Start 'Em:
Quarterbacks Who Will Outperform Relative
To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype
Philip Rivers v. NYJ
Backed by a suspect defense and an incoherent ground game, Young
Man Rivers should be solid on the pitching mound this week despite
a sturdy Jets defense. He’s the second highest scoring FF
QB this season, and the trend will continue.
Jake Delhomme @ MIN
Jake has posted poor numbers this year, but he gets star WR and
part-time pugilist Steve Smith back this week. Smith is the straw
that stirs the drink in the Panthers offense, and the trickle-down
will affect Jake’s stats well enough to make him a good start
against a weak Vikes pass D.
David Garrard@ IND
The Jax line is a sieve, Indy has played the pass well (although
against mediocre passing attacks), and Garrard is throwing interceptions.
What’s to like? Indy lost stud safety Bob Sanders and the Jags
should be getting intriguing WR Jerry Porter back. Matt Jones
has also stepped up as a viable receiving target. Is that enough?
Not really, but it’s my Hail Mary of the week.
Trent Edwards v. OAK
The Raiders are decent against the run and average against the
pass and could be saddling up a deficient running game with McFadden
and Fargas out. Edwards has developed into a good game manager
and will be a serviceable start this season when the matchup is
right. This is one of them, especially if you drafted a lower-tier
QB#1 who’s gone rancid as of late (I’m looking your way, Derek
Anderson).
Kurt Warner @ WAS
Warner is playing the smartest football of his life, and the Redskins
are giving up the 16th most fantasy points to QBs. Fitzy and Boldin
will eat up the field. As long as his line holds up, Warner will
post QB#1 numbers—not bad for a late round pick.
Brett Favre @ SD
I think this is a shoot-out, and Favre, the old gunslinger, comes
out blazing. If Stuckey catches another TD, he’ll be worthy
of a pick up.
Bench 'Em:
Quarterbacks Who Will Under Perform
Relative To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype
Marc Bulger @ SEA
Bulger has already been sacked ten times—he’s roadkill.
If you drafted him to be your QB#1, enjoy the rest of the baseball
season. The Seahawks aren’t great against the pass, but
they’ll continue Bulger’s season of discontent.
Jason Campbell v. ARI
Campbell didn’t turn into a competent WCO field general
overnight last Sunday; he had one great bomb to a wide-open Santana
Moss. Xeno’s Paradox says that to get anywhere you have
to go halfway first, and then halfway the remaining distance,
and so on and so forth. Since half of any distance is always a
number greater than zero, you’re never going to arrive at
your destination. This could the story of Campbell and running
the WCO. The Cardinals haven’t allowed a passing TD yet,
and that probably won’t change this week.
Carson Palmer @ NYG
Of all the top ten QBs drafted, Palmer is off to the worst start
of any. Hard to believe, but in some scoring formats he’s actually
put up negative numbers for the first two games. Without a solid
running game anywhere on the horizon and the Giants pass rush
cued up, things are going to be worse before they get better (which
they will). Picked up Gus Frerotte in desperation this week? I’d
be tempted to start him over Palmer. Maybe.
Brian Griese @ CHI
Eight years removed from an uber-stud MNF performance as the Broncos
QB when he beat the ferocious Raiders despite a separated throwing
shoulder, Brian Griese is now just another fill-in journeyman
QB. Gruden has a track record of coaxing good numbers out of such
quarterbacks, but not this week, not against the Bears defense.
Matt Schaub @ TEN
Schaub should be throwing often to make this a game—they don’t
have a viable running offense. But that only works if he’s behind
center—he didn’t finish either game against the Titans last year,
and I wouldn’t bet on him making it through this one either. There
will be games where he puts up good ff points, but not this one.
Running Backs
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