Fantasy Football Week 2: 3 Bold Decisions That Will Win You Your Matchup

Success in fantasy football has much to do with drafting a great team, and perhaps even more to do with good luck, but those factors aren't enough to earn you glory in the fantasy realm. It is equally important to be a good manager of your team as the season wears on.

It is true of many teams that if they choose the correct starting lineup every week, then they should win every week. Oftentimes, owners leave points on the bench that would have helped them pick up a victory if they were in the starting lineup.

Sometimes maximizing point production means putting unproven players in the lineup over more consistent options. Fantasy football certainly isn't for the faint of hearted, so here are three bold moves that may look curious, but will help you win your matchup in Week 2.

Bench Arian Foster

After a magical 2010 season that saw him lead the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, Houston Texans running back Arian Foster looked to be a top-three fantasy pick at the very least. Foster injured his hamstring prior to the season, however, casting doubt on whether he would play Week 1 and whether it would hamper him during the season.

Foster sat out Houston's opening game against the Indianapolis Colts, but practiced this week and will almost certainly play against the Miami Dolphins. Unless you have absolutely no other options, though, Foster should still be on the shelf for your fantasy team.

Because of Ben Tate's excellent play in Foster's absence last week, the Houston coaching staff will likely take a cautious approach with Foster. I would expect him to sit every few series, and he probably won't play every down like he usually does. Half of Foster in terms of effectiveness and playing time is better than many backs, but he doesn't have much upside this week.

Start Rex Grossman

Quarterback Rex Grossman has been a running punchline in NFL circles over the past several years, but after a 300-yard performance in a win over the New York Giants last week, the Washington Redskins' signal caller looks like he can be a legitimate starting quarterback.

Grossman actually showed flashes last season, as he had three 300-yard games in five late-season starts for the 'Skins. He seems to have a good grasp of Mike Shanahan's offense, so it stands to reason that he could have a surprisingly good season. Expect the good times to roll this week against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals' secondary looked awful in Week 1, as it allowed the Panthers' Cam Newton to throw for over 400 yards in his NFL debut. That is good news for Grossman, who actually has some solid weapons in the passing game such as Santana Moss, Fred Davis and Chris Cooley.

If you have Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees or Tom Brady, then you should obviously start them. If your QB situation is unsettled, though, Grossman will produce surprisingly well.

Bench Chris Johnson

When he's on, no running back in the entire NFL is more explosive than the Tennessee Titans' Chris Johnson. He had a penchant for putting up some poor games last season, though, and did the same in Week 1 of this season as he rushed for just 24 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

If Johnson couldn't get the job done against Jacksonville, then he isn't likely going to be able to against the Baltimore Ravens this week. The Ravens shut down Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall last week and will look to do the same to Johnson in Week 2.

The Ravens boast a far superior team to the Titans, so if the Ravens get up early, as they should, the Titans might be inclined to abandon the running game like they did last week. Obviously, the Titans will make a concerted effort to get Johnson involved early, but Baltimore's defense looked impenetrable against Pittsburgh last week.

If you don't have a starting-caliber back on your bench, then you have no choice but to go with Johnson, but if you do, give very strong consideration to benching him. It's never easy to sit a first rounder, but sometimes it needs to be done.