Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is our weekly look at the best and worst matchups from around the NFL and how they might affect lineup decisions for your Fantasy Football team. We are not in the business of stating the obvious, so you won't be reading here why you need to start Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson or any other top-tier players.
Kansas City is in a rough position entering Week 7. The franchise's most recognizable player is upset because he wasn't traded, and the star running back is suspended this week.
It's a good thing the Chiefs can lean on their defense. D'oh.
Kansas City is last in the NFL in run defense at an eye-popping 182.2 yards allowed per game. They've given up eight rushing touchdowns and an astounding 11 carries of 20 yards or more.
That has to make Titans rookie running back Chris Johnson giddy, which is why he is our Start of the Week. Johnson is ready to build off his strong start with the Titans coming off a bye.
Johnson has rushed for 381 yards and two touchdowns and has 12 catches for 69 yards. He's sharing carries with LenDale White, who has become the goal-line back, but you can probably use both running backs this week in Fantasy leagues.
Johnson, however, remains the starter and a No. 1 option. The Chiefs haven't been able to stop anyone this year, but Darren McFadden (164 rushing yards and a touchdown), Michael Turner (104 rushing yards and three touchdowns) and DeAngelo Williams (123 rushing yards and two touchdowns) have done the most damage.
Look for Johnson to be the next in line. He is one of a handful of standout rookies this year, but Johnson is ready to stake his claim to the rookie of the year award.
Don't expect the Chiefs to put up much of a fight since Tony Gonzalez is unhappy and Larry Johnson is out. Kansas City's defense won't put up much of a fight either, so Johnson should have a great day.
Sit of the Week
Like we told you last week with Joseph Addai, it's hard to sit your stud running back, especially when he's been playing out of his mind. But that's the case with Ronnie Brown this week against the Ravens.
Baltimore had its worst day against an opposing running back last week when Dominic Rhodes replaced Addai (hamstring) and ran for 73 yards and a touchdown, the first against the Ravens on the ground this year. But Baltimore's run defense had been tremendous leading up to that game.
|
|
|
Ronnie Brown has been a star, but he might find it tough going in Week 7.
(US Presswire)
|
|
The Ravens allow just 66.4 rushing yards per game.
Ray Lewis and
Ed Reed, who are former Hurricanes coming back to Miami, will be fired up after Baltimore has lost three-consecutive games.
The Dolphins also are changing things up in the "Wildcat" formation a little bit. Brown only had 13 carries last week at Houston -- Ricky Williams had 11 carries -- which was Brown's lowest since he was named the starter in Week 3. And the Dolphins used a double reverse out of the formation where Brown handed to Williams, who pitched it back to Chad Pennington for a touchdown pass to Patrick Cobbs.
The Dolphins will likely have to run more trick plays this week against the Ravens, and Williams could continue to share carries. Former Dolphins coach Cam Cameron, now Baltimore's offensive coordinator, also knows how Brown plays and what he likes to do.
It's hard to bench Brown since he has seven rushing touchdowns the past four games with one passing touchdown. And the Dolphins obviously want to feature Brown since he's their best player.
But the Ravens know that also and are ready.
"We're quite certain, like they've done every week, they're going to add on to it, and we're going to see some things that they haven't done before," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in a conference call this week. "So you've got to prepare for all the things that they've done up until this point, then you have to kind of anticipate to some degree what's next on the list and have your guys prepared for different things. But, really in the end, it's the same play they run out of their regular offense just from a different formation grouping and they create different spacing for the defense."
If you're looking for some running backs to replace Brown who are not on our start list below, then Michael Pittman (at NE), Kevin Smith (at HOU) and Mewelde Moore (at CIN) all have better matchups than Brown this week. Brown is the better player, but he has a terrible matchup against the Ravens.
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
Matt Schaub (vs. DET): You have to be excited about Schaub's past two games since he's passed for 685 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions and also ran for a score against Jacksonville and Miami. He also no longer has Sage Rosenfels looking over his shoulder. Andre Johnson is back at 100 percent and playing like the best receiver in the NFL, and Owen Daniels and Kevin Walter have emerged as solid complementary options. Schaub now faces a pass defense allowing 250.6 passing yards per game with nine touchdowns and only one interception. This should be a great game for the entire Houston offense.
Eli Manning (vs. SF): Forget about the bruised chest because Manning's going to be fine. He proved he can play through pain last year after dealing with the separated shoulder and winning the Super Bowl. And don't worry about last week's performance against the Browns when he threw three interceptions and his lowest pass total (196 yards) of the season. Manning faces the 49ers, who have been beaten by Drew Brees (363 yards, three touchdowns and one interception), Matt Cassel (259 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions) and Donovan McNabb (280 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception) the past three weeks. Look for Manning to bounce back with a good game against the 49ers, who have to play on the East Coast for a 1 p.m. start, which is never easy for West Coast teams.
Jake Delhomme (vs. NO): Delhomme had his first tough game last week at Tampa Bay with no touchdowns and three interceptions. But in his past two home games, Delhomme has averaged 265 passing yards with four touchdowns and one interception against Atlanta and Kansas City. He also has played well in his past two games against the Saints going back to 2006 since he missed both meetings last year. Delhomme has four touchdowns and no interceptions in those two games and should do well again since New Orleans has allowed seven passing touchdowns this year. Steve Smith has five touchdowns in his past five games against the Saints.
Ben Roethlisberger (at CIN): If you own Big Ben, you're rooting for Willie Parker (knee) to take his time coming back. Parker missed Week 5 at Jacksonville, and the Steelers had to use Mewelde Moore at running back, who is more of a receiver. That allowed Roethlisberger to pass for 309 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, and he's capable of another good game this week. Even if Parker plays, Big Ben should still find the end zone a couple of times since the Bengals have allowed seven passing touchdowns this year. It's unlikely he'll throw for over 300 yards again this week since he only has three of those games since 2006, but he should still be successful.
Gus Frerotte (at CHI): Frerotte falls in line with Kyle Orton and Jeff Garcia this week as quarterbacks you can start if you're dealing with injuries to Carson Palmer (elbow), Matt Hasselbeck (knee) and possibly Tony Romo (broken finger). All three should post decent stats and be solid bye-week replacements. Frerotte faces the worst passing defense of the trio since the Bears are allowing 236.3 yards per game with five touchdowns and six interceptions and just gave up 301 yards and a touchdown against rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. Frerotte is averaging 247 passing yards per game since taking over the starting job with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Orton is opposing Frerotte, and Garcia is facing Seattle.
Sleeper alert: Marc Bulger (vs. DAL): Yes, that Marc Bulger. The same quarterback who struggled this year and was abruptly benched in Week 4 against Buffalo. But as bad as Bulger has been for Fantasy owners with limited production -- he's averaging 164 passing yards per game with only two touchdowns -- he only has two interceptions and one lost fumble. At home, Bulger is a much better quarterback, and he's facing a Dallas secondary missing two starters in Terence Newman (groin) and Adam Jones (suspended) that has allowed eight passing touchdowns this year. Rookie Michael Jenkins will start at cornerback with Anthony Henry, and Torry Holt should love that matchup. Bulger also has another receiver emerging with the development of Donnie Avery. Look for Bulger to finally step up this week with his first big game of the year.
Sit 'Em
Derek Anderson (at WAS): Anderson finally looked like the quarterback we remember from last year when he passed for 310 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions last week against the Giants. He got Donte Stallworth back and Braylon Edwards stopped dropping the ball and did well even without Kellen Winslow (illness), who could be out again. But the Browns had two weeks to prepare for the Giants and now have a short week to go on the road against an angry Redskins team that was just upset by St. Louis. Anderson has two touchdowns and four interceptions in two road games this year at Baltimore and Cincinnati, and the Redskins are allowing just over 200 passing yards per game with six touchdowns and five interceptions.
J.T. O'Sullivan (at NYG): If you haven't caught on, West Coast teams have struggled coming to the East Coast for 1 p.m. starts, and the 49ers won't be any different this week. O'Sullivan also has the pleasure of facing a mad defense that just got embarrassed by the Browns on Monday night. Look for the Giants to rebound and attack O'Sullivan, who has been sacked 25 times. The Giants are among the league leaders with 15 sacks, and O'Sullivan has four touchdowns and seven interceptions in his past three games. He has two interceptions in two road games.
Chad Pennington (vs. BAL): Pennington will probably be asked to make plays this week against the Ravens since their run defense is so good and will leave little room for Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, but Baltimore's pass defense is no slouch either even after Peyton Manning took it apart last week. The Ravens are still No. 1 in pass defense at 154.4 yards per game with six touchdowns allowed and seven interceptions. The Dolphins don't have nearly the same weapons as the Colts at wide receiver and tight end, and Pennington is looking at modest totals this week. Pennington has passed for at least 225 yards in four of five starts this year, but he also has two games with no touchdowns. This could be one of those outings.
Jason Campbell (vs. CLE): My colleague Dave Richard says to start Campbell this week in our Week 7 Faceoffs , but I have to disagree. While Campbell has yet to commit a turnover this season, he has pedestrian totals the past two weeks against Philadelphia and St. Louis, averaging 192 passing yards with no touchdowns. He's not finding Santana Moss (two catches for 22 yards the past two games), and the Browns pass defense has actually played well with only four touchdowns allowed and nine interceptions. Cleveland's secondary won the game against the Giants last week and should contain Campbell in this matchup.
Aaron Rodgers (vs. IND): The Colts haven't faced a quarterback of Rodgers' caliber all season, so we'll find out if their pass defense is for real or not this week. But based on the matchup, Rodgers could be in for a less-than-stellar game. The Colts are No. 6 in pass defense with 173.4 passing yards per game allowed and only one passing touchdown, which is tied for the NFL lead. Again, that has come against Kyle Orton, Tarvaris Jackson, David Garrard, Sage Rosenfels and Joe Flacco, but teams have been able to run on Indianapolis, which should happen here. Rodgers does have seven touchdowns in his past three games, but he also has four interceptions and is dealing with the shoulder problem. It's hard to sit Rodgers, but if you have a quarterback with a better matchup it might be worth putting Rodgers on your bench.
Bust alert: Philip Rivers (at BUF): You would think I learned my lesson after having Rivers in this spot last week, and he passed for 306 yards and three touchdowns against the Patriots. But I'm expecting the Bills to post a tougher challenge coming off the bye week. The biggest problem for Rivers could be coming to the East Coast for a 1 p.m. start. The last time he did that at Buffalo was in 2006 when he passed for 160 yards and one touchdown. Two weeks ago, he passed for 159 yards and one touchdown at Miami for a 1 p.m. start. Chris Chambers (ankle) could also miss his second-consecutive game. Rivers could play well again this week, but I'm sticking with the thought that he struggles here in the early start against the Bills.
Running backs
Start 'Em
Steve Slaton (vs. DET): As we told you last week, Slaton would struggle against the Dolphins, and he only had 58 rushing yards and no touchdowns. This week, Slaton gets it going again. The Lions allow 171 rushing yards per game and seven touchdowns. Detroit is deflated with management waving the white flag by placing Jon Kitna (back) on injured reserve and trading Roy Williams to Dallas, and you can expect to see Houston have its way at home. Ahman Green might even be a good option this week as he continues to share carries with Slaton.
Thomas Jones (at OAK): Jones wasn't impressive with his yardage total against the Bengals last week, rushing for just 65 yards on 17 carries, and he hasn't run for 100 yards since Week 1 at Miami. But he found the end zone three times, and that gives him momentum coming into this week. He faces a Raiders team that has improved against the run this year, but Oakland still allows 115 rushing yards per game with eight touchdowns. Look for Jones to again fall short of the century mark, but he should be able to score again this week. If he does, it would be his first back-to-back games with touchdowns since Weeks 14 and 15 in 2006 with Chicago.
Sammy Morris (vs. DEN): It looks like Laurence Maroney (shoulder) is going to miss another game, which would give Morris the start and the majority of carries. The Patriots will likely lean on their running game with Matt Cassel's struggles, and it's a good matchup for Morris. The Broncos allow 137.5 rushing yards per game with seven touchdowns, and last week Maurice Jones-Drew had 22 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns at Denver. Morris already has three rushing touchdowns this year and does a good job catching the ball with 12 grabs for 90 yards.
Earnest Graham (vs. SEA): I like Warrick Dunn this week also, but the Bucs signed fullback Jameel Cook to replace the injured B.J. Askew and Byron Storer, which means Graham won't be blocking as much as he did last week against Carolina. No matter what role Graham plays, however, he'll still score touchdowns, and Seattle has allowed five rushing touchdowns this year. The Seahawks also allow 126.2 rushing yards per game, so look for Graham and Dunn to have their way on the night Tampa Bay pays tribute to former running back Mike Alstott. Graham has scored a touchdown in his past six home games going back to last year. Dunn can be used as a flex option.
Dominic Rhodes (at GB): Adrian Peterson, Marion Barber and Michael Turner have all had big games against the Packers this year, and now Rhodes gets his turn with Joseph Addai (hamstring) out at least two weeks. Rhodes filled in admirably for Addai last week against Baltimore with 73 rushing yards and a touchdown, which was the first rushing touchdown against the Ravens this year. The Colts are looking for their first 100-yard rushing game in their last 14 games, including the playoffs, and Rhodes will take that challenge against the Packers, who allow 153.3 rushing yards per game with five touchdowns this year.
Sleeper alert: Ryan Grant (vs. IND): As my colleague Dave Richard pointed out in our Week 7 Faceoffs , he doesn't like Grant this week. And if you've been reading our site since the offseason, I haven't liked Grant all year. Well, that changes this week. Grant has been a disappointment thus far with no touchdowns, no 100-yard games and only two catches for minus-4 yards. But he's getting better with 83 rushing yards two weeks ago against Atlanta and 90 rushing yards last week at Seattle. The problem with the Seahawks game was he had 33 carries, but it shows the Packers are trying to get him going. They will continue to feed him the ball against the Colts, who allow 161 rushing yards per game with five touchdowns. I'm not sold on Indianapolis fixing its run defense after playing well against Baltimore last week. Grant should do fine here.
Sit 'Em
DeAngelo Williams (vs. NO): Williams came back to reality as expected last week with 11 carries for 27 yards at Tampa Bay after he ran all over Kansas City in Week 5. Surprisingly, he has another tough matchup against the Saints, who have turned into run stoppers all of the sudden. New Orleans held Adrian Peterson to 32 yards on 21 carries in Week 5, and Oakland's best runner last week was Justin Fargas with 10 carries for 35 yards. Williams has struggled in this matchup with only two games over 50 total yards and no touchdowns, albeit with limited reps. Look for the Saints to key on Williams, and Jonathan Stewart will likely score the touchdowns if given the chance. New Orleans has only allowed three rushing touchdowns this year.
Julius Jones (at TB): Keep an eye on Jones' number of attempts because he's run for over 100 yards both times he touched the ball at least 22 times. In his three other games when he had less than 20 carries, he has 150 rushing yards combined. But even if Jones gets 20 touches, he could find it tough to run. The Bucs only allow 89.7 rushing yards per game and are the only team yet to allow a rushing touchdown. With Seneca Wallace expected to start at quarterback for Seattle, Jones will be the focal point of the defense, which is bad news for Fantasy owners.
Jamal Lewis (at WAS): Lewis is still looking for his first 100-yard game, but he's played better the past two outings. He ran for 79 yards and a touchdown against Cincinnati in Week 4 and 88 yards and a touchdown last week against the Giants. This week he gets a Redskins defense that is allowing only 83.8 rushing yards per game with three touchdowns. Washington is going to be angry after losing to the winless Rams last week, and the Browns could be a little tired coming off a short week following the Monday night victory against New York. Lewis has just one 100-yard game in his past 14 road games.
Willis McGahee (at MIA): McGahee is from Miami and is a former standout for the Hurricanes, and he likes facing the Dolphins with at least 80 rushing yards in four of his past five meetings with two rushing touchdowns. Last year, McGahee ran for 104 yards at Miami. But McGahee is struggling right now, whether it's the knee injury from training camp or something else, and he left last week's game at Indianapolis with an undisclosed injury. And with the emergence of LeRon McClain and now Ray Rice, who played well against the Colts, McGahee could lose touches. The Dolphins run defense has also improved this year, and they are allowing just 89 rushing yards per game with three touchdowns.
Darren McFadden (vs. NYJ): I don't like Justin Fargas either this week since the Jets run defense has turned into one of the best units this year. New York is No. 3 against the run thanks to the presence of Kris Jenkins and Calvin Pace. The Jets are only allowing 69 rushing yards per game, although they have given up seven touchdowns. The toe injury has limited McFadden to 92 rushing yards the past three games with no touchdowns. Fargas returned last week at New Orleans but only had 10 carries for 35 yards. Don't count on Oakland running much against the Jets in this matchup.
Bust alert: Reggie Bush (at CAR): Three things concern me with Bush this week. First, he has a bad history against the Panthers, with no touchdowns and only one game over 100 total yards in four meetings. In two games at Carolina, Bush has 132 total yards and a lost fumble. Second, the Panthers run defense has been solid this year with only 105.7 rushing yards per game allowed and two rushing touchdowns. And finally, we found out Wednesday that Bush is playing with swelling in his left knee. He's apparently been dealing with it all season, and it hasn't slowed him down, but it is a cause for concern. Hopefully he can still post solid numbers, but this could be a week where you sit him if you have other running backs on your Fantasy team with a better matchup.
Wide receivers
Start 'Em
Lee Evans (vs. SD): The Trent Edwards-to-Evans connection gets back on track this week with Edwards returning from a concussion, and they have a great matchup against the Chargers, who are among the league leaders with 10 touchdowns allowed. Evans isn't going to help you much in a PPR league since he only has 16 catches on the season, but he hasn't had less than 65 yards in a game and has scored in his past two. The Chargers allow 253.5 passing yards per game, so Edwards could be a decent bye-week replacement at quarterback as well.
Bernard Berrian (at CHI): Berrian goes back to Chicago, where he spent his first four seasons in the NFL, and he's hot right now. He has at least 78 yards receiving in the four games since Gus Frerotte became the starting quarterback, including 11 catches for 241 yards and two touchdowns in his past two games against New Orleans and Detroit. Berrian scored six touchdowns the past two years at Soldier Field, and the Bears come into this game allowing 236.3 passing yards per game with five touchdowns and six interceptions. Chicago's secondary remains banged up, and Berrian should get plenty of opportunities to hurt his former team.
Santonio Holmes (at CIN): Holmes went to Ohio State, so he likes going on the road to face the Browns and Bengals. In three games at Cleveland in his career, Holmes has 12 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns. He also has 10 catches for 211 yards and a touchdown in two games at Cincinnati. The Bengals secondary has played well this year and ranks No. 4 in pass defense, but Holmes should still be able to make plays. He's struggled so far this year with only 17 catches for 271 yards and a touchdown, but he likes going back to Ohio, so hang on sloopy, hang on.
Torry Holt (vs. DAL): Holt has been miserable this year compared to his previous performances with 20 catches for 210 yards and one touchdown. His best game was Week 2 against the Giants when he had six catches for 76 yards and the touchdown, but those games used to be routine for Holt. But he should get going this week. The emergence of Donnie Avery should draw some attention away from Holt, and the Cowboys' secondary is a mess right now. Look for Holt to finally have a breakout game and start to resemble the top-flight Fantasy option he was prior to this year.
Marques Colston (at CAR): If Colston plays as expected this week, you start him. It's as simple as that. You didn't draft him with a pick in the second or third round to sit him on your bench if he's on the field. The thumb injury could limit his production, but you have to figure Drew Brees will look in his direction enough that he could give you positive Fantasy points. The Panthers are No. 2 in pass defense, but they've only faced one good quarterback this year in Philip Rivers. The others have been mediocre at best in Kyle Orton, Gus Frerotte, Matt Ryan, Damon Huard and Jeff Garcia. In three meetings against the Panthers, Colston has 16 catches for 256 yards and two touchdowns.
Sleeper alert: Derrick Mason (at MIA) Mason remains a solid option in leagues where receptions count since he's averaging five catches per game and 66 yards. The problem is he has no touchdowns, and rookie quarterback Joe Flacco struggles to get Mason the ball in space where he can get yards after the catch. Last year, Mason had four catches for 45 yards and a touchdown at Miami, and the Dolphins secondary again looks shaky. Miami is No. 29 in pass defense at 239 yards per game with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. This is a game where Flacco can make some plays and help Mason find the end zone for the first time this season.
Sit 'Em
Bobby Engram (at TB): Engram was a huge disappointment for owners last week when he didn't record a catch against Green Bay. He now has a tough matchup against the Bucs, who have allowed eight passing touchdowns but also have 11 interceptions. I also don't like that Seneca Wallace or Charlie Frye could start this week in place of the injured Matt Hasselbeck (knee). Frye started against the Packers, and you see how that went for Engram. He's too risky right now to use with Hasselbeck out and facing a tough defense on the road.
Devery Henderson (at CAR): Henderson might not be a bad option to use at home even with Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey back. In four home games, Henderson has eight catches for 337 yards and two touchdowns. He's been great as a deep threat in the dome. On the road, however, Henderson only had four catches for 48 yards in two games. He's on the road this week against a defense that is No. 2 against the pass, so the Panthers should be able to contain Henderson. Last year at Carolina, Henderson had one catch for 33 yards. By comparison, he had six catches for 172 yards in his last two home games against the Panthers.
Vincent Jackson (at BUF): Jackson was great last week against the Patriots with five catches for a career-high 134 yards and a touchdown. He was tremendous in replacing Chris Chambers (ankle) and could do so again this week. Jackson has struggled on the road recently with no touchdowns in his past five games away from San Diego. This is the type of game where Jackson has three catches for about 50 yards and fails to build off last week's momentum.
Donald Driver (vs. IND): Driver apparently doesn't like the Lambeau Leap. In 19 home games the past three years he only has three touchdowns. By comparison, he has nine touchdowns on the road since 2006. Since he already scored his home touchdown this year in Week 5 against Atlanta, he could be done for the year -- but that's unlikely. He might struggle to find the end zone against the Colts, though, who have only allowed one passing touchdown this year. Driver has become the No. 2 option behind Greg Jennings, and it might be a good idea to keep Driver on the bench this week.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh (vs. PIT): Houshmandzadeh has Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback again with Carson Palmer (elbow) out. In two games with Fitzpatrick, Houshmandzadeh has combined for 13 catches for 99 yards and no touchdowns. The catches are a nice number, but the yards and lack of touchdowns are alarming for a No. 1 Fantasy option. Houshmandzadeh has played well against the Steelers recently with 30 catches for 349 yards and five touchdowns his past five meetings, but Pittsburgh is No. 3 in pass defense and should be ready for Houshmandzadeh and the Bengals coming off a bye week.
Bust alert: Dwayne Bowe (vs. TEN): Bowe gets Brodie Croyle back at quarterback, which may or may not be a positive thing. Bowe has played well at home with 13 catches for 175 yards and is coming off a bye week. For the season, Bowe has been solid with 27 catches for 324 yards and two touchdowns. But this week he faces a top-flight defense in Tennessee, which has only allowed one passing touchdown this year. Last year, Bowe had only five catches for 64 yards against the Titans. He will likely post similar stats this week, which means he's not a great option as a starter on your Fantasy team. And with Larry Johnson (suspension) out, the Titans will focus on the Chiefs' passing game.
Tight ends
Start 'Em
Owen Daniels (vs. DET): Daniels has played well this year and has at least four catches in his past four games and is averaging 69 yards over that span. He's still looking for his first touchdown, but the Lions have allowed nine passing touchdowns this year in five games. The Lions pass defense has been bad this year, and Daniels could be in line for another good outing. Consider him a No. 1 Fantasy option this week along with all the Texans.
Heath Miller (at CIN): Miller is coming off a solid game in Week 5 before the bye where he had five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown at Jacksonville. He has the opportunity to post similar stats this week against the Bengals, who have struggled with tight ends the past few weeks, allowing touchdowns to Jason Witten and Kevin Boss. If Willie Parker (knee) is out, the Steelers will open up the passing game, meaning more opportunities for Miller to make plays and help your Fantasy team.
Jeremy Shockey (at CAR): Like Marques Colston, if Shockey plays as expected this week, start him coming off the hernia. Prior to getting hurt in Week 3, Shockey was developing a solid rapport with Drew Brees. Shockey had eight catches for 75 yards in his last game at Denver and should build off that if he's ready to go. Brees has to be thrilled with the thought of getting Colston and Shockey back considering he's played well without them. This should only make Brees that much better.
Sleeper alert: Jerramy Stevens (vs. SEA): Stevens has been terrible recently with three catches for 22 yards in his past three games. He has to share reps with Alex Smith and John Gilmore, which hurts his chances to make plays. But he's facing his former team this week, and I like that kind of motivation. Seattle is allowing 229.6 passing yards per game with nine touchdowns and only one interception. Stevens could be a solid bye-week replacement since he's owned in only 6 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com. Two other good sleeper options are Daniel Graham (at NE) because he's facing his former team and Robert Royal (vs. SD).
Sit 'Em
Anthony Fasano (vs. BAL): Ray Lewis and Ed Reed excel at defending tight ends, and this year Baltimore has shut down Kellen Winslow (two catches for 14 yards), Heath Miller (two catches for 8 yards) and Dallas Clark (two catches for 17 yards). Fasano has slowed down recently with four catches for 59 yards and no touchdowns the past two games. Last week at Houston, Fasano was outplayed by David Martin, who had three catches for 31 yards.
John Carlson (at TB): Carlson has been a nice Fantasy option this year and scored his first touchdown last week against Green Bay. He has 16 catches for 190 yards in five games but has a tough matchup this week at Tampa Bay. I also don't like his quarterback situation with Seneca Wallace or Charlie Frye replacing Matt Hasselbeck (knee). Even though Frye got Carlson into the end zone against the Packers, the quarterback play for the Seahawks makes all their players risky options right now.
Greg Olsen (vs. MIN): Olsen has played well the past three weeks with 10 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles, Lions and Falcons. Now he faces a Minnesota defense that has allowed just four passing touchdowns. In two games against Minnesota last year, Olsen had seven catches for 81 yards and no touchdowns. The Vikings have enough speed at linebacker and safety to stay with Olsen, who has just the one touchdown this season. He has become a favorite target for Kyle Orton, but Orton is proving he likes to spread the ball around.
Bust alert: Tony Gonzalez (vs. TEN): Gonzalez isn't going to mail it in since he wasn't traded like he hoped. But he has to be unhappy after asking to be dealt and ending up back with the lowly Chiefs. With Larry Johnson suspended for this game, the Titans will focus on stopping the Kansas City passing game. And the Titans have only allowed one passing touchdown this year, which doesn't bode well for Gonzalez. Brodie Croyle returns at quarterback, and Gonzalez hasn't had more than 55 receiving yards in a game this year with only two touchdowns. Last year against Tennessee, Gonzalez had three catches for 17 yards.
Defense/Special teams
Start 'Em
Houston (vs. DET): The Texans DST wouldn't normally be a unit most Fantasy owners would target, but facing the Lions makes them an attractive option this week. With no Jon Kitna or Roy Williams, you'll want to find the DST facing Detroit most weeks, especially when the Lions are on the road. Mario Williams should see plenty of new Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky, and if you're lucky, Orlovsky will forget that there's a back to the end zone and run out of bounds again for another safety. The Texans also got a punt return for a touchdown last week when Jacoby Jones ran one back 70 yards. The Texans DST is only owned in 21 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com but consider them a good starting unit this week.
Other DSTs with good matchups: Tennessee (at KC), Jets (at OAK) and Miami (vs. BAL)
Sit 'Em
Dallas (at STL): The Cowboys secondary is a mess right now with Terence Newman (groin) out and Adam Jones suspended, which should allow St. Louis quarterback Marc Bulger to make some plays with Torry Holt, Donnie Avery and Steven Jackson. Along with that, the Cowboys aren't creating much pressure on the opposing quarterback with only five sacks the past three games. Dallas also loses its top two return men in Jones on punts and Felix Jones (hamstring) on kickoffs. Look for the Rams to finally show a spark on offense this week and not allow the Cowboys DST to post many positive Fantasy stats.
Kicker
Start 'Em
Josh Brown (vs. DAL): Brown was expected to be a top kicker this year when he signed with the Rams from Seattle, but the St. Louis offensive woes have hurt his production. He finally showed signs of life in Week 6 at Washington when he hit four field goals, including the game-winner, and is now 9-of-10 on field goals this year. This week he goes home against the Cowboys, who are No. 2 in the NFL with 15 field goals allowed. The Rams should be able to move the ball against Dallas and give Brown several opportunities to score. He could be a solid bye-week replacement since he's only owned in 43 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com.
Other kickers with good matchups: Kris Brown (vs. HOU), John Kasay (vs. NO), Rob Bironas (at KC)
Sit 'Em
Jason Hanson (at HOU): Hanson has been a reliable kicker again this year. He hasn't missed a field goal in six tries or an extra point in eight attempts. He's just not getting enough opportunities because of the Lions offense, and that's not going to change this week. Hanson has gone two games this year without attempting a field goal, and that was with Jon Kitna starting against Atlanta and Chicago. Dan Orlovsky looked horrible at Minnesota last week and will likely struggle again now that Roy Williams is in Dallas. Don't consider Hanson a good bye-week replacement this week -- or any week for that matter the rest of this year.
Do you have a Fantasy Football question? Send your thoughts to DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com and we'll get to as many as we can. Be sure to put Attn: Start/Sit in the subject field. Include your full name, hometown and state.
