Fantasy Sports : Second-tier starters (Week 3)

It's time to take a look at the NFL's week 3 second-tier fantasy stars, including Jake Plummer, Tiki Barber and Larry Fitzgerald.

Week 3:

Every Saturday, I'll compile a starting fantasy roster of guys who probably didn't go #1 overall in your league. Look for four out of seven -- I don't do kickers -- to hit it big each weekend.

QB: Jake Plummer, Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers

Last year, Plummer threw six touchdowns and had a combined quarterback rating of 118.1 vs. the Chargers, leading Denver to 37 points in each of those two games.

Not much has changed defensively in San Diego. The Bolts have the 27th best passing defense and have allowed 61 points through two. Look for Plummer to add to that total in Denver, scoring three more touchdowns this Sunday.

RB: Duce Staley, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Miami Dolphins

Domanick Davis is the obvious pick again this week vs. the running lane that is the Kansas City defense, but Staley could make a good play against the Dolphins, who are still trying to regroup and recover after a tumultuous off-season.

Ben Roethlisberger is making his first NFL start, and you can be sure Bill Cowher will not let him throw more than 25 balls against Miami's league-best pass defense. The Dolphins, however, have the 28th best rush defense in the NFL, and Staley is primed to exploit it with a thirty-carry game.

Duce will crack the century mark and might even steal a long touchdown from Jerome Bettis.

RB: Tiki Barber, New York Giants vs. Cleveland Browns

Cleveland's top-ten defense has been, quietly, one of the stories of this young season. They shut out Jamal Lewis in Week 1 and faced a pitiful ground attack in Dallas last week.

However, the Browns will fall apart on the road this weekend against a resurgent Giants team. Michael Strahan and crew will have Garcia on his back and coughing up the ball all afternoon, and that will mean a short field for Kurt Warner and the offense to work with.

Tiki Barber -- who has very quietly accumulated 269 total yards and a touchdown on only 38 touches -- will get twenty carries and catch five balls to recapture a featured role in New York's offense. Expect 120+ total yards and a score.

WR: Rod Smith, Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers

I hate to pick two players from the same team in one week, but I'm 0-4 with receiver picks so far this season, and Smith looks like a sure-fire producer in the Mile High City.

With Shannon Sharpe, Jake Plummer's favorite target, departed to Prime Time's old chair between Dan and Boomer, Plummer will look to the veteran Smith in the red zone. Rod will be good for 70+ yards and a score.

WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals vs. Atlanta Falcons

I took a chance on Larry vs. New England last weekend, and I got bit - but the rookie was actually a lot closer to a fantasy breakout in Week 2 than the stat book suggests. Fitzgerald saw 13 passes thrown his way and grabbed five of the six that were catchable against a tough New England defense.

The Patriots harassed Arizona quarterback Josh McCown all day, but with more time to throw against a Falcons defense that has made Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey and Marc Bulger look like Pro Bowlers, Fitzgerald will get his catches.

The Falcons gave up 94 yards to Cedric Wilson in Week 1 and 223 combined to Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt last Sunday. Fitzgerald will continue the trend with a huge game: 100 yards, two scores.

TE: Bubba Franks, Green Bay Packers vs. Indianapolis Colts

Bubba Franks has scored 20 touchdowns over the last three seasons. That translates to one touchdown every 2.4 games.

Franks has yet to score a touchdown in 2004, and it's the third week. In a haphazard year for fantasy tight ends, those odds are good enough for me.

Defense: Oakland Raiders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I would take the Giants at home vs. the Browns, but since I already picked Tiki at running back, I'll go with Oakland. All of John Gruden's Raiders nemeses, Warren Sapp now included, will be looking to pay back their old boss on Sunday night.

Chuckie's offense is in disarray. The running game is non-existent, and Chris Simms may be the best option at quarterback. Monte Kiffin's defense has only given up 26 points in two games, and the Bucs are still 0-2.

The Raiders' top-ten unit will be foaming at the mouth.

* * *

Last Week's Lineup (* denotes bust)

QB: Marc Bulger, St. Louis -- 285 yards, 1 touchdown, 77% completion.

RB: Domanick Davis, Houston Texans -- 173 total yards.

RB: Corey Dillon, New England Patriots -- 158 rushing yards.

* WR: Justin McCareins, NY Jets -- 2 catches, 9 yards.

* WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals -- 36 yards.

* TE: Ernie Conwell, New Orleans Saints -- 0.

* Defense: Packers, Green Bay -- 1 picks, 1 fumbles, 1 sack, 21 points against.