Before we get to the top five at each position, let's get to a few quick notes on four players we really like this week:

-- Giants running back Andre Brown could be the featured back Thursday night at Carolina. Starter Ahmad Bradshaw left last week's game against the Buccaneers with a neck injury, and he's questionable for this week.

Since it's a short week for the G-Men, the guess here is Bradshaw will sit, which would make Brown -- not rookie David Wilson -- a decent option as a low-end No. 2 running back in a deep league or as a flex play. Brown had 13 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown against the Bucs, and he caught two passes for 19 yards.

Carolina ranks 28th against the run. The Panthers are allowing 146.5 rushing yards per game and 4.7 yards per attempt.

-- Rams receiver Danny Amendola, as you know by now, is a machine in point-per-reception leagues. Amendola enters this week owned in only 19.2 percent of the ESPN leagues -- a number that should increase to the 90s by tomorrow. Amendola caught 15 passes for 160 yards and a TD last week against the Redskins, and he should be considered an immediate starter in any format. He has a ridiculous 25 targets in two games, and 20 of them have resulted in receptions.

-- Lions running back Mikel Leshoure could be the featured back after Kevin Smith managed just 53 yards on 16 carries Sunday night at San Francisco. Leshoure, a rookie, returns from his two-game suspension this week, and it sounds as if Detroit will waste no time getting him into the flow. Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan told the team's website Leshoure will "definitely be involved heavily in the game plan, and we'll go from there." If you're desperate for help at running back, Leshoure should be considered a No. 3 option in 12-team leagues and a low-end starter in deeper formats.

-- Colts receiver Donnie Avery has received 18 targets in two games, and last week he caught nine passes for 111 yards. Considering Andrew Luck has attempted 76 passes and thrown for 533 yards in two contests, Avery should continue to produce. He's a decent No. 3 receiver in deeper leagues.

On to the rankings. As always, we only consider players who are owned in fewer than 50 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com.

QUARTERBACKS
1. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills (owned in 42.5 percent of the ESPN leagues)
2. Matt Cassel, Chiefs (32.9)
3. Russell Wilson, Seahawks (16.3)
4. Mark Sanchez, Jets (37.9)
5. Christian Ponder, Vikings (5.0)
Dropped out: Blaine Gabbert, Jaguars
Just missed the cut: Brandon Weeden, Browns (2.1 percent)

RUNNING BACKS
1. Andre Brown, Giants (1.5 percent)
2. Mikel Leshoure, Lions (20.0)
3. Dexter McCluster, Chiefs (24.6)
4. Daryl Richardson, Rams (1.1)
5. Jackie Battle, Chargers (0.4)
Dropped out: Alfred Morris, Redskins (he's now owned in 90.4 percent of the ESPN leagues); Jonathan Dwyer, Steelers; Evan Royster, Redskins; Ronnie Brown, Chargers
Just missed the cut: Royster; Shaun Draughn, Chiefs (3.0 percent)

WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Danny Amendola, Rams (19.2 percent)
2. Donnie Avery, Colts (1.0)
3. Brandon LaFell, Panthers (26.8)
4. Brian Hartline, Dolphins (0.7)
5. Greg Little, Browns (17.4)
Dropped out: Kevin Ogletree, Cowboys (now owned in 71.4 percent of the ESPN leagues); Stephen Hill, Jets; Randall Cobb, Packers; Alshon Jeffery, Bears
Just missed the cut: Cobb; Jon Baldwin, Chiefs (25.9 percent); Kendall Wright, Titans (14.5); Andrew Hawkins, Bengals (2.4); Brandon Gibson, Rams (0.5)

TIGHT ENDS
1. Martellus Bennett, Giants (35.6 percent)
2. Dennis Pitta, Ravens (24.8)
3. Coby Fleener, Colts (32.6)
4. Kyle Rudolph, Vikings (12.0)
5. Brandon Myers, Raiders (0.1)
Dropped out: Heath Miller, Steelers; Jermaine Gresham, Bengals
Just missed the cut: Miller; Gresham; Scott Chandler, Bills (18.0 percent)

Past waiver-wire picks: Week 2

The predictions, prognostications and prolonged holdouts are all behind us (well, expect for you, Michael Crabtree), and it's finally time for a full slate of Week 1 games.

Before we get to the start-and-sit advice and the expanded playlist, here are a couple quick plugs.

-- Click here for a column I wrote today about Brandon Marshall, which includes injury advice and thoughts from Thursday's season opener. The link also has the audiocast Sports Editor Mark Podolski and I record each week.

-- We'll have a live fantasy football chat on the N-H's Web site this Thursday at 4 p.m. Go to the homepage of www.News-Herald.com and look for the link to the chat at the top.

-- If you have a question, e-mail KKleps@News-Herald.com or post a comment at the bottom of this blog and we'll answer it in the audiocast or the Saturday blog.

On to the lists ...

Five to start

Our first look at part-time starters and fantasy backups who should benefit from a favorable matchup:

-- Reggie Bush, RB, Saints, vs. Lions: Pierre Thomas is out because of a knee injury, which should mean more touches for Bush against a Lions defense that was the league's worst against the run last season, allowing an average of 172.1 yards per game, along with a league-high 31 rushing TDs. Detroit also ranked 27th against the pass, which should mean six or more catches for Bush. Another player to watch in this game: Mike Bell, who should share carries with Bush with Thomas sitting.

-- Donnie Avery, WR, Rams, at Seahawks: He's recovered from a foot injury that held him out of the majority of the preseason, and he gets to open the real season against 2008's worst pass defense. The Seahawks allowed 259 passing yards per game last season. Opposing quarterbacks had 25 TD throws and just nine interceptions.

-- Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens, vs. Chiefs: He should be more productive in Year 2, and there's no telling how bad the Chiefs' defense will be in the first year of the Todd Haley/Scott Pioli regime. Kansas City's pass defense was the league's fifth-worst last season.

-- Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seahawks, vs. Rams: He reportedly is healthy after a back injury wrecked his 2008 season, and he should have a big day against the Rams, who were 19th vs. the pass in 2008.

-- Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals, vs. Broncos: The once-troubled Bear wasn't featured at all on "Hard Knocks," but he should play a prominent role against a Broncos run defense that ranked 27th in 2008, yielding 146.1 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per attempt and 26 TDs on the ground (the second-most in the NFL).

-- More favorable matchups: Seahawks running back Julius Jones vs. the Rams, who ranked 29th against the run in 2008; Ravens running back Ray Rice against the Chiefs (No. 30); Cardinals running back Beanie Wells against the 49ers; 49ers wide receiver Isaac Bruce at the Cardinals (No. 22 vs. the pass); Seahawks receiver Nate Burleson against the Rams (No. 19); and if Anquan Boldin doesn't play because of a hamstring injury, Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston vs. the 49ers (No. 20).

Three to sit

If you have a quality backup with a favorable matchup, these starters should take a seat for a week:

-- Darren McFadden, RB, Raiders, vs. Chargers: This is more of an indictment of the Raiders' weapons-less offense that it is an endorsement of the Chargers' defense, which ranked 11th vs. the run last season.

-- Santana Moss, WR, Redskins, at Giants: The frustrating thing for Moss owners is his inconsistency, and the Giants were very good defending the pass last season (No. 8, 196 yards per game, 17 TDs, 17 interceptions).

-- Larry Johnson, RB, Chiefs, at Ravens: He probably can't be called an every-week starter at this stage of his career, and he should definitely be on your bench against the Ravens, who ranked third vs. the run in 2008 and allowed the fewest rushing TDs (4) in the NFL.

-- More matchups I don't like: Roy Williams, WR, Dallas, at Buccaneers (No. 4 vs. pass last season); Lee Evans, WR, Bills, at Patriots (No. 11); any New York Giants receiver vs. the Redskins (I'd prefer to wait to see if Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith are Eli Manning's preferred targets); Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos, at Bengals (will he get the majority of the carries or share with Correll Buckhalter?); Jamal Lewis, RB, Browns, vs. Vikings (the league's top run defense a year ago).

Playlist

QUARTERBACKS
1. Drew Brees, Saints, vs. Lions (No. 27 vs. the pass in 2008)
2. Tom Brady, Patriots, vs. Bills (13)
3. Kurt Warner, Cardinals, vs. 49ers (20)
4. Peyton Manning, Colts, vs. Jaguars (24)
5. Philip Rivers, Chargers, vs. Raiders (10)
6. Aaron Rodgers, Packers, vs. Bears (30)
7. Matt Schaub, Texans, vs. Jets (29)
8. Donovan McNabb, Eagles, at Panthers (16)
9. Matt Ryan, Falcons, vs. Dolphins (25)
10. Carson Palmer, Bengals, vs. Broncos (26)
11. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks, vs. Rams (19)
12. Joe Flacco, Ravens, vs. Chiefs (28)
13. Tony Romo, Cowboys, at Buccaneers (4)
14. Jay Cutler, Bears, at Packers (12)
15. Shaun Hill, 49ers, at Cardinals (22)
16. Chad Pennington, Dolphins, at Falcons (21)
17. Eli Manning, Giants, vs. Redskins (7)
18. Brett Favre, Vikings, at Browns (14)
19. David Garrard, Jaguars, at Colts (6)
20. Trent Edwards, Bills, at Patriots (11)

RUNNING BACKS
1. Adrian Peterson, Vikings, at Browns (No. 28 vs. the run in 2008)
2. Matt Forte, Bears, at Packers (26)
3. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers, at Raiders (31)
4. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars, at Colts (24)
5. Steven Jackson, Rams, at Seahawks (18)
6. Brian Westbrook, Eagles, at Panthers (20)
7. Michael Turner, Falcons, vs. Dolphins (10)
8. Thomas Jones, Jets, at Texans (23)
9. Steve Slaton, Texans, vs. Jets (7)
10. Frank Gore, 49ers, at Cardinals (16)
11. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins, at Falcons (25)
12. Brandon Jacobs, Giants, vs. Redskins (8)
13. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers, vs. Eagles (4)
14. Marion Barber, Cowboys, at Buccaneers (19)
15. Ryan Grant, Packers, vs. Bears (5)
16. Cedric Benson, Bengals, vs. Broncos (27)
17. Kevin Smith, Lions, at Saints (17)
18. Reggie Bush, Saints, vs. Lions (32)
19. Ray Rice, Ravens, vs. Chiefs (30)
20. Clinton Portis, Redskins, at Giants (9)
21. Julius Jones, Seahawks, vs. Rams (29)
22. Joseph Addai, Colts, vs. Jaguars (13)
23. Derrick Ward, Buccaneers, vs. Cowboys (12)
24. Beanie Wells, Cardinals, vs. 49ers (13)

WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Andre Johnson, Texans, vs. Dolphins (No. 25 vs. the pass in 2008)
2. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals, vs. 49ers (20)
3. Randy Moss, Patriots, vs. Bills (13)
4. Roddy White, Falcons, vs. Dolphins (25)
5. Marques Colston, Saints, vs. Lions (27)
6. Reggie Wayne, Colts, vs. Jaguars (24)
7. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks, vs. Rams (19)
8. Greg Jennings, Packers, vs. Bears (30)
9. Calvin Johnson, Lions, at Saints (23)
10. Vincent Jackson, Chargers, at Raiders (10)
11. Chad Ochocinco, Bengals, vs. Broncos (26)
12. Steve Smith, Panthers, vs. Eagles (3)
13. Wes Welker, Patriots, vs. Bills (13)
14. DeSean Jackson, Eagles, at Panthers (16)
15. Lance Moore, Saints, vs. Lions (27)
16. Eddie Royal, Broncos, at Bengals (15)
17. Anthony Gonzalez, Colts, vs. Jaguars (24)
18. Derrick Mason, Ravens, vs. Chiefs (28)
19. Terrell Owens, Bills, at Patriots (11)
20. Donnie Avery, Rams, at Seahawks (32)
21. Kevin Walter, Texans, vs. Jets (29)
22. Braylon Edwards, Browns, vs. Vikings (18)
23. Brandon Marshall, Broncos, at Bengals (15)
24. x-Anquan Boldin, Cardinals, vs. 49ers (20)
25. Bernard Berrian, Vikings, at Browns (14)
26. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs, at Ravens (2)
27. Donald Driver, Packers, vs. Bears (30)
28. Laveranues Coles, Bengals, vs. Broncos (26)
29. Jerricho Cotchery, Jets, at Texans (17)
30. Antonio Bryant, Buccaneers, vs. Cowboys (5)
31. Torry Holt, Jaguars, at Colts (6)
32. Roy Williams, Cowboys, at Buccaneers (4)
33. Ted Ginn Jr., Dolphins, at Falcons (21)
34. Nate Burleson, Seahawks, vs. Rams (19)
35. Isaac Bruce, 49ers, at Cardinals (22)
36. Devin Hester, Bears, at Packers (12)

x-Make sure Boldin (hamstring injury) plays. If not, teammate Steve Breaston would be a good start.