Fantasy Football Matchups
In our weekly Fantasy Football Matchups series, Dan Croop will analyze all of the NFL games on the slate that week and rate the fantasy players in each matchup. Look for this series Friday of every week, with the Thursday night game getting its own analysis every Wednesday.
St. Louis at Chicago
Rams: Are they for real? This offense exploded in a big way last week by putting up 31 points against the Redskins. They’ll find rougher sledding this week against a Chicago defense that held the normally powerful Green Bay offense to 23 points last Thursday. Expect the Sam Bradford-to-Danny Amendola connection to continue, as the Rams don’t really have too many other options on offense. Keep an eye on Steven Jackson’s workload, as he is nursing a sore groin. His backup, Daryl Richardson, played well in relief of him last week and may be worth a shot in deeper leagues if you’re desperate.
Sam Bradford **
Steven Jackson ***
Danny Amendola ***
Brandon Gibson *
Lance Kendricks *
Greg Zuerlein ***
St. Louis DEF **
Bears: Shut down doesn’t even begin to describe what Green Bay’s defense was able to do to Chicago last week. They’ll look to get back on track this week against a Rams’ defense that allowed the Redskins to put up 28 points on them last week. Jay Cutler can’t be worse than he was last week, when he threw four interceptions. He’s a high-end backup option if you need him. This offense will be missing a big weapon in Matt Forte, who went down with an ankle sprain last week. Michael Bush is a tremendous fill-in. If you look up Brandon Marshall in the dictionary, it will say “n. must-start.”
Jay Cutler ***
Michael Bush ****
Brandon Marshall *****
Alshon Jeffery *
Kellen Davis *
Robbie Gould ***
Chicago DEF ***
Buffalo at Cleveland
Bills: Look at these guys! The Bills put up a 35 spot on the Chiefs last week after getting shut down by the Jets in week one. Back-to-back weak defenses have aligned in weeks two and three for the Bills. The NFL’s passing touchdowns leader (and my value-based quarterback from the preseason, cough cough) Ryan Fitzpatrick should have a nice day in Cleveland, as should rushing leader C.J. Spiller. Stevie Johnson and Donald Jones should have better than average days, and touchdown machine Scott Chandler will definitely get a shot or two in the end zone.
Ryan Fitzpatrick ***
C.J. Spiller *****
Stevie Johnson ***
Donald Jones *
Scott Chandler ***
Rian Lindell **
Buffalo DEF *
Browns: Despite the fact that they fell short against Cincinnati, the Browns showed their offense is at least not as dreadful as it looked in week one. Trent Richardson looks like the force to be reckoned with that we thought he would be coming into this season. He’s almost a must-start every week, regardless of the size of your league. Unfortunately, the receiving options on this team are still a little too unpredictable to recommend. I’d guess Greg Little would be a decent play if I had to, but I’m still staying away for the time being.
Brandon Weeden **
Trent Richardson ****
Greg Little **
Mohamed Massaquoi *
Benjamin Watson *
Phil Dawson ***
Cleveland DEF *
Tampa Bay at Dallas
Bucs: Considering their lack of offense in week one, I’m attributing the outburst in week two more to the fact that the Giants’ defense sucks. And that’s coming from a Giants fan. Freeman is definitely underrated, though, and I could see him as a good replacement option this week. Doug Martin continues to get a heavy workload, and he should thrive against a Dallas run defense that allowed Marshawn Lynch to blow through them last week. Vincent Jackson is the only receiving option worth starting in this offense.
Josh Freeman ***
Doug Martin ****
Vincent Jackson ***
Mike Williams *
Dallas Clark *
Connor Barth ***
Tampa Bay DEF *
Cowboys: They’re definitely better than last week’s game against Seattle, and they’ll show it this week against Tampa. Every option is the Dallas offense is a good one, but especially those involved in the passing game. Tampa gave up over 500 yards through the air and just under 100 yards on the ground last week against the Giants. Tony Romo should rack them up through the air and is among the best quarterback options this week. Play all of your Cowboys, as this could very well be their best matchup of the season for fantasy owners.
Tony Romo *****
DeMarco Murray ****
Dez Bryant ****
Miles Austin ****
Jason Witten ****
Dan Bailey ***
Dallas DEF **
NY Jets at Miami
Jets: A tale of two games. After a huge showing in week one, the Jets couldn’t muster any offense against Buffalo. This week, they’ll have an easier matchup against Miami’s defense. Upgrade the passing game a bit, as the Dolphins did nothing to stop Carson Palmer last week. Mark Sanchez could have a game reminiscent of week one. The receivers all get slight bumps, but they’re too inconsistent to really pick one to play. Santonio Holmes is worth a number three spot this week. Dustin Keller, if he plays, could be a sneaky play this week.
Mark Sanchez ***
Shonn Greene ***
Santonio Holmes ***
Stephen Hill **
Jeremy Kerley **
Dustin Keller ***
Nick Folk **
New York DEF ***
Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill did his best Alex Smith impression in allowing the Miami offense to succeed against Oakland while “game managing.” But let’s be honest. The real story on this offense is Reggie Bush. We’ll find out more about whether or not he can keep up this production against the Jets’ defense this week, but he’s looking more like the Bush from USC than he has in his entire NFL career. Temper any expectations you might have for the Miami receivers this week due to the Jets having one of the best secondaries in the NFL.
Ryan Tannehill *
Reggie Bush ***
Davone Bess *
Brian Hartline **
Anthony Fasano *
Dan Carpenter **
Miami DEF **
San Francisco at Minnesota
49ers: One word: control. That’s what this offense is all about. The Niners conservatively keep the ball moving without making mistakes. This can be either good or bad for fantasy owners. The good certainly comes from Frank Gore. Many wrote him off this season, but he’s been playing well and should continue to do so this week against a Vikings defense that has given up 207 yards on the ground so far this season. Alex Smith continues to be a solid, reliable backup option, but that really limits the value of his receivers outside of Vernon Davis. Michael Crabtree is the best of the options, but none of them are consistent.
Alex Smith **
Frank Gore ****
Michael Crabtree ***
Randy Moss **
Mario Manningham *
Vernon Davis *****
David Akers ***
San Francisco DEF ****
Vikings: You have to give them some credit. They’ve been better than most expected. This week, however, they have the toughest matchup imaginable against San Francisco. You’re starting Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin, but don’t expect anything big from them, especially Peterson. Kyle Rudolph isn’t the worst option in the world, but I’d keep him benched for anyone even somewhat comparable.
Christian Ponder **
Adrian Peterson ***
Percy Harvin ****
Michael Jenkins *
Kyle Rudolph ***
Blair Walsh ***
Minnesota DEF ***
Kansas City at New Orleans
Chiefs: Ugh. The Chiefs’ big running game made an appearance last week, minus Jamaal Charles, but it wasn’t nearly enough. This team is struggling. You’re still starting Charles and Dwayne Bowe, who got some nice garbage time stats last week, but hopefully they’re not leading your team. Luckily, the Saints’ defense is about as bad as it gets. If they’re playing catch up early on, though, the ground game will definitely suffer.
Matt Cassel **
Jamaal Charles ***
Peyton Hillis **
Shaun Draughn **
Dwayne Bowe ***
Jon Baldwin *
Tony Moeaki *
Ryan Succop **
Kansas City DEF *
Saints: I’d be worried if I was a part of the Kansas City defense. This is not a happy team. This is a determined team on the rebound. Full steam ahead! Start your Saints! It’s as simple as that. They won’t be stopped this week. Drew Brees, Darren Sproles, Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham are all top plays this week. Enjoy their big games.
Drew Brees *****
Darren Sproles ****
Pierre Thomas ***
Mark Ingram *
Marques Colston ****
Lance Moore **
Jimmy Graham *****
Garrett Hartley ***
New Orleans DEF *
Cincinnati at Washington
Bengals: This team has serious potential. If Andy Dalton can take the next step, watch out. The Bengals get the privilege of facing the Redskins this week, which has to please fantasy owners. Dalton should have a nice game, as Sam Bradford did last week. BenJarvus Green-Ellis continues to prove he’s capable of handling a heavier workload than he got in New England and should be started every week. A.J. Green is still a must-start for now. Andrew Hawkins is nearing wide receiver three status. He’s getting a ton of targets from Dalton. Expect big things from the Bengals this week.
Andy Dalton ***
BenJarvus Green-Ellis ****
A.J. Green ****
Andrew Hawkins **
Jermaine Gresham ***
Mike Nugent ***
Cincinnati DEF **
Redskins: The RG3 show continues to roll as I continue to look like a moron. I’m fine with it, and I’ll stick to my guns. He’s not Cam Newton 2.0. That being said, you should probably keep starting him until he cools down. Pierre Garcon might be back this week, but even if he is, I’m assuming he draws cornerback Leon Hall to him and could be in for a long day. Alfred Morris is still the starting back, for now, but he had less snaps in week two than week one. Fred Davis is underperforming, and owners might want to start looking for other options.
Robert Griffin III ****
Alfred Morris ***
Pierre Garcon ***
Santana Moss *
Fred Davis ***
Billy Cundiff ***
Washington DEF *
Detroit at Tennessee
Lions: Mark my words. This offense will pick up. Mikel LeShoure’s return from a suspension should help provide a boost as the Lions now have a powerful, between-the-tackles guy to pair with shift, outside runner Kevin Smith. I wouldn’t rank either as more than a flex guy until the workload becomes a little clearer. You’re starting the studs: Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew. The matchup is fantastic. The Titans haven’t been able to do anything on either side of the ball. If there’s a week where Stafford re-establishes himself as one of the best in the game, it’s this one.
Matthew Stafford *****
Kevin Smith ***
Mikel LeShoure ***
Calvin Johnson *****
Titus Young **
Brandon Pettigrew ****
Jason Hanson ***
Detroit DEF ****
Titans: They really only have one shot in this one, and that is to finally get Chris Johnson going and control the ball to keep Stafford and the Lions’ offense off the field. That being said, doubtful it happens. Detroit did let Frank Gore run all over them last week, even when they knew it was coming, but Johnson isn’t running like he used to. He isn’t trying to hit holes with bursts of speed. He’s trying to tip toe and getting caught behind the line of scrimmage. This is the last week I’d even consider him as a flex option. If he can’t get it done this week, he hits my bench until further notice. Jake Locker is a poor option this week, and Kenny Britt is barely worth number three wide receiver status based on big play potential. This one won’t be pretty.
Jake Locker **
Chris Johnson **
Kenny Britt **
Kendall Wright *
Jared Cook **
Rob Bironas **
Tennessee DEF *
Jacksonville at Indianapolis
Jaguars: This is an, uh, interesting matchup. The Jags should definitely be able to move the ball better than they did last week against Houston because that just can’t get any worse. The Colts’ defense made Christian Ponder look good last week, so why not Blaine Gabbert this week? Not that you’re starting Gabbert, of course, but Justin Blackmon could be a sneaky number three receiver play this week if you’re desperate. Maurice Jones-Drew is starting for you. End of story. The rest aren’t worth mentioning. Expect a Cecil Shorts type of guy to come out of nowhere and have a good game. Completely unpredictable.
Blaine Gabbert **
Maurice Jones-Drew *****
Justin Blackmon **
Laurent Robinson *
Marcedes Lewis **
Josh Scobee **
Jacksonville DEF **
Colts: Andrew Luck is really making this passing game relevant again. Reggie Wayne is back to life, and rookie tight end Coby Fleener continues to impress. Fleener should do well against a Jacksonville defense that let Owen Daniels be Houston’s best receiver last week. If he gets carries, Donald Brown should be a good flex option, but Indy looks content with running the offense through Luck and the passing game. High-risk, medium-reward option is the deal this week for Brown.
Andrew Luck ***
Donald Brown ***
Reggie Wayne ****
Donnie Avery **
Coby Fleener ***
Adam Vinatieri **
Indianapolis DEF **
Philadelphia at Arizona
Eagles: Arizona’s defense actually showed up last week, which ultimately gave them the upset over New England. Can they do it two weeks in a row? I say no. Michael Vick will get his, even if it’s sloppy. He’s a low-end starting option this week. LeSean McCoy remains one of the elite running backs in the game and remains a must-start every week. The receiving corps is interesting this week. The Cardinals’ secondary allowed Tom Brady to rack up the yards last week, but kept him from more than one passing touchdown. You probably have to start both DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, but I wouldn’t expect a repeat performance from Brent Celek, who tore up the Ravens’ defense last week.
Michael Vick ****
LeSean McCoy ****
DeSean Jackson ****
Jeremy Maclin ***
Brent Celek ***
Alex Henery ***
Philadelphia DEF ***
Cardinals: Was it Philly’s defense that made Joe Flacco look bad last week? Or was it Flacco himself? I’m banking on a little of both, but for this matchup, I think that means stay away. The Arizona running game has yet to get moving this season, and Kevin Kolb is clearly having a direct impact on the performance (or lack thereof) of Larry Fitzgerald. It’s really tough to bench Fitzgerald. I don’t think I could. But if you’re somehow loaded at receiver, you might want to think about it. Kolb will struggle to find him open whether it’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Asante Samuel assigned to him.
Kevin Kolb *
Beanie Wells *
Ryan Williams *
Larry Fitzgerald ***
Andre Roberts *
Todd Heap *
Jay Feely **
Arizona DEF ***
Atlanta at San Diego
Falcons: Versatility is the name of the game for this offense this year. Julio Jones struggled against the Broncos Monday night. What happened? Roddy White had a big game. Both of these guys are elite receivers, and they have an elite quarterback. Start them every week. On the flip side of the coin, the running game didn’t look good at all. To make matters worse, Michael Turner got a DUI early Tuesday morning. San Diego’s defense completely shut down Tennessee last week, but I think that more reflects on the Titans’ offensive struggles than the talent level of the Chargers’ defense. I wouldn’t worry about the matchup through the air at all, but if you have better options on the ground, definitely consider them.
Matt Ryan ****
Michael Turner **
Jacquizz Rodgers *
Roddy White *****
Julio Jones *****
Tony Gonzalez ***
Matt Bryant ***
Atlanta DEF **
Chargers: This one could turn into a shootout as both offenses are capable of putting up big numbers through the air. Ryan Mathews comes back from a shoulder injury this week and is fully entrenched in must-start territory. Philip Rivers is a high-risk, high-reward play this week. He could put up more big numbers like he did last week against Tennessee, or struggle against the Falcons’ secondary like Peyton Manning did in week two. I’d bet more on him to put up top-10 numbers this week. It looks like Malcom Floyd is becoming Rivers’ number one receiver more than Robert Meachem, and he’s worthy of being played as a number three wide receiver this week. You’re starting Antonio Gates unless he’s a surprise inactive again this week. Have a capable backup ready just in case.
Philip Rivers ***
Ryan Mathews ****
Malcom Floyd ***
Robert Meachem **
Antonio Gates ****
Nate Kaeding ****
San Diego DEF *
Houston at Denver
Texans: All-around, both offense and defense, this team might be the best in the NFL. They get a tougher matchup this week in Denver than they had last week against Jacksonville, which means they might move the ball through the air more than usual. Matt Schaub is firmly a backup. Don’t get cute and start him over someone like Rivers, or even Cutler. Arian Foster is obviously a must-start, even though Denver stopped Atlanta on the ground last week. You’re starting Andre Johnson, but with a grain of salt. That grain of salt’s name is Champ Bailey. Owen Daniels continues to get a ton of targets and is a great option this week against a Denver defense that let Tony Gonzalez do whatever he wanted on Monday night.
Matt Schaub **
Arian Foster *****
Ben Tate **
Andre Johnson ****
Kevin Walter *
Owen Daniels ****
Shayne Graham ***
Houston DEF ****
Broncos: Boy, this is just about the worst matchup Peyton Manning could have asked for following his performance against Atlanta. At least he has to be better than he was against Atlanta. He’s a borderline starter who deserves bench consideration if you have another quarterback with similar value. Willis McGahee is a flex play this week; simple as that. Demaryius Thomas is a decent number two receiving option this week as he continues to look like Manning’s favorite receiver, but I’d worry about starting Eric Decker this week. I’d bench Decker this week for Jeremy Maclin or Malcom Floyd, amongst others. Jacob Tamme is a solid starting tight end who also might be a better option in this offense than Decker right now.
Peyton Manning ***
Willis McGahee ***
Demaryius Thomas ****
Eric Decker **
Jacob Tamme ***
Matt Prater ***
Denver DEF **
Pittsburgh at Oakland
Steelers: It’s just about the easiest matchup a team can get. Oakland’s defense has been nothing short of atrocious this season, giving up 57 points in just two games so far, including a 35 outburst my Miami’s anemic offense. Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown are all starting for my teams this week. I even like Jonathan Dwyer as a flex this week considering how easily Reggie Bush ran all over Oakland last week. Your Steelers are all gravy this week, baby!
Ben Roethlisberger ****
Jonathan Dwyer ***
Isaac Redman *
Mike Wallace *****
Antonio Brown ****
Heath Miller ***
Shaun Suisham ***
Pittsburgh DEF ****
Raiders: The Raiders, on the other hand, not so much. The only starting option I see from this group is Darren McFadden. Carson Palmer is nothing more than a bye week fill-in, and Darrius Heyward-Bey and Denarius Moore are borderline number three wideouts who are seeing my bench this week. This offense has a lot to prove, including McFadden, about their worth. If they don’t all pick it up soon, McFadden may even start seeing some benches soon. Their matchup this week doesn’t help them any, either.
Carson Palmer **
Darren McFadden ****
Darrius Heyward-Bey **
Denarius Moore **
Brandon Myers *
Sebastian Janikowski ***
Oakland DEF ***
New England at Baltimore
Patriots: It seems like everyone is jumping off the Patriots’ bandwagon after their upset loss to Arizona. Well, consider me still on it! Listen, this is an elite offense, and the Cardinals have an underrated defense. The Patriots don’t have a great matchup this week, either, but it doesn’t mean all hope should be abandoned. Start Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Brandon Lloyd and even consider starting Wes Welker and Stevan Ridley. Look at how successful the Eagles’ offense was against Baltimore last week. They still have a defense to be feared, but Baltimore can be beaten both through the air and on the ground. Don’t give up hope just yet.
Tom Brady *****
Stevan Ridley ***
Brandon Lloyd ****
Wes Welker ***
Rob Gronkowski *****
Kellen Winslow*
Stephen Gostkowski ****
New England DEF **
Ravens: Joe Flacco was a completely different man between weeks one and two. This week he needs to turn it back around if he wants to keep up with New England’s offense. He’s still not worth a borderline start quite yet. Ray Rice is obviously an every week starter. Torrey Smith continues to disappoint and shouldn’t be considered more than a number three wide receiver at this point. Anquan Boldin is nothing more than a bye week fill-in. Dennis Pitta keeps quieting doubters, and this week is a great matchup for him. Todd Heap had a good game as Arizona’s best receiving option against New England. Pitta is more than capable of doing the same.
Joe Flacco ***
Ray Rice *****
Torrey Smith ***
Anquan Boldin **
Dennis Pitta ****
Justin Tucker **
Baltimore DEF **
Green Bay at Seattle
Packers: Since when did the Packers’ defense become the strength of this team? I guess last week. The matchup doesn’t get any easier for them as the head to the home of the 12th man. Aaron Rodgers is obviously a must-start. Greg Jennings may be out again, so check for updates on him. You might want to play it safe and hold off on him anyway. Cedric Benson won’t be in any of my lineups while facing a Seahawks defense that only gave up 44 yards on the ground to DeMarco Murray last week. Jordy Nelson is the only must-start of the receiving corps, but the rest are high-risk, high-reward guys.
Aaron Rodgers *****
Cedric Benson *
Greg Jennings **
Jordy Nelson ****
Randall Cobb **
James Jones **
Jermichael Finley ***
Mason Crosby ***
Green Bay DEF ***
Seahawks: It’s not the best matchup for Seattle this week. Russell Wilson isn’t close to starting for fantasy teams yet. Marshawn Lynch continues to be a must-start running back who leads this offense. The only person worth mentioning in the receiving game is Sidney Rice, who is a number four receiver at the moment. That could change if Seattle opens up the offense more, which they may very well be forced to do this week against Green Bay.
Russell Wilson *
Marshawn Lynch *****
Sidney Rice **
Braylon Edwards *
Evan Moore *
Steven Hauschka ***
Seattle DEF **
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