Our weekly guide to the Fantasy matchups posts every Sunday of the season and will help forecast the best hitters to use, the ones to sit and outline those all-important two-start pitchers.

This week's matchups
AL early NL early AL late NL late
TOR@NYY CIN@WAS DET@BOS STL@WAS
LAA@BAL STL@PIT KC@NYY CIN@PIT
CLE@TB ATL@CHC OAK@BAL FLA@CHC
OAK@DET FLA@MIL LAA@TB ATL@MIL
CHW@MIN NYM@ARI CLE@TOR PHI@ARI
BOS@KC COL@LAD MIN@TEX HOU@LAD
SEA@TEX PHI@SF CHW@SEA NYM@SF
HOU@SD COL@SD
A LAD@FLA game Monday completes a weekend series.
Bold denotes four-game series.

Note: Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, D-Backs, Cardinals, Pirates, Blue Jays, Yankees, Indians and Devil Rays all are scheduled to play seven games this week. The rest of baseball has six games.

Five best hitter schedules

  1. New York Yankees -- 4 vs. TOR, 3 vs. KC
  • It's time to play catchup in pennant race.
  • Cleveland Indians -- 4 at TB, 3 at TOR
    • There are much tougher road trips than this.
  • Arizona Diamondbacks -- 4 vs. NYM, 3 vs. Phillies
    • Seven games in their home hitter's park are promising.
  • St. Louis Cardinals -- 4 at PIT, 3 at WAS
    • They're so good, they might not need Scott Rolen.
  • Toronto Blue Jays -- 4 at NYY, 3 vs. CLE
    • With Roy Halladay still out, they will have to score.

    Five worst hitter schedules

    1. Chicago White Sox -- 3 at MIN, 3 at SEA
    • Johan Santana and Felix Hernandez in one week.
  • Milwaukee Brewers -- 3 vs. FLA, 3 vs. ATL
    • Those are two stingy staffs coming to town.
  • Chicago Cubs -- 3 vs. ATL, 3 vs. FLA
    • Ditto here, but Derrek Lee is much less afraid.
  • Colorado Rockies -- 3 at LAD, 3 at SD
    • They are awful on the road, and these parks won't help.
  • Houston Astros -- 3 at SD, 3 at LAD
    • Ditto here, but at least they're in a pennant race.

    Cast your vote here!

    Two-start pitchers

    Must-start options
    Pitcher Start No. 1 Start No. 2
    Dontrelle Willis vs. LAD (Jackson) at CHC (Zambrano)
    Roy Oswalt at SD (Williams) at LAD (Weaver)
    Johan Santana vs. CHW (Garcia) at TEX (Young)
    Jake Peavy vs. HOU (Clemens) vs. COL (Wright)
    Josh Beckett at MIL (Capuano) at CHC (Williams)
    Tim Hudson at CHC (Zambrano) at MIL (Capuano)
    Carlos Zambrano vs. ATL (Tim Hudson) vs. FLA (Willis)
    Freddy Garcia at MIN (Santana) at SEA (Moyer)
    Dan Haren at DET (Robertson) at BAL (DuBose)
    Mark Mulder at PIT (Fogg) at WAS (Drese)
    Zach Duke vs. STL (Marquis) vs. CIN (Hudson)
    Brandon Webb vs. NYM (Glavine) vs. PHI (Myers)
    Kevin Millwood at TB (Waechter) at TOR (Downs)
    Advisable options
    Pitcher Start No. 1 Start No. 2
    Chris Capuano vs. FLA (Beckett) vs. ATL (Hudson)
    Noah Lowry vs. PHI (Lieber) vs. NYM (Zambrano)
    David Wells at KC (Greinke) vs. DET (Robertson)
    Jon Lieber at SF (Lowry) at ARI (Vargas)
    Jeff Weaver vs. COL (Wright) vs. HOU (Oswalt)
    Jason Marquis at PIT (Duke) at WAS (Armas)
    Jake Westbrook at TB (Hendrickson) at TOR (Towers)
    Jarrod Washburn at BAL (DuBose) at TB (Hendrickson)
    Chris Young vs. SEA (Moyer) vs. MIN (Santana)
    Jaret Wright vs. TOR (Downs) vs. KC (Hernandez)
    Tom Glavine at ARI (Webb) at SF (Schmidt)
    Claudio Vargas vs. NYM (Zambrano) vs. PHI (Lieber)
    Questionable options
    Pitcher Start No. 1 Start No. 2
    Tony Armas vs. CIN (Hudson) vs. STL (Marquis)
    Jamie Moyer at TEX (Young) vs. CHW (Garcia)
    Josh Towers at NYY (Leiter) vs. CLE (Westbrook)
    Woody Williams vs. HOU (Oswalt) vs. COL (Day?)
    Al Leiter vs. TOR (Towers) vs. KC (Greinke)
    Victor Zambrano at ARI (Vargas) at SF (Lowry)
    Nate Robertson vs. OAK (Haren) at BOS (Wells)
    Jerome Williams vs. ATL (Thomson) vs. FLA (Beckett)
    High-risk options
    Pitcher Start No. 1 Start No. 2
    Zack Greinke vs. BOS (Wells) at NYY (Leiter)
    Josh Fogg vs. STL (Mulder) vs. CIN (Milton)
    Doug Waechter vs. CLE (Millwood) vs. LAA (Byrd)
    Luke Hudson at WAS (Armas) at PIT (Duke)
    Scott Downs at NYY (Wright) vs. CLE (Millwood)
    Jamey Wright at LAD (Weaver) at SD (Peavy)
    Edwin Jackson? at FLA (Willis) at HOU (Pettitte)?
    Mark Hendrickson vs. CLE (Westbrook) vs. LAA (Washburn)
    Eric DuBose vs. LAA (Washburn) vs. OAK (Haren)

    Notes

    • The Braves might consider skipping Horacio Ramirez for their weekend series at Milwaukee in order to keep John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and John Thomson on regular rest. If Ramirez is skipped, Thomson would become an advisable two-start pitcher. He is worth using even in his first outing at Chicago (vs. Jerome Williams). Ramirez is not yet slated to be skipped, though, and is probably going to make his start Friday at Milwaukee.
    • Our Probable Pitchers and Two-Start Pitchers reports this week project the Cubs will skip Glendon Rusch's start later in the week to keep their aces on regular rest. If Rusch is not skipped, Jerome Williams will lose his second start. Williams is more of an NL-only option if he will not get the added benefit of the extra start.
    • The Astros might consider skipping Wandy Rodriguez this week, which could make Roger Clemens a two-start pitcher. Rodriguez is not projected to be skipped at this point, but Clemens remains a must-start pitcher in any week, in any matchup.
    • Runelvys Hernandez left his start early Sunday and his status for a start in Fantasy Week 21 (Aug. 22-28) is up in the air. We recommend sitting him in all formats.
    • The Dodgers are giving former top prospect Edwin Jackson a spot start Monday, but he could be a two-start pitcher if he does well and incumbent start Odalis Perez (oblique) requires a trip to the DL. Jackson is high risk in any event.
    • Our Probable Pitchers and Two-Start Pitchers reports this week project the Padres will skip Pedro Astacio, keeping their top four arms on regular rest in the pennant race. Jake Peavy would lose a second start if the Padres decide to keep Astacio in the rotation. Peavy is a must-start pitcher in any event, though.
    • It doesn't appear as if the Giants will skip No. 5 start Kevin Correia at this point for the upcoming week. If Correia is skipped, Brett Tomko would pick up a second start Sunday vs. the New York Mets. Tomko would be a questionable start even as a two-start pitcher.

    Bleacher Banter

    Phil Cox, Herndon, Va.: Which two to start out of these three: Felipe Lopez, Jhonny Peralta or Jeff Kent? Lopez is 2B eligible in my league. Kent is 1B eligible, but I have Pujols there. I also have Delgado at DH.

    E.M.: Go with Peralta over Lopez and make Kent your second baseman. Peralta gets the extra game and Kent, Pujols and Delgado never sit when healthy.

    Ted, Buffalo, N.Y.: I have four pitchers from which I need to drop one of them and play one of them in my active roster, and I can reserve the other two. The pitchers are: Doug Davis, Danys Baez, Mike Timlin and Roy Halladay. I'm within reach of moving up a few spots in saves, but I could gain a few each in wins, WHIP, ERA and Ks.

    E.M.: Play Timlin in his rare week as a closer for a first-division club. Save Halladay and Baez. It looks like you have to cut the steady but not spectacular Doug Davis.

    Mo: Should I pick up Mike Timlin for this week since Boston plays KC and DET, or should I disregard the waiver-wire move and keep Trevor Hoffman in as closer since he has three games against HOU and COL? Also, would you pick up Jason Giambi (4 TOR, 3 KC) and drop Ryan Howard (3 at SF, 3 at ARI)?

    E.M.: Keep Hoffman as your closer. On the other question, Giambi is a risk because of his calf injury. If the news gets better before your lineup deadline, Giambi would clearly be a better play than Howard.

    John, N.Y.: I have Carlos Lee, Jason Bay, Magglio Ordonez and Jonny Gomes as my outfielders. Any other week I would go with the first three, but with Lee in an awful slump and set to face two very tough pitching staffs, I was thinking of replacing him with Gomes, who is hot and has seven games against weaker pitching. Should I just stick with my regulars or roll the dice this week?

    E.M.: I like the move. Aggressive and you have good criteria. Give it a roll.

    Dylan Shubitz, Austin, Texas: I have Freddie Garcia and Johan Santana as regulars in my starting lineup. They go head-to-head this week. Should I pick one to sit and replace him with a blistered Noah Lowry?

    E.M.: Go with Santana and Garcia. They both get double starts. Lowry should pitch, but those two are better options on contending teams.

    Jeremy Pritchett, Redmond, Wash. I've got Ichiro Suzuki, Grady Sizemore, Cliff Floyd and Ken Griffey Jr. for outfield, with Mike Sweeney as my alternate 1st/Utility. Albert Pujols is my main first, but I'm stuck between Sweeney/Floyd and Sizemore for my utility and third OF. Which two do I start?

    E.M.: Start Floyd and Sizemore. Sit Sweeney because of his recent slump and the stinking Royals.

    Steve Bernel, San Diego: I have Todd Helton, Carlos Delgado and Grady Sizemore. I can only start two of them next week. Delgado and Sizemore play six games; Helton has six games. It is tough to sit any of them, and I am fighting to make the playoffs. Which two should I start?

    E.M.: Delgado and Helton have to play. Too promising. Find another spot for Sizemore's seven games.

    You can e-mail your Fantasy Baseball lineup questions to bleacher@commissioner.com. Be sure to put Attn: Weekly Planner in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses or answers to all questions.