Editor's note: Don't forget, there's a 9:30 am EST kickoff this week, with the Jaguars and Ravens playing in London. Don't forget to set your lineup early!
The Lineup Cheat Sheet combines Fantasy analysis and game-flow predictions with a confidence scale to give you a definitive answer on who to start in your leagues.
The higher the number next to a player's name, the more confident you should be to start him. If a player isn't listed, don't start him.
To find a specific player, use your search function -- CTRL-F on PCs and Command-F on Macs. If neither of those are options, or if you're on a mobile device, you can scroll by game.
If you're still unsure, just send a note on Twitter (@daverichard) and I'll give it a look, time permitting.
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Bears at Packers
Bears | | Packers | |
Mike Glennon | (3.2) | Aaron Rodgers | (9.1) |
Jordan Howard | (8.5) | Ty Montgomery | (8.8) |
Tarik Cohen | (7.1) | Jordy Nelson | (9.6) |
Kendall Wright | (2.5) | Davante Adams | (7.5) |
Bears DST | (3.8) | Randall Cobb | (6.9) |
| | Martellus Bennett | (5.2) |
| | Packers DST | (6.0) |
Risky Starter
Bennett hasn't been involved much in two of three games and has yet to exceed four Fantasy points in a week. He has one end-zone target in each of his past two matchups -- both negated by defensive penalties -- and otherwise has just one official target in short-yardage situations. It's not like the Bears defense has shut down tight ends since their Week 1 gaffes against Austin Hooper, but they have been decent. It's the lack of consistent usage, especially in the red zone, plus the return of Randall Cobb taking over short-area targets that make Bennett an unappealing start.
Saints at Dolphins
Saints | | Dolphins | |
Drew Brees | (9.0) | Jay Cutler | (4.0) |
Mark Ingram | (7.4) | Jay Ajayi | (8.2) |
Alvin Kamara | (4.9) | DeVante Parker | (7.1) |
Michael Thomas | (9.4) | Jarvis Landry | (5.9) |
Willie Snead | (5.8) | Kenny Stills | (5.6) |
Ted Ginn | (2.6) | Julius Thomas | (4.2) |
Brandon Coleman | (2.2) | Dolphins DST | (2.6) |
Coby Fleener | (4.4) | | |
Saints DST | (5.6) | | |
Risky Starter
The Dolphins are in a tough spot, playing their third straight road game -- in London, no less! The Jets exposed the Miami offensive line with a bunch of pass rushes that forced Jay Cutler into inaccurate passes -- he was 12 of 21 until the fourth quarter when the Jets called off the dogs with a 20-0 lead. I suspect the Saints will blitz often to get Cutler off-kilter, and that plan should put a crimp in Parker's numbers. The counter-plan for that would be throwing short to guys like Jarvis Landry and Julius Thomas, not tossing bomb after bomb to Parker. It might make Landry a better play, especially in PPR. Parker's still a No. 2 receiver, but keep expectations in check.
Panthers at Patriots
Panthers | | Patriots | |
Cam Newton | (5.0) | Tom Brady | (9.7) |
Christian McCaffrey | (7.8) | Mike Gillislee | (6.2) |
Jonathan Stewart | (4.6) | James White | (4.5) |
Kelvin Benjamin | (7.2) | Brandin Cooks | (8.5) |
Devin Funchess | (5.4) | Chris Hogan | (7.9) |
Ed Dickson | (4.0) | Danny Amendola | (2.9) |
Panthers DST | (3.6) | Rob Gronkowski | (9.0) |
| | Patriots DST | (5.8) |
Sit Him
The Panthers have allowed two runs of 15-plus yards this season, including an Alvin Kamara fourth-quarter dash to the right edge last week for a touchdown. Take away those plays and the Panthers have held opposing rushers to 2.9 yards per carry. We got our first taste of a touchdown-less game from Gillislee in Week 3 -- he didn't even sniff any carries inside the 10 and the Pats ran four plays from that short range. It's also worth noting that when the Patriots had a clock-killing fourth quarter back in Week 2, Gillislee racked up a good-but-not-great 31 yards. If it's touchdown-or-bust for Gilly, figure this is a week where he'll frustrate you.
Sit Him
This one should be fairly obvious. Assuming Ryan Kalil doesn't play, Newton will throw behind an undermanned offensive line. But bigger than those issues is Newton's own disappointing play. He has three total touchdowns, four turnovers and has averaged 188.7 pass yards and 15.3 rush yards per game. It's possible Newton's arm just isn't as healthy as it's been considering the surgery and slow rehab this offseason. Even with Kelvin Benjamin back and one of the best matchups on the board -- the Patriots have allowed gobs of Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks -- Newton just can't be trusted.
Rams at Cowboys
Rams | | Cowboys | |
Jared Goff | (5.6) | Dak Prescott | (7.6) |
Todd Gurley | (9.2) | Ezekiel Elliott | (9.0) |
Sammy Watkins | (7.25) | Dez Bryant | (8.7) |
Robert Woods | (4.35) | Jason Witten | (4.6) |
Rams DST | (5.4) | Cowboys DST | (6.2) |
Start Him
The Rams are on the road for the second straight week and didn't play so hot at San Francisco. Top cornerback Trumaine Johnson especially had a bad game and backup corner Troy Hill gave up a touchdown. A pass rush with four sacks in two of three matchups has a big challenge ahead -- Prescott has been sacked just four times so far and is on pace for better passing yards, rushing yards and touchdowns than his rookie year. His outlook this week is better than that of Derek Carr, Jameis Winston and Kirk Cousins.
Lions at Vikings
Lions | | Vikings | |
Matthew Stafford | (7.2) | Case Keenum | (4.8) |
Ameer Abdullah | (5.2) | Dalvin Cook | (8.6) |
Theo Riddick | (4.4) | Stefon Diggs | (8.4) |
Golden Tate | (7.15) | Adam Thielen | (7.7) |
Kenny Golladay | (4.7) | Kyle Rudolph | (5.6) |
Marvin Jones | (4.2) | Vikings DST | (7.2) |
Eric Ebron | (6.1) | | |
Lions DST | (5.2) | | |
Sit Him
Maybe he's getting more touches than he has in the past, but it's the same ol' story for Abdullah. Through three weeks he has yet to play even 50 percent of the offensive snaps in a game and is a complete non-factor in the scoring department with two carries for negative yardage inside the 10-yard line (both in Week 1). The Vikings have yet to allow a rushing touchdown and have held Le'Veon Bell and Mark Ingram to single-digit Fantasy points. Good luck starting this guy.
Sneaky Starter
Coby Fleener and Cameron Brate have each scored on the Vikings already this season, and Ebron has a pretty awesome track record versus his division rival. In fact he's been good for a touchdown or 90 yards in three of his past four against Minnesota. He remains a decent focal point in the Lions offense (12 targets in the past two weeks) despite having a terrible Week 3 matchup against Atlanta where he had a 15-yard catch called back by penalty and a pair of red-zone targets. The tight end position is a mess for Fantasy, making it easy to settle on Ebron.
Titans at Texans
Titans | | Texans | |
Marcus Mariota | (7.8) | Deshaun Watson | (6.6) |
DeMarco Murray | (6.1) | Lamar Miller | (6.0) |
Derrick Henry | (4.2) | D'Onta Foreman | (3.7) |
Rishard Matthews | (7.3) | DeAndre Hopkins | (7.4) |
Eric Decker | (2.7) | Bruce Ellington | (4.1) |
Delanie Walker | (5.4) | Ryan Griffin | (2.4) |
Jonnu Smith | (3.2) | Texans DST | (6.8) |
Titans DST | (4.2) | | |
Start Him
Perhaps the only Titans player whose matchup is easier this week than last is the one for Matthews. Houston won't have cornerback Kevin Johnson, pushing Kareem Jackson and Johnthan Banks into exploitable roles. Banks especially had trouble last week, giving up a touchdown and 89 yards on three catches, according to Pro Football Focus. Marcus Mariota should have time to throw behind that big O-line and Matthews is his top target for now. Matthews had at least 82 yards in each game against Houston last year, including a nine-catch, 114-yard, one-score kablammo with Matt Cassel as his passer! Expect some good results.
Risky Starter
Murray's 75-yard touchdown run was pretty incredible last week, but he was held in check otherwise and didn't exactly run at top speed. He also hasn't quite shaken off Derrick Henry as a threat to some of his touches -- they both had three third-quarter carries (Murray obviously did better) and Henry had more clock-killing carries in the fourth quarter (six) than Murray (two). Houston's run defense has improved after getting cracked in Week 1 by Leonard Fournette, holding the Bengals and Patriots rushers to 3.0 yards per carry.
Jaguars at Jets
Jaguars | | Jets | |
Blake Bortles | (5.8) | Josh McCown | (4.2) |
Leonard Fournette | (8.7) | Bilal Powell | (5.25) |
Allen Hurns | (6.3) | Jermaine Kearse | (4.5) |
Marqise Lee | (5.1) | Robby Anderson | (2.4) |
Jaguars DST | (8.6) | Austin Seferian-Jenkins | (3.4) |
| | Jets DST | (4.0) |
Sneaky Sleeper
The surprising Jaguars Fantasy bonanza went off last week, leaving Marqise Lee's stats behind. He's been the No. 1 outside receiver for Blake Bortles, but Hurns has scored the touchdowns. Hurns also draws the much better matchup as a slot receiver against Jets cornerback Buster Skrine while Lee will deal with Morris Claiborne, who's been playing great. Fantasy owners shouldn't buy into Jaguars receivers on a regular basis to begin with, but Hurns is the better option of the two.
Sit Him
Remember the good ol' days when Powell averaged 138.0 total yards per game? That was late last season when he was the only back in New York for the final four matchups of the season. It's also history -- even with Matt Forte sidelined, Powell is expected to split time with rookie Elijah McGuire and even newly signed third-down back Travaris Cadet. Powell dominated snaps last week when Forte was injured but he didn't do much other than score the play after Forte got hurt. The matchup isn't great either -- Jacksonville has held up much better against smaller backs like Powell compared to thicker, physical rushers like McGuire.
Bengals at Browns
Bengals | | Browns | |
Andy Dalton | (8.2) | DeShone Kizer | (4.6) |
Joe Mixon | (8.4) | Duke Johnson | (6.05) |
Giovani Bernard | (4.1) | Isaiah Crowell | (4.8) |
A.J. Green | (9.8) | Rashard Higgins | (4.0) |
Bengals DST | (8.4) | David Njoku | (3.6) |
| | Browns DST | (3.0) |
Sneaky Sleeper
The Browns have come to terms with Johnson as not just their most effective running back, but their most effective receiver, too. He leads the team in targets, catches and receiving yards! Remember how we thought the Browns' offensive line would help Isaiah Crowell find rushing lanes? They've been better at pass blocking instead, and Johnson has benefitted. Cleveland figures to trail in this one, which should put Johnson on the field more (he's had more snaps than Crowell this season) and give him a shot at continuing his upward trend of touches. Don't be shocked if he winds up with 10 or 12.
Steelers at Ravens
Steelers | | Ravens | |
Ben Roethlisberger | (6.2) | Joe Flacco | (3.6) |
Le'Veon Bell | (9.3) | Terrance West | (5.6) |
Antonio Brown | (9.5) | Javorius Allen | (4.7) |
Martavis Bryant | (7.05) | Jeremy Maclin | (6.1) |
Steelers DST | (9.0) | Benjamin Watson | (3.0) |
| | Ravens DST | (7.4) |
Sit Him
Don't think for a second that the Ravens defense you saw last week against the Jaguars in London will be what you see this week. And don't think for a second that the Ravens won't have motivation to rebound at home against a dreaded division rival. Roethlisberger didn't look great at Chicago and hasn't really had a monster game yet this season. Odds are against him breaking through versus an opponent he's usually had a hard time with while playing as a visitor.
Bills at Falcons
Bills | | Falcons | |
Tyrod Taylor | (4.4) | Matt Ryan | (8.4) |
LeSean McCoy | (8.9) | Devonta Freeman | (9.4) |
Jordan Matthews | (3.7) | Tevin Coleman | (7.0) |
Charles Clay | (6.0) | Julio Jones | (8.8) |
Bills DST | (4.4) | Mohamed Sanu | (4.9) |
| | Taylor Gabriel | (2.8) |
| | Falcons DST | (5.0) |
Start Him
This isn't as much about the matchup as it is Clay being the only reliable target for Tyrod Taylor. I'm not sure the Bills envisioned Clay as their second-best pass-catcher -- behind LeSean McCoy! Going back to last season he's been a red-zone fave for Taylor, catching six scores over his past seven and in two games already this season. When it comes to streaming tight ends, Clay not only is toward the top of the list -- he's close to breaking from it and becoming a regular starting option.
Giants at Buccaneers
Giants | | Buccaneers | |
Eli Manning | (6.4) | Jameis Winston | (5.2) |
Shane Vereen | (4.0) | Jacquizz Rodgers | (5.5) |
Orleans Darkwa | (3.8) | Mike Evans | (7.8) |
Odell Beckham | (9.7) | DeSean Jackson | (6.5) |
Sterling Shepard | (5.8) | Cameron Brate | (6.2) |
Brandon Marshall | (4.6) | Buccaneers DST | (6.4) |
Evan Engram | (4.8) | | |
Giants DST | (7.0) | | |
Sneaky Sleepers
The Giants have seemingly settled on a quick-trigger offense that gets the ball out of Eli Manning's hands quickly. It makes short-area targets a welcome option, which is something Shepard and Engram both offer. The beauty of it this week is matchups against slot corners and backup linebackers since Bucs starters Kwon Alexander and LaVonte David aren't going to play. Expect Manning to look at slant-in routes as he did a lot in Week 3 while also attacking over the middle, something both Engram and Shepard should do. Both are safer starts in PPR.
Eagles at Chargers
Eagles | | Chargers | |
Carson Wentz | (8.0) | Philip Rivers | (8.6) |
LeGarrette Blount | (6.3) | Melvin Gordon | (9.1) |
Wendell Smallwood | (5.3) | Keenan Allen | (8.9) |
Alshon Jeffery | (7.0) | Travis Benjamin | (5.7) |
Nelson Agholor | (3.9) | Tyrell Williams | (3.3) |
Zach Ertz | (7.9) | Hunter Henry | (3.8) |
Eagles DST | (4.8) | Chargers DST | (4.6) |
Start Him
The combination of a favorable matchup and desperation for a win make Rivers a must-start. The Eagles limp across the country without two key defensive starters (Fletcher Cox and Ronald Darby) and questions in the secondary. Eli Manning took advantage for over 300 yards and multiple scores last week and he barely threw downfield. Rivers should have the time in the pocket to fire some deep shots but also work the middle of the field and mimic Manning's performance, particularly since the Eagles pass rush won't be quite as dangerous with Cox missing.
49ers at Cardinals
49ers | | Cardinals | |
Brian Hoyer | (3.8) | Carson Palmer | (7.4) |
Carlos Hyde | (8.1) | Andre Ellington | (4.3) |
Pierre Garcon | (4.3) | Larry Fitzgerald | (6.95) |
Marquise Goodwin | (3.1) | Jaron Brown | (4.25) |
49ers DST | (3.4) | John Brown | (3.45) |
| | J.J. Nelson | (2.35) |
| | Cardinals DST | (7.6) |
Sneaky Sleeper
The 49ers front seven is pretty good, but the Cardinals will get some starters back on the O-line this week to hopefully keep Palmer clean. That means he'll have a shot to take aim at a really suspect 49ers secondary, one that allowed two 100-yard receivers and a 78.6 completion percentage to Jared Goff! Palmer's hit at least 265 yards in each game so far and should come through with another heavy-attempt outing, particularly since the Cardinals don't have a capable run game. I'd start him over Ben Roethlisberger, Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr.
Raiders at Broncos
Raiders | | Broncos | |
Derek Carr | (5.4) | Trevor Siemian | (7.0) |
Marshawn Lynch | (5.4) | C.J. Anderson | (8.3) |
DeAndre Washington | (3.9) | Jamaal Charles | (5.1) |
Amari Cooper | (6.2) | Emmanuel Sanders | (8.3) |
Seth Roberts | (3.6) | Demaryius Thomas | (8.1) |
Jared Cook | (5.0) | Broncos DST | (8.8) |
Raiders DST | (3.2) | | |
Start Him
Trevor Siemian had a hard time with the Bills zone coverage last week and comes home to a far more comfortable situation. Oakland's secondary will mix and match its coverage, and when Siemian sees man-on-man, he'll probably take a shot or two with Sanders. Denver's outside guys didn't do much in two matchups against the Raiders in 2016, but plenty of that can be pinned on the offensive line. This year, the line is improved and Siemian should play better at home, as should Sanders. He's worth taking the chance versus a suspect defense.
Colts at Seahawks
Colts | | Seahawks | |
Jacoby Brissett | (3.4) | Russell Wilson | (8.8) |
Frank Gore | (5.55) | Chris Carson | (8.0) |
T.Y. Hilton | (6.0) | Doug Baldwin | (8.0) |
Donte Moncrief | (3.8) | Paul Richardson | (3.5) |
Jack Doyle | (2.8) | Tyler Lockett | (2.3) |
Colts DST | (2.4) | Jimmy Graham | (6.8) |
| | Seahawks DST | (9.2) |
Sit Him
Maybe this seems obvious, but after Hilton's big game last week, the hunch is a lot of Fantasy owners rush him into lineups. Don't do it. This is a nightmare situation for Jacoby Brissett and the Colts, playing at Seattle against an angry Seahawks defense coming off a loss. I'd expect a bunch of false starts for Indy's offensive line and plenty of pass coverage tilted toward Hilton to keep him from breaking off a big play as he did against the Browns. Your best hope if you start him is a garbage time score.
Redskins at Chiefs
Redskins | | Chiefs | |
Kirk Cousins | (6.0) | Alex Smith | (6.8) |
Chris Thompson | (6.7) | Kareem Hunt | (9.5) |
Jamison Crowder | (5.0) | Tyreek Hill | (8.6) |
Terrelle Pryor | (4.4) | Travis Kelce | (9.1) |
Josh Doctson | (3.0) | Chiefs DST | (6.6) |
Vernon Davis | (5.8) | | |
Redskins DST | (2.8) | | |
Risky Starter
We've all seen Thompson pull off some fantastic plays so far this season, including four catches for at least 20-plus yards (two for touchdowns) and a 61-yard touchdown run. But there isn't a big bump in touches coming for him even if Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine don't play. Last week he had his second-most touches in a game ever with 14, following up a pair of games where he had 13 total touches. The Chiefs are bound to key in on him, and they've done a decent job already this season against pass-catching running backs. You'll probably start Thompson based on what he's done, but you might be real disappointed with what he gives you if he doesn't find the end zone for a fourth straight game.