Empty the Bench

You’ve waited over 9 long months for their triumphant return, and at long last they’ve finally awakened from their spring and summer slumber. Mmhmm… Empty the Bench’s unflappable, tried-and-true, sea-hammock free weekly fantasy football rankings are back! Yeah yeah, we’ve tightened our belts some this season in terms of fantasy football coverage compared to last year, but these wildly popular rankings aren’t going anywhere.

Now, we might need another week or two to get our shit fully straight here as far as figuring out who’s still capable of what and which defenses are the ones to exploit week in, week out. (The Oakland Raiders and my Detroit Lions have kindly volunteered for that latter honor already.) So, while the ranks that follow have been deemed the most accurate on the Web*, we’re asking for a just a wee bit of patience in case a player or two is a slot or two off.

Without further ado, here’s ETB’s top 20 QBs, 30 RBs, 36 WRs, 15 TEs, and 15 Team Defenses based on past performance, injuries, and matchups for Week 2.

Fantasy Week 2: Top 20 Quarterbacks

1. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys vs. PHI
2. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts @ MIN
3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers @ CLE
4. Eli Manning, New York Giants @ STL
5. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles @ DAL
6. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints @ WSH
7. Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos vs. SD
8. Brett Favre, New York Jets vs. NE
9. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals vs. TEN
10. Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals vs. MIA
11. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers @ DET
12. Derek Anderson, Cleveland Browns vs. PIT
13. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers @ DEN
14. Jon Kitna, Detroit Lions vs. GB
15. David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. BUF
16. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans vs. BAL
17. Matt Cassel, New England Patriots @ NYJ
18. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks vs. SF
19. Jake Delhomme, Carolina Panthers vs. CHI
20. Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams vs. NYG

Fantasy Week 2: Top 30 Running Backs

1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings vs. IND
2. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers @ DEN
3. Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia Eagles @ DAL
4. Marion Barber, Dallas Cowboys vs. PHI
5. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers @ SEA
6. Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants @ STL
7. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams vs. NYG
8. Marshawn Lynch, Buffalo Bills @ JAX
9. Willie Parker, Pittsburgh @ CLE
10. Larry Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs vs. OAK
11. Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts @ MIN
12. Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins vs. NO
13. Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints @ WSH
14. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons @ TB
15. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears @ CAR
16. Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay Bucs vs. ATL
17. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. BUF
18. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans @ CIN
19. Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers @ DET (Check Status)
20. Jamal Lewis, Cleveland Browns vs. PIT
21. Laurence Maroney, New England Patriots @ NYJ
22. Edgerrin James, Arizona Cardinals vs. MIA
23. Thomas Jones, New York Jets vs. NE
24. Julius Jones, Seattle Seahawks vs. SF
25. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers vs. CHI
26. Selvin Young, Denver Broncos vs. SD
27. Ronnie Brown, Miami Dolphins @ SF
28. Kevin Smith, Detroit Lions vs. GB
29. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders @ KC
30. Willis McGahee, Baltimore Ravens @ HOU

Fantasy Week 2: Top 36 Wide Receivers

1. Terrell Owens, Dallas Cowboys vs. PHI
2. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts @ MIN
3. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals vs. MIA
4. Randy Moss, NE Patriots @ NYJ (Check Status)
5. Plaxico Burress, New York Giants @ STL
6. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans vs. BAL
7. Braylon Edwards, Cleveland Browns vs. PIT
8. Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos vs. SD
9. Chad Ocho Cinco, Cincinnati Bengals vs. TEN
10. Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals vs. MIA
11. Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers @ CLE
12. Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers @ DET
13. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cincinnati Bengals vs. TEN
14. Jerricho Cotchery, New York Jets vs. NE
15. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions vs. GB
16. Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers @ CLE
17. Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers @ DET
18. Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis Colts @ MIN
19. Roy Williams, Detroit Lions vs. GB
20. Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs vs. OAK
21. Torry Holt, St. Louis Rams vs. NYG
22. Lee Evans, Buffalo Bills vs. JAX
23. Patrick Crayton, Dallas Cowboys vs. PHI
24. Wes Welker, New England Patriots @ NYJ
25. Santana Moss, Washington Redskins vs. NO
26. Laveranues Coles, New York Jets vs. NE
27. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons @ TB
28. Joey Galloway, Tampa Bay Bucs vs. ATL
29. Anthony Gonzalez, Indianapolis Colts @ MIN
30. Eddie Royal, Denver Broncos vs. SD
31. Chris Chambers, San Diego Chargers @ DEN
32. Antonio Bryant, Tampa Bay Bucs vs. ATL
33. Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers @ DEN
34. Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings vs. IND
35. D.J. Hackett, Carolina Panthers vs. CHI
36. Ronald Curry, Oakland Raiders @ KC

Fantasy Week 2: Top 15 Tight Ends

1. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys vs. PHI
2. Kellen Winslow, Jr., Cleveland Browns vs. PIT
3. Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs vs. OAK
4. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers @ DEN
5. Jeremy Shockey, New Orleans Saints @ WSH
6. Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins vs. NO
7. Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers vs. MIA
8. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans vs. BAL
9. Tony Scheffler, Denver Broncos vs. SD
10. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers @ CLE
11. L.J. Smith, Philadelphia Eagles @ DAL
12. Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears @ CAR
13. Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders @ KC
14. Todd Heap, Baltimore Ravens @ HOU
15. Randy McMichael, St. Louis Rams vs. NYG

Fantasy Week 2: Top 15 Team Defenses

1. New York Giants @ STL
2. Chicago Bears @ CAR
3. Green Bay Packers @ DET
4. Tampa Bay Bucs vs. ATL
5. New England Patriots @ NYJ
6. Pittsburgh Steelers @ CLE
7. Minnesota Vikings vs. IND
8. Baltimore Ravens @ HOU
9. Seattle Seahawks vs. SF
10. Tennessee Titans @ CIN
11. San Diego Chargers @ DEN
12. Buffalo Bills @ JAX
13. Indianapolis Colts @ MIN
14. Arizona Cardinals vs. MIA
15. Dallas Cowboys vs. PHI

Related Reading:
- ETB’s Sea Hammock of the Week: Tom Brady

* may not actually be true