Week Two Starts

Follow@cimini

Did you make a crucial mistake in week one by starting a player you shouldn’t have? It happens to all of us. Predicting and looking at matchups is never easy. I’ve named some players to sit this week for week two, and now here is a look at positional players too start for week two.

Quarterbacks

EJ Manuel
The Bills did a great job in making things simple for Manuel in his matchup against the Patriots. At home again this week, I look for Manuel to have an even better game against a suspect Panthers defense. Manuel’s accuracy has been solid and his decision making sound from what he has shown in limited preseason action and last week.

Josh Freeman
I was down on Freeman week one but on the season overall I wrote a preseason column that he shouldn’t be overlooked as your fantasy backup quarterback. Here is a great week for Freeman to showcase his fantasy assets. Greg Schiano and the Buccaneers are limiting Freeman when they can. Against the Jets the offense was too simplistic with basic runs and quick slants. This week the Bucs will have no choice but to run and gun against the Saints if they want to keep up in the game. Look for Freeman to shine and be a top ten fantasy quarterback this week.

Terrelle Pryor
Motivation in a sport is the root of everything. Jacksonville as a team may be at rock bottom already. Pryor on the other hand appears ready to flourish. He was always a winner at Ohio State, and it appears he used the last few years on the Raiders to fully commit himself. His passing skills are not the best but the Raiders have an intemix of packages to keep defenses honest. Pryor should have himself another heck of a game.

Others: Jay Cutler, Alex Smith, and Brandon Weeden

Running Backs

Ryan Matthews
Just a few years ago Matthews was considered not only a top fantasy back sleeper but was drafted as a top tier back. He wasn’t able to fill LT’s shoes but still remains the Chargers sole viable running back. Ronnie Brown is cemented as a complimentary back at his age and will not over take Matthews. That lives prime games of favorable matchups in Matthews favor. This week is one of those games against an Eagles team that should be vulnerable against the run all season long.

Vick Ballard
Ballard’s role with the Colts is still undefined as the use of Ahmad Bradshaw remains unclear. Ballard though is the best back the Colts have, and I expect the Colts to use him more and more like they did to end last season. Miami’s a balanced defense but they have to pick their poison with the Colts. Their focus will be on shutting down Andrew Luck and the Colts passing attack. That’ll leave running lanes for Ballard to have a big day and get into the endzone.

Steven Jackson
There is no doubt that Jackson has had his calendar circled for quite some time. The Rams did not want to utilize Jackson as a one man back anymore, and left the door open for Jackson to go elsewhere. He did and had an unspectacular week one performance as a Falcon. The Falcons were not balanced offensively that game and will surely put together a more effective game plan at home.

Others: Eddie Lacy and Monte Ball

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Kyle Williams
Anquan Boldin can’t do it himself every week. Williams seems the best suited to step up on a consistent basis out of all the 49ers role player receivers. He has the speed and chemistry with Kaepernick to be a solid fantasy sleeper. This week will be the first of many that Williams steps up unexpectedly.

Jared Cook
The Rams used Cook heavily in the preseason and rolled it over into week one. If it weren’t for a Tyrann Mathiue chase, Cook would have scored three touchdowns in week one. Defensive coordinators have game planned for Cook as if he were the same under utilized tight end from Tennessee. The Rams have other plans for Cook and are using him like a top five tight end.

Davone Bess
No one could have been pleased watching how poorly the Ravens secondary was lit up in the second half by the Denver Broncos. In all areas from both corner spots to safety coverage and even drop back coverage by the linebackers, the Ravens could not do anything right. This should be a high scoring affair where the Ravens try to win the game with their offense. With Cleveland without Gordon, Davone Bess will have some more balls thrown his way by Brandon Weeden.

Others: Michael Floyd, Rod Streater, and Brian Hartline

Tweet your questions @Cimini

Don’t get over anxious for your fantasy starters submissions. There is always that hole of a fill in spot that you’re undecided about. It comes down to the best matchups, and flex or lower tiered starters that you can get the highest point value out of. Eye the right guy. Here are some names that likely won’t dot anyones starting lineups. Be the contrarian fantasy owner and take a risk with one of your last starting fill in spots.

Quarterbacks

Matt Cassel
Kansas City hung in with Atlanta for two quarters before the offense sputtered and couldn’t keep pace. Kansas City has talent on offense now and Cassel is finally starting to settle in as the Chiefs quarterback. Buffalo gave up a ton of yardage against a Jets team that struggled mightily in preseason action. That trend is not goin to end this week.

Christian Ponder
The Vikings second year man does not get the notoriety that Cam Newton and Andy Dalton have. Ponder replaced McNabb a year ago and showed a knack for evading pressure and holding steady in the pocket. Both of those traits had been impossible for McNabb to do on aging legs. While the focus of this matchup is going to be shined on Andrew Luck, Ponder will be the one that steals the spotlight and outshines Luck.

Kevin Kolb
Kolb is one of those guys that can perform well when the pressure is off him. As a backup in Philadelphia he played terrific, well enough that Andy Reid almost named him starter officially over Donovan McNabb. With Skelton out for a limited time frame Kolb is the starter for at least a game. The pressures off and Kolb has nothing to lose. He can regain the Cardinals coaching staffs confidence in this one.

Josh Freeman
Freeman is many prognosticators favorites to have a bounce back year and be relevant from a fantasy perspective. Week one was a defensive battle where Freeman handled the lead and played within the stages of the game. Things will be different this week against a Giants team that is going to put up points. Freeman’s arm will be on display, and that he will hook up with Vincent Jackson quite often against a banged up Giants secondary.

Running Backs

Curtis Brinkley
This is a head scratcher at first glance from many people, as Brinkley is not known by anyone. This of course will be up to the injury update of Ryan Matthews. If Matthews does not go, than Brinkley is my breakout canidate of the week. The undrafted player out of Syracuse will get some looks, probably a higher amount than week one. Ronnie Brown just does not have anything left. Brinkley will get ten plus fantasy points this weekend.

Kendall Hunter
Hunter had an impressive nine rushes week one. The 49ers want to secure their health throughout this season and into the post season. In order to do that Hunter’s involvement is only going to rise. Veteran running backs such as Gore face all types of minor injuries as the season goes on. Hunter is going to rise up running back weeks every week. In a game where there will likely be points put up by both teams, you have to figure Hunter can get in on the action. Expect a solid eight to ten fantasy points from Hunter. Solid numbers in deep leagues if you’re looking at a flex option.

DeAngelo Williams
Carolina abandoned the rushing attack early after no success against Tampa Bay. Cam Newton sometimes is more of a threat on a weekly basis out of the backfield than any one on the Carolina roster. Week one Newton and the offense struggled for obvious reasons. The balance of playcalls was horrible. They’ll go back to the basics and get the running game its proper amount of play call selections.

Jonathan Dwyer
Pittsburgh is unsettled on who to give their carries too. It will be a split carry load until one of the backs stands out. Dwyer seems like the back that can do the most with the football over Isaac Redman. All it takes is that one game for an unsure backfield to be overtaken. In a prime time game against the Jets the Steelers will look to run, run, and run the football more to control the clock. They did a very good job of controlling the clock against the Denver Broncos, but were out done by a Peyton Manning with a chip on his shoulder.

Wide Receivers

Kevin Ogletree
This one is really going to get all the Ogletree waiver wire owners drooling and hyping up his trade bait. Seattle’s defense is typically good, but an area they struggled against the Cardinals was covering the third receiver. Cardinals receiver Andre Roberts had several key catches including the game winning touchdown. Tony Romo is a considerable upgrade over Skelton or Kolb. When Romo gets a connection developed it continues. Miles Austin came out of nowhere a few years back and so did Laurent Robinson last year.

Jared Cook
San Diego’s secondary was either impressive or Carson Palmer has lost it completely. After minimal starts as a rookie Tennessee will keep things simple for Jake Locker. A young quarterbacks best friend is always at tight end. Cook has the skillset to have a strong year, and in this game against San Diego don’t be shocked to see him have more fantasy points than Antonio Gates.

Brandon LaFell
Teams are geared up to do everything they can to force Cam Newton into discomfort. It’s going to be hard to do on a weekly basis, but division rivals saw Newton twice last year. Tampa Bay made sure the third time was difficult last week. New Orleans gets their third shot as well. You’d expect them to be ready to shutdown Steve Smith better than any other team, as Smith had two of his seven total touchdowns on the Saints a year ago. LaFell is a breakout game away from being considered a top thirty to thirty five fantasy receiver.

Sidney Rice
By no means will Seattle be in this game vs the Cowboys. In fact I expect it to be the ugliest game of the weekend. Ugly blowouts do not eliminate fantasy value from a team, especially at wide receiver. Rice seems to finally be healthy and displayed impressive routes week one against the Cardinals. As the game gets uglier look for Rice to rack up the most garbage fantasy points of the weekend.