Week 2
Games through Sept. 20

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Week 1 of this year’s NFL season is in the books, and once again, there were myriad surprises. If anyone had predicted that Jamal Lewis would be held to just 57 yards and no score by the Browns, a team he virtually owned last season – well, reactions would have ranged from utter disbelief to long and loud laughter. Equally unexpectedly, Curtis Martin (196 yards rushing, 2 total TDs), David Terrell (126 yards receiving) and Vinny Testaverde (355 yards passing, 1 TD) stand atop the league in their respective yardage categories as we head into week 2.

Will Testaverde, Terrell and Cleveland’s defense repeat these solid performances this Sunday? This week’s Start & Sit column takes a stab at answering these questions and more.

START

QB:

Vinny Testaverde, Dal: You probably won’t find many people who believed that Vinny Testaverde would lead the league in passing yards after week 1. Even though those numbers were posted against the Vikings’ less-than-daunting secondary, he is a solid pick again this week at home against Cleveland. The revamped Dallas offense has enough power on the ground to keep defenses honest, and a solid receiving corps of Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn and Antonio Bryant will be eager to show that last week’s outburst was no fluke.

Drew Brees, SD: Drew Brees has the starting job in San Diego for now, and looked pretty good at Houston. This week, the Chargers face a questionable Jets secondary that surrendered 248 yards and two TDs to Carson Palmer and the Bengals. If your #1 QB faces a tough matchup, giving Brees the start may be worth considering; he may well follow Palmer’s effort with a solid day of his own.

Others to start:
Brett Favre, GB
Trent Green, KC
Marc Bulger, StL
Aaron Brooks, NO
Joey Harrington, Det
Jake Delhomme, Car

No-brainers:
Michael Vick, Atl
Peyton Manning, Ind
Steve McNair, Ten
Donovan McNabb, Phi
Daunte Culpepper, Min
Tom Brady, NE
Chad Pennington, NYJ

RB:

Lamar Gordon, Mia: Gordon was one of the hottest commodities on the waiver wire after his trade to the Dolphins was announced, and might reward those who grabbed him as early as this week. With Sammy Morris and Travis Minor suffering from injuries, Gordon will run over a weak-as-ever Bengals defense that surrendered 196 yards and a score on the ground to Curtis Martin. Put Gordon in your lineup – he won’t see many better matchups than this.

Kevan Barlow, SF: With Ken Dorsey in for Tim Rattay at QB, the 49ers game plan should rely heavily on Barlow. The Saints are not known for a great run defense, a weakness that was on display again last week when the Seahawks and Shaun Alexander came to town. Ok, Barlow might not be Alexander, but 100 yards and a score are well within reach for him on Sunday.

Others to start:
Fred Taylor, Jax
Thomas Jones, Chi
Curtis Martin, NYJ
Stephen Davis, Car
Domanick Davis, Hou
Travis Henry, Buf
Warrick Dunn, Atl
Quentin Griffin, Den
Edgerrin James, Ind
Brian Westbrook, Phi

No-brainers:
LaDainian Tomlinson, SD
Jamal Lewis, Bal
Priest Holmes, KC
Marshall Faulk, StL
Shaun Alexander, Sea
Rudi Johnson, Cin
Deuce McAllister, NO
Clinton Portis, Was
Ahman Green, GB
Corey Dillon, NE

WR:

Michael Clayton, TB: This might be a bit of a long shot, but if you are not very deep at WR and were able to snag Clayton from the waiver wire, it might be a wise move to put him into your lineup immediately. With the Bucs’ WR corps banged up or, in Keenan McCardell’s case, holding out, Clayton is among their best options right now. Seattle could give Tampa Bay’s running game trouble, so Clayton may be called on to step up.

David Terrell, Chi: Will Terrell finally live up to his expectations? He did last week, at least. And considering his status as the #1 receiver in Chicago and the progress he has made, there doesn’t seem to be a reason why he shouldn’t continue his success. The Bears face the Packers on Sunday, and should test Green Bay’s defensive backs often.

Others to start:
Eric Moulds, Buf
Isaac Bruce, StL
Deion Branch, NE
Darrell Jackson, Sea
Derrick Mason, Ten
Peerless Price, Atl
Andre Johnson, Hou
Javon Walker, GB
Muhsin Muhammad, Car
Jimmy Smith, Jax
Laveranues Coles, Was

No-brainers:
Tory Holt, StL
Santana Moss, NYJ
Terrell Owens, Phi
Marvin Harrison, Ind
Randy Moss, Min
Joe Horn, NO
Hines Ward, Pit
Chad Johnson, Cin

TE/K/D:

Boo Williams, TE, NO: Williams, one of the surprises at TE last year, was a complete disappointment last week, as was the Saints offense as a whole. However, Williams can be expected to bounce back this week against San Francisco, as should the entire team. Keep him active in your lineup.

Doug Brien, K, NYJ: The Jets offense came out firing against the Bengals and they should be in high gear this week against the Chargers, too. Brien, available on the wire in many fantasy leagues, might therefore be a good addition for your team, and should be a safe bet to get his share of scoring opportunities on Sunday.

Seattle Defense: A week ago, Seattle held New Orleans to just seven points and showed considerable improvement compared to last season. Considering Tampa Bay’s personnel problems at WR, the Seahawks have another great matchup and should make a great start again this week.

 
BENCH

QB:

Jake Plummer, Den: The Jaguars field a tough defensive unit which held Drew Bledsoe and the Bills to 153 yards through the air in last week’s opener. With the Broncos’ running game on a roll, Plummer’s passing shouldn’t be the focus of Denver’s offense this week, so it might be wise to look for other choices at QB.

Matt Hasselbeck, Sea: This is a tough call, as Hasselbeck is one of top QBs in the league and should be in your lineup at almost all times. But not against Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers are a tough team to pass against, and with the strength of the Seattle ground attack, don’t expect Hasselbeck to throw as much as he did the previous week. Hasselbeck can never be counted out, but he isn’t as safe a start this week as he usually is.

RB:

Tyrone Wheatley, Oak: Wheatley may have quasi-feature back status in Oakland right now, but he did nothing in week 1 to convince us that he is worth starting for your fantasy team, rushing for a dismal 24 yards on 11 carries. This may not get any better this week, as the Raiders face a tough Bills defense, so keep him on your bench for now.

Kevin Jones, Det: Jones also did nothing in the first week against Chicago to show that he is a useful fantasy running back right now. He may be a great option for the future, but keeping him on the pine for now is advised. The Texans’ run defense isn’t too bad, and should be able to make things difficult for Jones throughout the game.

WR:

Koren Robinson, Sea: Robinson was not the most consistent of receivers last year, and it looks as if that trend will continue this season. He finished with a disappointing total of 35 yards on three receptions, and could be in for a long day again this week (see Matt Hasselbeck). The Tampa Bay defense will do its best to shut the Seattle passing game down, so if you have other options, go with them.

Doug Gabriel, Oak: Gabriel had a great game last week, and many see him as the long-term replacement for Jerry Rice in Oakland. He may be (although nobody can fully fill Rice’s shoes), but he is not worth starting on a week-in, week-out basis just yet. He will have problems getting open against a tough Buffalo defense, so if you were able to snatch him from the waiver wire, keep him on your bench this week.

TE/K/D:

Jerramy Stevens, TE, Sea: Before the season, it seemed as if Stevens was a clear step ahead of Itula Mili for the #1 TE spot in Seattle. Well, neither of them made any impact in week 1, but Stevens was practically invisible and finished with no catches at all. In combination with a tough matchup against Tampa Bay, Stevens should be kept on the bench and the situation followed closely.

Jeff Reed, K, Pit: Baltimore tries to avenge last weeks loss against the Browns, and the Steelers will bear the brunt of the Ravens’ frustration. Expect Baltimore to be fired up, especially on defense. Scoring chances could be few and far between for Reed this week.

Cleveland: Do not make the mistake of thinking that Cleveland’s defense is one of the league’s best because they held Baltimore to a mere three points and Jamal Lewis to 57 yards. Yes, they are a solid unit, but the disastrous play of Baltimore’s passing attack made things easy for the Browns. It should not be that way this week, as the rejuvenated Dallas offense under Vinny Testaverde will provide a stiffer challenge for Cleveland.

 
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.