Fantasy Football: Week Four Preview, Part One

With the weekend closing in, the fellas at the Roundtable got together again to take a stab at what the games will look like and who needs to be playing.  

As always, these are the early games. Information is accurate and up-to-date as of publishing. Always start your stars, yada, yada, yada...

Alright, now to the important stuff. Cue up the Stones!

Minnesota at Tennessee

Who to Start: Tennessee Def, Kerry Collins, Justin Gage, Bernard Berrian
 
Who to Sit: Gus Frerotte, Chester Taylor (if AP is healthy)
 
What to Expect: I actually do think Tennessee is what we've seen.

Frerotte makes Minnesota better, and that's why starting Berrian should be a decent option. Jackson at QB doesn't give the Vikings the same passing threat that Frerotte does. Not saying it's a sure thing, but it's a much better matchup.

Sidney Rice still hasn't shown up, but expect him to get better as the weeks move on. Only one I would want to play this week is Berrian. The Titans, though, have been strong against the pass and could hold him down. I still like him for 60 yards and a score.

The Vikings' run game hasn't really been shut down so far, and you can't bench a guy like Peterson regardless. I'd be hesitant to play Taylor as a secondary option, just because of how tough the Titans defense has been to this point in the season, but he'll likely be better than any passing attack in this game. He's not good for a score in my book, but likely around 75 total yards.

On the Titans' side, Collins should be able to find openings to throw the football. The Vikings' pass defense is still soft, and opponents have been able to do some damage against them. Collins is a more than adequate passer, and if Justin Gage is healthy, he'll reap the benefits. If not, expect this game to be a running attack on both sides.

Both LenDale White and Chris Johnson are solid plays. Each will likely even find the end zone. The issue is, the best play in the entire game is the Titans' defense.
 
Sleeper Pickup: Bo Scaife. Alge Crumpler gets all the hype, but Scaife has been the primary target. He's only good for about 40 yards, but he seems to have a nose for the end zone.

Denver at Kansas City

Who to Start: Eddie Royal, Brandon Marshall, Tony Scheffler, Larry Johnson, Denver Def.

 

Who to Sit: Denver RBs, Damon Huard
 
What to Expect: Damon Huard has been named the starting quarterback, keeping the see-saw going out in Kansas City. Huard provides a more stable option under center than Tyler Thigpen, but when a quarterback isn't sure if he's playing from week-to-week, it doesn't make for a great fantasy situation. They can't develop any chemistry.

 

Bowe and Gonzalez remain the only options you want in the Chiefs' passing game. If you own Gonzalez, you likely don't have a better option, and Bowe should be considered a WR2 or flex play in most formats. Bowe won't crack 100 yards, but he'll give you a touchdown.

Larry Johnson came out of it last week, but I'm not entirely sold. The Chiefs will likely try to control the clock, making him more useful than not. Unfortunately, though, they're going to have to throw to stay in this thing. Johnson should be good for 80 yards and a score.

Denver is out-and-out hurting teams with their offense. No one that catches the ball shouldn't be started. Royal is the shakiest, but I still feel 85 yards and a score is in the cards. You start Brandon Marshall, and Tony Scheffler isn't far behind on this one either.

Still lobbying to avoid the Denver running game. We just don't know who's going to get it done on a weekly basis. Most teams with platoons let you figure it out a bit. Not here. There is no way Denver should lose this game, and they should be able to do some damage on the ground.

If you're in a position where they need to be used, I like Young better than Pittman. Both could find the end zone, and should combine for somewhere around 120 yards.
 
Sleeper Pickup: Broncos Def. Great plug-and-play option this week for teams that have their primary defense on bye.

San Francisco at New Orleans

Who to Start: Pierre Thomas, David Patten, Isaac Bruce

Who to Sit: Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Vernon Davis, Jeremy Shockey (hernia surgery)

What to Expect: The death of Vernon Davis' fantasy relevance is a direct result of the man calling the plays. Mike Martz hates tight ends the way Mike Shanahan hates fantasy football in general. I wouldn't play Davis for anyone at this point.

O'Sullivan isn't the greatest of fantasy quarterbacks, but with Frank Gore as his main weapon, he should be able to break 250 yards and throw for a couple scores in the process.

While Gore likely grabs one of those, his other main target will be Isaac Bruce. He'll be good for 80 yards and the other score.

You start Frank Gore. He's a stud; he's going to carry the 49ers this week. That's all I have to say about that one.

The Saints are going to find out what life is like without two of their primary weapons. With Shockey out with the hernia surgery, the pressure will be on the other receivers to perform and perform well. The 49ers' defense isn't good enough to take Reggie Bush out of the game completely, and he's the best option in this game for the Saints.

Pierre Thomas is a solid option as a flex play or as a starter in touchdown only formats. You know he'll find the end zone, but it may only be for 20 yards or so on the day.

Passing is another story. I think Patten has the greatest chance to be successful, but that's probably only for about 80 yards or so. A score isn't likely, but it isn't out of the question.

Right now, Meachem and Henderson are too big-play reliant to be consistent weapons in standard leagues. It could be a tougher day for Brees than expected, but he should still be able to put up stats similar to O'Sullivan, he just may add a couple picks to it.

Sleeper Pickup: J.T. O'Sullivan. As a bye-week fill-in, there are many worse options available.

Arizona at the Jets

Who to Start: Edgerrin James, Kurt Warner, Jerricho Cotchery
 
Who to Sit: Brett Favre, Laveranues Coles, Chansi Stuckey
 
What to Expect: The Cardinals' defense is better than you think. They've allowed under 180 passing yards per game and have been just as stout against the run. There may not be much offense here for the Jets to find.

I'm not a believer that Favre will crack 200 yards. Any signs of life he does show seem to be countered by the fact he and his receivers aren't on the same page when it comes to how they adjust on routes. Interceptions are going to result.

Cotchery is the main target, and 75 yards plus a score for him works in my book. Coles is a fringe play at best, as you can certainly see he's still in recovery mode from a thigh injury.

Thomas Jones is a decent RB2 option and likely scores the Jets' only other touchdown of the day.

On the Arizona side, I like everything about their passing attack. I've seen the Jets blow it against Cassel and Rivers. I think Warner can certainly provide that same type of offense. 275 and three scores for Warner. Larry Fitzgerald grabs two, one for Boldin.

Edgerrin James should be a solid addition to teams that need a fill-in for the bye week or need to use him as a flex option. The Jets have been no better against the run than they have against the pass. 80 yards and a touchdown from James, with Tim Hightower likely stealing a goal-line score as well.
 
Sleeper Pickup: If your league counts return yards, Leon Washington fits this bill. He's a dynamic change-of-pace back that could help out a few teams scrounging for running game help.

Green Bay at Tampa

Who to Start: Aaron Rodgers, Donald Driver, Antonio Bryant
 
Who to Sit: Brandon Jackson, Jordy Nelson, Brian Griese
 
What to Expect: Well, you shouldn't expect Griese to throw for another 400 yards. Look, the Bears wanted Griese to throw the ball, assuming he couldn't beat them that way. Apparently, they forgot that they still need to be able to stop the short-to-medium-gain passes. They couldn't do that. The Packers are going to be better than that.

Antonio Bryant should still be the primary wide receiver for Griese, but that likely won't translate into a 100-yard day. Look for 75 and a touchdown. Jerramy Stevens is the only other passing option to look for, as Griese loves the dump off underneath. Stevens is good for that and could steal a red-zone score to go with 45 yards.

The Packers are going to go to the air, as the Bucs have the 27th-ranked pass defense through three weeks of the season. Greg Jennings and Driver are both in for good days against the Bucs.

The only question comes in the running game. Grant still isn't 100 percent, but the Packers likely will only have to control the clock once they've finished scoring.

Jackson hasn't been impactful enough to start in this game as anything other than a reach, but Grant could only provide about 60 yards on the ground. If you can avoid it, do so. Most teams that have Grant, though, won't have that luxury.
 
Sleeper Pickup: Jerramy Stevens. As stated, Griese loves the little dump off pass. If Antonio Bryant is available in your league, he's still a better grab. In most formats, he's already gone.

Atlanta at Carolina

Who to Start: Roddy White, Jake Delhomme, Jonathan Stewart
 
Who to Sit: Matt Ryan, Muhsin Muhammad
 
What to Expect: The Falcons are going to spend the day handing the ball off, regardless as to whether or not the Panthers can stop the pass. Michael Turner will rule the day and is an obvious start. Jerious Norwood isn't a bad grab in deeper leagues and should be good for 70 yards of his own, but a score is less likely in this case.

Roddy White remains the only consistent option in the Falcons' passing attack. He's a solid WR2 player and should be good for the majority of Ryan's yards and a score through the air. I don't think Ryan breaks 200 yards, not on the road against a defense that hasn't shown its real self yet.

The Falcons are actually in the top-10 against the pass, but this is as much of a function of getting to face Tyler Thigpen as anything else. Their game against the Lions showed more vulnerability. I think that's closer to the real thing. Delhomme should crack 225 and two scores. Steve Smith is the primary target, with Dante Rosario being a solid option as well.

The running game continues to be split. I wouldn't say to bench Williams, just happen to like Stewart for a few more yards and a score. If one gets going early, though, look for Carolina to ride the hot hand. It's a tough situation, but if you need one for a flex play, that's where they fit best.
 
Sleeper Pickup: D.J. Hackett. Call it a gut feeling. No idea why, can't even justify it. Sometimes you just need to go with it though.

Houston at Jacksonville

Who to Start: Jax RBs, Matt Jones, Kevin Walter, Owen Daniels
 
Who to Sit: David Garrard, Matt Schaub
 
What to Expect: This could be a better game than people think here. The Texans have actually beaten the Jags in Jacksonville in each of the last two season.

Garrard isn't going to do much damage through the air, but what he does do will need to involve Matt Jones in some way, shape, or form. He won't tear them apart through the air; the damage will be done on the ground. Look for Garrard to top out around 175, but I don't see a touchdown pass in his future. If he gets one, it goes to Jones.

The running game is where the bread and butter comes. The Jaguars win nearly 90 percent of the time if they get a combined 130 yards rushing from Jones-Drew and Taylor (thanks to ESPN for that).

Jones-Drew is the more dynamic and more explosive. The only question here is his ankle. It kept him out of practice on Wednesday, but no indication on game-time availability. He did play with it last week. If healthy, he will combine for 100 yards (air and ground) and a score, plus he adds return yards. Taylor should be good for 90 himself and a score.

Houston doesn't have much to go on here. Schaub is still figuring out the offense, but should be good for 180 yards and a score. Give the obvious score to Johnson, but Walter should be fine in a flex role for deeper leagues. He's the secondary option, and has played nicely so far. 

Owen Daniels hasn't broken out yet, but they'll need him to in order to get the passing attack going. Daniels is the best option they have inside the 20, but he hasn't had the chances.

Steve Slaton had a good run in his first game out, and should be well suited in an RB3/flex role as needed this week. The Jags' defense is good, but Slaton can get around to the outside. 65 and a score isn't out of the question here.
 
Sleeper Pickup: Jags Def. The Texans aren't good right now and have one fewer game than most at this point, so less time to get it all together.

Cleveland at Cincinnati

Who to Start: Kellen Winslow, Jamal Lewis, Carson Palmer, Chris Perry
 
Who to Sit: Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards
 
What to Expect: Ok, Edwards on this list MIGHT be a slight overreaction, but the fact is he hasn't given owners anything to be excited about. There is still no other option opposite him, no third receiver, and now there's a quarterback situation to boot.

Yes, Anderson gets the start, but don't think he won't be looking over his shoulder for Quinn to be getting loose.

To me, Anderson needs to be benched if you have another option to go to, and Edwards should be as well in more shallow leagues. Anderson won't crack 175 yards, but he should throw for one touchdown (even a blind squirrel finds a nut).

Winslow gets it to go with 65 yards. Edwards is probably good for another 60 yards. Jamal Lewis will be the best option the Browns have available, and should run for a score and 85 yards.

On the Cinci side, the matchups get better for Carson Palmer and crew. The Cleveland secondary has been a wreck through the first three weeks, and Palmer has the horses to take advantage. It might not be a 300-yard game, but I like Palmer for 260 yards and three touchdowns.

I know; it would be three times as many he has all season. Houshmandzadeh is in line for a good game, and I like Perry to grab one out of the backfield as well. Even Ocho Cinco will go for 90 and a score.

Perry proved last week he can actually run the football, and this is a better matchup for that as well. He'll add 70 yards on the ground and a score. If Cincinnati can't take advantage of this matchup, then I don't know what to tell Bengals fans. They looked better last week, and this is a game they should win. ESPECIALLY at home.
 
Sleeper Pickup: Phil Dawson? No one on these teams jumps out at having a great or unexpected game. I'd avoid Reggie Kelly, and Antonio Chatman doesn't resonate as a third receiver here. Start your regulars, look elsewhere for sleepers.

Back tomorrow to review the late games!