This will be a weekly feature at FBG this season for IDP owners out there who are having some troubles deciding who to start on Sundays. We're going to pick out several players normally ranked outside of the top 25 at each IDP grouping, who we think should have favorable matchups this week and might be worth starting. Additionally, we'll also highlight some top 25 players who might have trouble living up to their advanced billing this week that you may want to consider benching. We'll also provide our reasoning so you can think about it and decide for yourselves.

Rudnicki's Strong Starts

DL Aaron Smith, Pittsburgh (vs Baltimore)
Smith had a huge year in 2002, but dropped off in 2003. His performance in week 1 (3 solo, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 FR) suggests the addition of Dick Lebeau may help get him back to the top. He has a good matchup this week, as the Ravens offensive line has been decimated by injuries. Stud LT Jonathan Ogden is questionable with a knee injury that caused him to miss last week, while starting C Mike Flynn and backup LT Ethan Brooks have already been ruled out. Behind a makeshift offensive line, Kyle Boller was sacked 3 times by the Browns so expect the Steelers to come after him again this week. You also know the Ravens are going to stick with the run game no matter what, as Jamal Lewis still got 20 carries despite limited effectiveness, which bodes well for DL stats.

DL Tyler Brayton, Oakland (vs Buffalo)
Brayton had a strong game against the Steelers last week (4 solo, 1 sack, 2 PD) and was clearly the Raiders best lineman. They also used him as a standup OLB at times in their 3-4 packages. His height (6'6") is a great asset as it helps him bat down passes and block the passing lanes of opposing QBs. He should be able to continue his strong play with the matchup against Buffalo this week. The Bills showed a strong determination to run the ball last week and ended up allowing more solo tackles (17) to defensive linemen than any other team in the NFL. The achilles heel of the Bills offense for the past few years has been the pass protection of the offensive line along with the tendency of Bledsoe to hold onto the ball too long, causing them to take an inordinate number of sacks. Bledsoe was only taken down once last week by Jacksonville, but expect Brayton to be in Bledsoe's face all day long. The Bills defense shouldn't have too much trouble keeping the Raiders offense off the field either, which means more snaps for Brayton and crew.

LB Lance Briggs, Chicago (@ Green Bay)
Briggs was flying all over the field last week and put up solid numbers in his first start at WLB for the Bears (6 solo, 3 asst, including 2 tackles for loss), despite a bad matchup against the Lions offense. The Lions ran the ball 30 times, and completed only 14 passes, leading to only 44 total tackle opportunities. Meanwhile, the Packers ran the ball 47 times against the Panthers on Monday night and also completed 15 passes, leading to 62 tackle opportunities. If that trend holds up (and it should as the Packers will likely be trying to run out the clock late in the game), there could be almost 20 more tackles to go around this week. Briggs is only 23 years old and thinks he can lead the team in tackles, which wouldn't seem all that unlikely with him playing WLB in the Tampa-style cover-2 system that has helped turn guys like Derrick Brooks and David Thornton into the fantasy elite. He'll certainly have his work cut out for him with Urlacher playing alongside him.

LB Robert Thomas, St Louis (@ Atlanta)
Thomas had a quite but impressive season opener (5 solo, 1 asst) against the pathetic Cardinals offense, in which he showed great range and received quite a bit of praise from his coaches. A former 1st round pick out of UCLA, Thomas got off to a great start last season but was inconsistent and also missed 4 games due to injury. Now entering his 3rd year, he has matured, is coming off a strong camp, and may be poised for a breakout season. The Falcons offensive line looks very shaky as 49ers LBs were able to sack Michael Vick 3 times last week in the first half alone, so Thomas and the Rams may have similar success this week. Vick has admitted to struggling with the new west coast offense being implemented and he played poorly last week with 2 fumbles and an INT, so OC Gregg Knapp will make some adjustments this week to try and get him back on track. The Falcons will want to hold onto the ball to keep the Rams offense off the field, so that could mean lots of rushing attempts from Dunn, Duckett, and Vick and plenty of opportunities for Thomas.

DB Jay Bellamy, New Orleans (vs San Francisco)
Bellamy had great production last week (8 solo, 1 asst, 1 FF) against the Seahawks, whose offense revolved mainly around Shaun Alexander and the running game. This week, Bellamy gets to play at home versus the 49ers, who abandoned the run last week and attempted 46 passes. Expect Barlow to get more than 19 carries this week, but if the 49ers are as bad as most people think they should be throwing a lot in the second half of many games this season. The Saints front 4 should be able to generate a lot of pressure on Dorsey, who will be making his first career NFL start, and if he were to throw a few INTs it would not surprise anybody.

DB Matt Bowen, Washington (@ NY Giants)
This might seem like an obvious choice to many based on the huge week Bowen had against the Buccaneers last week (8 solo, 2 sacks, 1 FF). However, there are plenty out there who probably consider his big week a fluke and are thinking about benching him against the Giants. That would probably be a mistake, however, because the Eagles safety tandem of Michael Lewis and Brian Dawkins racked up 16 solo tackles combined against the Giants last week. After going down by two TDs in the 2nd quarter, the Giants were forced to give up on the running game early and wound up with only 23 rushing attempts to 37 pass attempts. If the Redskins can get out to an early lead behind the running of Portis, expect a similar result. Bowen had a solid year in 2003, and is now playing the coveted SS spot in Gregg Williams' new defense. MLB Michael Barrow is questionable and Lavar Arrington is probably with knee injuries, so Bowen is a key player, and Warner is always capable of putting up a 4 INT day at any moment.

Magaw's Strong Starts

DL Chike Okeafor, Seattle (@ Tampa Bay)
Okeafor could have a career year, and should better his total of 8 sacks in '03. He got 2 solos, an assist and a sack week one against the Saints, and now gets to go against the reeling Bucs. Their O-Line looked positively turnstile-like against the withering pass rushing pressure of the Redskins. The NFL is a copycat league, and until they can get RB Charlie Garner untracked and dissuade opposing defenses from continual blitzing, they will face more of the same. Good looking rookie Michael Clayton might be the Bucs best WR... but he is still a rookie. Chike could be the chief beneficiary of the Grant Wistrom addition. Though he didn't do much in the box score, the threat of his presence should mean less double teams. The maturation of the secondary (Trufant, Hamlin and Boulware could be stars) could buy him some time to make a few extra sacks in 2004. The Seahawks could enjoy playing with a big lead often this year... a pass rushing DEs best friend.

DL Bryce Fisher, St. Louis (@ Atlanta)
Fisher is still flying under the radar of many IDP players. He is pretty much of an unknown commodity as All-Pro Leonard Little rightly will get the bulk of attention from opposing game plans. Fisher actually did very well in limited action last season... ex-Ram was featured much more heavily in the DE rotation. On a prorated basis, if you extrapolate what he might be capable of in a full time stint, he could put up some pleasantly surprising numbers. With Wistrom moving on to division arch-rivals, he should be on the field a lot more... he had a very nice line of 3 solos, 2 assists, 1 sack and 1 FF. Third rounder Tony Hargrove looks like a bonafide pass rushing prospect, but concerns that he might cut into Fisher's time substantially may have been premature and exaggerated.

LB - Akin Ayodele, Jacksonville (Denver)
It appears that concerns that Ayodele would be shifted to DE or moved to SLB to accomodate stud second rounder and star of training camp, Daryl Smith, were baseless and unfounded. He lined up at WLB while Smith lined up at SLB... Ayodele also gets to put his hand on the ground in third down, obvious passing situations. Coming off a breakthrough season in which he collected almost 100 solos, he shot out of the gate fast with 9 solos, 2 assists and a FF... he actually out-soloed MLB Mike Peterson. With possibly the best DT tandem in the NFL in front of them, keeping them clean from blockers and freeing them up to roam sideline-to-sideline and fly to the ball carrier, Ayodele and Peterson could both approach or even surpass the 100 solo tackle threshold. Boilermaker defenders seem to be increasingly popular these days... they run a sophisticated, pro-like defense, giving them a headstart over less prepared young defenders originating from more rudimentary systems.

LB - Julian Peterson, San Francisco (@ New Orleans)
Maybe the 49rs offense should have held out during the offseason, too. Peterson not only looked no worse for the wear from the catchup he had to do from his extended absence, he lit up the box score with one of the best lines of the opening week... 5 solos, 2 sacks and 2 FFs. He is simply one of the best athletes in the NFL, once lining up at OLB, CB, Safety and DE... all in the same game. HC Dennis Erickson has to know he isn't going to win many games on offense. San Francisco's only chance and hope is to turn their best defensive playmakers (guys like Peterson, Jamie Winborn, Tony Parrish and Andre Carter) loose, try and force turnovers, create momentum with game-changing plays, put the offense on their heels, and keep games close into the second half and fourth quarter (pretty much the recipe against the Falcons... they almost eeked out a win). The rare SLB with the athleticism to excel in spite of the scoring challenges presented by his position.

DB - Mike Minter, Carolina (@ Kansas City)
The Panthers interior D-Line got uncharacteristically blown off the ball by the Packers in the opening stanza of the MNF season. With the Chiefs faced with hardcore injury issues with their WR corps (Morton not at full strength, Boerigter out, promising TE receiving weapon and second rounder Kris Wilson out at least half the season), they might decide to run the ball predominantly, especially if they get an early lead... which looks increasingly likely with the Panther's looking like their O-Line is in disarray, not being able to get their signature smashmouth running game untracked, and speed merchant and #1 offensive threat Steve Smith shelved indefinitely. MLB Morgan and SS Minter could get 20 tackles between them.

DB - Antoine Winfield, Minnesota (@ Philadelphia)
Is the 5'9" 180 free agent CB prize and former Bill the best pound-for-pound tackler in the league... or is he the best pound-for-pound tackler in the league? Though legitimate questions arose about whether his numbers would take a significant dip now that he was working out of a different system and scheme, the ex-Buckeye proved the old adage that players make plays. He put up a ridiculous 10 solo tackles and 2 FFs... those are Ray Lewis-type numbers. McNabb may not throw the ball 50 times like Testaverde did on last Sunday, but Winfield's huge Viking debut has to get your attention. If he keeps this up, he may not just be outscoring safeties, but even many LBs on a regular basis. Always keep your eyes open for DBs that can score for you like an extra LB consistently. There aren't many of them so they should be easy to find... having the luxury of starting what amounts to an extra LB on a weekly basis can confer a decided advantage. Winfield may be a real missing piece to the puzzle for that defense, and for the whole team. Moss and Culpepper will of course get the pub if they make a Super Bowl push, but defensive improvement is a focal point of their team mission in 2004.

Rudnicki's Weak Starts

DL Patrick Kerney, Atlanta (vs St Louis)
Kerney had a big game last week (3 solo, 1 asst, 5 PD) and was the 6th highest scoring DL, but his numbers were likely inflated by the matchup with the 49ers. With Barlow and the running game not having much success, the 49ers turned to their inexperienced QB tandem who threw 46 passes combined. Kerney and his 6'5" frame was then able to take advantage of LT Kwame Harris repeatedly, and he wound up with 5 PD, which is already 1 more than his previous career high. This week, Kerney gets a much tougher matchup against Orlando Pace and the Rams. Pace is one of the best pass blocking LTs in the game - if not the best - and he looked pretty good last week despite holding out for all of the preseason. Pace was matched up with the Cardinals' best pass rusher in Bertrand Berry and limited him to just 2 solo tackles, so expect Kerney to have similar struggles this week.

DL Grant Wistrom, Seattle (@ Tampa Bay)
Wistrom was ranked by many as a top-20 DL this season, but he had a rough start against the Saints in week 1 (0 solo, 1 asst, 2 PD). Even though Wistrom struggled to put up stats, his linemates actually did very well so it is possible that the Saints protection schemes were sliding over to his side of the field. Wistrom was held back throughout the preseason by some nagging injuries and may need more time simply to adjust to his new surroundings and new scheme. As the best DL on the Seahawks roster, he'll likely continue to draw a lot of attention from opposing teams. The matchup against Tampa is less favorable because the Bucs are coming off a week that saw them run the ball just 14 times, which doesn't provide a whole lot of tackle opportunities. Wistrom has faced new Bucs LT Derrick Deese plenty of times in the past when they played for the Rams and 49ers, respectively, but Deese has consistently got the best of him holding Wistrom to just 6.5 fantasy points in the last 3 meetings combined.

LB Andra Davis, Cleveland (@ Dallas)
Davis established himself as a huge fantasy presence last season with 96 solo tackles and 5 sacks, and he continued to show some big play ability with an INT in week 1 against the Ravens. However, the matchup against the Cowboys does not look very favorable for several reasons. Vikings LBs only accounted for 25% of the IDP points scored against the Cowboys last week, while the Vikings DBs racked up 59% of the points. The Cowboys are looking like a team that is going to struggle running the ball this year, and will have to rely heavily on the arm of Testaverde and a talented group of WRs. The Browns also look weak in the secondary, so expect the Cowboys to attack them through the air and attempt to avoid Davis.

LB Lavar Arrington, Washington (@ Giants)
Last week, Eagles LBs only accounted for 9 solo tackles and 21% of total IDP points allowed when matched up against the Giants offense. Arrington had a strong outing in his first start at WLB (4 solo, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 PD), but he's now on the injury report with a knee problem. Expect the Redskins offense to control this game and keep the Giants offense off the field. The Giants will continue to struggle running the ball, and that will mean very few long sustained drives for Arrington to make an impact. He's a dominant player who may come up with a huge play or two, but it seems unlikely that he'll be able to rack up big tackle numbers this week.

DB Sean Taylor, Washington (@ Giants)
The Redskins caught a lot of fantasy owners by surprise last week when Sean Taylor came off the bench and Andre Lott got the start at FS instead. The Washington Post recently reported that Taylor will not start again this week, so it's probably best to leave him on your bench for now until he earns the starting job. Many of us expected huge numbers right away from the highest drafted safety ever, and he looked great in the preseason, but apparently Joe Gibbs, Gregg Williams and the Redskins coaches are taking a slower approach with him and letting him adjust before throwing him right into the line of fire. As with Arrington, I expect the Redskins to have a heavy advantage in time of possession, which would leave fewer opportunities for the Giants offense. The Giants will likely be throwing often in the 2nd half - and Taylor has a good chance to get his first INT against Warner or Eli - but the risk of him not getting much playing time is too hard to ignore.

DB Ed Reed, Baltimore (vs Pittsburgh)
My first repeat selection. Reed is a player that is probably one of the top-3 most talented safeties in the league, but his undeniable talent doesn't always translate into fantasy success. His stats suffer for 2 big reasons: (a) he plays behind a great group of LBs, including the best run stuffer in the league in Ray Lewis, and (b) the Ravens love to take advantage of his coverage ability and don't often ask him to line up as the prototypical in-the-box SS. His big play potential is through the roof, so if you can afford to start him every week, eventually it will pay off for you with some huge numbers. But, the problem is that he won't rack up enough tackles to perform consistently as a fantasy starter and he'll often score well below the other studs at the position. He's coming off a mediocre week (3 solo, 1 asst) against a mediocre offense, and I expect more of the same against the Steelers this week.

Magaw's Weak Starts

DL Kevin Williams, Minnesota (@ Philadelphia)
A few reasons many were so high on Williams may turn out to be misplaced. While he did lead all rookie D-Linemen (and all rookie defenders, for that matter) last season with 11 sacks, many of those were accumulated while he was still at DE, before being shifted to DT. Another old saw is that he and DT Chris Hovan will form a dynamic duo, and make each other better. His 1 tackle and 1 assist made for one more tackle than Hovan got... OUCH! Udeze has the look of a budding superstar, but he could struggle initially, and may not be able to deflect much O-Line attention at first. Even if the Vikings interior D-Line disappoints, they still could end up exceeding expectations through the massive infusion of talent in the form of Udeze, Winfield, E.J. Henderson and Dontarrious Thomas. McNabb has great pocket sense, is very mobile, and is learning to distribute the ball to his playmakers (Terrell Owens, Brian Westbrook, L.J. Smith, etc.), ala Steve Young, which could make him a difficult sack.

DL Jason Taylor, Miami (@ Cincinnati)
A lone tackle was all he could muster in the disastrous Titans game. Ironically, much was made of the fact that O-Gun may not have been worth as much as he thought and was asking for, but rather was the product of Taylor's presence opposite him as a bookend fearsome edge rushing presence. This could of course work both ways, but it was rarely discussed or seemingly considered before Sunday that O-Gun may have had an impact on Taylor's stats, too (Taylor admittedly has had some tremendous seasons long before O-Gun was around). Until new offensive weapons Feeley, Gordon and Booker begin to mesh and click with their new team-mates (football is a team game, very dependent on intricate, synchronized movements and precise timing between many players spread out across the field, running through and around each other), the Dolphins could be behind a lot, especially early in the season... fans hope they aren't offensive, in the bad sense and meaning. If behind a lot, the Dolphins can expect a lot of running plays, and the book on Taylor is to neutralize his Ferrari-like speed and agility by running right down his throat.

LB Chris Draft, Atlanta (vs St. Louis)
It was only one game, but amidst the celebration in the wake of the victory over the lowly 49rs, loomed the specter of just 1 tackle and 1 assist in the box score from the teams starting MLB... that is two consecutive plays for Antoine Winfield. Draft played WLB last season, and maybe has room for improvement as he gets acclimated to his new role. Tempering enthusiasm for his prospects are whispers that too many of his 105 solos in '03 were made 10 yards downfield (the Falcons were statistically one of the worst defenses in the NFL), and that he wasn't MLB material and won't hold up. He could also be in a weakened condition... he missed time on several occasions in the pre-season with severe asthma complications.

LB Jay Foreman, Houston (@ Detroit)
Although his athleticism has been called into question (interestingly, he is the son of former Viking RB Chuck Foreman and has NFL genes), he has been about as steady as they come since making his way from the Bills to the Texans in the expansion draft. He has logged an average of 107 solos the past two seasons, playing alongside top 5 LB Jamie Sharper. One material change that seems to have been identified already is that he leaves the field on third down, passing situations and makes way for Kailee Wong, partly to get 3-4 OLB Antwan Peek and more overall team speed on the field. Too early to hit the panic button, but the uncharacteristic 2 solos (he did amass a nice 5 assists) could be a precursor to a yellow alert. Being off the field on passing situations isn't the same as being off the field a third of the time... not all third downs are passing situations, some are third and short. So there is hope that his stats don't take a huge hit. But how minimal a hit will have to be observed closely in the coming weeks.

DB Terence Newman, Dallas (Cleveland)
1 solo tackle doesn't breed a lot optimism, but he did average more than 4 solos per game last year (69 in 16 games). With opposite CB Pete Hunter and SS Tony Dixon being weak links in coverage, savvy veteran QB Jeff Garcia of the Browns is expected to look in their direction, and give his passes a wide berth from Newman, one of the fastest players in the NFL... INT opps could be fleeting. Newman is a lockdown-type cover CB that blankets his assigned WR man-to-man. Cover Two CBs like those found in Tampa Bay, Indianapolis and St Louis generate more consistent tackle totals, for identifiable reasons that have been well documented here.

DB Ed Reed, Baltimore (Pittsburgh)
As if it wasn't bad enough that Reed has to scrap over tackles with the likes of ILBs Ray Lewis and Edgerton Hartwell, now it looks like last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year Terrell Suggs is emerging as a well-rounded talent. The former collegiate DE looked pretty raw as a LB in '03, though he elicited no such questions about his pass rushing prowess. Top pick (in second round, due to Boller trade) DE Dwan Edwards could also stiffen the run defense, and eliminate a few more loosies that formerly slipped through the cracks and found their way to Reed. Now that opposing ball carriers may find it easier to breach a Level Four Bio-Hazard Containment Facility than Lewis and company, Reed may need INTs to rain down on him like a hurricane to compensate for playing behind the tackle hogging, Madden Football cover boy. And the Steelers seem to have rediscovered their smashmouth nature, after misplacing or forgetting it last year, which could afford fewer passes, and INT opps from the at times scatter-armed Pittsburgh QB Tommy Maddox.