Start/Sit: Week 8

Quarterback:

Start: Brian Griese- How can you not love this matchup? Griese has to be brimming with confidence after last week's stunning comeback against the Bears. Also, he has thrown for 300 yards a game and 8 touchdowns over the last 4 games. Detroit may be able to garner a couple of turnovers, but they will not stop Bernard Berrian and friends from finding the end zone. Forecast: 310 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

Sit: Eli Manning- You must be saying "He's gotta be kidding me. Manning is an automatic start against the Dolphins!" Let me explain: Manning will do very well early on against the hapless Fins and therein lies the problem. There will be no need to throw the ball after the second quarter since the Giants will completely dominate Miami with the ground game. In Fantasy Football, it's sometimes better to start a lesser QB who will be slinging the ball all game. Forecast: 150 yards, 1 touchdown


Running Back:

Start: Fred Taylor- Jacksonville lost David Garrard last week to injury and, if you watched Quinn Gray take the reins, they also lost their entire passing game in the process. Jacksonville's only hope is to run the ball 30 or more times. With MJD hampered with a slightly sprained knee, Taylor will get the lion's share of the carries. The Bucs can be run on. Forecast: 105 yards, 1 touchdown

Sit: Steven Jackson- He seems like he's raring to go, but I don't imagine the Rams will just throw him in there and let him carry 25 times after missing 4 weeks with an injured groin. Scott Linehan may have a losing ball club, but he's no dummy. Jackson will be worked in slowly, thereby limiting his fantasy potential. I know the matchup is tempting, but stay away. Forecast: 45 yards, 2 receptions, 15 yards


Wide Receiver:

Start: Jerricho Cotchery- The Jets are reeling and need this game like a drowning man craves air. Chad Pennington will be anxious to prove that Coach Mangini made the correct decision in sticking with him. Cotchery often goes under the radar as opposing defenses focus on Laveranues Coles and that is to his benefit. Look for the Jets to attack through the air and for JC to be the prime beneficiary. Forecast: 7 receptions, 100 yards, 1 touchdown

Sit: Santonio Holmes- Those who choose to start Holmes may suffer a similar fate to Eli Manning owners: Their man just may not be utilized very much. While the Cincinnati defense is horrible, the Pittsburgh defense is not and they will control the game. This means that the Steelers, who would like to define themselves as a power running team, will probably run the ball upwards of 35 times during the game, so passing opportunities could be few and far between. They will be content to let the Bengals make the mistakes through the air. Forecast: 4 receptions, 65 yards.


Tight End:

Start: Donald Lee- Bubba Franks is out for this game and Brett Favre has been known to throw the ball a time or two. Lee makes for a sneaky play here against Denver's formerly formidable pass defense. Pittsburgh threw 3 touchdowns to their TE's last week, so the Broncos clearly can be had while focusing on the opposing WR's. Forecast: 4 catches, 40 yards, 1 touchdown

Sit: Chris Cooley- Cooley and the Redskins play New England this weekend and the TE position's production will be on Belichick's radar as one of the key areas to limit. Expect the Pats to throw a variety of blitzes at Jason Campbell, who will likely not be able to handle the pressure. This will certainly hinder Cooley's numbers. There should be better options available this week. Forecast: 3 catches, 30 yards.


Defense:

Start: Tampa Bay- As noted earlier in this column, Jacksonville will have trouble passing the ball. The Bucs will be able to focus almost exclusively on stopping the run and should be at least marginally successful. On the rare occasion that the Jaguars do throw the ball, Tampa's ball-hawking defensive backfield ought to be able to snag a few turnovers. Forecast: 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery.

Sit: San Francisco- Drew Brees and Co. have turned a corner and are once again becoming a fantasy force to be reckoned with. The problem with Niners is not that their defense is terrible...their offense is. The D will spend way too much time on the field and will be gassed by late in the 3rd quarter. Forecast: 1 sack, 1 interception.