Fantasy Football: 10 Must-Start Players for Week 3
Michael Vick is back and starting for the Eagles, Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson will sit out for the entire season, and the Bills look...well, at least they take the field every Sunday.
Will Shonn Greene & Ryan Mathews continue to be fantasy football flameouts? Can Dwayne Bowe live up to his potential in Kansas City, or is there another option for frustrated owners?
Check out these 10 must-start players, as owners that have them on the pine for Week 3 will be sure to regret it.
Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys
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Despite the Cowboys' struggles, Romo has had no problem picking up from where he left off last season.
Proving that he's a legitimate top-5 option at the quarterback position for fantasy football owners, Romo has been money thus far and is currently trailing only Peyton Manning for the league lead in yardage.
Desperate for a win and looking to avoid a miserable 0-3 start, Romo and the Cowboys will look to air it out all afternoon long against a Texans secondary that's given up 900 yards passing through the first two weeks.
In other words, pencil in Romo for a big day.
Pierre Thomas, RB, New Orleans Saints
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Now that Reggie Bush is out at least for the next six weeks with a fractured fibula, Thomas' value stands to skyrocket to a near all-time high.
After compiling 37 carries through his first two contests, Thomas stands to be a true feature back in a very potent Saints offense against Atlanta.
Owners should expect him to receive 20-plus carries as well as upward of five receptions out of the backfield.
In what should prove to be a critical matchup between NFC South rivals, the Saints are going to have to ride Thomas hard if they hope to come away 3-0.
Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland Raiders
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After watching the Arizona defense get trampled last week and give up 41 points, it's easy to see why Run DMC's owners are chomping at the bit for Week 3.
Receiving an incredible 30 touches last week against the Rams (for 145 yards), McFadden is in for another large workload despite the return of Michael Bush. Slated to go up against the Cardinals' run defense that ranks 31st in the league should only help McFadden's already inflated value.
After going undrafted in some standard leagues, McFadden is certain to be rostered by this time and should reward his owners handsomely with another big day.
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Santana Moss, WR, Washington Redskins
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Clearly Donovan McNabb's new go-to guy, Moss has resurfaced in the fantasy football realm with real value for the first time since the 2008 and '09 campaigns.
After catching 10 balls last week against Houston, Moss should be in line for another big day when he's lined up against a poor St. Louis secondary this week. With the team looking to make a statement after a devastating OT loss, Moss should be an integral part of a carefully crafted offensive attack.
Owners blessed with depth at the wide receiver position should not hesitate to include Moss as he is not likely to get a much tastier matchup than this.
Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys
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Opposing defenses are going to have to start playing closer attention to Miles Austin (20 receptions, 288 yds, 1 TD), which should leave more room for Bryant to run wild after the catch.
Clearly establishing himself as one of Romo's favorite (and most reliable) targets, Bryant's involvement in the offensive attack is obvious. He should find himself in the end zone at least once against the Texans.
Primed to amass even more value as the season rolls forward, it wouldn't be surprising to see Bryant morph into a must-start WR2 on a weekly basis sooner rather than later so long as he can stay healthy.
Visanthe Shiancoe, TE, Minnesota Vikings
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Even though the Minnesota offense is struggling badly as Brett Favre works his way up to speed, the chemistry between the new grandfather and his tight end looks just as good as it did last season.
Already Favre's favorite target with wide receiver Sidney Rice sidelined, Shiancoe could very well find the end zone more than once on Sunday against Detroit as the Vikings attempt to avoid starting the season 0-3.
The secondary is constantly a problem area for the Lions, and Shiancoe's 6'4", 250-pound frame should provide a target big enough that even Favre can hit, despite No. 4's tendency to turn it over at inopportune times.
Dustin Keller, TE, New York Jets
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After drawing the ire of many fans with a boneheaded play to end Week 1, Keller has come back into the good graces of his owners with an incredible Week 2 performance (7 receptions, 115 yds, 1 TD).
With quarterback Mark Sanchez still struggling to connect with the deep ball at times, Keller has become the No. 1 option in the passing game and the coaching staff has promised to continue to make him a focal point of the offense.
Owners who drafted Keller near the end of their drafts will be looking awfully smart should he continue his current level of productivity. It should be very interesting to see what he can do against the 2-0 Miami Dolphins.
Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers
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Even with rookie Jimmy Clausen poised to make his first career start under center, Smith's chances of productivity this week look good.
Perhaps the only pair of hands that Clausen can 100 percent trust, Smith should be targeted early and often as the Notre Dame product will be looking to establish chemistry and rhythm.
No. 89 has a touchdown in each of his first two games this season and, with a matchup against an average Cincinnati defense, Smith should very well find at least his third.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings
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While it's obvious that Peterson should never be on anywhere near a fantasy owner's bench, he stands to perhaps have his best game of the entire season this week against the Lions.
All Day is on a mission to prove that he's still the best RB in fantasy football (move over, Chris Johnson). After shredding Detroit to the tune of 225 yards on 33 carries and three touchdowns over a two-game span, it's clear that he enjoys playing the boys from the Motor City.
Peterson is a beast who will prove that he's still the No. 1 overall pick in fantasy football drafts by season's end. It looks like he's put his fumble-itis in the past, so that's just another reason to jump on his bandwagon if you haven't already.
Carson Palmer, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
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After a Week 1 affair that left many owners cursing his name for not having started him, those same owners were likely muttering his name for the exact opposite reason in Week 2.
Palmer's history of success against the Ravens may have had some leading to believe that he was headed for success, but the Baltimore defense is simply too good for that this season. Throwing for just 167 yards, the former No. 1 overall draft pick will look to bounce back against a questionable Carolina secondary.
With Ochocinco lined up on one side and TO on the other, Palmer should have no problem zipping the ball around the field or even down the middle to tight end Jermaine Gresham or wide receiver Jordan Shipley, should his primary options be covered.
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