedu Naanee and Buster Davis, has provided a consistent target for quarterback Philip Rivers. Floyd is averaging 23.8 yards per catch, which is a promising statistic for fantasy owners.