Flacco will be no ordinary Joe in Week 14 (Brad Schloss / Icon SMI)

Fantasy Football Start Sit

FREE weekly fantasy football who to start & sit advice

Our weekly "Who to Start and Sit" column is part of FootballDocs In-season content. All of FootballDocs In-season content is 100% free.

After starting your studs (typically players ranked after week 5 in the top ~15 RBs, top ~ 10 WRs, top ~ 10 QBs, top ~3 TEs, top ~5 Defenses, and top...wait, no kicker is a fantasy football stud), the Docs will help you decide who to start and sit as we recommend players in our fantasy football start sit column that are not clear studs and can step in with a big game for your team this week. Consequently, we will not recommend who to start and sit with the top few players at each position in our weekly fantasy football start sit advice (given starts every week); however, we may occasionally recommend players ranked 15 - 25 overall due to some teams out there that will have multiple players at one position in this range but can only start one.  If we recommend such a player it does not mean we think they are not a stud, we are just trying to help those folks out there that may be in such a situation. We also recommend players to bench, so our fantasy football start sit column is sometimes referred to as fantasy football start bench column. Additionally, we offer Fantasy Football Weekly Rankings to help even further with some of those more difficult start sit decisions. Last, be sure to check us out every Tuesday as we do a Wrap-up on our advice - both good and bad.  In fact, every wrap-up is kept and posted as a permanent, public record of what we called and how good or bad the calls were. Why?

Three reasons: 
1.  Accountability.
2.  Confidence in our analysis and recommendations.
3.  Because the Docs take winning every bit as seriously as you do.

Thank you for visiting and welcome to FootballDocs Fantasy Football - "Where the geeks meet the gridiron."

Joe Flacco, QB, BAL - Flacco was on fire to start the season. However, he has cooled off in a major way over the second half of the season. The good news is that Flacco is going to get some "good-stuff" medicine in the form of the Detroit Lions in week 14. Flacco might have been on your bench for the past few weeks, but he is ready to start again with this great matchup.

Alex Smith, QB, SF - Smith was a good call last week and this week is no time to get off of this bandwagon. Smith has been looking great in the 49ers offense, and this week he will be facing off against the Arizona Cardinals. We expect Smith to deliver another solid week while he continues to become one of the great late season fantasy stories of 2009.

Pierre Thomas, RB, NO - The Saints have been struggling to get Thomas a decent fantasy game. However, he should return to fantasy relevance in week 14. The Falcons' defense is bleeding like crazy against the run. Thomas flashed a little explosiveness in week 13. This week the Saints should find themselves in a position where they will want to run out the clock. That could be a great opportunity for Thomas to pick up points.

Jamaal Charles, RB, KC - Many of you have been riding the Jamaal Charles train the past few weeks and have been rewarded. Nothing changes this week, so stay on the train. In fact, it doesn't get more tasty than facing the wet-tissue paper run defense of the Bills. Feel free to unleash Charles on your opponent.

Quinton Ganther, RB, WAS - In a somewhat surprise move, Head Coach Jim Zorn is giving Ganther the start this week instead of Rock Cartwright. Ganther is a real wild card this week and we wouldn't start him over more reliable options, but both Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts are out on injured reserve, and Ganther has a great match-up to go along with a load of motivation to show he has a place in the NFL.

Thomas Jones, RB, NYJ - Jones is going to pop a big game this weekend. He runs behind one of the best run blocking lines in the NFL, and he is facing a Tampa Bay team that leads the NFL in 20+ yard rushes by opposing RBs. This one could get ugly. The Jets want to make the playoffs and will ride Jones to the promised land.

Robert Meachem, WR, NO - Meachem has been hot and cold this season, but the Falcons look ripe for the picking. At a minimum you can expect Meachem to have a solid game, but he could easily have a big game against the Falcons' corners.

Terrell Owens, WR, BUF - Look for Owens to resume his hot streak facing a very suspect Chiefs' secondary. Since the mid-season coaching change, Owens has recast his lot into fantasy relevance.

Derrick Mason, WR, BAL - Mason should find the endzone this week and ride the wave of a good game from Joe Flacco. As always, Detroit is a beyond a mess, and the Ravens should have a feel-good game in front of their home crowd.

Jermichael Finley, TE, GB - In leagues where TEs are required, you should be able to get good production from Finley. After missing some time in early 2009, Finley has looked very impressive.

Josh Freeman, QB, TB - Freeman threw 5 INTs last week. If you were hoping that he would rebound in week 14, you should make other plans. Freeman has a very difficult and confusing defense in the form of the New York Jets. The #1 corner in the NFL versus rookie QB is a formula for a fantasy bust in week 14.

Kevin Smith, RB, DET - If things go according to plan, the Ravens are going to force the Lions to pass early in this game. As a result, Smith will have a disappointing week 14 fantasy effort.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, SD - With 8 TDs in his last 6 games, LT owners have enjoyed the Renaissance reminiscent of the good ol' days. That Renaissance ends abruptly in Week 14 as a very angry and stingy Cowboy's run defense tees off on the aging Tomlinson. Tomlinson no longer has that explosive first step, and he will not be able to lower his shoulder and hope to find paydirt. Against this defense, he would need a combination of the two, which he no longer has.

Jerome Harrison, RB, CLE - Harrison was a good grab off the waiver wire, but this is not the week to dust him off and toss him in your starting line-up. The Steelers have a brutal run defense, and they are a very, very angry unit after a tough loss last week. This one could get ugly.

Larry Johnson, RB, CIN - Johnson had his five minutes of fame in Week 11. Now Cedric Benson is back and the Bengals are more than happy to give him a carry or two... or 36 (36!). With that sort of workload, Benson will have another breakdown before the season is over if the Bengals keep it at that level. As such, folks suspect Johnson will get much more work in Week 14 than Week 13 as the Bengals review game tape and actually start considering needing to have Benson for their playoffs. Regardless of whatever scenario happens between now and kickoff, LJ needs to stay on your pine.

Cedric Benson, RB, CIN - Did we mention Benson's name? Just to show we are not biased against Johnson, go ahead and leave Benson on the pine too. The combination of a reduced workload, brutal run defense, and a host of nagging injuries spells trouble. Benson could have a decent day, but overwhelming odds lean to him having a sub-par day.

Michael Clayton, WR, TB - The Bucs' passing attack has shown some life in the past few weeks, but the Jets represent a chance for the Tampa Bay WRs to have a tough week 14.

Johnny Knox, WR, CHI - With Devin Hester probably unable to play this week, Knox will most likely get Charles Woodson. That is all that needs to be said here.

Chris Chambers, WR, KC - Overall it has been a nice run for Chambers since joining the Chiefs; however, expect a poor performance in Week 14. The Bills don't have much, but they do have a very good secondary. Coupled to a horrible run defense, opposing offenses have little motivation to pass very often.

For an expanded list of players to help with weekly fantasy football start sit line-up decisions, be sure to check our our Fantasy Football Weekly Rankings, which are released every Thursday during the regular season.