WEEK FOUR FANTASY PREVIEW

Dan Lewis, Fantasy Football Insiders

Green Bay @ Minnesota

Green Bay comes into this game hot, having just overcome its biggest test of the year against San Diego last Sunday. Brett Favre looks great so far, which should continue against this Vikings defense. Minny has been great at stopping the run, but not the pass. Start Favre and WR Donald Driver for sure. WR Greg Jennings came back last week and got as many looks as WR James Jones, who had served as the Pack’s #2 for the first two games. Jennings also caught and ran for the game-winning touchdown. Both are decent starts if you need them. I would sit all Packer RBs this week. Between the muddled rotation of runners and the Vikings’ stifling run defense, this is not a good week for Brandon Jackson, DeShawn Wynn, or anyone else running for Green Bay. TEs Donald Lee and Bubba Franks remained solid last week, with Lee catching four passes and Franks catching a TD, so use them if you need them again. For Minnesota, RB Adrian Peterson remains the team’s only viable fantasy option. RB Chester Taylor may be back this week, but Peterson remains the play here regardless. I’d sit Taylor until he shows something.

Oakland @ Miami

Miami RB Ronnie Brown exploded for 3 TDs and over 200 yards of total offense vs. the Jets last week. Oakland is allowing over 100 yards to opposing running backs this season, so Ronnie has another nice matchup here. Get him in. WR Chris Chambers is also a nice play; he is getting by far the most targets from QB Trent Green, and is bound to catch a touchdown soon. Oakland RB LaMont Jordan is having a great season, and should play well against the Dolphins, who allow close to 140 yards per game to running backs. Coach Lane Kiffin has not revealed whether Josh McCown or Daunte Culpepper will start this week, but I’d stay away from this situation for now. Start WR Ronald Curry, who is getting the majority of the looks for Oakland. WR Jerry Porter is also getting targeted, but hasn’t been able to make many plays yet. If you’re desperate for a WR this week, give Porter a look.

New York Jets @ Buffalo

Buffalo enters this game without starting QB J.P. Losman. While Losman has not been very good this season, he is still their starting QB, and losing him will hurt, especially with rookie Trent Edwards starting. Stick with WR Lee Evans this week despite his slow start. WR Peerless Price is worth a look if you really, really need a WR in a pinch. Marshawn Lynch is also a good start against a porous Jets run D. For New York, Thomas Jones had his best game of the year last week, and should have another good one vs. the Bills. QB Chad Pennington has a nice matchup if you need a bye week fill-in. WRs Laveranues Coles and Jericho Cotchery are also nice plays. TE Chris Baker isn’t too involved in the offense, but continues to get lots of looks in the endzone, and caught another touchdown last week. He’s a nice play. The Jets’ defense, surprisingly, has a really nice matchup against a Buffalo offense led by a rookie QB, and is startable if you need it.

Houston @ Atlanta

Houston TE Owen Daniels had 7 catches last week, and will play well again, especially with top WR Andre Johnson out again this week. Don’t expect much from the rest of the Houston WR corps, as Atlanta has been good at shutting down opposing wide-outs; Carolina’s Steve Smith was held to a single catch last week. RB Ahman Green had an MRI this week on his injured knee, and it remains unclear for now whether or not he will play. However, whoever does start for Houston at RB has a great matchup against Atlanta. If Green is out, Ron Dayne is the logical choice to start, but monitor the situation as Sunday approaches. Whether it’s Green, Dayne, or Samkon Gado, give them a look depending on who starts. Houston’s defense is also a good start this week against Atlanta. For the Falcons, start TE Alge Crumpler. WR Roddy White seems to be QB Joey Harrington’s favorite target, and had a good game last week with 7 catches and a TD. If you need him, start him. Atlanta RBs are not good starts. Neither is QB Joey Harrington.

Chicago @ Detroit

The Bears have been in the news this week because of the benching of disappointing QB Rex Grossman. QB Brian Griese was given a gorgeous matchup for his first week as the starter, and you should give him a look if you need a fill-in. Detroit is allowing almost 300 yards passing per game, and let Donovan McNabb and Kevin Curtis torch them repeatedly last week. WR Bernard Berrian is a great play this week, and WR Muhsin Muhammad, despite having done very little thus far, is worth a look this week against Detroit. RB Cedric Benson hasn’t been impressive yet, but the Lions are about as good a matchup as he’s going to get. You have to start him. Continue to monitor RB Adrian Peterson, though, as coach Lovie Smith seems to be tiring of Benson and could give more of the load to Peterson. TE Desmond Clark has a decent chance to catch a TD, too. Chicago’s defense hasn’t been as dominant as expected this season, and the Lions’ offense is explosive. QB Jon Kitna and WR Roy Williams are strong starts. WRs Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald split the remaining WR targets last week after WR Calvin Johnson went down with a back injury. Both are decent plays this week, especially if Calvin can’t go. I hesitate to recommend RB Tatum Bell this week, but the Bears have not stopped the run well, allowing close to 100 yards per game, and close to 6 catches per game to running backs. They’re also missing Tommie Harris from their D-line. You can start him if you need him.

St. Louis @ Dallas

One of the top pickups this week has been St. Louis rookie RB Brian Leonard, who is filling in for the injured Steven Jackson. Leonard is a play because he is a starting running back who is known for having good hands out of the backfield, but the Cowboys are tough against the run this season, and Steven Jackson hadn’t seen too much success thus far. QB Marc Bulger and WR Torry Holt are also starts, just like every week, but the Rams will likely have more problems going forward having lost yet another starting offensive lineman last week (G Mark Setterstrom). WR Isaac Bruce injured his head last week, but it appears he will be ready to play. Start him if you need him. TE Randy McMichael has been very disappointing, and I’m done starting him for now. Dallas’ offense has been stellar. QB Tony Romo, RB Marion Barber III, WR Terrell Owens are starts every week, and should see plenty of success against St. Louis’ defense. Jason Witten is becoming an every week play, but the Rams have played decently against the tight end. Play him anyway. RB Julius Jones is losing his role for the Cowboys, but he may be able to break a long one against this defense. He’s a good bye week fill-in this week.

Baltimore @ Cleveland

Baltimore’s QB picture is messy, but both Kyle Boller and Steve McNair look for WR Derrick Mason and TE Todd Heap plenty, so start them. RB Willis McGahee is a start against the Browns’ unimpressive defense. Mark Clayton had a nice debut last week, and Cleveland won’t do much to stop him. Even WR Demetrius Williams could make some noise here. Other than WR Braylon Edwards (if you need him) and TE Kellen Winslow, sit all of your Browns this week against Baltimore.

Tampa Bay @ Carolina

Tampa Bay was impressive again last week against the Rams, but questions abound in the backfield. RB Carnell Williams was benched after a fumble, and RB Earnest Graham came in and ran for 75 yards and 2 TDs on just 8 carries. RB Michael Pittman also contributed. The question this week is who will be the main back for coach Jon Gruden. Gruden reaffirmed that Williams is the feature back, but Gruden can be unpredictable. Earnest Graham is a great pickup this week, and he’s playable if you need a fill-in. The Bucs always want to commit to the run, especially in the red zone, so Graham has a chance to do some damage even if he isn’t featured this week. Cadillac is a play regardless, but don’t be surprised if Gruden does something crazy. QB Jeff Garcia was good again last week, and is a good bye week fill-in. WR Joey Galloway is also a play. TE Alex Smith hasn’t done too much yet this year, but Carolina hasn’t been great vs. the tight end, and he could get some looks. Play him if you’re desperate. Carolina has some questions at QB entering this week, so keep an eye on whether Jake Delhomme or David Carr starts. I wouldn’t start either one, though, against this improved Bucs defense. TE Jeff King remains one of their favorite targets, so play him if you need him this week. WR Steve Smith had a tough time against Atlanta last week, but he’s a stud, so start him. Tampa allowed the Rams’ Steven Jackson to slowly pound his way to over 100 yards, but Carolina won’t commit to one of its runners enough for either one to have a huge game this week. They are decent plays.

Seattle @ San Francisco

Seattle RB Shaun Alexander has a broken wrist, but will play; it doesn’t change his status, so start him. WRs Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, and Bobby Engram continue to get most of the targets from QB Matt Hasselbeck, and all are decent plays again this week. San Francisco’s offense hasn’t quite gotten it together this year yet. Seattle’s defense against the pass is average, so you can start WRs Darrell Jackson if you’ve been using him. RB Frank Gore hasn’t been great yet, but he’s talented and will turn it on eventually. Start him.

Kansas City @ San Diego

RB LaDainian Tomlinson wasn’t as successful against Green Bay as he and his owners had hoped for, but he scored. The Chiefs aren’t good against the run, so he should be able to get going here. QB Phillip Rivers threw for 300 yards in last week’s shootout, finding WRs Vincent Jackson and Buster Davis for a TD each. This shows Rivers can still do it, but he has been inconsistent since last season. You can’t count on this from week to week, but San Diego’s passing game has a nice matchup this week. The Chiefs continue to struggle on offense, with another tough matchup for RB Larry Johnson. I hate to advocate benching a first rounder for two weeks in a row, but I will. Sit him if you have a viable alternative. Start TE Tony Gonzalez, though.

Pittsburgh @ Arizona

Pittsburgh’s offense has been solid all year, and the Cardinals’ defense isn’t too imposing. Start QB Ben Roethlisberger, if you need him. RB Willie Parker and WRs Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes are also good plays this week. TE Heath Miller continues to see an expanded role, so start him as well. The Cardinals have a strange QB situation at the moment. Kurt Warner played at two separate times for Arizona last week, and was effective. I’d stay away from both Warner and QB Matt Leinart simply to avoid this mess, but I’d start WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald because both are explosive and threats to score. RB Edgerrin James has a terrible matchup, and shouldn’t be played unless there is no other option.

Denver @ Indianapolis

The Colts have been tough against the run so far, but the Broncos pound RB Travis Henry, so start him. Start both WRs Javon Walker and Brandon Marshall, who continues to impress and outperformed Walker last week. QB Jay Cutler isn’t a great play, but a decent bye week fill-in. Start all your usual Colts. TE Dallas Clark caught another TD last week, and is getting close to an every week play.

Philadelphia @ New York Giants

Wow, Donovan. Way to shut all of your critics up. McNabb exploded last week and made WR Kevin Curtis look like a superstar. Curtis got all but 4 of the targets to WRs last week, and he seems to have become McNabb’s favorite receiver. Start him this week. WR Reggie Brown remains a huge disappointment, but the Giants’ defense has been bad this year, so it’s a good matchup. If you need him, give him one more try this week. RB Brian Westbrook has an injured knee and injured ribs, but he always plays despite his status. If it’s announced that he cannot go, RBs Correll Buckhalter and Tony Hunt will likely split carries. I’d prefer Buckhalter in that situation, but he is also nicked up. Watch these injuries closely as the week progresses and plan accordingly. The Giants’ offense woke up in the second half last week. Start QB Eli Manning if you need him. RB Derrick Ward continues to impress, but he may lose goal line carries to RB Reuben Droughns, as he did last week. He’s been good though, so start him. WR Plaxico Burress is a start, as is TE Jeremy Shockey.

New England @ Cincinnati

This matchup seems almost unfair. New England’s unstoppable offense meets the inept Bengals’ defense. WRs Randy Moss and Wes Welker are getting most of QB Tom Brady’s attention, so start them, but sit WR Donte Stallworth, as he has done almost nothing all year. RB Laurence Maroney is a start, as is RB Sammy Morris (if you need him), who has been given more of a workload lately. The Bengals are bound to put up numbers, as they do every week, so start QB Carson Palmer, WRs Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Monitor RB Rudi Johnson’s injury situation this week. If he goes, he’s a start. Otherwise, give RB Kenny Watson a look this week, but he may not get too many looks this week as Cincy tries to keep up with the Pats.