Week 13 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

Due to the tragedy that has devastated his native Haiti, 76ers center Samuel Dalembert is playing with a heavy heart. He is also providing his country a much-needed source of pride with his recent play.

Dalembert has been on an absolute tear this month. In addition to his usual rebounding, he has seen a significant rise in his offensive touches and scoring production which has led to more time on the floor and a chance for him to boost his already strong rebounding and block totals. With Dalembert rolling and the Sixers willing to let him play a bigger role than usual, we have chosen him to be our Start of the Week for Fantasy Week 13 (Jan. 18-24).

The seven-year veteran out of Seton Hall is averaging 12.4 points and 13.0 rebounds with 2.7 blocks per game in January-- all while shooting at an amazing 75-percent clip from the field and turning the ball over just over once per game. He is 9 of 10 from the foul line in January and, outside of three-point shooting and low assist totals, he is providing Fantasy owners with just about everything they can ask for.

Dalembert has always been a good shot blocker and a good rebounder, but his offensive skill set has never been a featured part of his game. But during his current hot streak, a six-game streak heading into Week 13, Dalembert has scored over 15 points three times and in double figures five times.

Increased offensive efficiency is helping to buy Dalembert more minutes, which is leading to more production in the areas where he is most effective. He averaged just 22.9 minutes per game in Decembert, but is avearging nearly 10 more minutes per game in January. Along with the increase in scoring, his rebounding and shot blocking has gone up and that should be the case going forward and certainly for the Sixers' four-game slate in Week 13.

Sit of the Week

Fantasy owners should think carefully about inserting Celtics guard Ray Allen into their Fantasy lineups in Week 13.

In fact, we think Allen's Fantasy owners should try their best not to have him active. So much so, that we consider him our Sit of the Week.

Allen has looked off in recent games. Perhaps it is as a result of increased playing time the last couple of weeks while the team has dealt with injuries to Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and now Rasheed Wallace. He looked worn down and tired when he managed just eight points against the Bulls this past Thursday and has not reached 20 points in any of his last five games.

Allen is averaging just 14.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists over his last five games.

With the Celtics playing a tough three-game schedule on a week where most teams play four games, Fantasy owners in cumulative leagues will likely have better options available.

But even in average-based leagues, the likelihood that Allen will post big numbers against three good defensive teams in the Mavericks, Pistons and Trail Blazers the way he has been playing lately makes him somebody to consider avoiding.

Guards

Start 'Em

Randy Foye (PHI, OKC, NO, @MIL): Foye has put up excellent numbers, more often than not, since taking over at point guard for Gilbert Arenas. Yes, Foye is coming off a poor game against the Kings where he was limited to eight points off 2 of 8 shooting, but Fantasy owners should chalk that up as an off night. Foye did still manage to pick up six assists in that game and has at least that many in each of his six games since taking over as a starter. He is averaging 18.5 points and 7.5 assists over those games and those are numbers you just can't sit. Or at least you shouldn't.

John Salmons (@GS, @LAC, @PHO, @HOU): Despite being moved to the bench, Salmons continues to get solid playing time, getting at least 29 minutes in five of his last six games. Those minutes will come in handy against some of the worst defensive teams in the NBA this upcoming week. He will start the week against a Warriors team that allows the most points in the NBA (112.0). The Suns allow the second most (107.2) per game and the Rockets and Clippers both give up around 100 points per game. Expect Salmons to feel the trickle-down effect of some high-scoring games all week long.

Sleeper alert: Luke Ridnour (@HOU, TOR, @TOR, MIN): Ridnour may not be in the starting lineup yet for the Bucks, but he is getting starter's minutes again with Michael Redd done for the year. The Bucks have the best matchups in Fantasy hoops this week as they will twice play a Rockets team that gives up the fourth most points in the league (105.3) as well as a Timberwolves team that gives up the third most points (106.8) and a Rockets team that allows 100.4 points per game. Expect the Bucks to be in triple digits all week with more chances for points and assists for Ridnour, who is running the point more alongside Brandon Jennings.

Sit 'Em

Chris Duhon (DET, LAL, DAL): While Duhon continues to start and see big minutes on most nights for the Knicks, it has not led to too much production. He has been held to under 10 points in each of his last five games going into Week 13 and has a very unfavorable three-game slate ahead of him. Sit him in all leagues despite the starting role.

Jameer Nelson (@LAL, IND, SAC, @CHA): Nelson told reporters this week that he did not feel his knee was back to 100 percent and his up-and-down play of late seems to support that. He did have a decent offensive game in Portland Friday night, but is not yet playing 30-plus minutes per game and has not been a very good source for assists with three or fewer in each of his last four games.

Bust Alert: Allen Iverson (@MIN, POR, DAL, @IND): Iverson has been productive in Philadelphia, but he is not 100 percent going into Week 13. In fact, 75 percent may even be a stretch. Iverson is being treated on a game-to-game basis due to an arthritic knee that forced him out on Jan. 9 in Detroit and threatens to keep him out of just about any game going forward. On top of that, he missed practice on Sunday due to a stomach bug and will be a game-time decision Monday. Despite a four-game slate that includes two favorable matchups against Minnesota and Indiana, he is a player to reserve.

Forwards

Start 'Em

Yi Jianlian (@LAC, @PHO, @GS, @UTA): Yi has been playing very well since coming back from his knee injury. He is averaging 16.0 points and 7.4 rebounds with 1.1 blocks in seven January games and will continue to be leaned on heavily along with Brook Lopez in the front court. With outstanding matchups this week against Fantasy-friendly Phoenix and Golden State, he is a great start in all formats with the chance for some inflated numbers.

Kenyon Martin (@GS, LAC, NO): The Nuggets play just three games, yes, but they do have a very favorable matchup against Golden State which could count for a game-and-a-half the way they give up big games to opponents. K-Mart has been healthy and productive for most of the last month and is averaging a double-double (16.3 points and 11.6 rebounds) in January. In average-based play, he's a must-start, but his matchups make him worth considering even in cumulative play.

Sleeper alert: Ersan Ilyasova (@HOU, TOR, @TOR, MIN): As mentioned above, the Bucks have the best overall matchups in the league this week and that should allow Ilyasova to continue his recent solid play. Ilyasova had 13 points and 11 rebounds Saturday in Utah and has been getting more chances to contribute with the team looking to make up for the absence of Michael Redd. Ilyasova is a power forward with a nice outside touch and a real sleeper for a good week thanks to his matchups.

Sit 'Em

Lamar Odom (ORL, @CLE, @NY, @TOR): We've been down this road plenty with Odom. When the team has Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Ron Artest all healthy, he is a completely different player. In Gasol's first game back from his hamstring injury Friday night, Odom was limited to seven points and two rebounds. He has the talent to continue to put up the 11.4 points and 11.5 rebounds he has put up in 22 games as a starter this season, but unfortunately not the role anymore.

Hedo Turkoglu (@CLE, @MIL, MIL, LAL): There were high hopes and expectations for Turkoglu as the team's big free agent acquisition this offseason. He has not lived up to his Orlando numbers from the past two seasons this year in Toronto and his recent play makes the former Fantasy stud someone to consider reserving this week. He has been held under 10 points in three of his past five games going into Week 13 and despite getting around 35 minutes per game, his 9-4-4 line is only useful in deeper leagues. The Cavs allow the fourth fewest points in the league while the Lakers allow the eighth fewest.

Bust Alert: Jason Thompson (@CHA, @ATL, @ORL, @MIA): Coming in to the season, everyone -- including us -- had high hopes for Jason Thompson. For the most part, he has not disappointed. Recently, however, he has been mired in a funk and Fantasy owners should think about sitting him until he is out of it. Thompson had 19 points and 16 rebounds Friday night in Philadelphia in what we were all hoping was a sign that he was ready to break out of his recent slump. But that came on a night when surprising rookie Omri Casspi had an off night, something that has not been the case too often recently and has cut into Thompson's production. Thompson went right back into the tank following Friday's game, shooting just 1 of 5 from the field Saturday in Washington to give him a mediocre seven points wish six boards and an assist.

Centers

Start 'Em

Brendan Haywood (POR, DAL, MIA, LAC): Haywood is back on a roll after a slow start in his first three January games. With double-doubles in five of his last six games and 13.6 rebounds per game over his last five contests, there is really no format in which Haywood should not be starting in.

Jermaine O'Neal (IND, @CHA, @WAS, SAC): O'Neal is relatively healthy going into Week 13, a week with three very favorable matchups for the Heat. The Pacers, Wizards and Kings all allow high-volume offensive numbers to opponents and O'Neal should be able to match and possibly surpass the 11.6 points and 7.6 rebounds he has averaged over the past two weeks. That is good enough to start in most standard-sized leagues.

Sleeper Alert: Channing Frye (@MEM, NJ, CHI, GS): Channing Frye has not been playing well in recent games, scoring under 10 points in four straight games going into Week 13. But very favorable matchups against Memphis, New Jersey and Golden State -- all teams that allow high-end production on a regular basis from opponents -- could be just the doctor ordered for him to bust out of his slump. Take a chance on him as a No. 2 center this week.

Sit 'Em

Mehmet Okur (@SA, NJ): The Jazz are the only team in the NBA to play just two games in Week 13, making Okur somebody to avoid in just about every cumulative league. But a tough matchup against San Antonio could get him off to a slow start he will have a tough time bouncing back from even in average-based play this week.

Shaquille O'Neal (TOR, LAL, OKC): The Cavaliers have a couple of low-scoring games ahead of them against the Lakers and Thunder, two teams that allow under 97 points per game. Shaq is only getting around 20 minutes per game -- giving him limited potential for useful numbers. He is averaging just 10 points and five boards over his last five games and is really the second best center option on his team in Fantasy leagues behind Anderson Varejao, who is getting far more playing time.

Bust Alert: Roy Hibbert (@MIA, @ORL, @DET, PHI): We know that Hibbert has been playing well recently. We know that he has been putting up these numbers even with Troy Murphy back. We know that he has this type of ability (we did make him a breakout candidate coming into the year after all). However, Fantasy owners should consider the opponents he has put up these numbers against in the past week. The Suns, Nets and Hornets are all poor defensive teams this year that regularly allow big games. The Pacers scored 122, 121 and 101 points in those games, but will have a much tougher time doing that against the Heat, Magic and Pistons this week, teams that allow under 100 points games most nights.

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 follow Sergio on Twitter (@CBSGonzalez).