I'm as surprised as you are that Eric came back to us this week after his Adrian Peterson shellacking, but he's tough. So once again he has jumped astride the horse and will supply you with the guidance to guide your fantasy team to victory.

(1) Forum Discussion

QUARTERBACK

Start ‘Em

Jon Kitna, DET
After having solid performances against Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Denver over the past three weeks (all victories) it should be a breath of fresh air to face an Arizona Cardinals defense that has yet to be tested by a top fantasy QB. With Kevin Jones contributing out of the backfield, Kitna has had a lot of pressure taken off and has gained another weapon for his arsenal. Expect a big game (275 yards and 2 TDs) from Kitna. 

Ben Roethlisberger, PIT
Yes, Cleveland is much better than when the two faced off week 1, but Roethlisberger lit up the Browns to the tune of 4 passing TDs and should at least be able to account for half of that total on his home turf. With Hines Ward back in the fold and clearly in sync with Big Ben a 2 TD game is extremely likely. Over the course of his career, Roethlisberger has thrown at least 1 TD in all but one game he has played against Cleveland. Don’t expect this to be number two.

J.P. Losman, BUF
In his first game back, Losman threw for 295 yards and a score while completing 71% of his passes. This week, he gets to face the winless Miami Dolphins. It seems to be as sure a bet as you can make. Losman to Evans. It’s not quite Montana to Rice, but it’s a combo that you should hear a few times on Sunday. Expect less yards, but 2 or 3 TDs this week.

Deep Start ‘Em

Derek Anderson, CLE
It’s just gotten to the point where he is too good to sit in any capacity. Even against a team like Pittsburgh, that he had a mediocre output against at home (184 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT in half a game), he should still be started in deeper leagues. If you’re in a 14 or more team league, the odds of you finding a suitable replacement aren’t nearly as good as those in 10 team leagues. I expect a better output from Anderson the second time around. He’s got the confidence of his teammates at this point and the Browns are looking for revenge.

Damon Huard, KC
With Larry Johnson out, Huard is going to have to shoulder a lot of the load this week. Expect the Chiefs to try and use the pass to set up the run and expose Denver’s passing defense. You’d think the Broncos pass defense would be better than it is, but they’ve been forced to bring up help to try and stop the inept run defense they have and it’s leaving a lot of passing lanes open. Don’t expect him to blow up, but he could be solid relief for the last bye week.

Sit ‘Em

Vince Young, TEN
He’s winning, he seems to be healthy, but there is no reason whatsoever to own him in fantasy leagues. He’s just not going to put up numbers anytime soon. He’s totaled 152 passing yards, 0 TDs, and 2 INTs over the past two weeks. Sure, he did have one rushing TD, but, in the grand scheme of things, is that what you’re banking on when you play him each week? I hope not.

Philip Rivers, SD
He’s gone from being someone who can’t perform in big games to someone who just can’t perform. He hasn’t thrown for 200 yards in 3 weeks, nor has he in 5 of his last 8 games. To top it off, last week, he could only complete 19 passes on 42 attempts. He’s just not throwing the ball well right now, and when he faces an Indianapolis defense that will be looking to make a statement, the outcome won’t be good.

RUNNING BACK

Start ‘Em

Marshawn Lynch, BUF
Well, he finally busted through for his first 100-yard effort last week picking up 153 yards on 29 carries. Cincinnati’s defense is just horrible, but don’t take any credit away from Lynch who has been improving steadily in his rookie campaign. This week against Miami he’ll make it two straight 100-yard games. Buffalo looked like it had all of the makings of a breakout offense that just couldn’t get unhinged against Cincinnati. With another week under J.P. Losman, the Bills will explode onto the scene in Miami.

DeShaun Foster, CAR
Carolina has handed the ball to Foster between 15-20 times for 6 straight games. Over that period, DeAngelo Williams has averaged 6.5 carries per game. I don’t know why he seems to have so much more leverage in the fantasy community. This week, the Panthers get the Atlanta Falcons at home, a team that hasn’t seen a RB carry the ball 20 times against them since, well, DeShaun Foster in week 3. He rushed for 122 yards and a TD, and spurred a streak of rushing TDs against the Falcons. The Falcons have average 1.0 rushing TDs against over the past 6 games. I fully expect Foster to find the end zone, but with less than the 122 yard output in week 3.

Justin Fargas, OAK
Last week, Fargas was named the starting RB for Oakland and came through in a big way rushing for 104 yards and a score on 23 carries. He’s been given the vote of confidence from Head Coach Lane Kiffen who has named him the starter for the foreseeable future. For his career, Fargas has rushed for 1,453 yards on 339 carries boasting a mark of 4.3 YPC, but this will be his first chance at being the featured back. Chicago comes to Oakland this week, but the intimidating defense of 2006 is no longer there as RBs have averaged 124 yards on the ground against them. Before their bye last week, Kevin Jones torched the Bears for 105 yards and a TD on 23 carries (4.6 YPC). Fargas should be in that ballpark this week.

Deep Start ‘Em

Kolby Smith, KC
Let’s just say that I don’t think Priest Holmes is going to get the job done. In his limited action so far he’s averaging 2.4 YPC. This isn’t the same offense as it was in 2003 when he had over 2000 all-purpose yards and 27 TDs, nor is it nearly as dominant an offensive line. Smith and Holmes should see a fairly even split. Smith, who has yet to carry the ball in his rookie season, rushed for 7 TDs and a 5.6 YPC average as a senior in 2006 for the passing heavy Bobby Petrino offense at Louisville. He’s isn’t the most elusive runner, but he’s not afraid to make contact and has decent break away speed. At the end of the game Sunday, expect Smith to have been more productive than Holmes.

Michael Robinson, SF
He will get significantly less pub since teammate Maurice Hicks scored the lone rushing TD for the 49ers last week, but Robinson was clearly the team’s primary RB against the Falcons. He had more than twice the carries limiting Hicks to only 2 in the first half. His 17 carries and 67 yards each were career-highs for the second year player. Expect Robinson to contribute in a similar fashion this week against Seattle on the road since the Seahawks had a tough time stopping the 49ers running attack in week 4 (19-109-0 combined for Robinson, Hicks, and Frank Gore). It’s worth noting that Gore could play this week, but if he does make an appearance, expect it to be a cameo and not a staring role.

Najeh Davenport, PIT
Cleveland has done a surprisingly good job stopping RBs from pounding into the end zone this season (0.2 rushing TDs per game), but if anyone can do it the Steelers are going to be the team. Davenport has unofficially taken goal line carries away from Willie Parker punching in 3 of the last 4 rushing TDs for Pittsburgh. Don’t expect him to start piling up the yards, but in TD heavy scoring systems, Davenport’s not a bad play this week.

Sit ‘Em

Jamal Lewis, CLE
11 carries. 35 yards. 0 TDs. That was the line for Lewis the last time Cleveland played Pittsburgh (an opening week 41-0 blowout). Cleveland is significantly better at this point in the season, but that doesn’t mean that Lewis will break out. Pittsburgh’s still continuing its streak of preventing opposing RBs to cross the century mark. Lewis’ 4 rushing TDs last week was, well, clearly an aberration. It’s just expected to bench RBs against Pittsburgh until further notice.

Maurice Jones-Drew & Fred Taylor, JAX
The Tennessee defense has done a fantastic job of shutting down opposing RBs allowing a mere 61 yards per game and 0.4 TDs on the season. Over the past 5 games, they’ve been even better since they haven’t allowed a single rushing TD over that stretch and 48.2 yards to its opposing team’s leading rusher. With David Garrard still riding the pine, both of these backs have had a tough go of it recently with neither cracking the 70 yard mark or scoring a TD. It’s just a safe bet to steer clear of these options and look elsewhere.

WIDE RECEIVER

Start ‘Em

Lee Evans, BUF
It should be no surprise to those of you who read this article last week that I am a big proponent of Evans. I liked him last week, and while it may seem like an obvious match up play against an inept Miami defense, some people still aren’t believers. Evans, with Losman at the helm, should be a top 15 WR the rest of the way. Last week was his coming out party, this week proves it wasn’t a fluke. Expect 100 yards easily plus a score.

Dwayne Bowe, KC
Without Larry Johnson, the Chiefs are going to have to rely on Damon Huard and the passing attack to set up the run. If they’re successful, Bowe will be the biggest beneficiary. Despite his poor performance last week, Bowe has been Kansas City’s most targeted WR by a wide margin (almost 20 more times than the next closest WR). Denver’s defense has allowed WRs to gain an average of 238.5 yards over the past two weeks. With the lack of a proven running attack, Bowe has a solid match up.

Derrick Mason, BAL
The Baltimore passing attack is not all that exciting, but if you’re in a PPR league, Mason’s quietly having a solid season. Over the past 5 games, Mason has averaged 7.8 receptions while scoring only once. He’s led Baltimore in receiving every game so far. This week, he goes up against a Cincinnati defense that can make any struggling offense look like the Patriots’. Just ask J.P. Losman. Mason is in store for a big weekend.

Deep Start ‘Em

Chris Henry, CIN
No hesitation required. Get Chris Henry in your lineup in deeper leagues. Baltimore just doesn’t have the threatening defense they use to, as evidenced on Monday Night Football. Last season, Henry was the “secret” weapon that kept the Bengals offense rolling. He had 36 receptions in 2006; of which, 9 went for TDs. Expect a TD this week, but the yardage won’t be all that spectacular. If he passes 50 yards, you should be thrilled. He’s a machine in TD heavy scoring systems.

D.J. Hackett, SEA
We’ve been waiting and waiting for Hackett to come back and finally he’s arrived. Finally healthy after suffering an ankle injury very early in the season, Hackett scored a TD on 6 receptions and 58 yards in a losing effort against Cleveland. On Monday night, in a big divisional game with the San Francisco 49ers, at home, expect Hackett to have a solid output. Don’t push him into lineups in shallow leagues, but in deep leagues he’s a must.

Shaun McDonald, DET
Last week, McDonald seemed to bounce back onto fantasy radars just in time to tease us for a match up with Arizona. After being virtually non-existent for 4 weeks, McDonald has totaled 142 yards and a TD on 11 receptions over the past two weeks. He was even the most targeted Detroit WR last week (topping Roy Williams for only the second time this season). Arizona’s defense has allowed some big games this year, but most importantly, they have allowed 8 TDs to WRs already putting them in the top 10 (or bottom ten depending on how you look at it) in that category. There are more flashy names, but this is a pretty good match up to consider.

Sit ‘Em

Steve Smith, CAR
The Panthers are having a tough time deciding who is going to be the starting QB on Sunday. Will it be the injured David Carr or the injured Vinny Testeverde? Either way, it’s not good. Since Jake Delhomme went down, Smith is averaging 49.6 receiving yards per game with 2 TDs. Those are not the numbers you expect from your top WR. Not even close. It’s time to put him on the bench. Well, unless you get bonus points for 5 letter names. No, wait, not even then.

Chris Chambers, SD
Don’t let Randy Moss’ output fool you, the Colts defense has been shutting down opposing WRs left and right. With the Chargers’ offense running mostly out of LaDanian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates, I expect Chambers to see little action. The Colts hadn’t allowed a receiver to go over the 100 yard mark until Moss last week and had only allowed two TDs to WRs through the first 7 games. Expect Chambers to follow suit with the rest of the league, and not the Patriots’ WR core.

Bernard Berrian, CHI
He’s due! But it’s not going to happen this week. Oakland has done a surprisingly good job against the pass this season allowing only one receiver to have a 100 yard receiving game (Javon Walker, 101 yards, week 2). They’ve only allowed 1 TD to WRs since week 4 and Berrian only has one on the season. In a PPR league or yardage league he might have some value, but there have to be better options in your league.

TIGHT END

Start ‘Em

Heath Miller, PIT
On one hand, the Cleveland Browns have given up more TDs to TEs than any other defense (0.9 per game). On the other hand, no team that has thrown a minimum of 10 TD passes has thrown a higher percentage of TDs to TEs than the Pittsburgh Steelers. It seems to be the perfect storm.

Tony Gonzalez, KC
As you’ve been reading, I feel that Kansas City’s passing attack will be featured to attempt to set up the run this weekend. Well, in the red zone, expect a heavy dose of Gonzalez. Not only is he now their best weapon, but Denver has given up more TDs to TEs than anyone outside of Cleveland. He’ll have a big day.

Dallas Clark, IND
After being shut down last week, expect Clark to try and break back onto the scene against a San Diego defense that has had a tough time with TEs this season. He was only targeted 4 times last week, but should bounce back to his normal 6-8 this week.

Deep Start ‘Em

Matt Spaeth & Jerame Tuman, PIT
See Heath Miller above.

Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN
7 receptions on 9 targets over the past two weeks is pretty good. He’s also racked up 64 yards and a score over that stretch. Against Green Bay this week, expect similar results as they’re allowing an average of 79 yards and 0.6 TDs to TEs this season.

Sit ‘Em

Donald Lee, GB
There are only two defenses that haven’t allowed a single TD to TEs this season. One of which is Minnesota. Favre has been having a lot of fun throwing deep to Greg Jennings and James Jones as it is anyway. Lee won’t get near the attention he should from his QB. The other defense that hasn’t allowed a TD to TEs this season is…

Tony Scheffler, DEN
Kansas City. Maybe it’s because they get a lot of practice guarding Tony Gonzalez all week. For whatever the reason, Scheffler should stay on benches this week.