Week 2 Sit 'Em: Young, Crabtree, Best

QB VINCE YOUNG vs. Pittsburgh: VY gets no Heisman Trophy, and he gets no fantasy love here in Week 2. Yes the Titans QB looked good in Week 1, tossing 2 TDs, but he also attempted a mere 17 passes and finished with 154 yards. And Pittsburgh ain’t Oakland.

WR MICHAEL CRABTREE vs. New Orleans: Thought this guy was supposed to be the truth – last week’s stats (2 catches, 12 yards) must have been a misprint then. Seriously though, I still like Crabtree’s long-term potential this year, but you have to avoid him if possible this week, especially against a Saints defense that bottled up Brett Favre and the Vikings’ passing game in the opener.

RB JAHVID BEST vs. Philadelphia: Hey, Best’s 2 TDs in his first-ever NFL game were great, but if you’re expecting the same in Week 2 you’re a sucker. If you were paying attention you noticed he rushed for just 20 yards on 14 carries, a miniscule 1.4 yard average, against the Bears. There’s considerable risk here with Best if the Shaun Hill-led Lions can’t get near the goal line against a usually stout Eagles run D.

Two WRs get a huge bump in value

Today is a great day if you own Braylon Edwards or Michael Crabtree.

With the news of Edwards' trade to the Jets and Crabtree's signing with the 49ers, both disappointing WRs suddenly have much higher fantasy value, a welcome relief for anyone who's been holding onto them on their rosters.


Edwards, a hot-headed malcontent and LeBron hater with no viable quarterback and a case of the dropsies, suddenly becomes a No. 1 wideout with a promising young QB on a legit playoff contender. He immediately becomes the Jets' top big-play threat and relegates Jerricho Cotchery to the No. 2 spot, where he's probably better served. If Edwards can quickly find some chemistry with Mark Sanchez and stay out of trouble in New York, we could be looking at a top fantasy WR. Congratulations to those who've stuck with him.

The day's other big news is good for those who've held onto Crabtree as well, although on a smaller scale. The Niners' first-round draft pick will need a few weeks to get back into football shape and acclimate himself with San Francisco's offense, so don't expect any immediate help. But if you've held onto him all this time, what's a few more weeks? Crabtree could easily become the Niners' top receiving threat, although that's not saying much for a run-oriented offense directed by QB Shaun Hill. He's an intriguing prospect as your fourth fantasy WR and deserves a look (he should absolutely be picked up in long-term keeper leagues), but temper your expectations. Rookie WRs who put up great fantasy stats are often the exception to the rule.

Photos by The Associated Press

Start 'Em: Week 1

RB RAY RICE vs. Chiefs: You may have drafted him as a backup, but expect No. 1-type numbers against a K.C. D that finished in the league's bottom three last year against the run.

QB SHAUN HILL at Cardinals: He managed two TDs against Arizona in Week 10 last year. Not a terrible spot starter this week if you're worried about your top guy's health (Matt Schaub, Matt Cassel).

RB JULIUS JONES vs. Rams: This could be one of the few weeks Jones is start-worthy. He rushed for 140 yards and one of his two TDs of 2008 in a Week 3 matchup with St. Louis.