This week’s Sits and Starts seemed tougher than weeks before, but that may be because I am so tired and my cat is sitting on my lap making it hard to type. The deeper into the season we get it seems like it would get easier to decipher these matchups, but this season seems to change on a dime. So if you can make change for a dime, do it, and tell me what that saying is all about.
But before you get to work on that make sure you join our FanDuel leagues. We need about ten more teams to fill our last two leagues — League 2 and League 3.
Quarterbacks
Jon Kitna: Watching him play, even when the Boys were getting punished, I felt like he had the ability to put up decent fantasy numbers this year, but I sure didn’t expect it to happen in New York (or wherever that is they play), but it did. Now they get the Lions at home who have lost about a decades worth of games in a row on the road. They are also a much improved pass defense, but I see the Garrett shine to keeping them going for a little while longer.
Mark Sanchez: You could start a rock against the Texans and it would get 20+ fantasy points, while it also sacks Chad Pennington and injures his shoulder. You’ll probably see some other Jets players in this post as well. Until the Texans start putting up a fight against the pass you start whoever is throwing or catching the ball against them.
Sit
Ryan Fitzpatrick: The Bengals pass defense is getting healthy and have been tough lately, while Ryan Fitzpatrick has been regressing toward Ryan Fitzpatrick. In their last six games Cincinnati has only given up an average of 13.8 fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Brett Favre: This may be too much of a no brainer, but there are still some who might put Favre in there against his old team for the revenge factor. I’m not saying it is there, but Brett just isn’t worth the risk when there are so may good matchups out there this week that I don’t see any reason to put old man Favre into harms way.
Running Backs
Start
Mike Tolbert: We don’t know if Ryan Mathews will go on Monday night, but even if he does he won’t get the bulk of the work. Denver has given up 11 rushing touchdowns and should give Tolbert a chance or two near the goal line.
Felix Jones: The Lions are still near the bottom in most rush defense categories and Jason Garrett gave Felix Jones a boost last week. Jones isn’t a great blocking back, but he does have elite offensive ability and if he continues to get similar work he can put up good numbers.
Sit
Mike Goodson: He just ran for 100 yards and he gets the start again, but that was then and this is now. The Ravens are no longer elite, but Carolina is a long way from elite and they have Saint Pierre at the helm which should make the offense worse, which would give them negative points.
LaGarrette Blount: He has the ability to beat good teams, but I’m leaning to the side of the 49ers this week. They only give up 3.5 yards per carry and 3 touchdowns all season.
Wide Receivers
Start
Dwayne Bowe: In the last five games the Cardinals have given up 223 yards a game to wide receivers. I’m not a big fan of Bowe, but he is on fire right now and with Tony Moeaki most likely out, Bowe should see plenty of work on Sunday.
Santonio Holmes: Now that his taking over of the #1 receiver spot is coinciding with a game against the Texans, we can safely slide him into near elite status for this week.
Sit
Mike Williams (SEA): He really has only had three good games this season and two of those were against Arizona. The Saints have the best pass defense statistically and Big Mike needs great matchups to do anything.
Steve Johnson: Teams are catching on to Johnson and giving him a little extra attention. Add to that Cincinnati’s tough pass defense and it’s hard to see a bounce back from last week.
Tight Ends
Dustin Keller: The Texans are the absolute worst against tight ends and Keller plays that position. Add to that a whole slew of tight endjuries and it’s worth keeping Keller around to see if he can right the ship.
Todd Heap: Carolina is poor against tight ends, but better against wide receivers. We could see Heap with some room over the middle.
Sit
Aaron Hernandez: The Colts are the toughest on tight ends in the league and we saw AHer get shut out last week. I think you have to wait and see if he’ll get more snaps this week.
Joel Dreesen: He looked like he might do something with Owen Daniels out, but he’s been splitting time with Casey, which makes them both useless.
