Good Matchups
David Garrard, QB, Jaguars: Garrard has been on a roll, and we see this continuing with matchups against the Bengals and Lions. Garrard has thrown for at least 200 yards and a touchdown, while not throwing an interception in any of his four previous games. The Bengals rank eighth in yards allowed, but have given up the third most touchdowns passes (13) and are surrendering a passer rating of 97. The Lions are just bad everywhere. They rank 31st in yards allowed, have given up the fourth most touchdown passes and have the worst passer rating allowed in the league at 118. Look for Garrard to continue on his mid-season roll.
Chad Pennington, QB, Dolphins: Pennington was seen as a game manager who would have little fantasy value. But he has managed the game in the last three weeks to the tune of nearly 300 yards passing a game and four touchdown passes with just two interceptions. The schedule suggests that Air Chad may continue as the Dolphins face the Broncos and Seahawks. The Broncos rank 28th in yards allowed, have given up the fourth most touchdown passes and have surrendered the second worst passer rating at 109.1. The Seahawks aren't much better. They are 30th in yards allowed, 29th in passer rating allowed and eighth in touchdowns allowed.
Lee Evans, WR, Bills: With Trent Edwards developing into a solid NFL quarterback, Evans' game has really blossomed. Evans has averaged over 100 receiving yards per game in his last three contests and he caught an 85-yard touchdown against the Jets in last season's Week 8 victory. The Jets rank 23rd in yards allowed and have given up the 11th most passing touchdowns. The Bills then face the Patriots. The Patriots rank a mediocre 15th in yards allowed but have given up the eighth most passing touchdowns. While Evans did struggle against the Patriots last season, the improvement of Trent Edwards should more than make up for any bad history. Look for Evans to continue his fine fantasy season.
Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions: Perhaps no receiver in the NFL has more physical tools than Johnson. Too bad he has Dan Orlovsky as his quarterback. That said, Johnson does have two good matchups and is riding a three-game touchdown streak into his next two matchups. The Bears did stop Johnson in Week 5. However Roy Williams, now of the Cowboys, did have a big game, and the Bears rank 29th in the league in yards allowed. The Lions then play the Jaguars, who rank 22nd in yards allowed and have given up the fourth most touchdown passes. Look for Johnson to continue his strong play of late despite the Lions' struggles.
Edgerrin James, RB, Cardinals: James has been downright dreadful in his past four games, rushing for just a total of 133 yards and one touchdown. However, James did have some tough defensive matchups and the Cardinals' passing game did have some favorable ones in that period. If James continues to falter, he can't blame the matchups. This week's opponent, the Rams, rank 28th in yards allowed and has given up the second most rushing touchdowns. That could also spell good news for Tim Hightower this week. James did go over 100 yards and had a touchdown in his last game against the Rams in Week 17 last season. James then gets a 49ers run defense ranked 19th in yards allowed and that has surrendered the sixth most rushing touchdowns. These two games should be make or break for James' season, as these are probably the best matchups he faces the rest of the year.
Bad Matchups
Steve Slaton, RB, Texans: Slaton continues to be a solid fantasy player, scoring touchdowns in his last two games and getting at least 15 carries in his last four games. Slaton should find the road tougher, as he faces the worst two possible matchups back-to-back in the Vikings and Ravens. They are the top two run defenses in yards and yards per carry (along with the Steelers). Look for Matt Schaub to continue throwing the ball and Slaton to get back on track in Week 11's matchup with the Colts.
Plaxico Burress, WR, Giants: After a strong Week 1, Burress has been somewhat of a disappointment to fantasy owners. His antics off the field have cost him playing time, while his on-the-field production has been far from a No. 1 receiver. In his last four games, Burress has just 142 receiving yards, just nine more than his performance in Week 1. The Giants have demonstrated they have a deep receiving corps, and with a Cowboys team that has shut Burress down in their last two contests and a tough Eagles defense the following week, don't expect big games from Burress.
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Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis: Jackson missed last week's game against the Patriots, and coach Jim Haslett is guarded about his return against Arizona. The Cardinals are much improved against the run, ranking 12th in yards allowed, and held Jackson to just 55 yards last season in Week 17. Jackson then travels to New York to face the Jets, who have been stout against the run all season. The Jets rank fourth in yards allowed and fourth in yards per carry allowed. With Jackson coming back from injury, don't expect him to be back at full speed, so it may be Week 11 against the 49ers before you get the production that you have come to expect from Jackson.
Matt Cassel, QB, Patriots: Cassel has filled in admirably for Tom Brady, and the Patriots are right in the thick of things for the AFC East title. Cassel has thrown for four touchdowns in his past two games, but don't expect that kind of production against the next two opponents. The Colts are second in passing yards allowed and have given up the fewest passing touchdowns in the league. The Bills rank 13th in yards but have given up only seven touchdowns passing this season. Cassel's improvement has come against some of the worst passing defenses in the league, so don't be surprised if he regresses a bit in the next two weeks.
Marvin Harrison, WR, Colts: Harrison now appears to only have a big name and not a big game. Since he scored two touchdowns against the Ravens in Week 6, he has just three catches for 23 yards. Harrison has fallen behind Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez and Dallas Clark in the Colts' pecking order. The Patriots and Bills are both middle-of-the-pack pass defenses, but with several top receivers on bye weeks the next two weeks, the thought may be to insert Harrison in the lineup. However, it seems more likely that Harrison's best days are behind him, and he will be no more than a three- to four-catch, 40-50 yard receiver the rest of the season.
Kyle Fisher is a writer for RotoWire. For more information, check out rotowire.com