- It’s not surprising that Ben Roethlisberger (277 yards, 3 TD, INT) had a nice game against the Lions, but it is surprising that he had to throw the ball 30 times.

- Matt Cassel (253 yards, 2 TD) struggled to stay upright behind Kansas City’s shaky line, but finished with nice numbers.

- Tony Romo (351 yards, 2 TD) didn’t play quite as well as his numbers would indicate, as Miles Austin’s spectacular runs saved the day for the Cowboys.

- Donovan McNabb (264 yards, 3 TD) posted great numbers against a very bad Bucs pass defense.

- Josh Johnson (240 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT) is going to have his share of struggles, but he’s going to produce some decent fantasy numbers since the Bucs look like they’ll be trailing a lot this season. Along with Kellen Winslow, if Antonio Bryant can stay healthy, Johnson will have a couple of good options in the passing game. He also runs the ball pretty well (5 carries, 40 yards against the Eagles).

- Kyle Orton (330 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) had his best game of the season, but almost gave the game away when he underthrew Brandon Marshall in overtime. He was lucky that pass didn’t get picked off.

- Think the Seahawks need Matt Hasselbeck (241 yards, 4 TD)? Granted, Jacksonville’s defense is pretty terrible, but Hass was sharp in his first game back.

- Ray Rice (14 carries, 69 yards) ran the ball well and caught seven passes for 74 yards and a TD. Willis McGahee surprisingly only got two touches the entire game.

- Marshawn Lynch (23 touches, 125 yards) seems to be taking over in the Buffalo backfield, but Fred Jackson (15 touches, 47 yards) is still involved.

- Jamal Lewis (31 carries, 117 yards) was questionable all week, but dominated the carries in the Cleveland backfield. Jerome Harrison only had eight carries for 21 yards.

- Jonathan Stewart (11 touches, 45 yards, TD) was healthy enough to eat into DeAngelo Williams’ (20 touches, 59 yards) workload, and it was Stewart who got most of the goal line work.

- Clinton Portis (21 touches, 74 yards, 2 TD) didn’t run the ball all that well, but he scored twice against the Panthers.

- Rashard Mendenhall (17 touches, 93 yards, TD) had another nice game with Willie Parker out, and he should have earned himself some more work even when Parker returns.

- Marion Barber (15 carries, 53 yards) outcarried Tashard Choice, but Choice (8 carries, 92 yards, TD) was far more productive.

- Brandon Jacobs (21 carries, 67 yards) had a crappy game, especially when compared to Ahmad Bradshaw’s (12 touches, 165 yards, 2 TD) performance.

- Michael Bush (13 touches, 43 yards, TD) and Justin Fargas (12 touches, 27 yards) split the work almost equally. Bush looks like the better play (but he’s not a good play, if you get my drift).

- Michael Turner (22 carries, 97 yards, 3 TD) finally had a big game, and it was against a pretty good San Francisco defense.

- Steve Slaton (19 touches, 98 yards) was pretty productive in the passing game, but the Texans are reluctant to give him the goal line duties even with Chris Brown’s struggles in that area of the game.

- Chris Wells (7 carries, 24 yards) had more carries than Tim Hightower (6 carries, 17 yards, TD), but Hightower had five catches for 30 yards, which makes him more valuable in PPR leagues.

- With Fred Taylor sidelined, maybe for the season, Sammy Morris (19 touches, 117 yards) was the clear RB1 for the Patriots. Kevin faulk had seven touches and Laurence Maroney had five.

- Maurice Jones-Drew (17 touches, 56 yards) was a big disappointment, especially in the running game. The Seahawks are not that good defensively.

- Edgerrin James (16 carries, 46 yards) got more work than Julius Jones (12 carries, 34 yards), but Justin Forsett (6 carries, 43 yards) was the most productive Seattle back.

- Chris Johnson (11 touches, 43 yards) had a very disappointing game against a so-so Colts’ rush defense. If not for a stellar 284-yard, three-TD effort against the Texans in Week 2, he’d be a first round bust.

- Joseph Addai (24 touches, 80 yards, TD) was questionable coming into Sunday night’s game, but dominated the touches in the Indy backfield, catching 10 passes for 53 yards in the win. Donald Brown only had eight touches for 35 yards on the night.

- After a big Week 4, Derrick Mason (0-0) was held without a catch. Kelly Washington (1-21) and Mark Clayton (3-36) also had quiet games. Todd Heap and Ray Rice caught 14 of Joe Flacco’s 22 completions.

- Don’t cut Mohammed Massaquoi (1-16) just yet. The wind was a big factor and Derek Anderson did target him six times.

- Calvin Johnson (1-2) left the game early with a leg injury.

- Do you think Miles Austin (10-250-2) earned a few more snaps with his outstanding game against the Chiefs? I do.

- Dwayne Bowe (5-74-1) has been battling a hamstring injury, but it looks like he’s back now and is developing some chemistry with Matt Cassel. He should be owned in all leagues.

- Don’t worry about Steve Smith (3-70) having a relatively quiet game. The Giants didn’t have to throw the ball much, and when they did, Eli Manning found Mario Manningham (2-36-1) and Hakeem Nicks (4-49-1) for scores.

- DeSean Jackson (1-1) was only targeted four times and was a huge disappointment this week. Meanwhile, Jeremy Maclin (6-142-2) shined after getting the start for the injured Kevin Curtis.

- Roddy White (8-210-2) absolutely torched a 49er defense that has looked great thus far this season.

- Josh Morgan (4-78) now has 10 catches for 164 yards and a TD over the last three games. He should be on rosters in 12-team leagues and is a decent spot-start during the bye weeks.

- Just when you thought it was safe to cut Eddie Royal (10-90), he has an outstanding game. Pick him up again if you can. Brandon Marshall (8-64-2) is back to his old ways. All is well in Denver.

- Randy Moss (1-36) was limited by Champ Bailey. Wes Welker (8-86-1) continues to be the better WR start, at least in PPR leagues.

- Immediately after Anthony Gonzalez went down, it was Pierre Garcon (1-9) who stepped up, but now Austin Collie (8-97-2) has caught the eye of Peyton Manning. Collie has 14 catches for 163 yards and three TD over the last two weeks.

Be sure to check back a little later for the writeups for the RB and QB positions.

- After a big game last week, Heath Miller (5-54-1) had another nice game against the Lions. He has 29 catches in five games.

- Zach Miller (4-69) led the Raiders in catches and yards…by a long shot. JaMarcus Russell is just so erratic that you can’t count on anyone in the Raider passing game.

- Kellen Winslow (9-102-2) is far and away Josh Johnson’s favorite target and despite a couple of quiet weeks in the last three, he should be in fantasy lineups going forward.

- Owen Daniels (8-94) continues his fine season and is a must-start at TE in most formats.

- Marcedes Lewis (3-13) had a poor game after posting a couple of nice lines in recent weeks. Given the fact that the Jags trailed the entire day, three catches is pretty pathetic, though that term could be applied to the entire Jacksonville effort on Sunday.

Be sure to check back for the fantasy fallout for the QB, RB and WR positions.

INACTIVE
Kevin Curtis (upgrade for Jeremy Maclin)
Willie Parker (start Rashard Mendenhall!)
Phil Dawson (Billy Cundiff takes over)
Roy Williams (upgrades for Crayton, Austin and Hurd)
Earnest Graham
Matthew Stafford
Kevin Boss

Every week, I will highlight a few players to start and a few players to sit at each position. I’m a firm believer in starting your studs, so I won’t tell you about how Drew Brees or Adrian Peterson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and keep them in your lineup. Instead, I’ll focus on the borderline guys – players you’ll only start under the right circumstances. It’s important to note that depending on your roster and situation, you may not be able to follow these recommendations. For example, if I suggest you bench a solid starter like Tony Romo, only do so if you have a clearly better option on your bench.

The “love ‘em” players are listed in the order that I’d start them this week.

Tony Romo has a tasty matchup against a Chiefs defense that is 28th in the league against the pass. They have allowed an average of 251 yards and 2.0 TD through the air, so even if Roy Williams is out, Romo should have a nice day…Matt Schaub has a favorable matchup with the Cardinals, who own the league’s 30th-ranked pass defense, yielding 280 yards and 2.3 pass TD through the first three games. Neither defense is stout, so this could turn into a high-scoring affair…Ben Roethlisberger looks like a must-start this week against the Lions. The only worry is that the Steelers get the running game going and Detroit can’t score enough to keep it close…Matt Cassel has his first favorable matchup this season. He faces the Cowboys, who have yielded 256 yards and 1.5 pass TD per game. Dallas got off to a rough start defensively, but has come on the last two weeks. Still this one looks like it could be a high scoring affair, and Cassel will likely have to throw a lot in the second half…Donovan McNabb should start on Sunday against a Bucs defense that has given up nine pass TD in four games…Brett Favre is coming on and he has the Rams this week. It’s possible that Minny will dominate in the ground game, but Favre should throw at least 1-2 TD if St. Louis can muster enough points to keep it somewhat close…Joe Flacco looks like a nice start against the Bengals, who gave up 269 yards and a TD to Derek Anderson and the Browns last week. Cincy’s defense is a little underrated, but Baltimore should be able to move the ball this week…Looking for a sleeper? Shaun Hill (vs. ATL), Seneca Wallace (vs. JAX) and Derek Anderson (@ BUF) all have above average matchups this week.

It doesn’t look like Willie Parker is going to play, so if you have Rashard Mendenhall on your roster — start him. The Lions’ rush defense is suspect, so he should have a big day…With Eli Manning hobbled, the Giants should lean on their rushing attack. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw should both be nice starts against a Raiders rush defense that is ranked 26th in the league in yards allowed…Jerome Harrison had a nice Week 4, and assuming Jamal Lewis is still sidelined for Sunday’s tilt against the Bills, Harrison should be in your lineup. Buffalo’s rush defense has allowed 151 yards and 1.8 TD on the ground…The Panthers’ rush defense is worst in the league in yards allowed, so even though he’s gimpy, Clinton Portis is pretty much a must-start this week…The Browns are 31st against the run, so Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch are both solid starts this week…It still looks like Tim Hightower is the main guy in Arizona, and with a very suspect Texans rush defense coming to town, he could have a nice day. He’s especially startable in PPR leagues since this looks to be a high-scoring game.

Get DeSean Jackson in your lineups. He faces the Bucs, who have been terrible against the pass this season…Dwayne Bowe is practicing without restrictions and with the 29th-ranked Dallas pass defense coming to town, he should be primed for a big day…Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward are both startable against the Lions, but it’s not clear how much Pittsburgh will have to pass if Detroit can’t keep it close. It might be the Rashard Mendenhall show…Kevin Walter burst back onto the fantasy scene with a nice 7-96-1 day in Week 3, but was contained against a pretty good Raiders pass defense in Week 4. This week, he has a good matchup with a Cardinals defense that has struggled to stop the pass…Jacksonville is tied for last in pass defense, so T.J. Houshmandzadeh should have a nice day. Nate Burleson is startable too, though his lack of production last week is worrisome…The Titans are terrible against the pass, so Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie are both solid starts in 12-team leagues. Reggie Wayne is obviously a must-start (like he is every week)…With Roy Williams dinged up, and the Chiefs up next, it might be a good week to start Patrick Crayton. Sam Hurd and Miles Austin are other options, albeit not quite as dependable. Austin, apparently, will draw the start if Williams is out. If Williams plays, all bets are off.

David Garrard is fantasy’s QB9, and is startable, but don’t expect a big game this week against the Seahawks, who have only given up five pass TD in four games…Bench Tom Brady? Nah. But beware of the Broncos, who are playing some really good defense right now. They have faced a cupcake schedule, but did a nice job holding down Tony Romo last week…Eli Manning is off to a great start this year, but his foot is sore and he’s not practicing right now. Throw in a pretty tough matchup against a good Oakland secondary, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to look elsewhere this week.

I’d still start him in most formats, but Ronnie Brown is not likely to have a huge game against a pretty stout Jets rush defense..The Dolphins have the second best rush defense in the league, so it’s not likely that Thomas Jones is going to have a big game this week…As bad as they are against the pass, the Titans are still pretty good against the run, so I wouldn’t expect huge games out of Joseph Addai or Donald Brown…Kevin Smith seems to do well even against tough defenses, but with the Steelers coming to town, his owners should consider benching him in non-PPR leagues…Steven Jackson is another guy that pretty much has to be in fantasy lineups, but he’s facing the Williams Wall this week, so if you have a couple of other great options, you may want to let Jackson ride the pine.

The Patriots have done a nice job taking away opposing WRs, so Brandon Marshall isn’t the best of starts this week. (And, for Pete’s sake, do NOT start Eddie Royal!)…The Jets are pretty stingy against the pass, so with Chad Henne under center, now is not the time to experiment with Ted Ginn, Davone Bess or Greg Camarillo…While Donnie Avery is worth stashing in some leagues, leave him on the bench this week against a Minnesota pass defense that has done a nice job limiting opposing WRs. Avery is fighting a bad hamstring and sketchy QB play from Kyle Boller…Santana Moss has played pretty well the last two weeks, and is still startable in a pinch. But he has a tough matchup against a pretty decent Carolina pass defense, so don’t expect a big day.

Bucs’ OC Greg Olson wants Caddy to be the featured back. Williams has been productive, but he’s injury-prone, and if the Bucs start giving him 25 touches a game, he’s probably going to break down. This is bad news for Derrick Ward in the short term, but in the long term, it might be a good thing. Ward could be the primary ballcarrier to close the season.

Brandon Marshall seems to be happy again. It’s amazing what a 4-0 start and a sick, game-winning TD catch will do for a guy. Marshall’s talent is undeniable, and it seems like he and HC Josh McDaniels have put the ill will behind them and have found a way to work together. Marshall’s upside is still limited somewhat by Kyle Orton (just ask Eddie Royal owners), but he has been productive of late and has worked his way back to being an every-week start in most formats.

Rashard Mendenhall should start this week. With Willie Parker likely out, look for another big game from Mendenhall as he faces the Lions’ 20th-ranked rush defense.

MBIII is back at practice. The Cowboys face the Chiefs this week, so it’s a nice matchup for the entire offense. Barber should be in most starting lineups, but Tashard Choice is likely to see a lot of work to keep Barber fresh. Choice has been productive, so there’s no reason not to use him.

Frank Gore on track to return in Week 7. The 49ers have a bye next week, so it looks like Sunday may be the last week that Glen Coffee is startable. He has a nice matchup with the 25th-ranked Falcons’ rush defense and should see plenty of work. Regardless, Gore owners should keep Coffee stashed as a handcuff.