Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: 3 Iffy Starters to Benefit from Injuries

Injuries have rocked the NFL like never before in 2011 and we've only played one regular season game!

Whether it's Peyton Manning's neck, Arian Foster's hamstring or Osi Umenyiora's knee, teams around the league are finding health to be just as much of an issue as it would've been had the lockout no wiped out OTAs and minicamps.

Of course, most of those injuries will impact the virtual world as well, with these three mid-to-late round fantasy football picks leaving their owners with a bit of Schadenfreude towards pro football's wounded warriors.

Mark Sanchez, QB, New York Jets

Mark Sanchez is no Drew Brees, but he's nonetheless on track for a big-time performance in Week 1 against the Cowboys. Dallas' pass defense would be suspect even if all of its moving parts were healthy. The Cowboys allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, bested only by the Houston Texans' historically horrific secondary.

With a hobbled Mike Jenkins (knee) and without Terence Newman (groin), the Cowboys will be thinner than Terrell Owens' skin in their defensive backfield, allowing Santonio Holmes, Derrick Mason and Plaxico Burress plenty of room to roam.

Add in the expectation that Sanchez will continue his steady improvement and become more than just a serviceable quarterback this season, and you're looking at a guy who's a good buy as a starter in your fantasy league.

Tim Hightower, RB, Washington Redskins

Speaking of fantasy players who will benefit from banged-up NFC East defenses, Tim Hightower is an excellent bet to bust out for a big day against the New York Football Giants.

For one, he's sharing the Redskins' backfield with Rex Grossman who, if you haven't heard, isn't exactly the second coming of Brett Favre. Washington head coach Mike Shanahan also happens to be pretty good at spinning running backs into fantasy gold (see: Clinton Portis, Olandis Gary, Reuben Droughns, Tatum Bell, etc.) and, after performing well in preseason, Hightower looks like he's next in line.

Most importantly, though, is the state of Big Blue's defense, which is banged up, to put it lightly. Season-ending injuries aside (and there are many to set aside), the G-Men will be without Osi Umenyiora and have Justin Tuck as a game-time decision.

That, in short, should mean plenty of room to run for Hightower, who will also benefit from the zone blocking of the best offensive line in the division.

Mike Williams, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Yeah, I know, the Seahawks are going to suck, due in no small part to Tarvaris Jackson, but the guy has to throw to somebody.

And that somebody on Sunday will be Mike Williams. Sidney Rice, Seattle's biggest free-agent acquisition of the summer, will sit out the season-opener with a shoulder injury, thereby paving the way for Williams to slide over as the No. 1 receiver.

Pretty good timing, too, considering he'll be going up against San Francisco's secondary, which will be one of the worst in all of football, Donte Whitner be damned. If Dashon Goldson has to sit with a knee injury, then the 49ers will be even that much weaker, which means good things for Williams.

Assuming, of course, that T-Jax can deliver the ball within a five-mile radius of Williams, and even that's questionable.

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