Week 3
Games through September 22

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START

QB:

Steve McNair, Ten: After a somewhat disappointing performance last week (138 yards passing, 1 td, 0 int), McNair should bounce back this Sunday against New Orleans. The Titans struggled against the Colts, but should find more room to pass at home. McNair simply has too much talent to bench after one rough outing.

Vinny Testaverde, NYJ: Testaverde may be a surprise on the start list, but after a slow start on opening day, he felt a lot more comfortable last weekend, throwing for 373 yards while playing from behind the most time. The Jets may again find themselves playing catchup in New England, so expect him to again pass more than 40 times. Unless you have clearly better options, Testaverde seems like a good gamble.

Others to start:
Tommy Maddox, Pit
Trent Green, KC
Drew Bledsoe, Buf
Aaron Brooks, NO
Jeff Garcia, SF
Joey Harrington, Det
Kerry Collins, NYG
Rich Gannon, Oak

No-brainers:
Daunte Culpepper, Min
Brett Favre, GB
Peyton Manning, Ind
Matt Hasselbeck, Sea
Marc Bulger, StL

RB:

Moe Williams, Min: Even despite two good outings, many still doubt Moe’s abilities. Williams may indeed never belong to the league’s elite, but he is a solid #2 fantasy back right now and should undoubtedly be started against weaker defenses. The Vikings play lowly Detroit this week, so put Moe into your starting lineup. The odds that he’ll find the endzone look good.

Amos Zeroue, Pit: Amos has just 104 yards rushing after two weeks, but the good news for him is that Pittsburgh now faces Cincinnati. Yes, the Bengals played a fine game at Oakland last week, but they are still the Bengals. Cincinatti has to concentrate on keeping Burress and Ward in check, which should open up a lot of room to run for Zeroue. Things may finally be looking up for Famous Amos.

Others to start:
Tiki Barber, NYG
Edgerrin James, Ind
Fred Taylor, Jax
Charlie Garner, Oak

No-brainers:
Ricky Williams, Mia
Ahman Green, GB
LaDainan Tomlinson, SD
Deuce McAllister, NO
Clinton Portis, Den
Marshall Faulk, StL
Shaun Alexander, Sea
Jamal Lewis, Bal
Travis Henry, Buf

WR:

Robert Ferguson, GB: Ferguson surprised many fantasy owners last week by playing and even catching one TD following his horrible-looking week 1 injury. Now two weeks removed, Robert should be back almost 100 percent, and playing the worst defense in the league, Arizona, helps a lot. Ferguson could get a lot of looks and should have another solid day.

Corey Bradford, Hou: Andre Johnson is quickly emerging as Carr’s favorite target, and could be a safe fantasy option soon. However, we think that this week Bradford will also be an important part of Houston’s game plan. The Texans may once again have to play from behind and take to the air, and Bradford’s speed and experience will give him the opportunity to get open. Yes, he’s a risk, but his upside makes him worth considering.

Others to start:
Troy Brown, NE
Isaac Bruce, StL
Rod Smith, Den
Derrick Mason, Ten
Quincy Morgan, Cle
Jerry Rice, Oak
Donte Stallworth, NO
Chad Johnson, Cin
Santana Moss, NYJ

No-brainers:
Terell Owens, SF
Marvin Harrison, Ind
Randy Moss, Min
Torry Holt, StL
Hines Ward, Pit
Eric Moulds, Buf
Koren Robinson, Sea
Plaxico Burress, Pit
Laveranues Coles, Was
Amani Toomer, NYG
Joe Horn, NO

TE/K/D:

Mikhael Ricks, TE; Det: It’s always a good idea to start TEs who might find themselves in high-scoring games, and this Sunday’s contest in Detroit may turn into just that. Ricks should be a good option for Harrington, particularly since the Lions are still searching for a working running game. Unless you have one of the top TEs (Shockey, Heap, Gonzalez or Sharpe), Ricks looks like a decent option.

Josh Brown, K; Sea: The rookie has played well in his first two games, and should be in for a good effort against St. Louis. If you’re having trouble at the kicker position or have to find a bye-week replyecment, Brown might not be a bad option, and is still available in many leagues right now.

San Francisco: The 49ers defense is one of the better units in the league, and playing a struggling Browns team at home is a perfect combination for a big game. San Francisco looks like one of the better options at defense this week.

 
BENCH

QB:

Jeff Fiedler, Mia: Despite a win against the Jets, the Dolphins offense is not really clicking yet. To make matters worse, they face the red-hot Bills on Sunday night. Buffalo has not only played well on offense, but has displayed excellent defense as well. The Bills will put a lot of pressure on Fiedler, who may be in for a long day.

Kelly Holcomb, Cle: We had him in our start column in the first two weeks, and he failed twice. The Browns are playing far below expectations so far, and the QB debate is already heating up again. Playing against a tough Niners defense doesn’t help either, so bench Holcomb for now and keep an eye on the situation in Cleveland.

RB:

Warrick Dunn, Atl: Stephen Davis surprised a lot of peaople last week, running for 142 yards against Tampa Bay’s fearsome defense. However, this is not a sign that anybody can run over the Bucs, and they will show that against the Falcons this week. Furthermore, TJ Duckett was used often last week, and could steal more and more carries from Dunn as time goes by. Play it safe and leave Dunn on your bench if you have safer options.

Curtis Martin, NYJ: After being so consistent for so long, Martin seems to have lost a step; he simply no longer has the quickness that made him such a fantastic back. And if, as many expect, the Patriots grab an early lead, the Jets will have to throw a lot this game, so Martins carries may be limited this week.

WR:

Bobby Shaw, Buf: Shaw had an impressive game last week and was one of the hottest pickups from the waiver wire. However, if Shaw is known for anything, it is inconsistency. He has had a lot good games in his career, but has often followed them with off days. If you were successful in landing him, watch his progress and be ready to start him if he shows he can be a consistent threat.

Tai Streets, SF: The 49ers might blow out the Browns this week, but it is questionable if Streets will get a share of the action. Terrell Owens might be in for a huge game, as nobody will be able to stop him, therefore limiting the looks Streets will get. If you are thin at WR, it might be worth the gamble, but we believe there should be safer options available than playing Tai on Sunday.

TE/K/D:

Dallas Clark, Ind: Clark had four catches for 63 yards last week, leading the Colts in receiving. However, he is still a rookie and has a lot to learn, so he could very well struggle on Sunday. Follow his progress closely, but wait at least another week or two before starting him.

Olindo Mare, Mia: The Bills are simply playing great defense right now, and it will not be any different this week. Mare may receive a decent number of field goal opportunities, but could also be shut down. Play it safe and search for another option this week.

Tennessee: The Titans did not look great against the Colts last week, and could again have trouble against a Saints offense that possesses a lot of weapons. This might very well turn into a shootout, making the Titans defense a risk.

 
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.