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.
When Tampa Bay brought back Warrick Dunn this season, it appeared like it was going to be a feel-good story with little flare. Dunn, who was drafted by the Bucs and spent five seasons there from 1997-2001, was getting one last hurrah with his former team after Atlanta discarded him in a salary-cap move.
The thought was Dunn, at 33, was done as a quality football player, and he would fill in with a few touches behind Earnest Graham and Cadillac Williams. But that's not exactly how the script has gone.
Dunn has turned into a vital part of the Buccaneers offense. He became a viable Fantasy option when injuries at fullback gave him increased playing time, and now that Graham (ankle) is out for the year, Dunn is starring for Tampa Bay once again.
In his first start last week at Detroit with Graham out, Dunn had 14 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown and five catches for 37 yards. He will look to build on that performance this week against New Orleans, and the Louisiana native should shine as the Start of the Week.
Dunn has shared time as the starting tailback when Graham was forced to play fullback due to injuries. Prior to last week, Dunn had two games with at least 20 carries and went over 100 total yards each time. He's been over 50 total yards in every game this season except when he got hurt in Week 8 at Dallas with a back injury.
Dunn missed the following game at Kansas City but picked up where he left off against Minnesota when Graham got hurt in Week 11. It's amazing how much the Bucs are going to lean on Dunn now.
Dunn has shown he's capable of big games, and this week he has a favorable matchup. The Saints have allowed 110.8 rushing yards per game this season with seven touchdowns. Last week, Ryan Grant had 86 total yards against the Saints in limited action.
The good thing about Dunn is his involvement in the passing game. He has 31 catches for 244 yards for the year, including nine catches for 102 yards in his past two games.
The negative for Dunn is Williams is back and actually had more carries (16 for 27 yards) last week against the Lions, but the majority came in the fourth quarter with Tampa Bay running out the clock. B.J. Askew is also going to take away touchdowns from Dunn when the Bucs get into the red zone.
But Dunn has proven throughout his career he can be successful when given a chance, and the Bucs are counting on him. Fantasy owners should do the same this week, and he will reward you with an outstanding performance.
This comeback story just keeps getting better.
Sit of the Week
Matt Cassel could almost do no wrong the past two weeks. He became the first quarterback since Billy Volek in 2004 to pass for back-to-back 400-yard games when he went for 415 yards, three touchdowns and one interception and 14 rushing yards and a touchdown against Miami last week. This was after 400 passing yards and three touchdowns and 62 rushing yards against the Jets the week before.
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Matt Cassel will be looking for his third straight 400-yard game against the top-ranked defense.
(US Presswire)
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Cassel has become a Fantasy darling and has New England headed toward the playoffs, which is a pleasant surprise after
Tom Brady (knee) was lost for the year. But Cassel is headed for a fall this week.
Pittsburgh will be able to contain Cassel in this matchup even with injuries to defensive end Brett Keisel (knee) and cornerbacks Bryant McFadden (broken forearm) and Deshea Townsend (hamstring). The Steelers might be on the road, but they come into this game with the No. 1 passing defense in the NFL at 168.8 yards per game allowed.
Along with that, the Steelers are No. 5 in passing touchdowns allowed at 10 and No. 2 in sacks with 37. The Steelers also have only allowed four 200-yard passing performances this season -- Matt Schaub (202 yards), David Garrard (200), Jason Campbell (206) and Peyton Manning (240) -- and no 300-yard games.
Now, Manning did throw three touchdown passes and no interceptions against Pittsburgh, but Cassel is not at Manning's level yet. And the Steelers also have shut down Donovan McNabb (196 yards), Eli Manning (199) and Philip Rivers (164) this year.
This is by far the toughest defense Cassel has faced this season, and the Steelers have had extra time to prepare for him since they last played Thursday night against Cincinnati in Week 12. Dick LeBeau's crew will be ready with some extra coverage and some special zone blitzes for Cassel.
The Steelers also won't give Randy Moss single coverage like Miami did last week, when Moss had 125 yards receiving and three touchdowns. Prior to that game, Moss had less than 70 receiving yards in each of his previous three games and one touchdown over that span.
Cassel does have history on this side. Last year, Brady passed for 399 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions against the Steelers. We all remember that game because Steelers cornerback Anthony Smith ran his mouth about stopping Brady, and the Patriots were out to prove a point.
Cassel has looked like Brady the past two weeks and has earned himself a starting job as he heads into free agency this offseason. But Fantasy owners should sit Cassel this week because the Steelers will be coming after him with everything they've got.
Instead of using Cassel, some other quarterbacks to consider along with the ones mentioned below include Jay Cutler (at NYJ), Jeff Garcia (vs. NO), Chad Pennington (at STL) and Kyle Orton (at MIN). They all have better matchups this week.
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
Matt Ryan (at SD): This game will be billed as the "Michael Turner Bowl" with the Falcons running back returning to San Diego, but look for Ryan to steal the show even though Turner should shine also. Ryan hasn't thrown a touchdown pass in his past two games, but that will change this week against the worst pass defense in the NFL. The Chargers allow 265.5 passing yards per game with 19 touchdowns and only seven interceptions for the season. They have been burned the past three weeks by Tyler Thigpen, Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning. Ryan comes into this game averaging more than 250 passing yards in his past five games with six touchdowns and three interceptions over that span. He has four touchdowns and two interceptions in his past two games on the road and should continue to play well this week.
Ben Roethlisberger (at NE): Big Ben bounced back the past two weeks with 308 passing yards against San Diego and then 243 yards and a touchdown and a rushing touchdown against Cincinnati. He now faces a defense that has been torched by Brett Favre and Chad Pennington the past two weeks for five touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown. Roethlisberger has faced New England three times in his career during the regular season and has five touchdowns and no interceptions. He should continue that success this week. The Patriots are tied with San Diego for the second-most passing touchdowns allowed at 19 behind Arizona at 22.
Brett Favre (vs. DEN): Favre has put himself into the MVP race with the Jets leading the AFC East and his play the past three weeks. After throwing an interception in seven-straight games, Favre only has one interception in his past three games. He also has five touchdowns over that span and has passed for 649 yards. He's also doing a good job of spreading the ball around to Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, Dustin Keller, Leon Washington and Thomas Jones. It's a good idea to start all the Jets this week against Denver. The Broncos allow 235.9 passing yards per game with 15 touchdowns on the season, and Favre will have a chance to continue his MVP push in this matchup.
David Garrard (at HOU): Garrard set career highs in attempts (45), completions (27) and yards (317) last week against Minnesota with one touchdown and two interceptions. He's not going to be throwing that much against the Texans, but he has played well against Houston recently with 457 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions and 67 rushing yards and a touchdown in their past two meetings. Houston is among the league leaders with 17 passing touchdowns allowed, so look for Garrard to have one of usual games with around 240 passing yards, one touchdown and no interceptions and do some damage running the ball.
Trent Edwards (vs. SF): Josh Reed coming back to the Bills helped Edwards regain his confidence and form. Maybe it helped that the Bills faced Kansas City also. With Reed back in the lineup, Lee Evans was suddenly open again, and Edwards passed for 273 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and also ran for two scores against the Chiefs. This was after throwing for three touchdowns and seven interceptions the past three games. The 49ers get the dubious distinction of coming to the East Coast for a 1 p.m. start this week, and we know that typically means bad news. They also have a terrible pass defense that allows 243.9 yards per game with 18 touchdowns for the season. In two of San Francisco's past three games, Kurt Warner and Tony Romo each passed for more than 300 yards, so Edwards is worth a start this week.
Sleeper alert: Donovan McNabb (vs. ARI): The Eagles and Andy Reid made the right call to keep McNabb as the starter for this game, which is a blessing for Fantasy owners because it's a great matchup. The Cardinals lead the NFL in touchdown passes allowed with 22. Eli Manning just went into Arizona and passed for 240 yards and three touchdowns, so look for McNabb to bounce back this week. He has been terrible recently with seven interceptions in his past four games, but don't worry about that in this game. McNabb is a great quarterback when facing adversity, and it helps that he's facing a mediocre secondary this week. Kevin Kolb is just going to have to wait until next year for his shot at becoming the starter.
Sit 'Em
Jake Delhomme (at GB): Prior to last week's game at Atlanta when he passed for 295 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, Delhomme had been terrible on the road. For the season, Delhomme has three touchdowns and seven interceptions in five games away from home. The Packers, despite getting run over by the Saints on Monday night, still have a very good pass defense and are No. 2 in the NFL with 17 interceptions. Delhomme has never played at Green Bay, and it could be a tough outing for him. He also got a cut on his elbow against the Falcons that required stitches. The Panthers will continue to rely on DeAngelo Williams this week, and Delhomme won't have two good games in a row on the road.
Derek Anderson (vs. IND): Anderson is back for the Browns with Brady Quinn (finger) out for the year, and that’s not a good thing. Prior to being benched for Quinn in Week 10 against Denver, Quinn had nine touchdowns and seven interceptions on the season. He then added another interception last week against Houston in relief of Quinn, and he has a tough matchup this week. Indianapolis still leads the NFL with only four passing touchdowns allowed, and only Philip Rivers has thrown for multiple touchdowns against the Colts this season with two touchdowns last week. At home, Anderson has also struggled this year with five touchdowns and four interceptions in his five games this year.
Shaun Hill (at BUF): This will be the fourth time a team from the West Coast has come to Buffalo for a 1 p.m. start, and the previous three quarterbacks have played poorly. Matt Hasselbeck (190 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception), JaMarcus Russell (156 yards and one touchdown) and Philip Rivers (208 yards, two touchdowns and one interception) all flew to Buffalo for the early game and struggled, and Hill will be the next in line. He's coming off a great game at Dallas with 303 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception, but the Bills have done well in pass coverage this year and should hold Hill in check.
Eli Manning (at WAS): Manning has never played well against the Redskins. In his past five meetings, Manning has averaged 198 passing yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions over that span. Earlier this year, Manning passed for 216 yards, no touchdowns and an interception with a rushing touchdown against Washington in Week 1. The Redskins come into this game at No. 4 in pass defense with 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Manning has played well with Plaxico Burress' struggles, but Burress is dealing with a hamstring injury and could miss the game, which isn't a good thing because at least Burress attracts attention.
Jason Campbell (vs. NYG): Campbell hasn't played well at home this year with four touchdowns and three interceptions in five games. In his past two home games against Pittsburgh and Dallas, Campbell has one touchdown and two interceptions with 368 yards. He does have four touchdowns and one interception in three games against the Giants, but New York will come after him this week. The Giants gave up over 300 yards at Arizona last week, but they still are among the league leaders with 15 interceptions and 32 sacks. Expect this to be a low-scoring game with little from Campbell and Manning.
Bust alert: Tyler Thigpen (at OAK): The Raiders have stepped up against opposing quarterbacks the past three games. It started with Jake Delhomme (72 passing yards, one touchdown and four interceptions), then Chad Pennington (174 passing yards and no touchdowns) and last week Jay Cutler (204 passing yards and one interception). Last year, the Raiders were one of the best teams in pass coverage because opponents ran all over them. It's starting to look that way again, and Thigpen could be the next in line. He had his worst game as a starter last week against Buffalo with 240 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions and also lost a fumble. He's played great recently, but this could be a tough game with the way Oakland's pass defense has stepped up the past three games.
Running backs
Start 'Em
Ronnie Brown (at STL): Brown has struggled recently with no touchdowns in his past two games and only one game over 100 yards rushing in his past seven games. But he's about to get healthy in a big way since starting running backs have owned the Rams recently. Matt Forte (132 rushing yards and two touchdowns), Frank Gore (106 yards and two touchdowns), Thomas Jones (149 yards and three touchdowns) and Tim Hightower (109 yards and one touchdown) have dominated St. Louis, which leads the NFL with 20 rushing touchdowns allowed. Look for Brown and Ricky Williams to have a great day against the Rams as well so start both of them this week.
Larry Johnson (at OAK): Johnson didn't have his usual success against the Raiders in their first meeting in Week 2 when he had 12 carries for 22 yards. Prior to that, however, Johnson had seven rushing touchdowns and four 100-yard games in five previous meetings and has 11 touchdowns in eight games against Oakland in his career. The Raiders come into this game allowing 160 rushing yards per game for the season with 16 touchdowns, and Johnson has played well the past two weeks with over 85 total yards in each game against New Orleans and Buffalo. He should get back to running over Oakland this week.
Leon Washington (vs. DEN): We know you're going to start Thomas Jones this week because he has a great matchup against the Broncos, who are allowing 144.5 rushing yards per game this season with 15 touchdowns. But Washington is also worth starting since he's becoming a huge factor in the Jets offense. He had eight carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns at Tennessee last week and now has either a touchdown or 50 total yards in five of his past six games. The Broncos don't have the speed on defense to stay with Washington, so look for him and Jones to shine once again.
Steve Slaton (vs. JAC): The training wheels are off now that Ahman Green (knee) is out for the year. It's Slaton's job to carry the load, and he's been ready for it. He has at least 70 total yards or a touchdown in eight games this year, and in Week 4 at Jacksonville he had 33 rushing yards and eight catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. The Texans have tried to limit Slaton's work load, and last week at Cleveland was his first game with more than 20 carries. He should get about 20 carries against the Jaguars, who have allowed five rushing touchdowns in the past five weeks.
Darren McFadden (vs. KC): McFadden was able to practice last week after being limited with toe injuries, and it showed in his performance against Denver. He had 10 carries for 38 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 14 yards. It was his best game since Week 2 at Kansas City, and he gets the Chiefs again this week. The Chiefs run defense is still horrible at No. 31 with 19 touchdowns allowed, which is second-most in the NFL behind St. Louis at 20. McFadden had 21 carries for 164 yards and a touchdown the last time he faced the Chiefs, which was the game he got hurt. You should also start Justin Fargas this week since he ran for 107 yards against the Broncos. Both running backs should take advantage of Kansas City's defense.
Sleeper alert: Chris Johnson (at DET): The Titans go back to what they do best this week, which is Johnson doing the heavy lifting and LenDale White scoring the touchdowns. Start both this week after some tough performances the past three games. Johnson had only 118 rushing yards the past three games and 54 receiving yards. White has 66 rushing yards and one touchdown and complained after just one carry for minus-1 yard last week against the Jets. The Titans will rectify that problem this week since the Lions are last in the NFL in run defense with 18 touchdowns allowed. Tennessee will flex its muscle on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit with Johnson and White leading the way.
Sit 'Em
Deuce McAllister (at TB): McAllister scored a rushing touchdown against Green Bay last week, but he's been reduced to a goal-line back with only 18 carries in his past three games. Pierre Thomas has taken over for Reggie Bush (knee), and there's a chance Bush can return this week, which would hurt McAllister as well. It's not like Tampa Bay is going to give McAllister many chances to score since they have allowed just one rushing touchdown on the season, which leads the NFL.
Julius Jones (at DAL): Jones returns to play against his former team, but there's little chance the Cowboys are going to let Jones do much this week. Dallas allows only 98.4 rushing yards per game this season with eight touchdowns. Jones was limited with a calf injury last week against Washington, and Maurice Morris took over with 103 rushing yards. T.J. Duckett has also been the one scoring touchdowns with two scores two weeks ago against Arizona. It would be nice to use Jones in a homecoming game on Thanksgiving, but he hasn't played well enough this season to trust him.
Antonio Pittman (vs. MIA): It doesn't matter if it's Pittman or Steven Jackson this week so sit them both. Jackson is hopeful to return from his thigh injury, and if he does, Pittman's playing time would be limited. But Jackson won't be 100 percent, so Pittman will still play a role. Along with that, the Dolphins run defense has played well this year, allowing only 94.1 yards per game with eight touchdowns. Miami will be able to limit Pittman and/or Jackson, so keep them on your bench.
Jonathan Stewart (at GB): Stewart continues to battle the toe and heel injuries that have plagued him most of the season, and he was in a walking boot following last week's game at Atlanta. He is expected to play against the Packers, but his injuries could bother him on the frozen tundra. Along with that, Stewart has struggled on the road this year with 116 rushing yards and one touchdown in five games away from home. The Packers run defense is vulnerable, but DeAngelo Williams will be the one to take advantage of it and not Stewart.
Sammy Morris (vs. PIT): The only New England running back worth starting this week is Kevin Faulk for the plays he will make in the passing game, so sit BenJarvus Green-Ellis also. Morris has been uninspiring since coming back two games ago from a knee injury with 49 rushing yards and 14 receiving yards against the Jets and Miami. And since the Steelers are No. 1 in run defense, don't expect Morris to do much this week. Pittsburgh has only allowed four rushing touchdowns, so even if Morris is the goal-line back for the Patriots, he won't have many opportunities to find the end zone.
Bust alert: Peyton Hillis (at NYJ): As we told you with Chris Johnson, last week's Sit of the Week, teams don't run on the Jets because of defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, who is the frontrunner for defensive MVP. Johnson only had 10 carries for 46 yards, and Hillis will be limited this week also. He has three touchdowns in his past two games against Atlanta and Oakland, but the Jets have only allowed seven rushing touchdowns this season and are No. 3 in run defense. Hillis might make some plays in the passing game, but this is not a week to count on him at New York with the Jets run defense and Jenkins playing so well.
Wide receivers
Start 'Em
Lee Evans (vs. SF): Josh Reed came back from injury against the Chiefs last week, and Evans returned as a viable Fantasy option with five catches for 110 yards. It's amazing how Reed being on the field makes Evans a better player because he doesn't draw as much coverage. That should remain the case this week against the 49ers, who are No. 29 in pass coverage and last week let Terrell Owens do whatever he wanted in Dallas. Evans won't play like Owens, but he is worth starting again as a No. 2 Fantasy wide receiver. Remember, Evans typically likes to play well in December, and this is about the time he starts to get hot.
Vincent Jackson (vs. ATL): Jackson continues to play well at home this year. He had a touchdown last week against the Colts and now has 18 catches for 395 yards and three touchdowns in five home games. The Falcons come into this game allowing 230.7 passing yards per game with 14 touchdowns. Philip Rivers continues to look for Jackson, and he should be worth starting as a No. 2 Fantasy option this week. He has either 70 yards receiving or a touchdown in every home game this year.
Torry Holt (vs. MIA): There are two reasons to like Holt this week. One, he's playing at home. Two, he's playing the Dolphins. Holt has actually been OK at home this year with 23 catches for 334 yards and two touchdowns in five games. And the Dolphins, who just gave up over 400 passing yards and three touchdowns against the Patriots, have struggled in pass defense all season. Holt has to be saying to the Dolphins that he wants the same single coverage they gave Randy Moss last week when Moss had eight catches for 125 yards and three touchdowns. Start Donnie Avery this week also because the Rams should be able to make some plays in the passing game no matter if Marc Bulger or Trent Green is at quarterback.
DeSean Jackson (vs. ARI): Start Kevin Curtis this week also because Donovan McNabb is going to be throwing, and the Eagles have a chance to score. The Cardinals lead the NFL with 22 passing touchdowns allowed. Jackson and Curtis are the best receivers for the Eagles, and they will have a chance to get behind the defense on some deep throws. The Eagles will rebound from their recent funk this week with the Cardinals coming across the country on a short week. Consider Jackson and Curtis solid No. 3 Fantasy wide receivers and look for them to play well.
Kevin Walter (vs. JAC): The last time Walter faced Jacksonville in Week 4 he had eight catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns. He has seven touchdowns on the season and has done well with opposing teams focusing on Andre Johnson. That should continue this week with Rashean Mathis covering Johnson. The Jaguars are among the league leaders with 18 passing touchdowns allowed, and Walter should have another chance to make plays this week. Walter has at least 79 receiving yards in his past three games.
Sleeper alert: Bernard Berrian (vs. CHI): Berrian went from a No. 1 Fantasy option to being non-existent the past three weeks. He has four catches for 52 yards and no touchdowns over that span, but now he goes back home and is facing his former team. Both factor in Berrian's favor. He has three of his four touchdowns indoors, and he scored at Chicago in Week 7 with six catches for 81 yards in their first meeting. The Bears are No. 30 in pass defense and have been miserable at times this year. This is a good week for Berrian to get going again otherwise Fantasy owners are going to give up on him.
Sit 'Em
Chad Johnson (vs. BAL): He's back after his exile from last week, but don't expect him to play well. The Ravens have done a good job against Johnson with only one touchdown and no 100-yard games in their past five meetings. And it would be a surprise if Johnson gets a lot of passes in his direction following last week's problems with the coaching staff, which got him deactivated at Pittsburgh. Johnson's miserable season continues, and the Ravens are No. 3 in pass defense with only 12 touchdowns allowed.
Marvin Harrison (at CLE): Harrison's outdoor woes continued last week at San Diego with six catches for 44 yards. He now has 17 catches for 152 yards and no touchdowns in six road games for the year. The Browns aren't great in pass coverage, but this is a game where Reggie Wayne should get some attention after some down weeks. And we've seen Peyton Manning continue to rely on Anthony Gonzalez like he did last week against the Chargers. The Colts have three of their final four games at home, so look for Harrison to play better in those contests. For this week, keep Harrison on your bench.
Dwayne Bowe (at OAK): Bowe has been great all season and has actually played well against the Raiders in his career with 13 catches for 237 yards in three games. But he hasn't scored a touchdown against Oakland, and he will struggle to find the end zone this week. Bowe will be matched up with Nnamdi Asomugha most of the day, and teams typically avoid throwing in his direction. It's obvious Tyler Thigpen trusts Mark Bradley, and Tony Gonzalez is having a tremendous year. This is a good week to bench Bowe because of how the Raiders have done in pass coverage.
Muhsin Muhammad (at GB): You can expect Al Harris and Charles Woodson to bounce back at home against the Panthers after getting run over by New Orleans on Monday night. And Muhammad doesn't have a good history against Green Bay. In five previous meetings, Muhammad has eight catches for 146 yards and no touchdowns. Woodson and Harris have enough speed to stay with Muhammad, who does have two touchdowns in his past three games. Both of those were on the road at Oakland and Atlanta, but this week he has a tougher matchup against the No. 6 pass defense in the NFL.
Donald Driver (vs. CAR): Driver apparently is allergic to the Lambeau Leap. In 21 home games the past three years he only has three touchdowns. By comparison, he has 10 touchdowns on the road since 2006. Driver also has cooled off the past three weeks with 13 catches for 152 yards and no touchdowns. We know Aaron Rodgers' favorite target is Greg Jennings, but he continues to involve Jordy Nelson, Ruvell Martin and the Packers' tight ends. Driver is in the mix, but he's not the No. 1 target any more. And the Panthers are among the league leaders in touchdowns allowed with eight.
Bust alert: Isaac Bruce (at BUF): Bruce looked like he was 26 last week at Dallas instead of 36 with eight catches for 125 yards and a touchdown. He finally clicked with Shaun Hill, but don't expect Bruce to play well this week. Aside from the 49ers coming to the East Coast for a 1 p.m. start, Bruce will likely be matched up with Terrence McGee, who is having a solid season. The Bills have done well in pass coverage most of the season, and Bruce hasn't exactly been dominant. Prior to last week, he had 10 catches for 130 yards and no touchdowns in his previous four games.
Tight ends
Start 'Em
Dustin Keller (vs. DEN): Keller has been on a roll the past three weeks with 20 catches for 236 yards and a touchdown against St. Louis, New England and Tennessee. Now he gets a defense that is soft over the middle and has allowed 15 passing touchdowns. Brett Favre continues to look for Keller, and Fantasy owners should continue to count on him as well. Keep Keller active this week.
Greg Olsen (at MIN): Olsen went without a catch last week against St. Louis, but that won't happen against the Vikings. When the two met in Week 7 in Chicago, Olsen had six catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. Olsen would also get a boost if Desmond Clark (knee) is unable to play or limited. Kyle Orton should be ready for a good outing since he's going to have to throw against the Vikings for the Bears to have success. That means he will be looking for Olsen.
Bo Scaife (at DET): We know the Lions pass defense is bad, having allowed 18 passing touchdowns on the season, and tight ends have done some of the damage. The latest example was Jerramy Stevens last week with 29 yards and a touchdown in Detroit. Don't expect the Titans to be throwing much, but when they do, Scaife will be involved. He has 12 catches for 106 yards and a touchdown in his past two road games, and Kerry Collins will look for him running open over the middle.
Sleeper alert: Owen Daniels (vs. JAC): Since Sage Rosenfels took over for the injured Matt Schaub (knee), Daniels has struggled with five catches for 55 yards and no touchdowns the past three games. But he played well against Jacksonville in their first meeting and should find success again. He had seven catches for 87 yards in Week 4 and has two touchdowns in five meetings against the Jaguars. Jacksonville also has allowed 18 passing touchdowns this season, so their pass coverage is susceptible to big games. Some other tight ends to use this week include Jerramy Stevens (vs. NO), Heath Miller (at NE), Visanthe Shiancoe (vs. CHI), Tony Scheffler (at NYJ), Donald Lee (vs. CAR) and Kevin Boss (at WAS).
Sit 'Em
Vernon Davis (at BUF): Davis has found the end zone in two of the past three games, but he's doing it with one catch in each game over that span. The Bills were run over by Tony Gonzalez last week, but Buffalo should be better prepared for Davis at home. Davis has struggled on the road this year with four catches in five games, so he's not exactly a vital part of the game plan. Shaun Hill has made Davis somewhat relevant again, but it's still too hard to trust him on a weekly basis.
Chris Cooley (vs. NYG): Cooley has struggled against the Giants recently with 15 catches for 150 yards and one touchdown in his past five meetings. Earlier this year, Cooley had one catch for 7 yards in the season opener. The Giants have done well against opposing tight ends all year, and Cooley should be held in check again. Cooley also hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 5 at Philadelphia.
Jeremy Shockey (at TB): Shockey's first game with the Saints was against the Bucs in Week 1, and he had six catches for 54 yards. You can expect a similar game from him this week but probably not much more. He hasn't scored a touchdown with New Orleans yet, and Billy Miller has been Drew Brees' target of choice from the tight end spot. Shockey has been busy the past two weeks with 11 catches for 96 yards, but since he's not finding the end zone, it's hard to count on him against a good defense like Tampa Bay.
Bust alert: Kellen Winslow (vs. IND): Winslow is playing with a bad shoulder, and he has a new quarterback again with Derek Anderson replacing the injured Brady Quinn (finger). It makes for a bad combination since Anderson has struggled to connect with Winslow this year, and it doesn't help that the Colts pass defense is among the best in the league. Last week, Indianapolis held Antonio Gates to three catches for 28 yards. Winslow only has four catches for 51 yards in his past two games and should struggle again this week. I'm also concerned about Jason Witten (vs. SEA) and Tony Gonzalez (at OAK). Witten has been terrible since hurting his ribs, and Gonzalez has a poor history against the Raiders. It's hard to sit those two tight ends, but lower your expectations with them this week.
Defense/Special teams
Start 'Em
Dallas (vs. SEA): Matt Hasselbeck continues to struggle in his return from the back injury. He has five interceptions in his past two games against Arizona and Washington, and the Cowboys are starting to get healthy in their secondary. Dallas had four sacks, an interception and a forced fumble last week against San Francisco and did a good job holding down Frank Gore. The Cowboys aren't going to let Julius Jones beat them in his return to Dallas, and Hasselbeck's turnovers should help the Cowboys DST post solid stats.
Other DSTs with good matchups: Green Bay (vs. CAR), Buffalo (vs. SF) and Miami (at STL)
Sit 'Em
Carolina (at GB): The Panthers impressive run defense has fallen apart recently with Kevin Smith rushing for over 100 yards in Week 11 and then Michael Turner going for over 100 yards and four touchdowns last week. Look for Ryan Grant to test the Panthers again, and Aaron Rodgers should also find success against Carolina's secondary. The Panthers do have six interceptions and 12 sacks the past five games, but Green Bay will provide a similar offensive punch to what the Falcons had last week. Carolina had only one sack and a fumble recovery against Atlanta.
Kicker
Start 'Em
Ryan Longwell (vs. CHI): Longwell is on a roll recently with six field goals in seven tries in his past three games, including two 54-yard kicks. He has a good history against the Bears with 11 field goals in his past five meetings and no missed kicks. He also has a long of 55 yards and should find continued success this week. Chicago is among the league leaders with 20 field goals allowed this season. Keep in mind, the last time these teams met in Week 7 they combined for 89 points, so their once-vaunted defenses could be tested again this week, meaning more opportunities for Longwell.
Other kickers with good matchups: Nick Folk (vs. SEA), Matt Bryant (vs. NO) and Robbie Gould (at MIN)
Sit 'Em
Shaun Suisham (vs. NYG): Suisham has missed at least one field goal in four of his past five games. He also doesn't have a good history against the Giants with two games not even attempting a kick and missing another field goal in four previous meetings. In Week 1, Suisham only had one extra point. The Giants come into this game among the league leaders in field goals allowed with 15, and they have only allowed 18.1 points per game. This should be another rough outing for Suisham, so keep him reserved.
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