Studs:
BenJarvis Green-Ellis (RB – New England Patriots)
The Law Firm of BenJarvis Green-Ellis has gotten off to a slow start this year. Through three games, Green-Ellis has rushed for just 122 yards while reaching the end zone two times on the ground. The Patriots expected much more than this when they named him the starting running back in the offseason.
New England should finally get what it has been looking for this weekend. The Oakland Raiders have allowed an average of 120 yards per game on the ground this year, and last week's loss in Buffalo isn't going to sit very well with Tom Brady and the Patriots.
I expect Brady to pick the Raiders' secondary apart in the first half, and then hand off the duties of running out the clock to Green-Ellis in the second half. Look for the Law Firm to add to his touchdown total and have his first 100-yard game of the season.
Projection: 128 rush yards, 1 rush td
Dwayne Bowe (WR- Kansas City Chiefs)
Dwayne Bowe led the NFL in receiving touchdowns last year with 15. Through three games this season, he only has one, and that one came last week against San Diego.
Here's the good news – Bowe didn't score his first TD until week three last year either. The bad news – Jamal Charles is out for the season, allowing teams to have an extra man in the secondary without focusing on the run as they normally would.
More good news, the Vikings defense has been horrendous against the pass this year, allowing 319 yards per game through the air, which is good for 30th in the NFL.
More bad news…I don't see any. Don't even think about benching Bowe and expect him to expand on the solid game he had last week.
Projection: 8 rec, 135 rec yards, 2 rec td
Tim Hightower(RB- Washington Redskins)
The Redskins are off to a 2-1 start this year and tied for first place in the NFC East. The play of Rex Grossman has allowed for Hightower to have the breakout campaign that Mike Shanahan envisioned when he traded Vonnie Holliday and a 6th round pick for the University of Richmond product.
Hightower has yet to break the century mark on the ground this year, but he has more than made up for it in the passing game. He is averaging just a smidgen less than 100 all-purpose yards per game so far this year with one touchdown both rushing and receiving.
The Rams are dead last in the NFL against the running game and Grossman, Hightower, and the Redskins are looking to bounce back from a heart-breaking loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. Hightower should have no problem surpassing the 100-yard mark on Sunday, and he may even score another touchdown or two.
Projection: 134 rush yards, 1 rush td, 3 rec, 42 rec yards, 1 rec td
Duds:
Shonn Greene (RB – New York Jets)
The Jets have had a hard time getting the running game going this year. The main factor contributing to this problem is Shonn Greene's miniscule 3.3 yards per carry average.
He has struggled to get anything going and his woes will continue this week on the road against a stingy Baltimore Ravens defense. Baltimore ranks 6th in the NFL against the run and in its only game at home this year it held the Steelers to just 57 total yards on the ground.
Greene amassed 18 yards on five carries against Baltimore last year. Due to his early struggles and weak history against the Ravens, Greene is someone you may want to keep on your bench this weekend, if you can.
Projection: 36 rush yards
Jason Witten (TE – Dallas Cowboys)
Jason Witten is off to a solid start in 2011. He has 19 receptions and 272 yards so far, giving him an average of 14.3 yards per catch. The problem is the Lions haven't allowed many completions to opposing tight ends this year.
In week one, Kellen Winslow had six receptions for 66 yards, and Visanthe Schianco scored an eight-yard touchdown on his only reception in week three. All other opposing tight ends combined for five receptions and 48 yards total.
Witten is, by far, the best tight end the Lions have faced this year, but similar results should ensue. It's hard even for me to say, but if you can, bench Witten this week in hopes that he can bounce back next week against the Patriots after the Cowboys' bye in week five.
Projection: 4 rec 38 rec yards
Percy Harvin (WR – Minnesota Vikings)
Donovan McNabb is off to one of the worst starts of his illustrious career with a 78.1 passer rating in 2011, and no one is suffering more than Vikings star wide receiver Percy Harvin.
Harvin has just 12 catches for 130 yards and has yet to find the end zone so far this year. Strangely enough, Harvin also has 8 rushes for 74 yards. It doesn't bode well for your fantasy team when your receivers are getting nearly as many rushes as they are receptions.
Although the Chiefs have one of the league's worst defenses, the Vikings have played equally bad on offense, and I don't anticipate them turning it around in Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. Bench Harvin with confidence until he can prove worthy again.
Projection: 3 rec, 51 rec yards
Sleepers:
James Starks (RB – Green Bay Packers)
Ryan Grant has a bruised kidney and has been ruled out for this weekend's home contest against the Denver Broncos. This re-opens the door for last year's playoff hero and UB product, James Starks.Starks is coming off of a horrific game against the Bears where he totaled just 14 all-purpose yards. This week will prove to be much different. The Broncos, for lack of a better term, stink. Although their numbers don't reflect how bad they really are, ranking 12th in the NFL against the pass and 13th against the run, they are going to have their hands full with Aaron Rogers and the defending Super Bowl Champions.
Look for the Packers to blow out the Broncos at home, allowing Starks to get a majority of his workload in the second half to put the game on ice, and possibly win you a fantasy game.
Projection: 128 rush yards, 1 rush td, 4 rec, 58 rec yards, 1 rec td
Jason Campbell (QB – Oakland Raiders)
The Oakland Raiders have a tough matchup this weekend against the New England Patriots, and that is precisely why I picked Campbell as a sleeper. While the Patriots have scored 104 points so far this year, they have also allowed nearly 80, while opposing quarterbacks have torched their secondary for a staggering 388 yards per game.
Jason Campbell should be chomping at the bit waiting for the Patriots to come to the Coliseum this weekend, and fantasy owners should too. I don't necessarily like the Raiders to win the game this weekend, but I do like them to keep it competitive and score a massive amount of points in the process, with Campbell as the driving force.
Projection: 323 pass yards, 3 td, 2 int, 18 rush yards
Lance Moore (WR – New Orleans Saints)
Moore sat out the NFL opener against the Packers and only made one catch in week two against the Chicago Bears. The Saints' week three contest against the Houston Texans proved to be Moore's most productive yet – he had nine receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown. Marques Colston should return this week, although he may not be at 100 percent due to a broken collar bone suffered in week one.
He should alleviate some pressure on Moore and the other Saints receivers. That is why I like Moore to exceed the numbers that he put up last week, and be propelled back into fantasy relevance.
Projection: 9 rec, 144 rec yards, 2 rec td
*Just in case anyone is wondering…Wes Welker is on pace for an astonishing 165 receptions, 2,443 yards and 21 touchdowns receiving. All of which would be NFL records.
