Week 2
Games through September 16

• Tweet

• Tweet

START

QB:

Donovan McNabb, Phi: He was nearly perfect in the first half last week, but not much went McNabb’s way afterwards. Nevertheless, he will bounce back this week and shine in an expected shootout versus the Redskins.

Kelly Holcomb, Cle: Holcomb played well in the season opener against KC, and there are no signs indicating that he shouldn’t do so again against a weak-as-ever Cincinnati defense. The only question is when starter Tim Couch will return. But after Holcomb’s performance last week, we doubt that Cleveland will rush Couch, so we’re confident in playing the matchup here this week – just keep track of Couch’s status and make last-minute changes if necessary.

RB:

Antowain Smith, NE: Smith was pretty much shut down by the Steelers last week, but expect him to carry more of the load this time around. The Jets are a lot softer against the run than Pittsburgh.

Corey Dillon, Cin: Dillon had a forgettable performance last weekend against the Chargers, but will bounce back in week two. The Bengals need him if they want to beat the Browns in the battle of Ohio. Cleveland’s defense gave up four TDs against Priest Holmes last week, so expect to see a lot of Dillon.

WR:

Jimmy Smith, Jax: Jimmy came back from his holdout and immediately caught 8 passes for 104 yds. Against a KC defense that was torn apart by Cleveland last week, he will be at his best again. If you took a wait-and-see approach last week, put him back in your lineup!

Tim Brown, Oak: The Patriots have shown the way to beat the Steel Curtain: pass, pass, pass. Pittsburgh’s secondary was overmatched against the Patriots’ air attack; expect the Raiders to use a similar style of play. That’s good news for Brown, so keep him in your lineup in spite of a tough opponent.

TE/K/D:

Cameron Cleeland, TE, NE: Healthy for the first time in over two years, Cleeland had a good game last week. With the Patriots’ offense rolling, Cleeland will get a lot of looks and will soon take over the TE spot in New England as his own.

James Tuthill, K, Was: He’s the new guy in the Redskins’ lineup with Bret Conway out for the season. Don’t hesitate to put him into your lineup as well. He’ll get a lot of scoring opportunities with this high-energy offensive unit.

Tennessee: The Titans gave up a lot of yardage against McNabb and the Eagles last week, but shut them down in the second half. Now they play against a Dallas team who struggled against the expansion Texans’ defense.

 
BENCH

QB:

Chris Redman, Bal: Redman struggled in the first game of the season against a weak Carolina defense. We don’t see him improving much over last week’s performance as Tampa Bay will shut the Ravens offense down.

Michael Vick, Atl: He really did an amazing job last week, but the Falcons lost anyhow. Expect him to have a rough time this Sunday, as the Bears pass rush will hunt him all day. Vick will have a lot of productive games this year, but if you have other options, sit him this week.

RB:

Emmitt Smith, Dal: He didn’t look good against Houston and now faces a much tougher defense, the Titans. He needs a working passing game to create some open holes, but he wont get it this week. The Titans will shut the Cowboys down in the air and on the ground, so keep him on the bench.

Any Denver RB: As long as the RB situation in Denver is cloudy, we strongly recommend sitting all parts of this puzzle: Gary, Portis and Anderson will all get their carries, but none will see the ball enough to make a big fantasy impact.

WR:

Corey Bradford, Hou: The Bolts shut down Cincinnati last week and will do the same to the Texans in Houston’s first ever away game. Although Bradford looked good in week one, he may not get the opportunities in San Diego. Keep him on the bench this time.

Deion Branch, NE: This kid really came out of nowhere to surprise everyone. He may have a bright future but don’t expect too much too soon. He is still a rookie and only fourth on the Patriots’ depth chart behind Brown, Hayes and Patten, so he may have some big games, but also some disappointing ones.

TE/K/D:

Jay Riemersma, TE, Buf: Drew Bledsoe has not used his TEs much of late, including last week, when Riemersma had just one catch for 11 yards. Keep him on the bench until Bledsoe shows more confidence in throwing to him.

Jay Feely, K, Atl: We recommended benching him last week and he responded with 10 points, including a 52-yarder, against Green Bay. Nevertheless, we again urge you to look for other options, as the Bears are coming to town and Feely may not get many scoring opportunities.

Dallas: The Cowboys’ defensive unit was highly praised before the season, but it was Houston that stole the show in the opener. They may rebound a bit against the Titans, but play it safe and bench the Dallas D until they prove they can stop somebody.