Fantasy Football: Time for Vernon Davis and These Players to Wake Up

It's been a rough start to the 2011 season for some players drafted early in fantasy football leagues. While you're probably frustrated, you have to hang in there. The week you bench your "studs" is the week they post monster numbers. Here are 10 players who will shake off their slow starts to help your fantasy football team win in Week 3.

Mike Willams (Bucs)

2011 Stats: five receptions for 46 receiving yards, 1 TD

Williams is off to a slow start, along with most of the Bucs team. In the second half of their Week 2 game vs. the Vikings, the Bucs finally went back to what worked for them in 2010. They ran the ball effectively with LeGarrette Blount. An effective running game will alleviate some of the extra attention secondary's have been paying to Mike Williams. Look for Williams to thrive this week if the Bucs can successfully run the ball to set up their play-action passing game.

Frank Gore

2011 Stats: 42 carries for 106 rushing yards and one rushing TD, six receptions for 36 receiving yards

Gore has received 20+ carries in each of his first two games. That's good stuff for fantasy owners. The Bengals defense gave up over 100 yards rushing to a declining Willis McGahee in Week 2. Look for Gore to once again get his 20 carries. But this week, 100+ rushing yards and a TD seems entirely possible.

Ahmad Bradshaw

2011 Stats: 28 carries for 103 rushing yards and one rushing TD, six receptions for 55 receiving yards

Mike Vick or not, this Eagles match-up comes at a perfect time for Bradshaw. The Eagles are in the bottom five defensively in terms of rushing yards allowed through two games. They just shuffled their starting linebackers, moving Jamar Chaney back into the middle. It won't matter. Much like the Colts defenses in the past, the Eagles defense is designed to play with a lead, which forces offenses to be one-dimensional. Look for the Giants to give the ball to Bradshaw & Brandon Jacobs upwards of 40 times on Sunday.

Shonn Greene

2011 Stats: 26 carries for 75 rushing yards, one rushing TD, three receptions for 13 receiving yards

Greene has successfully duplicated his slow start from 2010. With starting center Nick Mangold out for at least this week, some owners might be hesitant to start Greene. Don't. The Raiders have allowed the sixth-most rushing yards so far in 2011. Greene should approach 20 carries this week and could find the end zone more than once.

Roddy White

2011 Stats: 11 receptions for 84 receiving yards and one TD reception

White saw his customary 13 targets in Week 1. In Week 2, the Eagles secondary blanketed White and Matt Ryan only looked his way four times. White will see his usual number of targets in Week 2 and facing the Bucs is not nearly as difficult as facing the Bears or Eagles. Look for White to be right around the 100 yards and have the TD you'd like from your WR1 this week.

Rashard Mendenhall

2011 Stats: 31 carries for 111 rushing yards, one rushing TD

Mendenhall gets a date with the No. 28 ranked rushing defense in Week 3. The boys in Vegas have installed the Steelers as an 11-point favorite over the Colts in Week 3. There should be plenty of carries for Mendenhall here. He could easily be the No. 1 fantasy RB in Week 3.

Vernon Davis

2011 Stats: seven receptions for 65 receiving yards

It's been a rough start for Vernon Davis. His owners watched helplessly as the 49ers OTHER tight end, Delanie Walker scored the TD in Week 2. Davis gets a Bengals defense that has allowed the ninth-most points to tight ends in 2011. Davis is still the No. 1 option in the 49ers passing game and he should be heavily targeted this week. We're talking at least 80 yards and a TD here.

Anquan Boldin

2011 Stats: seven receptions for 120 receiving yards, 1TD

Boldin is the No. 1 target in the Ravens passing game, especially with Lee Evans nursing an injury. The Rams are likely to attempt to duplicate the Titans' Week 2 gameplan of concentrating on shutting down Ray Rice. The Ravens will be prepared for that this week. Look for Joe Flacco to look for Boldin early and often.

Matt Ryan

2011 Stats: 514 passing yards, 4 TD passes, 3 INT's, one fumble, six rushing yards

Look for the Falcons to get back to their high-flying preseason form this week. Ryan managed to toss 4 TD's against the Eagles secondary in Week 2. That's a highly-encouraging sign. The Bucs lack the personnel to match-up with the Falcons offensive weapons. Not to mention that the Bucs only have two sacks through two games. Matt Ryan will have all day to pick them apart.

Santana Moss

2011 Stats: 11 receptions for 137 receiving yards, 1 TD reception

Moss hasn't been as disappointing as some of the other players on this list. Rex Grossman has increased his production, but he's done so by getting players other than Moss involved. Look for Moss to get back in on the fun this week. Both Cowboys starting CB's are playing injured. And neither of them is as good as Moss anyway. Moss should be good for at least one huge play in Week 3.