The matchup charts this week indicate that there are more favorable than unfavorable matchups for the borderline flex/No. 3 wide receivers. Because of this, I am going to be listing three starts, two sits and three sleepers this week.
Starts
Joey Galloway, Buccaneers: Galloway is one of the more frustrating flex picks for fantasy coaches. He has five games with 10 or more fantasy points, but he also has four games with five points or less.
The good news for Galloway owners is that his big games normally do come against weak competition. Jason David of the Saints, Galloway's matchup this week, certainly qualifies as weak competition, so Galloway is a good start.
Reggie Brown, Eagles: Brown's fantasy numbers haven't been great this season, but he certainly has come around of late with two 10-plus fantasy point totals the past three weeks. Brown also seems to have a very good on-field rapport with A.J. Feeley, so which quarterback starts won't make much of a difference to Brown. Add to that Brown's matchup against the inconsistent Marcus Trufant (rated C-minus) and it equals a very good start prospect.
Andre Davis, Texans: In my ESPN.com Insider article this week, I reviewed how the Titans defense has fallen apart the past three weeks without Albert Haynesworth in the starting lineup. They are giving up a passer rating of 113.1 and have allowed 97 points.
If that weren't reason enough to consider starting Davis, his matchup is against Reynaldo Hill. Hill was benched earlier this season and hasn't done that much better as a nickel back. Even if Haynesworth is able to play this week, the matchup upside says Davis is a good start.
Sits
Brandon Stokley, Broncos: Stokley has posted seven or more fantasy points in four of the past six weeks, but there are two good reasons to sit him this week. The first is that Stokley is nursing a sore knee that has him currently listed as questionable. The second is his matchup against Nnamdi Asomugha. If Stokley were at full strength, he would have a tough time winning this matchup. Add the two together and your best bet is to put him on your bench.
Roddy White, Falcons: When White is on, he is capable of putting up big numbers. In two of his past five starts, White posted 16 and 17 fantasy points. This week's matchup against the Rams secondary would seem to be one in which White could post those big numbers, but his matchup is against Fakhir Brown. Brown isn't a dominant cornerback, but he is still the best coverage man on the Rams roster. Expect Atlanta to focus its passing game elsewhere.
Sleepers
Justin Gage, Titans: There are a multitude of factors that say Gage is not only a good play this week, but he could be a good pickup for the fantasy postseason as well. Over the past three games, Gage has posted the following numbers: 24 attempts, 17 completions for 254 yards and a TD. That's an average of eight pass attempts per game and a 10.6 yards on those attempts. Gage is also being used vertically; 12 of the attempts and seven of the completions have come on either medium (10-19 yards), deep (20-29 yards) or bomb (30-plus yards) passes.
The only possible negative to starting Gage is that Fred Bennett, his lineup matchup, has been playing fairly well. Even so, Gage's productivity is impossible to ignore.
Drew Carter, Panthers: Carter is the ultimate sleeper in that he is the ultimate Dave Kingman-like home run/strikeout hitter. Forty-three of his 57 total fantasy points this season have come in three games. Those three games were against St. Louis, Tennessee and Green Bay, all of which have nickel cornerback coverage issues this year.
The Panthers are facing the 49ers this week, another team with a weak secondary. Shawntae Spencer and Marcus Hudson are out for this contest, and Carter's matchup with Donald Strickland is very favorable and gives him a good chance of posting one of those high point total games.
Arnaz Battle, 49ers: Fantasy owners have been rightfully avoiding the 49ers' receiving corps this season, but Battle's recent performance could change some minds. Battle has totaled 7, 8 and 11 points the past three weeks. His matchup against Chris Gamble (rated C-minus) is a positive indicator that Battle could continue producing at this solid pace.
KC Joyner, aka The Football Scientist, is a regular contributor to ESPN Insider.