Week 9 Start 'Em and Sit 'Em

Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is our weekly look at players around the NBA we feel could help or hurt your Fantasy squad based upon matchups and other factors. Don't expect to read about why you should start LeBron James or why you should sit Brian Scalabrine. In this space, we will try to help you make the call on players you could be on the fence about while also pointing out some players you may not have thought about sitting, but you should consider doing so.

Start of the Week

In Fantasy Week 9 (Dec. 21-27), 22 of 30 NBA teams will play three games thanks to a slightly condensed schedule with no games on Christmas Eve. We expect the majority of the tough decisions Fantasy owners will be making this week will involve weighing your three-game options in cumulative-format leagues.

Of the team's that play three games this week, the Detroit Pistons have some of the most favorable matchups in the league -- thanks to two matchups against a Raptors team that allows the second most points the NBA per game (108.1). We expect the Pistons to put up some inflated numbers in those two games and one of the players who should benefit most from the Fantasy boost, Charlie Villanueva, is our choice for Start of the Week.

Active in only 63 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, Villanueva is in line to shine against a team that has had trouble against opposing power forwards in recent games.

If you take a close look at the numbers opposing power forwards have put up against Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani over the last week, there is good reason to believe that Villanueva could be in line for some excellent stat lines in the two games against the Raptors this week.

On Dec. 13 against Houston, Luis Scola dropped 21 points and 15 rebounds against the Raptors. Michael Beasley of the Heat followed that up with 28 points and 11 rebounds and Rashard Lewis scored 21 points with five threes and a pair of rebounds. Even New Jersey's Josh Boone, virtually useless in most Fantasy leagues, managed nine boards against the Raptors on Friday night.

And Villaneuva has been on a strong run in his own right.

Heading into Sunday's action, Villanueva averaged 20.2 points and 6.2 rebounds over his previous five games. He's made nine three pointers in those games and has managed to put together some excellent lines against teams like the Warriors, Rockets and Hornets. The Raptors, defensively, have been a team cut from the same cloth this season as coach Jay Triano employs an up-tempo style that leads to a higher volume of numbers both for his team and against it.

Villanueva has been dealing with some pain in his foot, having been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, but that's not an issue that is expected to keep him out of any games. Meanwhile, the Pistons are still dealing with injuries to Ben Gordon (ankle), Richard Hamilton (hamstring) and Tayshaun Prince (back), some or all of which could linger into the next week.

The Pistons, as well as Fantasy owners, could be relying heavily on Villanueva as a result.

Sit of the Week

Mehmet Okur has been a terrific Fantasy option ever since he joined the Utah Jazz for the 2004-05, coming over from the Pistons. This season, however, has been a real grind for him.

Okur is averaging just 12.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, his lowest numbers since his last season with Detroit. Some of it has been due to being banged up. Some of it has been due to the fact that both Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap have all been healthy for the better part of this season.

Regardless of the reason, it is hard to ignore the way Okur's production has tailed off in recent weeks. He has averaged just 10.0 points and 5.6 rebounds over his last five games, failing to score 15 points in all but one game since Nov. 13.

There are leagues where that type of production can be useful from a No. 2 center, yes, but in many leagues there are options (like some of the ones we will present below) that can provide you with better overall numbers. Okur will be matched up against Dwight Howard, Jermaine O'Neal and Samuel Dalembert in Week 9, all tough defensive matchups.

There will be better weeks ahead for Okur, but Fantasy owners should consider reserving him for this one.

Guards

Start 'Em

Mike Dunleavy (MIL, @BOS, ATL, @MIA): The Pacers aren't ready to give him minutes without limits yet, but he's doing pretty well with the playing time he has been getting. He is averaging 18.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists over his last five games with good numbers in three-point shooting, free-throw shooting and steals -- all with minimal turnovers. Capped playing time or not, the Pacers need him to score with Danny Granger sidelined.

Chris Duhon (CHI, MIA, SA): Duhon can be a very streaky player and right now, he's on the right side of a hot streak. He has scored at least 17 points in four straight games going into Week 9 and is averaging 8.2 assists over his last five games. He is offering up great totals in steals and threes and is a great play while he stays hot.

Sleeper alert: Stephen Curry (@MEM, @NO, PHO): The rookie is coming off a career high in points (27) against the Wizards and will get a crack at three teams that give up an average of 103.6 points per game this week. He's been getting around 35 minutes per game and should contribute nice numbers from beyond the arc as well as some useful assist totals.

Sit 'Em

Jonny Flynn (ATL, @NJ, WAS): This rookie has had his moments this season and has been a serviceable Fantasy starter in most standard leagues, but he has also been very erratic and he'll be matched up against some good defensive players in Mike Bibby, Devin Harris and Gilbert Arenas this week. He has been held to 12 or fewer points in four of his last five games with a poor assist/turnover ratio.

Raymond Felton (DET, @OKC): The Bobcats will face some of the worst matchups in the NBA this week against two top-10 defensive teams. Both the Pistons and the Bobcats allow under 96 points per game and the Bobcats have had their struggles scoring as it is already this season. Felton has begun to turn things around after a slow start this season, but this particular week doesn't bode well for big numbers in cumulative or average-based play.

Bust Alert: Vince Carter (UTA, HOU, BOS): Carter has struggled over his last few games. He has scored no more than 12 points in his last three games and has shot just 9 for 34 (26.4 percent) in that span -- including just 1 of 14 from the field Saturday against Portland. He's been under the weather and may not be letting on how much his sore knee and hip are bothering him. Something is definitely not right with him and a three-game slate with tough matchups against Utah and Boston may not help matters.

Forwards

Start 'Em

Corey Maggette (@MEM, @NO, PHO): As mentioned above in the case of Curry, Maggette will face one of the more favorable three-game slates this week. Maggette is on an offensive hot streak, scoring 21 or more points in four straight games going into Week 9. Over his last five games, he is averaging 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists and he's got the matchups to keep that going.

John Salmons (SAC, @NY, NO): Salmons' numbers are down over a year ago, partly due to the emergence of Luol Deng. But his numbers over the last week have served as a reminder of what he's capable of. He had 20 points with 7 rebounds and 4 assists against the Knicks, a team he will face again in Week 9, and he had 16 points with 3 assists and 3 rebounds against the Hawks with good three-point shooting and steals numbers in both games. In Week 9, he'll face three teams that allow 100-plus points per game. The Kings and Knicks give up around 105 points per contest.

Sleeper alert: Ersan Ilyasova (@IND, WAS, SA): So much for Ilyasova going away. Despite a brief dip in production immediately following the return of Andrew Bogut from injury, Ilyasova has re-established himself as a solid rebounder and good scorer. He is averaging 16.8 points and 7.8 rebounds over his last five games and should continue to offer good three-point shooting numbers as well. Ilyasova is only active in 42 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, but that number should be much higher in a week that includes two of three games against teams that allow 100-plus points per game. He could be in for a high-scoring week all around.

Sit 'Em

Boris Diaw (DET, @OKC): Diaw has been held under 10 points in each of his last four games and despite the fact that he is getting around 30 minutes per game, it just isn't translating into the production we saw from him last season after getting traded to the Bobcats. When going well, Diaw can be a well-rounded stat hound and an excellent option in category-based play for his ability to fill up the box score. Right now, he's clearly not going well and his matchups against two high-end defensive teams in a two-game scoring period make him someone to reserve in just about every league -- average-based or cumulative.

Elton Brand (@WAS, @UTA): Brand is averaging 15.6 points and 7.0 rebounds over his last five games, but if you take a closer look at his numbers, he's been held to under 15 points in three of his last four games and the return of Marreese Speights threatens to take away from his Fantasy appeal. While Speights, Brand and Thaddeus Young are all healthy, inconsistency could become the norm, much as was the case with Brand earlier this season. In a two-game week, carrying him in the hopes of a big (20-and-10) performance is risky.

Bust Alert: Hedo Turkoglu (@DET, DET): The Raptors have perhaps the worst matchups in the NBA this week with just two games against a Detroit team that allows the sixth fewest points per game in the NBA (95.7). Turkoglu's numbers this year (14.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists) have been down from what he offered his last two years in Orlando and he's a player you'll want to weigh carefully against alternatives off the waiver wire in cumulative leagues. Figure him to be around 13-3-3 over two games. An alternative with four games and better matchups could be of better use in cumulative formats this week.

Centers

Start 'Em

Channing Frye (CLE, OKC, LAC, @GS): It's been a tale of two seasons for Frye. He's been one player at home (15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 three-pointers made per game) and a completely different player on the road (10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 three-pointers made per game). This week, he'll play three games at home and his only road game comes against everyone's favorite Fantasy opponent in Golden State.

Erick Dampier (POR, MEM, @DEN): As usual, Dampier has been up and down this season. Lately, he has been up. In his last five games, he is averaging 12.2 points and 12.6 rebounds over his last five games with 2.2 blocks. He won't hurt you in field-goal percentage because he only takes high-percentage, close-range shots and should be able to give you good rebounding numbers even if his scoring falls off some this week.

Sleeper Alert: Shaquille O'Neal (@PHO, @SAC, @LAL, HOU): It's hard to think of Shaq as a sleeper, but he's certainly no longer thought of as a regular starter in Fantasy leagues. This week, we like his matchups. He will play four games in a week where only six teams have that many and three come against teams that allow 100-plus points per game. He'll also face two former teams in the Suns and Lakers, including a high-profile Christmas Day matchup in L.A. He should be fired up for that game. We aren't predicting a huge week, but his numbers should be serviceable for a No. 2 center option in cumulative or average-based leagues.

Sit 'Em

Emeka Okafor (GS, @CHI): Okafor will play just two games this week, making him a tough option to trust in cumulative-based play. This suggestion is more for leagues with cumulative scoring than for average-based play. Weigh your options (on your bench or on the waiver wire) carefully.

Andrea Bargnani (@DET, DET): As mentioned above with Turkoglu, the Raptors face perhaps the worst matchups in the NBA this week with two games against the same tough defensive team. His numbers over his last five games (13.8 points and 5.6 rebounds) don't exactly inspire owners to want to "carry" him this week.

Bust Alert: Marc Gasol (GS, @ DAL): Gasol has turned things around after suffering through his first slump of the season. He's among one of the few centers who will play just two games in Week 9, however, and Fantasy owners in cumulative formats should take that it into account. As with Okafor and Bargnani, you'll want to weigh your options carefully in those types of leagues.

Do you have a Fantasy hoops question for our staff? You can e-mail us at DMFantasyHoops@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Start 'Em and Sit 'Em in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. You can also now follow Sergio on Twitter (@CBSGonzalez).