COMMERCE CITY - Arena Football League fans have learned to expect the unexpected.

Still, it was strange to see Damian Harrell, the two-time AFL Offensive Player of the Year, on the bench in the Crush's 44-40 victory Saturday against Kansas City.

Harrell was nursing a quadriceps injury, so coach Mike Dailey played his star receiver sparingly.

"I'm a team player and it's whatever is good for the team," Harrell said. "I wasn't 100 percent; I was around 75 or 80 percent. With the other receivers we have, it was only right that we played guys that were 100 percent."

Harrell is planning to play tonight when the Crush (1-1) plays the Arizona Rattlers (0-2) at the Pepsi Center. (Kickoff is 7 p.m.; the game will be televised by FSN Rocky Mountain on tape delay starting at 8:30.)

"Right now, if I had to gauge, I'm at about 85 percent, which is way better than what I was at the beginning of the year," Harrell said.

Harrell made only three receptions against Kansas City, but two went for touchdowns as he stretched to 67 his AFL-record streak of consecutive games with a touchdown.

Willie Quinnie, Brad Pyatt and Robert Redd stood in for Harrell and likely will get a lot of action again tonight.

Quinnie, a rookie from the University of Alabama-Birmingham, had nine catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Pyatt, a rookie who played at Arvada West High School and Northern Colorado, caught seven passes for 88 yards. Redd made six catches for 56 yards.

"They've done a real good job," Dailey said. "Robert Redd had some experience in the AFL with us a couple years ago, but Willie Quinnie and Brad Pyatt are completely new to the game. Those guys have adapted well, and, hopefully, they will continue to get better as we see more of them."

Quinnie leads the team with 15 receptions; Pyatt and Redd each have 13 receptions. Harrell has caught 11 passes, but five have gone for touchdowns.

"Damian is, obviously, the best in the league," Pyatt said. "But I think his supporting cast has helped him out. That not only gives him confidence in us, but it shows we can still win. When he gets to be 100 percent we're going to be more dangerous."

Dailey expects Harrell to log more playing time tonight.

"He's getting better," Dailey said. "When you have a pull like that, particularly when you are at a skilled position, it can be a little aggravating.

"He's, obviously, our go-to guy. He's a star player and he's been such a constant for us, it is unusual not to have him out there, but he understands it. You have to be smart with him this early in the season. There's a lot of football to play."

Tonight's game concludes a three-game opening homestand for the Crush.

"We wanted to be 3-0, but we definitely want to come out 2-1," Harrell said. "I think this week is going to be a special week for our offense."

COLORADO FLAVOR: Vail resident Bob Hernreich purchased the Rattlers in July 2005. Hernreich also is a minority owner of the NBA's Sacramento Kings.

The Fort Smith, Ark., native is an active outdoorsman, a member of the Snowboard Outreach Society and serves on the Board of Directors of K2 Inc. and the Vail Valley Foundation.

bentonj@RockyMountainNews.com