Fantasy Football Week 12: Start’em / Sit’em
Last week: 12-12-6: Season: 119-84-36
Week 11 Recap: Maybe I should just make this a Sit’em column. For the second week in a row I nailed my sits (9-4) and whiffed on my starts (3-8). I was way off on which running backs to start as Andre Brown, Woodhead, Ellington, and Leonard (who?) all missed their projected point total by quite a bit. Riley Cooper & Percy Harvin also were way off their projected. On a side note, I would try to trade for Cooper, if you still can, hoping his owner thought he was a fluke or maybe just doesn’t like him. All WRs have bad games (AJ Green) every once in a while. Cooper is still Foles go-to guy and he just missed a TD last week. Alright, back to the recap. Sitting Brady was the right move and I’d sit almost any QB that faces the Carolina defense right now. As predicted both S & F-Jax disappointed and Wallace and Shorts continue to suck. If you don’t have time to read the whole article, start your Patriots (vs Den) and bench your Chargers (@KC).
Note: Only players started in less than 75% of Yahoo leagues will be listed in Start’em section. These recommendations are for players you may be on the fence about that I think will over (Start) or under (Sit) perform their projections (Yahoo).
Start’em:
QB:
Colin Kaepernick @ WAS (60%, 17): He’s been unpredictable the last few weeks, but this is an easy match-up and Kaepernick is getting his favorite target from last season back (Crabtree). The Redskins have given up the 6th most fantasy points to QBs and Kaepernick should be able to put up 20+ this week.
Case Keenum JAX (32%, 20): He was benched for Schaub last week, but Houston coaches have announced Keenum as the starter this week against the Jags. That’s about as easy as it gets and Keenum has been airing it out since he took over the job. He averaged 34 pass attempts per game in his 3 starts before last week.
Eli Manning DAL (23%, 16): I think this is going to be a shoot-out and even Eli can throw some TDs against the Cowboys weak defense.
RB:
Bobby Rainey DET (34%,12): Rainey looked like an all-pro last week against the Dolphins and got 30 carries. Any back that gets 30 carries is worth a spot in your starting lineup. Keep riding Rainey until somebody stops him or the Bucs stop giving him the ball.
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Shane Vereen DEN (31%,12): He should probably be listed as a WR considering he had 11 targets in his first game off the PUP list and only 1 carry. The Pats will be throwing the ball to keep up with the Broncos Sunday night and I expect another 10+ targets for Vereen and possibly a handful of carries as well.
Andre Ellington IND (32%,10): I know Mendenhall is still the main back. For some reason coach Arians has a blind spot for Mendenhall and his 2.9 YPC, but eventually he will go with the more productive RB (right?). Even if it isn’t officially Ellington’s job, the Cards will struggle to keep up with the Colts and will need Ellington’s speed out of the backfield more often this week.
Danny Woodhead @KC (52%,10): Last week was only Woodhead’s second game this season with less than 10 fantasy points (week 1). Forget about it. I don’t think the Chargers will be able to run much against the Chiefs stout defense, so I expect plenty of dump-offs to Woodhead and another double-digit fantasy game.
Chris Ogbonnaya PIT (14%,9): Got over half of the snaps at RB last week and got 12 targets in the passing game. Not a flashy choice, but should be a lock for 10+ in PPR leagues especially.
WR:
Marques Colston ATL (69%,10): Any Saints WR is a little risky since Brees spreads the ball around so much, but Colston has 8 targets in each of the last two games and his mid-season slump seems to be over. The Falcons pass defense is brutal.
Danny Amendola DEN (64%,11): I’m expecting a high scoring game and plenty of targets for Amendola. As long as he can stay healthy for the duration I think he’s a lock for 15+.
Harry Douglas NO (55%,10): He’s averaging 7 receptions on just over 9 targets a game since Julio Jones got hurt. That’s gold in PPR leagues, but has only found the end zone once in the last 5 weeks. His Rec/TD ratio (3.9%) is the 4th lowest in the league so he is probably due for a few more scores before the end of the year.
Reuben Randle DAL (32%,8): Has 6 touchdowns in his last 5 games. He’s technically the 3rd receiver and is only averaging 3 catches per game over the last three, but Eli looks for him in the red zone and they should be there a lot against a porous Cowboys defense.
Jarrett Boykin MIN (38%,12): Has been the Packers go-to WR since Rodgers got hurt. Boykin has 21 targets over the last two weeks and should be busy against a bad Vikings secondary.
TE:
Coby Fleener @AZ (42%,10): With 20 targets over the last two games, Fleener has become Luck’s 2nd option when TY Hilton is covered. With TY drawing Patrick Peterson in coverage, Fleener should get a lot of looks Sunday.
Delanie Walker @OAK (22%,8): Since Ryan Fitzpatrick took over two games ago, Delaine Walker has 14 catches 153 yards and 2 TDs. With the bleak options at TE this year, Walker is probably better than whoever you are starting this week.