PHILADELPHIA — No player ever did more to boost waiver-wire fury than Kurt Warner in 1999. When Rams starter Trent Green went down in the preseason, the unknown Warner stepped in and threw for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdown passes.

Now, every time a guy gets hurt and his backup produces, there is an understandable sprint to grab that player.

Two quarterbacks have created this week's talk around the transaction window: Jacksonville's David Garrard and St. Louis' Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Garrard, 27, has backed up Byron Leftwich for three years and knows the Jaguars' offense. Though he doesn't have Leftwich's arm, he's a nifty scrambler who can make something happen when the play breaks down, as evidenced by Sunday's 16-yard touchdown run.

Jacksonville has a favorable schedule, including Sunday's trip to Cleveland and a visit to Houston on Christmas Eve. The Jags also host Indianapolis, San Francisco and Tennessee.

The situation for Fitzpatrick, a Harvard grad, is a little more tenuous. Even though he threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns Sunday, interim coach Joe Vitt hasn't handed him the job over Jamie Martin, whom Fitzpatrick replaced. Perhaps Vitt recognized that his rookie quarterback's exploits were against lowly Houston and that Sunday's opponent, Washington, presents a much stiffer challenge.

Still, it's easy to understand the interest in Fitzpatrick, because the Rams have four of their final five games indoors and because of what Kurt Warner did in St. Louis six years ago.

<B>Dolphins defense:</B> Even with Zach Thomas injured, Miami could be a shrewd pickup, considering two of its next three are against the offensively challenged Bills and Jets.<B>Jaguars wide receiver Jimmy Smith:</B> Backup quarterbacks generally lock on to the team's most experienced wide receiver. Notice Smith tied a season high with seven catches on Sunday with Garrard at the helm.<B>Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner:</B> With games Sunday at San Francisco and Dec. 18 at Houston, Warner's an option for those whose quarterback is hurt or just plain stinks. Such as ...

<B>Raiders quarterback Kerry Collins:</B> If you bought into the preseason hype (like me) that Collins would have a big year because Oakland added Randy Moss and Lamont Jordan, you're sweating. You wouldn't be wrong for benching him, but I'm sticking with him, even though he could get yanked faster than you can say Marques Tuiasosopo.<B>Broncos running back Ron Dayne:</B> With the return of Tatum Bell and 32-year-old Mike Anderson rested after two games in five days, Dayne isn't worth a start even in larger leagues. Would recommend DeShaun Foster or Jerome Bettis instead.<B>Packers wide receiver Donald Driver:</B> Brett Favre's top option will see the Bears' top-ranked pass defense twice in December.

<B>Dallas at New York Giants:</B> Rain/snow showers, 13-mph winds.<B>Green Bay at Chicago:</B> Dry, temperature in the high 20s, 11-mph winds.<B>Houston at Baltimore:</B> Rain showers.<B>Cincinnati at Pittsburgh:</B> Dry, mid-30s, 11-mph winds.<B>Atlanta at Carolina:</B> Rain showers.<B>Jacksonville at Cleveland:</B> Windy, low 30s.<B>Denver at Kansas City:</B> Upper 30s, 11-mph winds.<B>N.Y. Jets at New England:</B> Rainy, mid-30s, 14-mph winds.<B>Seattle at Eagles:</B> Snow showers, 30 degrees.