Austin Pettis has three receptions for 28 yards this year, was a disaster in his rookie season, and was suspended for the first two weeks of this one on a drug violation. But aside from that, the St. Louis Rams' sophomore receiver is in a pretty good place right now. With Danny Amendola injured, Pettis—who had a big preseason before finishing out his suspension—is a popular pick for the primary beneficiary. We should know soon if that's the case; somebody has to take those snaps, and Pettis is in the best position of his career to do it.
Pettis, a Boise State product well-regarded for his size and his hands, is exactly the kind of safe receiver Danny Amendola represents, even if he comes by that safety in a different way. In the preseason he caught the ball six times for 63 yards and—this tied with Amendola for the team lead—two touchdowns.
Of course, Brian Quick caught the ball five times for 68 yards in the preseason, and he's barely registered on the regular season. So things could go much differently. But every so often a receiver becomes the talk of the team's fanbase through no fault of his own, and this—this is Austin Pettis's week.