San Francisco is a lot closer to six wins than a sixth Super Bowl title, but for fantasy football leagues these 49ers are championship material.

Yes, the crummy little Niners of recent years suddenly have some players: Frank Gore's been a monster featured back, with 307 yards total and three scores. Antonio Bryant has gone over 100 yards receiving in two games as a 49er. Even Alex Smith is improved, averaging 260 yards and a TD. (He didn't hit 260 yards until his fifth game last year, and by then he had thrown eight interceptions.)

They're not quite Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Roger Craig, but these guys should keep producing all year.

Their scheme is run by offensive guru Norv Turner, who famously coached the Dallas ``triplets'' of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin. More recently, Turner got production out of several Raiders who are currently stinking up fantasy waiver wires or going cheap in trade offers.

The Niners also will get help from a fairly easy schedule and a weak division. They have some favourable foes leading up to and during most fantasy league playoffs, including non-factors such as St. Louis, New Orleans, Green Bay and Arizona.

As you dust off your Ricky Watters jersey, here are some players to start in Week 3, some to avoid and some long shots that just might pan out:

QUARTERBACKS

A SAFE BET

_ The Giants' Eli Manning is working himself nearer brother Peyton's lofty status by opening with five touchdowns in two games. Last week he went for 371 yards and three TDs, and he faces the Seattle team he had 344 yards and two scores against last year.

_ Overthinker Alert: Yes, the Bengals' Carson Palmer is facing the same brutal Steelers defence that ripped up his knee, and yes the Cincinnati line is nicked up. But just don't bench Palmer unless he's not playing.

_ Two weeks ago everybody demanded Brett Favre's immediate retirement from the Packers. After throwing for 340 yards and three touchdowns last week, maybe he ain't so bad. The Detroit team he faces ain't so good.

_ Speaking of bad, Miami's Daunte Culpepper is now 2-7 with seven touchdowns and 15 interceptions without Randy Moss. But he'll get better against Tennessee, which doesn't care much for pass defence.

_ Sticking with the winless QB theme, start Houston's David Carr. The Texans force him to play to the bitter end of their blowout losses, and he's good against defences full of bench warmers. He already has four TDs.

TAKE A SHOT

_ With five touchdowns in romps over Green Bay and Detroit, Chicago's Rex Grossman has looked like a University of Florida QB playing Furman and Louisiana-Monroe. He'll get his first real test against the Vikings, who haven't allowed a TD pass.

BACK AWAY SLOWLY AND NOBODY GETS HURT

Please, in the name of Tim Rattay, don't start these guys:

_ Bench Carolina's Jake Delhomme at least until he matches the season TD pass total of Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell. Steve Smith's injury is big, but nobody's blocking either.

_ It's about time to sit St. Louis' Marc Bulger, even if he is playing Arizona. The line is a major problem, as he's already been sacked nine times while mustering just one touchdown.

_ This also may be a good week to bench New England's Tom Brady. That might sound silly, but he mainly just hands off now and faces a Denver defence that hasn't allowed a touchdown.

___

RUNNING BACKS

ALL DAY LONG

_ Start Washington's Clinton Portis as he tunes up for real NFL action by trotting through the defenceless Texans. In fact, start any Redskin. In fact, every week your first order of business should be finding somebody to start against the Texans.

_ Look for St. Louis' Steven Jackson to avenge the disaster of his last game against Arizona (12 carries, six yards). He has two 100-yard games this year, and the Rams just can't throw.

_ There's no stopping Atlanta's Warrick Dunn, even though the Saints have been surprisingly tough against the run. Dunn's gone over 130 yards twice to lead the NFL in rushing and has scored a TD in his last two trips to Louisiana.

_ Speaking of smallish 31-year-olds, isn't Tiki Barber due for a big game? He hasn't scored in seven of his last nine outings, but last year he racked up 151 yards rushing on the Seahawks.

_ This could be the week when Willis McGahee finally scores a touchdown. He's been shut out in 11 of his last 12 games but has gone over 100 yards in his last three against the Jets.

HE COULD FIND A SEAM

Rookie DeAngelo Williams has been the more explosive runner in Carolina's backfield job-share, even though the Panthers say DeShaun Foster (2.9 yards a carry) remains the starter.

RED FLAGS

_ Here's an early season knee-jerk reaction: Edgerrin James isn't very good as a Cardinal. He's averaging 3.1 yards a carry, well under his 4.2 average a year ago in Indianapolis, and has to make his own holes through a shaky Arizona line.

_ It is awkward when your nickname is ``Cadillac'' and you rush for 22 and 37 yards in the first two games. Carnell Williams already has been held under 40 yards rushing seven times in his young career. (Maybe more of a Kia?)

_ Bench any and all Bells. It's unclear if Tatum or Mike will win Denver coach Mike Shanahan's pregame coin toss to determine the starter, but neither's done much and the Patriots are tough against the run.

___

WIDE RECEIVERS

THROW HIM THE DARN BALL!

_ It's been a while since the Giants' Amani Toomer has been a regular fantasy starter, but if a receiver for a Manning goes for 137 yards and two touchdowns you can't bench him again.

_ In fact, don't bench any uniquely first-named receivers in New Jersey. Stick with Laveranues Coles (253 yards, TD this year) and Jerricho Cotchery (186 yards, 2 TDs) as long as the Jets' passing game is hot.

_ Darrell Jackson looked like his old self last week, and now the Seahawks face a porous Giants pass defence that has allowed 300-plus yards in three straight games dating to last year.

_ I guarantee Detroit's Roy Williams will have more to offer than elaborate first-down celebrations against the Packers, who can actually stop the run but seem resigned to watching opposing quarterbacks.

_ Washington's Santana Moss finally should get into the end zone because of the simple football truism that everybody gets to score against Houston.

MAYBE THROW HIM THE DARN BALL?

_ Some 6-foot-4 guy named Marques Colston scores every week for the Saints.

SHOW HIM THE DARN BENCH

_ Hopefully you've had the good sense to bench Lee Evans and others in the Bills' alleged passing game. But do start him if your league awards points when receivers get two catches in a game; he's done that in four of his last five.

_ Even though it should be a passing frenzy when the Giants play Seattle, keep Deion Branch on the bench. He's still learning the system, and the Seahawks have tons of receivers.

_ Minnesota speedster Troy Williamson is averaging 90 yards a game, but the Vikings' feel-good story is about to take an ugly turn against the Bears.

FREE AGENT SHOPPING LIST

Roll the dice on these guys if they're still available in your league:

Rex Grossman of the Bears (289 yards passing, 4 TDs), Jerricho Cotchery of the Jets (121 yards receiving, TD), Bernard Berrian of the Bears (89 yards receiving, TD), David Carr of the Texans (3 touchdowns), Greg Jennings of the Packers (67 yards receiving, TD).

WHAT DO I KNOW?

Here's the best and worst of last week's projections:

_ Big Hits: I endorsed Chad Pennington (306 yards, 2 TDs) and Frank Gore (127 yards rushing, TD), and predicted good days for current Vikings (Chester Taylor, Troy Williamson) and bad days for former ones (Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss).

_ Big Misses: I expected big days from Tom Brady (1 TD), Marc Bulger (1 TD, 6 sacks), Matt Hasselbeck (1 TD) and Jamal Lewis (0 TDs). I also expected failure from Drew Bledsoe (237 yards passing, 2 TDs).