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.

Clinton Portis should be started this week as he plays the Lions, who have given up an average of 135 rushing yards per game this season…Ray Rice and Willis McGahee should both be in lineups this week. They face the Browns, who have the 31st-ranked rush defense (206 yards per game). The Ravens should have a field day…Assuming he can hold off Beanie Wells for another week, Tim Hightower seems like a very good start against the Colts, who have one of the worst rush defenses in the league…Knowshon Moreno saw a bigger piece of the action in Week 2, so he should have a significant role in Week 3 against a suspect Raiders rush defense.

Mario Manningham and Steve Smith are almost must-starts against a Bucs defense that was torched by the Cowboys in Week 1 and didn’t fare much better against the Bills in Week 2…Jerricho Cotchery should be in all PPR lineups this week. The Jets face the Titans, who have the league’s worst pass defense through two games…Terrell Owens and Lee Evans should be good starts this week against the Saints, who have a tendency to jump out to a big lead. The Bills may be behind and Owens and Evans should rack up some yards as Buffalo tries to come back…The Browns aren’t going to be able to run on the Ravens, so they’ll have to pass, and that means Braylon Edwards should have a good game…Santana Moss has had a miserable start to the year, but a date with the Lions could fix that. If he doesn’t have a big game this week, he should probably ride the bench until he wakes up…Kevin Walter (if he plays) could be a good start against the Jags, who are 26th in the league against the pass. If he can’t go Andre Davis or Jacoby Jones (whoever starts opposite Andre Johnson) would be a sneaky good start.

It doesn’t seem like a bad matchup for Brett Favre, but the 49ers have only allowed two pass TD through two games. Look elsewhere if you can…He’s still startable, but Kurt Warner probably won’t post his usual numbers due to a very bad matchup against the Colts, who have only allowed 139 pass yards per game and have yet to give up a pass TD (partly because they are so bad against the run)…There are a number of lower-level QBs that have tough matchups this week: Matthew Stafford (vs. WAS), JaMarcus Russell (vs. DEN), Shaun Hill (@ MIN), Byron Leftwich (vs. NYG) and Kerry Collins (@ NYJ).

Stay away from the Cleveland RBs this week against the Ravens’ top-ranked rush defense…With the Bears coming to town, don’t expect a big game out of Julius Jones, who struggled last week and is fighting off Justin Forsett…They’re still somewhat startable, but Thomas Jones and Leon Washington aren’t likely to find much rushing room against a Tennessee defense that is excellent against the run, yielding just 1.9 yards per carry. Washington may be able to make some headway in the passing game, however…Cedric Benson has been great thus far (RB12), but with the Steelers coming to town, he should probably hit the bench. Pittsburgh has the 8th-best rush defense in the league and has yet to yield a rushing TD…

I’d still start him in most situations, but don’t expect Roddy White to have a career day against a Pats defense that has done a nice job of taking away their opponents’ wide receivers this year…Bernard Berrian doesn’t yet have great chemistry with Brett Favre, and I don’t think he’s going to find it this week against a pretty gritty 49ers defense…I would avoid all of the mediocre fantasy wideouts that play for the Titans (Justin Gage and Nate Washington), 49ers (Isaac Bruce and Josh Morgan) and Buccaneers (Michael Clayton) this week, as the matchups aren’t good and none of the WRs are dependable enough to overcome a bad matchup.

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.

Even though he struggled last week, Chris Johnson should be in all fantasy lineups with the Texans coming to town…Darren McFadden should find plenty of running room against a struggling Kansas City defense…Clinton Portis is a great start against a Rams defense that let Julius Jones run wild in Week 1…The Cowboys were pushed around against Tampa Bay last week, so I’d expect Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to have nice games this week as they visit Texas…Larry Johnson didn’t run well against the Ravens last week, but no one really runs well against the Ravens. The Raiders really struggled to stop the run in 2008, but looked a little better on Monday night against the Chargers. Still, LJ should be a decent start this week.

Andre Johnson struggled in Week 1, but the Titans gave up a ton of yards to the Steelers last week, and I’d expect AJ to have a bounce-back game…The Cowboy receivers had a field day against the Bucs last week, so I’d expect Terrell Owens and Lee Evans to have a nice Week 2…Santana Moss had a nightmare of a game against the Giants on Sunday, but with the Rams’ porous defense coming to down, he is primed for a much better outing in Week 2…Justin Gage caught seven passes for 78 yards and a TD against the Steelers in Week 1, and with the Texans coming to down he should find the going even easier. The only worry is that the Titans move the ball too easily on the ground and don’t have to throw the ball…Percy Harvin scored a TD in his first NFL game, and there should be plenty of opportunity to score fantasy points against a Lions defense that was shredded by the Saints last week…Louis Murphy looked great last week, catching four passes for 87 yards and a TD. He actually had another TD called back because of penalty. It’s tough to trust a rookie wideout, especially one that plays for the Raiders. But if you need help at WR, Murphy looks like a sneaky good start against the Chiefs.

Chad Pennington has a rough matchup against the Colts this week. Indy has had a pretty good pass defense for some time now…Whoever starts for the Chiefs faces an Oakland pass defense than is better than advertised…Given the way he played last week, I’d recommend avoiding Jay Cutler this week, as he faces a tough Steelers defense (even though they’re without Troy Polamalu)…Matt Hasselbeck seems like a good start, but the 49er defense locked down Kurt Warner pretty well and might do the same to the Seahawks’ passing game.

There are several top running backs that have tough matchups this week. I’m not recommending that fantasy owners bench these players, but they should consider their options: Matt Forte, Marion Barber, Steve Slaton, Kevin Smith, LaDainian Tomlinson/Darren Sproles and Steven Jackson…The 49er defense completely suffocated the Arizona running game last week, so I wouldn’t expect a repeat performance by Julius Jones in Week 2.

The Giants completely shut down Santana Moss last week, so if they pay the same sort of attention to Roy Williams, I don’t see him having a very good Week 2…The Colts are stingy against the pass, so I’d stay away from Ted Ginn, Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo this week…I’d still start him, but Dwayne Bowe is going to have Nnamdi Asomugha shadowing him all day, and that’s not a good thing.

Note: If you’re looking for a defense to pick up, be sure to check out my DTBWW picks.

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.

The Falcons were 25th against the run last season, so Ronnie Brown should find enough running room to grind out some nice numbers this week…Ray Rice looks like a very nice start against the Chiefs, who gave up 159 yard and 1.6 TD on the ground last season. It’s not clear just how many carries Rice will get, but even if he only gets 10-15 against the Chiefs, he should be worthy of a RB2 or flex start…If Pierre Thomas can go (unlikely), then start him. If not, start Mike Bell, who should have a nice game against the Lions’ perennially awful rush defense…The Rams were pretty bad against the run last year, so if you’re in a bind and have Julius Jones on your roster, he’s worth a shot.

New England wasn’t very good against the pass in 2008 (1.7 pass TD per game), so while Terrell Owens is probably a must-start, Lee Evans deserves a long look too…While Marques Colston is a must-start, Lance Moore also deserves consideration since he has a great matchup against the Lions…Derrick Mason looks like a nice start against a Chiefs defense that was pretty pathetic against the pass last season…Chad Ochocinco should be in all lineups, but Laveranues Coles and Chris Henry are also startable this week against a Broncos defense that really struggled against the pass in 2008…The Falcons had a tough time stopping the pass last season, so don’t be surprised if Ted Ginn has a nice game in Week 1…He hasn’t had a great preseason, but Josh Morgan has the opportunity to post good numbers against a Cardinals defense that yielded 36 receiving touchdowns last season. Isaac Bruce should have a nice game as well…He’s long been a fantasy tease, but Nate Burleson might have a nice game against a suspect Rams defense this week.

Leave Jake Delhomme on your bench this week. He faces the Eagles’ third-ranked pass defense and it probably won’t be pretty…The Colts only allowed six pass TD during the entire 2008 season, so David Garrard doesn’t look like a very good start this week…Matt Cassel should ride the pine this week against the Ravens. Not only does he have a bum knee, but he’s facing 2008′s 2nd-ranked pass defense. That’s not a good combination…This is probably not a good week to experiment with Jason Campbell in your starting lineup. He faces the Giants, who had the 8th-ranked pass defense last season.

Fred Jackson should get the starting nod with Marshawn Lynch suspended, but this week’s matchup against the Pats (who only allowed 8 rush TD in all of 2008) is a bad one…It looks like Minnesota’s “Williams Wall” is going to play, so that makes Jamal Lewis nothing but a benchwarmer this week…Larry Johnson faces a Baltimore defense that was #3 against the run in 2008. Don’t expect a big day from LJ…Given the crowded Tampa Bay backfield and the stingy Dallas defense, Derrick Ward doesn’t look like a very good start in Week 1.

Steve Smith is still a good start, but Muhsin Muhammad should probably ride the pine against a pretty stingy Eagles pass defense…The Colts aren’t good against the run, but they are capable of shutting down a passing game, so don’t expect Torry Holt or any of the other Jacksonville receivers to post good numbers this week…Washington was pretty stingy against wideouts last year, so Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon and Hakeem Nicks might struggle in Week 1.

LOVE ‘EM

Jamal Lewis has a great matchup with a Broncos rush defense that is 26th against the run. On average, they allow 5.1 ypc (2nd worst in the league) and 1.3 rush TD per game. The Browns are likely planning to establish the running game to help Brady Quinn get settled in his first game as the starter. Lewis should gain 80-100 yards and find the endzone at least once…Braylon Edwards is also a solid start against the Denver pass defense, which is 27th in the league…Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal are both worth starting against a Browns secondary that hasn’t been great against opposing WRs. On the whole, the Browns have a pretty good pass defense, but they allow quite a few fantasy points to wideouts…Ryan Torain looks like a sneaky good start against a Browns rush defense that is 28th in the league and yields an average of 148 yards and 1.1 rush TD per game. Be warned, Mike Shanahan is just as likely to pull a free agent off the street and go with a RBBC as he is to give Torain a full load.

LEAVE ‘EM

There are no players that I would bench based on the matchup, but I’m not feeling good about the chances of Tony Scheffler returning this week. He’s listed as questionable and didn’t sound positive earlier in the week when asked about the injury.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: Trent Edwards (@ STL) has a great matchup with the Rams’ 30th-ranked pass defense. Edwards has been very steady in the first three games and is worth the start here unless you have a better alternative…Phllip Rivers (@ OAK) is playing well and should be in your lineup against a suspect Raiders defense…For the desperate, Damon Huard (vs. DEN) has a great matchup against a Broncos defense that has allowed 316 passing yards and 2.0 pass TD per game…Likewise, J.T. O’Sullivan (@ NO), JaMarcus Russell (vs. SD) and Brian Griese (vs. GB, who is without Al Harris) all have nice matchups this week, and are good fill ins for owners that need help at QB.

RB: He’s a no-brainer, but just in case you have several great backs, be sure to have Marshawn Lynch (@ STL) in your lineup this week…The same goes for Larry Johnson (vs. DEN) who showed some life last week against the Falcons; he has a nice matchup with the Broncos…Chris Perry (vs. CLE), Selvin Young (@ KC), Steve Slaton (@ JAX) and Maurice Jones-Drew (vs. HOU) also have good matchups this week.

WR: Lee Evans (@ STL) is a nice start this week against a bad Rams secondary…Dwayne Bowe (vs. DEN) and DeSean Jackson (@ CHI) each have nice matchups against secondaries that were torched last week. Bowe is an every week starter and Jackson is getting there…Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers (@ OAK), go up against an Oakland pass defense which is talented, but just hasn’t been able to put it together thus far…Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson (@ NO) are sneaky good starts against a Saints defense that has struggled against the pass (259 yards, 1.3 pass TD allowed)…The Tampa Bay receivers (Antonio Bryant, Ike Hilliard) are also crafty starts against a Packers defense that is without its cornerstone cornerback, Al Harris.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: Joe Flacco (@ PIT) shouldn’t sniff your starting lineup, not when he faces a tough Steelers defense this week…Kyle Orton (vs. PHI) faces an Eagles defense that is blitzing the hell out of their opponents…Gus Frerotte (@ TEN) has to try to find passing lanes in a Titans defense that has held opponents to an average of 151 passing yards and 0.3 pass TD per game this season…If you have a good alternative (i.e. Edwards, Rivers, Rodgers, etc.), it’s not a bad idea to bench Ben Roethlisberger (vs. BAL) who has a very unattractive matchup against the Ravens, who have allowed an average of just 92 yards passing and 0.3 pass TD on the season.

RB: Willis McGahee (@ PIT) had a pretty good Week 3, but he has a bad matchup against a Pittsburgh defense that has yielded just 64 yards and 0.3 TD on the ground this season…Likewise, Rashard Mendenhall (vs. BAL) gets his first start against one of the best defenses in the league…I wouldn’t expect much out of LenDale White (vs. MIN) who makes a living between the tackles. The Vikings have two of the best tackles in the game, so Chris Johnson is the better bet to score some fantasy points in the passing game and/or on the edge.

WR: Brandon Lloyd (vs. PHI) has had a nice couple of weeks, but expect him to return to Earth against an Eagles defense that is playing well…Bernard Berrian (@ TEN) is unlikely to breakout against the Titans’ suffocating pass defense…Lower your expectations for Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward (vs. BAL), who are still startable, but not attractive options at WR against a very good Ravens defense.

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.

Here are this week’s picks:

Saints (vs. SF)
Bengals (vs. CLE)

Last week’s picks:

Falcons: 14 PA + 2 sacks + 3 INTs + 1 INT return TD = 15 fantasy points
49ers: 13 PA + 4 sacks + 2 INT = 10 fantasy points

ONE FINAL NOTE

If you’re disappointed with your kicker, pick up Matt Prater (DEN) or John Carney (NYG). Prater plays for the Broncos, who have one of the best offenses in the league. It looks like they’ll be in a ton of shootouts this season, so expect Prater to score plenty of points. Likewise, Carney is a good option (though not quite as good as Prater), as the Giants regularly put up a lot of points.