2012 Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Advice & Analysis
 Sidelined from week 9-13 with a hamstring injury, Torain has returned with a vengeance. With no competition for snaps restraining his productivity, he ran for 172 yards on 24 carries vs. Tampa Bay in week 14, and posted 98 all-purpose yards and a TD last week at Dallas. In six games as the starting running back he's compiled 500 yards rushing (83 per game). Renowned as a downhill, one cut runner, Torain has seven runs of 20+ yards in 126 carries, and is averaging 4.9 yards per rush on the season. While not a huge factor out of the backfield, he does have 15 receptions, six going for first down yardage and two scores. Grossman was quite content in checking down to him last week. I've been fading the dreadful Jacksonville pass defense all season, but they haven't exactly bottled up the run either. The Jags have allowed 116 rush yards per game (4.6 per carry) and 15 touchdowns. They were pierced for 155 yards last week by the Colts anemic ground game. Torain has proven capable of monstrous fantasy weeks, and this is a golden opportunity to tack on another against the Jaguar piñata. Sit him at your own risk. RB Sit: Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns The waiver wire hero has developed a true cult following. He's amassed the second most fantasy points of any RB (behind only Arian Foster) and has been a savior for many fantasy squads. Nevertheless, Hillis suffered a rough patch earlier in the year, and his performance is dipping once again at the most inopportune time. He's an absolute beast, but this workload is foreign territory and he takes (and dishes out) a beating week in week out. He averaged 111 rushing yards per game in November, but that figure has dropped to 75 in December. His last three games: 18 carries for 57 yards (seven receptions for 22), 21 carries for 108 yards against the bewildered Buffalo run defense and 14 carries for 59 yards last week. He's been held out of the end zone for three successive weeks, as he, and he alone, has been the focus of the opponents defensive game plan. Hillis has suffered with fumblitis as well, fumbling eight times and losing five. He torched Baltimore in the first meeting for 144 rushing yards (48 yarder, longest given up by Ravens this season) and seven catches. The Ravens have since righted the ship, however, ranking 5th against the run, holding the opposition to 94 yards per game and five touchdowns. They held the Saints to a paltry 27 yards last week. It's not easy to sit a fantasy phenom, but sometimes the situation calls for making difficult decisions.  QB Start: Jon Kitna, Dallas Cowboys At 38 years of age, Kitna is producing like a QB in the prime of his career. In nine starts since Tony Romo's injury he has four 300+ yard games and five multi-touchdown games. Kitna has led the Cowboys rejuvenated offense to 27 or more points in six straight weeks, throwing 11 TD's against four interceptions during that 4-2 stretch. His comfort level with tight end Jason Witten continues to augment each week, and he's spreading the wealth all over the gridiron (eight different receivers in week 14 and seven last week). Kitna's 18.4 fantasy points per week (according to standard Yahoo scoring) eclipse the 17.9 of Matt Ryan and 17.5 of Joe Flacco. There's no reason to believe he won't at the very least match that figure against an Arizona pass defense that ranks 23rd allowing 228 yards per game, rarely putting opposing quarterback's under pressure (26 sacks). They also haven't faced a dynamic passing offense since New Orleans in week five. Kitna and co. should move the rock at will. QB Sit: Matt Casell, Kansas City Chiefs Cassel appeared reasonably healthy last week just 11 days removed from an appendectomy. His health, albeit, has no impact on this sit recommendation. Cassel's 24:5 TD:INT rate is extremely impressive, but he amassed huge touchdown weeks against questionable, at best, secondaries in SF, HOU, DEN, SEA (14 of his 24 scores to be exact). Outside of his ability to connect in the end zone, he's provided limited fantasy appeal (10th rated QB). He's averaging 206 yards per contest with seven games below 200 yards, and has cracked the 300-yard plateau just once (469 on 53 attempts). The Chiefs are a running, ball control style offense, with a high frequency of conservative passes–then taking an occasional deep shot with Dwayne Bowe. Tennessee's secondary won't be bated into a big play, as they keep everything in front of them and rely on making a quick tackle. The Titans allow 65 percent completions, but only 6.8 yards per attempt. Over the course of the game yards can be accumulated, but a strict regimen of pass is required. That is not Kansas City's style. They'd prefer to grind it out on the ground. If you have another viable option for championship week, utilize it.  WR Start: Santonio Holmes, New York Jets Against elite level defenses you need to pass to establish the run. Hopefully the Jets came to grips with this phenomenon last week. They still played the game relatively close to the vest, but gave quarterback Mark Sanchez more opportunities to leave his imprint on the outcome. The same approach will be necessary this week at Chicago, which is excellent news for Holmes owners. He proved last week that he's capable of taking on the role of "security blanket" (six catches for 40 yards) and has been targeted 84 times in ten games. But make no mistake; his true value lies in his acclaimed game-breaking ability. Holmes has nine receptions of 20 or more yards in the last seven weeks (including four over 35 yards). While Sanchez doesn't always throw the ball accurately in the intermediate routes, he throws an aesthetically pleasing deep ball. If the Jets can run successfully early on, that will open shots down the field to Holmes (and Braylon Edwards). The Bears secondary allows easy completions (62 percent) and yardage (221 per game), but stiffen up on the goal line allowing only 12 air scores. *Monitor turf toe as game day approaches. WR Sit: Kenny Britt, Tennessee Titans The media/fantasy hype surrounding Britt is spiraling out of control. 353 of his 601 receiving yards and three of his seven touchdowns came in a two-week period. Outside of those two explosive efforts, he's missed four and a half weeks with a hamstring injury and was held below 41 yards in five games. He did crack the goal line in five successive weeks between three-seven, but his high-reception game was five, and high-yardage output was 86. He's only seeing six targets per week (54 total), albeit was targeted nine times last week against Houston's invisible coverage. Tennessee is still a predominantly rushing offense unless they fall behind early. Their passing attack will never be classified as efficient, with Collins averaging 195 yards in five games started. The reward is high (18 yards per catch) but the risk of a no-show is very real. In three games against the AFC West (left the San Diego game with injury) he has three total receptions. The Kansas City pass defense ranks 19th in the NFL, but that standing is on the upturn behind talented young corners. They allow only 6.5 yards per pass attempt. Don't let the talking heads alter your decision. Britt is NOT a must-start.  TE Start: Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars Lewis has broken through in his fifth NFL season, and it would be apropos for him to finish his masterpiece in style. He's eighth amongst tight ends in receptions with 51, sixth in yardage with 637, second in touchdowns with nine and third in total fantasy points. He's yet to surpass the 70-yard mark in any game this year, but has seven games above 50 yards. He has been the definition of consistent, always finding a way to reward his fantasy owners. He's the made the most of his 75 targets, with at least one 15-yard reception in 13 of 14 weeks and eight 20+ yard plays. The Redskins pass defense is tied for 30th allowing 263 yards per contest. Kellen Winslow hauled in a 41-yard TD pass against them in week 14, and Jason Witten cut them to ribbons last week for ten catches, 140 yards and a score. Start Lewis with comfort. TE Sit: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions In three and 3/4 games with Drew Stanton behind center, Pettigrew has been a non-factor. In week six at the Giants he caught four balls for 46 yards (after Hill went out with injury), and in Stanton's three December starts he has a composite nine receptions for 75 yards. He was targeted nine times in week 13, but has been lost in the shuffle the last two outings. Pettigrew ranks third amongst TE in receptions with 64, but loses much of his luster without Stafford/Hill tossing him the rock. He hasn't crossed the goal line since week nine. Outside of Ben Watson's 10-catch for 100 yards and a TD effort in week 13, the Dolphins have kept opposing tight ends under wraps all season. Seek a more secure option with established QB play. *Latest report is that Shaun Hill (broken finger) took first-team reps on Wednesday. He’ll have to shake off the rust regardless, and does not change this recommendation. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Adam Ganeles, Sit Em, Start Em, Week 14, QB Start, QB Sit, RB Start, RB Sit, WR Start, WR Sit, TE Start, TE Sit, Jon Kitna, Matt Casell, Ryan Torain, Peyton Hillis, Santonio Holmes, Kenny Britt, Marcedes Lewis, Brandon Pettigrew, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions Add Comment  QB Start: Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers For an inexperienced quarterback Freeman sure doesn't make many mistakes. Only Tom Brady, Michael Vick, Matt Cassel and Ben Roethlisberger have thrown fewer interceptions than his total of six. He only has a single multi-pick performance on his game log and doesn't leave fantasy owners exposed. Freeman has five two-touchdown games and has a thrown a TD in 12 of 13 weeks (17 overall). After a stretch of four straight games with 25 or fewer pass attempts, offensive coordinator Greg Olson has begun to take the reigns off. He aired it out 37 times against Baltimore and 38 against Atlanta before dipping back to 25 last time out. Freeman can always be counted on for at least one big play, including 64 and 41 last week on almost 18 yards per completion. Detroit's pass defense is likely to oblige, allowing 7.6 yards per pass attempt (29th) and 21 scores. The Lions pass rush is a real threat, but the Tampa line has done a better job protecting the last five weeks surrendering only five sacks. Freeman's mobility (300 yards rushing) is just an added perk. QB Sit: Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens 100+ QB ratings have become a regularity for Flacco since mid-season. He's consistently around the 250-yard mark and has thrown 11 touchdowns against two picks since November. Despite the aesthetically pleasing numbers, however, there are reasons to take heed. The Ravens have been operating at a high level of efficiency in first halves of games, but have become ultra-conservative with even slim leads. They haven't scored an offensive touchdown in the second half since week ten. This style of game calling explains his lone 300-yard passing game, and really inhibits Flacco's ceiling as a fantasy QB. His rapport with star wideout Anquan Boldin has also faltered in recent weeks, leaving Derrick Mason as the go-to-guy. That might fly against the Texans porous secondary, but not against New Orleans. The Saints rank 5th against the pass, and have intercepted more passes (9) than touchdowns allowed (8). They allow 199 passing yards per contest. This is by no means an easy SIT decision in a playoff week, but a marquee effort should not be anticipated.  RB Start: Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers The Panthers ground game has been revitalized since week 12, and Stewart has been the primary beneficiary. The last three weeks he's run 12 for 98, 21 for 92 and a TD and 18 for 133. Keep in mind, entering this streak his previous high yardage game was 33, and his high carry game was 14. The gamebreaking runs are also beginning to surface, with runs of 48 and 42 last week alone. In the first eight weeks his longest run was 24 yards. Backup Mike Goodson has vultured touchdowns in each of the past two weeks, but has received just three and nine carries respectively. Look for Carolina to pound the rock against an Arizona rush defense that ranks 30th, allowing 143 yards per game and 16 scores. They've allowed 100+ yards on the ground in five consecutive weeks, and seven out of eight. Stewart had a monster culmination to 2009, exploding for 589 yards and four TD's in the final five weeks. Healthy, and suddenly with holes to run through, another strong finish is in the cards. RB Sit: Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills After successful recommendations in weeks 10 and 11, it's time for Jackson to take a seat. He bounced back from two poor efforts against Pittsburgh and Minnesota (101 combined yards) with 112 yards last week vs. Cleveland, but on 3.9 per rush. The workhorse back wore out the Browns with 29 carries, but teams simply don't pound the ball with success against Miami. The Dolphins allow a measly 3.6 yards per carry, under 100 yards per game and have cracked on the goal line just six times. They shut down two power-running attacks the last two weeks in Cleveland and NYJ. Explosive runs are just not Jackson's style (long of 19 last three), and he needs a significant workload to leave an imprint (65-yard receiving TD aside). With only three weeks remaining, it's time C.J. Spiller gets some experience heading into his sophomore campaign. He's received 15 composite carries the past two games. That figure should hit double digits this week.  WR Start: Austin Collie, Indianapolis Colts Collie's official status for week 15 has not yet been released, but word is he could return after missing three weeks with a concussion. If he suits up, Collie's a more than reasonable 3rd wide receiver on fantasy squads, most notably in PPR leagues. He has at least five receptions in six of the eight games he's played. Collie is Peyton Manning's security blanket, converting on 82% of his 61 targets (50 receptions). He also caught six touchdowns in the opening six weeks before the injury bug hit. The Jaguars pass defense ranks 28th in the NFL allowing a league worst 8.7 yards per attempt, plus 258 yards per game and 24 air scores. The Raiders deficient passing game torched them for 324 yards and two touchdowns last week. Collie wasn't overly involved in the first meeting against Jacksonville with five catches for 39 yards, but did hit paydirt. If healthy, he's an extremely safe option in the friendly confines of Lucas Oil Stadium. WR Sit: Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers The 34-year old warrior has cultivated moments of brilliance, but consistency has been a far cry from last season's standard. Ward has caught only 49 balls on 75 targets, a significant decline from 95 and 136 last year. His "dud" performances have been far too frequent: 1/9, 2/14, 3/15, 3/10, 3/28, 1/13. In games where he hasn't cracked the 100-yard mark, he hasn't even reached the 35-yard plateau. Outside of hitting the century mark against Buffalo, all of his big efforts have come against questionable secondaries (ATL, MIA, CIN). The old Hines Ward might up his level against a chat happy opponent on the big state, but that WR hasn't been present in 2010. This Hines Ward is averaging 49 yards per game. The Jets pass D ranks 9th in the league holding opponents to 51% completions. They thwarted the Dolphins air attack last week, limiting them to a ridiculous 30 net passing yards.  TE Start: Kevin Boss, New York Giants Boss tied for the team high in targets last week with nine, catching four balls for 23 yards and touchdown. He hasn't been a PPR threat up to this point, but that could change in the final three weeks. With Steve Smith out for the season, and Mario Manningham banged up, there's a good chance traffic in his direction will escalate. The Giants recent embarrassment of opponents on the ground will only open up more opportunities down the seam (his speciality) in the play action passing game. Boss has caught all four of his scores in the last six weeks, and has three career touchdowns (19 receptions) in five career games against Philadelphia. TE Sit: Visanthe Shiancoe, Minnesota Vikings Not an overly difficult decision based on the numbers, but many owners have been forced to utilize Shiancoe as a result of injuries. Look elsewhere. The Vikings quarterback situation is a complete wreck right now, and there's a good chance rookie scrambler Joe Webb gets the call. Regardless, Shiancoe hasn't been operative no matter who's been taking the snaps. He hasn't cracked the five-reception barrier since week two, and has hit 50 yards only twice during that time period. He's been nearly invisible the last two weeks with Tarvaris Jackson at QB. His red zone proficiency of yesteryear is no longer applicable. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team!  WR Start: Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings It didn't take long for Rice to get back in the swing of things. In just his third game back from a serious hip injury, he caught five balls (six targets) for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Even without Harvin by his side, he appeared close to his old "freak of nature" self, beating double-teams with relative ease and overmatching defenders with the ball in the air. Rice saw 14 targets in his first two games with Brett Favre at quarterback, so regardless of who's behind center he'll receive plenty of traffic. The Giants secondary has not looked sharp in recent weeks, frequently looking confused and blowing downfield assignments. The Redskins were unable to make them pay for their transgressions, but the Vikings will. With the rust shaken off, and apparently fully healthy, Rice is set to make a major splash in the final four weeks. WR Sit: Wes Welker, New England Patriots There's no questioning Welker's high level of performance over the past four weeks: 28 receptions for 317 yards and four scores. Nevertheless, don't except a full-blown return to Moss era form. In the three weeks prior he was held under five receptions and below 40 yards in each contest, and he was held out of the end zone between week three and week ten. The Pats don't possess a feared field stretcher (Brandon Tate) to open up the inside for Welker. It hasn't stopped him lately, but makes his job exponentially more difficult. Expect the Chicago pass defense (13th) to get aggressive with him at the line and limit his ability in space, especially in the red zone. The Bears held another excellent slot receiver, Davone Bess, to one reception for nine yards in week 11. Welker is still Tom Brady's number one option (97 targets) but there's a lot of footballs to go around between tight ends and backs in that offense.  QB Start: Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears The "gunslinger" has performed brilliantly the last two weeks posting QB ratings of 146.2 and 117.0. While Cutler's pass attempts are on the decline, his decision-making has improved without hindering his calling card playmaking ability. Since the Bears week eight bye he's tossed ten touchdowns against just three interceptions (5:0 last two weeks). Entering week 14 of last season he had already gifted 20 interceptions, double his current total of ten. Wide receiver Earl Bennett has emerged as Cutler's security blanket, a dependable possession receiver to balance out Chicago's deep threats. The efficiency of their running attack has also opened up opportunities in the play action passing game and taken pressure off Cutler. New England's 31st ranked pass defense is tailor made for the Bears style – they don't pressure the quarterback (21 sacks) and allow 67 percent completions. QB Sit: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills His random four-touchdown performances haven't made a believer out of me. Yes, Fitzpatrick has a thrown at least one TD pass in every start this season, but overall production has regressed sharply. Fitzpatrick's thrown an interception in six of his last seven games, including three games of two picks (fumbled three times last week, lost two). His big plays are often the result of scrambling and buying time and not within the Bills' offense. Obviously consistency will never be a strength in this freelance structure. On the season Fitzpatrick averages just 6.7 yards per pass attempt, and his completion percentage of 58.3 ranks 26th in the league. The Browns rank 20th against the pass, but are second in the NFL with 18 interceptions. They bottled up Chad Henne last week forcing a 37.8 QB rating and ballhawking for three picks. There will be no air explosion for "Mr. Harvard" this week.  RB Start: LeGarrette Blount, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Concerns over his recent struggles in short yardage and goal line situations have surfaced, but he remains a MUST start in week 14. Since taking over the primary ball carrying duties in week seven, Blount has rushed for 100 yards+ twice, 80 yards+ four times and hit paydirt four times. He's coming off a 20-carry 103 yard outing against Atlanta's eighth ranked defense, and looked like a man amongst boys for much of the game. This week's opponents, the Redskins, were thoroughly gashed by the Giants to the tune of 197 yards and four rushing scores last week. Brandon Jacobs broke runs of 39, 28 and compiled 13 yards per carry. Blount brings a similar power style to the table, only with a lower center of gravity and more speed. If the 'Skins bring the same poor tackling effort on Sunday, they will get run through and run over. RB Sit: Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks Lynch scored three touchdowns against Carolina's 27th ranked run defense last week, but don't get too excited. Gashing the Panthers on the ground has become commonplace. Two of his scores came on 1-yard runs, and four of his five touchdowns on the year have now come from a yard out. Between weeks eight and twelve he ran for 147 yards (29 per game) on 40 carries (8 per game) with a single TD. In eight games since joining Seattle he's received under ten carries on three occasions, and been held under 50 yards six times. Explosive runs have been few and far between, with a measly three runs above 20 yards in 146 attempts. Season best effort aside, scat back Justin Forsett will still eat away at his workload going forward. The San Francisco run defense has limited opponents to 3.6 yards per rush and only seven ground scores. Don't hold your breath for a double dose of Marshawn magic.  TE Start: Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders Miller has been utterly invisible since his week eight injury. Unbelievably, he hasn't recorded double-digit yardage in four games since, totaling five receptions for 28 yards. The Raiders all but abandoned the passing game last week as he saw only one target. If they utilize the same tact against Jacksonville this week, they'll be making a massive judgment error. The Jags rank 27th against the pass and have allowed over 3,000 yards through the air (22 touchdowns). Despite his abysmal efforts of late, it's difficult to sit a tight end with Miller's big play potential. He caught a pass of 20+ yards in six of the first seven weeks, and you simply won't find many TE's capable of that. He has a great opportunity to revisit those glory days this week, if his coordinator allows it. TE Sit: Joel Dreessen, Houston Texans It was originally believed that Dreessen could miss week 14, but his rib cage injury is just a bruise. He saw a significant eight targets and caught five balls for 63 yards at Philadelphia Thursday night, and hit paydirt in each of the prior two weeks (including a 100-yard game). However, his usage for Sunday is very much in question. Owen Daniels is set to return, and while he's been entirely ineffective, he will surely take snaps away from Dreessen (and possibly start). The Ravens have eliminated the tight end since their week eight bye: Anthony Fasano 3/26, Tony Gonzalez 4/38, Kellen Winslow 4/44 TD and Heath Miller 1/9. He's given his owners a nice fantasy run, but avoid this likely time-split situation. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Adam Ganeles, Sit Em, Start Em, Week 14, QB Start, QB Sit, RB Start, RB Sit, WR Start, WR Sit, TE Start, TE Sit, Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills, LeGarrette Blount, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks, Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings, Wes Welker, New England Patriots, Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders, Joel Dreessen, Houston Texans  QB Start: Matt Schaub, Houston Texans After failure to live up to the pre-season hype, Schaub has been forgotten in many fantasy circles. This could prove costly. In his last three starts he's completed 66 percent of his passes, thrown five touchdowns against zero interceptions, averaged just shy of 250-yards and working to a 104.8 QB rating. He was unable to connect on big plays against the "keep everything in front of you" Titans last week, but hit four 20+ pass plays at the Jets in week 11 and three at Jacksonville in week 12. The emergence of TE Joel Dreessen has softened the blow of an underachieving group of secondary receivers. Philadelphia's pass defense has allowed nine scores and forced eight picks since their week-nine bye. One way or the other, a meaningful play is being made. Houston's offensive line has done a better job protecting Schaub in recent weeks (3 sacks in last three games) but will be in for a stern test against the Eagles (30 sacks). *Eagles CB Asante Samuels is listed as questionable on the initial Wednesday injury report. QB Sit: David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars Garrard has declared his wrist "good to go" for week 13, but I'm not comforted. The last month has been an up and down roller coaster ride for Garrard. Six touchdowns against zero interceptions the first two weeks, and two touchdowns four interceptions the last two. His QB ratings dropped from 157.8 and 134.1 to 65.1 and 57.1. The latter two performances are closer to his median level. With Mike Sims-Walker not fully healthy, or at least not himself, the Jaguars lack of downfield weapons is all too apparent. Relying on your tight end for big plays is not a successful endeavor long term. Garrard averaged just 4.6 yards per pass attempt last week at the Giants. He also fumbled three times, losing one (the game ender), and has now lost three fumbles in the last four weeks. Quite simply, he's not being protected, and his past history against Tennessee is not aesthetically pleasing: 14 career starts, 11 touchdowns, 12 picks and 33 sacks. It's a safe bet Garrard will have to utilize his legs with high frequency once again, running for his life rather than by choice.  RB Start: Matt Forte, Chicago Bears The Bears finished November with a 52.9 percent run ratio, good for second in the NFL (Rotoworld.com). In those four games, Forte's ground productivity spiked dramatically rushing for 332 yards on 74 carries (4.5). He's still having difficulty finding the end zone, but he's chewing up big chunks of yardage for a change. After having only one 20+ yard run in the season's opening seven weeks, he had four in November including two last week (61, 28). His PPR value has gone way down, but let's flashback to opening Sunday versus Detroit: seven receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Perhaps this is the week to reintroduce him to the passing attack? Success on the ground is expected against a Lions rush defense that ranks 24th and has allowed 13 rushing scores (third to last). Finally getting an opportunity to spread his wings with regular work, Forte is thriving in a more balanced Chicago offense. RB Sit: LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets What do you know; the old LT wasn't really 'back' after all. Since the Jets week seven bye, his greatest impact has come in the passing game, catching 26 balls for 222 yards. In the rush game, however, Tomlinson has been completely shut down and his workload is gradually decreasing. He hasn't cracked the 100-yard plateau since week four or the 60-yard mark since week five (high of 3.8 per carry). In the last five weeks his longest run from scrimmage has been a whopping ten yards. That is scary. Even scarier for his fantasy owners is the 53:43 carry split, now in favor of Shonn Greene. LT for rushed for 76 yards on nearly seven per rush in week two versus New England, but the Jets philosophy has undergone minor reconstruction since then, putting more trust in their quarterback. The Patriots rank smack in the middle of the pack against the run allowing 110 yards per game. In a non-PPR league, Tomlinson's value is extremely limited.  WR Start: Santana Moss, Washington Redskins With only five plays of 20+ yards and three 100-yard games in 2010, Moss is no longer the electric downfield threat he once was. With that said, he's a first down machine and reliable possession receiver, and is on pace to decimate his previous career high in receptions. He has 62 catches on the year (8th) and has hauled in at least five passes in nine of 11 games. His 94 targets also rank in the top 15. December has been his most productive month statistically, with 150 receptions and 14 touchdowns as winter rolls in. Although held quiet the last two seasons, he's had tremendous career success against the Giants with eight scores in 11 games. New York boasts the number one pass defense in the league, but played too conservative last week. They allowed Jacksonville to convert ten third-downs, most through the air in short and manageable situations. If they come out with a similar game plan this week, Moss should be in for a heavy traffic day in the short/intermediate routes. WR Sit: Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals Ochocinco stills ranks seventh in the league with 103 targets, but he's come down with the reception on only 52 percent of passes thrown his way. Of his 54 receptions, 22 of them came in a two-game window, which also happen to be his only two 100-yard receiving games on the season. The ugly numbers are beginning to pile up i.e. seven games below 50 yards, eight games below five receptions and only four catches of 20+. The Bengals pass offense hasn't been dreadful (11th), but Ochocinco's contributions to the cause have been far from consistent. The New Orleans secondary has become a legitimate wide receiver killer. Their corners are playing at a freakishly high level, holding opponents to seven air scores and 198 yards per game. Ochocinco will turn 33-years of age in January, so it's not unrealistic to believe the tail end of his career is approaching.  TE Start: Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles Signs of life from Brent Celek have been few and far between, but last week was encouraging. After catching a bagel against the Giants in week 11, Celek rebounded to haul in three balls for 50 yards and a touchdown at Chicago. More importantly, he was targeted eight times by Michael Vick, including a few downfield shots. Houston's 31st ranked pass defense has allowed 25 touchdowns (NFL worst), which certainly doesn't hurt his cause for start consideration. Nevertheless, this recommendation does not come without its caveats. Celek has posted four games below ten yards and is amongst the leaders in dropped passes. Potential for high reward is there, but a clunker is not out of the realm. TE Sit: Todd Heap, Baltimore Ravens Heap has quietly been one of the hottest tight ends around. After taking a 65-yard pass to the house last week, Heap now has five touchdowns in the last six weeks. His performance, however, has been considerably above his proven standard. He's been making big plays left and right, as his 15-yard per reception average is dwarfing his 11.7 career mark. Expecting this pace to continue is unreasonable, and he doesn't get enough targets (59) to make up the fantasy points elsewhere. His season high for game yardage is 79, and high for receptions is six (week one). Outside of what would have to be considered a fluke performance by Rob Gronkowski, the Steelers have bottled up opposing TE's. A tough sit given his current level, but the cooling process begins in week 13. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Adam Ganeles, Sit Em, Start Em, Week 13, Matt Schaub, Houston Texans, Joel Dreessen, David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars, Mike Sims-Walker, Matt Forte, Chicago Bears, LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets, Shonn Greene, Santana Moss, Washington Redskins, Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals, Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles, Todd Heap, Baltimore Ravens, Rob Gronkowski  WR Start: Mario Manningham, New York Giants The Giants wide receiver position has been ravaged by injuries. With Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith out, Manningham will get a major boost in targets, and defensive attention. Even with a full compliment of wideouts Manningham received 55 targets, and his rapport with Manning continues to augment week by week. He has developed into a dynamic, big-play weapon with a 25+yard reception in seven of the eight games he's played. After a ten-reception performance in week ten (16 targets), Manningham was targeted only three times last week. He should see a bounce back in activity against Jacksonville's putrid 28th ranked pass defense that's allowed 67 percent completions and 20 touchdowns through the air. He's been presented with a golden opportunity to be "the man", and judging by his clutch ability, he will respond admirably. WR Sit: Pierre Garcon, Indianapolis Colts After exploding onto the scene in 2009-2010, Garcon has reverted back to raw form. He's second in the league in dropped passes, and appears to have lost confidence in his skills. Even with Dallas Clark out (and Austin Collie missing time), Garcon is still seeing a decrease in traffic his direction (70 targets). Quite simply, Manning doesn't trust him. He's capable of the spectacular, but those moments have been few and far between. Garcon has been held scoreless and without a 20-yard reception for four consecutive weeks. His meal ticket was the deep ball, and that has all but vanished. On the season, he has just one touchdown and one 100-yard game. His luck is unlikely to change this week against the Chargers number one rated pass defense. They've held opposing quarterbacks to a 74.8 QB rating and have allowed nine touchdowns against nine interceptions. Sitting a wideout on a team quarterbacked by Manning is not an easy decision, but it's the prudent one.  QB Start: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers In six starts since his return from suspension Roethlisberger has fallen into a pattern: two good, two bad, two good. If the pattern continues he's on pace for a poor effort on Sunday, but six games doesn't make a trend. He followed up two sub-200 yard efforts with 387 (296 in the fourth quarter) and 275 in his last two starts with seven composite touchdowns. He also ran for 55 yards against Oakland, the largest single-game rushing figure of his career. Overall, Roethlisberger sports the number three passer rating in the NFL at 101.9 and a 12:4 touchdown to interception rate. Pittsburgh's offensive attack is more pass heavy than in years past, utilizing the big play with speed on the outside. Mike Wallace caught long balls of 52 (TD), 37 and 27 last week and Big Ben averaged 9.5 yards per attempt. Buffalo's pass defense ranks a respectable tenth, but that says more about their 32nd ranked rush defense than the quality of secondary play. They've allowed 20 passing touchdowns against just four interceptions forced (two last week). QB Sit: Jon Kitna, Dallas Cowboys Kitna has posted 124.1 and 129.7 QB ratings over the last two weeks. Despite only 46 total pass attempts in those starts, he's thrown six touchdown passes (one interception) and ran for a seventh score. There's no doubt he's played solid football, but his scores the last two weeks have largely been the result of yardage after the catch and tremendous field position. He threw for only 147 yards last week, frequently looking to dump off in the face of Detroit's pressure (one completion over 20 yards). Like most quarterbacks, pass rush, or lack thereof, usually determines his fate. When the pocket collapses he's considerably more careless with the football. The Saints pass rush has been ordinary this season (19 sacks), but they're pass defense (2nd) has been anything but. They've allowed a paltry seven touchdowns through the air and just 186 yards per game. Kitna's touchdown barrage ends here against the velcro coverage of New Orleans.  RB Start: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, New England Patriots Green-Ellis is not an explosive ball carrier, but he makes every touch count. In the eight games which he's received ten or more carries he's reached the end zone is six of them. In five games with 15+ carries he's averaging 93.8 yards per game and 5.3 per carry. He's a solid bet to hit the 20-carry mark for the second time this season on Thanksgiving, which will equate to productivity. The Lions rush defense ranks 26th in the NFL allowing 131 yards per contest, 4.6 per carry and 11 touchdowns. Detroit struggled to contain a similar power-style back in Fred Jackson (25-133) two weeks back. The Pats still favor the pass but are certainly not opposed to exploiting the weakness of their opponent. Danny Woodhead might take a handful of carries, but BJGE is the man in the running game. Don't expect a sudden PPR surge, it's not his strength (despite four receptions at Pitt in week ten). RB Sit: LeGarrette Blount, Tampa Bay Buccaneers The rookie has run the ball impressively since being handed over the reigns in week seven, but he'll face a different animal this week. The Ravens and their ninth rated ground defense have held their three opponents since the bye to 253 net rushing yards (albeit 120 last week). Blount was unable to get going against a pinching Atlanta run defense in week nine (13-46) and was held to 3.2 yards per rush last week at San Francisco. Baltimore will almost certainly force the game into young Josh Freeman's hands on the road in a hostile environment. He hasn't been mistake prone (five interceptions) but he hasn't been asked to carry the load either (25 or less attempts in four straight weeks). The Ravens will aim to take Blount out of the mix and let their ballhawk secondary go to work. The Bucs have only seven rushing scores on the season, and the Baltimore D has only allowed five. Can you say reality check?  TE Start: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions In his second season, Pettigrew is blossoming into one of the premiere tight ends in the NFL. He's fifth amongst TE's in targets with 74, and has thrived with Shaun Hill behind center. In Hill's seven starts he's caught 44 balls (six per game) for 455 yards (65 yards per game). Oddly enough, however, he's hauled two of his three touchdowns with Stafford at quarterback. Nevertheless, fantasy owners can be confident that Pettigrew will be heavily involved in the offensive game plan. The Patriots haven’t been overly exposed by the TE, but Heath Miller (5-60) and Jacob Tamme (7-60) made some noise the last two weeks. TE Sit: Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars Lewis has been a fantasy godsend, second behind only Antonio Gates in touchdowns at the tight end position with eight. With that said, the injury to Mike Sims-Walker could have a marked impact on his success going forward. The focus of opposing defenses will shift from Sims-Walker to Lewis, and space in the middle will be tougher to carve out. The Jags also plan on utilizing more two tight end sets with Zach Miller (the other one), which should detrimentally impact his targets. Since their bye week, the Giants have held John Carlson to two catches for nine yards, Jason Witten to one catch for seven yards and Brent Celek to nada. The Garrard/Lewis combination has been over performing to put it mildly, and the joyride ends here. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Adam Ganeles, Sit Em, Start Em, Week 12, Ben Roethelisberger, Jon Kitna, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, LeGarrette Blount, Mario Manningham, Pierre Garcon, Brandon Pettigrew, Marcedes Lewis, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Bucaneers, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars  RB Start – Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills After recommending Jackson as a start last week, I'm going right back to the well with him again. He had his best line of the season against Detroit, rushing for 133 yards on 25 carries with a TD and catching six passes for 37 yards adding a second score. Two fumbles (one lost) are disconcerting, but not a reason to panic, certainly not this week anyway as C.J. Spiller will be on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. The Bills got overexcited with the success of Fitzpatrick, but are now re-embracing their ground game roots. Jackson is a second half runner who gets stronger with an increased workload. He averaged 21 rushing yards more per game (77) in the final eight weeks of last season than he netted in the opening eight. With Cincinnati now 2-7 and coming off a sixth straight heart wrenching defeat, a lackadaisical effort on Sunday would not surprise.  RB Sit – Matt Forte, Chicago Bears Forte ran for 69 yards in week ten, shockingly his second highest total of the season. He's averaging just 47 yards per game on the ground, and accrued 35% of his 470 total in one week (166 at Carolina in week five). Take away that week and he's barely cracking the 30-yard barrier. It's hard to pin the blame on him as he's rarely given an opportunity to succeed. Forte has only gotten 20+ carries in two weeks, and under 15 carries in six weeks. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz will give up on the running game before it even gets a chance to click. Not to say that 'clicking' is a likely outcome, as the offensive line rarely wins the battle upfront. Right now his greatest attribute is a receiver out of the backfield (30 receptions), but his involvement has been limited with the recent incorporation of Greg Olsen into the game plan. The Dolphins rush defense is on the decline (16th), but this week presents an opportune matchup to climb the ladder.  QB Start – Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos Orton has been the second most productive passer in the NFL thru ten weeks, behind only the record-setting pace of Philip Rivers. He's on pace to finish with 622 pass attempts (the record is 691 by Drew Bledsoe) and his low for attempts in a game is 29. Despite an overly active arm, his proficiency has not taken a hit. Orton has yet to post a negative TD/INT rate in any game (16:5 rate on the season). He is not opposed to spreading the wealth, hitting six receivers for three or more receptions in week eight, and five more in week ten. Against a suddenly streaking San Diego team, the Broncos will be forced to the air to keep pace—likely in comeback mode. The Chargers boast the league's 3rd ranked pass defense, but kind scheduling in the first six weeks aided their standing (KC, JAX, SEA, AZ, OAK, STL). They allowed 253 yards on ten completions to Vince Young in week eight, so they can certainly be exploited.  QB Sit – Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins Despite his bizarre contract extension (with stipulations), the luster on McNabb is gradually fading. McNabb has thrown at least one interception in seven straight weeks and 11 total during that span. To exacerbate matters, he's orchestrated just one multiple touchdown game all season (last week after falling behind 35-0). McNabb connected on 76 and 71-yard touchdown bombs against Philadelphia, but that's not characteristic of the 'Skins offense. His yards per pass attempt have only surpassed 7.5 in two of ten games this season. The Titans corners play a similar style to the Eagles, but Tennessee will rely on the front four to get pressure (27 sacks) rather than heavy blitzing. They rank 25th in yardage allowed, but have intercepted 14 passes against 11 touchdowns. Expect McNabb to be bated into apparent 'rhythm' throws on more than one occasion.  WR Start – Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles After a pair of quiet performances, Maclin rebounded with a four reception 79-yard effort and a touchdown in a thrashing of Washington. His 48-yard acrobatic TD grab was his 7th score of the season (tied for 5th). Maclin has been the beneficiary of 64 targets on the year and 14 over the last two weeks since Desean Jackson's return. In a passing game currently operating on all cylinders, the speedster is a threat to explode at any time. The Giants pass defense ranks 4th in the NFL allowing just 187 yards per game, but was badly exposed last week versus Dallas. The Cowboys had seven plays of 20+ yards in the passing game: 71 (screen for TD), 46, 45, 44, 32, 27, 24 TD. They also had an eighth big play reversed by a coach's challenge. Kitna hit the 300-yard mark in the third quarter before closing up shop trying to nurse the lead. If New York doesn't get things straightened out in a hurry the Eagles will embarrass them.  WR Sit – Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers The Panthers are an absolute nightmare. They have the 32nd ranked passing offense (and total offense) in the league and the stats are hard to look at: 157 passing yards per game, 52 percent completions and 5.4 yards per pass attempt. They have no quarterback, no offensive line and no wide receivers to support Smith. His stat sheet is filled with empty lines i.e. three receptions for 22 yards, two receptions for 11 yards and one reception for nine yards. These are clunkers you just don't associate with Smith, but double and triple teams aren't easy to beat. He has 62 targets on the season, averaging only 3.75 receptions per game for 46 yards. Whether it's Tony Pike, Jimmy Clausen or Matt Moore behind center, the positives will be few and far between for the remainder of 2010-2011. Reputation should not be a factor here. Smith is a SIT against the Ravens.  TE Start – Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders Miller is expected to practice/play in week 11 (foot) following the Raiders bye. He suffered his only below average performance of the season in week eight (one catch for eight yards) while playing through injury, and missed week nine versus Kansas City. Prior to being hobbled, Miller was a consistent producer and top-five caliber tight end. He's been targeted 53 times on the season, eclipsing the 40-yard plateau in each of the first seven weeks and reaching paydirt four times. The Steelers shut down opposing TE's for the first half of year, but they were absolutely torched by Rob Gronkowski on Sunday night to the tune of 5/72 and three touchdowns. Oakland and New England are entirely different animals to defend, but Miller should put forth a solid effort if healthy.  TE Sit – Visanthe Shiancoe, Minnesota Vikings Favre's favorite target has essentially been a non-factor since attracting extra attention in week three. He has 18 receptions for 198 yards over the past six games (3 for 33 per game average), after catching ten for 162 in the opening two weeks. The Vikings have been downright dreadful inside the 20-yard line, unable to break predictable trends. Shiancoe made a living in the red zone in 2009-2010 scoring 11 touchdowns, but this year has cracked the pylon only twice. He has just 18 receptions in seven career games against Green Bay, including three for 30 in week seven. The thirty-year-old is reverting back to ordinary tight end status. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Adam Ganeles, Sit Em, Start Em, Week 11, Kyle Orton, Donovan McNabb, Fred Jackson, Matt Forte, Jeremy Maclin, Steve Smith, Zach Miller, Visanthe Shiancoe, Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings  QB Start - Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Freeman was unable to fully exploit a vulnerable Falcons secondary last week completing only 11 passes, albeit two for scores. He broke a string of three interception-less games with two picks, and four 200+ yard weeks with 189 passing yards. As usual he delivered some freakishly sick pinpoint passes, but looked rattled at times. With the division lead on the line, the pressure may have gotten to him. His attempts were limited for the second consecutive week, but look for the air show to resume versus Carolina. Somehow, the Panthers are 3rd in the NFL in net passing yards allowed in what is likely to be a short-lived standing. Their season is in the dumpster and their head coach is a lame duck. The deep ball is a major facet of the Bucs burgeoning passing attack, and they will seek to re-establish confidence in their QB this week. Against Carolina's inept offense, team's can afford to take offensive risks themselves without fear of being punished for it. Freeman threw two touchdowns at Carolina in week two. QB Sit - Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings If fantasy owners choose to "buy" on Favre after his 446-yard outburst last week, good luck to them. Just remember, Arizona's 27th rated pass defense has made many an average quarterback look like Johnny Unitas. A high-powered offense would have laid a 50 spot on the Cardinals, but the Vikings were stuck on ten points midway through the fourth quarter. Why? Stalled drives and turnovers, which have become the norm in Minnesota. Favre has thrown six interceptions against three touchdowns over the last three weeks, and sports a 13:9 ratio on the season. The Vikings are still short on pass-game weapons. Bernard Berrian's performance was more a fluke than revitalization, and if even Sidney Rice returns he won't be close to game shape. The Bears pass defense ranks 18th in the league, but they've allowed only five passing scores (11 INT). Julius Peppers hasn't recorded a sack since week four and it's about time he woke up to haunt Old Man River.  RB Start - Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills The Bills were unable to establish any semblance of a ground game last week as Jackson rushed for 16 yards on eight carries with a four-yard touchdown run. In the prior three weeks following the Lynch trade he had resumed primary ball carrying duties, averaging 18 attempts for 70 yards. Despite his relative inefficiency, the Bills prefer to use the reliable Jackson rather than sending C.J. Spiller in to face the blazing fire behind a shaky line. Spiller hasn't received more than seven carries all season. The Lions defense laid it all out last week holding the Jets potent rushing attack in relative check (110 yards). Avoiding a letdown effort will be a tough task for Detroit and their 25th ranked run defense. They've allowed 130 yards per game, 4.7 per carry and nine touchdowns. The Bills are actually favored in this contest and will be desperate to nab a W. They've been scoring points with the pass, but they need to win with the run. RB Sit - Ryan Torain, Washington Redskins After injuring his hamstring in week eight, Torain was the beneficiary of a bye week to heal. He's been a full participant in practice and looks like the week ten starter. Nevertheless, proceed with caution. Starter or not, the Redskins won't overwork their 24-year old back just two weeks removed from the incident. Add in a possible Portis return (game time decision) to the equation and we have ourselves a questionable fantasy play. Torain ran for 70 yards and a TD on 18 carries at Philadelphia in week four, but he'll face a different animal this week. Since their last meeting the Eagles have held four successive opponents below 75 net rushing yards (IND, TEN, ATL and SF). He has two 100-yard games on his resume, but don't reach for the stars. Use this week to evaluate Torain's performance level for the duration of the season and whether he's fully recovered.  WR Start - Davone Bess, Miami Dolphins Bess transcends your typical slot receiver. No, he's not a deep threat, but he fights for yardage and is tough to bring down after the catch. With that said, it's tough to eat up significant real estate working in confined spaces, thus his failure to record a 100-yard game this season. He's caught five or more passes in all but one game and is routinely the beneficiary of eight-nine targets. His style is tailor made for the Titans cornerbacks. Tennessee allows nearly 65% completions and rely on quick breaks on the ball and secure tackling. This is not the recipe to shut down Bess. They'll allow the underneath stuff all day, and he'll take it.. and then some. This might not be his week to break the century mark, but a double-digit reception outing is not farfetched. The conservative Chad Pennington takes over at quarterback. WR Sit - Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers Given the environment he's working in, the progress of Crabtree is difficult to accurately assess. One thing is for certain, despite catching a touchdown in week eight; Crabtree won't find much long-term success with Troy Smith under center. Crabtree's had only one game above 60 receiving yards this season and that's unlikely to change after this week. Smith will never be trusted, nor does he possess the confidence to make down field throws. Vernon Davis returns from a week on the sidelines and should attract a lot of Smith's attention over the middle in safer patterns. The St. Louis pass defense ranks 15th in the NFL and is improving weekly. They held Philip Rivers to 249 yards, a red hot Josh Freeman to 212 and forced three interceptions from Matt Moore. Let's label this an "unfortunate sit".  TE Start - Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars When a player of any fantasy worth is facing off against the Texans pass defense, they become a must start. Passing games cut through Houston like a hot knife through butter. They rank 32nd, allowing 298 yards with a 107.7 QB rating and 20 touchdowns. To be fair to Lewis, he has earned the right to start with his on-field performance. He's not a PPR guy, but he's a big play threat and red zone monster. Lewis entered this season with seven career scores in 62 games. This year he's racked up seven scores in eight games. He's averaged five targets per, and has a 20+ yard reception in five of seven. By the way, Randy McMichael reached paydirt twice against the Texans last week, and Jacob Tamme exposed them the week prior. TE Sit - Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles At what point do we forget about the past and concentrate on the current? Celek was an all-around beast last season, accumulating wide receiver like numbers. But this year, it's just not happening. He hasn't cracked the 50-yard barrier or five-reception mark through eight games. In his last two outings he was held to two catches for eight yards and netted a big goose egg last week. While it's hard to fathom what exactly has held him back, Vick's propensity to scramble rather than eyeing the tight end has been major contributing factor. Whatever the reason, the script is unlikely to change now. It's time to move on with more consistent options on the wire. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Adam Ganeles, Sit Em, Start Em, Week 10, Josh Freeman, Brett Favre, Fred Jackson, Ryan Torain, Davone Bess, Michael Crabtree, Marcedes Lewis, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars  QB Start - Eli Manning, New York Giants Manning is tied for the NFL high in interceptions thrown with 11, but stats can be deceiving. He's had an inordinate numbers of passes deflect off his wideouts and carom directly into the hands of defenders. This doesn't entirely alleviate his guilt, as he can be prone to force throws and make poor reads, but good fortune hasn't been in his corner. Now for the positive: Despite their reputation as a running team, the Giants are continuously opening up the offensive game plan. Manning has thrown nine touchdowns in the last three games and big plays have been the norm (13 20+ yard pass plays). The Seattle pass defense ranks 27th in the league and is often left exposed by a blitz-happy scheme. They use a myriad of exotic, risky blitz packages that, if they don't reach home, the veteran Manning should be able to exploit. Manning averages 295 yards in three career starts against the Seahawks. QB Sit - Jason Campbell, Oakland Raiders The Oakland offense has been operating at a freakishly high level. They've scored 92 points the last two weeks, and Campbell has three QB ratings over 117.0 in his last four games. With that said, everything the Raiders do is predicated on running the football effectively. Campbell hasn't exceeded 27 attempts since week one and averages an underwhelming 170.5 yards per game. Against a Kansas City run defense that allows just 96 yards per game and 3.8 per rush, a recipe for trouble is brewing. When forced to throw without the threat of balance, Campbell posts lines like this: 8-21, 83 yards and 2 INT (loss @ SF). With Louis Murphy still out, they are extremely thin on playmakers at wide receiver. The joy ride ends here, with a thump.  WR Start - James Jones, Green Bay Packers The 26-year old will finally get his opportunity to be the number two receiver, albeit, just for one week. Most football folk would agree that Jones has the talent to be a starter for at least three quarters of NFL teams. But can he step up? He was shutout last week against the Jets on five targets and kept the door open for Jordy Nelson to steal his snaps. Jones showed what he was capable of a week earlier catching four passes (eight targets) for 107 yards at Minnesota in week seven. Big plays are his specialty. Over the last two seasons he has receptions of 74, 47, 45, 42, 35, 34 and 30 yards. Make no mistake, however, Aaron Rodgers trusts him to convert a big first down as well, with 13 of his 19 grabs moving the chains. Against a Dallas defense that has quit on the season (just ask David Garrard), he should make some serious bread. WR Sit - Braylon Edwards, New York Jets In spite of Santonio Holmes' return to the team, Edwards has been targeted 23 times over the last three weeks. However, there has been no increase in productivity, as he's hauled in only ten balls. Mark Sanchez typically finds Edwards on one big play per game, usually on a predetermined deep ball, but he's limited otherwise. Sanchez is not skilled enough to utilize him consistently, missing a number of openings for big yardage. Alas, he averages an unacceptable for his talent level 54 yards per game. In a run dominated offense with a tunnel vision quarterback, it would be no surprise if Edwards is losing patience. The Lions are filled with journeymen and youth in the secondary, but have managed to hold their own ranking 16th against the pass.  RB Start - Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns I was not particularly kind to Hillis in one of my earlier Start/Sit installments, but will put my grudge aside this week. Hillis, a true punishing runner, has been banged up the last few games and his workload and performance have dipped dramatically. Granted, the Falcons and Steelers are top flight run defenses, but he never even got out of the starting block (10-28, 12-41). If he's not running with a full head of steam, he's simply not useful. He found more success against the Saints two weeks back (16-69) and with a bye week to rest his bones should regain battering ram form in week nine. The Patriots are tied for ninth in rush defense, but have been the beneficiary of large leads and opponents abandoning the run. They allowed 134 yards on 5.6 per carry against a pedestrian Buffalo rushing attack, so they can be pushed around. Hillis has also been extremely valuable as a pass catcher out of the backfield, with games of six and seven receptions and a high of 49 yards. RB Sit - Ronnie Brown, Miami Dolphins As the "Wildcat" has gradually faded into the night, so has the fantasy prowess of Ronnie Brown. Traditional running plays just don't pack the same punch. Brown has yet to reach the 20-carry plateau, the 100-yard mark or reach the end zone since week one (one TD). He's averaged below four yards per carry in four consecutive weeks, including two weeks of 2.5 or less. His ground partner, Ricky Williams, gets less work but has been undoubtedly the more effective back. How long until the workload evens out? Brandon Marshall and Davone Bess have carved up yardage in the passing game, but until they find success in the red zone stopping the run will remain the priority. Baltimore does not possess the same tenacious front as in years past (13th), but coming off a bye they should step up to the challenge.  TE Start - Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots After seven weeks of failure to reach paydirt, owners are beginning to cut bait with Hernandez (71% Yahoo ownership). Not a wise decision. Only a handful of tight ends possess the game-breaking athleticism of the Florida product (seven catches of 20+ yards), and explosive potential from a TE is a rare commodity, whether he lives up to it or not. He had a rough outing last week against Minnesota catching two balls for 33 yards on three targets, but he's proven that a bounce back should be anticipated. Hernandez has been a consistent yardage producer all season and is DUE to find the end zone. The Browns have allowed a touchdown to tight ends in each of the last two weeks (Heath Miller and David Thomas). TE Sit - Owen Daniels, Houston Texans Daniels posted his first useful game of the season in week six (5-79), but one game doesn't make an awakening. He returned to barren ground in week eight, targeted just three times catching one ball for eight yards. The Colts have a quick linebacking core but, as has been the case all year, he's having a really difficult time getting separation. The 2009 OD won't be arriving this season, so stop searching. He should be affixed to your bench (or waiver wire) until displaying some semblance of consistent play. *Daniels missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a hamstring injury. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Adam Ganeles, Sit Em, Start Em, Week 9, Eli Manning, Jason Campbell, Peyton Hillis, Ronnie Brown, James Jones, Braylon Edwards, Aaron Hernandez, Owen Daniels, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Houston Texans  RB Start: Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers This recommendation is largely dependent on the status of DeAngelo Williams. If Williams can't go (questionable), Stewart will get his first opportunity to be the full-time ball carrier in 2010. If he does suit up, a decrease in workload can be expected. Stewart hasn't found much success in his limited work, rushing for 148 yards on the season at three yards per clip. The Panthers rushing game has bared the burden of the team's non-existent passing attack, with rush lanes few and far between. Carolina would be well served to play smash mouth football this week against the Rams, a team against which they should be able to control the line of scrimmage. St. Louis struggled to contain a punishing runner in LaGarrete Blount last week and allow 4.6 yards per rush on the year (albeit just two touchdowns). Stewart got warmed up with 14 carries last week and should be ready to feast with regular touches. Frustrated fantasy owners finally get some return on their investment. RB Sit: Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals It seems as if the stars must align perfectly for Benson to produce an explosive fantasy week. While he can always be counted on to "grit" out some yardage, that's about the extent of his fantasy charm. He doesn't break runs (long of 22), doesn't impact the passing game and hasn't reached the end zone since week three, a very familiar theme. To make matters worse, the Bengals have been forced to throw early because their defense has spotted opponents significant early margins. The Dolphins rank ninth in the league in rushing yards allowed and halted the Rashard Mendenhall train last week (15-37). Benson should be in for a long day of stuffing by the Miami line. He reached his apex last season and should no longer be relied upon as a must-start option.  QB Start: Jon Kitna, Dallas Cowboys At 1-5, the Cowboys 2010 is seemingly dead and buried. In a positive vein, however, backup quarterback Jon Kitna inherits a far less pressurized situation. Perhaps a relaxed Dallas offense will finally spread their wings in week eight. This is certainly not Kitna's first rodeo, as he's been a resourceful NFL QB for over a decade and a starter for seven seasons. He's a talented thrower (154 career TD passes) and will be surrounded by more offensive weaponry than any of his prior stops. It's hard to take much information out of his Monday Night performance against the Giants (16-33, 187 yards, two scores and a lost fumble). His team was in a daze after the injury and his numbers were compiled in comeback mode during garbage time. Nevertheless, against Jacksonville's 29th rated pass defense that its own Head Coach Jack Del RIo characterized as "embarrassing", he's more than worth a fantasy start in a bye-heavy week. QB Sit: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills Straight from the NFL bizarre files, we bring you the case of Mr. Fitzpatrick. In 27 career games prior to this year Fitzpatrick threw 21 touchdown passes against 27 interceptions. Yet, somehow, the 28-year old former 7th round draft pick has revitalized the Bills defunct passing game. The Buffalo offense has averaged 26 points per game since he took over in week three. He's thrown at least two TD's in each start and is sporting a 102.2 QB rating. His 382-yard, four TD performance at Baltimore last week was jaw-droppingly shocking. His matchup this week against Kansas City doesn't look awful on paper, but the Chiefs possess a lot of youthful talent on the defensive side of the ball. Their pass defense allows yardage (244 per game) but doesn't crack (eight TD's). At the end of the day it comes down to a simple fact: Fitzpatrick is a fringe NFL QB, and his return to equilibrium is inevitable. Yes, any signal caller that can't be out Trent Edwards in training camp is classified as "fringe". Don't get caught up in the hype.  WR Start: Pierre Garcon, Indianapolis Colts The Colts will look to defeat division rival Houston on Monday Night. With losses of Dallas Clark for the season and Austin Collie indefinitely, things are lookin’ good for Colts wide-out Pierre Garcon. Before the Colts’ week seven bye, Garcon caught four passes for 103 yards and a score in week six. He’ll look to take over the work for the injured Collie and Clark, who are among Peyton’s favorite targets. Reggie Wayne and Garcon should see a lot of action this week. Houston’s abysmal pass defense will have a difficult time facing the Colts’ top ranked passing game, who are in the top three for almost every passing statistic. In Manning’s last game against the Texans, he threw for 433 yards while airing out three touchdowns and no interceptions. This year, Houston’s pass defense is ranked 32nd in the NFL, giving up three passing touchdowns to each Eli Manning and Matt Cassel in weeks five and six respectively. All signs are pointing in Manning’s favor come Monday Night in front of a home crowd in Lucas Oil Stadium. * In Garcon’s career, November is his best month with 336 career receiving yards, and in his only Monday Night appearance, he caught a 48-yard touchdown pass. WR Sit: Brandon Lloyd, Denver Broncos Lloyd is the textbook definition of an enigma. He's always been super talented, but mentally he's just not there. Players with his skill level don't get subjugated to special teams unless something is off, and he's been that guy. After leading the NFL in receiving yards through five weeks, the downfall is underway. He caught one pass for 46 yards last week and was targeted just three times. No longer floating under the radar, he's going to have to fight to get open. Opponents have no fear of the Broncos running attack, so that could mean fighting through double teams. In this league you have to prove yourself over an extended period. Five exceptional weeks doesn't erase years of poor performance. The Niners allowed 308 passing yards to Matt Moore last week, so it's difficult to have confidence in their secondary to stop anyone. That being said, this is more a play against Brandon Lloyd and Denver's bound to slow down passing game. Note: Game being played in London.  TE Start: Jacob Tamme, Indianapolis Colts Tamme isn't what you would consider a household name, but he's certainly been a popular waiver wire addition this week. He's caught only six balls in three seasons, but with Dallas Clark on IR, he's the new man at tight end. Tamme is a natural receiver who put up proficient pass catching numbers at Kentucky. The Colts have confidence in his ability and believe him to be the eventual predecessor to Clark. With Indianapolis' receiving core an absolute wreck unit, he should see considerable targets. Keep in mind that Peyton Manning enhances the skills of everyone around him by 10-15%. With Houston's pass defense exposed on a weekly basis, start Tamme with confidence. TE Sit: Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers While "Big Ben" has breathed some life into Miller's fantasy value, he's still not seeing enough traffic. He was targeted four times in week six (2-50 and TD) and three times in week seven (3-33). He's made the most of his chances, but how many will he get? The Steelers offense seems more infatuated with the big play since Roethlisberger's return, which is not a positive omen for Miller going forward. The Saints haven't allowed a touchdown or more than 43 yards to a tight end in the last four weeks. Their secondary has been consistently strong. Written by Adam Ganeles with the help of Tyler Becker exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Adam Ganeles, Tyler Becker Sit Em, Start Em, Week 8, Jonathan Stewart, Cedric Benson, Jon Kitna, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Pierre Garcon, Brandon Llyod, Jacob Tamme, Heath Miller, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers  QB Start: Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears After missing a week plus with a concussion, Cutler's return behind center was a rude one. He was sacked six more times against Seattle, bringing the tally to 15 in his last six quarters. However, in spite of constant pressure (and 17 of 39 completions), Cutler converted passing plays of 67, 36 and 34 yards and averaged over 17 yards per completion. Failure to prevent the big play has been the bugaboo of the Redskins secondary, as they've allowed six passing plays over 20 yards the past two weeks. When the pass rush doesn't hit home (13 sacks), the result is often a deep connection. If the Chicago offensive line can muster some protection for Cutler he's in store for rewarding day at the office. Establishing some semblance of a running attack with Matt Forte would go a long ways in slowing down the rush. WARNING: Showers in the forecast for Sunday. QB Sit: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons Ryan posted a quality passing line last week (250 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 INT), but those stats need to be taken with a grain of salt. The Falcons fell behind 21-0 midway thru the first half, at which point Ryan had completed four of eight passes for 54 yards. 42 pass attempts is not the norm for a run-first offense, but a three touchdown deficit doesn't leave many options. In spite of wide receiver Michael Jenkins’ stellar return to the lineup, Atlanta still lacks a secondary weapon on the outside to compliment Roddy White. The Bengals eighth rated pass defense will provide a stern test with two shutdown-caliber corners. Cincinnati has more interceptions (7) than touchdown passes allowed (6). Coming off a bye week, and devastating loss to Tampa Bay the week prior, Marvin Lewis should have his team in a nasty mood. Ryan's last 300-yard passing game came in week five of 2009.  RB Start: Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks Seattle has relied on a finesse running attack since 2005 (the exodus of Shaun Alexander), but that needs to change ASAP. While Lynch wasn't overly productive in his first game in a Seahawks uniform running for 44 yards, the signs are encouraging. Despite an abysmal 2.6 yards per rush, they still force fed him the ball 17 times. He also reached paydirt for the first time in 2010. Lynch is a good bet to break the century mark this week against a porous Arizona rush defense that's allowing 141 yards per contest on the ground, and 4.3 per carry. The 'Hawks will continue to establish their new offensive identity behind the presence of a workhorse back. Lynch is a different player when fed the ball on a consistent basis. He's a talented pass catcher as well, hopefully something offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates will look to incorporate. RB Sit: Brandon Jackson, Green Bay Packers Unless he breaks a run (as he did against Washington) Jackson just isn't getting enough carries to make a dent. His 12 rush attempts last week were his high since getting 18 reps in week one. He'll be lucky to reach double digits against the Vikings sixth rated run defense that's allowing 3.8 yards per rush. In Green Bay's last two meetings against Minnesota, Aaron Rodgers has thrown 78 passes. Look for another 35-40 passes this week, but don't count on the Vikings defense allowing double-digit receptions to a RB in back to back weeks. Jackson has failed to emerge as the PPR dynamo many expected. Backfield competition is not holding Jackson back. He is restricted by team philosophy and his own shortcomings as a runner. He's a 3rd down back being masked as a starter.  WR Start: Craig "Buster" Davis, San Diego Chargers Davis has displayed flashes this season (5 for 48, 3 for 82, 3 for 39 & TD), but has never earned regular snaps. With Malcolm Floyd already ruled out for week seven, and Antonio Gates hindered at best, the door is wide open for Davis to shine. Buster has always brought a mixed bag to the table. The tantalizing ability is present, but the drops and bonehead plays usually supersede the 'promise'. Last week is a perfect example, hauling in a nice touchdown grab, but unable to eliminate the costly dropped pass. With that being said, he was targeted eight times by Philip Rivers, and should see much of the same traffic his way this week. The Patriots allow 273 net passing yards per game and have been burned for 11 touchdowns through the air. They allowed 10 plays of 15+ yards versus the Ravens in week six. In his 4th season, will Davis finally separate himself from the bottom end of the Chargers WR depth chart? WR Sit: Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys Despite his enormous tools, it's important to remember that Bryant is still the number three receiver, and his talent is still raw. Taking both of those factors into account, it's hard to expect massive statistical performances on a consistent basis. Since catching eight balls in his debut, he's hauled in just ten passes in the successive four games (155 yards). There were already a whole lot of mouths to feed in Dallas, but with the newfound dedication to the run and getting Felix Jones involved, his targets take an even greater hit. Bryant's critical third down drop, in which he appeared afraid to take a hit, is likely to linger in the minds of the coaching staff. The Giants come to town boasting the league's number seven pass defense and having sacked the quarterback 21 times. In a division rivalry of this magnitude (and a must win game to boot) you ride it out with your proven commodities.  TE Start: Tony Moeaki, Kansas City Chiefs Seeing Jacksonville on the schedule is like Christmas for the passing game. Opposing quarterbacks are completing nearly 67% of their passes against the Jaguars with a QB Rating of 110. This is good news for Matt Cassel and the Chiefs, who finally utilized the downfield passing game last week against a similarly awful Houston secondary. Moeaki was not a beneficiary last week seeing only three targets, but he made bread on all three for 21 inconsequential yards. The way Titans tight end Bo Scaife was running free all over the field Monday night, Moeaki must be salivating for his opportunity to fill the stat sheet. Cassel's favorite option should re-find his groove in week seven. TE Sit: Kellen Winslow, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Winslow is averaging nearly five receptions per game, but his overall production has been lacking. He has yet to reach the end zone in '10, and his big play ability is not there on a week in, week out basis. He had his 5th knee surgery since 2005 in the off-season, so there's no mystery as to why his explosiveness is on the decline. The Rams looked awful defending the middle of the field in the preseason, but appear to have fixed the problem thus far in the regular calendar. They've held some top tight ends relatively in check: Zach Miller 3/49, Chris Cooley 5/53, John Carlson 1/15 and Antonio Gates 2/12 (one full quarter plus). Brandon Pettigrew is the only TE to score a touchdown against St. Louis. More suitable matchups can likely be found on the waiver wire. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Adam Ganeles, Sit Em, Start Em, Week 7, Jay Cutler, Matt Ryan, Marshawn Lynch, Brandon Jackson, Buster Davis, Dez Bryant, Tony Moeaki, Kellen Winslow, | CategoriesAll  |
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