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In week 3 we nailed many great roster decisions.   A few of our highlight start recommendations included Drew Beldsloe, Rod Smith, Eli Manning, Neil Rackers, and Jake Plummer.   We hope you were able to benefit from some of our great recommendations during week 3.   As always, we own up to our calls in the weekly bench / start wrap up.

Nostradamus (a.k.a. psychic)
Start:
Drew Bledsoe – Bledsoe doesn’t usually look like a very strong start, but we thought that he would have a solid week 3 performance against the 49ers.   Bledsoe threw for 363 yards, 2 touchdowns, a 2 point conversion, and he ran for a TD as well.   Bledsoe probably just had his best game for the whole 2005 NFL season.   Hopefully you got to enjoy this big fantasy game.

Plaxico Burress – Even though Burress spent some time on the bench this week for discipline, he still managed to post a solid effort.   Burress racked in 5 receptions for 52 yards and touchdown pass.

Eli Manning – Lil’ Manning put his big brother to shame this week as he passed for 352 yards and 2 touchdowns with no interceptions.   This was Manning’s best game of the season so far.   If your team needs QB help, Manning could be available on your waiver wire and might be a good addition.

Carnell Williams – Williams broke a long standing NFL record by adding 158 yards on the ground this week.   Hopefully you kept Williams in your lineup.   This week the Bucs take on the Lions and Williams should be in line for another good game.

Edgerrin James – We told you that James would be the focus of the Colts offense week 3.   James didn’t disappoint.   He racked up 137 yards of offense and a touchdown.   James is a must start in most scoring formats for the foreseeable future.

Jake Plummer – After Plummer had disappointed most fantasy teams weeks 1 and 2, we told you that he would rebound on Monday Night Football.   “The Snake” didn’t disappoint.   Plummer didn’t throw for many yards, but he threw no interceptions and 1 touchdown pass.   The play that really gave Plummer the solid fantasy game was his naked bootleg that allowed him to run in an addition touchdown for icing n the cake.   Plummer’s future with the Broncos remains safe because this effort contributed to a much needed divisional win.

Brian Westbrook – Westbrook is a must start in most leagues, but we just wanted to emphasize that he was due for a big game against the Raiders.   Westbrook accounted for over 200 yards of offense and 2 touchdowns.   Westbrook also added a little something extra for leagues that give points for receptions by raking in 6 receptions on Sunday.

Neil Rackers – We don’t typically recommend many kickers, but we saw the writing on the wall with Rackers.   We told you about the potential for many field goals and we even mentioned the potential from some long distance bombs.   On this occasion, it looks like we had a direct pipeline to Nostradamus himself.   Rackers had 4 field goals with 2 of them coming from way downtown (50 and 54 yards).   If you started Rackers, you were much more than pleased.

Tampa Bay D – Tampa Bay is another role player that we thought could help teams win week 3.   We mentioned the potential for interceptions and Favre supplied them.   Tampa hauled in 3 interceptions.   The Bucs also totaled 2 sacks and a fumble.   This dominant performance was topped off by only allowing 16 points to the opposition.

Rod Smith – Smith scored his first TD of the season, he had solid yardage, and he had a fistful of receptions.   It was a solid day for this veteran who refuses to take a back seat to anyone … Ahem … Ashley … Ahem … Lelie.

Bench:
Kyle Orton – After a nuclear day against the Lions, we told you to jump ship on the Orton train.   Orton exceeded our poor performance expectations.   He threw 5, count ‘em 5, interceptions.   He had no touchdowns and finished with a negative score in most scoring formats.   You would have been better off starting the Bachelor, Jesse Palmer.

Jerry Porter – We feel like Porter will still have a good season, but we didn’t like his week 3 matchup.   Porter fulfilled our bench prophecy by running backwards for -8 yards and only managing 40 yards in the passing game.   This is a performance best left on the bench.

Bubba Franks – their was a chance that Franks might start.   He didn’t, so you are probably glad that you had him on the bench.

JP Losman – This is another QB that we recommended putting on the bench that came pretty close to a zero fantasy score.   Losman turned the ball over twice and only threw for 75 yards.   U – G – L – Y !   Hopefully you left this performance on the pine.

Braylon Edwards – Rec: 4/43 TD: 0 The rookie had over 100 yards and a TD in week 2, but we don’t think he will be a very solid play in week 3.   The Colts D has looked much better than in previous years and should give the Browns trouble.   The Browns spread the ball around too much to make any of their WRs a safe start.

Chad Pennington – Pennington rounds out our trifecta of the worst three possible starting QBs you could start week 3.   If you avoided these guys, you were pretty happy.   Pennington only threw for 76 yards and he had 2 interceptions.   This was one ugly game.


Farmer's Almanac (a.k.a. not so bad/not so good)
Start:
Brian Griese – Girese had two TD passes, but his yardage wasn’t enough to make him a great start.   As is, he was a so-so start because he wouldn’t really hurt your team, but he wouldn’t help it either.

Matt Hasselbeck – Hasselbeck looked great this weekend as he was picking apart the Cardinals.   He completed about 65% of his passes and could have had a huger game if the team wouldn’t have decided to make it the Shaun Alexander show.   As it ended up, Alexander got all 4 TDs on the ground and dropped a touchdown pass from Hasselbeck.

Tony Gonzalez – Gonzo didn’t score, but his receptions and yardage were nice in scoring formats that reward players for that.

Steve McNair – McNair would have been a great start had he not thrown two interceptions.   Those really hurt his production and negated some of the value of his two touchdown passes.

Bench:
Warrick Dunn – Dunn gave way to yet another Duckett touchdown run, but he managed enough yards to escape our good bench calls of the week.   Dunn would have been an OK start week 3.

Brett Favre – Favre’s 3 interceptions look pretty good for our bench prediction.   He also managed only 195 yards passing.   However, his 2 touchdown passes made him a serviceable start.


Weather Forecast (a.k.a. oops better luck next time)
Start:
Larry Johnson – 13 yards and a fumble.   He burned many teams this week, but we still think that he will be the future.

Bench:
Michael Jenkins – Jenkins wasn’t that impressive, but his 15 yard touchdown pass was just enough to get him in the decent starts of the week.