Start 'Em Sit 'Em For All Week 3 Games From Two Guys, One Mailbox
Two Guys, One Mailbox brings you the most in-depth start em, sit em available every week.
Aaron and Travis provide a start and a sit for every Week 3 match-up.
Before we get to that, we review their Week 2 picks.
This is something most experts are not willing to do—be accountable for their picks.
Enjoy our list and make sure you know who to sit or start this Sunday!
Week Two: Analysis and Grades For Travis
1 of 20
Starts
Felix Jones
Heath Miller
Steven Jackson
Matt Schaub
Malcom Floyd
Steve Smith
Marques Colston
Sits
Johnny Knox
Chris Johnson
Mike Williams
Darren McFadden
Mercedes Lewis
Pierre Garcon
Michael Crabtree
Clinton Portis
Knowshon Moreno
Analysis:
Definitely more of a rough week this time around for me. I hit with the Matt Schaub call, and got serious bonus points for the Chris Johnson call. The benching of Lewis, Garcon, and Crabtree went pretty well also.
Hopefully everyone ignored the Darren McFadden advice, as well as the Clinton Portis tips. There were some in between calls with Marques Colston, Mike Williams, and Knox.
Grade: 64/100
Season Grade: 76/100
Week Two: Analysis and Grades For Aaron
2 of 20
Starts
Anquan Boldin
Michael Vick
Steve Breaston
Visanthe Shiancoe
Dwayne Bowe
Cadillac Williams
Brandon Jackson
Randy Moss
Sits
Cedric Benson
LeSean McCoy
Beanie Wells
Bernard Berrian
Jerome Harrison
Jonathan Stewart
C.J. Spiller
Jets Offense [Except Greene]
Analysis
Well thankfully I wasn't the only one with a down week, as Aaron clearly felt the pain as well.
Vick was an excellent call, but in the same game he didn't do anyone any favors by suggesting to bench McCoy.
Wells didn't even suit up, making that choice void, and he hit the nail on the head with Spiller also.
The Jets offense was surprisingly good against the Pats, as Sanchez, Keller, Edwards, and Cotchery would've all been good plays...Except for Shonn Greene.
Grade: 70/100
Season Grade: 77/100
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3 of 20
Aaron-
Start: Mike Williams, WR, TB
He’s looks very good so far, scoring in both of his first two NFL games. He’s easily Freeman’s number one target, and with good reason.
He has the skills to be a top wide out in the league, and has thus far been the most impressive rookie wide receiver. Expect 5-7 receptions with 60 yards and a touchdown this week.
Sit: Cadillac Williams, RB, TB
Against the Steelers defense and with the Buc’s offensive line, this was an easy pick for me.
Williams is a good running back, but this season it just looks like the team will hold him back. Don’t expect much more than 50 yards from him.
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Cincinatti Bengals @ Carolina Panthers
4 of 20
Aaron-
Start: Carson Palmer, QB, CIN
Palmer might not be an elite quarterback, but he still has the skills and the weapons to put up big numbers any given week.
With the T.Ocho show lined up as his #1 and #2 receivers, and Jermaine Gresham making big plays, Carson should light up Carolina’s poor secondary this week.
Sit: Steve Smith, WR, CAR
I don’t have too much to say on this one. The equation just doesn’t add up this week for Smith. It will be Jimmy Clausen’s first professional start, and don’t expect him to look too impressive just yet.
Though, if there is one wide receiver in the league who could still dominate with a shaky quarterback, it’s Smith.
Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns
5 of 20
Aaron-
Start: Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL
So I got this one wrong last week… But a lot of that has to do with how poorly Flacco played.
I’m still a believer in Flacco, and so by the transitive property, I’m still a believer in Boldin.
Flacco has the skills to be a top quarterback in the league, so you have to believe that his top wide receiver would benefit. Expect, for real this time, around 80 yards and a touchdown from Boldin.
Sit: Peyton Hillis, RB, CLE
I wouldn’t recommend starting anyone on the Browns. Many people hopped on the Harrison train, only to be disappointed.
Now Hillis is getting all of the fantasy love because of his two scores in the first two weeks. He still isn’t getting many carries: 9 in week one, and 8 in week two.
Don’t start Hillis unless you are in a deep league.
Dallas Cowboys @ Houston Texans
6 of 20
Aaron-
Start: Jason Witten, TE, DAL
A lot of people might be worried about Witten this week, especially after how Chris Harris rang his bell last Sunday. It looks like Witten will be playing Sunday against the Texans.
So far this season, the Texans have given up over 200 yards and 2 scores to opposing tight ends.
If Witten is starting, look for him to put up fantasy relevant numbers. Do not start Witten if you have better options, like Gates or Clark.
Sit: Kevin Walter, WR, HOU
So he had a big game. A lot of that had to do with Matt Schaub’s monster game which, I think we can agree, won’t be duplicated this week.
Walker’s targets leapt from 2 to 11 from week one to week two; don’t expect another huge game from Walter this week, especially with Jacoby Jones stealing looks away from him.
San Francisco 49ers @ Kansas City Chiefs
7 of 20
Aaron-
Start: Jamaal Charles, RB, KAN
He might be a question mark in a lot of owner’s eyes after last week when Thomas Jones had twice the carries, but the fact still stands, Charles is good enough to bust a 50 yard run at any given moment. He is a poor man’s Chris Johnson.
Even if he’s only going to get 10-15 carries a game, it’s not worth benching him because of the numbers he can bring to the table.
Sit: Michael Crabtree, WR, SF
He’s hard to bench, because of his potential, but he has yet to show that he’s a viable fantasy starter. Will he become one? Most likely. Will he this weekend? Probably not.
Keep him on your bench and don’t start him until he has had that breakout game or for bye weeks. Don’t keep playing him in hopes of a breakout game.
Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints
8 of 20
Aaron-
Start: Devery Henderson, WR, NO
After Colston, Henderson might be the wide receiver Brees trusts the most.
Henderson is always good for a few deep targets, and I’m not sure if the Falcons will be able to stop it. Brees has no problem spreading out the ball, so don’t be surprised if he has a better game than Colston.
Sit: Matt Ryan, QB, ATL
I’m not entirely sold on Matt Ryan being a top 8 quarterback just yet. He has the weapons to be successful in the NFL, but he’s still young.
If you’re tempted to start him over your regular starter this week because of his start last week, you might want to hold off for the time being.
He’ll probably throw for 225 yards with a TD and a pair of interceptions.
New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills
9 of 20
Aaron-
Start: Fred Taylor, RB, NE
Taylor’s competition has dropped significantly over the last 2 weeks. With Maroney going to Denver and with Kevin Faulk landing on the IR, Taylor is expected to get the bulk of the carries for New England’s offense.$$
Sammy Morris will probably snipe some goal-line/third-down carries, but he won’t be splitting time with four other running backs like he had been.
Don’t expect 100 yards or anything, but don’t be surprised if Taylor gets close to 75 yards with a touchdown.
Sit: C.J. Spiller, RB, BUF
One of the only picks I nailed last week. In fact, I got it so spot on, I figured I would do it again this week.
He has looked less than impressive so far in his pro debut. And Fred Jackson has regained the starting job.
People may have been a little too high on Spiller during their fantasy drafts because of the comparisons between him and Chris Johnson.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Jacksonville Jaguars
10 of 20
Travis-
Start: Brent Celek, TE, PHI
This is more of a gut call, but I really think that Michael Vick will get accustomed to his future favorite target in Celek. Although he probably isn't the best tight end in NFL history, this is the same Jacksonville team that got gashed by Antonio Gates last week.
Look for Celek to be a surprisingly good play this week, even though most owners will leave him on the bench because of his poor play thus far.
Sit: Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAX
That's right baby, I'm coming out swinging this week.
Jahvid Best, a ROOKIE, just torched the Philly defense to the tune of over 200 total yards, and two touchdowns, so why not roll with MJD?
I don't think Jones-Drew is 100 percent just yet, and I think this is the week that he can't get it moving.
Philadelphia is going to win this one with ease, and if Vick can break it open by halftime, I don't think the bowling ball of MJD will get the carries he needs to be effective.
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings
11 of 20
Aaron-
Start: Brett Favre, QB, MIN
He’s starting to look more like the Favre of the 08 Jets instead of the Favre of the 09 Vikings. He misses Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian isn’t cutting it.
Odds are Adrian Peterson will be the star of this game, but I don’t think Favre will be a complete slouch. Expect him to air it out for 250-300 yards with a pair of touchdowns.
Sit: Jahvid Best, RB, DET
Let’s be honest, Best will not attain a total of 280+ yards with three touchdowns again. This week, odds are Best won’t get more 100 total yards against the Vikings, or a single touchdown.
Don’t be blinded by his ridiculous Week 2, Best is not currently a top running back, so don’t start him like one.
Washington Redskins @ St. Louis Rams
12 of 20
Travis-
Start: Mark Clayton, WR, STL
Clayton is clearly becoming Sam Bradford's favorite target, and if he continues to get the looks, will surely be added in the remaining 30 percent of ESPN leagues that he is currently on the waiver wire.
Although Clayton only had two catches last week, both going for touchdowns, he was second on the team in targets, which means that he's still an integral part of the St. Louis offense.
The Washington secondary is like Swiss cheese, and have given up an average of 11 catches, and 140 yards to Miles Austin, Andre Johnson, and Kevin Walter. Clayton will get his.
Sit: Clinton Portis, RB, WAS
Sixty three. Thirty three.
Running backs in the NFL that aren't even giving you 75 yards are not going to continue to find your starting lineup for very long.
Portis got lucky last week, as he rocked a 2.5 YPC, he snuck in for two goal line carries.
This game will be closer than a lot of people think, but if McNabb continues to play at an elite level, Portis will see his value drop a little bit over the next few weeks.
Indianapolis Colts @ Denver Broncos
13 of 20
Travis-
Start: Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN
Thomas broke onto the NFL scene in a big way last Sunday, catching eight passes for over 90 yards. Thomas was a big free agent pick up this week since he missed the first contest with an injury, and was passed over in most drafts.
Kyle Orton is a winner, plain and simple, and will always find his number one receiver in any given game. Thomas was drafted ahead of Dez Bryant for a reason, and it wouldn't shock me to see D.T. compete for Rookie of the Year.
Sit: Joseph Addai, RB, IND
It's not exactly Addai I'm worried about, it's more Donald Brown.
When Indy hits the red zone, something they do quite often, Brown seems to snag the majority of the carries. And not only that, but Brown seems to be in an almost exact time share with Addai, getting 16 carries to Addai's 20 last week.
Addai will still hold some value, based on the offense he's a member of, but at this point is nothing more than a great flex play.
Oakland Raiders @ Arizona Cardinals
14 of 20
Travis-
Start: Louis Murphy, WR, OAK
Like my partner in crime in week one, I think I'm ready for Murphy to have his first big week of the 2010 season.
Many people saw how Murphy progressed last year with Bruce Gradkowski at the helm, and assumed that with Campbell now running the Silver and Black offense, that Murphy would only do better.
Well, not quite.
The good news is, Campbell is riding the pine, and Gradkowski gets to hold a Wilson instead of a clipboard.
Look for Murphy to have a solid game, and even if you don't plan on starting him, look for him on the wire if he is still available after this game.
Sit: Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, ARI
This will mark the first game that Wells will be healthy for, and that is normally good news for guys who have him on their fantasy team.
Many of you will have no problem deploying Wells this week, since you most likely used a third or fourth round pick on him.
I caution you however, that I don't think Wells will do enough to warrant a start, other than maybe a flex play.
Tim Hightower will still get his 10 carries and five receptions, including most of the red zone looks.
Now, I wouldn't be surprised if Ken Whisenhunt wanted to reward Wells with a goal line carry, I'm just not willing to bet a starting spot on it.
San Diego Chargers @ Seattle Seahawks
15 of 20
Travis-
There really isn't anyone on Seattle that I like this year. They are too inconsistent to be worthy of starting right now, with the exception of Justin Forsett in deeper leagues.
Even John Carlson, a fantasy asset last year, has only seven points total during the first two contests, and can't be trusted.
I mean, being Matt Hasselbeck's favorite target is like being second in the lunch line. Nobody cares.
Start: Mike Tolbert, Malcom Floyd, and Phillip Rivers, SD
I like the entire San Diego offense this week.
Ryan Mathews will most likely miss this weekend's contest, and the San Diego Tribune has reported that the Bolts are treating practice as if Tolbert will get the start, and the big majority of the carries.
Malcom Floyd only has three catches in each of the first two games, but is the home run threat for this offense.
Against the Seattle secondary, and a rookie safety in Earl Thomas, Floyd could break out in a big way this week.
Another stat that many people are probably unaware of is how many targets each of the San Diego receivers have.
- Malcom Floyd: 16
- Antonio Gates: 13
- Legedu Naanee: 11
- Craig Davis: 10
Definitely surprised even me that Antonio Gates didn't receive the highest, but that only means good things for Floyd.
Rivers should be an obvious start, but I know that some owners have probably scooped up Vick for their bye week, to replace a bad starter [Favre, anyone?], or for trade bait.
Don't let Vick sway you though, Rivers could score the most points for any fantasy QB this week.
Tennesee Titans @ New York Giants
16 of 20
Travis-
Start: Eli Manning, QB, NYG
It has become abundantly clear this season that for the Giants to succeed, they will need Eli Manning to throw for 3,500 yards again.
Manning will be responsible on Sunday for finding Smith, Nicks, and Manningham early and often, thus opening up the running lanes for Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.
Manning should be a great play this week, and should finish in the top six or seven for quarterback scoring.
Sit: Chris Johnson, RB, TEN
That's right readers, for the second week in a row I have Chris Johnson as a sit.
I think that Jeff Fisher will do everything in his power to get Johnson back on track, but not at the expense of feeding him the ball too much and becoming predictable. Johnson could bounce back, but I don't think it will be this week.
The Giants were gashed by Joseph Addai and Donald Brown last week, and I think they get back on track on Sunday.
New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins
17 of 20
Travis-
Two start special!
Start: Dustin Keller, TE, NYJ
I love Keller this week.
He had a monster week last time he took the gridiron, and with Braylon Edwards being benched for the beginning of the game, I think that Keller will get a few extra looks early on.
Look for Keller to become not only a staple in this Jets offense, but one of the better tight ends in 2010. He can win you some fantasy games.
Start: LaDainian Tomlinson, Shonn Greene, NYJ RB's
The Dolphins have a surprisingly good defense this year, but as Adrian Peterson displayed, they are still very succeptible to the ground game.
With the fresh legs of Greene, the rejuvenated LT, combined with the experience (or lack thereof), from Mark Sanchez, I think that Gang Green will run the rock early and often.
Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears
18 of 20
Travis-
Start: Jay Cutler, QB, CHI
I don't often advocate for the drafting of a backup quarterback, but damn, I did love me some Jay Cutler in the preseason.
Cutler has been one of the best play callers in all the league during the first two contests, with a nice six touchdowns, and only one interception.
The Green Bay secondary is still depleted, so as long as Clay Matthews doesn't rip Cutler limb from limb, he should have a decent and productive night.
Sit: Brandon Jackson, RB, GNB
C'mon Brandon?! Not even 50 rushing yards against Buffalo? Yeah, that's really all I have to say.
Swami Rogers: Sleepers Of The Week!
19 of 20
A new section for our weekly article, our friend and editor Jordan Rogers will be selecting as many as 10 keepers for all of our readers to look into adding for this weeks game.
The best part is, many of Swami Rogers' sleepers are available in many leagues and could help YOU win your Week 3 matchup!
Fred Taylor, RB, NE
Buffalo’s run defense is terrible. With Kevin Faulk out for the season and Laurence Maroney shipped off to Denver, I expect Taylor to have a good week.
Jordan Shipley, WR, CIN
Shipley would be best utilized in a PPR league but I still see some value in deeper 10 or 12 man leagues.
He had 5 receptions for 40 yards against a much better Ravens defense, and the Carolina Panthers are no Baltimore Ravens.
Josh Morgan, WR, SF
The Kansas City defense is still mediocre at best. Quarterback Alex Smith seems to have a lot more chemistry with Morgan than he does Michael Crabtree and I can see that continuing again this week vs. KC.
Nate Washington, WR, TEN
He seemed to have good rapport with quarterback Vince Young in the week one game vs. Oakland.
The whole team had a bad week to the stout Steelers defense and I can see Washington bouncing back this week to a New York Giants secondary that looks susceptible to the pass.
Danny Amendola, WR, StL
Another deeper play better positioned for a PPR league but could still have some relevance in most leagues, Amendola has been attracting attention from rookie quarterback Sam Bradford.
This game could be an air show with the Rams most likely being down early, so I expect Bradford to be throwing most of the day.
Amendola is quick and plays in the slot, so he could bust a few decent runs after the catch. He also returns punts for the Rams so there’s always the chance he could grab you a touchdown that way.
Demaryious Thomas, WR, DEN
I know Travis already told you to start him but I LOVED Demaryious Thomas in college, and I loved him going into the draft, and he was rewarded as such being the first WR drafted overall.
He had some foot issues in the preseason, but he’s ready to go now.
He broke out in his rookie debut with 8 catches for 97 yards and a Touchdown. The Colts secondary has been torched by opposing wide outs this year and Kyle Orton is a lot better than you think.
With Indianapolis most likely being ahead for most of this one, expect the Broncos to keep airing it out most of the game.
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, OAK
He’s a little bit deeper of a play than Louis Murphy but he’s also more likely to be available.
He and once again starting quarterback Bruce Gradkowski seemed to have some good chemistry going last Sunday and I expect it to continue this week vs. a VERY porous Arizona Cardinals defense.
Mike Tolbert, RB, SD
This could be a good play if Ryan Mathews ends up sitting out the game. If Mathews does end up starting Tolbert could end up stealing a touchdown.
Tolbert had a decent week last weekend vs. Jacksonville to the tune of 82 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. IF he starts, expect him to have a good day against a weak Seattle Seahawks defense.
EXTRA PICKS: Austin Collie IND, Legedu Naanee SD, John Kuhn GB.
Go Forth, Fantasy Freaks!
20 of 20
Thanks to all our readers who helped get the second installment of this series a whopping 1,200 reads!
I hope those of you who continue to check in will leave some feedback for us, and if you ever have any questions about rosters, the waiver wire, or a trade question, the three of us would be happy to lend a hand.
Good luck in Week 3, and may luck be on your side!
Travis Rand is a Communications Major at the University of Southern Maine, and an enormous NYG and Oklahoma Sooners fan.
OK, I lied. I still love Ryan Broyles, but Denard Robinson is quickly pulling away from the pack. He WANTS that Heisman.
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