Week 6
Games through October 13

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QB:

Jay Fiedler, Mia: The Jaguars have one of the worst pass defenses of the league (a point underscored by Drew Brees last week), and that could be good news for Fiedler owners. Miami may give the ball to Ricky Williams often, but Fiedler should still find opportunities to challenge Jacksonville’s secondary.

Aaron Brooks, NO: After a couple of disappointing games, this might be the week that Brooks bounces back. The Bears focus should be on stopping Deuce McAllister, which would open up a lot of room for Brooks to go through the air. Keep in mind that the Saints offense isn’t clicking, however – Brooks may have upside this week, but he isn’t a sure thing.

Others to start:
Tim Couch, Cle
Trent Green, KC
Tom Brady, NE
Donovan McNabb, Phi
Quincy Carter, Dal
Kerry Collins, NYG

No-brainers:
Marc Bulger, StL
Brad Johnson, TB
Peyton Manning, Ind
Brett Favre, GB
Drew Bledsoe, Buf
Steve McNair, Ten
Matt Hasselbeck, Sea
Patrick Ramsey, Was

RB:

William Green, Cle: Green hasn’t lived up to his owners’ expectations so far, but he should see a lot of carries this week against an Oakland defense that is allowing over 163 yards per game on the ground. With the Cleveland offense getting into sync lately, Green’s value might be looking up.

Marcel Shipp, Ari: With Emmitt Smith out, the Cardinals will finally give their best RB the start, and that’s Shipp (we’re obviously not talking about career achievements here …). He has better breakaway speed than Smith and could do well this week, although the Ravens defense won’t be a pushover. Shipp remains a risky fantasy start even as the starting RB, but for those without safer options, he may be worth a look.

Others to start:
Lamar Gordon, StL
Charlie Garner, Oak
Garrison Hearst, SF
Tiki Barber, NYG
Anthony Thomas, Chi

No-brainers:
Jamal Lewis, Bal
Fred Taylor, Jax
Ahman Green, GB
Deuce McAllister, NO
Clinton Portis, Den
Stephen Davis, Car
Ricky Williams, Mia
Shaun Alexander, Sea
Priest Holmes, KC
Travis Henry, Buf

WR:

Chris Chambers, Mia: Chambers looks like a good start this week against a shaky Jacksonville defense. He might not match David Boston’s week 5 production, but he could certainly be a factor in this game.

Travis Taylor, Bal: Baltimore’s passing game was a no-show in the first games of the season, but the bye week might have given the Ravens time to work on a few weaknesses. Even though the Cardinals defense has improved significantly, Taylor could be able to exploit his matchups and is worth considering as a bye-week fill-in.

Others to start:
Troy Brown, NE
Rod Smith, Den
Derrick Mason, Ten
Quincy Morgan, Cle
Anquan Boldin, Ari
Jimmy Smith, Jax
Plaxico Burress, Pit
Hines Ward, Pit
Donte Stallworth, NO
Joey Galloway, Dal
Andre Johnson, Hou
Marty Booker, Chi
Peerless Price, Atl

No-brainers:
Donald Driver, GB
Amani Toomer, NYG
Terell Owens, SF
Marvin Harrison, Ind
Eric Moulds, Buf
Laveranues Coles, Was
Joe Horn, NO
Jerry Rice, Oak
Koren Robinson, Sea
Isaac Bruce, StL
Torry Holt, StL

TE/K/D:

Desmond Clark, TE; Chi: Kordell Stewart often doesn’t have time to look downfield, which should lead to frequent looks in Clark’s direction. The Bears play in New Orleans on Sunday and with both defenses struggling, there could be quite a bit of scoring. Whether the tight end receives a share of that pie is always a bit of a crapshoot, of course, but Clark shouldn’t be overlooked by fantasy owners this week.

Phil Dawson, K, Cle: We had him on our sit list last week, but thanks to a turnaround by the Browns offense, he was able to put up solid numbers. This week against Oakland, he should again find opportunities to score.

Arizona: The Cardinals defense has made significant strides, and could be a nice fill-in this week if you need one. They play the Ravens at home, and even if they have trouble containing Jamal Lewis, they could still hurry Kyle Boller enough to force turnovers.

 
BENCH

QB:

Tommy Maddox, Pit: After a hot start, Maddox and the Steelers have cooled down recently, and it might be a wise move to bench him for now. Denver has one of the best units of the league, and it might be another long day for Pittsburgh and Maddox on Sunday. There are certainly safer options at QB this week.

Rich Gannon, Oak: Gannon might be one of the biggest disappointments of the season for fantasy owners, and things may not get any better this week. Cleveland ranks second in pass defense, allowing a mere 161 yards per game, and while he could turn the corner at any time, Gannon is a risky start again this Sunday.

RB:

Mike Cloud, NE: Cloud came out of nowhere after his suspension to lead the Patriots to a big victory over Tennessee last week. But don’t get too excited just yet: Cloud is still only third on the depth chart behind Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk, and the chances are very good that he won’t repeat last week’s performance against a tough Giants team.

Troy Hambrick, Dal: Hambrick looked good against the Jets two weeks ago, but last week showed that he still isn’t a back who can carry your fantasy team, as he only managed 59 yards against Arizona. He might be a good solution against weaker opponents, but Philadelphia has the best defense in the NFL against the run so far. If you have other options, consider benching Hambrick.

WR:

Tyrone Calico, Ten: Calico impressed last week against the Patriots, but he still is only fourth on the depth chart and will not be able to produce on a consistent basis. It should be a tough game against the Texans this week; combined with Calico’s uncertain role in the offense, these look like good reasons to play safe and wait a bit longer before inserting Calico into your starting lineup.

Tim Brown, Oak: See Rich Gannon. If any Raiders receiver will be able to produce points this week, it might well be Jerry Rice. Oakland might have a tough time advancing the ball through the air, and Brown just doesn’t appear to be the receiver he was several years ago and doesn’t get open on a consistent basis any more.

TE/K/D:

Anthony Becht, TE, NYJ: Becht has just four receptions for 59 yards this season, and this pattern may not change as long as Testaverde plays at QB for the Jets. If you still have him on your roster, you should consider whether Becht is worth the roster spot.

Seth Marler, K, Jax: The Jaguars won for the first time last week, but might immediately be brought back down to earth by the Dolphins. The Jaguars may not be able to gain many scoring opportunities on Sunday, making Marler an unsafe start.

San Francisco: Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck, Koren Robinson, Darrell Jackson… The Seahawks have the personell to score serious points, and don’t make too many mistakes while doing so. Even though San Francisco’s defense isn’t shabby, going with a safer option might be a wise move this week.

 
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.