6 Must Starts For Week 2

Are you ready for Week 2? Make sure you see our latest Week 2 Projections!

With Week 1 in the books, you might be already starting to panic. Do I trade Peyton Manning high? Why did Dez Bryant look so bad? Will my hair ever grow back? You need to calm down, take a deep breath, and not overreact. Logic, son. Logic. No panic, just logic.

So with that in mind, our fancy schmancy algorithm has come up with six players that you might be waffling on that you simply need to start. And don't just take our word for it - take math's word for it. Math knows all. Math is good. Math clarifies.

(Seriously, go watch Gordon Gekko's speech from "Wall Street" and just sub in "math" for "greed". It all works.)

Michael Vick

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for the Eagles last week. The first half was like Don Henley in his prime - see what I did there - and the second half was like some drunk accountant belting out "Hotel California" karoake at a hotel bar outside of Little Rock.

With the Chargers coming down from their surprisingly competent MNF performance, our algorithm likes Vick and his partners in crime LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson to roll tide in another strong offensive performance. He's got big-time QB1 upside this and all weeks, so only bench him if you've got a true stud ala Drew Brees to rock chalk with.

Our projection: #10 QB

Darren McFadden

We actually like Terrelle Pryor quite a bit - but just like we told you in Week 1, the straw that really stirs the drink is Darren McFadden. With the hapless Jaguars on the docket, DMC's got the perfect matchup to do his thing.

Based on his ADP and the general disdain of his inability to consistently be able to walk under his own power throughout the course of a season, he's likely a late decision between your bench and your starting lineup. Don't sweat it: McFadden will get his - especially in PPR leagues - and that's more than enough to warrant a spot in your starting lineup.

Our projection: #14 RB

Cecil Shorts

Continuing on the JAX/OAK theme, we're going a bit bold and taking Cecil Shorts as a must-start despite what can only be considered a terrible Week 1 performance. And let's be real about this - his first name ain't doing him any favors, either. I mean, come on - Cecil? He sounds like a 17th-century English blacksmith.

In defense of his Week 1 however, he's got Blaine Gabbert holding him back like the fat girl in Wilson Phillips. The opponent is Oakland, a secondary that Shorts should be able to slice up, particularly with Maurice Jones-Drew likely to be gaining a lot of space on the ground to open up play-action lanes. He's a WR3 and nothing more, but he'll be a solid contributor this week and beyond.

Our projection: #23 WR

Andre Roberts

Consider this a speculative pick. I can't stress this enough: check Larry Fitzgerald's injury status before pulling the trigger on this.

It doesn't take a fantastic, unbelievable data-driven algorithm to know that the ARI/DET affair will have about as much defense as the NHL All-Star game. Carson Palmer is going to have to throw ball - he certainly can't rely on sub-replacement level Rashard Mendenhall to tote the rock - and Andre Roberts is going to see a lot of those targets. To make the picture even rosier, TE Robb Housler is out with a case of too many consonants, so the green light is there for Roberts to be a high-upside flex that borders on WR3.

Our projection: #23 WR

Brandon Myers

For those of you in RB/WR/TE flex leagues, consider a second TE such as Brandon Myers over some of the hot-and-cold high risk options at the sexier skill positions. Don't sleep - TE is a position of huge targets, particularly in the red zone; just ask owners of Jason Witten, Julius Thomas, and even Owen Daniels.

Even with Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks on the bus, the Manning Bowl is likely to be a shootout and Brandon Myers is a solid choice for stable receptions and enough yards to counterbalance a riskier start at other positions. He won't win the game for you, but he certainly won't goose egg either; sometimes that is exactly what you need. The algorithm has him as the #14 TE option - which frankly feels low - with loads of upside if the game becomes a track meet.

Our projection: #14 TE

And now for our plug and play, man, those Windows commercials are terrible D pick of the week!

Baltimore Ravens D/ST

Available in a large number of leagues, they're at home and they're not exactly playing Peyton Manning. In fact, you'd only confuse Brandon Weeden for Peyton Manning if you were as blind as C.J. Ross after watching Heather Matarazzo - go look her up - do a striptease for you while that guy with a half a face from "Boardwalk Empire" shoots bleach into your corneas with a super soaker.

Ten points plus, book it.

Our projection: #6 D