Start/Sit: Week 2

Quarterback:

Start: Ben Roethlisberger- Big Ben got off to a great start last week in Cleveland by throwing four touchdowns. His merry ride should continue this week in Buffalo against a Bills squad that lost up to three regulars on the defensive side of the ball. Not to mention, the Bills D wasn’t all that impressive to begin with, yielding 470 yards against the Denver Broncos last week. Forecast: 225 yards, 2 touchdowns

Sit: Matt Leinart- Leinart looked completely off the page with his receivers on Monday night, though a late touchdown did restore a patina of hope for this game. However, he faces a stingy Seahawks defense whose front seven will likely shut down the running game and force him to air it out against their undervalued secondary. Give him a couple of more weeks to get it together before you considering starting him. Forecast: 150 yards, 2 interceptions


Running Back:

Start: Willis McGahee- No one has tortured the Jets more in recent years than McGahee. On one occasion, he left a game with cramping, ate a Subway sandwich on the sidelines and returned to absolutely torch them. He is their Lex Luthor and his performance this Sunday will prove it once again. Forecast: 150 yards rushing, 2 touchdowns

Sit: Larry Johnson- Right up front, I will tell you that this advice goes against a treasured Fantasy Commandment: Never sit your studs, no matter who they are playing. However, when your stud is his team’s lone threat (as LJ is), his quarterback is Damon Huard (who scares no one) and he is facing an angry defense (that also happens to be arguably the league’s best) coming off a loss, you may hear a little voice in your head telling you there might be better options available. Listen to the little voice. Forecast: 50 yards, 1 fumble


Wide Receiver:

Start: Marques Colston- Colston was one of the only Saints to have a decent game last week against the underrated Colts defense (6 catches, 47 yards). This week, expect the entire Saints offense to get back on track and for him to improve on those totals. The Bucs secondary is too old to run with Colston and is overmatched as a whole against the Saints receivers. Expect New Orleans to air it out early and often. Forecast: 7 catches, 90 yards, 1 touchdown

Sit: Plaxico Burress- He may have just had an otherworldly game against division rival Dallas, but the circumstances are not quite the same for Plax to succeed this week. For one, even if Eli Manning does play, he will most certainly be limited. If he doesn’t, Burress will be playing catch with "The Hefty Lefty" Jared Lorenzen, a scenario which does not inspire. He’ll also be matched up against a secondary that boasts Charles Woodson and Al Harris. Plus, he’s not playing against my fantasy team this week which seem to be the only occasions on which Burress explodes. You can do better. Forecast: 4 catches, 40 yards


Tight End:

Start: Jason Witten- He was a forgotten man for much of last year, but Witten ripped the G-Men apart for 116 yards and a touchdown last week. He benefits greatly from Terry Glenn’s injury woes and a more stable Dallas offensive line that gives him time to find the seams in the defensive coverage. Miami’s defense is usually tough to play early in the season so Witten may not reach the lofty heights he did against New York, but he will still perform above previous expectations. Forecast: 5 catches, 60 yards, 1 touchdown

Sit: Chris Cooley- Cooley owners entered the season with high hopes that their man would have a breakout season. Well, if "Breakout" means "One catch for ten yards in a game that extended into overtime", then mission accomplished. He will almost certainly have better games than the last one, but it’s obviously going to take some time for Jason Campbell to grow into a competent quarterback in this league. Until then, Cooley should not be considered a regular starter and should not be facing a good Philadelphia defense on Monday night. Forecast: 3 catches, 35 yards.


Defense:

Start: Denver- No, they are not the second coming of the Ravens or the Bears and are not an automatic start each week. However, they have a particularly advantageous matchup this Sunday against the Raiders. No one knows who Oakland’s starting quarterback will be, but it doesn’t seem to matter much. Whoever it is will be forced to throw against Champ Bailey and Dre Bly. Lamont Jordan may have a bit of success against the Broncos, but they should be able to clamp down and force some turnovers. Forecast: 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery.

Sit: San Francisco- The 49er’s will be a strong defense sometime soon, perhaps even later this season. However, they face an embarrassed Rams team in St. Louis this week. Steven Jackson and Company will be looking to restore their reputations and are always a tough customer when they play at home. San Francisco may have looked somewhat impressive last week against the Cardinals, but they won’t be able to keep Marc Bulger in check. Forecast: 1 interception, 1 sack


Note: I wish to pass on my condolences to my good friend Jeff Goldschmidt on the passing of his father earlier this week.

I really hope I don’t need to tell anyone to do this, but love your family and friends like there’s no tomorrow. The little things that get in the way of relationships can obscure their value. Don’t let them. Contact an old buddy just to say hi, call your mom to tell her you love her, give an unsolicited hug to someone today. Life is just too damn short.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, my friend.