Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak might be displeased with Steve Slaton, but rest assured, fantasy owners must be more displeased with Kubiak right now.

Facing a cakewalk matchup versus the Buffalo Bills, who entering the week had allowed the most fantasy points per game (26.7), third-most receptions (38) and seventh-most receiving yards (303) to opposing running backs, Slaton received an early hook from Kubiak after fumbling a little under 10 minutes into Week 8. It was the seventh time this season that Slaton had fumbled and the fifth time he lost a fumble; it was also the third consecutive week in which he lost a fumble. Slaton didn't touch the football the rest of the day, replaced by Ryan Moats.

And what a relief performance Moats provided, running 23 times for 126 yards and three touchdowns, adding two receptions for 25 yards to boot. He set a Texans franchise record for touchdowns in a game, was stuffed only one time all day and was a goal-line beast, taking three of the team's four carries within 5 yards of the Bills' end zone (Matt Schaub scrambled for 1 yard on the other) and punching two of them home for scores. So much for Chris Brown as the goal-line back!

Now the question becomes: Where does Moats fit in this offense? No doubt his performance has earned him a larger share of the proverbial rushing pie, and in fantasy leagues, he's a must-add. We'll keep an ear out for Kubiak's announcement on his Week 9 starter in the early stages of the week, but it's hard to imagine Slaton's fumbling problems completely ruling him out of the starter's equation. He's the future of this franchise, at age 23, whereas Moats has been more journeyman than franchise-caliber back (he's 26 and with his third NFL team).

Still, Moats' emergence puts a taint on Slaton's fantasy value in the upcoming weeks. Slaton had exactly 18 fantasy points in three of his previous four games and faces favorable matchups versus the Indianapolis Colts in Weeks 9 and 12. With him potentially in Kubiak's doghouse, though, Slaton sure is shaping up as a shaky start even in those weeks. He'll have to earn his coach's trust back in order to regain ours.

Pure speculation on my part: Don't be shocked if Slaton is back as the "between-the-20s" back, as well as the one on passing downs, in Week 9 while Moats gets the goal-line touches. Ugh, just what we'd need, another touchdown vulture!

Tristan's MVP

Well, it can't be Moats, who was owned in 0.2 percent and started in 0.1 percent of ESPN leagues entering the week, obviously. So I'll stay in his division and instead pick Chris Johnson, who set a Tennessee Titans franchise record with 228 rushing yards, not to mention two touchdowns and a 35-point fantasy day. Not that Vince Young's passing numbers were anything that special (15-of-18 passing for 125 yards and a touchdown), but his installation as starting quarterback did seem to keep the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense honest, allowing Johnson to rebound from what was a sluggish Weeks 4-6 (by his standards). He's now averaging 6.9 yards per carry despite playing for a team whose quarterbacks have averaged 5.4 passing yards per attempt. Even better: Johnson now battles the San Francisco 49ers, Bills and Texans, teams that ranked among the top 11 in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs entering Week 8, the next three weeks.

Four up

• Ray Rice: Though his touchdown came in garbage time, there was a lot to like about Rice's performance on Sunday. He ran 23 times for 84 yards and a score, shaping up as an every-down back while backups Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain had two and three carries, respectively. And while it was difficult to get an accurate read on McGahee's prospects of future goal-line work, as the Baltimore Ravens only three times ran plays within 10 yards of their opponent's end zone and only once did so within 5 yards, it seemed pretty clear watching that Rice is going to get an extended look as "the guy." He's quick, elusive and can catch passes, things that certainly paint the picture of an every-down option.

• Jeremy Maclin: I've got a ton of respect for DeSean Jackson as an explosive, big-play receiver, but Maclin's performance since entering the starting lineup cannot be ignored. In four games since the bye, he has 16 receptions for 248 yards and three touchdowns, for 15.5 yards per catch. To put that into perspective, Jackson's career average (thus far) is 16.4. Maclin has great hands and speed, and while he plays clear second fiddle to Jackson (and arguably to tight end Brent Celek, too), this is still a potent enough passing attack to keep him a No. 3/4 consideration facing most matchups.

• Braylon Edwards: I'll go out on a limb and say Jerricho Cotchery's return from a hamstring injury can only pay huge dividends for Edwards looking forward. Remember my comment from initially after his trade from the Cleveland Browns that Edwards might need a week or two to get to full speed in this offense? Well, boy was I wrong, but he now has four weeks' experience as a member of the New York Jets, and in those games he has 13 receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns during a span in which quarterback Mark Sanchez has looked mostly awful. Plus, the Jets now hit their bye week, so any buzz surrounding the guy might be quelled by no news surrounding him for the next 13 days, not to mention talk of Cotchery's healthy return. I'd see if I could still scoop him up on the cheap.

• Steven Jackson: This performance bordered on the obvious, as it's not tough for any running back of Jackson's caliber to tally 21 fantasy points versus the Detroit Lions' defense. Still, I stand behind my previous comments from the chats, that Jackson is a fantasy player whose better performances are in his future. He's now averaging 4.8 yards per carry, challenging his career high of 5.0 from 2004, and is on pace for a healthy 48 receptions. The only knock on Jackson is that he's the victim of bad luck from playing on a bad team, having totaled only four touches in seven games all season from within 10 yards of his opponents' goal line. Last year he had 15 in 12 games, and that wasn't a great Rams team, either.

Four down

• New York Giants defense: Injuries are finally catching up with this unit, which through five games looked like it had the magic touch, and in the past three has begun instilling Titans-like fears in its fantasy owners. Injuries to Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross have adversely affected its performance, but questionable play calling has been another detractor in the Giants' three-game slump. Here's the other problem: The Giants face the San Diego Chargers, who have a capable pass attack, in Week 9, then battle the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, three other potent pass offenses, coming out of the bye. This might be a...