BC Fantasy Fridays - NFL Week Three

The picks to click as our national Fantasy Football obsession rolls along in Week Three.

I've started doing some writing over on the SBNation.com/Fantasy page, but wanted to share some special love with my BC brethren who, like me, can't find enough real teams to completely sate our football ardor and thus turn to fake ones.

I figured I'd throw one of these up every Friday with some thoughts on guys to start and sit each week as well as some other odds and ends - feel free to throw up any start/sit questions you have in the Commetns and I'll give you my thoughts.

My Picks for the Top Five Fantasy Performers at Each Position for Week Three (Standard Scoring):

QB

1. RGIII - The Bengals' defense is an atrocity, having just come off surrendering a 300-yard passing day to Brandon F. Weeden. Even with Pierre Garcon on the shelf, Griffin should run absolutely riot on this bunch.

2. Ben Roethlisberger - Oakland's secondary didn't look to be a real stout bunch starting the season, and now that they've been basically hit with a JDAM injury strike in the first two seasons they are more helpless than a Georgia coed in a bathroom stall.

3. Tony Romo - The Bucs thought they fixed their defense by adding Mark Barron. They didn't.

4. Matthew Stafford - The Titans' back seven has yet to demonstrate that they know their head from their ass this season. Stafford will further confuse them by both kicking them in the ass and curb-stomping them.

5. Matt Ryan - The Chargers' defense looks somewhat improved over last year's highly flammable version, but this game could be a shootout and Ryan has some terrific weapons at his disposal.

RB

1. Arian Foster - The right side of the Texans' OL started to click last week, and the Broncos' D isn't all that against the run despite bottling up the plodding Michael Turner last week. Foster's a great bet for a hundred yards and a score any week he's not facing a truly elite run D.

2. Ray Rice - A lot of backs would be hurt by the Ravens' transition to a more wide-open offense this season, but Rice will just rack catches and kill on draws in addition to his normal run-down work. While New England's defense is improved, so much of Baltimore's offense runs through Rice that he'll rack points regardless.

3. DeMarco Murray - If Murray can't get off against a lackluster Bucs' run D at home, it's time to seriously consider writing of Dallas' OL. He's got superior skills, and if he's able to avoid any Mark Barron kill shots there will be plenty of room to roam against that back seven.

4. LeSean McCoy - The Cardinals' defense is playing tough, but with Maclin out McCoy will see a ton of checkdown throws and has the speed and quicks to make hay any time he sees daylight.

5. CJ Spiller - Spiller will do to the Browns' depleted LB corps what LeSean McCoy was doing to them in Week One before the entire offense was short-circuited by Mike Vick's pick-a-thon.

WR

1. Calvin Johnson - If he can walk, he's leading this list each week.

2. AJ Green - The Redskins lost a ton of pass rush when Orakpo went down for the season, and there's no one in their secondary who can hold AJ Green. This game could easily get into the 30's on both sides with the dire defenses on display.

3. Mike Wallace - See Oakland secondary JDAM strike/defenseless coed analysis above.

4. Julio Jones - Both Chargers' corners are playing better than they did last season, but Jones is too good to put any lower on the list.

5. Miles Austin - The Bucs, like many teams, figures to put their best corner on Dez Bryant. The rest of their back seven is a mockery, so Austin should have a ton of room to roam so long as his piano-wire hammies don't snap mid-game.

I'm still figuring out the best way to figure good TE matchups, so just start your starter. You shouldn't have more than one TE anyway.

Some Guys You Should Definitely Start

Philip Rivers, SD - Atlanta's secondary is banged up and the Chargers will have to throw to keep up in this one.

Matt Cassel, KC - He's an absolute chew toy of a QB, but the Saints' secondary is in disarray and he'll either have to throw a lot early to keep KC in the game or throw a ton late in garbage time as he did last week.

Joe Flacco, BAL - The Ravens are committed to a wide-open offense, and the Pats' run defense looks a lot stronger than their secondary right now.

Ryan Mathews, SD - He's coming back from injury, but he'll be a workhorse from the second he sets foot on the field for the Chargers and faces a Falcons' run defense that has looked baaaaaad in the first two weeks.

Torrey Smith, BAL - He's becoming a complete receiver, the Ravens are opening it up and the Pats' rebuilt secondary hasn't been tested by a real QB yet this season.

Leonard Hankerson, WAS - A great waiver-wire pickup this week as Pierre Garcon is almost certain to miss the Bengals game. Their secondary is atrocious, so Hankerson could get a ton of run.

Some Guys You Should Probably Sit

Peyton Manning, DEN - That arm strength is just not there, and his bailout throws to Demaryius Thomas won't be on the menu with Jonathan Joseph clamped to Thomas on every down. Houston's defense is legit, and while Manning could compile some yardage playing catchup, your backup (you DO have a good backup for Manning, don't you?) could be facing a much better situation this week.

Cedric Benson, GB - Ced turned in a strong showing against the Bears last week, but on the road against a stout run defense his line could look a lot like Week One's bomb against San Francisco.

Chris Johnson, TEN - It's possible that he could hit a long gainer or two if the Detroit DL does its usual, heedless-rush-upfield thing, but it's also quite possible that he's buried for the third week in a row. Time to make him prove it before he sees the field for your team again.

Cardinals' RBs - They just suck. Real bad.

Pierre Garcon, WAS - Almost certain to miss the game - see Hankerson above.

Dolphins' WRs - Hopefully you aren't counting too heavily on any of these dudes anyway, but with Revis back one of them is getting completely erased and the other will still be facing a strong secondary.