Every week in the Pregame, I’ll provide a few players to start and a few to bench. These recommendations are based on that player’s strength of schedule (SOS) for that particular week or that player’s specific situation.

I’m a strong advocate of always starting your studs, so I won’t be telling you about Shaun Alexander’s tough matchup or how Peyton Manning and company will light it up against a bad defense. Anyone can make those calls. I’ll be discussing marginal fantasy starters – guys that can start for you, but only under certain circumstances.

START

This is a great week to start MARK BULGER, who faces a San Francisco defense that gave up 301 yards and 3 TDs to the Cardinals last week…PHILLIP RIVERS also has a great matchup against Tennessee, but the Chargers are going to have to let him put up more than the 11 passes he threw against Oakland if he’s going to be a productive fantasy quarterback…Expect a better game from BRETT FAVRE, who plays the Saints at home. He played well through three quarters against one of the best defenses in the league last week, so his final numbers were a bit misleading…It goes without saying that after last week’s performance, you should start FRANK GORE this week against the Rams, who yielded 161 yards on the ground to the Broncos. But I’ll say it anyway, just to be sure…JAMAL LEWIS should be able to find running room against an Oakland defense that let the Chargers run for 194 yards on Monday night…I’m not so sure that Steve Smith will make it back this week, so KEYSHAWN JOHNSON should be a good start against Minnesota, even though the Vikings’ pass defense is improved. Somebody has to catch passes for the Panthers…ANDRE JOHNSON should receive plenty of targets in his matchup with the Colts. Indy is a little suspect against the pass and Houston will probably be playing from behind most of the game.

BENCH

Don’t expect AARON BROOKS and the rest of the Oakland offense to look as bad as they did Monday night, but they probably won’t do very well against a Baltimore defense that blanked the Bucs last week…LAMONT JORDAN couldn’t run against the Chargers, and he’s not going have an easy time against the Ravens, either…If you have a guy like Reggie Bush or Frank Gore on the bench, it might be a good time to bench EDGERRIN JAMES, but only if you have another good option…Unless you’re desperate, MICHAEL CLAYTON should probably ride the pine until the Bucs’ offense shows us something.

INJURY UPDATE

CLINTON PORTIS, TODD HEAP, JAMAL LEWIS didn’t practice on Thursday, but all are expected to play on Sunday…CARNELL WILLIAMS missed practice as well. Be sure he practices on Friday before setting your lineup…BRIAN WESTBROOK left practice on Thursday with a knee injury and was added to the injury report as “probable.” Mid-week downgrades should raise red flags, so keep an eye on this one…T.J. HOUSHMANDZADEH also missed practice, but is expected to play…TRAVIS HENRY “looked much better” to Jeff Fisher, and should play this weekend…STEVE SMITH missed practice again, and it’s looking more and more like he won’t be back until Week 3. DREW CARTER would start in his place, but KEARY COLBERT would also get some action.