Week 3 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Fantasy Football Stars to Play and Bench

Two weeks into the NFL season, fantasy owners are either exuberant or horrified by the results thus far. Several stars have underachieved through the first two weeks, making roster decisions increasingly difficult.

Owners of Eddie Lacy and Jamaal Charles shouldn't panic just yet, while those who have Robert Griffin III, who suffered an ankle injury, might need to look for reinforcements.

Obvious stars won't be worth a mention here, but some unheralded players are worth starting or sitting this week. Names like Jay Cutler and Cordarrelle Patterson should be starters, while Ben Roethlisberger and Montee Ball should be riding the pine.

Here's a look at the top starts and sits ahead of Week 3 in fantasy football.

Start 'Em

Rank	Player	Week 2 Opponent	Projected Points
1	Jay Cutler, QB, Bears	New York Jets	22
2	Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Vikings	New Orleans Saints	14
3	Knile Davis, RB, Chiefs	Miami Dolphins	14
4	Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Colts	Jacksonville Jaguars	13
5	Charles Clay, TE, Dolphins	Kansas City Chiefs	9

On the heels of a great finish against the San Francisco 49ers, Cutler is primed for another great week.

This week, Cutler has the New York Jets, who have allowed 21.29 fantasy points per week to quarterbacks. It will be much tougher for New York to lock down two receivers like Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.

Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune called the triumph over the 49ers a "signature win" for Cutler. He also compared the performance to a Bears great:

"

The Bears were bad and stupid early. They were gutsy and resourceful later on, none moreso than Cutler.

This was a game Cutler needed, even without the pain. Cutler needed a signature win. Cutler just had Brian Urlacher’s Arizona game.

"

Cutler should have another stellar performance this weekend against a quarterback-friendly defense. Having myriad options to choose from, Cutler is back and ready to pick apart defenses and carry fantasy teams.

While Cutler is coming off of a standout game, Patterson was underwhelming for owners in Week 2. Heading into the Superdome, the Minnesota Vikings receiver might be in for a performance similar to the opener.

Through two weeks, the New Orleans Saints have given up a total of 489 receiving yards to wideouts and two touchdowns. A stout defense in 2013 is now allowing 29.45 points to opposing receiving corps, which means Patterson should be in for a huge day.

New Orleans has also allowed 230 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground thus far, which is how Patterson is typically utilized. As Minnesota looks to get back on track, he will have to carry the load moving forward.

Sit 'Em

Rank	Player	Week 2 Opponent	Projected Points
1	Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers	Carolina Panthers	10
2	Montee Ball, RB, Broncos	Seattle Seahawks	8
3	Eric Decker, WR, Jets	Chicago Bears	7
4	Frank Gore, RB, 49ers	Arizona Cardinals	5
5	Martellus Bennett, TE, Bears	New York Jets	4

Let's be honest, Roethlisberger likely isn't the first option for any fantasy team. But with multiple disappointing quarterbacks to this point, some owners might be pondering if he's a viable starter.

Coming off of a weekend in which he didn't throw a single touchdown, Big Ben shouldn't be trusted in Week 3 either. ESPN Stats & Info provides a look at how bad Roethlisberger's night was against the Baltimore Ravens:

Not to mention, the Pittsburgh Steelers are on the road against the Carolina Panthers, one of the top defenses in the league. Carolina limited Calvin Johnson to just six receptions for 83 yards after he went off in the opener for 164 yards and two scores.

The man who shut him down was Antoine Cason, who spoke about matching up with No. 1 receivers, via Justin Parker of Black and Blue Review:

"I love it. I’m a competitor," Cason said. "To go against that guy and compete with him is huge. I accept the challenge. I accept the challenge all day, every day. Let’s do it again. I know who he is, I know who I am, I’m confident in me. To get out there and just play like that, with confidence on the corner, is huge."

That also puts the likes of Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton on notice, but that's another story.

Continuing the trend of players matching up with brutal defenses, Ball will be asked to carry the load against the Seattle Seahawks. Ball was strong in Week 1 but mediocre against a porous Kansas City Chiefs team.

Despite the discouraging numbers, Peyton Manning felt the running game looked revamped, per Troy Renck of The Denver Post:

Seattle gave up a total of 164 yards on the ground through two weeks, completely shutting down Lacy in the opener. Not only will Ball be facing the Seahawks' D, but also the 12th man on the road.

Most fantasy teams already have a depleted running back corps, but Ball isn't a safe start in Seattle. Owners who have the luxury of a viable RB2 behind Ball will want to bench the Broncos back in Week 3.

Fantasy statistics courtesy of NFL.com.

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