Fantasy Football Week 15: Start’em / Sit’em

Sit’em

QB:

Ben Roethlisberger CIN (29%,18): Cincy allows the 7th fewest fantasy points to QBs and Ben was mediocre in his match-up against the Bengals earlier in the season (258, 1 TD).

Jay Cutler @CLE (6%, 20): I hope I’m wrong here, but it’s Cutty’s first game back from injury, on the road against a tough pass defense (7th fewest passing yards allowed). 20 fantasy points seems optimistic.

RB:

CJ Spiller JAX (57%, 13): Only played 27 of the Bills 70 offensive snaps last week. He does have big-play potential but Spiller is a risky play with so few touches.

Andre Brown SEA (60%, 16): I’m not comfortable starting any Giants this week against the Seahawks defense. The Giants have played bad defenses the last four weeks and only barely averaged 20 points per game. Seattle is giving up the fewest yards per game in the league and will be extra motivated coming off a tough loss last week. I think Brown will come close to 10 fantasy points, but 16 is a stretch.

Ray Rice @DET (71%, 12):For some reason LeShon McCoy looked like the only one on the field last week who wasn’t affected by the snow. He danced around Lion defenders for 217 yards, but blizzard conditions aside, the Lions run defense is very good. Before the Philly game the Lions hadn’t given up more than 62 rushing yards in a game since week 7! Even after the debacle in Philly, the Lions are still the 6th ranked run defense in the NFL. Rice has struggled against everyone but the Bears lately and I expect more of the same this week.

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Bobby Rainey SF (41%, 15):Take away Rainey’s 80-yard TD run and he had 47 yards on 21 carries (2.2YPC) against one of the worst run defenses in the league (26th). The Niners are 10th overall in rushing yards allowed and I think Rainey will have a hard time getting free Sunday.

Trent Richardson HOU (28%, 8): Stop! 28% of Yahoo players are still starting T-Rich. I can’t find the exact number on the interwebs, but its way too many. T-Rich is averaging 6 carries a game over the last 5. He shouldn’t be owned in standard fantasy leagues much less started.

WR:

Victor Cruz SEA (77%,11): Hasn’t scored a TD since week 5 and is averaging just under 50 yards a game over his last three. I know it is hard to bench someone you drafted early or paid a tidy sum for, but Cruz will struggle to get 10 fantasy points against the Seahawks this week.  If you have someone else decent, cut your losses and bench Cruz.

Harry Douglas WAS (51%,11):With Roddy White back as Matt Ryan’s #1 option, Douglas’ fantasy numbers have suffered. He didn’t help himself last week with a few crucial drops and only pulled in 2 of the 7 passes thrown his way. Douglas has an easy match-up this week, but I have a feeling his days as an every week fantasy starter are over.

Michael Floyd TEN (41%,10): He’s got the dreaded “questionable” label this week and is going against the Titans 11th ranked pass defense. Only had 2 catches last week and I’m just not confident enough in his health to put him in my starting lineup.

Nate Burleson BAL (10%,10): Stafford doesn’t look away from Megatron enough for any other Lions WR to have consistent fantasy value.

Hakeem Nicks SEA (34%,10): Still has no TDs this year and I don’t think that’s going to change against the Seahawks this week.

TE:

Martellus Bennett @CLE (41%,9): This one has more to do with Cutler’s first game back and the Browns having a solid pass defense than with Bennett’s skill level. He’s been solid the last two weeks, but there are suddenly a lot of weapons on the Bears offense which doesn’t leave many targets for Bennett. He is averaging only 5 per game over the last three weeks.

Jared Cook NO (23%,7): Under 50 yards receiving the last two games, the Saints have given up the 3rd fewest points to opposing tight ends, and I just don’t like this guy.

Twitter: @MikeFlannery_