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 LaDainian Tomlinson’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
A number of fringe starting QBs have good matchups this week. BRETT FAVRE faces an Eagles defense that has yielded 253 yards and 1.7 TD per game…DREW BLEDSOE faces a porous Titans secondary and should have Terrell Owens back in the lineup…DAUNTE CULPEPPER has a nice matchup against the Texans, though it’s tough to excited about a QB that could only put up 13 points on Tennessee…WARRICK DUNN didn’t have a very good game last week, but he’s a must-start against the Cardinals, who have allowed an average of 105 rushing yards and 1.3 rush TD per game…JOSEPH ADDAI also has a nice matchup against the Jets, who can’t seem to stop the run (134 rush yards and 1.7 rush TD per game)…CHRIS CHAMBERS deserves another shot, especially with his juicy matchup with the Texans…REGGIE BROWN also looks like a nice start against a Packers secondary that has yielded 301 yards and 1.7 TD per game through the air.
BENCH
KURT WARNER doesn’t have a good matchup against the Falcons who have allowed just 214 yards per game through the air and have yet to allow a passing touchdown…You should only bench MATT HASSELBECK if you have a good alternative, but his matchup with the Bears looks like a tough one. With Shaun Alexander out, the Seahawks could become one dimensional…JAMAL LEWIS faces a very tough San Diego defense that has had two weeks to prepare for Sunday’s game. The Chargers have allowed just 71 yards per game on the ground and have yet to yield a rushing TD…It’s no secret that THOMAS JONES has been struggling, and I doubt he’s going to find his groove this week against the Seahawks, who are second in the league in rushing yards allowed (59 per game) and haven’t allowed a rushing TD…TROY WILLIAMSON will probably find the going tough against a stingy Bills secondary that has allowed just 169 yards through the air…MARQUES COLSTON and JOE HORN should have problems getting open against the Panthers, who have yielded just 168 passing yards per game this season.
If you have roster questions, be sure to post them on the Fantasy Q & A. We’re happy to give you a second opinion.
