Bess has developed into a very polished receiver and has become the top target in Miami.

Davone Bess, WR Dolphins - Bess, in only his second year, is already one of the most polished receivers in the league today. He’s an excellent route runner with sticky hands that catch almost everything. Bess should be a regular starter in PPR leagues, and he is certainly worth using as a plug-in starter depending on the matchup. This week against the Jaguars, who boast one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL, Bess could easily have a 6+ catch game with over 70 yards and a score.

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Quinton Ganther, RB Redskins – With both Clinton Portis and backup Ladell Betts on IR, Ganther is finally getting his chance to start. The 5-9, 214 pound back out of Utah has averaged 6.0 YPC in his last 2 games and is set to face the Oakland Raiders this week. Washington’s offense has come alive in recent weeks, so snag him if he’s still available.

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Devin Thomas, WR Redskins – The second year receiver out of Michigan State set career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns last week against the Saints, and there’s no reason to think he’ll let up this week against the lowly Raiders. Santana Moss is undoubtedly the no. 1 receiver in Washington and will subsequently be covered by Nnamdi Asomugha, but Thomas could have another big day and is worth adding to your roster.

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Chris Brown, RB Texans – With Steve Slaton on IR, Chris Brown’s role will only increase. He’s already the goal line back for Houston and he will continue to get carries in an explosive Texans offense. If he’s still available, grab him and use him based on the matchups. He has upcoming games against Seattle and St. Louis, so he’s well worth a spot on any roster. Ryan Moats will steal some carries, but Brown is still worth adding.

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Chris Jennings, RB Browns – The rookie out of Arizona shined in the national spotlight against the Steelers on Thursday Night Football with 73 yards and a touchdown against one of the top rushing defenses. You can be sure Jennings will continue to receive carries after his big game. It’s hard to trust Cleveland’s offense, but anytime you can pick up a RB that receives the majority of carries on his team, he is worth a pickup.

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Jets RB Shonn Greene, the first pick in the 3rd round, is well worth a pickup.

Shonn Greene, RB Jets – The Jets employ a two back system and love to run the ball. Greene will be getting a handful of carries every game as the no. 2 back. Snatch him up if he’s still available.

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Nate Washington, WR Titans – He has 4 touchdowns this season and has a decent rapport with new starting QB Vince Young. He won’t be too consistent, but he’s worth picking up.

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Kelley Washington, WR Ravens – The Ravens have become a top passing team and Washington has been getting a few catches every game.

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Ryan Moats, RB Texans – He had an excellent game against the Bills and could supplant Steve Slaton if Slaton keeps fumbling and Moats continues to do well.

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Fred Davis, TE Redskins – Chris Cooley is going to miss several games after having surgery performed on his ankle, and Davis is set to take his spot. Davis is a good pass catcher, and has the potential to be a good fantasy TE.

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Vince Young, QB Titans – Young finally got a chance to show off his skills and he played well. He’s a threat to run or pass and will accumulate fantasy points both ways. He is a decent pickup if you need a backup QB or a bye week plugin.

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Ahmad Bradshaw has more yards from scrimmage than starter Brandon Jacobs, despite 40 less carries.

The Giants 3rd year back Ahmad Bradshaw has decided to continue to play this season despite a cracked bone in his foot. He has been performing well this season and is well worth using as a flex option or bye week replacement. His injury shouldn’t limit him too much, but we’ll keep you updated on his situation.

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Carolina Panthers coach John Fox has announced that he will continue to start Jake Dolhomme despite the fact that the 34 year old quarterback leads the NFL with interceptions with 13. Avoid Delhomme at all costs (he could end up losing you points if you start him).

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Titans QB Kerry Collins isn’t as lucky, as coach Jeff Fisher has announced that he will start Vince Young against the Jaguars. The Jaguars have a very susceptible pass defense, so Young should be a solid start this week against the Jaguars.

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After sitting last week out with an injury, Lofa Tatupu has been placed on IR after he broke his left pectoral muscle. The Seattle defensive unit isn’t very healthy right now and there are probably better fantasy defenses available, so avoid the Seahawks DST.

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Terrell Owens, who recently called his stats “pathetic” believes he’ll be able to overcome his slump and return to prominence. However, stuck inside an abysmal Bills offense, TO will struggle to live up to his words. Keep him as a starter, but if you have other options, consider benching the 35 year old.

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Owens’ replacement, Roy E. Williams, hasn’t fared much better this year, cathing only 12 passes for 230 yards. Atleast he knows that he’s played “terrible” though. Williams has been outperformed by the red hot Miles Austin, as well as Patrick Crayton this season, so keep him on your bench until he shows that he can produce.

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Start Matt Forte this week, folks. Even Browns fans seem to believe that the Bears are going to destory the Browns this week, with Forte averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Forte hasn’t done much this year, but the Browns can’t stop the run at all and Forte is good at feasting against lesser opponents.

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As Chris Cooley recovers from surgery, 2nd year TE Fred Davis looks like he will be able to fill Cooley’s role capably. Althought not a good blocker, Davis is adept as a pass catching TE and has the potential to post top 12 TE numbers. Pick him up if you need a TE.

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Former top overall pick Alex Smith has unfinished business as a starter in the NFL and could a decent fantasy option if the 49ers use him properly. He threw for 3 touchdowns after ‘Niners coach Mike Singletary benched Shaun Hill in favor of Smith, and is worth a pickup if you need a backup QB.

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Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is optimistic that RB Willie Parker will play this Sunday against the Browns, but with Rashard Mendenhall playing as well as he has been, Mendhenall could get the majority of the carries against the lowly Browns. Parker is a no. 3 fantasy back this week while Mendenhall is a high end no. 2 fantasy back against a beatable Browns defense. Start Mendenhall if you have him.

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After playing through, then aggravating an injury against the Dolphins, Jets receiver Jerricho Cotchery is hinting that he’ll miss this Sunday’s game against the Bills. He wasn’t able to do much last Sunday against the Dolphins when he played hurt, so keep him on your bench this week.

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Lions stud WR Calvin Johnson could be held out of next week’s game against the Packers with a sprained knee. With the Lions having a bye next week, they could hold Johnson out to prevent him from further injuring his knee. Keep him on your bench unless he miraculously gets better by this Sunday, and consider picking up Miles Austin or Hakeem Nicks if you need a plug in receiver.

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Colts third year receiver Anthony Gonzalez is not healthy enough to practice yet and his role for week 7 is yet to be determined. We’ll keep you updated on Gonzalez’s situation as more information becomes available.

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The pass-heavy eagles could start using a runningback by committee approach, with Andy Reid implying that he’ll be using both Brian Westbrook and rookie LeSean McCoy. Westbrook, when healthy, is obviously the better fantasy option, but McCoy could get a lot of playing time if the 30 years old Westbrook keeps getting nicked up.

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Make sure you keep Colts Kicker Adam Vinatieri on your benches – the Colts just signed former Ravens kicker Matt Stover after learning that Vinatieri will be out for around 6 weeks with a knee injury.

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Giants giant RB Brandon Jacobs is angry at his lack of success, but you can be sure that fantasy owners who took him in the first or second round are even more angry. He’s still someone who has to be started every week, but Jacobs has been a disappointment thus far against some fairly mellow defenses (TB, KC, OAK).

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Falcons RB Michael Turner seems to think that he has “turned the corner” and his production last week against the 49ers is a preview of what he expects to happen from here on out. The bye week could have been just what the Falcons needed, but I have a feeling the Bears defense will be able to shut down ‘The Burner’.

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Dolphins reserve RB Patrick Cobbs will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. This should open up more playing time for rookie Lex Hilliard. With Ricky Williams suffering from an ankle sprain, Hilliard could get a few carries next week. Keep him on your benches, though, as there are much better options.

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Knowshon Moreno could have his best game of the season this week against the Patriots

If you have Broncos RB  Knowshon Moreno, start him this week against the New England Patriots. With fellow RB Correll Buckhalter officially out this Sunday, Moreno should put up some great numbers for fantasy owners.

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Patriots RB Fred Taylor, on the other hand will miss Sunday’s game and possibly even the rest of the season. Look for veteran Sammy Morris to get the majority of the carries in Taylor’s stead.

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Braylon Edwards is now a New York Jet, but he probably won’t produce too much until he learns the offense a bit more. He definitely has talent, but until he starts producing more, keep him on the bench.

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Cowboys WR Roy Williams is doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs, so de facto no. 1 receiver Patrick Crayton should post some solid numbers against a very weak Kansas City defense. Start Crayton as a low end no. 2 fantasy WR. Miles Austin could have a big game too, but he’s not much more than a no. 3 receiver this week.

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Giants QB Eli Manning, coming off a 3 touchdown performance against the Chiefs, is questionable for Sunday’s game against Oakland, but regardless of whether he plays or not, he should be benched. Oakland’s pass defense is one of the best in the NFL (and probably the only thing positive that can be said about the Raiders) and so the Giants will lean on the running game.

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Browns RB Jamal Lewis is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bills, but at this point, he’s best kept on either your bench or on the waiver wire. He’s no longer the fantasy stud that he once was and with 4th year back Jerome Harrison playing well, the Browns will likely play the hot hand and give Harrison the majority of the carries with Lewis being relegated to goal-line and short-yardage back.

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Willie Parker is officially OUT for this week’s game against the mediocre Lions with a turf toe injury. Look for Rashard Mendenhall to have a big game against a weak Detroit defense. Mendenhall could replicate last week’s success, so if you have him, start him.

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Lions rookie QB Matthew Stafford is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Steelers, but he should remain on your fantasy benches regardless of whether he plays or not. That applies to probable starter Daunte Culpepper, as well.

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Keep Jets WR Jerricho Cotchery on your bench as well, as he’s reportedly in serious danger of missing Monday night’s game against the Dolphins. Look for rookie sensation Mark Sanchez to throw the ball to Dustin Keller frequently if Cotchery misses Monday’s game.

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If your QB has a bye week, target Jason Campbell, Kyle Orton, and Matt Hasselbeck.

Jay Cutler is quickly becoming a top fantasy QB once again.

Everyone knows to start your studs week in and week out regardless of the match up, but after that, it can be tricky deciding which players to start and which to sit. With week four approaching quickly, below is a player that needs to be started in all leagues.

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When the Chicago Bears traded for Jay Cutler in the offseason, everyone immediately began to ask, ‘Who is he going to throw to?’ It was a fair question; after all, the starting receiver, Devin Hester, was a converted DB and had only been a receiver for 3 years, while the second WR, Earl Bennett, had not caught an NFL regular season pass yet.

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Fast forward 3 games into the season, and the criticism has all but stopped. Now, the Bears are one of only 2 teams in the NFL that have three receivers with at least 159 yards (the other team being the Arizona Cardinals). Specifically, Hester has 13 catches for 187 yards and 2 touchdowns, Bennett has 13 catches for 168 yards, and Johnny Knox, the Bears 5th round draft pick this year, has 9 catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns.

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So the question is no longer who Jay Cutler is going to throw to, the question is now if Jay Cutler can continue to tear up opposing defenses. The answer to that will likely be yes this week against the Detroit Lions, who despite coming off their first win since 2007, still have a very weak defense.

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Over the last two weeks, Cutler has thrown 5 touchdowns and only one interception against some very good defenses (the championship winning Steelers and the Seahawks at Qwest Field). Not only that, but the Bears are slowly becoming more of a pass-first team. Instead of leaning on Matt Forte like the Bears did last season, they are leaning on Jay Cutler to win them football games. With the Lions coming to town, the Bears will likely try to establish the run, and once they do that, you can expect Cutler to have a field day against the 30th-ranked Lions defense (which, by the way, has allowed 10 Touchdown passes in only 3 games!). Expect Cutler to improve upon his strong fantasy numbers this week, and start him with confidence.

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Fantasy Forecast – 22 of 30, 265 passing yards, 3 touchdowns. 2 carries, 12 yards.

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Honorable Mention

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Cedric Benson, RB Bengals (Vs. Browns)

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Steve Smith, WR Giants (Vs. Chiefs)

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Jason Campbell, QB Redskins (Vs. Bucs)

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Vernon Davis, TE 49ers (Vs. Rams)

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Trent Edwards is quickly becoming a top fantasy QB.

Everyone knows to start your studs week in and week out regardless of the match up, but after that, it can be tricky deciding which players to start and which to sit. With week three approaching quickly, below is a player that needs to be started in all leagues.

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Even before the Bills fired their offensive coordinator just before the season started, most people expected the Bills offense to falter due to an inefficient and inexperienced offensive line. Instead, new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has transformed the Bills offense into a formidable one by utilizing the hurry up offense and more short passes. Bills quarterback Trent Edwards has been stellar so far in Van Pelt’s system, completing 64 percent of his passes for 442 yards, 4 touchdowns and only 1 interception -  good for a 104.9 passer rating. Not only that, but Edwards is currently the no. 6 QB in fantasy points. Not bad for a player taken in the later rounds of many drafts!

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This week, Edwards will be facing the New Orleans Saints. Led by QB Drew Brees, the Saints continue to pile up points on opponents (including 48 against a very good Eagles defense), meaning the Bills will be forced to play catch-up, and subsequently throw the ball more frequently. This will give Edwards plenty of opportunities to rack up yards and touchdowns. In fact, the Saints defense has surrendered nearly 300 passing yards per game (298 to be exact) this season to the likes of Matthew Stafford and Kevin Kolb, good for eighth most fantasy points given up to opposing quarterbacks.

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I expect this game to be a shootout, which usually bodes well for the fantasy value of the quarterbacks. In this case, both Brees and Edwards should be able to put up big numbers. It’s very possible that Edwards will surpass the 300 yard mark for the first time in his young career, especially with dangerous weapons in Terrell Owens and Lee Evans. Start Edwards with confidence knowing he will get you atleast 18-20 points.

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Fantasy Forecast – 28 of 38, 309 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interception. 2 carries, 23 rushing yards.

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Honorable Mention

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Felix Jones, RB Cowboys (Vs. Panthers)

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Brent Celek, TE Eagles (Vs. Chiefs)

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Ray Rice, RB Ravens (Vs. Browns)

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Ryan Grant, RB Packers (Vs. Rams)

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Eli Manning and Mario Manningham seem to have developed a lot of chemistry with each other.

Manning to Manningham is quickly becoming a common spectacle during Giants games. By Manningham, we of course mean Mario Manningham, a second year receiver on the Giants who is developing into one of Eli Manning’s favorite targets. Through two games, Manningham has 13 receptions for 208 yards and 2 touchdowns. Those are pretty good numbers for a player who caught only 4 catches last season.

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During the off season, Reese opted to go forward with their current receivers rather than trading for an established player such as Braylon Edwards or Anquan Boldin, raising many eyebrows in the process. However, the Giants receivers are certainly justifying Reese’s confidence in them.  Mario Manningham has become a good big play threat who has the ability to turn any play into a big play, Steve Smith is a solid possession receiver, and Domenik Hixon has developed into a decent deep threat (when he holds onto the ball, that is).

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Back to Manningham, though he is only a 5′ 11″ 183 pound guy, he’s an emerging receiver who more than makes up for his lack of size with his ability to elude tacklers. He was a third round pick last year out of Michigan who fell in the draft due to character, drug, and intelligence issues (he scored a very low 6 out of 50 on his Wonderlic exam).

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While Steve Smith is firmly entrenched as one starter, the job opposite Smith is open for Manningham to seize. Look for him to win the starting job and produce for the Giants and fantasy owners alike.

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One of the Chargers most important players, Jamal Williams, was placed on IR with a triceps injury.

The Chargers have placed Pro Bowl DT Jamal Williams on IR, ending his season. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee just received a nice boost this week to their fantasy value. Rice is a viable starter in all formats while McGahee is no more than a no. 3 fantasy RB.

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The Chargers have announced that RB LaDanian Tomlinson is OUT for their week 2 game against the Ravens. This has to be disappointing for fantasy owners who took a chance on him in the first round of most drafts. Don’t bother trading LT either, as you won’t get much for him.

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The Giants have announced that DT Chris Canty, who signed a huge contract this offseason, will miss the week 2 game against the Cowboys (Canty’s former team).

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The Bucs will be playing Sunday’s game against Buffalo without receiver Antonio Bryant (who we told people to avoid in fantasy drafts this season) , who is doubtful with a knee injury.

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Texans QB Matt Shaub is healthy again for a key game against the Titans in which the Texans hope to avoid going 0-2. I have a feeling that the Texans passing offense will rebound in a big way against the Titans.

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The Colts will be without safety Bob Sanders and receiver Anthony Gonzalez for their Monday night game against the Dolphins. Both players will likely miss a few more weeks before making their way back to the field.

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For the Cardinals, receivers Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston are questionable with hamstring and knee injuries, respectively.

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Chiefs QB Matt Cassel is questionable with an MCL Sprain, but he will likely make his Chiefs regular season debut against the Raiders.

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Patriots receiver Wes Welker is questionable with a knee injury, but all signs point to him suiting up against the Jets.

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Saints RB Pierre Thomas is questionable, but after Mike Bell’s performance against the Lions, the Saints may leave Thomas behind. Fantasy owners — avoid starting Thomas this week.

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Texans WR Kevin Walter is questionable with a hamstring injury, and his replacement, Andre Davis is out with a concussion, too.

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Titans TE Bo Scaife, a 5th year player that the Titans franchised last season, is questionable with a knee injury, following a low hit from James Harrison that Scaife thought was “dirty”.

Dwayne Bowe will be blanketed all day, squaring off against Nnamdi Asomugha

So when you draft a player in the early rounds, you expect to be able to start him every week, right? Wrong.

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There’s a few players drafted in the early rounds that are risk-reward type picks (I’m looking at you Brian Westbrook) and a few players that you might have reached on with your first pick. And then there’s simply players that have bad match ups and aren’t worth starting. One of those players is Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe. Normally, I encourage people to start their studs week in and week out, but there are always a few players not worth starting.

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Bowe is normally a good fantasy option, someone who is started weekly. But this week, he will be squaring off against the best cornerback in the NFL, Nnamdi Asomugha. Asomugha is a two time pro bowler who allowed only 8 receptions the entire season, which is, to be honest, unheard of.

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While its true that Asomugha won’t be covering Bowe the entire game, the Raiders know that Bowe is the Chiefs only threat and will likely double him when Asomugha isn’t covering him. Also of note, during week 12 last season, Bowe was held to only 2 catches for 27 yards against the Raiders.

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Fantasy Forecast – 3 catches, 45 yards.

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(dis)Honorable Mention

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Joseph Addai, RB Colts (Vs. Dolphins)

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Marques Colston, WR Saints (Vs. Eagles)

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Marion Barber, RB Cowboys (Vs. Giants)

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Carson Palmer, QB Bengals (Vs. Packers)