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.

Philip Rivers has a nice matchup with the Dolphins, who have struggled to stop the pass in each of the first two games. I worry a little bit about the Chargers’ inability to stop the run and how the Dolphins could eat up the clock, but Rivers is still a must-start in most formats this week…Through two weeks, Eli Manning is QB11, and has looked pretty sharp. Steve Smith and Mario Manningham are coming on, so he has some weapons to throw to. This week, he faces a Bucs defense that is 27th against the pass, allowing 282 passing yards and 2.5 pass TD per game…Trent Edwards should have a nice game against the Saints, who are likely to put up a lot of points and aren’t terribly good against the pass…Jake Delhomme actually looks like a pretty good start this week as he faces a Cowboys defense that has given up 303 yards and 1.5 pass TD per game this season. He’s still a shaky start, but if you’re in dire straits or play in a two-QB league, he’s worth a shot…Mark Sanchez has been solid thus far and with a matchup against the 32nd-ranked Tennessee pass defense, he should have a nice day…Jason Campbell didn’t throw a TD last week against the Rams, which is worrisome, but he has another great matchup this week. The Lions have given up eight pass TD through two games.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Brett Favre’s debut with the Vikings was less than stellar, but he had to shake off the rust and the Browns defense is a little better than people think. He has an outstanding matchup with a Lions defense that got torched by Drew Brees last week…Granted, Matt Schaub and the entire Houston offense looked pathetic last week, but a matchup with the Titans isn’t as bad as it might look on paper. Tennessee gave up 363 yards to Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers last week so Schaub should have some success…Trent Edwards should have a nice game against the Bucs, who were torched by Tony Romo last week, but Edwards needs to throw the ball deep to Terrell Owens and Lee Evans…For the desperate, Jason Campbell, Matt Sanchez, Byron Leftwich and JaMarcus Russell all have good matchups this week.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

The Broncos were 26th against the pass last season, so Carson Palmer has a favorable matchup assuming his ankle holds up…Joe Flacco plays at home against a Chiefs defense that gave up 238 passing yards and 1.3 pass TD last season. The second-year QB should also have a bit more freedom when it comes to throwing the ball now that he has a year of experience under his belt…Brett Favre faces the Browns, who gave up 204 passing yards and 1.2 pass TD last season…Matt Hasselbeck has a tasty matchup with the Rams, who allowed 217 passing yards and 1.3 pass TD last season…If you’re in a real bind, Matthew Stafford (@ NO), Chad Pennington (@ ATL) and Kyle Orton (@ CIN) also have nice matchups this week.

Read the rest of this entry »

Every week, I 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 LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. 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 Peyton Manning, 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.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: Don’t overthink things and bench Kurt Warner this week. The Pats are not very good against the pass, so Warner and Co. should be able to have their way through the air. The only wildcard is the weather…Matt Cassel is a nice start against an Arizona defense that has given up the most pass TD (31) in the league…Despite the long plane ride, Brett Favre looks like a good start against a Seahawks pass defense that is last in the league in yards allowed…In the same game, Seneca Wallace has a nice matchup with the Jets defense that is 29th in the league against the pass…Dan Orlovsky played pretty well last week against the Colts and he has a great matchup this week against the Saints, who own the league’s 26th ranked pass defense. He’s a legit option for the desperate…For the super-desperate, JaMarcus Russell (vs. HOU) and Brian Griese (vs. SD) both have good matchups. If Jeff Garcia starts, he’s a solid play against a Chargers defense that is ranked 31st against the pass.

Every week, I 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 LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. 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 Peyton Manning, 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.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: There are a number of so-so QBs with nice matchups this week. Phillip Rivers has a nice matchup with a Kansas City defense that is ranked 29th against the pass…. Tyler Thigpen has proven himself to be a capable fantasy QB, and his matchup with the Chargers 30th-ranked pass defense is a tasty one…Kyle Orton has been solid this year, and as long as the weather cooperates, he should be a good start against the Saints, who have struggled against the pass this season…Jason Campbell faces the Bengals, who have yielded 1.6 pass TD per game this year…Kerry Collins’ problem against the Lions was that Detroit couldn’t keep it close. Houston has more of an offensive backbone and I think Collins will have to pass to keep the chains moving to put points on the board…Seneca Wallace isn’t a bad play against the Rams…For the desperate, Tarvaris Jackson (or Gus Frerotte) and Marc Bulger have nice matchups with Arizona and Seattle, respectively.

Every week, I 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 LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. 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.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: Matt Ryan is a nice start against a New Orleans defense that was already 24th against the pass even before the suspension of Will Smith, the team’s best pass rusher…Matt Cassel is worth starting against a league-worst Seahawks defense that has yielded 265 yards and 1.6 pass TD per game…Shaun Hill is startable this week against a Jets defense that is ranked 30th against he pass…For the desperate, Gus Frerotte has a tantalizing matchup against a bad Lions defense. The only question is will Detroit put up enough of a fight so that the Vikings will have to throw the ball? Last week against the Titans, the answer was “no,â€� and Kerry Collins finished with a poor fantasy line…For the REALLY desperate, Marc Bulger and JaMarcus Russell have good matchups against the Cardinals and Chargers, respectively.

RB: Peyton Hillis is a great start against the Chiefs, who are next-to-last against the run…Steve Slaton has a tantalizing matchup with the Packers, who are awful against the run…Get Tim Hightower in your lineups this week. The Rams rush defense is ranked 30th in the league…Larry Johnson has a nice matchup with the Broncos, who are 28th in the league against the rush…It looks like Ryan Grant is going to play, and that makes him a solid start against a sketchy Texans rush defense…Given the Vikings’ defensive suspensions, Kevin Smith is suddenly an interesting start…If you have a big hole at RB, Cedric Benson is a sneaky good start against a Colts rush defense that has allowed 134 yards and 1.3 TD per game this season.

WR: Roddy White is a must-start this week against a bad Saints pass defense…Unless the Lions completely fold, I’d expect Bernard Berrian to catch at least one deep pass en route to a good fantasy line…Unless he pulls one of his disappearing acts, Lee Evans should be able to take advantage of the Dolphins’ 26th-ranked pass defense…Reggie Wayne is a must-start, but Marvin Harrison is also startable against a Cincy pass defense that has allowed 218 yards and 1.5 TD per game this season…Matt Jones continues to play well in PPR leagues, so he’s a decent start against the Bears, who have the league’s 29th –ranked pass defense.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: Joe Flacco has had a nice run (11 TD in his last six games), but this week he faces a stingy Washington defense. He’s still startable in some formats, but I wouldn’t expect more than one TD this week…After a brutal 1 TD/4 INT effort against Oakland in Week 10, Jake Delhomme has been decent, scoring four TD over the last three games. This week, the 3rd-ranked Bucs pass defense comes to town, so I’m not optimistic…Phillip Rivers (vs. OAK) and Tony Romo (@ PIT) are still startable, but you may want to look at other options…Leave Ryan Fitzpatrick (@IND) and whoever is QB’ng the Browns (@ TEN) on the bench – they have brutal matchups…Jeff Garcia should ride the pine as he faces the Panthers 12th-rated pass defense. Carolina has only given up 11 pass TD in 12 games…Jason Campbell isn’t playing particularly well right now and given his matchup – the Ravens’ 2nd-ranked pass defense – it would be wise to look elsewhere this week.

RB: None of the Baltimore RBs look like great starts against a solid Washington rush defense. Besides, I wouldn’t feel confident predicting which one would get most of the touches…He’s still startable, but be wary with Marion Barber this week. He faces the #1 rush defense in the league and has a bum foot…The same goes for Clinton Portis, who can be started in a pinch, but don’t expect much from him against a great Ravens rush defense.

WR: Derrick Mason is still startable, but despite Mark Clayton’s newfound fantasy success, I’d stay away from him this week against Washington…It’s always tough to bench Braylon Edwards, but given his current QB situation and his matchup against the stingy 4th-rated Tennessee pass defense, he’s not a good start this week…i wouldn’t feel comfortable starting Vincent Jackson or Chris Chambers this week. The Raiders pass defense is surprisingly good, and the Chargers are better off attacking with the ground game…Antonio Bryant is still startable in some formats, but I wouldn’t expect big numbers against a stingy Carolina pass defense.

THINKING DEFENSIVELY (DTBWW)

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW). Each week, you pick up a defense, usually playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. All teams are available in at least 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

This week’s picks:

I love the Cardinals this week, but they are only available in 32% of ESPN fantasy leagues, so they are not eligible.

IND (vs. CIN)
SD (vs. OAK)

Denver (vs. KC) is another option, but it’s tough to say which defense is going to show up.

Last week’s picks:

Unsurprisingly, the Raiders let us down.

Every week, I 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 LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. 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.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: Matt Ryan has a very nice matchup with a San Diego defense that is ranked dead last in the league in passing yards allowed. They have also allowed 1.7 pass TD per game, so Ryan should be good for at least 1-2 scores…Jeff Garcia isn’t going to set the world on fire, but he should be good for 200 yards and a TD against a Saints defense that is ranked 24th against the pass…Kerry Collins has posted solid fantasy numbers the last three weeks, but he did most of his damage against the Jets in garbage time. A matchup against the Lions is tempting, however, as Detroit is 19th against the pass and only has two INT all season.

Every week, I 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 LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. 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.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: Jason Campbell faces the Seahawks, who are 31st in the league against the pass (265 yards, 1.5 pass TD per game), so he should be in store for a nice day…Brady Quinn has a great matchup with a Houston defense that is tied for third in most passing TD allowed on the season. Quinn had a great first start, but didn’t throw a TD against the Bills last week. I’d feel more confident in this play if Kellen Winslow is healthy enough to play…Gus Frerotte faces a Jaguars defense that has allowed the 2nd most passing TD in the league. Frerotte has been a solid fantasy QB since he took over in Minnesota but many fantasy owners are still scared to use him..Kerry Collins has posted good fantasy numbers in the last two games as teams try to gang up on LenDale White and Chris Johnson. This week, he faces a Jets defense that has allowed 240 passing yards and 1.4 pass TD per game…Jeff Garcia faces a Detroit defense that is 23rd in the league against the pass. They played pretty well against the Panthers last week, but on the season the Lions have been dreadful.

Every week, I 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 LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. 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 Donovan McNabb, 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.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: For a rookie, Matt Ryan has been outstanding this season, and he has a tasty matchup with the league’s 28th rated pass defense…Tyler Thigpen has been a solid fantasy QB the last three weeks and has a great matchup this week with a Saints pass defense that has yielded 238 pass yards and 1.6 pass TD per game…Jake Delhomme has the Lions this week, which means he has a good shot to post his best numbers all season. Detroit is 29th against the pass…If he can get healthy, Ben Roethlisberger has a great matchup against the Chargers, who have the league’s worst pass defense (265 yards, 1.9 TD per game)…For the desperate, Kerry Collins (@ JAX) and Matt Hasselbeck (vs. ARI), if he plays, both have nice matchups with sketchy pass defenses.

RB: Frank Gore is sort of a no-brainer at this point, but be sure he’s in your lineup this week as he faces the Rams, who have yielded 161 yards and 1.7 rush TD per game…Matt Forte should post nice numbers against the Packers, who have the league’s 28th-ranked rush defense…Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood are both good starts against a Denver rush defense that has given up 146 yards and 1.2 rush TD per game…Joseph Addai has a very nice matchup with a Houston defense that is ranked 23rd against the run. The Texans have also allowed 1.6 rush TD per game…I’m not so sure about Jonathan Stewart, but DeAngelo Williams looks like a great start against the Lions, who have allowed an average of 161 yards and 1.6 TD on the ground this season…The Texans keep talking about limiting Steve Slaton’s touches to keep him fresh, but he should still be able to produce against the Colts’ 24th-ranked rush defense…Reggie Bush may play, but he’ll probably be limited. If so, Deuce McAllister looks like a solid start against the Chiefs’ league-worst rush defense.

WR: Steve Smith is a must-start, but Muhsin Muhammad is also a very good start against the Lions, who have yielded 245 yards and 1.7 pass TD per game…Lee Evans should have a good game against the 21st-ranked Browns pass defense…Against the Bears, Greg Jennings will already be in most fantasy owners’ lineups, but Donald Driver is worth a look too, assuming the weather holds up in Green Bay…Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are no-brainer starts, but Steve Breaston should also have a good week against a Seattle pass defense that is ranked 31st in the league…Dwayne Bowe should be in everyone’s lineups, but Mark Bradley is also a nice start against the 27th-ranked Saints pass defense…Roddy White is a must-start, but Michael Jenkins is a sneaky good start in larger leagues against a very bad Denver pass defense…Koren Robinson and Bobby Engram face the Cardinals, so they may post some numbers this week…For the desperate, Mark Clayton might not be a bad start if Derrick Mason misses Week 11.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: I might still start him if I were in a pinch, but Tony Romo (@ WAS) has a rough matchup with the league’s 8th-ranked pass defense. Plus, it would be his first game back, so he may need to shake off the rust a little bit…David Garrard faces the Titans, who have yielded just five pass TD all season…Sage Rosenfels didn’t play very well last week against the Ravens, and this week he has a bad matchup against the Colts, who have the 7th-best pass defense in the league and have allowed only two pass TD all year…I probably wouldn’t use Jeff Garcia this week against an improving Vikings pass defense that shut down Aaron Rodgers and the Packers last week…I would still use both players, but lower your expectations for Brett Favre (@ NE) and Phillip Rivers (@ PIT), as both of those matchups are bad.

RB: Willis McGahee has a tough matchup with the Giants, who have allowed just 88 yards and 0.4 rush TD per game this season…I might still use him, but I’m not optimistic about Ryan Grant, who faces the league’s 4th-ranked rush defense. The Bears have been very stingy yardage-wise, but have given up 1.0 rush TD per game…Kevin Smith should probably stay on the bench this week. The Panthers have yielded just 0.4 rush TD per game this year…I’d still start both players, but lower your expectations for Brandon Jacobs (vs. BAL) and LaDainian Tomlinson (@ PIT). The Ravens and Steelers are #1/#2 in the league against the rush…Leave Julius Jones on the bench this week. Arizona has been surprisingly stingy against the run this season.

WR: The Packer pass defense is stingy, so Rashied Davis and Devin Hester should probably stay on the bench this week…You can still use Andre Johnson, but he and Kevin Walter will probably post depressed numbers against a good Colts pass defense…I wouldn’t expect a whole lot from Matt Jones this week against the 12th-ranked Titans pass defense…This isn’t a particularly good week to use Greg Camarillo or Ted Ginn, as they face an Oakland pass defense that has shut down opposing WRs the last few weeks…Unless I didn’t have a choice, I’d leave the San Diego receivers on the bench this week. The Steelers have the top-ranked pass defense in the league.

DTBWW

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire. Each week, you pick up a defense, usually playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. All teams are available in at least 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

This week’s picks:

MIA (vs. OAK)
SF (vs. STL)

Last week’s picks:

Not a good week.

Every week, I 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 LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. 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 Donovan McNabb, 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.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: Brett Favre has a good matchup with a sketchy Rams defense and should be in starting lineups this week…There are a number of fantasy backup QBs that have nice matchups in Week 10. Chad Pennington faces a Seattle defense that has yielded 258 yards and 1.6 pass TD per game…Joe Flacco plays the Texans, who have given up an average of 203 yards and 1.5 pass TD this season…Tyler Thigpen has played pretty well the last two weeks, and he’ll have an opportunity to rack up some numbers against a Chargers defense that is dead last in the league against the pass…If you’re REALLY desperate, pick up Shaun Hill. He faces an Arizona defense that has allowed 2.0 pass TD per game.

RB: Be sure Maurice Jones-Drew is in your lineup as he faces a dreadful Lions rush defense that has yielded an average of 162 yards and 1.4 rush TD per game…Rumor has it that Willie Parker might miss Sunday’s matchup against the Colts, and if so, Mewelde Moore becomes a great start in his place. The Colts give up an average of 144 yards and 1.3 rush TD per game…Thomas Jones is looking like a strong start against the Rams, who are 29th in the league against the run…Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams are still splitting time, but a great matchup against the league’s 30th-ranked Raider rush defense makes them both solid plays this week.

WR: Lee Evans should be in lineups this week against a New England defense that has given up 13 pass TD this season. It’s likely that Evans will be able to sneak deep for a score this week…Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles are nice starts against the Rams, who have allowed 246 yards and 1.5 pass TD per game…Greg Camarillo (and to a lesser extent, Ted Ginn) is a good start against the Seahawks, who have struggled against the pass this season…Assuming he’s not suspended between now and Sunday, the suddenly productive Matt Jones is a nice start against a terrible Lions pass defense.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: I wouldn’t trust Rex Grossman to quarterback my fantasy team this week. He faces the Titans, who have only allowed four pass TD all season…JaMarcus Russell has a bad matchup against a Carolina defense that has held teams to 195 yards passing and 0.9 pass TD per game. Based on the way the Oakland offense looked last week, I don’t expect them to have much success against the Panthers…Whether it’s Ben Roethlisberger or Byron Leftwich, the matchup with a Colts pass defense that has allowed just two pass TD all year is a bad one…Gus Frerotte (vs. GB) and Matt Cassel (vs. BUF) are startable in a pinch, but neither guy has a particularly good matchup.

RB: Ryan Grant has been running better of late, but don’t expect him to do much against a Vikings rush defense that is 2nd in the league in yards allowed…He’s still startable due to his prowess in the pass game, but Steve Slaton will find the running room hard to find against the Ravens, who have allowed a league-best 64 yards and 0.1 rush TD per game…I wouldn’t start any of the Oakland or Seattle running backs in their matchups against the Panthers and Dolphins, respectively.

WR: I wouldn’t start Rashied Davis or Devin Hester this week against a strong Titans pass defense…Marvin Harrison is still startable, but he’s probably going to struggle against the #1 pass defense in the league…Again, he’s startable, but lower your expectations for Plaxico Burress. He faces an Eagles defense that has been pretty stingy against the pass this season…Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes are probably going to struggle some this week. I’d still feel okay starting them, but if you have a great option, go ahead and use it. The Colts have been terrific against the pass, and the uncertainty at QB makes either guy a risky play.

DTBWW

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire. Each week, you pick up a defense, usually playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. All teams are available in at least 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

I would pick up the Cardinals (vs. SF), the Panthers (vs. OAK), the Jets (vs. STL), the Jaguars (@ DET), and the Chargers (vs. KC) – in that order – before either of these picks. Those teams aren’t available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues, so they don’t qualify.

This week’s picks:

MIA (vs. SEA)
HOU (vs. BAL)

Last week’s picks:

The return TD saved the Browns pick, but I really blew it with the Rams. I thought they’d play better at home against a turnover-prone Kurt Warner.