Each week, Scott Engel of RotoExperts.com breaks down all the NFL games from a fantasy perspective.
Jacksonville at Buffalo
The Bills rank last in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing 174.0 yards per game. Maurice Jones-Drew's owners can obviously be very confident he can deliver two consecutive quality performances after he started the season slowly. Pass protection has been an issue for the Jaguars, but a strong running attack should help give David Garrard some time to throw. Garrard needs to limit mistakes, so do not expect outstanding numbers, yet he will make it a point to get the ball to Mike Sims-Walker, who was shut out again last week. Marcedes Lewis will be his best bet on key passing downs. Fred Jackson can now develop more of a rhythm with Marshawn Lynch gone, and should at least post respectable numbers. C.J. Spiller can score any time he touches the ball, but he still dances too much and is not yet reliable. The 30th-ranked Jacksonville pass defense faces a team with an overall lack of weapons. Lee Evans is due for a quality performance, though, and is a good bye week option. Ryan Fitzpatrick will provide decent numbers to those who start him out of desperation.
Denver at Baltimore
Denver's top-ranked passing offense squares off against the best pass defense in the NFL. The Broncos have little hope of establishing a running game against a front seven that adjusted well after the Browns gashed them in Week 3. Kyle Orton will have to be careful to take what the defense gives him, and will post respectable, but not outstanding, numbers. He will use Jabar Gaffney and Eddie Royal, his most dependable targets, to keep the chains moving. Brandon Lloyd may have difficulty getting deep and will frustrate his owners. The Ravens need to get Ray Rice rolling, and will look for ways to get the ball in his hands frequently. He could come through with his best outing of the season so far. No pass defense can fully contain Anquan Boldin, but Joe Flacco does have other options. Derrick Mason will produce respectable PPR totals, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh is being targeted often in the red zone. The Ravens will display optimum offensive balance and you can expect more than one TD pass from Flacco.
Kansas City at Indianapolis
The Colts are allowing more than 149 rushing yards per game, and the Chiefs have showcased a ground attack that is producing a league-best 160.7 yards per contest. So it's no secret what Kansas City will attempt to do offensively. The Colts may load up against the run early, and that could limit Thomas Jones' production if he is getting extra defensive attention up front. Jamaal Charles, though, does a better job of creating his own space and makes defenders miss, especially later in the gameand. He is a must-start. The Indianapolis secondary is banged up, and Matt Cassel will take his shots to Dwayne Bowe and Tony Moeaki, especially with the latter in the red zone. Dexter McCluster should also get the ball in space and is a recommended flex play in larger leagues. Kansas City has boasted the NFL's best run defense so far, and you cannot expect too much yardage from Joseph Addai. Peyton Manning, though, simply cannot be contained, and all of his primary receivers are must-starts. Pierre Garcon may return to action, yet he may not be a primary option and should be reserved if you have another WR of similar value.
Green Bay at Washington
The Packers are lacking balance on offense, but the Redskins seem to be enduring some pains making a transition to new defensive schemes. Washington ranks last in the NFC with 305.0 passing yards allowed per game. Aaron Rodgers will connect frequently with Donald Driver and Jermichael Finley when it counts. Greg Jennings is being denied the deep ball, yet this may be the week when he finally busts loose, so maintain confidence in him. Rodgers is a strong bet to throw two or more TD passes. Ryan Torain does not back down to any defense and will be the focal point of the offense as the Redskins look to control the ball as much as possible. Lock Torain in as a RB2 this week. The Packers' safeties can be exploited, so expect another quality outing from Chris Cooley. Donovan McNabb does not have the playmakers to slug it out with Rodgers, and Santana Moss is unreliable. Steer clear of Redskins other than Torain and Cooley for now.
St. Louis at Detroit
Rookie Sam Bradford has played well enough to use him as a bye week option when you consider this matchup. The Lions do not have much hope of containing Mark Clayton, and Bradford has also used his secondary options well. Steven Jackson will continue to pound out the yardage, making life easier for Bradford against a notoriously vulnerable pass defense. Detroit, however, will be fired up to get its first win in front of the home folks and could pick off Bradford more than once, even if two TD passes are allowed. The Rams are allowing more than 116 yards per game on the ground, so Jahvid Best can set the tone for the Detroit offense. The St. Louis safeties will also have difficulty containing the TE duo of Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler. Both are good starting options. Offensive balance will spur Shaun Hill to another quality fantasy outing and Calvin Johnson should find the end zone again.
Chicago at Carolina
The Bears need to establish the running game, but the offensive line simply has not blocked well. Look for Todd Collins to stave off pressure by operating a controlled passing game that includes getting Matt Forte the ball in space. Forte should build a respectable statistical line. Collins will look to possession options such as Greg Olsen instead of taking deep shots. Keep Johnny Knox reserved until he starts coming through more consistently. The Bears defensive line can be a dominant force, and DeAngelo Williams will frustrate his owners after coming off a good performance. Jonathan Stewart should be reserved, and the Bears defense/special teams is a strong start against a weak Carolina passing game. The Bears will move Julius Peppers around to get him loose for pressures and sacks, and he will be a prime force in his return to Carolina.
Tampa Bay at Cincinnati
The Bengals will be highly motivated to rebound at home after a loss to a divisional rival, and the defense should get the job done against a team with a lack of consistent playmakers. Josh Freeman is a decent start when the matchup is right, but he will not be able to challenge the Bengals secondary, even with CB Johnathan Joseph hurting. Freeman may complete some key passes to Kellen Winslow and Mike Williams, yet there are really no ideal starters for fantasy purposes -- even bye week options -- on the Tampa Bay side of the ball. Williams is the only guy that deserves strong consideration, and LeGarrette Blount should be scouted rather than started right now. Inconsistency has been the biggest issue offensively for the Bengals, and the offensive line may struggle to protect Carson Palmer on a regular basis. Cincinnati must get Cedric Benson rolling, and Tampa Bay is allowing more than 101 yards per game, so he will at least come through with decent fantasy totals. Terrell Owens will receive extra defensive attention after his Week 4 outburst, and while he may disappoint statistically, expect Chad Ochocinco and Jermaine Gresham to benefit as Palmer targets his other top playmakers more frequently. Palmer, though, should not be used over more reliable starters right now. He needs to string together at least two good performances in a row.
Atlanta at Cleveland
The Browns have been surrendering more than 108 yards per game to opposing rushers, and the Falcons will build their game plan around Michael Turner, who will roll past 100 yards and find the end zone. A strong ground attack will set up Matt Ryan to attack a pass defense that gets burned when it blitzes. Expect Ryan to throw more than one TD pass and he will connect with Tony Gonzalez often. Roddy White is also unstoppable, yet Harry Douglas is a player on the rise and should contribute as well. Monitor Douglas, adding him on waivers, and if he produces well this week give him more consideration for usage in larger leagues. Peyton Hillis is simply a battering ram who takes on all comers, and he is a must-start as a RB2. Seneca Wallace does make good decisions, and his most trusted target is Ben Watson, who is a solid starter if you need a plug-in at TE.
New York Giants at Houston
The Texans will use Arian Foster in their attempt to keep pressure off Matt Schaub. The Houston offensive line could be facing a very stiff test against a furious New York pass rush. The Giants allow more than 117 yards per game on the ground, so Foster will produce as hoped. If Matt Schaub does not have his top target, Andre Johnson, as a reliable option, he will work to Kevin Walter often and Joel Dreessen could continue to emerge as an outlet. Eli Manning faces the league's lowest-ranked pass defense, and the Houston secondary is very vulnerable. Manning should throw a minimum of two TD passes, and Hakeem Nicks will be a prime scoring option. Steve Smith will produce very well for PPR purposes, and Mario Manningham is a playmaker that simply must get more into the flow, so consider using him in larger leagues. Ahmad Bradshaw has become a lock as a RB2 and should find the end zone again this week.
New Orleans at Arizona
The Saints rank 27th in the league against the run, so the Cardinals will come at the Saints with heavy doses of Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower. Both RBs do deserve flex consideration. Max Hall's job will be to simply make sound decisions against an opportunistic secondary, and get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald, which seemed to be an issue for Derek Anderson. Do not reserve Fitzgerald based on the QB change. Even inexperienced QBs must complete their passes to someone. The Arizona offense is certain to sputter, though, and that means more opportunities for Drew Brees to engineer drives. Look for Marques Colston to get back on track, while Lance Moore and Jeremy Shockey remain regular scoring threats. Devery Henderson will get some downfield opportunities, and Chris Ivory will see a few chances to score from short range.
San Diego at Oakland
The Raiders will fight hard in this divisional game, and Michael Bush will get a lot of work and should be a good bet to score. Bruce Gradkowski is not afraid to fire into any defense, and is a good bye week plug-in. Zach Miller is a must-start right now, but none of the Oakland WRs have emerged as dependable, so scout the situation to see who steps forward. No defense can stop Antonio Gates, and the San Diego offense is too balanced for Nnamdi Asomugha to consistently shut down any single option. Philip Rivers moves the ball well against all opponents, and should hook up with Malcom Floyd in the red zone. Legedu Naanee may also make some possession grabs. The Chargers will look to start establishing Ryan Mathews as a more consistent force again, and this is just the week to do so against the NFL's 31st-ranked run defense. Mike Tolbert should still get some goal-line chances and is a viable flex play.
Tennesee at Dallas
This will not be the week when Dallas starts to look more balanced on offense. The Titans allow 92.0 rush yards per game, and won't be threatened by Marion Barber or Felix Jones. Tony Romo may have to throw often, and an aggressive Tennessee front will attack and disrupt him. Miles Austin will make some important plays, and Jason Witten will catch some balls on key downs, but do not expect Dez Bryant and Roy Williams to be significant factors. Romo should not be benched, of course, but do not expect above-average totals. The Titans need to get the passing game rolling, but it will be too stiff of a challenge against Dallas. With the passing game being no real threat, the Cowboys LBs can focus on playing disciplined football against Chris Johnson, who can still bust loose at any time, even when defenses key in on him. Johnson may get a lot of defensive attention again, yet that does not mean he will fully be held in check.
Philadelphia at San Francisco
With LeSean McCoy hurting, the Eagles will have some trouble generating a solid running game against the 49ers. Kevin Kolb will be put in some adverse passing situations and will have to get rid of the ball quickly. Look for him to find Brent Celek on some key passing downs, but DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin will not see many downfield opportunities. The Eagles are allowing nearly 139 rushing yards per game, so expect another strong yardage outing from Frank Gore, and he may actually score this week. The 49ers will likely stick to basics in the passing game, which means Vernon Davis is a strong start in all formats for high-quality totals. Michael Crabtree is still a work in progress and may not start producing as hoped until later in the season, so keep him reserved for now.
Minnesota at New York Jets
Do not expect great yardage totals from Randy Moss in his first game with the Vikings, as he and Brett Favre will not be quite in-sync just yet. Favre will certainly be motivated to perform well and will not be afraid to air it out, plus he now at least has another weapon for the defense to respect. Favre will throw more than one TD pass, yet will also turn the ball over more than once. Adrian Peterson will face a very tough defensive front, and optimum yardage numbers will be hard to come by. LaDainian Tomlinson will do his best work in space as a pass-catcher, and may only provide owners with modest totals. Shonn Greene has yet to become reliable, and should be reserved with a difficult matchup. Mark Sanchez will have to throw often to keep the defense honest, and while he could throw his first interception of the season, he will post at least respectable numbers and should continue to hook up with Dustin Keller frequently. Santonio Holmes may need to shake off some rust in his return to action, so keep him reserved for this week.
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