Week 1 wasn’t really full of surprises if you read my article on who to start and who to bench. I’m here again this week to make sure you start the right guys, and to make sure you win. If your 1-0 then you might as well go to 2-0 and really have a nice jump on the season. If your 0-1, you can’t lose and start 0-2. That’s already a deep little hole to get out of.
This week I’m going to switch up the way I do this, and hopefully this is the way it will stick for the rest of the season. You can expect my article like this every single Thursday throughout the season. I plan on updating it and moving guys around as the injury reports change. So I’m going to take a look at each position and give you the guys that are good starts, decent starts, and bad starts. This way you can compare guys at a certain position to other guys on your team at that position. You don’t have to scroll down the page to find all of your guys at one position this way. The players are in order of the time that their game is being played and not by any sort of rank.
Quarterbacks:
Good Start: Matt Stafford (big yards, weak opponent), Drew Brees (averages 200/2/2 vs CHI), Mark Sanchez (beatable secondary), Ben Roethlisberger (will bounce back, huge day), Aaron Rodgers (unfair matchup vs CAR), Tony Romo (341/3/0 last game vs SF), Kyle Orton (good matchup, RB is hurt so must throw), Matt Schaub (will have better weak, good matchup), Chad Henne (322/1/1 last game vs HOU, throws and runs), Tom Brady (always a good start), Phillip Rivers (331 yds last time vs NE), Michael Vick (in ATL= big day), Matt Ryan (250/2/1 is avg), Eli Manning (260/3/0 avg vs stl)
Decent Start: Ryan Fitzpatrick (Tough OAK pass def, will have to throw), Matt Cassel (will have to throw a lot, will bounce back), Joe Flacco (153/0/2 against TEN, more weapons this time), Matt Hasselbeck (good #s vs. BAL, will throw a lot), Colt McCoy (beatable def), Kerry Collins (beatable matchup, good #s vs CLE), Donovan McNabb (good #s vs TB), Josh Freeman (did nothing but throw last week), Jay Cutler (may throw a lot), Rex Grossman (bad #s vs. ARI, will throw less than last week), Kevin Kolb (shaky matchup, #s vs WAS aren’t great, will throw a lot), Cam Newton (Mr. Fluke meets top def, very risky), Sam Bradford (IF he plays tough matchup)
Bad Start: Jason Campbell (BUF def shut down pass last week against superior team), Luke McCown (worst possible starting QB this week), Tarvaris Jackson (won’t be able to thow on angry PIT def), Alex Smith (can you ever start him?), Andy Dalton (noway you can start him)
Wide Receivers:
Good Start: Calvin Johnson (will produce every week), Nate Burleson (will get yards every week), Dwayne Bowe (97/1 last time vs. DET), Percy Harvin (long td coming), Robert Meachem (who else will score?), Plaxico Burress (throw him out there again, good #s vs. JAC), Mike Wallace (lots of yds possible TD), Hines Ward (I see him scoring TD), Sidney Rice (138 yds last time vs PIT, may get only big play of the day), Santana Moss (good #s vs. ARI), Larry Fitzgerald (will score this week), Greg Jennings (unfair matchup vs CAR), Donald Driver (great career #s vs CAR), Miles Austin (even better if Bryant is out), Brandon Llyod (good chance to score), Andre Johnson (always a great start), Brandon Marshall (107 yds vs HOU last game), Vincent Jackson (good vs NE, good game coming, TD), Jeremy Maclin (big #s vs ATL, was held down last week, will score this week), Roddy White (will score on prime time), Hakeem Nicks (almost scored last week, will this week)
Decent Start: Stevie Johnson (Will get yards, no TD), Lee Evans (good vs. TEN, will score if he plays), Anquan Boldin (bad vs. TEN, may get yds, no TD), Kenny Britt (tough matchup, good last week), Mohamed Massaquoi (decent yds, chance to score), Reggie Wayne (never scored vs. CLE, double coverage), Austin Collie (TD called back last week, redemption), Mike Williams (only real WR threat on team), Devery Henderson (starts hot, no catches in career vs. CHI though), Johnny Knox (best receiving target), Devin Hester (except 50 yds possible TD), Santonio Holmes (50 yd avg vs. JAC), Derrick Mason (should get catches, decent vs. JAC), Antonio Brown (lots of targets last week, good matchup), Emmanuel Sanders (PIT will throw easily), Jabar Gaffney (should get 50-60 yds), Anthony Armstrong (will also get yds), Early Doucet (big week last week, risky), Jordy Nelson (not his week to score again), Dez Bryant (explosive but injury bothers me, QUESTIONABLE THIS WEEK), Dwayne Harris (sleeper this week if Bryant is out), Eddie Royal (hard to trust, good matchup), AJ Green (risky, not many yds last week), Jacoby Jones (will get yds, possible TD), Brian Hartline (lots of targets last week), Davone Bess (good yds last week, ripped off of td, possible redemption), Wes Welker (bad #s vs SD), Chad Ochocinco (huge #s vs SD, not featured much last week so risky), Malcolm Floyd (good vs NE), DeSean Jackson (not the best matchup, 50-60 yds), Julio Jones (decent yds to be expected), Mario Manningham (will get yds, possible td)
Bad Start: Jacoby Ford (OUT THIS WEEK), Roscoe Parrish (0 catches last week), Louis Murphy (injured), Darrius Heyward-Bey (need to see much more to trust), Steve Breaston (bad vs DET, team will be down), Torrey Smith (0 catches last week), Nate Washington (too risky), Greg Little (can’t trust him yet), Pierre Garcon (tough to own without Manning), Bernard Berrian (no catches last week), Michael Jenkins (won’t score again), Arrelious Benn (need to see more), Lance Moore (bad vs. CHI, banged up), Jason Hill (vs NYJ), Mike Thomas (vs. NYJ), Mike Williams (will get shut down by PIT), Andre Roberts (wait until he performs), James Jones (too many weapons), Steve Smith (welcome back to earth, has never scored vs GB), Brandon LaFell (wont get many catches), Braylon Edwards (bad QB, bad #s vs. DAL), Michael Crabtree (hurt again), Andre Caldwell/Jordan Shipley/Jerome Simpson (all decent WR’s with no QB), Deion Branch (bad #s vs SD), Brandon Gibson (Bradford status iffy), Mike Sims-Walker (shut down last week, Bradford status iffy), Danario Alexander (Bradford status iffy, Danario’s status iffy)
Running Backs:
Good Start: Fred Jackson (Will run a lot, will score), Darren McFadden (will run alot and get most passes, will score), Jahvid Best (team will lead early, lots of touches), Ray Rice (will run a lot again, will score again), Peyton Hillis (will have good week, good combined yds, will score), Adrian Peterson (huge day this week, will run a lot), Rashard Mendenhall (may run a lot in second half), Tim Hightower (will run a lot vs old team), Beanie Wells (good matchup, may score), James Starks (will get most of the carries), Cedric Benson (many many many carries), Ahmad Bradshaw (good combined yds possible td)
Decent Start: Jamaal Charles (bad matchup, but explosive), Ricky Williams (may get garbage yds), Chris Johnson (starts slow, bad matchup, 44/0 vs. BAL), Joseph Addai (will run a lot, but not that good), LaGarrette Blount (could bounce back and run a lot, risky because he wasn’t used much last week), Pierre Thomas (tough matchup but should score), Matt Forte (combined yds could be good), Shonn Greene (should have mediocre #s), Maurice Jones-Drew (tough matchup, team may be down quickly), Isaac Redman (possible garbage TD in 4th quarter), DeAngelo Williams (good #s vs GB but will he get to run much?), Felix Jones (not the best matchup, will get combined yds), Kendall Hunter (could get carries after Gore is inefficient), Willis McGahee (will get carries, bad vs CIN in career), Arian Foster (still banged up so iffy, good if he’s 100%), Reggie Bush (bad #s vs HOU but much improved), Daniel Thomas (banged up, but possible 3rd down TD’s if he plays), Ryan Mathews (scary matchup, looked good last week), Mike Tolbert (scary matchup, wont score TD), LeSean McCoy (will be held down some because of big day last week, still very good), Michael Turner (not the best matchup), Brandon Jacobs (good #s vs STL, possible garbage td), Carnell Williams (tough matchup but at least he will get carries)
Bad Start: CJ Spiller (too risky, not sure of his role), Michael Bush (team will be down and wont get many carries), Thomas Jones (too good of a RB to be behind, not platooning at all), Montario Hardesty (hasn’t done enough yet), Delone Carter (not the starter…yet), Darren Sproles (wont get enough carries, no return TD’s), Marion Barber (banged up), LaDainian Tomlinson (didn’t do enough to start), Marshawn Lynch (can’t run on PIT), Roy Helu (won’t get many carries), Ryan Grant (will lose most of his touches, bad #s vs CAR), Jonathan Stewart (team will be down big), Frank Gore (bad vs DAL, old), Knowshon Moreno (injured…again), Derrick Ward/Ben Tate (hard to tell what their role will be), BenJarvus Green-Ellis (barely got touches last week, may be #2), Danny Woodhead (decent option if he gets carries but its hard to tell if he will), Ronnie Brown (not a factor), Steven Jackson (probably out)
Tight Ends:
Good Start: Kellen Winslow (i see him scoring), Jimmy Graham (might be best receiver w/ Colston out), Heath Miller (easy matchup will get yds), Jermichael Finley (unfair matchup vs CAR), Jason Witten (lots of targets), Vernon Davis (the only guy on his team who could possibly score), Owen Daniels (lots of career yds vs MIA), Rob Gronkowski/Aaron Hernandez (both of them are good to start each week because Brady likes them), Antonio Gates (always a good matchup against anyone)
Decent Start: Scott Chandler (big week 1, will be studied, risky), Brandon Pettigrew (50 yds/gm is decent from TE), Ed Dickson (decent yds each week), Dustin Keller (50-60 yds no TD), Chris Cooley (will get more targets), Todd Heap (should get his yds), Brent Celek (40-50 yds), Tony Gonzalez (tough matchup), Jake Ballard (good yds last week)
Bad Start: Kevin Boss (injured), Brandon Myers (don’t touch), Leonard Pope (won’t get targeted), Jared Cook (don’t start until he produces), Benjamin Watson (terrible #s vs IND), Dallas Clark (awful vs. CLE), Visanthe Shiancoe (no catches last week), Kellen Davis (no way), Mercedes Lewis (vs NYJ), Zach Miller (Not vs. PIT), Fred Davis (will be watched by defense), Greg Olsen (rough matchup, career #s vs. GB not great), Daniel Fells (is he even 1% owned?), Anthony Fasano (avg under 10 yds/gm vs HOU, will be held down because of high yardage last week), Billy Bajema (no way)
Kickers:
Good Start: Rian Lindell (lack of redzone offense), Sebastian Janikowski (most team points will come from FG’s), Jason Hanson (plenty of attempts), Billy Cundiff (lots of redzone), Adam Vinatieri (may kick many FG’s), Ryan Longwell (good matchup), Mason Crosby (may kick 20 XP’s), David Akers (may score all SF’s points), Matt Prater (gonna be an ugly game, good for kicker), Neil Rackers (high scoring offense), Dan Carpenter (very talented), Stephen Gostkowski (favorable matchup), Matt Bryant (may kick a lot), Lawrence Tynes (good matchup)
Decent Start: Ryan Succop (limited opportunities), Rob Bironas (will kick some FG), Phil Dawson (may not be much scoring), Connor Barth (sure why not), John Kasay (will score points), Robbie Gould (may score most of their points), Nick Folk (might be all XP), Shaun Suisham (will be all XP, mediocre kicker), Graham Gano (close matchup), Jay Feely (close matchup), Mike Nugent (ehhh), Alex Henery (will kick 1st FG this week)
Bad Start: Josh Scobee (NYJ may shut them down or out), Steve Hauschka (bad kicker, terrible matchup), Olindo Mare (old, bad matchup), Dan Bailey/David Buehler (DAL kicker situation is not good for fantasy), Nick Novak (could literally see him losing the game for them), Josh Brown (nobody is healthy to get to the redzone)
Defenses:
Good Start: Detroit (KC is bad, will turn ball over), Baltimore (will get turn overs, good match), Pittsburgh (will dominate), New York Jets (top-tier), Green Bay (how will CAR score?), Dallas (like the matchup)
Decent Start: Buffalo (bad OAK team and QB), Oakland (playing weak team), Cleveland (there will be turnovers), Indianapolis (good matchup but def isn’t talented), Tampa Bay (McNabb can turn ball over), New Orleans (decent matchup), Washington (underrated def but shaky matchup), Arizona (Grossman due to be picked), San Francisco (good def, iffy matchup), Denver (mediocre def with good matchup), Cincinnati (DEN is weak), New England (shaky matchup), New York Giants (good matchup, but def is banged up)
Bad Start: Kansas City (not as good as last yr, facing powerhouse offense), Tennessee (points will be scored against), Minnesota (possible high scoring game), Chicago (NO puts up huge points), Jacksonville (bad defense, bad matchup), Seattle (will be destroyed by PIT), Carolina (will give up 30+ points), Houston (not feeling it, could be shoot out), Miami (not against high powered HOU), San Diego (vs. NE?), Philadelphia (ATL too good), Atlanta (PHI too good), St. Louis (angry Giants)
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Just read on yahoo that Lee Evans is slowed and has a boot on his ankle.
Also, for readability, could you maybe use bullet points?
Moving Lee Evans to decent because of that. This list is adaptable and will change throughout the weekend. Thanks
So, would you go Stafford or Ryan in week 2?
Stafford. More yards. Same or more TD’s. Philly has a much tougher defense.
Great comparison tool. Agree with all but 1 must start player. I think RB Fred Jackson will have a ruff time against a improved Oakland d line. There gonna have to pass wich is still gonna be a bit difficult against a sometimes greedy Oakland secondary and mean pass rush.
Well even if they do have to pass Jackson will be active in the passing game. I see him scoring a TD regardless of where its receiving or rushing.
Only time will tell
anybody think I should start jeremy macklin this week ? I know he has big playability and Vick will definitely wanna go off in atlanta. But I don’t know if the rythem will be there yet. he also to write up against atlanta last year. I just don’t know and I have a tough opponent this week. any input ?
I meant maclin lit up atlanta last year.
Maclin is listed in my good starts and i mentioned how he lit up Atlanta last year. Yes he is a good start
why do you feel the texans will struggle defensively? they played well.
They played well because indy has no offense without manning. They are playing a good offense this week.
the texans also played well b/c they have a new defensive scheme…Although you offer great advice, to say that miami is a good offense is ABSOLUTLEY comical. henne’s fade to hartline,4th and inches from the goaline, was a ridiculous play call and a horrible pass. the texans pressure will prevail and the colts will win this week…FYI, the fins have not gad a “GOOD” O since marino..
FLY EAGLES FLY!!!
I think miamis offense is much improved. Henne can run, bush can run, and i like Daniel Thomas who returns this week. Plus henne has 3 good wr to throw to. They will put up points.
I’m torn as far as which defense to start. I currently have Cleveland starting but could pick up Buff, Oak, Ind, Tampa or NO…my first instinct is NO because they’re a solid team but this is my first fantasy team so my instincts aren’t sharpened yet, any advice?
That’s a tough one because they are all so close. Indy will beat Cleveland but i wouldn’t want their defense. My gut says Buffalo but they are no lock.
I got Brylon Edwards, Anthony Armstrong, and Fred Davis up for 2 flex slots to start this week. Who should i bench of those 3? ESPN has their projections at 10, 4, 10
Armstrong and Edwards. Armstrong is the lock. Edwards has the chance to have one long catch. I see Davis getting shut down.
week 2: who shud i start as number 3 rb? green-ellis or hardesty? (turner is #1). n at wr? dwayne bow, lee evans, or mario maningham?i got vernon davis vs brandon pettigrew at te.
I don’t like green ellis or hardesty. If I had to pick one it would be green ellis. Definitely bowe and Davis.
i have a rb/wr spot empty. is mario maningham good for that? but lee evans is a big deep threat for flacco
i can also pick up marshawn lynch. what would be the best rb combo? green-ellis, hardesty, n lynch with turner at #1. And pettigrew could get more reps since megatron isnt 100%
Sorry the email for your comment never came through to me. Hope it worked out for you Sam