When picking your starters each week, one thing that must be considered is the matchups. We've taken each game and broken down the matchups for you here. PLEASE NOTE: This does NOT replace the Cheatsheet ranking. The Cheatsheet rankings are the final say on where we see a player for that week. The Matchup Breakdowns are simply one more tool in the box when it comes to helping choose your lineup. Also note, just because a player has a "bad" matchup, it does NOT mean he's not a starter in your league. If Peyton Manning is playing the toughest pass defense in the league, he's got a tough matchup that week. He's also your starter unless you're sitting on Kurt Warner or Jeff Garcia. Let's jump to it. Great Matchups � Defenses will have major problems with the offense in these games New England Passing Game vs Kansas City Defense (Great Matchup) The Chiefs were surprisingly mediocre (surprising because they were thought of as a poor defense) in 2001 as they ranked 13th in passing yards allowed, 19th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 15th in wide receiver points allowed, and 13th in tight end fantasy points allowed. So far in 2002, they have been horrendous (ranked 31st in passing yards allowed). Consider that their opponents (a Kelly Holcomb led Cleveland and a rebuilding Jacksonville) weren't exactly passing juggernauts, and there is much cause for concern in Kansas City. Corners William Bartee and Eric Warfield are both big physical players but they will likely struggle against the speed of the New England WRs. Both are 6' 0" + but neither have the quickness needed. And there's not much depth behind them which New England will likely exploit in multiple WR sets. QB Tom Brady enters the game with 5 TDs and 1 Interception. He seems to very much be enjoying his new weapons Donald Hayes and Deion Branch to team with Troy Brown and David Patten. Troy Brown is still garnering the majority of the targets with Patten close behind. But teams ignore Deion Branch at their own peril as he's already logged 2 TDs for the year. TE Cam Cleeland is a nice story but there are two other TEs besides Cleeland that see action. Basically, the Patriots have more weapons than the Chiefs can defend. Unless they decide to pound the ball on the ground, I see this as a great matchup for New England. San Diego Passing Game vs Arizona Defense (Great Matchup) Arizona finished the 2001 season ranked 21st in passing yards allowed. Even worse, they finished 25th in quarterback fantasy points allowed and 24th in both wide receiver and tight end fantasy points allowed. Although it is still early in the 2002 season, it appears the Cardinals have not solved their defensive problems as they currently rank 30th in passing yards allowed. They are now on pace to allow well over 5000 passing yards this season. Arizona showed in week 1 that they bring out the best in offenses. San Diego's Drew Brees will look to be the recipient of that treatment this week. He'll focus on WR Curtis Conway who leads the team with 6 targets per game. That should tell you right there this team is about RB LaDainian Tomlinson. The Chargers will win with great defense and a running game. Tim Dwight is the other WR and is too up and down for most FF owners. Stephen Alexander is Questionable with a concussion but hasn't been a factor even when healthy. The Cardinals corners are David Barrett and Duane Starks. Starks was a big free agent signing from Baltimore and is certainly the best defender but he's not quite lived up to the billing thus far. He may get more comfortable in the system. Arizona doesn't generate a great pass rush so the secondary is under pressure. But again, this team is about RB Tomlinson. Chicago Passing Game vs New Orleans Defense (Great Matchup) The Saints finished a disappointing 2001 ranked 20th in passing yards allowed, 27th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 21st in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 31st in tight end fantasy points allowed. New Orleans has not improved the pass defense for the 2002 season as they are ranked 28th in passing yards allowed. This secondary's been very exploitable but might be better this week as starting CB Fred Thomas hopes to be able to play with a soft cast on his hand. They certainly need him. Michael Hawthorne will cover the other side and at 6' 3" has way above average height for a CB although he lacks quickness and experience. If Thomas isn't ready, Ken Irvin will start in his place again. They gave up 270 yards and 2 TDs to Brett Favre last week which I guess isn't terrible considering it's Favre, but they're obviously nothing special. For Chicago, WR Marty Booker is averaging 11 targets per game and is clearly Jim Miller's #1 guy. If he draws Hawthorne in coverage, he could have a field day with the inexperienced cornerback. Hawthorne has a size advantage over Booker, but that's about it. Dez White is seeing plenty of looks as the #2 WR but it seems clear that Booker is the man. He might struggle if Thomas is ok to play at Corner. David Terrell makes the most of his few receptions but he's a roll of the dice and Marcus Robinson is having a tough time with not enough passes thrown his way. Carolina Passing Game vs Minnesota Defense (Great Matchup) The Vikings were surprisingly average (#17) in passing yards allowed last year. They posted similar rankings in quarterback fantasy points allowed (#17), wide receiver fantasy points allowed (#20), and tight end fantasy points allowed (#12). So far this season, you're looking at the worst pass defense in the NFL (last in passing yards allowed). Cornerback Corey Chavous is a decent player but is better against the run. Tyrone Carter was a Safety going into this season and he has moved ahead of Eric Kelly at other Corner. He's small at 5' 8" and simply doesn't have the cover skills needed at Corner. Throw in the fact that Minnesota doesn't bring much of a pass rush and it's a scary situation for Viking Fans. But for Rodney Peete owners, it's a strong matchup. The Ageless Wonder might not carry your team every week, but his matchups won't get much easier than this. WR Muhsin Muhammad is his WR of choice. He'll likely match up with Chavous in coverage which means Steve Smith will be the lucky player to draw Carter. Like Peete, Steve Smith might not be an every week starter but if you've been considering him, now is the time. He is averaging 5.5 targets per game. TE Wesley Walls and Kris Magnum both saw 3 targets last week and that's enough to muddy the TE waters there. Green Bay Passing Game vs Detroit Defense (Great Matchup) Detroit does not possess a quality defense. Their 2001 numbers include finishing 25th in passing yards allowed, 31st in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 27th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 23rd in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Lions are faring no better this year and rank 27th in passing yards allowed. Even worse, the two quarterbacks they have faced are Jay Fiedler and Rodney Peete. Experience is good. But 25 years of experience between 2 Cornerbacks is too much. Eric Davis and Todd Lyght are past their prime and should struggle to contain the Packer passing attack. Green Bay Offensive Right Tackle Mark Tauscher is out for the year and Robert Porcher is a strong pass rusher so they'll have to contend with that. But this is a bad defense that Brett Favre should light up. WR Terry Glenn is definitely becoming more involved in the passing game. Favre threw his way 11 times last week and clearly has confidence in him. Donald Driver is seeing plenty of balls thrown his way as well. Both of these guys have the speed to get deep. TE Bubba Franks and David Martin had 7 targets between them Sunday but neither player is standing out enough on their own. This is about as good as matchups get. Minnesota Passing Game vs Carolina Defense (Good Matchup) In 2001, Carolina was 26th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 23rd in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, 20th in tight end fantasy points allowed, and 27th in passing yards allowed. At the moment, the Panthers are the 3rd best defense in passing yards allowed. Don't fall in love though as their two opponents have been Baltimore and Detroit. Could a schedule be any easier? That'll change this week when Minnesota takes the field. Cornerbacks Terry Cousin and Reggie Howard are both suspect and will be tested. Cousin is small at 5' 9" - 184 but he does have good quickness. Reggie Howard will cover the other corner and he's just not very good. Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss are sure starters every week. But this week it's a no brainer. They should dominate this Carolina team who hasn't faced an offense remotely like the Vikings. D'Wayne Bates and Derrick Alexander will see plenty of action too. Alexander was a very active target in last week's game. TE Jimmy Kleinsasser is out with a broken leg and Byron Chamberlain is Questionable with a knee. If he can't go, Hunter Goodwin will likely get the start. Good Matchups � Defenses will struggle to stop the offense in these games Denver Passing Game vs Buffalo Defense (Good Matchup) The 2001 season saw Buffalo ranked 12th in passing yards allowed, 24th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 17th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 28th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Bills' numbers have sagged a bit (20th in passing yards allowed) so far this season. Buffalo Cornerbacks Antoine Winfield and Nate Clements gave up a ton of yards to Minnesota last week but that's not news. Both former first round picks from Ohio State can cover and the Bills defense will match up much better with Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey and QB Brian Griese. QB Brian Griese will continue to play within himself without trying to win every game himself. He's got a talented surrounding cast and just needs to do his part. And a good bit of that part is handing the ball off to his RBs. WRs Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey are off to slow starts yardage wise with 69 and 61 yards respectively for the year. The guy I like in this matchup is TE Shannon Sharpe who could do some significant damage roaming the middle of the field. Buffalo ranks # 31 in Fantasy Points allowed to a TE. Miami Passing Game vs NY Jets Defense (Good Matchup) The excellent Jets pass defense ranked 5th in passing yards allowed, 2nd in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 2nd in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 21st in tight end fantasy points allowed. Things have started off poorly in 2002 as New York is ranked 26th in passing yards allowed. Thus far, they've made Drew Bledsoe and Tom Brady look very impressive. We'll see what the surprising Jay Fiedler can do. Fiedler has 5 passing TDs so far (plus 1 rushing TD) and a QB rating of 123.8. The Jets feature Cornerbacks Donnie Abraham and Aaron Beasley who are both new to the Jets this year. They're solid Corners but this Cover 2 Defense has clearly shown itself to be vulnerable. Free Safety Damien Robinson is listed as Doubtful with a groin injury and that will hurt. Fiedler obviously benefits greatly from RB Ricky Williams. Williams will demand attention from the Jets Safeties which could benefit WRs Chris Chambers and Oronde Gadsden. The Jets gave up 65+ yards to 3 different Patriot WRs last week so this has to be a matchup to take note of. Of the receivers though, I still like TE Randy McMichael. He's averaging 4.5 targets per game and could very well turn some heads Sunday. Cincinnati Passing Game vs Atlanta Defense (Good Matchup) The 2001 Falcons were the 30th ranked defense in passing yards allowed and nearly as badly in quarterback fantasy points allowed (#29) and wide receiver fantasy points allowed (#28). Atlanta did, however, show moderate success in finishing 15th in tight end fantasy points allowed. After two games the 2002 Atlanta defense may be an improved version as they are 16th best in passing yards allowed. Of course one opponent was Chicago, so this may be a tad misleading. This week, the Falcons face Gus Frerotte fighting to keep his starting job. There isn't a Bengal WR that's consistent - Chad Johnson and Michael Westbrook were the popular targets for week 2. In week 1, it was Peter Warrick and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. None of these players are reliable enough to start in anything but the largest of leagues. Without CB Ray Buchanon, the Falcons used Juran Bolden paired with Ashley Ambrose. Ambrose is a solid player but Bolden is extremely green and should be picked on. The question will be whether Frerotte can find the time and the accuracy and the receiver to pick on anyone. I'm steering clear of all Bengals in the passing game. Cleveland Passing Game vs Tennessee Defense (Good Matchup) The Titans pass defense was abysmal in 2001. It ranked 31st in passing yards allowed, 30th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 31st in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 16th in tight end fantasy points allowed. Improvement has been shown thus far in 2002 with a ranking of 17th in passing yards allowed. However, they let Quincy Carter look like a decent starting quarterback so there is still much room for improvement in Tennessee. Tennessee has troubles at Cornerback with Samari Rolle looking like nothing special and Andre Dyson battling a hamstring injury. If Dyson can't go, it'll likely be Mike Echols and Dainon Sydney and both of those guys are a significant downgrade from Dyson. Cleveland Coach Butch Davis is being incredibly coy about naming his starter at QB: "I think what we'll probably do is wait for the winner of the Middle Tennessee State-Kentucky game," joked Davis, referring to his quarterbacks' alma maters who'll play on Saturday in Lexington. "And the winner of that game, the other guy gets to start." By that standard, we'd see Holcomb but I have to think it'll really be Couch that starts. Whoever is at QB, Kevin Johnson will be the primary target at WR. Quincy Morgan will be the # 2 WR but he's been too inconsistent to put much faith in. If you're really wanting to roll the dice, look at Andre Davis with his 2 TDs. He was targeted 6 times last week. TE Mark Campbell was very involved in last week's passing attack as well. Atlanta Passing Game vs Cincinnati Defense (Good Matchup) Cincinnati finished the 2001 season ranked 14th in passing yards allowed, 20th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 26th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 6th in tight end fantasy points allowed. Although they are ranked 7th in passing yards allowed, facing Kelly Holcomb and Drew Brees isn't exactly murderer's row. They have good numbers for now, but the Bengals haven't faced a quality quarterback. They'll face one this week. Mike Vick brings his exciting style of scrambling and pure athleticism to this game and the Bengals defense may not be up to the task. Corners Artrell Hawkins and Jeff Burris are decent but nothing special. Linebackers Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons will keep things interesting for Vick. WR Brian Finneran leads the team in receiving yards with just 96 over 2 games. That's got to improve. Willie Jackson will see time too but the best receiver might just be TE Alge Crumpler. He was targeted 4 times last week and that might improve. Neutral Matchups � The Defense and Offense are fairly evenly matched in these games Houston Passing Game vs Indianapolis Defense (Neutral Matchup) Last season, Indianapolis ranked 28th in passing yards allowed, 28th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 29th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 18th in tight end fantasy points allowed. As the 14th ranked defense in passing yards allowed, there seems to be some improvement for the Colts in 2002. Houston proved to Dallas in week 1 that you'd better not take them lightly. I doubt the Colts coming off a loss last week will be guilty of that. Tony Dungy's Cover 2 defense doesn't include a great amount of blitzing but I'd be surprised if he doesn't mirror San Diego's game plan and throw everything at rookie QB David Carr. Carr was sacked 8 times last week in a game where he threw for 87 yards and 2 Interceptions. The blood is in the water for how to stop this offense. The Colts will go with Corners David Macklin and Walt Harris. Harris is a decent player but Macklin is a little sketchy. WR Corey Bradford is the best receiver although Jabar Gaffney is getting plenty of targets from Carr. Bradford is averaging 7 targets while Gaffney is averaging 6 passes per game. Jermaine Lewis hasn't been much of a factor since dropping the wide open TD pass in week 1. TE Billy Lewis wasn't a factor last week and we don't see a lot for him this week although he did catch a TD in week 1. Buffalo Passing Game vs Denver Defense (Neutral Matchup) Denver finished 2001 as the 16th ranked defense in passing yards allowed, 15th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 25th ranked defense in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 7th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The Broncos have faced a pair of outstanding passing attacks (St. Louis and San Francisco) already this season and currently rank 24th in passing yards allowed. However, they have allowed only a single passing TD in 2002. Holding Kurt Warner and Jeff Garcia to a total of one throwing score is an amazing feat. They're featuring Cornerbacks Deltha O'Neal and Denard Walker who are both solid players. O'Neal's a risk taker which makes him susceptible to the big play but also makes him a tough guy to play against. Walker is more disciplined but doesn't move quite as well. Both are effective as evidenced by the results thus far. The Bills and Drew Bledsoe are one of the better stories of this young season. Bledsoe's doing all the right things and enters this week with 734 yards passing and 4 TDs. He's got 3 excellent WRs in Eric Moulds, Peerless Price and Josh Reed, and they'll all be on the field at the same time. Bledsoe is spreading the ball around to all 3 WRs with Reed having 12 targets last week, Moulds 13 and Price 16. This will be the toughest defense they've faced so far though so don't expect a repeat of the Minnesota game. Washington Passing Game vs San Francisco Defense (Neutral Matchup) The improving 49ers defense ranked 18th last season in passing yards allowed. The were average in quarterback fantasy points allowed and running back fantasy points allowed (ranking 16th and 18th respectively) but terrific (#3) in tight end fantasy points allowed. After two games this year, San Francisco sits as the 18th ranked defense is passing yards allowed. How's that for season-to-season consistency? The Redskins look to redeem themselves after a Monday Night shellacking at the hands of Philadelphia. Washington simply doesn't have the QB and the WR Corps to be consistently good with this offense. They're very much at the mercy of what the defense brings them. Against Arizona, they looked great. Against Philadelphia, they looked awful. I'm guessing San Francisco will be somewhere in between but closer to Philadelphia. San Francisco features two solid corners in Jason Webster and Ahmed Plummer. Rookie Mike Rumph has great size at 6' 2" 203 and is a vicious hitter. You may have seen the brutal shot he put on Ed McCaffrey last week. These guys can play and I wouldn't be surprised for the Washington passing game to struggle here. Rod Gardner is a quality player but his supporting cast of WRs just isn't there yet. Derrius Thompson and Kevin Lockett aren't consistently seeing enough passes to warrant consideration in most leagues and the Redskin TE is an afterthought. Tampa Bay Passing Game vs St. Louis Defense (Neutral Matchup) The Rams finished 2001 as the 10th ranked defense in passing yards allowed. They were 8th best in tight end fantasy points allowed, 7th best in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 13th in quarterback fantasy points allowed. St. Louis has not impressed thus far in 2002 as their pass defense is ranked 23rd in yards allowed. Tampa QB Brad Johnson will continue to spread the ball around. That's fine for Buccaneer fans but bad news for FF owners as no one receiver seems to be garnering enough passes to separate himself from the pack. Keyshawn Johnson is the # 1 WR but he continues to be allergic to the Endzone. Joe Jurevicius and Keenan McCardell are both excellent WRs and will steal plenty of passes. St. Louis Corners Aeneas Williams and Dre Bly are excellent. Williams is a 12 year vet and remains a huge part of this defense and can take any WR out of his game. Look for Dexter McCleon to see plenty of action at CB as well when the Bucs run multiple WR sets. All in all, we think the Rams will be effective in challenging the Tampa pass offense. San Francisco Passing Game vs Washington Defense (Neutral Matchup) Washington finished 2001 ranked 3rd in passing yards allowed, 3rd in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 5th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 2nd in tight end fantasy points allowed. After two games, the Redskins pass defense is an extremely disappointing 21st in passing yards allowed. After being top three last season (and adding Marvin Lewis as defensive coordinator), their 2002 effort has been abysmal. The 49ers will be looking to add to those numbers this week. Don't discount the bad feelings stemming from the preseason game where Coach Mariucci thought the Redskins and Steve Spurrier tried to show them up. There were numerous references back then of "wait 'till week 3". It's here now so we'll see if the 49er offense can get untracked. Terrell Owens has just 79 yards for 2 games so far. He needs to get going if he's to make 2,000 this year� J.J. Stokes and Tai Streets just aren't taking advantage of the "other" WR spot. TE Eric Johnson actually leads the team in receptions and yards. Washington's secondary has not lived up to it's billing. More specifically, CB Fred Smoot has not lived up to his mouth. Champ Bailey's been solid but Smoot has been repeatedly turned around. Smoot will likely be lined up on Stokes or Streets with Bailey plus Safety help rolling over the top on Owens. It's been effective so far, but look for Owens to find a way to get in the endzone again. He's a sure starter. New York Giant Passing Game vs Seattle Defense (Neutral Matchup) The Seahawks finished the 2001 season ranked 22nd in passing yards allowed, 23rd in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 19th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 17th in tight end fantasy points allowed. So far this season Seattle is the 4th rated defense is passing yards allowed. Of course this is likely because they are absolutely terrible at stopping the run. QB Kerry Collins is playing as well as I've ever seen him play. He's made the comments that he finally feels like a leader on the team and he certainly looks the part. New York has an excellent trio of receivers in WRs Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard plus rookie TE Jeremy Shockey. Collins seems to be in synch with all these guys and is finding the open man. Seattle Corner Shawn Springs did an exceptional job shutting down Arizona's David Boston last week. He'll make the same effort this week against Amani Toomer. Ken Lucas will handle the other Corner and he's adequate. Hilliard could do some damage there. And Shockey will likely draw coverage from several different players, possibly opening things up for the WRs. Bottom line is that all these guys are worth a start likely in your league, especially Toomer and Shockey. New Orleans Passing Game vs Chicago Defense (Neutral Matchup) Chicago ranked a dismal 29th last season in passing yards allowed. However, they were much higher ranked in quarterback fantasy points allowed (#9), wide receiver fantasy points allowed (#4), and tight end fantasy points allowed (#11). The Bears have improved their standing thus far in 2002 and currently sit at 10th in passing yards allowed. QB Aaron Brooks will probably be contained with his scrambling but look for him to be effective in getting the ball to WRs Joe Horn, Jerome Pathon and rookie TD sensation Dont� Stallworth. Horn is clearly the go to guy but Brooks spreads the ball around to all 3 guys. Last week he threw 9 to Horn, 7 to Pathon and 4 to Stallworth. Chicago has some huge holes to fill on defense this week with starting CB R.W. McQuarters, DE Philip Daniels and DT Ted Washington all out. With CB Jerry Azumah on one side and 3rd year man Todd McMillon filling in for McQuarters, this is a secondary that New Orleans should be able to pick on. Azumah was a Running Back in college and is still not a polished CB. He'll give up 3 inches in height and almost 20 pounds to Joe Horn who could go off. McMillon is an even worse matchup on Stallworth or Pathon. TEs Boo Williams and David Sloan don't seem to be attracting much attention with Brooks having 3 excellent wideouts and I doubt that'll change. Tennessee Passing Game vs Cleveland Defense (Neutral Matchup) Cleveland's defense finished 2001 ranked 11th in passing yards allowed, 4th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 16th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 5th in tight end fantasy points allowed. Thus far in 2002, the Browns have taken a step back and now rank 22nd in passing yards allowed. The Browns are comfortable with their Cornerback play from Daylon McCutcheon and Corey Fuller. Neither are big but they play smart. If the Brown game plan involves trying to walk their Safeties up to stuff Eddie George, the Corners will be in single coverage and that could be good news for Derrick Mason and Kevin Dyson. Mason had 118 yards on 7 receptions last week. The biggest recipient of the Browns focusing on stopping the running game might be TE Frank Wycheck. He's still a huge part of this offense and was targeted 9 times last week. QB Steve McNair was limited this week in practice with a sore neck and shoulder but will likely be ok. Pay no attention to the Questionable ranking on the Injury report as Coach Jeff Fisher typically puts every injured player in that category. Arizona Passing Game vs San Diego Defense (Neutral Matchup) The Chargers defense faded over the 2nd half of the 2001 season to finish ranked 19th in passing yards allowed, 22nd in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 22nd in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 29th in tight end fantasy points allowed. After two weeks of football, San Diego has turned in the best passing defense in the NFL, as they currently are 1st in passing yards allowed. Of course any team facing the Bengals and the Texans should be no lower than 1st. They'll face a little tougher offense with Arizona this week. The Chargers play an aggressive Defense putting their corners in single coverage often. Alex Molden and Ryan McNeil are solid players there. Look for rookie holdout Quentin Jammer to start contributing soon. Strong Safety Rodney Harrison is doubtful with a groin pull so that's a negative. The Cardinal's passing game is all about Jake Plummer to David Boston. Boston's averaging 12 targets per game with Martay Jenkins following with an average of 4. Free Agent acquisition TE Freddie Jones has been invisible but the Cardinals are vowing to get him a lot more involved. I don't see it this week as Jones' former team is #1 in the league in Fantasy Points Allowed to TEs. Indianapolis Passing Game vs Houston Defense (Neutral Matchup) So far in the 2002 season, the expansion Texans are the 2nd best defense in passing yards allowed. On the surface this is an amazing accomplishment until you list the quarterbacks they have faced: Quincy Carter and Drew Brees. Any defense should excel against quarterbacks that green. Houston will see a different caliber of passing game this week with Manning and the Colts. Look for those defense ranking numbers to be different after this game. Aaron Glenn has 2 Interceptions in 2 games but he'll be tested here. He doesn't have the size but he's a smart and quick player. Not a shutdown type guy for sure, but very good. 7th year man Marcus Coleman will handle the other Corner and has great size at 6' 2" and 210. He doesn't have the speed or quickness of Glenn though. The trouble with Indianapolis is that they bring 3 quality WRs and that means Kenny Wright will likely be forced into coverage often and he's shaky. It'll be interesting to see how the Corners match up with the WRs. Marvin Harrison is clearly the go to WR with 16 targets last week. He'll likely see both Glenn and Coleman. Qadry Ismail seems to unofficially be the #2 WR as he saw 10 targets last week vs 5 for Reggie Wayne. Ismail clearly struggles with the physical bump at the line and was nearly helpless when Sam Madison covered him last week. He'll have an easier time this week. If Ismail can matchup with Kenny Wright, that's great news for the Colts. TE Marcus Pollard is listed as Questionable with his ribs but its' starting to look more optimistic there. Manning says he expects to have him there. And of course you can't forget that Edgerrin James is a great target out of the backfield. Tough Matchups � Defenses should be able to contain the offense in these games Philadelphia Passing Game vs Dallas Defense (Tough Matchup) The Dallas pass defense finished the 2001 season ranked 1st in passing yards allowed, 10th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 9th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 25th in tight end fantasy points allowed. The numbers are a bit off in 2002 (9th in passing yards allowed), and the opening game with Houston was a definitely disappointing against Rookie QB David Carr. With the release of veteran Corner Bryant Westbrook, 3rd year man Duane Hawthorne is the starter. At 176 pounds, he's awfully small and could be picked on. Mario Edwards at 6' 0" - 190 is a more solid player but still nothing special. Tennessee's Derrick Mason caught 7 passes for 118 yards last week against them. The Eagles are most definitely a pass first team and WR James Thrash is McNabb's favorite WR target. Thrash is averaging 8 targets a game while Todd Pinkston and Antonio Freeman are also seeing plenty of action too. Any of these three WR are subject to doing well against this defense but Thrash is easily the favorite right now. RB Duce Staley leads the team in receptions with 12 for 104 yards and 1 TD. TE Chad Lewis watched fellow TE Jeff Thomason catch 2 passes including a TD last week. Lewis went from 8 targets in week 1 to just 3 last week. We're not ready to abandon the Lewis ship but it's something we're definitely watching. New York Jets Passing Game vs Miami Defense (Tough Matchup) The Dolphins were excellent in 2001 finishing 2nd in passing yards allowed last season. They also were successful in ranking 5th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 8th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 19th in tight end fantasy points allowed. In 2002, Miami ranks as the 25th defense in passing yards allowed. This is certainly below par for this usually high-ranking squad. Cornerbacks Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison are two of the best in the game. They're ultra physical players and while their aggressive man to man coverage is dangerous, they also have the capability to shut down a WR. Anyone who doubts that didn't watch the Miami - Indianapolis game last week where Sam Madison absolutely destroyed Qadry Ismail with physical play at the line. When Surtain injured his knee, Madison switched to covering Marvin Harrison and Ismail finally started catching passes regularly beating backup CB Jamar Fletcher. Surtain is listed as Questionable with the knee so watch that closely. If he can go, all the Jets WRs and QB Vinny Testeverde will slide down. But it's looking like Surtain may sit so if Fletcher is in, that's great news for the Jets. Testeverde did not look good against New England. It was the 3rd quarter before he completed a pass to his WRs. That's ugly. Much of that can be attributed to New England though and Bill Belichick. Although choosing between Belichick's schemes and the physical play of the Miami CBs isn't an easy choice. He may fare better this week but I don't think by much. WRs Laveranues Coles, Wayne Chrebet and Santana Moss have been major disappointments thus far and I don't look for them to change that this week. Although Moss is a home run style hitter and always has a chance to go deep especially against man coverage. TE Anthony Becht is averaging 5 targets per game and leading the team with 8 catches for 69 yards and 2 TDs and at this point, is New York's most effective receiver. Seattle Passing Game vs NY Giants Defense (Tough Matchup) The Giants finished 24th in passing yards allowed last year, 21st in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 30th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 14th in tight end fantasy points allowed. New York was given no favors in their early season schedule as they have faced the 49ers and the Rams. Given their schedule, their ranking as the 19th best defense is passing yards allowed is a minor miracle. The Giants feature 3 Cornerbacks that are shaping up to be one of the better units in the league. Will Allen and Will Peterson are playing exceptionally well and Jason Sehorn is providing great help as the nickel back. They did a tremendous job on Terrell Owens in week 1 and held their own with Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce last week. Seattle QB Trent Dilfer returned last week and looked exceptional throwing an uncharacteristic 47 times. OT Walter Jones signed a 1 year contract this week and he's expected to contribute and possibly start. That'll help. Darrell Jackson and Koren Robinson are both attracting lots of targets their way. Jackson is the more talented player but both WRs will likely be held in check with this defense. Detroit Passing Game vs Green Bay Defense (Tough Matchup) Green Bay was 15th in passing yards allowed last season. Even better numbers were found at quarterback fantasy points allowed (#12), wide receiver fantasy points allowed (#3), and tight end fantasy points allowed (#9). After two weeks, the Packers passing defense is ranked 15th in yards allowed. This seems consistent with last season, but they are allowing more fantasy points to be scored at QB, WR, and TE. This game could be ugly. Green Bay brings a solid defense to Detroit. Corners Mike McKenzie and Tyrone Williams are very good. McKenzie can hold his own with anyone and the Packers put pressure on the QB. Joey Harrington makes his debut start in Detroit. Honestly, if your league uses negative points for interceptions, I'd probably rather start Rich Gannon this week at QB (on a bye) Az-Zahir Hakim is getting most of the looks with Larry Foster and a nicked up Bill Schroeder in the mix. I would steer clear of all these guys though at least until we see a little of what Harrington can do. Kansas City Passing Game vs New England Defense (Tough Matchup) The Patriots finished the 2001 season ranked 23rd in passing yards allowed, 14th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 14th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 26th in tight end fantasy points allowed. So far in 2002, this unit has tightened things up a little. They currently rank 12th in passing yards allowed. Cornerbacks Ty Law and Otis Smith are both veterans and are comfortable in the complex defensive schemes. This defense has smothered their first two opponents and this will be a serious test for Kansas City. Safeties Lawyer Milloy and Tebucky Jones are physical and opportunistic. You can't open the paper without everyone shouting Bill Belichick's Genius Status but truthfully, he's a master at dismantling an offense. Especially an offense that features a not so sure of himself QB. Trent Green would most definitely fit that bill. Green has just 2 TDs vs 3 Interceptions this season and has yet to look very comfortable in the pocket. He won't be comfortable this week. WRs Eddie Kennison is still Eddie Kennison so don't get excited. And Johnnie Morton continues to be a huge disappointment. The best receiver is of course TE Tony Gonzalez who is Probable with a dinged up wrist. He's a must start although this has to be considered a tough matchup for him. St. Louis Passing Game vs Tampa Bay Defense (Tough Matchup) The Tampa Bay pass defense came out of the 2001 season ranked 6th in passing yards allowed, 6th in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 13th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 4th in tight end fantasy points allowed. There's nothing like facing the Ravens to help pad the defensive statistics. After two games (the other against New Orleans), the Buccaneers are 11th best is passing yards allowed. With their schedule, that's a bit low for this unit. The Rams have struggled over the last 3 games and each defense has featured a similar type deep zone. Tampa's Cover 2 fits that profile and it'll be interesting to see if they have similar results. Mike Martz's "Genius Status" is being challenged here as teams have shown there is a way to combat the Rams offense. Should be interesting. Tampa Bay's CB Ronde Barber has developed into one of the better players in the game. With Corner Brian Kelly and Safety John Lynch, they're a solid unit. Even so, you just can't bench QB Kurt Warner or WRs Torry Holt or Isaac Bruce. Those guys are subject to going off at any time. Although you can't deny this isn't a real attractive matchup for them. Bad Matchups � Defenses will cause major problems for the offense in these games Dallas Passing Game vs Philadelphia Defense (Bad Matchup) Last season the Eagles ranked 4th in passing yards allowed, 1st in quarterback fantasy points allowed, 1st in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, and 1st in tight end fantasy points allowed. This season Philadelphia seems to be on the same track as (after two games) they currently sit as the 8th best defense in passing yards allowed. And those 2002 numbers are even stronger considering they played week 1 without Cornerback Troy Vincent. It was encouraging to see Dallas rebound after a humiliating week 1 loss to Houston but this is not the week to start believing the Cowboys are back. The Eagles defense with Troy Vincent healthy is a shut down type unit. Interestingly, the Eagles didn't blitz often in the Monday Night game against Washington although they were able to forcefully pressure the QB with an aggressive pass rush coupled with great secondary coverage. Obviously, QB Quincy Carter has scrambling skills but I don't see much chance of him posting good numbers. WR Antonio Bryant will contribute eventually but I don't see it this game. The only chance I see Carter trying to go deep with Joey Galloway who's always a threat but honestly, I don't like any Cowboys here in the Passing Game.