FANTASY: Fantasy Football: Starters For This Week

The fantasy football points just keep pouring out from unexpected fantasy boomers. No one would think that quarterbacks like Rich Gannon, Elvis Grbac, Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese would be the leading fantasy quarterbacks week in and week out. One thing that you do notice from the quarterbacks that put up huge fantasy points is that they have bad defenses that give up a lot of points.

So next year, when you decide to pick a fantasy football quarterback, you should take a look at their defense and see if it is good or bad. With a bad defense, they will be throwing it 35 to 40 times a game, and this year that has proven to be successful. Here is a look at the players that should great games this week.

Quarterbacks:

Kerry Collins: Collins started quietly this year, and Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne have been the players that have been getting all the recognition. Lately though it has been Collins that has emerged on the Giants offense. This week the Giants play the Rams, so expect huge numbers from Collins and the Giants wide receivers.

Doug Flutie: Flutie knows this could be his last chance to make a huge impression on Wade Phillips. Even though Flutie has been successful the last few weeks, Wade Phillips is still saying that Rob Johnson will be the quarterback next week. The Bears secondary is very shaky, and you should expect a great performance from Flutie.

Elvis Grbac: Grbac has been putting up great fantasy football numbers against every defense this year. Part of that reason is because the Chiefs don’t have a running back that scares you. This week he plays the 49ers defense, which every quarterback has had great success against.

Running Backs:

Fred Taylor: This should be the week that Fred Taylor breaks out. The Seahawks have been horrible against the run. If Taylor can’t run against this defense then it is time to drop Taylor way down on your charts for next year’s fantasy football drafts. In the last two years Taylor has only had one great game and that was against Miami in the playoffs. Out of all the running backs in football, Taylor has to be the most hated by fantasy owners, even ahead of Terrell Davis.

Ricky Williams: It’s getting to the point that Williams is expected to have 100 yards rushing and a touchdown every week. He has been the most consistent running back this season, and that shouldn’t stop this week against the Panthers.

Robert Smith: The Cardinals still remember how the Vikings torched their secondary in the preseason. That means that they will be worrying about shutting down Moss, Carter, and Hatchette. I doubt they will be able to shut the Vikings receivers down. Every team this year has been trying to stop the Vikings passing attack, and that has led to huge games for Robert Smith. This game shouldn’t be any different for Smith.

Wide Receivers:

Amani Toomer/Ike Hilliard: Any receiver that plays against the Rams you should start. This week the Giants play against the Rams. Enough said.

Tim Brown: Oakland’s passing attack has been great this year, and even though Andre Rison is surrounded by legal problems, that shouldn’t affect the Raiders that much. Up until last week Rison wasn’t that effective, and it was all Tim Brown. It will go back to that way this week against the Broncos.