Arizona Cardinals running back Tim Hightower would have just been a third wheel this season in the desert. So he has been shipped to a place where he might actually start from week one. Hightower was traded to the Washington Redskins on Sunday in exchange for defensive end Vonnie Holliday and a conditional late-round draft pick. Hightower ran for 736 yards on 153 carries last season. In the past two years, he has averaged about 4.5 yards per carry and has scored 13 touchdowns combined.

Fantasy Analysis:

But with Beanie Wells and rookie Ryan Williams in the fold, the Cardinals viewed Hightower as expendable. Hightower has largely been considered as a third-down back because of his receiving prowess -- he caught 63 passes in 2009. But he'll go up against injury-prone Ryan Torain and rookie Roy Helu for carries in Washington. If things break right, he might be much more than just a third-down back. Don't invest in Hightower right now, but this is something to watch.