Starters and Sitters – Week 4

Thu, Oct 1, 2009

2009, Week 4

The dreaded bye weeks have arrived leaving concerned owners scouring the waiver wire for temporary replacements. The top free agents available each week are likely about the same in skill level, so it is important to choose the one with the most favorable match up and then just hope for the best. Another waiver wire strategy to consider during bye weeks is to get defensive. If you spot a weakness in your opponents lineup, hit the wire to try to block your opponent from improving. For instance, if your opponent has 2 running backs on bye, grab Glen Coffee or Tashard Choice even if you don’t need them – you don’t want Coffee against you this week. This time of year also provides a great opportunity to trade with a player that is strapped to field a team. Use the rankings below as a guideline and good luck this week!

Quarterbacks

Can’t Miss Starters

Peyton Manning IND vs. SEA
Matt Schaub HOU vs. OAK

Strong Starters

Drew Brees NO vs. NYJ
Eli Manning NYG at KC
Jay Cutler CHI vs. DET
Tom Brady NE vs. BAL
Aaron Rodgers GB at MIN

Borderline Starters

Ben Roethlisberger PIT vs. SD
Jason Campbell WAS vs. TB
Tony Romo DAL at DEN
Shaun Hill SF vs. STL
Joe Flacco BAL at NE
Carson Palmer CIN at CLE
Philip Rivers SD at PIT

Weak Starters

David Garrard JAC vs. TEN
Kerry Collins TEN at JAC
Brett Favre MIN vs. GB
Mark Sanchez NYJ at NO
Trent Edwards BUF at MIA
Josh Johnson TB at WAS
Kyle Orton DEN vs. DAL
Derek Anderson CLE vs. CIN

Bench Warmers

Matthew Stafford DET at CHI
Seneca Wallace SEA at IND
JaMarcus Russell OAK at HOU
Matt Cassel KC vs. NYG

Runningbacks

Can’t Miss Starters

Adrian Peterson MIN vs. GB
Glen Coffee SF vs. STL
Cedric Benson CIN at CLE
Brandon Jacobs NYG at KC
Chris Johnson TEN at JAC

Strong Starters

Steve Slaton HOU vs. OAK
Matt Forte CHI vs. DET
Maurice Jones-Drew JAC vs. TEN
Steven Jackson STL at SF
Ronnie Brown MIA vs. BUF
Pierre Thomas NO vs. NYJ

Borderline Starters

Tashard Choice DAL at DEN
Ryan Grant GB at MIN
Clinton Portis WAS vs. TB
Willis McGahee BAL at NE
Ahmad Bradshaw NYG at KC
Joseph Addai IND vs. SEA
Darren McFadden OAK at HOU
Fred Jackson BUF at MIA
Willie Parker PIT vs. SD
Julius Jones SEA at IND
Knowshon Moreno DEN vs. DAL
Larry Johnson KC vs. NYG
Michael Bush OAK at HOU
Derrick Ward TB at WAS
Leon Washington NYJ at NO
Ray Rice BAL at NE
Jerome Harrison CLE vs. CIN
Thomas Jones NYJ at NO

Weak Starters

Donald Brown IND vs. SEA
Marshawn Lynch BUF at MIA
Darren Sproles SD at PIT
Kevin Smith DET at CHI
LenDale White TEN at JAC
Ricky Williams MIA vs. BUF
Cadillac Williams TB at WAS
Fred Taylor NE vs. BAL
Reggie Bush NO vs. NYJ
Chester Taylor MIN vs. GB
Correll Buckhalter DEN vs. DAL
Jamal Lewis CLE vs. CIN

Bench Warmers

Justin Forsett SEA at IND
LaDainian Tomlinson SD at PIT
Ladell Betts WAS vs. TB
Kevin Faulk NE vs. BAL
Chris Brown HOU vs. OAK
Rashard Mendenhall PIT vs. SD
Maurice Morris DET at CHI
Mewelde Moore PIT vs. SD
Sammy Morris NE vs. BAL
Le’Ron McClain BAL at NE
Jamaal Charles KC vs. NYG
Garrett Wolfe CHI vs. DET
James Davis CLE vs. CIN
Dantrell Savage KC vs. NYG
Laurence Maroney NE vs. BAL
Edgerrin James SEA at IND

Wide Receivers

Can’t Miss Starters

Reggie Wayne IND vs. SEA
Randy Moss NE vs. BAL
Calvin Johnson DET at CHI
Vincent Jackson SD at PIT

Strong Starters

Greg Jennings GB at MIN
Marques Colston NO vs. NYJ
Chad Johnson CIN at CLE
Jerricho Cotchery NYJ at NO
Steven Smith NYG at KC
Donald Driver GB at MIN
Terrell Owens BUF at MIA
Devin Hester CHI vs. DET
Santana Moss WAS vs. TB
Andre Johnson HOU vs. OAK

Borderline Starters

Devery Henderson NO vs. NYJ
Kevin Walter HOU vs. OAK
Hines Ward PIT vs. SD
Mario Manningham NYG at KC
Percy Harvin MIN vs. GB
Nate Burleson SEA at IND
Braylon Edwards CLE vs. CIN
Torry Holt JAC vs. TEN
Patrick Crayton DAL at DEN
Mike Sims-Walker JAC vs. TEN
Santonio Holmes PIT vs. SD
Pierre Garcon IND vs. SEA
T.J. Houshmandzadeh SEA at IND
Derrick Mason BAL at NE
Antwaan Randle El WAS vs. TB
Justin Gage TEN at JAC
Lee Evans BUF at MIA
Roy Williams DAL at DEN
Earl Bennett CHI vs. DET
Johnny Knox CHI vs. DET
Isaac Bruce SF vs. STL
Chansi Stuckey NYJ at NO
Brandon Marshall DEN vs. DAL
Bernard Berrian MIN vs. GB
Davone Bess MIA vs. BUF
Julian Edelman NE vs. BAL

Weak Starters

Mark Clayton BAL at NE
Donnie Avery STL at SF
Jacoby Jones HOU vs. OAK
Dwayne Bowe KC vs. NYG
Nate Washington TEN at JAC
Eddie Royal DEN vs. DAL
Kenny Britt TEN at JAC
Laveranues Coles CIN at CLE
Ted Ginn MIA vs. BUF
Austin Collie IND vs. SEA
Sidney Rice MIN vs. GB
Andre Caldwell CIN at CLE
Bryant Johnson DET at CHI
Robert Meachem NO vs. NYJ
Chris Henry CIN at CLE

Bench Warmers

Mark Bradley KC vs. NYG
Mike Wallace PIT vs. SD
Malcom Floyd SD at PIT
Joey Galloway NE vs. BAL
Jabar Gaffney DEN vs. DAL
Josh Morgan SF vs. STL
Kelley Washington BAL at NE
Bobby Wade KC vs. NYG
Josh Cribbs CLE vs. CIN
Antonio Bryant TB at WAS
Louis Murphy OAK at HOU
Michael Clayton TB at WAS
Miles Austin DAL at DEN
Brandon Stokley DEN vs. DAL
Chris Chambers SD at PIT

Tight Ends

Can’t Miss Starters

Dallas Clark IND vs. SEA

Strong Starters

Antonio Gates SD at PIT
Jeremy Shockey NO vs. NYJ
Chris Cooley WAS vs. TB
Jason Witten DAL at DEN

Borderline Starters

Greg Olsen CHI vs. DET
Owen Daniels HOU vs. OAK
John Carlson SEA at IND
Todd Heap BAL at NE
Kellen Winslow TB at WAS
Vernon Davis SF vs. STL
Dustin Keller NYJ at NO
Heath Miller PIT vs. SD

Weak Starters

Anthony Fasano MIA vs. BUF
Jermichael Finley GB at MIN
Visanthe Shiancoe MIN vs. GB
Ben Watson NE vs. BAL
Zach Miller OAK at HOU
Marcedes Lewis JAC vs. TEN
Kevin Boss NYG at KC
Donald Lee GB at MIN

Bench Warmers

Tony Scheffler DEN vs. DAL
Randy McMichael STL at SF
Brandon Pettigrew DET at CHI
Robert Royal CLE vs. CIN

Kickers

Flip a coin.

Defense

Can’t Miss Starters

New York Giants at Kansas City
Washington vs. Tampa Bay
San Francisco vs. St. Louis

Strong Starters

Chicago vs. Detroit
Cincinnati at Cleveland
Pittsburgh vs. San Diego
Baltimore at New England
Minnesota vs. Green Bay
Indianapolis vs. Seattle

Borderline Starters

Tennessee at Jacksonville
Dallas at Denver
Buffalo at Miami
New Orleans vs. New York Jets
New England vs. Baltimore
Houston vs. Oakland
San Diego at Pittsburgh
New York Jets at New Orleans
Green Bay at Minnesota