We love fantasy football, in part, because we can sit in our comfortable air conditioning and experience some sort of team-building glory.

That does not mean that we always are spared a punch to the gut — a figurative blow that often comes at the expense of a real player's actual pain. Anybody who has ever opened their e-mail or the newspaper to learn about a star player's season-ending injury knows this pain. Yet losing the heart of your team does not have to be that bad or as harmful to your season as the stud who went down.

'Tis the season for the handcuff. Knowing when (and whom) to pick as a backup to your star can be a season saver. If Priest Holmes was your top pick in 2005, hopefully you knew enough to grab Larry Johnson. After Holmes went down with a neck injury, you would have had 143.8 rushing yards a game, eight consecutive 100-yard efforts and 14 TDs from Johnson. Or last year, if you took Ladell Betts behind Clinton Portis, you would have wound up with the NFL's No. 13 rusher, even though Betts was the man for only eight games.

Of course, you must tread a fine line between players who have a chance to hit it big and guys who are simply backups. If Steven Jackson were injured, there might be a stampede to add Travis Minor. What's that worth, really? Some of the following hot spots, however, might create stars.

• Michael Turner, San Diego Chargers. He clearly is the cream of this crop, as evidenced by his career mark of 6.0 yards a carry and the interest he generated from other teams this offseason. Turner has increased his carries and yards over each of his three seasons, but starter LaDainian Tomlinson has missed one game in his six-year career. Because of Turner's success in limited time and the potential of being the starter in the high-powered offense, he should be one of the first backups taken. If you land Tomlinson, you will start thinking about insuring yourself with Turner as early as the seventh or eighth round.

•Ladell Betts, Washington Redskins. One of the few non-starters who might go before Turner is Betts, who could see regular time given how well he played last year. And with Portis already missing time because of knee tendinitis, Betts' playing time could come soon. He could go as early as the sixth or seventh round.
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•Priest Holmes, Kolby Smith, Michael Bennett, Kansas City Chiefs. Great spy thrillers don't have as much intrigue as this spot. Holmes is coming back after missing nearly two years, starter Larry Johnson is holding out and the Chiefs say they like what they see from rookie Smith. Bennett's talent has always been tantalizing but his injuries myriad. The Chiefs also are trying to hold on to the remnants of their line and are unsettled at quarterback. What to do? Try waiting. It is difficult to see Holmes or Smith in meaningful roles, just as it is tough to imagine the Chiefs not paying Johnson. Regardless, Johnson is so valuable and the Chiefs lean on him so heavily that you need to get Johnson's backup, whoever it is.

•Adrian Peterson, Chicago Bears. You'll have to call him the "other" Adrian Peterson when you draft him, but you will wind up with a solid, unheralded runner who will back up enigmatic Cedric Benson. You'd be crazy to think Benson is a lock to have a big season despite a few shining moments last year. The Bears dealt Thomas Jones and drafted Garrett Wolfe, but Wolfe missed training camp time with a hamstring injury and probably will be behind Peterson. Save yourself sleepless nights and nab Peterson late if Benson is your starter.

•Maurice Morris, Seattle Seahawks. After doing little in his first four seasons, Morris responded reasonably well during Shaun Alexander's absence in 2006. Alexander is nearing 30 and trying to rebound from foot problems, so Morris could be called on again. His biggest problem? He couldn't find the end zone.

•Leon Washington, New York Jets. The Jets brought in Thomas Jones to be their featured runner, so do not think Washington will get much of a chance to build on a strong rookie season. Jones also has missed only three games over the last four years, though Washington showed he could handle a lot of work by rushing for 100 yards in each of his two games with at least 20 carries last year.

•Reuben Droughns, New York Giants. Don't be surprised if he is not really a backup, but he gets on this list because starter Brandon Jacobs is unproven in a feature role. Droughns has some value as a move-the-chains guy, though he will not break many big plays and won't sniff the end zone as long as Jacobs can walk.

•Dominic Rhodes, Oakland Raiders. If he were not suspended for the first four games, Rhodes already would be pushing starter LaMont Jordan, who has had two disappointing and injury-prone seasons. Rhodes ought to see substantial time, though the suspension throws his value for a loop. He deserves to go before other true backups but after other guys in split-time situations. But Oakland is such a mess that you could draft all its backs and not wind up with a single valuable one. If you're stuck with Jordan, you might as well go after Rhodes.

•Ron Dayne, Houston Texans. This is one of those picks you mutter under your breath, because you're bound to get snickers when you say his name. But remember that Dayne was a good player over a four-game stretch in December when he scored five times and averaged 107.3 rushing yards. And starter Ahman Green is not getting any younger or more durable. Dayne's reputation is still so bad you ought to be able to grab him late.

•Lorenzo Booker, Miami Dolphins. They plan to use Booker much like the Jets did with Leon Washington last year and hope Booker can be an explosive, change-of-pace runner. They also plan to give starter Ronnie Brown considerably more than the 16 carries he averaged in his first two seasons, which would put Brown at greater risk of injury. Booker is a bit of a hot sleeper, and you might have to jump on him sooner than you really should, perhaps around the 10th or 11th round.

•Kenny Irons, Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals brought in another Auburn back to take a spot behind former Tiger Rudi Johnson, who has been rock solid with an average of 346.3 carries and 12 rushing TDs in each of the last three seasons. But Johnson's average-per-carry dropped to 3.8 yards last season, and his hard-charging style means he could have a relatively short shelf life. Kenny Irons replaces always-injured Chris Perry and has to prove he can stay healthy himself after a poor 2006 in college. Kenny Irons has a little more sizzle than Johnson but will not have any substantive value as long as Johnson is rolling.

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