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In an article published early Saturday, Associated Press sports writer Tom Canavan wrote, "The New York Giants bet their future that Eli will be the next great Manning. The risk seems to be paying off."

Based on the opening weeks of training camp, Canavan went on to suggest that Eli Manning not only seems to be on the verge of emulating his brother as a premier NFL quarterback, but could even push two-time MVP Kurt Warner for the starting job on opening day in Philadelphia.

"He is making some throws where you are astounded," fullback Jim Finn, who played with Peyton Manning on the Colts, said of the No. 1 draft pick.

"The other day, he put a ball 50 yards in the corner of the end zone right on the money. That's as good a throw as you can make. I don't know what Archie was doing when they were younger, but they are both unbelievable. I think Eli has the potential to do what Peyton has done, and maybe exceed it."

Eli tries to avoid the inevitable comparisons.

"I don't study Peyton, but obviously from watching him through high school, college, the NFL, you watch interviews with him and the things he does on and off the field and it comes naturally," Eli Manning said. "It's not like you want to be like him."

Eli made his first start Thursday night in a nationally televised 27-20 loss to Carolina and at times looked more like a veteran than a rookie. Playing against one of the NFL's best defenses, he was 9-of-15 for 117 yards, did not throw an interception and narrowly missed connecting with Amani Toomer for a touchdown against the Panthers' first-team defense.

Needless to say, that effort has folks in the Big Apple rather excited.

As New York Newsday staffer Neil Best framed it this morning: "You want to know. Players want to know. Reporters want to know. The Eagles want to know.

"Kurt Warner wants to know. 'Everybody would love to know,' Warner said."

According to Best, head coach Tom Coughlin might or might not know, but the coach is not ready to say who will start at quarterback for the Giants on Sept. 12 in Philadelphia, or even who will start next Friday against the Jets.

"I'll make that decision [on an opening day starter] when I feel like it's something that's definite in my mind," he said Friday. "It'll give us plenty of time to react for the season."

Warner, the presumed favorite, has expressed increasing anxiety for an answer, even as he insists that he is not frustrated. But week by week, Manning's rapid development adds intrigue to the decision.

Coughlin said Manning did a good job adjusting to blitzes against the Panthers, both in decoying a change while at the line of scrimmage and in initiating a change. On one play, he found tight end Marcellus Rivers as a "hot" receiver in the face of a blitz. On another, he saw a particular defense and checked to a running play. Manning also was able to draw the Panthers offside with hard counts.

Warner had his moments, too, going 9-for-11 for 71 yards. Coughlin took responsibility for the play call that led to William Hampton's interception, which the safety returned 49 yards for a score.

But in my view, the bottom line here hasn't changed significantly since July 30, when I advised readers in an SI.com Back Page column: "Some observers still believe Warner will start early in the season before giving way to Manning once the newcomer fully understands the offense.

"However, after signing the youngster to a whopping six-year, $54 million contract -- a deal which reportedly includes a signing bonus of $20 million (the largest ever for a rookie), management will be looking for immediate impact.

"Along those lines, [Coughlin] recently explained: 'I told [Manning] this on the day we drafted him that he's the future of the New York Giants at quarterback, whether it's game one, game eight, game 15.'

"Based on recent workouts and his timely signing, we suspect it'll be much close to Week 1 than 15."

Other notes of interest in New York. ...

Coughlin said he was "real disappointed" with the goal-line sequence in which it took Ron Dayne three tries to get into the end zone without fumbling, but he will stick with Dayne as his short-yardage back for now. ...

Also according to Best, Jeremy Shockey visited the doctor who performed his foot surgery and was told his recovery is on pace. ...

Other Fantasy-specific news and notes of interest from around the league. ...

In Buffalo. ... We already knew Travis Henry has no interest in backing up Willis McGahee. Now we know McGahee feels the same.

In fact, AP sports writer John Wawrow, citing a source close to the situation, reported Friday that McGahee has asked the Bills to trade him if he is not their starter on opening day.

McGahee's request was not issued as an ultimatum, but the player made clear he won't be happy playing backup to Henry, said the source, who is close to McGahee and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Bills spokesman Scott Berchtold said, "There is no truth to that whatsoever."

Questions about how the two running backs can work together have been raised since the Bills selected McGahee 23rd overall in the 2003 draft. Henry is now coming off his second consecutive 1,000-yard season while McGahee missed his entire rookie season recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left knee.

Head coach Mike Mularkey has said that both players can work together this season, but has maintained that Henry is his starter. That's been evident through camp, where Henry has worked exclusively with the starting unit, while McGahee has worked mostly with the second string.

McGahee has looked good so far.

Wawrow went on to suggest that while Henry and McGahee refer to themselves friends, theirs has been an uneasy relationship. Henry initially called the Bills decision to draft McGahee as a slap in the face. He's since backed off that claim, saying the two can work together.

Henry is signed through the 2005 season. McGahee has four years left on a contract that could potentially be worth $15.53 million if he meets all the incentives.

The bottom line here says, it really doesn't matter what Henry and McGahee say -- this year. Neither man is going anywhere.

But as Buffalo News sports reporter Mark Gaughan put it this morning: "It's becoming apparent the Buffalo Bills will have to work to keep their running back position from being a distraction this season."

Let's hope they can succeed. ...

In Philadelphia. ... Shortly after last night's win over the Ravens, head coach Andy Reid seemed certain Correll Buckhalter, who tore the patellar tendon of his right knee, will miss the entire season.

"I'm 99 percent sure he's going to have surgery and be done," the coach said. "That's a tough loss for us,"

Donovan McNabb said. "[Buckhalter] has been going through a great camp. He's worked hard in the offseason. It's a tough loss for us and tough situation for him. We'll just let him know and give him confidence that things are going to turn out for the best."

Losing Buckhalter is a huge blow to the Eagles, who lost Duce Staley in free agency. Buckhalter was going to share time in the Philadelphia backfield with Brian Westbrook this season but that plan will obviously change now.

Keep a close eye on the team in coming days as they contact currently available talent -- Stacey Mack, James Stewart and the usual assortment of veteran free agents come immediately to mind -- as well as those likely to become available as teams around the league begin trimming rosters. ...

In Chicago. ... According to DailySouthtown.com staff writer Gene Chamberlain, "An area of concern entering training camp isn't an area of concern leaving training camp. ..."

Even though Rex Grossman started camp with just under three full games of NFL game experience under his belt, he left camp on Wednesday having performed solidly throughout the 22-day stay.

Offensive coordinator Terry Shea was so pleased with Grossman's progress that he cited other parts of the offense as areas of concern with less than a month left in preseason. "Well, I don't think there's any doubt we have to determine what our best runs are for our new back [Thomas Jones]," Shea said.

And the other need for improvement?

"I'm going to have to keep a close eye on what our routes are truly going to be in terms of the skill of our wide receivers," Shea said. "When it comes to crunch time, we've got to establish that and I think we'll get a better feel for that these next two weeks."

Grossman also used camp to establish himself as a leader in the eyes of his teammates.

"He's a totally different guy right now, so we've seen his growth in everything," head coach Lovie Smith said. "In the huddle, there's no doubt who the leader of the team is. They all know. There's just him stepping into the huddle, making the calls, guys believing, receivers knowing that he's going to get them the ball."

Chamberlain added, however, the one thing Grossman still hasn't done a lot of is throw deep in games. He's done it plenty in practice, but he was more absorbed in checking down to underneath routes in the scrimmage and preseason game with the Rams.

"You'll see Rex put the ball up the field; that's just luck of the draw," Shea said. "At least he's not forcing the ball up the field when he's checking it down. ..."

Meanwhile, the Bears left training camp with David Terrell still holding the starting spot opposite Marty Booker. Which, as the Sporting News correctly suggested, is "bad news for Justin Gage supporters. ..."

In Denver. ... Quentin Griffin has certainly played up to the expectations resulting from his starting status this summer. He has averaged 6.0 per carry in two games, displaying a quick, shifty running style that makes him hard to tackle.

So much so, in fact, that SportsLine.com insider Pete Prisco suggested Thursday: "Griffin is going to put up 1,400 yards this season. ... The way Griffin is running the Broncos have to be even more thrilled with their trade of [Clinton] Portis for Champ Bailey. ..."

And finally, in San Diego. ... North County Times staff writer Jay Paris reported early Friday that the Chargers spoke with Phillip Rivers' agent, Jimmy Sexton, on Thursday. A source close to the parties termed it as more of a philosophical conversation than a negotiating session. ...

The good news, according to CBS Sports anchor Bryant Gumbel, is that Sexton claims the two sides resumed negotiations Friday night.

Hopefully we'll see some movement soon. As Paris suggested, some NFL insiders speculate if a deal isn't done by the weekend, the stalemate could drag into the regular season.