FALLING
1. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver: Six games and counting without a touchdown reception for the splashy offseason acquisition. His frustrations are starting to boil over. Marshall caught one pass in the first half of Sunday's victory over the Titans. After his first catch in the second half he heaved the ball into the stands from Titans' 11-yard line, earning a 5-yard penalty for delay of game. He finished with three receptions for 34 yards.
2. LaDainian Tomlinson, Jets running back: He's still performing well -- and much better than the skeptics figured -- but production has tailed from his torrid start through the first five or six weeks. Tomlinson hasn't scored a touchdown in three games and hasn't rushed for more than 57 yards or averaged more than 3.7 yards a carry in four games. For the first time all year, Shonn Greene outgained Tomlinson on the ground Sunday.
3. Shawne Merriman, Bills outside linebacker: The Bills' waiver gamble isn't paying off. Merriman missed his first game with the Bills because he didn't have enough time to prepare for their Week 9 matchup against the Bears in Toronto. A week ago, minutes into his first Bills practice, he injured himself and couldn't play in Sunday's victory over the Lions. Bills coach Chan Gailey has all but ruled out Merriman for Sunday's game at Cincinnati, leaving the former star a maximum of six 2010 games.
RISING
1. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end: In his previous five games, he had nine catches for 90 yards and one touchdown, taking a backseat to fellow rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez. On Sunday night, Gronk grabbed five Tom Brady passes for 72 yards and three touchdowns in a romp over the Steelers. His six touchdowns this year already have set the franchise record for rookie tight ends. Only six rookie tight ends have scored three in a game since 1960.
2. Anthony Fasano, Dolphins tight end: We learned this week the Dolphins signed Fasano to a two-year contract extension. That's appropriate given his big game Sunday. He made five catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. The most receiving yards he had prior was 84 in the 2008 season opener. His TD was thrown by Tyler Thigpen, the Dolphins' new starting quarterback.
3. Mark Sanchez, Jets quarterback: He seems to be making it up on the fly, but the kid is repeatedly winning games in ways you expect from great quarterbacks. Each of the Jets' past three victories was won dramatically at the wire. In Sunday's overtime thriller in Cleveland, he came back from a leg injury at the end of the third quarter to complete 14 of 21 attempts for 170 yards and a touchdown.