The dog days of August are beginning to come to an end, but that only means more excitement in the fantasy world as preparations for the playoffs begin.  Now, more than ever, owners need to pay attention to their lineups as they fight either to secure that last playoff spot, or improve their seeding in fantasy tournaments.  If you can bench the albatross in your lineup while also picking up the hot player of the week, that might give you the edge you need to make your statement:

Note: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em will follow the weekly schedule of most fantasy leagues, that is, starting Monday and ending Sunday.

START 'EM!

Yuniel Escobar | SS
Atlanta Braves

Escobar has been hot lately, hitting .364 the last couple of weeks with a .523 SLG.  This week, he will face a Marlins rotation that struggled the past week, along with a Nationals rotation that hasn't really struggled, so much as it just isn't very good.  Escobar's production numbers have not been that great this year, particularly when Chipper Jones isn't in the lineup, but he should do considerably better this week against weak or struggling pitching.

Scott Baker | SP
Minnesota Twins

It's almost like a dream, isn't it?  Seattle and Oakland are 12th and 14th, respectively, in runs scored.  Seattle has a team AVG/OPS of .264/.707, while Oakland has a team AVG/OPS of .241/.680.  Oakland also leads the league handily in strikeouts.  Throw in the fact that Baker will be throwing in two pitcher-friendly venues, and you have the makings of a good week for Mr. Baker.

Jair Jurrjens | SP
Atlanta Braves

Jurrjens was a real tough choice.  On the one hand, his last outing was disastrous, giving up six runs (four earned) in five innings without striking out a batter.  His last few outings before that were okay, but not spectacular, and his K-rates have been wildly inconsistent.  On the other hand, he faces the Marlins and the Nationals this week, the Marlins sitting right in the middle of the league in runs scored, and the Nationals sitting dead last.  The key here might be that Florida leads the league by a country mile in strikeouts, which should be a good beginning to the week for Jurrjens.

SIT 'EM!

Jamie Moyer | SP
Philadelphia Phillies

Moyer has been a model of consistency this year, giving the Phillies the stability it has needed in their pitching rotation.  Moyer has also been really good, and has made himself a viable option in fantasy leagues for the first time in a few years.  This week, however, you might not want to press your luck, as he pitches against a Mets lineup that has hit him well historically, and then he faces the offensive juggernaut that is the Cubs.  Moyer's surprised us before, but my money is on at least one of his starts turning out badly.

Nate McLouth | OF
Pittsburgh Pirates

McLouth is just getting over an illness that kept him out offive games, so you know he is not at full strength.  He picked a bad week to come back, as he will face two of the toughest pitchers in the league in Carlos Zambrano and C.C. Sabathia.  He will also face a couple of pitchers who have thrown the ball well of late, Dave Bush and Jeff Suppan.  His best bet is to have a big game against Jason Marquis on Wednesday, but it looks like a rough go for the remainder of the week.

Carlos Guillen | 1B/SS/3B
Detroit Tigers

Guillen has quietly had a solid year, despite all of his position shifts.  However, he is reaching the age where his body is starting to break down, and he has started to show symptoms already.  Earlier in the month, Guillen had to miss a few games because of a back problem, and now, he is apparently having back problems again.  That could mean he will miss a few games again, and perhaps will not be 100 percent when he returns.