Thumbs Up:
Colt McCoy (QB, Cleveland Browns) – I normally wouldn’t recommend McCoy even if there weren’t any other quarterbacks available – he’s always a threat to have negative fantasy points – but the Browns play the Dolphins this week. This is the most favorable matchup McCoy will have all year, so if you want to grab a backup in the case that Michael Vick or Tony Romo are inactive on Sunday morning, McCoy deserves a look for this week only.
Joe Flacco (QB, Baltimore Ravens) – He’s coming off one of his worst games as an NFL quarterback, in which he threw for less than 200 yards and two interceptions. That was against the Tennessee Titans defense, which is very underrated. This week the Ravens travel to St. Louis to take on the Rams, who have given up good fantasy days to both the quarterbacks they have faced thus far. The game will be played indoors, so expect Flacco to right the ship on Sunday.
Ryan Mathews (RB, San Diego Chargers) – There’s a long list of reasons as to why Mathews will succeed this week. San Diego plays against Kansas City. The Chiefs look paper thin on defense so far, and Lions running back Jahvid Best just tore them up in Week Two. On top of the great matchup, Mathews’ backfield counterpart Mike Tolbert is dinged up. Tolbert’s calf injury kept him out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and will probably be limited on Sunday. That means Mathews will most likely get a majority of the Chargers carries.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (RB, New England Patriots) – The Patriots-Bills game on Sunday is a battle between two 2-0 teams with bad defenses. I fully expect a shootout similar to last week’s Bills-Raiders game or week one’s Patriots-Dolphins game. Either way, the Patriots will probably top 30 points on the day. Even with quarterback Tom Brady slinging the ball every which way, the Law Firm will find his way into the end zone for a score or two. Just make sure he finds his way into your fantasy lineup as well.
Mike Thomas (WR, Jacksonville Jaguars) – The Jags play against the 0-2 Carolina Panthers, who have given up the sixth most points through the first two weeks. Blaine Gabbert was named Jacksonville’s starting quarterback earlier this week, and has looked smooth in limited action against the Jets in Week Two. At the very least Gabbert is an upgrade from Luke McCown, so Thomas will put up big numbers as the team’s number one wide receiver.
Jesse Holley (WR, Dallas Cowboys) – Yes, most of his yardage in Week Two came on a 77-yard catch-and-run in overtime. But Tony Romo was seen talking to him on the sidelines before his big late-game catches, so that leads me to believe that Romo will look his way with star receivers Miles Austin and Dez Bryant likely out against the Redskins come Monday night.
San Diego defense – If for some crazy reason they are still available in your league, go grab them for this week’s game against the Chiefs. Kansas City has made both the Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions look like the ’85 Bears so far this year, and that trend should continue Sunday.
Thumbs Down:
Eli Manning/Hakeem Nicks (QB/WR, New York Giants) – The youngest Manning had a good game against the Rams this past Monday, but I doubt it carries over into week three. The Giants travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles, and that means throwing against Nnamdi Asomugha and the rest of Philly’s elite secondary. Asomugha just held Falcons receiver Roddy White to three catches, and Nicks could be looking at a similar day. On top of the rough matchup, Nicks is still a little dinged up from his Week One knee injury. Stay away from both Giants if you can afford to.
Cam Newton (QB, Carolina Panthers) – I’m starting to believe in Scam – er, Cam. He’s thrown for over 400 yards in both weeks, which is unprecedented for a quarterback in his first two games. He looks like an NFL quarterback and even has the added bonus of a rushing touchdown in each of his first two weeks. So why is he in the “Thumbs Down” section? Because I think people are overreacting to these great couple weeks. I’ve seen people start Newton over some of the elite fantasy quarterbacks, and that’s just not the right decision. He will have an average fantasy year and maybe even a good week three, but you shouldn’t even THINK about starting him over Rodgers, Vick, Brees, Brady, or Rivers, no matter the matchup.
DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart (RBs, Carolina Panthers) – Just in case last week’s combined 11 carries for 18 yards didn’t scare you off, realize that the Jaguars defense has shut down both Chris Johnson and Shonn Greene in consecutive weeks (less than three yards per carry combined).
Tim Hightower (RB, Washington Redskins) – He’s been a good running back in fantasy so far, but the devilish Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has already shown his true colors in week two. What looked like a one-running-back team in week one suddenly became more of a timeshare, as Roy Helu cut into Hightower’s carries last week. The Skins play the Cowboys on Monday night, who are relatively good against the run this year. Neither Shonn Greene in week one nor Frank Gore last week put much of a dent into the Cowboys front seven.
Ed Dickson (TE, Baltimore Ravens) – A popular pickup after his big Week One performance (5 catches, 59 yards, TD), his stock has definitely dropped after catching only two passes for 25 yards last week. The Ravens play the Rams in Week Three, who have allowed exactly two catches for 26 yards to opposing tight ends so far. For some reason St. Louis has shut down tight ends, and that doesn’t bode well for Dickson.
