Free weekly fantasy football advice - Who to start and sit
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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 as fantasy football start bench column. At any rate, 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.”
FANTASY FOOTBALL START SIT NFL WEEK 13
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Week 13 is here and that means football, football, and more football! We've got three games on Thursday mixed in with the usual action packed line-up on Sunday and the grand finale on Monday Night. Toss in a week centered on a holiday focused on food and family to provide plenty of leftovers and company for the games, and it just doesn't get much better than this.
With a load of games means a load of start-sit recommendations, and the Docs are here to dish out advice on marginal players that can and do make the difference between a "W" and a "L" for your fantasy team.
So enough with the intro blither, let's get to what the Docs have for you this week as they help fill in your roster with non-obvious players with favorable circumstances to post a big game.
**IMPORTANT NOTE: Being Thanksgiving, the Docs dished out a double helping of start-sit advice.
Give 'em the rock (a.k.a. Start) Matt Ryan, QB, ATL – The rookie had a few hot games followed by a sea of mediocre performances, but circumstances look favorable for Ryan to return to a hot streak with the Chargers and Saints on the slate. The Dirty Birds are in the playoff hunt, and the Chargers’ secondary have sand bags tied to their feet. Ditto for New Orleans in week 14, but we are getting ahead of ourselves.
Ronnie Brown, RB, MIA – If you have been starting Brown since week 7, odds are good you lost a good portion of those games during that stretch. Brown has been nasty; however, a “feel good” game is on the slate with the mess known as the St. Louis Rams on the schedule. The Rams dish out more rushing TDs and more 20+ yard runs than any other defense in the league. Now get out there see what Brown can do for you against this wet tissue paper defense.
Steve Slaton, RB, HOU – We have been high on this rookie ever since we picked him as a sleeper back in July, and odds are good he has a nice performance on Monday Night. With Slaton active in both the run and pass game, he is awfully tough to shutdown. Toss in the fact he is playing at home on the speedy turf, and Ahman Green is out of the picture after being placed on injured reserve, and Slaton should put a smile on your face heading into work on Tuesday.
Darren McFadden, RB, OAK – This is a bit of a stretch, but if you are in a pinch or in a deeper league that allows a flex start, give a good look at McFadden. The explosive rookie out of Arkansas has been held back all year with turf-toe, but the toe is much better, and he is finally well enough to be involved in the game plan. With very little abuse sustained all year due to being held out, McFadden is fresh and ready to lower the hammer on opposing defenses. It doesn’t get much better than the Chiefs to start bringing this hammer, as they helped McFadden post his best day as a pro in week 2. McFadden should find success again against them in week 13.
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAX – MJD is on a hot streak, and now becoming more involved in the passing attack as well. This just sounds too dangerous to pass-up. Now consider MJD will be playing under the bright lights of Monday Night on the speedy turf in Houston against a suspect Texans defense, which is very friendly on both the receiving and rushing TD categories, and this looks too good to be true.
Donovan McNabb, QB, PHI – Make no mistake, this is a high-risk, high-reward pick. After getting benched for the first time in his career last Sunday, McNabb will either respond with a huge game on Thursday or fall flat on his face. It doesn’t get much more pass friendly than the Cardinals, who lead the league in the highest number of passing TDs allowed. Here’s saying the veteran responds with a big game.
DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI – Jackson has been very quiet, but this is the week that looks good for him to pop a big game. Over his last six games, Jackson has averaged nearly 10 targets a game. More targets equals more opportunity to score fantasy points, and facing a suspect Cardinals secondary enhances the chances of those targets being converted to receptions.
Warrick Dunn, RB, TB – Dunn is going back to his home state and he is the primary ball carrier in Tampa Bay once again. The Saints like to score lots of fantasy points and they like to give up lots of fantasy points. This should be a good game for Dunn on Sunday.
Chris Johnson, RB, TEN – Johnson has faced 3 tough defenses in a row, so you haven’t heard much from him in a while. This week he will be facing the 2nd worst defense in the league. Johnson makes a great start for a guy that has disappeared. Johnson against the Lions and coming off a loss could have 100 total yards and a TD. We wouldn’t put anyone at the top of the league like Adrian Peterson on the bench for Johnson, but we like Johnson in week 13.
Leon Washington, RB, NYJ – Washington had a great week last week and this week he has another great matchup. The Broncos could have trouble containing Washington and we wouldn’t be surprised to see another TD from Washington. Denver is 26th against the rush from a fantasy perspective, so both Thomas Jones and Washington should have good games.
Bernard Berrian, WR, MIN – Berrian is a guy we have loved since May, so you know we are going back to that well against his old team … Da Bears. The last time Berrian played Chicago he had 81 yards and a TD. This time Berrian should once again have a solid game.
Justin Gage, WR, TEN – Gage only caught 1 ball last week. This week should be much better as Gage gets a chance to run against the Lions.
Need some roster help with some quality, free advice? Look no further than to our free weekly FootballDocs Who to Pick-Up / Drop Column for recommendations on key free-agent additions for your team. Released first thing every Monday morning, get the jump on your opponents with the latest emerging stars from the previous week's games.
Let 'em warm up the pine (a.k.a. Sit) Matt Cassel, QB, NE – This is a conditional bench. Cassel has been a monster in fantasy the past 2 weeks with around 40 fantasy points per game. This week he will suffer a huge drop off from that number against the Steelers. Let’s just say that we don’t think Cassel is the next Tom Brady. Cassel will be hard pressed to beat his week 10 stats. If that is good for you, then start him. If you are looking for more, look elsewhere. We expect Cassel to be at or below 234 yards passing and 1 TD.
Braylon Edwards, WR, CLE – Edwards leads the league in dropped passes, and after watching him the past few weeks, it just looks bad. Some of these dropped balls are balls we could catch, and that is just plain sad. Facing a stingy Colt’s secondary is not what you want to see for a guy that has a serious case of the dropsies. Edwards would best be left on your pine.
Daunte Culpepper, QB, DET – Culpepper just hasn’t had enough time to learn the offense, and it has just been too long to have not played to expect him to jump into the saddle and start riding with no issues. There is always a frenzy for Detroit players on Thanksgiving Day, but Culpepper does not need to be a part of that frenzy. You can find much better options for your team.
Reggie Bush, RB, NO – Bush looks to be back this week, but the Bucs are not the team you want to face in your first game back from injury. Bush is too risky to chunk into your line-up this week unless you are backed into a corner with no other options.
Cedric Benson, RB, CIN – Speaking of desperate, we don’t care how far you are backed into a corner, Benson has no business even sniffing your starting line-up this week facing the Ravens. A suspect RB facing a very tough defense spells disaster 99 times out of 100.
