METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Drew Brees keeps repeating what a quarterback should say when his best receivers get hurt.”I’m confident in every guy who’s going to step on the field on Sunday, whether it’s a starter, a backup, and third-stringer, a scout team guy — it doesn’t matter,” Brees asserted after practice on Wednesday. “All those guys have put in the time and they’re going to be prepared.”It’s never about one guy.”How about two guys? In particular, wide receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jeremy Shockey?Colston has led New Orleans in receiving each of the previous two seasons and Shockey is a former Pro Bowl player who was the Saints’ second leading receiver through the first three games this season.Imagine how coach Sean Payton and Brees must have salivated at the thought of Colston and Shockey on the field together, stretching defenses already preoccupied by Reggie Bush’s versatility as both a running and receiving threat.Then Colston tore ligaments in his left thumb on opening day, sidelining him up to six weeks, and now Shockey is sidelined for a month or longer with a sports hernia.It could be even worse when New Orleans hosts San Francisco this Sunday. Veteran starter David Patten, who has eight catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, hurt his left groin during New Orleans’ 34-32 loss at Denver last weekend and did not practice Wednesday.”Obviously, it’s an opportunity for some young guys to step up and get a lot of playing time,” Brees said. “I have all the confidence in the world in that group though. … They deserve this opportunity.”One player likely to see more action is Robert Meachem. If there was ever a time for him to prove he deserved to be the Saints’ first-round draft choice in 2007, now would be it.Meachem couldn’t get on the field during his rookie season. He finally made his regular season debut in Washington two weeks ago. His first NFL catch was a 19-yard touchdown.In Denver, he beat single coverage and hauled in a deep throw from Brees for a 74-yard gain that set up a touchdown.—-Contact The Daily Reveille’s sports staff at [email protected]