| Quarterbacks |
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| Other Risks... | Aaron Brooks vs Baltimore
- Week 1 was such a nightmare for the Oakland Raiders that there is plenty of blame to go around. We already know that Brooks is on shaky ground with Art Shell, so it may be just a matter of time before Big Art makes the permanent move to Andrew Walter, rather than just bringing him in for mop-up duty as he did on Monday night. Still, Art might as well let Brooks be the one to take the pounding. How dire is the outlook? Well, we know that the Raiders were shutout at home on Monday night by the Chargers. This week, they travel to Baltimore to take on a Raven team that in turn shutout the Bucs on the road in Week 1. Back-to-back shutouts, anyone? |
| Kerry Collins vs San Diego
- Collins didn't exactly post outstanding numbers against a weak Jets defense in Week 1; he completed just 44% of his passes, tossed 2 interceptions and wound up with no TD passes. After what the Chargers did to the hapless Raiders on Monday night, including sacking poor Aaron Brooks 7 times to Jerry Porter's delight, it's hard to fathom what kind of day the not-so-mobile Collins will have against them. |
| Daunte Culpepper vs Buffalo
- Much like McNair's situation against the Raiders this week, we are not suggesting benching Culpepper because we think he's in for a punishing performance. Rather, the Bills' run defense was so awful last year - and looks no better this year, as they gave up over 180 yards rushing to the Patriots in Week 1 -- that we expect Culpepper to have a relatively light load to bear on Sunday. He'll just enjoy himself handing the ball to Ronnie Brown early and often. One caveat: former Bills head coach Mike Mularkey is the Dolphins' new OC, and sometimes he just doesn't know what's good for him. In that event, Culpepper probably isn't a smart fantasy start either. Also, we're still a bit worried about that knee, as he didn't appear to be the same Culpepper last week that we're used to seeing in Minnesota. |
| Rex Grossman vs Detroit
- Grossman turned in a fine performance in Week 1, which was enough to silence the cries for Brian Griese in Chi-Town. How long that will last remains unclear, as we should remind everyone that the good graces were brought about by a shutout of the hapless Packers. Grossman may find the goings much rougher against the Lions, who did a fine job in holding Matt Hasselbeck and the defending NFC Champion Seahawks in check last week. |
| Jon Kitna vs Chicago
- We all thought that Kitna had the chance to be something of a Sleeper in the new Mike Martz-coached offense in Detroit. Well, the early returns after Week 1 don't look so promising. Of course, it's still early - and that offense may soon gel. Just not this week - and certainly not against the Chicago Bears. |
| Steve McNair vs Oakland
- Don't take this as a slight on McNair. He might actually turn in a solid performance this week. However, we saw last Monday night that the Raiders are so pathetic, that the Ravens could probably run a Navy-style offense, where the team doesn't even try to throw the football, and still win convincingly. Unless something REALLY strange happens, it's hard to imagine that the Ravens will air the ball out enough for McNair to even eclipse 200 yards passing, although he may pick up a cheap TD or two in goal line situations. |
| Ben Roethlisberger vs Jacksonville
- Roethlisberger is going to play only two weeks removed form emergency surgery. Returning to action this week shouldn’t be done by anybody including the man who went head to fender with a few tons of iron and pretty much won that battle. |
| Chris Simms vs Atlanta
- Phil's boy took a beating against the Ravens in Week 1. You really have to wonder what kind of residual effects he will have - both physically as well as psychologically - that may linger over into Week 2. The Falcons, who did a number on Jake Delhomme last week, may not be much of a break over last week's assault either. Simms has to be praying that John Abraham, who came out of the game against Carolina early last week, will give him a bit of a reprieve this week. |
| Michael Vick vs Tampa Bay
- OK, so we were wrong about Vick last week, as we didn't anticipate that he'd toss 2 TD passes against the Panthers. So we'll focus on our favorite whipping boy again this week. There is simply no way that the Tampa Bay defense is as bad as what we saw last week, and they will look to make amends in Week 2 - and what better QB is there to take their frustrations out on than Ron Mexico? Over the years, Vick has had some of his absolute worst days against the Bucs, although he actually did put up some pretty good numbers against them last season, including (believe it or not) a 300-yard effort against Tampa Bay last November. We think that was an aberration, just as his 2 TD performance against the Panthers was an aberration last week. We should see the Michael Vick that we've all come to know and love - the one who has trouble completing more than half of his passes and has a 50/50 shot at even finishing the game on his feet -- against the Bucs this Sunday. |
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| Other Rewards... | Marc Bulger vs San Francisco
- Despite not lighting up the scoreboard last week, Bulger should be due for a good week in week 2. Bulger only threw for 362 yards and 2 TDs the last time he played in San Fran. He's a must play this week. |
| Jake Delhomme vs Minnesota
- We've been banging Jake's drum all through the preseason, so why stop now? Yes, he looked pretty lousy in Week 1 against the Falcons, but there were a number of reasons for that - not the least of which was the absence of Steve Smith, who should be back and ready to roll this weekend. You also may observe that Jake is playing against a defense in Minnesota that prevented Mark Brunell and the Redskins from having much success throwing the football on Monday night. Well, if you watched that Monday night game, you know that Brunell didn't even TRY to throw the ball downfield. Delhomme will be far more ready, willing and able to do so, especially with Smith at his side. The last time Jake and the Panthers matched wits against the Vikings, in Week 7 last year, the Ragin' Cajun passed for 341 yards and 3 TD passes against them. That was his best game as a fantasy QB in 2005. Of course, this endorsement goes out the window if Smith doesn't suit up Sunday, so pay careful attention to the injury reprts leading up to the game. Right now he's listed as "Questionable", which means that he's 50-50. |
| Byron Leftwich vs Pittsburgh
- Call us crazy, but we kinda like Leftwich against the Steelers on Monday night. Against a very good Dallas secondary in Week 1, Byron posted some quality stats. Leftwich has been a much better quarterback at home than he's been on the road, and the Jags have the good fortune of hosting the Steelers on Monday night. Last week, the Steelers did a good job of keeping Culpepper out of the endzone - and forcing him to throw some critical interceptions; however, Daunte did pass for a rather healthy 262 yards - and that was with him only completing less than half of his passing attempts. We expect Leftwich to be much more careful (and accurate) with the ball. Therefore, if you lost Trent Green this week and are looking for which QB to play, Leftwich might perform a bit better than you'd expect. |
| J.P. Losman vs Miami
- This Sunday the Bills return to the scene of the crime. That would be Miami, Florida, where they blew a 3 TD lead in the fourth quarter last year with future hall of fame QB Sage Rosenfels leading the comeback for Miami. Lost in the mix is that Buffalo's first year starting QB J.P. Losman also had the game of his career with 3 TD passes - all to Lee Evans. Of course, that's a short career we're talking about, as he's only had 9 career starts counting last week's middling performance against New England. Actually, that performance against Miami last year was his one and only truly good fantasy performance! Obviously, we are looking at a small sample size here, but it is worth noting that these same Miami Dolphins also just allowed a guy named Charlie Batch to toss 3 TD passes against them on Monday night. Obviously, if Losman is on your roster he's occupying the role of a #3 fantasy QB (at best). However, if you have guys like, say, Green and Brooks ahead of him, this may be the week to give him a try. |
| Peyton Manning vs Houston
- Manning is always a no-brainer. Manning had a 297 yard, 3 TD game against Houston last year in Indy. He should be due for a multi-TD game this week. |
| Donovan McNabb vs NY Giants
- McNabb was McNasty good last week, seemingly picking up where he left off prior to his season-ending injury in 2005. Start him every week. |
| Jake Plummer vs Kansas City
- Yes, we are guilty as charged for liking the option of playing Plummer last week. We must have been affected by the Plummer's crack! Plummer has had a roller coaster of a career. One year he’s good, the next year he's not so good. One week he’s good, the next week he's not so good. One play he’s good... Well you get the idea. Last week he was terrible, but that must mean this week he will be great…right? It helps that KC and their barely average secondary is coming to town. Couple that with the fact that Jake may very well be playing for his starting job and we predict a nice bounce-back performance, proving the roller coaster theory right and all his doubters wrong...at least for this week. |
| Philip Rivers vs Tennessee
- Although Rivers looked quite impressive in his debut as the Chargers' starting QB last week, the truth of the matter is that San Diego so dominated Oakland that poor Philip had very little to do. The dude only even attempted 11 passes, completing 8 of them. Those are the kind of numbers that Bob Griese used to put up during his days as the Dolphins' QB back in the 1970s! Expect for the Chargers to take the cuffs off of Rivers a little more this week, as he faces a Tennessee Titans team that just allowed noodle-armed Chad Pennington to pass for 319 yards and 2 TDs. |
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| Running Backs |
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| Other Risks... | Kevan Barlow vs New England
- Barlow found the end zone last week against the Titans shaky run defense, but we feel that the Patriots run defense will limit him this week. |
| Travis Henry vs San Diego
- Henry didn't run for many yards last week, but his TD production was nice. We can't see him finding the end zone this week against a very stout San Diego run defense. Find a better option. |
| Kevin Jones vs Chicago
- The Packers managed more than 100 yards rushing against the Bears last week despite being shutout. Jones struggled against a good run defense at home in a close game last week, and he now the faces the Bears in Week 2. That's why we advise you to find a better option at RB this week. The Bears will look to shore up the run defense this week and the Lions should be the cure for what ailed their run defense. Also notice that the Bears gave up just 8 TDs on the ground last year. |
| Willie Parker vs Jacksonville
- Fast Willie looked impressive in week 1, but he faces a really tough Jaguars defense this week. Parker managed only 55 yards on 21 carries last year against Jacksonville as the Steelers struggled to move the ball on the ground against them. |
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| Other Rewards... | Shaun Alexander vs Arizona
- Alexander was limited by Detroit's surprisingly stout defense. On the other end, the Cardinals where lit up by Frank Gore last week. Look for Alexander to see plenty of touches this week. |
| Tiki Barber vs Philadelphia
- Tiki is still the man! He piled up 171 total yards last week and is facing the Eagles against whom he totaled 134 and 195 yards respectively in his last two games. Sure, he might lose goal line carries to the leaner, quicker Brandon Jacobs, but Tiki should still merit good yardage totals. |
| Ronnie Brown vs Buffalo
- The Bills allowed 183 yards on the ground last week, so Brown should be a solid play this week after struggling to gain yardage last week. Of course, Brown still delivered for fantasy owners with 2 TDs. Also, with Takeo Spikes possibly out this week and Troy Vincent being placed on IR for the year, the Bills defense could field as many as six rookies. Ouch! |
| Reggie Bush vs Green Bay
- Reggie Bush will likely be salivating at the prospect of playing the Packers this week. Now that Bush has that first 100 yard (total offense) game under his belt, he should find pay dirt this week against the Packers. |
| Ahman Green vs New Orleans
- Ahman brother! Ahman actually managed over 100 yards last week against the Bears. We expect him to look like the Aham Green of old this week against the Saints. Sure, we know what you're thinking, the Saints held Droughns in check last week, so why bet on Green? Well, the Saints defense shouldn't be up to the task of shutting down the run every week. |
| Steven Jackson vs San Francisco
- Jackson had 121 yards rushing last week and looked pretty solid. We figure that he should find the end zone this week against San Francisco. |
| Larry Johnson vs Denver
- Many fantasy owners were disappointed in LJs performance last week. Well, his 148 total yards still were darn good numbers. Our bet is that he scores this week and manages more than 100 yards of offense. |
| Rudi Johnson vs Cleveland
- Rudi ran well last week, while the Browns struggled to stop the Saints' running game. We look for Rudi to run well this week against the Browns' shaky run defense. |
| Willis McGahee vs Miami
- He may not know what down it is, but we feel that Willis will find the end zone in his old stompin' grounds in Miami. |
| Dominic Rhodes vs Houston
- The Colts appear to prefer Rhodes as their short-yardage RB around the goal line so we like his chances to punch another short run in this week. |
| Chester Taylor vs Carolina
- The Panthers will probably spend most of this week trying to scheme to improve their run defense which allowed 252 yards rushing last week. Even so, the Vikings showed that they are committed to the run and to Chester Taylor as he logged more than 30 carries against Washington last week. He should be a solid play again this week as the Panthers LB situation is appearing to be a dire issue. |
| LaDainian Tomlinson vs Tennessee
- LT2 should be in your lineup each and every week, especially against a soft Titans defense. |
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| Wide Receivers |
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| Other Risks... | Drew Bennett vs San Diego
- After doing everything short of hog-tying Aaron Brooks on the 50 yard line in Week 1, look for San Diego's defense to make a rerun of Gigli look better or at least as good as Bennett's numbers. |
| Deion Branch vs Arizona
- Despite being traded this week, don't expect Deion Branch to play much if at all this week against the Cardinals. This is an early big game for Seattle, but with only 3 practices under his belt come Sunday, we just don't think Branch will have a good enough grasp of the offense yet. |
| Nate Burleson vs Arizona
- Now that Branch is in Seattle, Burleson is a poor option as a fantasy WR. Put him and keep him on your bench as he will eventually lose his starting job. |
| Joey Galloway vs Atlanta
- The Bucs offense was putrid last week. We are seriously concerned about that OL protecting Simms against the Falcons' pass rushers this week. Furthermore, DeAngelo Hall is a talented CB that should be able to limit Galloway's production. Look elsewhere for your WR #2 for now. |
| Michael Jenkins vs Tampa Bay
- Jenkins had a big week last week, but he probably won't remain consistent. He is worth a spot start here and there; however, he really shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a #4 fantasy WR right now. |
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| Other Rewards... | Anquan Boldin vs Seattle
- Boldin is a must start every week. |
| Kevin Curtis vs San Francisco
- San Francisco doesn't have enough defenders to cover everyone, as Week 1 clearly showed. Look for Curtis to take advantage of single coverage and sneak in for a score. We see the Rams' offense finding the end zone about 4 times this week. |
| Lee Evans vs Miami
- Somebody call Sonny Crockett as Evans was too high last year in Miami. He lit up the Miami sky with a 5 catch, 117 yard, 3 TD performance last year. We like his chances to find the end zone this week. |
| Larry Fitzgerald vs Seattle
- Fitzgerald is a must start every week. |
| Marvin Harrison vs Houston
- Marvelous Marvin is a must play every week. |
| Torry Holt vs San Francisco
- Holt should be in store for a big game this week. |
| T.J. Houshmandzadeh vs Cleveland
- 'Housh' is listed as probable, the same as last week when he was held out, so watch this situation carefully before setting your lineup. If he is able to play, the Browns look to be a fine feast. As we said last week: He’s hard to take down, will go over the middle, and was looked to early and often by Palmer in the pre-season. If he's in the lineup, he could find the house (end zone) for your fantasy team. |
| Darrell Jackson vs Arizona
- Now that Jackson will have 2 weeks of practice under his belt and one game, we can see him shaking free of the Cardinals CBs for a score this week. With Seattle boasting a deeper WR core, his stock should be on the climb yet again. |
| Andre Johnson vs Indianapolis
- Last week against the tough Philly secondary, AJ went for 109 yards. This week he faces Indianapolis. The Texans should be down early in this one, and with Moulds on the other side to take away some pressure, AJ should post some good stats as Carr is forced to air it out all game. |
| Chad Johnson vs Cleveland
- Johnson is still a must play every game. |
| Terrell Owens vs Washington
- With the Redskins' top CB Shawn Springs still sidelined, the Redskins will have to make do with the youthful Carlos Rogers, underachiever Mike Rumph and the less talented Kenny Wright. We saw first-hand on Monday night how Minnesota's receivers were able to torch that makeshift Washinton secondary. If Troy Williamson hadn't dropped so many passes, the Vikings may have won in blowout fashion. Neither T.O. nor Terry Glenn will exhibit such a case of the dribbles and both should have a field day against Washington -- that is, if Drew Bledsoe can stay of his feet long enough to complete some downfield passes. |
| Donte' Stallworth vs NY Giants
- Here is what we said about Stallworth last week: "Don't be too suprised if the recently traded Donte Stallworth has a big welcoming party at the expense of the Texans...."
Stallworth should remain a good play week in and week out as he is clearly McNabb's favorite target in the passing game. He could be this year's Joey Galloway! |
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| Tight Ends |
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| Other Risks... | Chris Baker vs New England
- Baker was a nice surprise in Week 1, but we should remind everyone that Baker started off hot last year in week 1 too; however, his season went down hill from there. The Patriots defense will likely limit him as their strength is in their LBs and Safeties. Don't expect Baker to account for another 6 points this week. |
| Jeb Putzier vs Indianapolis
- Yes, we know that the Colts gave up a TD to a TE last week, but that was to one of the best in the game. Putzier doesn't live up to that billing. We expect that the Colts' talented LBs, namely Cato June, will limit Putzier's numbers this week. |
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| Other Rewards... | Marques Colston vs Green Bay
- This guy is likely available in just about every league out there. Brees took a liking to him in Week 1 which bodes well for his future prospects. He could very well be the deep sleeper WR pick of the season if this continues. If you want to try him out, this week is your chance against a pathetic GB defense. For those of you in Yahoo leagues, there is a rare added bonus: He is eligible at both WR and TE which makes him a prime flex pick this week. |
| Alge Crumpler vs Tampa Bay
- Crumpler is a must start every week, even against a Tampa defense that has been historically solid against TEs. |
| Antonio Gates vs Tennessee
- Gates is a must start every week, even if the Chargers throw only 11 times like in week 1. |
| Tony Gonzalez vs Denver
- Heading into Week 2, Gonzo leads all NFL players in receptions with 10. He even netted a TD after backup QB Damon Huard replaced Trent Green, so don't be too afraid of Huard ruining Gonzo's value. What you might need to worry about more this week is the Bronco defense. Still, Gonzo is a must start. |
| Jeremy Shockey vs Philadelphia
- Shockey is a must start every week as long as he's healthy. In a rough game against the Eagles in New York in 2005 he caught only 1 pass, but that was for a TD. He added a 10 catch, 107 yard performance in Philly, so don't be too afraid of that aggressive defense limiting him. |
| L.J. Smith vs NY Giants
- As long as McNabb is throwing for 300 yard games, LJ is a solid bet to rack up about 50+ yards receiving. |
| Ben Watson vs NY Jets
- Ben Watson and the Patriots still have a bone to pick with the Jets, as New England has formally accused them of "tampering" in relation to their contacting Deion Branch and trying to work out a long-term deal with him, while he was still under contract to New England. The Branch saga spun so out of control that Tom Brady even admitted that his head wasn't in the game, when he played against Buffalo last week. Now that it's all over with the Seattle trade, look for the offense to be more focused against the Jets this week -- and look for Watson to continue to evolve as a great pass-ctaching TE with his freakish combination of size and speed. With Branch gone, in fact, Watson represents Brady's most favorable target. |
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