Every week, I 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 LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. 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 Donovan McNabb, only do so if you have a clearly better option on your bench.
New for Week 6… I am now putting “Love ‘Em” players in the order that I’d start them.
LOVE ‘EM
QB: Jason Campbell is a great start this week against the Rams, who 28th in the league against the pass…Don’t look now, but Kyle Orton (a.k.a. “Beard”) is a starting quality fantasy QB. This week he has a Falcons defense that is 22nd in the league against the pass…Gus Frerotte plays the Lions. Start him…Matt Schaub should be back under center (and after Sage Rosenfels’ fourth quarter performance against the Colts, I don’t see Schaub losing his job anytime soon). He faces a Dolphins defense that is playing better, but has given up an average of 206 yards and 1.8 pass TD per game…JaMarcus Russell isn’t a bad start (for the desperate) against a Saints team that has yielded 245 pass yards and 1.8 pass TD per game.
RB: Get Maurice Jones-Drew into your lineups this week. He faces a Denver team that is 25th in the league against the rush…The Colts have yielded a league-worst 189 rushing yards per game on the ground, so Willis McGahee and Le’Ron McClain both look startable even though they’re splitting carries. It’s doubtful that the Ravens will even bother to pass the ball at all…Ronnie Brown faces the Texans, who have given up an average of 140 rushing yards and 2.0 rush TD per game this season.
WR: Greg Jennings is pretty much a must-start every week, but Donald Driver deserves a starting spot this week since he faces a Seattle defense that is really struggling against the pass…Bernard Berrian has been productive the last three games (averaging 4.7 catches for 89 yards and 0.3 TD) and this week he faces a porous Lions secondary…Andre Johnson has regained his must-start status, but Kevin Walter is a sneaky good start against the Dolphins this week…Antwaan Randle El has a nice matchup against the Rams, who are 28th in the league against the pass.
LEAVE ‘EM
QB: Joe Flacco has a tough matchup with a Colts defense that is pretty bad against the run, but quite stout against the pass (165 pass yards, 0.3 pass TD per game)…J.T. O’Sullivan has been pretty good fantasy-wise, but this week he faces the Eagles, who are 11th in the league against the pass. He’s still startable, but only if you don’t have any good options on your bench…I’d stay away from Jeff Garcia, who is back under center but faces the Panthers, who are 3rd in the league against the pass (156 pass yards, 0.8 pass TD per game).
RB: There are a number of good running backs that have bad matchups this week. They’re still startable, but proceed with caution and bench them if you have good depth at RB: Michael Turner (vs. CHI), Jamal Lewis (vs. NYG), Steve Slaton (vs. MIA), Joseph Addai (vs. BAL), Frank Gore (vs. PHI), Steven Jackson (@ WAS) and Earnest Graham (vs. CAR).
WR: Marvin Harrison isn’t himself this season, and it’s unlikely that he’ll bust out against the #1 pass defense in the league…Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton should probably ride the pine against a Colts defense that is good against the pass…I wouldn’t think that Isaac Bruce would continue his recent success (4 TD in the last three games) against a solid Eagles team that really needs a win…Ike Hilliard and Antonio Bryant should probably ride the pine against the Panthers, who have been great against the pass.
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:
WAS (vs. STL) – In fact, WAS has good matchups for the next three weeks
NYJ (vs. CIN)
Last week’s picks:
Panthers: 0 PA, 3 SK, 2 INT, 1 FR = 16 fantasy points
Cardinals: 17 PA, 5 SK, 1 INT, 3 FR = 11 fantasy points
