Tag: Start ‘Em & Sit ‘Em (Page 1 of 3)

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 Peyton Manning, 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: Don’t overthink things and bench Kurt Warner this week. The Pats are not very good against the pass, so Warner and Co. should be able to have their way through the air. The only wildcard is the weather…Matt Cassel is a nice start against an Arizona defense that has given up the most pass TD (31) in the league…Despite the long plane ride, Brett Favre looks like a good start against a Seahawks pass defense that is last in the league in yards allowed…In the same game, Seneca Wallace has a nice matchup with the Jets defense that is 29th in the league against the pass…Dan Orlovsky played pretty well last week against the Colts and he has a great matchup this week against the Saints, who own the league’s 26th ranked pass defense. He’s a legit option for the desperate…For the super-desperate, JaMarcus Russell (vs. HOU) and Brian Griese (vs. SD) both have good matchups. If Jeff Garcia starts, he’s a solid play against a Chargers defense that is ranked 31st against the pass.

RB: Matt Forte should be in your lineup this week. The Packers just can’t stop the run…Steve Slaton has a great matchup with an Oakland defense that is ranked #31 against the run. They have allowed 167 yards and 1.4 rush TD per game…With Reggie Bush out for the rest of the season, Pierre Thomas should rack up the stats against the Lions…Maurice Jones-Drew is a terrific play this week against a Colts defense that has yielded 127 yards and 1.1 rush TD per game… Marshawn Lynch had a big game last week against the Jets and I think he’s in store for another one against a sketchy Denver rush defense…Frank Gore would be a good start against the Rams. If he can’t go, DeShaun Foster should be able to take advantage of the league’s 29th-ranked rush defense…Ronnie Brown is a great start against the Chiefs. They’ve struggled against the run all year.

WR: Randy Moss and Wes Welker are both must-starts against an Arizona defense that really struggles against the pass…Both Green Bay receivers – Greg Jennings and Donald Driver – should be in your lineup this week assuming the weather is decent in Chicago. The Bears are 28th against the pass…T.J. Houshmandzadeh should be started in PPR leagues, and Chad Johnson is a fringe start this week as well. The Browns have struggled against the pass, especially lately…Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery are both worth a start this week as they face a Seattle defense that is dead last against the pass…Braylon Edwards has a good shot to score against a Bengals secondary that has allowed 22 pass TDs this year.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: Matt Ryan is playing well this season, but I don’t feel great about him this week against Minnesota. The Vikings have been good against the pass, especially lately and it’s going to be tough for him to put up big numbers…It would be a good idea to leave David Garrard on the bench despite his solid play in recent weeks. The Colts have the #7 pass defense and have only allowed five pass TD on the year…Ben Roethlisberger is still startable, but he doesn’t have a very good matchup this week. The Titans have the #5 ranked pass defense and have only yielded nine pass TD on the year…I’d definitely recommend benching Kerry Collins this week. The thought of Collins trying to throw against the Steelers sends a chill down my spine.

RB: Michael Turner has been productive all season, but don’t expect him to go off against the league’s #1 run defense…DeAngelo Williams is pretty much a must-start every week, but Jonathan Stewart isn’t likely to go off in limited work against the Giants, who are #4 in the league against the run…Marion Barber (or Tashard Choice) isn’t a very good option against the Ravens. Choice did have success against the Steelers, so there’s an outside shot that a Dallas RB will have a nice game on Saturday…The Dolphins have been tough against the run, so it would be wise to bench the plodding Larry Johnson unless you don’t have any better options…The Chargers rush defense has been better lately, and with a RBBC brewing in Tampa Bay (with Warrick Dunn and Cadillac Williams), it’s probably best to avoid the Bucs RBs this week…They’re still startable but Chris Johnson (vs. PIT) and Clinton Portis (vs. PHI) both have bad matchups this week.

WR: It’s not a good week to experiment with any of the Giants’ WRs. Carolina’s pass defense has only allowed 14 TD all year…They’re still startable, but don’t expect huge games from DeSean Jackson or Kevin Curtis. The Redskins have the #6 pass defense in the league…The same goes for Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes, who face a stingy Titans defense…Vincent Jackson is still worth a start, but the Bucs defense held down Roddy White last week and has been tough to throw on all year. If you have a better option, utilize it.

THINKING DEFENSIVELY (DTBWW)

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW). Each week, you pick up a defense, usually one 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 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

(I’d take the Dolphins first before moving onto the list.)

CLE (vs. CIN) – 12/18 update: I moved the Browns ahead of the Seahawks and Dolphins.
SEA (vs. NYJ)

Last week’s picks:

Patriots: 26 PA + 2 SK + 1 INT + 1 RET TD = 9 fantasy points
Redskins: 20 PA + 2 SK = 2 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 Peyton Manning, 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 so-so QBs with nice matchups this week. Phillip Rivers has a nice matchup with a Kansas City defense that is ranked 29th against the pass…. Tyler Thigpen has proven himself to be a capable fantasy QB, and his matchup with the Chargers 30th-ranked pass defense is a tasty one…Kyle Orton has been solid this year, and as long as the weather cooperates, he should be a good start against the Saints, who have struggled against the pass this season…Jason Campbell faces the Bengals, who have yielded 1.6 pass TD per game this year…Kerry Collins’ problem against the Lions was that Detroit couldn’t keep it close. Houston has more of an offensive backbone and I think Collins will have to pass to keep the chains moving to put points on the board…Seneca Wallace isn’t a bad play against the Rams…For the desperate, Tarvaris Jackson (or Gus Frerotte) and Marc Bulger have nice matchups with Arizona and Seattle, respectively.

RB: Maurice Jones-Drew is an absolute must-start against a porous Packer rush defense, especially with the news that Fred Taylor is nicked up and might miss the game…Both Chris Johnson and LenDale White should be in lineups this week. Houston is pretty bad against the run so there should be enough touches to go around to allow both guys to be productive…Sammy Morris looks like a good start against an Oakland defense that is ranked 30th against the run…DeAngelo Williams has been absolutely tearing it up, and he’s a terrific start against a sketchy Denver rush defense this week, but given what Jonathan Stewart did last week against the Bucs, he’s worth a start as well. The guy is gold when he gets 14+ carries, but be warned that he has only received that many looks in six of 13 games this season…Kevin Smith should find room to run against the Colts, who are ranked 25th in the league against the run. Indy has been a little better of late, and if the Colts get out to a big lead the Lions might abandon the run, so this start is not without peril…If Joseph Addai doesn’t play, look for Dominic Rhodes to have a big day against the league’s worst rush defense. Even if Addai does play, Rhodes has a good shot to get plenty of garbage time carries as the Colts try to keep Addai fresh for the stretch run…For the desperate, Maurice Morris is a sneaky good start assuming he gets a majority of the carries like he did last week. The Rams have struggled against the run all season.

WR: Santana Moss is a good start this week against the Bengals, who have been especially bad against the pass of late…Marques Colston and Lance Moore are both good starts against the Bears, who have yielded 234 pass yards per game this season…Bernard Berrrian is a great start against a Cardinals defense that has yielded the most pass TD in the league (27)…Marvin Harrison is playing at home, which is a great sign, especially since he’s playing the Lions. The only worry is that Detroit can’t score enough to force the Colts to stay aggressive…Isaac Bruce isn’t a bad start against a Dolphins defense that is much better against the run than they are against the pass…Devin Hester has a nice matchup with a shaky Saints pass defense, assuming the weather in Chicago isn’t too bad…If you’re desperate, Torry Holt and Donnie Avery have a nice matchup against the Seahawks, who have given up a league-worst 265 passing yards per game.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: In that PIT/BAL matchup, both Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco face tough tests this week. Big Ben is still startable, but if you have a better option, it would be a good time to utilize it…Matt Ryan is playing very well, but he’s a mediocre start this week against a good Bucs defense. Tampa Bay hasn’t played very well on the road, so Ryan should post decent numbers; just don’t expect him to set the world on fire…Lately, the Raiders and Broncos have been pretty decent against opposing QBs, so Matt Cassel and Jake Delhomme have so-so matchups this week…Matt Schaub should be benched if possible against the Titans who are ranked 3rd in pass defense.

RB: Tim Hightower can still be started, but he faces a tough matchup with the Vikings’ 2nd-ranked rush defense this week…LeRon McClain should get most of the touches with Ray Rice and Willis McGahee nicked up, but I’m not optimistic about his potential against Pittsburgh’s #1 rush defense that was embarrassed last week against the Cowboys…Jamal Lewis has been pretty brutal all season and things aren’t going to get better this week against a good Philly rush defense…The Chargers have actually been pretty tough against the run of late, so be careful with Larry Johnson this week. If you have a good alternative, you may want to use it…Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore face a tough Ravens rush defense that has yielded an average of just 77 yards and 0.2 TD on the season…Unless Frank Gore makes a strong recovery this week, I’d bench him (and his balky ankle) against Miami, assuming I had another good option.

WR: He’s still startable in PPR leagues, but Derrick Mason hasn’t caught a TD pass against the Steelers in 19-straight meetings. He did post 8-137 in the matchup earlier this season, so there is some reason for optimism…Braylon Edwards has two things working against him: 1) he faces the Eagles’ 6th-ranked pass defense this week and 2) he has Ken Dorsey throwing the ball to him. Bench him if you can…T.J. Houshmandzadeh is still starter-worthy, but you might want to leave Ocho Cinco on the bench with the Redskins’ 7th-ranked pass defense coming to town.

THINKING DEFENSIVELY (DTBWW)

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW). Each week, you pick up a defense, usually one 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 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

I’m moving this feature up from it’s normal slot in my Love ‘Em & Leave ‘Em feature because I realize that a lot of owners are playing the waiver wire right now trying to find a defense, so the earlier you can put your bids in the better.

This week’s picks:

Patriots (@ OAK)
Redskins (@ CIN)

(I’d grab the Colts, Dolphins and Cardinals – in that order – before the Pats and Redskins, but they are owned in more than 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues, so they aren’t eligible for DTBWW this week.)

Last week’s picks:

Colts: 3 PA + 5 SK + 3 INT + 1 INT RET TD + 1 FR = 23 fantasy points
Chargers: 7 PA + 3 SK + 3 INT + 1 FR = 13 fantasy points

Great week for DTBWW in crunch time.

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 Tony Romo, 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: Matt Ryan is a nice start against a New Orleans defense that was already 24th against the pass even before the suspension of Will Smith, the team’s best pass rusher…Matt Cassel is worth starting against a league-worst Seahawks defense that has yielded 265 yards and 1.6 pass TD per game…Shaun Hill is startable this week against a Jets defense that is ranked 30th against he pass…For the desperate, Gus Frerotte has a tantalizing matchup against a bad Lions defense. The only question is will Detroit put up enough of a fight so that the Vikings will have to throw the ball? Last week against the Titans, the answer was “no,” and Kerry Collins finished with a poor fantasy line…For the REALLY desperate, Marc Bulger and JaMarcus Russell have good matchups against the Cardinals and Chargers, respectively.

RB: Peyton Hillis is a great start against the Chiefs, who are next-to-last against the run…Steve Slaton has a tantalizing matchup with the Packers, who are awful against the run…Get Tim Hightower in your lineups this week. The Rams rush defense is ranked 30th in the league…Larry Johnson has a nice matchup with the Broncos, who are 28th in the league against the rush…It looks like Ryan Grant is going to play, and that makes him a solid start against a sketchy Texans rush defense…Given the Vikings’ defensive suspensions, Kevin Smith is suddenly an interesting start…If you have a big hole at RB, Cedric Benson is a sneaky good start against a Colts rush defense that has allowed 134 yards and 1.3 TD per game this season.

WR: Roddy White is a must-start this week against a bad Saints pass defense…Unless the Lions completely fold, I’d expect Bernard Berrian to catch at least one deep pass en route to a good fantasy line…Unless he pulls one of his disappearing acts, Lee Evans should be able to take advantage of the Dolphins’ 26th-ranked pass defense…Reggie Wayne is a must-start, but Marvin Harrison is also startable against a Cincy pass defense that has allowed 218 yards and 1.5 TD per game this season…Matt Jones continues to play well in PPR leagues, so he’s a decent start against the Bears, who have the league’s 29th –ranked pass defense.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: Joe Flacco has had a nice run (11 TD in his last six games), but this week he faces a stingy Washington defense. He’s still startable in some formats, but I wouldn’t expect more than one TD this week…After a brutal 1 TD/4 INT effort against Oakland in Week 10, Jake Delhomme has been decent, scoring four TD over the last three games. This week, the 3rd-ranked Bucs pass defense comes to town, so I’m not optimistic…Phillip Rivers (vs. OAK) and Tony Romo (@ PIT) are still startable, but you may want to look at other options…Leave Ryan Fitzpatrick (@IND) and whoever is QB’ng the Browns (@ TEN) on the bench – they have brutal matchups…Jeff Garcia should ride the pine as he faces the Panthers 12th-rated pass defense. Carolina has only given up 11 pass TD in 12 games…Jason Campbell isn’t playing particularly well right now and given his matchup – the Ravens’ 2nd-ranked pass defense – it would be wise to look elsewhere this week.

RB: None of the Baltimore RBs look like great starts against a solid Washington rush defense. Besides, I wouldn’t feel confident predicting which one would get most of the touches…He’s still startable, but be wary with Marion Barber this week. He faces the #1 rush defense in the league and has a bum foot…The same goes for Clinton Portis, who can be started in a pinch, but don’t expect much from him against a great Ravens rush defense.

WR: Derrick Mason is still startable, but despite Mark Clayton’s newfound fantasy success, I’d stay away from him this week against Washington…It’s always tough to bench Braylon Edwards, but given his current QB situation and his matchup against the stingy 4th-rated Tennessee pass defense, he’s not a good start this week…i wouldn’t feel comfortable starting Vincent Jackson or Chris Chambers this week. The Raiders pass defense is surprisingly good, and the Chargers are better off attacking with the ground game…Antonio Bryant is still startable in some formats, but I wouldn’t expect big numbers against a stingy Carolina pass defense.

THINKING DEFENSIVELY (DTBWW)

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW). 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 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

This week’s picks:

I love the Cardinals this week, but they are only available in 32% of ESPN fantasy leagues, so they are not eligible.

IND (vs. CIN)
SD (vs. OAK)

Denver (vs. KC) is another option, but it’s tough to say which defense is going to show up.

Last week’s picks:

Bills: 10 PA + 3 SK + 1 FR = 10 fantasy points
Raiders: 20 PA + 1 SK + 1 INT = 2 fantasy points

Unsurprisingly, the Raiders let us down.

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 Tony Romo, 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: Matt Ryan has a very nice matchup with a San Diego defense that is ranked dead last in the league in passing yards allowed. They have also allowed 1.7 pass TD per game, so Ryan should be good for at least 1-2 scores…Jeff Garcia isn’t going to set the world on fire, but he should be good for 200 yards and a TD against a Saints defense that is ranked 24th against the pass…Kerry Collins has posted solid fantasy numbers the last three weeks, but he did most of his damage against the Jets in garbage time. A matchup against the Lions is tempting, however, as Detroit is 19th against the pass and only has two INT all season.

RB: Maurice Jones-Drew is a must-start this week against a Texans defense that has yielded 129 yards and 1.4 rush TD per game this season…Thomas Jones has a great matchup against a Denver defense that is ranked 27th against the rush this season…DeAngelo Williams is a strong play against a Packers defense that has been pretty brutal against the run…Larry Johnson looks like a good play against a Raiders defense that ranks 29th against the run. The Chiefs might have trouble passing the ball, so they may lean on LJ this week…Look for Chris Johnson to get back on track against a very bad Detroit defense…Ronnie Brown has been inconsistent this season, but everyone is having their way with the Rams rush defense…Jamal Lewis has been very spotty this season, but with the Colts coming to town, a good game is possible. Indy fared pretty well against LT2 last week, so I wouldn’t get my expectations too high.

WR: I thought he was going to have a bounce-back week against the Jags, but his team got up by two touchdowns right away and had little reason to go deep. Bernard Berrian should fare better against a Bears defense that is 30th in the league against the pass…WRs have had their way with the Patriots secondary this season, so Hines Ward (and Santonio Holmes) should be able to produce now that Ben Roethlisberger is throwing the ball well again…The Giants have a solid defense, but wideouts have been productive and Santana Moss should post solid numbers, especially if the Redskins are forced to play catchup…Even with the turmoil at QB, I’d expect Donovan McNabb to bounce back and that should help DeSean Jackson’s chances against an Arizona defense that has allowed 2.0 pass TD per game this season…Antonio Bryant should be able to get deep once or twice against the Saints, who have yielded 235 yards and 1.6 pass TD per game.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: I’d leave Brady Quinn (or Derek Anderson) on the bench this week. Cleveland faces a Colts defense that has only allowed four pass TD all season…This is not the week to be experimenting with Ryan Fitzpatrick or Daunte Culpepper. Their matchups (with Baltimore and Tennessee, respectively) are pretty brutal…Tyler Thigpen has been hot, and he’s still startable, but the Raider pass defense is playing much better of late. Proceed with caution…Matt Cassel is also starter-worthy, but don’t expect another 40-point fantasy game as he faces the #1-ranked Steeler defense.

RB: Cedric Benson looks like a bad start this week against the 4th-ranked Ravens rush defense…I’d leave Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk on the bench this week, as the top-ranked Steeler rush defense is coming to town…Antonio Pittman was pretty bad last week, and I wouldn’t expect much of an improvement this week against the Dolphins, who have yielded just 94 rushing yards and 0.7 rush TD per game this season.

WR: I wouldn’t expect any of the Bears receivers to do much against an improved Vikings secondary. Devin Hester will probably catch a few passes, but Kyle Orton has been spreading it around lately…He’s still startable since he can be so explosive, but with the way Braylon Edwards and the rest of the Cleveland offense is playing, I’d be very hesitant to start him against a tough Colts secondary…I’m still going to have him in my lineup, but Dwayne Bowe faces a tough test against Nnamdi Asomugha, who is regarded as one of the very best CBs in the league.

DTBWW

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW). 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 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues. (I’d grab MIA before OAK this week, if available.)

This week’s picks:

BUF (vs. SF)
OAK (vs. KC)

Last week’s picks:

Cowboys: 22 PA + 4 SK + 1 INT + 1 FR + 1 S = 8 fantasy points
Broncos: 31 PA = 0 fantasy points

The Cowboys were solid, but man, the Broncos were brutal.

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 Tony Romo, 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 faces the Seahawks, who are 31st in the league against the pass (265 yards, 1.5 pass TD per game), so he should be in store for a nice day…Brady Quinn has a great matchup with a Houston defense that is tied for third in most passing TD allowed on the season. Quinn had a great first start, but didn’t throw a TD against the Bills last week. I’d feel more confident in this play if Kellen Winslow is healthy enough to play…Gus Frerotte faces a Jaguars defense that has allowed the 2nd most passing TD in the league. Frerotte has been a solid fantasy QB since he took over in Minnesota but many fantasy owners are still scared to use him..Kerry Collins has posted good fantasy numbers in the last two games as teams try to gang up on LenDale White and Chris Johnson. This week, he faces a Jets defense that has allowed 240 passing yards and 1.4 pass TD per game…Jeff Garcia faces a Detroit defense that is 23rd in the league against the pass. They played pretty well against the Panthers last week, but on the season the Lions have been dreadful.

RB: Matt Forte (@ STL), Marshawn Lynch (@ KC), Marion Barber (vs. SF) and LaDainian Tomlinson (vs. IND) all have great matchups and should be in your starting lineup…Jamal Lewis faces a Houston defense that has yielded an average of 133 rushing yards and 1.5 rush TD per game this season. He has had a rough schedule thus far, but he should be able to find the endzone this week…It’s always dicey starting a Denver running back, but Peyton Hillis seems to be Mike Shanahan’s current favorite and he has a great matchup with the Raiders’ 30th-ranked rush defense…With Earnest Graham on IR and Cadillac Williams working his way back, Warrick Dunn is a sleeper this week against a Lions rush defense that gave up more than 200 yards to the Panthers last week. They’re so bad that they’ve overtaken the Chiefs as the worst rush defense in the league.

WR: The Giants pass defense is pretty good on the whole, but they’ve given up some points to wide receivers, so don’t think about benching Anquan Boldin or Larry Fitzgerald…Santana Moss has been spotty at times, but give him a start this week against the Seahawks, who have given up the second most yards in the passing game this season…Given the Jaguars propensity to give up pass TD (18 on the season), Bernard Berrian should be in lineups this week even though he’s been quiet the last couple of games…Plaxico Burress has only 10 catches in the last four games, but the Giants will need him against a Cardinals team that should put up some points. It doesn’t hurt that Arizona has given up a league-leading 19 pass TD on the season…Greg Jennings is a no-brainer this week against the Saints, but try to find room for Donald Driver in your lineup as well, assuming he’s able to practice this week…Antonio Bryant should start this week as he faces a Lions defense that has allowed some big games to receivers this season…Andre Johnson is a weekly must-start, but Kevin Walter is also startable against a Browns pass defense that is 19th in the league…Torry Holt has had a rough season, but he has an outside shot at a big game against a Bears defense that has struggled against the pass.

LEAVE ‘EM

QB: Matt Ryan has been solid this season, especially for a rookie, but this week he faces the 5th-ranked Panthers pass defense that has yielded an average of 185 yards and 0.8 TD per game, so Ryan may find the going rough…Minnesota’s pass defense isn’t that great yardage-wise (21st-ranked), but they have only given up eight TD in 10 games, so the odds are against David Garrard having a multiple-TD day…I’d leave Matt Hasselbeck on the bench another week. The 10th-ranked Redskins pass defense has been solid all year and Hass didn’t look that great in his first game back…They’re still startable, but Phillip Rivers and Brett Favre have tough matchups against the Colts and the Titans, respectively, so lower those expectations…If you’re desperate, don’t turn to the likes of Daunte Culpepper (vs. TB) or Ryan Fitzpatrick (@ PIT) as neither guy has a good (or even decent) matchup.

RB: I’d try to stay away from Cedric Benson this week as he faces the #1-ranked Pittsburgh rush defense…Kevin Smith also has a bad matchup against a Bucs defense that has only given up ONE rush TD all season…Julius Jones may be getting most of the carries in Seattle, but with the Redskins’ 5th-ranked rush defense coming to town, he’s not a good start this week…Sammy Morris seems like he’s all the way back, but the Dolphins have the league’s 9th-ranked rush defense, so I wouldn’t expect a big game…These guys are still startable, but they have bad matchups so adjust your expectations accordingly: Tim Hightower (vs. NYG), Michael Turner (vs. CAR), Brandon Jacobs (@ ARI, assuming he plays) and Brian Westbrook (@ BAL).

WR: While Roddy White is pretty much a must-start every week, I wouldn’t start Michael Jenkins as the Falcons face a pretty tough Carolina pass defense…None of the Jacksonville receivers are worth starting this week. The Minnesota pass defense may give up some yards, but they have only allowed eight pass TD all season…I’d leave Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers on the bench this week. The Colts pass defense has been excellent this season…It’s not the week to gamble on any of the Seattle wideouts. The Washington pass defense is in the top 10 in both yards and TD allowed…They’re still startable, but lower your expectations for the Jets’ and Saints’ WRs, who face the Titans and Packers, respectively.

DTBWW

Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW). 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 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

This week’s picks:

DAL (vs. SF)
DEN (vs. OAK)

(I feel a LOT better about Dallas than I do Denver.)

Last week’s picks:

Dolphins: 15 PA + 6 SK = 8 fantasy points
49ers: 16 PA + 4 SK + 2 INT + 1 FR = 9 fantasy points

DTBWW got back on track this week.