Short-term versus long-term thinking is the theme for free agents this week. Whose bandwagon do you hop on with expectations for future results, and whose best days are behind them? Blips on the radar are a dime a dozen in fantasy football, so we must consider all factors to predict who’s here to stay.

The big question for those seeking wide receiver help is, Ted Ginn Jr. or Donnie Avery with a waiver wire pick? Really, you can’t wrong with either one of these guys, but if you ask us, we like Ginn Jr.’s chances to out-produce Avery. The reason? Experience and learning on past mistakes. Read more »

Current and former Bears are among the most desirable players on waiver wires this week, with quarterback Kyle Orton generating major buzz with a second straight career day. One of the beneficiaries of Orton’s stellar play has been punt-returner-turned-receiver Devin Hester, who has found paydirt in each of the last two weeks. Meanwhile, former teammate Cedric Benson finds himself in a good situation in the Cincinnati Bengals backfield.

Orton is surprisingly the most explosive quarterback available in most fantasy leagues. Few would have predicted that he would throw seven touchdown passes over any three-game stretch during the season, but he has over Chicago’s last three.

Reclamation project Marc Bulger is also a good pickup after being announced as the Rams starter for the rest of ‘08. JaMarcus Russell has quietly been better than expected, making the former No. 1 pick an intriguing pick as a bye-week fill-in. Read more »

This Oakland Raiders situation has turned into a real mud slinging party. By the time Lane Kiffin’s firing disappears from the headlines, we will have heard from every former Raiders player, coach, towel boy, janitor and secretary about how [fill in the blank] Al Davis is as an owner. This is what happens when your coach-firing news conference turns into a public pimp slapping. People are going to have opinions.

Monte Poole of the Oakland Tribune points out that Davis seems to be learning from his mistakes and plans to hand over more football control. This franchise, the way I see it, isn’t light years away from contending. It just needs a little jolt, one that would come from Davis taking a step back from the football operations. Read more »

Week 3 could feature several games that produce shootouts like last week’s San Diego-Denver clash or Philadelphia-Dallas on Monday night.

Jay Cutler leads the NFL in passing yards after brilliant performances against Oakland and San Diego and gets another favorable matchup with the Saints in town this week. For anyone not convinced on starting Cutler, search our tag for Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, Cutler’s top two targets.

49ers QB J.T. O’Sullivan surprised everyone with a gutsy performance in Seattle. Look out for a HUGE fantasy day at home against Detroit. He’s almost guaranteed to put up numbers, although if the Niners grab a big lead early the Lions may see San Francisco’s backups.

This week is also about quarterbacks who need to prove something. Matt Hasselbeck’s sqaud is 0-2 after two subpar performances, and the veteran needs to bounce back with a strong outing against St. Louis. Philip Rivers and company are also 0-2, and they need nothing more than a convincing win on Monday Night Football vs. the Jets.

Baltimore’s Joe Flacco can prove that Week 1 was no fluke, Donovan McNabb can knock off his toughest test this year, and Aaron Rodgers can finally prove himself against a team that actually has a victory.

Here are the top quarterbacks for Week 3:

Heading into Week 3, the difference between 2-0 and 0-2 is catastrophic. Has your team survived the inevitable crapshoot that is the first few weeks, or has it succumb the unpredictable nature of fantasy football? Either way you’ll be looking forward to a successful Week 3, and it all starts with who you put in the starting lineup

Here is a look at some of the most intriguing Week 3 matchups. It’s all about starting quality players when they have a favorable matchup, and the most savvy owners know when it’s time to take a chance on lesser players facing softer defenses. Take the first step here – in the second edition of The Good, Bad and Ugly

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