Week 1
Games through September 8

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START:

QB:

Kurt Warner, StL: It may be the last time Warner will appear in this spot, but not because he won’t produce. From now on, expect to find his name in the list of no-brainers. But because of last year’s woes, we just wanted to make sure you don’t hesitate to start him – although if you drafted him, you’re presumably as optimistic about his prospects as we are.

Kelly Holcomb, Cle: As the winner of the QB battle in Cleveland, Holcomb has a lot to prove. Luckily he’ll get his chance against the Colts. Indianapolis may still have one of the best offenses, but unfortunately they have one of the worst defenses, too. Expect a high scoring contest in Cleveland, and lots of fantasy points from Holcomb.

Others to start: Donovan McNabb, Phi; Jeff Garcia, SF; Matt Hasselbeck, Sea; Joey Harrington, Det; Trent Green, KC; Steve McNair, Ten

No-brainers: Rich Gannon, Oak; Brett Favre, GB; Daunte Culpepper, Min; Peyton Manning, Ind; Aaron Brooks, NO

RB:

William Green, Cle: See Holcomb, Kelly. If Cleveland wants to stay in the game against the Colts, they will have to score a lot of points, and they will. Green is a very talented back just entering his second season, and he will have lots of room to run.

Moe Williams, Min: Williams was named as the starter for Minnesota and you should not hesitate to put him into your lineup as well. The Vikings coaching staff was not overwhelmed by the preseason performance of Onterrio Smith, who still has a lot to learn. Williams will get the start, the majority of the carries, and – as usual – the ball at the goal line, which makes him a safe option at running back.

Others to start: Shaun Alexander, Sea; Charlie Garner, Oak; Tiki Barber, NYG; Corey Dillon, Cin; Stephen Davis, Car; Edgerrin James, Ind; Fred Taylor, Jax; Jamal Lewis, Bal

No-brainers: Ricky Williams, Mia; Ahman Green, GB; Priest Holmes, KC; LaDainan Tomlinson, SD; Deuce McAllister, NO; Marshall Faulk, StL; Clinton Portis, Den

WR:

Robert Ferguson, GB: Ferguson may be one of best sleepers of the season, and if you were able to get him in the middle to late rounds of your draft, you can be highly satisfied. Normally, you might wait for a couple of weeks until you put in one of your sleeper picks, but not in Ferguson’s case. The Packers have a great matchup against the Vikings, one of the weakest passing defenses of last season, so start Ferguson with confidence.

Chad Johnson, Cin: Johnson certainly stepped up last year and finished the season as one of the top fantasy WRs. However, he still plays for the Bengals, and a lot people still don’t really trust him. We do; Johnson is for real, and you can play him safely.

Others to start: Amani Toomer, NYG; Troy Brown, NE; Jerry Porter, Oak; Isaac Bruce, StL; Rod Smith, Den; Peerless Price, Atl; Marty Booker, Chi; Derrick Mason, Ten; Plaxico Burress, Pit; Quincy Morgan, Cle

No-brainers: Donald Driver, GB; Terell Owens, SF; Marvin Harrison, Ind; Joe Horn, NO; Randy Moss, Min; Torry Holt, StL; Hines Ward, Pit; Eric Moulds, Buf; David Boston, SD; Koren Robinson, Sea

TE/K/D:

Jerramy Stevens, Sea, TE: Seattle should score a lot points against New Orleans this week, and Stevens is finally ready to step in as the Hawks’ starting TE. Itula Mili will still be on the field often, but Stevens will get the majority of looks, and as Hasselbeck likes to throw to his TEs (especially in goal line situations), Stevens is a fine start.

Jason Hanson, Det, K: Hanson is a reliable kicker, and he will get a lot of chances in this game with the Lions playing the questionable Arizona defense.

Dallas: The Cowboys defense was one of the better units last year, and they may even be better this season. Playing at home against the Falcons, who are without starting QB Michael Vick, will only help, so look for a good performance on Sunday.

 
BENCH

QB:

Jeff Blake, Ari: Blake was never synonymous with greatness, and he will not turn things around in Arizona. If you were considering starting him, better search for other options, especially since the Lions defense may be one of the most underrated units in the league.

Brad Johnson, TB: Johnson led Tampa Bay to the title last season, and the Bucs may again have one of the best teams this time around. However, this alone does not make Johnson a great fantasy option. He may be worth starting if the matchup is right, but this Monday his opponent is Philadelphia, one of the toughest defenses in the league. Better bench Johnson.

RB:

Amos Zereoue, Pit: Zereoue has been named the starter for the Steelers, which is good news for his owners. However, the Ravens are a tough opponent, and their defense should be better again this year. Zereoue will have a lot of good games, but not in the season opener.

Troy Hambrick, Dal: Starting or benching Hambrick is one of the toughest decisions fantasy owners have to face this week. On the one hand, he is the starter, and Bill Parcells’ RBs have always put up good fantasy numbers. But Hambrick was not terribly convincing in the preseason, and the Falcons were tough against the run last season. If you have other options, bench Hambrick for this week and see how he progresses.

WR:

JJ Stokes: Due to Jimmy Smith’s four-game suspension, Stokes is the #1 WR on the Jaguars for now. But that alone does not make him a good fantasy option. Stokes has a history of ups and downs in his carrer, and you never know whether he’ll show up come gametime. Additionally, the Panthers defense is fierce, so the Jaguars will struggle all afternoon. Do yourself a favor, bench JJ.

Travis Taylor, Bal: The story with Taylor is a bit similar to the situation with Hambrick, although Taylor has been a starter for the Ravens since last year. But the Ravens’ passing game and their rookie QB have major question marks, which limit Taylor’s value for now. If you have other options, bench Travis this week and closely follow the progress of the Ravens’ air attack.

TE/K/D:

Cameron Cleeland, StL: Not only is Cleeland’s history of injuries always a concern for fantasy owners, but Warner isn’t known for looking to his tight ends. The Rams may rack up some good yardage and score a lot, but this alone is not enough to justify putting Cameron into your starting lineup.

Paul Edinger, K, Chi: Usually, a kicker will be on this list because his team will not score a lot, and that’s exactly what will happen to the Bears this week. San Francisco’s defense is solid, and Chicago’s offense has a lot of question marks. Bench Edinger, will not provide you with a lot of points on Sunday.

NY Giants: The Giants defense will be the first victim of the resurrected St. Louis juggernaut. The Rams offense may not be as strong as in their prime years, but clearly belong to the top of the league. New York may be worth starting against most teams, but not against the Rams this weekend.

 
Note: Start and Sit lists for this week’s early games can be found here.

Fantasy Football Cafe’s Start & Sit lists are suggestions intended to give fantasy football players an edge in their weekly matchups. Savvy owners will see these lists not as an absolute ranking, but as an indication of possible outcomes of a given week, and use them together with their own opinions and hunches to field the lineup that will give their team the greatest odds of winning. The Start & Sit lists are compiled by Dan Spazierer (not Madame Zelda). For more insights and additional fine-tuning, visit our Who to Start/Bench forum section.