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.
This should go without saying, but just in case: Aaron Rodgers should be in your lineup against a Bucs’ pass defense that has yielded 2.3 pass TD per game this season…Donovan McNabb has a very good matchup against a struggling Cowboys secondary…Matt Hasselbeck faces the Lions. Two words: Start him…Cincinnati’s pass defense is ranked 30th in the league, so Joe Flacco should have a nice fantasy line this week…As it stands, Matt Cassel has his last great matchup of the season this week, coming off a bye against the Jaguars’ 26th-ranked pass defense…So, last week, was the Titans’ pass defense that good or was Jacksonville’s pass defense that bad. Alex Smith faces Tennessee’s league-worst pass defense this week and is a pretty nice start…I’m a little hesitant to recommend him again after his brutal showing against the Titans, but David Garrard has another nice matchup this week against the Chiefs and isn’t a bad start…For the desperate, Jason Campbell is a sneaky good start against a Falcons defense that has struggled to stop the pass in recent weeks.
Tennessee’s rush defense is only mediocre, so look for Frank Gore to have a nice fantasy day…Ryan Grant should be able to post some nice numbers against Tampa Bay’s 30th-ranked rush defense…Chicago hasn’t been very good against the run, so Tim Hightower looks like a solid start for another week…Carolina’s rush defense has yielded 127 yards and 1.0 TD per game, so Pierre Thomas is looking like a pretty good start this week. He got some of his goal line work back in Week 8, so he seems to be the best start in the Saints backfield…The Giants rush defense has fallen off in recent weeks, so now that he’s relatively healthy, LaDainian Tomlinson is a solid start this week…In the same game, the Chargers have the 27th-ranked rush defense, so Brandon Jacobs should be able to find some running lanes.
Greg Jennings and Donald Driver should have an easy time getting open on a Bucs defense that has given up 16 pass TD this season…Dwayne Bowe has a tasty matchup with a Jags pass defense that has given up 242 yards and 1.9 TD through the air this season…DeSean Jackson is a great start and Jeremy Maclin is a good start against the Cowboys’ 22nd-ranked pass defense…If Calvin Johnson is playing, get him in your lineup. The Lions will have to throw the ball to keep up with the Seahawks, so CJ could post some nice numbers this week…Reggie Wayne is an every-week no-brainer, but Austin Collie is looking like a nice start against the Texans, who have had trouble against opposing WRs this season…Mike Sims-Walker laid an egg last week against a terrible Titans pass defense, but he has another good matchup this week against the Chiefs. Stay with him unless you have a much better option…Michael Crabtree has 11-137 over his first two games and faces the league’s worst pass defense (TEN) this week. That looks like a nice combination…Santana Moss faces the Falcons, who are having trouble stopping the pass…It’s tough to recommend any of the Titans’ WRs, but Nate Washington looks like the best of the bunch, and the 49ers have given up a ton of passing yards this season.
Matt Ryan has struggled of late, and the Redskins are coming off of a bye and are the 2nd-ranked pass defense in the league. If you have a good alternative, use it…Ben Roethlisberger has been a fine fantasy starter of late, but the Broncos defense has allowed just 0.6 pass TD per game this season…Not that they’re startable in the first place, but avoid Jake Delhomme and Chad Henne at all costs. They face the Saints and the Pats, respectively, and neither is a good matchup.
Steer clear of Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter this week, as neither are a good bet to go off against the Steelers, who own the league’s stingiest rush defense…Both are still startable, but Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are unlikely to have a big game against the Pats, who are coming off their bye…Rashard Mendenhall faces Denver’s 3rd-ranked rush defense, which doesn’t bode very well for the young back…The Packers have only allowed three rush TD on the season, and are pretty stingy around the goal line. I wouldn’t expect Carnell Williams to have a big day, especially since the Bucs are likely to be trailing most of the game.
Steer clear of Roy Williams. The Philly pass defense is pretty tough and he has struggled with his consistency this year…While they’re still startable, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes face Champ Bailey (and the Broncos’ 8th-ranked pass defense) this week…I wouldn’t expect Antonio Bryant to do much against Al Harris and Charles Woodson this week. The Packers have a top 10 pass defense and are coming off a tough loss to the Vikings.
