Each week I will write about one or more players unfamiliar to many fantasy owners. I will not always recommend them as immediate waiver-wire pickups, but I do recommend knowing who they are and following their weekly progress.

This week's column will focus on two players at the same position on the same team: Jabar Gaffney and Derick Armstrong of the Houston Texans.

When this season started, Corey Bradford lined up opposite Andre Johnson as the Texan's second starting wide receiver. Bradford suffered a shoulder injury in week 3, however, that gave Jabar Gaffney and Derick Armstrong a chance to earn more playing time, and each young receiver has responded well. Bradford is now nursing a sore groin and could be held out of action for one or more games as a result. Gaffney and Armstrong are both talented possession receivers who complement Andre Johnson's big-play ability quite well. It is quite possible - I'd say probable - that Gaffney and Armstrong will move ahead of Bradford on the depth chart permanently, giving them fantasy value in the second half of the season as David Carr and the Texans' offense continue to mature.

Jabar Gaffney, WR, Texans

Gaffney is in his third year in the league, and is playing fairly well this season after suffering a bit of a sophomore slump last year. He is a possession receiver with good size and decent speed. He is not a deep threat like Andre Johnson is, but he can get open on short and intermediate routes and uses his body to shield defenders from the ball. He has the athleticism to make the spectacular catch, but also dropped his share of easy balls in his first two years in the league. He was originally selected with the first pick in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and appears to be growing into his potential.

Over the last four weeks, Gaffney has averaged just over five targets a game, hauling in 12 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns. In the Texans' most recent game against the Titans, Gaffney was the team's leading receiver with 5 catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Derick Armstrong, WR, Texans

Derick Armstrong has played an important role in clutch situations for the Texans in a couple of games already this season. In week three against the Chiefs, he caught a 35-yard pass with a minute left in the game to set up Kris Brown's game-winning field goal. And in week five against the Vikings, when the Texans were 14 points down with just over three minutes to go in the game, Armstrong came through with over 100 fourth-quarter yards and a touchdown that helped send the game into overtime.

Like Gaffney, Armstrong is better respected for his size, hands, and overall athletic ability than for his speed. He has good leaping ability can be an effective target in the red zone. He was quite raw when he came into the NFL a year ago, having spent two years in the CFL after playing his college ball at Tyler (TX) Junior College and Arkansas-Monticello. His work ethic and sure hands immediately impressed his teammates, but he needed a lot of work on his route-running skills. His hard work has begun to pay off, as Armstrong is the Texans' second-leading receiver this year (by yardage) and has become a clutch third-down target for David Carr.

Which One?

I believe that Gaffney and Armstrong have a good chance to remain the #2 and #3 wide receivers for the Texans, ahead of Corey Bradford. But who will be #2 and who will be #3?

I like Gaffney better, although there are some pretty sharp people out there who would take Armstrong instead. Both receivers have good height, leaping ability, hands, and overall athleticism. Gaffney has slightly better speed, and is physically stronger. I believe Gaffney is coming into his own this year while Armstrong - although he has made terrific progress - may still need a year of seasoning before he is a consistent producer.

Both receivers merit watching closely: either one could break out down the stretch. But my strategy, if I need a WR, would be to pick up Gaffney now, and to keep an eye on Armstrong as a potential future acquisition if he ends up getting more targets than Gaffney on a consistent basis.