Each week, I highlight a few marginal guys to start and a few to bench. How did I do with last week’s picks? Let’s take a look:
START
David Carr – 131 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Thomas Jones – 142 total yards
Joe Jurevicius – 9 catches, 137 yards, 1 TD
BENCH
Byron Leftwich – 161 passing yards, 2 TDs
Curtis Martin – 59 yards, 2 TDs
Michael Clayton – 0 catches, 0 yards
What we learned: Carr will continue to struggle until the Texans can figure out how to protect him. Jurevicius will be a good play while Darrell Jackson recovers from minor knee surgery. Bucs HC John Gruden said Monday that they have to get the ball to Clayton more, but talk is cheap. Clayton is very undependable right now.
On to this week’s picks:
START
QB – Mark Brunell, WAS
Brunell has stepped in for Patrick Ramsey and answered the bell. Over the last three weeks, he’s thrown for an average of 280 yards and 2 TDs per game. This week he’s facing a Chiefs defense that has allowed an average of 273 yards through the air.
RB – Warrick Dunn, ATL
The Falcons face the Saints, who have given up a healthy 123 yards on the ground at a clip of 4.3 ypc. Dunn is averaging 95 yards per game, so he should crack the century mark and might find the endzone.
WR – Kevin Johnson, DET
I’m going out on limb with this pick and you should only start him if you are pretty desperate for WR help. The Lions WR corps has been decimated with injuries/suspensions and that leaves KJ as their #1 this week against a Carolina defense that has allowed 260 ypg through the air.
BENCH
QB – Steve McNair, TEN
McNair is the only mid-level guy that has a tough matchup this week. The Bengals have allowed 189 ypg and have twelve interceptions against four TDs over the first five games.
RB – Corey Dillon, NE
I recommend benching Dillon if possible for two reasons: 1) even though he’s listed as “probable,” there’s a pretty good chance that he won’t play and 2) even if he does play, his matchup against a pretty stout Denver rush defense isn’t very good.
WR – Chris Chambers, MIA
Chambers faces a tough TB defense this week. This one should be a low scoring affair with both teams trying to run the ball, so I don’t foresee a lot of opportunities for the Dolphin wideouts.
If you have any lineup questions, please post them in our Weekly Q&A.
KEY INJURIES:
Aaron Stecker – Q
Andre Johnson – Q
Antwaan Randle El – P
Ben Roethlisberger – D
Bobby Engram – O
Braylon Edwards – O
Carnell Williams – Q
Clinton Portis – P
Corey Dillon – P
Curtis Martin – P
Darrell Jackson – O
DeShaun Foster – Q
Drew Brees – Q
Ernie Conwell – Q
Fred Taylor – P
Hines Ward – Q
Isaac Bruce – D
Jimmy Smith – P
Julius Jones – Q
Lee Suggs – O
Michael Vick – Q
Nate Burleson – O
Roy Williams – Q
Rudi Johnson – P
Stephen Davis – Q
T. J. Houshmandzadeh – Q
Thomas Jones – Q
Todd Heap – P
Tom Brady – P
Torry Holt – Q
Troy Brown – P
