Week 3 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Highlighting Matchups to Exploit and Avoid

There are certain players in fantasy football who are sure-fire starters on a weekly basis, regardless of the opponent they are facing. When it comes to middle-of-the-pack players, though, matchups mean everything.

Due largely to injuries, fantasy owners have already had to get creative and take some chances with their starting lineups. There are no guarantees when it comes to late picks or waiver-wire additions, but they can make a major impact in the right situation.

With Sunday's Week 3 slate on the horizon, here is a breakdown of borderline skill-position players who should either start or sit based on matchups.

Quarterback

Start: Jay Cutler (CHI)

Few quarterbacks are more volatile than Jay Cutler of the Chicago Bears. He has all the tools and can make some incredible throws, but he is often plagued by poor decision-making. That is the risk that his fantasy owners run each and every week.

That said, Cutler has an ideal matchup on tap in Week 3. The Bears will face a New York Jets team that has surrendered five touchdowns through the air this season and allowed Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers to throw for nearly 350 yards last week.

Cutler has quietly worked his way into the league lead with six touchdown passes thus far, as NFL on ESPN highlights:

The Jets' secondary is their weakest link on defense, while the Bears boast a pair of big, athletic receivers in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. That is a mismatch that Cutler should have no problem exploiting.

Sit: Andy Dalton (CIN)

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is often criticized for his playoff failures, but he has been quite productive in the regular season over the past couple of years. Although he is off to another solid start, the Red Rifle is in for a rude awakening in Week 3.

The Bengals will take on a Tennessee Titans defense that is extremely stingy against the pass. The Titans have conceded a league-best 163 passing yards per game and given up just two scores through the air while intercepting three passes.

Dalton owes much of his success this season to his offensive line. Incredibly, he has yet to be hit, per ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

"

Another great stat: #Bengals QB Andy Dalton has dropped back 63 times to pass and has not been hit once. #protection

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) September 15, 2014"

The Titans are tied for second in the league with eight sacks, so that stat probably won't last much longer. Since Dalton will finally face some adversity on Sunday, he is best off on your bench.

Running Back

Start: Joique Bell (DET)

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Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell has fumbled in each of the first two weeks, so one can only assume that he is on a short leash. With that said, he has clearly been head coach Jim Caldwell's preferred choice in the backfield thus far.

According to Justin Rogers of MLive.com, Bell played nearly 45 percent more snaps than Reggie Bush in Week 2. Even Bush acknowledged that he has played second fiddle to Bell to some degree, per Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press:

"

In Week 2, I'm not sure [why my carries went down]. I'm not the play-caller. But I know when my number's called, I make the most of my opportunities. Joique's a great player, and I'm glad he's on our team.

"

Provided Bell is able to protect the ball, he has big-time potential in Week 3. The Lions are facing a Packers defense that is surrendering nearly 177 yards per game on the ground. Detroit will want to keep the ball out of Rodgers' hands, and that means a heavy dose of Bell.

Sit: Donald Brown (SD)

With Ryan Mathews out of action due to a sprained MCL, San Diego Chargers' running back situation is somewhat murky. Backup Donald Brown has seen a big uptick in ownership, but it is difficult to imagine him turning in a big performance on Sunday.

The Bolts are set to face the Buffalo Bills on the road in what promises to be a tough matchup. The Bills are allowing just 83 rushing yards per game and have yet to give up a rushing touchdown. In addition, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune expects Danny Woodhead to be the more productive player in Mathews' absence:

Buffalo struggled to contain Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte as a pass-catcher in Week 1, so the Chargers may lean heavily on Woodhead due to his excellent hands. Brown could be useful over the next month, but he won't do anything special in Week 3.

Wide Receiver

Start: T.Y. Hilton (IND)

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The Indianapolis Colts are off to a disappointing 0-2 start, and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton has yet to make a noticeable impact. Hilton is one of the most dynamic pass-catchers in the league, though, which means it is only a matter of time before he breaks out.

Week 3 offers a fantastic opportunity as the Colts will face the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are giving up 267 passing yards per game and have also allowed four passing touchdowns. They can be exploited, and Hilton poses them a matchup problem because of his speed.

The Florida International product averaged better than seven receptions and 100 yards in two meetings with Jacksonville last year, and there is no reason why he can't put up that type of production on Sunday.

Sit: James Jones (OAK)

Beck Diefenbach/Associated Press

Oakland Raiders wide receiver James Jones has made the most of his opportunity to be a No. 1 guy thus far. He has a touchdown catch in each of the Raiders' two games this season, and he racked up 112 yards on nine receptions in Week 2.

While Jones has a solid chance to be a productive player throughout 2014, due to the likelihood of Oakland constantly playing from behind, he is not a starting commodity in Week 3.

The Raiders have the unfortunate task of facing the New England Patriots on the road, which means Jones will likely be going one on one with shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis. According to Michael Giardi of CSNNE.com, Minnesota Vikings wideout Greg Jennings learned what Revis Island is all about in Week 2:

Jones is clearly Oakland's top receiver, so the Pats have no incentive to put Revis on someone else. With that in mind, Jones figures to be a non-factor.

Tight End

Start: Kyle Rudolph (MIN)

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Expectations were high for Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph entering 2014 due to the presence of new offensive coordinator Norv Turner. Rudolph hasn't exactly been spectacular through two weeks, but he has shown some flashes.

The Notre Dame alum scored a touchdown in Week 1 and followed that up with 53 yards in Week 2. Unfortunately, in the form of dropped passes, he has had concentration issues, according to NFL.com's Gil Brandt:

Rudolph is usually sure-handed, so the odds of him turning it around seem quite good. Also, the Vikes will face a New Orleans Saints defense that is surrendering a league-worst 324 passing yards per game. Minnesota should be able to move the ball through the air, and Rudolph will be the main beneficiary of that in the red zone.

Sit: Travis Kelce (KC)

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce looks like a true breakout candidate due to his skill set and athleticism. He was the brightest star of KC's offense in Week 2 with 81 receiving yards, and it is understandable why some fantasy owners might be smitten.

According to Mike Clay of Pro Football Focus, Kelce has all the makings of a starting fantasy tight end moving forward as long as his usage remains steady:

Kelce is far from an every-week starter at this point, though, and his ceiling isn't particularly high in Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins.

Miami is giving up just 214 passing yards and one passing touchdown per game so far, which means there won't be a lot of production to go around. It has proven far easier to run on the Dolphins, which is why the Chiefs' offense will likely feature plenty of running back Knile Davis with the passing game taking a backseat.

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