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Hopping on for the ride is advised, in fact. Just ask Tom Brady owners from a year ago. They locked in the record-setting quarterback at a bargain price -- comparatively speaking, of course -- and sat back as he rolled in the points.

So then, with Brady on the shelf, which player might have the best bandwagon to jump on this season? Through two weeks, I definitely like what I'm seeing from these three teams/players/units:

Denver Broncos passing game: In case you missed the bulletin, the Broncos are a passing team now. Through two games, they're on pace for 600 pass attempts, which would be their most in 14 seasons. Jay Cutler is on pace for 592 of those, and if you don't think that's a lot, well, consider that the great John Elway only once in his career exceeded that number, with 605 passes in 1985, and in no other season got within 41 passes of that mark. Even without Brandon Marshall around in Week 1, Eddie Royal stepped up with one of the most impressive games I've seen from a rookie in some time. Then Marshall returned and put up monstrous numbers against a supposed-to-be-elite pass defense in Week 2 -- and Royal remained productive. And I haven't even mentioned Tony Scheffler, whose pass-catching skills are about as underappreciated as any tight end's in football. To say this team can keep up its torrid passing pace the entire year might be asking a lot … but I sure think it'll stick close.

Philadelphia Eagles offense: Who needs wide receivers? I don't mean to knock DeSean Jackson -- a supremely talented rookie if he can simply quit the showboating -- but flash back to the preseason when Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown were the projected starters, and so far, neither one of them has done a thing. No matter -- even without those two, Donovan McNabb has had no problem getting things done, making good use of his fill-ins, turning Jackson into a fantasy force and even making the brittle L.J. Smith relevant once again. And then there's Brian Westbrook. Could there be a better all-around running back in football? He's a phenomenal runner, a goal-line stud, and he catches passes more effectively than anyone else at his position. Don't expect any slumps from this team anytime soon.

Calvin Johnson: After watching him play in the preseason, it was pretty clear to me he was top-10-capable for fantasy as soon as this season. Two weeks into 2008, I now have no doubt he's going to finish there. He has back-to-back 100-yard receiving efforts, leads all receivers with five catches of 20-plus yards and made the aging Green Bay corners look silly all Week 2. What's more, he's still relatively cheap in the Gridiron Challenge, at 5.8. Get him now because there's little doubt he'll be a mid-to-high-6 guy about a month from now.

Drew Brees, QB, Saints (6.7 price tag): Not that you need me to tell you Brees is a good quarterback, but if you're worried about his two-interception Week 2, you shouldn't be. Let's chalk it up to an "adjustment week" as he adapts to life without Marques Colston. Besides, with the exception of that game-killing interception in the fourth quarter, Brees seemed to get it together in the second half, completing 12 of 17 pass attempts to seven different receivers, totaling 113 yards and a score. Now the schedule lightens up for him, with the Broncos, 49ers and Vikings up the next three weeks. If Brees and that pass-happy offense can't succeed facing those matchups, I'd be shocked.

Isaac Bruce, WR, 49ers (5.2): What is this, 1999? It sure might look like it the next two weeks, as Bruce (and, more importantly, Mike Martz's offense) take on the Lions and Saints. Those are two shoddy defenses, and Bruce still has the skills to capitalize upon favorable matchups, as evidenced by his 153-yard outburst in Week 2. He's a cheap short-term buy-in if you're spending big elsewhere.

Reggie Bush, RB, Saints (6.0): If I like Brees for the next month or so, it stands to reason I like Bush, too. With 18 targets and 15 receptions through two games, Bush is effectively looking like a borderline No. 1/2 fantasy receiver, and anything he provides you on the ground is gravy. Look at the schedule: Three of the Saints' next three games -- at Denver in Week 3, versus the 49ers in Week 4 and versus the Raiders in Week 6 -- are actually pretty run-friendly. A home game against the Vikings in Week 5 might seem scary, but again, you pick Bush for his receiving exploits, and on that date I see him getting a lot of work in that regard. The rest, again, is gravy.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Bills (6.3): I know there's a bit of a buzz surrounding Fred Jackson, a stronger third-down option than Lynch, but why can't the Bills have two productive backs? Even with Jackson thieving some of his work, Lynch has scored a touchdown in back-to-back weeks, and he did it against defenses that aren't as weak defending the run as those of his next three opponents, the Raiders, Rams and Cardinals. Lynch remains the Bills' preferred goal-line option, and he's still getting almost 20 carries per game. That's plenty with which to do some serious damage the next few weeks.

Steve Smith, WR, Panthers (5.2): He's back, and he's cheap! Seriously, Smith, right now, finds himself priced within range of such fantasy stalwarts as Bruce, Lee Evans and Anthony Gonzalez. Not to knock those guys -- I just wrote that I like Bruce -- but this is Steve Smith we're talking about, folks, a 1,000-yard receiver three years running and one with 27 total touchdowns during that span. Kind as he is, he skipped the team's two tough matchups to begin the season but made sure he'd be back in time for three straight favorable ones: At Minnesota then versus Falcons and Chiefs.

Tennessee Titans defense (5.5): Perhaps the most telling story about how good this defense has been thus far is that Albert Haynesworth has been playing at noticeably less than 100 percent, yet through two games has amassed two sacks and a forced fumble. And he's not the only one getting in on the act; Tony Brown and Kyle Vanden Bosch each have two sacks, while Cortland Finnegan has an interception in each game (three total). Tennessee managed to expose weaknesses in what were supposed to be two very good offenses to begin their season: the Jaguars and Bengals; now they get three of the game's weaker offenses: the Texans, Vikings and Ravens. This isn't a "hot streak," folks; this is a legitimately talented fantasy defense.

John Carlson, TE, Seahawks (STL, 4.2 price tag): Who else is Matt Hasselbeck going to throw to? I know this one's a shot in the dark, but if I'm going the cheap route to load up on the studs elsewhere, tight end is one position at which I'll do it. Carlson was targeted a team-high eight times in Week 2, and let's face it, Seattle's Week 3 starters might be Courtney Taylor and Koren Robinson. Yuck!

Julius Jones, RB, Seahawks (STL, 5.6): He's actually the Seahawk I'd want if I had to pick one, and I wouldn't be afraid to in Week 3 considering they'll be facing the Rams, a team that has allowed 79 points through two games. Jones looked pretty good in a starting role in Week 2, but this is the matchup you really want him for.

New England Patriots defense (MIA, 5.4): When the Patriots last hosted the Dolphins, in Week 16 of last season, they limited Miami to seven points and 241 total yards while amassing seven sacks. For the Pats, it was merely another game, another dominating defensive effort at home. They're generally a pretty stingy defense in Foxborough, and it's not like this year's Dolphins are that much better this season than last.

J.T. O'Sullivan, QB, 49ers (DET, 5.4): It's a one-week rental, sure, but there's always the chance O'Sullivan might also fit your fancy as a low-end No. 2 quarterback in Week 4 at New Orleans if he excels in this cakewalk matchup. He bounced back awfully nicely last week after a miserable performance in the season opener -- and let's not mince words, Detroit's defense is awful, allowing a league-high 82 points. Mike Martz will surely have his quarterback ready to tear apart his former team.

Wes Welker, WR, Patriots (MIA, 5.5): Speaking of guys facing their former mates, how about Welker against the Dolphins, whom he beat up for 14 catches, 187 yards and two scores in two meetings in 2007? Sure, the loss of Tom Brady has Welker owners worried, but Week 2 offered plenty of encouragement, as Welker tallied seven catches on a team-high 11 targets. Yup, there's chemistry between him and Matt Cassel after all.

Total points: 166.
Percentage: 33.6. Overall rank: 111,682nd.
Ranking in Fantasy Editorial Group: 1,147th.

Tristan H. Cockcroft is a fantasy baseball, football and hockey analyst for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.