1. QB Kurt Warner vs. Houston Texans
Warner and the offense had the bye week to correct some of its problems and should come out firing on Sunday. The Texans don’t pose much of a threat defensively, especially in the secondary, and Fitzgerald, Boldin and Breaston will exploit these mismatches all day long.
2. RB Brandon Jacobs vs. Oakland Raiders
With the likelihood that Eli Manning will not play in this one becoming greater by the day, look for Jacobs to see at least 25 carries on Sunday. Even if Manning plays, he won’t need to do too much passing to put away the Raiders and once they have a lead, which should come early, expect Jacobs to amass over 100 yards and two TDs.
3. WR Reggie Wayne vs. Tennessee Titans
Wayne’s ascent to the top of the fantasy rankings for receivers doesn’t bode well for Tennessee. The Titans have been destroyed through the air all season and now comes Peyton Manning, who’s off to his best start ever. Look for Wayne to easily top the 100 yard mark and score a long TD.
Fantasy Busts
1. QB Matt Ryan vs. San Francisco 49ers
Ryan will be efficient on Sunday but efficiency doesn’t translate to success in fantasy football. The 49ers have a lot of speed on defense and this could limit the big play opportunities for the Falcons. You can probably put him down for at least a TD or two, but we’d be surprised if he threw for much more than 200 yards in this one.
2. RB Steven Jackson vs. Minnesota Vikings
First of all, no team runs on the Vikings. Second, especially when playing without its starting QB and LT. Look for Jackson to be bottled up all afternoon as Minnesota has absolutely zero respect for Kyle Boller.
3. Steve Smith vs. Oakland Raiders
It’s looking like Smith will have to play this one without starting QB Eli Manning. He’ll also most likely be blanketed by CB Nnamdi Asomugha, the best corner in the business. These two factors significantly diminish his overall fantasy upside in Week Five.
