Start 'Em:
Quarterbacks Who Will Outperform Relative
To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype
Eli Manning @ STL
Eli was unspectacular but effective against Washington last week,
and you probably drafted him as QB#2 or to platoon with another
borderline QB#1. He’s not a McNabb, so he won’t put
up 300+ aerial yards on the Lambs, but if you were playing musical
QBs, this would be a good week to start him.
Aaron Rodgers @ DET
Though the Packers will probably come out running (with Grant
on a bad wheel) against the suddenly suspect Lions rush D, expect
Rogers to put up the numbers through the air to land him in the
top ten.
Donovan McNabb @ DAL
Dallas shut-down an explosive (implosive?) Cleveland offense,
so you might be having second thoughts about starting McNabb.
Don’t. DeSean Jackson is an authentic WR#1 and McNabb trusts his
feet again.
Kurt Warner v. MIA
Paper or Plastic played smart, efficient ball against the Niners,
and won’t be giving up the starting job anytime soon. He
has arguably the best WR duo at his disposal and though the Dolphins
kept Favre in check for the most part, Warner will post up a few
TDs in an offense complimented by a respectable ground game.
Chad Pennington@ ARI
Left hanging by the Favre-to-Jets brouhaha, Chad nonetheless conjured
up a passing game last Sunday out of a piece of string, a stick
of gum, and Anthony Fasano. He’ll record top twelve numbers on
a Cards pass rush and secondary that has much to prove. Another
platooning option.
Kerry Collins @ CIN
Young goes down and is replaced by a better QB from the fantasy
perspective. The well-traveled Collins has a big arm and a nice
touch on the long ball and will find the Justins for big gainers
once or twice. If you backstopped VY with Collins, you might find
this an addition by subtraction.
Bench 'Em:
Quarterbacks Who Will Under Perform
Relative To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype
Carson Palmer v. TEN
Albert “Big Stompy Foot” Haynesworth, who apparently
doesn’t require higher brain functions to rush the passer,
will be eating Palmer’s lunch. If Haynesworth can’t
go because of last Sunday’s concussion, I still don’t
like Palmer’s chances to score the numbers you were expecting
him to when you drafted him.
Marc Bulger v. NYG
The Rams line has more leaks than the Justice Department. The
chances he doesn’t finish the game are reasonable as the Giants,
even without Osi, can put up a ferocious pass rush that Steven
Jackson’s running won’t be able to blunt.
Brett Favre v. NE
Favre had a classic Favreian (ite?) outing against the gutty Dolphins,
with a wounded-quail lob for a TD that in a parallel universe
somewhere was picked off. There are plenty of reasons to like
Favre in this one, especially with a diminished Pats offense and
a defense that allowed the Croyle-Huard duo to keep it close.
Call it a hunch, a gut feeling, a bad night at Taco Bell, but
I’m thinking the Legend doesn’t put up top-ten fantasy
points.
Derek Anderson v. PIT
Yes, Anderson threw three touchdowns against the Steelers last
year in Pittsburgh, but last week the offense looked gobsmackingly
awful. Granted, this was the Cowboys, but the Steelers can bring
it too. If the Browns can establish the run game and Achilles’
Heel Edwards stops dropping balls, Anderson may put up the numbers.
It’s not going to happen.
Matt Schaub v. BAL
Pre-season sleeper pick Matt Schaub put up top ten numbers last
weekend against the Steelers but looked shaky doing it. This game
will be a lot closer. Schaub won’t be throwing as much,
therefore a significant decrease in numbers, dropping him down
the ranks.
Running Backs
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