Tag: fantasy football start sit (Page 4 of 5)

Every week, I highlight a few players to start and a few players to sit at each position. I’m a firm believer in starting your studs, so I won’t tell you about how Drew Brees or LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. I’ll focus on the borderline guys – players you’ll only start under the right circumstances. It’s important to note that depending on your roster and situation, you may not be able to follow these recommendations. For example, if I suggest you bench a solid starter like Donovan McNabb, only do so if you have a clearly better option on your bench.

The “love ‘em” players are listed in the order that I’d start them this week.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: Brett Favre has a good matchup with a sketchy Rams defense and should be in starting lineups this week…There are a number of fantasy backup QBs that have nice matchups in Week 10. Chad Pennington faces a Seattle defense that has yielded 258 yards and 1.6 pass TD per game…Joe Flacco plays the Texans, who have given up an average of 203 yards and 1.5 pass TD this season…Tyler Thigpen has played pretty well the last two weeks, and he’ll have an opportunity to rack up some numbers against a Chargers defense that is dead last in the league against the pass…If you’re REALLY desperate, pick up Shaun Hill. He faces an Arizona defense that has allowed 2.0 pass TD per game.

RB: Be sure Maurice Jones-Drew is in your lineup as he faces a dreadful Lions rush defense that has yielded an average of 162 yards and 1.4 rush TD per game…Rumor has it that Willie Parker might miss Sunday’s matchup against the Colts, and if so, Mewelde Moore becomes a great start in his place. The Colts give up an average of 144 yards and 1.3 rush TD per game…Thomas Jones is looking like a strong start against the Rams, who are 29th in the league against the run…Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams are still splitting time, but a great matchup against the league’s 30th-ranked Raider rush defense makes them both solid plays this week.

WR: Lee Evans should be in lineups this week against a New England defense that has given up 13 pass TD this season. It’s likely that Evans will be able to sneak deep for a score this week…Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles are nice starts against the Rams, who have allowed 246 yards and 1.5 pass TD per game…Greg Camarillo (and to a lesser extent, Ted Ginn) is a good start against the Seahawks, who have struggled against the pass this season…Assuming he’s not suspended between now and Sunday, the suddenly productive Matt Jones is a nice start against a terrible Lions pass defense.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: I wouldn’t trust Rex Grossman to quarterback my fantasy team this week. He faces the Titans, who have only allowed four pass TD all season…JaMarcus Russell has a bad matchup against a Carolina defense that has held teams to 195 yards passing and 0.9 pass TD per game. Based on the way the Oakland offense looked last week, I don’t expect them to have much success against the Panthers…Whether it’s Ben Roethlisberger or Byron Leftwich, the matchup with a Colts pass defense that has allowed just two pass TD all year is a bad one…Gus Frerotte (vs. GB) and Matt Cassel (vs. BUF) are startable in a pinch, but neither guy has a particularly good matchup.

RB: Ryan Grant has been running better of late, but don’t expect him to do much against a Vikings rush defense that is 2nd in the league in yards allowed…He’s still startable due to his prowess in the pass game, but Steve Slaton will find the running room hard to find against the Ravens, who have allowed a league-best 64 yards and 0.1 rush TD per game…I wouldn’t start any of the Oakland or Seattle running backs in their matchups against the Panthers and Dolphins, respectively.

WR: I wouldn’t start Rashied Davis or Devin Hester this week against a strong Titans pass defense…Marvin Harrison is still startable, but he’s probably going to struggle against the #1 pass defense in the league…Again, he’s startable, but lower your expectations for Plaxico Burress. He faces an Eagles defense that has been pretty stingy against the pass this season…Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes are probably going to struggle some this week. I’d still feel okay starting them, but if you have a great option, go ahead and use it. The Colts have been terrific against the pass, and the uncertainty at QB makes either guy a risky play.

DTBWW

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire. Each week, you pick up a defense, usually playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. All teams are available in at least 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

I would pick up the Cardinals (vs. SF), the Panthers (vs. OAK), the Jets (vs. STL), the Jaguars (@ DET), and the Chargers (vs. KC) – in that order – before either of these picks. Those teams aren’t available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues, so they don’t qualify.

This week’s picks:

MIA (vs. SEA)
HOU (vs. BAL)

Last week’s picks:

Browns: 37 PA + 2 SK + 1 Ret TD = 8 fantasy points
Rams: 34 PA + 1 SK = 1 fantasy point

The return TD saved the Browns pick, but I really blew it with the Rams. I thought they’d play better at home against a turnover-prone Kurt Warner.

Every week, I highlight a few players to start and a few players to sit at each position. I’m a firm believer in starting your studs, so I won’t tell you about how Drew Brees or LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. I’ll focus on the borderline guys – players you’ll only start under the right circumstances. It’s important to note that depending on your roster and situation, you may not be able to follow these recommendations. For example, if I suggest you bench a solid starter like Donovan McNabb, only do so if you have a clearly better option on your bench.

The “love ‘em” players are listed in the order that I’d start them this week.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: There are a number of fringe-type quarterbacks with nice matchups this week. Kyle Orton (vs. DET) has a great matchup with the Lions, who have given up 259 passing yards and 1.7 pass TD per game…Trent Edwards (vs. NYJ) had a so-so game against the Dolphins last week, but he should fare better against the 23rd-ranked Jets pass defense at home…Gus Frerotte (vs. HOU) has been steady since he took over in Week 3 (257 yards, 1.0 TD per game) and this week he faces a Texans defense that has yielded 207 yards and 1.3 pass TD per game…Marc Bulger (vs. ARI) has shown some life of late (237 yards, 1.0 TD over the last two games), and with the 21st-ranked Cardinals pass defense (223 yards, 2.0 TD per game) coming to town, the odds are that he’ll have a solid fantasy game…Chad Pennington (@ DEN) faces the Broncos, who have given up 240 yards and 1.7 TD per game…For the desperate, Ryan Fitzpatrick (vs. JAX) faces the 22nd-ranked Jaguars pass defense, while JaMarcus Russell (vs. ATL) faces the Falcons, who are 24th in the league against the pass.

RB: With Warrick Dunn dinged up, Earnest Graham (@ KC) is a great start against the league’s worst rush defense. The Chiefs have given up a mind-boggling 197 rushing yards and 2.0 rush TD per game…Matt Forte (vs. DET), Michael Turner (@ OAK) and Ronnie Brown (@ DEN) are must-starts this week…Tim Hightower (@ STL) is a sneaky good start this week, as the Cardinals are giving him more work of late. The Rams have played better defense in the last few weeks, so don’t expect a monster game…It’s hard to trust any of the New England RBs, but Kevin Faulk (@ IND) has a great matchup with a bad Colts rush defense.

WR: Definitely get Calvin Johnson (@ CHI) into your lineup this week. The Bears are 29th against the pass, and it’s likely that the Lions will be playing catchups…DeSean Jackson (@ SEA) has a nice matchup with an inconsistent Seahawks defense that has allowed 245 passing yards and 1.6 pass TD per game. Likewise, Kevin Curtis is a good play as well…Donnie Avery and Torry Holt (vs. ARI) have a good matchup with the Cardinals. Arizona has yielded 223 passing yards and 2.0 pass TD on the season…In bigger leagues, Greg Camarillo and Ted Ginn (@ DEN) are crafty plays against the Broncos. This is likely to be a high scoring game and the Dolphins might have their way with Denver’s 28th-ranked pass defense.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: Joe Flacco (@ CLE) has a rough matchup with an improved Browns defense that is ranked 10th in the league and has only yielded 1.0 TD per game…Matt Cassel (@ IND) faces the 2nd-ranked pass defense of the Colts. Indy has only given up two pass TD all year…Tyler Thigpen (vs. TB) played well against the Jets last week, but he’s a bad start against the Bucs, who are 7th in the league against the pass. (They have allowed 1.4 pass TD per game, however)…The following players are still startable, but use with caution: Aaron Rodgers (@ TEN), Matt Schaub (@ MIN), Ben Roethlisberger (@ WAS) and Jason Campbell (vs. PIT).

RB: Jamal Lewis (vs. BAL) has a rough matchup with the league’s best rush defense (64 rush yards, 0.1 rush TD per game)…Kolby Smith (vs. TB) should get most of the work in KC, but the Bucs have yet to yield a rush TD this season…Willie Parker (@ WAS) is back at practice, but if he does play, he’ll likely be sharing carries with the more-than-effective Mewelde Moore against a solid Redskins rush defense…Julius Jones and Maurice Morris (vs. PHI) are splitting carries again, and with the 9th-ranked Eagles’ rush defense on tap, neither guy is worth a start.

WR: Greg Jennings is always a must-start, but you might want to leave Donald Driver (@ TEN) on the bench. The Titans’ 4th-ranked pass defense has allowed just 185 yards and 0.4 TD per game this season…I wouldn’t bench most of these players, but they have tough matchups this week, so lower your expectations: Roddy White (@ OAK), Dwayne Bowe (vs. TB), Wes Welker and Randy Moss (@ IND) (though the Colts just lost a starting CB), Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward (@ WAS), and Santana Moss (vs. PIT)…Don’t expect Bobby Engram to have much of a game with Matt Hasselbeck out and a tough Philly pass defense coming to town.

DTBWW

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire. Each week, you pick up a defense, usually playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. All teams are available in at least 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

CLE (vs. BAL)
STL (vs. ARI)

Last week’s picks:

Texans: 6 PA + 2 SK + 2 INT + 1 FR + 1 RET TD = 19 fantasy points
Dolphins: 16 PA + 2 SK + 1 INT + 3 FR + 1 SAFTEY = 10 fantasy points

Every week, I highlight a few players to start and a few players to sit at each position. I’m a firm believer in starting your studs, so I won’t tell you about how Drew Brees or LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. I’ll focus on the borderline guys – players you’ll only start under the right circumstances. It’s important to note that depending on your roster and situation, you may not be able to follow these recommendations. For example, if I suggest you bench a solid starter like Donovan McNabb, only do so if you have a clearly better option on your bench.

The “love ‘em” players are listed in the order that I’d start them this week.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: Jason Campbell (@ DET) has a tantalizing matchup with the Lions, who are 31st in the league in pass defense. The only worry here is that the Redskins sit on a lead after getting a couple of Clinton Portis touchdowns…Trent Edwards (@ MIA) has a nice matchup with a Miami defense that has yielded an average of 236 yards and 1.5 pass TD per game. Those sound like good expectations for Edwards, who has been very consistent this season…Jake Delhomme (vs. ARI) is probably in for a shootout against the Cardinals, who have given up an average of 220 yards and 2.0 pass TD per game…J.T. O’Sullivan (vs. SEA) has a good matchup at home against a struggling Seahawks defense that has yielded an average of 242 yards and 1.7 pass TD per game…Whoever starts for the Browns – be it Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn – they have a nice matchup against the Jags, who are 23rd in the league in passing yards allowed. They have also given up 1.8 pass TD per game…Looking for a scrub to start? Tyler Thigpen (@ NYJ) and Jeff Garcia (@ DAL) have decent matchups.

RB: Even though he’s a little gimpy, get Willis McGahee (vs. OAK) in your lineups this week. He has a terrific matchup with a Raiders defense that is 24th against the rush, allowing 136 yards and 1.5 rush TD per game…Thomas Jones (vs. KC) plays a Chiefs rush defense that is dead last in the league. They are giving up a staggering 207 rush yards and 2.0 rush TD per game…Steve Slaton has a great matchup with the Bengals, who are 27th against the rush and have allowed 1.7 rush TD per game…You can start LenDale White and Chris Johnson (vs. IND) this week against the Colts, who are solid against the pass, but brutal against the rush (154 yards, 1.0 rush TD per game)…For the desperate, Cedric Benson appears to be the starter in Cincy, and he has a nice matchup with the Texans, who have yielded 1.8 rush TD per game.

WR: DeSean Jackson (vs. ATL) was named a starter this week (even though Reggie Brown should be back) so look for him to have a nice game against the Falcons, who are 26th in the league against the pass…Steve Smith is an obvious start, but Muhsin Muhammad (@ ARI) should also be in fantasy lineups as he’s facing a shaky Arizona secondary…Chris Chambers should be back, and that hurts the value of Vincent Jackson, but you can probably start both players against the Saints, who are 21st in the league against the pass…Kevin Curtis (vs. ATL) is also a sneaky good start for the Eagles…Santana Moss is a must start against the Lions, but also think about starting Antwaan Randle El. Again, the only worry is that the Redskins sit on a lead…Josh Morgan and Isaac Bruce (vs. SEA) are capable fill ins if you are hurting at receiver. The Seahawks are 29th against the pass.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: Matt Ryan (@ PHI) has had a nice season for a rookie, but I wouldn’t use him this week against the Eagles’ blitzing defense that is 10th in the league against the pass…Brad (a.k.a. “Bad”) Johnson faces a tough test at home against a Bucs defense that is playing good football…The Browns are actually quite good against the pass (7th in yards, just 0.8 pass TD per game), so I’d probably leave David Garrard on the bench this week despite his good play recently…If you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, be sure not to start Kerry Collins (vs. IND) or Dan Orlovsky (vs. WAS), as they both have tough matchups against pretty stingy secondaries.

RB: Edgerrin James (vs. CAR) has a rough matchup with the Panthers, who have allowed just 0.4 rush TD per game. With Tim Hightower vulturing most of the goal line carries, Edge is a poor bet to score this week…Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden (@ BAL) should be benched this week against the Ravens, who have yielded a staggeringly low 67 yards rushing per game this season…Kevin Smith (vs. WAS) has looked better than Rudi Johnson, but neither guy should be in lineups this week against the 7th-ranked Redskins rush defense.

WR: Derrick Mason (vs. OAK) has been pretty productive of late, especially in PPR leagues, but if you have a better option, you may want to use it as the Raiders secondary is improving. Nnamdi Asomugha held Jerricho Cotchery to just one catch for zero yards last week…I’d still start Calvin Johnson, but Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald should probably stay on the pine against a pretty good Redskins pass defense that has yielded just 192 pass yards and 1.0 TD per game…It’s tough to bench Marvin Harrison because he tore up a great Baltimore defense a couple of weeks ago, but this week he faces the 5th best pass defense in the league (179 pass yards, 0.2 pass TD per game).

DTBWW

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire. Each week, you pick up a defense, usually playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. All teams are available in at least 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

I would grab NE, NYJ and WAS before either of these teams, but they aren’t available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues. This week’s picks:

SF (vs. SEA)
HOU (vs. CIN) (Yes, I’m going back to the Texans well again. Wish me luck.)

Last week’s picks:

Texans: 21 PA + 2 SK = 2 fantasy points
Dolphins: 27 PA + 3 SK + 1 FR = 4 fantasy points

(It was a rough week for DTBWW.)

Every week, I highlight a few players to start and a few players to sit at each position. I’m a firm believer in starting your studs, so I won’t tell you about how Drew Brees or LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. I’ll focus on the borderline guys – players you’ll only start under the right circumstances. It’s important to note that depending on your roster and situation, you may not be able to follow these recommendations. For example, if I suggest you bench a solid starter like Donovan McNabb, only do so if you have a clearly better option on your bench.

The “love ‘em” players are listed in the order that I’d start them this week.

LOVE ‘EM

QB: There are a number of fringe QBs that have nice matchups this week. Matt Schaub (vs. DET), Trent Edwards (vs. SD), Matt Cassel (vs. DEN), Jeff Garcia (vs. SEA), Brad Johnson (@ STL, assuming Tony Romo doesn’t play), JaMarcus Russell (vs. NYJ) and Dan Orlovsky (@ HOU) all face suspect pass defenses.

RB: Chris Johnson (@ KC) and LenDale White have a tantalizing matchup against the Chiefs, who are dead last in the league against the run…Thomas Jones (@ OAK) is a good start against the Raiders, who have allowed 1.6 rush TD per game this season…Steve Slaton (vs. DET) should be in your iineups against a very bad Lions defense (171 rush yards per game). Detroit did play inspired ball against the Vikings, but I’d expect the Texans to have more success…Ryan Grant (vs. IND) faces a Colts defense that has yielded 161 rushing yards per game. If he can’t get it going against Indy, he may not get it going this season…With Laurence Maroney and LaMont Jordan hobbled, Sammy Morris (vs. DEN) against a bad Bronco rush defense…For the desperate, Rudi Johnson (@ HOU) has a nice matchup with the Texans, who have given up 2.0 rush TD per game this season.

WR: This wouldn’t be a bad week to start Derrick Mason (@ MIA), as the Dolphins are #29 against the pass (239 yards per game)…Steve Smith is a no-brainer, but Muhsin Muhammad (vs. NO) should start as well. The Saints are 21st against the pass…Bernard Berrian (vs. MIN) is on fire right now (4.8-100-0.5 over the last four games) and he faces a Bears defense that is 27th in the league against the pass.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: Just as there are a number of fringe QBs with nice matchups, there are several with bad matchups as well. Derek Anderson (@ WAS) showed some life last week, but he has a tough matchup with the Redskins this week…Brodie Croyle (vs. TEN) should not be trusted against a very good Titans defense…Chad Pennigton (vs. BAL) should ride the pine against what is probably the best defense in the league.

RB: The Chris Perry/Cedric Benson/Kenny Watson nightmare should be benched this week against a very good Steeler rush defense…Julius Jones and Maurice Morris (@ TB) face a Bucs defense that is 9th in the league against the rush and still hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown this season…I would still start them, but these players have tough matchups this week: Willis McGahee (@ MIA), Jamal Lewis (@ WAS), Ronnie Brown (vs. BAL), Adrian Peterson (@ CHI) and Reggie Bush (@ CAR).

WR: I don’t know that I would bench any of the WR1’s on these teams, but the Bengals, Browns, Packers, Chiefs, Saints and Steelers all have bad matchups. You can probably still start Housh, Brylon, Jennings, Bowe, Colston, Ward and Holmes, but you might want to leave Ocho Cinco, Stallworth, Driver and Lance Moore on the bench.

DTBWW

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire. Each week, you pick up a defense, usually playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. All teams are available in at least 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

HOU (vs. DET)
MIA (vs. BAL)

Last week’s picks:

Redskins: 19 PA + 2 SK + 1 FR = 5 fantasy points
Jets: 14 PA + 5 SK + 1 FR = 10 fantasy points