Week 4: Game Previews

This column is a bit late getting out, but I have a good excuse: two of my ribs are cracked, I have a strained abdomen, my right elbow is swollen, and I tore my ACL. Oh wait, that's my starting fantasy team. Me, I'm just a slacker. Seriously though, what happened this past weekend? At any moment during the games, I half expected Hawkeye, Trapper John, and Hot Lips to come out on a field of play and carry away the injured players. Incoming, indeed.

Now, with four teams on bye - Jacksonville, Tennessee, Washington, and New Orleans - owners will be scrambling to field a team that doesn't resemble the NFL strike teams of 1987. Kenny Watson? Brian Leonard? Trent Edwards? Stop me when I name a player who was actually drafted before the regular season began.

I'll do my best to sort through the carnage and help you piece together a starting squad.

A reminder about this column: skill players are divided into these four categories:
Must start: If you have certain players on your team - LaDainian, Peyton, Chad the Mouth - they should be in your starting lineup no matter the matchup.
Favorable situation: These players are not guarantees week after week, or are to be considered as No. 2 or No. 3 options. They will be in your lineup more often once the bye weeks roll around, unless the opponent is just too formidable.
Unfavorable situation: Sometimes even above-average players will be placed in this category if they are going against a strong defense. Injury or weather could also cause a player to slip into this category.
Don't start: This one pretty much is easy enough to figure out, yes?

Houston at Atlanta
Too bad for Matt Schaub on this, his homecoming weekend, but it looks like the former Falcon is returning to his alma mater without his two favorite sweethearts, er, wide receivers, Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones. Schaub might also be without Ahman Green. On the flip side, Joey Harrington just wishes that he could go back to college. The pros have not been kind to the former Oregon star, and now he has Byron Leftwich trying to steal his job.

Houston
Must start: None
Favorable situation: Schaub is without Johnson and Jones, but with a questionable running game, he will put the ball in the air; Owen Daniels caught 7 passes for 56 yards last week.
Unfavorable situation: If I had a crystal ball and could tell which WR is going to step up this week - Andre Davis or Kevin Walter - then that guy would be in the "favorable" spot.
Don't start: Any other player

Atlanta
Must start: None
Favorable situation: Harrington did throw for 361 yards last week; Roddy White had 127 of those yards; Alge Crumpler.
Unfavorable situation: Warrick Dunn's rushing yards this season: 55, 50, 55; Jerrious Norwood hasn't even cracked 35 yards; Michael Jenkins had 76 yards receiving last week, but he is too inconsistent to trust.
Don't start: Any other player

N.Y. Jets at Buffalo
The Bills are an absolute mess and that is taking its toll even on Marshawn Lynch's numbers. The Jets scored 31 points on just 256 total yards against the Dolphins.

N.Y. Jets
Must start: Thomas Jones
Favorable situation: Jerricho Cotchery; Laveranues Coles
Unfavorable situation: In a yardage-oriented league, I would be afraid to start Chad Pennington.
Don't start: Any other player

Buffalo
Must start: None
Favorable situation: Lynch is having a decent year so far and with the rookie QB Trent Edwards at the helm, the Bills could look to rely on the rookie RB to move the ball.
Unfavorable situation: Lee Evans has to be considered fantasy football's biggest bust of the year at this point.
Don't start: Any other players

Baltimore at Cleveland
The Browns are back home again for the first time since their offensive explosion against Cincinnati. The Ravens' defense is not impenetrable - the Cardinals put up 361 yards against them - but Derek Anderson has to do better than 18-of-37 passing and not throw interceptions. With the Ravens' QB situation up in the air, expect to see a lot of Willis McGahee.

Baltimore
Must start: McGahee; Todd Heap
Favorable situation: Derrick Mason continues to catch the vast majority of passes from Steve McNair and Kyle Boller.
Unfavorable situation: McNair is injured and might split time with Boller; Mark Clayton has not come around yet this season. Don't start" Any other players

Cleveland
Must start: None
Favorable situation: Anderson; Braylon Edwards
Unfavorable situation: Jamal Lewis
Don't start: Kellen Winslow, even if he is cleared to play.