This week’s start ‘em features several Buccaneers in the top ten at their positions as they face the Chargers. Did you know that Tampa Bay is now leading the NFL in yards per play? I guess big plays from Vincent Jackson and record setting performances from Doug Martin will do that.

A quick word on these projections. I set my projections using team performance in categories for the year, and then also comparing the opponent’s yards and touchdowns allowed. Obviously, the Patriots “quarterbacks” represents Tom Brady, and will also continue to do so going forward. For cases like the Titans at quarterback this week, or Emmanuel Sanders or Taiwan Jones tepping in to a more prominent role, though, it matters. Depending on the position, the opponent adjustment applies more heavily. For quarterbacks, there is more variation so I weight the individual more heavily. For tight ends, the same is true, because Gronkowski is going to get his no matter what and matchups only matter in deciding between otherwise even players.

I then guess at the percentage distribution of production by team, based on things like what they’ve done recently, and the matchup. Sometimes it is complete guesswork. How will Oakland divide up between Taiwan Jones and Marcel Reece? I went 60/40 Jones. For others, it’s pretty consistent, we can be sure that Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch will get almost all of their team’s running back numbers.

The matchup starts, among guys not likely to be starters normally, are:

QB: Josh Freeman (time to get him in the lineup), Joe Flacco (Raiders secondary issues) and if you are desperate, Jake Locker against the Dolphins.

RB: Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer against the Chiefs, Taiwan Jones and Marcel Reece, Jacquizz Rodgers against the Saints.

WR: Brian Hartline and Davone Bess vs. the Titans, Emmanuel Sanders vs. the Chiefs, Donald Jones vs. the Patriots.

QUARTERBACKS

1. Tom Brady vs. BUF
2. Matt Ryan at NO
3. Drew Brees vs. ATL
4. Peyton Manning at CAR
5. Ben Roethlisberger vs. KC
6. Josh Freeman vs. SD
7. Matt Stafford at MIN
8. Cam Newton vs. DEN
9. Carson Palmer at BAL
10. Joe Flacco vs. OAK
11. Eli Manning at CIN
12. Ryan Fitzpatrick at NE
13. Andy Dalton vs. NYG
14. Tony Romo at PHI
15. Michael Vick vs. DAL
16. Philip Rivers at TB
17. Jake Locker at MIA
18. Alex Smith vs. STL
19. Jay Cutler vs. HOU
20. Matt Schaub at CHI
21. Ryan Tannehill vs. TEN
22. Russell Wilson vs. NYJ
23. Christian Ponder vs. DET
24. Sam Bradford at SF
25. Mark Sanchez at SEA
26. Matt Cassel at PIT

RUNNING BACKS

1. Ray Rice vs. OAK
2. Doug Martin vs. SD
3. Marshawn Lynch vs. NYJ
4. Arian Foster at CHI
5. Adrian Peterson vs. DET
6. Stevan Ridley vs. BUF
7. Willis McGahee at CAR
8. Reggie Bush vs. TEN
9. Michael Turner at NO
10. Frank Gore vs. STL
11. LeSean McCoy vs. DAL
12. Jamaal Charles at PIT
13. C.J. Spiller at NE
14. Ryan Mathews at TB
15. Shonn Greene at SEA
16. Isaac Redman vs. KC
17. Chris Johnson at MIA
18. Matt Forte vs. HOU
19. Ahmad Bradshaw at CIN
20. Pierre Thomas vs. ATL
21. Taiwan Jones at BAL
22. Mikel LeShoure at MIN
23. Jonathan Dwyer vs. KC
24. Daniel Thomas vs. TEN
25. Marcel Reece at BAL
26. Jonathan Stewart vs. DEN
27. Benjarvus Green-Ellis vs. NYG
28. Felix Jones at PHI
29. Jacquizz Rodgers at NO
30. Shane Vereen vs. BUF
31. Andre Brown at CIN
32. Danny Woodhead vs. BUF
33. DeAngelo Williams vs. DEN
34. Ronnie Hillman at CAR
35. Steven Jackson at SF
36. Joique Bell at MIN
37. Kendall Hunter vs. STL
38. Fred Jackson at NE
39. Chris Ivory vs. ATL
40. Bernard Pierce vs. OAK

WIDE RECEIVERS

1. Roddy White at NO
2. A.J. Green vs. NYG
3. Brandon Marshall vs. HOU
4. Julio Jones at NO
5. Wes Welker vs. BUF
6. Calvin Johnson at MIN
7. Demaryius Thomas at CAR
8. Vincent Jackson vs. SD
9. Victor Cruz at CIN
10. Miles Austin at PHI
11. Eric Decker at CAR
12. Kenny Britt at MIA
13. Marques Colston vs. ATL
14. Malcom Floyd at TB
15. Torrey Smith vs. OAK
16. Mike Wallace vs. KC
17. Brian Hartline vs. TEN
18. Dez Bryant at PHI
19. Mike Williams vs. SD
20. Steve Smith vs. DEN
21. Andre Johnson at CHI
22. Brandon Lloyd vs. BUF
23. Denarius Moore at BAL
24. Michael Crabtree vs. STL
25. Davone Bess vs. TEN
26. Anquan Boldin vs. OAK
27. Titus Young at MIN
28. Jeremy Kerley at SEA
29. Steve Johnson vs. NE
30. Darrius Heyward-Bey at BAL
31. Hakeem Nicks at CIN*
32. DeSean Jackson vs. DAL
33. Lance Moore vs. ATL
34. Emmanuel Sanders vs. KC
35. Kendall Wright at MIA
36. Danny Amendola at SF*
37. Donald Jones at NE
38. Sidney Rice vs. NYJ
39. Jeremy Maclin vs. DAL
40. Andrew Hawkins vs. NYG

TIGHT ENDS

1. Rob Gronkowski vs. BUF
2. Jimmy Graham vs. ATL
3. Jason Witten at PHI
4. Tony Gonzalez at NO
5. Owen Daniels at CHI*
6. Heath Miller vs. KC
7. Vernon Davis vs. STL
8. Antonio Gates at TB
9. Brandon Myers at BAL
10. Jermaine Gresham vs. NYG
11. Greg Olsen vs. DEN
12. Brandon Pettigrew at MIN
13. Dustin Keller at SEA
14. Scott Chandler at NE
15. Brent Celek vs. DAL
16. Dennis Pitta vs. OAK
17. Kyle Rudolph vs. DET
18. Jared Cook at MIA
19. Anthony Fasano vs. TEN
20. Jacob Tamme at CAR

[photo via US Presswire]