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| Paul Sakuma / Associated Press |
| Raiders running back Darren McFadden should help lead countless fantasy owners to a win in Week 2. |
Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups of the week and how those matchups will affect your fantasy team. Sleeper alert highlights a player who's under the radar but could produce strong numbers based on the opponent. Owners beware highlights a player who's a regular starter in most fantasy leagues but could fail to meet expectations. If you still have questions, check out our weekly lineup rankings.
Start of the Week
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Oakland Raiders |
 Darren McFadden |
McFadden has a lot of potential for both the Raiders and fantasy owners. He didn't put up huge numbers in the opener against the Chargers, but it was easy to see how explosive and productive he can be out of the backfield. He'll show that off against the Chiefs, who enter the week ranked 31st in run defense. Furthermore, McFadden's best NFL stat line (164 yards, TD) came against the Chiefs in 2008. |
Quarterbacks -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Dallas Cowboys |
 Tony Romo |
No Jessica Simpson, no Terrell Owens, no problem for Romo. The superstar quartertback shipwrecked the Buccaneers last week, throwing for 353 yards and three touchdowns. This week's game against the Giants won't be so favorable, but Romo has owned this NFC East rival. In his last three starts against the G-Men, Romo has thrown for 836 yards (278.6 YPG) and an incredible 10 touchdowns. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Buffalo Bills |
 Trent Edwards |
Edwards showed a lot of poise and moxie in his first start of the season, throwing for a respectable 212 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Patriots. Now he'll head back to Orchard Park to face the Buccaneers, who allowed three long touchdown passes to Romo and the Cowboys last week. Expect Edwards to look for T.O. and Lee Evans often in the vertical pass attack and post another nice stat line. |
| More quarterbacks with favorable matchups |
| 1. Aaron Rodgers vs. Bengals: 2,095 passing yards (261.8 YPG), 15 TD passes, four INTs at home last season. 2. Philip Rivers vs. Ravens: 249 yards, three TDs, 71.4 completion percentage in last start vs. Ravens (11/25/07). 3. Kurt Warner at Jaguars: Jaguars rank 27th in total pass defense; allowed 294 passing yards in Week 1. 4. Joe Flacco at Chargers: 307 yards, three TDs in Week 1; Chargers defense questionable against the pass. 5. Brett Favre at Lions: Lions rank 31st in pass defense; allowed 358 yards and six TD passes in Week 1. Sleeper alert: Jason Campbell vs. Rams: Rams rank 26th in pass defense; allowed three TD passes in Week 1. |
Quarterbacks -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Cincinnati Bengals |
 Carson Palmer |
Palmer wasn't as bad as his Week 1 stat line (247 yards, 0 TDs, two INTs) indicated, but it was a shock he didn't find more success against the Broncos. As a result, it's hard to trust Palmer this week against the Packers, whose new 3-4 defense was effective in holding Jay Cutler to one touchdown while picking him off four times. Unless you lack quarterback depth, it's better to keep Palmer on the bench. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Chicago Bears |
 Jay Cutler |
If you watched last week's Sunday night contest, it was pretty apparent that he's still not in sync with his wide receivers. As if it was hard enough to face an improved Packers defense, now he'll battle a Steelers team that fields one of the league's best defensive units. As a result, don't be too shocked if Cutler finishes with more total turnovers than touchdown passes for the second consecutive week. |
| More quarterbacks with unfavorable matchups |
| 1. Kyle Orton vs. Browns: Browns rank 3rd in pass defense; allowed just 110 passing yards to Favre in Week 1. 2. Shaun Hill vs. Seahawks: Seahawks rank 9th in pass defense; 173 yards, TD in lone career start vs. Seahawks. 3. Matt Cassel vs. Raiders: Knee injury still a concern; Raiders allowed just 1 TD pass to Rivers in Week 1. 4. Chad Pennington vs. Colts (Mon.): 176 yards, TD, INT, FL in Week 1 loss; Colts rank 4th in pass defense. 5. Marc Bulger at Redskins: 191 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs in Week 1 loss; Redskins allowed one passing TD vs. Giants. Owners beware: Matt Schaub at Titans: 166 yards, 0 TDs, INT in Week 1; offensive line questions are a concern. |
Running backs -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 New York Giants |
 Brandon Jacobs |
Jacobs didn't post a great stat line (46 yards, 0 TDs) in last week's win over the Redskins, but he should make some waves on Sunday night against the Cowboys. The Cowboys pulled out a win against the Buccaneers in their opener, but their run defense was plain awful. The Giants are sure to exploit that weakness with Jacobs, who should rush for around 100 yards and find the end zone at least once. |
| More running backs with favorable matchups |
| 1. Chris Johnson vs. Texans: Texans rank 30th against the run; allowed 190 rushing yards and two TDs in Week 1. 2. Clinton Portis vs. Rams: Rams rank 27th against the run, allowed 167 rushing yards, TD vs. Seahawks. 3. Thomas Jones vs. Patriots: 30 carries, 115 scrimmage yards, TD in last start vs. Patriots (11/13/08). 4. Fred Jackson vs. Buccaneers: 140 scrimmage yards, TD in Week 1 loss; Buccaneers rank 24th vs. run. 5. Knowshon Moreno vs. Browns: Browns rank 32nd in run defense; allowed 225 rushing yards, 3 TDs in Week 1. Sleeper alert: Darren Sproles vs. Ravens: Could see increased work if LaDainian Tomlinson is out or limited. |
Running backs -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Detroit Lions |
 Kevin Smith |
When a running back has a matchup against the Vikings, chances are he'll be on the sit 'em portion of this column. That holds true for Smith, who could find it tough to find success against the Williams Wall in the Lions' home opener, Smith, who rushed for a combined 126 yards with no touchdowns in two games against the Vikings last season, should be see as no more than a potential flex starter in Week 2. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 New Orleans Saints |
 Mike Bell |
Bell rushed for 143 yards in a win over the Lions, which made him a hot name on the waiver wire. But in Week 2, he'll be hard pressed to perform as well against a formidable Eagles run defense. There's also a chance that Pierre Thomas will return from an injured knee, so Bell's carries could be more limited in the contest. At best, Bell is a potential flex player in larger formats if Thomas is inactive. |
| More running backs with unfavorable matchups |
| 1. Steven Jackson at Redskins: Hard to bench, but Redskins held Jacobs to 46 yards, 0 TDs in Week 1 loss. 2. Steve Slaton at Titans: Will be active in most fantasy football leagues, but Titans rank 4th in run defense. 3. Joseph Addai at Dolphins (Mon.): Dolphins rank 7th vs. run; held Michael Turner to 3.0 YPC average in Week 1. 4. Willie Parker at Bears: 19 yards, 0 TDs vs. Titans; Bears held Packers to 76.0 rushing yards in Week 1 loss. 5. Fred Taylor at Jets: Jets rank 5th in run defense; held Slaton to 17 rushing yards, 0 TDs in Week 1 win. Owners beware: Matt Forte vs. Steelers: Hard to bench, but could struggle against stout Steelers run defense. |
Wide receivers -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Pittsburgh Steelers |
 Santonio Holmes |
In his last two games (including Super Bowl XLIII), Holmes has two matching stat lines with an impressive 9 catches, 131 yards and 1 touchdown. He's now clearly the top option in the Steelers pass attack and should be seen as a must-start in most fantasy leagues. He should make an impact this week against the Bears, whose defense took a major hit when it lost LB Brian Urlacher for the season. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Washington Redskins |
 Santana Moss |
Moss has turned into one of the most inconsistent, and quite frankly, frustrating wide receivers in fantasy football. But when he faces a strong matchup, the veteran is still a viable No. 3 option across the board. That's the case this week against the Rams, who'll enter FedEx Field with the 25th-ranked receiving defense. Again there are never any guarantees, but Moss is worth a roll of the dice in Week 2. |
| More wide receivers with favorable matchups |
| 1. Steve Smith at Falcons: Jake Dehomme to start; 19 receptions, 325 yards, TD in last three games vs. Falcons. 2. Anquan Boldin at Jaguars: Jaguars rank 27th in receiving defense; allowed 301.0 yards, TD in loss to Colts. 3. Terrell Owens vs. Buccaneers: Bucs rank 29th in receiving defense; allowed three long TD catches in Week 1. 4. T.J. Houshmandzadeh at 49ers: Good option in PPR leagues; 49ers allowed 288.0 receiving yards in Week 1. 5. Bernard Berrian at Lions: Strong WR3 option; Lions surrendered 358.0 receiving yards, 6 TDs vs. Saints. Sleeper alert: Louis Murphy at Chiefs: Team's No. 1 wideout; 87 yards, TD in Week 1 loss to Chargers. |
Wide receivers -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Philadelphia Eagles |
 DeSean Jackson |
The decision to put Jackson in the sit 'em portion of this column has everything to do with the Eagles' quarterback situation. With Donovan McNabb ailing and Michael Vick not eligible to play, Kevin Kolb could wind up starting this week against the Saints. That scenario makes every Eagles' wideout, including Jackson, less attractive. If Kolb does start for McNabb, Jackson is no better than a third fantasy option. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Cleveland Browns |
 Braylon Edwards |
How much longer do fantasy owners have to wait before Edwards' makes some noise in the stat sheets? After an awful 2008 season, he put up another clunker in the 2009 opener with one catch for 12 yards. Now he'll face CB Champ Bailey and a Broncos defense that held Chad Ochocinco, Laveranues Coles and Chris Henry in check in Week 1. Edwards shouldn't be started as more than a third receiver. |
| More wide receivers with unfavorable matchups |
| 1. Antonio Bryant at Bills: Two catches, 29 yards, 0 TDs in Week 1 loss vs. Cowboys; knee continues to be a problem. 2. Jerricho Cotchery vs. Patriots: Patriots are 14th in receiving defense; 77 yards in last two home games vs. Patriots. 3. Laveranues Coles at Packers: 11 yards in Week 1 loss; losing more targets to both Henry and Andre Caldwell. 4. Lance Moore at Eagles: Two receptions, 38 yards, 0 TDs in Week 1 win; Eagles rank 4th in receiving defense. 5. Ted Ginn vs. Colts (Mon.): Two receptions, 26 yards, 0 TDs vs. Falcons; Colts rank 3rd in receiving yards allowed. Owners beware: Dwayne Bowe at Raiders: Still a fantasy starter, but could struggle vs. CB Nnamdi Asomugha. |
Tight ends -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Indianapolis Colts |
 Dallas Clark |
Clark failed to meet statistical expectations (four catches, 39 yards) in the opener against the Jaguars, but he'll bounce back this week in Miami. With Anthony Gonzalez out of action with a knee injury, Clark will see an even greater role in the Colts' pass attack. That's good news against the Dolphins, whose defense allowed 73 yards and a touchdown to Tony Gonzalez in Week 1. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Minnesota Vikings |
 Visanthe Shiancoe |
Shiancoe's fantasy value rose when the Vikings added Favre, and he'll finish the season with solid totals across the board. While he failed to produce well last week in Cleveland, the veteran should have a better fate against the Lions. In his last regular-season game at Ford Field, Shiancoe posted 5 receptions, 65 yards and scored 1 touchdown. He's a nice low-end fantasy starter in most 12-plus team leagues. |
| More tight ends with favorable matchups |
| 1. Chris Cooley vs. Rams: Rams allowed six catches, 95 yards, two TDs to TE John Carlson in Week 1 loss. 2. John Carlson at 49ers: Led all TEs in fantasy points on NFL.com in Week 1; 49ers rank 26th in receiving defense. 3. Kellen Winslow at Bills: Bills surrendered six receptions, 77 yards, two TDs to Benjamin Watson in Week 1 loss. 4. Zach Miller at Chiefs: Six catches, 96 yards in Week 1 loss vs. Chargers; prominent in Raiders pass attack. 5. Todd Heap at Chargers: Low-end fantasy starter; Chargers' pass defense has struggled to stop tight ends. Sleeper alert: Brent Celek vs. Saints: 37 yards, TD in Week 1; Kevin Kolb will look to him often as a safety net. |
Tight ends -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Houston Texans |
 Owen Daniels |
Most fantasy owners won't sit Daniels based on his overall value and level of production, but don't be shocked if he fails to put up big numbers in Week 2 against Tennessee. The veteran has posted just 244 yards with no touchdown catches in his last four games against the Titans, who field one of the league's better defensive units. If you have another viable option, sitting Daniels is worth considering. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 New England Patriots |
 Benjamin Watson |
Watson was one of the most added tight ends on NFL.com this week, as his ownership percentage rose by 31 percent after his 77-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Bills. But with a host of star wide receivers and TE Chris Baker also in the mix, fantasy owners shouldn't expect Watson to duplicate his strong Week 1 totals. In fact, he's still not worth starting in fantasy leagues against the Jets. |
| More tight ends with unfavorable matchups |
| 1. Heath Miller at Bears: Bears rank 8th in receiving defense; allowed 14 yards, 0 TDs to tight ends in Week 1. 2. Anthony Fasano vs. Colts (Mon.): Two catches, 10 yards, 0 TDs in Week 1; Colts rank 3rd in receiving defense. 3. Tony Scheffler vs. Browns: 29 yards, 0 TDs in Week 1 vs. Bengals; Browns rank 2nd in receiving defense. 4. Vernon Davis vs. Seahawks: Eight receptions, 48 yards (9.6 YPG), TD in five career games vs. Seahawks. 5. Randy McMichael at Redskins: Redskins allowed three receptions, 0 TDs to tight ends in Week 1 loss at Giants. Owners beware: Jeremy Shockey at Eagles: Six catches, 70 yards (11.6 YPG), 0 TDs in last four games at Eagles. |
Kickers -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Tennessee Titans |
 Rob Bironas |
Bironas had a tough start to the season with one missed field goal and one blocked attempted, but he'll rebound against a team he's owned in recent seasons, the Texans. In his last four games against the AFC South foe, Bironas has converted on 13 of 14 field-goal attempts. That includes an eight-field goal performance back in 2007. The strong-legged Bironas is a must-start option in all formats. |
| More kickers with favorable matchups |
| 1. Ryan Longwell at Lions: Lions allowed 45 points, one field goal, six extra points in Week 1 loss vs. Saints. 2. Jason Elam vs. Panthers: One field goal (23 yards), six extra points in last home game vs. Panthers (11/23/08). 3. Lawrence Tynes at Cowboys: A fantasy sleeper; tied for most fantasy points (12) on NFL.com in Week 1. 4. Rian Lindell vs. Buccaneers: Bucs allowed two field goals, four extra points in Week 1 loss vs. Cowboys. 5. Jeff Reed at Bears: Bears allowed three field-goal attempts (two conversions) to Mason Crosby in loss vs. Packers. Sleeper alert: Steven Hauschka at Chargers: Nine points (one field goal, five extra points) in Week 1 win over Chiefs. |
Kickers -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player | Analysis |
Chicago Bears |
 Robbie Gould |
Gould scored a respectable eight fantasy points on NFL.com last week in a loss to the Packers, but his scoring chances could be few and far between against the Steelers in Week 2. Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain isn't known for allowing points, and the ineffective of Jay Cutler in the opener could be a bad sign for the team's chances to rebound. If at all possible, Gould should be reserve in all fantasy formats. |
| More kickers with unfavorable matchups |
| 1. John Kasay at Falcons: Falcons didn't allow a field goal and surrendered just one extra point in Week 1. 2. Adam Vinatieri at Dolphins (Mon.): Two extra points, 0 field goals in Week 1; No longer a true fantasy starter. 3. Shayne Graham at Packers: 0 points in Week 1 loss to Broncos; 0 field goals in last game vs. Packers (10/30/05). 4. Jay Feely vs. Patriots: Converted just three of four field-goal conversions in five career games vs. Patriots. 5. Mike Nugent at Bills: Scored three points, missed two field-goal attempts in Week 1 loss vs. Cowboys. Owners beware: Neil Rackers at Jaguars: Defense ranked third in allowing fewest fantasy points to kickers in 2008. |
Defenses -- Start 'Em
| Team | Player |
 Falcons defense |
The Falcons defense scored the second-most points on NFL.com last week, and a Week 2 matchup against turnover-prone Jake Delhomme could mean another successful stat line is on the horizon. The Eagles defense scored 40-plus points in most formats against the Panthers in Week 1, and even half that total would be a great output for a Falcons defense that's still available in more than 60 percent of leagues. |
| More defenses with favorable matchups |
| 1. Vikings defense at Lions: Total no brainer; Vikings should dominate rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford. 2. Titans defense vs. Texans: Texans offense looked shaky vs. Jets in Week 1; Titans stout on their home field. 3. Redskins defense vs. Rams: Rams have no offense outside of Steven Jackson; held without a point in Week 1. 4. Seahawks defense at 49ers: Seahawks scored 4th-most points among fantasy defense on NFL.com in Week 1. 5. Packers defense vs. Bengals: Packers 3-4 defense looked stout in Week 1; Bengals offense struggled in opener. Sleeper alert: Saints defense at Eagles: If Kolb starts, Saints defense could force several turnovers in Week 2. |
Defenses -- Sit 'Em
| Team | Player |
Bears defense |
The Bears defense took a huge hit when it lost LB Brian Urlacher, who was lost for the season due to an injured wrist. With a less talented defensive backfield, the Bears will struggle to hold down Ben Roethlisberger and a Steelers' pass attack that thrived against the Titans in the season opener. Unless this unit surprises and makes a statement in the game, it might not even warrant a roster spot in smaller leagues. |
| More defenses with unfavorable matchups |
| 1. Chargers defense vs. Ravens: Chargers looked very mediocre in win over Raiders; Ravens offense improving. 2. Patriots defense at Jets: With LB Jarod Mayo out of action, the Jets should be able to run the ball on the Patriots. 3. Cowboys defense vs. Giants: Cowboys couldn't stop the run in Week 1; Giants will exploit that weakness in Dallas. 4. Panthers defense at Falcons: Falcons offense clicking; Panthers defense loaded with questions after Week 1. 5. Jaguars defense vs. Cardinals: Jaguars defense scored nine points in Week 1 loss; Cardinals offense talented. Owners beware: Eagles defense vs. Saints: Defense could struggle against Drew Brees and the Saints offense. |
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