Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Week 3 start’em/Sit’em

START 'EM

QUARTERBACK

Jake Delhomme
Panthers at Falcons: Bouncing back from a shaky 2006, he's thrown for three TDs in each of his first two games. Don't be impressed by Atlanta's solid stats against the pass; this year the Falcons have only faced fantasy lightweights David Garrard and Tarvaris Jackson.

Derek Anderson
Browns at Raiders: Brady Quinn will watch in a baseball cap as the unheralded Anderson follows up his five-TD performance in Week 2. The third-year player will challenge an Oakland defense that allowed 558 passing yards in the first two weeks. 

RUNNING BACK 

Cadillac Williams
Buccaneers vs. Rams: He's averaging just 3.4 yards, but Tampa's air attack is getting him goal line carries, and the St. Louis run D is lousy.

LaMont Jordan
Raiders vs. Browns: Jordan has run for 100 yards in both starts against Cleveland -- whose defense has allowed 100-yard runners in both games this year.

Ahman Green
Texans vs. Colts: The fragile 30-year-old's 71-yard day against Carolina was abbreviated to keep him fresh for this division game.

WIDE RECEIVER 

Hines Ward
Steelers vs. 49ers: Quiet in last week's blowout of the Bills (five catches, 55 yards), Ward tends to play big against better competition. The 2–0 Niners allowed 368 passing yards in St. Louis.

Marques Colston
Saints vs. Titans: Colston's late TD against the Bucs in Week 2 was a good omen for winless New Orleans as it heads into what will be a charged home opener on Monday night.

Deion Branch Seahawks vs. Bengals: Branch and his fellow Seattle receivers will be licking their chops after watching film of Cincinnati's hapless defensive effort against the Browns.

TIGHT END 

Dallas Clark
Colts at Texans: He has caught Peyton Manning's eye this year (nine receptions in two games), and, more important, he has a good track record against Houston. Clark has four touchdowns in five games against the Texans; he also had one of his three career 100-yard games against them. 

KICKER 

Shayne Graham
Bengals at Seahawks: No need to worry about his hip, which he proved is healthy seven times in Cleveland. Even if they're one at a time, the points will come against Seattle.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

Vikings at Chiefs: The Vikes will feast on whichever QB K.C. offers up, and also on a Chiefs coverage unit that surrendered two special teams TDs (one negated by penalty) to Chicago last week.

ALSO START

QB Matt Schaub
Texans, QB Vince Young
Titans,
RB Thomas Jones
Jets, WR Braylon Edwards
Browns, Dolphins defense

SIT 'EM

QUARTERBACK

Tony Romo Cowboys at Bears: He threw for 531 yards and six touchdowns in the first two weeks -- but as a backup on many fantasy teams, his points were left on the bench. This isn't the week to play Romo, however. Chicago's defense, despite losing some starters, has allowed two passing TDs, intercepted two passes and had seven sacks.

Matt Leinart
Cardinals at Ravens: He has thrown for 203 yards or fewer in six of seven career road games, and he has no multi-TD games away from Arizona. Since 2005, Baltimore has allowed 300 passing yards twice -- to Drew Brees and Carson Palmer.

RUNNING BACK

Marshawn Lynch
Bills at Patriots: Just look at what the rookie's predecessor in Buffalo, Willis McGahee, did in five starts against the Pats: 61 yards per game and zero TDs.

Travis Henry
Broncos vs. Jaguars: Jacksonville's run stuffers held Atlanta to 82 yards. Also, Cecil Sapp and Selvin Young are suddenly in Denver's backfield mix.

Marion Barber
Cowboys at Bears: Chicago limited LT and LJ to a combined 2.4-yard average. Barber isn't in their class—and he shares carries.

WIDE RECEIVER

Plaxico Burress
Giants at Redskins: A bright spot for sputtering New York, Burress has four TDs through two games -- but the Skins tend to give him trouble (four games, 177 yards, one TD).

Lee Evans
Bills at Patriots: After 1,292 receiving yards in '06, he has only 22 yards through two games in '07. Facing New England won't help -- whether the Pats know Buffalo's play calls or not.

James Jones
Packers vs. Chargers: The rookie had four grabs for 75 yards against a porous Giants D. He'll have a harder time against the Bolts, whose pass rush should keep Brett Favre on the run.

TIGHT END

Vernon Davis
49ers at Steelers: Having seen the Rams struggle to take down Davis in a highlight-reel play last week, one might be tempted to start him. But despite facing heavy pressure in Weeks 1 and 2, Alex Smith has completed only two passes per game to his TE. Don't lean on Davis until his QB does. 

KICKER 

Sebastian Janikowski
Raiders vs. Browns: It's not just that he's 1 for 5 on field goals this year; it's also that he's often missing by egregious margins. Wait for his ego to recover.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS 

Raiders vs. Browns: If Jamal Lewis and Derek Anderson can show the same spark they did against Cincy, Oakland's opportunistic unit (a TD and a safety against Denver) will get a rude surprise.

ALSO SIT

QB Jay Cutler
Broncos, QB Alex Smith
49ers, RB Fred Taylor
Jaguars, RB Derrick Ward
Giants, WR Chris Chambers
Dolphins.