Fantasy Football Week 8: Start’em / Sit’em
Sit’em:
QB:
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Michael Vick NYG (25%, 24): A cushy match-up for Vick, but 24 points seems way too high when he admittedly isn’t 100% and hasn’t played in a few weeks. Vick wasn’t playing that well when healthy either and the Giants D has been better the last 2 weeks (34 total points allowed). If your ok with 15-20 fantasy points, then give Vick a run but I think that’s his ceiling this week.
Andy Dalton NYJ (26%, 16): The Jets D is playing at a very high level right now and frankly I don’t think Dalton is a good enough QB to play well against an elite defense.
RB:
BJGE NYJ (30%, 7): The Jets D is legit and BJGE isn’t. He’s been getting more carries of late at the expense of Gio Bernard, but he’s too slow to break anything against the Jets tough run D (3rd fewest RB fantasy points allowed).
Zac Stacy SEA (37%, 12): Nothing against Stacy, I like what he’s doing lately, but this is a brutal match-up and I think he would have to get really lucky to break 10 fantasy points. It doesn’t help his cause that Seattle will be stacking the box against the run with Kellen Clemens at QB.
MJD SF (61%, 10): Over-the-hill RB against elite defense (8th overall). I’ll pass. MJD looked like a fullback in the open field last week.
Fred Jackson @NO (67%, 13): This is sounding like an RBC with Spiller & Choice taking some of Jackson’s carries this week. He is still their red-zone back, but failed to top 40 yards rushing the last two weeks. At this point your betting on a touchdown, which is a little too risky for my taste. UPDATE: It looks like Spiller will be out Sunday which makes me feel a little better about Jackson, but I’m leaving him on this list because he’s only gained 71 yards total the last two weeks.
WR:
Dwayne Bowe CLE (53%,10): Matt Cassell isn’t walking through the door. I dropped Bowe in 2 of the 4 leagues I own him in this week. He’s on pace for a 57-674-5 season. Those are Golden Tate numbers. Bowe is a talented receiver, but he’s on a team with a QB that doesn’t throw the ball deep or outside the hashes. It is what it is, a wasted season for Bowe. Try to trade him if you can.
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Julian Edelman MIA (47%, 11): With Amendola and Gronk both practicing this week it looks like Edelman’s run as the Pats #1 WR is over. At least we had that 2 TD game in week 1 right? It was fun while it lasted, but that was Edelman’s only really good week. The last few games he’s been a mediocre PPR-only option. Don’t get stuck with him in your lineup this week.
Anquan Boldin @JAX (73, 12): Boldin had his best game since week 4 last Sunday (5-74-0). That’s not that good. Only two of Boldin’s 7 starts have had any positive impact on fantasy rosters. He’s too inconsistent for my taste and with the potential for a blowout and rested starters, I’m playing it safe and keeping Anquan on the bench.
Golden Tate @STL (48%, 10): Despite my weekly rant about Tate not being worth starting, his start percentage is up 17%! WTF? After 4 catches and 77 yards last week, he’s suddenly worth starting in almost HALF of all Yahoo leagues? Please remember this is a guy who has reached double-digit fantasy points ONCE all season and with Percy Harvin coming back, Tate is arguably the #3 WR on a run-first Seahawks team. Sorry for all the caps.
TE:
Jordan Cameron @KC (68, 10): The Chiefs defense is giving up the least amount of points to opposing TEs and the Browns are starting Jason Campbell on Sunday. That’s not a promising combo. I watched Campbell play quite a bit with the Bears last year. He’s not good.
Jared Cook SEA (31%, 7): Apparently 31% of fantasy owners are still remembering Cook’s monster week 1 performance. That’s the only reason I can think of for starting a guy who hasn’t scored or broke 50 yards receiving in 6 weeks. Oh yeah, Kellen Clemons is the Rams starting QB this week.
Bust:
Justin Blackmon SF (74%, 13): I am as big of a Blackmon fan as anyone, but I have no faith in Chad Henne or whoever else the Jags throw out there at QB. Blackmon showed he was human last week (8.8 fantasy points) and the Niners have the 6th best defense in pass yardage allowed. I could see Blackmon putting up a decent yardage total, but it’s going to be hard for him (or any Jags) to find the end zone.
Twitter: @MikeFlannery_